Chapter Text
There was nowhere left to run. As much as the idea revolted him and burned like a slap in his face, it was the only way to secure his position as king and keep his siblings away from this burden. Thus, accepting defeat and giving the graces to the bigots old men who formed his council, Sanemi agreed to marry.
"Believe me, Your Majesty, it will be better this way," one of them dared to speak, a wrinkled beta carrying more gold in his clothes than an ordinary person would see in their entire life. "With an alpha by your side, you will no longer need to bother with these tedious matters of state."
Sanemi bit his tongue.
Unfortunately, those retrograde old men still had some use for the kingdom, so he couldn't get rid of them all at this moment as he so much wished. Apparently, his wretched father, besides being an abusive husband and absent father, was also an incompetent monarch who left the kingdom in a terrible state. Which meant that Sanemi couldn’t undo that council, at least, for now.
Honestly, he would like to congratulate the person who ended the wretch's life.
Of course, if that same person wasn't still a threat to him and his family.
Someone coughed beside him, pulling him back to the present.
Obanai Iguro. The only person on that council he trusted, his friend, personal advisor, and an omega like himself. He had documents in his hands, and, Sanemi noticed later, they were all that remained in the room.
“What's wrong, Iguro?” the young king asked, running a hand over his face. He was tired of the whole situation and it had barely begun.
Tired and irritated. Unfortunately, it didn’t seemed like it was going to get better anytime soon.
“These are the suggestions for suitors for you.” he replied, handing him the papers, pulling up the nearest chair and sitting down. Only when its owner was comfortable did the white snake appear out of Obanai’s the dark hair.
Sanemi received the documents and wanted to set everything on fire. Once again.
There were five dossiers and, as he had expected, all alphas. He dropped them on the table, a dry laugh escaping his lips. “Oh, how kind of them! Letting me choose the person I will spend the rest of my life with. Of course, though, among their options.”
He felt his friend's bony hand squeeze his shoulder. “It could be worse.”
He turned to him, meeting his heterochromatic eyes. “How?”
“I don't know.” Obanai shrugged, annoying Kaburamaru who hissed. “But it can always be worse.”
That made Sanemi really laugh. “That's why I keep you as my advisor.”
“Yeah, that’s why and not because I'm the only one who puts up with you. Let's just look at your options, they can't all be catastrophic.” he spread out the dossiers, picking one randomly. “Despite them being all alphas.”
Almost an hour later, they concluded that they weren't all catastrophic. However, it was a very close call. Between spoiled princes who only know how to spend money, alphas with illegitimate children, young ones with declared love for others, and one whose the mere name made Sanemi's essence sour, only one viable option remained.
“Giyuu Tomioka.” Obanai read, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
Sanemi took off his crown, leaving it on the table, and ran his fingers through his white hair. “He's the lesser of two evils. His family has prestige, he's not his parents' heir, he doesn't seem to have children or other proposals. His reputation is, well, nonexistent, but free of scandals. Besides, the Tomioka also control the main ports in the region and possess the most powerful navy among the kingdoms; the agreement could benefit us economically.”
His friend gathered the documents while Sanemi spoke. “Well, you seem to have made your decision. All that remains is to write that the engagement has been accepted” he stood up. “Sanemi Shinazugawa will marry Giyuu Tomioka.”
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Giyuu was informed of his marriage on an ordinary evening. The royal family was having dinner when his mother gave him the news, speaking with the same emotion as someone commenting that it might rain the next morning. She didn't even lift her gaze from her plate.
The indifferent mask that the young prince had become accustomed to wearing fell for a few seconds. His mouth was open, waiting for the words. “Marriage?”
“Yes.” his mother, Queen Haruka, continued. Her voice sober, her scent unchanged. “Everything is already organized and official. You are in time to get marry, after all.
Giyuu gritted his teeth. He had turned 21 just over a month ago, and the idea of marriage had never been discussed before. Never crossed his mind, either. Still, he swallowed his words.
His sister, however, didn’t.
“He's barely 21, by the gods!” Tsutako exclaimed as she stood up and slammed her hands on the table, her scent of cherry blossoms and anise turning bitter. “I'm almost 27 and my engagement has been going on for over a year! Not to mention that Giyuu never mentioned wanting to get married! Now you wanted to throw him into some random marriage? What do you gain from this? Are you not ashamed? Neither of you don't even bother to pretend to care!”
“Tsutako.” his mother spoke again, the suffocating scent of plum blossoms filling the room. “That is enough.”
“No!” the princess had started and didn't want to stop. “This isn't right! I–”
“Tsutako.” Giyuu's soft voice made her stop. “It’s not necessary.”
It won't help anyway. He thought. It never did. His parents, his mother, had always controlled his life. He had always lived in the background of the palace. Which only got worse after he was confirmed to be an alpha, then the prince became more of a burden than a son of the Tomioka house.
“Look at your brother, he knows his place.” his father spoke for the first time.
The princess sat down, though her fists remained clenched, nails digging into her palms, and she struggled to control her scent.
"As I was saying before all this commotion," the queen continued, "the marriage is already arranged, the agreement has been sealed, and it would be impossible to break it now. The groom is an omega king from a couple kingdoms away, a very good suitor. Giyuu will live there, obviously."
Tsutako was ready to intervene again, but Giyuu pleaded with his eyes for her not to. It would not help anyone.
"Choose your entourage, you leave in a week."
This time, the young omega couldn't stay quiet. "Only him? Isn't the groom's family going to attend the wedding?"
The queen waved her hand in a disdainful gesture. "Your father and I can't leave the kingdom, and you have your own wedding preparations that can't be neglected. Giyuu doesn't mind, does he? Moreover, the important thing is the omega's family, anyway.”
Before anyone else could speak again, Giyuu forced the words out.
"What's the groom's name?" it was the least they could offer him.
For the first time that night, and in a long time, his mother looked into his eyes. Two shades of blue reflected, a leadership challenge he would never attempt to win. Only when his gaze trembled did his mother smile and answer his question.
"Sanemi Shinazugawa."