Chapter Text
Jungkook knew his duty. He was to stay pretty and silent, it doesn’t matter the pain.
That’s what Jungkook reminded himself every morning. That’s what he reminded himself this morning when the maids came into his room to get him dressed for the day. Jungkook wished they didn’t come, that would mean today was normal. Sadly it wasn’t.
Jungkook felt the head maid wipe a tear from his cheek, she harshly scolded him, they can’t afford for him to have puffy eyes, Jungkook needed to look perfect today.
Jungkook was an omega prince, and his family hated him for it. When Jungkook’s mother was pregnant with him, an oracle predicted he would do amazing things for his empire, he was predicted to bring a new era upon his empire, he would grow to be an amazing leader. That prediction, one that happened before his birth, ruined his life.
Jungkook’s parents assumed he would be an alpha, they spent months preparing for an alpha child, they were giddy with excitement. The moment Jungkook was born it was announced he was a boy. His parents cheered, not only were they going to have an alpha, it was an alpha son! Clearly, the Gods had blessed their royal family. The empire celebrated with the birth of the child, after all, Jungkook was prophesied to bring an era of change and good fortune!
Jungkook grew up with the best education. He learned to fight and ride horses, he had the best education in political affairs, astronomy, and any other subjects he or his father wished for him to take. He wasn’t close with his father, but he could tell his father loved him. His mother even more so, she showered Jungkook with gifts and affection. His entire life had a golden glow upon it, he was sure nothing could ruin it. How wrong he was.
When Jungkook was twelve he presented. As an omega.
His entire world flipped. Traditionally the first day of presentation is spent alone, no one is allowed in or out of the presenter room. This allowed the presenter to learn their secondary gender before others. But Jungkook was the future, everyone thought he would be an alpha, he thought he would present as an alpha! That's what everyone told him, he never thought to think differently. Jungkook’s presentation date was a week and three days after his twelfth birthday, he woke up achy and sweaty. The knights outside his door rushed in when he moaned in pain, their faces twisting in disgust, Jungkook didn’t understand why until later. Immediately they left, one stayed outside his room while another went to inform his parents. Although tradition said otherwise, his parents burst into his room to meet their alpha son, instead, they were met with an omega son. Jungkook watched their faces fall, his father’s face went into disgust, and his mother started crying. Jungkook still hadn’t understood, not until his father informed him he presented as an omega, spitting the word omega out as if it was poisonous and with a harshness that suggested Jungkook was the venom.
Jungkook hadn’t understood why everyone was upset, why his mother was crying and why his father looked angry. Omega’s, beta’s, alpha’s there was no difference to him. That’s what he always thought. He was wrong, he learned that very quickly.
The next morning he woke up on his own, typically he had maids come in and help him get dressed, that day he was alone.
And every day after.
Jungkook knew his duty. His feelings didn’t matter, not since he was twelve at least. Jungkook was meant to be a silent beauty. He was meant to be pretty and silent, it doesn’t matter the pain. Jungkook repeated his mantra silently to himself, he mouthed the words as the guards prepared the door and the head maid pulled his veil down over his face. She gave him a look, telling him to stop, to not embarrass the empire any further. She never liked him, it’ll be nice to get away from her. Jungkook’s lips may have stopped meaning but he kept repeating the words in his head.
Jungkook found out the news three weeks ago. He wasn’t ready for this, he knew that. Jungkook dashed to his parents when he found out. Banged on the door until they had no choice but to let him in. Begged until his eyes puffed from tears and his knees hurt from kneeling. Jungkook had begged for anyone but them, his parents had to have known what was going to happen to him. They were enemies, there was no good fortune awaiting him. Jungkook knew he had a pointless life in this kingdom, but there he would have no life.
His parents ignored his grovelling, as they ignore him every day. Jungkook shouldn’t have expected them to start caring for him now, he shouldn’t have expected them to pay attention, they rarely do that anymore. As Jungkook continued crying in their ignored silence, as they talked with each other, loudly laughing with each other but ignoring their child’s tears, he got up. Jungkook got up and resigned himself to his fate. He went to his room on the other side of the palace, his parents could no longer bear to be in the same part of the house as him. When he entered the empty wing of his part of the castle he felt the loneliness creep in, even more, no knights, no maids, and no friends. Jungkook entered his room and stood as the heavy door shut behind him, he stood as he processed.
Jungkook fell to his knees, screaming. No one will save him from his life. Jungkook’s fate was sealed. The oracle his parents consulted before his birth was wrong, he was a waste of human life, not a saviour of empires. Jungkook screams died down into sobs, he curled into himself on the floor sobbing like there was no tomorrow. If he was lucky there wouldn’t be. Jungkook layed there for hours before he got up and started repeating his mantra to himself. Pretty and silent, it didn’t matter the pain. Over and over, he repeated this mantra, every step of the way, it was the only comfort he allowed himself. The only thing that let him go forward.
Silently Jungkook whispers “Pretty and silent, it doesn’t matter the pain.” He had to hear him say it once, the guards opened the doors and Jungkook heard the organ start to play. He looks up to see his future husband and his pack, for the first time.
Time slows as Jungkook starts his steps towards the alter. He can hear the click of his shoes, feels the drag of the long veil behind him, and the soft caress of the dress as his legs hit the fabric with every step forward. Min Yoongi, the alpha crown prince of the Santok Kingdom. The enemy kingdom. There had been a long feud between the Santok Kingdom and the Jungkook’s kingdom, the Padaroth Kingdom. It’s famous for being a bloody feud, with war being almost constant. Jungkook continued walking to Min Yoongi and his infamous pack of five other alphas, they all stood next to him, Jungkook was to marry Yoongi but join the pack of alphas, after all as much as Yoongi might want to, intergender marriage was taboo. Six was an unlucky number in the Santok Kingdom, so the two kingdoms set up this marriage, to end the feud and so the Santok people could feel at ease with a pack of seven rather than six.
Jungkook reached the alter, he was helped up and held hands with Min Yoongi. Watched as the alpha’s lips moved to say "I do." Jungkook felt his lips move without permission repeating after the alpha. Cheer’s erupted, and Jungkook held his tears in as his fate sealed itself.
He held them in because he was pretty and silent, his pain never mattered.