Chapter Text
Born with the softest blond hair that Doyoung had ever seen and touch in his entire life (that might be an exaggeration but his point still stand), bright brown eyes and perfect glowing skin, Doyoung was convinced that Taeyong is the most beautiful omega in the world.
At the shy age of 3, his cousin had received countless marriage proposals, even before he presented. Maybe it's because he is so beautiful that everyone is convinced he will never be an alpha but well they are not wrong.
Kim Doyoung was born a year (half a year) later than Taeyong from the much less influential kim family and although he was also beautiful with his dark brown almond shaped eyes, silky black hair and angled nose, he paled so much in comparison with his cousin.
Not to mention, Doyoung grew up tall and broad shouldered, really untypical for an omega. In fact, nobody expected him to present as one.
Thus, it was to no one's surprise that the Kim family received little to none marriage proposals and most of them comes from some random old men looking for a younger wife.
His father rejected all those marriage proposals even though Doyoung himself didn't (never) vocal his objection.
The Kim family used to be one of the most properous kingdom but was left devastated by a civil war about years ago when his grandfather was still the king.
The rebel group was pushing hard and the losing royal family was desperate for some alliance and so through the marriage of Doyoung's aunt (his dad's younger sister) to the Lee family whose king's old wife had failed to bear him children even after years of trying, they managed to win pull through and win the war.
(That was how Taeyong and Jeno was born as Doyoung's cousin)
But the idea of his little sister being taken away forcefully from his side to marry someone twenty years older didn't sit well
with his father and so from the moment he was crowned king, he swore that he would never allow the same thing to happen to his children.
And thus Doyoung's father worked hard, real hard to build his kingdom back so that younger suitors will be interested in marriage, so that their kingdom will not be weak again and then having to sell their children to ask for help from another country.
And maybe, just maybe, after 18 years of hardwork, his father's effort came to fruition.
---
"Umm, hyung? Done staring?"
Doyoung said after fifteen minutes of pretending to focus on his work while his brother, also pretending to read a book, kept on stealing glances at him.
"Who's staring?"
His brother is a good political actor, being able to mask a smile in every situation even ones that pisses him off but somehow in front of Doyoung, he always becomes a fluttering and embarassing mess.
"What's the deal?"
Doyoung sighed as he took off his glasses in favour of messaging his sore nose bridge.
His brother, also tired of pretending to read a book, sat on one of the soft leather couch nearest to his desk.
"So, a letter came this morning..."
Gongmyung had fidgeted a little as he spoke.
"A letter?"
Whatever letter his brother had received couldn't have been a normal letter. What kind of letter invites such a serious conversation anyway.
"Well, kind of a letter,"
His brother was not looking at him as he scratched the back of his neck, eyes darting around the room: to the tall bookshelfs covering either side of the wall, the fresh potted rose on the table, anywhere but to him.
It really was a rare sight to see as Gong Myung, for the better half of the time, always maintains a calm composure.
"Just say it,"
Doyoung had his suspicion, there was only one kind of letter that makes his brother - if not his whole family acts this way.
Instead of answering him, his brother stood up from his chair and walked towards where he was seated.
For the first time since his brother entered the room, Doyoung finally noticed the scroll that his brother was holding. He dropped said scroll wordlessly in front of Doyoung on top of the documents that he was working on previously.
Doyoung stared at the scroll then at the broken royal seal for a few seconds before looking back up to raise one of his eyebrows at his brother.
He didn't recognize the red royal seal on the scroll. Usually, there are only 3 kingdoms that would send letters directed towards him: the Lee, the Seo and the other Lee and most of these letters are just filled with 'i miss yous' or 'can i come over' or 'can you come over.'
Never anything too serious that would require a private conversation between the two.
"You don't recognize the symbol? It's the Jung's," his brother answered with an amused glint in his eyes.
Doyoung had always been the smart kid, being educated about kingdoms, politics and acvountings since a young age alongside his brother.
Growing up, he had to memorize all the symbols and surnames of the other kingdom's royal family so that he will be prepared to receive any guests or letters that come into his kingdom.
But ever since he presented, his beother Gong Myung, who is the future king, manages most of the political stuffs while he manages more on the budget and relations with the people.
It's not his fault that after some time his memory has dulled. The Jungs never sent a letter before anyway.
And in his defense, the seal was already broken which made it even more difficult to recognize ( though he could always recognize the Lee or Seo seal no matter how broken it is).
"Oh, and?"
Doyoung still couldn't fanthom why the Jung would suddenly send a letter to them anyway. It couldn't be a marriage proposal since all the Jung kids are engaged already.
"It's a marriage proposal,"
and Doyoung was proven wrong.
"With who?"
"Jung Jaehyun obviously, Jaemin is a kid and is an omega,"
Without even looking, Doyoung could hear the eye roll in his brother's statement.
"I thought he's engaged to Dong Sicheng?"
"You haven't heard? Dong Sicheng eloped a few days ago."
"And they didn't fight to get him back?"
As far as Doyoung remember, the Jungs was one of the powerful royal family out there so there is no reason they wouldn't try to bring Dong Sicheng back after eloping.
"Well he eloped with a Nakamoto so they just let him go,"
"oh."
The Nakamoto is one of the MOST powerful royal family out there alongside the Lees so no wonder the Jung just let the matter go.
A round of silence enveloped the two as Doyoung stared at his brother who was staring back at him.
"Yeah and so?"
His brother asked as he stared deep into his eyes, breaking the silence after a few minutes.
"So what?"
Doyoung asked back, genuinely confused.
"The marriage proposal, do you accept or not?"
"Oh yea, sure."
"Oh ok I was about to re- wait what?"
Gong Myung's eyes widened at Doyoung who ironically had a calm look on his face as if he didn't just agree to an arranged marriage.
"I said sure?"
"Yeah, I heard you the first time. I just didn't expect you to agree so easily,"
His brother said sheepishly as he once again scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"When did I ever not agree with this kind of stuff?"
Over the years, Doyoung had never been the one to reject marriage proposals. It had always been his father or his brother who filtered every marriage proposal that came through.
Doyoung knew from the moment he presented, that it was his duty as a royal family to have an arranged marriage. He never once saw it as an unfair thing because he had been living comfortably since young so there must be a price he needs to pay for that comfortable life and to him it is the freedom to choose his love life.
And although he believed this, it never once stopped him from being jealous of his cousins, who although are also in an arranged marriage themselves, somehow managed to have a beautiful love life too.
Both Taeyong, who is to marry Johnny Seo, and Jeno, who is to marry Jung Jaemin are happy despite the arrangement and sometimes when he sees the couples laughing happily together, he always felt an uncomfortable twist in his heart.
Usually, princes and princesses know their arranged partner from a young age but the case is different for Doyoung who never received proposal from anyone who is close to his age and thus never experience the same kind of romance growing up.
And now, finally after 18 years of waiting and kind of giving up, he finally receives one from someone close to his age but it is as a last resort since there is probably no more young unengaged omegas around to marry anymore.
But Doyoung is okay with it, really. This is the only way to pay back the people of his country who has been very nice to him.
He was sure that marriage with the Jung will bring some fortune to the kingdom.
"Ah right you never once minded,"
Gong Myung had been different. Being one of the most handsome alpha out there and being the future king of a rapidly growing kingdom, he got to choose his partner and married her just a few months ago.
"So when is the marriage?"
Doyoung asked nonchalantly as he put his glasses back on, ready to bury his nose in the pile of documents again.
"Next year after the crown princes' 18th birthday."
'that's fast'
Doyoung thought as he recalled that unlike in his kingdom, in the Jung's kingdom the king gets crowned at the age of eighten instead of twenty.
"Do I have to move out soon or?"
Doyoung asked, trying to hide the shaking in his voice. Although he didn't mind getting married to someone who is practically a complete stranger, he did mind leaving his brother and the kingdom he grew up in so soon.
"No you don't have to move out soon, probably just a week or two before the wedding,"
his brother informed him, tone even, no more nervousness or awkwardness from the previous conversation left.
Doyoung felt relieved, he had a few months left before he had to leave.
"Oh, and they are coming over in two weeks since you agree to the proposal,"
and with that his brother excused himself from the study, to continue doing whatever kingly duties he was doing before.
'two weeks huh?'
The castle is going to be bustling soon. In two weeks, they have a banquet to prepare.