The sea breeze is strong and easy to taste this morning as he stands on the edge of his world. He recognizes blue is the first thing he remembers when he thinks about his life, but it isn't this blue, not the shimmering uncapturable color of the water.
Blaine walked wearily with tiny hurried steps upon the rickety bridge connecting one village to another, trying to match his family's quick pace as they make the journey without looking around themselves. Knights stood five paces in front of them and four paces to their sides. This, Blaine knew, meant they were safe. Blaine wished he could hold mother's hand so he could feel safe too.
"Momma, why mustn't I walk beside you?"
His mother looked over her shoulder with a warning of silence in her gaze and Blaine stopped in his tracks. She turned to look forward again but Blaine stood still as a chill ran down his spine despite the warm sea breeze.
His eyes trained once again upon his brother's back, the elaborate swirls of silver thread against the blue cape pretty enough to entertain him as it moved further and further away. He blinked and suddenly realized just how far away his family was, the knights' shining armors reflecting the sunshine at the other end of the bridge. He ran as fast as his little feet would take him and in a moment he felt the tip of his shoe as it bent on the misshapen wood; the floorboards disappeared from below him and he was falling back, the sun too bright on his face until the warm water surrounded him. It was salty and heavy and burning in his throat and he thought of the still struggling fish on the waterlogged decks and what they must think of air
Then there were hands around his waist, just two, slim and small but longer than his own. He tried to hold on to the arms that held him, not quite able to believe that Cooper had jumped in after him. They tugged him out and onto the shore and then shoved him rather roughly onto his side.
"You didn't breathe in, did you?"
The voice was young but nothing like his brother's at all and when the stranger's arms turned him onto his back Blaine gasped in and then coughed rather painfully. The boy had hair as black as Blaine's but smooth where his own was curly and his eyes- Blaine couldn't believe his own eyes- they were dark and slanted like the ones in the picture books that he and Cooper shared.
"Pirate."
His voice was rough and whispery, but the boy above him must have heard because he rolled his dark strange eyes raisinghis eyebrows up to reach his hairline as he looked over Blaine's shivering body.
"You can't be tryin' to drink the ocean little prince. The mermaids need it to swim."
Then Blaine only knew of the clattering of the knights' armor and his father kneeling at his side, his mother somewhere at the edge of things, and Cooper with a look of complete distress as he draped the velvety blue of his cloak over Blaine's shoulders. Blaine took his brother's hand and pointed right behind him, the strange eyed boy stood.
"Pirate saved me, Coop."
His brother turned over and summoned the stranger, who walked towards them with shy steps but squared shoulders. He didn't bow as people usually did for Cooper, but he held his hands behind his back and looked at his feet. Blaine told his father the boy had saved him and his brother surged forth and wrapped his arms around the skinny pirate boy promising him everything he ever wanted for saving his baby brother. The tall boy looked at Cooper without smiling for a moment, before glancing over his shoulder at Blaine, who had hidden himself under the blue cloak.
"Do ya wanna learn how to swim?"
With all the excitement, Blaine's mother didn't remember that he had asked her something, though he waited for her answer all day. She only spared rare and measured glances at the three boys who returned to the palace, as if trying to explain to herself how she had left with two composed princes and returned with a cape-less prince, a half-drowned son, and a pirate child. As she was leaving them in the care of the rather bewildered nurses, he ventured to ask again, his voice small as the older boys behind him chattered on.
"Momma, why mustn't I walk beside you? Cooper walks beside papa all the time."
His mother's eyes narrowed only slightly, just enough for Blaine to look down to his shoes. She hadn't looked as happy and light as his father and brother when the pirate child had taken him out of the sea, but Blaine wouldn't ask about that. He only wanted to know why Cooper could hold father's hand as they walked among the people every week but Blaine couldn't hold hers.
Her voice was not harsh but she certainly sounded displeased as she bent down to answer him, "Because you must always walk two paces behind your brother, Blaine. That is your place."
"Your Highness…Blaine…BLAINE," Mike shoved his shoulder, jostling him so that he had to hang tight to the reigns of his horse in order to keep his balance.
"Wha… sorry, my mind ran away from me," Blaine smiled as Mike patted his arm. "I think I should head back to the palace."
Mike sighed, looking out onto the sea, "How does that make any sense at all?"
"Running away from things doesn't make them easier to deal with later," Blaine smiled kindly. "I must head back, unless you'd like to come home to see whether Her Majesty has purchased a solid gold harp and sent the miners revolting."
"You'll have to forgive me, Serene Highness," Mike said with an eye-roll, just as he always did when he used any of Blaine's many, many titles. "I do not think even your noble self could prevent Her Majesty from purchasing a solid gold anything."
Blaine chuckled as he turned his horse back in the direction of the palace. "Perhaps so, but someone must keep the miners from revolting."
He could hear Mike's horse just behind him and he turned to smile at him. "Ride beside me, Mike. You know I cannot abide someone trailing at my back."
The other man hurried his pace until they trotted; their horses were side-by-side. "It's your back that needs protection Blaine."
Blaine smiled, shaking his head. "No part of me needs protection, Mike, no matter how much you insist. Besides, there's nothing behind us but the sea. Are you planning to defend me from that?"
"Wouldn't be the first time," Mike said, and they both laughed at that for a moment before Mike squared his shoulders, looking at Blaine wearily. "One day, Blaine, you're going to speak your mind and then you'll be glad to have someone protective of your back, your head, and every bit of you they come after."
He chuckled, his eyes crinkling with mirth. "You must find these things I have to say quite upsetting, then."
Mike sighed as the palace came into view. "No my prince, I find the things you have to put up with quite infuriating."
They rode hard the rest of the way. Mike jumped off his horse first and helped Blaine down, as alert of their surroundings and of Blaine as he had been the day they had met.
Just a moment later, Rory, the young footman, hurried to help them with their horses.
"Your Serene Highness! Forgive me; we didn't expect you home so soon. Here, Sir Chang- allow me."
Blaine smiled kindly at him as Mike ruffled the boy's hair. Rory was a nervous little thing with the thick accent of the woods, always tripping over himself to please. Blaine plucked his gloves off and took a deep breath as he prepared to go back into the palace.
"Rory, would you be so kind as to take the horses to Sam or David? I should go see if my brother has bothered to leave his chambers this morning."
"Of course, Your Highness," Rory nodded, bowing as led the horses away.
Mike snorted and Blaine glared up at him. "You're a prince," Mike explained. "You don't have to practically beg your servants to do their jobs for you, Blaine."
Blaine gave a bashful shrug, "Well … they're servants, Mike, not slaves." He squared his shoulders as he got his thoughts in order, leaving the lighthearted freedom of his morning behind.
Mike stepped forward, letting out a long sigh and placing a strong, firm hand on each of his shoulders. "Wondering what Her Majesty has in store for you today?"
Blaine let out a short laugh and pressed his lips together, barely restraining a smile. "Dreading it."
Mike clapped him in the back with an unsuppressed laugh. "That's the spirit, my liege."
Kurt took a deep calming breath. He looked down at himself, as he did every morning before facing the others, making sure every bit of his attire was in perfect order. He ran the soft pads of his fingers over the beautiful key holder his father had made for him when Master Lorah had named him Head of Household on the New Year. The mostly smooth texture always calmed him, reminded him of his home filled with the iron works his father and brother made with their own hands. He settled it and all the keys it held on his belt and stared at the doors.
Today was going to be one of those days when making sure everyone did their job turned out to be the hardest of all his tasks. He squared his shoulders and put on a smile as he pushed the doors aside. The buzzing sounds of the kitchen hardly wavered as the doors flew open.
"Good morning, people!"
David groaned from the corner of the room. "Oh, sweet gods; it's the fairy show-runner. It's too early for you, Hummel."
"Hey- shut it, Karofsky."
Puck was sitting upon the kitchen counter, Kurt noticed with dismay, where all the food was prepared. He took an even breath and tried to keep his voice calm, "Puck. Enough."
Puck froze mid movement, ready to throw a rather oversized apple at Dave.
"Jeez, Kurt. I'm trying to defend your honor here."
Kurt smiled tensely. "Thank you, Noah, but that's unnecessary. What is necessary, though, is that you tend to the east lawn. It looks like the Wildlands."
"Like you've ever been to the Wildlands, fancy," Dave muttered from his corner.
Puck hopped off the kitchen counter. "Hey, I said shut it or I'll shut it for you."
"Puck," Kurt moved forward, finally gaining attention from the rest of the staff, "Stop it."
Puck turned and glared at him, "What the hell, Hummel. You don't say anything to this jerk face."
"David may be a jerk or a gentleman as he wishes," he glanced sideways at Dave, "But it's not my concern. David does his job without prompting. The east lawn, Noah. Now."
Puck huffed as he made for the door, mimicking Kurt as he went. "David does his job without prompting."
Kurt clapped his hands together once Puck had left the kitchen. "Alright, I'm going to be honest with all of you. We are to receive guests as soon as tonight; sudden and unannounced guests. As per usual, Her Majesty has not found it of any need whatsoever to let Master Lorah or myself know the size of the guest party, the nature of their visit, or any hint of their identity. We know nothing. Therefore I suggest we over-prepare. Madam Beiste- if you could gather a full feast for tonight? Sugar- if you could take the girls and prepare the entire east wing? I know the task is daunting but as I said: we've no idea who is coming, or how many are coming. David- if you and Sam could accommodate for, I'd say, half a dozen steeds in the stables: that should be enough. The rest of you can take the fence for the evening until we figure something out. Questions? No? Fantastic. Let's move people- all I could surmise was that they'll be here tonight."
He tried to smile calmly as the kitchen exploded in sudden protests around him.
"Hold it, pumpkin. I can't just cook up a feast if I don't know how many people are sitting at the table," Madam Beiste spoke gently, but her voice was firm and louder than the rumble of whines around her. "Especially if you want us all on the generous side. This is no time to be wasting food."
Kurt's shoulders slumped. He knew the woman was right.
Outside the palace walls people were starving- people like his own family, who were only well fed and sheltered because Kurt worked hard every day and night for them. Beyond the dream state of palace life there was hardship and hunger across the land, but to keep his family from that fate he had to do his job, and his job was to make this particular family happy. It didn't matter how nonsensical or unfair their demands were.
"Kurt," Sugar took his arm and pouted like a small child. "The old man said not to be wasting firewood on rooms no one's gonna use, and honestly? My nails can't take it."
Kurt took a calming breath, squeezing his eyes shut before looking expectantly at Dave.
"What, no complaints from the stables?"
David looked up from his breakfast and shrugged. "Not really, no."
He smiled fleetingly at the man as he hunched back over his breakfast. He didn't let it bother him that David seemed to detest him so much, since he was one of the hardest workers in the household and Kurt appreciated that. Sometimes he wished they could be friends, but then, he probably wouldn't know what to do with friends if he had them. He sighed as he turned back to the women.
"And what would you ladies propose I do?"
"You run the place, kid," Beiste said with a smile as she started to prepare the day's luncheon. "Go figure out what's happening so we can get to work."
Kurt settled his hand over his eyes to try to come up with a decent plan. He was thrilled with his position, honored to be raised up in the hierarchy of servitude to a place such as this, where others were meant to take direction from him and the Family acknowledged his existence. It meant he had that much more to send home to his own family so that they could live comfortably. But some days Kurt had to admit he was too young for this.
He huffed, fixing his jacket and showing no trace of his insecurity, mumbling on his way out of the kitchen; "Run this place, right. With this level of cooperation we'll have to settle the visitors beside their horses."
He could hear Dave's deep chuckling as the doors swung behind him.
"I'm sure they'll like it, we've got plenty of room."
Blaine knew it was on everyone's mind and always had been. Sometimes it was true. Sometimes Blaine wished he was more like Cooper. Not in the way others suspected though; oh, no. He didn't want to be tall and gallant and blue eyed and gorgeous. No, he'd given up on those hopes long ago, back when he was a child and had realized one could not change certain things no matter how hard one tried. Sometimes he wished he were more like his brother, yes. He wished he could just smile at the world and not ask any questions and trust everything would turn up in the end.
But Blaine couldn't. The world didn't smile at him that way, because he wasn't Cooper.
"What do you mean- we've got visitors? What visitors?"
Cooper rolled his eyes and reached for a fresh cup of wine. "I mean, mother called in Master Lorah and that rosy cheeked apprentice of his and told them to prepare for guests."
Blaine took a deep breath in through his mouth and pinched the bridge of his nose, "How many guests, Cooper? From where?"
His brother shrugged. "Haven't the faintest."
Blaine felt his shoulders tense, all the peace that the morning outing had provided falling away from him. "So you're saying mother invited guests- foreign guests?" He paused as the older boy nodded. "Right, foreign guests- without telling even the maids, so that they could prepare rooms? Without telling you? Do you think she's even told father?"
Cooper set down his cup and looked up, his grin turned into a smaller, softer smile. "She might as well not, Blainey. You know… you know he's not exactly aware."
"That doesn't mean mother gets the run of things, Cooper. You do. Things become your responsibility. You're to be our King someday, and regrettably, that day will most likely be soon. Why didn't she at least have the courtesy to inform you?"
"Honestly, Blaine? I don't mind at all," Cooper inspected the fruits on the table but apparently found nothing that pleased him. "I'm sure she has her reasons. I trust mother and it's unbecoming of you not to. Now, I suggest you find something decent to wear for tonight. Whoever our guests may be, they deserve the full extent of our hospitality and you, baby brother, look like a stable hand."
Blaine looked down at his riding gear. "My clothes are fine!"
Cooper raised an eyebrow and Blaine looked down at his feet, ashamed at his petty outburst. He took a quiet breath and felt Cooper pat him rather awkwardly on the shoulder.
"You shouldn't worry so much squirt, you're just a kid. Why don't you borrow my new cape? I'm sure we can have it fitted for your…stature, by tonight."
Blaine was about to protest when Cooper saw something over Blaine's shoulder and grinned. "Kurt! Perfect: just who we need. Come here a moment, would you?"
Blaine bit hard onto his lip to regain control of his expression before turning to look behind him. The small attempt was useless, though: it was impossible to avoid the small gap in his breathing every time he was faced with the sight of that boy. Things had been worse since the New Year, when he had been named Head of the Household and began to roam around the palace with a fair amount of freedom, supervising the work of his peers. It meant Blaine could turn a corner at any point during the day and be faced with those eyes that reminded him of the sea wrapping its arms around him when he was a child.
Kurt came closer and bowed.
"Your Royal Highness."
"Kurt, my good man- you've got an eye for these things. See to it that Blaine is properly dressed for tonight. I'm sure you can mend this to his fit." Cooper handed the heavy cloak to Kurt and the other man took it with a pleasant smile and a nod.
It took Blaine a moment to shake himself out of his speechless state. "N…no that's alright. I can dress myself, thank you. I'm sure Kurt has more urgent matters to attend to."
"It would be a pleasure to assist you, Your Highness," Kurt said in his beautiful crystalline voice.
Beside him, Cooper gave a small snort of amusement and Blaine's eyes widened at the implication. He gave Cooper a shove and swallowed thickly as he noticed Kurt's small smile and the color rising in his cheeks. "I'll… be in my chambers."
He tried his best not to bang his head against the nearest wall as soon as he was out of sight and in the safety of his bedroom. The way seeing Kurt made him lose all his hard-earned self-control was unacceptable, but it seemed to be the inevitable reaction every time he was anywhere near. The gentle knock at his door didn't so much irritate as startle him, "Yes, come in!"
Oh gods, there he was again. "I'm so sorry, Your Serene Highness, but I wasn't sure whether you would like me to assist you or not."
Blaine tried his utmost to stay focused and in control of himself. "I… I appreciate your kindness, Kurt. But truly, I can handle finding something to wear on my own. I know this unexpected visit must have thrown you and the rest of the household into to some trouble."
The other man looked as if he had something to say on the matter and visibly held it back. "No trouble at all Your Highness."
Blaine dared to step closer, confident that he wouldn't begin to trip over his words once again. "Is there anything you need? I mean… so that the household can prepare. It's all such short notice and it seems unfair to expect everyone to magically have everything in order."
For a moment, Blaine could see Kurt's perfect confidence fall away, if only by an inch. "It's… It's only that we're not sure what to prepare for, Sire. How many guests, even." He shook his head suddenly and his eyes were wide as if he were shocked, perhaps at his own honesty. "But that is, of course, no matter that you need to concern yourself with, Your Highness. I assure you we will all be most prepared…"
"Kurt, please… relax." Before he could understand what he was doing, his hand was resting firmly on Kurt's shoulder, the same way Mike's and Cooper's would rest on his own when he worried so much that his lip bled from biting on it. He snatched his hand away as quickly as he had placed it and awkwardly held it at his side. "I wish I knew something that could be of help you, but I was just as surprised as any of you to hear that we'll be receiving guests tonight."
Kurt nodded quickly, still looking startled by his outburst of concern and familiarity with the prince. "Please don't concern yourself, Sire. Everything will be perfect. If… if you don't need my assistance, then…"
Blaine blinked and nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes, of course. Please, don't let me keep you."
The other boy bowed and flitted quickly out of the room, leaving Blaine free to proceed with his previous plan to knock his forehead rather violently against his bedroom door, the bewildering effects of Kurt's presence leaving him airheaded and guilty long after he was gone.
A/N: Alright first off I want to thank Gabe for letting me talk his ear off about it. My last minute and absolutely amazing beta Sapphire, you're a life saver. And of course, I can't forget, this story goes out to Kara with all my love and cuddles.
I hope you guys enjoy it, please let me know what you think if you've got a minute!