The Princess & Her Peasant

*ABO Universe*

In a world in which there is a second gender where females and males are divided into three categories as alpha, beta and omega. The rankings also speak of superiority, power and dominance. Alphas are the highest in the hierarchy, then betas and at last, omegas. In some cases, omegas are considered weak and incapable of holding power.

So things become tense in Kingdom Euthoria when the firstborn to the King and Queen turns out to be a female omega. It becomes a threat to the throne as the Queen doesn't conceive a second child. In history, no omega has succeeded the throne.

It isn't the King, Queen or the citizens that find his birth as a negative effect on the kingdom, but it is the royal elders who live with their traditions. So as the Princess turns eighteen years old, the elders suggest the Princess should marry another kingdom's alpha Prince and merge Kingdom Euthoria with the other.

That is why the King and Queen decide to merge Kingdom Euthoria with the neighbouring kingdom, Kingdom Neopatras, by arranging a marriage between the two kingdoms. Their idea is to let Prince Patrick, the Crowned Prince of Kingdom Neopatras, become the king of Kingdom Euthoria too. And it is quite common for royalty to arrange marriages to gain power, control power and protect the throne. Likewise, arranged marriage was decided.

~.~

-Characters-

*Princess Zoey*

- She's an 18-year-old Omega with golden hair and a love for nature. One thing about her, she dislikes the fact that she cannot rule her kingdom one day and dislikes how she has to get married to an alpha that will take over as the ruler of both kingdoms.

*Prince Patrick*

- He's a 24-year-old Alpha with hazel hair and eyes and a love for sword art. He's the Prince chosen by Princess Zoey's parents to link the two kingdoms in the future. And he likes the idea of an arranged marriage between the two kingdoms.

*Duchess Winter*

- She's a 24-year-old Beta with dark brown hair and eyes and a love for gossiping. She's Princess Zoey's best friend. Despite the age gap, they are really close friends. And she dislikes Prince Patrick because she thinks he is pretentious.

*Peasant/Baker Micah*

- He's a 19-year-old Alpha with brown hair and eyes and a love for baking and making dolls. He's a baker who works with his parents in a small bakery that makes the Queen's favourite cookies.

*Viscountess Tessa* - She's an 18-year-old Omega with golden hair and a love for gossiping and talking. She's a cousin of Princess Zoey, who is famous as she's always looking for the 'right gentleman'. But she's known to have a big heart.

~.~

-Sub Characters-

*King and Queen of Euthoria Kingdom - they are the parents of Princess Zoey

*Knight James and Knight Henry - Two knights: famous in the kingdom who are wrongly accused of treason

*Maid Pamela - personal maid of Princess Zoey

*Mother and Father of Micah*

|Princess Zoey's Point Of View|

As soon as I turned eighteen, my parents held a grand ceremony and introduced me to Prince Patrick, the future ruler of Kingdom Neopatras, for marriage. It was stupid. I wasn't happy at all. I didn't encourage their idea of an arranged marriage with a total stranger. Yet, it was supposed to happen one way or another.

Upon my tantrums, my parents agreed to delay the official deals of the wedding from one year so that time would let us get to know each other. Still, I stubbornly avoided Prince Patrick at all costs. Mostly because he was way older than me, and I saw him as an old man. Prince Patrick was twenty-four while I was only eighteen!

For many people, it won't be a huge age gap, but for me. I disliked being with someone whose way older than me because I didn't want to be treated like I was inexperienced and childish. So I was cold toward Prince Patrick at first.

But luckily, he was patient with me, just like he should be. And in no time, I was comfortable with him and fell for him. I realised he was a charming, kind and patient man who was just my type.

So right now, my friend, Duchess Winter, is being annoying as hell, making fun of my lover!

"Don't call him old! I know I called him old, many times before, but now, he isn't old." I scold her.

"I see. Just~ I cannot bear seeing you getting married to an old fossil," she says, taking a sip from her drink.

"Fossil!? He's not a fossil! Could you please stop insulting the person I love?" I complain.

"Okay, okay. It seems my friend is seriously in love~ So~? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach, and does your heart skip beats when you see him~? And you go all ooey-gooey~ Lost of words~?" she flutters her eyelashes, obviously making fun of me.

"Ugh. I don't feel those butterflies and heart skipping beats. And if those happen to me, I won't be here but in the medical wing getting treated before I die." I roll my eyes at her

"What an idiot..."

"You are the idiot!"

"Which I am. I never disagreed with that!" she agrees.

Jeez, spending time with her will only reduce the number of cells in my brain. I sip on my lemon mocktail as I swing my legs at the delightful taste of it. I keep the glass aside when I hear the sound of a horse. I quickly stand up and run to the closest window. I look out of it to catch a glimpse of the person arriving, and just as I assumed, it is Prince Patrick on his white horse. My Prince in shining armour~

I giggle and quickly run toward the stairway. As I am about to go downstairs, I hear Winter's annoyed voice complaining about me leaving her. But I ignore her and almost fly downstairs and leave from the entrance of the palace doors, past the guards to welcome Prince Patrick.

He gets down from his snowy white horse, but he doesn't see me. Instead, he rebalances the sword on his back (hip) and gives a gentle pat to his horse. A guard comes and takes the horse from there, and finally, he sees me.

I smile like a big fool when he walks toward me. He gently takes my hand and kisses my knuckles, his lips leaving a trace of affection.

"Why did you leave in the morning? I was looking for you." I break our eyecontact and ask about how he suddenly disappeared in the morning after we had breakfast.

"I had an important meeting to attend, love. Unlike you, I don't have a lot of free time a day," he replies. I give him a displeased look in return. Well, yeah, I completely stopped doing my duties as soon as my parents came up with the arranged marriage idea when I got to know that I wouldn't be the ruler of my kingdom but Prince Patrick. So as I am free, I use my spare time with nature which I love and enjoy.

"Don't make it sound like I am a useless person," I say. "Since you are taking over, what is left for me, huh? It is quite a joke how I learned my whole life to be the ruler of my kingdom when in history, there hasn't been a single female Omega Queen. And now, you are taking everything from me." I childishly complain.

In fact, he and I both know that I dislike giving him my kingdom. Yes, I love him. But I really would love to rule my kingdom alone as well. Sometimes I wish I was an alpha so I could be the next ruler. But at least it's fine because my kingdom will be in safe hands with him.

"I am yet to take everything from you, ain't I?" Prince Patrick says.

I instantly blush at his words and look away.

"A-anyways." I bite my lower lip. "Uh... I wanted to tell you that... my monthly heat starts today, so we won't be able to see each other for a while."

"Oh. Good luck with it, babe. Take care, alright?" he lovingly asks. I nod and smile in return. Isn't he the sweetest!

"I-I'll be going then," I say, as I will have to go inside soon before it starts.

~.~

-Four Days Later-

When I open my eyes, I realise my heat is almost over. The stench of my own scent gets thicker in the air as I shuffle away from my blankets. I walk to the door and partially open it, and call out for a maid. I ask her to prepare my clothes as I leave to take a shower.

Once I am done with the shower, I come outside wearing a towel around my body. I see my room clean from top to bottom, without a single flaw. Even the bedsheets are replaced with new ones, and the curtains are drawn back, letting the sunlight in.

My usual maids are standing by my bed, ready to prepare me for the day.

"Are you planning to go out, my Princess?" Pamela, one of the maids. asks as she neatens my top. The other maid comes to me with my robe, and I let my hands slide through the armholes. She wraps it around my body and ties the royal belt around my waist. Then I get into my dress.

"Yeah. It's been four days already." I reply.

"But you are still emitting a little bit of heat pheromones, Princess... No offence, but it'll be safer for your highness to stay in for a few more hours. Prince Patrick isn't here as well."

"No can do." I stubbornly say. "I am going out for a walk."

|Micah's Point Of View|

When morning arrives, my mother wakes me up, and I know it is time to get the freshly baked goods to the palace as her knee pain doesn't let her move around. Though it is my first time going to the palace after years of spending my time in the village, I know that I've to do that for her-only this time.

Sigh. But how much I hate that place... not because I disliked the King and Queen but the noblemen... I hate those creatures so much... They look down on us like we are some pieces of shit that don't even deserve to be under their feet. Can't they see that we are human too?

I neatly stack the last box of bread in the cart. The horse tied to the front stomps its feet as if it is impatient for the journey. Our neighbour, who let us borrow the horse only for today, pokes out his head to see if all are good. I give him a thumbs up and get on to the front of the cart, so I can lead it out of the village to the town and then to the palace, which will be around two to three hours of travelling.

"Micah. Remember to stay on the path and go straight to the palace, okay? Show the guards your pass, and they will tell you where you should go, to the back of the palace, and then the workers will stack the goods down... and the Queen herself might come to see you as she sometimes does because--"

"--we bake her favourite cookies." I complete her words. "I know the mantra, mother. I will be back before you know. Give your feet some rest." I smile.

"Alright. Safe journey!" I take off under her nervous, watchful eyes.

I swiftly lead the cart through the village with several villagers staring at me because it is only my family that always visits the palace like this. So I feel this sense of pride inside me, but I ignore it, and I continue on my journey.

I made two stops at two places-one when nature called me and two when the horse started acting weird. But later calmed down after I offered it an apple. And after three hours, I am in front of the palace gates, and a guard walks up to me with a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Lost your way here, kid?" he asks.

"No. Here's the pass." I show him the pass, and he glances at it twice before calling out for the others to open the gates. As I move forward through the open gates, I look around to take in the beautiful view of the palace. No wonder people adore this place. It is well cared for. And I see loads of workers around.

"That way!" a guard calls out and points to my right. So I go to the right and take a detour around the palace. In the end, I stop at the back of the palace, where I find a few women wearing scarves doing their duties and some working men. I assume it is the royal kitchen.

I get down from the cart and wait till one of them sees me. A young guy spots me and walks to me with a smile.

"Are those the bakery goods? Right on time!" he exclaims, walking around the cart. "Hey, you! Come over here. We'll have to unload this stack right now!" he calls over a few lads who join him. I give them a hand in unloading the boxes as well. It takes us quite a time to pull them all out and take them inside. Once we are done with that, the same guy turns to me.

"The chief cook must sign the order papers. Did you bring them?" he asks.

"Oh, yes. Is this it?" I ask, showing him the paper where the details of the number of bakery items I brought and their prices are written.

"It is. And I already have your payment with me, three gold coins, but the chief cook must witness the transaction. Let me get him." he says as he goes back in. I patiently wait for his return, and he comes back running. "I am sorry, he's not here but in the fields, probably checking the new batch of vegetables. Can you do me this one favour and find him? It's not hard. Just follow the footpath over there, and you'll find the vegetable field right next to a flower garden." he explains.

"Are you sure I won't get lost?" I ask.

"You won't, and thank you!"

I sigh as I walk toward the footpath. And I follow it. I know I should be patient and get the gold coins because they gravely help us to survive for more than one month. Other than that, all we get from our bakery products are bronze coins from the villagers and sometimes a silver coin or two from a big order. This is the only way we earn gold coins.

I walk for a bit, following the footpath and reach the flower garden that the young guy mentioned. And right next to it, I find a small wooden fence and a rich vegetable field next to it. I walk toward it and look for the chief cook but realise that I don't know who he is or what he looks like.

I sigh for the second time and look around in frustration. The sun shines in the sky, and it starts burning my skin as I stood in the middle of nowhere. But I sigh in relief when I see someone in the middle of the flower garden with a few branches of hydrangeas in her hands.

So I walk to her so I can know who the chief cook is and get the gold coins. But as I get closer, I see that she's wearing noble clothes and she might be a noblewoman, and I doubt if she would help me. (Noble people are egoists)

And with each step, my eyes are able to capture the image of the person in front of me... capture all the tiny details of her... The unrealistic beauty, baby rose lips, untouched skin, silky hair, dark brown pits of pupils, long eyelashes, perfectly drawn eyebrows... and... and a sweet scent coming from her body that is similar to freshly baked cookies and freshly plucked strawberries.

All those keen factors make me unconsciously walk closer. It is like an unknown shade of force behind me that makes me sway, and I don't know what I am doing. I don't know what is happening around me. I feel like I am being drawn to her, like magnet to magnet. Or magnet to metal. What is this? Why am I walking closer without stopping?

Her scent is sweeter than the sweetest. I've never smelt anything like this before. It invades my nostrils, taking my breath away and all my five wits feel nourished by that one glance she gives me.

It perks what is forming inside me, and before I know I am right in front of her, she's looking at me with wide eyes and...

Before even heaven knows, my canines bury deep in her flesh between the neck and shoulder, claiming her as mine.