Chapter Text
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Prince Donghyuck hates everything under the sun. Or at least that’s what he acts like. You would expect an heir to the throne to be quite pleased with his life in the spotlight, bathed in nothing less than riches, but he hated it.
He just hated everything in general. That was his outlook on life. He hated that he had been brought into this world only to leave it behind again one day.
He hated his so-called royal advisors, he hated the Members of Parliament but one person he never hated was his Father, The King.
Donghyuck never showed affection particularly, but his Father is the only living being he loves.
He hates rules, doesn’t particularly follow them either way, but the King is gentle at heart and all he’s ever wanted is to see his son smile again.
He wasn’t a happy soul and The King ought to have been worried that the fate of his kingdom lay in the hands of this unenthusiastic young man but he had hope. Hope that came in the name of marriage.
Hope that went commonly by the name of Mark Lee.
The day of his age ceremony, Donghyuck presented as an Omega and of course, he hated it. By the laws of his Kingdom, an Omega was allowed to rule only if they presented the kingdom with a male heir before being crowned. If not, the Omega must be married to an Alpha of another Kingdom and this Alpha would in turn take the Omega’s kingdom under his rule.
The King, however, did not want to force a child out of his son solely for the purpose of passing the title of King down to him. Neither did he want to pass his Kingdom to a Prince of foreign lands. This left the King with only one other option, giving the title to the next closest bloodline heir.
King Lee, Prince Donghyuck’s father, has one entrusted step-brother, who prefers to live outside the castle walls. His brother happened to have a son- a charming young man who at his young age is already knighted.
A young man who went by the name Mark Lee. The same one that gave the King hopes of marriage.
In technicality, he would have been Donghyuck’s cousin (hence of royal bloodline), but they have not yet met and marriage within a royal family is not uncommon. King Lee believed that his nephew was an ideal suitor for his son, mostly because he was more than capable in taking over as the new King. He loves his son but, as much as he hates that he’s admitted it to himself, Prince Donghyuck is not fit to rule.
Prince Donghyuck who only shows an emotion other than hate, on one single day of the year. A day when, at night, the entire land turns out their lamps and puts out their fires to pay their respects to the late Queen, his mother.
Sorrow.
He is filled with sorrow for the entirety of solely that day.
A day he’d spend locked in his chambers, refusing to have any contact at all with anything outside his doors. He’d cry into his sheets, emptying out all the pent-up frustration that he managed to keep in him until he barely had a voice left to croak.
Then he’d spend the next day just like his others, hating. Hating that he still cries. Hiding that he’s broken inside without the love of his late mother. Hating that he still lets emotions from years ago keep him trapped. Hating his mother and then hating himself for hating her, because he knows it’s not her fault.
He hated that he hated everything, that he couldn’t be happy because he didn’t want to be. And that’s what it was like to be Lee Donghyuck.
**
Mark wakes up a lot earlier today than usual and it’s not out of will, but because there is so much noise in his home. He lived towards the outskirts of the main town, giving him the privilege of owning a rather large home in the quieter suburbs.
The kingdom was at peace as of recent and for quite a long time because King Lee had kept it so, his firm but gentle demeanor kept trouble away, having far more allies than enemies, hence Mark could be home more often than most other knights in far lands.
Mark admires his King, whom he still addressed as King despite the King’s efforts to get Mark to call him Uncle, and he could tell from the hearty laughs reaching his bedroom that the King had paid his Father a visit.
This morning, Mark dresses a little heavier than he would normally and he takes his place at the breakfast table after polite small talk. Breakfast is spent well, over conversations of current affairs and Mark then offers to help his mother clear the table afterwards. He doesn’t get very far though because his father’s voice calls him out to the garden.
“Your uncle wishes to speak to you”, his father informs him as he approaches the two older men.
Mark nods curtly, “Yes, Your Majesty”.
“Ah, leave the formalities at the door, son”, the King smiles warmly and beckons Mark closer.
“I believe it’s best if we discuss the matter while we take a walk”, he then adds, making Mark a little nervous, but he agrees nevertheless.
**
They’ve reached a rather deserted area of grassland, dotted with tall trees when the King decides to unravel the news.
“I should hope that you are currently with a clear mind”, King Lee halts his steps and Mark follows suit.
“Most definitely, Your Majesty”, Mark replies and the King makes no attempt to correct him for his formality.
“You are aware that I have a son, yes?”
Mark nods, ears perking at the mention. He had only caught glimpses of the Prince, despite being his cousin and he had heard from his father that Cousin Donghyuck, which was his name, was not a boy of many words and hadn’t been ever since the Queen had passed.
“He has come of age, an Omega, just a year younger than yourself, but I don’t deem him fit to rule”
The statement shocks Mark, knowing that the King is a reasonable man and must have a reason for believing that the Crown Prince is incapable of ruling.
“I have been in turmoil with who he has become, he has taken himself hostage into a lonely world, which will make it difficult to find him a mate as he despises nearly everyone- this does not help the fact that he has to take hand in marriage and bring forth an heir, due to being an Omega”.
Mark still listens, unclear as to why the King is sharing any of this with him, but he listens.
“However, I am nor confident in giving my Kingdom, that I have kept at bay from danger, to a foreign Prince and risking the idea of a possible war”.
As the King speaks his next words, Mark realizes where the conversation is leading.
“According to our laws, if the King deems it unfit for his own heir to rule, he may pass the throne down to the closest related Alpha male heir, however, this agreement should be sealed with a marriage within the two families”.
Every boy dreams of a moment like this in their adolescence, to become King and rule over vast lands, but after serving his land, Mark knows better than to wish for such responsibility and power. He didn’t despise the idea, he just happened to have a vivid image in his mind of the duties that came with a title so prestige.
“I hear from your Father that you yourself presented as an Alpha”.
Mark can’t help but cut in at this statement.
“Forgive me for interrupting, Your Majesty, but are you requesting that I take over your throne through a marriage to Prince Donghyuck?”
The King nods, almost looking embarrassed to be presenting his suggestion.
“If I don’t want to pass the throne down, I’d have to not only force my only son into marriage but also force him to give birth to an heir, both against his will, but if I choose to pass down the throne instead, he’d only have to bear with the marriage”.
Mark understands why the King has no choice but to ask him, nobody would want to force their child to give birth. Kingdom or not, King or not, a child is still a child to their parent. And though marriage may be arranged, both intimacy and child-birth must be a choice.
Mark takes a few steps forward and crosses his legs under him, coming into a seated position. His mind is filled with questions and worries, not only for himself but for the King too.
What if I am unable to take proper care of the Prince?
What if my careless actions as King lead our kingdom to a war?
He wants to ask, but he bites his tongue.
The King does not rush for an answer, instead holds his ground, taking a seat on a large withered rock nearby. The clouds have hidden away the sun, making the current woodland setting quite favorable and the cool breeze whistles through the grass, clearing Mark’s mind and allowing him to think freely.
After much thought, a battle in his head and weight in his heart, he comes to a decision.
“Mark, dear son, take your time to really think about what I have presented you with today-“
Mark interrupts him, but the King doesn’t hold it against him, it would be only rational to have a lot to say in such a situation.
However, what King Lee does not expect, is response. Already.
“For my country and its future endeavors, it is my duty to my King, and to myself, as a descendant of royal bloodline, to accept my cousin’s hand in marriage”, Mark finishes with a deep exhale and he’s glad that he is seated for his legs are trembling quite a lot.
The King on the other hand has to resist the urge to jump up and down in glee, so he settles for a warm embrace instead, one that he hasn’t been able to give his own son in a long time.
“I hope that giving you my title is a big enough token of appreciation for the favor that you have fulfilled today, my son”.
Mark humbly replies, “It is more than enough, Your Highness, it is truly an honour to be able to serve my land justly”.
The King unties his horse from the fencepost and mounts it as he waves to Mark who has decided to stay back a while.
“I shall have you visit the castle soon and I will inform Donghyuck of your arrival”.
Mark smiles politely and waves back.
After the King has left, there is an almost deafening silence, with the exception of the sound of the wind.
Mark still cannot sort out in his head the series of changes he had agreed to in his life within the course of the day. A marriage to a boy he barely knew. Accepting, through that marriage, the rightful crowning as King in the near future. The possibility, (even though very small due to the things he’s heard of his husband-to-be) of breeding his mate and making a child.
He was far beyond panicked and nervous- so much so that he was glad he was alone and far away when he spoke his thoughts out loud.
“What have I done?”
**
Later that evening, Donghyuck is called upon by his father to the King’s living quarters.
He is unenthusiastic as usual, without surprise.
“Yes Father?”
He closes the heavy wooden door behind him and revels in how much he hates the sound it makes when it closes shut.
“Come closer, my son, I bear some news”.
He trudges into the room, lit by the fireplace and shining on his Father’s worried face. Donghyuck senses the tension and silently takes sinks into one of the velvety soft armchairs facing the one his Father sits in.
“Donghyuck”, he sighs, “I hope you know that ruling a kingdom as an Omega puts you under the pressure of marriage and most importantly, the birthing of a male heir, meaning that you may need to bare more than one child, in the case of your firstborn being a female”.
Donghyuck flinches internally at the thought. He was accepting of the thought of marriage, plain marriage with no emotions. But giving birth to a child, from someone he did not want any intimacy with was a whole other story.
“And as King it is my duty to have you do so, for the good of the Kingdom”.
Donghyuck stands up abruptly at this claim- he may not have been the best son, neither the best Crown Prince, but he wasn’t going to have children with a stranger, possibly more than once, just to protect the Kingdom.
“Sit down Donghyuck, I haven’t finished yet”, the King demands calmly and Donghyuck unravels his paled angry fists. He does not sit back down however.
“The other option, the safer one, is for me to pass my title down to the next closest Alpha male heir in my bloodline”.
It was the first time that Donghyuck had heard of this and he was quite pleased. This option took away the burden of childbirth and marriage and set him free from his royal life.
“However, to do so, one of my children must be married to the Alpha taking my title”.
And the marriage was back. Donghyuck was an only child, so any ‘one of the children’ rules always meant him. Donghyuck selfishly wished that he had a sibling so that he could break free from his responsibilities.
He wasn’t angry now. He still hated it, because that’s just who he was, but he couldn’t be angry, not when such a reasonable law existed that allowed him to steer clear of anything related to giving birth. He did, however, have one bothering question.
“Is there another male heir in your bloodline, Father?”
The King’s lips curl into a small smile, seeing that Donghyuck was taking the news quite well.
“You have a Cousin, my step-brother’s son”
“He’s an Alpha, a Knight too, just over a year older than yourself”
“And if it should interest you, he is quite the looker”.
Donghyuck scoffs at his Father’s last words, “You know best of all that no one interests me, Father”.
The King goes on, ignoring Donghyuck’s comment, “I visited him this morning, good chap, he agreed to your hand in marriage, if you’re willing of course”.
“Willing”, Donghyuck repeats sardonically, as if he has a choice.
Donghyuck couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of how highly his Father spoke of this so-called Cousin, of course he would be a better ruler. He didn’t show it however, not even slightly. He never showed.
On one hand, he could reject this offer, be a spoilt brat like he usually was and have his Father marry him off to a Foreign Prince, risk the occurrence of a war or two, go down in history as the stubborn Prince who doomed his land. Or it could go horribly wrong and he’d be forced to breed with a male he’d never even known and in turn then have to rule over the Kingdom. Donghyuck came to terms with the fact that his best option was to marry this cousin of his, save the kingdom by having his cousin crowned as King instead of him, avoiding having to breed and live as so called, happily ever after.
“I’ll accept his hand, Father”, he confirms in a low voice after allowing a few more moments of silence just to heighten the tension.
“Good boy, I expected nothing less from my Son”, the King remarks as Donghyuck stand up from his armchair
Donghyuck almost laughs at this. If only the King had known of the selfish things Donghyuck had just let run through his head. He failed to understand how despite all the trouble he gave his Father, and not just any Father- The King, he always seemed to be proud of him. Donghyuck knew he didn’t deserve any of the kindness his Father shared with him but he accepts it with open arms.
“What’s his name, Father?”
He asks out of curiosity and his tone may have given him away or it might be that his Father knew him too well because the King grins before replying shortly.
“Lee ‘Mark’ Minhyung , but he’s generally addressed as Mark”.
Donghyuck repeats the name in his head. Mark. It’s an unusual name for someone in their parts of the land. Minhyung sounded closer to home but Mark, was quite odd. It sounds similar to the names in his Father’s books that speak of foreign lands, ways across the seas. He likes the name, he decides, but he’d be put to the test when Mark arrives at the castle and Donghyuck would then have to decide if he likes the Alpha as much as he likes the name that goes along with him.