Chapter Text
Once upon a time, the full moon shone upon a delicate flower bud amidst a patch of thorny brambles, turning the petals a vibrant blue as it was imbued with the mysterious power to grant the desires of whoever calls upon it. For centuries, this magical vitality blossom sat undisturbed in its forest, peacefully unknown to the kingdom of York that was growing nearby. But one day a travelling merchant, freshly spurned over his costly wares, diverted from the path in his gloom until the brilliant bloom caught his eye. The merchant carefully navigated the prickly thicket to get a closer look, after all, such a striking flower must be a rarity that would fetch a high price.
The man lamented aloud for such a beautiful specimen he wished he had the strategic mind to advertise. Suddenly the flower appeared to illuminate, the blue of its petals turning electric and the merchant’s head spun with new knowledge in an instant. Greedy with his discovery, the man set off to test this new gift to find the flower had indeed worked magic on his mind. However, the power waned across the next few days and he was forced to return to draw upon the vitality blossom, this time testing just what he could get: no material goods or riches, no affect on people back in the kingdom, but he could grant himself any number of traits. He indulged himself in unmatched strength, irresistible charm, and heightened senses. But the power was limited and would fade as the days passed; he was lucky if they lasted a fortnight.
The merchant decided to hide his flower, shielding its vivid petals from any curious eyes so that he alone could siphon its magic. With the vitality blossom as a resource, he vowed that he would become the most powerful man in the kingdom; he was determined to take the throne. He would start small, establish a successful career and rapport with low-ranking authorities, then he would advance in status through his connections until he was near enough to the king to cut his throat and take his crown. The merchant imagined he could get used to being called King Pulitzer.
Decades passed and Pulitzer’s plan slowly but surely came to fruition and he was eventually made the king’s advisor for revenue, sporting an impressive history of business throughout the kingdom. But just as Pulitzer was commissioning an intricate handle for the blade that would realize his life’s ambition, King Mayer and Queen Esther were announcing their first born child, an heir that would one day inherit the crown and stifle the advisor’s plans. So Pulitzer started plotting anew. He researched every plant and herb in the kingdom and the surrounding trade network to find something discreet and unassuming enough to cause a womb to stir without raising suspicion. Once he’d picked his poison, he found himself a lackey, a robust and balding man named Snyder, to do the grunt work so that it couldn’t be traced back to him and tarnish his hard-earned reputation.
Snyder was brought on as a royal gardener after some underhanded dealings and it wasn’t long after that the queen’s morning tea started tasting sweeter. In a week, the royal physician and the midwife were desperate for anything that would stabilize the queen’s condition. With the birth only a month away, search parties were sent out on missions to find a miracle. Pulitzer never thought his secret vitality blossom might be found out, let alone recognized by some upstart herbalist in one of the search parties. Apparently the flower had a deep mythology with historians and storytellers alike.
The bud was steeped into a remedy like no other and its effects were almost instantaneous. Not only was the queen’s malady cured, but a few weeks later a healthy baby boy was born with the brightest blue eyes anyone had ever seen, which his green-eyed parents cherished as a reminder of the magic that ensured the livelihood of their precious family. The kingdom rejoiced and celebrated for an entire month, and all the while Pulitzer schemed in the background. Without his vitality blossom, he gradually used up his heightened abilities and grew weak and desperate. Surely the flower's power still coursed through the infant prince’s veins, Pulitzer just had to find out how to wield it.
One night he spoke over the crib of the sleeping child and called upon the flower’s magic. Sure enough Pulitzer felt his body surge with the familiar energy, but his elation was short-lived. The baby's eyes flew open and he startled, as if woken by a sudden nightmare, and he began to cry. When he failed to console the child, Pulitzer decided to scoop up the babe and siphon a wish for swiftness to flee the castle with his precious cargo. The prince wailed louder as the power was pulled from his tiny, bundled up body until he eventually cried himself to sleep in his captor’s arms. Pulitzer employed Snyder once again to hide the child away in a refuge where none would find him, and keep watch over him between Pulitzer’s visits to recharge his magic.
The kingdom fell into pandemonium. It was nearly a year of unfruitful searching before the royal family and the rest of the kingdom finally gave up on finding the missing prince and withdrew their efforts. However, the guard across the kingdom was doubled to prevent another tragedy of such magnitude from ever happening again and Pulitzer was forced to step back to plan an alternative rise to power.
A day of observance was held on the prince’s first birthday in hopes that he might one day return. Wreaths and garlands of bright blue and pure white blossoms were hung on doors and strung across courtyards to remember the innocent life that was saved by magic only to be carried off into the night. Flower petals were scattered to the wind and waters in a brilliant cascade blown across the entire kingdom and beyond. To ward off the evil intentions that had taken the child, citizens were encouraged to give what they could. The castle poured out gifts as well so that no one would be abandoned or left wanting as was their heir. As the years passed, it became a day of gratitude and celebration, a time to cherish what you had and release what was lost.
Ignorant to the festivities in his name, the stolen heir grew up under Snyder’s watchful eyes and Pulitzer’s firm authority. He was called David – a common enough name across the kingdom – and remained locked away in a refuge, obscured from the outside world while his curiosity for it grew alongside him. He was given books to satiate his endless questions, but his inquisitive blue eyes yearned for more. He wasn't satisfied with Snyder's explanation that he was found abandoned in a ransacked wagon. Who left him there? Where did they go? Were they looking for him? What else was there to his story? And why did his birthday always bring flower petals on the breeze?
David knew the outside world was dangerous – Pulitzer and Snyder taught him to be careful of the greedy monsters that would exploit his magic and use it for evil – but he also knew that's where the answers to all his questions would be found. So he read everything he could get his hands on and read it all again and swore that one day he'd venture out of his refuge and learn the truth.