Chapter 1: One.
Chapter Text
Third pov -
The orchid was small.
Smaller than one should be. Probably only a couple years old. The roots were already starting to spread through from the moss where it attached itself, to the bark of the large tree. The flower hadn't yet bloomed, a mere stub attached to the grayish green roots that were bound to the tree.
The ground was damp, moist with swamp water and the remaining rain from the night before. But the wetness of the cold earth wasn't uncomfortable. It never was in the fae realm, where weather wasn't the first thought with all the spiraling flowers and enchanted creatures that had no need to hide away in the safety of the trees, when there ever was no threat to them.
David shifted on his legs, trying to focus on the unbloomed orchid in front of him. He was prone to getting distracted, always failing to pay attention when it came to the complexities of his own magic.
The ground was soft under the fur of his legs, the sun warm on his skin as it peeked through the many thick leaves of the swamp trees overhead. A nearby pond was to his left, the croaking and creaking of frogs and insects, a familiar comforting sound in his ears, like white noise. There was a breeze, almost unnoticeable unless you listened for the subtle whistle of wind through the branches and leaves.
To his right, he could hear the soft breathing of his brother; calm, patient. David never understood how he can be so tuned in during moments like these.
It was all just so...boring.
David sighed heavily for what felt like the hundredth time, dropping his straight posture and leaning back on his palms as he opened his eyes. He felt the subtle ripple of magic in his body diminish, returning back to it's usual state.
He glanced over to Andrew, watching the way his own expression was one of relaxation, his eyes closed and his posture perfect.
David sighed again, more dramatically this time to get his brother's attention. The brunette slowly turned to glance at him, a grin of amusement appearing on his face.
"Bored already?" He asked knowingly, and David would just smack the look of amusement off his face if he could.
"Can we go back already?" He asked, and when he earned a shake of the head, he groaned loudly and flopped back into the mossy ground, not caring for the dampness he felt seeping into his clothes.
Andrew chuckled lowly, turning to the side to face his brother. He opened his mouth to speak, but David's hands were already moving to cover his own ears, squeezing his eyes shut with a dramatic huff.
"I know ye can still hear me." He said, reaching over to flick the second set of ears on David's head. The black furred appendage flicked back in annoyance, but David didn't move.
Andrew sighed, and sometimes David hated how patient he was with him. Whereas his other siblings like Katie or Aindreas would get frustrated at him and give up on helping. Although, David sometimes prefers that over the constant teaching.
"Look, Daithi. You know how important this is. I mean, I'm not gonna go on a whole history lesson but you know that this is a part of who we are, it's all we have and if you can't master it..." He trailed off, and David had half a mind to mute him. Like, literally.
The thing was, it wasn't that David couldn't use his magic. He could, just not to the extent of what was expected of him. As royalty, he was expected to be in high ranking classes and levels, able to easily use his magic without so much as batting an eye.
He enjoyed his magic, he really did. But he disliked having to use it for a genuine purpose. He disliked being identified with it, because although he did enjoy a spell every now and then, he wasn't just magic. It shouldn't define who he is, and yet, it's all that's expected of him. Of his kind.
He did like having it, using it when he needed it but it wasn't his passion. Not that he had one. He's always loved the teachings of magic when he was a child, when he wasn't scolded for screwing up, when he had the creativity to do as he pleased with it. But now that he's all grown up, midway through college now, he just...he couldn't do it.
There was just some things that he wasn't good at, some things that he was forced to learn in such an unhelpful way, and it was too much, too overwhelming.
"I hate being a prince." He finally said, dropping his hands to the floor. Andrew sighed heavily, finally showing a bit of emotion as he lied down next to his brother on the ground, looking up into the thick forest trees.
"Yeah, don't we all?" He said, folding his hands over his stomach. David hummed his agreement, and they didn't say anything for a few minutes. Simply enjoying the silence.
They didn't get it often.
David knows that he shouldn't be complaining. He was a wealthy, privileged prince, the youngest royal of six amazing siblings and two loving parents that ruled a more than generous portion of the fae realm.
He hasn't had anything handed to him other than necessities, since their parents were big on keeping the title of "spoiled brats" out of their name. Anything that David accomplished had either been earned, or worked for.
He had a roof over his head, clothes on his back, an endless supply of food and anything else that he could need or want.
But realistically, he wasn't happy here anymore. Not because of his family, but because of what they were.
The alicorn race was huge centuries ago. Stories of thousands, maybe even millions of winged unicorns, with enough magic to make any witch or mage clan drop to their knees in surrender.
But that was long, long ago, and now his family was the last of their race. Their kind had slowly lessened over the years due to hunting and now it was just them, sealed safety away in their realm. But their stereotype had already been established and David hated being stooped to the level of a creature who was some sort of deity, who symbolized grace and majesty and- ugh, it just wasn't him.
Yes, he wanted the best for everyone, and sure, he could guide people in the right direction, but he wasn't innocent. He wasn't pure. He wasn't- he shouldn't be seen as royalty.
His school - the one he was trying to get out of - was strict and unreliable and...let's be real honest, it was full of pompous, rich scumbags.
It was only for royalty, so it was full of princesses and princes that had no sense of logic when it came to being fucking normal.
Their version of 'normal' was bossing people around, demanding for things they wanted and having high expectations for everyone and anything else who's enrolled into that damn school.
And as one of the children of the Royal Nagel family, both the students and teachers have very fucking high expectations from him.
But when he's forced into doing things, forced to study day and night for hours and hours, slapped on the wrists or the back of the neck when he makes mistakes, and peer pressured into doing spells on the spot without any practice, the ability to learn just becomes so much more difficult.
And in a school where nothing is an excuse, David just couldn't do it anymore. His siblings understand his decision to transfer to a new school, they understand that he's harder to beat into submission than other people because he just doesn't function that way. But what they don't understand, is why he wants to move to a public school.
"I still think it's a little silly." Andrew finally spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence. David grumbled, putting up barrier walls in his head, earning a small wince from his brother.
"Quit it. Get outta my head." He said, turning over to see Andrew rubbing at the temple of his head, his eyes narrowing in a small glare.
"Hey, I'm just curious how ye're takin' all of this. Ye don't seem all that nervous." He said, turning on his side as well so now they were both facing each other. David paused, his eyes drifting to the tiny little flowers that peeked out of the moss covered ground.
"I am nervous." He admitted softly, reaching up to trace along the thin vines of the unbloomed orchids.
"I just...I don't know what to feel so I guess I'm just...tryin' ta avoid talkin' about it." He explained, tracing the intricate details of the bark, the texture rough under his fingertips.
"Oh...well...ye do know that ye can pull out anytime. Mam and Dad will support anything we do." Andrew said softly, reaching up to the vines with his own hand. The tip of his horn glowed a pale orange, the light following to his fingertips as the ghost orchid began to bloom in front of them, the purple and pinks of the petals unwinding themselves.
"Show off." David mumbled, earning a small chuckle from his brother. He plucked the orchid, the orange glow dissipating as he handed it to the younger man.
"Here. This way ye know what it actually looks like when it's bloomed." He said teasingly. He laughed as David smacked him in the arm, taking the flower with the other hand.
"Shut up. I know what a ghost orchid looks like." He scoffed, examining the flower in his hands. He watched as the remaining vine curled around his fingers, seeming to have a mind of their own, and David knew they very much did.
"Ye're gonna need to learn how to bloom one soon. It's a seventh rank spell and ye can't do it yet. Ye're stuck in sixth and that's..." Andrew trailed off, no judgement in his voice but it was laced thickly with concern.
"The highest rank of a witch." David finished for him, watching the petals kiss his knuckles, the orchid seeming to sense his energy.
"Exactly. Fifth is unicorn, which you're just above. Seventh is the Griffin and you haven't even gotten there yet. It's not a huge deal, but...I'm worried about you. And transferring to another school could...decrease your chances of handling your own magic." Andrew admitted, staring back up at the trees above. David didn't respond, his own eyes glued to the orchid in his hand.
"But...I do think this is a great opportunity fer you. I don't like the students in our school. At least, not for you. I'm actually really glad ye hadn't made any friends with them. Katie's got a few good bunch, but anyone else is just...insufferable." He sighed heavily, sitting back up.
David glanced over to him, watching as Andrew carefully intertwined his fingers through the bark of the tree that was infested with the orchid's vines, carefully separating it from the tree.
"And even though you aren't the most social, I do want you to make friends. You're a sweet guy Daithi, but...in this realm, with the other Royals, this just isn't the place fer that." He continued, his horn briefly glowing as he wrapped the vines around the back of the bark, the vines embedding themselves through it.
"So I want ya ta promise me. Promise you'll find the right crowd and make some friends." Andrew finished, his expression one of genuine worry as he offered the bark. David pursed his lips, hesitantly sitting up and taking the offered plant.
He knows his brother meant well, but sometimes he feels like his family pitied him. Let's face it, he had no friends, he was bad at handling the magic he had, he wasn't social and frankly he was a little weird. He hasn't had a real friend since elementary, but that kid had grown into a pompous, entitled asshole just like the rest of the students in the school.
His family has tried for years to get him to chat with others, to include himself in more events, but nothing helped. Teachers had a knack for embarrassing students in front of the class if they so much as struggled, and as a prince of the most powerful Royal family, he was highly overestimated. And when he couldn't meet their expectations, punishment was the immediate consequence.
David took the bark, examining the wood as he held it. He could feel his brother's eyes on him, patiently waiting for a response.
"I promise." He said, and even though he doubted himself, David had never broken a promise. He would try his best to make friends, even if he wasn't entirely sure how to do that yet.
"Good. Now let's get back. Katie's packin' year bags." Andrew said, a grin spreading across his face as he stood up. David make a sound of disbelief, taking the hand offered to him so he could be lifted off of the ground.
"Katie? Wha- I told ye guys I wanted Aindreas ta pack my bags, not Katie. She's gonna put all kinds of girly shit in there." He complained, materializing a green translucent protective barrier around the orchid before sliding it into one of the many pouches attached to his belt.
"Yeah, well, Aindreas is a pushover when it comes to her. Plus, she's better at style than he is, so ye should be thankful, else you'd be getting sweaters and sweatpants fer luggage." Andrew quipped, earning another groan from his brother.
•×•
"These are so weird." David sighed, feeling along the rough texture of the denim on his bed. It felt rough and stiff under his touch, a stark contrast to the silk and velvet him and his family usually wore.
"Those are called jeans. Lots of humans wear them, as well as lots of Others." Katie supplied, tossing him another pair of the same fabric, only much shorter.
"And those ones are called shorts." She added. David cringed as he looked at the article of clothing, exchanging a look with his brothers.
"Yeah...jeans are fine." He said, tossing the shorts on the other end of the bed. His eyes scanned the various other clothing, none of which he was used to or seen before.
The main reason David wanted to move schools was because he wanted to blend in. He hated being seen as a royal prince, hated the responsibility and expectations that came with it. He'd failed his etiquette class more times than he could count, and that was just on top of his failing magic classes. Math, science, history, english, that was all fine. He was decent at those. But he worked horrible under pressure, and pressure was all that the royal school provided.
"I like this one. It looks very airy." Aindreas said, holding up another article that looked similar to the gowns, robes and chitons they usually wore. Katie glanced over from her packing as David took the black flimsy fabric, eyeing it curiously.
"You like that one?" She questioned, a hint of amusement in her voice as she glanced at Catherine, their older sister who had come from her duties just to see him off.
"I guess so...it's better than the shorts. I don't want ta feel like my legs are suffocating." David shrugged, tilting his head as he tried to figure out how the clothing would even go on him.
"I thought ye didn't want girly stuff?" Catherine questioned, her ears tilting in confusion. David frowned.
"This is fer women?" He genuinely asked, earning a short laugh.
"Yeah, it's called a skirt. I don't know how it's different from a kilt, but supposedly it's mainly a women's thing." She explained, and when David looked to Andrew and Aindreas for help, they looked just as confused.
"Well...I mean, a few of them won't hurt. I don't like the shorts though. Keep those ones out." He said, dropping the skirt and plopping himself down on the edge of the bed.
"Ohh, and this?" Katie asked curiously, holding up another piece of foreign clothing. David cringed again, and the look on his face alone was enough to make her sigh in disbelief.
"What, so you'll wear a skirt but not a tank top? Amateur." She scoffed, causing the rest of them to laugh.
"I don't like my arms showin'. Makes me feel weird." He explained with a huff, reaching for a pillow by his headboard and throwing it at Catherine, who was trying to sneak in a pair of shorts. She snickered, throwing it back at him.
"Turtlenecks and long sleeves it is." Katie sighed, grabbing a few tops of different colors and stuffing it into one of the many suitcases.
"Yknow, I'm gonna miss this." Andrew said, taking a seat in one of the armchairs of the room.
"Miss what?" David asked, watching as Katie and Catherine mumbled amongst themselves, picking through different accessories. Which, David most definitely didn't need and probably won't wear, but he let them have their fun anyway.
"Arguing. Yer the easiest ta piss off." Andrew said, earning an immediate scoff in offense.
"Am not." He said defensively. Aindreas chuckled, his horn glowing blue as he tampered with a gemstone in his hand.
"Point proven." He commented, earning a grumble in denial.
"My point is, we're all going ta miss you." Andrew cut in, leaning over to land a comforting hand on David's shoulder. The taller man relaxed, his gaze softening into a small smile.
"I'm gonna miss ye guys too. It's gonna be so weird without ya." He admitted, looking down at his lap.
"So used ta lingerin' around ye guys. I'm gonna be so lost. Like, literally. I didn't get a school walkthrough so I'm definitely gonna have ta ask around an' stuff. Ugh..." He groaned, grimacing at the thought of having to talk to people.
Not that he didn't like them, it was just that he didn't understand how to interact with them. Greetings and meetings were one thing. But when it came to casual chatting, social cues, innuendos and implications, he was a lost cause. Even sarcasm was hard to read sometimes.
"Ah, look listen, just be yerself an' I'm sure they'll love ya. Yer a pot of gold." Catherine grinned, nudging David's hip as she sat on his other side.
"A pot of gold?" He asked in confusion, unable to help the small grin from reaching his face. She shrugged offhandedly, a smile of her own plastered across her face.
"I dunno. It's called bein' racist. I heard that a lot of people in the human realm do it." She explained, looking just as confused as they were.
"Well isn't that nice. I want ta be a pot of gold." Aindreas frowned, causing the rest of them to laugh.
•×•
Leaving the fae realm was something that David thought he would never do in his life. It was his home, where his people lived, where his family ruled and Royalty thrived peacefully.
The human realm was almost considered forbidden to younger Royals like himself without the permission of a King and Queen, but since he already had that, all else he needed was to go through the portal and just...leave.
It had already been a hard decision from the start, but saying goodbye to his childhood spots, his favorite animals and even a few servants and fae that he had become somewhat close to, seemed to be the hardest to leave behind besides his family.
David wasn't a sentimental guy, or at least he doesn't think so, but having to say goodbye to everything he's ever known just to get a sense of normalcy was harder than he'd thought.
But it was a big opportunity for him. An opportunity to meet some new people, preferably ones who weren't so cocky and snobby. An opportunity to accept more people into his life, an opportunity to focus on himself more, rather than piles and piles of homework that he wasn't allowed to get any help on.
The possibilities were endless, and although he had no idea what he was getting himself into, he knows it was going to be better than what he had here.
"Ye gonna miss te forest?" His mother asked, who had slowed down so she could talk with David, who was walking at the back of the group. His brothers and sisters were up front with his father, who were arguing over who had to carry the luggage despite the fact that they all could easily just use their magic.
"Ye know I will." He said with a shrug, glancing around the thick trees and blooming flowers around them. The fae realm had always been his home, but the forest had always been his favorite spot. It was beautiful, with full towering, elegant trees, spiraling flowers, thick bushes and soft, mossy grounds. Vibrant mushrooms and fungi grew everywhere, and with the lack of hunting, animals and critters of all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors were always roaming about.
David loved his forest. He loved his home. And he knew he'd miss it dearly, but he was doing this for himself. A chance for a clean slate.
"Visitations are limited throughout the year, but we can always send you some stuff from home. Whatever you'd like. Just write us and it'll be at your dorm immediately." His mom said, reaching out to brush her fingers against the curve of his cheek. David smiled softly, leaning into the soft touch.
"I know. It's just...it's gonna be so...different." He said, his wings fluttering nervously as they approached the gates of the realm.
"Different is subjective. Maybe it'll be a good thing." She said, and David hummed in thought, contemplating her words.
"I hope so." He said, looking up as they reached the gate. Trees warped together in the shape of a circle, vines and moss growing on the ancient bark. He's seen the portal countless times when he was a child, his father teaching him all about the rules and the laws of the realm.
However, he has yet to ever cross. His older siblings, Catherine and Damien were the only two of all five siblings to ever cross, himself included. They usually only went on occasion for Royal businesses or meeting with the Others in the human realm, and they've told stories of what it was like on the other side. But David had yet to see, and the thought of the unknown was both terrifying and exciting all at once.
"Yup, as old as I remember it." David's father said, dropping one of the cases with a heavy thud. They all stood there for a second in silence, taking in the ancient language of their ancestors carved into the stones at the foot of the portal, one that David was very efficient in, but one he's never needed to speak in very often.
David glanced around at his family, confused by their sudden silence. It was as if time was just still, the only sounds the being the chirping of birds overhead, buzzing of distant insects and the gentle breeze of the wind.
"Daithi," His father suddenly said, turning to look back at him. David's ears perked up in acknowledgement, his eyes darting to the King.
"Are ye sure about t'is? Ye're not usually so confident about new things." He asked. There was no ill intent or judgement in his voice, just genuine curiosity.
David shrugged awkwardly, feeling nervous under all of their sudden attention.
"I dunno...I guess it just...feels right. I'm unsure how ta explain it." He admitted. The decision at first had struck them all surprised when he had asked to transfer schools, but it wasn't something they had actually questioned considering that they all already knew the horrors of pressure in a Royal school.
"An urge, perchance?" His mother asked, tilting her head curiously. David pursed his lips, shaking his head gently.
"A pull, actually." He corrected. His mother hummed, glancing at his father before tapping her chin in thought.
"Could be your magic. It tends to lead us where we belong. An attempt ta finally bond you to yer soul." She suggested, a hopeful look in her eyes. David frowned, his tail flicking against the ground nervously.
"Soul?" He questioned, and he almost kicked his brother at the snort he let out.
"Ye really don't pay attention in class." Owen grinned, earning a small glare. David's mother chuckled at their banter, setting her hand on David's shoulder to get his attention back.
"It's a tether. Our magic is different from those who aren't born with it, such as witches or wizards. Others like sphinxes or unicorns are born with it, and in a way, our magic is like a soul attached to our own. It guides us, leads us in the right path. Like a subconscious guardian angel." She explained, lifting her hand up, a small ball of pink light manifesting into thin air.
"But when Others such as yerself who aren't able to bond with your magic quickly, the tether is loose, fragile." She continued. David watched as the pink ball in her palm separated like bubbles, only a thin line of light connecting the two.
He swallowed nervously at the way the line flickered, almost as if it was fighting to stay connected. He wondered if that's how his own tether was. Thin, fragile, loose.
"However," His father stepped in, sensing the fear in his son's gaze.
"The soul of our magic cannot be erased. It'll continue to search for you until you're bonded. In an attempt to do so, it likes to...let's say it likes to dare us. Lead us out of our comfort zones. Take us where we belong, where we'll find that connection with our magic. And then ya bond. That's how it works." He explained happily, settling his hands on his hips.
David's eyes darted back to his mother, before he looked back to her hand, watching the thin like of light slowly tug the two bubbles together until it became one whole again.
"Ye really think that's what this is? That I can find my magis's soul?" He asked hopefully, and the smile on his mother's face was all the reassurance he needed.
"It may very well be. And even if it isn't, I'm sure you'll find that tether. Yer a curious one, it'll lead ye ta yer destination." She grinned, ruffling his hair gently.
"Too curious. Try not to get beat up wit' yer dorky self." Katie quipped. They all laughed as David flipped her off, his mother swatting his hand down but giggling along nonetheless.
•×•
"There's like...no trees here." David mumbled, his eyes scanning the forest around them as they rode in whatever the fuck they called a limo.
After entering the portal to the fae realm, they'd exited the other side, to be met by a chaperone who was hired by the president of The Council to take them to their destination.
It was honestly a stupid name for a car, in David's opinion. He'd rather fly to the temporary destination than sit in the cramped space of this so-called vehicle for transportation along with his seven other family members.
His wings were pressed uncomfortably flat against the seats, and the belt was doing nothing to help. Not to mention, the space definitely wasn't meant for his long legs and by looking over at his father and older brothers, who were slightly shorter than him by a few hairs, they were having the same issue.
But they needed to not be seen by the public, because supposedly Royals weren't supposed to be out and about without protection. Which he thought was incredibly odd, because back where he lived - or, used to live - Royals were never in danger when they visited so much as a local cafe.
"Believe it or not, this is a full forest here. It's considered thick in this area especially." Catherine spoke up, her knees folded carefully in an attempt to get comfortable.
"Wow...this realm is strange." David said, tapping his fingers against the glass, frowning at the lack of flowers and moss and everything else that a forest was missing.
Although...he did understand that his forest back home was enchanted and full of God's life. Her power and love kept the forest alive and active. But here...She seemed to be dormant. He wondered if someone on earth did something to upset Her to be neglected this way.
Not even an animal was seen through the trees as they drove by, following the narrow dirty trail that looked so out of place between the various trees and bushes. Hell, even the trees here seemed smaller. Maybe only about twelve to fifteen feet tall at most.
They idly chatted as the driver took them through the thick of the forest, not to the academy, but to a temporary location where Royal guests usually reserved in whenever there was any business to happen in the human realm with The Council of the city.
The deeper they headed, the more the trees cleared, and eventually, after what felt like half an hour, the sight of an old large manor came into view. It was obviously well kept, with shiny glass windows, clean roof shingles and trimmed rose bushes all around the property.
It was so well kept that it was physically painful to look at, considering the fact that a manor so modern looked absolutely bizarre in the middle of a forest.
Humans were certainly strange creatures.
"Their actions confuse me." David muttered under his breath, unbuckling his seatbelt and letting himself out of the limo just as everyone else had. He barely had time to stare at the manor, jumping in surprise as the driver quickly hopped out of the car to shut the doors for them and open the trunk to handle his bags.
"Uh..." He trailed off, cringing as his father went over to help the man, who was desperately trying to explain to him that he didn't need to do anything.
"Ignore that. Let's take a look inside." His mother chuckled in amusement, turning his chin for him to ignore the way his father was attempting to hold three bags at once to prove to the driver that he could do it by himself.
"Why doesn't he just use his magic?" He asked curiously, watching as Katie, Andrew and Aindreas ran inside the manor excitedly, trailing after Catherine and Owen, who had already been here a few times due to business.
"Humans are more timid than they try ta let on. We've learned that it's just easier ta be more hands-on whenever we get human chaperones because even the sight of us can scare them." She explained. David looked at her in confusion.
"How come? We don't look scary." He asked, and looking at his mother, with her tall white horn, her elegant white and pink wings and her soft and innocent features, he couldn't understand how anyone could look at her and tremble in fear.
"Not ta Others, we don't. But ta humans, we're...different from them. Humans are scared of what they don't understand, because if they don't understand it, they can't control it. And control is a key part of what makes humans tick. Without control, they can't have order. Luckily the tension had lessened over the years but...there are a bad handful of people in this world who want us gone." She sighed softly as they walked into the entrance of the manor.
David's frown deepened at her words, and he didn't understand them. Others could be scary at times, sure. But everyone and everything had a flaw. Something that made them not completely perfect, something that you couldn't just change. But how can your whole existence be that flaw?
"Which is why the academy is so heavily protected. By both the government and The Council. Others have been attending it for decades and now, you will too." The Queen spoke up, tapping her son's horn to earn his attention.
He smiled up at her softly, trying his best to conceal his anxiety. He had been having second thoughts all week leading up to this, and now they were here more than ever. But...he was already this far, and David wasn't usually the type to chicken out. Especially on something this important.
"Daithi, come. I wanna show you te room that I usually stay in whenever we come ta the human realm." Catherine said, moving forward to tug on his hand.
David chuckled, letting his older sister drag him away from his mother to lead him up the tall staircase. She drug him to a huge room, which resembled the typical bedroom you'd seen in the fae realm, just without all the flowers, plants and spiraling vines.
To be honest, although it looked plush and extremely expensive in taste, it looked utterly boring.
"This place is lifeless." He muttered as she pulled him into the room, his other sister and brothers already beginning to open his suitcases and look through the clothes they had packed.
"It usually is. They're all fer show rather than taste. Anyways, sit. We got a lot ta talk about." She waved her hand, gently pushing him to sit on the bed as Katie handed her a pair of clothes.
"The fuck are these fer? I don't start school today." David asked in confusion, frowning as she swatted his crown off and began to unlace the strings at the back of his top.
"Well, ye haven't actually tried yer clothes yet, so ye need'a get used to it before ye go ta school." Owen snorted, picking up David's crown from the floor and gently setting it onto the night stand as Catherine yanked David back to his feet and tugged the black turtleneck over his head.
He grunted in annoyance as she hurriedly pulled it down, excitedly grabbing for the next piece of clothing as he cringed at the new texture against his skin.
"Now, since you're goin' ta be stayin' in the human realm fer a whole long while, yet gonna need to know some things." Owen continued, pacing the room calmly as he summoned up a small notepad and quill pen out of nowhere,
"Ugh, rules now?" David asked in disbelief, barely getting the words out before Catherine tugged another shirt over his head, as if the first wasn't enough.
"Yes, rules. They're very important here." Owen nodded, smiling in amusement at the glare David shot at him. He hovered the quill over the paper, clearing his throat thickly.
"First of all, no magic. Yes, magic is normal in the school, but you're under the guise of being completely giftless. Meaning no wings, no horn, no second set of ears and definitely no colored hair. Ponies only have natural colored hair." He said firmly, scribbling the words down.
David cringed at that, his wings fluttering anxiously at the thought of having to hide them. He was never one for tight spaces, so having no wings would be difficult.
"Second of all, try not ta ask too many questions. Yes, yer fake background story is that you're a homeschooled farm boy who lived far from the city, and finally decided to try public school fer a change. It'll make sense why you're so clueless ta modern stuff, but don't ask too many questions about obvious things, especially about earth. Someone might catch on. Double points if ye tell them we're Amish." Owen continued, scribbling that down as well.
David rolled his eyes at that one, holding his arms out as Catherine added bracelets to his wrists.
"Oh! Oh, and also, don't actually call other ponies there, ponies. I guess it's a sort of slur now, since they're considered less useful than unicorns and pegasus." Katie added, her eyes flickering up briefly before continuing to rummage through a small body of jewelry she had packed.
David frowned, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Wha- then what the hell do I call them?" He asked, this strange news sudden and confusing to him. Why wouldn't someone want to be referred to as what they are?
"Hybrids, were-horses, or centaurs. Any works, but I'd personally just dodge calling them anything at all." Andrew rolled his eyes, flopping back down onto the plush bed in the center of the room.
David's frown deepened, unsure why the hell any of this was relevant.
"And also, try not to be so touchy. I know that touching is a love language fer us, but people here aren't exactly open ta that kinda thing." Aindreas added from where he was leaning against the windowsill, sticking his head out the open window in curiosity.
"Alright, that one's realistic." David sighed, wincing as Catherine tugged a pair of fitted jeans up his legs, the rough denim scraping against his fur.
"Another rule, no shoes. Knock those off." Owen said, pointing to the golden horseshoes that were on David's hooves, as well as the thin vines that wrapped up his legs.
"What? Ah, come on." David whined in disappointment, grumbling as Catherine bent down to pull the shoes from his hooves, tossing them somewhere into the room.
"Well then what do I wear on them?" He asked, unsure how to feel about the soft carpet under his bare hooves. Usually back at home, he only took them off to bathe, sleep, or when he was in a flower bed. But firm floors were never good for hooves, especially alicorns because their hooves were smaller compared to earth ponies, who had much thicker, muscular hooves for walking and running on land.
"Nothing. Ponies don't wear horse shoes." Owen deadpanned, and David let out a loud groan.
"Anything else I need ta know?" He asked, bending down a bit as Katie pinned silver jewelry to his ears.
Owen stopped his pacing, turning to face the younger prince as he pointed his quill pen at him.
"Yes. We're gonna need ta cut yer tail." He said.
David's jaw dropped in disbelief, his hands immediately moving to clutch at his tail.
"Not my tail!" He exclaimed loudly, bringing the long appendage up to his chest.
"Daithi, yer gonna have ta. Ponies don't have tails like us." Katie said, a sympathetic grin crossing her face as she pulled a silver dagger from her belt.
"Wha- why can't we just pretend that I outgrew my hair?" David whined, his hands gripping the tail tighter. Aindreas raised a brow, temporarily looking away from the gemstone he's been focusing on since they'd left the castle.
"A home schooled barn pony would never grow their hair out because of the liability it would bring when workin' on crops and dealin' with animals. Nobody would believe that. Sides, our hair grows back incredibly fast. You'd need ta trim te fucker every few days ta keep it natural lookin' anyway." He shrugged, gesturing to Katie.
David pouted, reluctantly dropping his tail and sitting down on the edge of the bed with a heavy flop, crossing his arms as she took place behind him and began to gently slice at the long, curly hair.
"We'll probably need ta get ye a straightening shampoo as well. Ponies don't have curly hair." She mentioned to Owen, who nodded in agreement and quickly wrote it down.
"Buncha bullshiet." David sighed, trying to ignore the gentle tugs of the blade on his hair. It wasn't that he was mad about the haircut, it was just that he didn't like the fact that he had to change so many things in order to fit in with normal people.
The whole point of moving schools was to go somewhere where he wasn't judged, where he didn't stick out, where he could just be himself without the burden of other people's expectations.
Of course, that came with the fact that he would have to hide his real identity, but this just felt like a bad episode of Hannah Montana.
"Can I at least keep my orchid?" He asked softly, glancing towards his discarded silk clothes where his small pouch lay next to.
"I suppose, but ye might have ta come up wit' a lie about yer unique...trinkets. The human realm isn't as bright and colorful as the fae realm, so many things like plants, insects and animals are very different." Catherine nodded, picking the pouch up and setting it onto the empty dresser.
"My Aunt is a pony who practices witchcraft?" He suggested, earning various nods of agreement.
"Good, grand. Keep te lies up, keep them accounted fer, and yer all set. Just try not ta slip up. People might figure it out. I'm sure you'll do just fine though, Daithi." Andrew piped up, adding the last part with encouragement in his words as he patted his brother on the arm comfortingly.
David managed a small smile, hoping they would be right.
He wished he had more time. More time to figure out a solid story, to get to know the area better, to research about the realm and learn a few things. But they hadn't had the time for that, and David couldn't just pause his education for a bit of reading up on earth.
He was diving in head first, with no guard, no practice, no safety. This was a raw, intense experience he was about to throw himself into, and he just hoped he'd be able to take whatever was thrown at him.
Because if he couldn't find his magic, if he couldn't fit in, if he couldn't make friends, then there was just nothing left for him in this world, the other world, any world.
"And what about my wings and my horn? I'm not sure I have te skills to exactly...hide all that." He asked, spanning one wing out to show how big of a problem it would be.
There would be no use in trying to blend in if he had both wings and a horn while claiming to be a pony. That would just make no sense at all.
"Glad you asked, I just finished this." Aindreas said, moving over to David with his gem in hand.
"I've been working on this since yesterday. I know you've been struggling ta hold yer magic on yer own, especially fer long periods of time, so I put a charm on this. It'll hide yer Royalty and keep you average, up ta a whole week." He explained, holding it out for David to see.
It was a small labradorite gemstone, the color vastly in a pretty greenish blue. Two thin vines were woven together, looped through a small hole at the top of the gem to be used as the necklace.
"You'll have ta recharge it every week, so just call or write and I'll visit ta recharge it until ye learn ta do it yerself. Do not forget, it only lasts seven to eight days, otherwise it will reveal what you truly are." He said sternly, his voice completely serious as he tied it around David's neck, the gemstone feeling oddly warm against his chest through the fabric of his clothing.
David nodded in understanding, holding the stone in his hand to get a better look at it. It was heavy despite its size, and he could feel the magic coursing through it. Thick, heavy waves of pulses that he could feel in the palm of his hand when he focused hard enough.
"Thanks. Fer everythin', really. I reckon I'd be lost without ye guys." He chuckled softly, hating to be the sappy one in the situation, but he wasn't used to being separated from his family.
This would be new for all of them.
"Of course, Daithi. Yer our baby brother. Plus, yer completely correct. You'd be like a white man at a Home Depot trying ta score a job at construction." Catherine grinned, holding a thumbs up cheerfully. They all looked at her in confusion, but that didn't deter her excitement.
"What was that one?" Andrew asked, smiling in both amusement and curiosity.
"More racism. Should I try the suicide joke one? That one seems ta make people here laugh a lot fer some reason." She tilted her head, contemplating the joke.
"I think ye had enough tries at attempting dark humor today, Cath. Let's give it a rest fer a bit yeah?" Owen smiled, patting her head gently.
Katie rolled her eyes in amusement, slicing the last of the long hair before setting her dagger aside and running her hands through the thick hair to rid of any loose strands.
"Anyways, are ye completely sure about this? Just want ta make sure before we get too far ahead. Is this something you're really up ta doing?" She asked, her voice falling serious as the topic changed.
David pursed his lips, his tail flicking nervously in his sister's hands as he looked at the mirror over the dresser, staring at his reflection. He looked like a stranger.
"I am. It's...gonna be a lot. And weird. But...I gotta. It's kinda my last option." He admitted, not needing to elaborate because he knows they understood. And even if they didn't, they could just easily read his mind like they typically did whenever he couldn't seem to voice his feelings.
He needed this to happen. He needed to succeed.
Because it was his last chance at being normal.
Chapter 2: two.
Notes:
Hey guys, sorry for the late chapter. I know it's been a while but shit's been EXTREMELY hectic and very bad at home lately. Just a lot of stress and financial shit AND legal stuff going on with the adults And shits going on with all the animals, blah blah, blah.
My family tries to rescue/take care of and rehome stray or sick animals despite the fact that we're poor and luck hasn't been on our side the last few months.
Everyone's safe, so that's all that matters. Anyways, I tried my best to fit in some time to write, so I hope you guys will like it and keep coming back for more TwT
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Third pov -
Today, David was discovering what it was like to be claustrophobic.
The academy was much bigger than his school back at home. Tall ceilings, wide hallways, big open windows.
When he first stepped foot onto the property, it was empty. Students were still holed up in their dorms, doing whatever it was they did before classes started — which, David found surprising that classes started at ten instead of earlier in the morning.
It was a beautiful school, really; with nice gardens and trees, large vibrant lawns of grass and…well, he was mostly naming the plants, but that still counted for something. Don't get him wrong, the decor and the architecture of the building was nice too. Just…it wasn't exactly his priority.
Nothing was wrong with it, he wasn't complaining. It was just very…different, from home. Well, technically this is his new home now. Weird to think, that he'd be living someplace away from his family, out of the fae realm and into another, that barely had any love from mother nature and—
David sighed heavily, cursing himself under his breath. He really believed that this was a good opportunity for him. He knows it is. But he couldn't stop himself from feeling nervous. Maybe even a little scared.
The tapping of his hoof on the marble floor was starting to hurt since he'd ditched his horse shoes like his brother had suggested, so he reluctantly stopped his nervous knee bouncing to shift uncomfortably in his seat. He'd been sitting here for over an hour now, waiting for his mother to finish speaking with the principal.
David had already met her, a dragon hybrid with a long orange tail, short and blunt claws, pointed ears and shiny scales. She was nice, David liked her. He'd only spoken to her for five minutes before her and his mother took the conversation to her private office to discuss the finer details of his stay here. But she was already way more of an improvement compared to his last principal, of whom he'd sat in her office every other day for simply “not taking his lessons seriously”.
It was bullshit.
He hoped he wouldn't be seeing this office very much unless it was something important to discuss rather than him failing classes. He didn't want a repeat of his last school.
He could already hear students roaming the halls just outside the room, the bustling of shoes squeaking on marble, lockers slamming and the occasional flap of wings.
He was practically alone, the only student sitting in the front office. There were two ladies, both of whom were possibly in their mid forties, both gargoyles, sitting in their own seats, tapping away at their keyboards softly.
It was the only noise that grounded him now that he'd stopped bouncing his knee, using his fingers to drum against the arm of the chair, mimicking the sounds of their sharp nails on the keys to drown out the sound of the students just outside the door.
It was suffocating. All of it. The muffled shouts and laughter outside the door, the occasional bang against the wall that his chair was up against from the other side, the continuous clacking and slamming of metal lockers. Funnily enough, the office he was in was the complete opposite. Muted lights, nice decor plants in fancy vases, the soft scent of incense and the mellow music playing, classical, jazzy.
Yet somehow, it made him feel more trapped than ever.
Maybe he was just exaggerating. Maybe he just needs a few more minutes to adjust.
David took in another deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly. He glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room, the numbers in bold Roman.
8:47.
He sighed heavily, starting to feel impatient. His nerves weren't making it any better, and the anticipation of what would come next was terrifying. Would he have to stand in front of his classes and introduce himself each period? Would he have to share three facts about himself like how they did in kindergarten and middle school at the beginning of the year? He really hoped not.
David clutched his bag tightly, the weight of the book bag heavy and comforting. His classes were the only thing he was confident in, because he wouldn't need to burden himself with magic classes here. That was a scary thought as well. Being able to do his educational classes without having to worry about the next spell or the next fucking plant to bloom.
Don't get him wrong, David loves using his magic, he loved blooming plants or using his magic for anything else that didn't have to involve the actual importance of power. But some plants were stubborn, and frankly, gardening was the least of his worries according to his past teachers.
Supposedly he had to worry about being able to teleport and read minds and shit. Things he didn't care to give a shit about because what was so good about being able to read minds? Yeah, he's been able to do it once or twice if he tried hard enough, but why would he ever need to? Last time he checked, that was invasive as fuck. He didn't like it when his siblings did it to him, so it would only make sense if he didn't want to do it to other people.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, David's ears perked up at the sound of the principals door clicking open, her and his mother stepping out with comfortable smiles.
At least those two got along. His mother was sweet, but she absolutely hated his last principal. She had rained hell upon them when she found out they were smacking him with rulers. Ah, good times.
It was still a little weird to see his mother without her big majestic wings and her long horn. Even her tail had been straightened and braided to look shorter and more natural. Yet, somehow, it looked fine. It fit her. But David, in his own disguise, felt like he was lighter than air without any of his extra appendages.
It was uncomfortable.
“So everythin' is set. I take it that ye’ll take great care of my dear, David?” She asked softly, a soft plea in her eyes that didn't go unnoticed.
His mother had been very understanding about his a choice to transfer schools, but that didn't mean she hadn't expressed some concerns about being so close to humans. Who were completely harmless, let's be real, but the possibility of an attack was still uncertain, despite it being against the law for over eleven years now.
David stood up as they neared him, opening the door for them as they stepped out into the bustling hallway. David almost didn't want to, but he reluctantly followed behind them. Thankfully, nobody seemed to stop and openly stare like his anxiety had been telling him they would, only getting a few curious glances instead.
“Of course, the students have and always will be my top priority. The school was built mostly for safety, after all.” Mrs. Thorn smiled, nodding in understanding. The Queen let out a soft sigh of relief, nodding gratefully.
“Now, David,” Mrs. Thorn said, suddenly turning back to him.
“I know you haven't done a walk through of the school, but I had already talked to your mother, and we think it would be easiest if I assigned you one of the students from the student council to show you around and help you with anything else you may need.” She explained, folding her hands together neatly.
David nearly cringed at the thought, glancing around to see all the students who were stumbling by, a big mess of chaotic energy and boisterous laughter.
“A- a student?” He asked, unsure if he preferred that option or not. He really didn't want to always have to go to the front office if he ever needed any help, but that goes without saying he didn't want to bother some student all the time whenever he needed help. Two sides of a completely absurd coin.
Of course, he's new, he's going to need help eventually. But he didn't like the idea of bothering someone and annoying them.
It also didn't help that he knows his mother picked this option only because she knows he'll have to rely on someone, and if he relies on someone, he'd have a good chance at making friends with them.
Though, he had his doubts. Student council kids were never the nicest in his own experience.
“Uh, yeah, that's fine.” He lied, and he knows his mother could sense his uncomfortability from the way her ears tilted down just slightly. She gave him a comforting pat on the head, and they both clearly paused when her hand lay flat, unfamiliar with the lack of a horn now. She chuckled softly, bringing a small smile to his lips.
“Ye'll be alright, Daithi. Ye be a good lad now, okay? I'll try ta come see ye as soon as I can.” She said gently, leaning over to place a small kiss to the tip of his nose. He relaxed temporarily at the display of affection, his tail finally stilling from its nervous flicking.
“Okay.” He nodded, leaning into the brief touch before she pulled away. He really didn't want to say goodbye, because he knew she couldn't always be free to visit again and again. David knows he wouldn't be seeing his family for a while, hence why he spent all morning spending time with them before he left, rather than making sure he had everything together for school.
“Slán, is breá liom tú, a stór.” His mother said, booping their noses in a kunik. David gave her one back, feeling the warmth of his mother's magic pull away when she took a step back.
“Is breá liom tú.” He said. His mother's hand lingered on his shoulder for a second before she nodded softly and turned to leave, shooting him one last loving smile.
David watched her go, unsure of how to feel. Of course, he was slightly sad, nervous, mostly anxious because he's never had to function without his family nearby.
But he was also excited, the thrill of the unknown growing his anticipation. The more he thought switching schools was a bad idea, the more he wanted to stay and he wasn't sure why.
Fuck this whole soul bonding shit. It was complicated as hell.
“I know, it's difficult. Trust me, the amount of freshman I've gotten last year balling their eyes out was more than I could count. You're holding up better than most.” Mrs. Thorn spoke up, drawing David out of his daze. He let out a nervous chuckle, his grip tightening on his book bag.
“Yeah, it'd be bad if I did that, I reckon.” He said, glancing around at all the students that were walking past them, not seeming to care for personal space with the way they kept grazing past him like there wasn't a whole ass hallway to walk through.
“No, it certainly wouldn't.” She chuckled, unfolding one of her wings next to him protectively when a group of werewolves ran by, laughing loudly as they ran right through the hall and bumping into everyone they passed.
David stepped closer to the office door, feeling much safer to the wall rather than in the middle of the hall. Mrs. Thorn whistled at them sharply, giving them a stern look as they slowed down, shooting her apologetic smiles before continuing to run off.
She snorted softly, turning back to David with a fond roll of her eyes.
“Rowy bunch. Don't worry, it's not as unorganized as it may seem. It's a free roam school, we allow our students to run around to let out any excess energy before class starts and between them so that they don't fidget too much.” She explained, folding her wings back up as she waved her hand dismissively.
David chuckled softly in understanding, glad to know that she was already aware of what he was thinking. Honestly, the information was very surprising. He knew he needed to stop comparison his old school to this unfamiliar public school, but the students were never allowed to have free time.
Of course, it was a college more than an academy, so there was no dorms or housing because it was only a few minutes fly away from the castle. But regardless, it was such a formal and expensive school. You'd think that since it was full of preppy rich Royals, that there'd be more time to dillydally than be forced to work for ten hours straight. And that's excluding the homework practices.
This school's scheduling was very odd and open, but he genuinely liked it. It didn't sound overbearing, it didn't sound soul sucking. It sounded…pretty chill. And if there was one thing that David needed, it was a break. He definitely needed one of those.
He's fairly certain that he hasn't had an actual nap since he was eleven.
“Anywhom, I've sent you a few things to read over via email. Every dorm comes with its own computer for the students who don't have laptops. The email has a set or rules to follow, restrictions for students and a few things for the living situations. Don't worry, I had everything set up for you since yesterday so you won't have to set it up.” The principal spoke up again, flipping a few pages of the clipboard she had in her hand the whole time and unclipping one of the pages.
“I pre-printed your class schedule for you so that you didn't have to. It's ok if you lose it, it's on your new email account so you can easily reprint it or write it down if needed.” She said as she handed the paper to him. David took it curiously, his eyes scanning over the classes.
He hadn't been the one to choose his extra curriculums, only because those weren't a thing in his old school. The only sort of hobby he picked up was drawing, but that was because he grew bored in class easily and doodled on all of his assignments.
Needless to say, he's spent a lot of time doodling now that he's taught himself how to draw a full portrait of his family. Not a skill, just loads and loads of boredom.
He had his sister, Katie, pick out a few for him. She always knew what he liked when it came to stuff like that, so he wasn't surprised to see an advanced art class listed as one of his classes.
“If you ever dislike any classes or aren't happy with them, just come talk to me and we can sort that out. Remember, David, you're allowed to ask questions here, that's not something you would get into any trouble here, alright?” Mrs. Thorn said, earning his attention back.
David pursed his lips, nodding shyly as he folded the paper up and slipped it into his bag.
“Yes, I understand.” He nodded again, averting his eyes down to the floor briefly. It was obvious that his mother must've told her a lot of things about his past situation. It made sense why they were talking in her office so long. Mrs. Thorn probably knew half of his life story by now.
His mother had always loved talking about him and his siblings. And don't even get started on his father.
“Good, I'm glad. This is a safe space for everyone and everything. So just remember, if you ever need anything and I mean anything, you can come to me personally, or one of our councilors. Not because of your lineage, but because you're a living creature with living creature needs. Okay?” She nodded gently, looking up at him with a look of genuine care.
David smiled at that, nodding curtly.
“Of course.” He said, feeling another weight being lifted from his chest. Understanding was something he never got from teachers, but if the principal of this school was this kind, then he had high hopes for the teachers and staff. He just hoped he wasn't wrong.
Mrs. Thorn’s smile widened, her eyes flickering behind him briefly before standing up straight and tucking her clipboard underneath her arm.
“Alright, amazing. Just in time, David, I’d like you to meet Brock!” She said happily, grabbing his shoulders gently and turning him around to be face to face with another male.
David stumbled back slightly, taken aback by the sudden closeness. The first thing he noticed was the thick brown feathers and the tall, blunt antlers. The other boy chuckled lightly at his reaction, sticking his hand out in a friendly gesture.
“Hi, I'm Brock, that's me.” He said, and the nervous look of his own made David slightly less shy. He hesitantly lifted his hand away from his book bag, mustering up a small smile as he shook the slightly shorter man's hand — who surprisingly, had a gentle grip for such a broad frame.
David felt his skin tingle where their hands met, a warmth that felt strange considering every other hand he shook — the principal, the front gate security guards, the councilor, the front desk ladies — they all had warm hands. But this boy just felt…hot. Very hot.
“He's the student council president. Very hands on with new students or ones who need the help. He'll be the one to show you around a little, get to know the grounds and the area.” Mrs. Thorn smiled happily, seeming excited that David was already interacting with another being his age.
What exactly did his mother tell her? Did she get the impression that he was some weird, lonely loser? Well, that actually wouldn't be too far from wrong, but still.
“I- eh, nice ta meet ye.” David said, his voice lower than he intended and he was already starting to feel awkward with how long they were shaking hands. Was it supposed to take this long? Why wasn't this guy letting go first? Was David supposed to do that part?
Brock chuckled softly, thankfully dropping their hands after a few seconds.
“Aww, I wouldn't say all that, but I do like to be helpful, so there's that.” He said with a small shrug, small dimples showing in a charming little way and David wasn't sure if that's what made Brock more approachable or the lack of toxicity coming off of his aura.
David subtly did a small once-over with his eyes, watching the invisible pulses of light appear around Brock. Green and blue hues surrounded him, barely visible due to the fact that he currently didn't have his horn but it was clear only to him.
David perked up slightly at the colors, a perfect balance of empathy, healing and compassion. It was a nice aura, one that he hadn't seen in a while unless it came from his own family.
He blinked away the light, focusing his attention back to the…bird-deer boy? He wasn't sure what he was yet, but he'd remember to ask later.
“O-oh, my name is David. David uh…” He trailed off, thinking of a name to use. He glanced at Mrs. Thorn for help, but when her eyes widened slightly, he realized that maybe she had completely bypassed the fact that he would need to use a fake name.
Nagel was well known. Too well known and too unique.
“N-Nogla.” He blurted out, giving a tight smile and a stiff nod. Mrs. Thorn seemed to hold her breath for a second, eyeing Brock hopefully.
“Nogla…Irish for friendly, right?” He asked, pointing his finger at David confidently, and David couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped his lips, nodding gently.
“Yeah, it is. Got it from my grandmother.” He said, adding one more casual piece just to make it seem more believable. Brock nodded in response, his wings fluttering happily.
“That's cool. I'm trying to learn a few more languages, especially from Europe for extra credit. It also helps me speak with foreign students or transfers like yourself.” He explained. David blinked in surprise, his smile growing into something more genuine.
“Oh, that's actually really sweet.” He admitted softly, and the small blush that painted Brock's cheeks shouldn't have been as endearing and innocent as it was on such a muscular person.
“Y'know, I try.” He said. Mrs. Thorn, cleared her throat, earning their immediate attention. There was a huge smile on her face and David had a feeling that she would already be calling his mother soon to boast about him already making a new “friend”.
“Well then, now that you two are acquainted, I'll leave you to it. Brock, don't forget to show David the backgrounds and David…I hope you learn to enjoy it here. I know it's far from home, but it's anything you can make it to be.” She said, giving him a small pat on the arm.
“I- yes, I understand. Thank ye, Mrs. Thorn. I appreciate it.” David nodded, bowing slightly on instinct. The two gave him strange looks and he briefly wondered if bowing to your teachers wasn't normal.
Oh well.
“Of course, I'll see you two later then.” She grinned, shooting Brock a quick nod before disappearing back into the office.
David felt slightly awkward now that it was just him and Brock, but the brunette was quick to cut the silence off, gesturing to the hall.
“So, want a tour?” He asked softly, and the genuine kindness was so foreign and surprising that all David could do was nod in response, feeling his face head up a bit in embarrassment.
But Brock didn't seem to sense it, gently pressing the flat of his hand against the small of his back and leading him forward. David tensed slightly at the touch, unsure if this was common amongst regular folk.
“So I'm sure you've already seen most of the front, so I'll show you to your classes and the casual stuff like the library and the cafeteria- and don't worry, you don't have to stay in the cafeteria when you eat. It's just where the food is served, and you can pretty much eat it wherever. Your room, the halls, the roof. Free roam.” Brock smiled, gesturing his hands animatedly as he led David along.
David didn't say much, keeping his book bag close by his side as Brock showed him around the school. Unsurprisingly, he didn't really have much to say. He tried his best, really, commenting on things like the architecture, the rooms, the fucking lights. It was clear that David had no fucking clue how to socialize for long periods of time, and he was rightfully embarrassed by it.
Yet, Brock remained welcoming. A polite tone, a charming smile on his face and a friendliness that made David feel like a child. But it wasn't condescending or sarcastic in any way like he's used to by other people his age, and it was genuinely refreshing to just hear someone talk and talk without having to be forced to communicate.
The school on the other hand, was very put together, surprisingly. For a school with so many species and creatures — not to mention, it seemed bigger and much more fuller than his last — it had a strange order of chaos.
Students were wandering about, running, flying, wrestling in the hall even, everywhere David looked, and although it seemed to be out of control, it never got to the point of a problem. Students actually seemed…nice to each other.
Not that people in the private Royal school had no friends, but there was always some sort of argument happening between the Royals, as if claiming to be better in every way than each other. It was always so exhausting. But here, everyone just seemed so happy and… free.
“You ok?” Brock suddenly asked, dragging him out of his thoughts. David turned his head to look back at him, shrinking slightly in embarrassment at the confused frown the other boy wore.
“Uh- yeah, sorry. Just thinkin.” He said offhandedly, straightening his posture and trying to seem more confident and relaxed than he actually was.
He looked around in curiosity, suddenly wondering when they had made it out to the back of the school. The clearing was large and open, untouched by the tall structures and man-made decor that was covering up the rest of the academy. The chattering of students was less loud, now only a distant mumble that suddenly sounded so far away.
David stepped down from the steps, letting out a small sigh as his hooves met the soft grass, a stark contrast to the inside where the floors were marble and made his hooves sore.
He would need to get used to that.
David felt Brock move next to him as he looked around, his eyes scanning where the trees met the end of the field and ran into the thick of the forest. Although not as lush or breathtaking as his own forest, the one here had a certain charm to it. Quiet, still, calm.
“About what?” The other boy asked, his voice softer than before now that they didn't have to talk over loud Others around them. David took a deep breath, his eyes flickering around the forest before he slowly moved to sit down, feeling the blades of grass under his palms and poking him through the thick layer of his jeans.
“Oh- ok.” Brock mumbled, squatting down before sitting down as well, resting his arms on his knees as he folded his wings at an angle to comfortably rest behind him.
“I uh…I've been thinkin’ about a lot, really. This was a last minute decision so…I'm still havin’ my doubts.” David admitted, pursing his lips as he looked down, watching the way the grass bent under his hands. It was slightly rougher than the grass from back home.
“Everything is so different here and…weird. I'm still tryin' ta figure out if I like it or not.” He sighed, wrapping his arms around his knees. It was silent between them for a few seconds before David sat up and looked at Brock, who was blinking at him blankly.
“Uh- I'm sorry, I dunno why I said that. Ye don't even fuckin’ know me. I- wait, is profanity allowed here? Can I not say things like 'fuckin'?” He quickly asked, dropping his voice to a low whisper.
Brock laughed lightly, the smile returning to his face.
“I- yeah, no you're good. Cussing is allowed. I mean, we can't curse out a teacher or anything but we're all basically adults here.” He said, shrugging his shoulders. David relaxed a bit in relief, his cheeks flushing with color slightly.
“Sorry. I'm not sure if ye can tell, but I'm not the best at bein' social. Never really had friends ta talk to back home.” He said, hoping he wasn't coming off as bizarre to this unfamiliar boy that seemed so kind and put together with himself already.
David bet Brock had lots of friends.
“Well…yeah, I could tell you weren't the most social. I kinda just assumed you were shy or nervous. Most kids usually are when they first enroll. It's all new and flashy and just…it's a lot. I got that part.” The shorter boy said in understanding, waving his hand behind them towards the school as he spoke.
“Yeah, it is a lot. It's very different from my old school.” David nodded, sighing softly at just the thought of having to walk back through the double doors of that Hell they called a school.
Brock gave him a weird look, his ears tilting down slightly in confusion.
“I thought you were home schooled?” He asked lightly, a genuine curiosity to his tone. David tensed up slightly, looking at the other boy in confusion.
“Wh- what? What do you mean? Who told ye that?” He asked, glancing around nervously.
“Mrs. Thorn did. Yesterday she asked me to show around a new student and told me you were homeschooled.” Brock explained, his frown deepening just the slightest. David forced a nervous chuckle, looking away as he brushed a few bangs from his eyes.
Great. Day one and he's already caught in a lie.
“No uh…well, kinda. I um, grew up in a farm. Yeah, I grew up on a farm in Ireland with my family. Uh…Limerick.” He started, nodding his head confidently when he found a believable place on earth in Ireland.
It wasn't too far from the truth, either. The fae realm was an exact copy of the human realm, only without the same history. So even if the locations were the same, the cities, states and even the names of the locations were different. One realm was run by the fae species, and the other was run by humans and other creatures. Fae were more well known for their love of their Mother Goddess that is nature, so the quality and look of their worlds were vastly different.
“Yeah, me and all five of my siblings. We were mostly poor because we didn't use our animals fer food other than eggs or milk and wool. We were an animal friendly farm, so we never killed any of them purposely. We didn’t always have money, so we did home schooling for a good amount of our lives. Uh…m-my father's rich... great grandpa ended up dying and weirdly enough, our father was the one ta receive the sum of money.” He continued, the lies coming out easily on his tongue.
He just hoped he could remember all of this in case for future reasons. But Brock watched him speak with an understanding gaze, nodding along and engaged deeply as David spoke.
“I'm technically the youngest, because I'm a triplet. But my brother and sister had already gotten jobs and were making good money, so my mother thought it'd be a grand idea to use some of the money ta get me into a real school. It was a local one, a Christian school with nuns and stuff. They weren't very nice and I didn't learn much from them. Mostly got smacked with a ruler fer steppin’ out of line but, it is what it is. Not too long ago my mam found out about it, had me removed, and now I'm here.” He finished his fake story, keeping some truths in so that he could remember it better if he would ever need to retell it in the future.
Brock's expression was one of sympathy and disbelief, a look that he hadn't seen directed at him before unless it was sarcastic or fake.
“Oh…I'm sorry to hear that. That sounds tough, man.” He huffed, and David wasn't sure if he had gone too far on the fake sob story background. He didn't think it had been too bad.
“Nah, it's cool. It was a normal thing over there. I just never really had friends because everyone thought I was weird. That's kinda why my mam decided ta send me here. That way I'm constantly surrounded by people I could try ta connect with.” He said, shrugging it off nervously, shaking his head as he sighed softly.
“Which is easier said than done. I'm like, so weird. Talking ta people my age is hard enough as it is. They're always interested in cringe main stream things and I'm just out here talkin' ta the trees.” He huffed, pouting his lips as he gestured over to the forest.
To his surprise, Brock let out a genuine laugh, throwing his head back as he turned away to conceal his amusement. Although, the loud ass laughing was giving him away.
“What?” David pouted harder, glaring at the other boy in confusion and offense. Brock shook his head, taking a few seconds to calm himself down in order to speak.
“I- ah, I thought you were joking for a second but you didn't follow up with 'just kidding''.” He explained, making David's cheeks flush more.
“Not that- not that it's a bad thing. I just found it…interesting. Who cares if you talk to trees and stuff man, it's about you as a person, not what you do in your free time…unless you're like some serial killer, but that's besides the point.” Brock waved it off but his smile still lingered as he turned to face David, his wings fluttering slightly behind him.
“Look, I don't know you. I know almost nothing about you. But even though you're quiet, you're also like, really funny and super nice. And I think that counts for something, so how about this, I'll be your first official friend.” He declared firmly, a confident smile on his face as he held his hand out.
David blinked at the hand in front of him before looking up at the other boy. He searched Brock’s eyes, looking for a hint of sarcasm or ill intention. He's been through enough school to know that people don't always mean what they say.
He's had to experience that himself, becoming the entertainment for people who promised to be his friend and ended up backstabbing him in the past. David was tired of being the joke, the thing that was the entertainment rather than being the cause of it.
He's been through it all, and it's gotten easy to read the subtle spark of mischief in someone's eyes, the subtle raise of the corner of their lips when they lied to his face.
But…he didn't seem any of that in Brock.
All he saw was a genuine boy with genuinely good intentions. And despite how unrealistic that seemed in a world full of people who are constantly at war, David believed him.
“Very straightforward.” He chuckled, smiling at the way Brock’s expression flustered slightly in embarrassment.
“Too straightforward?” He asked nervously. David shook his head lightly, pushing himself up from the ground and holding a hand out for Brock.
“No. It's sweet.” He said softly. Brock grin returned at that, taking David's hand and letting himself be pulled up from the ground.
“Good. I didn't want to come off as too strong with the whole friendship thing.” He chuckled apologetically. David grabbed his book bag from the ground, slinging it back over his shoulder.
“No, it's okay. I liked it.” He said with a snort. He glanced around the trees, tilting his head once he looked back at Brock.
“Hey, are we allowed ta go in there?” He asked curiously, pointing towards the tall trees. Brock glanced in the direction of the forest, humming in thought as he tilted his hand back and forth.
“Sort of. Technically we are, as long as we don't exit outside of the forest. But even so, nobody really goes through there because there's nothing to do. It's pretty deserted when it comes to the students.” He explained offhandedly, shrugging his shoulders.
David hummed in understanding, his eyes moving through the gaps in the trees. There was no movement, no visible creatures. But he could feel them. Could feel their hearts beating from where he stood.
“Anyways, class is going to start soon, so I'll take you to your dorm so you can meet your roommate.” Brock suddenly said, gaining David’s attention once more.
“Roommate?” He asked in confusion, not expecting this sudden change of information.
Brock nodded happily, a smile gracing his lips as he gestured for David to follow him.
“Yeah, you'll like him, trust me. He's pretty chill.” He said confidently. David pursed his lips, unsure of how to feel, but he nodded nevertheless.
•×•
“So I've been wonderin’...not ta come off as rude or anything, but what are you?” David asked curiously, his ears twitching at the many noises around them.
The hallway was more packed than before now, students walking and running by, as they had somewhere to be soon. The sun poured in through the large open windows, brighter and warmer than it had been an hour ago.
David knew that the academy was big but he really underestimated how much bigger it really was. The tour was a bit over an hour long and even then Brock still hadn't shown him everything. There was just so many halls and so many rooms for specific things. It was a lot to take in.
“No, you're okay. I get it a lot.” Brock chuckled, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they walked.
“I have noticed you staring a lot.” He pointed out, a small smirk rising to his face as David blushed lightly, averting his gaze in embarrassment.
“I- yeah, sorry. I stare a lot. I had ta take etiquette class in my old school and one of the rules was the I always have ta stare people in the eyes when we're together, even if we're not speaking. It's a bad habit ta break.” He apologized nervously, his grip tightening around his bag just a little.
Hell, it seems that his stupid school still managed to haunt him even after moving away. Trippy.
“Oh, yeah, that'll do it. It's fine though, you're still learning to be social with people, right?” Brock said reassuringly, giving David's arm a gentle pat. The Irishman nodded, smiling sheepishly.
“Yeah, not the best at chit-chat, but I'm tryin'.” He nodded. Brock laughed in agreement, but it held no malice or crudeness. Only amusement and understanding.
Brock was good at speaking to people and David was glad because he sure could get used to this easy communication.
“And that's all that matters.” Brock nodded proudly.
“Anyways, uh, my dad's a pegasus and my mom's a cervitaur. I inherited both genes, so at least I’m stuck with huge wings rather than two more legs, y'know?” He explained, grinning at himself. David laughed, nodding in agreement.
“Yeah, I bet that'd be a hassle. Not that wings enough aren't. I actually- uh, I- I actually have a cousin that has wings. Yeah, he's a pegasus as well. Big wings, real big.” David said, quickly correcting himself before he gave himself away and told the other boy that he had wings as well.
That'd be pretty weird to accidentally admit, considering his wings were nowhere to be seen right now.
God, he was bad at this lying thing.
“Really? That's cool. Sometimes I get weird stares because I'm obviously a mixed species, but you get used to it, y'know?” Brock shrugged, and although it sounded like a sensitive topic, Brock really seemed like he couldn't care any less about it.
“Oh, well I think ye look just fine. I sometimes get weird stares too. Mostly because of how awkward I am but physically I still have a few flaws.” David admitted, trying to be empathetic.
To be fair, he didn't have any mixed species flaws like Brock claimed he had, but he had been criticized in his old school for the way he looked. Everyone was always so preppy and proper, whereas David never really cared for the formal attire kind of thing. He liked his own style as an average nobody. He didn't care to slick his hair back, didn't care to braid his tail or polish his horn.
He didn't like being fancy, and even the way he walked would be considered improper according to his previous teachers and classmates.
“Seriously? You? You literally look normal.” Brock couldn't help but to snort, and David laughed in agreement.
“Exactly. I want to blend in and look normal. But the students and teachers in my old school claimed I was too messy.” He explained in disbelief, rolling his eyes lightly. Brock made a noise to show his own disbelief, stopping in his tracks completely.
“The teachers too? Is that even allowed? Is- isn't that, like, considered bullying or something?” He questioned, and David couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in his throat.
“Well I did say it was a Catholic school. They called it collective criticism, so yeah, it was allowed.” He chuckled, earning a look of sympathy from Brock.
“Sheesh, that sounds horrible. Glad you're out of that place.” He scoffed with a shake of his head. David shrugged lightly, following along as Brock began to walk again, leading them further down the hall.
“Yeah, me too.” He sighed softly, reaching up to clutch the gemstone around his neck. It felt wrong to be sharing mutual feelings about not fitting in with someone he just met, let alone someone he was lying to. But it made him feel good being heard, knowing that there were other people who shared his insecurities.
“By the way, since you asked me, I was wondering what you were as well. I mean, you look like a…” Brock trailed off, his eyes averting as he searched for the correct term. David chuckled, glad to know that he wasn't the only one who thought the P word shouldn't be considered a slur.
“A pony?” He asked, a grin spreading across his face at the way Brock seemed to flinch at the word.
“Uh, well yeah- but if you wanna be called something else I get that, I just- I mean you look different than other uh…ponies.” He stuttered out, and it was obvious that he was trying not to offend David but all the Irishman felt was amusement.
“How so?” He asked, feigning offense, wanting to see how far he could take it. Brock stopped in his steps again, his eyes widening and his face flushing a bright red.
“Wh- I- what I meant was, like, you're taller than most ponies. Not to mention that- I mean, your hooves look slimmer and smaller than regular ponies- not to say that you all look the same! Just that, uh, sorry, I don't mean anything bad by it, I just—”
“Brock, please, slow down. I was just kiddin’.” David laughed, having to cut the other boy off because he was starting to feel bad. But even so, the panicked look on his face was priceless.
Brock blinked in confusion before he slowly relaxed, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
“Alright, sorry, I thought I was saying something bad.” He said, still apologetic despite the fact that David had been joking.
“No, no, ye’re alright. I just was messin’ wit’ ya.” The latter said, earning a playful roll of the shorter boy's eyes.
“No, but seriously. All my family looks like this. We tend to animals and farmin’ more than heavy lifting. I mean, my dad and my brothers do some of that, but I prefer ta brush sheep with my sisters.” He said, earning a strange look from the Pegasus as they began to walk once more.
“Brush sheep?” He asked in amusement, a look of confusion contorting his features yet again.
“Yeah, brush sheep. How else are we gonna keep our threads soft? Plus, my older sister likes to put tiny bows in their hair. I entertain it just so she stays happy or else she'll dye my goat’s fur neon pink.” He deadpanned, causing Brock to burst out laughing again. And David noted that it was easy to amuse the other boy.
“Alright, okay. Stop, you're making me laugh, argh, okay. We're here now, by the way. This is your room.” Brock waved his hand, trying to stop David from saying anything further and making him laugh anymore.
The pegasus knocked on the door, waiting a few long seconds. David stood there awkwardly, pursing his lips when Brock got no response.
“Just give him a sec, he's usually wrapped up in his, uh…work.” The latter apologized softly, laughing lightly like it was no big deal.
Brock cleared his throat, straightening up before knocking again, this time more firmly. Yet again, silence followed other than the continuous bustling of students around them, and David was starting to become aware of the frequent pairs of eyes he kept receiving. He had tried to ignore it at first when he was speaking to Brock, but now that they were just standing in place, it was becoming hard to do so.
Brock gave David another nervous smile, rolling his eyes half-heartedly before reaching his hand up again, but this time, banging on the door loudly. David flinched slightly at the sudden noise, chuckling nervously as Brock shot him an apologetic smile.
They waited a few more seconds, and Brock continued to pound on the door until they heard loud approaching footsteps. David timidly took a step back, glancing at Brock in question as the footsteps got louder.
They stopped just short of the door, various clicking of locks unlocking from the other side before the door slammed open and another boy appeared. David didn't get to look at him long before he was shooting an annoyed look at Brock and turning back around to head back into the room.
David glanced at the pegasus again, taking one more step back. Brock gave him an encouraging smile, holding his hand out to take as he stepped into the dorm.
“Don't worry, Marcel's not as grumpy as he seems.” He said gently, holding his hand up higher. David pursed his lips, his ears flattening slightly but he took the other boy's hand anyway and allowed himself to be led into the room.
The short narrow entrance led into a bigger room, which looked to be both a kitchen and a small living area. It wasn't as small as he expected it to be — with pale blue painted walls, a big open window on the opposite side of the room, a three seater couch, a modernized flat screen TV, an oak coffee table, and the entire living room floor was cushioned with a light brown rug. The kitchen was more off to the side, the floor made of tile and the counters of the same oak wood as the coffee table.
It was definitely an odd mix of modern and an attempt at a more cabin-feely vibe, especially with the grape vines that were growing along the ceiling of the kitchen from a large plant pot in the corner next to the pantry.
David made a small noise of confusion at the oddly put together dorm, ignoring it for now as Brock led him to another small hallway that led to another open room and a separate door that he assumed was the bathroom.
David looked around at the second room, taking in how half of it was covered in personalized decor and…glass bottles?
“Wha- Marcel, I told you that you were getting a new dorm mate today. You could've at least cleaned up a bit.” Brock scoffed in disbelief, letting go of David's hand to squat down and pick up the stray papers and dirty laundry that littered the floor.
David moved his hand down to his tail, silently grumbling at the lack of length that he was used to. So much for using it as a fidget toy. Maybe he could ask Brock if they had any of those here. His last school certainly didn't provide it.
“Not now, Brock. I told you that I was busy today.” Marcel grumbled from where he sat, hunched over in his seat as he scribbled over a note-book that had seen better days.
Brock groaned, standing back up and tossing the stray junk onto the unmade bed that was also somehow littered with even more notes and bottles. The pegasus dusted his hands off on his jeans, stumbling a little over a stray pencil under his hoof. He sighed heavily, setting his hands on his hips.
“Sorry, David. He's just busy. He's always busy.” Brock apologized softly, waving the other boy's behavior off. David gave a soft smile, trying to reassure his new friend.
“It's fine, I don't mind.” He said, his grip loosening just slightly.
The lack of acknowledgement was probably better than any sort of proper meeting. In the past, anytime David had been given a formal introduction to a student, especially if it were one he would be spending a lot of time with, they always ended up judging him from one once-over of their eyes, and the up and down sort of thing always made him extremely uncomfortable.
“Alright, sorry about the whole…mess thing. Uh, I do have to leave you for a few minutes because I do need to go get your bags from the front office.” Brock explained, and David dropped his tail, his face morphing into a frown.
“Oh- ye don't have ta. I can do it by myself—”
“Dude, nonsense. You have, like, five bags and no offense but there's no way you can carry five bags at once. And even if you could, you'd get lost. I caught you disassociating halfway through the tour.” Brock cut him off with a laugh. David blushed lightly at that, not even realizing himself that he hadn't been paying much attention.
There had just been so much noise going on.
“It’s cool though, I get it. New environment, new feelings. It's a lot. Don't worry though, just go ahead and get settled in for now. This side is yours, so feel free to do whatever you like with it. As you can see, Marcel definitely had, so don't be afraid to leave a huge mess like he did.” Brock said, emphasizing the last part with a side glance at the one named.
The latter just grunted in response, flipping Brock off over his shoulder briefly before going back to whatever it is he was already doing.
Brock just rolled his eyes, shooting David a small smile before heading back towards the hall.
“I'll be back in a bit, okay?” He said reassuringly, and David barely had the chance to nod before the other boy disappeared behind the other side of the wall. The Irishman had to resist the urge to go and follow him, because he had a comforting energy about him and that was something David desperately needed.
However, he held himself back, instead moving to his side of the room. The walls in this room were white, instead of blue, with two twin sized beds on either side. The other boy's side — Marcel — had so many trinkets, objects and papers crowded onto his shelves that you could barely even see the color of the wall, but somehow, it worked.
David turned away from his side, turning towards the large window in the center of the room instead. He stepped over to the window pane, grateful that the bedroom was carpeted as well because his hooves had begun to grow sore from the marble floors.
He's just glad that they weren't made of stone or something.
He looked out the window, gently brushing the sheer curtains aside to admire the view below. It was the back-grounds of the school, where he and Brock had been not too long ago. He could still make out the imprints of where they had sat.
Guess nobody really did go out there…
David sighed softly, taking a moment to relax. If he perked his ears up enough, he could still hear the various voices and laughter outside the dorm, now muffled by the walls of his new…home.
He unzipped his bag, pulling out the orchid from the bottom. He held it in his palm, holding it close to the window. The sun glinted through the translucent bubble it was held in, making the petals shine like glitter as he moved it around.
The orchid was still in pristine condition, as he knew it would be. The petals were still a deep lavender color, the bark still sturdy and the vines still vibrant. David sighed softly, holding it closer to the window, watching the way the sunlight reflected the colors of the rainbow across the—
“What's that?”
David cursed, nearly dropping the orchid before finding his footing and turning towards the sudden voice next to him.
Marcel was staring at him in curiosity, his eyes flickering between David and the flower in his hands. It took a few seconds for David to find his voice, stuttering awkwardly as he wondered when Marcel had even gotten up from his chair.
“I- it's a- um…it's an orchid.” He managed to stammer out, taking an uncomfortable step backwards. Marcel stared at it funny, his eyes furrowed into a deep frown.
“A Ghost orchid?” He asked, raising a hand to point at the orb. David nodded shyly, cupping the flower with both hands now. Marcel narrowed his eyes, looking at David suspiciously.
Right, here's the introduction…and the up and down eyeing, alright. Just perfect.
“Ghost orchids aren't purple.” The shorter boy said after he finished eyeing David up. David stood speechless for a few seconds unsure of what to say.
“Uhm…my Aunt is a witch. M- yeah, she practices witchcraft. I really like flowers so she tampers around ta um…experiment with different breeding...or somethin'.” David said, remembering the conversation he had with his siblings yesterday.
He definitely just butchered the actual lie, but at least he got the concept of it out.
The other boy's eyes widened slightly in what looked to be a mix of surprise and awe, before he gave David a dead-panned face and turned his full body to face him.
“That's awesome.” He said flatly. David stood there for a few seconds before chuckling nervously and taking another step back.
“Uh, yeah, it is.” He offered his most polite smile, holding the flower closer to his chest
This was very uncomfortable.
Marcel blinked at him a few times, his posture seeming to relax a little as he scratched the back of his neck.
“Uh, sorry. That was probably creepy as hell. Uh, I'm Marcel, your dorm mate.” He said softly, his tone doing a whole one-eighty. David stared at his hand skeptically.
“I know. Brock introduced us already.” He said, holding the orb closer to himself. He felt like some older lady clutching her pearls to her chest. What the hell.
“Did he? Oh…I probably wasn't paying attention. Anyways, reintroduction. I'm Marcel, you are?” He asked kindly, keeping his hand held out the entire time. David swallowed thickly, hesitantly holding his hand out and letting Marcel meet him halfway.
Again, the first thing he felt was that warm tingle when their skin touched, and David wondered if it was because he was from the fae realm interacting with beings from the human realm. But that couldn't entirely be the cause either, because he'd shaken hands with a few of the staff prior, and none of them had felt this warm.
David moved to pull his hand away, but Marcel's grip tightened, his eyes narrowing in confusion as well.
“You're pretty warm.” He mumbled, and David wasn't sure if he had meant to say that out loud or if Marcel was just a blunt person.
“Uh, I guess so. I'm David.” He said, hoping to change the subject.
He really didn't want to think about the warm tingles in his hand. It was somewhat akin to the feeling he had when he first came up with the idea of transferring schools and he wasn't sure what any of it meant.
“Well, David, nice to meet you. Sorry about that, uh…I'm assuming he tried to get my attention when I was working. I get real locked in when I mess around with my work. I'm a wizard, by the way, if you couldn't already tell.” Marcel explained, gesturing to the loads of bottles and assortments on his shelves.
David nodded, having already guessed that.
“I assumed as much. Where are your books?” He asked curiously, looking around because he hadn't seen any book shelves in here nor the living room. Marcel pointed over to the dresser, walking over to open one of the bottom drawers.
David blinked at the organized stack-fulls of books, each one a hardback cover and obviously worn with age, but in otherwise good condition. He took a step closer, tilting his head curiously as he examined the books closely.
“They don't have bookshelves in the dorms, surprisingly enough, so I have to make do. I also have a few stashes in some of my friends’ rooms because I don't particularly like how crowded the library is here.” Marcel explained, taking a step back to let David take a better look at his collection.
The Irishman took another step closer, gently setting his orchid onto the dresser as he ran his eyes over the titles. He glanced up at Marcel in a silent question, earning a curt nod of permission before he carefully ran the tips of his fingertips over the spines of the books.
“Ye'ave quite te collection. These are vintage, aren't they?” He asked in awe, pulling his hand away as if scared to ruin the copies by simply touching them.
“Yeah, pretty ancient books. My grandma gave them to me. Well- technically my mom did, but they were originally my grandma's because my mom was more into witchery than wizardry. She liked the whole traditional magic thing more than the history of it. Like using stuff from nature and shit.” The wizard explained, leaning down to close the drawer before grabbing David's wrist and firmly pulling him along.
David was starting to think that this whole keep-your-hands-to-yourself rule by Andrew was turning out to be a lie, because everyone he's met so far had carelessly touched him without his permission.
David followed along as Marcel led him to his desk, letting go as he fanned out the papers lying on the wooden top.
“Look at this. I don't usually show strangers my newest projects, but you seem like a nice guy and I really fuck with your aura so I want your opinion on this.” He said, selecting one of the papers and holding it to his chest possessively as he looked up to David.
“Did your aunt ever teach you anything?” He asked pointedly. David stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
He was starting to think that these people were given a social class or something because he’s already met two students and both of them have been super talkative.
“Um…some. More so showin’ me than any sort of participation.” He said, hoping it would be a good enough answer. And according to the approving nod that Marcel gave him, it was definitely good enough.
“Good. Now, look at this.” He said, flipping the page around and shoving it into David's hands. David barely had time to say anything or ask any questions before the page was forced into his hands and his eyes were on the imagery.
David opened his mouth to speak, but was quick to stop short as he frowned at what looked to be a map. But besides the fact that it was obviously a map of the forest here, there were names and titles in each area, some with names of the locations and some with red question marks.
In the middle, a small cartoon image of their school was the main focus, but the actual interesting parts were the other locations around it. Ones that David hadn't seen on his way to the school.
“Oh, wow…” He mumbled in interest, ears perking up in curiosity as his eyes continued to scan over the tiny words and notes littered all over the page. It really was a project of some sorts.
“Exactly. I've been mapping out the forest for two years now. I started when I first arrived at this school, but I'm still missing bits and pieces that I want to discover. The teachers tell us that we're allowed to go off school grounds, but they know that nobody will actually care enough to do so. The forest seems so boring and plain but I swear it's full of surprises. You wouldn't believe the kinds of cool places I've seen here, it's like a fucking museum of worlds!” Marcel rambled excitedly, waving his hands as he hurriedly cleared his desk and pulled out a thick book from under his bed.
David had to tear his eyes away from the page, watching as Marcel slammed the book onto the desk and flipped through the oldened pages hurriedly, somehow being gentle with each flip.
He stopped at the middle of the book, a title and everything already set up, but it was mostly blank other than a few notes.
“I found a new place recently. It's full of crystals and flowers. It's right next to a waterfall and a cave and it's got moon flowers and roses and orchids and all kinds of mushrooms. It's by far the prettiest place I've found, but it's not very vibrant. Until,” Marcel paused, quickly pulling out his phone and scrolling through it for a few seconds before shoving it in David's face.
“Until last night, when everything started to glow!” He exclaimed in amazement. David focused his gaze onto the device, in awe of the short video that was playing. There was no sound, only the gentle shushing of the waterfall and crickets.
Just as the wizard had said, large crystals and mushrooms grew out of the mossy mound where a small waterfall flowered down into a lake, which was surrounded by numerous plants and floral, vibrant grass covering the entirety of the ground.
It looked early, maybe sometime around dawn, but the entire place was glowing. Like, literally. Even the flowers themselves seemed to be made of magic itself.
“Isn't it fascinating?” Marcel asked quietly, as if speaking too loud would ruin the moment, like he was still stuck in the mindset of seeing the sight for the first time.
“It never does this, and it's only happened yesterday morning, so I'm still trying to figure out what even caused it.” He sighed, pulling away and tucking his phone back into his pocket.
“Anyways, I still have a lot of mapping to do. Not to mention work with the supplies I can find in the forest. It comes in handy when I run out of herbs and shrooms. My mom wants me to be more open to traditional magic just as I am with academic magic, so I'm trying to learn by myself and with the books that my sister sends me every now and then.” Marcel explained, tucking his notebook underneath a large stone on his desk and leaning against the back of his chair to look at David.
“Oh…well I find it all very fascinatin’.” David said, a genuine smile tugging at his lips.
He liked how the people of this school could just learn whatever they wanted. How mixed everything was. A half-pegasus, half-cervitaur with incredible social skills despite being a mixed species, and a wizard who was grazing witchery for fun.
Definitely odd, but he liked how different it was.
“You like magic?” Marcel assumed, and David couldn't help the way his tail waged as he nodded.
“Of course I do. My uh, my Aunt used ta let me watch all te time. I've never done it myself, personally, but she always shows me her newest creations.” He said, and although it wasn't totally a lie, he still felt guilty for even speaking.
Realistically, he was talking about his mother and his oldest sister. They taught him from when he could take his first steps all about the cute little spells and tricks he could do. They would take him, Katie and Andrew into the forest, and they would show them anything and everything they stumbled upon.
Rocks, flowers, crystals, gemstones, you name it. Those were some of David's childhood core memories — being able to wander freely, to ask questions, to experiment and explore.
David loved magic…but under the reason of using it for royal duties just wasn't his thing, and the lack of an option he was given made it all seem so much harder to control.
“That's awesome. Your orchid was pretty sick, I bet you've seen all kinds of things. Actually, maybe you should come with me sometime, help point out a few things that I've been bypassing.” He said, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
David felt his body finally relax, a smile of his own becoming present as he considered the words.
“Yeah, maybe.”
Notes:
Again, sorry for the late-ish chapter, I hope you guys liked it owo
foxych04_glitch on Chapter 1 Thu 31 Jul 2025 07:35PM UTC
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raynon (Guest) on Chapter 1 Sun 10 Aug 2025 09:50PM UTC
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Jxckyoffy_pew on Chapter 1 Mon 11 Aug 2025 09:10PM UTC
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daisy (Guest) on Chapter 1 Tue 26 Aug 2025 08:30PM UTC
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foxych04_glitch on Chapter 2 Sat 16 Aug 2025 02:45PM UTC
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foxych04_glitch on Chapter 2 Sun 17 Aug 2025 02:56AM UTC
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Jxckyoffy_pew on Chapter 2 Mon 18 Aug 2025 09:51AM UTC
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Jxckyoffy_pew on Chapter 2 Mon 18 Aug 2025 07:30PM UTC
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