Hunter

Silk.

That was the first thing I felt upon awakening. It was a soft, whispering caress against my olive skin, a gentle lull from a deep slumber. I didn't know who I was, or what I was meant to be doing, but the one thing I was certain of was that my body was covered in silk. Hundreds of tiny candles bathed the room in a subtle glow, making the golden fabric look like honey. The bed I laid in was large and had a wooden post sticking up from every corner. A black canopy, made of the same smooth material I was currently tangled in, was draped over the bed posts.

I sat up gingerly, trying to make sense of my surroundings. There was nothing to indicate where I might be, although I assumed I was in a place of great wealth, the expensive bedding and high, arched ceilings a clear sign of that. Looking to my right, I saw a black crown perched on a marble pedestal. It was adorned with huge red and green gems, and the single orange crystal in the center looked as if it were on fire. Shakily, I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and set my feet on the cold stone floor. It was at that moment I noticed I wasn't wearing any clothes.

Choosing curiosity over modesty, I threw the sheets all the way off my lap and took a few hesitant steps toward the crown. I picked it up slowly, using extreme caution for fear of breaking the treasure, and turned it around in my hands slowly, searching for some type of marking as to who it might belong to. Then the mirror hanging on the wall directly in front of me caught my attention and I momentarily forgot the crown to study what I assumed was my reflection.

Bright green eyes and curvy pink lips stared back at me, a subtle and soft contrast to my harsh cheekbones and angular jaw. Small brown dots randomly dotted the skin on my cheeks and neck, and I turned around to see that the tiny spots were decorating my shoulders and back as well. My hair was a golden-brown color, just long enough for me to run my fingers through. After carefully studying my face, I chose to slip the jeweled crown on my head.

It was a perfect fit.

A tiny smile bloomed across my lips as I decided I liked what I saw, but it instantly vanished when the door behind me opened and a small woman came striding through. Her eyes went wide at the sight of me and she covered her mouth with her hand in shock.

"Oh my god," she gasped, "You're awake!"

I spread my arms a little and looked down at my naked torso. "Um...yes. It appears that I am," I said uncomfortably. My voice came out low and raspy.

"I have to get the queen!" she shrieked and ran out of the room.

"The queen?" I mumbled.

Not even a minute later a beautiful woman in immaculate clothing came running in, followed by the girl who had originally opened the door. This new woman was older than the first and wore a crown similar to mine on her head. Her dark red dress hugged her body tightly, showing off her tiny frame. She wasted no time sprinting over to me and throwing her arms around my neck.
I could feel her tears running down the side of my neck as she mumbled things into my skin, but I couldn't make out much more than a few words here and there.

"My son, my beautiful son, you're finally awake!" she sobbed. I wrapped a hesitant arm around her slim waist in an attempt to comfort her while the lady at the door continued to stare. I allowed her to cry for a few more moments before gently pulling her off me.

"Excuse me miss but...I have no idea who you are. Or who I am. Or what I'm doing here," I said softly. The woman nodded her head fiercely and wiped her eyes, letting out a small laugh.

"I know, I'm sorry I should have explained everything first. I should have known you'd be confused, you've been asleep for the past 19 years!" She cried.

"Nineteen years?" I asked incredulously.

"Ever since you were born," the woman confirmed, "They said you would wake up eventually, but they never said when."

"Who is 'they'?" I inquired. She opened her mouth to explain, but closed it once more and decided against it.

"You know what, why don't we get you dressed first and then I'll explain everything once you've had something to eat. Esther here will help you change," she said, gesturing to the lady behind her, "Does that sound good?"

I didn't see any other option, so I nodded in agreement.

"Perfect! I'll leave you two to it then," she said. The woman took one last look at me and smiled, placing her delicate hands against my cheek before pulling away and leaving the room.

When I was alone with the blond woman who had first entered, I noticed she was incredibly attractive. Her dress was short, coming just above her knees and it hugged her chest tightly. Her well-developed breasts were clearly visible in the strapless garment that accentuated all her curves. The faintest tint of pink was visible on her cheeks and she looked only at the floor. A smirk crossed my lips as I strode closer to her, shoulders back and chest out...well, everything out, really.

"You just gonna stand there, or do you want to help me put some clothes on?" I teased. Her blush darkened and she clumsily fumbled to the closet, apologizing hastily and digging through for something to dress me in. After a moment of searching, she handed me a blue shirt and gray pants. The shirt felt like the bedsheets I'd woken up in and the pants were made of satin.

"Here-here you go, your highness," she said, still refusing to meet my eyes.

"Your highness?" I questioned. She nervously played with a strand of her hair.

"Well, yes. You're the prince and I'm not royalty, so it's the respectable title to-"

"Hold on. I'm a prince now too? This day keeps getting better and better," I laughed.

"I-I can leave the room if you want to get dressed, or y-you can go in the bathroom right over there if-if you'd like," Esther stammered.

Placing my fingers under her chin, I tipped her head up so she had no choice but to look me directly in the eyes. My smirk was still present as I tilted my head slightly and questioned, "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

She was taken aback by the question but answered honestly. "Yes. You make me very nervous, your highness."

"May I ask why?"

"W-well you're naked and...and also very, um. You're very handsome," she whispered. Her face was blood red.

"Interesting," I said, studying her face. "Well, Esther, you're very attractive as well. Don't let beauty intimidate you."

Her eyes were the size of moon as she gazed up at me in surprise, flattered and shocked. I let her chin go and headed for the bathroom when she stopped me dead in my tracks.

"We're all doomed because of you," she breathed.

I turned around. "Excuse me?"

"You've only been awake for twenty minutes and already you know how to make a girl's knees go weak. You have trouble written all over you, your highness, and I don't think anyone's safe from your charms," she explained, leaning wearily against the bedpost. I flashed her a blinding smile.

"I think I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was never intended to be anything but," Esther fired back.

I smiled briefly before striding into the bathroom.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Ten minutes later, Esther was guiding me out of my room and into a huge hallway. There was what appeared to be guards stationed everywhere, wearing hard metal over their chests and swords strapped to their thighs.  Every single one of them gawked at me as I breezed past them, whispering things that I could not hear. Their eyes made me feel a hint of self-consciousness, so I walked just a little taller to show them they didn't intimidate me.

"Your mother will be in the throne room waiting for you. We're almost there, it's to the right here," Esther assured me, sensing my discomfort.

"My mother?" I questioned.

"Yes. The queen, the woman you just saw, is your mother."

Of course my mother is royalty, I'm a prince. That's how it has to be, I thought.

Esther threw open a set of large double doors and sashayed her way inside, fully aware she had an audience. I made sure to stay a few paces behind and watch the swing of her hips, enjoying her newfound confidence.

There was a large man standing next to the woman I had just learned was my mother, and three other children were next to them. The older two were boys and the youngest child was a girl, and I assumed that these were my siblings. Both my parents and my siblings wore crowns like mine.

"Here he is, your highness," Esther said politely to my mother.

She smiled at her and gave a gentle, dismissive nod of the head. "Thank you, Esther, we'll call you if he needs to be brought back to his room."

Esther left without another word and my mother was running to embrace me once more.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're awake," she whispered to me. I wrapped my arms around her a little tighter this time, having gained a newfound sense of trust and comfort now that I knew she was my mom. All moms loved their kids which meant I had to be safe, right?

A hearty laugh boomed around the room, startling me a little bit. It was the king, my father, coming to rest a hand on my mothers shoulder. "Give the boy some breathing room, darling, I'm sure he's very confused right now," he spoke gently, the love for my mother clear in his eyes.

"I know, I'm sorry, you're right I just- oh, it's hard! Seeing your baby in some sort of magically induced coma for nineteen years! I needed a minute to adjust to seeing him awake," the Queen explained.

"I know you do, my dear. I'm sure Hunter needs an adjustment period as well," my father explained.

"Hunter?" I asked eagerly, "Is that my name?"

Both my parents nodded. "Yes, indeed. Your name is Hunter, third son of the King and prince of the Magic Realm. This is your mother, Alice, and I'm your father, Eliphas," the King said.

"This is your older brother, Tristan," my father continued, guiding me over to my siblings. Tristan's hair was a caramel brown color and his eyes were a vibrant blue. He must have gotten them from our father, because my mothers eyes were the same color green as mine.

Tristan reached out and clapped a warm hand on my shoulder. His smile was bright and welcoming and he carried himself in a way that showed maturity beyond his years, though he didn't look a day over twenty-two. I suppose that came with the territory of being next in line for the throne. "Welcome to the family, brother," he said.

I gave him a smile of my own. "Thank you. I'm glad to finally be a part of it."

"I'm Helix," my other brother introduced himself. I was startled for a moment, because he looked exactly like me. Same hair and eye color, matching bone structure in our faces, the same dusting of freckles on our cheeks.

"Kinda creepy isn't it? How similar we look? It's like staring at your reflection. We're twins, obviously identical, but I've never seen two people resemble each other so much before. I'm three minutes older, by the way. Just in case you were wondering, " Helix said lightheartedly. The only difference I could spot between us was the clothes we wore and the thick rimmed glasses on his face.

"Wow," I mumbled lamely, trying to wrap my head around the concept of twins. Out of all the things I've learned so far today, this is by far the most intriguing.

"It's nice to finally meet the brother I've been sharing my mind with," he said.

I gave him a baffled look. "Huh?"

"You mean you haven't told him yet?" Helix wondered, looking to our parents.

"We thought that we should let you explain," Father said.

"Okay cool, it's story time bitches!" Helix shouted.

"Watch your mouth!" Mother chided.

Helix muttered a half hearted apology, not meaning a single word. Then he started the story. "Once upon a time in a far away land, a king and queen gave birth to a set of twins. One of them came into the world kicking and screaming, but the other one was a lazy ass and decided he was going to sleep his life away," Helix began, with a playful punch to my shoulder. I laughed at him and his theatrics. His method of story telling was very dramatic, involving a lot of hand motions and over-the-top gestures. I liked him already.

"Obviously, the king and queen thought there was something wrong with the sleeping baby, but lo and behold he was fine. He was just born under a spell cast by the Elders, crafted during a solar eclipse. And before you ask, the Elders are basically just a group of really old dudes who sit around doing nothing almost as much as you over the last nineteen years. But we're supposed to respect them for their 'wisdom' and whatnot. Anywho, this group of old men came to tell our parents that you are supposedly some kind of special baby and that you would "awaken when the time came" and that you will be a part of something "bigger than us all and serve a purpose larger than life". But the other baby thought he got totally ripped off because he came out of the same womb, so he should be just as special. And he's had to spend his life doing work instead of snoozing like his brother," Helix moped, faking annoyance.

"Get to the point," our mom said, though amusement was clear in her voice.

"Don't rush me! I have to give him the full picture," Helix declared with another wave of his hands. "Okay, continuing. As the years went on and the younger twin continued to take his super long nap, the king and queen were worried. If he kept this up, he'd awaken years and years later with absolutely no knowledge of anything at all. After all, how was their supposed "chosen one" going to do what he was born to do if he couldn't even say his ABCs? So they called up the Elders again and asked them to do another spell, this time merging the twins minds together. If you haven't caught on by now, we're the twins," Helix leaned in to whisper to me teasingly.

"Yes I gathered that," I chuckled.

"Good. So now, getting to the point of this entire story, once our minds were connected you automatically retained all the information I learned. When I learned to count to ten, so did you. Once I memorized endless historical facts about our realm and how we came to be, you did too. Anytime I learned things like how to cast spells, or control my magic in times of emotional arousal or distress all of that was stored in your brain too. That's why when you woke up you were able to name objects such as your bed, the window, the mirror. The only thing the connection between us doesn't store in both our heads is what I know about other people. That, you've gotta figure out on your own. I couldn't give everything to you, could I?" Helix winked.

"You've been awake twenty minutes and already you know how to make a girl's knees go weak," I mumbled to myself. The puzzle pieces we are starting to come together.

"Huh?"

"You've been awake twenty minutes and already you know how to make a girl's knees go weak. Esther said that to me when I complimented her earlier. That was because of my connection to you wasn't it?" I asked.

A wolffish grin spread over my twins face. "Oh, yeah. Not only is that head of yours stuffed to the brim with factual information, there's a whole list of tricks I learned for picking up girls. And boys. Whichever you prefer, I like to keep a nice balance," Helix came in close, speaking lowly in my ear. "You'll be an expert in anything from flirting to sex."

I tried to stop myself from smiling like a predator, but I failed miserably. My mouth curled up at the edges and suddenly I felt the need to bring an entirely new meaning to the name Hunter.

"Okay you two, that's enough. Hunter still has to meet his sister, she's been waiting patiently this whole time," the Queen interrupted.

I faced my sister who was just as tiny and delicate as my mother. As opposed to the rest of us, her hair wasn't any shade of brown, and was so blonde it appeared almost white. Her eyes were the same shocking blue as Tristan's and my father's and she looked to be about seventeen.

"As if I didn't already have enough headaches trying to deal with these two, now I have to add a third to the mix," she huffed. I could tell she wasn't actually upset. There was too much happiness shining in her eyes.

"Well I'll try my best to not be as awful as them," I promised.

"Oh please. If you've been sharing a brain with Helix, you're going to be just as bad," she scoffed, laughing not even a moment later.

"I'm Lennox," she said.

"Hunter. Though you already knew that."

The rest of my family smiled and already I could feel how close they were. I was genuinely happy to be part of this family, none of the other things like status and riches mattered.

"Alright, well I'm sure Hunter is starving, so why don't we get some food before the party later?" Mom suggested.

"We're having a party?"

"Yes of course! Word travels fast, especially when you're part of a royal family. I'm sure half the townspeople have already heard of your awakening by now. They'll want to see you for themselves and get to know you. This is, of course, if you're feeling up to it," she said.

"Okay," I shrugged, "Why not? I've never been to a party before and it sounds fun."

Helix whooped and clapped his hands together. "You're gonna have the time of your life, brother! Drinking, dancing and hot people constantly throwing themselves at you, you'll love it!"

"Helix, you better not push him to do anything he doesn't want to, it'll be his first public outing and we want him to have a good reputation among the people," my father cautioned. "We need him to be on his best behavior."

"Ugh, that's so boring," Helix groaned. "Let Hunter have some fun. He doesn't know what he's been missing!"

"He can have fun without you encouraging him to join in all your antics. Hunter has very important people to meet. And don't think just because I won't be able to see you a majority of the night means you'll get away with whatever you want. Tristan will be watching you to make sure you don't do anything out of line, like the last time."

"Mmm, no can do, Dad. I'm team Helix on this one, I think Hunter deserves to let loose a little at his first party. Don't make him talk to the Elders and other officials just yet. The party is in his honor after all, I think he should be able to star in his own show," Tristan argued. Helix high-fived our brother and tossed an arm around his shoulders.

"See? Even Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes is Team Helix on this one."

My father opened his mouth to argue but Mom stopped him. "Eliphas, let it go. If the boys want to have some fun they can. We can arrange a private meeting with the Elders tomorrow. It's time to eat, so food. Now. Let's go."

My mother lead my dad out of the throne room, Tristan and Lennox close behind. Helix and I fell back a few steps so I could ask him, "What happened the last time that's got Father so worried?"

"Oh man, it was epic! A few of my buddies and I charmed the fountain out front so that it started to spew champagne instead of water. Then we got all the hot girls and guys to get naked and swim in it. One of the princes from a neighboring country just so happened to be there that night and we totally made out in front of everyone when we got drunk on fountain champagne. Every well-respected man and woman in the country saw us going at it," Helix told me, an evil grin and unabashed joy present on his face.

"You're absolutely wicked," I laughed, "How do you do it?"

"Believe me, when the time comes you'll know exactly how it's done. I made sure I put it all in that pretty head of yours," Helix promised, "Our people love me. But the Elders? Not so much."

"I seem to be important to them, so hopefully they'll take a liking to me," I remarked.

"The Elders? Like you, when you have me for a twin brother? Not a chance."

"I guess it'll be worth a shot."

"Good luck with that one."

Helix ruffled my hair before taking me to the dining room.