His Majesty (Slide Away)

3.

John felt sorry for the poor sod.

Every child grew up with the fear that they would present as an Omega. In fact, every child dreaded their fourteenth birthday, knowing that there was a 1 in 3 chance that they would present as such. It was random, like someone's sex. It didn't matter if you were strong and sporty, or if you were shy and needed guiding in life, the outcome was random. John hadn't been able to imagine what the poor boy he was getting married to had dealt with for the last four years.

Ringo, John's best friend since childhood, had suggested researching this 'James' boy, and the pair of them had spent a few nights kept up in the library doing just that.

A brief summary was that the boy was adored by every single citizen of Rotherham. He was in every single newspaper as he was growing up, crowds lining the streets to see him and his brother drive by. But once the boy's 14th birthday had passed, his face was barely seen again, apart from a few photos of him in mainstream newspapers.

The final time any newspaper showcased him was in a 15th of September, 1956 issue. And then on the 31st of October, 1956, Rotherham lost their Queen, and Paul lost his mother. Matching the dates on newspapers was enough evidence one needed, as John had noticed that Paul was never seen again at all after his mother's passing. It was the King preventing his son from being shown in public, that was clear enough.

It all saddened John deeply, even if his Aunt Mimi had hired the best people to educate him against feeling such emotions.

"Rich..." John asked the other Alpha, who had been sat comfortably behind him. John stared at Ringo through the mirror, where the Prince was being dressed by a servant.

"Aye?" Ringo answered. He was sat in a velvet hot seat in the corner of John's soon to be ex-bedroom.

The room was bare, apart from two seats, the bed and the mirror. His belongings had been transported away from the children's quarters of the Palace, where he had grown up, and into his new quarters; the Heir's quarters. He had no choice in the matter, Mimi would not allow himself and his future partner to leave the Palace and live in their own house, and remaining in the children's quarters with his sisters was out of the question after marriage.

"How do you think I should approach him?" John asked, trying to lock eyes with Ringo past the moving servant.

"What do you mean, John?" Ringo was the only person that was allowed to address him so informally. "You're aware you must refer to him as 'Omega', especially whilst the Queen is present."

"Yes but..." John stopped, sighing. "I do not wish to startle him..."

"The boy will be used to it, you will not startle him... James has had four years of experience with people addressing him as 'Omega'." Ringo explained, beginning to fold his newspaper up. "To be quite honest, I think it will startle the kid more if you do not address him as such."

Ringo had a good point...

At that moment there was a knock on the door, and the servant finally finished fiddling with John's blazer. He took a step back.

"Enter!" John called over to the door, and in a few short seconds, the white, gold coated doors opened. John's personal assistant, Stuart, stood there. "Ah, Stuart. How may I help you?"

The servant that had dressed John left, and Stuart fully entered the room.

"The Queen has requested you at the entrance, sir." The scruffy-like beta informed the Prince, watching hesitantly as the alpha reached over for a cigarette.

"And which entrance would that be, Stuart?" John teased, rewarding himself a snicker from Ringo. The older Alpha lit their cigs.

"The grand entrance, your highness."

"Ah, the one below the grand stairs." John nodded, his voice muffled due to the cigarette between his teeth.

"Yes, sir." Stuart pressed on. The Prince took a drag, allowing the smoke to billow through the bare and echoey room.

"Good." John hummed in contempt. "And how far away is the Prince?"

"Do you mean the Omega?" The young boy asked, rather confused at the way John had addressed his future husband.

"No." John stated bluntly. "If I say the Prince, then I mean the Prince. Do you not think I am sure of what I am saying, hm?"

"I... I- uh..." Stuart was not sure how to respond, instead just stood awkwardly, playing with his own hands. "I am sorry, sir."

Stuart was only 17. He was new to the job, and John couldn't help but get the most out of the boy in playful teasing, especially whilst Ringo was present. Of course, John was just messing with the uneducated assistant, but the Alpha liked to think of it kind of as testing him. 

"Good." John hummed once more, flicking the ash from his cigarette and onto the ashtray. "Now, you may go back to the Queen. Tell her me and  Richard here will be present in 15 minutes. Understood?"

"Indeed, sir."

Stuart excused himself from the room. Ringo couldn't help but snicker once more as the door shut behind him.

"Christ." He chuckled. "Why did you agree to have such a scrawny, uneducated Beta as your personal assistant?"

"I didn't..." John responded around the cigarette again, his. tone clearly displeased. "Anyway, he's only young. Nice to teach him on the job I suppose, with a little fun on the way, of course."

"Right..." Ringo nodded, looking at him with playful suspicion. "We better get downstairs before she comes up here herself."

"Comes up herself." John repeated, snickering to himself. "She'd rather I wasn't present at all, even though it's my future husband arriving. The witch'd leave me up here all day if she could do so. But of course I wouldn't wish her sole presence upon anyone else, especially not poor little James."

"I agree. He's probably been through enough."

"Aye." John hummed.

The alpha put out his cigarette, leaving it behind in the ashtray on the side. He took one last look in the mirror, before following after Richard.

As much as he hated to admit it, John was ever so nervous. With every step that his black boots took on the red, patterned carpet, his stomach seemed to turn. John was about to meet the man he'd be spending the rest of his life with, and he was, quite honestly, terrified.

But John knew that James would be even more terrified, knowing that he wasn't just marrying a man he'd never met, but that he would not get the same respect as John. He would not have a valid title, either, not until after their vows were sealed.

The Queen Elizabeth, Mimi, demanded the staff treat him like any normal Omega. The first days of James' presence would likely be almost unbearable for him. But once the two were married, it would get better. Then it would be John who was in charge of him.

He hated the fact that he would be in charge of another person, especially a Prince, but then again, John could not help but be slightly glad. With Mimi in charge of him, James' life would continue to be one of confinement. He deserved better.

Once he was under John's rules, he would slowly, but surely, begin to find his own way in this life. John would make sure of it.