Once upon a time…
There was a queen, beautiful but far too proud, ambitious but mean of heart, who had three children.The eldest was a daughter, as handsome as her late father, with his green eyes, brown skin, and brown hair, and her mother's ambition and sharp-edged mind.The youngest child was as beautiful as his mother, with her so-pale skin and silvery blue eyes and golden hair, and though he did not share her ambition, he was as clever and proud, and much beloved by her above his siblings.The middle child looked like neither of his siblings, nor even much like his parents, with darker skin and hair that was neither brown nor red nor gold but all three at once.Like his father had been, he was kind and quiet and wanted only to be left in peace.
One day, the queen heard wondrous tales from distant lands.In one kingdom, a great and powerful witch-consort had bestowed talismans of fate that had guaranteed perfect spouses for his in-laws.In another, the royal children found their spouses by way of tests—a test of strength, a test of cleverness, a test of wisdom.
Such a thing suited her ambitions greatly, would ensure that her children, dutiful though they all were, would make matches that perfectly suited her plans and not be led astray by whimsical nonsense.And so she searched far and wide for a mage who could cast the precise spell she wanted, a spell of fate and worthiness that would bring spouses of power and esteem to increase the greatness of her kingdom.
Eventually, one mage did accept her offer, a quiet, mysterious man known as Ivan the Heartless.
"What you seek, Your Majesty, is called a Test of Heart," Ivan said, and held up a hand when she would protest."Do not let the name of the spell mislead you.Bring me your children."
When they were lined up in front of him, he turned to the first, who was just turned sixteen and showed every sign of being precisely the perfect heir and future queen her mother wanted."What do you want most in all the world, Your Highness?What desire sits at the center of your heart?"
As she had been instructed, the princess replied, "To be a great queen and rule the kingdom with wisdom and strength."
"Very well."Ivan touched a finger to her forehead, the girl shivered from the hot-cold that rushed through her, and then it was done."You will find the one who suits you most before the end of your twenty-first year."
Next he turned to the youngest child, who had come forward eagerly ahead of his older brother.Ivan pursed his lips but only said, "What of you, young one?What desire sits deepest in your heart?"
As instructed, as obedient as his sister and as clever as his mother, the child replied, "To marry well and help my sister however she needs."
Ivan nodded and touched his forehead, and the spell was cast."You will find the one who suits you before the end of your twenty-first year."Then he turned his gaze to the middle child, quiet and somber, a sadness in his eyes far too deep for a child of fourteen.He beckoned the boy forward and asked the same question, though his tone was gentler, kinder, than it had been for the other two.
Knowing what would happen to him if he spoke any words but those he was told to, the boy recited, "To serve my family well."
Ivan only stared at him, his eyes dark and burning, meeting that sadness as someone who knew it well, who had faced his own challenges and overcome them.He had learned magic and mastered it as few could, and by that magic now, heard the words unspoken.
Thorns,the boy said.Thorns to drive everyone away, so they would stop pinching and hitting him, stop pulling on his hair.Stop grabbing and shoving.Always peopletouchedhim, and never kindly, and if he could not be touched by someone who loved him, then he wanted to not be touched at all.
Instead of pressing a finger to his forehead, Ivan the Heartless offered his hands.After a moment, the boy hesitantly placed his own in them.Ivan's fingers were warm, his touch so gentle, like no touch the boy could remember ever feeling.He ran his thumbs over the back of the boy's hands, magic tingling.
"Fear not," Ivan said, "for at this moment, so long as we are touching, no one else can hear what we say.I will give you the gift of thorns, little prince.Every hurt you bear will be thorns on your skin, marks of sorrow and pain.All those who touch you against your will shall find themselves suffering sharp and piercing pain.One day you will meet the one meant to burn away your thorns.It will not be in your twenty-first year.You will see both your siblings married before your destiny finds you.I cannot see more than that.But until that time, the thorns will protect you."
The boy sniffled, tears falling down his cheeks, gently wiped away by the kind touch of Ivan the Heartless."Thank you."
"No thanks are needed.It is my honor to serve the magic and all who come to me for help."Still holding one of his hands, Ivan stood."Now I will let you go, and all will be as it was before, and they will think I gave you the spell demanded by your mother.Never forget that magic cannot be controlled.It does not serve at the whims and demands of anyone.The magic does as the magic wills, and all will be as it should, even when it seems quite hopeless.Can you try to remember that?"
"I will," the boy said."I promise."
"Good."Ivan stepped back, letting go of his hand in the process, and turned to the queen."Your spells are cast as requested, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Mage.I am most grateful."
"I require no thanks for doing as the magic wills.If you've no further need of me, I will be on my way."Near the wall, the mysterious man who had accompanied him stepped forward to hover protectively once more, and the two men left as quietly as they had arrived.
The young prince stared at his wrists, where dark green vines grew like intricate tattoos, little red-tipped thorns already sprouting from them, then tugged the sleeves of his jacket down further to hide them as his mother snapped at him to move along.
Aurélien tossed more berries in his basket, pleased that it was nearly full and there were still berries aplenty to be picked.He should have brought a second basket, but he hadn't expected to have this much luck.Even just one basket would be more than enough to dye his thread, so really the second wasn't necessary, but it would have been nice all the same to have a surfeit.
Technically he should be at home, but nobody would miss him until dinner, and the servants would rat him out when his mother invariably sent someone to fetch him for dinner.Ever since Prince Zarin had arrived out of seemingly nowhere, with no notice or anything given to him, Aurélien had been on edge.He could justsensehis mother was up to something, despite the magic she herself had seen lain on him.In her eyes, he was taking too long to marry for her convenience, and so she would bypass the magic and tend the matter herself.
Magic does as the magic wills.
It was a strange phrase, essentially saying the magic does as the magic chooses, and one he'd pondered over and over.Near as he could tell, it simply meant the magic knew what it was doing, and it would do what it determined to be the right choice no matter how anyone tried to interfere.
He'd certainly seen enough over the years to know that going against the magic was a fool's game.
So here he was hiding in the forest picking berries to use for dyeing the thread that would be used for flowers in his latest tapestry.His mother would yell and lecture for at least an hour later and punish him severely, but she wouldn'ttouchhim, and that was all he really cared about in the end.
