You With Us

14- A Royal Request

(Alright, slightly shorter chapter, but that's because the last two chapters were originally supposed to be written in with this one, so don't think of this as shorter. Think of chapters 12 & 13 as being Directors Extended Cuts! 😂

I can't think of any questions for the chapter. How about some scents that you'd like to be described with a character?
As always, thank you for reading!)

"Stand here please." The guard directed Izuku to the end of the line of omegas. They were made to stand just off to the side of two large doors that led to the viewing chamber. Camie was loudly boasting about her family's estate. They owned vineyards apparently and produced some of "the best wine and mead in the kingdom." It seemed that the girl was trying to convince the guard to let her to be the last girl out of the room, but the alpha saw how Izuku and Ochako had been clinging to each other for support when he'd told everyone to line up and chose to let the two stay together. So Ochako was the last girl in the line, standing besides Izuku. Camie was arranged as the third in line of the six omegas. As soon as the guard told them to stay where they were and had ducked out the door at an angle that his the six from sight of the other room, most likely to check on if the queen was ready, Camie turned to the girl behind her in line."Connie, switch with me." Camie demanded. "But- but I don't want to!" Connie protested, only for Camie to grab her by the ear and wrench the wining girl around to change spots. She would have likely tried to force Ochako to do the same, but a growl came from Izuku's throat as the light haired girl reached out a hand towards the brunette. "Don't even th-think about it!" he growled with barely a stutter. Camie eyed him cautiously before making a face and turning on her heel.
"What's up wi-with her a-anyway?" Izuku asked his new friend quietly. "Typically, when given an audience with royalty, the last ones to go out are higher status. It's one reason why you are in the back of the line. It's an added honor. But besides when the occasional boy shows up for this, it really doesn't matter which of us is in line, because the idea is that we will all make our own way once we join either castle staff or go to serve and learn in The Embers. No matter our family's status, all omegas are considered to start at the same rank in here." Ochako explained through a whisper. The other girls were all whispering as well. With the ceremony starting soon, everyone felt like they needed to be quieter, ready for the doors to open at any moment. "Of course," the brunette continued, it's all well and good to talk about that ideal being a thing. But there absolutely is still favortism to certain families. After all, who would make a duke's daughter peel potatoes or empty chamber pots when chores are divided up in your Omega House?"
"M-makes sense, I g-guess." Izuku admitted.
Just then, the guard popped back through the door, shut it. He motioned for the first girl in the line, the very last one to enter the room with him, to step up to the two doors. The girl looked half petrified with fear, but she shakily stepped forward. "Just remember to breathe and keep one foot in front of the other." The guard said, not unkindly. Then he wrapped on a door with a knuckle and both doors swung outwards towards the viewing champer. Some music floated through the doors. Izuku had never heard such a lovely sound and, even though he was terrified of what was to come, he couldn't help but lean forward a little from where he was standing to catch more of the heavenly melody.
"Oh how lovely!" Tabitha, the omega with black curls whispered as the first girl was led out from the door. "A harpist is here for entertainment!"
Izuku was unsure what that meant. But he didn't feel like asking. It might betray his ignorance. He decided to ask Mina about the harpist later, that is, if he had a moment with her. But then he grew angry while thinking of the healer.
She has the Todoroki's as her patrons, sure. But was it really so difficult to warn me with a simple "Oh hey, the king collects your kind, by the way. So be prepared to be some pampered prostitute for the king, alright?"
He thought bitterly. The omega was frustrated. He wished he could just leave. Skip the ceremony, maybe find The Spark district and see if he could make a living working as a servant for the army? Or he could see if Mitsuki would take him on as an apprentice. To hell with the castle and The Embers with their Omhana Society!
While he was thinking these desperate thoughts, both Tabitha and Connie had already been led out and Camie was practically prancing between the doors for her turn, head held high as she set her eyes forward. Izuku found he envied the girl, haughty as she was. She was confident in what she wanted. And she had more of a choice. The greenette had apparently been making a disturbing expression because Ochako nudged his arm before whispering so that the guard coulsn't hear "You need to smile! Remember to keep your breathing steady and don't trip over your hua. Whatever happens out there, you still need to make a good first impression. The queen isn't the only one to impress. There are Omhana elders and mothers in the viewing room too! So don't ruin your chances with them and good luck! I hope we'll meet again!"
She and Izuku locked eyes. It was easy to see that Ochako was nervous as well, but instead of worrying about her own predicament, here she was comforting a total stranger. Without thinking, the brunette stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the other omega, hugging him tightly before just as quickly stepping back and brushing out the creases in his hua.
Izuku did the same for her, forcing a smile as he had been told. "Th-thank you. You've b-been one of the n-n-nicest people to me since I got t-to this city. And you've been the m-most honest. I hope w-we'll meet again t-too, after all of this i-is over!"
And before they could say more, the guard was ushering Ochako up to the doors. The girl looked back over her shoulder one final time, giving Izuku what he was sure was meant to be a brave smile. But he could see the anxious glint in the brunette's eyes. Then she turned, set her shoulders resolutely, and had stepped through the doorway. Music continued to play. After another minute that felt like an eternity, Izuku was being ushered up to the door as well. Without the distraction of Ochako, he suddenly realized that his stomach pains and headache were back in full force. The guard tried to lead him by gripping his arm, but the omega jerked away, as though touched by hot metal. "Are you alright kid?" The alpha guard asked, frowning down at Izuku. "D-doesn't matter if I am. I c-can't put this off a-anyway." Izuku brushed off the man's concern, trying to remember what both Mina and Ochako had said to him. What was it again?
Just keep one foot in front of the other, right? The guard hesitated a moment, not fully convinced he should let the young man walk through the hall, but he reluctantly motioned for Izuku to move forward.
The omega did so, keeping his eyes in front of him as he gulped down a shuddering breath. As he passed through the double doors, more light flooded into his vision. There were more windows and as he walked solomnly forward, he found himself stepping through pools of tinted light in various shades of gold and blue. Izuku's eyes flicked to giant stained glass windows that framed the entire left wall. He kept walking, eyes looking ahead once more.
His ears could better pick up the melodious music from before. A woman sat in the corner of the room, long experienced fingers plucking away at an odd looking stringed instrument. Like almost everything else in the room, the instrument was golden. There was another woman sitting on a cushioned chair. Not exactly the throne the boy had imagined. But though the seat seemed simple the woman herself was every inch a regal queen. She held herself with such authority. Her hair was as white as swam feathers and her deep dark brown eyes contrasted beautifully. Her dress was pale blue and white, the train draped around and over the chair to cascade around her. To the right of her was the line of omegan girls, each still standing. And flanking the walkway to the queen were rows of chairs. Each chair was occupied. Izuku could not tell if the people in the chairs were family of the omegas or high ranking officials. It seemed that there was a mix of people. He spied two faces near the back of the room. A man with cropped brown hair and big eyes and a woman with a round face and rosy cheeks smiled and Izuku could see Ochako in their faces. Out of everyone in the room, their outfits seemed the plainest, yet their smiles were filled with pride and jubilation at their daughter's special moment.
Further up, in a row of chairs closer to the queen, Izuku saw a flash of pink hair. Mina was seated, her back ramrod straight and her eyes never left him as she watched the greenette continue his walk up the hall. Izuku's eyes scanned the room for any other familiar faces, still holding out hope that either Kirishima or Bakugou had gotten the message to come watch the ceremony, yet he felt dismay at not spotting either alpha.
The omega reached the front of the room and he cast his eyes down to the ground as he gave a deep curtsy to the Queen of Prominence, waiting for her to speak as he stood, lowered, all eyes on him. He could hear a rustle of whispers spread through the room. Much of the audience seemed surprised to find a boy in the month's crop of girls and they were delighted, intrigued even.
"I-i am I-i-izuku M-midoriya, your m-majesty," the omega gasped out, cursing himself for stumbling over his own words worse than usual. "I am h-h-here to pr-present  my-mys-s-self  to you, oh queen o-of all o-o-omegas. Pl-please- help me fi-f-find a p-pl-place to bel-l-long. ." He stuttered, repeating the customary words that Mina had taught him.
There was a long pause as, Izuku assumed, the queen leaned forward in her chair, eyeing him up and down before she finally said "You have no need to be nervous with me, my child. You may stand and join your sisters." The queen's voice was a bit more subdued in volume than the greenette had expected. But her voice seemed... Kind. Izuku ducked his head deeper before rising, nervously bringing his eyes up to meet the queen's. He stepped off to the side of her slightly raised platform that her chair was on and found his place beside Ochako. As had been the order back in the other room, all six omegas were lined up with the first to enter the room closest to the queen and Izuku at the end furthest away from her. The boy turned to mimic the other girls who were turned to face the same direction as the queen, facing the audience. Izuku's eyes widened in surprise as he realized something he had not seen before. A balcony rose out of the wall, above the door he had entered through meer moments ago. And sitting up in that balcony were two far too familiar people- Katsuki Bakugou and Ejiro Kirishima! Their well worn red shirted uniforms covered in the dust of the road had been replaced with what Izuku could only guess to be more ceremonial attire. They both wore crimson shirts of satin with mandrin collars and black onyx buttons. Katsuki had a pleased little smirk on his sharp featured face as his eyes met Izuku's. He gave only the smallest hint of a nod at the omega. Ejiro had his red hair pulled back into a tight man bun. Izuku had come to expect a broad grin plastered across the alpha's face. But he raised a hand briefly in a short wave, his expression neutral.
Images of the red headed alpha holding an intoxicated Izuku in his arms while the omega asked for a kiss flashed across Izuku's vision.
His face reddened as he turned his head briskly to watch the first Omegan girl step forward from the line as the queen beckoned her towards her seat.
Is he still upset about that? I need to apologize. But he left so quickly the morning after...
Izuku's guilty thoughts were cut short as he focused on the scene unfolding in front of him. The scene that, he reminded himself, he was somehow right smack dab in the middle of.
"Repeat your name, my child." The queen commanded the first omega. Izuku hadn't paid the girl much notice earlier. He has been more focused on the guard who had led her in. She was the shortest omega of the six and she was thin and flat as a stick with a mess of ginger curls tucked back into a bun. The greenette noticed how a few curls had somehow managed to free themselves from their restraints. She looked to be no older than ten or eleven. She was about the same age as Izuku has been when he had presented.
She wavered as she curtsied deeply and Izuku imagined her legs were probably shaking, hidden as they were under her hua's skirts.
"P-penny Maverre, your majesty." The girl squeaked in response to her queen.
"And where do you hail from, Penny?" The queen questioned.
"The Mills. My parents own a shop there. We mostly sell cheeses." Penny scrabbled at a pocket in her dress and pulled out a small homespun cloth that was all tied up. Bowing, she offered the small package to the queen. Queen Rei arched a white eyebrow, but leaned forward and accepted the little gift. Her slim pale fingers made short work of the twine keeping the cloth together and it fell away to reveal a small wedge of creamy cheese with flecks of orange.
With a wave, the matriarch summoned two servants who rushed forward. One had a small plate and a small knife. The first servant took the cheese, cut off two bite sized pieces, and, to Izuku's surprise, offered the first bite to the second servant, who popped the cheese in her own mouth, chewing thoughtfully. After a moment in which the whole room sat silently, the second servant nodded and the queen reached out and plucked the second morsel of cheese from the plate.
That servant girl must be a taste tester. Does she check for poisons? Izuku wondered as everyone seemed to watch the queen chew and swallow. Her passive expression shifted to a more pleased one. "Are there apricots in this cheese?" She asked the young omega. "Yes, your highness! That's a nice soft goat cheese with dried apricots. It's a specialty of my family's! My mum heard a rumor that you fancied dried apricots." Queen Rei nodded, the corners of her dainty lips upturning into the faintest smile. "Your mother heard right. I would like for my staff to learn the name of your family's establishment. It would be nice to have your cheeses grace our royal banquet tables on occasion."
"Oh thank you ma'am! I mean, majesty! Your majesty!" Penny curtsied again, bobbing up and down more often than a chicken, Izuku mused. The queen waved a hand dismissively at the girl. "You'll serve the kingdom well in The Embers. You may go back to your place in line." The queen entoned. Izuku jumped a little when the room erupted into applause. His wide eyes scanned the room full of smiling faces. A couple in the middle rows of the room hugged each other while waving at Penny. Izuku guessed that they were the girl's parents. The omegan girl, for her part, waved briefly at her family and then curtsied once more while walking backwards to her place in the line up.