The Iron King…
/Warning/: This chapter contains, cursing, a little bit of violence, fluff, and Steve and Tony get a little bit closer, and finally we are getting somewhere! All reviews are appreciated.
P.S: This is an Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamic story, it's also a Medieval story with Viking Tony ^o^
"Character talking"
"Character thinking"
…Flashbacks…
Chapter 17
Steven doesn't know how long he was walking through the forest, he doesn't know how he even reached the forest in the first place; all Steven know is the foolish king walking in front of him, holding his left hand gently in his as he guided Steven deeper into the forest… every time Steven wanted to pull his hand away from the warm and gentle gripe, he stopped himself when he remembered that this was the first time he saw the foolish Alpha since the Winter Games. Ever since the game ended and the day the Alpha held him tightly in a protective embrace, Steven never saw the foolish king, as the man took it as his job to avoid him like Steven was Hela in the flesh, coming to drag him down to Hel to rot. That was mainly the reason why Steven didn't pull his hand away from the king and snap at how bold he was acting after weeks of disappearing on him after telling the Omega he was interested in him.
What a fun way for the Alpha to show their interest in an Omega? Disappearing when things get a little bit out of hand… but Steven knew that he can't blame the Alpha in front of him, not when he had made it as clear as the sky that he hated him and would use every opportunity to torture him; Steven can say that this was on him, his fault… but it didn't mean that the Alpha had to disappear for thirty days straight, always running away when he sees Steven heading his way and waving for him to stop; always stating that he had very important business by helping the villagers and refusing to give Steven more than a fleeting glance and an apology, making the Omega so furious and confused about why he was feeling such a thing when weeks ago he would have liked for the Alpha to disappear away from his sight and life completely.
"Where are we going?" Steven asked, tightening his grip on the Alpha's hand, hoping that the man would stop for a second and tell him where they were heading before Steven hit him and return to his hut with his sleeping son and pack; the answer that Steven got wasn't that much satisfying but it made him shut his mouth and continued to follow the Alpha when the man turned to give Steven a soft but nervous smile and a gentle caress to his hand with his thump.
Steven couldn't help but wonder where in the name of Hel was the foolish king going to take him, wondering what was so important that the man had to drag him to the forest without any explanation; as much as Steven wanted to huff and buff and demand his answers, he knew that the foolish king couldn't give him what he desired at the moment, not when the man was rushing their walk to the distant place he had in mind, their path was illuminated by the moonlight as they continued their way.
"Foolish Alpha… where are you taking me?" Steven couldn't help repeating the question, this time without a bite in his voice but a full-blown curiosity that made him follow the Alpha. "I hope that you realize that if you are taking me somewhere to attempt anything unsavory it meant your death is within reach…" Steven continued, saying these words and not meaning them as much as just to fill the silence that descending upon them, causing the Omega to shift as the feeling of forbiddance took over the Omega, a frown crossing over his face when the Alpha in question didn't even grace him with a glance when Steven practically accuse him of something terrible. "Foolish king?" Steven called out; feeling uneasy when he felt like something was staring at his back, prompting him to turn around in unease, only to find nothing but the trees and the forest greeting him, causing him to press his lips tightly into a thin line as when the uneasy feeling did nothing but increase over time. "Foolish king…" Steven called out once more, gazing at the Alpha who was nearly dragging Steven to his destination, seemingly not even realizing that the Omega had spoken to him several times already.
Frowning harshly, Steven tried to shake his hand free from the Alpha's grip, only to feel it tighten around his hand even more as the foolish Alpha continued to walk faster and faster to the destination in mind. Getting fed up with the Alpha's action, Steven decided to stop the man, but was unwilling to hurt him to do it; with that in mind, Steven fastened his walk until he was in front of the man planning on stopping the stupid Alpha before Steven's patient ran out and he made the Alpha eat dirt.
Instead of scolding the Alpha, Steven stood frozen as he took the sight of the king in front of him; his eyes wide and mouth nearly dropped as he found the Alpha shaking and crying, tears running silently down his face and his mouth pressed tightly to surpass his sobs, shoulders shaking ever so slightly, but what concerned Steven, was how the Alpha continued to walk, not even seeming to be aware that Steven stood in front of him trying to stop him not a few seconds ago. "Foolish king…" Steven whispered, heart, beating fast as he once more rushed to stand in front of the Alpha, trying to stop the man and get him to talk to him, notice him, instead of just crying and walking as if he wasn't holding Steven's hand tightly in his and dragging him to Frigga knows where. "What is the matter? Tell me…" Steven whispered after they finally stopped into a small clearing, his free hand unconsciously going to the man's face and wiping his tears hoping the Alpha would snap out of it and would tell him what was wrong; in the back of his mind, Steven wondered what insanity the two of them were thrown into, that a strong, overconfident and arrogant man showed such vulnerable emotions. Instead of answering, the Alpha just let out a shuddered breath and hid his face in Steven's shoulder, causing the Omega to hum when the Alpha mumbled something into his neck.
"You have changed…" A childish voice stated out from behind Steven, causing the Omega to tense and whirl around to see the speaker, heart pounding in his chest at how someone managed to sneak behind him; his hands twitching as if they were ready to strike and protect the foolish Alpha who was standing behind him, too vulnerable to be of use.
The sight that greeted Steven made him still in his place, and his breath halted in his chest when his eyes finally found that of the person who talked to him; his heart then pounded so loudly that Steven wondered how the two people in the clearing didn't hear it, and he had to swallow and try to gather himself enough to reply to the child standing in front of him. "And you are dead…" Steven stated, his eyes not leaving the face of his once best friend and fiancé, taking in how time didn't touch or dare to change the child in front of him at all… it had been a long time since Steven had dreamed about this person, so long; the last time Steven dreamed about his Anton was the night the Iron King decided to invade the Hydra kingdom and slaughter everyone.
"And you have changed," Anton repeated his words, a harsh frown taking over his face as he gazed at Steven and no doubt the foolish king behind him, making the Omega shiftier without knowing why, but the look on Anton's face, even a child, made the hair on his body stand on its ends. "Once upon a time… you said you would never forgive the person who took someone precious from your arms, but now… now you are holding the same person in your arms…" Anton hummed; tilting his head to the side before his eyes stilled on Steven's hand that was holding the foolish king's so tightly that the Alpha no doubt felt his hand cracked. "You changed," Anton repeated, causing Steven to bite his tongue until he nearly tasted blood.
"People change… truth comes to light… actions speak louder than words and old grudges… you more than anyone know that…" Steven nearly whispered, his words getting a harsh frown in reply from the pre-teen who huffed and started rocking on his heels, his eyes not leaving Steven before a cold smile took over his face, causing a gasp to be trapped in Steven's chest.
"Is this what you tell yourself to sleep better at night?" Anton giggled, walking toward Steven slowly, every step, caused an irrational fear to grip Steven; maybe it was because Steven knew that the person standing in front of him wasn't the real Anton, maybe because he felt fear and discomfort instead of the bursting love and comfort he always remembered feeling for his best friend, but something was whispering inside of him that Anton was not to be trusted. "Is that what you convinced yourself of so that you will not be labeled as an oath-breaker?" The child tilted his head, grinning happily as he looked between Steven and the Alpha behind him. "Is that what you told yourself when you started thinking about the Iron King's proposal more seriously?" At that Steven inhaled harshly, gazing at Anton who stood in front of him with a dark look in his eyes that was filled with anger and rage. "Is that what you told yourself so you can move on and forget about me?" Steven gazed down at the child in front of him, wondering what he is to do, now that Anton was glaring daggers at both him and the Alpha who stood behind him, still not letting out any sound since Anton appeared.
"You are dead…" Steven repeated his first line when talking to Anton, raising his head and like the Valkyrie he was, not showing any emotion when Anton scowled harshly like a ten-year-old throwing a tantrum. "…and we both know that if an oath is broken by outside circumstances that cannot be controlled, then the person undergoing the oath is not an oath-breaker," Steven stated with an air of confidence and arrogance, ignoring the growl the Anton look-alike let out when Steven stated the obvious, his glare made Steven felt danger, and he hand to grip the king's hand tightly to reassure himself he was there with Steven.
Anton pouted harshly, crossing his arms like any eleven years old would do and he huffed loudly, showing he displease at the situation; causing Steven to press his lips into a tight line, because not once in his long time with Anton did the boy act like an ungrateful brat. Suddenly a dark smile crossed over the boy's face, causing Steven's hackle to rise and irrational terror to size him; Steven couldn't help but back away from the boy, wondering what evil was hiding under the person he loved and sower to marry. "Well… does that not mean his fate would be the same? After all, we share the same name, do we not?" Anton asked innocently, his eyes were wide as he gazed at Steven with a smile, causing terror to grip Steven's heart as he turned fast to the Alpha behind him fearing what he would find.
Only to find nothing…
The king wasn't there to greet him, even his hand that held the Alpha's was clenching on nothing, causing Steven's heart to pound as he whirl around the place, trying to find where the king had disappeared to. "What did you do?!" Steven snapped when didn't find the Alpha anywhere he set his eyes on, as if the Alpha had completely disappeared from the clearing, and wasn't here a few seconds ago holding Steven's hand in his.
Anton tilted his head at Steven's outburst, pouting in confusion no doubt at why Steven was angry at him. "But was that not what you wanted to happen to him when you came here?" Anton asked, turning to gaze behind Steven and causing the Omega to turn, hoping that he would find the Alpha still standing behind him. "Did you not wish for him and his village to burn in the fire of their own making and suffer in Hel?" Anton cooed, ignoring how Steven's heart drop and his hands start shaking when he saw smoke and fire come from the direction of Mantta; it was only a few seconds later that Steven started hearing the screams and cries as people tried to run for their lives and survive but were unable to. "Did you not wish him death daily for taking away your children from you and abandoning you in the clutches of the Hydra King?" Anton came, taking hold of Steven's hand, smiling at the Omega happily as he tried to pull him away from the burning village, and frowning harshly when Steven pulled his hand away from him. "You… you have changed…" Anton hummed, tilting his head and shrugging his shoulders as if he was careless about what was happening around him and Steven changing. "It does not matter, though, one way or another… you will kill him." With one last grin and a wave, Anton started skipping to the forest, laughing and giggling and ignoring the screams of fear and the cries of pain as people were dying behind… ignoring how Steven ran to the village to find his pack and family and help them…
It is no use, you killed them…
No, no, no, no, no, no!
They are dead…
Shut your mouth!
YOU KILLED HIM!
NO! No, no, no, no, no! Shut your mouth!
Whatever cursed words Steven wanted to spit at Anton's voice that continued repeating inside his head, it was halted in his throat, his eyes not believing what was in front of him, and his knees grow weak until they stopped supporting Steven and he slide down to the ground, his eyes not leaving the figure in front of him…
You killed him…
.
…
.
"No!" Gasped Steven as he nearly jumped off his bed, his heart was pounding so harshly and loud he wondered how it was still in his chest and didn't break his bones to jump out of him. Looking around the place wildly, Steven relaxed a little when he noticed that he was in the hut his pack lived in; the tension further left his body when he saw James sleeping beside him, mumbling something in his sleep before snuggling into his pillow, unaware of Steven who was taking deep and measured breaths beside him. "Just a dream…" Steven mumbled to himself, his hands coming toward his face, and rubbed his forehead, letting out a sigh as he run his hands down his face, before gazing around the room once more… "A dream… nothing more…" Steven reassured himself, taking a deep shuddered breath to calm further down, which wasn't working that great.
A flash of a dead body burned in Steven's mind, causing him to flinch harshly and for his breath to be held inside of his lungs as he pressed his hands tightly to his face; the mantra 'It is just a dream!' was repeated over and over again in desperation, and doing nothing but increased Steven's frustration when it seemed like it wasn't going to work. Steven growled to himself, pulling his hair a little before letting out a hiss and start gathering his hair into a messy braid before standing up from his bed; letting out a tired sigh, Steven covered James with the rest of the furs before kissing his forehead, wishing him happy dreams before he went on his mission.
His mission was simple, easy even; just go to the foolish king's home to make sure that the man is alive and not dead in his sleep. Easy! Steven had to walk in the dead of the night to the Alpha's house using the forest because no way in Hel was Steven going to be caught walking the village roads at this hour unless he wanted some nasty rumors circling around him; the night was so dark, that no animal who dominated the day was awake, just the creatures that brawl the forest at night are up at this time.
With that in mind, Steven got ready and took his Shield with him, strapping it on his back as he started walking toward the foolish king's house, it was only when he was midway that he realized that he had forgotten the fur coat, causing him to grumble but continue on, not turning around since the weather, while cold, was still not as freezing as Asgard's winters where, and how not even furs and huddling together for warmth can erase the cold that makes its home deep in the bones, freezing the blood in the veins and causing many who exposed to it for a long time to lose some of their body parts, no matter being a native or a traveler.
Reaching the king's home, Steven let out a sigh of relief; assuring himself that as soon as he saw the foolish man alive and being a nuisance as always, he would return to his home, and sleep the nightmare away. Swallowing, Steven walked toward the house, not knowing what he was going to say to the foolish man, but at the same time not willing to return to his home without the assurance that the stupid Alpha is alive and not a corpse thrown somewhere in the village roads.
With that in mind, Steven walked to the house, once again, managing to slip inside without making a sound, and without making the noisy bells that are used to warn people about someone breaking into the house ring. Humming, Steven walked toward the king's room, only to stop when he reached the cooking area after he noticed the man he seeks sitting near the hearth, staring at the fire with a mug of herbal tea no doubt.
"So… here where you have been hiding all this time…" Steven hummed in a sarcastic tone, hoping that if he act as his usual self the Alpha would not notice how shaken Steven was; the sound of his voice though, summon a near squeak from the Alpha and spilled half of his herbal tea, causing the Omega to snort and hide a laugh as he went to the pantry to collect another mug and few herbs to make his drink.
"How in the name of Hel do you manage to slip inside every time without sounding the bells?!" The Alpha near snapped, his feathers no doubt ruffled as he glared at Steven, though any warning or harshness didn't exist, as a huge pout was presented on the man's face, informing the Omega that the Alpha was annoyed and surprised, but angry as he wanted Steven to believe.
"I do not know… maybe it is because your alarm system is lousy, or maybe it is no match to a Valkyrie, who knows?" Steven stated, making his drink before sitting in front of the Alpha, ignoring how the man was grumbling and huffing as he took him in; his body and mind relaxing as he confirmed that the foolish man was alive and well.
"Where is your coat?" The Alpha suddenly asked, making Steven blink, as if he finally realized that he was staring at the Alpha too much that he had forsaken his drink. "Please tell me that you have not walked all the way from your pack hut to my house without your coat?" The Alpha questioned, concern showing clearly on his face as Steven saw the man stopping himself from jumping from his seat to come to Steven's side and inspect if he was cold or hurt… an action that as sweet as it was, made Steven feel uncomfortable.
"Fine, then I will not tell you." Reply the Omega, causing the Alpha to grunt and curse, standing from his place so suddenly and coming to Steven's side, just to throw his fur coat around Steven before he was back to his seat, leaving the Omega shocked and frozen in his place, not knowing what to do or how to react to such action. "You have been avoiding me…" Steven stated instead of questioning the Alpha about such an intimate action, for Steven was not the Alpha's mate or intended other than an Omega he fancied and asked to court; Steven held his drink tightly in both hands instead, trying to ignore how warmth seeped into his body, and how the Alpha's scent surrounded him, making him relax a little… smoke and metal, with the underline of refreshing scent that made Steven's muscle relax against his will.
The foolish Alpha opened his mouth, probably to deny it, but a harsh look from Steven shut him, and he started to twist his hands together before letting out a sigh and taking a sip from his drink before putting it down. "I did not know how you would react, so I decided a little while away can make you forget and calm down… increasing my chance of survival…" The Alpha mumbled the last part, only realizing that it was heard when Steven laughed at the line of thinking… not because it was amusing, but because it was true to some extent.
"You are truly a fool…" Steven hummed, ignoring the outraged 'Hey!' coming from the man as he stood up, walking around to return the coat to its owner, and instead of leaving he went to his room in the king's house, his mind at ease after confirming that the Alpha is ended alive.
"Hey, Foolish Queen!" The Alpha called out, causing Steven to stop in his place, and turned to the man, who was gazing at him with a concerned look. "Are you… are you alright?" He asked, causing Steven to take a deep breath, a smile twitching on his lips before he hummed.
"A fool…" That was the only thing that Steven gave to the Alpha in a leeway of an answer, going to his room and closing the door behind him; biting his lower lip harshly, Steven swallowed as he raised his head to gaze at the package containing the white furs that sat in the middle of his bed undisturbed… 'You have changed…' sang once more in his ears, causing Steven to inhale sharply, closing his eyes to center himself before opening them, his mind scrambling around trying to make sense of what he was feeling…
He did change, did he not?
Magna hummed a song under her breath; her head swaying from side to side as she walked to the river, the basket in her hands contained a few essentials for fishing. Today was a beautiful day, no snow storm brewing in the distance, the weather was warm, and the birds were chirping; no stupid elders making her life annoying with their constant nagging, and even Anton decided to behave today like a good boy. So all in all, today is a good day to enjoy oneself with a treat to unwind after a tiring week of handling both the elders and a love-sick Anton.
So here Magna was, walking to the river to fish and maybe collect a few colorful rocks; spirit high at the thought of having the day to herself without having someone annoying her and demanding her attention. More humming, Magna continued on her way, reaching the river with a smile on her face as she planned on spending time enjoying fishing and the quiet before returning back home.
Reaching the spot that Magna wanted, she got her fishing rod ready, putting the bait on the hook, ready to cast it in the water, her movement halted though when she noticed the queen who came out of the forest with a basket in his hand and a frown on his face before he noticed Magna, and his frown disappeared into a neutral expression.
"G-good morn, m-my Queen!" Magna stuttered, and even she had to wince at how high-pitched her voice was from how nervous she was getting in the presence of the Omega in front of her; nervousness caused by not spending too much time (If none at all) to get to know the man and talk to him, so it was justified for Magna to feel a little out of her depth talking with someone who not only was he an amazing and a strong warrior that was taken as a captive from their land but was also the man that Anton fancied and wanted to court as a mate.
"Good morn…" The Omega replied slowly as if confused about why Magna was talking to him before adding in an afterthought. "...and I am not your Queen, so please use my name…" The Queen said in a deep smooth voice, raising one eyebrow in a question and causing Magna to flush a deep shade of red in embarrassment, especially when a small amused smile crossed over the Omega's face.
"I… uh…um… I apologize…" Magna mumbled, her stuttering got another amused grin from the Omega who walked to a tree near the river and dug in the show, uncovering the base of the tree and started collecting what he wanted, which looked like mushrooms that only grow in this time of the year; Magna when she saw that the man wasn't going to give her any more attention, cast her hook in the water, but not without keeping an eye on the Omega, desperately wanting to ask the question on her mind, but afraid to sound like an idiot and offend the man, considering that the Omega is knowing for his explosive temper.
"You can ask." Steven suddenly stated, causing Magna to jump in surprise and pulling her string from the water, and no doubt scaring a few fishes that were swimming near the surface due to the cold; before Magna stuttered a 'What?' to question the Omega about what he implied, the man turned toward her, causing Magna to freeze, when she felt the man's piercing eyes pinning her in place. "You look as if you wanted to ask me about something; from the furrow of your eyebrows and the worried look on your face, it is probably something serious, but the thing is, we have not met alone or exchanged a conversation other than a few words in passing. The fact that you are the Foolish King are friends, means that your question is probably about him... but from your interaction with each other, I say you are very close, going as far to say you are shield sister and brother, so that means he probably tells you everything going on with him, which leaves me with this; you want to know if I am going to say 'yes' or 'no' to your friend's proposal." Steven stated, and Magna couldn't help her jaw from dropping at how accurate the man was in his assistance to the situation, leaving Magna shook, and uncomfortable when all of her secrets were aired out in the open, and she couldn't help wondering if all the Valkyries in Loki and Thor's land are as sharp as the Omega in front of her; even Nattalegg and Loki weren't as sharp and on the fact as the Omega in front of her was because even they would have got something wrong, but what impressed Magna, even more, was how the Omega managed to pin what she was thinking, just by studying her face and applying his knowledge on her, even when the two of them haven't met other than a handful of time, and even then there was always someone with them when that happened.
"I do not want Anton to get his heart broken…" Magna whispered, clutching her rod in her hand tightly as she gazed at the Omega in front of her, wishing that he would understand her meaning as well as he managed to understand the situation by one glance.
The queen gazed at Magna for what looked like a long time before he tilted his head, a strange look flashed in his eyes before his eyes regain their neutral look. "Are you implying that the king's attachment to me is more than just a passing fancy and that it would result in his heartbreak?" Asked the Omega, and to tell the truth, Magna was surprised that this was the Omega's reply and not 'Does the king even have a heart?' kind of reaction, which made Magna feel relief, and she couldn't help but relax a little.
"Yes…" Magna breathed, his eyes not leaving the man who was taking every word she said without judgment in his eyes or scorn. "People always misunderstood Anton, believing him to be a heartless monster which he is not; Anton is kind and caring, but most people chose to ignore that…" Magna wanted to continue but she was interrupted by the Omega who raised his hand to stop her.
"I do not want you to tell me what I already know, I just want to know why you think that The King fancy me enough to want me as his partner; the two of us had only known each other for a few months, and half of that time he tried to rub it in my face that I was his servant before that all changed." The queen said, his words causing Magna to smile happily at how understanding and observing the Omega was, only to grimace at the last part of his speech.
"Anton can be… very unpleasant… when he wanted to prove a point." Magna grimaced, causing the Omega to give her a look that caused Magna to flush with embarrassment and she wasn't even the one who made the queen annoyed at her in the months he was with them. "Anton… Anton fell in love only once, and it ended in a heartbreak that changed him, made him who he is; a person that we hardly recognize anymore…" Magna nearly whispered, as if telling the Omega in front of her an important secret… which it was. "…But in the past few weeks, it was like the Anton I knew was back… for the first time in so many years, Anton is finally healing… so please, I beg you… if you hate him, if you despise him and want his death; if you cannot find it in your heart to love him… then do not lead him... reject him now before he gets too attached and his heartbreak becomes too destructive…" Magna plea, gazing at the Omega and hoping that he understood her meaning… hoping that this Omega wouldn't be like Anton's previous fiancé who destroyed him inside out, leaving a raging beast that refuse to empathize with anyone, making everyone label him as the Iron King for his cruelty when in fact the man was the sweetest and kindest person there was.
Instead of answering the Omega let out a soft hum and gazed at the river, his mind seemed to be miles and miles away before he finally returned his gaze toward her. "I do not love him…" Magna had to wince at hearing such words, and in the back of her mind, she wondered what Anton would do when he heard them. "…But I do not hate him either… I blame him as one of the cases for my misfortune… but after hearing the truth and seeing who the true villain is, my hate lessened…" Magna was happy to hear that, thanking whatever God that was looking over them, because she had a feeling that if the Omega in front of her wanted Anton to pay for the crime he accuse the Alpha of, Mantta wouldn't be standing today. "But I do think that the two of us have a lot in common… thank you for your words, I will take my leave now if you do not mind." The Omega finished with a nod before leaving Magna alone to her thought, making her wonder what was going to happen next and how was Anton going to deal with it…
She just hoped that the Omega would be gentle in his rejection…
It all started when Anton was walking through the market, planning to buy something from the traders; his mind was still returning back to the meeting with Steven three days ago, concern and confusion warring inside of him and he nearly dropped everything so he can search for the queen and asked him what he meant by his words that night. Anton can say he was worried… extremely so… when he saw the Omega that night, Anton had to stop himself from jumping from his seat and looking over the Omega for any injuries or asking him about what happened to make him look like he saw a ghost from the past. That night, Anton had to desperately stop himself from rushing toward the Omega and see if there was something wrong; messy hair, pale face, and dark circles under his eyes… for an Omega that never had a hair out of place and was always collected and regal, seeing Steven like this made Anton fearful and concern that something wrong had happened to him.
That may have been part of the reason why Anton was in the market, trying to buy something that will hopefully cheer the Omega; so far, Anton was even considering going to his workshop and making something for Steven if it meant that the Omega would be happy, or even amused by his attempt at making things alright. Anton was intensely staring at the trinkets before him and deep into thoughts that he didn't pay attention to how the people around him all hushed like a God had descended from the sky and they were too fearful and respectful to speak in their presence. It was only when there was an exploding of whispering and pointing did Anton dare to raise his head and pay attention, wondering what made people so worked up that they nearly drew themselves into a frenzy.
"Did you see?!"
"…The King!"
"The Hydra Queen is wearing The King's courting gift!"
Someone screamed from the crowd, and it was that someone that made Anton nearly jump from his place, his heart was pounding wildly and his eyes were wide as he tried to subtly look around and catch a glimpse of Steven. When he didn't see the Omega anywhere, Anton turned around and rushed away from the market, still not knowing how to make sense of the emotions storming inside of him at the words he heard… his courting gift… Steven was wearing his courting gift!
"Oh, my Gods…" Anton could only whisper, the weight of what he was told, finally sank into him, and he had to try so hard not to let his legs give up on him and fall to the ground in disbelieve… his courting gift… a gift he gave to the Omega not just as a courting gift, but a gift with sincere feeling, hoping that the Omega would accept it and wear it as the time come, either as a sign of friendship or acceptance for his courting… but it was almost two months since he gave the gift to the Omega… two months and winter was about to be over in a month or so… why now then?
As much as Anton wanted to feel triumph and happiness at the Omega accepting his gift, he couldn't help but feel fear taking hold of him, and stopping him from basking in the moment of truly believing that the Omega chose him, and wanted him as his husband… not knowing what to do, Anton straightened up from his position of leaning on the wall behind him (Better than falling to the ground in shock) and search for the Omega, hoping that he had the answers to the questions that were eating at Anton until he finally got an answer to them.
With that in mind, Anton went on his search for the Omega, hoping to find him and get the answer he desperately wanted and needed; secretly, he couldn't help but wish desperately that the Omega would accept him as a potential spouse, even if he hated Anton no matter how close the two of them had gotten over the time. Everywhere he went, people seemed to be worked up, all were going on and on about how Steven and Anton were no doubt courting after the Omega came into the market wearing the white furs that Anton gifted to him.
Words that kept on increasing Anton's hope and making him fearful of another potential heartbreak, because what if the Omega was not that interested in him personally but agreed to marry him due to the pressure of wanting to better his pack's chance at survival? Anton knew he wouldn't begrudge Steven the chance to help what he considered his family, and he would even help him with anything he asked and desired… just not in this way… whatever thought that Anton had in his mind, it melted just like the snow when the sun cast its warm light on it.
The sight of Steven wearing the furs he gave… furs that were turned into an elegant and beautiful cloak fit for a queen, with the workmanship of an expert seamstress… caused Anton to freeze in his place, his breath was held inside of him, and his eyes taking the Omega hungrily, not wanting to miss any detail of Steven's movement and how the cloak made his natural beauty shine, even more, causing him to look like Vanir descended from Vanaheim to grace them with his presence. Even his Alpha rumbled in his mind palace, interested as its eyes no doubt fell on his Omega who was wearing the furs that Anton proved from his kill; Anton had to stop his Alpha from doing something very, very stupid… such as going to the Omega and scenting him or worse, holding him in his arms and growl like savage every time someone unworthy came near him.
His staring like a fool all came to an end when the Omega no doubt felt someone look at him and turned in Anton's direction to see him staring with his jaw dropped; that made an amused smile cross over the Omega's face as he turned to the old man (Philips; his mind tried to remind him not that he was that interested in knowing anything about the man, to begin with) to exchange a few words with him before turning to Anton and started walking toward him, making the Alpha stop himself from rumbling in happiness like a fool, even when the elderly Beta was glaring at him like he was planning to kill him in his sleep tonight.
Anton opened his mouth when the Omega stood in front of him, wanting to say so many things at the same time but was struck silent when the Omega gave an amused and knowing look. "Is it… is it a yes?" Anton ended up whispering, his heart pounding loudly in his chest and his hand unconsciously went to touch the furs, only realizing what he did when the queen snorted at his action; but to Anton's surprise, Steven didn't push him away, instead he let him touch the furs and feel the softness on his rough hand, causing his Alpha to rumble approvingly that his mate deserves only soft things.
"It is a maybe…" Steven said with a playful smile, causing Anton to flush and for his heart to beat so loudly in his chest that he thought it would escape him any moment now. A maybe… a word that doesn't mean much to some people because it still holds the chance for rejection, but for Anton; for him, it meant that there is a chance that Steven may accept him as a spouse and an Alpha, something that meant much more to Anton then he thought it would.
"Why now?" Anton couldn't help but ask, a little fearful at the answer he would get, but accepting it nonetheless, because the answer is part of the Omega's belief for accepting his gift, and Anton really wanted to know the true reason for the Omega's acceptance.
The Omega gazed at him for what looked like a long time before giving him an amused smile, though his eyes were saying that he was anything but amused at the situation. "Do you believe in people changing?" The Omega suddenly asked, making Anton give a confused look at the unrelated question, but at the same time giving it a deep thought, even with the look in the Omega's eyes, told him he didn't need or want Anton's answer. "I did not." That made Anton tilt his head to the side, wondering how someone so forgiving and accepting as Steven cannot believe that people do change one way or another, and the prime example of that was Anton, who decided to let the Omega continue because it looked like Steven needed to get something off his chest by saying his piece. "You can say that my life in the past years had stolen that believe from me." Anton hummed studying the Omega who looked like he was miles and miles away, and not standing in front of Anton directly.
"What changed?" Anton couldn't help but ask when the Omega stayed silent, wanting to know what the Omega was thinking, and silently hoping that he was the reason for such a new change in perception; a thought that perked his Alpha up like he was a small pup and not a fierce and feared warrior.
The Omega blinked, turning to Anton with a look that the Alpha couldn't make sense of. "I did…" Steven said, a small smile taking over his lips. "So do not get any foolish ideas about you changing the way I think or that you have any influence on me." The Omega then warned, gazing at Anton with a warning look that made the Alpha laugh at the way the Omega not only made his Alpha grumble and pout like a child but knew what Anton was thinking of.
"Noted…" Anton agreed, basking in the small smile that seemed to widen on the Omega's face as he said these words, and Anton couldn't help but shift in his place, not wanting this moment to end, nor does he want to leave the Omega, but the glare he was subjected to from the older man who hadn't stopped staring at them ever since Anton showed his face, made Anton realize that he no doubt had interrupted the Omega during something important. "On that note… you would not say no to a Hnefatafl game tonight, would you?" Anton asked, a little nervous about what the Omega's answer would be, especially since it had been a month or so since the two of them enjoyed a game of Hnefatafl without Anton claiming he was busy and couldn't play, but to Anton's surprise, a soft smile took over the queen's face before the Omega gave a short nod, causing Anton's smile to widen, and his eyes not straying from the Omega's retreating back, even when the whispers around him seemed to increase, as well as people pointing and spreading the news of what took a place not a few seconds ago; Despite that, Anton couldn't help but note that for the first time in years...
He was truly excited about something…
So what do you think?
I am back! Did you miss me?
Finally! We are going somewhere!
I thought I will grow old before those two reached this point!
Probably two more chapters of fluff and happiness before the angst and pain take over…
I know, I am evil
Vanir: Are a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, magic, and the ability to see the future. They are natives of Vanaheim, one of the Nine Realms of the World Tree. They are said to be beautiful, and they were equal to fae or fairies in Norse Mythology.
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Nazaki-Sama
