Dark lowered himself into the hot spring, leaning back against the carved stone with a heavy sigh. This was perhaps his favorite gift from his parents. His own private hot spring, to which he had the only key. They had it constructed when he began complaining about his sore back after getting bucked off a horse-long story.

It was soothing.

Comfortable.

It even had a separate room for him to have a lie down or reapply his makeup after the relaxing waters washed it off.

He could see the powder leaving him even now. Whatever skin that wouldn't be concealed by clothing, he covered in a gray powder. Even the strongest glamor stones could only do so much for so long. Hair, eyes. Those were easy. He could put up with the powder.

Dark slipped the braided cord from his neck, black stone swirling with whites and grays before he laid it down beside him on the stone. He leaned back, staring at the mural on the ceiling as his eyes returned to their natural hues. One brown, the other hazel.

It was a pleasing mural, mostly inspired by the night sky. With white twinkling crystals embedded in the stone that reacted to his magic. If he wanted to he could have them lit up like sunshine on thick snow. Blinding. But he didn't. He kept them dim for now.

No longer under the glamor his hair took to new tones of black. Split exactly down the middle like the rest of him was. One side warm with red undertones, and the other cool with blue.

His skin, though pale on either side, varied the slightest bit in shade. The freckles are what made it the most obvious, taking to mainly the warmer side. Not that that side was completely covered, the freckles were rather faint and sparse. Yet completely absent on the other side.

'Chimera' is what their older doctor called it. 'Heinous' said by his own flesh and blood. As though it were his fault he came out like this.

He grunted, fingering the bandage on his cheek. It had healed over, thanks to the Doctor's abilities. The bandage was mainly to catch the blood as it did so. The Doctor could only do so much, he couldn't make spilt blood return to a wound.

He flicked it off to be discarded, feeling the raised scar. Healed. And it would fade quick. If it didn't his mother would send the Doctor to the stocks. Which was ridiculous.

Dark allowed himself a moment to relax. Until he sighed, "Alright, let's discuss."

And with that he felt a rush, cool and warm energies flowing from his body to form two human shapes. One male and the other female. This is what the heirs to the throne would have looked like, had he not come out like this.

He hadn't told anyone of this. How would he explain it? 'Hello Mother, hello Father. I like to talk to the magic manifestations of your would-be twins'. He'd be sent to the loony bin.

He had even named them. Damien and Celine. Or was it technically them naming themselves? Bah, it was magic. No need to try and fit too much logic into it.

"Why did you leave it like that?" Celine was the first to speak, arms crossed over her chest as she loomed above the water's surface. "You could have explained the situation-"

"Explained what?" Damien barked, Dark's eyes flicking to the blue figure. "How he thought Wilford was his Soulbond and made a mistake? That'd be nothing short of humiliating!"

"It'd have been better than leaving him confused!"

Dark sank down further into the water, until he was just about down to his nose. They often bickered like this whenever Dark was having inner conflict. And although it was entertaining, more often than not they left him with an awful headache.

"We haven't even known him for that long, Celine! Heavens-are you even listening to yourself?"

Celine's volume escalated, "I feel like I have!" the crystals flickered with her wavering voice, now growing softer. "You feel like you have, we all feel like we have. Isn't that enough?..." she sighed, frustration clear as day on her translucent face. "I just don't know who else it could be..."

Damien didn't say anything, not at first. "I think..." Celine snapped her eyes up, already knowing what j

he was about to say and willing him 'Don't'. "Well... that 'Anti' fellow did grab our shoulder."

Dark rose up, "No, absolutely not." he scowled, mirroring Celine's own look.

"I agree. Maybe for another twist on the fated webs, but not this one."

Damien grew coy, "What's wrong? Green not your color? I think he's handsome. When he's not threatening to end our lives, that is."

"And aside from that..." Dark leaned back, looking to his shoulder where the mark lay. "I didn't feel half of the things I'm feeling with Wilford with that... character." he laid his hand over it, spreading his fingers to occupy the space between the mark's. He sighed, "I think it's time to come to terms with it... it's one sided."

"Oh bullshit, so what?" Celine scoffed, "Doesn't mean we can't still court him. Kiss him. Hold hands with him. Lay with him-"

Damien rolled his eyes and butt in, "Are you forgetting that he could very well have been the one to poison us?"

"Course not!" she answered him, hands proud on her hips. "That's all part of the adventure!" she winked, eliciting a groan from Dark. "I do love myself the strong, exciting type. And what's more exciting than turning your would-be murderer into a partner? Or die trying?"

"Living, and finding out that he's not out to get me and hang my hide out to dry. Thank you." Dark grunted, to which Damien agreed.

"Although... he is rather handsome. And dying would be better than being forced into a loveless marriage with a first cousin." to this they all gagged.

Dark rubbed his eyes, leaning forward in deep thought. "With that aside... how should I proceed?"

The twins shared a look, eyes falling back on the prince as they both answered him. "With caution."