Chapter Text
Many words can be used to describe Khemjira. Quiet has never been one of them.
The omega was a force who could not be ignored, whose strong vital energy and sweet smiles served as tools of survival. Soft bright eyes matched round upturned cheeks, and a warm voice used flowery language to navigate through life. Khem was well aware of his charms and had no problem using them for his twisted benefit.
“Your love line is incredibly strong,” Khem started, tracing the tip of his index finger along the creases of a bewildered woman’s palm, as if they paved a map to a hidden treasure. “Oh, see this?” Khem asked with a theatrical flourish. “I’m beginning to feel it now, the signs of a very wealthy alpha in your future!”
The beta in question gasped in glee, staring back at her hand as if she too could now see the buried fortunes within. The teahouse customers around the two buzzed with curious whispers and murmured awe of the fortune teller who had a knack for telling each patron exactly what they wanted to hear, deepest desires drawn out and validated for the price of a few silver coins added into Khem’s awaiting pouch.
Across the room Grandma Si peeked her head behind the kitchen curtain, a disapproving grumble aimed at Khem as she prepared to scold him once again for tempting fate through his smooth lies and clever deceptions. Khem only winked at his next mark, a nervous omega who clutched a scroll of her and her lover’s birth charts. “Darling,” he started, leaning over to read the paper shaking in her hands. “You’re in luck. The stars are in your favor!”
But now, sitting on the dirt floor of a royal prison cell freezing his ass through his torn clothes, Khem had been stunned to silence. For the first time in 24 years, his throat failed him as he gripped the wooden grid bars separating him from his freedom. How the hell did he get himself into this mess?
The day everything changed began as any other. Grandma Si worked to prepare the afternoon’s desserts as Jet danced his way through the tables, wiping and dusting as he moved. Khem stood outside the House of Love, eyes scanning the bustling crowd of neighboring street markets for his next target. He finally settled on a young man and woman wearing robes several tax brackets above his own, walking together but far apart enough for Khem to sense the tension between them. He approached the girl with a gentle smile.
“I can see it in your eyes and entangled in the skies.”
Confusion took over their faces.
“What? Are you talking to us?”
Khem paid their reaction no mind.
“I can feel his incredible character from his strong features, the tell of a reliable alpha. And young maiden, the beauty marks adorning your cheeks, shy as can be, mark a devotion unlike any other once your heart has been given to another!”
Khem reached for her hand gently before continuing.
“There is an unbreakable red thread of fate connecting you two, signifying a strong marriage tie. Alas, it is a tragedy! An entangled thread in the age of an endless marriage ban.”
“Who are you?”
“Me?” Khem beamed before gesturing back to the small shop behind him.
“I’m the owner of this fortune-telling tea house, The House of Love. The name’s Khemjira, and I’m the most popular matchmaker in all of Thailand!”
“House of Love?” the young man repeated, an expression of surprise overtaking him.
“Come on in! Warm yourselves with a fresh cup of tea, and I’ll let you in on how to finally make your love official without it ever reaching the King’s ears!”
“You’re disgusting!” spat the young woman, stopping Khem in his tracks. “This is my brother!”
Shit. Khem did not see this one coming.
“How on earth could we get married? Do you spin this grand story for any two people passing by? You must be a marriage swindler!”
A small crowd began forming around the heated woman, drawing concerned faces and negative recognition. Khem stuttered before letting out a shaky chuckle, trying to reassess how to take back control of the situation.
“Me? My spiritual abilities have never been wrong yet. I only told you what I truly saw!”
The two were not convinced, anger building up in waves as Khem sensed another outburst building. But her next protest was halted as someone cleared their throat loudly behind them, capturing everyone's attention.
“Ahem,” started Grandma Si, walking out of the building gates as she slowly fanned her face.
“I hate to be the one to reveal heaven’s secrets, but I must tell the truth.”
The siblings’ confusion only grew. Now who was this old woman joining the crazy boy in front of them?
“Listen closely. The two of you have a secret behind your birth.”
Gasps echoed throughout the crowd as Grandma Si continued.
“You lived apart during childhood, yes? And met only after you grew older, correct? You are in fact, not related by any blood. That is why you each harbor feelings within that you have been trying to suppress.”
Embarrassment replaced anger as a red flush took over their faces.
“What are you saying? I, I can’t!” The young woman cried before turning to escape from this revelation. The boy quickly ran after her, a newfound determination evident on his face.
Khem shamelessly smiled and waved after them. “Make sure to clear things up with your family! If you have any questions, come back to the House of Love!”
He was interrupted with the loud smack of Grandma Si striking his head with her fan. She then yanked him back into the store by his ear, Khem grumbling protests the entire time.
“Ow! Stop it, let go!”
“Khemjira! How many times have I told you to keep a low profile? We aren’t wandering swindlers anymore. You don’t even share the same spiritual abilities that I do!”
Khem rolled his eyes.
“Grandma, a few cheap fortunes and talismans with your on-and-off abilities aren’t going to keep food on the table- Ow!”
She smacked him once again. “You’re practically advertising the fact that you’re defying the marriage ban. If you draw the wrong attention, you’re as good as dead.”
“She’s right,” Jet chimed in. “You have to be more careful. What if those siblings report you?”
Khem let out an exasperated huff before pouting at his best friend. “Jet! You should be on my side! How else am I supposed to pay you a fair wage?”
Jet only giggled in response. “You can’t pay me from jail either. Listen to Grandma Si for once and slow down with the fake marriage deals.”
But Khem was stubborn and never one to back down from a fight. “Trust me. No one will ever find out!”
Suddenly, the teahouse bells jangled violently as the entrance doors slammed open, a crash of heavy boots and clattering swords following suit. Several guards adorning the King’s insignia stormed in.
“By the order of Royal Inspector Chayod, seize the culprit responsible for fraud and assisting others in the violation of the Royal Marriage Ban!”
Khem froze. Oh god, had the siblings reported him already? The guards instantly zeroed in on Grandma Si, surrounding her with hands itching to draw the weapons settled on their waists. “Are you the owner?” one barked. Khem took the chance to backpedal slowly and make his way towards the hidden exit of the shop, but Grandma Si gave him a knowing smirk before jutting her chin up in his direction. “It’s him. That’s the owner and fraud you are looking for.”
Damn you Grandma Si!
Khem gave the officers a cheeky grin before launching himself over the counter, knocking over glass bottles of sacred rice grains in the process. They shattered as he bolted through the exit and prepared to climb over the back wall. The rough stone scraped his palms as he scrambled upwards, and he braced himself for the rough jump down before stopping short at the realization of a tall man blocking his exit route.
Oh no. “Get out of the way!” Khem yelped. The man in question barely had time to turn before Khem decided there was no alternative. “Or, catch me!”
Large arms captured him by his shoulders and legs as he launched himself into the man’s embrace. Chayod–the man’s name Khem would eventually learn– tightened his grip unconsciously, calloused fingers gripping cotton as he absorbed the way Khem’s eyelashes cast shadows across plump cheeks. Khem looked up at the man, and for a suspended heartbeat, he stopped struggling.
Woah. This guy was handsome.
“Sir, are you alright? Why did you jump over the wall?”
Khem was about to answer when a sickening realization came– this man wore the dark blue uniform of the royal guards and had a particular emblem embroidered on his broad hat and robes, signifying his high position as a Lead Inspector of the Royal Investigation Bureau.
Khem had jumped right into the arms of the man looking to arrest him.
“Ah, thank you sir! I’m fine, you can let me down-”
“The marriage swindler jumped over the wall! Catch him!”
Khem watched realization settle over the man’s face as his eyes widened. He used the brief moment of shock to hurl himself onto the floor before running as fast as he could. Chayod’s reflexes betrayed him; he reached out towards the omega only to catch a handful of fabric which quickly escaped his grip. He exhaled sharply before starting his chase after the criminal.
“Running makes you guilty.” He called out as he moved. Khem paid the man no mind as he did his best to weave his way through the street, willing his weak muscles to push him as fast as humanly possible.
But fate was not on his side, and Khem’s next step betrayed him. His straw shoe caught on a loose stone, sending him sprawling face first into the floor. His pants ripped where his knees burned against the pavement. Chayod was on him quickly, hauling him by the scruff of his neck like a sack of rice, pinning flailing limbs behind his back with absurd ease.
“And tripping,” Chayod added dryly, “makes you terrible at escaping.”
And so here Khem was, stuck in a cell stinking of damp earth and regret. Khem wished he hadn’t skipped breakfast that morning. His poor stomach rumbled with the pangs of growing hunger, and he knew the King and his guards couldn’t care less about his sustenance. He began daydreaming of all the meals he had ever declined when the heavy sound of footsteps paused right outside his cell. He looked up to see the alpha who had caught him from his failed escape.
Khem lifted himself on his knees and stuck his head out in between the bars, mustering the most pitiful expression he could as he stared up at the man.
“Spare me your lies,” Chayod started, rattling the arrest decree inches from Khem’s nose. “Falsified horoscopes, counterfeit identification papers, forged marriage contracts–your crimes are endless.”
Khem sputtered. “I haven’t done anything wrong! When the palace is violating the basic human right of companionship, a humble boy like me feels the obligation to unite two people bound by the gods myself.”
“Do you not see that your words and actions go against the nation’s laws?”
“It may be illegal to host a wedding in this era. But it is not illegal to be in love! If the pure act of adoration is a crime… then every person in the nation of Thailand is a criminal.”
Chayod stared at Khem, who continued to flutter his lashes with practiced innocence.
“Have you never had that sort of feeling yourself, sir? A bond is more than just the wishes of the heavens. We can create it ourselves, and if one has the will, a yearning to fight for a love they so desperately crave, a bond stronger than any tie of fate can be established.”
Every instinct in Chayod’s body screamed that this boy was not some common fraudster. Not with those eyes that sparkled even in the dull holding cell, and not when the curves of his face spiked an uncomfortable recognition of someone buried within his past. But Chayod knew this wasn’t the time to explore those feelings further.
“So it is true that you beguile people with your deceiving words.”
“Inspector-”
“Enough! You will not leave this cell until you recognize the fault of your actions.”
Chayod turned and walked three short steps before pausing, back still turned to Khem as he gave his final remark.
“Sometimes, no matter how hard one tries to create a bond, what isn’t meant to be can never be done.”
With those ominous words Chayod vanished, leaving Khem bewildered.
“Wait! Sir, come back, ugh!”
The fabric of Khem’s shirt itched against his neck where the thick scent-blocking paste he applied diligently every morning was beginning to fade. Khem knew it wouldn’t be long before the sweet smell of mangoes and jasmine filled the jailhouse corridor.
Khem had no resentment towards his identification as an omega, but hiding his scent became a cloak of safety. He never dared to release any pheromones, not when someone from the life he was still running from could possibly recognize him. The boy who proudly walked the streets with his tantalizing tropical scent all those years ago had died on that steep cliff.
But now his past was the least of his worries. The rough faces of the alphas and betas in his neighboring cells alerted his senses, and he knew he had to find a way out of here fast.
Across the courtyard deep within the Palace walls, Advisor Kla and Lady Kaew’s frantic whispers echoed outside of the King’s chambers.
“You can’t do this! It’s an unthinkably serious crime to drug the King’s tea.”
“I may lose my tongue and be castrated for treason… but I must do what is right for the good of Thailand.”
“Oh god. There’s no point speaking to you, is there? Forget it. Where is the girl summoned for tonight?”
Behind them a gorgeous omega dressed in the palace maid uniform approached, thick makeup adorning her face with a red ribbon tied in her hair to match her blushing lips.
“Prim is one of the finest beauties of the country, and no one knows more about the relations between an alpha and omega than her. She can certainly complete the deed tonight.”
Trapped in Advisor Kla’s hand was a small clear vial, pale blue liquid shining underneath the soft spill of moonlight.
“I spent a fortune on this, a magical tonic imported from across the borders. Viagrow!”
“Viagrow?” Kaew questioned. She had never heard of this exotic drug. “Will this truly end the marriage ban?”
“Yes! One sip and even an eunuch will sprout a third leg.” Kla tipped the vial into a steaming pot of fragrant tea, mixing it quickly before placing it on a tray for Prim to bring inside.
“We can finally stir the King into action and have him forget the Princess.”
Lady Kaew seemed unconvinced, knowing the iron-willed nature of the supposed tyrant King. He had not spared another omega so much as a glance since the passing of his wife. But seven years of instability and failed attempts at choosing a new Queen meant that she could not be picky with Kla’s unorthodox solutions, so she sighed in acceptance before entering the King’s room with the omega.
“Your Majesty,” Lady Kaew began. “Your tea is ready. This is sure to help with your insomnia.”
A dark pair of eyes, rich as lacquer in the shadows of torchlight, looked up from where King Pharan rested his forehead in one hand. His eyes barely flashed a glance at the unexpected figure in front of him.
“Who is this girl?”
Prim offered a coy smile before bowing as Lady Kaew introduced her.
“I am afraid Sai, your usual maid, has fallen ill. Prim is here to take her place and serve you tonight.”
A bored expression remained on Pharan’s face as he simply nodded in acknowledgement. Prim was quickly ushered to the floor in front of him, where she carefully poured a cup of the warm tea for the King. Pharan grabbed the cup and downed the drink in three large gulps, unaware of the intense stares the three in front of him exchanged amongst themselves.
Before long, Pharan felt an unfamiliar heat fester in his throat, eventually moving in waves to flood his veins towards the surface of his skin.
“This tea is quite hot,” he shared as he felt beads of sweat form on his face. “I’m growing warm from a single cup.”
“Your Majesty, allow me to pour you another one.”
Prim lifted the teapot once again but Pharan hesitated, confused at why he was beginning to feel dizzy.
“Why is my body so hot all of a sudden?”
Advisor Kla and Lady Kaew bit back their smiles. It was game over for any alpha when their bodies succumbed to the heat of desire. They bowed in departure before slowly making their ways out of Pharan’s space, giving Prim the go to make her move on him.
“You’re right, your Majesty,” Prim began, slipping the top layer of her uniform off to expose the smooth expanse of her shoulders. “The air is especially hot tonight.”
Pharan gave no reaction in response as Prim’s hands reached for the knot of his royal garment. “Let me take this off for you.”
“Khemmika?” Pharan asked softly, eyes struggling to adjust to the figure in front of him.
“Of course your Majesty. You may think of me as Khemmika.”
Prim’s hands moved to pull Pharan’s sweatsoaked robe off, but she was sharply halted by the harsh crash of the table being flipped. The teapot shattered loudly and Prim shrieked as Pharan sprung tall and drew his sword with a sharp scrape.
“No one can ever replace her!”
Advisor Kla and Lady Kaew burst back into the room, stunned to find Prim sobbing on the floor with the King’s sword braced upon her neck.
“Your, your Majesty, p-please have mercy!”
“What is the meaning of this!”
Kla and Kaew dropped to the floor, scrambling for an explanation.
“Who is responsible for this?”
“It, it was I, your Majesty! I am willing to accept any punishment.”
Anger flared through Pharan as he grabbed the extra set of tea cups and flung them in his advisor’s direction, cracking with a loud clatter.
“It was for the good of the nation. Please, I beg you, your Majesty, you must take a wife!”
Pharan snarled. “How dare you make demands of me! What does it concern you if I choose not to wed?”
“Your Majesty, the rumors of your tyranny and impotence are growing more vile with each passing day! Please choose our new Queen before-”
“Oh, you must have a death wish.”
Pharan withdrew his sword from Prim and charged towards Kla, swinging back to bring his sword down to his Advisor’s vital point, only to be interrupted by the loud clang of a rivaling sword. Pharan looked up in rage, only to fall back when he met the eyes of the Palace’s Head Inspector–and his best friend.
“It has been far too long since we met, your Majesty.”
“Chayod?” Pharan’s eyes softened before turning to the others in the room. “Everyone else, get out of my sight.”
The rest scurried to leave Pharan’s quarters in a flurry of apologies and gratitudes as they lived to see another day. Pharan gave Chayod a half-hearted smirk.
“You sure have grown more audacious since I last saw you. You dare to defy me now?”
“I could never defy you, your Majesty,” Chayod began, straight-faced as he stared the King down.
“I heard your worries had worsened and simply came to ensure your well-being. Please, forget what happened to the late Princess and let a new Queen restore peace.”
Pharan scowled once again and grit his teeth as he pressed his sword harder against Chayod’s.
“A new Queen? How could you not understand my pain? She was murdered and set up like a puppet. There is no one I can trust within these walls!”
“I do understand you. But please consider the suffering caused by the marriage ban! For years the Investigation Bureau’s resources have been wasted on capturing anyone who tries to marry. The streets are filled with resentment, and marriage swindlers exploiting the innocent have only increased the restlessness.”
Chayod withdrew his sword in defeat and bowed his head.
“So please. Find a suitable omega and put an end to this needless prohibition.”
Pharan twitched in frustration before lowering his own weapon.
“If I end this marriage ban, will you finally forget your own past and marry as well?”
Chayod stiffened at the unexpected jab.
“The omega who disappeared seven years ago on your wedding day. I know you are still searching for him.”
Pharan let his sword fall to the ground with a weak clang as he watched the forlorn air surround his most trusted companion.
“Unable to let another into our hearts because the one who disappeared still lingers…Only you can truly understand me. The rest of the world can point fingers, call me a heartless tyrant, and make any baseless accusations. But you will get me until the end. I trust your loyalty, and that includes the capturing and punishing of anyone disturbing the public by defying the marriage ban!”
The tension was interrupted by a senior officer entering the doors, greeting Pharan before turning to Chayod.
“Sir, there are reports of a disturbance at the cells. Please come with me.”
Chayod hurried to the prison house, unaware of the situation he was walking into. He knew the boy he had just arrested would cause trouble, but surprise still took over when he arrived to the sight of several officers and even Chief Royal Secretary Chai pacing anxiously, matching looks of terror shared alike.
“Sir!”
“What are you all doing out here?” Chayod questioned.
“Well, um, you see, inside the cells, the-”
“There’s a ghost!” Interrupted Chai. Chayod raised an eyebrow.
“A ghost?”
“The marriage swindler who was imprisoned today… he started moving unnaturally and making frightening noises, as if he was possessed!”
“Enough with the nonsense! Do not waste my time with the schemes of a conman.”
“But sir, we would not dare to lie to you! Please, you must hurry inside!”
Chayod stormed to Khem’s cell in frustration, only to flinch back at the sight that awaited him.
Khem was lying on his back, twitching like a fish out of water. His usually graceful hands contorted into arthritic claws, flailing at his sides as he grunted in a voice three octaves below his own. Upon making eye contact with Chayod, Khem paused before bringing his arms to the sides of his head and lifting himself with a thrust into a bridge. He gave Chayod a twisted smile from upside down and shouted. “Foolish mortals. Behold, the Spirit of Sek the virtuous has chosen this vessel! Kneel before me now!”
Fellow prisoners shrieked in fear and scurried away from the seemingly possessed boy. Chayod could only stare in silence, watching the blood rush to Khem’s head as his eyes rolled back to reveal just the whites of his sclera. Internally Khem was cursing himself; why had he spent so many years indulging in Grandma Si’s pastries instead of working his core? His arms were burning and he was about to collapse after just thirty seconds of holding his best position!
Before long Khem collapsed on his back as his arms gave out. Oof, that would leave a nasty bruise. He quickly fixed himself to sit up cross-legged, back now straight as he closed his eyes in the guise of deep meditation. Khem held his breath as he felt the stare of the Royal Inspector dissecting him. Would the alpha really buy this?
He had no choice but to continue, “It is I, Old Man Sek, god of love and virtue. I have been forced to enter this body to deliver a prophecy of utmost significance.”
“A prophecy?” Chai asked, unable to tear his eyes off of this strange boy.
“Let it be known now… within the next year, the marriage ban for the land of Thailand will come to an end.”
Gasps echoed across the corridor. Chayod had no idea how to react to the insane display in front of him, but Chai brightened considerably at his words.
“Really? We’ll finally have a new queen this year?”
“It is written within the stars,” Khem intoned, voice reverberating unnaturally. “But, as any other prophecy, this will not come to fruition without the completion of conditions.”
“Please, elaborate!”
“For the King to move on, the Palace must be cleansed of the late Princess Khemmika’s soul!”
Khem dropped his voice to a whisper to truly amp up the dramatic effect.
“The princess’s ghost lingers… But be warned! If His Majesty fails to fulfill his duty in selecting a new Queen, I sense a dangerous riot brewing that will wreak havoc in the Palace.”
“A riot?”
“Yes,” Khem nodded solemnly. “The Battle of the Incels will drown the country in blood.”
“Incels?” Chayod asked, finally chiming in.
“Involuntary celibates! Young men across the country who blame this ban for their bodily insufficiencies!”
Two guards cried out as they held each other. “Oh god, that’s us!”
Chief Secretary Chai’s face fell. “The royal astrologers did recently warn us of unrest amongst unmated alphas,” he whispered to Chayod. Khem bit his tongue to keep from grinning. He should have never doubted himself!
“Inspector,” Chai commanded, voice crisp with urgency. “You will escort this vessel to His Majesty immediately.”
Khem’s smirk instantly died.
“Excuse me?”
All faux signs of possession left Khem’s body as he watched Chai excitedly push Chayod towards him. “I’ll get to the Majesty first and inform him of your arrival!”
Khem paled. He had been babbling whatever nonsense came to mind to find an escape route, but being delivered straight to the King with his act had been the farthest thing from his mind. “Wait, I’m just a fortune teller!” He scrambled backwards until the wall bit into his spine as Chayod unlocked the door and entered the cell. “I’m not fit to stand before the King!”
“Too late,” Chayod muttered, hauling Khem upright with a grunt. “Your Old Man Sek has already spoken.”
This is how Khem found himself in the most unimaginable scenario for the second time that day. His knees hit marble with a crack as he was forced into a deep bow. He had been wiped quickly and changed into a servant’s robes, his previous tattered state inappropriate for the King’s eyes. He kept his gaze pinned to the floor, studying stones like they were the most fascinating sight in the world, trying to ignore the gaze burning the top of his head from where the King was seated above him.
Khem was about to lose his mind. What could they have possibly needed to alert the King about so urgently from his ridiculous spiel? Was this all a cruel joke to have the King execute Khem himself for daring to speak Khemmika’s name? And why was a Chief Royal Secretary so gullible? Damn Khem and his wretched tongue!
When the thick silence finally broke, a voice much softer than Khem expected filled his ears.
“I hear you have spiritual abilities.”
Khem kept his head bowed, fingers twisting where they met in front of him.
“Trivial things, your Majesty. So unreliable that they must not always be trusted-”
“Is that so? Strange. If your powers were false, how did you detect Khemmika’s lingering soul here when no one else has?”
Oh god, did the King really think his ex-wife was still in the Palace? Maybe he was as crazy as the rumors depicted him to be.
“You will look at me when I speak.”
Khem swallowed the dry lump in his throat, bracing himself to lock eyes with the man who would probably be ending his life, but froze when he finally took in the sight of His Majesty.
King Pharan sat slouched atop his glorious throne, separated from Khem by a dozen polished steps, one knee drawn up with his rich red silk robes spilling around him. His features seemed implausibly too big to fit onto that small face, but somehow they worked together in perfect harmony. A broad straight nose rested above a pair of full lips, carving upwards into thick straight eyebrows framing big eyes. And God, those eyes; Khem finally understood why writers felt the need to wax poetry about the beauties of the land. Pharan’s eyes were a shade of light brown, almost honey in the reflection of the candlelight, highlighting a gaze so intense and persuasive that Khem thought the King could probably convince him to perform his own execution.
Where was the Royal Family finding all these hot men?
Khem had just begun admiring his jawline when King Pharan shot out of his seat and made his way down the stairs to stand right over him.
“Am I truly being haunted by a ghost?”
Up close, Khem was able to look beyond the initial shock of beauty and truly see the man’s state: the King was a tapestry of unraveling threads. Shadows pooled under his weary eyes like bruises while his lips, chapped from bitten-back sobs and anxiety, moved below hollow cheeks. Khem knew then; this wasn’t the face of a man haunted by a ghost. This was a desperate man swallowed by grief, suffering from the pain of a love long lost.
“A ghost, sure.”
Khem’s mouth moved before his brain could even register the truth of his admission. The King’s eyes widened and he reached to grip Khem’s shoulders, fingers searing like branded iron where they met Khem’s skin.
“Tell me, please,” Pharan rasped, an anxious scent of vetiver and clary sage making its way to Khem’s nose as Pharan began shaking him. “Please, is she here now? Does she hate me?”
The King’s pleas shattered something in Khem’s chest. Behind them Chayod cleared his throat, a subtle warning, but Pharan refused to let go. Khem hesitated, then did the stupidest thing imaginable: he cupped the King’s cheek and allowed his thumb to swipe away at a single tear that managed to escape those piercing eyes.
“She loved you,” he murmured, lying so smoothly his own heart stuttered. “That is why she stays.”
Pharan’s breath fractured, and despite the protests of his attendants, he closed his eyes and leaned into the warm touch of the boy in front of him.
“I hear her cries at night, howling with the winds throughout my chambers. Even in my dreams she comes to me, just in wisps, but always,” Pharan’s voice cracked. “Please, what is she trying to say?”
How was Khem supposed to know what delusions the King was having every night? What could a dead omega Princess possibly have to say to her ex?
'I love you.' No, too basic.
'Get over me already.' Harsh. He doubts the King will allow him to breathe much longer after that.
With a rigid exhale, Khem simply had to put all his cards on his best guess.
“Take care of yourself, your Majesty. Your health is the most important asset for the good of the people you serve.”
Pharan’s soft smile finally relieved some of the tension in Khem’s shoulders. Thank god, he bought it!
“She always did care about my well-being more than her own.”
Pharan looked at Khem once again with pleading eyes, his grip slacking just enough for Khem to feel the tremor in his fingers.
“I called you here because I would like to see her, even if it is as a ghost. Please, summon her now.”
Khem swallowed hard as his eyes darted back to the floor. “I am afraid that is not possible your Majesty. Spirits are not summoned like this-”
Khem was interrupted by the unexpected sound of his own groan as his knees hit the marble again, the King’s large hands finally releasing the boy for his response.
“You can’t? Or you won’t?”
Khem pressed his forehead to the cold stone and squeezed his eyes shut, heart convulsing widely against his chest as he rushed to bow in submission.
“Your Majesty, her physical form is gone. And spirits do not obey the commands of a mere-”
“Do it now!” Pharan’s roar sent guards scrambling. Chayod’s hand flew to his sword, but the King was already reaching for his own.
“If you possess the spiritual abilities as so boldly claimed, you will manifest the Princess’s spirit before me. Only then will I believe you and spare your life from the punishment you deserve.”
Khem’s mouth went dry as the thick scent of rage threatened to choke him.
“Materialize her,” Pharan spat, “or I’ll materialize your head on a pike.”
Khem had no other choice. His body moved before his mind could stop it.
“Your Majesty, I cannot bring her physical form in front of you, but perhaps-”
Khem stopped himself as he sprung up from the floor, spine snapping straight and arms jerking rigidly as if pulled by invisible strings. He then arched backward impossibly, throwing his head back with a guttural cry. Pharan stumbled back, sword clattering to the floor.
Khem continued to thrash from side to side, taking over the entire space of the room before he let his body go limp. He waited, counting five slow breaths before rising to stand with unnatural grace, shoulders softening and face settling into the polite smile he imagined royal omegas would fancy. The energy around him shifted, no longer the pitying air of a foolish conman scared for his life. He was about to deliver the performance of a lifetime.
“Your Majesty.” Khem started, staring into the astounded eyes of the King in front of him.
“Oh, how I have missed you.”
“Kh-Khemmika?” The name tore from Pharan’s throat like a prayer. “Is that really you?”
Khem smiled fondly and spoke in the most saccharine tone he could muster. “Allow me to greet you properly with a bow first.”
Khem moved to perform the reverent wai of a wife to her husband, resting his head just above the King’s feet. He raised his head to offer another gentle curve of his lips.
“Your Majesty, I hope-”
Pharan’s resulting sob halted Khem’s next words as he lunged forward to crush Khem against his chest. Khem became rigid as he felt the King’s tears hot against his neck, the arms around his back trembling like a man clutching driftwood in a storm.
“It’s really you. Khemmika, why have you stayed hidden from me so long? Do you have any idea what torment I’ve been in without you?”
Khem resisted the urge to push the King off of him and tried to relax.
“My foolish King, please wipe your tears. Do not grieve for me. I remain in this world because you are unable to forget me. You must let me go now.”
“No!” Pharan’s grip tightened impossibly. “How could I ever forget you? You can’t leave me here!”
Khem finally found the strength to press his palms against the King’s broad chest and push him back to meet his eyes again.
“Your Majesty. Do not forget that you are the King of this nation and are responsible for the well-being of your subjects. You must welcome a new Queen and end their suffering. I must leave now.”
Khem felt his own eyes begin to fill with tears as he watched the King start to panic.
“Don’t say that! Forget about the others. Just tell me who did this. Who has wronged you? I will punish them immediately!”
Wronged her? Khem had no clue what the King was referring to. A multitude of rumors surrounding the Princess’s death had reached the streets over the years, including darker stories about her choosing to put an end to her own time, but a wrongful murder had never been one of them. Khem had to cut this short before he said something he shouldn’t.
“Your Majesty, my time is limited. I need to-”
“No!”
Pharan dropped to the floor as he gripped Khem by his legs and buried his face into his thighs. “You can’t leave me here alone! Please stay just a little longer!”
Khem couldn’t bite back his deep gasp.
“Your Majesty, you can’t!” Shit. Khem paused as he heard his own voice now escaping his mouth, scrambling to free himself from the King’s embrace. He watched the mighty King on his knees in front of him, crestfallen. All eyes in the room stared at him in apprehensive wonder.
“Um, she, she’s gone. It seems the Princess has left.”
Pharan’s face crumpled and he was on Khem again in an instant.
“So soon? No, she can’t leave. Bring her back now!”
Chayod rushed to grab the King by his arms, murmuring low about royal decorum. Khem averted his eyes as Pharan continued shouting orders at him to see his Princess once again.
“Your Majesty, you must contain yourself!” Chai finally said. “I promise, as your Chief Royal Secretary, I will bring this boy Khemjira back to you again.”
Pharan finally stilled. “Next time?”
“Yes!” Lady Kaew offered. “The vessel needs rest. We will ensure the Princess returns to you soon.”
Pharan finally straightened with a newfound resolve. “Next time. Yes, that will work.” His grief hardened into command as he pointed a strict finger towards Khem.
“From tonight, you will serve as my personal attendant. Sleep outside–no, inside my chambers. Stay by my side and manifest the Princess’s spirit wherever it may be!”
Khem’s stomach dropped to his feet, his body itching to run away from this Palace no matter what the consequences may be. But it was far too late. He had gotten himself into this mess, and he needed to continue with the charade if he didn’t want to be sitting in front of the Royal Executioner’s blade by dawn.
“Your Majesty,” he blurted out, stopping the King who had already turned to leave.
“I will stay by your side and do as you command. But please do not forget the prophecy and Khemmika’s words… This will be to bid farewell to the late Princess’s soul. I will help her cross over, but you must free her and yourself. Find a new Queen and lift the ban.”
Khem gnawed on his lower lip, wondering if he had gone too far, when the King finally responded.
“If that is her wish, then so be it.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Khem watched the King disappear at long last into the unwelcoming quiet of the night as he exited his chambers. Finally separated from Pharan’s heavy presence, the weight of his decisions crashed into him. Khem had just promised to recurrently conjure a dead princess for a King who had forgotten what life felt like outside of heartache. The wet fabric stained with Pharan’s tears tingled on his shoulder, a reminder that the events of the night were unfortunately very real. Khem spared a glance at the now empty throne, dazed as he racked his brain to create another plan, another story, another lie to get himself out of the palace walls that already felt like they hoped to suffocate him. But he drew a blank.
The fate of his bloodline, and perhaps the entire country, now rested on his ability to perform as a woman whose existence and mysterious end he had been blissfully unaware of just a few hours prior.