[FanFic] Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme (Chapter Five)
Title: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme (Chapter Five)
Status: WIP in collaboration with cacell
Word Count: 1785
Rating: PG-13 (subject to change)
Genre: Romance/Adventure/Drama/Angst
Characters/Pairings: Quinn, Jesse, Finn, Blaine, Wes, Karofsky, Kurt, Nick, Jeff; Fuinn (in this chapter); Klaine in future chapters
Summary: Prince Kurt has found himself falling for Blaine, a mere stablehand. Even without their distinct differences in class, love would be difficult enough--yet it is proving itself nearly impossible.
Warnings: AU taking place during the renaissance era.
Notes: Fic is based on period-crossover drawings by cacell. The accompanying illustration for this chapter is here!
Quinn looked up at the knock on her door. She smiled at the boy before her.
"You have a gentleman caller, your highness," he said with a quick, small bow.
"Thank you, Matt," she said softly. "Would you lead him in?"
The boy nodded, and turned out of the room; his presence was replaced just a few moments later as Finn walked into the sitting room.
"Hello, Finn," she smiled, gesturing to the chair opposite her. "Please, take a seat."
He settled himself across the princess. "You look beautiful," he said simply, earning a small embarrassed grin from her.
"Well, thank you," she said with a laugh. "You're very charming yourself. You weren't silly enough to come all this way just to tell me that, though, were you?"
He flashed a lopsided grin. "No," he said quickly. "I just wanted to see you. I had such a fantastic time with you the other evening."
"As did I," she said, grasping his hand in her own. "How would you fancy a walk?"
He agreed, and the couple made their way outside, the bright sun warming their skin as they walked along the garden path.
"I'm glad you came," she told him, and he squeezed her hand.
"I have to admit that your home wasn't quite what I expected for a princess," he said. "It's beautiful, of course, but..."
"But you expected a castle?" she asked him quietly, a tinge of embarrassment.
"Well, honestly, yes," he said, not understanding her sudden change in tone. "Did you come to live here after the death of your father, or-?"
She looked down at her feet. "No," she said softly. "My mother and I ran away from my father about a year ago. I know that I probably should have brought that up to you before, but it's rather mortifying, to go from a princess, an only child and next in line for the throne, to escaping the man my father was, coming here and becoming all but a commoner."
"You're still a princess by blood," he said.
"Yes," she said, "but I have no power, no throne. Certainly I have the money and the title, but it means very little when you've lost everything like I have."
"I'm very sorry," he told her.
She looked away. "I really hoped you'd never have to find out. I hate my father, but I hate what's happened to my mother and myself even more. I wanted more than anything to be queen. I really did. I still have this hope that somehow I can still find a way to return to that name and status. Instead, I'm just nothing."
Finn stopped, cupping her face in his hands. "You're not nothing," he said. "I think you're something, and that something is wonderful and beautiful. You don't need to be a queen, Quinn."
She looked disbelieving. "But it's what I want," she whispered. "It's all that makes other royalty like you desire to be with me."
"No," he told her. "I still want you more than anything."
Her eyes were still unsure, but Finn leaned in close to her, kissing her deeply, his hands still planted on either side of her face.
***
Blaine smiled down at the stray, dubbed Wesley by Jeff and Nick after he'd returned for the third night in a row. The small dog was curled up in the doorway of the stall while Blaine tended to Elizabeth, his head resting quietly in his paws. Though the dog was rarely around by day, he returned every night while Blaine groomed Elizabeth and cleaned the stables, following him to bed to have a slightly warmer place to sleep, curling up on Blaine's feet in the small quarters he shared with the other two stablehands.
Suddenly, Wesley let out a low growl, just hardly audible, and Blaine turned his direction to the dog questioningly. He walked over to him, crouching down beside him. "What is it, Wes?" he asked, but the dog continued staring just beyond Blaine.
The stablehand turned, realising as he did so that he could distinctly hear voices.
"I don't look highly upon lying, Dave."
Kurt. Blaine could easily recognise the boy's voice. He stilled himself, trying his hardest to hear each word.
"I was not aware it was untrue," came another voice. "I wasn't aware that his highness your brother was so completely daft-"
"Stop," Kurt urged. "Finn might not be the brightest but he's kind and generous, and he's sworn to put a stop the idiots who hurt and insult me like-"
"Like who, your highness?"
"Don't touch me, Karofsky," Kurt snarled. "Get-off-of-me-"
In seconds Blaine was on his feet, running to the entrance of the stables. He saw Karofsky pinning the prince angrily against the wall, angry colour in his face, the smaller boy pushing at the commander. Immediately Blaine shoved the larger boy away.
Karofsky stared at Blaine with an expression of utter disbelief. "What-?"
"His highness told you not to touch him," Blaine said boldly, breathing hard. He couldn't imagine where his sudden courage had come from as Karofsky stared down at him, substantially shorter than the commander. He swallowed, trying to keep his ground.
Karofsky was about to advance on the stablehand when he shouted in pain, and Blaine's surprise was obvious. He quickly noticed Wesley, teeth sunk into the commander's leg, growling and snarling at him.
When at last Karofsky freed his leg from the dog's grasp, he was breathing heavily, staring at Blaine, a look filled with contempt.
"That rotten mutt-"
"Get out, Karofsky," Kurt breathed, barely audible. The commander shot him an angry glance before turning on his heel, limping down the pathway between the castle and the stables.
Minutes crept by, the two boys still breathless, the tension heavy in the air. At last, Blaine turned to the prince, giving a short, anxious bow. "I apologise, your highness," he said softly.
He looked expectantly at Kurt, but the prince remained silent. After several moments, the stablehand turned to leave, but Kurt reached out to him.
"Wait," he said softly, suddenly. "I-" he paused, biting his lip. "Thank you."
Blaine smiled. "Anything for you, sire."
***
"What a good dog!" Jeff praised Wesley, holding the pup in his arms. "Biting that git? You are such a good dog."
Blaine sighed, his arms folded across his chest. "I completely stepped out of my place again," he sighed, and Jeff simply stared at him.
"Did the prince scold you for it?" he asked.
"Well, no-"
"Did he go to his majesty, the king?" Nick asked in turn, petting the dog that was still in his friend's arms.
"No, he didn't-"
Jeff asked, "Are you in the stocks-"
"Or the dungeon," Nick cut in, and Jeff nodded.
"Or the dungeon?" he agreed, handing the dog to the darker-haired boy.
"Well, no-"
"Then why are you complaining?" Nick asked.
Blaine sighed, sitting on an overturned bucket. "I'm not accustomed to this," he said frustratedly. "I'm not used to having to watch what I say and do because I'm in such close proximity with the royal family."
Jeff crouched across from Blaine. "Just because he's royalty," he said calmly, "doesn't mean that he isn't human."
"He certainly seems to think he isn't," Blaine sighed.
"He is human," Nick clarified, setting Wesley on the ground and walking over to the conversing boys, "but he's also nobility. It's a fine line that many have trouble grasping."
"But you certainly helped him out," Jeff continued. "If that good-for-nothing commander was harassing him like you said, then you did the right thing in stepping in."
"Especially then," Nick said. "Don't see it as stepping into the prince's personal business, but as saving the prince."
"I didn't save him," Blaine muttered.
"Are you serious?" Jeff asked, raising his eyebrows. "I mean, I know it's not proper to talk about the prince, but to say that nobody ever has would be a lie-not that what we say is bad," he quickly amended, seeing Blaine's face. "But you know, we are workers and servants and we are everywhere in this castle. We always manage to see something and, well... it's far from the first time that Karofsky has started crossing the line."
"Really?" Blaine asked. "I mean, what Brittany said the other day-"
"That isn't even the half of it," Nick said. "I've heard from her and Mercedes some brief happenings, but Lauren and Thad and the others have seen things as well."
"Why hasn't anything been said?" Blaine inquired furiously. "If this is a reoccurring-"
"Because Karofsky is smart," Jeff cut in. "Maybe not brilliant, but he knows when he's close to seriously crossing any line. He still knows that he is beneath the prince and he can get in a lot of trouble if anything is seen rather than heard. But honestly it's just comments and raised voices and the moment he is even close to doing something that could get himself in trouble, he stops and the apologises to his highness."
Blaine sighed. "Why is he doing this anyway?"
Jeff shrugged. "Nobody's really certain."
"I just think he's an arse," Nick bit out.
"But to target the prince?" Jeff commented, raising an eyebrow, and Nick shrugged his shoulders, so the boy turned to Blaine instead. "I mean, I can't say that I'm fond of Karofsky, but don't you ever just think that there's more to the story?"
It was Blaine's turn to shrug. "Honestly, shoving him off the prince was the first time we met, if you could call it that," he said soberly. "I can't pretend that it was the finest first impression."
"You're one to talk," Nick said with a grin, and Blaine shot him a nasty look.
"To be fair," Jeff said, though he was grinning as well, "we should have actually taught him something before running off and leaving the stables in his hands. Then he might not have made an arse of himself."
"I think he still would have managed it," Nick teased.
Blaine glared at the boys. "Thank you so much for your undying confidence in me."
Status: WIP in collaboration with cacell
Word Count: 1785
Rating: PG-13 (subject to change)
Genre: Romance/Adventure/Drama/Angst
Characters/Pairings: Quinn, Jesse, Finn, Blaine, Wes, Karofsky, Kurt, Nick, Jeff; Fuinn (in this chapter); Klaine in future chapters
Summary: Prince Kurt has found himself falling for Blaine, a mere stablehand. Even without their distinct differences in class, love would be difficult enough--yet it is proving itself nearly impossible.
Warnings: AU taking place during the renaissance era.
Notes: Fic is based on period-crossover drawings by cacell. The accompanying illustration for this chapter is here!
Quinn looked up at the knock on her door. She smiled at the boy before her.
"You have a gentleman caller, your highness," he said with a quick, small bow.
"Thank you, Matt," she said softly. "Would you lead him in?"
The boy nodded, and turned out of the room; his presence was replaced just a few moments later as Finn walked into the sitting room.
"Hello, Finn," she smiled, gesturing to the chair opposite her. "Please, take a seat."
He settled himself across the princess. "You look beautiful," he said simply, earning a small embarrassed grin from her.
"Well, thank you," she said with a laugh. "You're very charming yourself. You weren't silly enough to come all this way just to tell me that, though, were you?"
He flashed a lopsided grin. "No," he said quickly. "I just wanted to see you. I had such a fantastic time with you the other evening."
"As did I," she said, grasping his hand in her own. "How would you fancy a walk?"
He agreed, and the couple made their way outside, the bright sun warming their skin as they walked along the garden path.
"I'm glad you came," she told him, and he squeezed her hand.
"I have to admit that your home wasn't quite what I expected for a princess," he said. "It's beautiful, of course, but..."
"But you expected a castle?" she asked him quietly, a tinge of embarrassment.
"Well, honestly, yes," he said, not understanding her sudden change in tone. "Did you come to live here after the death of your father, or-?"
She looked down at her feet. "No," she said softly. "My mother and I ran away from my father about a year ago. I know that I probably should have brought that up to you before, but it's rather mortifying, to go from a princess, an only child and next in line for the throne, to escaping the man my father was, coming here and becoming all but a commoner."
"You're still a princess by blood," he said.
"Yes," she said, "but I have no power, no throne. Certainly I have the money and the title, but it means very little when you've lost everything like I have."
"I'm very sorry," he told her.
She looked away. "I really hoped you'd never have to find out. I hate my father, but I hate what's happened to my mother and myself even more. I wanted more than anything to be queen. I really did. I still have this hope that somehow I can still find a way to return to that name and status. Instead, I'm just nothing."
Finn stopped, cupping her face in his hands. "You're not nothing," he said. "I think you're something, and that something is wonderful and beautiful. You don't need to be a queen, Quinn."
She looked disbelieving. "But it's what I want," she whispered. "It's all that makes other royalty like you desire to be with me."
"No," he told her. "I still want you more than anything."
Her eyes were still unsure, but Finn leaned in close to her, kissing her deeply, his hands still planted on either side of her face.
***
Blaine smiled down at the stray, dubbed Wesley by Jeff and Nick after he'd returned for the third night in a row. The small dog was curled up in the doorway of the stall while Blaine tended to Elizabeth, his head resting quietly in his paws. Though the dog was rarely around by day, he returned every night while Blaine groomed Elizabeth and cleaned the stables, following him to bed to have a slightly warmer place to sleep, curling up on Blaine's feet in the small quarters he shared with the other two stablehands.
Suddenly, Wesley let out a low growl, just hardly audible, and Blaine turned his direction to the dog questioningly. He walked over to him, crouching down beside him. "What is it, Wes?" he asked, but the dog continued staring just beyond Blaine.
The stablehand turned, realising as he did so that he could distinctly hear voices.
"I don't look highly upon lying, Dave."
Kurt. Blaine could easily recognise the boy's voice. He stilled himself, trying his hardest to hear each word.
"I was not aware it was untrue," came another voice. "I wasn't aware that his highness your brother was so completely daft-"
"Stop," Kurt urged. "Finn might not be the brightest but he's kind and generous, and he's sworn to put a stop the idiots who hurt and insult me like-"
"Like who, your highness?"
"Don't touch me, Karofsky," Kurt snarled. "Get-off-of-me-"
In seconds Blaine was on his feet, running to the entrance of the stables. He saw Karofsky pinning the prince angrily against the wall, angry colour in his face, the smaller boy pushing at the commander. Immediately Blaine shoved the larger boy away.
Karofsky stared at Blaine with an expression of utter disbelief. "What-?"
"His highness told you not to touch him," Blaine said boldly, breathing hard. He couldn't imagine where his sudden courage had come from as Karofsky stared down at him, substantially shorter than the commander. He swallowed, trying to keep his ground.
Karofsky was about to advance on the stablehand when he shouted in pain, and Blaine's surprise was obvious. He quickly noticed Wesley, teeth sunk into the commander's leg, growling and snarling at him.
When at last Karofsky freed his leg from the dog's grasp, he was breathing heavily, staring at Blaine, a look filled with contempt.
"That rotten mutt-"
"Get out, Karofsky," Kurt breathed, barely audible. The commander shot him an angry glance before turning on his heel, limping down the pathway between the castle and the stables.
Minutes crept by, the two boys still breathless, the tension heavy in the air. At last, Blaine turned to the prince, giving a short, anxious bow. "I apologise, your highness," he said softly.
He looked expectantly at Kurt, but the prince remained silent. After several moments, the stablehand turned to leave, but Kurt reached out to him.
"Wait," he said softly, suddenly. "I-" he paused, biting his lip. "Thank you."
Blaine smiled. "Anything for you, sire."
***
"What a good dog!" Jeff praised Wesley, holding the pup in his arms. "Biting that git? You are such a good dog."
Blaine sighed, his arms folded across his chest. "I completely stepped out of my place again," he sighed, and Jeff simply stared at him.
"Did the prince scold you for it?" he asked.
"Well, no-"
"Did he go to his majesty, the king?" Nick asked in turn, petting the dog that was still in his friend's arms.
"No, he didn't-"
Jeff asked, "Are you in the stocks-"
"Or the dungeon," Nick cut in, and Jeff nodded.
"Or the dungeon?" he agreed, handing the dog to the darker-haired boy.
"Well, no-"
"Then why are you complaining?" Nick asked.
Blaine sighed, sitting on an overturned bucket. "I'm not accustomed to this," he said frustratedly. "I'm not used to having to watch what I say and do because I'm in such close proximity with the royal family."
Jeff crouched across from Blaine. "Just because he's royalty," he said calmly, "doesn't mean that he isn't human."
"He certainly seems to think he isn't," Blaine sighed.
"He is human," Nick clarified, setting Wesley on the ground and walking over to the conversing boys, "but he's also nobility. It's a fine line that many have trouble grasping."
"But you certainly helped him out," Jeff continued. "If that good-for-nothing commander was harassing him like you said, then you did the right thing in stepping in."
"Especially then," Nick said. "Don't see it as stepping into the prince's personal business, but as saving the prince."
"I didn't save him," Blaine muttered.
"Are you serious?" Jeff asked, raising his eyebrows. "I mean, I know it's not proper to talk about the prince, but to say that nobody ever has would be a lie-not that what we say is bad," he quickly amended, seeing Blaine's face. "But you know, we are workers and servants and we are everywhere in this castle. We always manage to see something and, well... it's far from the first time that Karofsky has started crossing the line."
"Really?" Blaine asked. "I mean, what Brittany said the other day-"
"That isn't even the half of it," Nick said. "I've heard from her and Mercedes some brief happenings, but Lauren and Thad and the others have seen things as well."
"Why hasn't anything been said?" Blaine inquired furiously. "If this is a reoccurring-"
"Because Karofsky is smart," Jeff cut in. "Maybe not brilliant, but he knows when he's close to seriously crossing any line. He still knows that he is beneath the prince and he can get in a lot of trouble if anything is seen rather than heard. But honestly it's just comments and raised voices and the moment he is even close to doing something that could get himself in trouble, he stops and the apologises to his highness."
Blaine sighed. "Why is he doing this anyway?"
Jeff shrugged. "Nobody's really certain."
"I just think he's an arse," Nick bit out.
"But to target the prince?" Jeff commented, raising an eyebrow, and Nick shrugged his shoulders, so the boy turned to Blaine instead. "I mean, I can't say that I'm fond of Karofsky, but don't you ever just think that there's more to the story?"
It was Blaine's turn to shrug. "Honestly, shoving him off the prince was the first time we met, if you could call it that," he said soberly. "I can't pretend that it was the finest first impression."
"You're one to talk," Nick said with a grin, and Blaine shot him a nasty look.
"To be fair," Jeff said, though he was grinning as well, "we should have actually taught him something before running off and leaving the stables in his hands. Then he might not have made an arse of himself."
"I think he still would have managed it," Nick teased.
Blaine glared at the boys. "Thank you so much for your undying confidence in me."