His Majesty (Slide Away)

1.

Paul couldn't believe that this day had actually arrived. The day of his 18th birthday, the day he finally left the castle. Though to his father, the King of Rotherham, it was the day that his most useless son was finally rid of. Married away to the Prince, soon to be king, of Aquitaine.

Leaving Rotherham castle was a distant memory, one that he hadn't experienced since before his fourteenth birthday. On that day, everything changed. Presenting as an Omega was Paul's downfall. It was a depressing fate for many Omegas in the Kingdom, but for a Prince... It was disgraceful, and Jim had wanted Paul gone as soon as possible. The man was merciless.

The death of his mother when he was almost 15 years old was blamed on him too, as well as the newfound distaste from the people on the monarchy of Rotherham. The public within the Kingdom of Rotherham had seemed to turn on their royals, the news tabloids not shying away from reporting on their opinions daily.

But Mary... She had been Paul's only hope. She had given her son a confidence boost after the unfortunate news. She herself was an Omega, and knew what it was like to be classed as shameful. Mary too was married off at 18, to his father, and although sometimes he found himself wishing he didn't, without their marriage Paul wouldn't exist. It hurt, but that was the hand that they had been dealt.

Mary had got him through the rough time in the beginning, though. Even though the woman was an Omega, she was still Jim's Queen; fortunate enough to have a title. Jim had wanted to lock Paul away in his bedroom chambers as soon as he had smelt the Omega scent coming from his son, laced with the smell of fresh lavender, but Mary had forbid it.

He is still my son  just as much of a Prince as my other son! He is not being confined to his chambers, not as long as I live!

And then in the Autumn of 1956, she passed away. Jim said it was because of the stress of having an unruly Omega son, one that was a constant burden to her. He had told him he caused too much of a fuss, that the woman eventually couldn't take it.

Paul believed that for so long.

They guarded Paul's door, day and night, the only interaction he ever had being from either his younger brother Michael every so often or someone delivering his meals. His father never visited, nor did any of his cousins or aunts. He supposed he hadn't really expected them to.

In 1957 Michael presented as an Alpha, and from then on Paul saw less of Michael too. He was too busy learning how to become the King of Rotherham, how to be a worthy leader. It was a role that was definitely needed with the press' views on the Royals getting worse, but it still hurt.

The next two years were insanely boring, so boring that there came a time where Paul feared he might die from such boredom. But Michael still hadn't forgotten Paul, and for his 16th birthday, the younger boy had purchased the Omega a grand piano. Michael was an Alpha, the future king, and he didn't need his father or anyone's permission to do so.

It stood in the corner of the large room, the walls of which kept Paul encaged, and in time he taught himself how to play the instrument. It didn't take long, immediately being able to tell what string of chords sounded good and what sounded bad. He noted it all down, repeated it over and over again, and suddenly his boredom had been lost in the form of a new hobby.

On his 17th birthday, Michael was away. The young Alpha had duties now, travelling the kingdom and making himself known to the people. It was important that they got to know their real future king, after all. Paul didn't mind, Michael still wrote him letters.

They welcomed me, Paulie.

But they miss you, so much. You and Mother...

They told me to tell you they're still thinking of you, brother.