Chapter the second
Title: Princely Diaries
Author:setos_puppy
Chapter: 2/?
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine and eventual Kurt/Sam
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee now do I make any profit from this work of fiction.
Summary: Kurt finds out his mother's family wasn't as... common as others.
Warnings: AU, usage of the French language, a subtextual "spot the Julie Andrews refrences" game, fluff, and angsty frosting
Notes: I was prompted by this prompt from the glee_fluff_meme which wanted a Princess Diaries!AU Kurt. I couldn't help myself. I mixed together some parts of the first two books, and muddled up the two movies.
Previous Chapters: Chapter One
“You didn’t think to tell me this before?!” Kurt screeched as he wrenched open the door to the fridge and whirled to look at his father and Melisse as he twisted off the cap of his water bottle. “It never occurred to you that this might be relevant to, oh I don’t know, my life choices?!”
“Kurt, please calm down.”
“Do not tell me to calm down!”
“Your mother and I had this discussion before you were born and again when she was in the hospital. She said she wanted you to be a normal boy. That she didn’t want you in that life. So she gave up that life when she married me. You weren’t supposed to find out like this. I wanted to tell you when you turned twenty one. They were going to find another person to be regent and if you decided you wanted to rule when you were twenty one, then you could go to Verique. However, Melisse tells me that as the only person in line for the throne gave up his title to become a priest that you’re the only choice.”
“In line for the thr... I HAVE TO RULE?!”
“Kurt please, Finn and Carole are going to be here and I don’t want them to...”
“I don’t care if President Obama is going to walk through the door, we’re talking about this now. You expect me to be perfectly content with the fact you’ve lied to me my whole life. It never even occurred to you that I might like to know that I’m royalty. That my mother was heiress apparent to the throne. That as soon as I turn eighteen I have to give up my plans to go to Julliard and go rule a freaking country I’ve never even heard of before!? Gee, that sounds like it might be important!
“What’s going on?”
Kurt whirled on his heel and saw Finn and Carole hovering by the door to the kitchen, looking confused and concerned. “Nothing.” Kurt said, twisting the cap of his water bottle back on as he shoved it brutally into a space on the door of the fridge. “My father is just a lying liar who lies. I’m going to my room.”
Shoving his way past Finn and Carole, Kurt swung open the door to the basement and slammed the door so hard the wall vibrated. Less than a minute later Defying Gravity vibrated from under the floors.
Burt exhaled slowly. “That could have gone better.”
~*~
“Kurt?”
Kurt looked up from his copy of The Count of Monte Cristo and slid the bookmark in as Melisse poked her head into his room.
“May I come in?”
“Oh!” Kurt brushed a spot on his bed and sat up. “Please.”
She smiled and slipped in. Her eyes raking over the walls, looking at the posters and playbills for various movies and plays. She paused as she walked in and tapped on the poster for The Sound of Music. “That’s one of my favourites.” She stopped short at Kurt’s desk and bent a little as she picked up a sterling silver frame; a picture of Kurt’s mother reclined in a teak chair on the beach, dressed in a pair of overall shorts and flip-flops, stomach showing her pregnancy and a bright smile on her face. “Oh. She just glows.”
Kurt smiled and stood. He crossed to the desk and pulled another frame down. A picture of himself in a little tux, around four, and his mother in a elegant evening gown outside of a theater in Columbus. “This one’s my favourite.”
Melisse smiled as she took the frame, her thumb stroking down the wood. “She was so beautiful. So regal. You must miss her.”
“Some days are worse than others. She would know what to say at a time like this.”
Melisse set her hand on Kurt’s shoulder and steered him towards his bed and sat him down before sitting beside him. “This must be difficult for you.”
“I have to admit, I don’t feel much like a prince. I may look calm, and I may act superior, but inside I’m just as anxious and as lost as everyone else. Most days I’m happy to make it through if no one bullies or taunts me. I’m not exactly like everyone else around here.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“I don’t mean it to sound that way. I just... I’m already a big enough freak, you know?”
Melisse nodded her head and wrapped her arm around Kurt’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come upstairs and have some supper; think things over? Your dad said you made pot pies and I’m quite hungry.”
A ghost of a smile came over Kurt’s face and he nodded. “You’re a good listener, um... Your Majesty.”
Melisse laughed. “Please, call me grand-mère.”
Kurt wrapped his arms around her neck before standing with a smile. “grand-mère.”
She smiled as he stood and stood as well, smoothing down her skirt and following him up the stairs and into the kitchen. Burt had set the table and was helping Carole with making a small salad, Finn was sitting at the table, chatting with them about some sports thing. The room fell silent as Kurt and Melisse walked in, before Carole smiled warmly and added the cucumbers to the salad.
“You decided to come up for dinner?”
Kurt nodded. “Do you need help with anything?”
Carole shook her head. “Go on and sit.”
Kurt nodded and held his grandmother’s chair out as she sat before sitting next to her and folding his napkin in his lap.
Finn turned his eyes to Melisse and smiled. “It’s so cool to meet you. I’ve never met anyone famous before.”
Kurt groaned and pressed his hand to his forehead. “Finn... Please. Do not talk about this. You can’t tell anyone. Not even Puck. Or Sam. Especially not Puck.”
“No dude, it’s totally cool. I won’t even tell Rachel.”
Kurt nodded and looked to his grandmother. “Where are you staying?”
“There’s a village in Columbus that I’m staying in. It’s quiet and I feel sufficiently guarded. If you wish, I can have you picked up tomorrow and we could discuss things there.”
Kurt mused as he filled his plate when his father and Carole sat. “I’ll think about it.”
Melisse nodded and filled her plate.
~*~
“What is with this crowd, Jesus I just want to go home!” Kurt shouldered his way through the crowd of people piled outside of the school after the bell. Glee had been in the morning due to football practice that night, so he actually got to go home on time. Go home, snack and then get picked up to visit his grandmother.
Pushing through the people, still clasped tightly to Mercedes’ hand, Kurt stopped short and gaped. A limo. Squeezing his eyes shut, Kurt groaned and reopened them. It was still there.
Did grand-mère not understand subtlety?
“I wonder who it’s for.”
Kurt opened his mouth to make a witty reply. He could just breeze past the limo and call when he got home. But the rather attractive man in a suit and glasses and shoulder length brown hair stepped forward onto the step.
“Mr. Hummel?”
Kurt groaned and slammed his eyes shut. He was so dead. He heard Mercedes gasp beside him and her hand tighten around his.
“It’s for you?”
Kurt rose a shoulder in a shrug, hoping he looked as surprised as everyone else, as he let himself get whisked down the step and into the limo before it drove off. Sinking deep into the seat, Kurt poked at the controls by the seat in front of him, jolting in shock as he felt his chair begin to warm; oozing back into it, he sighed; annoyed, but also content.
“Problems, your highness?”
Kurt’s head snapped up at the title, his stomach churning, unsure of what to think. “Um... I just... A limo isn’t really subtle is it? I try to spend most of my days not getting noticed, and now here you are, sweeping me away in a limo.”
“Well, if I may say so, your highness, a limousine is most befitting of a prince. If anyone hassles you because you are transported in one, please send them to me.”
Kurt smiled softly at the stern look reflected in the rear view mirror that melted into a smile.
“Thank you, uh...”
“Alexandre, your highness.”
“Merci, Alexandre.”
“Je vous en prie.”
Pulling out his iPod from his bag, Kurt flicked it on and entered the password, before scrolling through his playlists and selecting his songs from Disney. Thumbing through the songs, he smiled when he spotted A Spoonful of Sugar and clicked play. Setting the buds in his ear, Kurt leaned back in his seat and leaned his head against the window, watching the streets of Lima flick by.
~*~
Kurt smiled at Alexandre as he stepped out of the limo and looked up at the Victorian style house. The sprawling green lawn and lush garden, wide archways and octagonal shaped rooms and rectangular edges; it looked like something from a novel, or something from his dreams. He looked back at Alexandre and then back at the house, before looking back at Alexandre who grinned and nodded at him.
“Go on.”
Running up the ornate stone path to the door. He rose his fist to knock before letting his hand drop, unsure of what to do. Smoothing down his vest, Kurt took in a deep breath and rose a hand before punching on the door bell. As the chimes went off within the house, Kurt brushed his fringe back and straightened when the door opened, a man in a suit similar to Alexandre’s smiled and him and bowed his head.
“Please, come in. The Queen will see you in the library for tea, Rochelle will see you there.”
With a glance back to Alexandre, who nodded at him, Kurt followed after the woman dressed in a smart pair of slacks and a dress shirt with a tie through the high ceiling’d halls of the house. They made their way up a winding staircase to the second floor and through a set of double doors into the library.
“Your Majesty, your grandson is here.”
Kurt smiled as his grandmother stood from her spot at her table, lowering her book and Kurt strode over to be folded into a hug as he wrapped his arms around her. “Your house is lovely. As is your suit; Yves St. Laurent?”
She laughed as she stepped back and patted him on the shoulders. “Yes. You do know your designers, don’t you?”
“It’s a gift.”
“Well, please sit. Tea?”
“Please.”
As Kurt sat, Rochelle poured him a cup of tea and handed him the cup and saucer, he added two teaspoons of honey and some milk before stirring and making himself comfortable and crossing his legs as he took a long sip of tea and set the cup back on the table. He blinked as his grandmother rose, and moved to stand before she waved a dismissive hand and rounded the table to stand at his side. He watched as she bent over and uncrossed his legs and pushed his back into a straighter position. Smiling pleasantly, she nodded and returned to her chair and seated herself.
“I can’t cross my legs?”
“When in like company you may. But at teas and dinners, and when seeing someone of higher or lower class, you sit with your back straight and your legs firmly placed on the floor.”
“Oh.” Kurt nodded, filing the information away for later use and took another sip of his tea. “grand-mère, may I ask you something? What would happen to Verique if I didn’t take the throne? I’m sure there has to be someone who could take over.”
“Well... There is a family... The Lalande family. They’re nobility, dukes and duchesses. They do have a young man around your age, but it is the elder of the family, George, who wishes to rule, and he is a very cruel man.”
“What about the young man?”
“His nephew? He could rule one day, of that I am sure, but I have no doubt that his uncle would block him from the throne.”
Kurt nodded and took a sip of his tea, nodding in thanks as his cup was refilled by Rochelle. He didn’t like the sound of that. Not one bit. The thought of that, of someone cruel ruling when he was sure, as nervous and unsure as he was, he could be a decent ruler, made him feel uneasy. “I’m just not sure I’m ready, grand-mère.”
“You’re never truly ready, my dear. It is something you learn along the way, but I have faith in you. Furthermore, if you agree to this, I will make sure to be your regent, if it is your wish, until you finish university.”
“Really?”
She nodded and smiled before taking a sip of her tea. “Now, why don’t you try a cherry tart, they’re made from Veriquian cherries.”
Kurt slid a tart onto his plate and took a bite of the creme covered tart, savouring the sweet cherries with just a bite of sourness before taking a sip of tea. “I do have another question, may I tell my friend Mercedes about this? I need to have someone to talk to.”
“She will not tell anyone?”
“No grand-mère.”
“Very well.”
Kurt nodded and finished the tart off, setting the small dessert fork aside on the plate.
“I have a few questions for you, as well, my dear.”
“Oh, of course.”
Melisse nodded and finished her tea before turning her attention back to Kurt. “Are you seeing anyone?”
Kurt choked on his mouthful of tea and quickly set the cup down to cough into his napkin before turning his shocked face to his grandmother. “What!?”
“I could always arrange for you to meet someone appropriate. I do know some princes around your age.”
“grand-mère, as flattered as -- princes my age?”
Melisse laughed softly. “You cannot honestly tell me you thought you were unique.”
“I... uh... I thought... Really?”
“Well, why don’t you tell me some of your hobbies and such and I can go through a list and see who I can find.”
Kurt blinked and stared as his grandmother took a pad of paper and pen from Rochelle and looked back at him. “Oh, uh... Music, is a big thing in my life. I’m in glee club, and I love going to see plays and musicals, I play piano, and I used to love playing violin, but after mom I... I stopped learning. Same with horseback riding.”
“Your mother did love the violin. Would you like to relearn?”
“I... I guess.”
“Any sports?”
“Um... I like to swim. Oh and I’m a Cheerio - cheerleader. I love to shop and I play chess. And I love astronomy.”
“Excellent, I can work with that. Are you staying for the night?””
“I didn’t bring anything.”
“I’m sure we have a some things laying around that would fit. Besides, you must get to know Alexandre, and he loves music. If I’m not mistaken, he rented a movie for you. We could order you pizza, if you’d like.”
“I...” Kurt laughed. “You know what, sure. I just need to call my dad.”
“Wonderful!”
~*~
The night at his grandmother’s had gone well, he and Alexandre (who turned out to be a sci-fi fan and secret Lady Gaga fan) spent most of the night watching My Fair Lady and talking. He learned Alexandre was in charge of making sure he was safe, and making sure the interest of the crown was preserved.
He had woke to find three outfits, all Givenchy, hanging on his door. He settled on a pair of fitted dark slacks and a novelty shirt pulled over a collared shirt with a tie and dressed. After a quick breakfast with cherry jam and toast, they were on their way to pick up Mercedes.
“You have the limo again, what’s with the limo?”
“Get in and I’ll tell you, oh, this is Alexandre.”
“Nice to meet you! I’m Mercedes.”
They were ushered into the limo and Mercedes looked around, fiddling around with the partition before blinking at the symbol on the black, thick plastic. “What’s that?”
“It’s the crest of the royal family of Verique.”
“I don’t get it.”
Kurt took a deep breath and looked at Mercedes. “That grandmother that swooped in out of no where and changed my life. She told me I’m a prince. She’s the Queen of Verique, which is just off the coast of France and Spain. Not only that, I’m heir apparent and have to make a decision within the next six months of whether or not I want to rule.”
Mercedes’ face scrunched up before a smile cracked over her face and she started laughing. “You had me going, good one.”
Kurt chewed on his lower lip before sliding forward in his seat and rapping on the partition, which slid down to reveal Alexandre. “Yes, your highness?”
“Mercedes doesn’t believe me. Can you vouch for me?”
“Ma’am...” Alexandre started, his eyes flicking to meet Mercedes’ in the rear view mirror as they stopped at an intersection. “I can assure you he is royalty. He is next in line for the throne to Verique. He is Kurt Alexi Josef Thane Hummel Delacroix, Crown Prince of Verique.”
Kurt nodded in thanks and slid back to look at Mercedes who turned her wide eyes to Kurt and squealed as she wrapped her arms around him and crushed him to her chest.
“Oh my God! You’re like... like a real live Cinderella or something!”
Kurt laughed a little and slid away a little as he looked out the window. “Alexandre, can you park a block from school. I don’t want to cause a scene.”
“Of course, little prince.”
~*~
“This is big news! This is huge. Oh my God, does Finn know? Does your dad know?”
“Yeah. They know. And they’ve been sworn to secrecy. Just like you.”
“Got it.” Mercedes looked up at McKinley as they crossed onto the campus. “Wow. Suddenly it seems so much less important. So much less oppressive. It’s like you’re beyond all this.”
Kurt flashed a smile at Mercedes and hooked his arm with hers. “Well, they are the common people.” As Mercedes threw her head back and laughed, they strode through the doors, arm-in-arm.
Kurt rounded the corner and was greeted with a grape slush to the face.
~~~ PART THREE
Author:setos_puppy
Chapter: 2/?
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine and eventual Kurt/Sam
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee now do I make any profit from this work of fiction.
Summary: Kurt finds out his mother's family wasn't as... common as others.
Warnings: AU, usage of the French language, a subtextual "spot the Julie Andrews refrences" game, fluff, and angsty frosting
Notes: I was prompted by this prompt from the glee_fluff_meme which wanted a Princess Diaries!AU Kurt. I couldn't help myself. I mixed together some parts of the first two books, and muddled up the two movies.
Previous Chapters: Chapter One
“You didn’t think to tell me this before?!” Kurt screeched as he wrenched open the door to the fridge and whirled to look at his father and Melisse as he twisted off the cap of his water bottle. “It never occurred to you that this might be relevant to, oh I don’t know, my life choices?!”
“Kurt, please calm down.”
“Do not tell me to calm down!”
“Your mother and I had this discussion before you were born and again when she was in the hospital. She said she wanted you to be a normal boy. That she didn’t want you in that life. So she gave up that life when she married me. You weren’t supposed to find out like this. I wanted to tell you when you turned twenty one. They were going to find another person to be regent and if you decided you wanted to rule when you were twenty one, then you could go to Verique. However, Melisse tells me that as the only person in line for the throne gave up his title to become a priest that you’re the only choice.”
“In line for the thr... I HAVE TO RULE?!”
“Kurt please, Finn and Carole are going to be here and I don’t want them to...”
“I don’t care if President Obama is going to walk through the door, we’re talking about this now. You expect me to be perfectly content with the fact you’ve lied to me my whole life. It never even occurred to you that I might like to know that I’m royalty. That my mother was heiress apparent to the throne. That as soon as I turn eighteen I have to give up my plans to go to Julliard and go rule a freaking country I’ve never even heard of before!? Gee, that sounds like it might be important!
“What’s going on?”
Kurt whirled on his heel and saw Finn and Carole hovering by the door to the kitchen, looking confused and concerned. “Nothing.” Kurt said, twisting the cap of his water bottle back on as he shoved it brutally into a space on the door of the fridge. “My father is just a lying liar who lies. I’m going to my room.”
Shoving his way past Finn and Carole, Kurt swung open the door to the basement and slammed the door so hard the wall vibrated. Less than a minute later Defying Gravity vibrated from under the floors.
Burt exhaled slowly. “That could have gone better.”
~*~
“Kurt?”
Kurt looked up from his copy of The Count of Monte Cristo and slid the bookmark in as Melisse poked her head into his room.
“May I come in?”
“Oh!” Kurt brushed a spot on his bed and sat up. “Please.”
She smiled and slipped in. Her eyes raking over the walls, looking at the posters and playbills for various movies and plays. She paused as she walked in and tapped on the poster for The Sound of Music. “That’s one of my favourites.” She stopped short at Kurt’s desk and bent a little as she picked up a sterling silver frame; a picture of Kurt’s mother reclined in a teak chair on the beach, dressed in a pair of overall shorts and flip-flops, stomach showing her pregnancy and a bright smile on her face. “Oh. She just glows.”
Kurt smiled and stood. He crossed to the desk and pulled another frame down. A picture of himself in a little tux, around four, and his mother in a elegant evening gown outside of a theater in Columbus. “This one’s my favourite.”
Melisse smiled as she took the frame, her thumb stroking down the wood. “She was so beautiful. So regal. You must miss her.”
“Some days are worse than others. She would know what to say at a time like this.”
Melisse set her hand on Kurt’s shoulder and steered him towards his bed and sat him down before sitting beside him. “This must be difficult for you.”
“I have to admit, I don’t feel much like a prince. I may look calm, and I may act superior, but inside I’m just as anxious and as lost as everyone else. Most days I’m happy to make it through if no one bullies or taunts me. I’m not exactly like everyone else around here.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“I don’t mean it to sound that way. I just... I’m already a big enough freak, you know?”
Melisse nodded her head and wrapped her arm around Kurt’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come upstairs and have some supper; think things over? Your dad said you made pot pies and I’m quite hungry.”
A ghost of a smile came over Kurt’s face and he nodded. “You’re a good listener, um... Your Majesty.”
Melisse laughed. “Please, call me grand-mère.”
Kurt wrapped his arms around her neck before standing with a smile. “grand-mère.”
She smiled as he stood and stood as well, smoothing down her skirt and following him up the stairs and into the kitchen. Burt had set the table and was helping Carole with making a small salad, Finn was sitting at the table, chatting with them about some sports thing. The room fell silent as Kurt and Melisse walked in, before Carole smiled warmly and added the cucumbers to the salad.
“You decided to come up for dinner?”
Kurt nodded. “Do you need help with anything?”
Carole shook her head. “Go on and sit.”
Kurt nodded and held his grandmother’s chair out as she sat before sitting next to her and folding his napkin in his lap.
Finn turned his eyes to Melisse and smiled. “It’s so cool to meet you. I’ve never met anyone famous before.”
Kurt groaned and pressed his hand to his forehead. “Finn... Please. Do not talk about this. You can’t tell anyone. Not even Puck. Or Sam. Especially not Puck.”
“No dude, it’s totally cool. I won’t even tell Rachel.”
Kurt nodded and looked to his grandmother. “Where are you staying?”
“There’s a village in Columbus that I’m staying in. It’s quiet and I feel sufficiently guarded. If you wish, I can have you picked up tomorrow and we could discuss things there.”
Kurt mused as he filled his plate when his father and Carole sat. “I’ll think about it.”
Melisse nodded and filled her plate.
~*~
“What is with this crowd, Jesus I just want to go home!” Kurt shouldered his way through the crowd of people piled outside of the school after the bell. Glee had been in the morning due to football practice that night, so he actually got to go home on time. Go home, snack and then get picked up to visit his grandmother.
Pushing through the people, still clasped tightly to Mercedes’ hand, Kurt stopped short and gaped. A limo. Squeezing his eyes shut, Kurt groaned and reopened them. It was still there.
Did grand-mère not understand subtlety?
“I wonder who it’s for.”
Kurt opened his mouth to make a witty reply. He could just breeze past the limo and call when he got home. But the rather attractive man in a suit and glasses and shoulder length brown hair stepped forward onto the step.
“Mr. Hummel?”
Kurt groaned and slammed his eyes shut. He was so dead. He heard Mercedes gasp beside him and her hand tighten around his.
“It’s for you?”
Kurt rose a shoulder in a shrug, hoping he looked as surprised as everyone else, as he let himself get whisked down the step and into the limo before it drove off. Sinking deep into the seat, Kurt poked at the controls by the seat in front of him, jolting in shock as he felt his chair begin to warm; oozing back into it, he sighed; annoyed, but also content.
“Problems, your highness?”
Kurt’s head snapped up at the title, his stomach churning, unsure of what to think. “Um... I just... A limo isn’t really subtle is it? I try to spend most of my days not getting noticed, and now here you are, sweeping me away in a limo.”
“Well, if I may say so, your highness, a limousine is most befitting of a prince. If anyone hassles you because you are transported in one, please send them to me.”
Kurt smiled softly at the stern look reflected in the rear view mirror that melted into a smile.
“Thank you, uh...”
“Alexandre, your highness.”
“Merci, Alexandre.”
“Je vous en prie.”
Pulling out his iPod from his bag, Kurt flicked it on and entered the password, before scrolling through his playlists and selecting his songs from Disney. Thumbing through the songs, he smiled when he spotted A Spoonful of Sugar and clicked play. Setting the buds in his ear, Kurt leaned back in his seat and leaned his head against the window, watching the streets of Lima flick by.
~*~
Kurt smiled at Alexandre as he stepped out of the limo and looked up at the Victorian style house. The sprawling green lawn and lush garden, wide archways and octagonal shaped rooms and rectangular edges; it looked like something from a novel, or something from his dreams. He looked back at Alexandre and then back at the house, before looking back at Alexandre who grinned and nodded at him.
“Go on.”
Running up the ornate stone path to the door. He rose his fist to knock before letting his hand drop, unsure of what to do. Smoothing down his vest, Kurt took in a deep breath and rose a hand before punching on the door bell. As the chimes went off within the house, Kurt brushed his fringe back and straightened when the door opened, a man in a suit similar to Alexandre’s smiled and him and bowed his head.
“Please, come in. The Queen will see you in the library for tea, Rochelle will see you there.”
With a glance back to Alexandre, who nodded at him, Kurt followed after the woman dressed in a smart pair of slacks and a dress shirt with a tie through the high ceiling’d halls of the house. They made their way up a winding staircase to the second floor and through a set of double doors into the library.
“Your Majesty, your grandson is here.”
Kurt smiled as his grandmother stood from her spot at her table, lowering her book and Kurt strode over to be folded into a hug as he wrapped his arms around her. “Your house is lovely. As is your suit; Yves St. Laurent?”
She laughed as she stepped back and patted him on the shoulders. “Yes. You do know your designers, don’t you?”
“It’s a gift.”
“Well, please sit. Tea?”
“Please.”
As Kurt sat, Rochelle poured him a cup of tea and handed him the cup and saucer, he added two teaspoons of honey and some milk before stirring and making himself comfortable and crossing his legs as he took a long sip of tea and set the cup back on the table. He blinked as his grandmother rose, and moved to stand before she waved a dismissive hand and rounded the table to stand at his side. He watched as she bent over and uncrossed his legs and pushed his back into a straighter position. Smiling pleasantly, she nodded and returned to her chair and seated herself.
“I can’t cross my legs?”
“When in like company you may. But at teas and dinners, and when seeing someone of higher or lower class, you sit with your back straight and your legs firmly placed on the floor.”
“Oh.” Kurt nodded, filing the information away for later use and took another sip of his tea. “grand-mère, may I ask you something? What would happen to Verique if I didn’t take the throne? I’m sure there has to be someone who could take over.”
“Well... There is a family... The Lalande family. They’re nobility, dukes and duchesses. They do have a young man around your age, but it is the elder of the family, George, who wishes to rule, and he is a very cruel man.”
“What about the young man?”
“His nephew? He could rule one day, of that I am sure, but I have no doubt that his uncle would block him from the throne.”
Kurt nodded and took a sip of his tea, nodding in thanks as his cup was refilled by Rochelle. He didn’t like the sound of that. Not one bit. The thought of that, of someone cruel ruling when he was sure, as nervous and unsure as he was, he could be a decent ruler, made him feel uneasy. “I’m just not sure I’m ready, grand-mère.”
“You’re never truly ready, my dear. It is something you learn along the way, but I have faith in you. Furthermore, if you agree to this, I will make sure to be your regent, if it is your wish, until you finish university.”
“Really?”
She nodded and smiled before taking a sip of her tea. “Now, why don’t you try a cherry tart, they’re made from Veriquian cherries.”
Kurt slid a tart onto his plate and took a bite of the creme covered tart, savouring the sweet cherries with just a bite of sourness before taking a sip of tea. “I do have another question, may I tell my friend Mercedes about this? I need to have someone to talk to.”
“She will not tell anyone?”
“No grand-mère.”
“Very well.”
Kurt nodded and finished the tart off, setting the small dessert fork aside on the plate.
“I have a few questions for you, as well, my dear.”
“Oh, of course.”
Melisse nodded and finished her tea before turning her attention back to Kurt. “Are you seeing anyone?”
Kurt choked on his mouthful of tea and quickly set the cup down to cough into his napkin before turning his shocked face to his grandmother. “What!?”
“I could always arrange for you to meet someone appropriate. I do know some princes around your age.”
“grand-mère, as flattered as -- princes my age?”
Melisse laughed softly. “You cannot honestly tell me you thought you were unique.”
“I... uh... I thought... Really?”
“Well, why don’t you tell me some of your hobbies and such and I can go through a list and see who I can find.”
Kurt blinked and stared as his grandmother took a pad of paper and pen from Rochelle and looked back at him. “Oh, uh... Music, is a big thing in my life. I’m in glee club, and I love going to see plays and musicals, I play piano, and I used to love playing violin, but after mom I... I stopped learning. Same with horseback riding.”
“Your mother did love the violin. Would you like to relearn?”
“I... I guess.”
“Any sports?”
“Um... I like to swim. Oh and I’m a Cheerio - cheerleader. I love to shop and I play chess. And I love astronomy.”
“Excellent, I can work with that. Are you staying for the night?””
“I didn’t bring anything.”
“I’m sure we have a some things laying around that would fit. Besides, you must get to know Alexandre, and he loves music. If I’m not mistaken, he rented a movie for you. We could order you pizza, if you’d like.”
“I...” Kurt laughed. “You know what, sure. I just need to call my dad.”
“Wonderful!”
~*~
The night at his grandmother’s had gone well, he and Alexandre (who turned out to be a sci-fi fan and secret Lady Gaga fan) spent most of the night watching My Fair Lady and talking. He learned Alexandre was in charge of making sure he was safe, and making sure the interest of the crown was preserved.
He had woke to find three outfits, all Givenchy, hanging on his door. He settled on a pair of fitted dark slacks and a novelty shirt pulled over a collared shirt with a tie and dressed. After a quick breakfast with cherry jam and toast, they were on their way to pick up Mercedes.
“You have the limo again, what’s with the limo?”
“Get in and I’ll tell you, oh, this is Alexandre.”
“Nice to meet you! I’m Mercedes.”
They were ushered into the limo and Mercedes looked around, fiddling around with the partition before blinking at the symbol on the black, thick plastic. “What’s that?”
“It’s the crest of the royal family of Verique.”
“I don’t get it.”
Kurt took a deep breath and looked at Mercedes. “That grandmother that swooped in out of no where and changed my life. She told me I’m a prince. She’s the Queen of Verique, which is just off the coast of France and Spain. Not only that, I’m heir apparent and have to make a decision within the next six months of whether or not I want to rule.”
Mercedes’ face scrunched up before a smile cracked over her face and she started laughing. “You had me going, good one.”
Kurt chewed on his lower lip before sliding forward in his seat and rapping on the partition, which slid down to reveal Alexandre. “Yes, your highness?”
“Mercedes doesn’t believe me. Can you vouch for me?”
“Ma’am...” Alexandre started, his eyes flicking to meet Mercedes’ in the rear view mirror as they stopped at an intersection. “I can assure you he is royalty. He is next in line for the throne to Verique. He is Kurt Alexi Josef Thane Hummel Delacroix, Crown Prince of Verique.”
Kurt nodded in thanks and slid back to look at Mercedes who turned her wide eyes to Kurt and squealed as she wrapped her arms around him and crushed him to her chest.
“Oh my God! You’re like... like a real live Cinderella or something!”
Kurt laughed a little and slid away a little as he looked out the window. “Alexandre, can you park a block from school. I don’t want to cause a scene.”
“Of course, little prince.”
~*~
“This is big news! This is huge. Oh my God, does Finn know? Does your dad know?”
“Yeah. They know. And they’ve been sworn to secrecy. Just like you.”
“Got it.” Mercedes looked up at McKinley as they crossed onto the campus. “Wow. Suddenly it seems so much less important. So much less oppressive. It’s like you’re beyond all this.”
Kurt flashed a smile at Mercedes and hooked his arm with hers. “Well, they are the common people.” As Mercedes threw her head back and laughed, they strode through the doors, arm-in-arm.
Kurt rounded the corner and was greeted with a grape slush to the face.
~~~ PART THREE