Chapter Text
The realm hadn't seen a gathering like this in over three generations. All eight clans were to be present for the Spring festival in honor of the King's 70th birthday. Caravans carrying the representatives of each clan plus their escorts were set to arrive from all cardinal points over the course of the morning and early afternoon. Prince Seokjin, the youngest of three siblings and only omega amongst the royal offspring, sat on his bay window alternating between watching the activities and preparations taking place below in the palace's courtyard and translating a treaty, one of his homework assignments.
The sun was halfway up the sky when the first caravans arrived, carrying their long standards of pitch-black fabric with white trims belonging to the Min Clan of the furthest south. They silently descended from their carriage, pale alabaster skin, and silver-grey hair in an array of shades, with sharp eyes and wide shoulders in a juxtaposition of delicacy and toughness that they were well known for. Their High Alpha and children, a male and a female, descended from the carriage dressed in the black pelts and silver accented robes of their lands. Seokjin noted the cut of their clothes and sighed, all of them were alphas.
Seokjin turned back to his task or at least attempted to, as his mind continued to wander away from the letters on the page to the happenings in the floors below his quarters. The decorations were nearly finished in the ballroom for the welcoming feast and the kitchens were bustling with last-minute touches to the scrumptious dishes that were meant to be consumed that evening. He’d taste-tested everything himself to make sure it was all up to expectations and as usual, the chefs had not disappointed him. They had even prepared a special breakfast for him today, to cheer him up, he supposed. They all knew he would most likely not enjoy the food himself at the gathering if his father’s orders were carried out and they wanted to soothe him with his own delicious meal for the day. He’d hugged the head cook for her thoughtfulness and made sure to praise the whole staff for his impromptu feast.
Giving up on his assignment with a sigh, the prince went back to looking out the window and his eyes settled on the cloud of light dust signaling the arrival of their next guests. They sported a royal blue flag trimmed with golden thread, the colors of the Kim Clan of the Northern cliffs. Their clothes included earthen tones for their breeches but the blue, as intense as the color of the sea their homeland lived by was always present in their upper garments. The High Alpha, a regal female exquisitely clad in a form-fitting vest was accompanied by two taller males, her sons, and also alphas. Seokjin pouted again at the revelation but his disappointment was not as intense as he expected, being distracted by the finely sculpted physique of the younger male, studying his well-defined arms, prominent and rippling proudly displayed by his sleeveless vest as he heaved himself down from the chocolate-colored stallion he rode. His hair was the color of sun-kissed sand and falling slightly tousled over his sharp eyes. Seokjin felt his inner wolf awaken and figuratively sit up at attention, suddenly interested in the male below them. A gentle and warm thrum engulfed his chest and longed to burst forth in a calling, foreign and all too sudden for the prince to actually make sense of it.
He was struggling to settle his beast back down when the Northerner as if called, turned his gaze up and met his eyes. In spite of the three levels and several hundred paces distance, Seokjin could see clearly the golden flecks adorning the man’s earthen eyes which widened as they locked on one another. His omega wolf howled overjoyed at something the man could not yet comprehend but what little he could understand was that this alpha was special and he would make sure their paths crossed at least once within the next few days. A small eternity and century could have passed at that moment yet for the omega prince it was too short. A call and a good-natured slap on the back from someone in the northerner’s ranks pulled the alpha’s attention away, giving Seokjin the jolt he needed to duck away from the window to compose himself. By the time he got his heated cheeks and ears under control, the visitors had left the courtyard and no-one but the stable hands remained, oblivious to the pouting prince watching over them from above.
The sound of thundering hoof beats signaled the arrival of yet another clan, ripping Seokjin out of his musings and calling his attention to the new set of visitors crowding the entrance. The newcomers wore mostly dark-colored clothes accented with the vibrant purple hue that could only be obtained by using the licanis tree bark, which grew only in the western peninsula, home of the Jeon Clan. Their leader, an elderly looking male leaned heavily on the arm of a very young man who wore a fine set of alpha robes as well. Seokjin remembered his father mentioning the premature death of both the Jeon heirs some years past, leaving a young alpha who had barely turned thirteen as the next in line. 'Such a burden for someone so young' he thought as he eyed the innocent-looking boy attend to his grandfather. He was obviously built and trained as a warrior, yet his lankiness and youthful air around his face couldn’t be hidden. Seokjin hoped the boy would at least make proper acquaintances during the celebrations; some friends to be comforted by and learn from would, hopefully, take away that aura of uncertainty and loneliness he could detect on him. Seokjin sighed, if only he himself was an alpha, he wouldn’t think twice in befriending the young man.
The Jung Clan arrived a few hours later, with their wine-colored robes and impressive dromedaries, hailing from the dune-covered lands of the northeast. Their power came from the mineral-rich groves no one but those born under the intense heat of the desert sun knew how to access. Their entourage was small but their auras filled the courtyard with their power just as much as their loud commentaries and bantering laughter. Golden skinned and coppery haired, the High Alpha and her mate descended their carriage followed closely by their progeny ridding on the backs of heavily muscled mounts. The pair seemed to be twins, a male, and a female, both of them alphas, laughing and teasing each other and the rest of their company in what was obviously a tight-knit pack bond. The prince couldn’t help but smile as the pair stopped mid-laugh when their omega mother quirked an eyebrow in their direction and subtly inclined her head prompting her children to fall quickly and efficiently into step behind them as they entered the palace.
As their figures disappeared beneath the awning, Seokjin pouted yet again. Was he to spend the weeklong celebration relegated to his chambers? His father had been very clear in his instructions, if none of the other clans brought their omega children, he would not be taking part in the activities, as it was unwise to have an unmated omega amongst so many alphas unaccompanied. It wasn’t as if he was helpless, not at all and his father knew it well. It was simply due to archaic traditions that relegated omegas to basically the same role as a flower vase. It didn’t matter that he was a well-versed conversationalist in three different languages or that he was a phenomenal host and entertainer. It was as if all that mattered to his father and apparently to many other alpha leaders around the continent, was that he was omega and therefore only a delicate accessory. Seokjin huffed in annoyance and mentally took a moment to remember that while stubborn and slightly outdated in his ways, his father had done everything in his power to make sure Seokjin was safe, well/cared for and happy. His old alpha father loved him, and Seokjin knew it very well. It just felt like for all his love, the man couldn’t figure out what to do with a grown omega son. If only his mother still lived, things might have been different.
With a sigh, he made to get up and look for a different entertainment for himself, but a flicker of movement caught his eye in the Western gate. The envoy from the southwestern Kim Clan had arrived with their forest green banners rippling proudly in the wind. A tall and beautiful alpha emerged from the carriage pulling the ear of a boy and chastising another two that descended right afterward. They were all seemingly of age yet looked like reprimanded toddlers facing their parent, amusing Seokjin as he took in the strangely domestic scene. His amusement stopped short and gave way to delight as he realized the boy that had been punished by ear pulling was dressed in flowing silk robes of a cut much like his own, with bust high skirts, a short jacket with long trailing sleeves and multi-layered with an array of softly complimenting colors; an omega. Finally! He hoped that being two of them would be enough to appease his father and if not, he at least expected to be able to spend time with the boy on his own even if away from the main festivities.
He studied the younger man and found him to be very handsome and charming with sharp features but delicate as well as all omegas seemed to be. His pout was adorable as he rubbed his tender ear, having been released by his parent, making Seokjin smile again and long to soothe him if only to see what he looked like smiling.
Ever since he could remember, he’d always longed for younger siblings to cuddle and play with. His mother, unable to birth anymore pups after him, contented his nurturing nature by gifting him with little animals to take care of and play with, fondly teaching him how to raise and train them well. His pets all lived long and happy lives, thriving and being extremely protective of him, which was probably his mother’s goal all along when she presented him with a tiger cub and a falcon hatchling amongst the more harmless bunnies and canaries. His darling pets filled much of his day’s activities yet he still craved human companionship on the daily. Perhaps this could be his chance to make his dream of having siblings come true if only through the duration of the festivities. Who knew, perhaps his father could be convinced to allow him to keep a friendly correspondence with the other boy after they left!
His plan to approach his new hopefully soon-to-be-friend was left incomplete when he noticed another set of visitors arriving. The yellow of their banners belonged to the Southeastern pack, ruled by the Parks. Blond-haired and delicate in features, the high family descended from their carriages, looking like the faeries that were said to inhabit the misty lakes of their homeland. The high alpha looked more like an elf than a lycan and his mate with his flowing golden waves of hair was ethereal in his golden robes. Behind them, a smaller yet equally beautiful omega male held the hand of a much younger boy, dressed in alpha clothes yet still barely out of his toddler years. They didn’t linger much in the open space and the omega boy kept his gaze down hidden beneath a length of white tule that more traditional families required unmated omegas to wear while travelling. The High Omega conversed with his mate and turned to the young alpha pup while completely ignoring the young omega at all times, letting Seokjin know just how neglectful and archaic his household probably was, making him worry a little over the older boy.
In spite of the lingering discomfort over the newcomer’s situation, Seokjin was excited. Counting himself, there would be three unmated omegas and surely allowed to attend the general activities as long as they stuck together. He only hoped the other boys would be nice or at least polite enough to talk to. By obligation, he was to be unfailingly civil to them, yet he longed to make true friends if possible.
His whole life he'd been surrounded by people, be them tutors, nannies, servants or guards. His own family while very affectionate towards him were too engrossed in matters of state to interact much with him anymore. His older siblings, who had remained fiercely protective of him since birth and often sent him little gifts letting him know they were thinking of him, were often pulled away by their own obligations. While Seokjin had learned to dance and play instruments his brothers were studying strategies and training to lead batallions. While Seokjin studied languages to converse, his brothers learned them to negotiate. It was difficult for them to find much time other than dinner to spend together, the omega focusing on his studies and his brothers on becoming the alpha heirs their father needed them to be. If only his mother had survived the plague that took her when Seokjin had barely matured into a teen, maybe things would have been different for him. As it was, friendship and true companionship was something he could only read about when his scarce free time allowed it.
He was just about to turn away from the window to go prepare himself for the feast of the evening when the final guests arrived and his enthusiasm for the festivities lessened considerably. The maroon colored banners of the Choi Pack brought unpleasant memories to Seokjin. As the closest pack geographically speaking, the Chois and his own clan were bound to maintain closer relationships than with other clans. Their leader, high alpha Choi was an older man and rumored to be deathly ill. His son, a man at least ten years older than Seokjin himself, ruled in his stead with an iron fist. A more unpleasant man, Seokjin had never seen. He was a harsh leader and oftentimes his decisions ended up being beneficial for himself and a few of his inner circle but damning for the rest of his subjects, something Seokjin saw as unforgivable and a true sign of him being an unworthy leader. To make matters worse, the man's beady eyes never left Seokjin whenever he was in attendance during his many unnecessary visits to his father to 'sort' through their trading businesses. The man's leering gaze made Seokjin feel uncomfortable and dirty, driving him into hypervigilance whenever his pack was in the palace and making sure he was never left alone with the alpha. His inner omega knew the man was dangerous and would revolt inside him in distrust, urging him to run as far and fast as possible, reminiscing moments of terrible discomfort in his youth in the presence of the man.
Shuddering his dark thoughts away, Seokjin turned to more pleasant matters and proceeded to get ready to meet his possible new friends, donning his favorite coral-pink robes accented with white and golden brocade on the jacket, the colors of his clan. Once his black hair was thoroughly brushed and expertly fastened into his customary low bun, with his trusty ‘accessories’ hidden in his many pockets, he deemed himself ready to go and set his plan in motion. It was quick work to send his personal servants to the guest quarters with invitations for the two young omegas for afternoon tea. He knew it was a bit rushed, seeing as they had barely arrived at the palace, but it was the only possible time for them to actually meet and talk freely before the feast.
He sat in a plush blanket in his private garden, arranging his chosen treats and teacups in nervousness as he waited for his potential friends to arrive. Every minute that went by made his nerves double over. What if they didn’t want to meet him? Would they be allowed by their parents? What if they were mean? What if- his train of thought halted as his ears picked up the soft footfalls of two people coming his way.
Straightening up and mustering the most welcoming smile he could onto his face he looked up in the direction of the entrance to the garden. A young man with grey eyes and blond hair pleated into a crown on his head arrived with a smile as nervous looking as Seokjin himself felt. He was wearing a fluffy baby yellow jacket over a creamy white skirt with gold and pink accents along the hem making him look soft and summery, like a baby chick, in spite of the inevitable chill of the departing winter. He was much smaller than himself, Seokjin noted with endearment, as he stood to greet the boy and found the younger’s head barely reaching his chin. Inside, his wolf was excited and content with the presence of the newcomer, his clean scent of magnolias, and warm sugar making him relax even further. After a formal omegan bow to one another, with the blond’s being slightly deeper as was proper with him being younger than Seokjin, they both rose with more genuine smiles.
“Welcome to my home! My name is Seokjin. I’m honored to make your acquaintance, Heir Park.” The boy blushed prettily and smiled up at him with a small shake of his head.
“The honor is all mine Omega Prince Kim! My name is Jimin, but I am not the heir of my clan; my brother here, is,” said the blond turning slightly and nudging the young boy Seokjin had seen earlier holding his hand in the courtyard, forward. A pair of blue-grey eyes and a mop of darker blond than his elder sibling peeked at the older omega from behind the long skirts of his brother's dress.
“Come say hi to the prince, Soobin-ah” coaxed the older of the two blonds.
Seokjin stood endeared as the young boy, who couldn’t be older than eight blushed and pursed his lips in a nervous pout looking up at him briefly before squaring up his shoulders and bowing down in true alpha fashion, holding his left hand over his right fist, back and knees straight in the formal form.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Omega Prince Seokjin,” he said in a childlike yet firm voice. His brother looked pleased and tapped him gently on the shoulder as the boy straightened back up letting him know he’d done well.
Seokjin returned the bow and was just about to offer them seats when hurried steps reached them. Their other party member arrived looking slightly harried and bright-eyed with excitement. “I’m so sorry I’m late! This place is huge and I got lost!” said the tall boy whipping his long dark brown hair away from his face and smoothing it back into his nearly undone ponytail. His flowing forest green robes contrasted neatly with silver trimmings and his bone-white jacket with cyan embroidery. His scent of apples with a hint of something like mint was refreshing and tickled his nose happily, while his enthusiastic demeanor reminded Seokjin of a playful fox cub wagging his tail in enthusiasm, making him smile instantly. Another round of bows and introductions took place.
“I’m Kim Taehyung, very pleased to meet you all!” said the brunette flashing a boxy grin that had even shy Soobin smiling behind his brother’s skirts.
“Let’s have a seat so we can chat more comfortably,” said Seokjin, gesturing to the laid-out blanket and smirking at the wide eyes of the alpha pup once he noticed the sweet pastries ready to be eaten.
They arranged themselves comfortably, sorting their gowns so no wrinkles would form, and dug into the tea and snacks with gusto. Seokjin noted how Jimin served his brother first and made sure the boy was settled before taking anything for himself.
“I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I was when I received your invitation Prince Seokjin! My parent was ready to lock me in my room until it was time for our departure. I swear she wouldn’t even have brought me along if it hadn’t been for the fact that she doesn’t trust me to be on my own at home,” said Taehyung in between bites of macaroons earning an enthusiastic nod from Jimin seated next to him.
“Mother was thinking of leaving me at home at first too, but then he realized that Soobin-ah would be mostly on his own and changed his mind,” said the blond, handing his brother a napkin to wipe frosting off his nose.
Seokjin sighed, realizing how much he could relate to the two younger omegas before him. Being demoted to the background of any situation was the norm for those of their rank, no matter how high up they were in the hierarchy of their packs unless there was a specific task they had to perform for the benefit of their alpha counterparts or their parents.
“I was told I wouldn’t be allowed to attend any activities unless other omegas were present,” he said and the two younger boys nodded their understanding. Soobin looked at them with sad eyes and a pout tugging at his brother’s sleeve to get his attention “Why wouldn’t they want you there Minnie Hyung? I think you are much cooler than many alphas at home!”
The older blond smiled indulgently at his sibling raking his fingers through his hair in what appeared to be a practiced motion. “Not many alphas like the fact that omegas can be as cool as them Soobin-ah,” he said in a soothing voice to the younger and they all watched as the boy processed his words with a frown.
“Then they are stupid,” said Soobin with finality crossing his little arms with a pout that made Seokjin chuckle and Taehyung let out an amused laugh.
“I hear you, little man,” said the brunette, “maybe when you grow up, you’ll be able to do things differently yeah?” Soobin seemed to like the idea and his eyes sparkled with what could only be strong determination, that had them all smiling again.
“In that case, since we’re all in the same boat, how about we arrange for a sleepover in my quarters tonight?” proposed the elder to the delighted looking males before him.
“I think my parent will actually indulge me as long as I’m kept out of trouble,” said an enthusiastic Taehyung.
“I will ask my parents for permission, but…” Jimin’s smile trailed off and a quick glance to his brother told Seokjin everything he needed to know about his situation. The younger omega was only kept around as companion and babysitter to his younger brother, the actual heir of their pack.
Glancing at the boy himself, Seokjin noted how quiet and well behaved he was, if not a little shy. He could tell by his mannerisms and the way he looked at Jimin that the alpha pup had great love and admiration for his older brother, a quality that perhaps would actually shape him into a different kind of alpha than the traditional domineering type. There was hope in the boy and Seokjin would help in every way he could to enhance Jimin’s gentle influence on him.
“Soobin-ah is invited as well, of course,” he said and watched as a huge smile formed in the pup’s face until a thought seemed to cross his mind and a frown replaced it.
“Do you think father will let me attend an evening with other omegas Minnie-Hyung?”
Jimin pondered for a minute and looked back at Seokjin with a questioning gaze. “Would it seem inappropriate, Prince Seokjin?”
“First of all, no need to call me prince all the time, at least not when it’s just us around, Hyung is fine,” he said and waved a dismissing hand looking back at the pair of blond brothers. “As for appropriateness, a fine young alpha you may be Soobin-ah, but you are still very much a pup, are you not? How old are you?”
“I’m almost seven Pr- uh, Hyung,” said the boy with cheeks aflame, and Seokjin had to smile at his cuteness. ‘Not even seven then’, thought Seokjin as he assessed his height, ‘he will be incredibly tall once he is full-grown’.
“Then there should be no problem. In our pack, pups as old as twelve sleep with their caretakers, who are omegas and female betas most of the time. Is it the same for your pack Jimin-ah?”
The blond boy nodded and looked back at his brother who had gone back to digging into the pile of sweet treats as soon as he had answered the elder’s question. “Soobin-ah and I share sleeping quarters unless I’m in heat,” he said and to the Prince’s questioning eyebrow he was quick to add, “he was very sensitive to scents as a newborn and mine would be the only thing to calm him down, so mother entrusted him to my care pretty much since birth.”
Seokjin’s eyebrow shot up disappearing into his bangs at the information. A quick glance to the brunette sitting on his other side was enough to know Taehyung was just as surprised as he was.
“How old are you Jimin-ah?”
“Uh, I’ll be eighteen this fall Hyung,” said the younger, looking slightly embarrassed.
“No way! We’re the same age!” exclaimed Taehyung with a huge grin that seemed to melt the discomfort out of the smaller male.
“I’m three years older than both of you, so you better listen to me well, understand?” he said with a false air of superiority that fulfilled its purpose the moment the younger omegas started laughing at his act.
“Of course, Hyung! We’ll be plenty obedient” said Taehyung with an exaggerated eye-roll as Jimin wiped laughter tears out of his eyes.
Taking advantage of the more relaxed mood, Seokjin continued to investigate the subject that had him slightly worried about his new friend. “That’s quite a large age gap between Soobin-ah and you Jiminie, do you have other siblings?”
The blond omega seemed to wilt a little and a sad smile made way to his face “My biological mother became pregnant with my brother when I was three. Neither of them made it and father grieved her for many years until our council urged him to take another mate and beget an alpha heir.”
Seokjin noticed Soobin had gone very quiet beside him, running his little hand over the fabric of his skirt, offering tactile comfort, something regular alphas didn’t do. The action, however small, was tantamount to the real influence the blond omega had over the boy, and Seokjin couldn’t be happier with the prospect of such a caring alpha taking over their clan one day.
“My father’s new mate arrived when I was around eight, and insisted I call him mother, so I took to doing it to keep him pleased with me,” continued the blond with a hint of distaste curling his lip. “He got pregnant very soon but his first birth, an omega girl didn’t make it past winter.”
There was a hard glint in Jimin’s eye as he looked at Seokjin head-on, telling him there was another truth behind his words, urging the elder to comprehend.
The black-haired omega understood perfectly well his meaning, the babe had been killed, probably under the cover of sickness, just for being of a ‘lesser’ rank. With fists curled and eyes hardened, Seokjin nodded his head to show his understanding. Taehyung sat with his head bowed, his own fists shaking in tightly controlled rage, a testament to his own understanding of the situation.
“Soobin-ah was born a couple of years later, healthy and strong,” continued the blond, running a loving hand over his brother’s soft locks. “However, mother was left in a… frail state and was ordered by her trusted physician to not birth any more pups and avoid any activities that may strain his delicate constitution. Since taking care of a fussy pup was grating on her feeble health, I was the best alternative. A blood relative, an omega, unmated and with no prospects in sight.”
The message was clear. The high omega of the Park Pack had sought to fulfill his role as a breeder to attain his place in the hierarchy and as soon as that role had been fulfilled he’d sat back to enjoy the benefits of being at the top, foisting up his son onto someone else to nurture since there was obviously no love for the child. Jimin had to become a mother at ten to care for his baby brother, and Seokjin was sure as hell, he hadn’t been given a choice about it either.
“It was for the best though,” said Jimin, smiling down at the pup next to him, “Soobin-ah is a darling pup and will make a fine leader one day, isn’t that right?”
The boy nodded enthusiastically at his older brother, eyes shining and full of adoration. Seokjin’s heart lurched as he recognized the pup’s gaze as that starstruck look any child gets when looking at their mother. What a sweet thing to come out of a cruel situation. Pups shouldn't be raising pups.
The group continued their afternoon exchanging stories of their homelands and laughed as they compared pointers and tricks they had learned over the years as members of the court in their respective packs.
“I am my family’s best shot, although none of them will actually admit it out loud,” laughed Taehyung. “Grandmother insisted she would teach me the ways of her people and my parents thought she meant singing and dancing, which in her defense, she did teach me”, he said with a wink that had the others giggling into their teacups.
“What they didn’t count on is the fact that grandmother’s ancestors were great warriors, well respected within the depths of the Great Wood that became part of our land when my parents mated”, continued the brunette as he produced a thin and glossy looking hairpin that had sat innocuously decorating his long tresses.
“I can throw this and hit a target from a distance of up to fifty paces while running,” he said, to the awe of the other boys around him. The trio proceeded then to witness an impromptu target practice where Taehyung demonstrated over and over again his good aim and impressive ease in manipulating cutlery as if it were deadly blades.
“When my parents found out the truth behind my training, they demanded grandmother teach my older brothers. She tried, but my brothers, well… they have a really hard time focusing on anything other than themselves sometimes,” he said and with a grimace added “that, and taking lessons from an old omega somehow didn’t really sit well with them.”
“Have you ever tried to teach them yourself?” asked Seokjin, already knowing the answer by the amused and slightly bitter chuckle the younger let out.
“They keep insisting I cheat and use nothing but tricks when we compete, so it’s kind of awkward when I keep winning.”
Jimin had a frown on his face by then and placed a gentle hand on the brunet's bicep. “Just by seeing what you did just a few minutes ago even I can tell you don’t need to resort to tricks, you are unbelievably good on your own right.”
The frown that had sat on Taehyung’s face evaporated and morphed into his signature boxy grin. His hazel eyes sparkled with mischief then as he picked up a butter knife “want me to teach you?”
Jimin’s flabbergasted expression that seemed more like a fish out of water prompted the other two omegas into fits of laughter. “Oh, Jiminie your face just now was priceless!"
Not two seconds later, a light voice stopped their laughter, “Minnie Hyung doesn’t need knives.”
The two dark-haired omegas glanced at the youngest boy in their midst and then at a beet-red Jimin who was trying to shush his brother.
“What do you mean Soobin-ah?” asked Seokjin intrigued.
“Why don’t you show them Hyung?” asked Soobin instead, looking up at his brother with glittering eyes that could have melted iron.
“Ugh, fine,” said an exasperated blond, who looked resignedly up at Taehyung who was practically vibrating in his seat with excitement. “Care to spar?”
“YES!” was the enthusiastic brunet’s automatic response. Seokjin sat with Soobin as the two younger omegas squared up looking impossibly delicate in just their inner dresses. ‘A cute baby chick against a fox cub’ mused Seokjin as he gazed at the two boys. One moment they were standing still and the next they were a blur of movement and ripples of expensive fabric as they seemed to dance around one another in a mock fight.
A feral smile grew on the young prince’s face as he watched the match come to an end. Both omegas stood with something on their hands. Jimin held Taehyung’s hair ribbon flowing delicately in the breeze, while Taehyung held a golden and pink hairpin in his hand. A draw. Neither of them seemed overly tired, a testament to how much harder they could have gone had they really wished to. In the next second, they were both laughing and holding out each other’s hair accessories to their rightful owner.
Seokjin helped them both to fix their appearance, knowing they would have to return to their parents in a little over an hour. “That was truly something. You’ve both been trained very well” he said as he finished tying the green length of fabric to secure Taehyung’s hair.
“My nana insisted I had to learn to take care of myself, so he taught me all he learned from his mate, a former general to my father,” said Jimin as he served more tea for all of them.
“I can’t believe I’ve found someone to spar with without being called a cheater! Jiminie you must come to visit me!” exclaimed Taehyung as he took his place again and accepted a teacup from the smaller male.
The blond smiled and turned a mischievous smile towards Seokjin who gave him an innocent look in return. “I will Tae. But first, I want to know what our prince is capable of,” he said.
Taehyung raised a brow in question and turned to look at Seokjin too, squinting his eyes a little trying to see what the blond seemed to have picked up on.
“He was not even remotely phased by our little spar, you see. On the contrary, he followed it very closely,” said the blond, smirking as he noticed a little smile blooming on the dark-haired prince’s face, “as close as only someone with combat training could.”
Taehyung’s confused face turned into one of shock and then quickly turned to glee as he exclaimed “you are just like us too!”
The elder omega chuckled and drew his fan from within his sleeve pocket. The younger boys noticed at once, the deadly sharpness of the blades hidden in plain sight amongst the gems and delicate lace appliques. “Care to spar?” was all he said before they were all off in a three-way match that ended much like the previous one, with a draw and barely tousled omegas.
Soobin clapped his hands in delight at the unexpected show and ran up to his brother hugging him around the waist as he returned Seokjin’s butterfly pin while Taehyung refastened his belt clip for him. “I want to spar too Hyung!”
The elders indulged the pup for several long minutes dodging his attacks that while fast, were still clumsy and not concealed enough to be unpredictable. Pointers were given, and Seokjin was pleased to note the boy was a quick study. He would be one powerful High Alpha one day.
By the time daylight begun to dwindle, the quartet was ready to head over to the feast after getting permission and approval to attend from the King. A quick stop by their respective living quarters was necessary to exchange their day dresses for something more formal for the evening, so the omegas and the alpha pup exchanged temporary goodbyes and headed their separate ways, knowing they would be meeting again soon, this time as true friends.
...TBC...