"Has my brother come by?" Rufus suited up in the morning, polished and ready for duty.
"No, your highness," the guard answered.
"Why did I even ask? Of course, Arlen will be snoring away when he knows we have plans," Rufus muttered as he took a turn out of the main house. He intended to attend breakfast with the youngest, so he had to go get him.
The alpha barged in without knocking- a habit between brothers. Only this time, Arlen did not like it.
"I said get out!" He thought it was Julius. Arlen scurried to one side of the bed, pulling the sheets over his body when his brother came into view. Eyes damp, he appeared roughed up. Rufus scowled as he noted an open window and the faint fragrance in the room.
"Arlen?"
"Brother, it's you." Arlen lowered his eyes fearfully, searching his mind for an excuse. Luckily there was no sign of Julius to tell on him. Rufus took ten steps in, looking pissed. "Did you bring an omega into your room?"
"Huh?"
"Stop acting dumb! You let her escape through that window, didn't you?! I can't believe this. And they still want you to present?" Rufus drew a shocking conclusion.
"I swear it's not what you think. I was just..."
"Shut up! Where is Julius?"
"I'm here, Master Rufus."
Arlen's heart dipped when his servant showed up. Earlier, when Julius caught him examining his slick, Arlen flipped out and raised his voice. Something he had never done before.
"So, you're letting him sneak women in at night?" Rufus faced the servant with an attitude.
Julius spied on his fidgeting Master, clinging to the sheets. He could tell Arlen was on the verge of tears, desperately hiding that he was shivering. Explaining what he saw now would make the other more uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry, your highness, I had to prepare Master Arlen's bath." Julius bravely ignores the alpha's claims.
"Hmph! Get him ready then; I'll wait at my quarters. And hurry up!" Rufus growled, not realising he was scaring his cousin with his pheromones.
"Yes, your Highness." Julius bowed and stepped aside. As soon as Rufus was out, he lifted his head. "Are you okay?" He approached Arlen with worry.
"No." The first salty drops rolled down Arlen's cheeks.
Julius made his shoulders available. "Dont cry. Come, I'll help you take your bath," he said.
"..."
"Look, I won't tell anyone you're a flower yet. Why are you not happy about it? I should have anticipated it when you kept doting on an alpha." Julius only meant to tease him, not cause a dam of tears to break. He captures his Master's gaze and apologises.
Julius takes Arlen's hand with a smile, guiding the Prince down the bed. Leaving the stained sheets behind, he wraps Arlen in a bathrobe and takes him to the next room for his bath.
The chatty Master remained silent as the aid treated him delicately. Julius styled Arlen's hair and adorned him in clothes of softer colours, his way of showing acceptance for the new flower of the household.
"I brought something to mask your smell," he added.
Arlen did not complain and let himself be taken to Rufus like a pretty little bell.
"It's about time. Why are you dressed like that? People will even mistake you for an omega or female," Rufus scrutinised his outfit.
"Your Highness, the family is waiting." Julius reminded him.
"Don't I know that? Let's go," Rufus hissed.
*
Ingram
Caeser often stayed in his room. He was a handsome man with a kind face, robbed of his joy the day his mate died. When he sent his little one away, the King's palace became a den of tombs. And he no longer laughed.
"The young Master's eighteenth birthday is two months from now." Zariah, the General, ventured into the King's chambers. She came with servants, carrying fruits and medicine for the alpha. Caesar suffered from a backlash of magic and heartbreak; he had issues staying human and needed his special herbs to stabilise him. "You should bring Arlen home right after." Zariah was not afraid to sit closer to the King.
"He has not presented, Zariah. I don't want him to be defenceless," Caesar's voice was husky and grey.
"Quit giving yourself the same excuse. You said that at Arlen's fifteenth birthday, then the next." Zariah took the medicine bowl and set a unique flame on the surface to check for any poison.
Caesar accepted the liquid. He was used to her pestering him about bringing his son home. Then again, he did not refute her points. Zariah was an alpha, trusted by his late wife- and one of the few who cared about him.
"Your fear of tomorrow is destroying your present, Caesar."
"Zariah." The King massaged the point between his brows, feeling a headache coming on.
"Pandora would want you to raise your son! Sometimes I think you blame the Prince for what happened."
"That's not true..."
"Then bring him home! Give him a chance to know his father before it's too late. I met with the council yesterday, and they agreed. We all need our future King to be by your side."
"My son has not found his identity Zariah."
"All the more reason why he should return to us. Sometimes a young alpha needs the presence of his father and Seniors. We will get him in shape."
The servants bowed and exited, but one lurked around a little longer with the pretence of cleaning a spillage.
Caesar sighed. "Fine, send the message. Let them bring my boy home after the celebration."
"Excellent! I will prepare our strongest men and find a safer route to transport him here." Zariah had won this time. "Now we can discuss other matters."
"Zariah," the King grumbled. When it came to interior affairs, it had become a habit of the King to dump it on his capable council, headed by the indispensable Zariah. But not today, when his second in command was being prickly.
Days later.
Candor
Arlen avoided Rufus after the incident, not wanting to explain himself. He was grateful that his cousin did not drag the issue so much. It was pretty embarrassing for him. On the other hand, Julius asked questions about when and how it started.
That Arlen did not have the perfect answers.
"Don't worry, Arlen, I'll help you get through this. But you have to tell your family at some point." Julius prepared inhibitors in the backyard, following the list of herbs Arlen handed him and personal research.
Arlen hugged his knees, staring at the steam erupting from the small pot. "I don't think I ever will. I don't want to be paired," he said.
"Is it because of Luca Beaumont? Will you still deny that you fancy him, young 'flower'?" Julius teased.
"Stop getting on my nerves with that word!" Arlen threw a pebble at Julius, face flushed with anger. The servant laughed. "You've gained quite a temper, young Master. I guess you took after your Aunt's feistiness in this state. Pfft! I'm sorry. I promise I'll stop." Julius protected his face with the woven fan used to stir the flames beneath the pot.
Arlen puffed but kept mute. He did not accept being treated like this.
Hours later...
"Come on, don't spill that medicine. Pinch your nose and swallow."
Getting Arlen to take the suppressant was another struggle. Watching someone who barely yelped after falling off a tall tree cry over a small bowl of medicine was pitiful.
"I'll take you to Ari for sweets and wine. You should limit your wine intake; it is not healthy for you anymore." Julius rubbed Arlen's back when he clenched his teeth, trying not to vomit.
The servant kept his promise and held a torch for his Master outside the front gate. Rufus's lights were on, but they stayed clear of his side of the castle.
"Jules, I'm tired. Carry me." Arlen halted along the way.
"What?" The servant turned. "Master Arlen, you're taller and heavier!" He pitched. But Arlen began to wail like a five-year-old, throwing an unjustifiable fit in the middle of the road.
"Ma...Master Arlen, don't do this to me. It's is a long walk to Ari's chambers."
"Waaaaaah!" Arlen was a mess. It was overly dramatic but unintentional; his body was going through a phase that left him vulnerable and miserable.
"Alright, alright! I'll carry you. Geez! Hop on my back." Julius braced himself and went low. The other wiped his tears and mounted him shortly after.
There were instances Julius nearly tumbled over. Arlen wrapped his arms tightly around the servant's neck, making breathing difficult, but he kept going. Aside from that, he endured constant delays from other servants who stopped to ask if his Master was okay.
"Ari!" Arlen wept when he set eyes on his sister.
"Arlen, why are you..." Ari was speechless. Arlen fell into her arms when he came down, hugging her tightly.
"Aish!" Julius heard a snap when he stretched his back.
Ari made sure the big baby was comfortable. She served him his favourite snack and kept some treats aside. "Better?" She caressed Arlen's cheeks. Julius had no more complaints by then: he, too, was stuffed with delicious food.
"Sister, is it hard being an omega?" Arlen said.
Ari tilts her head, amused and surprised at the question. "Are you worried about me?"
"..." Arlen pouts, not wanting to reply.
"I'm okayokay with being omega Arlen. It is not like I can be something else."
"What if you could?"
"I'd still choose this. Sure, it is hard during 'blooms', but I get to care for my family and grow it. That's a blessing," she said. 'Blooms' was slang, referring to an omega's heat cycle.
"What about mates? Are you okay with Uncle choosing that for you?" Arlen sniffed.
"Yes, Father arranged one when I got my first heat. It's a shame you couldn't see James." Ari giggled, her cheeks crimson from recalling her first encounter with her betrothed.
"What's he like?" Arlen forced a smile in honour of her sweet expression.
"He's a snob, haha; you'll pick fights with him if you ever meet him. But he is also refined and has good intentions. He was Mother's first choice for me," Ari whispered. There has never been such a discussion among the siblings. Hence, she got a little fizzy talking about it.
"Ari, how does one like someone? What would you do if you liked someone else before meeting this 'James'?" Arlen said.
"Does my Arlen like someone? Rufus told me about a fragrance in your room; care to share?"
"Tch! That potty mouth. There was no woman in my room." Arlen made a moe, sitting with a silly frown.
"It was my fault. The young Master has been stressed lately, so I lit some incense to calm him." Julius helped himself to more treats.
"Oh, hihihi, you know how Rufus gets; ignore him. So tell me, has anyone captured my handsome brother's heart?" Ari stroked Arlen's hair.
Arlen mewled: "I dont know Ari. He.."
"He?" Ari sat up abruptly, completely taken aback.
"No, no, no, she...yes, she. She is not in the castle, but I met her there. Shiny blonde hair and a long face that reminds me of the boring books in the library. Pfft! You should see how gorgeous she looks in blue." Arlen chuckled amidst brewing tears and sobs.
"Ohhh, did you try talking to her? Is she an omega?" Ari was low-key, starting to think this person was a ghost.
"No sister, she's an alpha, and I'm...I'm." Arlen gazed at her with watering eyes. "I will never see her again, Ari. It hurts so much. I think I'm gonna die." Arlen placed his head on the lady's lap. Ari consoles him with back rubs as she shares a glance with Julius.
Julius could not stand this. 'Stupid Beaumont, how dare he show up and make my happy Master this miserable.' His thoughts were his own as he shoved a piece of cake into his mouth. Knowing he could do little to curb Arlen's pain irritated him.
"Wow, this apple did not fall far from the tree." Ari suppressed a laugh. "Listen, if it's meant to be, she will return to you. How about joining me outside tomorrow morning? A change in environment can do you good; I miss your melodious voice," Ari said.
But that did not go well with the youngster, who broke into pieces before her eyes. "She hates my voice, Ari. He...*Sob*...She gets dizzy when I sing." Arlen fussed, slobbering his teary face on his sister's dress.
'Hates his voice? Now I'm certain it's a ghost. He must have tried to control her. Oh, Arlen.' Ari deduced in her mind. "I don't like seeing you like this. Dry your tears." She gave him a playful pat on the head.
"Okay, but don't tell Rufus. He will make fun of me," Arlen said, still gloomy.
`
"Hihihi, alright, I won't." Ari winked.
"Ari, don't laugh. Im in a midlife crisis here," Arlen stressed.
" Pfff! Arlen, you're too young to have a midlife crisis." Ari kissed his forehead.
Arlen had just admitted he was lovelorn, but what would he do about his gender? Once it comes out that he is an omega, there will be no turning back.