He wasn’t given much time from that point to even allow himself his own thoughts. Once he was dressed and presentable, he was ushered out the door back to the guards who had escorted him there. This time, they led him out of the guest wings into the front courtyard where he froze. There, where horses were usually waiting to be saddled, were massive white beasts, arms and chests as large and wide as three men and massive long claws that could easily carry it over slippery ice. Riding one of these massive beasts was Prince Aspen, legs disappearing into the thick white fur and holding onto a strange bar that rose from a decorated collar around the beast’s neck. The prince gave Phoenix a simple look over and, deemed worthy enough, twisted his hand in a motion that told the guards he was ready to go. The two with Phoenix grabbed him by the arms and began to move towards Aspen. Phoenix’s eyes were glued, however, to the massive beast who seemed to spear him with it’s black eyes, drool probably from massive teeth leaching from the corner of his mouth. Having seen nothing bigger than a horse before, terror kept him from wanting to get close. But his two escorts moved him as though he weighed nothing more than a feather and, when he was close enough to reach out and touch the beast Prince Aspen rode on, he was picked up and sat before the Alpha.

At that moment, everything about the massive beasts he would be riding was forgotten. The sudden warmth against his back from Prince Aspen was a shock. He had expected the male to feel cold, as frigid as his personality and his inner Omega nearly purred at the feeling of him against him. He hated how he immediately seemed to relax into the Prince’s hold as his arms lay on either side of him, holding the reigns as he called out for his entourage to move out. This close, Prince Aspen’s pine scented scent was intoxicating and Phoenix had to bite his inner cheek to keep himself from turning his head and burying his nose into the prince’s furs for more of that mouth-watering scent. 

Being set in front of Price Aspen was a whole other experience. Enough so that he completely forgot about the beast below him. He was surprisingly warm for an ice prince, his chest firm despite the furs. But what was most distracting was the all encompassing scent of the Prince. He had never been to the Winter Court before but with each breath, it place a feeling of warm memories and comfort. He had to resist the urge to turn and bury his face into his chest. It was made easier when Aspen wrapped his arms around his waist to take the reins. Phoenix tensed, trying to appear smaller, his heart thundering his chest as the beast below him began to move and turn. They were finally leaving the Spring Court. He was glad he had been given a bath. Being snuggled into his chest as he was, he would surely soil his clothes and disgust him.

The caravan of soldiers set off at once. No one from Spring came to see them off, not that Prince Aspen seemed to care. The beast below them was surprisingly fast and didn’t jostle too much. Just comfortable enough to allow him to grin when they passed beneath Spring’s city gates. He couldn’t believe it! He was finally free!

Prince Aspen was silent company, only speaking to those who rode up beside him with the scouting news from up ahead before riding off again. This gave Phoenix the opportunity to be comfortable enough to look around them. He had never left the Spring Palace before and every now sight more than exceeded his expectations. Spring had always been well known for the palace gardens but it was also famous for its lush fields and vibrant forests. Life thrived here in abundance from the brightly colored peafowl to the mysterious and serene Vikus with it’s antlered head and feathered feet. The beasts they rode on seemed unbothered, even when small creatures dashed across the path. They were either well trained or they were also enjoying the pleasure and beauty that was the Spring Court. Endless miles of lush fields dotted with thickets and warm villages. It wasn’t till darkness fell that they stopped for the night at an Inn called ‘The Jaded Hare’. 

It was a solider who got him down off the beast and the moment his feet touched, his legs nearly gave out, causing him to stumble into the man. For a moment, the soldier reached to steady him, his hands on his shoulders but then just as quickly, pulled away. When Phoenix looked up in surprise, ready to apologize, he noticed Prince Aspen’s cold look. 

“Take him to be bathed again. He still stinks.”

Phoenix felt a sharp pang in his chest at the disgust in Prince Aspen’s voice and his shoulders slumped. Why did he feel disappointed? What had he actually been hoping for? He was a dirty Omega slave and a male. Certainly not the bride a Prince had been hoping for. 

A cloak was thrown over his head before he was led into the Inn. He was led through a warm room where several voices could be heard before abruptly turning and nearly stumbling down stairs.He was led into the lower level of the Inn, their footsteps echoing off of stone floors and Phoenix shivered from the cold. The cloak was finally removed from his head and he blinked around a nearly barren stone room that appeared more as a storage space than a room. 

“His Highness Prince Aspen has requested you remain hidden. This Inn has happily provided the cellar. All your ementies will be brought to you.”

Phoenix felt colder than the room but he supposed it was still better than back at the Spring Palace. He nodded, wrapping his arms protectively against himself. While he might have been out of the filth that was the Spring Court, he had never felt more alone than he did right then. 

The Inn staff was quick to provide him with basic necessities including a tub and warm water to wash. Several of Prince Aspen’s knights set it up for him before abruptly leaving. Except for one who informed him he would be right outside the door if he needed him. The first thing he did when he was finally alone was stripped off his clothes and sank into the water. Without so many people trying to bathe him and making it uncomfortable, he was able to relax and finally enjoy a bath. After all, it was a luxury he was never afforded before. He had been provided with simple goat’s milk soap infused with lavender and rosemary but to Phoenix, it was amazing. He lathered his skin and hair before rinsing off with a pail. He spent the last of the warm water just enjoying before getting out, toweling off and sliding between clean sheets. It wasn’t a feather bed, instead stuffed with straw but it was the best bed he’d ever slept in. So much so that by morning, it was the guard shaking him awake with a tray of fresh breakfast. Fresh eggs and fruit, a strip of bacon and a still steaming chunk of bread. They had even been nice enough to give him hot tea. Once he finished his breakfast, he was given fresh laundered clothes with no scents. He remembered Prince Aspen’s comment when they had first arrived about him still stinking and he hoped the clean clothes and scented soaps would do the trick. He didn’t want to be any more of a burden to the Prince than he already was. Once he was fed and clothed, he was once more escorted back upstairs and outside with a cloak over his head like a common criminal and, for all intensive purposes, maybe he was. Or, at least, made to look so as to not raise suspicion. But why all this trouble for a simple Omega slave? It wasn’t like it was common knowledge that he was Spring’s bastard heir. 

Either way, he was led out of the Inn to where the Prince and his party were waiting. The beasts were already saddled and huffing in impatience to be off. Once more, he was picked up by the guard and set before the Prince as if he was nothing more than a child. Prince Aspen’s arms boxed him in and against his chest as he took the reins and Phoenix breathed in his scent that reminded him of the trees they brought into the palace during Winterfest. It was strangely calming and he found himself easily relaxing against the Alpha. However, it was all shattered when he heard the Prince sniff. “Captain, I thought I told you to bathe him?”

His guard, who mounted a beast beside them, looked confused. “Yes, Your Highness, I did.”

“Well, he still stinks.”

Phoenix’s heart sank and he felt his stomach roll with nausea. Before they even set out, he was transferred from Prince Aspen’s beast to the one of his guard. The man’s scent was harsh on his nose and he certainly didn’t seem as warm. The mood for the entire trip was set at that point and it was only made worse when they got caught in one of Spring’s infamous thunderstorms. The fur cloak the man wore was enough to shelter both of them but the misery was palpable. The cloak and the man’s embrace kept him dry but he was sweltering. The fur cloaks were meant for the Winter Court, not for the humid storms of Spring. Not to mention, the Knight’s scent was harsh on his nose, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He was far less excited by the adventure than the day before. 

The rain followed them into the afternoon and they were forced to stop. The downpour was so hard, the beasts they rode on were having trouble staying on the road and were becoming confused. Their drenched fur only added to their frustrations. The Prince managed to find a farmer who was more than willing to let them stay in his barn till the rain eased up. Prince Aspen, of course, was invited into the Farmer’s house while the rest had to find a comfortable spot among the hay and animals. 

Phoenix was put into a stall with fuzzy creatures resembling sheep and his guard situated himself on the floor at the entrance. Despite the itchiness of the hay, the fuzzy creatures were awfully snuggly. They butt their heads against him as they climbed onto his lap, making chuffing noises and chewing on his hair.

“They seem to really like you.” The guard said, watching Phoenix be mobbed by the needy creatures. “Sylvan don’t usually bother with strangers.”

Phoenix made a pathetic noise of protest as one of the Sylvan’s managed to push him over and began to nose around in his hair. “Is there anyway to get them to stop?”

The guard was grinning, clearly amused by the creature's playful antics with him. “It might just be your scent; they think you’re one of them. Sylvan create large family groups to keep themselves safe from predators. They probably just want you to smell like the group to see you safe.” 

“Well, you should be more upset that they’re taking your job.” Phoenix huffed, submitting to the Sylvan’s demands to be smothered by them. At least they were soft and cute. 

His guard was called away and Phoenix resigned himself to the snuggle pile in the hay with a sigh. The Winter Knights spoke softly among themselves and, between that, the rain on the roof and the chuffing of the Sylvans, Phoenix found himself easily drifting off. 

He found himself in a dream of the past; of Eva who had raised him since his Omega father had died. He remembered going with her to the kitchens and passed off to other slaves doing various jobs to be kept from the dangers of the kitchen. He remembered washing in a metal tub with water heated from the stoves. And most specifically, he remembered being snuggled down in a basket of blankets for bed. He had been told that the blanket had been his birth parents and that the scent helped calm him but anymore, he couldn’t remember the scent. Nor what had happened to that blanket. 

He was woken later by his guard for lunch. The Knights had all gathered their rations and had split them between each of them. It wasn’t much but for Phoenix, it was more than he was used to. They hadn’t been given solid meals in Spring. Only when chance allowed them to swipe small tidbits on the way to the dining hall. Eva, however, had always made sure to leave a plate for him. His guard handed him a small bowl of strips of dried jerky, wild berries and nuts and a strange smoked cheese that nearly melted in his mouth. After the snuggle nap with the Sylvans, they seemed content enough to leave him to eat in peace. 

“My name is Jynx.” His guard offered, returning to his spot in the doorway of the stall. “And you don’t have to be so wary of me. I’ve been assigned to make sure you’re comfortable. And, I’m a Beta so, I won’t take advantage of you.”

He swallowed what he had been chewing on and gave him a doubtful look. “And to make sure I don’t run off, right?”

Jynx looked mildly surprised. “Do you want to go back to Spring? I saw the way they treated you and, I assure you, you won’t be treated like that in Winter. I’m here to make sure that no one gets to you.”

Phoenix set down his bowl of food with a sad look. “Am I really going to have to marry the Prince?”

Jynx gave him a long, level look before sighing. “It’s not my place to say. Who knows what His HIghness has planned for you. If the Spring King had even been telling the truth about your heritage, that would need to be investigated before anything can happen. After all, the future of all Fae rests on King Midas keeping his promise with His Highness. If we go to war, it’ll be the end of all of us and any future generations.”

The heaviness of his words made Phoenix nauseous. What if he wasn’t related to King Midas? He would be the very downfall of their people.

Jynx almost seemed to sense his inner turmoil. “Listen, kid. None of this will be your fault. The deal with the Spring Court was made long before you were born. Am I right in assuming you’re pretty young?”

Phoenix nodded shyly. “Only nineteen, sir.”

“Ah, so yeah, even before His Highness was born as well.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, how old is Prince Aspen?”

 “His Highness just celebrated his one hundred and seventeenth birthday. An achievement considering what happened to his brother.”

Wait… The Winter Prince had a brother? He’d never heard of them before. Granted, the Fae Royal families were all much older than he was, he thought he would have at least heard mention of them. 

“There’s more than one Prince of Winter?”

“Had.”

Phoenix jumped in surprise at Prince Aspen’s voice as he walked around the corner of the stall.

“My mother killed him, for daring to disobey her orders.”

 There was a heavy cold that seemed to fill the stall. The huddling Sylvans shifted nervously, letting out little huffs of anxiety. Jynx gave an awkward clearing of his throat as he came to his feet, no doubt prepared to walk away.

 

“Let’s go.” Prince Aspen ordered. “The rain has stopped.”