Chapter Text
Percy stood at that damn altar and took a deep breath. He was a prince. He was an Alpha. It was normal for someone like him to marry someone he didn't know. He was the second born, this marriage would make him a king. The omega he would marry was a prince. But since he was an omega, he would not be allowed to take the throne. His only sister had refused and their parents had recently died. The last thing the omega's father had done was to arrange this marriage so that his kingdom would have a ruler.
Still, he didn't like it.
"It will be all right," Grover said beside him. "Sure," Percy murmured. "You don't even have to see him. All you have to do is produce an heir." "You talk like my father." "Those are your father's words," Grover said.
The music began and Grover stepped back with an encouraging look and stood to the side.
Percy hadn't even seen his future husband so the moment he entered the room now was the first time they saw each other. He was really handsome. His hair was blond and long, pinned up. He had flawless skin and was quite short, certainly shorter than Percy. The thing that really caught Percy's eye, though, were his eyes. They were blue and looked like he had just been crying. And they looked determined.
His sister walked him down the aisle and shot Percy a wicked and warning look as he took his hand. She sat down and the pastor began to talk. The omega seemed quite put together and did not cry as Percy had expected. He looked calmer than Percy. I wonder if he actually liked being married to him.
"Lord, Perseus, I ask you to repeat after me," said the pastor. "I, Prince Perseus of the House of Jackson." "I Prince Perseus of the House of Jackson." "Swear to fulfill all responsibility's to this Omega as his Alpha." "Swear to fulfill all responsibilities to this Omega as his Alpha." "And to give him as many children as possible." "And to give him as many children as possible."
"Lord Phoebus, I also ask you to repeat after me." "I, Lord Phoebus Apollo of the house of Caelestis." "I, Lord Phoebus Apollo of the House of Caelestis." "Swear to fulfill my duties as his Omega." "Swear to fulfill my duties as his Omega." "To be faithful always to my Alpha." "To be faithful always to my Alpha." "And to bear his children." "And to bear his children."
His voice was sure, had something melodious about it, and sounded beautiful. Of course, what he promised was simply unfair. An omega was expected to be faithful while the alpha could do as he pleased after fathering legitimate children. Many even had official mistresses.
"I hereby declare you Alpha and Omega. You may now kiss the Omega," the pastor said. Percy turned to Phoebus and looked him in the eye. The remnant of crying was gone and he looked back with determination. He looked challenging, as if to say, try it.
"Sorry," he whispered before lifting Phoebus' chin with his hand and kissing him gently on the lips.
The first chance the two had to talk was after dinner. Percy sat down next to Apollo and sighed once before speaking. "Hello." "Hello," Phoebus replied. He got his goblet filled by a servant. "I...this is akward. I'm Percy." "Percy?" asked Phoebus in surprise. "Perseus is a terrible name," Percy said, taking his own goblet. Phoebus took his goblet and looked at the contents. "We have about an hour if I drink this, Percy."
"Why?" "Why? Haven't you been taught anything?" asked Phoebus. Percy had rarely seen an Omega, or more accurately never one that dared to speak to an Alpha like that. "Do you talk to every Alpha like that?" he asked. Phoebus looked at him scrutinizingly for a moment before replying, "When the Alpha asks Stupid Questions." Percy wouldn't lie, he found it really appealing that the omega voiced his opinion instead of just submitting. Really interesting. "Now are you going to enlighten me on what kind of stuff this is?" asked Percy.
"It's moonflower tea, it cancels out the effects of the heat suppressants I'm taking," said Phoebus. "Oh." "Yeah, oh. Do you know what a heat is or haven't they explained that to you either?" "Don't talk to me like that," Percy opined. "Why? It doesn't make it any better, you can do whatever you like to me either way." Oh. That was the problem.
"I'm not going to do anything I don't have to. We need an heir and after that we can stay away from each other forever if that's what you want," Percy said. "Fine," Phoebus agreed, downing the entire goblet at once. "One hour. We should dance once before then." "Right, dance," Percy muttered. "Don't tell me you can't dance. What kind of prince are you?" "I can dance, don't be mean," Percy agreed. Phoebus seemed surprised, but said nothing.
Percy stood up, "Better sooner than later." He offered his hand to Phoebus. Phoebus took it and stood up as well. As they stood, all eyes were on them. "Is there anything else I should know for later?" asked Percy as the dance began. "What, you don't even know how this works?" asked Apollo. "Yes, I do. I only ask because you may not personally want certain things." "Oh...well if we didn't do it at all I'd like that, but that's not going to be an option. Just don't do it too fast and try not to hurt me no matter what I say. I have no idea how uncontrolled a heat is, I've always taken the suppressants." "Understood, I promise I will do as well as I can," Percy said. "Thank you," Phoebus said with a surprised tone.
"Just because we don't love each other doesn't mean we have to hate each other, right? We were both forced into this." "Oh please, you will be king even though you are second born, I know why you entered into this marriage," Phoebus said. "I was forced into this by my father, I didn't wish to be king," said Percy. "Oh really?" They bowed to each other, for the dance was over. "Really." "I don't believe you. If you'll excuse me," Phoebus said, disappearing into the crowd.
This Omega was very different from what Percy had been told. His father had said he would be reserved and obedient.
"Are you all right, Percy?" asked Grover quietly so no one would hear him address him without a title. "Yes. He's just...unexpected." "In what way?" "He says what he thinks, is extremely rude about it, and aggressive." "Oh, that's unusual," Grover agreed. "But I think if I had always been told my whole purpose in life would be an alpha that could cheat on me all it wanted, I wouldn't be happy about marriage either." "You're right about that. But I didn't want to marry him either," Percy said.
Hermes hurried after Apollo as he left the ballroom. "You can't just leave, Pollo," he said. "I drank the tea, I should get ready, right?" asked Apollo. "You sound very aggressive. Tell me you didn't talk to the prince like that." "I'll talk to him any way I want. He can do whatever he wants anyway." "No need to make him angry. Is he that bad?" asked Hermes. "Well at least he's not bad, it seems that way," said Apollo.
They ran up a flight of stairs, down another hallway, and then Apollo was at his room. "Do you think I can stay here?" "This is the children's wing, you'll probably end up in the King's Consort's chambers," Hermes said. He closed the door and followed Apollo, who was already in the middle of the room pulling on the strings that held his clothes together. "Let me do it," Hermes said. He undid the cords on Apollo's back and removed the first layer on the dress-like part. "I can breathe again," Apollo sighed. "Very nice," Hermes said. "Don't make fun of me. You walk around in something like that all day."
"Yeah yeah, take off the shift." They took off the rest of Apollo's clothes and Apollo changed into a nightgown. "Let me take your hair apart some more," Hermes commented. "So...do you think he is at least bearable?" Apollo sat down, "I don't know. What surprised me is that he asked me what he should look for when mating. That was nice." Hermes pulled the hairpins out of Apollo's hairdo and let the hair fall in waves on the Omega's shoulders. "What are we going to do if he doesn't want me here anymore?" asked Hermes. "Oh I'm not going to let you leave. Once Artemis is gone I'll be alone otherwise," said Apollo. "You have Dite and the others." "No one can replace my sister or my closest confidant and best friend."
"That certainly wasn't in the job description as the prince's valet. Best friend," Hermes said. He had neatly put away the hairpins and had moved on to combing Apollo's hair. "I didn't expect this either. But next to Artemis, you're the best person I know," Apollo said. "Thank you, I can only return that. Would you like me to draw you a bath and get you out as soon as you're done?" "No. I hope I get pregnant, then I'll wont have to do it again," Apollo replied. "Once and never again."