Names announced as couples were paired off down the long stairway and onto the ballroom floor. Each a name of princes and princesses, kings and queens of other countries, knights and warriors, all making their way down to meet King Anderson to find a suited one to marry him. Prince Kurt scoffed at the insanity of the night, trying to persuade his father he wasn't going to marry the Prince and that he'd rather have his head cut off from a guillotine. It was to no avail that his father would even reconsidered having his only true blooded son marry someone of such higher status than his own. Prince Kurt's own family were rulers of a smaller country over the border, while these rulers that all took the sir name Anderson, were the most wealthiest and known rulers. They fought battles to protect the country from the greatest harms, King James.

The sounds of clamoring filled Prince Kurt's ears as he wallowed in his own self-pity. He did not under any circumstances want to marry into a family like this. In his country, it would be wrong if someone denied a marriage proposal. It was even worse than not paying for the services of a call girl. His country made sure that every person was allowed to have the same rights (before that of the king) and that no person could deny another (unless in sex or birth).

He leaned up against a pillar, trying to fake a smile for those who passed by him. He couldn't stand watching the other fawning the King's feet.

Suddenly, a hand from behind the pillar grabbed at his shoulder and pulled him behind it, away from the crowd and the discerning eyes of those who knew his secret.

"A peacock mask….how appropriate." The man who pulled him away spoke, voice low as if he was trying to keep his cover hidden his golden mask would only provoke the others.

"What do you want?" Prince Kurt folded his arms against his small chest which was clad in a deep grey tuxedo.

"To see you of course…" He chuckle, "you don't let me see you during the day." He reached out towards Prince Kurt, and his hand was slapped.

"If we get caught….He gave a frustrated growl and looked behind the pillar to make sure the King was still among the others. You're going to end up marrying some floozy."

"My father wants me to marry someone who will be a good ruler just like I will be.

"I would be a good ruler!"

"But it's not just my choice, it's also my fathers. He doesn't want someone to demean the family name."
Prince Kurt just looked at the other, not saying any more words but the stare behind the mask was exactly how he felt. Hurt that there was nothing they could do but keep faking how they felt about each other.

"I'm sorry….I have to go though." He put his hand on Prince Kurt's shoulder and then went around the pillar and back over to the King.

A few moments later, Prince Kurt appeared from behind the pillar and moved over to his father who was standing by a waiter who had given him a glass of wine. Prince Kurt took one and drank it down in seconds, putting the cup back down on the table and grabbing another one. He didn't want to hear the King's speech which he was about ready to give. Everyone looked at him at him from behind the banister, standing next to him the boy in the golden mask.

"Thank you all for coming and for all of you who are curious who my son will be marrying, we are close to the discussion." He listened to the crowd begin to gasp and talk amongst themselves. "Everyone, quiet please." He flashed a sheepish smile. "Now, there are four girls, and three boys who will be staying at the castle for a few days until we can narrow down who will be perfect for our family. Blaine…." He motioned his son to the banister to speak.

"I'm hoping that the person who is chosen is of great honor. I hope that they feel for my family all the troubles we have been through in war. That they appreciate how much we are doing for them to allow them to penetrate into these walls." He nodded. "I already have an idea of who I wish to marry but it is not up to just me. With my first wife we had born a son, when he is old enough he will certainly take over my place as king. I hope that not only I can make a great decision for a new husband or wife, but the ones after my father and I can make the greatest decisions."

The crowd cheered again, many had loved Prince Blaine and how amazing he had become in the past few years he stood along his father.

"So to close this party…" his father started lifting his glass up and the crowd followed. "Let's toast this soon-to-be wedding, to love and victory."

Kurt watched from the floor as the others around him held up their glasses and he had only drank another cup.
He felt his father's hand on his shoulder; pulling him up the stairs hat they had previously come down to
the ballroom floor from. His father pulled through the stairs, leading him into a new room which was
wooden, filled with books and smelled of dust.

A boy was sitting in the chair behind the large desks, writing something while the King and his son came into the
room followed by a few girls who were chosen to marry the prince.

"I'm just taking the records of everyone who is here tonight. There are only six now. One of the
Princes had just gotten married to the princess of a neighboring country."

The King looked angry and then turned over to Kurt who had a new glass of wine in his hand which he poured himself in the corner of the room.

"Burt?" His voice came, moving across the floor flawlessly over to Kurt's father. "Do you anything about King James?" He kept his voice low but Kurt could still hear them since they were only a few feet away. "I'm just hoping he's not planning anything….I'd hate to go back into war with a man like him."

"No…I don't know anything. Some of my workers think that he's planning some sort of sabotage with your son and the wedding. They think that he's going to come disguised and try to marry Prince Blaine."

The King did not look pleased and moved over to the man taking records. "William let me see your book." He demanded and was given it within seconds. The King flipped through the pages as he went on to see all the men and women who had attended. "I'm going to take a closer look at all of you." He referred to the princes and princesses in the room. "If any of you have any sort of contact with King James, I will make sure you are stoned to death." He shut the book angrily and placed it down onto the table. "It's late so I'm going to allow each of you to have at least a half hour with my son, the others can return to your room until he comes for you." He nodded and left the room with the other King's in the room and then with William who had followed them out with his books in hand.

Prince Blaine looked over at Prince Kurt, wanting to speak to him some more. The moment he took a step one of the girls in the room had gotten in his way, wanting to show him how talented she was with her singing. He allowed her and gave a sigh as he watched Prince Kurt leave the Room of records and left to go back to his room.

After about two hours Kurt heard a knock on the bedroom door. He was half asleep, laying on his bed with a bottle of alcohol in his grasp. He didn't say anything when the door opened and Prince Blaine had appeared. He seemed irritated as he locked the door behind him and maneuvered over to the bed. He stared at Prince Kurt for a few seconds; his cheeks flushed a deep pink shade.

"I really don't like those girls my father picked for me." He sat on the bed and reached over to take off Prince Kurt's mask he had left on. "They're all…."

"Floozies." The other spoke as he breathed in heavily, dropping the bottle on the floor.

"Yeah." Prince Blaine chuckled. "Why did you drink so much?"

"….because….you will not do anything…."

"About what?"

"Marrying me…" He blinked and watched Prince Blaine as his fingers worked away the buttons on his jacket to pull it off. When he finished the buttons on the jacket, he began to work on Prince Kurt's shirt.

"I want to marry you, you know that."

"But you won't do it. You're too busy pleasing your father."

"My father knows what is best for me."

"No he doesn't…." Prince Kurt sat up, pulling the other against him, lips touching gently. "I missed you."

"I know you did." He chuckled and pulled away as he continued to pull of Prince Kurt's clothing."What are you asking me?"

"I want you to run away with me so we can be together. Your father isn't going to let us in the end. You have a son and he wants a girl to-"

"That's not true. He's told me numerous times that he doesn't want a girly grandchild and if a girl raises him he's not going to fight for what he believes in he'll only fight for his mother."

Prince Kurt shook his head a giggle.

"You should go to bed." The other prince was now unbuttoning his pants, "finish and I'll get you some clothes to sleep in."

Prince Blaine got off of the bed and moved over to the dresser, pulling shelf after shelf out until he found Prince Kurt's nighttime clothing. He found a nice pair of black silk pants that went along with a shirt that matched. He pulled them out and closed the drawers, turning around with clothes in his hands to see Prince Kurt standing up, trying as hard as he could to pull off his pants without falling over. Once he got them off he fell back onto the bed, breathing hard and rapidly.

Prince Blaine moved over quickly, "are you okay? " He put down the clothes and pulled the boy to sit up on the edge of the bed. "Lift your arms, I'll dress you."

Prince Kurt nodded and lifted his arms. "I'm fine…" His eyes were heavy as if he were about to pass out, watching as Prince Blaine pulled the shirt from the pile of clothing he grabbed and put his arms through it and pulled the shirt down against his waist.

"You need to take off your underwear too." Prince Blaine spoke, almost blushing at the idea of seeing this boy that was so much younger than him, so innocent, so very intoxicated, so much of a virgin, naked.

Kurt only listened to him, laying back to lift his bottom off of the bed and pull off his underwear, cock springing from them.

Prince Blaine stopped what he was doing, almost completely forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. When Prince Kurt sat back up he breathed in again. "What's wrong?"

Prince Blaine shook his head, kneeling down on one knee to grab the boy's long legs and put his feet through the holes of the underwear and pull them up over his knees and past his…cock. He took a deep breath and then grabbed the pants to put over his legs also.

"Why don't we run away together…? "

"Because I can't. I have a duty and a child…I can't just run off with someone…."

"We can stage it. We can write fake notes and have someone kidnapped us, anyone, a peasant who would rather have his family provided for and die than to leave them poor."

"Kurt…I can't." He moved the dirty clothes off of the bed and onto the floor before sitting back down.

"If you really want to marry me…right now we could run away and elope. If you don't want to just tell me, I don't want to waste my time here and not get anything out of it in return."

Prince Blaine looked at him. "If I can't marry you…if my father doesn't pick you I will do it. You can plan this and I'll follow you. I do want to be with you forever and if my father doesn't think I should than I will leave this place."

Prince Kurt smiled as he could hear someone shouting in the distance for Prince Blaine and how his time was up, something of that matter. This made Prince Kurt frown.

"Tomorrow night I'll meet you in the barn. "His hands took a hold of Prince Kurt's. "We'll discuss this more and we'll have all the time too." He pressed his lips against the others, and then left from the bed when the voice called again. Prince Blaine left for the door quickly, unlocking it and left into the hallway.

"I'm here, what do you need father?" Prince Blaine shut the door behind him.

"Did you meet with all all of the others?" His voice sounded gruff as if he was angry at his son.

"I just finished, yes." He nodded and let go of the doorknob and began to walk down the hall with his father. "I'm worried about Kurt though, he thinks that King James might be trying to come after him. I want to be able to protect him as much as a can as I do with the others who are possible marriage choices."

"Then we'll have to keep some eyes in his palace and keep Prince Kurt here as long as we can so we can do our best to kill that….man who calls himself a king." His father touched at his sons shoulder. "Is there anyone you've met yet that you don't think you would marry?"

"Prince Kurt." He nodded. "He's so rude; I think he would make a terrible father to my child."

"Really? But as a ruler…what do you think of him? From how his kingdom is I feel like he would be a wonderful ruler her. They've kept out of war ever since he was born."

"He might be a good ruler but it doesn't mean I will love him or want to be with him."

His father stopped walking. "You already have a child to rule once they're eighteen. If you want to return back to the status of King, then will remarry or be banished. "

Prince Blaine left the hallway, giving a quiet chuckle as he smiled, heading towards his own room. He would continue to fool his father until he was able to have Prince Kurt all to himself.