Chapter Text
Bracken awoke on his 15th birthday, already feeling eager despite the early hour. He usually slept in until eight, but today was a special day. He was getting his soul mark today.
Anyone who reached the age of 15, mortal or immortal, magical or not, received one. No one really knew where they came from or why they appeared on someone’s 15th birthday, but it was a well-known fact that one was mysteriously marked. The mark was always a tattoo, but the tattoo varied from person to person, some were big and colorful, others small and plain. Each person received half their tattoo, the corresponding half was located on the person’s soulmate.
Bracken was excited to see his tattoo. He wanted to know who his soulmate was. He envisioned himself meeting the person, them crying as they held each other, taking walks on the beach, and having romantic picnics. Alright, so maybe it was a little soon for romantic picnics, but what could Bracken say? He was a romantic at heart.
Bracken leaped out of bed and ran to his full length mirror. He quickly shucked his shirt off and turned slowly, hoping to catch a glimpse of his new mark. There it was, on his shoulder. It was half a pair of fairy wings, turquoise, with little silver veins running throughout. The tattoo was about 2 and half inches long, and it was surrounded by a glowing gold. Bracken’s breath caught, it was beautiful.
Then, panic flashed through him. If his mark was fairy wings, did that mean his soulmate was a fairy? Bracken’s face screwed up. He didn’t want his soulmate to be a fairy! Now, he was the fairy prince, and therefore obligated to love all of his mother’s subjects, but the idea of marrying a fairy wasn’t a pleasant one. Most were vain, petty creatures when they were small, and they were haughty and intimidating when they were in their larger state.
Bracken took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn’t know for a fact that his soulmate was a fairy, the wings could mean anything and could be on anyone.
Which brought up another problem. How was Bracken supposed to find his soulmate? The fairy kingdom was a large place, and the mark could be on quite literally anyone. It wasn’t uncommon to display one’s soulmark, but Bracken couldn’t recall ever seeing his mark on anyone before.
Bracken’s heart quickened. His mother was the queen, surely she’d recognize the mark if she’d seen it on anyone. Bracken resolved himself to ask her first thing.
Bracken got ready as fast as he could ever remember. He put on his fine suit and combed his hair neatly so that he looked presentable as a prince. At this hour, his mother and father should be in the great hall hearing supplications from the citizens of the realm.
Despite his eagerness, Bracken kept his pace steady as he walked to the great hall. It wouldn’t do for a prince to run through the halls like a child, especially not now that he had officially reached the age of maturity, as proved by his soulmark.
Bracken took a deep breath outside the gilded doors that marked the entrance to the great hall. He was about to ask his mother if she knew who his soulmate was, no big deal. Squaring his shoulders, Bracken swung the door open, only to reveal an empty hall.
Where were his parents? And where were all the petitioners that were normally here at this hour? Bracken took another step onto the marbled floors, gazing around. The room was bright, airy, and empty. Without his third horn, which would hopefully be coming in soon, Bracken couldn’t ask his mother where she was using his mind. But hopefully she would sense his confusion and send someone for him.
At that moment, a little fairy in a lavender dress buzzed in through the open doors. She indicated for Bracken to follow as she zipped back out into the hallway. Bracken chased after her, zig zagging around the palace. He tried to ask where they were going, but the little fairy remained silent.
Soon enough, the pair arrived at some nondescript oak doors Bracken recognized as being the entrance to the royal study, which was really more of a gathering place for private family events. Bracken, slightly out of breath, turned to the fairy to ask why they went here of all places only to find that she was gone. With a shrug, Bracken pulled open the doors and stepped into the room.
“SURPRISE!” A cacophony of voices shouted. Bracken stumbled back in shock. People laughed, and the lights suddenly filled to illuminate a grinning crowd of Bracken’s friends and family.
Once he recovered, Bracken laughed as well. “That really was a surprise! You all scared me there for a second.”
“Scaring you is always our goal,” Bracken’s youngest sister, Jasmine, who was no more than nine, said. Bracken smiled and rubbed her hair affectionately as she squealed.
“Happy Birthday, brother,” Lilliana, the middle sister who had recently turned 12, said.
“Thanks, Lil,”
“Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite brother,” Bracken turned and saw the oldest of his sisters, Myrtle, who was just a year younger than Bracken.
“I’m your only brother.”
“And good thing too, or I might have a different favorite,” she said with an impish smile. Then, Myrtle stepped up to him and wrapped Bracken in a hug. “Happy Birthday.”
“Alright, out of the way you three. As the mother, I get special birthday privileges,” the voice of Bracken’s mother floated through the air.
“Shouldn’t I get the special birthday privileges? After all, it is MY birthday,” Bracken said once Myrtle released him from her hug.
“Fair, which is why I’m giving you this.” With a flourish, the Queen waved her hand and a piece of paper appeared in her hands. She gave the rolled scroll to Bracken. He opened it, and his surprise was probably evident on his face from the way his mother laughed.
“Not what you expected?” His mother asked. Bracken shook his head. “Well, as a prince of the realm, you need to start learning how to protect yourself and your people.”
The paper was his schedule for the next month or so, and it was filled with lessons from Gilgoril on swordplay. Bracken was excited to start learning how to use the sword his second horn could turn into, but he was still thinking about his soulmark.
“What is it? You seem distracted,” the Queen said, picking up on Bracken’s thoughts.
“Well, I did have a question I wanted to ask you,” Bracken began. He twisted, yanking on his shirt a bit to expose his new mark.
“Bracken,” the Queen breathed, stepping forward and lightly brushing the skin where the mark was, causing Bracken to jump. “It’s beautiful.” She said.
Bracken craned his neck around to look at his mom. She seemed enthralled by the tattoo. Probably because Bracken was the first of her children to receive the soulmark. “Well, do you recognize it?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Bracken wilted a bit. He knew he shouldn’t be disappointed, but he couldn’t help the feeling.
“Oh, sweetheart. You’re an immortal unicorn. It’s very likely that your soulmate hasn’t been born yet. Don’t you worry, you’ll find them one day.”
“I know.” Bracken straightened and put a smile on his face. “But for right now, I hear there’s a surprise party going on for someone.”
Behind him, his sisters squealed and tugged Bracken forward to the gift table. Each of them were clamoring for Bracken to open their gift first, and his dour mood quickly evaporated with his sister’s antics.
***
Bracken sat up abruptly. He frowned, shaking his head slightly to clear the image of the dream. The dream felt so real, like he really was just getting his soulmark for the first time. He remembered the disappointment of not finding his soulmate, the awe upon seeing the mark, the way his mother looked at him when he showed her the mark.
Thinking of the small tattoo on his back brought Bracken back to the sensation that woke him up. The little fairy wings, well, half of them anyway, felt burning hot. Bracken twisted to see what was causing the pain, but the tattoo looked as normal as ever. The pain continued, however, and Bracken could see no discernible cause.
Suddenly, the golden glow that normally haloed the tattoo glimmered eye-wateringly bright. Bracken squeezed his eyes shut against the glow. When he opened his eyes, the light was gone and the pain was fading. It was all very odd, and Bracken couldn’t shake the feeling that something important had just happened.
He found no use in staying awake all night to agonize about something he couldn’t understand. Bracken was still trapped in the Living Mirage’s dungeon, so there would be no way for him to get answers any time soon.
Bracken curled up on his side on the uncomfortable prison cot, determined to put the whole business with the tattoo out of his mind. As he faded off to sleep, though, he could have sworn he heard a girl laughing.