The grand hall of Panthara was silent, filled with the soft rustle of silks and armor as nobles and warriors alike gathered for the announcement. Kongpob stood among them, his heart pounding in his chest as he awaited the decree from his uncle, King Adiratna.
His stomach felt like a bottomless pit, he gulped, wiping his sweaty palms discreetly on the sides of his silk robes, afraid to catch his uncle's disapproving glance.
He was never summoned in the public eye. He was the forgotten omega, the spare heir. Meant to be kept alive for the sake of it.
It was not always like this. Kongpob was once the beloved prince, the first child of reigning King Kerkllai - his father. Or so he was told by his nanny .
Although his uncle was to be the King, he lost a hand in a war, being handicapped with one hand; his crowning was opposed by whole court of ministers. As the King, according to Panthara's rules must be able bodied and sound minded. So, Kongpob's father was made to ascend the throne. It was the day seeds of hatred were sowed in his uncle's chest. He became the spare heir.
It did not help that Kongpob's father proved to be the best king for panthara , no matter how short his reign was. He made numerous alliances, and secured panthara's border and culled every hand that raised towards Panthara with evil intentions.
But , the thing that Kong loved the most about his father's reign were the reforms. His father was of the view that by restraining omegas only to the homes , they were wasting half their talented individuals. The thought of omega's in public spaces - working, was novel to panthara. They were awestruck, and not pleasantly, that their beloved King would want their mother's, mates under other alpha's gazes , on streets. But, the king was adamant.
Soon, the public got the wind that, in his visit to Panna Kingdom, King has taken ill and their nothing their Healer did, worked. So Panna lent their royal Healer to King Kerkllai, who turned out to be, Achara, an omega. The King had lost his heart then and there to the gorgeous women. The Healer soon became Panthara's queen ,bore the King a son - crown heir Kongpob Suthiluck.
His mother was a power to be reckoned, she personally trained the male and female omegas in the art of self defence and healing. The traditionalist alpha's were not pleased with her, it did not help that people thought she was a witch who fed their king love potion or something.
It mattered nothing to royal couple, they rallied their reforms with double enthusiasm. His mother was enthusiastic about omega rights and soon gained Popularity among young omegas, who were seen by society as rebels. Omegas, now were an earning member and gained confidence to speak of their plights. The instances of omega's complaining against their alpha guardians , be it father, brother or husbands, increased. And thus increased the alpha society's ire against the omega queen. But nothing could be done. She had full support of the King and omegas whose life had taken turn for better.
Most of the reforms brought economic gains , so people were somehow able to swallow it. But some reforms were too big to be swallowed. The day Kongpob turned 11, his father held a grand celebration, Kong remembers wearing a silk robes just like he had today, his mother lovingly strapped a dagger to his waist. His father pinned the family insignia on the left side of his robe, a tiny replica of his own. Kongpob was to shift today and then he would be officially named as crown heir.
Kong turned out to be an omega. As decided, it did not affect the decision of the King. The moment Kong was announced the heir - all the hell broke loose. The court was staunchly opposed to even the idea of an omega sitting on throne.
The rebellions started from that day, in different , remote parts of their kingdom. One such rebellion took the kind king's life. Because, the King saw those rebellions as just his subject expressing some anger rather than seeing it as elaborate political trap as it was. He went personally to stop each one , he did stop tens of rebellions, changed people's minds. People were slowly coming to terms with the idea of atleast giving Kongpob a chance as crown heir. Until, the last one, where , according to official reports, angry mob had attacked the queen, and in saving her, the king had succumbed too.
