Chapter Text
Spring was a much-awaited celebration in Lillidale, and even more so in the palace. It was the season of new beginnings, of life and love, and of beauty. Across the kingdom, the countryside was blooming with color and the streets were buzzing with enthusiasm for the new turn of seasons. The winds were fragrant with blossoms from the palace gardens, and the coos of newborn creatures were plentiful. It was the most wonderful time of year, to be sure, in Lillidale and it did not go uncelebrated by the royal family.
On the cusp of spring, the queen had given birth to two beautiful baby girls. Their birth was eagerly anticipated by the kingdom and the moment those two little lives entered the world, bells had rung from the steeples of churches and the town criers announced their arrival at half past noon.
It was as if all of Lillidale had stood still upon the ringing of the bells, frozen where they stood in the streets, shops, and carriages. For a moment, even the animals were quiet before they were rejoicing in the streets, women laughing and children giggling with glee. Their queen had survived and the babies were healthy.
It was a marvelous day, indeed.
Up the winding path that snaked up the hill, weaving to and froe around the trees and over the river laid the palace. Its white stone exterior was like a beacon on the hillside, drawing attention from every creature in its orbit in the daylight, the gray shingles made of mother of pearl glistening beneath the sun. It was a sight to see, a castle so beautiful it look like heaven rained down and blessed the very ground it was built upon.
The halls of said castle were filled to the brim with all the ladies and gentlemen of the court, their frills and petticoats, lace and velvet like poppies in the gardens of the palace. Pink, blues, yellows, and greens speckled the marble walkways and scurried through the Grand Hall in a race to see the bedroom door of the queen. It was a great honor, to have the privilege to catch a glimpse of the newest additions to the royal family and not one to be wasted, or missed.
Hidden away in the chambers of the queen, laid a very tired but happy woman. Her brunette curls plastered to her sweating forehead and her sweat was dripping from her brow, but she glowed with the joy of having brought new life into the world.
A knock on the door broke her from her reverie, her gaze flickering from the sleeping faces of her daughters to the woman who entered first. She was only in her thirties, but she was graying at the temples and her skin was plump and round. In her hand, was one much smaller than her own.
“Sweetheart,” the queen hummed, smiling softly at her eldest. “Come, my love.”
The young prince glanced up at his caretaker, blue eyes shimmering with uncertainty and a small chirp escaping his lips. The young boy had never seen his mother so. He was too young to remember when his two other sisters were born and he had not missed the way his mother had wailed, her cries echoing through the palace. It had scared him even worse than the loudest of thunderstorms and the veins of tears still stuck to his rounded cheeks.
“Go on then, my Prince. Go meet your sisters,” his nanny encouraged, nudging him gently forward.
He turned, hands clasped in front of him and fingers wringing in knots as he silently padded forward. He snuck silently closer, small feet toeing at the rug spread around the bed. From where he stood, he could just make out the squirming little creatures nestled against his mother’s chest.
“Mama?”
The queen smiled at her son’s curiosity and beckoned him closer. “Come look. My dear, meet your baby sisters.”
Their cheeks were pudgy and pink and their eyes were wrinkled shut, still too young to see the world. They were rather wiggly and their fingers and toes were so small that they looked like dolls.
“What’s their names?” The young boy asked, stepping up to the side of the bed and craning his neck to get a closer look.
“What are,” the queen corrected and brushed a soft strand of hair from the prince’s forehead. “Their names are Daisy and Phoebe.”
The boy hummed, examining their squishy little faces. “Hello. I’m your brother, Louis.” He extended his hand and frowned when the babies merely wrinkled up their faces and cried loudly. “Mama!” He gasped in alarm.
“It’s alright,” the queen chuckled and shifted to hold them closer, pressing them to her chest and scenting them affectionately. “There, there,” she whispered.
The young prince tucked his arms around himself and pouted. “I don’t think they love me very much, Mama.”
“Sweetheart, of course they do. They love you very much, they’re just a little fussy. The new world is very scary and they need a little extra nurturing. You were the same way when you were nothing but a pup, and same with your sisters.”
Louis peeked over his mother’s shoulder at the newborns and reached out tentatively to brush his finger over one’s cheek. He smiled when she cooed and giggled softly. “They are very wiggly,” he observed and rested his hands on the mattress, beginning to pull himself up onto the bed when one of his mother’s nurses rushed forward.
“Your Highness!” She scolded, reaching to grab him lest he jostle the delicate babies.
The queen frowned and shook her head sternly. “Leave him be. Let him see.”
She ignored the quiet mumble of the nurse and adjusted the blankets around her to allow for her son to cuddle close. He carefully crawled to the queen’s side and pulled the blanket around himself. As he gazed at his twin sisters, he smiled and inhaled the fresh, soft scent of the babies mixed with his mother’s scent of roses. “Don’t worry, sisters. I will always protect you. I’ll be the best big brother,” he whispered and nuzzled his nose against his mother’s nightdress.
⊱ꕥ⊰
Pine needles dripped with the droplets of morning dew, holding the trembling pearls on their tips and tickling the little prince’s neck as he stifled a giggle. His chilly fingers covered his lips as they pulled into a smile, a shiver running down his spine as he crouched beneath the looming tree. The crunch of footsteps on frosted grass shocked the prince into silence with a small gasp.
With bated breath, he wrapped his arms around his knees and ignored the cold, damp material that was clinging to his skin. He must keep quiet. He was well hidden, little body tucked up against the trunk of a pine located on the far east side of the gardens. From his hiding place, Louis could just hear the traces of someone lurking nearby, someone who might find him if he didn’t keep quiet.
Beneath the dewy boughs, a pair of leather boots stepped into view. They were muddy and a bit worn out but they meant capture, so the little prince held his breath and stared at them with wide eyes. If he was caught, he would run. If he could bolt to his left he would find a row of hedges that would provide ample cover for his escape and from there, the frosted rose bushes were but a few meters away.
His legs tensed beneath him and his hands braced against the bark of the tree, moss soft under his fingertips. In his chest, his heart was beating rapidly with the thrill of the chase. Electricity thrummed in his arms and legs and his breaths were coming in ragged lungfuls of cold spring air.
The feet stopped right in front of his hiding place. Slowly, they turned. The toes of the leather boots were pointing right at him and he knew that he had been found. Rather than waiting for his seeker to catch him, the prince scrambled to his feet and made a run for it.
He only made it maybe ten feet before a larger body was hot on his heels and hands were grabbing the back of his tunic. In a last-ditch effort, he lurched forward and wriggled out of the grasp on the collar of his tunic. When he was free again, he scurried through wet soil and sprinted along the hedges.
The slippers covering his feet squelched in the mud and he was surely getting specks of mud over the back of his tights and the silk material of his tunic, but still he ran.
He hadn’t gotten very far before he was caught up with. Weight slammed into him and then he was falling, tumbling forward into the grass and dirtying his clothing further. Green stains reached up his arms and his knees were brown as he slid onto his front and planted face-first into the primroses.
His mother would kill him.
Rolling onto his back, despite the heavy weight on top of him, Louis huffed. “Harry!” He whined and kicked his feet moodily.
The boy on top of him laughed, all deep dimples and wild, unruly curls that flopped over his forehead. “You cannot hide from me, little Lou!” He crowed, laughing wildly. “You are a terrible hider!”
“I am not,” Louis insisted, wiggling in the older boy’s grasp and frowning up at him. “I let you catch me.”
“No, your legs are just too short. You run like your mother’s corgis,” he teased and wrestled the prince’s wrists to the ground.
Louis huffed and glared up at the boy, his own innocent face too sweet to be threatening. “Get off of me!”
The boy opened his mouth, most likely to tease Louis some more, when there was a loud gasp heard.
“Harry! Prince Louis!”
Oh, dear.
The children looked at one another with terror, their eyes wide and mouths fallen open in dread. They scrambled to their feet, foreheads knocking in the process with a thud.
“Ouch,” Louis winced and rubbed the spot on his forehead where they had collided, already feeling the beginnings of a bruise forming.
“Your Highness,” Meredith exclaimed, her thin lips pursed in a frown. “What are you doing out here? You are supposed to be in your lessons!”
Louis dropped his head shamefully and wiggled the toe of his slipper into the mud. “Sorry, Meredith,” he mumbled. Harry had slipped him a note that morning, pushing a little scrap of parchment beneath the edge of his plate of pastries with a cheeky grin and a promise to help him escape his lesson that afternoon.
It’s not that Louis didn’t like his lessons, he enjoyed the ones that were fun like fencing, dance, and geography but he had been scheduled for his least favorite subject. Etiquette. It was so boring, and incredibly frustrating to have to sit with his back as stiff as a board and only allow himself to take tiny bites of his food. The lesson was only two hours long, but every minute seemed to creep by slowly, a torturous pace for a young twelve-year old.
He was envious of his older friend. Harry didn’t have to sit through hours and hours of a grumpy old man droning on and on about how to appropriately eat or who to address first in a social situation. Nor was he forced to sit quietly, practicing his penmanship over and over again until his fingers were cramped and his wrist was sore. He was lucky that at fourteen he was still allowed to run wildly through the countryside, riding horses and skipping rocks across the ponds in the furthest gardens from the castle.
“You must come inside at once. Oh! Look at the mess you’ve made of yourself,” his caregiver huffed, pulling him close and taking a cloth to the knees of his tights.
Louis took the risk of looking back at Harry, grinning when his best friend stuck out his tongue and crossed his eyes, looking rather the picture of ridiculous. He couldn’t help but giggle, his hand pressing against his lips and sucking in a breath when Meredith looked up at him from her crouched position and glared at him, trying in vain to get the muddy stains out of his clothing.
“And you,” Meredith scolded, pointing at Harry with her dirty kerchief. “You know better. Now run along, I believe you have horses to attend to. You’ll be lucky if I don’t tell your father about this.”
The threat had the silly expression immediately dropping from Harry’s face and his shoulders slumping. “Yes, ma’am,” he murmured, resigned and polite as he bowed his head.
Meredith had known Louis since he was nothing but a pup and had acted as the primary caregiver of Louis and his sisters for as long as the prince could remember. She was there in his memories, holding him when he fell and scraped his knees, holding his hands as he learned how to walk, and reading to him when he couldn’t sleep. She was like a mother figure to him.
His real mother was so busy all the time, attending balls and organizing various social events that she didn’t have much time for daily care of her children. She spent what time she could with them at breakfast and dinner but she was quite preoccupied with helping the king to rule the kingdom. When Louis did get to see her, they spent their time drinking tea together and curling up in the queen’s private apartments to read poetry. There were days when the queen would play with Louis and his sisters, lounging in the grass of the gardens or sitting on the floor of the royal children’s bedchambers playing with carved wooden toys and playfully chasing them around their chambers.
Those were Louis’ favorite moments.
Harry was nearly always there. He was a constant in Louis’ life and had been for years. In the moments he was happiest, his best friend was there with his arm slung around Louis’ shoulders and a wide, dimpled smile stretching at his lips. His own mother had passed away when Harry was very young and with his father’s presence in the palace, Harry had managed to fit himself rather comfortably into the royal family. The rest of Louis’ sisters adored him and even Louis’ royal guardians were fond of the boy.
When he wasn’t getting the prince in all sorts of trouble, that is.
“Come, my Prince, we must get you cleaned up. You have kept your tutor waiting long enough.” Her hand held Louis’, her hand rough with callouses and her grip firm.
“Wait, let me say goodbye first,” Louis whined, his lower lip jutting out in a pout and his eyes looking pleadingly up at Meredith.
She had long since become immune to his charms, but thankfully she took pity on him and nodded after a moment’s hesitation. “Alright. But make haste.”
Louis grinned and ripped his hand from her grip to scurry over to Harry and pull him into a hug. He fell into him easily, face tucking against his neck and his small arms wrapping around his best friend’s middle. He smelled of cherries and balsam, a comforting scent that Louis would always recognize as home. “Thank you for playing with me, Harry!”
His older friend smiled and mussed his long fringe playfully, dimples deepening. “Meet me in the library after dinner. I have a surprise for you,” he whispered and pinched Louis’ cheek before releasing him. “Goodbye, Cricket. Enjoy your lessons!” He called louder for Meredith to hear and snatched his tri-corner hat from where it had fallen on their game of hide and seek.
The prince hid his excited smile and once more took his caregiver’s hand to journey back towards the palace. He longed to race through the gardens for hours on end, to fence with Harry with sticks they broke off from the trees, and laugh until he was breathless but for now, he had lessons to attend. He would have to wait until the sun set and their guests retired for the night before he could sneak off to see what his friend had in store for him.
⊱ꕥ⊰
At fifteen Harry presented. It was no surprise that he was an alpha, he had all the characteristics of an alpha; a deep voice, strong body, and a devotion to his loved ones. Harry had always been the protector out of the two friends and as they grew older, he was the one to watch over Louis and help to keep him out of serious trouble. He once saved Louis from tripping and falling on the slippery garden paths in the depths of winter, saving him from not only the embarrassment of tripping in front of the viscounts but from bruises worse than a wounded ego.
He had been thrilled when he presented, smiling so wide Louis was sure he had stuck a violin bow in his mouth, and would proudly lift his head and expose his neck to allow his scent to waft openly. He still smelled like cherries and balsam, but the scent was richer now. It was tinged with the musk of alpha but just as comforting as it had always been.
The changes took place quickly. In the first two months of Harry having presented, he had grown much taller and now loomed over Louis. He was already two years older than the prince and had the height to prove it, but now his body was broader and he was at least a head and a half taller than Louis. His hair was less soft now, the wild and unruly curls that were normally fluffy and bouncy calmed into waves that he tied back and his soft brown hair was darker now.
Louis was jealous.
He himself had not yet presented, but he longed to be an alpha. They seemed to have so much more fun, always riding horses and running around. They were not required to attend hours and hours of etiquette and dance lessons. Being an unpresented child was just simply so mind-numbingly boring. There was only so much sitting one could do without going crazy.
Harry’s father had been so very proud of his son. Louis would watch from the windows of the library as Desmond showed his son how to fight in the practice fields, wishing he was free from the walls of the palace and the duties of being a prince so he could live as freely as Harry did.
Growing up, he had never understood why Harry wasn’t required to attend lessons or why he did not eat with Louis when guests were visiting. It did not make sense to him that his very best friend in the world was missing and so was his entertainment. He was forced to suffer the presence of the stuffy and rather pompous lords and ladies who drifted through the castle like a never-ending stream of colored petticoats and ridiculous hairstyles.
On quiet nights, however, Harry and Desmond would join them for dinner. Desmond and Louis’ own father were thick as thieves, like brothers. Louis was told that they had grown up with one another much like Louis and Harry had. Louis grew to understand that Desmond was not royalty, and therefore neither was Harry. They did not join them at formal dinners in the great hall because they were not nobility. Desmond was a knight, and while that was an honorable position, one that King William held in the highest esteem, it was not proper.
As he was growing older, Louis was learning that he didn’t much care for the proper way to do things. It was too boring.
As was this never-ending banquet that he was stuck at. The only children in attendance were himself and the eldest of his four sisters and Harry had not been invited to the festivities. Louis was incredibly bored and the first course had only just begun. If Harry were here, he would no doubt make some kind of joke over the tiny hors d’oeuvres or whisper with him about how silly Madame Dufont looked with her white powdered wig and giant stuffed birds that her stylist had tucked into the many towering curls. He never really did understand the style that the women of the court seemed to think were all the rage.
“Louis,” Felicite whispered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat next to him. “Louis, I’m bored!”
“Shh,” Louis hushed, frowning as he looked around to see if Meredith had noticed his littlest sister’s wiggling. She had not, thankfully, so Louis rested a hand on her shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You mustn’t draw attention.”
“But Louis,” she whined again, huffing and jutting out her bottom lip. “Why do we have to be here? Daisy and Phoebe don’t have to be.”
With a soft sigh, Louis poked at his funny-tasting puff pastries and shrugged. “Because Mama and Papa said we must and the twins are too young to attend.”
“And why doesn’t Harry have to be here? He’s not too young,” Felicite pointed out.
“Harry is not a prince or a princess. He doesn’t have to be here because he is not royalty, little sister.”
Felicite pursed her lips, displeased with his answer and crossed her arms across her tiny torso. “I wish he was. He always makes things more fun.”
Louis did too. If Harry was royalty, then he would never have to stay behind when Louis had to go to such boring social events with his parents and he would always be entertained. The two could make up silly games to keep themselves occupied and Harry was always so good at coming up with outrageous backstories to the peculiar people that seemed to float in and out of the palace. How fun that would be. “Me too, Felicite. But at least you have me?”
He pouted when she rolled her eyes and sipped her water from her glass coupe. “You are not nearly as fun as Harry is.”
“Hey,” Louis whined, blushing when a nobleman glared at the children’s table. It was just as embarrassing that at twelve Louis was still banished to the table with the smaller children. But until he presented, he would not be allowed at the adults’ table. “I am too,” he mumbled, much quieter this time.
Charlotte giggled next to him and shook her head as well. “Dear brother, you are not as funny as Harry is. He is the best storyteller and has the most outlandish imagination.”
“I think you two are just being mean,” Louis snipped and popped another hors d’oeuvre into his mouth. “I’ll have you know that Harry thinks I am very funny.”
His younger sister rolled her eyes and smoothed her hands over the pink satin of her dress, the material shimmering beneath the flickering candles of the chandeliers hung overhead. “He merely takes pity on you. He knows you have no other friends,” she teased.
Her sister snickered and covered her smile with the lacey sleeve of her pale yellow gown, her brunette ringlets bobbing with the movement.
Louis huffed at the insulation, though they were not wrong that he had no other friends. It didn’t bother him most days, after all he really only needed Harry to keep him company anyway. He had his best friend and his siblings, no one else was necessary to keep him happy and entertained. He never once had longed for another friend, his heart full and content as it was. “Hush now. Eat your pastries.”
The girls erupted into giggles, the sound drawing attention from their minder and within moments, Meredith was swooping in with a scolding expression on her features and a cross word on her lips. Dinner wasn’t much fun after that.
When all of the chatter, the revolving door of various courses, and the plucky string work of the violinist and cellist fading to silence. The children were herded down the hallway of mirrors, the colorful silks and taffetas of their clothing reflecting off the walls with all the vibrancy of summer blooms. The palace was not yet asleep, the faint murmuring of guests coming from the smoking room and servants were still milling the hallways.
His room was far from the hustle and bustle of the common rooms, tucked away in a corner of the castle reserved for the children and far from the watchful eyes of visiting lords and ladies. His room was decorated in hues of blues, velvet curtains draped over the windows overlooking the stables and painstakingly detailed tapestries embroidered with the finest golden thread hung proudly on the wall above his bed. It was a rather beautiful room, but Louis was far too distracted by the older boy sprawled out on the chaise beside the hearth in his room, long legs draped over the side and his dark green wool coat wrinkled with carelessness.
“Ah, Louis! You’re finally back!” Harry enthused, his matching green eyes glimmering with joy. “I was so bored I thought I might claw my eyes out for some excitement.”
Louis snorted, oh so princely of him, and kicked off his shoes. “Goodness, and you say I’m dramatic,” he laughed and flounced over to the newly presented alpha, flicking his forehead with his middle finger and thumb. “You would have hated dinner. It was so boring and the food was disgusting. I would have much rather stayed back with you and played in the gardens.”
He sat down by Harry’s feet and leaned against the sides of the chaise, blowing his fringe out of his face and sighing. “What did you do while I was gone?”
Harry shrugged and poked Louis’ side with his toe. “I spied through all of your things and ripped every button from your favorite tunics.”
“You are very odd, you know.”
With a wide smile, Harry merely nodded. “I spoke with Father today. He said I am to begin taking courses to learn to become a knight.”
Louis shouldn’t be surprised. He’d known it was a very strong possibility that Harry would be pursuing knighthood once he was designated as an alpha, he just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. It was only two months since Harry presented but it still didn’t seem like enough time. “Oh,” he mumbled and did his best to hide his disappointment. “I suppose you’ll be rather busy now.”
Harry’s lips curved downwards and he pulled himself to sit up next to Louis. “I will be busy, yes, but never too busy to be your friend. It’s you and I against the world, remember? Best friends.”
The sweet words did little to calm the hammering of Louis’ heart in his chest, but he nodded and quirked the corner of his mouth into a slight smile. “Forever.” He lifted his hand and stuck out his little finger.
“Forever,” Harry agreed and hooked his pinky around Louis’. “Besides, now we can both complain about our terribly boring lectures and bond over how awful they are.”
A giggle bubbled out from Louis’ lips and he playfully shoved Harry away from him. “What joy it will bring me,” he joked. “And when I present as an alpha as well, we can run wild and cause a ruckus on the hunts.”
Harry threw his head back in a bark of laughter and nodded. “We will make them regret ever caging us up in classrooms!” He vowed and held his fist in the air. “To causing mayhem and living wild and free!”
“Here here!” Louis chirped, giggling happily and raising his own fist.
⊱ꕥ⊰
In the summer, the gardens were full of life. Flowers blossomed in every corner, climbing up trellises and bursting forth around the marble statues littered throughout the grounds. The gardens were much busier than they were during any other season, which often led to Louis and Harry running through crowds, weaving around the noblewomen who always seemed to wander in flocks and steering clear of the earls who would only yell at them.
Together, Louis and Harry loved to play pranks and cause mischief amidst the parties. He had gotten himself into many a tizzy with Meredith over them, but the punishment was well worth it when he got to see Harry grin so proudly and when they both laughed so hard their lungs wheezed. They got away with more than they probably should, but even the queen excused their poor behavior, claiming they were but children and Harry was a rambunctious alpha. They had to burn their energy off somehow.
It wasn’t all pranks and trouble though. As much as Louis enjoyed causing trouble, he also enjoyed relaxing in the more secluded gardens. They weren’t as big or as fancy, no towering marble statues to watch the passersby and no fountains for the ladies to throw coins into. They were small, hedged in by tall lilac bushes and lush with Louis’ favorite flower of all, the Lily of the Valley. He loved to lay on his back in the middle of them, close his eyes, and inhale the sweet aroma of the tiny flowers and float away to a different world. Harry often called it his daydreaming bed.
“Harry? If you could be a prince, would you want to be?” Louis asked, voice but a soft melody in the quiet gardens.
Beside him, Harry looked up from the block he was working on carving into with his dagger. “Would I want to be a prince?” He asked to clarify and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth when Louis nodded. “I am not sure. You seem to not enjoy it very much and I don’t think I would like to sit in lessons as often as you. I don’t think I would like to be a prince.”
Louis stared up at the clouds and spread his arms out in the lilies, fingering the tiny bell-shaped blooms and sighing. “Yes, it is very boring. I don’t know that I will make a good prince.”
“Why would you say that?” Harry frowned, pivoting to face the smaller boy. “I think you’ll be a great prince.”
Being a prince was daunting. For now, Louis didn’t have a single responsibility, under no obligation of the kingdom and already he could feel the pressure of his title weighing heavily on his shoulders. He was only twelve, but he was very aware of the expectations he was tasked with living up to. For now, he was only required to be quiet, polite, and learn as much as he could but his future loomed over his head.
“I don’t know,” Louis admitted. “I’m not sure I eventually want to be King. Papa is always so busy and even Mama talks about dreading the never-ending parties and social engagements. It seems so boring.”
Flopping down beside him, Harry looped his arm through Louis’ and plucked a flower from the ground. “It does sound boring. But at least when you present you will get to join the hunts. It’s boring now but when you’re an alpha you get to do so much more and maybe some day you’ll lead a great battle. Like the kind in fairytales. I think you’ll be a very brave king, someday,” he decided and tucked the flower behind Louis’ ear.
A small smile twitched on Louis’ lips.
“I just know you and I will make a great team. I will be the best knight this kingdom has ever seen and you will be the bravest, strongest king in all the lands,” Harry declared, sweeping his hand at the clouds and grinning. “No man on earth could take us down.”
It was a fantasy, Louis knew as much. Being King was more than just leading battles and being strong, but it was fun to pretend sometimes. “And what if I present as a beta?” He asked, craning his neck to look over at his closest friend.
“Then you will be the most impressive beta to ever rule, I just know it.” Harry hummed, as if it made no difference. But it did make a difference.
Whatever Louis presented as would make an enormous difference in his future. Ideally, he would present as an alpha but he could live with being a beta. Betas didn’t spark quite so much fear in the hearts of your enemies, but they were respected by their calm demeanor and patient hearts. Louis didn’t like to think much about what the outcome would be if he presented as omega, but a small corner of his mind liked to bring it up at the most inopportune moments. Omegas were entrusted with providing support and love to the king and the kingdom did not run without them. But it wasn’t impressive. They weren’t big and strong, nor known for their cleverness and knowledge.
Louis shut the thoughts out of his mind and shook his head. “Do you want to play a game in the fields?”
Harry’s eyes studied Louis’ features for a few moments before he sprung to his feet with a smirk. “I’ll race you there. Last one has to face the wrath of Meredith!” He shouted and sprinted forward, getting a decent head start over the young prince who was pouting and scrambling to his feet.
“Not fair!” Louis yelled and took off after his friend, his pale green coat and white tights stained with grass and dirt.
⊱ꕥ⊰
Louis stared at the window, his jaw set and his lips curved into a frown. He watched as drops of rain slid down the glass and his breath fogged the surface, obscuring his vision. It was a cold and dreary day, the skies clouded and everything in sight was cast in shadows of gray fog. The weather was as gloomy as Louis was feeling.
It wasn’t fair.
Harry was his only friend, his mother liked to tease that he was the other half of Louis’ soul. How does one live without their soul? He didn’t know how he would manage to cope without his best friend. When Harry had broken the news to Louis it hadn’t gone well. Louis cried for days and even refused to talk to Harry.
Logically, he knew that it wasn’t Harry’s decision. He didn’t ask to be shipped off for training. Harry had no choice in the matter, Louis was aware of that, but it still stung like betrayal. He wished Harry had stood up to his father and refused to go, but Harry had ducked his head and agreed to leave without a fight.
Even the girls had been rather glum, their usual laughter replaced with silence and breakfasts were eerily quiet. The youngest twins may have only been six but they knew that something was wrong, and they weren’t able to comprehend Harry leaving the palace any better than Louis was.
Try as he might to explain that he would return, Harry had figured out that Louis wasn’t likely to give in. He was as stubborn as ever, and as his best friend, Harry knew that Louis would need time to come to terms with this.
The only problem was that he was supposed to leave in less than twenty-four hours.
Of course, rather than spend his every waking hour with Harry, Louis had resorted to pouting and ignoring the one person who he shouldn’t be cutting out. He was just upset and mildly enraged that he would be left completely alone and perhaps never see his best friend again.
It was just training, that’s what Harry had told him, but even training was dangerous. He had heard tales from the comfortable torture of the royal grand banquets of new recruits being slaughtered even in throws of sparring or attacks being made on the expeditions the royal guard partook in. He was young but he wasn’t a fool. He knew the risks.
Louis let out a shaky breath and turned his attention back to his tutor, who was in the middle of explaining the centuries long conflict between Lillidale and Illuria. This was one of his least favorite subjects and it was only made worse by the ache in his chest and his focus that was shattered. He tapped his fingers on his desk and tried not to cringe when the old man droned on and spittle dripped from his bottom lip.
This old man reminded Louis of all the other dukes, earls, and viscounts. He had an arrogant air about him, like he knew that he was the smartest person in the room and the rest of the world would be lucky to be graced with his knowledge. They were the same men who sneered at omegas at the galas and looked down their crooked noses at children.
Louis took his quill at the command of his tutor and scratched at the parchment roll, taking notes that he would only forget later and doodling a little bumblebee in the corner when he was sure that Sir William wasn’t paying attention. It wasn’t long before his mind was drifting once more and he began wandering through dreamland.
After his lessons for the day, Louis retreated to the library. The rain was still pouring down from the skies and his own mood was just as dark as the outside world. In moments like this, Louis liked to curl up in the library in front of the fireplace. He enjoyed reading occasionally but usually was too wound up to really settle down. But when he was sad, nothing made him feel better than the smell of books and the sound of a crackling fire in the hearth.
His toes were freezing and the entire castle was cool, almost cave-like, in the gloom of early spring. With the twins’ birthday coming up, there were maids and esquires hard at work everywhere. The palace was alive with the thrum of busy servants but the library was quiet. He padded across the persian rug and wrapped his arms around himself as he sunk to his knees in front of the fireplace. It was but a small flame, too small to crackle or give off any real warmth but he liked to watch it.
Louis carefully placed another log on the fire, holding his sleeves out of the way lest he catch himself on fire, and rocked back on his heels. He could smell the faint scent of worn paper and well-loved pages of books that had been read and re-read by the royal family and generations past. His great great grandmother had furnished this library. It had caused quite the scandal at first, as most of the court didn’t agree with the idea of an omega reading but it had been a labor of love.
He respected that about her. From stories his mother had told him, Queen Marie and her alpha Queen Luisa had bonded over books. Together, they had curated a symphony of stories, of lives they could peer into, and love inked into pages. The alpha queen had supported her and encouraged her to continue her work, promising that she would change the laws to allow her queen to be herself.
And in the end, she did.
Louis pulled a pillow to his chest and frowned. He wasn’t ready for any of that. He just wanted to be a kid. He wanted to run through the meadows around the castle, ride horses all day, and not feel the weight of his future weighing heavily on his shoulders. Harry was only seventeen, he was too young to die. Louis didn’t want to know the pain of losing his best friend.
It was probably improper of him, but he loved laying on the floor with his head pillowed on his arm or dragging a handful of blankets from his bedroom to make a fort next to the living room. He would lay on his back, arms spread wide and his head tilted back as he closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of the woodstove.
Of course, Harry knew him better than anyone else. He knew where Louis went when he was upset and he knew where he fled to when the world was upsetting. That’s how he found Harry found him, curled up on the floor with his feet tucked beneath one of the cushions from the loveseat and his hands shoved into his armpits to keep them warm.
The alpha stood in the doorway, his lip pinched between his teeth and his arms crossed tightly against his chest. “Louis,” he said softly, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, the leather of his shoes squeaking.
He had half a mind to tell Harry to leave him alone, push him away and continue on ignoring him stubbornly. But Harry always had a knack with him. He rolled his head to the side and sighed when he saw the quirk in Harry’s brow and the look of uncertainty. Louis nodded and sat up to leave room for Harry to sit next to him.
Harry was warm and welcoming, his mere presence and scent comforting the prince. He was taller than Louis, he always had been, and his shoulder was at the perfect height for Louis to lean his head against it and melt into his side.
“Are you finished avoiding me?” Harry asked, his voice low and gentle.
Louis nodded and nuzzled his temple against the shoulder of Harry’s jacket. “Are you still leaving tomorrow?”
With a sigh, Harry patted Louis’ knee and leaned his cheek against the top of his head. “I am. You are my closest companion and I am so sorry that I have to leave. I would have liked to have given you more notice, but this is my destiny. I’m a knight, Louis. Or I will be, once I’ve completed my training.”
“But what if I miss you,” Louis whined, pinching Harry’s side.
Harry swatted at Louis’ hand and snorted. “Stop it, you menace.” He tousled Louis’ hair and returned his gaze to the fire flickering in the stone fireplace. “I know you will. I am going to miss you terribly and you are going to miss me but there are some things that we must do. I am a knight and I need to serve the kingdom. It is my destiny to fight for Lillidale and you have to stay here to become the best future king. This is our fate, Louis. We can’t run from it.”
He was right. Heavens above, Louis knew Harry was right. It pained him to admit it, so he merely frowned and curled further into Harry’s side.
In the morning Louis woke to Harry’s gentle urging. They had agreed to spend the morning together like they always did, walking through the gardens before the rest of the world awoke from its slumber. Neither one of them could find the words to say what they were thinking, content to just stroll through dew-covered grass and listen to the owls say goodbye to the night. Harry was leaving in less than a few hours and the desire to soak in every last minute of his best friend’s presence was having Louis’ stomach turning in knots.
They walked in silence for most of the morning and watched the sun slowly lift from the horizon, pouring pink and gold over all of Lillidale. Louis would get in trouble for not being in his bed when his chambermaid came to wake him and he would likely be late to his lessons for the day, but none of that mattered.
At the gates of the stables, Louis hugged Harry goodbye and buried his face into the mess of curls that had grown long enough to brush Harry’s shoulders. They swayed back and forth, too afraid to part and too worried to say the words on their hearts. What if this was the last time Louis would hug him? What if they never saw one another again?
Harry’s father’s voice broke the silence, claiming it was time for Harry to go, so Louis allowed himself to be extracted from the alpha’s arms. He watched with an ache in his chest and his body numb as Harry mounted his horse. The girls would be upset that they missed Harry’s departure but it was still early in the morning and they had lessons to attend as well. With one final glance of his shoulder, Harry disappeared beyond the wrought iron gates of the castle, becoming nothing more than a speck on the horizon as he left Louis behind. He was alone now, left to fend for himself and find his way in the world.
⊱ꕥ⊰
Louis very quickly learned that life was not fair. It wasn’t fair that at fourteen he presented as an omega. It was not fair that he spent years hoping and wishing to be alpha only to wake up one morning and be filled with dread. He was rather young to be presenting, but his mother assured him that it was going to be alright. The first heat was always frustrating. Being as young as he was, Louis’ body didn’t cry out for an alpha yet and he wasn’t yet producing slick. He ached all over, his joints stiff and his bones creaking with every movement. Everything had been sensitive, even clothing was too scratchy for his raw flesh and he was sick to his stomach for days.
For five long days and torturous nights, Louis tossed and turned in his bed, kicking at sheets and crying until he fell into a fitful sleep. Through it all, his sisters were not allowed near him and the only contact he received was with the chambermaids and his mother, who visited just to make sure her precious son was alright.
That wasn’t the worst part.
Not by a longshot.
The absolute worst part of the entire situation was how his entire world shifted on its axis when he emerged from his bedchambers. He wasn’t the same person he had been before he was designated. He wasn’t just a child anymore. He was an adult. Or at least would be considered an adult.
When he walked out of his room, he was greeted by his mother. She was dressed in sky blue, silver beads sewn into the trim of the neckline and embroidered flowers decorating the luxurious satin of her skirts. She smiled softly and patted the cushion of the settee next to her. “Come, my love. Sit with me. We must talk.”
Uh oh.
Louis fidgeted with the sleeves of his nightshirt, fingers playing with the lace trim and his knees a little wobbly as he gingerly sat next to her. His mother looked hesitant, her lips pursing and her carefully plucked brows coming together as if she was choosing her next words wisely.
“Louis, now that you have presented, it’s time for us to discuss your future,” she hummed and set her hand on top of his.
He had been dreaded this. It was the moment that Louis was afraid of, his mother telling him that he was no longer going to be King. “Yes, mama.”
Queen Josephine sighed softly and brushed a rogue piece of hair that was sticking up at an odd angle. “I think you know that now that you are an omega, you will not be able to rule by yourself.” Louis’ stomach sank. “As all other omega princes and princesses of the Tomlinson family before you, you will marry an alpha from another kingdom. I know that being an alpha was your desire, but the position you are in is a great honor. You will represent all of our kingdom. You will be the diamond of Lillidale, my love.”
The way she said it had Louis’ stomach tying itself in knots. “Oh,” he mumbled and pinched the fabric of his sleepshirt between his thumb and forefinger.
“Your destiny is so bright. You are going to be the most beautiful omega and I just know you are going to make me proud.” She smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her son’s temple.
Louis nodded, his mind wiped empty and his heart crawling up his throats. His chest felt tighter and his mouth was dry. “I must write Harry at once. Oh my, he’s going to be so disappointed. We were supposed to be alphas together,” he mumbled, embarrassment prickling at the back of his neck.
Josephine paused, her lips pressing together into a thin line and she took a deep breath. “Sweetheart, that is the other thing I think we must discuss. Now that you are a designated omega, there are a few things you may no longer do. I would never want to hurt your friendship with the Styles boy or any other of your friends, but it is no longer proper for you to be alone with an alpha.”
Louis’ mouth fell open and his breath caught in his throat. “But Mama! He is my best friend! I can’t-“
“Louis,” his mother interrupted, squeezing his knee. “It is okay for you to have alpha friends but from now on, you must have a chaperone with you. Even if it is just Felicite or Charlotte, you have to be attended to.”
“Why?” Louis frowned, crossing his arms. Bitterness was settling on his tongue and the stubborn streak he inherited from his father was rearing its ugly head. “It was never a problem before, why must it change now? I am the same person, so why does it have to matter?”
With a resigned twitch of her lips, the queen shook her head. “Because, my dear, you were undesignated. You were but a child but now you are a mature omega.”
It still didn’t make sense to him. It was difficult enough for Louis to be all alone now, his best friend away at training for months on end, but even when he returned he would not be allowed to resume their friendship. How was it fair that his best and only friend in the entire world was being pulled away from him all because of a simple title! He felt the same, maybe a tiny bit more sore due to his faux-heat, but otherwise the same. He just felt like Louis. “But Mama,” he continued.
“No, Louis. No buts. It is not my decision but the laws of nature that you must listen to,” Queen Josephine spoke with finality.
His mother had spoken, and while Louis would have loved to push the topic further, he knew that it would be in vain. She had made her wishes known. Louis’ shoulders dropped and his head bowed as he stared at his hands. Never once had he hated his own body. It was just a vessel for his spirit, but in that moment he hated it. “Yes, Mama,” he whispered.
“Now,” Josephine smiled lightly. “I have the seamstress coming in a few hours to take your measurements. Now that you are ready, we must get you some clothes fit for our kingdom’s beautiful omega.” She pressed a kiss to his temple and thumbed at his cheek. “I love you, my sweetest love. And I am so very proud of you.”
The words were kind, meant to calm his nerves and soothe the anxiety gurgling in his tummy. Instead, Louis found himself filled with dread and apprehension at the twist of fate. Nothing would ever be the same and saying goodbye to life as he knew it was the hardest thing he had ever been faced with in his fourteen years of living.
Louis’ mind still hadn’t caught up to him as he allowed himself to be dressed by his lady-in-waiting. She was new too, assigned to him only minutes after his mother left him to get ready for the day and although Louis had grown accustomed to strangers witnessing his entire life, it still felt a bit awkward. He’d never had someone other than Meredith to help him dress. Soft silks in hues of white, cream, and pastels floated through the doors of his chambers already, the colors of omega filling his room and sweeping away the juvenile bright tones of his old clothing.
As Elizabeth helped him into his frocks, she informed him that his new apartments would be prepared for him. He hadn’t known that he would be moving, but apparently, it was more fitting for a newly presented omega prince to live in a larger room further away from the younger princesses of the house. It was a bunch of nonsense, in Louis’ opinion.
He was poked at, prodded, and tweaked until his outfit was perfect and his hair was so styled that it wouldn’t move. It was the first day that he would be seen after presenting and he was supposed to look perfect. Dressed in pastel blue and white lace, Louis stood in front of the mirror and squinted at his reflection. He hardly recognized himself. Gone was the rambunctious young boy with messy hair and wrinkled tunics in bright colors. Before him was a boy he didn’t know, a boy who was manicured into perfection but looked lost.
Louis’ shoes clicked on the marble floors as he was led to lunch, his stomach aching from hunger. He hoped Harry would return soon and had received a handful of letters from him over the three months since Harry had left, but never once had Harry given him a clue as to when he would return to the palace. Would Harry feel weird around him now that he was an omega? Would he like Louis less? Would he be as angry as Louis that they could no longer be alone together?
Things were going to be different now, there was no denying that.
Lunches were a casual event at the palace. They were nothing like the opulent dinner parties the King and Queen threw with booze and decadent six-course meals and friends of the family who were not nobility were allowed to attend. Breakfast and lunch had always been Louis’ favorite meals, as those were the ones he used to share with his sisters and Harry. Now, they were gloomy reminders of how terribly lonely he was.
He could hear his four younger sisters carrying on about something even through the heavy oak door that separated the hall from the breakfast nook. Louis didn’t have time to prepare himself before one of the maids was swinging the door open and his presence was made known.
His sisters fell to a hushed quiet, their eyes wide as they took in his newfound appearance.
Louis twisted the material of his blouse between his fingers, waiting for one of them to say something. He felt ridiculous, done up in pastel silks and wearing breeches that hugged his body and his collarbones on display. His clothes felt funny, feeling foreign on his frame.
“Louis,” Charlotte spoke first, her blue eyes wide and her pink lips parted in surprise. “You look so pretty.”
Shuffling his feet, Louis swallowed thickly and ducked his head to look down at his own clothing.
“Why are you dressed like that?” Daisy asked, frowning at the drastic change from his typical colorful tunics and childish charm.
“Daisy!” Felicite scolded, nudging her little sister with her elbow.
“Because he is an omega,” Charlotte explained, scooting over to leave room for Louis at the table.
“Omega? I thought he was just Louis?” Phoebe huffed, rolling a plump purple grape over the tablecloth.
Louis sighed and snatched the grape from her tiny hand. “I am still myself, little sister.”
“He is still the same embarrassing older brother,” Felicite chipped in, giggling into the palm of her hand. “He’s just going to be better dressed now.”
“Hey, I wasn’t a poor dresser before,” Louis whined and stole a croissant from Charlotte’s plate. “Besides, this doesn’t look that much better than my old clothing.”
“Perhaps not better, but definitely different.”
“Yes, well, life is going to be different now,” the prince sighed and stuffed a chunk of the flakey pastry into his mouth. The conversation quickly turned, the twins getting distracted by the Queen’s corgis as they waddled into the room, tiny docked tails wagging eagerly.
As Louis glided down the walkways in the garden, under the watchful eye of the other nobles, he glumly kicked a pebble. Everyone was watching him now, actually paying attention to him now that he had presented and being in the spotlight was so much more lonely than Louis thought it would be. If Harry were here, he was sure he would make some kind of remark about the leering looks the Duke of Henrick was sending his way.
Seasons were coming and passing, keeping time with the budding trees and falling leaves. Frost was crystallizing on leaves of the hedges and the gravel beneath his feet was iced over with winter’s warning. Harry’s letters became fewer and far between and eventually they just stopped. Louis couldn’t blame him, it must be difficult to find time to write while one was fighting from sun up to sun down and it’s not like Louis was much better. After he presented, he was too afraid to tell Harry. Their letters were short and vague, void of any real detail or meaning and gradually Louis just figured there was no point in writing Harry back.
They were different people now. Louis was an omega, soft and docile and Harry was an alpha. Even if Harry returned to Lillidale, they would never be the friends that they used to be. They couldn’t be.
Alone and cold, Louis floated through the castle and smiled softly at the courtiers, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He wasn’t sure if it ever would again, but over time he became better at hiding the pain. He became so good at it that he even convinced himself that he was alright.
When his mother and father informed him that his future husband had been chosen, he even managed to smile. It was empty and cold, but a smile nonetheless. His future was upon him and he was finally getting a glimpse at the rest of his life. As he sat and listened to his mother gush over his future husband of Illuria, Louis’ mind wandered a thousand miles away. Finding an alpha to wed was his destiny, it was the future of Lillidale and everything he had been learning and working tirelessly for had led up to this moment. So why did it feel like the end of everything he’d ever known and not the beginning?