Chapter Text
A young boy with brown hair giggled as he snuck into his older sister’s room. He had just turned five, and as all of them knew, he had gotten his soulmark that morning. Soulmarks were something to keep close and hidden, his mother had told him. That way, people wouldn’t be able to use them against him, or tattoo a match to try and get to his family.
Soulmarks, however, had to be shared with his older siblings. That was tradition, Julius had said.
Vesper smiled at him as he snuck in. “I’ve been so excited to see all day!” The seven year old grinned. “Where is it Percy, where is it?”
Percy gave her a big, proud smile, lifting his shirt to show off the mark that had appeared on his side. Starting at the top of his hip stretching to his chest were delicate grey plumes of smoke that turned into a bright blue feather at the very top.
Julius’ eyes grew wide. “Wow, yours is so big!”
“You’re never gonna go swimming anymore!” Vesper frowned unhappily. “Cause you can’t show it off and it’s all over your chest!”
“That’s okay Vesper, I don’t like swimming.” Percy replied. “I like blocks much better.”
“It’s very beautiful though.” Julius murmured, sounding so dignified and like Father as he leaned in to get a closer look.
“Thanks.” Percy smiled shyly.
“I wonder what part is you!” Vesper grinned. “The smoke or the feather?”
“I dunno.” Percy shrugged. “I like feathers, and smoke. They’re both pretty, and I’m glad my soulmate’ll like them too.”
“That’s good!” Vesper smiled. “My soulmate must like books and nature, look at mine!” Vesper raised her dress to show the mark that was on her leg, an open book with bright red flowers surrounding it.
“Wow!” Percy’s eyes grew wide. He’d never seen another person’s soulmark before, apart from his parents. They had shown him theirs to explain what soulmarks were, and also to emphasize that they should never be shown to just anyone. Even the help had their soulmarks covered. The cook had to wear gloves, since his was on his hand, but he complied with the rules of the household.
“Mine loves space, I think. Because I really like water.” Julius replied, pulling his sleeve up to show the mark on his shoulder. A rippling blue wave gently caressed a bright star.
Percy examined his siblings marks and compared them to his. “Yours are so small, and mine’s so big.”
“That’s okay, I heard from the maid that big soulmarks mean your love is gonna be super strong!” Vesper smiled. “Like the fairytales!”
“Like the one where the Prince and Princess have soulmarks over their whole backs?” Percy asked, and Vesper nodded with a big grin on her face.
“Yeah! Just like that!” Vesper grinned.
Percy grinned back at her, looking back down at his mark.
He couldn’t wait to meet his soulmate, whoever they were, and hoped that their mark was just as large.