This is only partially proofread since i'm terribly sleepy for some reason and it's not even that late for me. I usually sleep after 3 a.m and its barely two. I will make sure to go through the chapter again tomorrow when i'm less of a zombie. The last chapter had a tonne of typos some of which i have yet to rectify.

Warnings: depictions of blood, mild panic attack

CHAPTER 9: RED EYES, BLUE EYES

By the time the afternoon sun was high up in the sky, Seokjin had concluded that besides being incredibly pretty, Governor Min Yoongi was probably one of the most intelligent omegas he’s had the chance to meet.

The morning he spent travelling the city with the Governor was a nice change of pace from the prince’s life in the palace where he had to keep his mouth shut despite most definitely having better advice than the council. Here, in front of Min Yoongi, he did not have to pretend to be a dumb, submissive omega.

The two of them spent their carriage ride through the city talking about everything and anything including politics, war strategies, trading pacts and even mating. It was like a breath of fresh air for Seokjin – knowing someone with whom he could share his ideas freely without being put down or ignored.

However, the engaging conversation between them was not the sole reason for the prince’s bright mood.

The border city was simply gorgeous. Aelia City had been beautiful with its views of the shimmering sea and fabulous gardens but it paled in comparison even with this small city on the border of the Pale King’s territory. Just as Seokjin had assumed, the high white walls ran along the border in all directions as if encasing the land in a protective cocoon. The grey-painted barracks was the largest building out of all, the rest being quaint little houses two levels high at most and painted in soft shades of pink, sky blue and peach. The wrought metal gates and fixtures of silver and gold reflected the light of the sun, almost blinding the prince at times. At certain intervals along the streets of the city, wooden poles carved in shapes of animals and spirits of folklore were erected. They had protruding arms from which veiled lanterns and oil lamps were hung – swinging with the wind and waiting to be lighted at dusk.

Most of all, the thing that made the prince gawk was the huge fountain at the center of the city.

There was a shallow pond with the water reflecting the soft colors of the houses around the city square. In the middle of said pond, there was a circular, raised platform with the sculpted fountain situated on top. There was a large, silver wolf at the center, its body poised, head and snout raised to the sky as if the wolf were mid-howl but instead of sound, water flowed from the majestic beast’s slightly parted mouth and fell into the circular basin. There were five more wolves placed around the reservoir, these were golden and varied in height and build – depicting wolves in various stages of life from a pup into adult and then old age. All the five wolf sculptures had their snouts dipped into the basin, drinking the water.

“It’s beautiful!” Seokjin had exclaimed on a gasp when he had laid eyes on it as their carriage was passing through the square.

The Governor had a soft smile on his face as he explained the meaning behind the piece of art. “The silver wolf is Luna.” He’d pointed out to Seokjin. “The water represents life. According to our legends, all shifters are said to be direct descendants of Luna in some form or another, hence the wolves drinking the water that flows from the Luna’s being signifies that they’ve received their life from the she-wolf. All the wolves, no matter their age or rank, must bow to her in respect because without her, there is no life itself.”

As all the shifters in the Ancestral Land do, the prince has also believed in and prayed to Luna since he was but a mere pup. But sometimes, their devotion left him confused. Their legends depicted Luna as a mighty omega she-wolf but for so long omegas have always been treated as the weaker race among shifters. It was a senseless and almost funny thing to do, in his opinion, because why pray to an omega you cannot see while you mistreat the ones who are right before you.

During the extent of their tour, Governor Min never stepped out of their carriage until it was time for lunch. For their meal, they were taken to a white two-storey building at the far end of the city which, according to the Governor, was usually assigned to visiting palace officials and dignitaries from other kingdoms. White, apparently, was the Kingdom’s color.

The meal was sumptuous, each dish carefully selected, cooked and plated with care. They made some light conversation as they ate and Seokjin couldn’t stop admiring the striking contrast between Min Yoongi’s almost glass-like skin and his dark eyes and dark red hair, couldn’t stop smiling at the rosy blush that spread over the older omega’s cheek bones when Seokjin had complimented the Governor’s looks. He couldn’t stop the warm feeling that spread inside him upon receiving several compliments from the other in return, not only regarding his own appearance but in light of his intelligence. It was a great feeling – to be recognized for his intellect by someone who was so smart and accomplished.

“I’ve been meaning to ask…but how do you know General Jung?” Seokjin questioned when there was a comfortable lull in conversation.

“Hoseok?” Min Yoongi smiled at him, his face lighting up a little. The use of his best friend’s first name did not go unnoticed by the prince. “It’s a bit of a long story. I’m rather hurt that he’s never mentioned me to you, seeing as you two are best friends and all, so I’m going to let him tell you himself just so I could see him suffer under all your questioning.” The older actually winked at him conspiratorially, startling Seokjin for a moment before the prince chuckled in response. Oh, he would definitely have some fun grilling Hoseok about it. “In the meanwhile, what I can tell you is that Hoseok saved my life a few years ago. I wouldn’t be here if not for him.”

As curious as Seokjin was, he refrained from asking any more questions related to this throughout the rest of their meal.

It was quieter on their ride back to the barracks as they simply gazed outside through the carriage’s small window. There were a lot more shifters scurrying about the streets now, carrying various supplies and decorations.  Seokjin’s brows furrowed in thought as he wondered what all that hustle was about but Min Yoongi spoke before the prince could even begin framing his question.

“Two days from now marks the anniversary of the Kingdom’s establishment” The Governor explained. “Every year, the citizens celebrate the occasion for seven moons by holding various events.”

“The celebrations last seven days?”

“They do.” The older confirmed. “It’s why I cannot stay here longer. I’ll be leaving for the palace in a few hours but you will also be journeying with me. It will be safer for you to stay as near to the palace as possible until Hoseok, Lady Jiwoo and His Highness prince Jungkook arrive.”

Seokjin gave a small nod. It’s not like he and Namjoon had any plans in particular at the moment and being closer to the palace seemed like a good idea especially if it meant being closer to not one but two people Hoseok trusted – the first being Governor Min and second, the King.

“Have you heard anything from Hoseok?” The prince asked, his worry for the Jung siblings and his brother surfacing, showing in the subtle urgency of his tone.

“Not yet, unfortunately” The red-haired shook his head and Seokjin lowered his own in mild disappointment. He felt a firm hand on his shoulder – the hand was unnaturally cold for some reason prompting a slight shiver from the prince. The Governor withdrew his hand after an encouraging pat. “Don’t worry too much. Hoseok’s made a promise to me, you see, “He continued with a smirk. “And if anything happens to him before he fulfills that promise then I’m going to make sure to find him and kill him myself. Besides, Claw will find him sooner or later.”

Seokjin’s mouth parted but just stayed that way, not knowing how to reply to that statement. The prince huffed and instead of asking the older to enlighten him as to the true meaning behind the other’s words he just said, “That thing is literally the spawn of the devil. It never listens to anyone but Hoseok.” The thing he referred to being Hoseok’s falcon.

Min Yoongi laughed. “True that, You Highness. I agree with you completely.”

Seokjin loved the sound of Yoongi’s laugh. It was warm, genuine and little bit raspy. Before Seokjin knew it, he was laughing long with the older.

“You can drop the formalities, Governor Min. Any friend of Hoseok’s is a friend of mine.” The prince urged the other. “Also, I’m glad you agree with me regarding the damn birdie.”

“Well, Jin, that thing is a nightmare so I cannot help but agree with you.”

It was definitely one of Seokjin’s best days.

 

 

 

***

 

 

Seokjin wasn’t going to lie. He was definitely amused by Namjoon’s betrayed scowl when he greeted the alpha for the first time that day just moments after Seokjin parted ways with Min Yoongi; The other omega taking leave so he could get on with the arrangements for their journey to the castle.

“You could have at least informed me that you were going somewhere.” The alpha’s nostrils flared. Seokjin bit his lip to suppress a chuckle.

“Don’t tell me you wanted to tag along? Were you that bored, Namjoon?” he teased, making Namjoon let out an exasperated huff, the other clearly not in the mood for jokes.

“You do not even know these people, Jin.” The brown-haired spoke in a frustrated tone. “I assumed you would know better than just follow them blindly.”

It was Seokjin’s turn to scowl. “I do know, and besides, I think I’ve already proved that I can take care of myself if anything were to happen.” The prince stressed. “Hoseok knows these people and trusts them so by association, I trust them too. Also, Soobin and Governor Min have been really nice to me so far and that’s more than I can say about you.”

Namjoon shook his head, ignoring the last part of Seokjin’s words, much to the prince’s chagrin. “I don’t even know how you can trust the General, given how many things he’s kept from you.”

“Perhaps it is because I have kept just as many things from him and everyone else.” Seokjin grit out - firm in his quest to uphold Hoseok’s trustworthiness.

Namjoon looked like he wanted to argue but thankfully, the man just sighed heavily and changed the topic. “So, who is this Governor Min, anyway, might I ask?”

“I thought you would never.” Seokjin commented dryly receiving an un-amused look from the alpha. “He is one of the King’s chief advisors. Apparently, he came as soon as the palace received word of us being in the city so I think it is safe to assume that the King is willing to have an audience with us.”

“That is good news, at least.” Namjoon looks somewhat pleased at this.

“Well, yes.” The prince continues, “But that’s not all. Governor Min will be taking us to Alvah, which I’ve been told is the kingdom’s capital and the city where the palace is located. It’s a day and a half’s journey by carriage and we are expected to be ready to leave by sundown.”

“That’s smart thinking.” Namjoon said with a thoughtful look. “It will be much safer than staying at the border.”

“That’s what the Governor said.” Seokjin supplied and then with a teasing tone, added, “Also, do you realize that you’ve actually praised an omega just now?”

Namjoon’s eyes shot wide open. “What?”

“Oh, don’t be that surprised now.” The prince chuckled. “What did you expect? We are in a country that is run by omegas, after all, so of course there are going to be omegas in high positions and offices.”

“Well…I guess that is only right.” The alpha said after quite some time, his eyes wondering over their surroundings. “Maybe omegas should rule every kingdom. It’s so peaceful here.”

And there it was again, always taking Seokjin by surprise.  It was always like this – one minute the alpha is all harsh and condescending towards omegas and the next minute he is taking care of and helping Seokjin and accepting how an omega’s kingdom was better than those ruled by alpha kings. Ever since his talk with Seulgi, Seokjin has found himself noticing this double standard more and more. Sometimes, the prince even feels like the alpha is forcing his bad attitude on purpose - it left Seokjin utterly confused.

He’d meant it to be teasing but the alpha’s serious and genuine reply plunged them into silence once more, not the comfortable kind this time or even the awkward one but just a thoughtful sort of silence where both of them pondered over their own dilemmas.  

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Seokjin had initially wanted to accept Governor Min’s offer to ride with him in the elder’s carriage but the tiny nagging voice at the back of his mind that did not want to leave the alpha alone for the journey made him hesitate and in the end decline, opting to share the a carriage with Namjoon instead.

The alpha hadn’t had the opportunity to meet the Governor face to face yet and so Namjoon had seemed a little relieved that Seokjin wouldn’t be in the presence of a practically unknown stranger yet again, despite the prince repeatedly stressing that Governor Min was someone they could trust.

Their entourage was fairly small, with Governor Min occupying the first carriage and Seokjin and Namjoon the second. Choi Soobin, accompanied by four other shifters, had joined them just as Seokjin was getting into the carriage. The young alpha guard introduced the two betas as Beomgyu and Taehyun – his brothers, and the two alphas, Yeonjun and Huening Kai as his cousins on his alpha father’s side. It had turned out that Soobin was actually a year older than Seokjin and the other four one or two years younger than the prince.

Yeonjun and Huening Kai had joined Seokjin and Namjoon, not actually getting inside their carriage but settling themselves at the front. Meanwhile, Soobin had left with Beomgyu and Taehyun who were apparently the Governor’s personal guards. It made Seokjin wonder where the two males had been the whole morning because weren’t personal guards supposed to be always hounding the person they are tasked with protecting?

Their carriage lurched into motion all too soon, bumping over uneven land as they eventually crossed the city limits and journeyed through roads that were flanked by lush green fields on both sides despite the days being so deep into autumn. Namjoon and Seokjin made some light conversation, talking about the architecture and the views they glimpsed through the small window. Seokjin took it upon himself to describe what he’d seen in the city earlier that day, not forgetting to mention the fountain of Luna and the meaning that came with the sculptures.

Namjoon had listened to his ramblings with apt attention and later Seokjin made sure to return the same kind of interest as Namjoon shared his own opinions regarding what he’s come to know about the unusual way the kingdom was run.

They stopped at one of the villages along the way to have an early dinner with Seokjin briefly making his way to Min Yoongi’s carriage when he noticed the older omega making no move to exit the carriage – his meal was later delivered by Soobin while the rest of them dined inside the small establishment.

The Governor had cited being too tired as his reason for remaining inside the carriage but Seokjin’s gut told him there was more to it than the older was willing to admit. Seokjin did not push, however, and left the older to his own devices.

Once the sun set below the horizon and Seokjin and Namjoon were safely back inside their own carriage it didn’t take long for the prince to drift away. After his rut, Namjoon’s scent no longer carried the pungent seaweed that Jin’s omega despised and only the alpha’s natural scent of warm beaches remained, engulfing him and almost instantly lulling the prince into a deep sleep.

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

The table was lined with so many exquisite dishes Seokjin did not know which one to taste first.

He moved his hands gently, placing a small portion of each dish onto his place, all the while taking extreme care so as to not drop the clearly expensive platter made of pure, transparent crystal. He was a prince, yes, and he’s grown up surrounded by riches and expensive things but even he could tell just how valuable these brittle crystal plates were.

The sound of rambunctious conversation and laughter echoed off the high, white walls of the palace’s banquet hall. Seokjin sliced off a piece of juicy meat and bit it off the fork as he surveyed the room again, not being able to take his eyes off of such beauty.

The ceiling was high as was generally the case with ballrooms and banquet halls in every castle. The marble pillars were carved with beautiful designs of flowers and the gilded stucco on the ceiling borders and corners was white gold.

Seokjin had noticed how everything in the room seemed to be in pale shades – mostly either white, silver, pale gold, or peach. The hall had ceiling-high arches on all four sides looking out onto the gardens beyond but currently the mesmerizing views were being blocked by pale pink and white curtains that danced with the light wind that had taken up outside.

The three crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling shimmered and reflected what little natural sunlight reached inside the room past the silken draperies and on the table, silver vases were placed at intervals, fresh white roses smelling just divine.

The only dark colors in the room seemed to be the tiles on the floor and Governor Min’s robes. The flooring was a black and white checker board, the tiles tilted at an angle such that they looked liked rhombuses instead of squares. The Governor’s coat was a very dark green, almost black, with a pattern of birds in flight embroidered into the borders with gold thread. The robes were worn over white gossamer shirt and pants that shimmered just like the crystals in the room and contrasted beautifully with the omega’s green robes and dark red hair.

Min Yoongi sat at the head of the table as he ate while the rest of them sat on both sides along it. Seokjin sat to the Governor’s left while a newly arrived Hoseok sat to the older omega’s right.

Hoseok was leaning in towards Yoongi, saying something under his breath but the words were too low to hear amidst the boisterous chatter of the remaining guests who were all dressed similarly in silvers and whites.

Soobin and his brothers and cousins were present, not sitting and still on duty but wandering freely and picking up their share of delicacies from the assortment on the table. Jungkook sat beside his mate, Jiwoo who was on Hoseok’s other side. Just beside Seokjin sat Jimin, eyes turned to crescents as he laughed at something the man on his other side had said.

Seokjin watched as attendants wandered into the hall with jugs of wine on silver trays and started pouring the red alcohol into crystal chalices that were by each guest’s plate. Everyone was too busy eating or chatting to mind the wine for now but he watched as the Governor raised his cup to his mouth, only to stop mid-way as he turned to listen to something else Hoseok had started recounting. The prince felt his eyes shift away from his best friend and noticed the attendant who’d lingered just behind the Governor. For some weird, unexplainable reason Seokjin did not like the look in the attendant’s eyes – it felt wrong and malicious.

He tore his eyes away, wanting to point it out to Namjoon…

Where was the alpha, anyway?

Wait…the Jung siblings and Jungkook were here, but when exactly had they arrived? Seokjin felt like a bit of his memory was missing. The prince scratched the back of his head, trying to remember his reunion with the trio. Surely he wouldn’t forget the long-awaited moment of reunion with his best friend and his brother, who was now mated, so easily. Wait…when did Jungkook and Jiwoo get mated? Seokjin didn’t remember hearing anything about that.

Slightly confused, he slowly dragged his hand down from the back of his hand but a cold sensation against his skin prompted him to take a look at his fingers. There was an unfamiliar ring on the index finger of his right hand. It wasn’t really unfamiliar, though. He’s seen it before – it belonged to Namjoon.

Seokjin stared at the ring numbly, eyes slowly shifting to look at his fingers – not his crooked ones but long, straight ones. Fingers that did not belong to the prince.

He felt a gaze on him and looked down along the table only to lock eyes with the man who’d been sitting beside Jimin. Seokjin did not have any recollection of ever seeing the man before.

The prince could not pinpoint any of the shifters features except his eyes, which glowed a bright omega blue – bluer and colder than any Seokjin’s seen before. The cold eyes stared into his, swirling with images Seokjin could not make out.

“Namjoon?” he heard the Governor’s voice call from the other side and with much difficulty tore his eyes away from the other omega, hoping to finally see the alpha he’d been looking for.

Instead, he saw Governor Min looking straight at him. The older omega was smiling as he raised his chalice in a toast to him and moved the cup to his lips.

Seokjin saw that the Governor’s eyes were also blue and then he realized his own were too, his vision tinged. But at the same time, the prince also realized that Namjoon wasn’t the one absent from the banquet. The one unaccounted for was the prince himself, watching the events unfold through Namjoon’s eyes but without actually being physically present in the room.

All of it wasn’t real.

He turned to look at the omega with the cold eyes and then to Yoongi who had finally taken a sip of his wine. The attendant behind the elder laughed, Seokjin froze as the Governor’s eyes started to turn red, he watched as the elder’s mouth parted to drip wine-colored blood onto the spotless white tablecloth.

Seokjin heard screams but he couldn’t move, he felt floaty and disoriented as he turned to meet those cold blue eyes for the final time.

 

 

***

 

 

“…-in, Jin!” someone was shaking him, not too rough but not exactly gentle either. He could sense that the other person was agitated. “SEOKJIN!”

“Ah!?” the prince’s eyes shot open, that light feeling of floaty-ness still lingering strongly. “Wait…what? Namjoon? Heck, why are you shouting in my ear?” Seokjin mumbled as he pushed the alpha away from him and squirmed in his seat so he could sit up properly. Both he and Namjoon were still in the carriage and it was still moving. “Oh, wow. Holy ing Luna…”

“Holy fu- Jin why the hell are you cussing first thing after you wake up? What’s wrong? You were tossing so much, it was like you were -“

“Having a really bad dream, yes.” The prince managed as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and tried to focus. He waved off the alpha’s questions and inquisitive gaze as he pulled back the curtain on the door and cracked it open slightly. “Yeonjun?”

The young alpha’s head popped to the side of the carriage. “What is it, Your Highness?” he smiled mischievously, knowing full well that Seokjin would reprimand him for using the title when he’d already particularly stressed to all of their companions to address him simply as ‘Jin’. His expression turned serious, however, as the reprimand never came and the alpha noticed the slightly ruffled look on Seokjin’s face. “Is there something wrong?”

“Um…not exactly,” the prince shook his head. Everyone was calm so he was sure that nothing bad had happened while he had been asleep but there was a nagging feeling that he had to satisfy before he could relax. “Uh…could you do me a favor and check on the Governor?”

Yeonjun looked like he wanted to ask question but the slightly pleading look in Seokjin’s eyes must have held him back. The alpha shot him a brisk nod and turned to face forward as he called loudly for Soobin who rode the General’s carriage just a small distance in front of their own carriage.

“Jin?” the tentative voice called and Seokjin once again leaned his head outside to look at Yeonjun, all the while feeling Namjoon’s eyes on him. “Soobin checked and Lord Min is just fine.”

“Thank you.” The prince sent him a faint smile and pulled the door shut before the young alpha could start asking questions. However, there was another, older alpha inside with him, who also had his own share of inquiries.

“What was that all about?”

Seokjin shook his head. “Just a bad dream.” He said again.

Seokjin hoped it was just that – a bad dream and nothing else, not some unlucky omen hinting at danger.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 With only their brief stop for dinner to delay them their entourage made good time, arriving at Alvah several hours earlier than had been initially expected.

Seokjin’s new omega acquaintance wasted no time in returning to the palace, the Governor leaving behind only a simple letter for Seokjin and the two alphas, Yeonjun and Huening Kai, to serve as their guard. After a few moments of bickering amongst themselves, much to the prince’s amusement, the two young guards decided that Yeonjun would tag along with Seokjin while Namjoon ended up being Huening Kai’s responsibility, the elder alpha looking displeased and muttering all the while about how he did not need a guard. Seokjin had a hard time suppressing the laugh that threatened to burst out of him at Namjoon’s scowl when Huening Kai had reassured the elder that he wasn’t there to guard Namjoon but instead guard the other citizens against the older alpha.

The prince did not know what to make of it, but true to his dream, the city was bathed in blinding whites and pale peaches, so bright and spotless as though the paint had been freshly re-applied just recently. On one hand he was extremely taken with the purity and beauty of it all but some part of him felt a tiny bit of unease at just how much resemblance it all bore to his dream.

With instructions for Huening Kai to relay a small message to Namjoon regarding his whereabouts when the elder alpha would awake from his nap Seokjin, flanked by Yeonjun, proceeded to explore.

The enormous mansion they were assigned to was originally meant for emissaries from Seokjin’s own kingdom and the prince finally, if not extremely belatedly, recollected that the Lupa Kim Clan’s emissary to the Pale King’s realm for the first year that the new king took over the country was none other than his best friend and General, Jung Hoseok.  The guards’ familiar attitude towards anything that concerned Hoseok and the alpha’s warm cinnamon scent that lingered faintly inside the room that had been designated as an office only cemented the fact that Hoseok spent an ample amount of time at the mansion, and in the kingdom in general. Although, it made Seokjin wonder. It had already been several years since his friend had been relieved of the emissary position but his scent indicated his recent presence in the mansion. Has Hoseok been visiting the Pale King's Realm even after being appointed as the Lupa Kim's General? If so, then why?

“How well exactly do you know Hoseokie?”  Seokjin queried the young alpha, knowing full well he wouldn’t get much out of him but still, he had to at least try right?

“The General? Hm…” the shifter hummed in faux thought, a small smirk evident on his lips. “More than I would ever like to, You- I mean, Jin.”

“That’s not really helpful, you know.” The alpha just laughed good naturedly at Seokjin’s failed attempt of getting more information out of him. “What else is there to do around here that’s not awfully boring?” he asked once he had successfully finished surveying the sparsely furnished and barely lived in mansion. It was perplexing, in a way, since Seokjin knows Hoseok just loves to make any space he spends a considerable amount of time in his own, usually by adding bright aesthetics and various silly looking trinkets he would buy at the markets during his travels.

“Mhm, I don’t know if it will be something you are interested in, but there is a training arena two streets down from here. It shouldn’t take us much time to get there and it’s relatively safe, seeing as there will be several city guards and soldiers-in-training in the vicinity.”

An idea popped into the prince’s mind. It had been quite a while since he got in any exercise, and no, running through the woods in either his human or wolf form did not count. “Would anyone mind if I used the training equipment?” he asked the younger, eagerly anticipating a positive answer. To his luck it was, indeed, to his favor.

“Of  course not.” The alpha looked at him with a curious sparkle in his eyes. “You are certainly welcome to use anything, as long as you don’t try to kill anyone.” He said the last part on a laugh, prompting the prince to roll his eyes as the two of them exited the mansion.

Just as Yeonjun had said, it didn’t take them long to reach their destination. The alpha swung his legs over the waist-high wall surrounding the arena and unlocked the small metal gate for Seokjin which had been bolted shut from the inside.

Many eyes turned to look at the two as they made their way across the dusty grounds, some clueless but curious, others probably already aware of Seokjin’s identity. Seokjin sniffed the air, trying to gauge the dynamic of the shifters closes to their path. He was surprised when his nose registered only one of the shifters as an omega.

“I was assuming there would be more omegas at the training grounds, considering this is a country where ninety percent of the population are omegas, no?” he raised a brow, side-eyeing his companion.

“It’s reasonable you would think that but no.” The younger replied as he led Seokjin over to a tall rack with a wooden bench in front of it where the prince could make out several kinds of weapons, ranging from small daggers and evidently heavy broadswords to deadly looking maces, sharp lances and crossbows. “Most omegas that come here are looking for protection, safety. Just because our king is a warrior that does not mean every other omega living here is.” He explains.

“Then what about during times of war? I know that there’s been no threat to the kingdom since the current king took over but now things are different, aren’t they?” Seokjin asked. “Who will fight should the Royals launch an attack?”

“Around half of the omegan population are mated, so their alpha or beta mates would be the ones to go to war if it ever does come to that. There are also unmated alphas and betas like me and my brothers and cousins.” Yeonjun further states, “Those of us like my family and myself were granted refuge and sanctuary by the king in return for our loyalty and willingness to fight should a war ever threaten the kingdom’s peace.”

“So… the omegas don’t actually train or fight?” Seokjin wondered, his mood becoming a bit damped at the possibility. He had been quite eager to meet more omegas proficient in combat and maybe learn a thing or two from them. Thankfully, Yeonjun refuted the prince’s assumption with a shake of his head.

“They do train in combat, just not all of them is all.” Seokjin responded with a small nod, mind wandering as he perused the vast array of weapons displayed before him. “Do you already have in mind a weapon you would perhaps like to learn using? I could guide you if you’re amenable.”

“Um…actually, “ Seokjin began with a glint in his eyes as he spotted the set of weapons he’d been looking for, “I was thinking I could maybe practice something I’m already familiar with.” He said, lifting a large wooden bow and weighing it in his hand. He deemed it too heavy and placed back, trying another one as he glanced over his shoulder only to be greeted by the younger’s mildly perplexed expression. “What?” he enquired on a bark of amused laughter.

“Nothing!” Yeonjun exclaimed as he hurriedly tried to school his features to normal. “Just…the Lupa Kim’s rules regarding omega education seem much more lenient than what I’ve been made aware of in the past.”

“Oh! They aren’t, I assure you. “ he smacked his lips, tongue clicking n displeasure at the thought of all the arrogant alphas in the palace. “The advisors on my father’s council were all old-fashioned boorish men who probably had too much fun throughout the years as they watched me being restricted and confined in the palace. Only I never was, at least not to their knowledge. I was particularly good at sneaking around in general and in sneaking out of the palace, in particular.” The prince stated smugly. “I would watch the knights and guards train, would then steal weapons from the armory and sneak into the woods to practice after the so called ‘omega education lessons’ were done for the day.”

At the prolonged silence, another bow in hand, Seokjin turned to face the younger who was scrutinizing him as though he were some exotic specimen. He waved a hand in front of the alpha’s face, pulling him back to the present.

“Surprisingly, you are a lot like the Pale King.” At a quirked brow, the younger added, “In your spirit and ideals, I mean. The two of you look nothing alike.”

“I’m guessing that’s a compliment since all of you think so highly of the King.”

“It is.” The alpha confirmed. “We do.”

“Mhm…”

Once again sensing that the younger would not be willing to elaborate on this supposed likeness between the Omega King and himself, with a sigh Seokjin diverted his attention back to his previous task of choosing an appropriate bow. He picked each one up, weighed it in the palm of his hand, pulled on the taut string to gauge the tightness of it and how much force he would have to use to pull it back.

He found the right one when there were only three more bows that he hadn’t tried yet. It was made of a dark, polished wood and had a grip of white gold. The tautness of the string was just right and the weight felt comfortable in his hand.

“This one.” He smiled, showing off his chosen bow and with a nod the alpha handed him a quiver made of a thick leather material with exactly eight arrows in it.

As he was led towards the other side of the arena where the targets stood against a wall, Seokjin noticed that the betas and alphas around them, those who had been either practicing on their own or sparring in pairs alike, stopped what they were doing and moved to crowd a few paces behind him.

“Take it easy.” The younger mumbled before moving to join the small crowd that had gathered. It made Seokjin a little nervous – it had been quite a long while since he’d last held a bow and he did not want to embarrass himself in front of these alphas and betas. He sniffed the air subtly, searching for the single omega he’d seen earlier. The tall woman stood at the edge of the crowd and upon meeting the prince’s gaze sent him an almost imperceptible nod of encouragement.

The prince blinked his eyes slowly, his head inclining just barely as he mentally thanked the unknown omega before turning to face the targets. He took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he widened the gap between his feet and checked his stance. The distance between him and the target confirmed to the general practice standards – around seventy meters.

He checked the string one last time and reached his right hand behind him to grab an arrow from the quiver he’d slung over his shoulder earlier.

A breath. He raised the bow and notched the arrow. Another breath. He aimed, pulled and shot at the target. The arrow missed the circular target by a wide berth. He heard some of the alphas snort behind him and Yeonjun growl lowly in reproach. Hm…so even alphas living in a kingdom ruled by omegas had a superiority complex. Rather disappointing.

Seokjin momentarily laid his bow and quiver onto the high wooden table that stood a few steps to the side of where he was. He adjusted his loose robe, tying it at the waist before once again picking up the weapon.

The prince repeated the steps, rolling his shoulders a little so as to not strain them too much. He closed his eyes and tried to remember all his practice sessions. The woods, tall trees, the blinding sun that shone over the clearing he always practiced in, the occasional bird that would perch on a branch and be his sole audience member. The direction of the wind.

He breathed, his ears hearing the direction of the wind by the way the leaves on the trees around the arena rustled. His skin felt the temperature of the air that flowed by, goose bumps rising on the skin of his arms both from pure anticipation and from how chilly the wind actually was. The Pale King’s Realm was so much further north than the Lupa Kim Clan’s territory.

Seokjin had always craved for an opportunity to prove himself to alphas and now, for once, he had that opportunity and a sizable audience, some of which were perhaps already thinking to lightly of his skill with the bow, or any other weapon for that matter. It wasn’t like the prince was proficient in any other weapon of war anyway but the bow – that one he could handle with his eyes closed. Archery was something Seokjin prided himself in.

His eyes were still closed. The smell of dense forest from his practice grounds was now replaced by a much milder one since there were fewer trees around. The fragrance of wet dirt was also no longer there, the air up north dry and chilly.

He could hear a few exasperated sounding murmurs from behind. Seokjin paid no heed to them as he took yet another breath and opened his eyes. His nose registered a ripple in the air, the scent of a new arrival at the arena. Seokjin’s chest felt warm as he aimed and finally let the arrow fly. It sailed through the air, wobbling so slightly that it was almost invisible to the untrained eye. The arrow hit the target right in the center - a perfect bullseye. 

“Nice!” Yeonjun’s chipper voice carried across the negligible distance separating them and Seokjin smiled as he notched another arrow. He let it fly, the warmth in his chest still present as it struck the target right beside the first one and he heard the sole omega in the crowd shout out an amicable cheer.

The warmth spread, salt and beach invading his senses as his practiced hands went on automatic. Take an arrow, breath, aim, let loose. He shot each arrow with impeccable precision, each one getting stuck as near to the center as possible. He could feel the apparent change in emotions of the crowd – surprised, impressed, proud. There was another emotion too, something he couldn’t properly pick up on in his focused state.

He reached his hand for the quiver, finding only the last arrow there – the eighth one.  The center of the target circle was so congested, barely any space for the last arrow to embed into. Seokjin smirked to himself, already knowing a perfect solution to the space problem. He raised the bow, grip tight, and notched the last arrow. This time when the prince let his arrow fly his eyes were closed.

He opened his eyes, the arrow was nowhere in sight and confusion spread among the crowd. He placed the bow and now empty quiver on the table and confidently sashayed towards the target, jumping over the low wall behind it to pull the arrow that had embedded itself into the trunk of a tree that stood directly behind the target circle. On the way back to the crowd, arrow in hand, he made sure to detach and bring the practice target as well.

Seokjin raised the target as he neared the crowd and Yeonjun’s eyes widened in realization. The arrow had gone straight through the middle, carving a hole at the centre of the middle-most ring. He heard an appreciative whistle and turned towards the other omega who winked at him, clearly impressed.

He hadn’t done anything too grand or magnificent of or any real importance. He hadn’t become king yet and hadn’t won the war against Royals. But despite everything, he had proved himself to be as capable as any alpha with a weapon and it felt really good to strike off one item off his wish list.

The beach was still there and it distracted him. He turned to look to the side and saw Namjoon rooted to the spot, his eyes locking with Seokjin’s immediately.

Seokjin tilted his head, watching as the alpha watched him back. They just stared and kept straight for some reason – the two of them in their own little bubble of sorts.

That is, until Yeonjun came bounding over and slapped him appreciatively on the shoulder, screeching in the prince’s ear about how cool his ending stunt had been.

The bubble was broken as Namjoon finally turned away.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“Jin?” A knock against the door had him hastily put on his night robe. He had just gotten out of the bath.

“Yes, Yeonjun?”

“Um…are you decent? May I come in?”

“It’s alright.” He called through the closed door and immediately it creaked open to reveal the young alpha who was carrying something in his hands. “And even if I wasn’t decent it wouldn’t matter much. We’re shifters. Until a few decades ago our kind used to walk around .”

Yeonjun snorted derisively, not fond of the reference used. “Still, it’s not the barbaric age anymore and you are an omega – a crown prince, a future king – and I’m an alpha. You may be fine with it since you don’t deem me a threat but what if it’s someone who just wants to have their way with a beautiful omega.”

The prince had a smug look on his face. “Yeonjun, dear, a few weeks ago I used my teeth to rip into shreds three out of a group of rogues who, as you just put it so nicely, wanted to have their way with me  before selling me off on at the slave market.”

“Ah…right.” The alpha smacked his lips together. “I keep forgetting stuff.”

“Well, I did not forget how you called me beautiful just now.” The prince said in a teasing tone.

The alpha rolled his eyes as he placed a delicately folded assortment of black garments on the bed. “It was a figure of speech. I was just describing a possible scenario.” The alpha mumbled but Seokjin did not miss the faint blush on the younger’s cheeks. Cute. “Besides, I’m drawn to omegas that are older than me at least by a few years. Makes them wiser, less silly.”

“Oh!” He hadn’t expected the alpha to say all that but it was nice to have some friendly banter for once. “Mhm…so, your King is older, and as you pointed out on several occasions, he is very beautiful and wise. Are you perhaps in love with your King? “ he gasped dramatically for effect.

Yeonjun looked downright scandalized. “Goodness, no!” he sputtered with his eyes wide. “Don’t say that. His Majesty has an intended mate already.” The alpha spoke in a flurry, his eyes bulging out as he evidently slipped in something he wasn’t supposed to say.

The prince’s eyes narrowed for a brief instant at yet another sliver of information about the omega King but he did not press because the room was starting to smell faintly of distressed alpha.

“It’s okay, I won’t tell a soul. I’m the best at keeping secrets, you know.” He tried to pacify the younger who, thankfully, relaxed a bit. Seokjin chuckled lightly and then directed his attention to the clothes. “So, what are these?”

“It is tradition to wear black clothing after sun down during the seven days we celebrate the kingdom’s establishment anniversary.” The alpha explained, slowly gaining back his usual composure.

“Mhm…It’s very unexpected.” Seokjin mused, unfolding the garment and letting it fall to its full length as he inspected it. “Almost everything here is either white or similar pale shades. So pure…and then you wear black for such an important celebration?”

“It is said that our King wasn’t exactly in complete control of his wolf when he killed the previous king and his court.” The dark-haired boy smiled softly, a little bit of sadness in his voice. “The Pale King has always said that even the purest of souls could turn evil under the wrong kind of pressure. His Majesty makes us wear black during the festival to remind us just how easy it is to stray towards the wrong path. For the white to turn pitch black.”

“That’s sort of morbid, but sadly also incredibly true.”

The alpha simply nodded. “The clothes are a gift from Governor Min. I also took it upon myself to get a set for Sir Kim.”

“Thank you, Yeonjun. I greatly appreciate it.” Honestly, he felt a little smug about how he was the only one who received a special set of garments from the Governor who clearly knew of the prince’s companion and yet chose to delegate the task of selecting the alpha’s clothes to his guard.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Seokjin was lost for words.

Back home, his usual clothes would mostly be of light pastel shades while the clothes prepared for special occasions would mostly be deep sapphires, emeralds or maroons. He’s never worn something completely black.

Black pearls to accent his pale neck? He had plenty. Black satin belts to bring some contrast to his paler wardrobe, black boots that ended just beneath his knees, black embroidery on his robes.

But never has he worn something black from head to toe. The pitch black material was smooth and silky, the shirt, pants and robe entirely black except for a thin design in gold thread at the hem of the pant legs and the borders of the robe. The robe did not have an attached sash and instead came with a separate belt of a much thicker material with a gold buckle in the shape of a rose blossom. He had found a small pouch among the folds of the robe and inside it were a thin, black choker and dangling gold earrings that he was now adorned with.

Seokjin studied his reflection in the full length mirror that hung against a wall in his room at the mansion. He turned slowly – left, right, a full twirl on the balls of his feet. He tightened his belt to emphasize his narrow waist and pressed his fingers along the cloth of the chocker around his neck to soften out any creases. The garments were simple yet also perfect. The earrings were like the crystal chandeliers from his dream – sparkling and reflecting the light. His skin looked brighter and the kohl smudged lightly around his eyes made them look deeper, more interesting.

He made a mental note to shower the Governor with praise and gifts because he absolutely adored the way he looked. He appeared old, more mature, regal – not just a pretty prince in overtly extravagant clothes.

Excited for the festivities of the night, Seokjin hurried to the lower floor of the mansion where he was greeted by both Yeonjun and Huening Kai, both of whom complimented the Governors impeccable taste in clothes, Seokjin’s own appearance in them and the added accent of the kohl that had been entirely the prince’s idea of something extra.

To say that he froze upon seeing Namjoon descending the steps in a similar looking black ensemble would be an understatement. Seokjin froze, his brain froze, his eyes were unblinking, his breath non-existent for an instant. He’s known and accepted the fact that Namjoon was handsome since the first time he saw him all those years ago at Jungkook’s presentation ball but right then, clad in all black with his sword in a black scabbard that hung on a belt from his hips and a silver hoop earring in his left year Namjoon looked dangerous. Not the normal dangerous but a different kind that made his omega scramble for purchase – figuratively, of course, since the prince thankfully managed to control both his inner wolf and his composure.

The only thing that softened the explosive impact of his reaction to Namjoon was the fact that the alpha was staring at him with the same kind of expression.

Seokjin recovered first upon a badly muffled snicker reaching his ears, the culprit of course, being none other than the brat alpha Yeonjun. The younger’s rapid shifts between playful and serious were greatly reminiscent of Jungkook and as their group of four stepped into the streets of Alvah, Seokjin wished his brother and two closest friends were here with him to share the splendid fairytale land the city had turned into in a mere few hours that it took Seokjin to bathe and get dressed.

He could almost hear the thrum of the strings and vibration of the stretched fabric over drums as soft yet jovial music filled the air. Small oil lamps were placed on each window sill, tiny flames seeming to be almost dancing to the melody produced by the instruments. Glowing lanterns hung from several tree branches and hooks in the stone walls of the houses.

Seokjin noticed a few fruit faeries among the milling crowd, their dresses in bright hues and barely reaching the waist of adult shifters as they bounced around the streets, sparkling and glittery powder falling to the ground in their wake.

A couple betas who turned out to be Yeonjun’s and Huening Kai’s friends approached them after a while and after much insistence on the prince’s part that having Namjoon around was enough protection, the four friends wandered away, leaving Seokjin and Namjoon to explore the brightly lit city on their own.

Besides the extensive light and fire themed decorations, the rest of the festival events resembled those of the Midnight Festival. There was music, dance, games, a performance troupe that was a mix of wood nymphs and shifters and of course, an abundance of stalls selling snacks.

In his haste to see everything there was to see and taste every delicacy there was to eat, the prince did not even register how his hand automatically wrapped around one of Namjoon’s wrists as he pulled and dragged him up and down the streets.

Seokjin clapped excitedly as he watched the troupe walk on tight ropes, swallow swords and do cartwheels in the air. At the back of his mind he was wondering where so many of the Woodland faeries had appeared from all of a sudden, especially after he and Namjoon had been witness to the empty and lifeless stretch upon stretch of the whispering woods.

“Holy Luna!” the prince clutched at his chest. “Namjoon, you simply have to try this. It’s absolutely divine!” the prince exclaimed as he pushed a morsel of a local sweet he had just procured into the alpha’s hands. Namjoon scowled visibly, but acquiesced and took a bite of the sweet, eyes widening just fractionally because it was just so good.

The prince’s over excitement died down a notch as the time for prayer approached and all the shifters gathered in the city square to conduct a prayer for the Luna. Faint whispers and murmurings passed through the crowd of praying shifters as the faeries, pixies and elves lingered at the edges and corners of the square, serenely gazing at the moon, though not praying themselves.  

The band moved to the square after the prayer was done with and a slow melody that held just a hint of sensuality to it engulfed the night. Mates, couples and even those who looked nothing more than friends took to the cobblestones in an equally slow dance to match the music. Seokjin felt his body sway slightly to the soft tune.

At one side of the square was a long table where alcohol laced punch and wine were served to adults and colorful berry juice to teens and pups.

A young boy was sipping red juice from a transparent glass when a girl, presumably the boy’s friend, crept up behind him sneakily and pounced onto his back. The young boy who was too far from the prince for Seokjin to be able to distinguish his dynamic unceremoniously chocked on his drink and coughed it up, the red juice spilling out his lips and down his chin and neck, staining both his skin and clothes.

Seokjin’s smile slipped from his face as another image came to his mind, vivid and unpleasant.

Red hair, pale skin, red poison in the form of wine. Red eyes, Red against white cloth. Screams. Startling blue eyes.

He was distantly aware of Namjoon coming up beside him but a spark of bright blue to the side caught his eye and jerked his head to the side in order to find the source. There, on the other side of the enormous square, stood a hooded figure ensconced and almost hidden in the shadows cast by the houses adjacent the square. Seokjin couldn’t see anything except the eyes – blue eyes. These eyes were not cold though, not like the ones from his dream. Unconsciously, a sob was trying to tear its way out of the confines of the prince’s throat.

“Jin? Seokjin?” He turned at the sound of the alpha’s voice. “Hey…” Namjoon looked unsure, but not scared unsure – a sheepish, bashful almost embarrassed unsure. Seokjin briefly turned back to find the blue eyes gone along with the hooded figure. “Um…” Namjoon’s voice drew him back, “Would you care to dance, Your Highness?” the alpha’s hand was extended palm up towards him in invitation.

Yes, Seokjin would love to dance today even if it was with Namjoon, even if he would have despised the mere idea of dancing with Namjoon in the past. He didn’t despise it now, though.

But…

May I have this dance, My Prince?

Ah! I apologize, Your Highness. My name is-

In the end, he never did get the alpha’s name, did he? Was the nameless alpha even alive? Had he survived the massacre at the palace?

Whoosh, arrow, dead, Namjoon, run, enemy.

The panic welled within and Seokjin’s knees gave out as he fell to his knees, a quiet but wretched sob spilling past his bitten lips.

Red, red, red…ice blue…dead-

“Hey-“ Warmth. “Seokjin, it’s alright, everything is alright. Come back to me, yeah? “

Seokjin felt large warm hands on his back; long arms wound around his torso that spoke of protection and safety; breezy sea and warm sand that spoke of comfort and serenity. Another involuntary sob escaped him as he clutched at the dark sleeves of the alpha’s robe.

“Shhh…you are safe, Your Highness. You are safe, Jin.” A soothing voice droned repetitively, warm hands rubbing circles into his back until the prince’s breathing slowed and his composure returned.

“I-I’m alright now…thank you.” He spoke softly as he detached himself from the cage of Namjoon’s arms.

Namjoon drew back and studied the prince with an intense gaze that was almost too much for Seokjin to bare in his still slightly disoriented state. Were the events finally catching up with him? Is that why he had almost had a panic attack at the memory of what happened at the palace? He’s taught about it before but he’d never panicked, even at the death of his father.

Was it because of the dream? Or because of the blue eyes he had glimpsed just briefly tonight?

“Are you with me, Jin?” one of the alpha’s hands gently cupped the side of his face, thumb his cheek.

The people around him were too immersed in the festivities, the music had at some point changed into something fun and wild. No one paid the two of them too much attention, save a few curious glances here and there.

Seokjin focused on Namjoon. The alpha was crouched before him, knees on the cobblestone below as he sat back on his haunches. His eyes roamed the prince’s face with worry. His scent had engulfed them both in a cocoon of placating and comforting pheromones. The prince’s vision in his right eye blurred and he felt wetness on his cheek as a tear rolled down his skin only to be gently swiped away by Namjoon’s thumb.

“I’m here.” Seokjin whispered and Namjoon smiled softly. Everything about the alpha was soft – the warmth of his hands on Seokjin’s back and the side of his face, the familiar scent that he was giving off, the smile on his lips, the adoring look in his eyes…

Seokjin blinked.

Namjoon’s eyes were red. They were red and Seokjin stared straight into them but he wasn’t afraid, not even a little intimidated.

The red of his eyes wasn’t the red of an alpha in anger, the red of aggressive frenzy.

It was a distinct type of red a shifter’s eyes only turned when an alpha’s wolf found their mate.

 

***     

 

Notes:

I would really love to hear your theories either on twitter or down in the comments.

Everyone please stay healthy and try to be happy.

Love,
A.E