Chapter Text
Life as an Omega was hard. Life as a Queen was more difficult.
Being both Queen and Omega? Life would have been a living hell.
Would have been, had your mother - an Alpha and Queen before you - not taken precautions when you began to show signs of your emerging presentation early. She had procured a doctor she could trust, one who had created a special potion for you. Once every week you had to ingest it and it suppressed your Omega scent and instincts. It had the added benefit of suppressing your heats for the most part, as well. Once a year you were forced to…take a vacation away from the palace.
Those vacations were miserable as you spent them locked in a room for a week straight. Servants brought you food and water, but as they were all Betas and eunuchs they could not help you with what you really needed: an Alpha’s knot. Your mother had also made sure they would never be able to betray you, either. Every last one of them had once been on the streets of your kingdom. Here at your ‘vacation’ home they were treated well, given the run of the place, fed and kept clothed. They had nothing to fear except the Queen’s wrath should they ever speak a word of what actually happens on your trips away from the palace.
So once a year you suffered, but it was worth it. Your mother raised you in the eyes of the people and they loved you. They were told you took after your father, a Beta, but that you were receiving the same tutoring your mother had gotten and that you would be Queen after her.
Being known as a Beta had given you leeway to be a gentler princess than your mother had been. Your mother was a warrior, but you were a scholar. Not that it mattered. You had inherited her cruel streak when it came to punishing wrongdoers in your kingdom. Neither of you had ever shown mercy to those who broke the laws of your kingdom, because the laws were fair.
Alphas were given status and the ones with noble blood were given land and households to manage for the crown. Betas were the workers; the farmers, fishers, artisans. Betas with noble blood were advisors to the crown and occasionally found themselves as consorts to the ruling royal.
Omegas were protected. When a child presented as Omega, they were separated from other children and given lessons specific to life as an Omega. When they came upon their first heat, they were moved from their family homes and into houses that further protected them from those who would hurt them in their more vulnerable state. When not in heat, Omegas who lived in these homes were allowed to live as they wished. As long as they were watched. Most Omega houses employed Beta guards who could watch over the Omegas as they worked or shopped or otherwise went about their business.
It was fair, and your mother had never had a single complaint about the way she ruled. Nor had the rulers that came before her. Your family had been the reigning monarchs for centuries. The beginning of your kingdom’s history was bloody, but as time progressed it had become less so. Now in the modern age, wars were no longer fought over silly things. People talked things out instead. Treaties were written and signed.
And if a rival didn’t want to talk things out, well. Your army was extensive and well trained.
“My Queen?” your advisor’s voice broke you from your reverie and you turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised.
“Yes, Baron?” Baron Helmut Zemo, a Beta, was one of your most trusted advisors. Purely because he was a disgustingly good spy and he always knew what was going on in your kingdom as well as those surrounding yours.
“My Queen, you were distracted.” You hummed, a dangerous note in your tone. “I mean, your counselors are awaiting your thoughts.”
A sigh heaved from you as you shifted your position in your chair. The damned thing was uncomfortable, but as it was an antique you were loath to adjust it in any way. “Tell me again what I am meant to be giving my thoughts on.” You narrowed your eyes on the counselors who seemed irritated with your loss of attention.
“Your Majesty, you are reaching an age now that a woman, a Queen at that, should be marrying. Starting a family. Your line will not continue without heirs of the blood.” This came from John Walker, an Alpha your mother had brought into the council before her death. You knew he constantly brought this up because he was angling for the throne, with you at his side. You almost snorted. John Walker would never know the inside of your living room, let alone your bedroom.
You leaned back in the chair and crossed one leg over the other, crossing your arms under your ample breasts. Ample was a good word to describe all of you, actually. You were not thin or skinny by any means, but you didn’t care. You liked your body and anyone who didn’t could take a long walk off a short pier.
And you were getting distracted again. Gods, you hated these meetings. “Let’s have a tournament, then. I have neither the time nor the desire for dating. No Betas. As a Beta myself, an Alpha mate would give me a better chance at Alpha pups.” You found yourself thinking about how you wanted the tournament to go when a voice interrupted you.
“A tournament?” John Walker’s incredulous voice was incredibly annoying. “Your Majesty, this is the modern age, not some ass backwards kingdom in the Middle Ages.”
“Watch your tongue in the Queen’s presence, Walker.” Steve Rogers, Alpha and Captain of your personal guard, scowled at John who held his hands up in surrender.
“My point stands, Rogers. Why a tournament, your Majesty? And what do you expect these men to do?” Gods, Walker was a moron.
You rolled your eyes and sighed. “Yes, I’m aware of what time period we reside in, John. Not that I am required to explain myself to you or anyone, but I want a tournament because I will not settle for anything less than the best Alpha as my mate, husband, and king. As for what games the tournament shall have…” You thought for a moment longer before naming off games.
“Archery, guns, strategy, obstacle course. Fighting, both with weapons and without. Test their knowledge of our laws and ask how they would make this kingdom better,” you said and pushed away from the table, rising to your feet. “I want an Alpha who can protect me and our pups as well as he can run a kingdom, so make sure you concoct a test that can ascertain that,” you said as you walked around the table.
“Any Alpha who thinks himself worthy may join, but save the knowledge tests for the finalists of each physical test. No reason for me to have to look over more tests than necessary. Any of you who wish to join the tournament will of course not be allowed to judge.” This was meant mostly for John Walker, who you knew would be entering for the chance at your hand in marriage. You were fairly certain that was what your mother had intended by adding him to your council.
A sigh left you at the thought of your mother. Yes, she had been overbearing, but she loved you and wanted the best for you. You, however, needed someone you could trust with your secret and John Walker was not that Alpha. Once you left the council meeting, you intended on meeting with Steve and Helmut, as well as your best friend and personal assassin Natasha. Your council could focus on the public games while the four of you would focus on the ones that meant the most. How the contestants treated your people, regardless of their presentation or class.
“You have two weeks to figure out logistics, and a month after that to get everything settled and begin the tournament. My annual vacation falls in the middle of that time, and I will go over your plans before I leave. This meeting is adjourned,” you said and left the room, Captain Rogers and Baron Zemo not far behind you.
You made your way down the hall with the men following you, but it wasn’t long before a fourth presence joined you. A smile split your face at the woman beside you. “Hello, Natasha.”
“Hello, my Queen,” she said and aimed a crooked smile your way. Natasha was a rare female Alpha and had faced ridicule until you met her years ago and immediately brought her into your employ. Now she was your best friend and one of your most trusted advisors. Plus she knew how to make murder look like an accident.
“I need a private meeting with the three of you regarding this tournament,” you said, unsurprised that Natasha seemed to already know what was going on.
“Not a problem, your Majesty. My offices are most secure,” Baron Zemo said. You looked to Natasha for confirmation and nodded when she gave you a discreet affirmative answer.
Once in Zemo’s office, you laid on the leather couch and rubbed your temples. “Why is it that Walker always gives me a headache?”
To your left, Natasha sprawled elegantly in the chair that matched the sofa you laid on and snorted. “Because he’s a knothead and only agreed to be on the council because your mother dangled the throne in his face like a carrot.”
You laughed at that image and finally began to relax. These three people were the ones you trusted the most with your person and your secrets. These three were the only ones who knew the secret of your annual vacations. Well, these three and the doctor that still created your weekly potions. Dr. Banner rarely left his labs and rooms in the palace, however, so he was no threat to you.
“What did you want to meet with us about, my Queen?” Steve asked, ever the one to keep the rest of you on task.
“I want the three of you to develop more subtle tests for the competitors. Zemo, I know you use children for your spycraft. I want to know how the competitors treat children. Steve, some of your Beta guards moonlight at the Omega houses. I want to know how the competitors treat Omegas of all classes. Natasha, I want you and your girls to keep an eye on the competitors. If any of them break our laws, I leave it to you to report it or…deal with it. I trust the three of you will have my best interests in mind as we judge the tournament. When we reach the final stage, I want your honest opinions of the Alphas remaining as well as whatever history you might dredge up about them.”
A chorus of “Yes, my Queen” surrounded you and you smiled, relaxing further.
“Perfect,” you murmured. You knew that with these three in the mix, there would not be an objectionable Alpha among the finalists. “Mm, one thing. I want Walker to make it to the finals.”
“Why in hell would you want that?” Steve asked sharply. You chuckled softly, knowing he was irritated as your staid Captain was not one to curse.
“I want to see his face when he makes it to the finals only to lose to someone else. I’m also hoping he reacts violently so you can kill him,” you said with a smirk.
“Darling, if you want him dead, I could arrange that quite easily,” Natasha said in her easy drawl.
“Yes, dear, I know. But I want his death to be public. I want everyone to know that he isn’t what he shows to the world,” you said. “And I want to watch.”
“Vicious. I like it,” Natasha said and ran a hand through your hair. You sighed at the contact and closed your eyes. Natasha being your best friend and one of the people you trusted most, she usually came with you on your annual vacations. She couldn’t give you what you needed most, but her Alpha pheromones usually eased your heats.
Not to mention she was very good with her tongue and fingers. You had asked her once if she wanted a shot at the throne and the redhead had laughed at you. She had told you no, that she preferred to be in the background and unnoticed. She had told you she was plenty happy easing your heats and would be just as happy stepping aside once you found yourself a suitable mate.
You let yourself relax under Natasha’s petting for a minute before sitting up again. “Alright, time to tend to business,” you said and stood. Running a kingdom wasn’t all about sitting in boring council meetings, after all.