She was as beautiful as the rumors had suggested. Her hair was black and flowed over her shoulders like a dark curtain.. A crown of crystal adorned her head, inlaid with precious gems. She wore a thick white cloak made of fur Phoenix nervously noted was very similar to that of Mongue’s and her dress was as black as the floor, giving off a strange glittering light depending on where you looked at her in the room. She made herself appear as the centerpiece of the room despite the number of people standing below her. The throne sat on a raised dais and allowed for no one else to stand beside her. It was those piercing, cold black eyes that followed Prince Aspen to the bottom of the dais that had the hairs on the back of Phoenix’s neck rising. There was no warmth in her eyes, as if she was nothing more than a hollow shell of a being and a demon had taken over. Her scent was everywhere, an overpowering Omega pheromone that was no doubt meant to keep others in their place but to Phoenix, it was suffocating; fear kept him frozen in place as his face pale and his body shaking from the heaviness of her pheromones. He desperately wished to bury his face into Prince Aspen and breathe in his pheromones to calm himself.

Prince Aspen stopped at the bottom of the dais and bowed to one knee, head bowed a moment before standing back up. “Queen Mother.” he greeted, his voice devoid of emotion and stiff, as if he didn’t wish to be here either. “King Midas has tricked us and has now threatened us all with war for his own amusement."

The Queen tilted her head slightly before resting her elbow on the arm of the throne and resting her chin on her palm. She gazed over Prince Aspen with a look of strange amusement before those depthless eyes landed on Phoenix. Cold surged through him and he immediately looked away, unable to stand the overpowering dominance she exerted. 

“Sure looks to me like he came through.” Her voice was musical and purred like a cat. She was a beauty none could compare to and, even her voice sounded as though she had truly been blessed by the Gods but it was the darkness in her eyes that ruined her image. Phoenix was afraid that at any moment, she would shed her skin and a demon would be sitting in her place, instead. 

Phoenix heard her stand and her clipped steps as she descended the dais. Naturally, he fell to his knees as she approached and Phoenix thought his heart was going to burst from fear at that moment. He could see her heels stop before him and her voice spoke to him. “Stand up, Omega. Let me see you.”

He dared a look at Prince Aspen but the Alpha’s glare at him told him enough. He obeyed, coming to his feet, hands clasped nervously before him, still unable to meet her gaze. But, the Queen soon corrected this, snatching his chin in a bruising grip as she forced his head upwards to meet her gaze. Her smile spread when she finally got to see his eyes and her hand on his chin lessened its grip. 

“Well, you certainly brought home an interesting gem, Aspen.” she mused. She let go of him as she turned to her son. “Foolish boy, throwing away such a gift.” she told him, walking towards him. “Use that intelligent brain of yours, child. You may hate the idea of being mated to a bastard child of the King of Spring but this child’s bloodline is far richer than that of his whore daughters. Those eyes don’t lie, my son.”

She patted Aspen’s cheek, enough to make the Prince flinch at each one before the Queen ascended the dais once more and gracefully sat back down on her throne. “King Midas may have taunted Autumn with the news of their precious heir but this will suit us perfectly.”

Phoenix didn’t understand but it seemed Prince Aspen did, his mouth strained as if he wanted to argue whatever was on their minds. But the Queen didn’t seem to care. She had an almost manic expression on her face that tarnished her beautiful face. Phoenix wondered if the Queen had always been this way or if something had happened to twist her like this. 

“We will confirm the Omega’s bloodline and then, I want to speak with the Queen of Autumn, to make the deal. Don’t worry, my son. You will have your mate. The promise made between you and King Midas is binding and we both know you cannot run from it.”

She snapped her fingers and Phoenix jumped when several servants appeared on either side of him. Each of them had a collar around their necks as he had but they appeared far more cared for than the slaves of the Spring Court. They bowed gently at the waist, a strange but beautiful grace to them. 

“Yes, my Queen?” One of them asked.

“Take the Omega to his room. I want him washed, dressed and ready to be presented.” The servant straightened up and gently touched Phoenix’s shoulder, indicating she wished for him to follow. 

“Aspen, my son. You remain here. Everyone else, leave us!”

Phoenix and the others were already moving towards an entrance that was much smaller in grandeur than the main door while the rest of the people in the throne room dispersed in their own direction. He didn’t want to part from Prince Aspen, far too untrusting of the people around him but he doubted the Winter Prince would show any sort of affection towards him while here at the Palace. After all, he had a persona to uphold. The short time Phoenix had been with him, he had noticed the subtle difference in his personality outside of the Winter Court versus now, where he stood like an immovable force at the base of the dais, his eyes as cold as his mother’s. 

He was whisked away, however, and didn’t get a chance to hear what they were going to talk about. The rest of the palace was much the same; dark obsidian, white marble and white plush carpets. Despite the warmth the palace was filled with, ice sculptures and hanging icicles still managed to remain frozen and in place. On the outside, the palace had seemed frightening, like a fortress in a frozen wasteland but on the inside, it was rather spacious and surprisingly historic. Paintings depicted the history of the Winter Court, history of the Fae Courts themselves and many portraits of past rulers and family members. Servants moved around them, conversing, giggling and bowing at the waist when they saw him before moving off. While the bowing made him uncomfortable when he knew he certainly didn’t deserve it, the atmosphere was far different here than at Spring. Even the servants, both Alphas and Omegas, were well cared for and didn’t live in fear. 

He was led to an open door where several more servants were waiting for him, their heads bowed as he was ushered inside. He had to stop, a hitch in his breath as he took in the room. It was a suite all its own with a large obsidian fireplace, white furniture laid out before it and dark oak bookshelves fanning each side of the mantel laden with books in both the language of the Winter Court and the shared language of the Courts. Heavy fur rugs scattered across the obsidian floor, spread apart just enough that he could walk across them without touching the floor. A small dinette was set up against a frost encrusted window and it was already laden with sweets and fruits of which he’d never seen before. More than that, an archway that led into a bedroom was actually made out of a real life tree growing right out of the floor. The dark oak added to the aesthetic of the room and it seemed magicked to remain alive despite the frigid temperatures of the Winter Court. 

“This is your room.” One of the Omega females said pleasantly. She waved to the line of servants still standing with their heads bowed. Each one wore a collar of an Omega. “And they have been handpicked to be your handmaids. All are loyal to the Winter Court and only wish to provide you comforts while you are here.”

He made a strangled sort of noise and raised his hands to the female speaking to him. “Oh, please, you don’t have to do this, really! I’m certainly not worthy of all of this!” He felt guilt twist in his belly as he looked around the room, feeling his hopes fall. That’s right; Prince Aspen hadn’t expected him, he had expected a beautiful Spring Court princess. He was just a lowly Omegan slave. He was thin, malnourished and flinched at any quick motion. And he was male; the anomaly that came from the Wytch’s curse. He certainly didn’t deserve to be treated as royalty, regardless of what King Midas proclaimed. 

But the female only smiled fondly at him and touched his shoulder. “Consider these rooms a place to heal and feel safe.” she told him softly, as if she could hear his thoughts. “We’ll leave you alone for now but if there’s anything you need, there will always be someone at your door.”  

A gentle squeeze to his shoulder and they all filed out of the room, closing the door with a soft click behind them. He felt incredibly small standing in the room by himself, afraid to touch anything and feeling more like a stranger than comfortable. To ease his fears, he began to meander around the room, exploring and inspecting curiosities. He found a lavish bathroom, complete with a large round tub that sat beside large windows. While the view may have been beautiful, the glass was currently covered by a thick layer of frost. From there, he took some time to read the spines of the books, finding many on the history of the fae and the courts and several that he couldn’t read due to Winter’s strange language. 

Each Court had their own language, their own dialect that allowed them the independence they all sought. But also, there was the language of the Courts, one they would all speak to understand each other. While most just used the language of the Courts, as the Spring Court had, there were some, like Winter, who preferred to keep their language as a staple of their heritage. 

From there, he passed to the other side of the room to the arching tree. He placed his hand gently on the bark, mesmerized how it was still able to feel like a tree despite growing out of pure rock. The bedroom was as lavish as the main room with a four-poster bed wrapped in sheer blacks and whites. A wardrobe, a writing desk and a changing blind made up the majority of the rest of the room as well as a side table beside the bed where a bowl of water rested. It was simple perhaps to royalty but to Phoenix, it was more than he certainly deserved. 

He walked to the bed and sat down on it, gasping when he about sank into it. Feeling childish, he snuggled into the blankets and pillows with a grin, loving the way the bed seemed to conform with him and keep him warm and safe. He’d never seen, or felt, a bed this comfortable before. Maybe being here wouldn’t be so bad. Even if he didn’t mate with Prince Aspen, he could stand to stay here as a servant. Aside from the Queen herself, he didn’t see anything particularly terrifying about the Winter Court as he had grown up to believe. 

He rolled over until he was laying on his back, a deep frown on his face. But, he’d never heard about Prince Aspen having a brother. And to be killed by his own mother over disobedience? He felt a shiver down his spine. What if she decided she didn’t like him? Or if he simply annoyed her? Would he be killed just because? After a moment, he sat up. He hadn’t been disturbed as the female had promised and he almost felt… giddy with excitement. He was growing on the room and he was beginning to accept that it was his own personal space. He moved from the bed and to the wardrobe where he threw open the doors and admired the outfits inside. Furs, silks, all in brilliant colors he’d never even seen before. They were hand crafted to the highest degree and unused. They were clearly clothes tailored for a male and he wondered if it was possible for these to even be his. After all, there wouldn’t have been time to make them. He’d only just arrived at the palace. 

From the wardrobe, he examined the writing desk, only to discover it would be useless to him. He couldn’t read or write. A small insignificant thing in his mind but he was sure, to Prince Aspen, it would be terrible. From there, he moved to the bathroom where he wasn’t able to resist. He turned on the water, surprised to find the water was already preheated from the pipes and he began to undo his clothes. Having spent his entire life wearing nothing more than a dirty and torn shift, the idea of the corset’s ties was horrible. He whined as he tried to twist his arms around to begin to undo it but failed miserably. He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door of his room. The female had told him if he needed anything, that someone would be right outside the door… 

Letting the water continue to fill up, he moved towards the door and nervously paused a moment, feeling a rise of embarrassment in his cheeks before he opened it slowly. Immediately, one of the servants was there at the crack of the door. 

“My Lord?”

The title didn’t help to quell his nerves and he almost gave up on asking to bolt back into the room, into his new solitude. But, the idea of soaking in a hot tub was too good to pass up. “Um, I need… I can’t seem…” he mumbled, unable to look at her. 

But she smiled regardless, her eyes soft. “I shall help you, My Lord. If you allow?”

He gave a single nod and stepped back to open the door wide enough to allow her to enter. Once inside the bathroom once more, the female was gentle as she undid the laces of the corset. It was strange to be undressed by someone else but strangely calming at the same time. He felt looked after and cared for, something he had been missing his whole life. Even her scent was soft and calming. 

Once the restraint came off, he could feel himself breathing better and he looked over his shoulder at her. “Thank you. I’m not… I’m not used to wearing clothes like these.” 

Her smile met her eyes, closing momentarily from the force of it. “I understand. Shall I assist  you any further?”

Phoenix’s face burned again and he shook his head quickly. She curtsies gently. 

“Then I shall leave you to your bath. I shall wait outside the bathroom door in case you need me again, My Lord.”

She was almost to the door when he turned towards her. “Uh, can you… Can you just call me Phoenix? I’m not comfortable with the whole ‘My Lord’ thing.”

She curtsied again. “Of course, My Lord.” And she was gone out the door before he could stop her and correct her again. 

He groaned. He certainly wasn’t worthy of such recognition. Even if his lineage was confirmed, he hadn’t done anything worthy of such a title.