"Do you play, Harry?" Louis' eyes found Harry's near the wooden frame of the piano as the omega blinked up at the King through long lashes, his goblet of wine halting mid air. His father knew very well Harry did, in fact, not play. Harry, however, smiled with the grace of a peacock, gently shaking his head.
"I am afraid I still haven't quite acquired the skill, your majesty." The low buzz of the evening flowed in as faint notes of the piano rang. To Louis' chagrin, there was Elizabeth who jumped up to her feet and offered to play for the gathering, singing along like a shrill crow. Harry, his pretty precious, sat in the corner of the hall after excusing himself, sipping his wine with glee and chatting with his elder brother, both seeming to find humour in Elizabeth's façade.
Albeit the King seemed pleased, a tad too pleased for Louis' liking.
"Aren't you enjoying watching your sister making a fool out of herself, precious?" Louis teased, slipping next to Harry before taking his hand and kissing his bejewel knuckles. Harry blushed under the sparkles of the chandeliers, shaking his head gently in denial.
"Should I be concerned that you are conversing with my little brother with such ardour, Tomlinson?" Mathew pulled the pipe away from his lips as he glanced at Louis, a smirk on his lips. Mathew was a considerably built alpha with a tall frame, eyes similar to Harry and hair the shade of hay. He was one of the better Styles.
"I have showed indifferent ardour for your dearest brother ever since infancy, lord Mathew. You need not trouble yourself with twisted thoughts." Louis smiled kindly, his hand finding Harry's, shielded by the layers of his sapphire gown. Mathew hummed, bringing the burning pipe to his lips before his gaze fixed on Elizabeth again, mockery in his low chuckle. Louis knew that of all the Styles, Mathew was the sole member who remotely paid attention to Harry's whereabouts, and although at times it came as a curse for the two of them to be with each other, Louis was glad with the thought that his precious was not neglected entirely.
Harry was staring at him, Louis could tell, his burning gaze on Louis was unavoidable. At times Louis wondered if Harry ever recalled their childhood, of the promises Louis had made to him or of the moments they shared. He had to, of course, he had to. Louis knew those moments were true and pure, that it was just as real for him as it was for Harry. Louis was not cross because Harry lay with someone else before him, heartbroken he was, but he never held Harry at fault. The true ache was that the omega never showed what he truly felt, not once did he hint at anything related to them, of their future.
Louis always feared if something unlawful had happened, if Harry had been forced against his will, but the omega repeatedly silenced him, reasoning that he was merely too isolated at that moment in his life, that he craved being wanted even if only for a night. And Louis believed him, knowing well what he was referring to. So Louis showed him the love and the care, made sure Harry never felt alone the entire summers they spent together, and when he returned to the capital during fall and Harry to his father's estate, he made sure to write to the omega, reminding him of how wonderful he was.
It was not until supper that the King approached Harry again, his steps faltering as he held a mug of ale, his skin flushed. Harry's eyes flickered from Louis to his father, abashment evident on his face. He greeted the King however, bowing his head and offering him a smile. "Are you enjoying yourself, darling?" He asked, words slurring.
"Very much so, your majesty, Louis' been keeping me company."
"Louis," the King tasted the name on his tongue as though for the first time. "You two seem awfully close, I must say. Nothing to worry about..." he laughed grotesquely. Louis felt his nerves spiking as his father stretched the conversation. He could clearly tell Harry was agitated. "So, have you been looking at the list of suitors? I hear it is a lengthy list. Must be difficult for you to choose."
Harry squirmed in his seat, his brows knitting together as he cleared his throat minutely. "I am afraid I do not understand what you are talking about, your majesty."
"Oh, Harry," the King had a cruel look in his eyes as he sat down next to Harry. Louis wished for nothing more than to hide his precious away. "You are needed to marry soon, silly omega. You cannot remain unwedded for eternity. Your mama's handpicked a few for you already. It is only wise of you to abide by her wishes, mother some pups soon yourself."
"Father," Louis gritted, unable to stand him tormenting Harry. "Harry's still young. Why are you harrowing him with a matter he clearly does not wish to spare a thought upon?"
"You are too young to have a say in this, boy." His father snarled. He was every glimpse of Louis' sorrows in that moment. Yet again dishonouring him. "You know nothing of the world. Harry mustn't stall his marriage until it is too late for him to find a suitor who'd accept an aged omega. This matter is of great seriousness."
"What about Elizabeth then, father? She's senior to Harry by four summers, why aren't you interrogating her?" Louis retorted, a blaze in his eyes. The king scoffed, standing up from the chair, stumbling. Harry lowered his gaze, and Louis could tell he was biting his lips, swallowing wistfully.
"Give it a thought, Harry. Do not let my fool of a son to guide you upon a wrong path. You are bright, pup, I have faith in you that you will see the light."
"The only reason I am not thrusting my sword in his chest is because it would make me King sooner." Louis spat, gulping down a burning peg of intoxicant. Harry said nothing, keeping his head lowered for the rest of the evening until the only ones remaining were the two of them and Leah. The older alpha barely spared Harry a glance before trotting away, leaving them to the ghost of a party.
"Take me to your chambers, Lou." Harry mumbled before pulling himself to his feet and walking away into the silent halls.
Harry stood there in the darkness of Louis' chambers, his back to Louis as moonshine kissed his face. No words were spoken as Louis brushed aside his hair and kissed his nape, tasting his sweet skin against his lips, hands untying the string of his corset. For Louis the moment was a consolation, that he was still the one to take Harry to bed, to make him his. He did not know what it meant to Harry, but when the omega stepped out of his gown, standing in his chemise, and he kissed Louis fervently, Louis' heart thudded with the beats of love.
☽
"Stay for the night." Louis grabbed Harry's wrist as soon as the omega stood up, covering his naked miles with a thin sheet in the dark of the night. They were in Louis' bed, their twined scent heavy in the air of arousal. Harry looked away, clutching the sheet to his chest, shaking his head. "Please," Louis begged, wanting to hold his precious for the night.
Harry shook his head again, hair disheveled, softly whispering, "you are well aware I can't. They will find me in your chambers in the morrow and hell will break upon everything."
"Is that so unimaginable? Them finding you in my arms?" Louis had desperation in his voice as he stood up too, pressing his chest against Harry's back, locking him in his arms, wishing to keep him forever. Louis ran his nose along the length of Harry's neck as the omega submitted to him completely, leaning his weight on Louis as the sheet fell from his clutch, leaving him bare.
"Stay with me, my precious."
"It will be a scandal. They'll have you forced to marry me."
"And what is so abominable about you being mine?" Louis pressed further, kissing Harry's skin with the gentlest brush of his lips, pushing aside his long locks as they teased his skin. The omega grew wet when Louis pressed his hardness against his bottom, rubbing it between his cheeks. "I say we let them find us."
"You don't want me as your omega," Harry laughed lightly, pulling Louis into a searing kiss. "You only wish to bed me, my prince. You deserve a better omega. I am not fit for you, for a future king." Louis opted to kiss him instead of fighting each word that left Harry's mouth, for he knew the omega was only searching for excuses to avoid being his. He had had enough of these subtle rejections over the many summers, but none of them ever eased the ache in his heart.
But Louis could not have Harry think of himself solely as a lay for Louis. Harry deserved the assurance."Have you ever caught me with anyone but you, my precious? Do you not understand by now that you are the only one."
"Feeling a sense of safety and wishing to be with someone forevermore are two entirely dissimilar things, my prince. You lay with me for I have your trust." Harry pressed another kiss to Louis' mouth, turning around to grasp his hardness. "I am not the queen Maneria needs. I must leave."
"I will fuck you again. Come to bed." Louis tempted him in a final attempt to lure him back. And that Harry agreed to, allowing Louis to kiss his skin, trailing from the structure of his jaw to his supple chest as he laid the omega on his bed, mouthing his hardened nubs before Louis kissed the bone of his hips and parted his thighs. Louis placed his plush legs on his shoulders, eyes admiring Harry's glistening entrance and the remnants of their love-making leaking out of him. He traced the blooming blush of it with the tip his tongue, revelling the way his precious cried. Forever sensile to Louis' touch no matter the amount of times he had had his mouth there.
Louis knew his stubble must have scratched his tender skin raw, but the omega cried a symphony of pleasure, winding his fingers through Louis' hair, pressing his face further into his core. Louis pushed his tongue inside his wetness completely, the ambrosial hint of his blooming on Louis' tongue as he moved it ruthlessly, penetrating him with a pair of his fingers. Harry's thighs closed around Louis' head as he stretched out a mixture of a gasp and a moan before the omega sat up and pushed Louis against the bed, mounting him, moving on his cock like a seraph in the moonshine, his eyes piercing as he watched Louis gasp under his mercy. Louis loved when the omega took charge, taking whatever he wanted for his own pleasure, and looking every bit ethereal while doing so.
And then as the cloud of exhaustion lulled Harry to a sound slumber, Louis held him close, placing Harry's head just above his heart while he took in his precious' beauty. His lips were parted, shiny and swollen as he puffed out warm breaths, eyes shut with his lashes tickling Louis' skin. Looking down at his love, though a painful stab, Louis relished the moment, because till the morning Harry was his, till the morning it was just the two of them, till the morning he was Louis and not only the future king. So Louis laid awake, afraid to lose even a second of those few hours.
"You are too young to have a say in this." His father had said, yet again contradicting his own views. Old enough to be king, yet too young to reason what was wise.
He would have not batted an eye if it was any of the other Styles children, except Louis was cruelly selfish, he could not stomach the thought of Harry being someone else's. Any hand that dared to hold Harry's would first have to stand against Louis' sword. Harry was his and his only. No power was to part them. If Harry did not wish to marry Louis, Louis would gladly spend his life unmarried, with Harry by his side behind closed doors.
The years he had spent morphing himself into what his people deemed a ruler, Louis had given up every essence of his past life but one, and that he would not give up for anything. Harry was what chained him to the ghost of his true self, of a life he had truly once cherished and loved. He knew it was irrational to wish to be with Harry, however his heart had betrayed him a very long while ago. Louis had lost enough to know that the one thing he desired for was inevitably going to be his.
He sighed into the silent chamber, looking down as his precious pressed himself closer, his cheek warm against Louis' skin, hair falling on his face. He knew this was everything he wished for forever as he kissed his forehead.
☽
"Do you have any explanation as to why I smell an omega on you, son?" His old, blue eyes were hard on Louis as he sat at the head of the table of the council, silver whiskers of his moustache moving as he spoke. The council's gaze remained sharply on the scrolls, though Louis was certain their ears were somewhere else.
"I was having the first meal with Harry..... and lady Elizabeth, of course." He had not, in fact, been anywhere near that mockery of an omega.
"A very well brought up omega, is she not? Lady Elizabeth?" Louis was well acquainted with that tone, of that slight twitch in the corner of his father's lips, of the manner his eyes brightened. It had been a Lady Cara once, than some Lady Hazel, once it was lord Horan even.
"I think she is rather dull, father. Lacks a character of her own."
"Do not be rude, Louis William." Louis sighed deeply, opting to focus on the scrolls rather than his father. What was it that he saw in Elizabeth but not in Harry? "How do you feel about an alliance between the prince and lady Elizabeth, lord Irwin?" Louis' head shot up at the question, his eyes wide as he witnessed his father whispering into the head advisor's ears. Louis felt fury roar within him, his knuckles turned the shade of bone as he clutched onto the edge of the table.
"I assume you are not conspiring about my own alliance without consulting me, father." Louis shut his eyes to breathe in, composing himself before he turned to the king again. He found the old king with a smirk on his lips, eyes cruel. It was a gruesome sight, reminding Louis of all the moments he wore the same face while mocking Louis' efforts to fit into the role of a future king.
"Oh, Louis, do not humour me and tell me that you wish to marry out of love? Silly boy, everything you do is to benefit the four kingdoms. You have no say in this but to choose from the matches we bring about."
"I very well refuse then, father."
"I am afraid you misheard me. I quite clearly mentioned that you have no choice." His voice grew darker as a quietness washed over the air, each member halting their tasks. Louis balled his fists, gulping down. "You are to choose a bride by the ball on Saturday."
"What if I do not find anyone who intrigues me?"
"Then lady Elizabeth it is. It would please me dearly to call Samuel of my relation."
Louis' heart quickened, hope blooming as he fixed his gaze with his father's and rushed out, "what if I wish to marry a Styles, except, not lady Elizabeth? Will that please you, father?"
The old King's brows grew closer, eyes narrow. He thought for a moment before speaking again, "the only omega that remains is Harry. I am aware that the two of you are quite... acquainted with each other, but I suppose you have not yet heard." Heard what? Louis' throat went dry as he examined the crowd's expression, a breathlessness washing over him. He should have known it would not be as facile to win his love. "The duke of Sancia has showed some interest in Harry, in fact duchess Styles believes that he is to propose after the ball. It leaves you Elizabeth, Louis. They do have the same blood, Harry and her, the least you can do is pretend to fancy her until you cannot make out if you are pretending or if it is reality."
"But the alliance has not been finalised, Harry has not agreed. He is not even aware of such a thing, father! How is duchess Styles willing to marry him off without having his consent?" Louis was furious and no inch in his body was able to hide that. He would have the duke's legs amputated before he even got down on his knees to ask for Harry's hand.
"You know nothing of this world, do you? As long as any alpha would have him, duchess Styles is willing to marry him off to anyone. I know you are aware of how unpolished the omega is, not to mention his boldness, it is a blessing that an alpha of such rank wishes to wed him."
"And what if Harry rejects him?" Louis questioned, his mind already conspiring. There was no piece in heaven or in hell that was going to place Harry with anyone that was not Louis. "Do I get to choose from either of the Styles omegas?"
"Only a foolish omega would reject a duke."
"I ask for a simple answer, father. Do I or do I not get to pick either?"
"Who am I to hold you back if circumstances shall allow you such a choice." His father sighed, the advisors agreeing. As he watched their faces, Louis bit back a smirk, evil corrupting his mind. "Do remember though, son, life does not always abide by your wishes."
Louis knew that. Of all people Louis had tasted the bitterness of that truth.
☽
Thoughts?
The Twitter glitch had me staying up all night 😭😭😭😭