Chapter 3: Traveled

"When you lived in Britannia in Crowley's court, did you ever want to strangle him?"

Meg giggled, dipping her paintbrush into a red pigment she was quite fond of and coloring her sunrise a little more. Some of the vibrant colors were expensive and difficult to obtain, but Cas never balked at spoiling her. "Sometimes, yes, but he was only my uncle and I would never have been in a position to rule. You're the heir, and Caesar wants you to be prepared."

Cas, who only allowed his two favored concubines, his very close friends, and his family the honor of using that nickname, snorted from where he lounged to the side of the small plaza. Behind them, partially hidden by silky, purple-lined curtains, his room was being cleaned by a trio of household slaves, so the pair had escaped outdoors to talk. Cas rarely slept with Meg anymore, but their friendship was one of his greatest treasures. "Don't call him that when it's just us, Meg. Dad's got strange ideas about ruling, about keeping traditions, about not shaking anything up. But he's also the first Caesar in generations whose firstborn alpha son denied the throne, so we've already trampled on that status quo."

Meg shrugged, keeping her brushstrokes even as she changed colors to an orange she had mixed herself. "He's afraid of the Empire spiraling out of control. You're a better choice for Caesar than Gabriel, and your dad knows it, but he can't help but fear the future you may bring."

"I want it to be a good one," Cas mused, playing with the edge of his over tunic. He only wore the heavy toga in court, preferring his lighter linen fabrics for everyday use. "I was thinking about going to the market later, with that Head Cook you like so much. I need to help him find some new spice traders, and my presence can convince them to give us a better price. He's been asking me to go for weeks, but training has been a priority."

"So you have time this morning? And I am friends with Benny, but it's just that. He's not interested in any kind of romance."

Cas nodded, accepting that information. "If he changes his mind, or if you find someone you do develop feelings for, you know that I would let you go in a heartbeat, right?"

Meg smiled and put down her paintbrush, turning to meet Cas's azure gaze. "I know that, Cas, and I love you for it, but you still need me. I noticed that you didn't see any suitors this month, and that is concerning."

"I bear upon my shoulders the future of a fitful Rome," Cas countered, grinning slightly. "I cannot allow the indulgence of an extended courtship at this time. Perhaps, in a few years when the fighting at the Germanic border has stilled, I can be more frivolous."

"Your parents won't wait forever for an heir out of you."

"Don't remind me. Mother has been an absolute wreck since I cancelled my last betrothal. That girl from Egypt was her idea, not mine, and I found her scent revolting."

Meg nodded, standing and stretching her back to release the tension from sitting so long. "Odd timing, her going into heat just a week after arriving in Rome. You would think that her parents would have tracked that better, and pushed back the visit."

"They did track it," Cas growled, rising to his own feet and checking the lacing on his sandals. "They were hoping that I would find her scent pleasant and that it would overwhelm me. I do not like such underhanded tactics."

"Well, hopefully your mother learned her lesson with that one."

"Mother will never learn. She was lucky enough to catch the eye of Caesar and she relishes the power that such a match has given her. Choosing the mate of the future ruler of Rome is not a role she will ever give up."

"You can choose your own mate, Cas," Meg murmured, patting his shoulder comfortingly. "I know that it would be a scandal, but . . . maybe it's just the shakeup your family needs."

"Perhaps. Come, let's go see if Benny is free for a market trip. Do you think we should grab Hannah, too? She usually likes to get out."

"No, she's spending the day helping Amara weave a new dress." Hannah was the only one of Cas's concubines who enjoyed spending time with his spinster aunt, always eager to help her with any projects. Cas worried that the girl was lonely, and he had offered to help her find a mate, but she had politely refused.

"Fine. It can be just us, if you prefer."

"Actually, I was thinking that you could bring Dean along."

"Dean?" Cas walked to his changing room, nodding at his personal servant as he stripped down to his under tunic. Ishim, always perfectly groomed and polite, nodded and offered a mid-weight woolen tunic with red-purple patterns dyed across the hem. "April said that his training is not going well. It's a pity, too, because I was hoping to get to know him before my next rut."

"Dean's fine, April is the problem," Meg snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the wall. Ishim helped Castiel dress, offering him some jewelry that would impress the spice merchants, and the prince chose a few pieces to accent his outfit. "She doesn't like having a male omega in the harem; she doesn't even get along with Inias and he's on contract. Dean has learned the scrolls, he keeps quiet when necessary, and sometimes I think he is very sad. He misses his brother, he misses his life, and the place of a concubine who is not allowed to see his master is no better than a kitchen slave. Who, by the way, are the only people he really spends any time with."

"He has been here over a year," Cas mused, quickly running his fingers through his dark hair and heading for the door. "The only reason I waited to meet with the rest of you was your young age when you arrived, but he's over seventeen now. I suppose it would do both of us good to meet."

"You mean that your spying on him over the past year didn't count as meeting?" Meg's voice was innocent, but there was a sparkle in her dark eyes that belied her sweet tone.

"I wasn't spying," Cas argued, the slight waver in his voice contradicting the words. "I just wanted to see how he was getting on."

"And catch his scent? I've never seen you so intrigued by anyone before."

"I must admit, my alpha and I are in agreement when it comes to Dean," Cas murmured, heading toward the harem and the two alphas guarding that wing. Garth, though wiry, was tough and much stronger than his size would suggest, having served Castiel well in the army before being rewarded with a palace post for his service. Cain, a bigger man with graying hair and a rough beard, was technically past his prime, but as no one was willing to challenge him for the position of Harem Guard, he still held his post. He had been deadly in his day, but the man had mellowed somewhat while serving Castiel.

"Highness, welcome."

"Thank you, Cain. I am taking Meg and Dean to the city today, so have Virgil scare up a few guards to accompany us. As usual, I would prefer not to deal with Azazel and his team."

"Of course not, Highness. We will have four guards here when you emerge."

Cas nodded and headed into the harem wing with Meg on his heels, wondering why he had gone to so much effort to avoid it. Yes, Dean was lovely and his scent intrigued the alpha, but that shouldn't have been a reason to avoid his own harem. Silently berating himself, Cas entered the spacious main room, noting Hester and Daphne studying in their nest of pillows in the corner, April rising from her own seat to bow a greeting. "Highness, it is good to see you. You have been sorely missed in these apartments."

Cas shrugged. "I have been very busy. I am heading to the market this morning and wish to have company for my trip."

Inias entered the room from the directions of the baths, his dark hair curling wetly against his neck. "Castiel, so nice to see you here. If I had known you were coming, I would have invited you to the baths."

Cas chuckled at the young man's insinuation, patting him on the shoulder warmly. Inias had no actual obligation to the prince outside of his heats, but he enjoyed flirting with the alpha when he got the chance. "Maybe next time; I'm on a schedule today." Cas looked around, counting heads and frowning slightly. "Where is Dean? I would have expected to see him in here, with you, during the day."

April shrugged and turned away, having already known that Cas would not have come for her. They were barely on speaking terms at the moment, though he tended to be friendlier toward his first concubine after his rut. "He doesn't fit in with us very well and tends to keep to himself."

"You mean he doesn't fit in with you," Meg snapped, heading deeper into the apartments to find the wayward concubine. April didn't bother to answer, returning to her scrolls as Castiel waited patiently in the center of the room.

It didn't take long for Meg to return, a blond omega in tow. Dean had exchanged his dark leather collar for a richly dyed purple one months ago, one that matched the other concubines and declared his high position among the palace slaves. He was dressed in a simple pale blue tunic that brought out the color in his eyes, but he wouldn't raise his gaze to meet Cas and his scent was muted.

This wouldn't do at all, Cas mused to himself. The alpha stepped forward until he could touch Dean, reaching out to raise the boy's head until their eyes met. He had freckles across his nose, probably enhanced by the time he spent in the protected harem garden, and he looked quite a bit healthier than when he arrived at the palace. "What did I say when we first met?"

Dean tilted his head curiously, but a smile lit his face as he remembered, standing up straighter and meeting Cas's gaze confidently. His apple blossom and cinnamon scent warmed in greeting, and Cas let his own honey and ginger grow in response. "I'm sorry, I forgot. It's been over a year since I last saw you."

"Well, I shall have to spend more time with you so you don't forget again," Cas chided, smiling softly. "Meg and I are going to the market today; would you be interested in coming?"

"You shouldn't take him; he isn't well trained at all," April argued, disdain in her voice.

Dean's head started to fall as he pulled away sadly, clearly used to the criticism from the head concubine, but Cas reached out and gripped the boy's left shoulder, halting his escape. "Not everyone responds to your version of training positively," Cas snapped, eyes flashing red as he glanced down at the blonde woman. April had the good sense to shut her mouth and look away, an apology in her scent. "Dean is fine, and certainly ready for a simple trip to the market. Meg, Dean, let's go."

"Is she like that to him a lot?"

Meg shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much. She's always like this when you get a new concubine, though, especially since Dean is slated to share your ruts. As that is an honor she is denied, she gets bitchy pretty easily with him."

"She brought that on herself," Cas murmured, glancing over his shoulder at Dean walking a few paces behind him, just in front of Benny and Gadreel with their donkey and cart. "She chased the last two away, but that's not an option here. I shall endeavor to ensure that she understands her place in my household."

"You'll let me watch, right?" Cas chuckled at Meg's enthusiasm, knowing that the young beta had no love for the Head Concubine.

Dean sensed Cas's gaze on him and looked up, vibrant emerald eyes shining in the sunlight. He wore a thin veil over his head and wrapped around his face, covering his nose and protecting him from the strong scents of the market, though it also served as a mark of fidelity to his master. Cas waved Dean forward, forcing the entire retinue to slow until the omega reached his side, smiling as he reached up to adjust the boy's veil. "Are the scents too strong for you here?"

"No, sir, it's fine. I've gotten used to my enhanced sense of smell. It is nice in the harem that everything is kinda neutral, so Uriel got me some blockers I could spray on my veil to make being outside easier."

"Good. It's said that a male omega has the sharpest sense of smell of any of the subgenders; I've heard that you could smell a single drop of blood in the middle of a battle."

Dean chuckled and shook his head, loosening up the more time he spent with the alpha. "I think that could be an exaggeration. I mean, in an army, with all of that sweat and leather and alpha musk, you think I could smell a pricked finger?"

"Maybe, but I think it may be true," Meg replied, peeking around Cas to catch Dean's eye. "I know a few male omegas back in Britannia who could detect a pregnancy two weeks before the official female sniffer."

"Well, if anyone here gets pregnant, I'll test your theory."

Cas grinned and reached out to place his hand on the small of Dean's back, using it to guide the omega toward the flashier part of the market. His guards hated when he strolled freely among the commoners, but Castiel was one of the most accomplished and beloved warriors in Rome with little to fear from his people. "Here, Benny, I found the merchant we're looking for."

"About time," the cook grumbled, tapping Gadreel's shoulder and nodding toward the stalls ahead of them. "Your Highness, this is the section of the market for Maghreb traders." Benny was one of Cas's close friends and allowed to use his name, but in public he would refer to the prince formally.

"Yes, I thought we should establish a more direct trade agreement. The palace traders are having trouble getting their hands on some of our herbs and spices, but the traders who are coming directly from Maghreb might be able to improve our supply."

Castiel led the group to a modest booth near the center of the strip, clearly a prime spot but run by traders who did not care much for flashy displays. The prince spotted a heavyset, gruff looking man with a worn but brightly colored tunic, a faded blue cap on his head, and a string of beads around his neck. Roman men did not often cover their head, but it was clear that this merchant preferred the look. He looked up as the group approached, tilting his head and crossing his arms over his chest. Even without catching his scent, Cas could tell from that defensive action that this was an alpha, certainly as shrewd of a businessman as he had heard.

"Greetings, my friend. I am told that you are Robert, of Germania and Cyprus, trading in goods from various parts of Africa."

"That's me. I go by Bobby most of the time, less of a mouthful."

"I am Castiel, High Prince of Rome, and I desire a better acquaintance with you."

"Who is this?" A rough, older alpha with dark skin and a graying beard emerged from the back of the shop, carrying a large box filled with jars of oil and placing it on the shelf behind Bobby. He eyed the newcomers with distrust, but it seemed that the scowl on his face was permanent and not an indicator of some specific aggression.

"Rufus, if you scare away another one of my customers, I'm selling you to the next slave trader I find," Bobby growled, swatting his partner's arm.

"Good luck; not a one of them would buy a crusty old bastard like him," Dean piped up, meeting Bobby's eyes as the old alpha looked up in shock. Castiel turned to scold his omega, sure that the boy had ruined this trade deal, but Bobby burst out laughing, reaching over to clap Rufus on the back until the old Africana alpha offered a chuckle and what might pass for a smile.

"Alright, you got me there. How do you think I got stuck with this old miserable excuse for a trading partner in the first place? Found him in Judea about three decades ago and thought I could use a friend on the routes. He's alright, I suppose. Prince, that omega of yours is pretty sharp; I've never met one who is brave enough to talk before."

"I wasn't born a slave," Dean replied, a hint of fire in his eyes. "I was born a citizen, son of a nobleman, and I don't belong in chains any more than Rufus there."

Bobby nodded, somber again. "You're right, kid. It's a bad lot you got there. How's this prince of yours; is he worth doing business with?"

One of the guards, a stripling whose name escaped Castiel, moved to object to the offhanded way Bobby had referred to his master, but a raised hand silenced his protest. Dean glanced at the prince, almost asking for permission, but Castiel shook his hand and waved toward Bobby. He would let the omega say whatever he wished. "He's been fair to me, and he seems nice from the two times we've spent time together. More importantly, he is friends with Benny here, our Head Cook, and Benny has been one of the few people in the palace to offer me kindness. I would like to help them, and I think maybe you have what they need."

Bobby nodded and reached up to tip his cap. "Alright, Prince Castiel, please be welcome in my shop." Castiel nodded gratefully and placed his hand on Dean's lower back again, guiding the omega into the somewhat enclosed area, letting the boy take a seat with Meg on one side and Gadreel on the other. He and Benny moved to stand with Bobby and Rufus, leaving the guards waiting anxiously outside.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with us, Bobby. We usually deal with traders from the city, ones who buy our herbs and spices in the market then sell them to the palace at a slight markup. However, there are certain supplies that we are no longer getting a good price on, most of which are from Africa which is your primary trade route."

Bobby nodded. "Yeah, I've noticed some shortages here and there. I tend to trade gold, gems, and jewelry from Aegyptus, but I do dabble in the spice markets from time to time. I have good contacts in Alexandria and I know a number of spice traders from India who sell there. What are you looking for?" Castiel passed him a scroll, one that Benny had put together for him, and watched as the alpha read the list. "Salt, pepper, cloves, ginger, cassia, and cinnamon are no problem, and I can certainly get a good deal on those. These perfumes listed are rare, but manageable. However, the markets in Alexandria have not carried silphium in measurable quantities in almost two years now."

"I know, that's why I came to you. Our traders have found only limited supplies, and much of it is getting bought in other ports before reaching Roma. Certainly you have some idea how we can get a reliable supply of silphium for the palace."

"Drought must be getting worse than the oracles predicted," Rufus mumbled, reading Cas's list over Bobby's shoulder. "The desert's gonna swallow everything up, won't be no people living down in Maghreb anymore."

"Don't be melodramatic," Bobby snapped, rolling the scroll carefully and scratching his beard. "I know a few folks down in Cyrenaica who own a lot of land, right where silphium grows wild. I bet they're hoarding supplies, waiting for the market to get even more desperate. Still, it's a risk to tap into it, because the land where it can grow is getting scarce. They won't sell to a mainstream trader, but if I say I have an exclusive contract with Caesar and his family, they would sell to me."

"If you can get silphium to us at half the price it's going for in the open market, I'll get you an exclusive contract, including gold, gems, ivory, grains, olive oil, you name it."

Bobby glanced at Rufus, grinning at the older alpha nodding enthusiastically. "I don't deal in all of those goods in sufficient quantities to supply your family, but I will take over as your palace buyer and procure everything you need for a good price."

"I can make that deal. Benny, I'd like to introduce you to the new palace goods suppliers."

"Pleasure," Benny greeted, chuckling at Cas's words.

"Just outta curiosity, who recommended Bobby to you?" Rufus took his partner's list but never dropped his eyes from the prince as he questioned the origin of this particular journey.

"Uh, if you must know, my aunt, Princess Amara, said that you were good and honest souls. She said that you have trade routes and contacts that would serve me, no matter my need."

Bobby nodded. "Yeah, that follows. Nice to know she remembers us."

"You've dealt with my aunt before?"

"Just once. She needed a package transported, and we obliged her. While you're here, I do know someone in the market today with a few bags of silphium. I can't get you half price, but I know I can haggle something reasonable."

"Alright, let's go."

Rufus rolled his eyes at the prince's eagerness. "Don't understand what you palace folk like so much about it. I can't stand the flavor, but y'all put it in pretty much everything, all across the Empire. Even the border states have been using it for decades, but I don't get it."

"It was the favored spice of Romulus, and we honor him by growing and consuming it," Cas replied, waving for the two concubines and Gadreel to follow him. "It's been a valued trade commodity since the time of Greek city-states, though the scrolls indicate that they used it sparingly. It has medicinal properties, also, and is valued for its ability to keep Romans healthy throughout the Empire. It's worth its weight in gold, though we are tired of paying nearly that price in the recent years."

"I can imagine. Come; let me take you to my friend."

Dean collapsed on the bench beside Cas, grinning as the alpha patted his shoulder. "This is a bit more walking than you're used to, huh?"

"A bit. Ever since I presented, I've spent most of my time indoors, reading or learning skills that would be considered appropriate for an omega. Being in the market is not on that list."

"It's certainly not on April's list," Meg added, rejoining the pair with a bowl of food from the street vendor in each hand. One of the guards—Cas thought his name was Cole—held another, bowing to the prince as he handed it over, Dean taking one from his fellow concubine. Bobby and Rufus had returned to their stall, having some gemstones to offload before starting their trip to Cyrenaica, so the trio ate their midday meal alone.

"I thought we would head over to the clothing vendors when we're done," Cas offered, eyeing Dean's tunic critically. While male omegas were expected to dress the same as females, it would perhaps be prudent to provide the boy with new clothes instead of what Cas could only assume were Hester's hand me downs. "I've seen some lovely green tunics with gold embroidered hems and matching silk palla that would really bring out the color in your eyes."

Dean looked up from his meal in shock, glancing at Meg to confirm that this wasn't a joke. "For me? Why would you buy clothes for me? I'm your youngest, lowest ranked concubine and you haven't even . . . spent time with me yet."

"Not in that way, no, but that doesn't mean you should be clad shoddily. April, Hester, and Daphne certainly never lack for ways to ask me for more clothes, perfumes, and gems. My harem used to be nearly twice the size, but I got tired of the constant demands from women I didn't really like at all."

Meg snorted. "Yeah, some of those women were just ridiculous. Who was April's second when I joined up? Dumah?"

"Arrogant bitch," Cas growled into his bread. "One of mother's prized deals, a female omega, but she was born a slave and couldn't mate Caesar's son. I eventually found a trader from India who was looking for a mate and not bound by Roman concepts of citizen, freedman, and slave. She seemed happy to go, since he was wealthy, and that's all she ever really cared about."

"You liked Tessa and Hael well enough," Meg pointed out.

"Hael was a child," Cas argued, taking a sip of his wine as Dean watched the pair of them argue about the prince's former concubines. "She wanted the glory of belonging in the palace and she, for some reason, idolized me, even though I never took her to bed. Honestly, her obsession was a little frightening."

Meg shrugged. "Her new mate seems fine with her. He's noble and thankfully lives very far away from here."

"Do you free all of your concubines?"

Cas shrugged at Dean's question. "I try to, everyone except April. They're all here because my mother wants them here or because someone wants to buy favor with Dad; they deserve a better life than being a slave to someone like me who isn't all that interested in sleeping with them."

Dean's scent soured instantly, dozens of men and women instantly pulling away from their seats near the food vendor. Even Cas's guards shivered and stepped back, though they didn't actually abandon their prince. Meg whined and tucked herself closer to Cas, instinctively searching for the most dominant person in the market to protect her from whatever was upsetting her friend.

"Dean, what's wrong?" Cas had very little experience with female omegas and basically none with males, so the boy's scent was confusing and overwhelming at the same time.

Dean brought his veil up to cover his face, tear-filled eyes dropping to the ground. "Meg said that four of her friends came here from Britannia with her as slaves, two of them to your harem, but you granted both positions as servants in the palace within a few months of their arrival. Now you're listing all of these women you granted freedom to, and I just . . . I can't have that. I can't be free and live the life I want."

Cas reached up and cupped Dean's chin in his hand under his veil, stroking the boy's cheek with his thumb until green eyes rose to meet his once more. Slowly, Dean's distress scent faded and the market returned to its former hubbub of activity. "I know. It's not fair. If I could give you freedom, Dean, if I could let you follow your brother to the army or whatever life you would have made as the sons of a nobleman, I would. I told my parents I never wanted a male omega in my harem. After Dumah, I didn't want an omega at all. But you would have gone somewhere far worse, dear boy. Lucifer and Michael asked for you, after they caught a glimpse of you in the market." John had taken both boys out nearly a year earlier, presumably because he needed their assistance to carry back supplies, but Dean had known it was so potential buyers could see him and make an offer. It was the only time he left his father's estate after presenting until the day he was given to Castiel.

"I wouldn't want one of them," Dean whispered. "I know you saved me, but I wish you didn't have to. Why did the gods curse me to be an omega?"

"I don't know," Cas whispered, pulling the teen into his arms. Dean only resisted for a moment, letting the alpha comfort him with his touch and that overwhelming scent of ginger-sharpened honey. "I'm sure your father made all of the right offerings, prayed on the right days, and went to the right temples before your heat. Sometimes the gods don't care and we are left to pick up the pieces. There are fewer and fewer male omegas born in Rome as the decades pass, so maybe one of them is answering, albeit slowly. I promise that you will always have a place with me, even as Head Concubine once I decide that April has served long enough, and even if you leave to find a better master or a better life, I would never deny you the chance to return. As long as I am prince or Caesar, you will have a place with me."

"Thank you, Castiel," Dean whispered into his collar, tears slowly drying on his cheeks. It was the most informal he had ever been with anyone from the palace, but the prince found that he didn't want even that much distance between them.

"Call me Cas."

"Okay. Cas."

Meg glowered at the harem servants as they carried in bundles of cloth and bags of supplies that Dean would use to create his own wardrobe. He had warned the prince that he wasn't good at clothes-making, but Meg had offered to help as part of his education. The fine golden necklace hung from his neck, and Cas had even found him a lovely simple silver ring engraved with the prince's name in one of the stalls. Cas hung back from the commotion as the market goods were delivered and sorted, grabbing Dean's arm and pulling him against a marble pillar.

"It's getting late; I thought we could eat in my chambers and you can tell me about your brother. From what I saw of him, he seems like a sweet boy."

"He is," Dean grinned, "but he's going to be a terrifying warrior when he grows into his frame. I'm happy to eat with you, of course, but Uriel closes the harem just after sunset so I need to return to my chambers by then."

"Or you can spend the night with me," Cas offered. At Dean's shocked face, the prince grinned. "Not like that, not yet. I don't always agree with April's training regimen, but there are certain things about partnering an alpha that you must be prepared for, else you could be injured. I just would like the company in my bed. If you don't mind."

"Cas, of course I don't mind, I would really enjoy that. But, I can't actually say no."

"Sure you can. I don't care what April's scrolls say; if one of you doesn't want me or isn't in the mood one night, I would never force myself on you. Why do you think I promoted Charlie to a personal servant, one who now serves my mother? She doesn't like men."

"She has a preference? I didn't think that was allowed."

Cas smiled secretively as he took Dean's arm and backed away from the main hall, heading toward his rooms. Meg waved goodbye, following the servants back to the harem wing and leaving the pair alone for the night. Cas didn't speak until he and Dean had returned to the alpha's chambers and the privacy they offered. "I've found a number of women who have a preference for female partners or mates. There are not many female alphas, and most of them are pressured into mating male betas for appearance sake, but I do know a few who have taken female partners instead. A female alpha can breed a female beta or omega, though it's difficult for the first and rare to hear about the second. Charlie wants a female mate someday, and she certainly never wanted to share my bed. I let her go to find her own happiness."

Dean removed his light veil and placed it carefully on an empty shelf in Cas's clothing chamber, wringing his hands in front of his tunic. "What if . . . what if I said I might have a preference? I've never been with anyone, of course, but I have been attracted to males, especially alphas, more than females. Everything else about being an omega sucks, but being allowed to have sex with a male alpha without society judging or humiliating me is probably the only perk."

Cas grinned and watched Dean remove his palla and hung it next to the alpha's favorite lacerna, the one that was dyed a true, deep, Tyrian purple. It has probably cost Cas's weight in gold, but it had been a gift from his father when his legion returned home from a glorious campaign in Assyria holding the border against the Parthians. As an omega, Dean was expected to dress in traditionally female garments, like the palla and stolla, but there was no actual law preventing him from wearing a man's tunic. "I think maybe it's natural to have a preference in some sense. I believe that there are people who are equally happy with any partner, but to force everyone in society to act like they are can't be healthy. Charlie prefers female, alphas or betas, and you prefer male alphas. There's no shame in having a preference."

"It's not that I haven't seen women I would be attracted to," Dean argued. "And since I can't have pups, I shouldn't care if it's an alpha."

"But you do care," Cas pointed out. "You want a male alpha and some part of you wants the illusion of being bred, doesn't it?"

Dean hung his head and nodded, suddenly looking very small. "My dad told me that to want a thing I can never have is an affront to the gods who gave me what blessings I already possess."

"I don't think that's true. The gods are often capricious and cruel, so thank them for those things that are good and helpful, and beg them to change the parts of life that are unfair. Do you think I ran a campaign for ten years, led an army against the worst that the Parthians could throw at us, and hold my dying soldiers in my arms without railing against Mars for failing to help? Do you think I did not beg Vejovis to keep them in the mortal realm just a little longer? My words, in both directions, must have swayed the gods, because we did win, and I lost a very small number of my men in comparison with the generals of other legions. Your prayers, however you made them and whomever you made them to, brought you to me. I can't give you pups, and I don't even know what god you should curse for that, but I can give you affection and I'm definitely willing to buy into the breeding fantasy when I go into rut."

Dean had to swallow a couple of times before he could speak, unable to contain the emotions swirling through his scent. "I think I would like that," he finally managed.

Cas chuckled and reached out to cup Dean's chin in his hand, rubbing the boy's cheekbone for a moment before letting his arm fall. "Ishim, Dean and I will be having our meal in here. See if Anna is up to joining us, would you?"

The servant, who had slipped into the main room in Cas's suite without anyone noticing, nodded once. "Of course. Muriel did bring word earlier that your sister was looking for you, so I would be willing to presume that she would appreciate the invite."

"Good, Ishim, thank you."

Cas led Dean to his main room and settled the boy beside him on the comfortable lounges, taking a jug of wine and pouring some for both of them. "Cas, I really enjoyed spending time with you today, but April is right. I'm not that well trained."

Cas nodded. "I know. I mean, I don't always like her methods, but none of the concubines she trained have ever been reprimanded by my mother or acted out in public, and those are qualities that members of my harem must have. It protects you, especially when I am away at war. All of my concubines must also be able to . . . survive my rut."

"You said that they are unusually strong. Meg tells a . . . different story."

"Both stories are true. My ruts are unusually strong, and I do prefer not to have females when it happens. April . . . betrayed me. It's not like I can't impregnate a female normally, but it is so much easier when I am in rut. Donna reports the status of my concubines to me, and I only call them to my bed when they are far out of season. Inias is only here because I cannot stand to be alone during my rut. I tried, but it is torture. I think it must be the same for your heats."

Dean shuddered at the memory. "I've had two heats, and my dad had to lock me up for the second one. I just wanted . . . relief. I wanted an alpha, any alpha, and I would have done anything to get to one. Thankfully, he was able to stop me, otherwise . . ."

"Otherwise you wouldn't have been suitable for sale," Cas murmured, staring into his wine. "I know, it isn't fair. An alpha always wants to be his omega's first. There have only been a few female omegas in my harem, but normally they came to me just after their presentation, so there was no concern that they had belonged to another. Mother was worried about you when John brought his suit, worried that you were old and had passed your second heat. She wouldn't have let Father buy you unless you were untouched."

"What about my next one? What's going to happen then?"

"April does have a section in her training scrolls about that," Cas mused, "but it's a simple enough answer. If you desire a partner, as long as you have shared my bed at least once and therefore bear my scent, it is permitted for you to seek someone out. As a male omega, you have much more freedom than a female since you can't get pregnant, but it is highly frowned upon for anyone to knot you other than me, even while you are in heat. Generally, I would recommend a beta because of this, even Inias, but I wouldn't stop you from finding someone compatible during that time. Female omegas often contract with the town brothel for one of their male omegas; they are the perfect partners."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, sterile at both ends. I get it."

"Do you have a preference? You've been here over a year, so you've met most of the staff."

"I'm not interested in anyone on the staff. I mean, I think Benny would help me out if I asked him and truly had no other option, but I don't want the harem servants or the guards or even your half-brothers. Trust me, Hester recommended most of that my first day. She also said you'd never had omegas and that they weren't used to tracking heats, so I guess this issue has never really come up before."

"I never had any males and no females long enough for one to go into heat. Dumah was enough that I never desired another. Hester, who knows of my issues with female omegas, is one of the older members of my harem, and she has some pretty impressive birth control methods. I've actually considered letting her share one of my ruts, especially since she sleeps around with both of my brothers and has never borne a child, but Inias has been sufficient."

"My next heat isn't for a couple of years; I'm sure I'll figure something out by then."

They were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, Ishim entering the room and announcing Anna, Castiel's youngest sibling and Chuck's only surviving daughter. She was a beta, with that calm, soothing demeanor that one expected from Caesar's daughter, one that she had certainly cultivated from her aunt. Her red hair stood out in her family where brown was so common, and she was quite lovely, enough that Dean wouldn't have objected to being her concubine if Cas had not wanted him. She greeted her favorite brother warmly, joining them in the eating area as they waited for the kitchen to deliver their meal.

"Dean, it's good to see you out of the harem suite. Did you enjoy your trip to the market with Cas this morning?"

"I, uh, it was instructional," Dean managed, trying to keep from meeting the princess's gaze. "We met a merchant who can supply the palace better with certain essentials goods."

"Ah, wonderful. If we run out of cinnamon again we might have a riot." Anna glanced over at Dean, taking a quick sniff of the boy's scent, and grinned. "I guess we could bottle the aroma that your new concubine is giving off. Smells just like it."

Dean blushed and tried to hide, looking up when Cas chuckled and reached over to squeeze his knee. "You smell just like cinnamon, Dean; you can't fault her nose. Do you detect the apple blossom scent, too?"

Anna shrugged, looking up as Ishim and her own personal servant Muriel entered the suite, leading a trio of kitchen slaves bearing their meals. "I wouldn't know what an apple blossom smells like, but I guess there's a floral undertone. I'll go to the orchards next spring and see if I can get a good comparison."

Cas chuckled as he took the goblet of wine from Ishim. "It matters not. You should be more concerned with your own future than my concubine's scent. How did your last courtship go?"

Anna shook her head. "Not good. Do you think we could find some alphas from a foreign royal family for me to try on for size?"

"You don't want to be mated?"

Anna chuckled at the omega's question. "You caught that, did you? I'm not too keen on it, no. I used to fall in line with Mother and Father's plans, but lately their requests have felt more like a cage than anything else. I want to escape, and a foreign prince might be just the ticket."

Cas ate his meal in silence for a while, humming softly to himself. "I can ask my new merchant if he knows of any eligible bachelor nobles in Alexandria or Cyrenaica, I suppose. You've never looked south for partners."

"True. Thank you, Cas. That would be nice."

The rest of the meal was quieter, the sporadic conversations straying to simple matters like the new silk trader who was visiting the palace in the next month, purportedly bringing beautiful dark purple fabric with him. They watched the sun set in a riot of dark reds fading to the indigos of night as they finished eating, Anna finally retiring and leaving Cas alone with his concubine.

Dean stifled a yawn as he watched Ishim snuff most of the lamps, only leaving two near Cas's bed burning. "Sir, unless there is anything else, I shall retire for the night."

"Of course, Ishim. Have a good night." He stood as Ishim left, removing his heavier outer tunic and sandals, running his fingers through his hair as he headed for the bed. He waited until Dean had removed his long stolla and was also in his plain, short under tunic before speaking again. "He's in love with one of my concubines."

Dean nodded sagely. "Sure, I know. He always makes sure that he is the one to escort Inias back to our wing after his visits with you are over."

Cas narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, pulling back the blankets on the bed and waving Dean over. It was still warm at night, though they normally had a nice breeze to keep the air from getting too oppressively heavy, so the blankets were quite thin. Alphas produced a lot of body heat, so Dean wasn't worried about being cold. "Ok, but I can't figure out which one. His only real friend here is Muriel, but even she doesn't know."

Dean slipped under the blanket and extinguished the lamp on his side of the bed, Cas doing the same until they could only see each other in the moonlight. "Cas, he escorts Inias back. He doesn't stay to talk to the girls, just walks with your contracted concubine."

"He . . . he's in love with Inias? But . . . there are no legitimate relationships between two men that can really work out. The receiving man would become infamis and potentially lose any rights of the freeborn or citizen. Inias can only perform the role now because of our contract, which grants him the rights of a citizen upon its termination, after which he has said that he will gladly take a serving role in the palace."

"Cas, I don't think either one of them cares about that. Sure, he would lose some protections under Roman law, but he would have more rights than a slave or even a concubine. They wouldn't be able to mate or anything, but they could be together. Certainly you don't think that all male/male relationships in Rome are between an alpha and his concubine."

Cas chewed his bottom lip, falling onto his back and staring at the ceiling. "No, I don't pretend that. Even when you account for the brothels in every city in Rome, there aren't enough male betas and omegas to partner every alpha in rut. Since there is a stigma against women who assist their mates during that time, there must be some male citizens who allow alphas to mount them despite the risks. But still, I like Inias. He's been a good companion, certainly the first of my male betas I would ever call friend. If he partners with Ishim, everything I did to get him a better place in society could be ruined."

"What if he cares about love more than his position in society?"

"I don't know," Cas whispered. "I wish . . . I wish this was something I could change, but the taboo against a citizen male being penetrated during sex is more ingrained in our society than the prejudices perpetrated upon our male omegas."

Dean smiled and settled down into the bed, tucking one arm under his head and holding the other against his chest. He really wanted to cuddle closer to Cas, but he wasn't sure the prince would allow a new concubine such familiarity. "What's the point of being Caesar someday if you can't change the world for the better? And, if you can't, you can at least let Ishim and Inias have their love in the secrecy of the palace. They wouldn't be the first such couple to find sanctuary within these walls."

"Maybe you're right. I don't put any restrictions on Inias's time, as long as he is available for my ruts, and I can keep this to myself. Thank you for telling me, Dean."

"Of course. Goodnight, Cas."