Laufey stood in the great hall next to the nobles wearing his best clothes, which still looked like rags compared to everyone around him. It was obvious he was a peasant farmer. Even in better clothes, his skinny frame could not be mistaken. He'd been waiting two months for this day, to have his five minutes before the King. He'd lied to the court scribe about wanting to discuss a land dispute with the King, a dangerous gamble.
"Who's next?" Odin muttered to his court clerk.
"A Mr. Laufey Sire. A peasant, some sort of land dispute."
"Very well."
"Mr. Laufey, come forward." The clerk announced. Laufey stepped forward, hat in hand with a begging expression.
"What is this land dispute you wish to discuss with your King?"
"My son is an omega." Laufey said.
"What?"
"I lied, majesty. There is no land dispute. My son Loki is an omega. He went into heat two months ago. I thought you should know."
"Why did you not take him to the temple immediately?" The king asked.
"Because my son is not cut out for the cloistered life of a priest nor is he in the mindset of being made to stud or birth the next generation of Asgard's soldiers."
"Even if it meant a life of comfort. Better food, a soft bed?"
"He said he doesn't want to become a revered whore Sire." Laufey said. Odin snorted at that.
"If what you say is true and he is the first omega born to Asgard in a thousand years; no one would think him a whore Mr. Laufey." Odin said.
"Loki would think himself a whore and it is his opinion that matters in this case. Loki is a smart boy but he has a habit of getting into trouble. His stay at the temple wouldn't last long, as he would no doubt end up here before you to face punishment for something. In any case, his talents would be wasted as a fertility priest, having sex all day. Were I a more successful man I would have paid for him to have a proper education. He taught himself how to read though neither I nor his mother knew how."
"That is impressive. So why then, do you come to me?"
"Loki could be so much more than a broodmare if given the opportunity. He's always been a solitary child with few friends, but the people he lets close to him, he loves very deeply. I would ask that he be trained to become a gentleman and learn a trade. Perhaps in time, if he is lucky in love he could marry someone in this room. I would see his life turn out better than mine." Laufey said. Odin scrutinized Laufey as he made his decision. Laufey would have him believe he was meek, but he was not. Loki got his smarts from somewhere and the man that stood before him was no shrinking violet, despite all appearances. Thor had just reached marriageable age and he'd be a fool to dismiss Laufey's hopes of his son marrying the prince. Odin was intrigued. A wiry half smile crossed his face.
"Very well Mr. Laufey, I will have the guard go and fetch your son and bring him forth to the palace for my assessment. If he is Omega as you say, I will grant him a scholarship and give him quarter here in my palace. I will have him educated in the ways of polite society. The trade he will be taught will depend on his strengths. Go now with my men and return here before the end of court."
"Yes my king."
"And one more thing Mr. Laufey. If you are caught lying to me again, the punishment will be severe." Odin said. Laufey bow deeply and scrambled out of the room with two palace guards tailing him. Odin had a messenger inform Lady Eir of the young man coming in for inspection. It wouldn't be the first time a beta had been passed off as an omega. Poor desperate peasants tried to do it all the time, mixing the hormones of an Elk in heat, deer urine (also in heat), and lavender to lessen the foulness of the odor. But the liars were always found out eventually. All purported omegas were required to pass an examination by Lady Eir, and thus far this century alone, of the 14 people that came forward, all of them failed the test.
A couple of hours later the guards returned with Laufey and his son. Word had spread of the possible omega and Thor and Frigga both had joined Odin on the dais in curiosity. The thing people noticed first was the smell. Laufey and his son lived in a little shack surrounded by wheat fields and a nearby forest. Laufey had been forced to keep Loki confined to the shack to keep his smell contained until this moment. Working the farm alone had been hard and with Farbauti dead this past winter Loki had tended to the female work while stuck indoors.
Far from the deer piss cocktail that counterfeiters used, Loki smelled of roses, lemons, and pure sex. The lithe man did not cower like his father had before the nobles. His eyes were up, assessing his surroundings. His eyes fell on Odin and he stuck his chin out and puffed himself up.
"Lady Eir, if you would do the honors." Odin said. The healer approached Loki and placed a blue orb into his hands.
"Hold your arms out like this. Good." Lady Eir chanted the incantation to activate the orb and test Loki's body. It glowed in his hands and sent a chill up his body as he felt the magic inspect his person. His skin shined like an ocean pearl and his black hair took on a healthy shine. His eyes were an impossible shade of green and around his feet flowers sprouted right out of the marble floor. Though many in the hall were surprised that Loki was not a fraud, Odin knew he was the real thing the moment he smelled him.
"Congratulations young man. You are the first Omega born to Asgard in a thousand years. May your womb and fecundity bless our people with many children." She said. She took the orb back and left.
Loki looked back up at the king and Odin noticed that the boy finally had a hint of vulnerability there in the eyes. He was just as desperate as his father, he just didn't want to show it.
"You must be suffering, being unmated and in the condition that you are. You look in need of food, rest, and a caring bed partner to care for your body's needs. I shall arrange quarters for you. Thor my son, would you escort him to the guest wing?"
"Yes father." Thor said, looking quite surprised. He blushed when he offered Loki his arm in escort. He felt in him his alpha desire to mate, something he only felt rarely around the occasional beta. Loki looked him up and down, giving him an untrusting cool assessment before taking his arm. Thor could understand why. Loki was a vulnerable target and judging by the leers among the courtiers, the prince wasn't the only one affected by Loki's cloying scent.
Odin paid Laufey 10 gold coins for giving over his son, now a national treasure, to the royal family for safe keeping. Laufey left the palace relieved. He'd given his son an opportunity to become a true power player in Asgard, and had even lifted up his own circumstances as well. It had been a good day for both father and son. Now it was up to Loki to take this opportunity and turn it into something more.
Odin and Frigga watched Laufey go.
"Husband, do you think it wise to have our son alone with that man?"
"Wise and fortuitous. Norns willing they are fucking right now."
"Odin! We know nothing about the boy."
"What has your loom told you?"
"Nothing that I can share. I will oversee his education, not a governess."
"Do you have time for that?"
"It's important."
"So be it. I wish you luck. If his father readily admits he is a handful, there is no telling what kind of mischief he'll get up to."
Elsewhere in the palace, Thor and Loki reached the guest wing and Thor stopped at the first available room and dropped off Loki.
"I will send the servants along shortly with food, bed linens, and some new clothes for you." Thor said.
"Why are you bothering with clothes? Am I not your new sex slave?" Loki said to get a rise out of Thor.
"What? No! I would never treat you thusly. Your womb is sacred."
"Sure it is. And I suppose my dick is sacred too. Want to worship it?" Loki asked. Thor frowned and wanted to punch the man for his rudeness.
"You are not a slave and I am not a mindless brute."
"Nor am I a holy relic and I am no one's broodmare." Loki said. Thor looked him up and down trying to figure Loki out.
"Then what are you?" Thor said. Loki glared at Thor. His fists balled into white knobs at his side. He wanted to punch Thor, it was obvious.
"I am a man not to be trifled with. I taught myself how to read and I will learn how to survive in this place."
"Alright. You might want to start with not offending the crowned prince. You won't survive here very long if you don't make friends." Thor said. The statement caught Loki off guard. He was so agitated from his heat. He's been suffering in agony for two months in isolation and now. Being surrounded by so many alphas like Thor, Loki wanted a dick inside him and he wanted it now. He'd errored, perhaps gravely.
"I'm tired." Loki said. It was as close to an apology as he was going to get.
"Yes well, food and refreshment are on the way. Good day." Thor said politely and left. Loki was pretty to look at, but that temper was hellfire hot.
