#okton

Damen catching the spear at the okton :)

Hello and thank you so much for your prompt. I had a blast writing this short story. Honestly, I almost forgot how much I liked writing Omegaverse :)

I hope you like the result :) I was very happy that I could write it, so thank you for that! I also think it has the potential for a longer story but unfortunately I am to tied up by my other long-term projects that I won’t be able to start another one soon. :( 

Whatever, here is what I came up with (please keep in mind that the original work is written by the incredible C.S. Pacat and I don’t own any of the characters or of the universe (I also pilfered some of the original lines)):

Damen couldn't really explain his sudden urge to smoother Laurent in his arms. Half of the time, he wasn't even sure if he liked the git. It made absolutely no sense to him, but his instincts screamed at him to not let the blond man out of his eyes, or even better, his reach.

True, Laurent was damn attractive, gorgeous even, everybody would agree with that. Even Nikandros, who hated him even more after he had realized what Laurent had done to his king, had admitted in a drunken stupor that the omega was beautiful beyond measures.

Damen's back looked horrible, he knew it himself but he could also admit that Laurent had had his reasons. Cruel as they might be.

However, the instinctive urges explained at least why Damen's blood froze when Makedon demanded for Laurent to ride in the okton. Was the man out of his bloody mind? Damen couldn't really justify the wish for Makedon's swift death, but it was undeniably prominent in the forefront of his thoughts as he scrambled for words, a reason for Laurent's absence on the field, anything really.

"Veretians do not train in the okton," he said finally, it sounded weak an argument even to his own ears. Yet, he couldn't really reason with the fact that Laurent was an omega, because if he did, he didn't know how Laurent would take retribution, but it was undebatable that he would. Damen wasn't fool enough to risk that.

"In Akielos, the okton is known as the sport of kings. Our own King will take the field. Does the Prince of Vere lack the courage to ride against him?"

Damn it, Damen wanted to place his fist in smug visage of his general. Makedon knew that it was impossible for Laurent to refuse now. He was already looked upon with condescension from most of the alphas in their joined forces, he couldn't afford to refuse.

And he wouldn't. Damen needed just one look at his face and he knew that Laurent would agree, out of his foolish pride, and sharp mind. Because Laurent knew better than anyone else what they had to loose and he knew that the people gathered needed to acknowledge him just as much as they did Damen.

Suddenly, he wished for a different world. He wished for a world, where Laurent wouldn't need to prove himself worth of following and recognition just because he was not the warrior Damen was or his brother had been. A world, where Laurent's secondary gender wouldn't limit him in the ways it did.

He risked a glance at Laurent, hoping that his outstanding mind would be able to somehow sidestep, he didn’t want him on the field. He would give almost anything to keep Laurent here, keep him safe and that was rather startling an insight. 

The omega beside him, though, didn’t even try. “Why not?” said Laurent and this made Damen’s stomach lurch. He needed all of his self-restrain to stop himself from dragging the blond man to the side and just straight out tie him up to keep him away from the course. 

He couldn’t pinpoint the source of this feeling exactly. He just knew that there was a very faint, sweet smell in the air. It was mouthwatering to Damen. It came from Laurent. And it was the main reason he wanted Laurent nowhere near the okton course.

He balled his hands on his thighs. He had scented the sweetness coming from Laurent before on another person and it confused him. He couldn’t remember when exactly that was. The implications lost on him. The only positive thing was that he would be there too. Maybe he could keep Laurent from the worst. It was just wishful thinking, if something happened, he had no choice but to watch it happen.

***

Laurent’s spears were tipped in blue. It was fitting. Damen tried not to think about what they were about to do. He was nauseates, his inner alpha pushed him to keep Laurent back, to not let him ride. His skin itched with the struggle from keeping himself back.

Laurent, he knew, was good at riding. He was not only good, he was outstanding and Damen knew that. This knowledge didn’t keep him from fretting. What if something happened to Laurent? The alliance would be over, all their struggles would have been for naught, he would never be able to explore the potential of their tentative relationship. 

This last thought was something that surprised Damen in its vehemence. He realized that he wanted to get to know Laurent better, he wanted the chance to court the other man properly, he wanted a future with Laurent. The one night together was not enough. 

All of that meant nothing in the face of the okton. Men died during the okton. Damen almost sickened up, only the focus on the impending challenge kept him from swaying on his horse.

Suddenly, he remembered Laurent’s scent with such a vividness it caught him off guard. He had smelt the mouthwatering omega scent only once, Laurent’s control otherwise impenetrable. Through their night it had surrounded him, made his head swim and convinced him of their compatibility. He knew that Laurent could bring him to his knees with a whiff of his scent. 

He was almost grateful that Laurent kept his scent under iron control. He wouldn’t be able to talk to him without thinking of fucking him, otherwise. Not that it wasn’t already challenging enough without Laurent’s scent added to the mix.

Damen’s focus was almost forcefully dragged back to Laurent. He catalogued every single micro movement from the Omega at the front of the line. The blond man sat relaxed and securely in the saddle. He didn’t look fazed or nervous. His face was concentrated and self-assured. 

However, there was something else, he couldn’t put his finger on. He couldn’t keep himself from breathing in deeply, although he knew that he wouldn’t smell Laurent in the slight breeze. But his nose caught something else. There was this sweet scent again, coming from the omega. It made his head spin.

He saw Laurent assessing the course. He was clinical in his observations and Damen wished he knew what Laurent was thinking in that moment. His whole focus on the other man. 

Then it hit him. He almost bolted towards the omega. The urge to leap out of the saddle overwhelming and desperate. He wanted to shout, demand that they stop. He wanted to rage and imprison Makedon for even suggesting Laurent should ride today.

But then Laurent already rode out on the field. Damen couldn‘t admire his prone form, his flawless control or his effortless grace, because he felt so faint he almost fell from his mount. Gods, he felt the bile rise. The cold terror had him almost missing how Laurent hit a perfect bullseye. 

He missed entirely how Pallas rode out. The fear gripping his heart incapacitating him of rational thought. But he needed to concentrate. He couldn’t afford a single slip up, not when it could mean that he somehow hit Laurent. 

When the third horn sounded he flung his horse into a gallop. Trying to block out the noise, earsplitting in its intensity, trying to forget that on one of the horses sat Laurent, the omega he wanted to court, the omega pregnant with his child.

As soon as he thought it, it was as if someone had his heart in an icy grip. The coldness spread through his body. He felt numb and he almost looked at Laurent. Only the danger of accidentally causing a mishap kept him from doing so. 

After the first course he allowed himself a glimpse towards the omega. He was still just as composed as when he sat at the dais with him some hours before. He also realized that Laurent dealt with the danger of the okton by simply behaving as though it did not exist. 

Damen admired him for it but at the same time he wanted to drag him from his horse and shake him before snogging him senseless. He wanted to wrap him up in silk and satin and keep him save. He wanted to worship his body from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. 

He compelled his focus back to the course. Pallas, Laurent and he himself had yet to miss a shot. Aktis and Lydos were no real competition. It was extraordinary enough for three riders to ride a flawless okton. 

They thundered into the final circuit. The mistake, which finally broke their graceful ride, was one that anyone could have made. It was a simple miscalculation and it stopped Damen’s heart. Aktis threw his spear too early, which caused the target to collapse.

Lydos and Pallas both lost their spears. Time seemed to stand still as Damen watched Lydos’ spear soar through the air in Laurent’s direction. It was going to hit either Pallas or Laurent and Damen couldn’t tear his eyes away from the blond omega. Even when he realized that Pallas’ spear aimed for him.

Instinct reacted before thought. He caught it out of the air, his hand closing hard around the shaft, the momentum of it wrenching his shoulder back. The crowd exploded into noise as he absorbed the force of the throw and tightened his grip with his thighs to stay upright. 

However, his whole focus was on the other end of the field, on Laurent and the spear flying towards him. The blood froze in his veins. The only thought he had was that he couldn’t loose this, couldn’t loose Laurent, not now. The blind panic immobilized him, forced him to watch what would inevitably happen next.

He could see Pallas shocked face and he knew the impossible choice the younger alpha faced. Either he saved his own life at the expense of Laurent’s, a Prince and more importantly an omega or he died right there and would be celebrated as a brave and honorable alpha. And, worse even, Pallas didn’t even know that Laurent carried the next heir to the Akielon and Veretian throne. Damen, however, knew, he knew and he prayed to every deity out there that Pallas wouldn’t move out of the way.

He knew it was a horrible thought to have. He also knew that it changed everything. He realized that Pallas wouldn’t ever move out of the way because it’s what they were waiting for their whole life. Fighting to protect others and giving their lives for the greater good. Pallas, who was one of the best, despite his young age, would never be able to put Laurent in danger.

Damen could see that Laurent knew it too. It shouldn’t surprise him anymore. He already knew that Laurent was exceptionally perceptive. He had seen the collapse of the target early on, and that had given him the time necessary to react. 

The prince acted without a seconds hesitation. Laurent leaped from his horse, a feat almost impossible with the momentum he still had from the ride, and jumped into the path of the spear as he launched himself for Pallas’ horse, stirring their course to the left. 

Laurent pushed Pallas down as the spear sailed past them. Damen watched in stunned amazement how Laurent picked up Pallas’ last spear and threw it at the last target. Hitting bullseye. He completed the okton with a perfect score and Damen couldn’t really decide if he wanted to fuck him right there, in the middle of the arena or if he would prefer to drag him away to his chambers and have his wicked way with him.

When Laurent’s eyes met his gaze across the course with an obvious challenge in them, Damen grinned. Dizzy with relief and overwhelming confusion. He threw the spear he had caught across the full, incredible length of the field. Sent it flying right into the centre of the final target, where it rested, quivering.

C.S. Pacat, Kings Rising