AU Big Bang: The Prince's Slave Chapter 8
Title: The Prince’s Slave
Author: pterawaters
Fandom: Glee
Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck (main), Finn/Quinn, Kurt/Brittany, Finn/Rachel, Puck/Quinn, Santana/Brittany, Blaine/Karofsky, Burt/Carole, Will/Emma
Rating: R
Warning: Slavery, m/m and m/f sex, violence
Word Count: 41,000
Summary: As Prince Kurt’s sixteenth birthday approaches, all he really wants is a friend, someone who accepts his oddities and spends time with him anyway. He thought the answer was a slave, but got much more than he was looking for when he bought Noah Puckerman at auction.
Author’s Notes: Written for the au_bigbang . Thanks so much to ice_whisper for beta reading and rinnia for the awesome artwork!
Previous Chapter
Chapter 8
The first thought Kurt had upon waking just before dawn was that he hoped the door to his bedchamber was locked, because Noah was still there, sleeping beside him naked. They hadn't done everything, but they had certainly taken their enjoyment in each other, the memory of breaking into ecstasy under Noah's hands making Kurt shudder in remembered pleasure.
Gods, he hoped this wasn't a one-time thing. Noah had told him about his past with women and all that knowledge just flew right out of Kurt's head when he was faced with a naked boy who wanted him as well. Pressing a hopeful kiss to Noah's well-muscled shoulder, Kurt got out of bed, wrapped a dressing gown around himself, and went to lock both his bedroom door and the door to Noah's quarters.
Kurt debated starting to get ready for the day, but decided it was too early yet and crawled back into bed, sighing as he fit himself against Noah's warm back and slid an arm around his waist. There was no more denying that Kurt was what he was. But what about Noah? He was obviously capable of being with women in a way that Kurt just wasn't. Did his presence in Kurt's bed mean he had the same sort of affection for Kurt, or had he done this just out of gratitude or duty or even pity?
To be honest with himself, Kurt had secretly, in a deep part of his heart, been hoping for this outcome since he first saw the flyer for the slave auction. Now he couldn't stand the thought that Noah was still a slave. It weighed on him heavily, making tears spring forth from Kurt's eyes.
Noah must have been awake and heard him, because the guy turned around in Kurt's arms and met his eyes, reaching up to brush a tear away from Kurt's cheek. "I didn't think I was that bad," Noah said softly, a hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.
Kurt laughed and shook his head, saying, "You were wonderful. It's just that..."
Not quite sure how to finish the sentence, Kurt was surprised when Noah nodded and said, "It's morning," before carding his fingers back through Kurt's hair in a way that made the prince shudder with renewed want. To that end, Kurt pulled Noah into a long, needy kiss, hoping his advance wouldn't be rejected now that it was daylight.
It wasn't.
Later, once Noah had gathered his clothes and retired back to his own room and Kurt was sitting in his bath, regretfully washing Noah's scent from his skin, he came to a decision.
Once dressed and after breakfast, Kurt left Noah behind and sought out Will, finding him in the king's study, alone. "What is it, Prince Kurt?" Will asked. "You look like you've run here."
Rubbing at the blush on his cheeks, Kurt said, "I want to file the paperwork to set Noah free early. I don't feel it is in anyone's best interest for me to own him anymore, especially not with the Bishop poking around as my nuptials to Lady Brittany draw closer. Do you agree?"
Will looked surprised for a moment, but then laughed shortly and nodded, "I agree completely, prince. May I ask what prompted this decision?"
Kurt debated lying to the steward, but he was one of the people Kurt trusted most, as did Kurt's father. Stepping closer to Will, Kurt whispered, "My relationship with Noah has changed. I don't feel right about-"
"No," Will nodded, "and why would you? Though, have you given any thought to what Noah might do once he learns he's a free man?"
Kurt wanted to say of course Noah would stay, but maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he would take the opportunity and leave. Kurt couldn't stand the thought so he decided, "We won't tell him. Set up an account for his servant's wages to be deposited into. When the year is up, he'll have his freedom and his proper payment."
"If that's what you think is best," Will nodded. "Just be careful, Kurt. I've been hearing whispers about what might happen if Princess Quinn's child is male. Bad things for Burt and for you. You can't jeopardize your marriage to Brittany, which could very well stabilize your position as second in line for the throne, because of one servant."
Kurt wanted to tell Will he was being overdramatic, but he knew the steward was right. So, Kurt nodded and asked, "You'll draw up the paperwork for me to sign?"
"Right away," Will replied, sitting back down at his desk, which Kurt took as his sign to leave and go give Rachel one last set of instructions before she headed off for Brittany's household.
**88**
“He did just what you expected, Sire,” Will’s voice said from just over Burt’s shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts.
“Who did what?” Burt asked, watching his brother round the writing desk and sit opposite him. Will had this satisfied grin on his face, which confused Burt because the steward had said “he” so he couldn’t be talking about his affair with Miss Emma.
“Your son, Kurt,” Will replied, unrolling a piece of parchment and sliding it in front of Burt, who had to hold it further and further away these days to make the letters legible. “He’s ordered me to draw up the papers for Noah Puckerman’s freedom. Shall I have him sign mock papers or show him that Noah’s been free almost this entire time?”
“Mock papers,” Burt decided, knowing his younger son was too good a person to live with owning a slave on his conscious for very long, but not wanting Kurt to know Burt had freed his slave behind his back only a few days after the purchase. “Do you know what spurred this change of heart?”
“Not exactly,” Will shook his head, watching as Burt rolled up the scroll and handed it back to Will. “But Kurt did say his relationship with the boy had changed.”
“Ah.” Burt knew his son. He knew that the boy would fall in love easily, now that he was involved in a physical relationship with his manservant. On the one hand, he was happy for Kurt, but on the other? On the other hand, with love came weakness. If this Noah had any reason to, he could manipulate Kurt so easily and Burt shuddered at the thought. “Bring the boy to see me here in chambers,” Burt ordered his steward. “Don’t let Kurt know this is where you’re taking him.”
“Yes, Sire,” Will replied, striding from the room and leaving Burt to his thoughts again.
This development with his son might also affect his planned marriage to Lady Brittany, though if his eyes throughout the castle were to be believed, Brittany might be more willing to accept a certain arrangement than many of the other noblewomen Kurt’s age. If he could just get an heir on her, just one, their family legacy would be that much more difficult to topple. The people loved Kurt, for the most part, and if he had a son, proving he was a capable man, there would be very little resistance to Burt naming Kurt his heir, rather than Finn.
He would have liked to see Finn crowned, but while he was in love with Princess Quinn, who had ties to both the Bishop and Lady Sue, he couldn’t be trusted. Burt hoped that he would be able to meet this Noah boy face-to-face and determine if he was the lesser of two evils. If the future king was to have a companion he loved, Burt would rather not see Princess Quinn with that power.
**88**
Noah had been having a very good morning - waking up the way he did, seeing Lady Brittany and the rest of her household (Rachel included) off on their trip to Lady Sue’s estate, exchanging saliva again with Kurt before fencing lessons out in the yard, and now enjoying a good meal in the prince’s company - when Will arrived at the door to the royal dining chamber and asked for him.
“What’s this about?” Kurt asked in Noah’s place, setting a hand on Noah’s arm like he didn’t want him to go. The servant thought it was sweet, but unwise, so he pulled his arm away and stayed seated while his master and the king’s steward spoke.
“Miss Emma needs to leave the castle fairly soon, to attend to a sick relative,” Will explained. “She wondered if Noah would like to receive his etiquette lessons now, while you continue on to meet with your tutors, prince.”
“Oh,” Kurt nodded, smiling over to Noah, which the servant had to fight not to react to. “That’s fine. Go along please, Noah.”
“Sure,” he replied, taking a few last bites of his meal and swallowing the last of his wine - he still thought ale was better - before getting up and following the steward from the room.
After the first few turns, Noah pointed out, “This isn’t the way to Miss Emma’s rooms.”
“No, it isn’t,” Will replied, looking back to give Noah a friendly smile. “The king requested an audience with you, Mister Puckerman. Would you refuse him?”
The king? Oh, shit. Noah hadn’t ever talked to the king directly. Sometimes he was around, speaking to Kurt or Finn, but most of the time when the prince was in his father’s company, he left Noah behind. “What does he want?”
“Just to talk to you,” Will assured him. “He’s been meaning to do it for ages, since you’re in a position so close to his son. He finally got the time today.”
“And Kurt doesn’t know about it because…?”
Will shrugged. “The king’s reasoning is his own.”
Palms sweating and heart beating rapidly, Noah followed Will toward the king’s chambers, swallowing an excess of nervous saliva just before he was shown into the king’s presence. Burt sat at a large writing desk in fairly informal clothing, as far as the aristocracy went, and looked up at Noah, his eyes piercing right into Noah’s chest.
“Sit down, son,” the king ordered, pointing to a chair opposite from him and shuffling a stack of papers together. “Are you alright?”
“Fine, Sire,” Noah managed to croak, taking his seat and watching as Will left him utterly and completely alone with the king.
“I understand,” Burt chuckled, wiping ink from his hand on a dirty-looking rag. “It’s not often a slave gets a sit-down meeting with the king, is it?”
“No, Sire,” he replied, unable to keep the man’s gaze for more than half a second before looking down into his lap. Of course the king would have to remind Noah that he was a slave and not the lower-aristocrat in the prince’s service that he’d been pretending to be.
After a long moment of silence, when Noah wondered whether or not the king could see the sweat pooling beneath his armpits, Burt finally asked, “Do you love him?”
Confused, and not wanting to believe the king had found out about his visit to Kurt’s bed so quickly, Noah asked, “I’m not sure what you’re asking, Your Highness.”
“My son, Kurt,” Burt replied, emphasizing each word as he spoke. “Do you love him? I need to know, because I can’t let you get too close to my son without knowing what kind of man you are, Noah Puckerman.”
After thinking on the question for a moment, Noah replied honestly, “I-I don’t know. He’s been a better friend to me these past few months than I ever would have dreamed possible.”
“Do you feel in his debt?”
Noah had to think about that question, too, under the king’s watchful, penetrating glare. “Yes,” Noah decided. “I will even more so if he’s able to secure my sister’s freedom. I don’t know if that’s a debt that can ever be repaid.”
Burt sort of harrumphed before he admitted, “I don’t like it. I don’t like the risks Kurt is taking for you or your sister. I don’t like knowing your presence in his life could mean the disastrous ruin of his marriage to Lady Brittany. I don’t like you being so close to my son without knowing your full agenda, Mister Puckerman. What can you do to ease my doubts? I don’t have to allow your presence here in my castle…”
Noah wasn’t sure whether he loved Kurt or whether he was just so grateful to the prince he felt like he did, but he knew he didn’t want to be separated from the prince. Not yet. Not when his sister’s wellbeing was still in danger, not while he still wanted to be in Kurt’s bed and in his life so much more than he wanted his freedom. Not while he could still taste Kurt’s skin on his tongue.
“I could-” Noah began, trying to come up with something on the spot and wishing he had Kurt’s wit and ability to think so quickly on his feet. “I could report to you, Sire. I hear a lot of what goes on among the younger nobles, even more than Kurt does. They stopped holding their tongues around me ages ago.”
“Interesting,” the king admitted, watching Noah expectantly, like he should be offering more.
“And the first thing I can tell you,” Noah blurted out, wondering where the hell his mouth got off bringing that up, “is about Princess Quinn.”
The king looked intrigued as he asked, “Princess Quinn? What about her?”
Cringing at the risk he was about to take, Noah admitted, “Her baby may not be Finn’s rightful heir. I mean, it could be mine, Sire. She wasn’t a virgin on her wedding night.”
Burt seemed to take in all this information calmly, but Noah could see him seething under the surface, his lips pressed tightly together and his jaw clenched in anger.
“I didn’t know who she was,” Noah explained, trying not to flash back to either the incident in question or the way he told Kurt his secret the night before. “I didn’t know she was your son’s fiancée, only that I met her in a pub and she wanted me. If she knew I told you, Sire, she said would have my sister killed.”
“And she wants to be queen,” Burt laughed ruefully, putting his head into his hands. He thought for a moment before meeting Noah’s eyes and ordering, “Okay. This is what you’re going to do for me, son. Stay as close to Kurt as you can. Be his shadow, be his everything. Make him love you - which shouldn’t be difficult, if I know my son - and make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for everything that happens around him. I want only what’s best for my son, Noah, and that will include his marriage to Brittany and producing an heir, despite his preferences or any feelings he might have for you. Do you understand?”
Noah swallowed and nodded, pushing down a flare of jealousy at the thought.
“You will report to me and together we will help Kurt become who he needs to be - the next King of Lima.”
Surprised, Noah asked, “Finn…?”
“As much as I love my older son,” Burt sighed, “he cannot be trusted to do what is best for the kingdom, not with that snake at his side. Now, do you want to be at Kurt’s side - as his most trusted aide and ally - when he’s crowned, Noah? Or will others be able to turn you away from him? A pretty girl perhaps?”
“As long as my sister is safe,” Noah replied, the king’s words burning determination into his heart, “no one could make me hurt him, Your Highness. Not even you.”
Burt smiled broadly and held his hand out toward Noah, “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Keep this attitude up,” he added as Noah leaned forward and took the King’s hand, “and keep Kurt close. Report to me next week. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do about your sister.”
“Thank you, Sire,” Noah nodded, taking his hand back and trying not to look too in awe of the man. He never thought the king would be so … impressive, especially not in private. If Kurt had this man as a father, it was no wonder he’d turned out so good, so moral, so kind and yet fierce. It made Noah believe with even more of his heart that Kurt had never been playing him and hadn’t knowingly seduced Noah like Quinn and so many others before her had.
It made Noah think maybe he was in love with the prince, absurdly enough.
Next Chapter
Author: pterawaters
Fandom: Glee
Pairing(s): Kurt/Puck (main), Finn/Quinn, Kurt/Brittany, Finn/Rachel, Puck/Quinn, Santana/Brittany, Blaine/Karofsky, Burt/Carole, Will/Emma
Rating: R
Warning: Slavery, m/m and m/f sex, violence
Word Count: 41,000
Summary: As Prince Kurt’s sixteenth birthday approaches, all he really wants is a friend, someone who accepts his oddities and spends time with him anyway. He thought the answer was a slave, but got much more than he was looking for when he bought Noah Puckerman at auction.
Author’s Notes: Written for the au_bigbang . Thanks so much to ice_whisper for beta reading and rinnia for the awesome artwork!
Previous Chapter
Chapter 8
The first thought Kurt had upon waking just before dawn was that he hoped the door to his bedchamber was locked, because Noah was still there, sleeping beside him naked. They hadn't done everything, but they had certainly taken their enjoyment in each other, the memory of breaking into ecstasy under Noah's hands making Kurt shudder in remembered pleasure.
Gods, he hoped this wasn't a one-time thing. Noah had told him about his past with women and all that knowledge just flew right out of Kurt's head when he was faced with a naked boy who wanted him as well. Pressing a hopeful kiss to Noah's well-muscled shoulder, Kurt got out of bed, wrapped a dressing gown around himself, and went to lock both his bedroom door and the door to Noah's quarters.
Kurt debated starting to get ready for the day, but decided it was too early yet and crawled back into bed, sighing as he fit himself against Noah's warm back and slid an arm around his waist. There was no more denying that Kurt was what he was. But what about Noah? He was obviously capable of being with women in a way that Kurt just wasn't. Did his presence in Kurt's bed mean he had the same sort of affection for Kurt, or had he done this just out of gratitude or duty or even pity?
To be honest with himself, Kurt had secretly, in a deep part of his heart, been hoping for this outcome since he first saw the flyer for the slave auction. Now he couldn't stand the thought that Noah was still a slave. It weighed on him heavily, making tears spring forth from Kurt's eyes.
Noah must have been awake and heard him, because the guy turned around in Kurt's arms and met his eyes, reaching up to brush a tear away from Kurt's cheek. "I didn't think I was that bad," Noah said softly, a hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.
Kurt laughed and shook his head, saying, "You were wonderful. It's just that..."
Not quite sure how to finish the sentence, Kurt was surprised when Noah nodded and said, "It's morning," before carding his fingers back through Kurt's hair in a way that made the prince shudder with renewed want. To that end, Kurt pulled Noah into a long, needy kiss, hoping his advance wouldn't be rejected now that it was daylight.
It wasn't.
Later, once Noah had gathered his clothes and retired back to his own room and Kurt was sitting in his bath, regretfully washing Noah's scent from his skin, he came to a decision.
Once dressed and after breakfast, Kurt left Noah behind and sought out Will, finding him in the king's study, alone. "What is it, Prince Kurt?" Will asked. "You look like you've run here."
Rubbing at the blush on his cheeks, Kurt said, "I want to file the paperwork to set Noah free early. I don't feel it is in anyone's best interest for me to own him anymore, especially not with the Bishop poking around as my nuptials to Lady Brittany draw closer. Do you agree?"
Will looked surprised for a moment, but then laughed shortly and nodded, "I agree completely, prince. May I ask what prompted this decision?"
Kurt debated lying to the steward, but he was one of the people Kurt trusted most, as did Kurt's father. Stepping closer to Will, Kurt whispered, "My relationship with Noah has changed. I don't feel right about-"
"No," Will nodded, "and why would you? Though, have you given any thought to what Noah might do once he learns he's a free man?"
Kurt wanted to say of course Noah would stay, but maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he would take the opportunity and leave. Kurt couldn't stand the thought so he decided, "We won't tell him. Set up an account for his servant's wages to be deposited into. When the year is up, he'll have his freedom and his proper payment."
"If that's what you think is best," Will nodded. "Just be careful, Kurt. I've been hearing whispers about what might happen if Princess Quinn's child is male. Bad things for Burt and for you. You can't jeopardize your marriage to Brittany, which could very well stabilize your position as second in line for the throne, because of one servant."
Kurt wanted to tell Will he was being overdramatic, but he knew the steward was right. So, Kurt nodded and asked, "You'll draw up the paperwork for me to sign?"
"Right away," Will replied, sitting back down at his desk, which Kurt took as his sign to leave and go give Rachel one last set of instructions before she headed off for Brittany's household.
**88**
“He did just what you expected, Sire,” Will’s voice said from just over Burt’s shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts.
“Who did what?” Burt asked, watching his brother round the writing desk and sit opposite him. Will had this satisfied grin on his face, which confused Burt because the steward had said “he” so he couldn’t be talking about his affair with Miss Emma.
“Your son, Kurt,” Will replied, unrolling a piece of parchment and sliding it in front of Burt, who had to hold it further and further away these days to make the letters legible. “He’s ordered me to draw up the papers for Noah Puckerman’s freedom. Shall I have him sign mock papers or show him that Noah’s been free almost this entire time?”
“Mock papers,” Burt decided, knowing his younger son was too good a person to live with owning a slave on his conscious for very long, but not wanting Kurt to know Burt had freed his slave behind his back only a few days after the purchase. “Do you know what spurred this change of heart?”
“Not exactly,” Will shook his head, watching as Burt rolled up the scroll and handed it back to Will. “But Kurt did say his relationship with the boy had changed.”
“Ah.” Burt knew his son. He knew that the boy would fall in love easily, now that he was involved in a physical relationship with his manservant. On the one hand, he was happy for Kurt, but on the other? On the other hand, with love came weakness. If this Noah had any reason to, he could manipulate Kurt so easily and Burt shuddered at the thought. “Bring the boy to see me here in chambers,” Burt ordered his steward. “Don’t let Kurt know this is where you’re taking him.”
“Yes, Sire,” Will replied, striding from the room and leaving Burt to his thoughts again.
This development with his son might also affect his planned marriage to Lady Brittany, though if his eyes throughout the castle were to be believed, Brittany might be more willing to accept a certain arrangement than many of the other noblewomen Kurt’s age. If he could just get an heir on her, just one, their family legacy would be that much more difficult to topple. The people loved Kurt, for the most part, and if he had a son, proving he was a capable man, there would be very little resistance to Burt naming Kurt his heir, rather than Finn.
He would have liked to see Finn crowned, but while he was in love with Princess Quinn, who had ties to both the Bishop and Lady Sue, he couldn’t be trusted. Burt hoped that he would be able to meet this Noah boy face-to-face and determine if he was the lesser of two evils. If the future king was to have a companion he loved, Burt would rather not see Princess Quinn with that power.
**88**
Noah had been having a very good morning - waking up the way he did, seeing Lady Brittany and the rest of her household (Rachel included) off on their trip to Lady Sue’s estate, exchanging saliva again with Kurt before fencing lessons out in the yard, and now enjoying a good meal in the prince’s company - when Will arrived at the door to the royal dining chamber and asked for him.
“What’s this about?” Kurt asked in Noah’s place, setting a hand on Noah’s arm like he didn’t want him to go. The servant thought it was sweet, but unwise, so he pulled his arm away and stayed seated while his master and the king’s steward spoke.
“Miss Emma needs to leave the castle fairly soon, to attend to a sick relative,” Will explained. “She wondered if Noah would like to receive his etiquette lessons now, while you continue on to meet with your tutors, prince.”
“Oh,” Kurt nodded, smiling over to Noah, which the servant had to fight not to react to. “That’s fine. Go along please, Noah.”
“Sure,” he replied, taking a few last bites of his meal and swallowing the last of his wine - he still thought ale was better - before getting up and following the steward from the room.
After the first few turns, Noah pointed out, “This isn’t the way to Miss Emma’s rooms.”
“No, it isn’t,” Will replied, looking back to give Noah a friendly smile. “The king requested an audience with you, Mister Puckerman. Would you refuse him?”
The king? Oh, shit. Noah hadn’t ever talked to the king directly. Sometimes he was around, speaking to Kurt or Finn, but most of the time when the prince was in his father’s company, he left Noah behind. “What does he want?”
“Just to talk to you,” Will assured him. “He’s been meaning to do it for ages, since you’re in a position so close to his son. He finally got the time today.”
“And Kurt doesn’t know about it because…?”
Will shrugged. “The king’s reasoning is his own.”
Palms sweating and heart beating rapidly, Noah followed Will toward the king’s chambers, swallowing an excess of nervous saliva just before he was shown into the king’s presence. Burt sat at a large writing desk in fairly informal clothing, as far as the aristocracy went, and looked up at Noah, his eyes piercing right into Noah’s chest.
“Sit down, son,” the king ordered, pointing to a chair opposite from him and shuffling a stack of papers together. “Are you alright?”
“Fine, Sire,” Noah managed to croak, taking his seat and watching as Will left him utterly and completely alone with the king.
“I understand,” Burt chuckled, wiping ink from his hand on a dirty-looking rag. “It’s not often a slave gets a sit-down meeting with the king, is it?”
“No, Sire,” he replied, unable to keep the man’s gaze for more than half a second before looking down into his lap. Of course the king would have to remind Noah that he was a slave and not the lower-aristocrat in the prince’s service that he’d been pretending to be.
After a long moment of silence, when Noah wondered whether or not the king could see the sweat pooling beneath his armpits, Burt finally asked, “Do you love him?”
Confused, and not wanting to believe the king had found out about his visit to Kurt’s bed so quickly, Noah asked, “I’m not sure what you’re asking, Your Highness.”
“My son, Kurt,” Burt replied, emphasizing each word as he spoke. “Do you love him? I need to know, because I can’t let you get too close to my son without knowing what kind of man you are, Noah Puckerman.”
After thinking on the question for a moment, Noah replied honestly, “I-I don’t know. He’s been a better friend to me these past few months than I ever would have dreamed possible.”
“Do you feel in his debt?”
Noah had to think about that question, too, under the king’s watchful, penetrating glare. “Yes,” Noah decided. “I will even more so if he’s able to secure my sister’s freedom. I don’t know if that’s a debt that can ever be repaid.”
Burt sort of harrumphed before he admitted, “I don’t like it. I don’t like the risks Kurt is taking for you or your sister. I don’t like knowing your presence in his life could mean the disastrous ruin of his marriage to Lady Brittany. I don’t like you being so close to my son without knowing your full agenda, Mister Puckerman. What can you do to ease my doubts? I don’t have to allow your presence here in my castle…”
Noah wasn’t sure whether he loved Kurt or whether he was just so grateful to the prince he felt like he did, but he knew he didn’t want to be separated from the prince. Not yet. Not when his sister’s wellbeing was still in danger, not while he still wanted to be in Kurt’s bed and in his life so much more than he wanted his freedom. Not while he could still taste Kurt’s skin on his tongue.
“I could-” Noah began, trying to come up with something on the spot and wishing he had Kurt’s wit and ability to think so quickly on his feet. “I could report to you, Sire. I hear a lot of what goes on among the younger nobles, even more than Kurt does. They stopped holding their tongues around me ages ago.”
“Interesting,” the king admitted, watching Noah expectantly, like he should be offering more.
“And the first thing I can tell you,” Noah blurted out, wondering where the hell his mouth got off bringing that up, “is about Princess Quinn.”
The king looked intrigued as he asked, “Princess Quinn? What about her?”
Cringing at the risk he was about to take, Noah admitted, “Her baby may not be Finn’s rightful heir. I mean, it could be mine, Sire. She wasn’t a virgin on her wedding night.”
Burt seemed to take in all this information calmly, but Noah could see him seething under the surface, his lips pressed tightly together and his jaw clenched in anger.
“I didn’t know who she was,” Noah explained, trying not to flash back to either the incident in question or the way he told Kurt his secret the night before. “I didn’t know she was your son’s fiancée, only that I met her in a pub and she wanted me. If she knew I told you, Sire, she said would have my sister killed.”
“And she wants to be queen,” Burt laughed ruefully, putting his head into his hands. He thought for a moment before meeting Noah’s eyes and ordering, “Okay. This is what you’re going to do for me, son. Stay as close to Kurt as you can. Be his shadow, be his everything. Make him love you - which shouldn’t be difficult, if I know my son - and make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for everything that happens around him. I want only what’s best for my son, Noah, and that will include his marriage to Brittany and producing an heir, despite his preferences or any feelings he might have for you. Do you understand?”
Noah swallowed and nodded, pushing down a flare of jealousy at the thought.
“You will report to me and together we will help Kurt become who he needs to be - the next King of Lima.”
Surprised, Noah asked, “Finn…?”
“As much as I love my older son,” Burt sighed, “he cannot be trusted to do what is best for the kingdom, not with that snake at his side. Now, do you want to be at Kurt’s side - as his most trusted aide and ally - when he’s crowned, Noah? Or will others be able to turn you away from him? A pretty girl perhaps?”
“As long as my sister is safe,” Noah replied, the king’s words burning determination into his heart, “no one could make me hurt him, Your Highness. Not even you.”
Burt smiled broadly and held his hand out toward Noah, “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Keep this attitude up,” he added as Noah leaned forward and took the King’s hand, “and keep Kurt close. Report to me next week. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do about your sister.”
“Thank you, Sire,” Noah nodded, taking his hand back and trying not to look too in awe of the man. He never thought the king would be so … impressive, especially not in private. If Kurt had this man as a father, it was no wonder he’d turned out so good, so moral, so kind and yet fierce. It made Noah believe with even more of his heart that Kurt had never been playing him and hadn’t knowingly seduced Noah like Quinn and so many others before her had.
It made Noah think maybe he was in love with the prince, absurdly enough.
Next Chapter