Demian brought the teacup to his lips and took a small sip of the red tea inside, trying everything he could to suppress the sigh that was on the tip of his tongue.
He was currently sitting at a small tea table that had been set up outside in the royal gardens outside of his palace. Sitting across from him was Lady Viola Terainy, the young alpha daughter of Count Terainy. Her hair was as red as a ripe strawberry and hung down over her clothed shoulders in large ringlets. Pupils the color of violet irises were encased in eyes that were small and narrow, with the back corners turned upward.
Young Lady Terainy took a sip of her tea before placing it back down on the tea plate with a gentle clack. "It seems as if his highness has had a busy day," she commented in a light voice.
Her sentence could be taken in one of two ways. It could be taken in the literal sense, that Young Lady Terainy was concerned about him. Or it could be the hidden glib that young aristocrats seemed to love to use. If it was the second, then Young Lady Terainy was telling him that his mind was too busy to focus on the present and that he would prefer to not be in her presence. That he was, in fact, bored and would prefer to be anywhere else.
The second meaning of her comment would be the correct one. He had been forced to go on several little 'dates' with various children of noble families, ranging from alpha daughters to omegas in the last few months.
The world that they lived in had six genders: alpha male, alpha female, beta male, beta female, omega male, and omega female. Alpha males were able to impregnate the three sexes designated to women and male omegas. Beta males were able to impregnate beta and omega females and alpha females on rare occasions. Then there were male omegas. Male omegas were rarer than female omegas and they were able to give birth and were only able to impregnate female Betas and omegas, though those were rare and uncommon occurrences since male omegas possessed very little vital sperm.
Alphas, whether it be male or female, were usually taller, better looking, and more outgoing than betas and omegas. Omegas were usually smaller in size and their looks could vary, though most were considered just as attractive as alphas. The omega's constitution was also considered weaker than most, though it has been changing recently with a new medication that had been based on research done by one R. A. Sato.
Betas, on the other hand, were more average in health and looks, though that didn't diminish their capacity to excel. Betas also made up seventy-five percent of the world population while Alphas and Omegas made up the rest. Female alphas and male omegas made up the smallest portion of the population and were considered rare and highly sought after.
"Indeed," Demian answered, also placing his own cup of tea down. "I have been busy preparing for my departure to Oakswood Academy, as Lady Terainy will find out just how draining it can be in a year's time."
Lady Terainy pursed her lips in a thin smile, hiding just how displeased she was feeling with Demian's mundane reply.
Oakswood Academy was founded two hundred years ago in a free-standing nation that was situated in between five kingdoms: Westmore Kingdom, Vestia Kingdom, Grove Kingdom, Harlow Kingdom, and Ashen Kingdom.
The academy was built as a way to seek balance between the kingdoms and to find peace. The peace had been kept for generations as each kingdom's nobles could enter at the age of seventeen until they graduated after two years.
Most children find out their secondary gender during the start of puberty, which usually takes place between the ages of eleven and fourteen. By the time the child reached the age of seventeen, they were considered well knowledgeable about when their heat or rut cycles would take place and the symptoms they included. So seventeen was a good starting age for the academy.
Alphas go into ruts three times a year. While omegas go into heat once every three months. The good news was that there were suppressants and medications that could be taken to help alphas and omegas through their ruts and heats. This was also thanks to R. A. Sato, a genius of the secondary genders who appeared around ten years ago, though his research really only started taking off in the past six.
"Yes, I am looking forward to it. I hope his highness will have safe travels."
Whatever small hope Demian had deflated right then. The two of them have been sitting here for the past hour and the conversation keeps stilting, not to mention the young lady is quite boring with how proper she is.
It's been like this. Every date he has been on has been a complete bust. If one isn't talking enough, the next talks too much, to the point where Demian can't get a word in. There was one time Demian thought his ears were literally going to start bleeding with how much Young Lady Millia Velance was jabbering.
He also noticed how some had book-perfect etiquette while it eluded others. He even had a couple release a small fraction more of their pheromones than was publicly acceptable in the hopes of alluring Demian with his scent.
If he had never questioned being the crown prince, then he certainly will after this month. Now that he is seventeen, his parents believed it was the perfect time for him to find a mate. But this was beginning to feel tiring. So far, not a single person has gained his interest.
Young Lady Terainy bid him farewell after their allotted two hours were up.
He left the gardens with large, unhurried strides. Once he reached his room, he flopped down onto his bed in an ungraceful manner and covered his eyes with one arm.
Did it show how childish he was for wanting a soulbond? A soulbond was rare and it signified the finding of the perfect mate. The tales spun around the soulbond were more like fairytales but those dreams seemed much more vivid than real life.
A knock sounded on the door followed by the voice of a servant.
Demian released a sigh before slowly uncovering his eyes. He got up off the bed and ran his hands quickly through his hair and over his clothes to make himself presentable. It was more and likely that the servant had been sent by his parents to fetch him just as they had after every other meeting he had with a potential spouse.
He made his way across the large room and opened the door.
The servant bowed in greeting. "Greetings, his highness, the small sun. The king and queen have summoned you to the family parlor in the queen's palace."
Demian thanked the man before making his way down the carpeted hallway and down the grand staircase. There was already a carriage out front to take him to his mother's palace.
The queen's palace wasn't far from the crown prince's own palace, and Demian usually preferred walking, but he just wanted to get this over with quickly, and that could only be done by getting there faster.
Both his mother and father were already in the parlor room. His mother, who was an alpha, sat with a straight back. Her long dark blue hair was done up in a braid with pearls strapped to it. Her vibrant green eyes flashed in excitement when she laid eyes on him.
His father looked over at him as soon as he heard the door open and broke out into a smile that reached his navy blue eyes. "How was it?" His father asked, getting straight to the point.
"She would make a fine spouse. . .just not for me."
His father released a sigh while his mother's happy expression turned into one of concern.
"Are you sure?" His mother asked. "You know it will be harder for you at the academy without a mate."
The classes and dorms at Oakswood Academy separated omegas from alphas as best as they could but problems could always arise, especially for someone in such a high standing as him.
"There's still hope for him to find a potential mate while at school," his father commented, his bushy black eyebrows furrowing in contemplation.
Finding a potential mate would be all that he could do. The academy strictly forbids anyone from marking a mate while in attendance.
Demian flashed his parents the most charming smile he could muster to reassure them. "The academy has stricter procedures in place and high-quality suppressants and diffusers thanks to R. A. Sato. And as father says, there's always the possibility of me finding the perfect mate at the academy."
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