Chapter Text
CHAPTER 11
Nanon had a plan. The plan was to assassinate The Great Emperor of the North.
That asshole had the balls to be this adorable after messing up royally! He had literally taken Nanon’s breath away by just kneeling down and putting his sword in Nanon’s feet. It was obviously impossible for Nanon to not forgive him after that.
Ugh.
The problem was that even though the Emperor had apologised, proved his love and affection and most definitely won Nanon’s heart, he was hesitant in going back to the kingdom he was thrown out from. As the Emperor’s consort and by virtue of the fact that he had at least 30 Omegas in waiting, Nanon knew how gossip travelled in the Chiang Mai Fort. It was obvious that the news of Emperor’s Omega getting caught meeting a strange Alpha at night, by the Emperor himself and then getting thrown out of the fort that very night would have made headlines. More than his reputation, Nanon was worried about the acceptance he had worked so hard to earn. As a Southerner that had been quite the task.
It had been 10 days since the Emperor’s entourage left but it felt like a century. In his heart Nanon knew he wanted to go back to his husband but it was not that easy.
“Nanon…!”
He turned around to see Gun barging into his room, breathless from his run. Nanon’s blood ran cold. This better be good news.
“What’s the matter Phi?!” He immediately got out of his bed and walked quickly towards his friend, grabbing his shoulders gently.
“Nanon the Emperor…” Gun broke off into another pant.
No. No. This was not happening. The lord above could not be this cruel.
“The Emperor what Phi?!” The nervous look on Nanon’s face gave away his concern.
“The Emperor laid out your drain project in the city of Chiang Mai!.” Gun said in one breath.
What?
Nanon let go off Gun and fell into the nearby chair. This was not what he had expected.
“I just got Chimon’s letter from Chiang Mai. The Emperor has been working on this ever since he left here. Nanon he is miserable without you and misses you dearly. You must go back.” Gun continued to ramble as Nanon was still processing what was happening.
Having grown up in the Krabi and the South generally, an omega involved in inventions and town planning was not just unheard off, rather it was quite scandalous. Yet his stupid, beautiful Alpha had gone ahead stolen his plans and implemented them without a second of hesitation.
“Phi pack my bags.”
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Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, Nanon learnt that there was a festival being held at the Pawat Fort to celebrate the gift of running water that their Emperor had bestowed them with. It was an elaborate affair and the entire city was in attendance along with numerous delegates from other parts of the Empire, bearing gifts for their Emperor.
Nanon had made the big decision to go back to his husband bearing in mind that he would have to start from scratch to gain acceptance at the fort and the Empire. It was bound to be a long and drawn out struggle but it would be worth it for love.
The Emperor had shown him that he not only loved Nanon but truly respected him and accepted him with all his quirks. Yes, Nanon was still a little hesitant on the trust aspect but he was sure that they would be able to build it again. He had to take that leap of faith.
As they approached the fort, Nanon noticed that the festival was being held in the expansive front courtyard of the Pawat Fort. It was a sight to behold. The courtyard was filled with bright colours, cheerful sounds and vibrant decorations. There were dancers and performers from all over the country, eager to please the Emperor with their talents. There was a display of sword-fighting, horse-riding and jousting. Nanon was hit by a wave of glamour and grandeur that was the Pawat Empire.
As Nanon’s entourage moved further into the celebrations, he noticed that it was the last day of the festival and the Emperor had joined the festivities. He could see from a distance that the Emperor sat on his gold throne his open Court Hall at the head. There were guards separating him from the people but Nanon could see that they were just a mere precaution. The people were allowed freely into the Emperor’s home and the people let the Emperor into their hearts.
There were people singing praises of the Emperor and showcasing their regional dances. Other performances showcased each regions military capacity with a choreographed performance of the soldiers. Sounds produced from animal skin drums and trumpets echoed off the walls of the fort.
Nanon’s arrival was announced in a booming voice and fanfare as he crossed the main entrance into the courtyard.
“The Emperor Consort Prince Nanon Kirdpan Pawat graces this festival with his presence!”
Nanon finally entered the Pawat Fort the way he wanted to – on horseback. It felt fitting that he was free from the confines of a carriage and he led his entourage into his home, on his own terms. Despite the distance between them, Nanon could see the shock clearly written on the Emperor’s face as he got to his feet and in a light jog, made his way towards the edge of the Court Hall to greet his Omega.
Uproar of delight went through the crowd as Nanon made his way towards his husband. The Imperial guards surrounded his horse and prevented the people from getting too close but Nanon could still see the happiness and surprise on their faces as they greeted him. Many tried to get close enough to touch him and the ones that did get close enough to touch his horse looked like they had just touched a divine being.
Nanon was not expecting this. He was expecting to be shunned or shamed for what had happened and how he had left Chiang Mai. He had come prepared with great trepidation to win the trust of the people back. However, it seemed like they had more acceptance in their hearts than ever before.
As he got closer, he could see that the Emperor was smiling at him, though still looking surprised. Clogging his thoughts for later, Nanon smiled at the Emperor reassuring him that he was really there. He was home.
Dismounting his stead, Nanon climbed the steps of the Court Hall and the Emperor greeted him halfway through, clearly too excited to wait till Nanon made his way to the top. Nanon immediately bent down and touched his Alpha’s feet, this time not just purely out of tradition but out of respect and admiration.
The Emperor hesitantly touched his arms and pulled him up. Nanon smiled his approval. The Emperor took a calming breath before speaking, his smile never leaving his face and his hands never leaving Nanon.
“I cannot express how happy I am to have you here,” he whispered and even through the loud cheering, Nanon heard him just fine. It was probably because he could hear nothing but his Alpha’s voice.
“I had to come,” Nanon said. “You sneaky Alpha stole my drainage plans. I have come to retrieve them.” Nanon said playfully. Rest of the apologies, romantic banter and confessions were saved for privacy later.
The smile that the Emperor gave him could rival the Sun in its brightness.
Together they made it up the stairs and Nanon bowed to greet his mother-in-law, the Empress, who rose from her throne to greet him. Behind her, Nanon could see General Pirapat, P’Mix and P’Drake wearing large, matching grins and Nanon nodded his acknowledgment towards them.
Smiling even more brightly, Nanon turned around to face the crowds. Amidst the loud cheers Nanon stood by the Emperor as his Consort and Omega. His Alpha however, could not take his eyes off him. Nanon could feel him staring. He had the entirety of his Empire right in front of him and he still chose to look only at Nanon. Nanon knew he had made the right decision by coming back.
“Your Majesty?” the P’Drake spoke from beside them. The Emperor’s trance was broken. There were a group of men behind him – who, from their attire, seemed to be common men.
“Today, your subjects have experienced your love and devotion towards them.” The men behind him bowed to the Emperor in greeting. “And hence, today your subjects, most humbly, would like to bestow on you the epithet “the Great”. Ohm Pawat Chittaswangdee the Great!”
Beside him, the Emperor took a deep breath. “I am very pleased with this gift,” the Emperor said, in a humble voice. “I accept it with the utmost gratitude.”
“Long live Ohm Pawat Chittaswangdee the Great!” the announcer cried and the people in the fort echoed similar cries of long life and health to the Emperor. Nanon felt his chest swell up with pride for his Alpha.
“Also Your Majesty, Prince Nanon, your people are beyond grateful for your contribution to their welfare. The plans you made were truly genius. Therefore, your subjects, most humbly bestow you with the title of Ironman.”
This had to be the most shocking moment for Nanon from the day he had received the news of the Emperor’s new project. As an Omega and the Consort, he never expected to get credit for his inventions. His Alpha has yet again managed to completely stump him.
“I…” Nanon had no words.
Ohm could sense the predicament his Omega was in. “You deserve so much more my love. Please accept this.”
Given a push of confidence by his Alpha Nanon finally said “I am most grateful for this gift General Drake. Please convey my official acceptance to the public.” This was followed by chants of Long live Ironman Prince Nanon. This was really happening.
During the whole festival, Nanon hadn’t stopped smiling. His cheeks were hurting but he didn’t even think of trying to stop his smile. That was impossible. Nanon was happy and completely content with his life for the first time in a very long time – basking in his husband’s love and the people’s adoration.
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Right after the festival had ended, the Royal couple had requested everyone for some time alone and decided to take a walk in the royal gardens. It had been ten minutes since they had been walking in complete silence, just enjoying each other’s presence. Nanon constantly had his hand in the crook of the Emperor’s elbow, refusing to let go even for a moment. He had waited long enough for this.
Ohm was so shocked when he heard the announcer say Nanon’s name. He had accepted that he had made a grave mistake by not trusting Nanon and would have to live with its consequences for the rest of his life. The reason that he had decided to work on Nanon’s project, well other than the fact that it was pure genius, was that he always wanted a part of Nanon not just in his life but also in the Empire that he had worked so hard to build. This was just the start of the drainage project, this was supposed to expand to other cities of the empire soon. Ohm had been worried that he would not be able to complete it without Nanon, but the plans that he had left behind were so detailed that they could manage to conjure a workable model. He would have never imagined that Nanon would actually come back and help him see through more projects.
Nanon looked so beautiful as he had stepped down from his horse and met the Emperor in the courtyard. Ohm had never faced such a loss of words. Currently, as they were walking, Ohm was praying for strength for what he was about to say next.
“Nanon?”
Finally Ohm found himself whispering to not break the precious moment by being too loud.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything, my Lord” Nanon replied quickly and just as softly.
Ohm had to take a deep breath to steady his hammering heart. “Not here. Come with me, I’ll show you something.”
Ohm led him to Nanon’s bedchambers. He briefly made Nanon let go of his hand and turned around to face him. He saw Nanon standing right behind him with anticipation written across his beautiful features. Ohm smiled knowingly. He moved to the corner of the room where the ornate gold mirror, which Ohm had ordered especially for Nanon, stood. Placing Nanon a few feet away from the mirror, Ohm moved towards it. He turned the mirror in a particular way so it partly faced the entrance that they just walked through.
Satisfied that the mirror stood at the perfectly right angle, Ohm moved to the other side of the bedchamber. He glanced out of the entrance and saw the high outer wall of the fort that surrounded the palaces. There was just a small patch of the blue sky visible between the wall and the arch of the entrance to Nanon’s bedchamber. Ohm could see that it was almost time for sunset. He turned around to see if Nanon was still standing where he left him. He was still standing in front of the mirror but, Nanon was looking at him with a confused frown now.
“What is it that you wanted to ask me?” Nanon said, hesitantly.
“I am waiting for the right moment,” Ohm told him. And just as Ohm knew it would, the sun moved into the little patch of blue sky that was visible from the chambers, on its way to setting.
The sun rays, emerging from between the fort wall and the arch of the entrance, focused directly on the golden mirror. The gold surface shone and the tiny diamonds that embellished the ornate mirror sparkled in the sunlight, like a thousand stars. As the sun moved even further down, the sun rays angled in such a way that they reflected off the mirror and hit the gold inlays of the ceiling. The ceiling shined brightly, illuminating the bedchamber in an exquisite radiance from inside out, giving the impression that the room itself was a living, glowing thing.
Ohm heard Nanon’s sharp intake of breath as his eyes drank in the beautiful play of light. Nanon turned towards him, amazement clear in his eyes. Ohm had to admit that it was a beautiful sight. But, what truly stole Ohm’s breath away was Nanon’s reflection in the mirror. His magnificent form was framed by shining gold and glittering jewels and the light reflecting off the ceiling bathed his face in a soft golden glow.
Ohm walked towards Nanon and his Omega lowered his eyes from the ceiling to meet his. Ohm turned Nanon around so he was fully facing the mirror and he stood behind him, their eyes meeting in the reflection. Ohm’s hands hovered at Nanon’s side and only when he received a tiny nod of acceptance from Nanon did he put his hands on Nanon’s hips.
“Do you love me, Nanon?” Ohm whispered softly.
“I do, I love you…Ohm.” Nanon admitted, his eyes still locked on Ohm’s. “Do you…”
Ohm dared to place a kiss on Nanon’s shoulder. Nanon shivered slightly. His eyes fluttered but he kept them open. “I love you very much,” Ohm said.
The sun moved lower in the sky, setting behind the fort wall, leaving the bedchamber in semi-darkness. But, neither Nanon nor Ohm noticed it. All they could see was each other, their hearts beating to the same rhythm as the weight of their confessions settled on them.
Nanon turned around in Ohm’s arms and placed his arms around Ohm’s neck. His eyes dropped to Ohm’s lips in a silent question. Ohm answered by slanting his lips on Nanon’s. The kiss wasn’t like anything either of them could have imagined. It was chaste and sweet and yet both of them could feel the sparks of arousal.
They had waited long enough for this.
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8 Summers Later…
“No.”
“Non, what do you mean no?”
“It means I dare you to step out of this bed My Lord.”
Ohm smiled. His Omega really had him wrapped around his little finger. They were currently lying on their bed after an intense session of love making, wrapped in the linens and in each other.
“You realise there is an entire court waiting for me and You?”
“Let them wait.”
“That is not very Princely I must say.”
Nanon just started kissing his Alpha’s toned chest in response and Ohm moaned as he lingered to suck on his neck.
“That was not very Kingly then.”
“Okay. I take it back.”
Before Nanon could respond, there was a light knock on their door.
“Who is it?” Ohm asked in the same time as Nanon groaned in frustration.
“Apologies for disturbing you Your Majesty but Prince Mew refuses to eat till you join him for breakfast,” replied Mild, Mew’s nanny.
“We’ll be there shortly.” Ohm replied as he smiled at the thought of son.
“Your son’s timing is perfect.” Nanon said with cheeky smile of his own, still lying on top of his Alpha.
“Oh so now he is my son?”
“Of course this stubbornness is all you.”
Ohm smiled and kissed his Omega one last time before getting up to get dressed.
“Go Baba entertain your son. I shall join you shortly.” Nanon said as he buried his head back into the pillows. He really was not a morning person.
Ohm put on his shirt and pants before grabbing his robe and walking out quietly so as to not disturb his almost asleep Omega. As soon as he stepped out of their royal bed chamber, a little blur of energy crashed right into his legs.
“Good Morning Baba!” exclaimed an excited Mew, fully dressed for the day but with twigs hanging off his brown waves and adorning mud marks across his face. Ohm immediately bent down and picked him up.
“Good Morning my Little Prince. What shenanigans have you been up to this morning?” Ohm said as he pulled one twig out of his hair and attempted to tame his son’s hair a little which was an impossible task. This was all Nanon.
“I made crowns for you and daddy. I went to the gardens with P’Mild and he let me pick flowers for Daddy and then helped me make crowns out of them. Would you like to see?” Mew said in one breath.
“Of course my Love, as inventive as Daddy I see.” Mew giggled at that. They walked into the Royal balcony where the breakfast was being served. Ohm immediately grabbed a tissue and attempted to clean some of the mud that was on Mew’s face. Out of every job or title that Ohm had held till date, being a father had been his favourite. Since he did not have his father growing up, he had sworn that his son would always have him no matter what. He cleaned Mew up all the while listening to him prattle about his morning adventures then put him in his chair for breakfast.
“Place for one more?” came the voice of his Omega from behind him.
“I thought somebody wanted to sleep.” Ohm replied with a cheeky grin, knowing fully well that Nanon would never miss an opportunity at some family time. Things were mostly busy for both of them. Court the entire day and most evenings filled with social responsibilities. It was only in the morning when it was just the three of them.
“Yes but Daddy was scared Baba would eat the entire kitchen.” Nanon said facing Mew and then lightly kissed him on the head. “Good Morning Baby.” He was met with a wet kiss to his cheek.
As Nanon sat down, a crown made with flowers and twigs was placed on his head by Mew who had now deemed the table fit for walking upon.
“Oh Baby, this is the prettiest crown ever. I will wear it to court someday.”
As Nanon and Mew got into a conversation about the design and features of the tiara, Ohm just smiled and watched. This is what a full heart felt like. He was so grateful that things with Nanon had eventually worked out even though their marriage was one of convenience. He reminded himself every day that he was one of the luckiest Alpha’s alive.
“Or it would end up rougher than Baba’s beard.” Was the tail end of the conversation that Ohm caught as he was pulled back from his musings.
In response Ohm just chucked a muddy tissue in Nanon’s direction who shrieked as it hit him right in the head.
It really was a match made in heaven.