That very afternoon, word had spread throughout the palace that the king had spent the night in the queen's chamber—an unplanned occurrence, hinting at an improvement in their relationship. Rita, however, was far from pleased. She had designs on winning the king's heart and usurping Livia from the throne, but her plans were now in tatters, leaving her with only one course of action—to remove Livia from her path. Fortunately, she knew of a way to do this without getting her hands dirty; she composed a letter and instructed a courier to deliver it to Duke Fiore's estate.
Elsewhere, Livia was finishing his training. As he exited the practice hall, the king was there waiting to inform him that they would be leaving the palace together that evening to attend a party, and he presented Livia with a box.
"You might not like traditional gowns, so I brought something more to your taste."
"Indeed, I may be an omega, but I'm still a man."
Livia took the box, and the king told him the time of their departure. Livia's handmaidens carried the box back to his room; it wasn't what he had expected, but at least he would be able to go somewhere far from the palace confines—staying cooped up was dull indeed. Upon opening the box, he found a fine suit that, to his relief, did not look overly feminine and was much to his liking. He went to bathe and prepare for the outing.
When the appointed hour arrived and Livia was ready, the king smiled upon seeing him descend the stairs. The white suit suited Livia well and matched perfectly with the king's own black attire. Offering his arm, they walked together to the carriage. Merely this act was enough to stir the concubines' gossip that the king had taken Livia to a party—an unwelcome development for Rita but, she thought, a short-lived victory for Livia.
They arrived at a grand mansion and entered the enormous, crowded hall, where all eyes turned to them upon announcement. The gathering was bewildered; it was the first time they had seen the king attend a party with the queen as he normally arrived alone. Those who approached greeted the king warmly, but to Livia, they offered only curt nods.
"Your Majesty, it’s an honor to welcome you to my home, and I hope you enjoy the festivities. May I introduce my daughter Carola, who is of marriageable age."
The young woman smiled coyly, bending in a curtsy designed to flaunt her figure to the king.
"Your Majesty, I'm Carola Brown."
And there stood Duke Brown, both he and his daughter largely ignoring Livia. Carola's glance carried a mocking edge.
"Disrespect seems to be in abundance here, darling. I thought as the queen, I would warrant the same respect."
Livia returned her mocking smile, and as Carola shifted her gaze to the king, he looked at her and the Duke with displeasure.
"Is this proper hospitality..."
"I-I apologize, Your Majesty... We are accustomed to your solitary appearances."
"So accustomed that you fail to even notice my presence."
The king's spouse was not one to be trifled with, and a pang of possessiveness surprised Livia.
"That is not the case, Your Highness. Please accept my apology for the oversight."
Duke Brown immediately bowed, Carola following suit, albeit reluctantly.
"Henceforth, my queen will accompany me to all such events, and I expect her to be shown the respect she deserves."
"Certainly, Your Majesty, Your Highness, I hope you enjoy the festivities."
"Thank you, Duke, and Lady Carola."
The discomfort on the young woman's face was palpable, prompting Livia to smile sardonically as he clung to the king’s arm. The spectators were undoubtedly taken aback by the developing dynamic between the royal couple, having assumed the king indifferent to Livia since their nuptials.
"Father, you assured me the king would be taken with me."
"I did not anticipate he would bring the queen. Nevertheless, make your interest known."
"Very well, that lowly omega is no match for me."
Carola sauntered over with a glass of wine for the king, attempting to charm him regardless of Livia’s presence.
"This wine is exceptional, from a special harvest. I trust it will be to your liking, Your Majesty."
"I appreciate the gesture, Lady Brown. Livia, care for a taste?"
The king passed the glass to the verdant-haired omega, who accepted and found the wine to his liking. Observing Livia’s approval, the king sipped from the same glass, prompting whispers about his affection, given his indifference to sharing. As the party progressed, nobles made it a point to greet Livia as well, having seen the king's ire towards Duke Brown. Eventually, both Livia and the king settled away from the throng.
"Must these events always be thus? I scarce remember the names of those I've greeted."
"It tends to be the case. If you're bored, we can return to the palace for something more entertaining."
The king’s sly grin was unmistakable and Livia glanced away, half-protesting.
"Now you want every night, you lascivious king."
Closing the distance, the king drew Livia in for a soft kiss on the lips. Although seated apart from the crowd, they were still seen; Livia was surprised but reciprocated—the kiss was far from unwelcome.
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