TRIGGER WARNING: Minor mentions of molestation and physical assault. 

Iridessa became Queen after she murdered her Father. 

At sixteen, Iridessa and her twin brother, Mykal were taken before the King of Crosland, their Father. He told them that only a male heir can rule. 

The King orders Iridessa to the farthest reaches of the realm, to where land and sea no longer meet. To the place where all forgotten ladies in waiting go to disappear. 

Jealously swarmed in Iridessa's heart and anger festered in her belly. 

"Mykal?" Iridessa entered his bed chambers the night before her departure. "Dearest brother of mine." 

Mykal rolls his doe brown eyes at her. "Dessa, what do you want?" He chuckles when she launches herself onto his bed. The two bounce on the mattress for a moment before settling. 

They sit in the quiet and stare up at the ceiling. 

"Is Father really sending you away?" Mykal finds her hand in the darkness and squeezes. 

Iridessa rolls over to throw her arm across his middle. "Yes, I leave tomorrow after breakfast." 

He whines softly and clutches at her arm around him. "Please don't go. I'll ask Father and he will let you stay!" 

"No, Mykal." She brushes the bangs from his eyes, "I must go. Father will find you a worthy suitor and with me here I will only get in the way." 

Mykal shakes his head. "Why couldn't you have been born a male. Then none of this would be happening." 

She laughs softly at his comment. 

"Seriously Dessa! I don't want to be King." He goes quiet, "You would make a better ruler than me." 

Iridessa stiffens up. She pulls Mykal closer to her body and makes soothing croons to make him comfortable. "This is the way things are." 

He frowns. "No, Mother would never let him do this to us. Family is Loyalty, remember?" 

"That is Mother's house motto, but she married Father and now our house motto is 'the Sea is calling, rejoice in your blessing.'"

"Are you saying this is a blessing? That we are separated?" Mykal throws Iridessa's arm off and sits up. "You promised Mother to never leave me and now look at what you are doing!"

Iridessa covers her face with her hands. "We were children, Mykal!"

He growls and shoves her roughly. "So you lied to Mother?"

"Never!" Iridessa sits up quickly. "I promised Mother to protect you, but you no longer need my protection." 

Mykal deflates. 

She twines a curl around her finger. "You look just like her you know. More so than me." Iridessa coos at Mykal when he slaps her hand away. 

"Don't say that." He turns away from his sister. 

Sensing the change in mood, Iridessa tilts her head. "Brother?"

"I don't want to look like her." Mykal scratches at his chest. "Why was I born cursed?" 

Iridessa scoots closer, ruffling the bed covers. "Cursed? Mykal you have been blessed-"

"NO!" Mykal screams. He stands and walks to the open balcony. 

Still, in bed, Iridessa watches her brother disappear onto the balcony. The burnt scent of anger is hot in the room. She slides off the mattress and comes to stand at the double doors leading to the balcony. 

A salty breeze brushes against her. Waves crash on the shoreline below the palace. The moon is reflected perfectly on the dark waters. 

"Mykal...tell me what is wrong." Iridessa stands behind him, not knowing what to do with him so upset. 

She has never seen her strong, brave, and noble brother cry. He hasn't cried since they were children. He hasn't cried since Mother died. 

"Mykal?" Iridessa places a hand on his back and gently begins to rub slow circles. "Who hurt you? Tell me, so that I may punish them." 

His entire body rattles with a sob. "You can't." 

"Yes, I can. I'm the Princess." She smiles at his silliness. 

"You can't, Dessa." Mykal's voice quivers at the edges. 

"Why not? Who is it? A suitor? You've gotten many letters recently, I can help you choose." Iridessa leans against the railing. "If someone has hurt you in any way, shape, or form, Mykal, you must tell me." 

She wipes his tear-stained cheeks with her satin scarf. "It doesn't matter who." Iridessa lowers her face to his. "Mykal, I promised to protect you and so I shall." 

"You can't protect me from him." Mykal's sobs have slowly begun to quiet. 

"Mykal please tell me what has happened." She continues to rub circles on his back. 

Mykal sucks in a deep breath. He slowly gathers his bearings and stands straight. "Remember after Mother died and Father became angry?"

"Yes, we were ten." Iridessa's brain turns round and round with thoughts. 

"And then when we turned thirteen and found out what our designations were." Mykal stares out at the sea. "Father was so mad at us like it was our fault." 

Iridessa rests her elbows on the stone balcony. "It's not either of our faults. The Moongodess blessed Crosland with two heirs." 

"But a son who is born an Omega, Dessa do you think that is a blessing?" Mykal turns to face her. His once beautiful shining brown eyes are dull. "What's more is his daughter is an Alpha. It's backwards!" 

She flinches, "I didn't choose to be one, brother. I would give everything for us to switch places."

"Would you still switch places with me if it meant that you were visited every Heat?" Mykal says, beginning his scratching again. 

Her face scrunched. "I'm never visited during my Ruts...I don't understand?"

"He visits me." Mykal lowers his head. 

"Who?" Iridessa's hackles raise. Who would dare to visit the Crown Prince of Crosland? Death would be the penalty for trying to defile the sacred Omega of the kingdom. 

"Every Heat he touches me. He whispers things, awful things." His hand lowers to his stomach. "He beats me." 

Iridessa grabs Mykals shoulders and turns him around to face her. She cups his face, "Who? Mykal who?"

"The King, of course."