His Majesty (Slide Away)

40.

*radio*
The plane carrying His Highness and his Omega is getting ready to land at Rotherham airport. Thousands of sympathetic citizens surround the runway in order to greet Omega Paul. Some hold flowers and cards, others have nothing to give other than their sorrows and commiserations.

When His Highness and Omega Paul land, the rest of the airport is at a standstill. Every other flight has been postponed for the period of mourning the loss of a King.

Omega Paul is the first of the two to exit the plane, followed by his husband, Prince John of Aquitaine. It is no surprise that the two are wearing black suits.

-

"This way, please..." A man spoke gently to Paul, holding an arm out for him to follow behind. He was about to lead Paul over to the car, but Paul had other ideas.

Speechlessly, he ignored the man, walking swiftly over to the barriers the people of Rotherham were stood behind. He wanted to thank them, to speak to them for himself.

First he approached a lady, a man stood next to her. The man had a child in his arms, a toddler who could have been no older than six or seven. He seemed shocked to see Paul, and had a bunch of flowers in his hands.

"Go on, Thomas." The woman urged the child, gently. He did so, rather shyly.

"Thank you..." Paul smiled out, feeling completely taken away by everything.

"You're welcome." He whispered.

The man holding him shook his hand.

"We are terribly sorry for your loss, your highness..." The man frowned, but Paul was shocked. He forgot that the people of Rotherham still referred to him as such.

"Thank you ever so much, kind sir..." Paul responded.

"You're welcome." He smiled. "Shirley here lost her mother this winter."

"I'm sorry." Paul turned to her.

"Oh, it's quite alright. It was difficult at the time, mother and I never got along and I wish I could have done things different. However now it has settled in that there was nothing I could have done. I am an Omega, you see. My mother wanted two Alpha daughters, instead she only got one."

"I know the feeling..." Was all Paul could say, barely being able to find the words.

His heart broke.

He was not the only one who had been faced with neglect after his presentation. Omegas from all over the globe had been too... It was a reoccurring theme, and something had to be done about it.

"Thank you for the flowers." He smiled, weakly.

"No problem, your highness." The other man shook his hand once again, and Paul moved onto the next people.

My, my! You have grown up..." An oldish woman marvelled at him, and Paul couldn't help but let out a little chuckle.

"Yes..."

"Here." She passed a bouquet of flowers over.

"Thank you..."

"Going over to that castle is going to be horrible for you, there is no doubt about it. But once you step inside, remember that you have the entirety of Rotherham thinking about you during this awful, awful time in your life, your highness."

Paul's smile got even wider.

"You have such kind words."

"You are a kind boy, your highness. And how he treated you... No kind boy deserved that."