Jasper's POV

I walk along happily in the gardens, the warm sun shining down on my face as I tilt it back towards the sun. The feeling of the friendly hello from nature makes me smile.

Mother always says that we Faeries have the best connection with Nature and should do everything we can to protect it.

It's more beautiful than people throughout any species and should be cherished above all else. That and the Will of Fae that flows through my soul. She said that's why I'm going to be King one day. So I try to be in nature as much as possible even though my Advisors and Attendants try to stick me within the castle walls with boring lessons and dusty books. I'd rather be training out in the courtyard with Master Carl and my sister, but since I'm first in line, books are my main priority of training until I turn sixteen in another two years. Another annoying thing about being the First Prince.

I play with the small stream that flows through the Royal Gardens, pulling a fish out of the water using magic, creating a little bubble for him to swim in as I float him along side me. I laugh to myself, throwing the fish up in the air before catching it with magic again, laughing at the fishes terrified expression. I lower it back into the stream and it swims away quickly gaining another laugh from me.

While nature is beautiful it's also very entertaining.

I'm still chuckling to myself when I come across a small clearing in the gardens, the lawn and fountain in the center of it surrounded by large hedges that tower over eight feet, beautiful vines and flowers adoring the living walls.

As I peer into the clearing from the one opening along the southern part of the circle, I notice a boy in the middle trying to use magic, but with nothing happening as he pants harshly, I can tell that while he's trying miserably he's failing. I notice his dark hair and red brown eyes as he wipes the sweat from his forehead. His clothing is fine, but his jacket is thrown into the ground haphazardly so I don't know which house he belongs to.

I watch as he thrusts his hands into the air, grunting and cursing as he repeats the motion. I watch him, intently, studying his movements before I realize that he's trying to use fire magic, my specialty. My ears redden and I feel my heart beat quicken when I think about going up to the boy to help him. His dark Fire Faerie features are attractive, his pointed ears coming into view when he goes to wipe his brow of sweat.

As if he senses me, he goes to turn around. I have enough time to duck out of the way, but I clench my fist and force myself to step forward, annoying nerves punching me in the stomach. I don't even get this nervous with girls.

I walk up to the panting boy, who's surprisingly taller than me, and I realize that he's probably a little older as well.

"You're Prince Jasper right?" The boy asks me, and I almost ask how he knows who I am, when I remember that every Faerie in the kingdom probably knows who I am. With tinted ears and feeling like an idiot I nod. He goes to bow, peaking up at me through his long lashes and it makes my heart feel funny, causing me to avoid my eyes in modesty. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Damien. My father is the consultant to Lord Kelvon." I vaguely recognize the name of the Lord of Fire, though who his parents are don't really concern me much.

"We're you trying to do fire magic just then?" I ask, changing the subject. He doesn't seem to mind, though the topic of magic seems to put him on edge. He turns and sits down on the edge of the large fountain in the middle of the clearing before he answers.

My cheeks redden as I realize the unsaid invitation, and sit on the bench beside him, sitting closer than usual, though he doesn't move away. Shame fills me just a little when I think about the fact that he's older and that we as Faeries are shamed against having unmated relations, but I brush them away, enjoying the warmth of liking someone.

"Yeah, I was. My father wants my to take over his duties when I turn eighteen. I'm about to turn sixteen in a few months and I still can't even gather or bend mana to my will. To say I'm a late bloomer would be an understatement. I'm a fucking disgrace." The last part is muttered but I hear it perfectly. I notice the small but lean muscles that are barely hidden beneath his fine cotton shirt and I can tell that the lack of talent isn't from a lack of effort.

Making a decision to help someone, not something I typically do, I I clear my throat and put myself out there, selfishly wanting just an afternoon with this mysterious boy.

"You know, when we were younger, I would always look after you two. You and your sister, you probably don't remember. A lot of people say I look different from as a kid." He tells me and I blink at the sudden change in topic, but the information makes me feel even more ridiculous for trying to be around a guy that clearly sees me as either the prince or some snot nose child. Not exactly the best way to get someone's attention.

"I think I remember. Vaguely." And it's the truth.

"It's a little embarrassing to have to ask for help, but I would really appreciate it if you could help me out. Even then you were a prodigy with your fire." The smile he gives me is a small but genuine one that I tuck in my heart to save for a little while. A piece of me feels silly, but a bigger part of me is enjoying the company of someone other than my sister and the annoying rules following Elite Children.

This feels nice.

"I'm happy to help."

✨✨✨

After two hours, Damien is on the ground, panting heavily while I sit crossed legged on the fountain, thoroughly enjoying the complete unmastery of Fire magic.

"Okay, think of it like this." I start after he makes a rough handed attempted at creating a fireball in the palm of his hand. His fingers are slightly scorched from the uncontrolled bursts of flames that erupted from his hands, the skin pink and peeling slightly. "There's a lot of natural energy inside of yourself that is tied to the earth as well. When you focus your breathing and calm your heart, mind and spirit, you're able to merge your energy inside of you with the natural magical element of your affinity. Then with mana changes and concentration you can turn it into energy blasts, armor and even weapons." I tell him, proudly reciting the half assed information I remembered from my lessons yesterday.

"Yeah that's great and all but that won't do shit for me if I can't even get a ball of fucking fire going. And I'm supposed to be the next Lord of Fire." The last sentence is muttered but there no mistaking the disgust and resentment in his tone.

I wonder if it's towards his failing talents or his father.

I hop off of the fountain and walk over towards Damien, hoping that my reddening cheeks can be passed from practice even though I'm not even breathing hard. Damien had his arm draped over his eyes, his arm muscled and carved beneath the scraps and dirt. He moves his arm and peeks and eye at me, and I cough, suddenly forgetting whatever I was going to say. It doesn't help when Damien jumps up suddenly, startling me with his speed, before pulling off his shirt swiftly. I try my best to advert my eyes, but I can't help but look at his defined chest and hard abs, proof of his training. It seems that even if he's lacking in the magical sense, he's shriven to make up for it with physical power.

I feel my dick begin to harden and I almost have a heart attack, but before I can make up some excuse of classes, Damien turn towards me, smiling a crooked smile as he continues to pant and sweat drips down his face. I can tell he's exhausted and from the bruises on his torso I can tell that he endures a grueling training. "Well, are you going to teach me or not?" He asks me, and for the life of me I can't say no. Which is fucking crazy because that's my favorite word when it comes to my sister.

"Okay." I say stepping forward. Recalling what my teachers had done for me when I had struggled with fire, I place my fingers on the center of Damien's chest. "When you take a deep breath, imagine fire coming into your mouth and lighting your mana inside you on fire. When you breath out imagine all of that fire and energy going exactly where you want it. Imagine it traveling from your center down your arm into your palm. Over time it'll become easier and faster until it's almost unconscious. Or so I'm told. Magic is my affinity."

He slowly follows instructions, closing his eyes to let him focus better. In the sunlight he looks so beautiful. Like a dark angel that lost it's wings and needs to find his way back to the Heavens. We don't see many angels here. And certainly no dark haired ones. But he's more beautiful than anyone else I've met. I feel something stir deep inside of me so faint that I can barely even feel it, much less pin it down and open the thought up and examine it. The seconds fall away in the background, every one lasting any eternity as my palm comes down onto his chest as he starts to exhale. A part of me wants to feel ashamed knowing that I'm too young to even think about a Soulmate, but if I could choose, I think it'd be him. Not that I would ever whisper it aloud but one that screams through me as I stare up at his long lashes that rest against his cheek.

He finished his breath and as he goes to open his eyes I look at his hand and watch as he manages a large controlled flame, he shouts in pride, whooping his success though being careful not to mess up his beautiful flame.

"What the hell is going on here?" I immediately jump back, my face burning when so realized how close we were and my hand resting in his chest. My slightly hard cock adds another layer of embarrassment as I recognize Damien's father, Lord Kelvon standing with my mother and sister in the clearing entrances along with another little girl I don't know. I guess she's Damien's sister.

Not knowing what to say, shame weighing in my shoulders I turn to Damien who's grinning wildly from me to his dad to the flame in his hand.

"Look father, I did it!" He declared proudly and I wait for his fathers reaction.

"How dare you disgrace our family name by gallivanting with the prince in the Royal Gardens half naked?!" He half shouts and I jump at the forge and anger behind the barely concealed tone.

"But father, he taught me how to use mana." He says but his father only sneers before storming over and grabbing Damien with a rough hand before demanding his daughter picks up her brothers clothes. I watch with sadness and wish his father would have been proud of his sons effort. Another pitiful man with a power complex. Disgusting.

"How dare you inconvenience the Prince's precious time by asking him to help your pitiful failures. They're your responsibilities. You disgrace this house with your weakness." He says and he marches them away, barely stopping to bow to my mother and sister before moving toward the castle.

I frown, sad that our time for cut short and even more upset over the fact that he'll probably never be able to make his father happy. I roll my eyes towards my mother who gives me a look but holds out a hand for me, waiting for me to join her at her right side.

"I offered to help, Mother. Fire is my affinity and I saw he was struggling. Isn't it my duty to make sure we support our people especially our supporting Families and Roles?" I ask her, though Inleave out the part where the boy was absolutely beautiful, knowing my sister would tease me endlessly if she even thought I knew the word beautiful.

"It's alright, child, you did nothing wrong, and neither did he. He's always welcomed but I cannot stop a father from disciplining his child." She says softly before reaching to kiss my head. I pout slightly but she waves me off before linking pinkies with Artemis as they've done since my baby sister came into this world. Wanting to forget about the small feeling I couldn't place that I feel in my chest, I push Artemis slightly, sticking my tongue out when she stumbles. She gasps making me cackle before I'm running around her and Mother, dodging her attempt to grab me. She goes to run after me, but not a second passes before Mother calls out for her to stop, her day dress too pretty to ruin.

I turn to repeat the words mockingly before continuing to run away. But before I can get far, a branch and some vines grow from the ground and wrap around my legs causing me to trip and stumble face first into the ground before I can stop myself. I hear my mother and sister laughing behind me as well as some of the gaurds that are standing a few feet behind them trailing along the garden paths.

"You suck!" I tell Artemis, hating that her Earth and Spirit magic are so much better than mine.

"Whatever. Don't try to distract me from your crush!" She tells me before sticking out her tongue and that makes my ears burn hotter than Hell.

"I hate you!" I call as I try to run away, and she just tickled me with some flowers that she's able to sprout. Everyone ends of laughing and it feels good though as the day go on, and even years I find myself always remembering those dark warm eyes.

~~~~~~~~

Oooooohhh so yes guys Jasper and Damien have met before and Jasper had a crush on him. You also get a little insight into what Artemis, Jasper, and their Mom was like before things got toxic.

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