Chapter Text
Jimin is woken up by a maid early in the morning, his head pounding and a profound sense of emptiness in his chest. Groggily, he makes his way to the pup’s nursery, flashes of the night hitting his consciousness while he tries to wake up. He’s doing everything he can to control his scent, but it’s hard when he’s just barely awake.
However, when he steps into the nursery, sees the chair that he and his uncle defiled just hours ago, the open window, and the extra blanket covering a now gurgling pup, he can’t do anything about his cheeks heating up. If the maids notice it, they don’t comment.
This time, the feeding takes longer. Turns out the little pup is quite hungry, but Jimin’s reserves aren’t as plentiful after last night’s escapade. It becomes a little painful at the end, sharp little tugs that are accompanied by tiny grunts.
“We’ll make sure there’s extra nutritious food for you,” one maid promises him after they see Jimin struggle. Jimin bows his head in gratitude, and then he shuffles out of the room to get dressed and ready for the day.
It’s during his post-lunch walk that he comes face to face with Jeongguk again. They just stand on opposite sides of the path for a moment, but then Jeongguk walks towards Jimin as his eyes flit carefully all over his form. There’s a tug in Jimin’s core, the balm for the emptiness he has been feeling all morning right in front of him. Yet, he doesn’t dare to ask for something, a connection, or contact. He needs it deeply.
“Dearest nephew, are you well?”
Jimin nods. “Sure, Your Highness, thank you for asking.”
There’s a blush high on his cheeks, confusion in his gut with all the mixed feelings swirling inside of him. Jimin wants to run to the alpha in front of him, press his nose against the scent gland in Jeongguk’s neck and inhale and inhale until there’s nothing else to think about but the alpha’s addicting scent. But he also wants to run away as far as possible. He still can’t believe that last night truly happened, that he let his uncle drink from his breasts again, that he let it go further than some erotic suckling. Jimin still remembers the taste of Jeongguk on his tongue, the heaviness of his big alpha cock resting in his mouth. How much he struggled with it all, but wanted to do nothing more than please Jeongguk.
Jeongguk looks at him. There’s a small frown between his eyebrows, and he doesn’t seem too pleased with Jimin’s answer. He steps a little closer, close enough that he can talk softly without anyone overhearing them, close enough so Jimin can smell him when he inhales a little deeper.
“What we did…” Jeongguk starts, “it was a lot.”
Jimin stays silent.
“I just, I know you’re new to it, and I want to make sure you’re okay.” Jeongguk reaches out, his hand coming around Jimin’s wrist. It’s on the fabric of his sleeve, making Jimin’s pinky twitch for being so close to skin-to-skin contact.
“Uncle, it was…” Jimin purses his lips, trying to find the right words. “It was a lot, indeed, but I ah, I felt good. During it, I mean. I felt good.”
He swallows, and doesn't have the strength to look at Jeongguk while he speaks. “Afterwards, though… I was scared.”
Jeongguk just hums. His thumb is softly caressing over Jimin’s sleeve, but it doesn’t take long for the fabric to ride up. The pad of his thumb is soft on Jimin’s wrist, and it makes goosebumps rise up on the omega’s arm.
“I understand why you were scared. But Jimin-ah, you don’t have to be. As long as you are with me, I can make sure nothing happens to you.”
Jimin is once again reminded of what Jeongguk said last night, that he can make sure his status as pious and pure omega can be kept as long as he trusts Jeongguk on it. Jimin can’t do anything else. If it gets out he spread his legs for anyone - no matter if it is the King or not - he’ll be married off to some noble alpha who lives far away from the capital. No one here will speak of him again, and his name will die a quiet death while he’ll be stuck on a couple of acres of land with a limp-dicked old and smelly alpha who wants one last chance at an heir by fucking a young, outcasted omega.
It is not the future he ever imagined for himself, but his actions of last night are making it a scary possibility.
“How can I be sure?” Jimin whispers. It’s so soft he doubts if Jeongguk heard it well. But of course he did. It’s as if being King comes with superior hearing, too, or something. Jimin huffs in annoyance.
“Jimin-ah…” Jeongguk breathes out. The omega can hear the smile in his voice. “You’ll just have to trust me. I understand that it’s scary, but I know what I’m doing. I really will protect you.”
His thumb has moved up on Jimin’s arm, and the grip becomes a little tighter as Jeongguk tugs Jimin towards him.
Too close. It’s too close for where they are, out in the open. Yet Jimin doesn’t protest. His omega is more than happy to be close to Jeongguk, to feel the warmth of his body radiating towards him. It’s like a beacon of temptation, and Jimin can’t control himself as he lowers his head a little more to rest his forehead on Jeongguk’s shoulder.
“I heard they’re giving you more nutritious food,” Jeongguk murmurs as they keep standing like that on the path next to the small lake.
Jimin huffs again. “You were too greedy last night. Drained me. I almost didn’t have enough for the pup.”
There’s a chuckle from above him, but no apology. Just a “well, eat enough so your supply won’t dwindle like that again, huh”, and then Jeongguk rests his arm around him.
When Jimin lounges in his mother’s chambers a day later, she asks about it.
“They saw you were talking to the King yesterday, outside by the lake. Looking quite… cosy.”
‘They’ being the servants, who are, as always, on good terms with his mother and do not mind sharing their gossip with her. There’s no outright disapproval in her voice, but the steeliness of it still makes Jimin accidentally prick in his finger with the needle he was using to sow a small pillow together.
“Ah, mother,” he starts. His heart is racing, trying to come up with a quick excuse to make the meeting seem not like what it was.
“He just offered his support. The short sleeping hours are weighing down on me.”
His mother just hums, and continues her embroidery. Jimin has to hold everything inside of him together to make sure he won’t say anything more, that he won’t let words jumble out of his mouth that will not be productive to the conversation at all.
“Just be careful, darling. Word travels fast in here, and you don’t want to end up at the negative end of it.”
It’s not a subtle warning at all, and it makes Jimin’s cheeks heat up despite his efforts to keep calm.
“Yes mother, I will be careful.”
Not even seven hours later, he finds himself cornered in the nursery once more, Jeongguk’s head in his neck while his big hands tug on his nipples. Jimin does his best to stifle his moans, more than aware that not all servants are asleep yet, and could very well walk past the room at any time.
“Hyung, you have to be careful,” Jimin whines as he tugs on Jeongguk’s hair. He needs to get the alpha away from his scent gland, otherwise he’ll lose his mind and he won’t be able to think clearly anymore.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry about it, sweet Jimin,” Jeongguk replies. He takes in a deep breath before grabbing Jimin by his thighs and hoisting him up against the wall, face on eye level with his tits. Jimin gasps, hands clutching at Jeongguk’s shoulders as he wraps his legs around his middle. The cold of the stone behind him makes him shiver, seeping through the fabric of his evening robe and his sleeping shirt.
Jeongguk wastes no time in wrapping his mouth around the fat of Jimin’s tit, sucking with the power of a thirsty man who climbed the tallest mountain without water. Jimin has to bite hard on his lower lip to make sure he won’t make any loud noises, or trash away from the feeling of it.
They haven’t got a lot of time; Jeongguk is busy with making sure the yearly reports are filled out well, a job that takes away hours of his days, making him stay in his study late into the night. This, coming over while he knew Jimin was feeding, was merely a break to keep him sane.
It doesn’t take too long for Jimin’s boobs to be empty of milk, but Jeongguk doesn’t seem to care. He keeps licking and tugging on the omega’s stiff areolas, making Jimin be nothing more than a whimpering mess in his arms.
Jimin can smell his arousal, he can feel the wetness between his legs growing and growing. He’s putty in Jeongguk’s arms, a submissive little puppy that, at this point, will do almost anything that the alpha will ask of him.
That’s why, when Jeongguk lowers him down and whispers in his ear to go back to his chambers and think about his King, Jimin nods obediently and stumbles out of the room.
The moment he’s under the covers of his bed, he spreads his legs, pumps two fingers inside his needy little pussy and rubs at his clit with his other hand.
He’s incredibly wound up, lost in the fantasies of having his uncle here in his bed. Despite his mother’s warnings and his own promise to keep them in mind, he could not help himself when Jeongguk slipped inside the nursery under the guise of wanting to bond with his son. The servants all acted as if it was the most endearing thing they’d ever encountered; a man, an alpha, wanting to be a good and present father.
What they didn’t know is that the moment the pup was fed and burped, Jeongguk focussed his full attention on the omega in the room, shirt open and nipples shiny with spit and milk.
So here Jimin was, fantasising about something bigger than his fingers filling him up, warm hands on his body keeping him down, making him obey. Never outside of heat has he felt this desperate, this needy for someone to satiate the need within him.
He comes with a muffled sob, head mushed in the pillow beside him as his wet cunt rhythmically clenches around his fingers with slick dripping down his taint. The omega has worn himself out so much that he can’t be bothered to clean up. Somewhere, far away in the back of his mind, he realises that it will make for an uncomfortable waking in the morning, but his blissed out brain waves that thought away with surprising ease.
If only there was an alpha around to clean him up.
Days pass, and Jeongguk stops visiting him in the nursery. Jimin doesn’t know what to think of it. He misses the dirty escapades, the forbidden pleasure that had him seeing stars while knowing that what they were doing was more than wrong. The only times he sees the King are at dinner, but not always. Jeongguk seems to be busy, opting for having meals in his study rather than with the royal family.
So, when they see each other, they have to be cordial. Friendly and familiar, but not too much. It burns inside of Jimin, claws at his lungs every time he has to chuckle behind his hand when Jeongguk makes a small joke. He craves more, he craves things he’d only thought about in the darkness of the night, hidden under his covers where no one could possibly see or hear him. All those wants and desires have been growing during the past weeks, courtesy of the King, his uncle, who more than often encouraged Jimin to touch himself, to explore.
And now, there’s nothing.
Well, there is something.
Rumours.
Rumours that the royal couple are not doing well. Jimin, truly his mother’s son, overheard the servants gossiping on their way to the kitchens, talking about how apparently the Queen can’t deliver on her promise to provide heirs.
“But, they’ve got an heir already, don’t they?”
“Yeah, and you think that’s enough? The King needs more heirs to secure his lineage, don’t be stupid.”
“I thought they loved each other.”
“There’s truly something wrong with your eyes! They don’t love each other, marriages are for money and power, not for love.”
That last one made Jimin sulk for a bit. He’s more than aware of the strategic importance of marriages, but he’s always been a secret romantic at heart, and he truly hopes that his future husband (in his mind, big round eyes and a big, round-tipped nose pop up), would at least cherish him. Just a bit.
This time, he’s not in the nursery or the garden when Jimin gets spotted by the King. He’s on his way to the spa, ready for a gratuitous pampering session after a tough week of studying the kingdom’s intricate history. He would’ve been fine with just knowing the basics, but his teacher - who was so old Jimin believed the beta could’ve written the foundational texts herself - was a notorious hard nut to crack and didn’t give Jimin any leeway. With his head and right arm aching from all the writing, the omega grumpily made his way over to the small building housing a hanjeungmak. He’s not quite inclined to go into the sauna, but the people working there are godsend whenever Jimin needs a massage to loosen up his aching muscles.
Enjoying the last rays of warm sunshine on his face, Jimin doesn’t focus on the path he’s taking, and he bumps into someone. Immediately, his hands fly up to steady himself against the person he walked into, an embarrassed apology dying on his lips as he looks straight up into Jeongguk’s eyes.
“Jimin-ah, you should be more careful,” the alpha sounds amused as he covers Jimin’s hands with his own on his chest. The size difference has the omega swallowing hard, a fire igniting in his lower belly.
Instead of apologising again, which he really should do, Jimin can’t contain the words that fall from his lips.
“You haven’t come by recently.”
It sounds accusing, an edge to the words that he would deny being there if confronted with it. It only makes the alpha hum, a glint in his eyes that Jimin can’t quite decipher.
“That’s right. I thought I should give you a little rest, make sure your duty to my pup wasn’t hindered by my… presence.”
“My duty was never hindered.”
“I think the increase in healthy foods begs to differ,” Jeongguk counters quickly, eyes dropping down to Jimin’s chest.
Jimin immediately wants to raise his arms to his chest in a protective manner, but he can’t get his hands tugged away from under Jeongguk’s. His uncle seems to notice this, and lets him go.
“Are you headed to the spa?” He asks instead.
“Yes. Yeunha seonsaengnim was hard on me this week. My hand hurts from all the writing.”
It makes Jeongguk laugh, his head thrown back slightly. “I remember her being tough on her lessons, yes. They helped me, though, so be sure to listen well.”
“I will, uncle,” Jimin replies as he starts to make his way towards the hanjeungmak again.
He keeps his eyes on Jeongguk for a second before he moves along, slightly disappointed nothing more came of their interaction. Putting his mind towards the massage he’s about to get, Jimin walks away.
Once Jimin’s muscles are loose from his massage, and his mind is all blissed out, he rises from the bed, puts on his clothes again and shuffles his way out of the hanjeungmak while profusely thanking the people for taking such good care of him. He doesn’t go for a massage often, mostly when his mind feels grated from studying all day, or after his heat, when the aches and pains from those intense days spent in solitude eat away at him.
He decides to stretch his legs a bit more by taking a longer walk through the palace gardens, the sunset drenching all the flowers and carefully crafted trees in a golden hue. It calms him down, the silence filled with rustling leaves and sweet bird songs making a home in his heart.
Jimin walks towards the eastern wing of the palace, entering the building there through the servants’ door that leads to the kitchens. It’s a part of the palace he’s familiar with, coming down ever so often to grab himself some fruit or to sweetly bother a cook into making a specific dessert for dinner that day. The people working here know him and like him, and it pleases Jimin greatly.
He grabs two slices of pear from a richly decorated plate, causing the servant responsible for it to heave a sigh before shaking his head, grabbing another pear to make up for the slices that are now in Jimin’s mouth. He grins.
“Thank you for the food,” he says as he quickly walks towards the exit of the kitchens. It’s not far from here to the stairs that lead to the upper floor where the royal sleeping chambers are. The eastern wing is reserved for the King, the Queen, and their children. The western wing is where the other family members and trusted guests sleep.
Jimin’s chambers are in the western part of the palace. On the other side of the building.
Yet, something inside of him tugs at him to slow down the moment he enters into the hallway, an ominous feeling settling in his stomach as he slips onto the carpet covered hallway, light on his feet as taught to him in his dance lessons. He can hear voices at the end of the hall, and with a shocked breath Jimin notices that they are coming from the King’s rooms. He shouldn’t continue walking there, he’s already on very thin ice by simply being here, no matter the fact that he is the nephew of the King. Yet, he doesn’t listen to reason, his omega poised inside of him, like it’s hunting. For what, Jimin does not know.
“-not just my duty!” That is the Queen, and she sounds agitated.
“Well it is not because of me that we are not conceiving.” And that is Jeongguk, annoyance present in his voice.
“And how do we know that for sure? It could just as well be you who can’t perform in the way you are meant to.”
A scoff, loud. “Would you like to test out that theory?” Jeongguk sounds on edge yet amused.
Jimin’s heart is beating so fast, he fears the whole hallway can hear it. So the rumours are true then, the royal couple are not doing well.
“We’ve tried it often enough now. Jaehun was pure luck, but I cannot sit around and wait another four years for a child, I cannot. My court will not see me as worthy of the throne, and they will try to get rid of me. Of you.”
It’s silent then, and a waft of sadness-filled scents escapes from the tiny gap underneath the door. It fills Jimin with his own sadness, too, forever sympathetic for the pain and struggles that other people go through.
Then, the Queen speaks again, resignation clear in her voice. “Try it then. Find a suitable omega, and try.”
Jimin senses the end of the conversation, and quickly he hides in the shadows of a dark and narrow corridor, holding his breath. Not even a second later, the Queen steps out of the room, held high and shoulders held back, nothing to see on her face. She stops for a second, taking a deep breath in while a small frown forms between her eyebrows. Then, she continues towards her own rooms.
The breath Jimin lets out is quiet, but he still does not dare to move from his spot.
A couple of days later, Jimin is hunched over a thick book on politics from a renowned academic, trying to not fall asleep. Only the fear of repercussions from Yeunha seonsaengnim is keeping his eyes open now. Just when he is about to take a break, the door to the library opens. In walks Jeongguk, eyes sweeping over the big room until he finds Jimin seated at the table in the back, basking in the late afternoon sunlight that comes in through the windows. He smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners, as he steps towards Jimin.
The omega smiles back, bows his head quickly before he puts a piece of paper underneath the sentence he left off.
“I can see you are struggling, Jimin-ah,” Jeongguk says, amused at Jimin’s suffering.
Jimin huffs goodnaturedly. “It’s quite dull, I must admit.”
“That’s politics for you.”
Jeongguk grabs onto a chair catty corner from Jimin, and drags it so that he’s not quite next to the omega, but closer than strictly necessary anyways. He sits down, smoothes down his robes, and then looks at his nephew.
“How are you doing?” He asks.
Jimin ponders on the question a bit, not knowing where Jeongguk is going to take this.
“I’ve been well. Studying hard and improving in my archery and dance lessons.”
Jeongguk hums, eyes drifting away from Jimin’s face as he stares out into the library. It’s quiet for a bit.
“How… how have you been?” Jimin asks, a bit of hesitation clear in his voice. He doesn’t mean to overstep, but after the confirmation of the palace rumours he’s dying to know how his uncle is faring.
Sharp eyes fall back onto his face.
“I could smell your scent, did you know that?”
Jimin tenses up. “What do you mean?”
“The day the Queen and I had that argument. About duties. I smelled your scent when I left my chambers. It was faint, don’t worry. I don’t think anyone else noticed it.” Jeongguk laughs softly. “I guess I’m a little more attuned to your scent than others are.”
Jimin’s heart is beating so fast, he’s afraid that Jeongguk can hear it from where he’s seated. His breath is coming quickly, panic coursing through him like never before. He didn’t mean to be caught. Jeongguk doesn’t seem angry, but he’s also the King. He knows how to hide emotions, how he’s feeling.
“Your Highness, I am so terribly sorry, I-” he doesn’t know what else to say. He betrayed not only Jeongguk’s, but also the Queen’s trust by eavesdropping on their conversation. Jimin can feel the back of his neck warming up, embarrassment settling into him like a stone.
Jeongguk shakes his head softly.
“It’s okay, Jimin. I am aware that the servants gossip, I know that the rumour has been making rounds for a while now. You happened to overhear a confirmation of that. It doesn’t change a thing.”
“But…” Jimin starts. “I shouldn’t have been there, I should have walked away when I understood that you were in the middle of a private conversation with the Queen. I’m so sorry for not doing that.”
Jeongguk turns towards Jimin fully now, scooting forwards so he can grab Jimin’s chair and turn the omega towards himself even more. His hands end up on Jimin’s knees, thumb making soothing motions over the fabric covered skin.
“We all do things that we know we shouldn’t, that’s in our nature. I’m not angry you overheard us, Jimin-ah. Don’t be so harsh on yourself.”
The omega takes a deep breath, lungs still trembling a bit from all the emotions.
“Is that why you are here, to tell me that you know I overheard?” He asks in a timid voice.
“Partially, yes. I would like to discuss something with you, too.”
“Oh… well, okay then.” Jimin quickly glances at Jeongguk before casting his gaze downwards again. No matter the sympathy that the King bestowed upon him, he still feels embarrassed.
The alpha has other plans. With two fingers, he lifts Jimin’s chin so that the omega is forced to look Jeongguk into the eyes.
“Look at me while I talk to you,” Jeongguk murmurs softly. It’s not a demand, but there is an underlying authority in his voice that has Jimin shivering nonetheless.
Jeongguk’s dark irises stare at him, searching his face for something that Jimin doesn’t know.
“Since you overheard the conversation, you know what my wife agreed to, don’t you?”
Jimin stiffens. Is Jeongguk really referring to… that ?
“I guess I do?”
“Then tell me, what did she agree to?” The alpha’s voice is soft, trying to cover the words in a sense of comfort like Jimin isn’t reeling at the turn this conversation is taking.
“The Queen said… she- well… she said you could… try?”
“Try what, Jimin-ah?”
Jimin swallows, his throat dry and cheeks flushed. “Conceiving.”
“Hm, yeah. That would be the essence of it.”
Jimin fumbles with his hands, tugging incessantly at a piece of loose skin next to a nail. The pinching pain of it keeps him grounded.
“Why… why are you asking this?” He dares to ask, looking his uncle straight into his eyes as he does so.
“Well, sweet Jimin-ah, I would like to try with you, of course.”
Jeongguk wants to mount him. That ‘would be the essence of it’. After the alpha’s confession, Jimin had reeled back, said a quick “I’ll think about it”, and then he ran. He ran towards his rooms and locked the door, dove into his bed and covered himself with his blankets and furs until the weight of it pressed him down.
So here Jimin is, slightly suffocating underneath all those layers while mulling over his uncle’s offer. In the end, he can’t say he is too surprised. The nightly visits in the nursery make a lot of sense, in hindsight.
What scares him, more than the opinion of his mother or the rest of the castle, is how quickly his omega had accepted. There seemed not to be a sliver of doubt inside of him when Jeongguk proposed his idea. And even more so, it embarrassed Jimin how quickly he had slicked up at the thought of it. Of Jeongguk on top of him, thrusting away and knotting his virgin cunt. Would it take on the first try? Would they have to try again (and again, and again), just to be sure?
Jimin can’t stop the shiver that takes over him, the strong gust of his scent heavy with arousal, that chokes him so much he can’t do anything else than to crawl away from under the covers and open a window.
It would be useless to resist, to say no. Jeongguk knows that Jimin is willing, and Jimin gets the sense that refusing now will only delay the inevitable. Unless he’s married within a day and sent away towards a noble’s house immediately after, but that is unlikely.
And then, what will he be? After he accepts? Will Jimin be a concubine? Or will the Queen give up her title of consort? That has never happened before, and Jimin doesn’t know if there would even be a possibility for it. However, if he and Jeongguk try, and they are successful, something needs to be done to make sure that the pup will become an official heir, and that is only possible if the pup is birthed by a consort. If he were to be a concubine, the pup would become a mere bastard.
The troubles surrounding the King’s proposal are complex enough to give Jimin a headache. When he deems his scent calmed enough to be appropriate, he steps out of his chambers and makes his way towards the Royal healer’s quarters.
Just as he’s about to knock on the door, it gets pulled open from inside, and out steps Jeongguk.
“Thank you, Hoseo- oh! Good evening, Jimin,” he greets the omega with a soft smile. It quickly turns into a small frown once he notices that Jimin must be here for the healer’s expertise.
“Are you all right?”
Jimin nods. “I am, Your Highness. Just a headache, nothing too bad.”
He steps inside the healer’s quarters, his body brushing against the alpha’s. A hand on his side holds him back for just a second.
“Thinking too much?” Jeongguk asks as he scans Jimin’s face. There’s something smug there, like he seems to know that Jimin had to run and hide because of his arousal, that he’s now plagued with questions about consequences and all of that.
“Perhaps,” Jimin responds quietly. “I’ll talk to you later, Your Highness.”
And with that, he makes a move to step further into the room. Jeongguk lets his hand glide over Jimin’s belly inconspicuously, hidden by the amounts of loose fabric both of them wear. Goosebumps rise on Jimin’s skin.
“Jimin-ssi, what a surprise to see you here!” Hoseok, the royal healer, greets him. With his heart-like smile and sunny disposition, he’s a court favourite. His calm beta scent does wonders for the ailed that come to him for help. He steps from behind his desk, walking up to Jimin and taking his face in between his slender and soft hands.
“How are you doing?”
“Hoseok-ssi, I’m doing well, but ah… I have a headache. It’s not too bad but if I could have something that would help me fall asleep well between feedings, I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course, there must be something I can do for you,” Hoseok comforts the omega as he walks back towards the desk again. He takes an empty vial, sets it down and then makes a move towards the big cabinet to his left that houses all sorts of herbs and other medicinal things.
“Are you feeling troubled?” He asks as his fingers glide over the small drawers, pulling some open to take something out before closing it and moving on.
“A bit… just the usual, you know,” Jimin lies. He’s not about to tell the royal healer that he got proposed to be a breeding mare for the King, thank you very much.
“It can’t be easy, feeding a newborn, but I bet the satisfaction of seeing the future King grow well makes up for it, hm?”
Jimin nods, hums a bit as he takes a look around. He wonders what Jeongguk was doing here, if he needed something from the healer, too.
It doesn’t take Hoseok long to give Jimin a small vial of drops he can put in his evening tea. “It’s filled with calming things that will help you fall asleep. I had to improvise a bit here and there, not everything I’d normally give you can be given now that you are breastfeeding, but these ingredients are fine.”
“Thank you so much, Hoseok-ssi,” Jimin says as he takes the vial and bows towards the healer.
“I hope you rest well, and I’d suggest you to either write your troubles from you in a diary, or do some meditation to help you fall asleep quicker.”
The drops help. The meditation and writing help too, and Jimin is able to sleep well enough for the couple of hours he can. He longs for the time where the pup will sleep through the night, more than done with the broken nights.
Just because he sleeps well, doesn’t mean he’s not thinking about Jeongguk’s proposal. It’s been a couple of days now since their conversation in the library, and so far no one has asked him about it. Perhaps this means that Jeongguk hadn’t spoken to anyone else about his plan, and that brings Jimin a little comfort. He wouldn’t know how to deal with his mother, the King’s sister, if she were to find out about it all. Of course, there’s nothing she could possibly do about it, everyone stands powerless against the King’s decisions, but she’s still close family and therefore does hold some sway in the court.
It’s a couple of days later that Jimin decides to take matters into his own hands, and decides to see if Jeongguk is in his study. It’s a simple quiet afternoon, and as far as Jimin knows, there are no meetings or public appearances the King needs to be present at. It’s a guess as good as any. But when Jimin knocks on the door, there’s no answer.
He doesn’t want to ask a guard and raise questions, or worse, fuel rumours, so he sets out around the palace. Jeongguk isn't in any of the meeting rooms, or the throne room. Jimin doesn’t dare to check his personal chambers, so his next best guess is also the worst one.
The training grounds.
And of course, Jeongguk is there. He’s wearing nothing but loose clothes, sweat dripping down his temples, chest and back as he moves with strength and grace to parry the blows of his trainer, the Commander. Jimin stands still, trying to control his scent as much as possible before the waft of his sweet arousal makes all the heads turn towards him.
Why does his uncle have to be such a handsome man? It’s simply unfair.
It doesn’t take long for Jeongguk to notice the omega, to pause his training and to make sure everyone but the Commander is dismissed. It’s not like the Commander would have the smarts of a chicken and would start blabbering about Jimin being here, anyways.
“Your Highness,” Jimin greets the alpha with a bow, and then turns towards the Commander. “Commander, apologies for pausing your training.”
“It’s fine,” Jeongguk replies in her stead. “Is there something you need to discuss?” His tone is serious, but even from a couple of steps away Jimin can see the amusement dancing in Jeongguk’s eyes.
“Yes, Your Highness, I, uh… I have an answer. For your question.” Jimin’s cheeks heat up the moment he mentions the alpha’s proposal, and Jeongguk’s nostrils flare at the sight of it.
“Very well, and what is your answer, then?”
Jimin looks at him, lets his eyes drag over Jeongguk’s form quickly before glancing at the Commander for a second. This will be a little awkward.
“I will do it.” Is all he says, hands held neatly behind his back so no one else can see how hard he’s clenching his fists.
Jeongguk laughs, a low and victorious sound. “Excellent. I will make sure things can proceed, then.”
Proceedings take about a week. The servants seem awfully quiet during these days, and Jimin eyes them with suspicion. Either they have been the subjects of a stern scolding of the Head of the Household, or the rumours they have heard have simply stunned them into silence. Though, Jimin wonders if there’s truly anything that can stun the servants into silence. He thinks it would take rather a lot.
However, proceedings go quickly. It seems like this was not a decision that Jeongguk took on a whim. Within a couple of days, the immediate family is informed, including Jimin’s mother.
She’s unhappy about it (an understatement), which was to be expected, but there’s nothing she can do in the face of a decision of the King. No one really can.
Only after “proceedings” have taken place, is Jimin informed of how things will go from now on. When his next heat hits, he and Jeongguk will lay together, and hopefully after that he’ll be pregnant. Then, the King can have the Spare he is meant to have to successfully secure the throne. When Jimin had tentatively asked about the legitimacy of the spare - he wasn’t keen on his first pup becoming an illegitimate child of the king, the people across from the omega told him that it would eventually have to include either a legal marriage, or a mating.
Now, all they could do was wait.
Jimin kind of knows when his next heat will be. He has about four per year, and his spring heat still has to come. The whole situation with suddenly having to nurse a pup disrupted his cycle for a bit, nothing that was to be unexpected. But it’s looming on the horizon, his next heat. Jimin can feel it in how sleepy he’s getting, the urge to stay inside his nest and make sure it’s perfect for when he eventually does descend into heat. He notices how he’s craving certain foods, and more often. He lets it happen, the subtle gain of a protective layer of fat around his womb. His mood is stable, though he’s a bit more subdued than normal. Only when he’s hungry is he more irritable, but other than that, he’s fine. He’s okay. He’s only preparing to be taken for the first time in his life, during his heat in which he has little control over himself, giving it up for a man of high importance in a questionable situation that is honestly experimental. Never before in history has a King deemed a second partner in order to get the children he so desperately wants (or needs). There have been a multitude of concubines, of course, but nothing like the current situation.
So considering everything, it’s not that weird when one evening after feeding the pup, Jimin ends up crying hysterically into his pillow. Truth to be told, he doesn’t exactly know why he’s crying so hard, but the amalgamation of circumstances, the nerves, the reality of it, has him vulnerable like an exposed nerve in this very moment; tired and hungry, with literal cold feet making everything worse.
He puts on some woolen socks, knowing he’ll regret it in the morning when the warm feet will have him waking up sweating, but he’ll take it if it means he’ll be able to fall asleep soundly. There’s not much to be done about the situation, and right now, Jimin is not sure he has anyone in his corner to lean on. His mother is still unhappy, his friends have not really spoken to him in a bit, and Jeongguk has been busy with his duties. Eventually, he tires himself out enough to fall asleep.
A little more than a week later, his heat is knocking on his proverbial door. He feels overheated and chilly at the same time, close to either snapping at undeserving people or just bursting out in tears. There’s an ache in his lower tummy, and all he can do is place his hands on it in an instinctive manner, either guarding his womb or holding it in a way that hopes for it to be filled with a pup by the end of his heat.
The sun is just about to come up. The purple, pink and watery blue skies are full of the promise of a day of nice weather. Too bad Jimin will not be able to enjoy any of it. As soon as a maid steps into his room to wake him up, they alert the other servants to get going with the ‘proceedings’ with wide eyes and hushed voices. Jimin understands that this means the eastern wing will be emptied out. Normally, this would only entail that nothing but a select few of servants and guards will be present in the wing, but now it also means that the Queen and the royal pup will be moved out. Jimin had heard that the Queen had taken matters in her own hands already, and moved to a property somewhere in the countryside a couple of days ago to be away from the castle, together with her son and some trusted staff. So now, all that had to happen was some administrative work so the King could take a couple of days off, and Jimin had to be moved to the King’s chambers. None of these details matter now, though.
Jimin is wrapped in thick robes, a maid at both sides of him holding onto his arms while they rush him over to the east wing from his own chambers in the western part of the palace. It doesn’t take too long, but for Jimin it feels like eternity and a smidge of a second at the same time. He can’t believe this is happening, that things are about to come to fruition. He just hopes he’ll make it out with his heart intact.