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Phayu sinks his body deeper into the Moon Pond, sighing heavily. The water is just warm enough to act as a comforting blanket, a balm to a tense body. He tries to not let the First Meeting get to him. He hadn’t necessarily been looking forward to meeting his new husband, but he had been cautiously interested.
When he had been told by his parents that his partner had been chosen for him, Phayu had felt both relieved and annoyed. With a suitable Omega partner, he’d be off the market for power hungry golddiggers and no longer a pawn to be used in negotiations. He doesn’t like the fact that he won’t get the chance to choose his own life partner and that his personal life is a political tool, however.
It’s to be expected of him as Crown Prince and Lord Commander of the nation’s forces, but it irks him.
His only information about his Intended before the First Meeting had been a name: Rain.
He had figured his Intended would be an Omega since his parents would not allow the Crown Prince to mate with anything else. The kingdom would need an heir after Phayu, and Betas had a notoriously difficult time to conceive. Thus, Omega. Male or female didn’t factor in for a mate of the Crown Prince, not to his parents. If the political match was good, the gender was not important. Thankfully, Phayu also did not care. (His parents had been unwittingly lucky that Phayu was the older twin as Saifah had clear preferences and would have been miserable with a male partner.)
Giving in to the urge, Phayu takes a deep breath and sinks underneath the surface. The world dulls and Phayu’s heart slows down.
He breaks through the surface after a moment, feeling refreshed. The Moon Pond has the fantastic ability of clearing his head. It’s Phayu’s favorite place to go to think. His men know not to bother him when he sets off to the Moon Pond.
The Moon Pond is a perk reserved for the Royal Family and special guests so it’s unlikely to meet someone there. Which is why Phayu tenses when he hears approaching footsteps. They’re light and cautious, but Phayu can tell the person is not trying to hide. He rises up until he’s only half submerged into the water, ready to defend himself. He doesn’t have his weapons, the Moon Pond too sacred for that, but he’s not the kingdom’s most decorated warrior and Lord Commander for nothing.
It doesn’t take long before Phayu spots the newcomer. Rain. His Intended.
The Omega is humming quietly, a soft noise that resonates pleasantly in Phayu’s ears. He doesn’t let his guard down. He hadn’t detected any hidden anger or fight in Rain during the First Meeting, but looks can be deceiving. Just because Rain appeared to be a typical soft, meek and somewhat childish Omega to Phayu, doesn’t mean Rain doesn’t have a hidden agenda. He is from a very politically tense, hardened kingdom.
Rain doesn’t seem aware of his surroundings and Phayu gets several moments of uninterrupted observation of the Prince. He appears different from the First Meeting and Phayu is intrigued by this Prince who appears more mature.
During the First Meeting, the Prince had been decked out in colorful robes with layers and layers of delicate ornaments, face painted in the traditional way, hair artfully clipped back to show his features. In the moonlight and calm greenery around the Moon Pond, he is illuminated like a spirit in his almost scandalously sheer, all-white ensemble. His loose shoulder-length hair looks beautiful on him. He looks ethereal.
Phayu clears his throat and fights not to smile when Rain jumps. He very nearly falls but manages to catch himself on a tree.
“Crown Prince Phayu!” Rain greets, eyes wide. He bows low, a graceful and no doubt highly practiced greeting.
“Prince Rain.”
“Wh-what are you doing here?” Rain stammers, eyes darting everywhere except Phayu. His cheeks are darkening and Phayu swallows.
“Same as you, I presume,” Phayu answers teasingly. He holds out his arms in invitation. “A dip in the Moon Pond is good for the soul.”
Rain dips his head, biting his lip. Phayu wants to tug the lip free. “So I’ve heard.” He looks up at Phayu, blinking. He is obviously trying to be brave and Phayu feels his intrigue increase. What an interesting Omega. “I was told the Moon Pond has healing properties.”
“It’s warm and calm. That’s healing enough.”
“You’re very frank, Crown Prince Phayu,” Rain says, a touch of annoyance and respect in his voice. “You do not mince words.”
“Occupational hazad,” Phayu dismisses it.
He gestures to the water again. The Pond isn’t very big, but certainly big enough for both of them to soak with a respectable distance. As Intended they are allowed more leniency should anyone see them, anyway. Rain is clearly conflicted at the offer. Phayu likes that he can read it so openly on Rain’s face.
Rain eventually squares his shoulders and Phayu fights not to smile again. Maybe he was too quick to judge his Intended earlier in the day. It’s adorable how the meek Omega at the First Meeting seems like an entirely different person than the one carefully lowering himself into the Moon Pond opposite Phayu. He feels a flutter of hope in his chest.
Rain’s artfully draped robes barely offer any coverage when they’re wet and Phayu has to use his training not to stare openly.
Phayu tries to be subtle as he watches Rain settle on the opposite side of the Pond. They are each other’s opposites in more ways than one. Where Rain is dressed in all-white with no jewelry, Phayu himself has his customary black robes (though they offer just about as much coverage as Rain’s at the moment) and the traditional gold bracelets, hair beads and Royal Pendant. Rain’s skin is Omega Fair while Phayu’s is darkened by the hours in the sun. Rain’s light hair is just barely skimming his shoulders, representative of political Omegas in his kingdom, whereas Phayu’s hair is black and down to his waist, uncut as culturally dictated as both an Alpha but also an undefeated warrior.
Phayu inhales, wishing he could just sink into the Pond again. He could, but that might come off as rude.
They sit in silence for a while and Phayu is just about to excuse himself when Rain looks up at him. He waves his hands in the water, creating ripples. Phayu sinks back down and waits.
“Crown Prince Phayu,” Rain begins, pausing to look down at the water and bite his lip. Phayu wants to pull it free again and has to physically curl his hands into fists to stop himself. It seems to be a habit and Phayu would like to be the one to help break the Prince of it. There’s a low flame of attraction simmering in his gut. “I would like us to be…” Rain looks up at Phayu, “friends if nothing else.”
Phayu frowns. “What do you mean?”
Rain shifts. The water ripples more and his scent carries across the Pond. He smells clean and of sunbleached citrus. Phayu’s mouth almost waters.
“I mean, we are to be married in a week and I would like it if my future husband and Alpha could be my friend.”
Phayu blinks at the Omega in front of him. Rain’s tone is fragile and he seems more unsure of himself than ever. It hurts Phayu’s soul to see it. Both because his Alpha instincts are screaming at him to soothe a distressed Omega, but also because he would not wish his future life companion to think of him as anything less than a friend. It had never been a thought in his mind that he would treat his Omega as anything other than that, never occurred to him that his Omega would be anything less than his partner and friend. If he was unlucky not to find love in his arranged marriage, Phayu would still expect friendship.
“Omega,” he coos, defying decorum and wading through the water to crowd Rain against the edge of the Pond. “You will be my husband,” he declares, “my Consort, my Omega. You will be mine,” Phayu pauses to breathe, Rain’s scent heavier in his nose, “and you will be cherished and cared for and respected for the person you are.” He doesn’t touch Rain. He wants to, but he doesn’t. “If friendship is all we accomplish, so be it, but I intend to see where we can take this bond.”
Rain is still, eyes wide and dark. His breathing is unsteady.
Phayu knows he’s intense and his reaction to Rain’s perfectly sound request is strong, but he will not allow his future husband to doubt him. He will treasure Rain, if nothing else then for the company he will be and for the children he will carry for Phayu.
He steps back, trying to stop his pheromones from leaking further. “I will see you tomorrow,” he says, dipping his head. “My Omega,” he whispers as he passes Rain, lithely getting out of the water and heading back to his rooms.
Whatever feelings he had about Rain earlier today have been wiped away by this chance meeting. Phayu knows there’s still a long way to go before he can actually call Rain his friend, his partner, his Omega for real, but tonight has certainly sparked hope.
The Moon Pond really has the fantastic ability of clearing his head. It’s Phayu’s favorite place to go to think. Maybe he can convince Rain to make having a soak together a habit.