Chapter Text
Thick grey clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun’s warmth from the numerous townspeople roaming the cobblestone streets. A dark-haired man rode his chocobo through the crowds and scanned his surroundings. Many of the townspeople wore layers of clothing to withstand the freezing temperatures, but some seemed to be indifferent to the weather as their outfits looked rather light. The man found that hard to believe when he struggled to stay warm underneath his hooded cloak. Although he grew up in an environment that rarely had cold seasons outside of the occasional breeze.
He ignored the street peddlers offering rare items for sale. He practiced caution after he purchased glittering jewels from a peddler and gave it to his mother as a gift. He never forgot his embarrassment when she tried to put on a necklace and the chain broke, causing the fake jewels to shatter into tiny pieces. The man promised himself that if he were to ever buy valuable gifts for his loved ones, then he would search for a reputable seller instead.
His attention wandered to the old dull-colored buildings on each side of him. Even though some of the buildings could use a little repair, they still held a sort of traditional charm that made him curious about the kingdom’s culture. None of the buildings had any traces of bright colors but at least they matched the town’s dreary ambiance.
Indigo eyes spotted a castle at the very top of a cliff overlooking the town. It looked like every other castle he’s seen but much scarier than the others. A few crows flew away from one section of the castle’s outer walls, cawing as they descended the town before vanishing behind a row of buildings.
The Kingdom of Nibelheim was exactly as they described.
Nibelheim lost most of its power during the war between the Midgar and Wutai Kingdoms. The famous battle bled into its lands and eventually resulted in the deaths of King Cameron Strife and Queen Claudia Strife. It was said that King Shinra of Midgar ordered his Turks to assassinate them. Others claimed that the late king and queen aided Midgar instead, and that King Godo of Wutai orchestrated their assassinations. No one ever knew the culprit behind the royals’ deaths but the ascension of their only son, Queen Cloud, has caused many of Nibelheim’s residents to form doubts about their new ruler.
Queen Cloud ascended the throne at the young age of fifteen, making him vulnerable to King Shinra’s influence. But he managed to rebel against the Shinra Court by forming an alliance with Prince Genesis of Banora, who courted Princess Sephiroth of the North away from Prince Rufus. The Prince of Midgar almost went to war against the Banoran prince out of spite, but was constantly deflected thanks to Prince Genesis’s allies, including Queen Cloud’s most favored knight named Biggs.
Biggs was not only the captain of Queen Cloud’s royal knights, but he was also the queen’s best friend. Queen Cloud always confided in Biggs, instead of his royal secretary, over personal or political matters. Many believed that Biggs was behind Nibelheim’s successes because after his death, the queen suddenly began to make unpopular political decisions.
Biggs sacrificed himself during an attempt on Prince Genesis’s life. He drank the poisoned wine that a maid poured for the prince to prove his suspicions of her. The maid admitted during trial that it was Prince Rufus who secretly paid her to poison Prince Genesis. However, the confession didn’t incite a war, for the Crescent Court set a wedding date for Prince Genesis and Princess Sephiroth. They were impressed by the prince’s ability to gather loyal allies against a kingdom as powerful as Midgar.
Nibelheim became outraged that Queen Cloud didn’t avenge their beloved knight’s death, even going as far as to deny reparations from the Rhapsodos Court. But the queen explained that they did not have enough resources to defend themselves against one of the most powerful kingdoms on the planet.
Many believed that Queen Cloud turned into a puppet of the Shinra Court because his political decisions over the next several years suddenly favored King Shinra. Public opinion became even more negative when the queen arranged for his cousin, Princess Tifa, to marry King Aerith of Wutai—who King Shinra placed on the throne after Wutai’s destruction. King Aerith was also a descendant of the Shinra and Crescent royal bloodlines; everyone in Nibelheim knew that her marriage to their princess pushed them further under Shinra Court’s influence.
Lately, gossip has spread that Prince Rufus asked for Queen Cloud’s hand in marriage. Although the union would wipe away the last traces of Nibelheim’s freedom, it would also boost their political and economic power. However, Queen Cloud hasn’t responded to the proposal. Some believed that he wouldn’t dare marry the man who indirectly caused the former captain’s death. Others suspected that it was because he was gravely ill, for no one has seen him leave the castle in years.
Currently, the only people allowed to enter the castle were other royals, members of the Strife Court, or members of Nibelheim’s royal knights.
The man arrived at Nibelheim Castle’s gates and handed his notarized letter to one of the guards. After acknowledgement, the drawbridge lowered and he guided his chocobo to the outer courtyard.
Another male stranger approached him wearing a long dark blue tunic with silver-colored edges. On his chest was a silver emblem of a wolf’s head with a keyring in its mouth. Underneath his tunic consisted of chainmail and dark leather pants tucked in knee-high leather boots. Added to his outfit was a long leather belt that carried his sword on his left side.
“Thank you for travelling all the way here,” the stranger said as he watched him dismount the chocobo. “My name is Kunsel and I’m the captain of the Knights of the Round.” The official name of Nibelheim’s royal knights.
The man shook his hand with a smile. “You can call me Zack. Thanks for accepting my member application.” His hometown offered limited job opportunities outside of carpentry and farming. None of those occupations sounded interesting until he learned about the Royal Knights’ Academy located in Junon. King Shinra built the academy coincidentally after Prince Rufus lost the battle for Princess Sephiroth’s hand in marriage. The academy offered a stipend that was too good to be true, yet he earned enough gil to help his parents build a better life back home.
The academy allowed their graduates to choose which kingdom within the Shinra Court’s political realm to serve as a knight. Many stayed in Midgar because of its numerous resources, but Zack answered the call for knights in the small kingdom of Nibelheim. It was on the same continent as his hometown and he never had the chance to explore this region of the planet.
Kunsel nodded, his brown bangs falling in front of his face before he instinctively pushed them back. He asked a guard to take Zack’s chocobo to the stables. “Unfortunately, you won’t be able to meet His Majesty until the trials start.” He began walking and Zack followed him. “He’s not feeling well, but he will improve in a couple of days.”
“That’s okay. Maybe you or somebody else can show me around the castle grounds.” His eyes wandered above them to the numerous figures hiding in the castle watch towers.
Kunsel noticed that his attention was on the hidden guards and smiled to himself. Zack already displayed qualities of a Knight of the Round. “I can show you several places except for His Majesty’s wing of the castle.”
Zack stopped walking. “The entire wing? How am I supposed to protect him if I don’t know where he sleeps?”
He turned around to face him. You sound as though you’ve already become a member. “His Majesty is very selective on who is allowed near his bedchambers. Besides, we don’t know if the illness he contracted is contagious.”
He grumbled to himself. “Still though…”
Kunsel placed a hand on his shoulder. “The academy should have taught you that a knight must follow their royal’s orders. You can’t be here if you question every one of them.”
“Alright, I’ll stop protesting then.”
“Good.” He started walking again then stopped and turned back around. “Oh, and I should warn you that whenever you are in the presence of His Majesty, you will be required to wear a muzzle.”
“A what?”
“A muzzle. All alphas and betas, mated or not, are required to wear one in the presence of His Majesty. Only royal guests are immune to the rule.” What he didn’t add was that royal guests used to wear muzzles until Prince Rufus found the rule to be insulting.
“Is this because he’s an omega?”
“You’re supposed to address him by ‘His Majesty.’ And yes, His Majesty is weary around mostly alphas because he is currently unmated.”
“And yet the Knights of the Round consist of alphas,” Zack said in an incredulous tone.
“There’s a reason for His Majesty’s… fears, but I’m under oath to keep it a secret.”
It hasn’t even been thirty minutes and he’s already perplexed by the odd rules. Most unmated omegas, despite their status, didn’t have to worry about an alpha or beta unwillingly claiming them. Something must have happened to Queen Cloud that made him establish these odd rules. “Are you trying to get me to change my mind on serving the qu—” he huffed, “His Majesty?”
“I’m just warning you ahead of time so you won’t embarrass yourself in front of him.” Kunsel tapped his chin in thought. “Please tell me that you at least know basic etiquette, especially when you are around a high-ranking individual?”
“They taught us that at the academy.”
“Hm, then I’ll quiz you as we tour the castle.”
Zack proved his retention of the academy’s etiquette classes as he followed Kunsel around the castle. He understood the need for honorifics and gestures when it came to royals, but other nobles didn’t contribute much to society outside of flaunting their wealth. Take all their inheritances away and they were no different than the rest of the commoners. The same could be said for royals.
But that was just his opinion. Zack knew not to ever mention his feelings to his superiors. He had to remain civilized if he wanted to be in the queen’s good graces— if he ever meets him. Come to think of it, he never heard much about the queen’s appearance outside of inheriting his parents’ golden hair color.
As the castle workers retired to their bedchambers for the night, Zack lied wide awake in his bed. He tossed and turned for what felt like hours until he huffed and sat upright. He couldn’t figure out why he struggled to sleep after such a long journey. Perhaps it was because of the change in scenery, or because he was excited for The Knight Trials.
The Knights of the Round held trials for all candidates to demonstrate their skills. Kunsel explained that the queen will judge participants for the entire duration and choose his new knight to serve the kingdom. Zack wondered if this was the only time anyone had the chance to see the secretive royal.
He turned to face the window and noticed that the stars twinkled in the now-clear sky. Tonight should be a new moon, and he wished that it was full instead so he could take a nighttime stroll. However, it was also too cold outside to even consider the option. He still needed to do something to calm down because his restlessness became unbearable.
He changed into something more casual and didn’t bother to tuck his blouse in his leather pants. He doubted that he had to worry about looking presentable since everyone was probably still asleep. He tossed his cloak around him and slipped out of his bedchambers carrying a lit candle.
Zack retraced the steps that he took with Kunsel earlier, taking detailed notes of the castle’s layout. The captain told him that he wasn’t allowed to know of the secret passageways until he officially became a member of the Knights of the Round. Indigo eyes glanced at the tall windows on one side of the hall. He gazed out of them in awe as he was able to see a scenic view of Nibelheim. There were enough lit torches in the town to make it look so dreamy instead of the dullness that he witnessed earlier.
When he spotted a patrolling guard walking towards him, he stopped and displayed a silver brooch that Kunsel gave him earlier. The brooch contained the same wolf’s head as the one on Kunsel’s uniform. The wolf’s head represented a figure named Fenrir and it was a major symbol of the Strife family’s coat of arms.
Zack suddenly stopped walking when he smelled flowers. “Hm?” He looked around for bouquets and only saw elaborate marble pillars holding empty vases or other fancy decor. He then figured that a female servant roamed the castle halls to do her last-minute chores. Alphas tended to be sensitive to perfumes or other scented oils.
But what bothered him was that this scent smelled more natural—subtle even. The longer he walked down the hall, the thicker the scent grew.
Zack stopped again in confusion, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He turned around and lifted the candle holder at eye level to make sure that he wasn’t being followed. His nose would have picked up another human regardless.
His curiosity led him to an area of the castle that he didn’t recall seeing during his tour. Something told him not to continue following the trail, but he succumbed to his curiosity by pacing further down the corridor until he reached an open section of the castle. The scent grew thicker and thicker, stirring a growl from his lips. Zack abruptly stopped and slapped a hand over his mouth. What in Gaia’s name was that?! The last time he growled like that was during his first rut cycle.
“I-I should go—” Zack’s ears twitched when he heard a moan. That sound coupled with this scent lured him to explore the unknown territory. When he heard the moan again, he instinctively ran his tongue across his upper lip. His heart beat fast against his ribcage and saliva pooled in his mouth. Gods, he felt like a starving wanderer who suddenly smelled food.
Zack could tell that he was close to his destination because this floral scent was now so thick that he could practically taste it. The moans grew louder and louder, making his cock throb. It reminded him of the brothels he used to visit—only that they never smelled this good. This scent stirred something primal within him.
Zack didn’t realize that someone shouted at him until a spear pointed a few inches from his face.
“This is as far as you’re going to go,” a guard wearing a muzzle warned.
He snapped out of his trance and blinked several times, glancing back and forth between the two guards standing in front of large double doors. “W-Wait, how did I…?”
The other guard proceeded to attack him with his spear, but Zack ducked and the candle flame extinguished by falling to the stone ground. In a panic, he pointed at the brooch on his cloak and explained that he was a knight candidate. The guards, however, seemed doubtful.
But before he attempted to fight back, he heard a familiar voice tell the guards to stop.
“Zack?!” Kunsel exclaimed as he ran over to him. He watched him scramble to stand. “By the gods, you should not be here!” He jerked him by the arm and dragged him down the hall far enough to slam him against a nearby wall. “Do you realize that you could have been killed?!”
Zack yanked Kunsel’s hand off his cloak and dusted the fabric with a scoff. “Please, I could have easily knocked them unconscious.”
“What are you even doing out here? I thought I told you that you weren’t allowed in this wing?!”
He frowned. “You don’t smell that?”
“Smell what?”
“Whoever is moaning behind those doors back there smells like flowers.”
Kunsel’s brown eyes widened for a second. “He has a unique scent?”
“He?” Zack looked in the direction from where they came. “Who?”
“Listen—forget what you heard or smelled and do not come here again. That’s an order!”
“Okay, okay!” he held his hands up in a defensive gesture. “Sorry, it’s just… that scent smelled so good and I couldn’t help myself.” He caught the look of disbelief across the captain’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t worry about it. Just leave. Please.”
Zack slipped on his gloves then wiggled his fingers to make sure that they could still move comfortably. The sound of the leather creaking from his action excited him; the last time he wore a uniform was during his training at the academy.
“I guess that’s everything…” he whispered before standing in front of the mirror to look at himself. The uniform was the exact same style as Kunsel’s only that it was white and gold. It also lacked the wolf’s head, but Zack already imagined proudly wearing the emblem on his chest.
Nibelheim’s Knight Trials were today and Zack couldn’t wait to show off his skills to the queen. He could proudly say that his instructors praised his abilities compared to the other trainees. The only thing that he still struggled with was basic etiquette. He hated every minute of those sessions because they felt restrictive.
He later stood outside with the other candidates and secured the straps to his muzzle. He stretched his jaw as far as the muzzle would allow him and sighed in relief. He still didn’t understand why the queen required this, but like Kunsel said, it was best not to question a royal’s orders.
“Announcing His Royal Majesty, Queen Cloud Strife of Nibelheim!” the well-dressed servant shouted to the small crowd.
Everyone dropped to one knee with their heads bowed. Zack heard footsteps and metal scraping in the distance, and he dared to sneak a glance. Four armored guards stepped in unison toward the queen’s podium. All of them carried dark blue flags with a silver design of Fenrir’s head in the middle of each one. They took their proper places below the podium and another guard blew a melody from his trumpet.
Queen Cloud arrived wearing a dark blue dress with long bell-shaped sleeves. The u-shaped neckline gave onlookers a glimpse of his pale skin adorned with an elaborate sapphire necklace. He also wore a sapphire chain belt around his tiny waist, and it was so long that it swung to the side with each step. Atop his head was the royal diamond and sapphire crown.
Zack thought that he would finally see the queen’s face, but he was disappointed that it remained hidden behind a dark blue veil hanging from his crown. At least he could confirm that the queen did have golden hair. Never in his life has he seen golden strands layered like feathers. Zack amusingly thought about his chocobo.
What he also found odd was the thin metal collar wrapped around the queen’s neck. He’s never heard of a royal wearing a collar.
Indigo eyes watched Kunsel help the queen up the steps. Zack hummed to himself at the furrowed brows on Kunsel’s face. Even with the muzzle, the captain seemed to be preoccupied about something. Zack wondered if it had anything to do with that night in the castle. Kunsel never brought it up when they met again, but he also seemed distant compared to the first day of their meeting.
Once the queen sat in his chair, Kunsel made an introductory speech about the history of Nibelheim’s Knight Trials.
But as the event commenced, Zack found the trials to be terribly easy. He grew bored after the second session and prayed that something interesting would happen. He didn’t mean to sound so arrogant but these trials were nothing compared to his training at the academy. At least Queen Cloud made this day go faster by dismissing most of the participants. Zack had a feeling that the queen was also disappointed in this batch of knight candidates.
For the final session, it was down to two participants including Zack. Zack stood poised in battle stance while Kunsel relayed the rules. Indigo eyes widened when he heard the captain mention that the person left alive would be the next member of the Knights of the Round.
“A deathmatch?” he exclaimed in surprise.
Kunsel nodded. “A knight must always be prepared to kill his adversary.”
Zack let out a shaky breath then glanced back at his opponent. The guy was massive and stood smirking at him while he twirled his flail. Gods, this was not what he meant when he prayed for something interesting!
The captain raised his arm in the air and shouted for them to begin.
Queen Cloud hated this segment of the trials because he wasn’t too fond of gory battles for the sake of displaying strength. He mentioned this to Biggs years ago, but his former captain explained that the Knights of the Round did not tolerate squeamish knights. Biggs also added that a queen must show dignity even in the face of gruesome actions.
Cloud was more anxious today than ever because he developed a strange fondness for the spiky-haired man on the battlefield. The knight candidate stood out from the rest of the group and Cloud silently cheered him on each time he advanced to the next round. He already chose his winner and hoped that the dark-haired knight would win this match. Although the other candidate demonstrated exceptional skills, there was something off about him that didn’t sit right with Cloud.
Queen Cloud’s hand twitched when the beastly opponent managed to hit his favorite candidate in the face. Blood ran down the side of his face, and instead of Cloud feeling uncomfortable, he felt a twinge of anger.
“Your Majesty?” Kunsel whispered as he leaned closer to him. “I’ve noticed that your attention remains on the best candidate.” He watched His Majesty’s head move in the same direction with Zack. It had been that way since the start of the trials.
Cloud nervously licked his lips and composed himself. “Who is he?”
“His name is Zack Fair and he is from Gongaga.”
“Gon—” His lips twitched from the name. Gongaga was one of the few villages left on the planet that wasn’t controlled by a royal family. Although it was a tiny village with not much economic output, he admired the fact that it remained independent. Cloud hoped that the village never had to fight for its independence against a greedy royal. “Gongaga is south from here, like Cosmo Canyon, correct?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Hm, how does one obtain this much skill from a remote village?”
“He trained at the Knights Academy in Junon.”
The familiar name caused him to turn his head towards Kunsel. “You accepted his application despite knowing this?”
“I know that you aren’t fond of anything related to the Shinra Court, but Zack has outstanding recommendations from his instructors.” At the queen’s huff, he added, “You accepted me when I, too, arrived from Midgar.”
“That’s because…” That’s because Biggs liked you.
A grunt prompted them to turn back to the battlefield. Zack stood there glaring at his opponent while his sword arm dripped blood. Queen Cloud sat upright with his hands gripping the armrests. He prayed to the heavens that Zack didn’t die.
The queen’s prayers were quickly answered when Zack lunged at his opponent with a shout, aiming for his stomach. The man swung his flail down at the same time, but Zack stabbed him first. The spiked ball slammed into Zack’s back right after, causing him to cry out and fall on his hands and knees, but his sword was now halfway through the man’s stomach.
The opponent coughed up blood before his eyes rolled back and he fell backwards with a loud thud. The dark-haired knight swayed as he struggled to stand, pulling his sword out of his dead opponent’s body. He then turned to face The Queen of Nibelheim and lifted his bloody sword high above his head.
How do you like that, Your Majesty?
The crowd erupted in cheers. Kunsel clapped along with them while smiling, feeling the weight lift off his shoulders.
Queen Cloud placed a hand on his chest as he watched his knight stand there with blood soaking his clothes. He should be frightened by the way the alpha looked at him with those wild eyes. Yet, Cloud wanted nothing more than to personally wash away all the blood and grime sticking to this man’s body.
Oh, Gaia…
Kunsel could smell the arousal coming from Queen Cloud and quietly asked, “Your Majesty, is it another flare-up?” He knelt next to his queen with concern across his face.
His breathing quickened and he bit back a whimper from escaping. It didn’t feel like his usual flare-up but something less intense. Cloud could only describe this sensation as a cross between arousal and admiration. How was this even possible when he barely knew the man?
Zack finally tore his gaze away from him and Cloud felt his body immediately return to normal.