Arranged Love
„It's time, is it not? " Prince Logan asked his parents.
Logan was the youngest child of King Liam I. of England and his second wife, Joanna of York. He was 16 years old, an Omega and very well-educated. The young prince was an expert in medicine and science, he was able to play the violin and the piano and Logan was fluent in four languages. The brunette was considered to be a prodigy by his family and the people in court, so he knew why his parents asked to speak to him today: A marriage has been arranged for him.
"We have found a good match for you, my dear. " Queen Joanna said condescendingly.
"Who shall be my spouse? " Logan asked, cold dread spreading through his body.
"Carlos of Spain, the Prince of Asturias. " Logan's father answered.
For a few moments, the brunette prince stared shocked at his parents.
"You have managed to secure a marriage arrangement between the heir to the throne of Spain and me? How? "
"Because this marriage is of uttermost importance for our nations. " King Liam replied.
"It gives us the opportunity to end the gruesome war between England and Spain as well as strengthening our economic and diplomatic ties to the court of Madrid. "
"When? " the young Omega asked.
The King and the Queen looked uncomfortably and sadly at each other.
"You will depart in one month's time. "
Logan nodded numbly, before he stood up.
"Very well. I shall await further instructions about my marriage. "
The brunette turned around and walked out of the room as composed as he could, ignoring his parents' calls. Soon, he entered his chambers and locked the door. Then Logan threw himself on top of his bed. He had always known that he would have to enter a political marriage and until now he always believed that he would be able to handle it well. But now that Logan was actually confronted with a spouse, now that the prospect of an arranged marriage, a life without love and a life chained to some Alpha who only tolerated him because he needed heirs, was imminent, Logan did not know how to deal with this. Furthermore, Logan was not sure if he was ready to leave his family.
For many minutes, the young prince remained on his bed, trying not to cry. He only got up when someone knocked at the door of his chamber.
"Logan? It is me. " a deep voice said.
Slowly, Logan dragged himself out of bed, unlocking the door and letting James, his older half-brother, enter. James was two years older than Logan and the designated heir to the throne of England. His mother, Lady Brooke, from the French royal family, died shortly after James birth. When they were younger, Logan used to hate his older brother. James seemed to be better in everything: He was better looking than Logan, better at being charming and sociable as well as very athletic and a marvellous rider. James seemed to be the perfect golden Alpha heir and Logan despised him for that. That only changed when Logan was ten years old and James asked him to help him with his academic studies. Only then Logan started to see that he did not have any reason to hate his brother and quickly they grew very close. And throughout the next years, James was a great support for Logan, especially when the younger prince presented as an Omega.
When James closed the door behind him, he quickly embraced his brother, giving him a hug.
"I have been informed of what has been decided. How are you coping with it? "
The younger man did not reply for a while, drawing comfort from his brother's embrace. A few minutes later, when Logan hesitantly broke apart from his brother, he replied:
"I do not know. "
The two young men sat down on Logan's bed with James having an arm slung around his brother's shoulder.
"Logan…" James began, obviously not knowing what to say.
"You could refuse to enter the marriage. " he added slowly.
Since James would one-day rule one of the most powerful nations, he always had many suitors. And from his 14th birthday on, James was presented marriage proposals regularly. But no matter who wanted to marry him, James always refused. He refused so long until his father had to accept that James' proposal to Lady Lucy of Stone, the daughter of a wealthy, British duke.
"I cannot, James, and you know that. "
According to current laws, Omegas had no right to refuse a proposal once their parents already accepted it, while Alphas were always able to reject an offer.
"That is bullshit. " James said bluntly.
"James! " Logan exclaimed, feeling shocked at the vulgarity of his brother.
The Alpha huffed.
"You know that I am right Logan. You should have a say in who you are going to marry. "
"But I do not have a say. I have no choice but accept my fate. "
The two brothers stared at each other challengingly, the air in the room charged with tension, until James averted his eyes. Shamefully, he stared at the floor and mumbled:
"Apologies, Logan. I should act more sensibly. I… I shall miss you a lot. "
The younger brother's mood softened.
"Oh, brother… I will miss you too. However, there shall be many occasions to see the other. "
During the next month, Logan prepared for his departure to the Kingdom of Spain. Apart from deciding which of his belongings he would need in the foreign country, Logan also refreshed his knowledge about the Spanish language, Spanish history and Spanish nobility as well as the behavioural rules of the Spanish court. Yet, all of this could not prepare him for the emotional aspects of leaving his home and his family. So, when the day of his departure came, Logan felt as unprepared as on the day he learned about his arranged marriage.
"Your carriage is awaiting you, my lord. " Logan's page told him.
Logan nodded and followed the servant out of the Palace of Whitehall. Next to his carriage and the carriage carrying his belongings, Logan's parents and his brother were waiting for him. Taking leave of his father was a pensive, yet genuine moment, while dealing with his mother was an intense and tearful (on Joanna's part) occasion. Logan loved his parents, but he was very glad when he did not have to deal with them anymore. Admittedly, Logan was a bit mad at his parents that they were sending him away. So the brunette quickly turned to his brother, trying not to burst into tears. James could see that and smiled as much as he could. The two brothers embraced each other.
"Be careful, Logie. " James whispered, his hazel eyes brimming with tears.
"You too. " the younger one murmured back, crying silently.
James broke apart from his brother, holding him into his arms.
"Hey… Logie, it will be okay. I promise. We'll see each other soon. "
"Okay… I love you, Jamie. "
"Love you too, dearest brother. "
With a heavy heart, Logan separated from his brother and climbed into the carriage. He waved to his family as the carriage started to move. Logan continued to cry freely, until the carriage left London. Then he dried his tears, taking out a book about the Spanish Royal family, feeling determined not to put shame onto his family.
It was a long journey and very taxing, despite the comfort of the carriage. It took two days alone, until Logan and his entourage reached Southampton, where a ship brought him from the English coast to the French city of Le Havre. From there it took a little bit over five weeks to reach Madrid, where the Spanish king and his family were residing. The closer Logan got to Madrid, the more nervous he got. And after negotiating the Pyrenees, the brunette started to ride his own horse instead of sitting in the hot carriage.
It was already in the middle of the night, when the Royal party reached the Palacio Real, the official residence of the Spanish king in Madrid. Only a couple of grim looking servants were there to greet them. One of them told Logan in his bad English and with a hostile voice that they would wake the king so that Logan would receive a proper greeting. Logan shook his head and replied in flawless Spanish.
"There is no need to disturb his majesty's sleep. If you could make sure that our horses are taken care of, before leading my men and I to our quarters, it will be more than enough. "
After realizing that the foreign prince was speaking their language, the servants became a lot friendlier. Bowing to Logan, the servants did as he asked and only after Logan made sure that all of his men and his horses were taken care of, he allowed on of the servants to lead him to his temporary quarters. That is why Logan only got a minimum amount of sleep, before he was woken to be presented to the king and his fiancé.
Logan was led to the throne room, where the king and the queen were already waiting for him. When he stepped into the room, a herald called out his names and titles:
"His Royal Highness The Prince Logan William Henry Edward, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh. "
The brunette kneeled in front of the Spanish monarch, while the herald also called out the King's and Queen's titles:
"His majesty, Juan IV., King of Spain, King of Castile, of León, of Aragon, of the Two Sicilies, of Jerusalem, of Navarre, of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of Majorca, of Seville, of Sardinia, of Córdoba, of Corsica, of Murcia, of Menorca, of Jaén, of the Algarves, of Algeciras, of Gibraltar, of the Canary Islands, of the East Indies and West Indies and of the Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, of Brabant, of Milan, of Athens, of Neopatras and of Limburg, Count of Habsburg, of Flanders, of Tyrol, of Roussillon and of Barcelona, Lord of Biscay and of Molina.
Her Majesty, Sylvia The Queen of Spain, Queen of Castile, Queen of León, Queen of Aragon, Queen of Navarre, Queen of Granada, Queen of Toledo, Queen of Valencia, Queen of Galicia, Queen of Majorca, Queen of Seville, Queen of Córdoba, Queen of Murcia, Queen of Menorca, Queen of Jaén, Queen of Algeciras, Queen of Gibraltar, Queen of the Canary Islands, Countess of Barcelona, Lady of Biscay, Lady of Molina. "
After all titles were called out, the King said:
"Rise, Prince Logan! "
Logan and the Spanish royals exchanged still pleasantries and were only interrupted when a young man in Logan's age burst into the room, making the herald call out:
"His Royal Highness, Carlos Ferdinando Felipe Alfonso, Prince of Asturias, Prince of Girona and Prince of Viana, Duke of Montblanc, Count of Cervera and Lord of Balaguer. "
More alert now, Logan took a first look on his fiancé: Carlos was about Logan's size, barely an inch taller than Logan. He had tanned and shining skin, while his face was shining with childish glee. And despite the high quality of his clothes, Carlos looked horribly displaced in the richly embroidered white linen shirt, deep red doublet and a matching cloak as well as the stiff Spanish breeches he wore. The brunette Omega could not help but feeling shocked that his childish and immature looking guy would one-day rule over the vast Spanish Empire. However, Logan could not deny that Carlos was pleasant to look at.
At first, it looked like Carlos was about to run over to Logan and shake his hand, or even worse hug him. But the Queen discreetly cleared her throat, reminding Carlos to behave properly. That is why the young Alpha proceeded to walk over to Logan calmly. The Latino kissed Logan's hand, smiling slightly, as he said:
"Prince Logan, it is a pleasure to meet you. "
Logan bowed to the other prince, replying:
"The pleasure is all mine, your Highness. "
"I hope you had a pleasant journey? "
"It was lovely, your majesty. "
Soon, Logan and his three Spanish hosts left the throne room and they walked into a small private dining room. The British brunette was astonished by the way his hosts changed: Carlos dashed away wordlessly as soon as they were out of the throne room, while his parents relaxed visibly, becoming far more approachable. Carlos' father smiled genuinely at Logan, shaking his hand heartily and Sylvia gave Logan a warm hug.
"I apologize for Carlos. The boy cannot sit still for anything. Not even for breakfast. "
The King, his Queen and Logan had a nice, nutritional breakfast and quickly Logan relaxed as well, feeling comfortable in the warm and friendly company of the Spanish monarch and his wife. After they finished eating, Carlos' dad explained to Logan:
"You seem very tense, my boy. But you do not have to. I know that you are supposed to marry my son, but we do not wish to force either of you into an unwanted marriage. So if you find that you and Carlos are utterly incompatible, you are free to break off the engagement and there will be no bad blood between us. However, I am asking of you to give my son a chance. I admit he is not always easy to handle, but he is a wonderful boy. "
Logan, who did not expect that speech, just nodded and stuttered:
"T-Thank you. I-I… I w-will. "
Both adults beamed relieved at him.
"That is wonderful to hear. It gets very hot here during the mid-hours of the day. I suggest you spend the day in your chambers, where it will be cool. But later that day, when it gets cooler before dinner, maybe you would like to spend some time with Carlos? He could show you around. " Sylvia suggested.
"I'd be delighted to. " Logan replied.
True to his word, Logan waited in his chambers, a few hours later. Earlier, he had to learn that it became indeed very hot during the day, almost unbearably so. Logan spent the day lounging in his chambers, reading and composing letters to send home.
When there was a knock at the door, Logan opened, only to receive an enthusiastic hug from Carlos.
"I'm Carlos. I am so happy to meet you. I hope we'll become great friends and… Are you not feeling well? "
Carlos noticed that Logan looked very uncomfortable, so he felt concerned.
"I… I am fine. Albeit I-I am not a person to hug a lot. "
The Latino's eyes widened.
"Oh dear Lord… My apologies. It was not my intention to cross any boundaries. "
Logan quickly accepted the apology, so they started their tour through the castle. After Carlos showed Logan the most important rooms and hallways in the castle, before guiding Logan through the extensive gardens. At first Logan felt quite tense and stiff, but Carlos had a cheerful and inviting personality, so Logan quickly warmed up to his fiancé, who eventually asked:
"Would you like to meet my siblings? "
"How many siblings do you have? " Logan inquired.
"I have 6 siblings: An older sister and 5 younger siblings. "
Logan looked shocked. Coming from a small family, the huge number of children seemed surreal to Logan.
"Are they all here? "
Carlos shook his head.
"No. Maria, my elder sister, married the King of Portugal two years ago, so she is in Lisbon. But all my younger siblings are here. "
"Well… Uh, I would love to meet them. "
As it turned out, they were all gathered outside, playing in a secluded part of the garden around a magnificent fountain. Soon, the younger princes and princesses noticed Logan and ran over to him, feeling curious. Logan felt slightly overwhelmed by the onslaught of hyperactive children, but Carlos managed to calm them down enough so that he could introduce every one. Pointing at each of his siblings from the eldest to the youngest, Carlos explained to his fiancé:
"This is Alfonso, he is 13, an Omega and promised to the eldest son of the French king.
Then there are the twins, Isabella and Joanna, 11 years old and Betas. Don't let their adorableness fool you. They are real troublemakers.
Next is Sophia, 9. She loves the colour pink and butterflies.
This is Felipe. He is 8 and is obsessed with horses and horse-riding.
And this little tyke is Felipe. He is 5. He adores playing soldier. "
Logan bent down a bit, so he was able to look into the children's eyes.
"It is lovely to meet you all. "
After a short moment of hesitation, Carlos' siblings smiled brightly at Logan and soon started to fire a million questions at him, while Logan did his best to answer them all. It didn't take long, until the children were able to rope Logan into playing with them.
A few hours later, Carlos brought Logan back to his chambers. When they were standing in front of the heavy wooden door, the Latino turned to the brunette, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"Logan… We do not know each ot her yet. And I am fairly certain that you were not too happy about coming here. "
The other prince blushed and looked ashamed at his feet.
"I do not blame you for that. I cannot blame you for missing your family. But… What I wanted to say is… I do not want us to be strangers. I would very much like it if we can get to know each other better and become friends if not more. "
For a moment, the brunette stared at Carlos, before he nodded and gave the Latino a small smile.
"I would like that as well. "
Over the next few weeks, Logan and Carlos spend more and more time with each other. They went from having breakfast together and going on a walk in the evenings to spending whole days in each other's company. Soon, they both discovered that, while they could be the exact opposites of each other, they also had a lot in common and soon they became best friends. Neither of them had a best friend before, so it was a new and exciting thing for both of them. Having a new best friend was also very soothing for Logan's homesickness, which he never seemed to be able to cure, no matter how many letters he exchanged with his family.
Two and a half months after Logan arrived, he wrote a letter to James:
Dear James,
I hope you are well just as mother and father. Please give them my regards.
Everything is splendid here, even though it is still very hot. Yesterday, I have attended a ball with most of Spanish nobility. You know how much I dread these events, but it is even worse when it is stifling hot.
However, I have good news to tell you: As I have already told you, Prince Carlos and I became quickly very good friends. This is why we have decided to go through with our parents' marriage arrangement. After all, it is not too bad to be wedded to your best friend, even if there is no romantic love between us yet. Maybe it will come one day. Carlos is a wonderful person. I know you will like him. (And just between us he is rather comely too)
Carlos and I will inform his parents of our decision tonight at dinner, so I expect that father will soon receive a letter with the details of the wedding ceremony. I hope that you will be able to attend.
Sincerely yours,
Logan, Duke of York
Later that day, Carlos and Logan had a private dinner with Carlos' parents. After the second course, Carlos took Logan's hand and said to his parents:
"Mamí, Papí, Logan and I have good news: We have decided to get married after all. "
After a short moment of silence, when they had to process the new information, Carlos' parents looked exceptionally pleased. Sylvia immediately stood up to hug the two young men, while her husband clapped them on the shoulders.
"Congratulations. "
The next morning a part of Logan regretted their decision. Because then the madness began: Logan was woken very early and after a short and unsatisfying breakfast, he and Carlos were herded off to a tailor where they decided on their wedding outfits. This took multiple hours, but that was only the beginning. Then Carlos and Logan had to decide on a location and a date: They chose the palace gardens and a date in three months' time. That would give Logan's parents and the other guests enough time to arrive and by then it would also be autumn, which meant cooler weather.
During the next few days, Logan and Carlos were cooped up in a small room, writing wedding invitations. It was rather unusual for high-ranking nobles like the two men to write invitations for their wedding on their own, but Sylvia insisted. Thankfully, they were doing this together, so it was not as dreadful as it could have been. One evening something strange happened to Logan:
The small room was filled with the golden glow of candlelight and Carlos just made a joke, which caused Logan to laugh. When the brunette looked at Carlos again, the smile on his lips died. The Latino prince looked divinely with his tanned skin positively glowing from the candlelight. He smiled playfully and his eyes were shining with mirth. The brunette could also see a small smudge of ink on Carlos' right cheekbone. The combination of Carlos looking both adorable and sexy as well as his cheerfulness and good humour made Logan feel funny. He got this strange fluttery and warm feeling in his stomach he never had before.
'Maybe I am coming down with something. ' Logan thought frowning, but quickly forgot that feeling.
Until two weeks later:
Logan was woken up early (once again), since he and Carlos had to decide on the wedding's menu, which meant that they had to try every dish possible and choose between all of them. And by the time they reached the cake selection, they were feeding each other. When Logan wrapped around his lips around a small spoon of a cake, covered in some exotic plant called chocolate, and stared into Carlos' deep brown eyes, that funny feeling returned. But this time Logan identified it as something else: Deep affection and infatuation for the Latino.
The brunette swallowed the cake, before he asked calmly:
"Carlos, do you think you shall ever love me? "
The Hispanic male looked surprised at the random question and putting his spoon down, he replied:
"Where is this coming from? "
Logan blushed and squirmed uncomfortably on his chair.
"I might have realized that my feelings for you have shifted from a platonic affection to a romantic infatuation. "
Carlos gently took Logan's hand, which made the Omega look up, and spoke the words that nearly made Logan's heart burst with joy:
"I think I am already starting to love you. "
Some trivia about this story: I have tried to make this story as historically correct as possible. A few examples: This story is set in the 1660s. During this time the official residence for the English monarch was the Palace of Whitehall and the official residence of the Spanish Monarch was the Palacio Real in Madrid, as portrayed in this story. Concerning the titles and honours of the depicted characters, I have used the titles of Royals from the 21st century: Logan's titles are the titles currently held by Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth. The titles of Carlos's parents are the titles currently held by the Spanish King Felipe VI. and his wife Letizia, while Carlos' titles are the ones held by the crown princess Leonora of Spain. Logan's second names are based upon famous English kings and Carlos' names are based on famous Spanish kings. However, there has never been a king Liam in England or a King Juan IV. in Spain, which is why I used the names.
If you have further questions about the story feel free to ask me.
I know that this story has an open ending and I realize that some might not like this. I can however imagine to return to this universe at some point in the future.
I hope you liked it. Please leave a review.