Isfet reached for the dagger in the sheath strapped to his leg beneath his pant leg. Tossed it at the archer as the man landed on the ground below the rock. No way did he want him to get near Prince Ma'at, or the kid under their care.

The assassin grunted and nearly fell, grabbed his shoulder where the dagger had embedded itself.

He jumped down and aimed a kick at the man's back. Landing on him he sent him to the ground, face planting in the dirt.

Pulling his dagger from the flesh, blood oozed. He grabbed the man by his hair and pressed the blade to his throat.

"I ought to kill you," he growled. He stepped back and lifted him up, tossed his quiver and bow aside. Tugged on his arm and dragged him to where he'd seen the prince and Ri take shelter.

Prince Ma'at stood up, favoring one side and walked up to him. "Are you hurt, Isfet?" He looked him over, worry in his eye.

"I'm fine. Are you?" He tossed the bleeding intruder to the ground at their feet. Placed a foot upon the assassin's back.

"Just a flesh wound. The arrow grazed me."

"I'll check the arrows for any toxins. What do you want me to do with this sack of shit?" He pointed down at the ground.

"I'll dress his wound. I'm surprised you didn't kill him."

"Trust me, I wanted to, but I won't take someone's life unless I have to."

"Okay." He tore cloth from the assassins pant legs and tied it around the wound that Isfet himself had inflicted whilst he went to check on the arrows.

Picking them up, he glanced carefully at the tips. Saw nothing. Took out a small piece of cloth and rubbed over the entire arrowhead. Finding no residue he let out a sigh of relief.

"The arrows weren't poisoned. Thankfully. That doesn't mean any of the other assassins won't have thought of it."

Ri piped up, "So, what are we going to do with him?"

Ma'at blinked. "I have no idea. We don't have a prison to put him in."

"But we do, my prince. Less than a day's ride ahead past this point. To the land of my birth."

"The land of... you weren't born in the Kingdom?"

"Not the one you were born into, Ma'at."

"Oh..."

Ri while the two talked grabbed a length of rope he found in one of the steeds sacks and began tying their prisoner up. Hands tight behind his back. Legs wrapped up in the rope. Tossed the body over his mount. "We don't have enough steeds."

Isfet glanced at the angry assassin as they began to come too after their loss of blood.

"You take Ma'at's steed, Ri."

"And what am I supposed to ride?"

"My lap." He hopped on his mount and took lifted him up facing him. Moved Ma'at's arms so that they were wrapped around him and his face pressed against his shoulder.

Ma'at gulped. "This... is embarrassing." He shivered at the telltale sign of the Alpha's arousal underneath him. Clamping his mouth shut he didn't want to alert Ri or the archer who'd attempted to assassinate him.

With a slight squeeze of heels against the steeds, they were off. Their mounts ran and ran ahead. Quick as a shot.

As the night continued onward, lights lit the horizon ahead, but Ma'at could not see it as he fell asleep against Isfet's shoulder.

Ri and his steed came up to the side of Isfet and asked, "What is that place?"

"The Palace of King Druj and his Queen, Asha. Known as the Kingdom of Alaome."

"Wow. It looks huge!"

"It is." He guided his steed toward its tall, tall walls as they galloped down the hill.

Alpha guards growled from atop the walls and pointed their spears downward.

"Who are you and what business have you to show yourself here?"

Careful as so not to awaken him, he held Prince Ma'at and got down off his mount.

"I am Isfet Khaba Joktar. The first son of King Druj and Queen Asha."

"Isfet Khaba Joktar is dead." One of them growled.

"Impostor," growled another and tossed his spear which nearly hit him, but instead landed in the ground.

"I only speak the truth. I left fifteen years ago and was captured by slavers of the Kingdom beyond the Forbidden Desert. And like you, I am an Alpha. You give sanctuary to Alpha's and Omega's do you not?"

"We do, but we smell Beta."

He glanced over his shoulder. "One of the Beta's is still a child. In need of protection. The one on the horse all tied up is a prisoner. They attempted to assassinate Bat here," he brushed his fingers through Ma'at's hair as he began to open his eyes.

"Master Joktar, where are we?" He blinked and turned to stare up at the threatening alphas with their spears.

"What did that Beta call you?"

"He called me by the title of Master. Why?"

"Beta's are not known to call Alpha's in such a manner."

"It's rare, certainly, but I think you're mistaken. Aren't they Bat?"

"Yes, Master."

Ri cleared his throat. "Sorry to be a bother, but could we maybe get this prisoner in a cell or something?"

One of the older guards frowned. "Very well. But we do not believe you to be who you say you are, and so we shall not call you by name. Not until the King and Queen have judged."

Isfet bowed his head. "Very well."

The gate was lowered. Isfet walked in with Ma'at at his side, his mount behind him. Ri's mount with the prisoner behind them and Ri at the end to make sure their guest didn't escape.

A quartet of guards picked up the assassin off of Ri's mount and took him away. Their three steeds were taken to the stables while the three of them, Isfet, Ma'at, and Ri were led further inside to the palace. From there to the throne room.

A woman stood and gazed down, "Who doth approach?"

"Your majesty, there is an Alpha who claims to be your son, Isfet Khaba Joktar."

The King blinked but did not stand. "Asha, why must they continue to hurt us?"

She turned to kneel before him. "It's fine, my love. I'll deal with this." She stood back up and turned around with a growl. "Who dares lay claim to being my heir?"

Isfet glanced at Ma'at and Ri. "Stay here."

They nodded and he turned to walk up to the end of the steps leading up to the throne.

He bent down on one knee to kneel before them.

"It is I who lay claim to the title of your son."

She blinked down at him. Glanced at Druj then back at him. "Look at me."

He lifted his head.

She gasped. "Those eyes. Only Druj has eyes so brilliant green. But I must know. Do you carry the mark?"

He turned his head and lifted the hair on the back of his neck. There the mark of Queen Asha's direct lineage showed. While small, it was there.

"It is you. But why have you brought Beta's here when they were the ones who took you from us. They made us think you dead."

Standing up he took her hand. "I was imprisoned and could not get free. Not until Bat helped me." He turned to wave at him. "And we helped the boy whose parents abandoned him because he was born a Beta."

Druj stared at them, bottom lip a tremble. "Isfet, my son." He stood up and hugged him. "I've missed you."

"And I, you Father." He sighed.

The Queen smiled. "He did. Alas, he suffered two miscarriages after you left us. But you have got a sister. She is a beta and only ten years as of last month."

"Where is she?" He winced as he recalled his actions towards Beta's and now he learned his sister was one. Someone he'd never gotten the chance to know because other Beta's had taken him from all he had ever known.

"With her tutor at the local school. When she is finished you may meet her at the dining hall. Now, do tell us about your... friends."

Isfet turned and curled his finger toward himself.

Ma'at blinked and walked to him.

He placed his arm around Ma'at's waist and held him flush against his side.

"Mother, Father, this is the man I love, my dear Bat."


Ma'at's eyes flew wide and he glanced into the green, green eyes of Isfet Khaba Joktar. "Master Joktar?"

He grinned at him. "I mean it."

"So soon?"

"You took an arrow for me, Ma'at. Gave yourself so freely to me," at that Ma'at's face reddened, "and continued to show me your concern. Not to mention your kindness toward others and your bravery. There are so few Beta's so brave. Even some Alpha's are not so brave. Fewer still are those brave, brave Omega's."

Ma'at sighed and pressed his forehead against Isfet's shoulder before lifting his head back up to stare into those fathomless eyes. "I love you too, Isfet Khaba Joktar, my Master."

Behind him, Queen Asha cleared her throat.

They looked up at her.

"I'm afraid you've already been promised to someone else Isfet."

"Who? And how when you've thought me dead all this long time?"

Druj was the one to answer. "The Prince you are betrothed to has never wed. We cannot allow you to marry a commoner. Especially a Beta male as you will get no heirs from him."

Isfet frowned. "I care not if I have no heirs. This is the person I love," he took hold of Ma'at's hand.

Ma'at worried his lower lip between his teeth. "Master Joktar..."

"Yes, my Bat?"

"I need to tell you something. I have not been entirely truthful to you."

He frowned, and growled out, "What do you mean?"

In his arms, Ma'at shook but his gaze did not falter.

"I'm... not a Beta."

The Queen and King gasped. "An Alpha?"

He shook his head. "No...," he gulped. This was too much to announce to so many present. But he wanted Isfet, his Mater Joktar to know the truth. Now that he'd spoken of love. He hoped it was true and not something said at the moment. "I'm an Omega."

"How?" Isfet shook his head. "Both of your parents were Beta's."

"It's rare, but Beta's can produce Alpha's and Omega's, just as they can produce Beta's. My parents told me this."

"You smell like a Beta."

"The herbs you saw me take..." he trailed off.

Isfet growled against his ear and whispered, "We're going to have a talk, when we have time alone, my Bat."

King Druj placed a hand on Isfet's arm. "He may be an Omega, but he is not your betrothed. You're to wed a prince, not a commoner."

Ma'at turned his gaze to frown at the King and his Queen. "I am not a commoner. I am Prince Ma'at Yarğanat Batlar, the true rightful king of the Kingdom of Nyte."

Asha and Druj burst out laughing.

Ma'at blinked, glanced up at Isfet. "Why do they laugh?"

"I don't know."

Ri stepped up to the pair. "I think I know. Isfet is betrothed to a prince. No doubt of a nearby kingdom. The Kingdom of Nyte is the closest. Ma'at here is the only prince of that kingdom." He turned to look at Queen Asha and King Druj, "Is that not the case?"

Asha wiped a tear from her eye as her mirth calmed while her husband continued to laugh. "I cannot believe this, but it is true. Isfet and Ma'at have been betrothed since Ma'at's christening. We just never told our son the name of his future bond mate."

Druj, though he had stopped laughing, giggled now and then as he spoke. "Well, with that settled, we should celebrate. This calls for a wedding."

Ma'at and Isfet both stilled. "What!?"

Asha quirked a brow, "You do love each other, don't you?"

Isfet nodded.

Ma'at buried his burning face against Isfet's shoulder. "Yes."

"Then why wait. We can have the wedding by tomorrow when the sun is highest in the sky."

Isfet brushed his hand down Ma'at's back. "We may not have the time to wed. Not yet."

Ma'at lifted his head. "Not when my uncle has seized my kingdom and harmed so many Alpha's, Omega's, and killed any Beta that got in his way."

Asha took Druj's hand and stroked his knuckles. "Let us not speak of war this day. Instead let us have a celebration. Then the wedding. And the day after the wedding night we can begin preparations to help you take your rightful place as King of the Kingdom of Nyte."

Isfet whispered into his ear, "There has never been any use arguing with her."


Batman shook his head in his sleep. He couldn't believe what was going on and there was nothing he could do about it. At least the man that looked so much like The Joker hadn't hurt Prince Ma'at. He hadn't killed the assassin either. Strange was the only word that came to mind when he thought about that.

He just hoped he didn't have to lay witness to there wedding night if they were to have one.

Wished he could wake up already, so he didn't have to live through these scenes that were indicating more and more that Ma'at was a past self of his. Otherwise why in the world would he keep dreaming about him as if he were watching the proceedings of his life trapped in his conscious mind?


Joker shook his own head in his sleep. His dear Ma'at had been hurt, but they'd escaped that assassination attempt. But knew that they'd not always be so lucky. Especially not his dear Omega. If only he could hold him in his arms, the anger, resentment, and hatred of Beta's and all living things might abate – if only a little. He didn't know for certain.

That he might lay witness to a long ago wedding night with the prince twisted him up inside. Because he could see and hear him, but not touch or hold him. The closest thing he had was a picture of young Bruce Wayne that looked just like him, albeit with a different centuries clothing on, that he'd stuffed away in his own wallet. If only he were him and not some doppelganger, or a far distant descendant of his sister, as that was a possibility.