Rogue (2/2)
Part One
Kurt screamed. He yelled until he felt his throat tighten around his tears and the sound died as he fell to the ground.
Blaine took a step forward, only to be met by a spear pointing at his chest. A guard sneered, “Stay there, human.” Blaine put his hands up and stepped back, eyes focussed on Kurt.
After a moment, Kurt stood and stumbled his way towards the throne. He pressed his hand to his father’s face, cold and pale. His hands brushed over the shoulders of the corpse before he pressed its chest. Blood squelched out from around the sword, coating Kurt’s hands. He pulled them away quickly. “Who did this?” he whispered, watching the blood drip from his fingers.
No one answered.
“WHO DID THIS?”
“If it pleases Your Highness,” Sebastian said quietly, “it was the human knight.”
Kurt whipped his head around to glare fiercely at the man. “If it pleases me? Do you think this pleases me? My father is dead! And for you to accuse Blaine, of all people -”
“Why shouldn’t I, Your Highness?” Sebastian asked with a slight smirk and Kurt fell silent. “He’s the only one with a sword. I’m sure if you examined this one, it would turn out to be his. Besides which, what possible motive would I have to do this? Us elves are peaceful.”
Kurt closed his eyes, trying to block out what he already knew Sebastian would say. “Humans, on the other hand, are always in some state of war.”
Kurt fell to his knees in front of his father. “Lord Smythe, leave us.”
Sebastian made a quick bow to leave as Sue stepped up behind Kurt. “Your Highness, we should move him. Arrangements must be made.”
Kurt breathed, in and out.
Sue gestured to a few guards. “Take the human to the dungeons. His fate will be decided at a later time.”
“What?” Kurt cried, reaching towards Blaine.
Sue bent to whisper in Kurt’s ear, hands curling into his shoulder. “He has murdered your father.”
Blaine’s eyes were wet and pleading as Kurt looked up at him, urging him not to believe Sue.
“Are you really trusting a human over an elf with status? You are king now. Is this how you will start your reign? By inciting distrust from your people by not making the human who killed their king pay the consequences?”
Sighing heavily, Kurt rested his hand on the knee of his father. His leg sagged under the weight of his hand. Standing, Kurt reached out and gently closed his father’s eyes. He could have been sleeping.
“Take him away.”
**
Sue pulled Kurt from the throne room as soon as his father had been removed, covered in a white sheet and atop the shoulders of four guards. Kurt let himself be guided through the castle towards the council room. Kurt could barely see the walls in front of him, tapestries of gold and silver lining the halls. His vision had blurred and his mind was fuzzy. The only thing keeping him upright was Sue’s tight grip on his wrist, yanking him forward and forcing his feet in front of the other.
He was dimly aware of Sue pushing the door to the council room open and stuffing him into a chair. Suddenly, a glass of cold water was being pressed into his hand and little droplets of condensation wet his hands, running through the blood that had dried on them.
“Your Highness.”
Silence.
“Kurt.”
As Sue came into view, Kurt realized that his eyes had been close.
“Your Highness, I know that this is a terribly difficult time for you, but we have much to discuss.”
“ I don’t feel very much like talking,” Kurt mumbled, wiping a hand under his eyes to mop the dried trails of his tears.
“Fine then, I will talk and you will listen.” Sue dropped into a chair opposite the table from Kurt and folded her hands in front of her. “First things first, I will take care of your father’s funeral arrangements. It shall be in a fortnight and you shall be married in another month after that.”
“Married!” Kurt cried. “And I suppose you think I should marry Lord Smythe.”
“Well, who else? With those hips, no one’s knocking down the palace doors to be your king.”
Kurt placed both hands on the desk and leaned towards Sue. “I want to change the law. I want to be coronated without a husband.”
“You can’t,” Sue sighed, shaking her head.
“Of course I can! I am the king!”
“Not without a husband, you’re not!”
Kurt sat back in his chair, stunned. “What... what happens if I refuse to be married?”
Sue shrugged. “It would go to the next in line to the throne. That’s Duke Schuster.”
“That conservative sleazebag?” Kurt scoffed, “I’d rather die.”
“You mean you’d rather marry.” Sue’s smile twisted across her face and Kurt knew that there was no way he could win this battle. His shoulders slumped as he closed his eyes and dropped his head into his hands.
“Does it have to be Smythe?”
“Well, it sure can’t be Sir Doe Eyes, I can tell you that.”
Kurt’s head snapped up. “You know about us?”
“Porcelain, I know about everything that goes on in this castle.” When Kurt said nothing, she reached out and awkwardly patted his hand, tapping it lightly on the fingertips. “You probably think you love him and you imagine having little gaybies when you’re older but you need to realize a few things. For one, you’re a Prince. You need to do what’s best for your kingdom. Two, he’s a human. That is a giant black mark against him. Inter-species marriage is prohibited by the Act. He’s not pure like us, Kurt. The public wouldn’t accept him. And three,” Sue paused and took a deep breath. “And three, he’s committed grave treason. He will be executed tomorrow.”
“He didn’t do it!”
“It sure does look that way. I examined that sword and it was the one that you and your father had given him when he received his knighthood. Besides that, Sebastian has no motive to kill your father. His position as a lord and as an elf means we must take his word over that of a human knight.”
"You can't kill him!" Kurt yelled.
Sue was calm. "I can't," she agreed. "But you must."
**
Kurt resolved to see Blaine that night, to spend one last moment with him before he was forced to sentence him to death.
He hated to think of sweet, strong Blaine alone in the damp dungeon, the chilled air slowly sinking into his skin and down into his bones.
Kurt knew in his heart that Blaine could have never killed his father and hurt him like this. He knew that Blaine thought of Burt like a father as much as Kurt did.
King Burt had always been a sympathizer of humans, a philosophy that Kurt's grandfather had frowned upon and that had alienated Lima from some of its surrounding kingdoms. Kurt, however, shared his father's views especially since he had met Blaine.
Blaine had come to Lima many years ago from the predominantly human kingdom of Westerville. He was the second son of a noble in title only. Blaine's older brother had decided to carve his path as a thespian and, after realizing that the clergy did not suit him, decided to pursue a knighthood. A perilous hunting trip brought Blaine to Kurt while he was facing a bear with a broken bow. Blaine had fearlessly slain the beast before it could attack Kurt.
Kurt ran his fingers over the green cloak that Blaine had given him that night when he had covered him with it, wrapping him in its warmth. Blaine’s concern as well as his actions had pushed Kurt to ask Blaine back to Lima to join in his guard.
As soon as Kurt entered the hallway to his cell, Blaine rushed to the steel bars that kept him holed up in the dungeon. “Your Highness!” he yelled, as the two guards flanking his cell prodded him backwards with the back ends of their spears.
Kurt nodded to them and pointed to the doors. Both the guards bowed and silently exited.
Blaine's breath rushed out as he pushed his hands through the bar. "Kurt, please, you have to believe me! I didn't do it!"
“I believe you, Blaine,” Kurt assured him quietly, threading his fingers through the other man’s.
“I loved your father, Kurt. I really did. And I could never, ever do this to you.”
“I know, Blaine.”
“You... You know?”
Kurt squeezed Blaine’s hands in his. “I’m sorry I threw you in prison.”
Blaine’s eyes were wide and earnest as he pressed himself onto the bars and stretched his hands out to cup Kurt’s face. “I understand, love. It’s easier for Lima to blame me than Lord Smythe. As long as you know that it wasn’t me, I’ll be okay.”
The earnest look in Blaine’s eyes cut across Kurt’s heart and lodged deep into his stomach. “Blaine,” he blubbered, and Blaine was wiping his tears away from his cheeks. “Blaine, you’re not going to be okay.”
“No, no, Kurt, it’ll be fine. I’m going to be here for a long time, but you’ll still visit, right?”
Kurt pressed his hands on top of Blaine’s and shook his head. “Blaine. Tomorrow, I have to sentence you to execution.”
Blaine’s hands dropped from his face. “What?” he whispered.
“They’re forcing me, I... You... Blaine, they think you committed treason. The punishment is death.”
“I didn’t do it.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t do it! I heard him talking to the king about you, about marrying you, and I couldn’t stop myself Kurt, I started yelling and he was yelling and the king was trying to calm us down and everything was loud and confusing and suddenly my sword was out but Smythe had grabbed it from my hilt and Burt was in front of me, I didn’t do it!”
Kurt grabbed Blaine’s hands and held them to his heart. “Blaine, listen. Listen to me. I believe you. I know you, and you would never do this. I have a plan.”
Kurt unravelled the string of the cloak from around his neck and pulled a key from his belt. He fit the key into the lock on Blaine’s cell bars and twisted, smiling slightly at the click. “Here,” he said, pushing the bars away and pulling Blaine towards him. He furled the cloak around Blaine’s shoulders and tied it tightly. “Take this, and go to Dalton. The reason you are to be executed is because Lord Smythe has no motive and, well, your species stands against you.”
He smoothed his hands over the cloak, tucking it closer.
“And you?” Blaine asked, staying his hands.
“I am going to get coronated -”
“And by coronated, you mean married.”
Kurt shut his eyes briefly before sighing. “I am going to get coronated and you are going to go to Dalton and find out everything you can about Sebastian Smythe. I know he killed my father. I want him punished. I just need to know why he did it.”
Blaine pulled Kurt into his arms and buried his face in his neck. “I don’t want to leave you, Kurt.”
After pressing a gentle kiss on Blaine’s temple, Kurt whispered, “Please do this for me, Blaine.”
They stood for a moment, swaying slightly, and Blaine nodded.
“Come,” Kurt said, “let’s get you out of here.”
Kurt led Blaine further into the hallway and away from the entrance until they came to a small barred door. He pushed on the gate, leaning heavily on it, and it creaked open. He grabbed Blaine’s hand and they ran forward over the hills that surrounded the castle until they were sure that no one would see them.
Blaine put the cloak’s hood up and smiled grimly. “I won’t write.”
“Be safe.” Kurt cupped Blaine’s chin in his hand and kissed him softly. “Come back soon.”
Blaine turned away with one last glance back at Kurt and then ran off into the distance. Kurt waited until Blaine was barely a speck on the horizon of the rising sun before turning and heading back towards the castle.
**
The castle had been in uproar when it was discovered that Blaine had escaped in the night. No one suspected Kurt of anything, even when he insisted that the guards first search Westerville for the fugitive, Blaine’s home kingdom which was on the opposite side of Dalton. The search had been going on for weeks and there had yet to be any word of the knight.
One on hand, Kurt was glad that the Guard had not found him yet. But Kurt missed Blaine fiercely; he missed their talks, the way their hands linked together, or when they brushed shoulders accidentally on purpose when in public.
Both Sue and Sebastian had been hounding Kurt to begin preparations for his coronation and subsequently his pending marriage with Sebastian. After the late king’s funeral, Kurt had agreed to Sebastian’s offer by adding the condition that he wait for Kurt to be ready to marry. In mourning for his father, Kurt was in no shape to even begin preparations for a wedding, much less a coronation.
Every night, Sebastian asked Kurt if was ready to get married and every night, Kurt said no. The two would part ways to their individual rooms and Kurt would burn through candles as he poured over the laws of Lima, searching for a loophole that would save him and Blaine.
His search so far had not yielded any results. He was constantly rebuffed by the Inter-Species Marriage Act. Kurt hated that his grandfather had been so close-minded that he had put into the law into effect. The Act banned marriages between different species and though elves and humans were quite similar, there were still drastic ways that they were very different. Besides the pointed ears that defined each elf, their metabolism was better suited to greens over meat and worked quickly so that they were always thin.
The rules for the marriage of a prince or princess were quite clear as well. The intended of a royal must be of noble standing and of good character with a clear record. He or she must be well versed in the customs of Lima and must always put the royal and the kingdom above him or herself.
Forty days had passed since the king’s funeral and fifty days since Blaine had escape and Kurt was running out of reasons to refuse Sebastian. Kurt knew that his people needed a cause to rally behind, a new king. Perhaps a celebration would lift their spirits.
“Your Highness,” Sebastian asked as he caught up with Kurt as he retired to his room. “Are you ready to consider my petition?”
“You still want to marry me, Lord Smythe?” Kurt asked, as he did every night.
Sebastian followed him, walking him to his room. “Yes, your Highness.”
“Well.” Kurt stopped. “An appropriate time has passed, I suppose. Okay.”
The lord’s jaw dropped. “Really?”
Kurt sighed. “I suppose I must, if I were to believe you and Advisor Sue. Tomorrow morning, we shall meet and begin planning.”
That night, Kurt slowly closed all his research books and put them back on his bookshelf. They were of no help anymore. He could only hope that Blaine would come through for him.
**
Kurt, Sebastian, and Chief Advisor Sue met after breakfast in the council room. The engagement had been announced in the morning, much to the delight of the kingdom. Kurt could no longer put off the planning. Sue had already drafted plans for both the wedding and the coronation that were so detailed that Kurt wondered if she had just made them up or if she had had them since Sebastian first announced his petition.
“Which one would you like, darling?” Sebastian asked, reaching over his armrest to drape his arm around Kurt’s back.
Kurt glared at him. “Let us be clear, Lord Smythe,” he gritted out, looking pointedly to the arm. “This is not a love match and it is barely a marriage of convenience. It is a marriage of necessity as I need to become king. You are simply here.”
Sebastian retracted his arm and Kurt nodded, satisfied. He pulled Sue’s documents towards him and quickly scanned them. None of them were particularly close to his dream wedding but then again, none of them featured Blaine either.
He chose one at random and then scanned the coronation plans. He picked the shortest ceremony and then pushed both options back towards Sue. “These two. And I want them both on the same day.”
Sue hesitated, accepting both sheets of paper. “That’s not usually done, Your Highness.”
“I want it done that way. I will get married and then I want to be coronated immediately after. End of story.”
Nodding, she excused herself to begin preparations for the celebration that would take place in a fortnight.
“What was that?” Sebastian demanded.
“What?”
“I don’t get a say?”
Kurt pressed his fingertips into his temples, already frustrated with his fiancé. He could only imagine how the marriage would turn out. “Lord Smythe, your petition has been answered favourably. I will admit that I do not particularly want to marry you. The least you could do is afford me control over the actual ceremony. The most you could do is leave me alone until our wedding day. I shall see you at the altar.”
**
Without his research project, Kurt was able to throw himself into the care of his kingdom and subjects during the days before his wedding. He listened to their grievances and visited their farms. One poor farmer named Sam Evans even invited him to share his table after harvesting. To return the favour, Kurt told him that Sam would have a place at his wedding dinner.
Unfortunately, with all the distractions, the big day arrived much more quickly than Kurt had anticipated. He woke up on the morning of his wedding disgruntled and tired. All night he had had nightmares about the impending doom that this marriage was sure to bring.
His regular attendants along with a few specialists of the beauty trade met him after his bath. He allowed them to poke and prod him, style his hair, and dress him in a soft white tunic and black baggy breeches.
A small guard led him to the throne room where the wedding would take place. Traditionally, his father would have met him at the door and would have walked him to meet Sebastian at the front of the room. Today, he was forced to walk alone.
The people who were in attendance were overjoyed. They cheered as Kurt passed them and he automatically smiled, lifting a hand to wave at them. The hall was beautifully decorated with Kurt’s favourite field flower providing lovely accents. The happiness in the room boosted his spirits a little.
Kurt resisted the urge to grimace when he saw Sebastian already at the altar, smirking. He quickened his pace to reach his spot beside the lord. Instead of grabbing Sebastian’s hand and turning to face him, he remained facing the priest, gesturing for him to begin.
“We are gathered here before the Gods to witness the marriage between His Highness Kurt Hummel, Prince of Lima and Lord Sebastian Smythe of Westerville. Should anyone object to this union, please step forward and present your case or else we shall proceed.”
Kurt’s eyes drifted to the door. When it did not open, Kurt sighed and turned back to the priest. He shut his eyes and let the words wash over him, not really listening to what was being said. The priest, after some time, passed him a chalice of wine and he drank from it before thrusting it to Sebastian. The priest pronounced them husbands. Sebastian leaned in to kiss him and Kurt’s lips involuntarily curled as he stepped back.
He offered a hand for Sebastian to shake instead.
The priest led him towards the throne and he knelt in front of it, bowing his head. Sebastian stood back at the altar.
“Now that he is married,” intoned the priest, “Kurt Hummel is now legally able to ascend to the throne of Lima.” A small boy carried his father’s crown on a red velvet pillow and he held it out to be priest. The clergyman lifted the crown over Kurt’s head and asked, “Kurt Hummel, will you, as King of Lima, protect the elves of Lima in all of your capacity?”
Kurt took a deep breath, his exhale releasing the tension in his back. He smiled. This was who he was, a ruler of Lima. He was ready for this. “I will.”
“Will you always put your people first and before your own needs?”
“I will.”
“Will you always act in good faith and with good character that is expected of a king?”
“I will.”
“Swear to the gods that you understand your position, privilege, and duty.”
“I swear.”
As the priest lowered the crown on to Kurt’s head, his people began to cheer. He stood and faced them, raising his arms as if he was trying to embrace them all. The priest placed his father’s court cloak over his shoulders and Kurt swept it to his side as he sat on the throne.
“All hail the King!” the priest called out.
“All hail the King!” the crowd replied. The call repeated for a few minutes until it finally dissolved into cheering.
Kurt raised his arms and stood, waiting for the crowd to calm down. “Citizens of Lima,” he said into the silence, “I am honoured today to have this crown, my father’s crown, on my head. I am ready to be your -”
The door to the throne room was pushed open quickly, interrupting Kurt in the middle of his speech. “Stop this wedding!”
Kurt’s jaw dropped as Blaine burst through the door, panting.
“Arrest that human!” Sue yelled, pointing at him. Kurt lifted a hand to stay them and they all froze.
“Wait.” He gestured to Blaine to approach them. Blaine scrambled to throne, a bright smile shining on his face before he noticed the crown on Kurt’s head.
“Kurt...”
“You’re too late, Blaine,” Kurt whispered. “I waited as long as I could.”
“No! No, wait!” He turned towards the crowd. “This marriage must be annulled. Sebastian Smythe is a crook!”
Scattered gasps rippled through the crowd and their murmuring sounded like buzzing in Kurt’s ears.
Sebastian strode forward, pushing Blaine in the back and making him stumble. “How dare you!”
“How dare I?” Blaine laughed. “How dare you! Citizens of Lima, it was not I who killed beloved King Burt but this elf, Sebastian Smythe, who stands here before you. I have travelled to Sebastian’s home kingdom of Dalton where I was surprised to learn that while once he had been nobility, his title had been stripped from him due to treasonous actions there.
“Sebastian was found guilty one year ago of killing the heir to the Dalton throne by putting poisonous herbs in his dinner in order for the younger son to become the new heir. His land, wealth, and title were all taken from him and he was banished for regicide. It was discovered that Sebastian had always planned to come here and commit his terrible act in order to weasel his way onto the throne before attacking Dalton with our forces.”
Kurt was smiling so hard his cheeks were hurting as Blaine turned towards him. “Your Highness, I present to you three witnesses who are willing to corroborate my story.” Blaine gestured to the throne room door where three unfamiliar elves stood, fidgeting nervously.
“Sebastian Smythe,” Kurt sneered. “Kneel before me.”
Seeming to realize that his plan had been discovered, Sebastian dropped to his knees in front of Kurt.
“In light of the evidence presented to me by Sir Blaine Anderson, and in anticipation of the stories of the witnesses, I find you guilty of the murder of King Burt of Lima, of treason, and of conspiracy. Do you have anything to say in defense?”
“Only that if a barbaric human’s word is taken over an elf’s in this kingdom, then it is weak and does not deserve me here.”
“Your tarnished name and false reputation make you unworthy to be the consort of a royal of Lima. I hereby annul our marriage. On the order of your crimes, I sentence you to death by beheading, to take place at a time yet to be determined.” He gestured to the guards who marched up and swept Sebastian up his arms. “Take this man to the dungeons. I will deal with him tomorrow.”
After Sebastian was dragged kicking and screaming from the throne room, Kurt turned to his people. “Citizens, please stay and enjoy the feast. Though the wedding has been annulled, I still want to celebrate my coronation with all of you.”
As the people resettled at their tables, Kurt removed his cloak and set it on his throne before discreetly gesturing to Blaine. He led the knight out the side doors to the entrance hallway and pulled him into a small alcove where they could not be seen.
Kurt caught Blaine in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“I’m sorry I was so late.”
“I’d say you were right on time, actually.”
After months of missing him, Kurt was finally able to kiss Blaine and to hold him tight against his chest. “Oh Blaine, I’m so proud to be with you.”
Blaine cupped Kurt’s cheeks in his palms and leaned their foreheads together. “I hope so,” he whispered. “I want you to be.”
Kurt screamed. He yelled until he felt his throat tighten around his tears and the sound died as he fell to the ground.
Blaine took a step forward, only to be met by a spear pointing at his chest. A guard sneered, “Stay there, human.” Blaine put his hands up and stepped back, eyes focussed on Kurt.
After a moment, Kurt stood and stumbled his way towards the throne. He pressed his hand to his father’s face, cold and pale. His hands brushed over the shoulders of the corpse before he pressed its chest. Blood squelched out from around the sword, coating Kurt’s hands. He pulled them away quickly. “Who did this?” he whispered, watching the blood drip from his fingers.
No one answered.
“WHO DID THIS?”
“If it pleases Your Highness,” Sebastian said quietly, “it was the human knight.”
Kurt whipped his head around to glare fiercely at the man. “If it pleases me? Do you think this pleases me? My father is dead! And for you to accuse Blaine, of all people -”
“Why shouldn’t I, Your Highness?” Sebastian asked with a slight smirk and Kurt fell silent. “He’s the only one with a sword. I’m sure if you examined this one, it would turn out to be his. Besides which, what possible motive would I have to do this? Us elves are peaceful.”
Kurt closed his eyes, trying to block out what he already knew Sebastian would say. “Humans, on the other hand, are always in some state of war.”
Kurt fell to his knees in front of his father. “Lord Smythe, leave us.”
Sebastian made a quick bow to leave as Sue stepped up behind Kurt. “Your Highness, we should move him. Arrangements must be made.”
Kurt breathed, in and out.
Sue gestured to a few guards. “Take the human to the dungeons. His fate will be decided at a later time.”
“What?” Kurt cried, reaching towards Blaine.
Sue bent to whisper in Kurt’s ear, hands curling into his shoulder. “He has murdered your father.”
Blaine’s eyes were wet and pleading as Kurt looked up at him, urging him not to believe Sue.
“Are you really trusting a human over an elf with status? You are king now. Is this how you will start your reign? By inciting distrust from your people by not making the human who killed their king pay the consequences?”
Sighing heavily, Kurt rested his hand on the knee of his father. His leg sagged under the weight of his hand. Standing, Kurt reached out and gently closed his father’s eyes. He could have been sleeping.
“Take him away.”
**
Sue pulled Kurt from the throne room as soon as his father had been removed, covered in a white sheet and atop the shoulders of four guards. Kurt let himself be guided through the castle towards the council room. Kurt could barely see the walls in front of him, tapestries of gold and silver lining the halls. His vision had blurred and his mind was fuzzy. The only thing keeping him upright was Sue’s tight grip on his wrist, yanking him forward and forcing his feet in front of the other.
He was dimly aware of Sue pushing the door to the council room open and stuffing him into a chair. Suddenly, a glass of cold water was being pressed into his hand and little droplets of condensation wet his hands, running through the blood that had dried on them.
“Your Highness.”
Silence.
“Kurt.”
As Sue came into view, Kurt realized that his eyes had been close.
“Your Highness, I know that this is a terribly difficult time for you, but we have much to discuss.”
“ I don’t feel very much like talking,” Kurt mumbled, wiping a hand under his eyes to mop the dried trails of his tears.
“Fine then, I will talk and you will listen.” Sue dropped into a chair opposite the table from Kurt and folded her hands in front of her. “First things first, I will take care of your father’s funeral arrangements. It shall be in a fortnight and you shall be married in another month after that.”
“Married!” Kurt cried. “And I suppose you think I should marry Lord Smythe.”
“Well, who else? With those hips, no one’s knocking down the palace doors to be your king.”
Kurt placed both hands on the desk and leaned towards Sue. “I want to change the law. I want to be coronated without a husband.”
“You can’t,” Sue sighed, shaking her head.
“Of course I can! I am the king!”
“Not without a husband, you’re not!”
Kurt sat back in his chair, stunned. “What... what happens if I refuse to be married?”
Sue shrugged. “It would go to the next in line to the throne. That’s Duke Schuster.”
“That conservative sleazebag?” Kurt scoffed, “I’d rather die.”
“You mean you’d rather marry.” Sue’s smile twisted across her face and Kurt knew that there was no way he could win this battle. His shoulders slumped as he closed his eyes and dropped his head into his hands.
“Does it have to be Smythe?”
“Well, it sure can’t be Sir Doe Eyes, I can tell you that.”
Kurt’s head snapped up. “You know about us?”
“Porcelain, I know about everything that goes on in this castle.” When Kurt said nothing, she reached out and awkwardly patted his hand, tapping it lightly on the fingertips. “You probably think you love him and you imagine having little gaybies when you’re older but you need to realize a few things. For one, you’re a Prince. You need to do what’s best for your kingdom. Two, he’s a human. That is a giant black mark against him. Inter-species marriage is prohibited by the Act. He’s not pure like us, Kurt. The public wouldn’t accept him. And three,” Sue paused and took a deep breath. “And three, he’s committed grave treason. He will be executed tomorrow.”
“He didn’t do it!”
“It sure does look that way. I examined that sword and it was the one that you and your father had given him when he received his knighthood. Besides that, Sebastian has no motive to kill your father. His position as a lord and as an elf means we must take his word over that of a human knight.”
"You can't kill him!" Kurt yelled.
Sue was calm. "I can't," she agreed. "But you must."
**
Kurt resolved to see Blaine that night, to spend one last moment with him before he was forced to sentence him to death.
He hated to think of sweet, strong Blaine alone in the damp dungeon, the chilled air slowly sinking into his skin and down into his bones.
Kurt knew in his heart that Blaine could have never killed his father and hurt him like this. He knew that Blaine thought of Burt like a father as much as Kurt did.
King Burt had always been a sympathizer of humans, a philosophy that Kurt's grandfather had frowned upon and that had alienated Lima from some of its surrounding kingdoms. Kurt, however, shared his father's views especially since he had met Blaine.
Blaine had come to Lima many years ago from the predominantly human kingdom of Westerville. He was the second son of a noble in title only. Blaine's older brother had decided to carve his path as a thespian and, after realizing that the clergy did not suit him, decided to pursue a knighthood. A perilous hunting trip brought Blaine to Kurt while he was facing a bear with a broken bow. Blaine had fearlessly slain the beast before it could attack Kurt.
Kurt ran his fingers over the green cloak that Blaine had given him that night when he had covered him with it, wrapping him in its warmth. Blaine’s concern as well as his actions had pushed Kurt to ask Blaine back to Lima to join in his guard.
As soon as Kurt entered the hallway to his cell, Blaine rushed to the steel bars that kept him holed up in the dungeon. “Your Highness!” he yelled, as the two guards flanking his cell prodded him backwards with the back ends of their spears.
Kurt nodded to them and pointed to the doors. Both the guards bowed and silently exited.
Blaine's breath rushed out as he pushed his hands through the bar. "Kurt, please, you have to believe me! I didn't do it!"
“I believe you, Blaine,” Kurt assured him quietly, threading his fingers through the other man’s.
“I loved your father, Kurt. I really did. And I could never, ever do this to you.”
“I know, Blaine.”
“You... You know?”
Kurt squeezed Blaine’s hands in his. “I’m sorry I threw you in prison.”
Blaine’s eyes were wide and earnest as he pressed himself onto the bars and stretched his hands out to cup Kurt’s face. “I understand, love. It’s easier for Lima to blame me than Lord Smythe. As long as you know that it wasn’t me, I’ll be okay.”
The earnest look in Blaine’s eyes cut across Kurt’s heart and lodged deep into his stomach. “Blaine,” he blubbered, and Blaine was wiping his tears away from his cheeks. “Blaine, you’re not going to be okay.”
“No, no, Kurt, it’ll be fine. I’m going to be here for a long time, but you’ll still visit, right?”
Kurt pressed his hands on top of Blaine’s and shook his head. “Blaine. Tomorrow, I have to sentence you to execution.”
Blaine’s hands dropped from his face. “What?” he whispered.
“They’re forcing me, I... You... Blaine, they think you committed treason. The punishment is death.”
“I didn’t do it.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t do it! I heard him talking to the king about you, about marrying you, and I couldn’t stop myself Kurt, I started yelling and he was yelling and the king was trying to calm us down and everything was loud and confusing and suddenly my sword was out but Smythe had grabbed it from my hilt and Burt was in front of me, I didn’t do it!”
Kurt grabbed Blaine’s hands and held them to his heart. “Blaine, listen. Listen to me. I believe you. I know you, and you would never do this. I have a plan.”
Kurt unravelled the string of the cloak from around his neck and pulled a key from his belt. He fit the key into the lock on Blaine’s cell bars and twisted, smiling slightly at the click. “Here,” he said, pushing the bars away and pulling Blaine towards him. He furled the cloak around Blaine’s shoulders and tied it tightly. “Take this, and go to Dalton. The reason you are to be executed is because Lord Smythe has no motive and, well, your species stands against you.”
He smoothed his hands over the cloak, tucking it closer.
“And you?” Blaine asked, staying his hands.
“I am going to get coronated -”
“And by coronated, you mean married.”
Kurt shut his eyes briefly before sighing. “I am going to get coronated and you are going to go to Dalton and find out everything you can about Sebastian Smythe. I know he killed my father. I want him punished. I just need to know why he did it.”
Blaine pulled Kurt into his arms and buried his face in his neck. “I don’t want to leave you, Kurt.”
After pressing a gentle kiss on Blaine’s temple, Kurt whispered, “Please do this for me, Blaine.”
They stood for a moment, swaying slightly, and Blaine nodded.
“Come,” Kurt said, “let’s get you out of here.”
Kurt led Blaine further into the hallway and away from the entrance until they came to a small barred door. He pushed on the gate, leaning heavily on it, and it creaked open. He grabbed Blaine’s hand and they ran forward over the hills that surrounded the castle until they were sure that no one would see them.
Blaine put the cloak’s hood up and smiled grimly. “I won’t write.”
“Be safe.” Kurt cupped Blaine’s chin in his hand and kissed him softly. “Come back soon.”
Blaine turned away with one last glance back at Kurt and then ran off into the distance. Kurt waited until Blaine was barely a speck on the horizon of the rising sun before turning and heading back towards the castle.
**
The castle had been in uproar when it was discovered that Blaine had escaped in the night. No one suspected Kurt of anything, even when he insisted that the guards first search Westerville for the fugitive, Blaine’s home kingdom which was on the opposite side of Dalton. The search had been going on for weeks and there had yet to be any word of the knight.
One on hand, Kurt was glad that the Guard had not found him yet. But Kurt missed Blaine fiercely; he missed their talks, the way their hands linked together, or when they brushed shoulders accidentally on purpose when in public.
Both Sue and Sebastian had been hounding Kurt to begin preparations for his coronation and subsequently his pending marriage with Sebastian. After the late king’s funeral, Kurt had agreed to Sebastian’s offer by adding the condition that he wait for Kurt to be ready to marry. In mourning for his father, Kurt was in no shape to even begin preparations for a wedding, much less a coronation.
Every night, Sebastian asked Kurt if was ready to get married and every night, Kurt said no. The two would part ways to their individual rooms and Kurt would burn through candles as he poured over the laws of Lima, searching for a loophole that would save him and Blaine.
His search so far had not yielded any results. He was constantly rebuffed by the Inter-Species Marriage Act. Kurt hated that his grandfather had been so close-minded that he had put into the law into effect. The Act banned marriages between different species and though elves and humans were quite similar, there were still drastic ways that they were very different. Besides the pointed ears that defined each elf, their metabolism was better suited to greens over meat and worked quickly so that they were always thin.
The rules for the marriage of a prince or princess were quite clear as well. The intended of a royal must be of noble standing and of good character with a clear record. He or she must be well versed in the customs of Lima and must always put the royal and the kingdom above him or herself.
Forty days had passed since the king’s funeral and fifty days since Blaine had escape and Kurt was running out of reasons to refuse Sebastian. Kurt knew that his people needed a cause to rally behind, a new king. Perhaps a celebration would lift their spirits.
“Your Highness,” Sebastian asked as he caught up with Kurt as he retired to his room. “Are you ready to consider my petition?”
“You still want to marry me, Lord Smythe?” Kurt asked, as he did every night.
Sebastian followed him, walking him to his room. “Yes, your Highness.”
“Well.” Kurt stopped. “An appropriate time has passed, I suppose. Okay.”
The lord’s jaw dropped. “Really?”
Kurt sighed. “I suppose I must, if I were to believe you and Advisor Sue. Tomorrow morning, we shall meet and begin planning.”
That night, Kurt slowly closed all his research books and put them back on his bookshelf. They were of no help anymore. He could only hope that Blaine would come through for him.
**
Kurt, Sebastian, and Chief Advisor Sue met after breakfast in the council room. The engagement had been announced in the morning, much to the delight of the kingdom. Kurt could no longer put off the planning. Sue had already drafted plans for both the wedding and the coronation that were so detailed that Kurt wondered if she had just made them up or if she had had them since Sebastian first announced his petition.
“Which one would you like, darling?” Sebastian asked, reaching over his armrest to drape his arm around Kurt’s back.
Kurt glared at him. “Let us be clear, Lord Smythe,” he gritted out, looking pointedly to the arm. “This is not a love match and it is barely a marriage of convenience. It is a marriage of necessity as I need to become king. You are simply here.”
Sebastian retracted his arm and Kurt nodded, satisfied. He pulled Sue’s documents towards him and quickly scanned them. None of them were particularly close to his dream wedding but then again, none of them featured Blaine either.
He chose one at random and then scanned the coronation plans. He picked the shortest ceremony and then pushed both options back towards Sue. “These two. And I want them both on the same day.”
Sue hesitated, accepting both sheets of paper. “That’s not usually done, Your Highness.”
“I want it done that way. I will get married and then I want to be coronated immediately after. End of story.”
Nodding, she excused herself to begin preparations for the celebration that would take place in a fortnight.
“What was that?” Sebastian demanded.
“What?”
“I don’t get a say?”
Kurt pressed his fingertips into his temples, already frustrated with his fiancé. He could only imagine how the marriage would turn out. “Lord Smythe, your petition has been answered favourably. I will admit that I do not particularly want to marry you. The least you could do is afford me control over the actual ceremony. The most you could do is leave me alone until our wedding day. I shall see you at the altar.”
**
Without his research project, Kurt was able to throw himself into the care of his kingdom and subjects during the days before his wedding. He listened to their grievances and visited their farms. One poor farmer named Sam Evans even invited him to share his table after harvesting. To return the favour, Kurt told him that Sam would have a place at his wedding dinner.
Unfortunately, with all the distractions, the big day arrived much more quickly than Kurt had anticipated. He woke up on the morning of his wedding disgruntled and tired. All night he had had nightmares about the impending doom that this marriage was sure to bring.
His regular attendants along with a few specialists of the beauty trade met him after his bath. He allowed them to poke and prod him, style his hair, and dress him in a soft white tunic and black baggy breeches.
A small guard led him to the throne room where the wedding would take place. Traditionally, his father would have met him at the door and would have walked him to meet Sebastian at the front of the room. Today, he was forced to walk alone.
The people who were in attendance were overjoyed. They cheered as Kurt passed them and he automatically smiled, lifting a hand to wave at them. The hall was beautifully decorated with Kurt’s favourite field flower providing lovely accents. The happiness in the room boosted his spirits a little.
Kurt resisted the urge to grimace when he saw Sebastian already at the altar, smirking. He quickened his pace to reach his spot beside the lord. Instead of grabbing Sebastian’s hand and turning to face him, he remained facing the priest, gesturing for him to begin.
“We are gathered here before the Gods to witness the marriage between His Highness Kurt Hummel, Prince of Lima and Lord Sebastian Smythe of Westerville. Should anyone object to this union, please step forward and present your case or else we shall proceed.”
Kurt’s eyes drifted to the door. When it did not open, Kurt sighed and turned back to the priest. He shut his eyes and let the words wash over him, not really listening to what was being said. The priest, after some time, passed him a chalice of wine and he drank from it before thrusting it to Sebastian. The priest pronounced them husbands. Sebastian leaned in to kiss him and Kurt’s lips involuntarily curled as he stepped back.
He offered a hand for Sebastian to shake instead.
The priest led him towards the throne and he knelt in front of it, bowing his head. Sebastian stood back at the altar.
“Now that he is married,” intoned the priest, “Kurt Hummel is now legally able to ascend to the throne of Lima.” A small boy carried his father’s crown on a red velvet pillow and he held it out to be priest. The clergyman lifted the crown over Kurt’s head and asked, “Kurt Hummel, will you, as King of Lima, protect the elves of Lima in all of your capacity?”
Kurt took a deep breath, his exhale releasing the tension in his back. He smiled. This was who he was, a ruler of Lima. He was ready for this. “I will.”
“Will you always put your people first and before your own needs?”
“I will.”
“Will you always act in good faith and with good character that is expected of a king?”
“I will.”
“Swear to the gods that you understand your position, privilege, and duty.”
“I swear.”
As the priest lowered the crown on to Kurt’s head, his people began to cheer. He stood and faced them, raising his arms as if he was trying to embrace them all. The priest placed his father’s court cloak over his shoulders and Kurt swept it to his side as he sat on the throne.
“All hail the King!” the priest called out.
“All hail the King!” the crowd replied. The call repeated for a few minutes until it finally dissolved into cheering.
Kurt raised his arms and stood, waiting for the crowd to calm down. “Citizens of Lima,” he said into the silence, “I am honoured today to have this crown, my father’s crown, on my head. I am ready to be your -”
The door to the throne room was pushed open quickly, interrupting Kurt in the middle of his speech. “Stop this wedding!”
Kurt’s jaw dropped as Blaine burst through the door, panting.
“Arrest that human!” Sue yelled, pointing at him. Kurt lifted a hand to stay them and they all froze.
“Wait.” He gestured to Blaine to approach them. Blaine scrambled to throne, a bright smile shining on his face before he noticed the crown on Kurt’s head.
“Kurt...”
“You’re too late, Blaine,” Kurt whispered. “I waited as long as I could.”
“No! No, wait!” He turned towards the crowd. “This marriage must be annulled. Sebastian Smythe is a crook!”
Scattered gasps rippled through the crowd and their murmuring sounded like buzzing in Kurt’s ears.
Sebastian strode forward, pushing Blaine in the back and making him stumble. “How dare you!”
“How dare I?” Blaine laughed. “How dare you! Citizens of Lima, it was not I who killed beloved King Burt but this elf, Sebastian Smythe, who stands here before you. I have travelled to Sebastian’s home kingdom of Dalton where I was surprised to learn that while once he had been nobility, his title had been stripped from him due to treasonous actions there.
“Sebastian was found guilty one year ago of killing the heir to the Dalton throne by putting poisonous herbs in his dinner in order for the younger son to become the new heir. His land, wealth, and title were all taken from him and he was banished for regicide. It was discovered that Sebastian had always planned to come here and commit his terrible act in order to weasel his way onto the throne before attacking Dalton with our forces.”
Kurt was smiling so hard his cheeks were hurting as Blaine turned towards him. “Your Highness, I present to you three witnesses who are willing to corroborate my story.” Blaine gestured to the throne room door where three unfamiliar elves stood, fidgeting nervously.
“Sebastian Smythe,” Kurt sneered. “Kneel before me.”
Seeming to realize that his plan had been discovered, Sebastian dropped to his knees in front of Kurt.
“In light of the evidence presented to me by Sir Blaine Anderson, and in anticipation of the stories of the witnesses, I find you guilty of the murder of King Burt of Lima, of treason, and of conspiracy. Do you have anything to say in defense?”
“Only that if a barbaric human’s word is taken over an elf’s in this kingdom, then it is weak and does not deserve me here.”
“Your tarnished name and false reputation make you unworthy to be the consort of a royal of Lima. I hereby annul our marriage. On the order of your crimes, I sentence you to death by beheading, to take place at a time yet to be determined.” He gestured to the guards who marched up and swept Sebastian up his arms. “Take this man to the dungeons. I will deal with him tomorrow.”
After Sebastian was dragged kicking and screaming from the throne room, Kurt turned to his people. “Citizens, please stay and enjoy the feast. Though the wedding has been annulled, I still want to celebrate my coronation with all of you.”
As the people resettled at their tables, Kurt removed his cloak and set it on his throne before discreetly gesturing to Blaine. He led the knight out the side doors to the entrance hallway and pulled him into a small alcove where they could not be seen.
Kurt caught Blaine in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“I’m sorry I was so late.”
“I’d say you were right on time, actually.”
After months of missing him, Kurt was finally able to kiss Blaine and to hold him tight against his chest. “Oh Blaine, I’m so proud to be with you.”
Blaine cupped Kurt’s cheeks in his palms and leaned their foreheads together. “I hope so,” he whispered. “I want you to be.”