Chapter Text
THE MAP OF THE REALM
Drafted by an unknown cartographer in 200-500 A.D.
Cold.
It is the first thing Jimin observes when they reach the fortress built at the foot of the northern mountains. The foot soldiers stomp on the murky soil with barely a care for the weight of their armor as some of the horses neigh when the large wooden gates open to let the troops enter.
“You should wear your cloak, my lord,” Hoseok, his servant and guard, suggests with a concerned knot of his eyebrows.
“I probably should.” Jimin flicks his eyes up to the heavens, noting the grey color of the gloomy sky. As they steer their horses away from the troops, Hoseok offers the young lord a rather thicker coat than he is used to, made of wool and bear fur.
“Thank you,” Jimin replies, draping the cloak over his shoulders and tying the strings to keep the hems together.
“Rumors are true, it seems,” the guard tells him with an amused tilt of his lips, looking at the front of the stone fortress. “It is much colder here in the North.”
“It certainly is.” Jimin kicks the side of the stallion with his heel, cantering back to the troops and earning him and Hoseok curious and judging stares from the soldiers. He resists the urge to let out a mocking laugh.
It has been a week since they left Wolfden Town, a place of neutral territory located at the border. Here, the Northerners and the Southerners can do trade and market freely. It is where caravans and merchants from both territories bring their goods for sale, the very reason why Jimin is currently in this predicament.
“You have not talked with your husband for the past week, my lord,” Hoseok comments but the way his eyes glint with humor tells Jimin that the man is jesting.
Lifting a brow, Jimin declares, “And I don’t intend to break that streak anytime soon.”
“Lord Min offered you to ride with him at the head of the troops, but you declined. You are now the husband of the future Highlord of Winterbane.” Hoseok furrows his brows. “Your presence must be known and felt by your subjects.”
Jimin leans closer to his friend, lowering his voice so only the other man can hear. “I am perfectly fine riding at the back of the troops, and my ‘subjects’ have seemed to have no problem noting of my presence this past week.”
Jimin and Hoseok throw a brief glance at the bunch of men riding their stallions near them, both snorting at the way the soldiers avert their eyes as if they weren’t just caught by the Lord Omega himself.
“They do not trust you, my lord.”
“Of course, they do not. Just because I am now their lord’s husband does not mean they have accepted me.” Jimin shifts his attention back to the road in front of him, passing the gates with his shoulders squared, pride dripping off his posture. “I am a Southerner after all, and the second son of House Park, to make it worse.”
“The Lord Omega of the greatest house of the Southern Territory,” Hoseok adds with a complacent smile.
“Indeed, I am.” Jimin smirks.
When his father, Highlord Park, told Jimin that he would marry the Highlord of Winterbane’s firstborn son and heir, Lord Alpha Yoongi, to end the centuries-long war between the two territories, Jimin did not hesitate to agree.
His elder omega brother is already married with children, so as House Park’s second Lord Omega, Jimin has no choice but to comply. He is not afraid; he is stronger than anyone, just like what his omega mother, the Lady of House Park, has always told him.
With this pact strengthened by the bonds of his and Lord Min’s marriage at Wolfden Town, there will be peace across the land. Living in the mountains with a stranger of a husband is but a small price to pay for the sake of Jimin’s people.
“But what about happiness, my lord?” the guard asks him.
“What about it?”
“Is it not an important aspect of matrimony?”
Jimin chuckles. “The nobility doesn’t value happiness over responsibilities. If I find happiness in this marriage, then I will be glad. But if not, then I am certain I can endure it.” Jimin’s features grow serious. “I do not need an alpha to tend and protect me. I am perfectly capable of fighting for myself.”
The quiver strapped to his back becomes more apparent to Jimin. As a Southborn omega who grew up knowing the perils of war, he was taught how to fight. The Southern Territory has more omega population than alphas; hence, most, if not all, were trained to pick up a sword at the meager age of four, unlike the Northerners who have more alphas in their territory.
Despite the disparity between the two territories in terms of population, in the end, it did not matter. The Southern Territory was able to defend their land for centuries with omegas on the frontlines, and so the old saying that ‘alphas are stronger than omegas’ does not apply to the customs in the South.
“If the alphas here heard you, my lord, I am certain they will give you spite for that,” Hoseok tells him.
“Let them. You know us, Southerners, do not care about such nonsense.”
Hoseok smiles and nods. “As you said, Lord Park.”
“I am no longer Lord Park.” Jimin takes a deep breath and stares at the curl of smoke in front of him. Will it snow tonight? “I am now Lord Omega Min, the husband of the future Highlord of Winterbane.” He chuckles humorlessly under his breath. It sounds odd hearing it come out of his own mouth, to verbalize the tragic situation he is currently in. But it is fine. It has to be fine. Jimin is strong, and he will not be taken down by anyone. Especially not by his alpha husband.
Jimin has to make sure that this pact between the North and the South stands for centuries to ensure peace across the land. And so, he must bear an heir; it is his duty, not as an omega, but as a Southborn lord, who carries thousands of lives upon his shoulders.
They arrive in the early afternoon at Winterbane, journeying a few more hours to reach the castle. Jimin gapes at the structure in front of him, astonished by the stone walls standing strong on mountain soil, by the soldiers marching along the parapets as the gate opens for their arrival.
“It is quite splendid, my lord,” Hoseok remarks beside him, mounted on a sturdy stallion. “But a bit too bland for my taste.”
Jimin chuckles. “We are in the mountains, Hoseok. Surely there are no flower fields around, unlike in the Southern plains.”
“The architecture is brilliant, though,” Hoseok praises as he tilts his head back to stare at the castle. “It can probably withstand the worst snowstorms.”
“I believe it can.” A shiver runs down Jimin’s spine when a sudden gust of wind blows across his direction, pulling the cloak closer to his body to shield himself from the cold. The ambiance is certainly much brighter and warmer in Garthram compared to Winterbane, with flowers and vines running along walls, with huge gardens and sowing fields stretching far across the plains, filled with crops and livestock. Here, on the other hand, smells of pine and mist, all looking grey and earth green.
“The air is nice and fresh, at least,” the young lord comments.
“It certainly is.” Hoseok smiles.
As they enter the castle grounds, a squire scurries in Jimin’s direction holding a stool to help him get off his horse but the young lord just smiles and shakes his head. “I can manage myself, child. But thank you,” he says, dismounting his horse with much less grace than what a Lord Omega should have shown, earning him a few raised brows from the soldiers.
“Lord Omega.” A young man bows to him, his brown locks swaying with the movement. “I am General Jeon Jungkook, and I believe we have made acquaintance at Wolfden Town.”
“We did.” Jimin forces the most courteous smile he can muster.
“Lord Alpha is requesting your presence. He is waiting for you.”
For a moment, Jimin shares a surprised look with Hoseok, but then he says, “Then, I shall heed my husband’s request.” He almost flinches at the word.
Walking towards the castle doors is dreadful as pairs of eyes, whether servants or soldiers, openly stare at Jimin on his way. There is extreme distrust in their gazes, but Jimin muses that it is to be expected. If he were to welcome Northerners in his own home, then surely his reaction would not have been so different from theirs.
Jimin’s dread doubles at the sight of his husband standing on top of the stone steps leading to the receiving hall of the castle. The man has long and dark hair, the slight curls unruly from weeks of travel. His pale complexion stands in stark contrast to the black pelt draped heavily over his shoulders for his cloak. It must be the mountain air that has his skin so light like this, unlike Jimin’s own golden one painted by the scorching sunlight shining over the southern plains almost all year.
“I welcome you to Winterbane, Lord Jimin,” Yoongi, his husband, greets him, and the politeness has the back of Jimin’s neck prickling unpleasantly. But he is not here to incite a fight with his husband, or worse, another war. He is here to ensure the safety of his people.
“You have been most gracious to welcome me in your abode. But please—” Jimin smiles. “Do not be a stranger and call me ‘Jimin.’” He pauses. “Dear husband.”
Surprise crosses Yoongi’s features, and he clears his throat before saying, “Of course. Then, please call me ‘Yoongi' by all means—” A brief pause. “Husband.”
Jimin hears a silent snort coming from Hoseok behind him and almost loses the polite mask he has put on his face in favor of snickering at the bashful pink color tainting the alpha’s cheeks. It is clear as day that Lord Min is not much of a sweet talker.
Inside the castle, wrought iron chandeliers line the ceiling with candles and torches burning brightly in the hallways. A young man wearing a dark tunic and a pair of trousers approaches them, bowing his head politely to Jimin and Yoongi.
“My lords,” he begins. “Your chamber has been properly tended to in case you would like to rest.”
“Thank you, Taehyung,” Yoongi says and looks at Jimin. “My father requests your presence at the dinner table tonight.”
The young lord stifles a groan. “I understand. I shall not fail the Highlord’s expectations.”
The alpha licks his bottom lip, opening his mouth as if to say something but decides against it. Instead, he tells the omega, “I shall see you tonight, Jimin.”
Watching the alpha’s back as he walks away, Jimin snorts lightly and mindlessly arranges the sheathed dagger strapped on his right hip. Perfect. His husband is just as uninterested in this marriage as he is.
“My Lord, my name is Kim Taehyung, the seneschal of House Min.” The head servant’s brown hair is tied in a messy knot behind his head, with a few stray strands falling on the sides of his face. “I have made the necessary preparations to make you feel comfortable in the castle, but please do tell me if there is something not to your liking, and I shall remedy it right away.”
“Nice to meet you, Taehyung.” Jimin smiles at him. “Would it be too much to ask for a tour of the place?”
“Of course not, my lord!” Taehyung lowers his head. “It is my duty to obey your orders as you are now the Lord Keeper of the House.”
Jimin blinks, sparing his guard a glance before he asks, “Lord Keeper?”
“Yes.” Taehyung brightens up. “You are Lord Yoongi’s omega husband, and so you shall manage the household to your liking. The other servants and I are at your disposal, my lord.”
“U-Uh…” Jimin clears his throat. There is no ‘Lord Keeper’ in the South, and the entire family manages the household together. He wasn’t informed that such an arduous task would be dawned upon him. “I see.” He winces. “But I am not certain if I would be fit to be the Lord Keeper.”
Jimin’s answer baffles Taehyung. “I beg your pardon, my lord?”
“My lord finds interest in livelier matters than managing servants in a household,” Hoseok informs the seneschal. “Perhaps, you can be up to the task? You are the seneschal after all.”
Taehyung gasps. “I-I am afraid that cannot happen, my lord. As Lord Yoongi’s husband, you are entitled to be the Lord Keeper of House Min.”
Jimin sighs and rubs the spot on top of his right eyebrow. “Very well,” he announces. “Shall we walk around the castle, then?”
“Certainly, my lord.” Taehyung bows.
As the seneschal accompanies them to every part of the castle, his guard, Hoseok, leans in to whisper to his ear, “You are going to be a fine and modest Lord Omega here, my lord. Dining in fineries and talking barely above a whisper like other Northern omegas.”
A group of omega servants holding wicker baskets bow to Jimin, bidding him a good afternoon before proceeding to walk with hushed steps.
“Fine and modest. Me?” Jimin snorts and elbows Hoseok’s side, the guard laughing at his own jest. “That is the silliest thing I have ever heard in my life.” He smirks. “I am an omega soldier. My arrows fly as bravely as I do.”
❄
The marriage chamber is larger than Jimin's own place back in Garthram castle, but that is to be expected, for he is a married man now. As he stands in the middle of the room with Hoseok brushing the fabric of the lilac tunic hugging his body, Jimin inquires, "Must I wear this?"
"You must, my lord," Hoseok tells him. "Your father, Highlord Park, instructed you to impress your father-in-law, did he not?"
With a heavy sigh, Jimin nods. "He did."
“Then, you must wear one of the finest tunics in your possession for supper." Hoseok smiles.
As the man arranges the black strap around his waist, Jimin's eyes silently roam around the chamber, looking at the stone walls, at the large wooden closet where he has kept his belongings, admiring the crackling blaze in the hearth that chases away the wintry air. When his gaze lands on the linen-covered bed, Jimin feels a light stir at the bottom of his stomach. He is to share the bed with Lord Yoongi now that they are married, with a man he barely knew, for the rest of his life. He does not quite know what to think of it.
"My lord." Jimin's reverie gets broken by Hoseok's call, and when he turns his head to face him, there is a concerned frown marring the skin between his brows. "Are you worried?"
Flushing for being caught with his mind wandering off, Jimin says, “No. Just—” His eyes drop to the space between them. "What if this marriage does not work, Hoseok? What will I do?"
"It is too early to think of such dreadful thoughts." Hoseok places his hands on Jimin's shoulders. "You have known your husband for merely more than a week."
A humorless laugh comes out of the young lord's mouth. "And I have spoken to him in no more than four exchanges."
An understanding smile tugs at the corners of the guard's lips. "It will get better soon, my lord. You just have to keep trying."
Trying. Indeed. Jimin is good at trying.
"Have I been cold to him?" asks the young lord. "Should I have agreed to ride with Lord Yoongi at the head of the troops?"
Hoseok lets out a breath. "In my most honest opinion, as his husband, yes, you should have."
Jimin groans.
“Then, I have been the one wrecking this marriage right from the beginning."
"You are not." Hoseok shakes his head. "You were... shaken by the recent events, so your refusal was understandable."
"Still." Jimin runs a hand down his face. "I should give this marriage a chance." Chance. Yes, this marriage has but one conclusion: a success. He cannot compromise his people's safety because of his own selfish behaviors. He has to keep the Southerners safe. And yet, Jimin’s temper is not exactly the best one in the South.
A knock airs inside the chamber, and Jimin opens his mouth to say, "What is it?"
The oak door creaks open and reveals the seneschal's handsome face brightened by a friendly smile. "Supper is served, my lord," he announces with a bow.
"Thank you," Jimin replies.
"I shall wait for you outside." Taehyung bows one last time before closing the door carefully behind him.
When the seneschal is out of sight, Hoseok turns to the young lord to give him a reminder. "My lord, I beg of you, please be in your most cordial manner tonight."
Jimin snorts lightly and fixes the sleeves of his tunic. "If the Highlord will be on his best behavior, so shall I."
The guard lets out a frustrated sigh. "I thought you would heed your father's words to impress the Highlord?"
"I will, but I shall not stand idly by if he utters spiteful words against the Southerners." Jimin starts walking towards the door. "Besides, I am not married to him but to his son. Lord Yoongi is the one who is going to put a pup in my belly." He grins. “So, it is not a pressing matter if the Highlord will have an ill impression of me."
Hoseok chuckles. "If Lord Park heard you, he would surely pop a vein."
"Certainly," Jimin responds with a chuckle. He loves his father dearly, and so does Lord Park unto him even though Jimin can be a little menace sometimes.
Taehyung ushers him to the dining hall, speaking about household matters that make Jimin sigh internally. His interest lies in other things—on the battlefield. He longs for the rush of adrenaline whenever his arrows fly and pierce through the air, meeting their target with sheer accuracy. He has a precise and deadly aim; his master had told him so.
The soldiers guarding the dining hall all have stiff postures upon seeing Jimin. They bow to him. Of course, they would. He is the Lord Keeper, but one glance at the downturn curve of their lips tells the young lord how unhappy they are with Jimin's presence in Winterbane.
"Lord Omega Jimin, my lords," Taehyung announces as they enter the hall, addressing the three alphas seated at the long oak table.
"Lord Jimin."
Jimin takes a deep breath at the sound of that low and rough voice, imposing and ragged with age. Hoseok stays outside the hall, for it is disrespectful for servants to dine with their masters. It has always been like that, even in the South, but Jimin's family has known Hoseok for years that they overlooked that little rule for Jimin.
He feels uncomfortable being left alone with three alphas he barely knew, but months in war camps taught him how to stand his ground firmly. The alphas' dominating nature will not deter him, for he takes pride in being an omega. "Highlord Min," Jimin says with a polite bow.
"Jimin." The smallest of the three approaches him, nodding his head briefly in greeting before pulling one of the chairs back. "Here, sit beside me."
"T-Thank you," Jimin stutters, surprised by Yoongi's behavior. In the South, the servants were the ones who did this for him. Once settled on his seat, Jimin waits for Yoongi to sit on the Highlord's right side, taking his rightful place as the heir of House Min. For what it is worth, as someone who seems to have much to say, Jimin finds himself rendered speechless in the presence of the three alphas.
"Lord Jimin." Jimin's eyes flick up until he meets the gaze of a young man seated across the table. His dimpled cheek wears a friendly smile, and he tells him, "I am Namjoon, the second alpha son of House Min. Yoongi's younger brother. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
Jimin returns the smile and bows his head courteously. "The pleasure is mine, my lord."
"Please, do call me ‘Namjoon.’” Namjoon laughs. "We are now brothers." He gestures to all of them. "A family, am I correct, father?"
The Highlord nods. "Indeed, you are, son. Now, let us eat before the food gets cold."
Jimin's appetite is failing him as he attempts to shove the food down his throat. He does not find joy in being in the company of these men—strangers. But what choice does he have?
"Jimin," Namjoon begins. "I apologize for not being present at your wedding at Wolfden Town. As the second son, I could not leave the House unattended while my brother was away, and father was ill that time.”
"Brother." Jimin turns his head in Yoongi's direction at his interruption. "It is alright," the eldest alpha son tells him. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"Your elder brother is correct, Namjoon." Jimin smiles. "All of us do not have the luxury of time to always do what we want. Our duties are above all else."
Yoongi clears his throat lightly beside him, taking the goblet and sipping his ale. Jimin knows the man understands clearly what he meant. Turning his attention to the Highlord, he addresses him, "And I hope you are feeling well now, my lord."
Smile. Be kind. It is what his mother had taught him to do in situations like this. He might not really care about the Highlord's opinion of him, but it would not hurt to be polite towards his father-in-law. The old man stares at him for a moment, his kohl eyes boring holes into Jimin's skull, his greying hair and beard painted with the warm glow of the candelabras.
"Do you always wear such bright colors, child?" he asks with no regard for Jimin's words.
The young lord does not know what he is expecting out of an attempted conversation with the Highlord, but certainly, it is not this. "Lilac?" Jimin answers with a smile, briefly glancing down at his tunic. "Yes, my lord. We fancy bright colors in the South."
Highlord Min grunts. "I see. A peculiar taste." Grabbing his goblet, he utters, "Such an easy prey to the bears living in these mountains."
"Father." Yoongi frowns at the old man, who dismisses him without a word. With a sigh, he turns to face Jimin. "Forgive my father's words."
Jimin chuckles and licks his bottom lip. Barely a word out of his mouth, and the Highlord already despises him. This family will surely work out well. "There is no need for an apology, husband." Jimin looks at the old man, low flames burning in his irises. "Bears are wonderful creatures, are they not, my lord? Strong and ruthless to their prey." Jimin takes his own goblet and smiles. "I have hunted one with my brother before. Sadly, we weren't able to kill it because the cubs were quite delightful."
"Hunting?" Namjoon comments, his eyes blown wide with surprise. "I know omegas fight in the South, but a Lord Omega such as you to go hunting? I have never heard of such a thing."
Jimin chuckles and takes a sip of his ale. "You will be surprised what Southern omegas are capable of."
"It was no success if you could not kill it, child. Hunting is about bloodlust and reaping the rewards of a great kill." Highlord Min regards his firstborn son. "Yoongi, make sure your husband participates in the last hunt of the season before the first snowfall."
Alarm and bewilderment cross the younger alpha's features. "Father, no omega of ours has ever participated in a hunt. It is dangerous."
The Highlord snorts, and there is nothing but belligerence and distrust in his gaze when he stares at Jimin. "If your omega husband truly holds reverence for his skills, then I see no reason for him not to participate."
The corners of Jimin's lips press firmly together. The Highlord is testing him and challenging his Southborn descent. Jimin shall not back down.
"Very well, my lord. I shall see the necessary preparations for the hunt."
"Jimin, no." The muscle in Yoongi's jaw twitches as he clenches his teeth. "You will not go on the hunt with me."
“Then, I shall go alone or with another alpha," Jimin tells him and sees the way the frown on his husband's face deepens.
To the omega's surprise, Yoongi declares, "You will not be in the company of another alpha."
Maybe, it was Yoongi's alpha instinct that made him say those words, but it caused a pleasant ripple inside Jimin's gut. Despite that momentary feeling, Jimin could not dismiss his husband's doubt towards him. "Do not fret, husband. I can take care of myself." A wry smile. "I shall make certain I remain alive at the end of the hunt and that my body is healthy enough to bear your pup because that is what omegas are born for, are they not?"
The underlying hostility in Jimin's words makes Yoongi's lashes flutter. "Jimin, I did not intend—”
"My lord." Jimin averts his eyes from his husband and shifts his gaze to the Highlord. "I am quite full. May I resign for the night?"
The Highlord glances at Yoongi for a moment before nodding his approval to Jimin's request. "Accompany your husband to your chambers, son."
Jimin has to bite his tongue before he can say it is not necessary and that he can find his own way. He has ruined the night enough for all of them, and so Jimin stands from his seat with a bid of good night to Highlord Min and Namjoon. He hears Yoongi's footsteps thumping against the stone floor behind him as he walks toward their marriage chamber. He stifles a sigh and internally berates himself for having a nasty temper. It is not how a lord should act in the presence of another highborn.
Hoseok is quiet behind them, perhaps sensing the tension between Jimin and Yoongi. The alpha opens the door for him, waiting for Jimin to step inside their chamber before he says, “We have to talk.”
As much as Jimin dreads a conversation with his husband right now, he lets out a soft sigh and turns to look at his guard. “I shall see you tomorrow morning, Hoseok.”
Hoseok seems reluctant to leave, but he bows his head to the couple and says, “I bid you a good night, my lords.”
When the oak door shuts closed and leaves silence in its wake inside the chamber, Jimin moves towards the hearth and waits for the alpha to say a word. After a moment, booted footsteps hit the wooden floor until they stop beside him in front of the flames. "My refusal was not intended to be an insult to you, Jimin," he hears the alpha say. "I am... merely worried for your safety." A slight pause. "As your husband."
Jimin chuckles humorlessly. "As my husband, you should have trusted me more."
"I do," Yoongi replies at once. "I do trust you."
Jimin turns to face him, frowning. "Then why did it appear you were thinking lowly of me? Of my capabilities to hunt? Is it because I am an omega?"
"Of course not." Yoongi sighs. "That is farthest from the truth."
"What do you mean?" Jimin asks, momentarily taken away by the orange glow on Yoongi's skin coming from the hearth.
His husband sits on the chair with a light grunt, his long dark locks swaying with the movement. "I think highly of Southborn omegas." Yoongi lifts his eyes to him. "Unlike here in the North, your omegas have more freedom to do what they desire. It is a difference in culture perhaps, but one I certainly want for Northern omegas." His gaze drops to the hearth in front of him. "Omegas are so much more than bearing pups for alphas."
Jimin did not expect those words to come out of Lord Min's mouth, an alpha, the future Highlord of Winterbane. His husband. He did not expect that the man in front of him will say with conviction the very words Jimin has been fighting for.
“I will not force you to have a pup with me, Jimin.” The young lord's breath catches in his throat. “Duties be damned,” the alpha breathes out. There is a strange flutter in Jimin's chest, warm butterflies in his stomach dancing with the flames.
“Thank you, Jimin says, and for the first time since he arrived at Winterbane, he was able to utter something sincere.
Yoongi nods and stands up from his seat. "I can sleep elsewhere if you are uncomfortable with my presence."
“No, that’s not necessary.”
Jimin steps closer, his eyes slowly traveling from the alpha's collarbones up to his neck until his gaze meets his husband's kohl eyes. “We were not wed under ideal circumstances, not for other reasons but to form a pact between our territories. To stop the war. But it does not change the truth that you are now my husband.” The heat from the hearth seeps into Jimin's cheeks, and he says, “In the South, wedded couples consummate their marriage on the first night.”
“We have been married for more than a week now, but we barely spoke to each other. I am bound to you for life, and you, to me. I do not want this marriage to be filled with silence." Jimin hears a breath falling from the alpha's lips.
“In the South, the bonds of marriage are as strong as blood ties. A proof of equality between the spouses. A bond between two souls." Jimin runs a trembling hand up Yoongi's chest, his breath stuttering in his throat as he feels the alpha's heat on his palm. "Can you do me the honor of consummating our marriage—" Jimin lets out a soft breath as he stares into Yoongi's eyes, watching the flames flickering in his irises. “Alpha?”
The young lord feels a large hand enveloping his wrist, the alpha in front of him looking conflicted as he holds Jimin's arm gently. “I will not force you to lie with me, Jimin.”
"You are not forcing me," Jimin assures him. "I want to consummate our marriage. I want to be your equal."
Yoongi regards him for a while as if searching for any hint of uncertainty or doubt on Jimin's face, but when he finds none, the alpha says, “Does it mean so much to you? Consummating our marriage?”
The young lord swallows. "Yes," he utters breathily.
After a moment, Jimin feels a hand touching his cheek, a thumb brushing lightly against his golden skin as if afraid to linger for long. “Then, you shall be my equal,” Yoongi mutters, and his low voice sends shivers down Jimin's spine. "My omega."
The feel of the alpha's lips on his is foreign but pleasantly welcoming. Yoongi's kisses are slow, unhurried, almost chaste, as if taking his time to taste Jimin's lips. He is careful, Jimin surmises. "Alpha," the young lord whispers when he feels himself growing impatient.
"What does my omega desire?" asks Yoongi, caressing Jimin's cheek as he kisses one corner of his mouth.
“I—" The omega curls his hands in the alpha's tunic, tugging him closer, intent on basking in the other's warmth. "I desire... you."
A deep and gruff sound resonates inside Yoongi's throat, and Jimin's inner omega purrs at his alpha's attention. "Come," Yoongi whispers to his ear before taking Jimin's hand to usher him towards the bed, coaxing the omega to lie on his back. If he were another omega, then perhaps he would have let Yoongi have his way with him on their marriage bed, have him lie on the linens with his legs wide open for his alpha, but Jimin is not.
And so when the alpha motions to crawl over him, Jimin places a hand on his chest to stop him. "I want to do it," he tells the man, who appears quite bewildered. "With me on top of you."
"You..." Yoongi swallows thickly. "Want to have your way with me?"
The young lord nods as his cheeks burst into flames. "If you would allow me."
Licking his lips, the alpha leans down to capture Jimin's mouth again. "I will be glad to accept whatever you offer."
Pleased, and with his heart pounding loudly in his chest, Jimin pushes the alpha down to the linen and moves to sit astride his hips. "Your cheeks are flushed, husband," he teases with a smirk as he slides a hand up Yoongi's chest. "I remember them being quite pale before."
Unlike Jimin, Yoongi is not much of a talker in bed. Instead, the alpha takes more pleasure in hearing Jimin's sighs and stuttered breaths whenever his hands brush against sensitive parts. The omega's tunic is abandoned to the floor before he knows it, and Jimin's mouth is attached to the scent gland under the alpha's left ear, his teeth grazing the skin teasingly as if tempting for a bite. If he draws blood, then he and Yoongi will be mated.
Mating is not something to be taken lightly, at least it is for Jimin. It is more sacred than matrimony itself. Mating is a bond formed out of love.
“Can I—” Jimin murmurs against the alpha's lips, feeling the man's hands squeezing his hips. “Touch you?”
The alpha's hips move up on instinct, pressing the hard, clothed shaft against Jimin's backside, causing more of the omega's slick to stain his trousers. Yoongi hums when he hears a soft moan coming out of Jimin's throat. "You can," Yoongi says. "Do what you desire, Jimin."
Sliding the alpha's trousers off his legs is not a chore as Jimin hastily tugs at the fabric, throwing it carelessly to the floor before abandoning his own, stepping out of the bunched fabric around his ankles and proceeding to crawl back on top of his alpha.
Yoongi's tunic is now missing as well, and a smile pulls at the corners of Jimin's mouth when he sees how hard the alpha is for him, with the veiny length curving on his right hip, the blunt head flushed and leaking. The chamber smells thickly of his and Yoongı's scents.
"I did not know you have ink on your skin," Yoongi comments as Jimin slots their lips together. "You have the different faces of the moon on your back."
The omega hums and thinks of the dark moon symbols inked beautifully down his entire spine. "Southern omegas have the liberty to wear ink on their skin, to have symbols represent themselves." Jimin takes one of Yoongi's hands and places it on the bottom of his spine. "I will let you admire them one of these days, husband."
The promise makes Yoongi's eyes dilate, and he runs a palm up the omega's back, gently caressing his skin. "You are beautiful," Yoongi tells him straight in the eye. "And I relish the thought of you calling me husband." Jimin gasps softly as heat coils tightly in his stomach.
"Alpha," Jimin murmurs breathily against his husband's jaw, his palm sliding up the man's chest and nails lightly grazing the stiff nub to elicit a breathy moan from the alpha. Reaching for Yoongi's shaft and aligning the head with his hole, he asks, "Will you knot me?"
Yoongi groans softly and grabs Jimin's hips as the omega slowly inches the length inside him, letting the slick drip down the shaft as he takes the alpha slowly. “It is not my cycle yet,” Jimin whispers to his ear, breath trembling halfway down. “I will not bear a pup.”
Perhaps, it is tempting for an alpha—the notion of knotting an omega—because the thought stirs a low growl inside Yoongi's throat. "Jimin," he begins as Jimin's backside sits flush against his hips. "I will not give you my knot. Not now."
The young lord stifles a whine as his inner omega laments the rejection from his alpha. "Why?" Jimin asks, hands trembling on the alpha's chest as he attempts to support himself. The overwhelming pressure inside him is making his head spin. “It's not a big deal."
"It is for me, for the Northern alphas." Yoongi's thumb caresses the omega's hipbone, staring right into Jimin's eyes with a deep flush coloring his cheeks. "Here, alphas give their knot to the one they want to spend the rest of their life with. To their mate."
"But are we not to spend the rest of our lives together?" asks Jimin. "We are married."
A soft sigh comes out of Yoongi's mouth at the sight of the faint crease between his omega's brows. "This marriage was not formed out of affection. You know that, Jimin." Jimin feels the alpha's thumb gently caressing his left cheek. "We should not make haste in making such important decisions," his husband tells him. "I am yours as you are mine. We have the rest of our lives to figure out what we desire."
Jimin does not know what came over him, but the alpha's words sound so tender and warm to his ears. The intimacy of an alpha giving their knot to their mate—it is not something Jimin has regarded as special until now. Until Yoongi expressed what was in his heart.
With his pulse quickening the more he stares down into the alpha's eyes, Jimin runs his fingers through his husband's long and dark hair, the corners of his mouth twitching up when the locks curl around his fingers. "You have beautiful hair," he whispers.
As Jimin begins to move his hips, he hears the alpha say, "We keep our hair long to protect us from the cold." Yoongi tucks Jimin's short dark strands behind his ear. "Winters in the North can be quite harsh. You might freeze your toes off, husband." He smiles.
The jest elicits an airy chuckle out of Jimin's mouth, and he undulates his hips more to find the pace that brings him and Yoongi the utmost pleasure. "Then I should let my hair grow." He teases, "Or as my husband, you must cover my ears with your hands when we take a stroll."
Placing a palm on the back of the omega's neck to pull him down for a kiss, Yoongi smiles and murmurs on his lips, "I shall block the wind for you if need be." Jimin's chuckle gets cut by a sudden gush of pleasure when a particular thrust touches that sensitive spot inside him.
"Oh," he moans against the alpha's lips, the movement of his hips stuttering for a moment. "Alpha." The heat inside his gut is flaming to a boiling point with every circle of his hips, with every thrust of his husband's shaft as the man grips his hips tightly with his hands. It feels good, extremely so, and the overwhelming sensation is making Jimin's entire body hum with electricity. He bounces on Yoongi's lap, chasing that great height that can shatter his core. He is panting, his lungs burning with exhaustion as sweat glides down his back.
The alpha is no different as his chest heaves with labored breaths, his neck glistening with sweat as he helps Jimin chase his release. "Close," Jimin rasps. "Ah..." Then, Yoongi moves to sit up, and the sudden movement startles the omega, drawing a soft gasp out of his mouth.
"Come for me," Yoongi hisses as a flicker of gold glints in his eyes, wrapping his arms around Jimin's waist to spur his movements. "Come for your alpha." Jimin's legs convulse as his release hits him, letting out a loud moan at the sudden spike of pleasure in his system.
"A-Ah..." Jimin's forehead drops on his husband's shoulder as the remnants of his high linger a while more in his limbs. He feels his whole world turning as the alpha flips them over, gently laying the omega on his back as he captures his lips once more.
Yoongi's length slides out of him, and Jimin's inner omega whines for the loss of pressure inside him, seeking his alpha's knot, desiring to be filled with his seed but Yoongi's soft lips on his gradually chase the thought away from his mind. The alpha grips his shaft and strokes himself to completion.
The young lord moans when he feels his husband's warm release on his belly, one of his hands sliding between their bodies to hold the alpha's length, feeling it pulse in his palm as Yoongi lets out a low groan when Jimin squeezes a little firmly. "Jimin," Yoongi rasps.
"Ah." A languid smile tugs at the corners of Jimin's lips as he stares at Yoongi's eyes with lids half-shut. His hand strokes the knot at the base of the alpha's shaft, filled and heavy on his palm, and the young lord jests, "Desperate for your omega, are you not, Lord Yoongi?"
The alpha lets out a tired but contented sigh and grabs Jimin's hand to twine their fingers together. "Do not call me lord," Yoongi gently chastises him, and the young lord chuckles before the alpha leans down to kiss him again.
Basking in each other's heat with the sunset glows of the fire painting their clammy skin, Jimin turns his face to the window. "Do you think it will snow soon?"
Jimin knows it is not the most favorable subject to be talking about whilst they lay in bed naked, but he cannot help but wonder, and he doesn’t know his husband enough to talk about more personal things.
Yoongi hums in thought as his thumb draws circles on Jimin's hip. "Not for another two weeks."
Humming, Jimin says, "I heard the snow is pristine in the mountains. The snowfall in the South is not quite much and turns the fields into muddy piles of brown and white. It has always been a chore to rake out the snow for the crops." He laughs.
“The snow can pile up into layers here in the mountains. Winters have always been an obstacle for us because the cold does not let any crops grow for months. We replenish our stores as much as we can before the first snowfall,” Yoongi explains. “Otherwise, we will all starve.”
Jimin catches his bottom lip between his teeth, pondering over a thought. “In the South, food has never been a scarcity because of our abundant fields. What we lack is firewood that will keep us warm during the winter. Some people had frozen to death before because of it.”
Thumbing his cheekbone, the alpha states, “We have a lot of forests in the North that can supply you with firewood, and you have crops and grains in the South that can last us through winter. Because of our marriage, the two territories are now able to fill what the other lacks.”
Jimin nods. “Apart from stopping the bloodshed.”
“Indeed,” Yoongi agrees. “It was a diplomatic approach that benefits both our territories."
There is so much at stake in their marriage. It is not just a matter of stopping a war but also keeping the two territories thriving. Jimin did not fully realize the weight their union has on other people until Yoongi said it. What detrimental effects it would have on others if their marriage does not work. With their marriage consummated, the pact that their fathers, the Highlords of the Great Houses of the North and the South, made now becomes stronger.
But the utmost proof of his and Lord Yoongi's union, the one that will seal the pact for centuries and generations to come, is an heir born to them. Jimin sighs and rests his cheek on the alpha's bare chest, looking at the flames dancing in the hearth. Jimin has to secure this marriage. This union has to work for the benefit of both of their territories. He has to give the future Highlord of Winterbane an heir if he is to uphold the pact between the Northern and the Southern lands.
❄
Jimin sighs for the tenth time that day. Walking along the aisle with his arms behind him and watching the cooks and servants bustling in the kitchen to prepare dinner for the lords, soldiers, and other household staff makes the omega's head throb painfully. As the Lord Keeper, he has been going around the castle all day to manage the servants from top to bottom: visiting the scullery, picking the best meat to preserve in the larders, sorting out bottles in the spicery, and seeing if all the chambers have been aired out.
Taehyung has been glued to his side since late dawn, and Jimin tries not to reminisce about the moment when he opened his eyes and found the empty space on the other side of the bed. The heat coming from the hearth was the only indication that his husband had woken up before him and was considerate enough to replenish the firewood to keep the fire burning so Jimin would not freeze to death in the early morning. The acts of passion he had shared with the alpha last night still linger in his mind so vividly. The obscene sounds and labored breaths he and Yoongi had made in the silence of the night whilst in the height of pleasure causes heat to pool in the omega's cheeks.
The memory of his husband's flushed and fire-licked skin, his intense dark gaze, and kiss-swollen lips bring a pleasant churn to Jimin's stomach. He shakes his head and keeps one ear open for Taehyung's lecture beside him, the seneschal saying something about a minor shortage of servants working in the scullery. Jimin should not be thinking such improper thoughts right now.
"Taehyung," Jimin cuts the omega's talk as they walk along the outer corridor leading to the larders to check on the preserved meat and sacks of Southern grains they have procured from Wolfden Town. "Can we catch a breath for a moment?"
The seneschal's eyes widened. "Of course, my lord. It must have been exhausting for you to handle these tasks at once just a day after your arrival."
"Have you been doing all of these on your own whilst Lord Omega was not here?" asks Hoseok.
Taehyung nods. "Yes. Lord Yoongi had trusted me with such important matters because he and Lord Namjoon were both busy with the army and keeping our stores sufficient to last us through the winter. They have been riding back and forth to Wolfden Town and The Frozen Port to procure supplies."
"I see." Jimin lets out a weary breath and looks at the soldiers marching in the courtyard. "I assume the former Lord Keeper was Lord Yoongi's mother, correct?"
The seneschal grows restless on his foot. "Yes, my lord."
Jimin turns to face him. "What happened to her?"
Taehyung's gaze drops to the ground. "Lady Omega Eun-hae used to be the Lady Keeper of House Min before—” He swallows. "Before she died."
Jimin has an inkling about his husband's mother, about her apparent absence in the castle, even at last night's supper, and hearing the confirmation come from the House's seneschal makes the situation more doleful. "What caused her death?" Jimin asks with a sympathetic frown.
"Lady Eun-hae and the Highlord were on their way home from a visit to Elvemoore when insurgents attacked the troops in the middle of the night. They said..." Taehyung grips the front of his tunic. "She was killed in their tent whilst the Highlord was away."
Jimin hears a small gasp from Hoseok as his heart aches at the thought of Yoongi losing his mother in such a horrible way. He might be fortunate that his parents are alive and well, and the thought makes him grateful, but Jimin cannot deny the sadness he feels for his husband.
"Why have I never heard of it when I was still in the South?" Jimin asks, baffled. The death of such an important and prominent person should have been a big talk amongst the territories. Rumors spread faster than fire, so it is a wonder why he'd never heard of the story before.
"The Highlord forbade us to converse about the tragedy that befell House Min." Taehyung bows his head in apology. "Pardon me, my lord. It is not my place to utter what had taken place in the family, but you may ask Lord Yoongi about it."
"I understand." Jimin rests a hand on the seneschal's shoulder and smiles. "Thank you, Taehyung."
The omega head servant looks surprised but he returns the young lord's smile with his own. "It is my pleasure to serve you, my lord," he tells him.
"Before we continue with my tasks, can I ask you a favor?"
"My lord." Taehyung's lashes flutter in shock. "You do not have to ask me a favor. I shall heed your command whatever it may be."
"Oh, hush now." Jimin snorts and loops an arm around the seneschal's limb. "I see you now as my friend, just like Hoseok." He grins. "You have been very kind to me from the moment I arrived." A subtle pink hue colors the head servant's cheeks. "Before we proceed to the larders, let us have a little diversion."
When Taehyung's silent, inquisitive eyes stare unblinkingly into his, the smile on Jimin's face grows, and he asks, "Can you show me where the training ground is?"
❄
Jimin grew up on the training grounds in the South. Throughout the years, he lost and won fights against his master and fellow soldiers. Chaos and battle cry of soldiers air in the training grounds, but Jimin has grown used to it. In fact, he seeks it. The clashing of metals rings loudly around Jimin as alphas swing their swords, cutting clothes and scratching skin, drawing a bit of blood but never too far to incapacitate.
Taehyung looks a little mortified to be in the presence of battling alphas, but Jimin assures him he will keep him from harm's way. "Ah." Hoseok halts Jimin in front of an occurring fight with soldiers gathered around. "There is your husband, my lord."
Jimin's brow raises, and he shifts his gaze to the five men standing in the middle of the circle. When his eyes catch those familiar dark locks swaying softly with the wintry breeze, the young lord feels a small flutter in the pit of his stomach. There are four alpha soldiers around Yoongi, the man holding a blunt training sword in his right hand while watching his opponents with a serious and alert gaze. There is tension in the air that Jimin is familiar with, those few seconds of silence where warriors measure each other's strengths before anyone dares to move.
And when the sound of Yoongi's boots cracking the stone underneath his soles amplifies throughout the entire training grounds, the alphas let out their battle cry and move altogether to lunge at their lord. The first swing of a sword comes, and Yoongi manages to dodge quickly, finding another position without any misstep and clashing his sword against two alphas. Jimin's heart is pounding loudly as he watches his husband fight with exceptional skill and mobility on the battlefield.
Lord Alpha is proficient at sword fighting—that much is without a doubt—as Yoongi sends one of his opponents stumbling to the ground with a hard kick to the stomach. Two alphas come at him at once, but Yoongi is able to block their attack. The soldiers are cheering for their lord, undoubtedly pleased by his strength, looking up to the man who had protected the North for years before the war ceased to a stop.
As a lone alpha remains standing, Yoongi lets out a heavy breath as concentration knots his brows firmly. A wrong step from his opponent is all takes for the lord to unarm him, the blunt sword falling to the ground with a thump and leaving the alpha standing on the field without a weapon to protect him. "I surrender, my lord," the alpha says with a sheepish grin. "I've lost to you ten times in a row."
Yoongi chuckles and hands his weapon to one of the soldiers who approached them. "We should practice your footing," he says, running a gloved hand through his damp locks and flicking his tongue out to wet his bottom lip. “Tomorrow, perhaps."
Jimin observes the conversation for a while longer before deciding to continue on his way. He manages a few steps before he hears his husband's voice saying, "Any more opponents before I go?"
Jimin's footsteps halt in their tracks.
"My lord?" Taehyung inquires beside him.
It probably is not the best idea at the moment, but the challenge stirs something inside Jimin that he cannot fathom. And before he knows it, he turns around and walks through the crowd, announcing, "I would like to have a turn."
Silence seeps into the air, and all pairs of eyes land on him. Yoongi seems surprised to see him but does not utter a word until Jimin is standing right in front of him. "Will Lord Alpha be kind to give me the honor of a fight?" the omega asks with a slight quirk on his lips.
There are murmurs around him, but Jimin's gaze does not falter. He looks at Yoongi's abandoned sword in the hands of another soldier. "You may use any weapon that pleases you, my lord." Jimin's right hand grips the hilt of a dagger strapped to his belt. "And I shall use mine."
There is a spark of interest in the alpha's eyes, one that Jimin does not miss, and suddenly, he feels a rush of heat coursing through his system at the prospect of a duel with a skilled swordsman who happens to be his husband. "Shall we start?" the omega asks, pulling the blade out of the sheath and adopting a fighting stance. Instead of grabbing his sword, Lord Yoongi takes a dagger and keeps one foot in front of him to have a stable footing on the ground, ready to attack at any moment.
"Come at me," Yoongi challenges Jimin with a smirk. "Husband."
The endearment makes Jimin's face flush, but it also unreasonably vexes him. With a snort, Jimin makes the first move. One of the skills that Jimin takes pride in is his agility. As an archer, he trained to be swift on his feet while maintaining the precision of his arrows.
As expected, Yoongi dodges the first attack easily, spinning to the side and attempting to swipe a leg against the back of Jimin's knees to tilt his balance, but the omega is quick to change his course. Jimin avoids Yoongi's leg and manages a clean cut through the alpha's sleeve, enjoying the look of surprise on the lord's face as Jimin takes a step back to maintain a good distance between them. "Is that all you can do—” the omega taunts him with a playful smirk. "Lord Alpha?"
Yoongi lifts a brow and huffs out an amused breath through his nose. "You are impossible, Jimin," he says with a shake of his head before returning to his stance.
The grin on Jimin's face grows when he sees the uptilt of the alpha's lips. The next few events happen in a blur as Jimin continues to attack and dodge Yoongi's attempts, feeling the adrenaline firing through his veins as blood roars in his ears. For the first time since he left Garthram, Jimin felt elated and more alive than ever. When the alpha shows an opening, Jimin takes the opportunity to gain the upper hand. He slides and swipes a leg across Yoongi's ankles, and the alpha falls to the ground with a groan of pain.
Quickly, Jimin sits astride his hips and presses the blunt side of the dagger against the alpha's throat. "The match is over, husband," Jimin declares as he catches his breath, grinning down at the fallen man.
The alpha's chest is heaving as he stares into Jimin's eyes, and the omega thinks he catches a glint of wonder and pride in Yoongi's gaze. For a moment, the young lord thought his husband would admit defeat, but then he felt a sharp blade pointed at his ribs, and a triumphant smile appeared on Yoongi's lips. "A sneak attack," he says as Jimin's brows rise up with disbelief and surprise. "Never forget to disarm your opponent and keep their hands where you can see them if you are to mount them like this."
With his cheeks flaming, Jimin lets out an incredulous laugh and scoffs, "I know that quite well, husband. But I am grateful for your unnecessary reminder." He huffs and releases Yoongi's tunic, standing up to take a few steps away as he slides the dagger back into the sheath.
Once the alpha finds his balance on his feet again, he tucks away his blade and brushes off the dirt on his sleeves. "Jimin." The omega looks over his shoulder. "Do you..." Yoongi hesitates. "Want to take a stroll in the gardens before supper?"
The unexpected invitation catches Jimin off guard, and he licks his bottom lip anxiously as he feels his heart pounding stubbornly inside his chest. "I still have unfinished tasks I need to do as Lord Keeper."
"Ah." Yoongi clears his throat and nods. "I understand."
"But..." Heat burns in Jimin's cheeks. "I think I am unoccupied tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps, we can visit the gardens, then?"
A look of brief surprise crosses the alpha's handsome features, and the man says, "Of course." A slight tilt of his lips. "I shall meet you there."
After giving a curt nod, Jimin turns around to walk out of the crowd. He tries not to mind the curious and judging stares being thrown his way, as well as the mockery in the murmurs around him. He does not care what they think of him. Jimin is not and will never be the omega they expect him to be.
"A lovely afternoon stroll in the gardens with Lord Alpha, is it?" Hoseok teases him with a suggestive smirk.
Jimin snorts and rolls his eyes. “It's no big deal," he says, blushing. "We are married after all."