Title: Stained Glass Heart

Author:

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Sex, language, violence in future chapters

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, slight Kurt/Karofsky

Word Count: 2,060

Summary: In the kingdom of Dalton, a war between faeries and humans is waging. With the humans' lust for the faeries' powers, and the faeries' lust for revenge, it is inconceivable for them to fall in love. But Kurt and Blaine will defy gravity and change it all.

A/N: Okay, so I spent the night outlining the rest of this story, and I'm pretty sure it's going to come up to one hundred chapters, including the prologue and the epilogue. But I may be inspired to write more, or I may decide that one of the chapters is stupid and cut it out. But just so you know, it's tentatively planned to be a hundred chapters. So, without further intro, I present to you the first chapter of Act I!

~o~

Just as natural laws govern humans, there are understood rules that apply to faeries. Every faerie knows that at the age of eighteen, they are to be mated to another faerie. The match may be made out of love, convenience, or based on what the faerie needs. Faeries mate for life, and have a strong bond much stronger than that of human marriage.

Because of this, every relationship that a faerie builds is of the utmost importance. It is said in the Book of Riail that a faerie begins the mating bond upon the first meeting of their soulmate. This passage is often dismissed, but several occasions have proven that it very well may be true. Many faeren clans choose to ignore this, in favor of mating off faeries upon their eighteenth birthdays, regardless if love is shared between the two faeries.

In wartime, protection, and reproduction rates are considered to be higher priorities than love.

Ten Years Later

"Kurt!"

The sound of the fire faerie's voice traveled up the tree he and his family had been inhabiting for the past ten years, and reached the ears of his son. Kurt, who was perched on the branch of his home tree, was looking over the McKinley grounds.

In the ten years since he had been snatched away from the kindest human he had ever met-the only human he had ever met-the Titan clan had been staying put. They seemed to have taken up permanent residence here at McKinley, and Kurt was grateful for it.

But he had always been told to be careful what he wished for.

Ten years after complaining to an attentive human about the constant change, now he was itching for it. His life had become all but meaningless, filled with mundane everyday tasks. He was the youngest of his friends, not yet eighteen. He would turn that special age soon, but it was not something he was rushing forth for. After all, he would be mated, and none of the Titan faeries appealed to him.

He knew he was pursued. One or two of the faeries had shown an interest in him before, but he never reciprocated. For one, he never knew if they were truly attracted to him, or to the rarity of his breed. As a water faerie, he was something of a hot commodity around the clan. He greatly preferred being referred to as a snow faerie, since that was his favorite aspect of water, but he had control over it all.

It was appropriate of course, considering the icy attitude he seemed to regard everyone with. There were all sorts of rumors around the clan, many circulating about how during a practice session gone wrong, he had accidentally encased his heart in ice. Kurt snorted. It was absolutely ridiculous. But it kept admirers at bay. As one who preferred the company of male faeries, he was already ostracized enough. It was not nearly as bad as he had heard the rest of Dalton was, but still, it was slightly hurtful.

Thankfully, those he cared about did not give a damn what his sexual preference was. He was one of the clan's protectors, and thanks to William, they had all had a long bonding session, which ended in all of them so desperate to see other faeries, they didn't care about each others' flaws.

"Kurt!"

Sighing Kurt slid easily off the branch and extended his large blue wings. As a male, his wings were longer and stronger than the females, who had gossamer wings, almost that of a butterfly. Jumping off the tree branch, he flew to the ground, and stepped through the door of his house.

The forest of McKinley that the Titan clan had taken residence in clearly spoke of magic and beauty. The trees were large and hollow, and the perfect for a faerie family to live in. Kurt stepped through the thicket covered threshold, and halted at the doorway when he saw Dave Karofsky, sitting across from his father.

"Yes Dad?" Kurt asked, though his gaze was trained upon the other faerie. Dave was one of the faeries who had shown an interest in Kurt, though Kurt had never returned the feelings. He was not interested in the faerie from the Karofsky kinfolk, though he had never truly needed to turn the faerie down. However, he was beginning to think that it might become necessary very soon.

"Kurt, in less than a month you will be turning eighteen." Burt began, and Kurt had to bite his tongue. His natural instinct was to let a quick sarcastic jibe slide past his lips, but he knew that it would not be in his best interest to do so. Instead, Kurt decided to take the diplomatic route, and simply nod.

"And that means that you'll be mated." Kurt's stomach lurched unpleasantly. He did not want to be mated. He wasn't in love. It was unusual for a faerie of his age to not be in a relationship, but it was slightly harder for him. He was seeking a male faerie, one who wanted him back. He wanted to be in love with someone, not be mated to someone who he might care about, or grow fond of. He wanted love, the kind of love that his parents had shared. Was that too much to ask for.

"Yes, I understand. But I've explained to you, I'm not in love. Dad, I thought we agreed that we could wait until a little after my eighteenth birthday before I had to be mated." Kurt was ashamed that there was desperation in his voice, but he could not allow himself to be mated off. He knew that it was the custom in his clan, but he just couldn't imagine spending a life with someone he did not love.

Burt sighed. He knew his son was going to present some problems. But it was of the utmost importance to him that Kurt was well protected. The intensity of the war had only increased over the years, and Burt had already lost a wife due to the humans. He couldn't lose his son too.

"Kurt, I know what we agreed. But in light of what's going on around us, I just don't think that's an option. You're weaker when you're unmated, and you're a small faerie to begin with." Kurt glared at his father, eyes narrowed in resentment. He hated his size. He absolutely hated that about himself. He had the body of a female faerie, minus certain anatomy. Despite common folklore, faeries were not small lithe creatures depicted in storytales. The females were, but male faeries were usually strong, muscular, and powerful, intended to protect their female mates. He hated being singled out as smaller faerie. Thankfully one of the Chang kinfolk, Mike, had the same sort of build as Kurt, so he was not alone in the plight.

"I'm also one of the most powerful faeries in the clan. I'm the only sn-water faerie for miles, possibly the only one in Dalton. Just because I can't lift a boulder over my head doesn't mean that I can't protect myself."

Letting out another sigh, Burt ran a hand over his shaved head. This was going to be pretty damn difficult for him. He was terrified that one day someone would come back with the news that his son had died, or had been kidnapped by humans. But if Kurt was mated, mated to someone who could protect him, then Burt could sleep easier at night.

"I know that Kurt. I know that you're powerful, and can protect yourself, but mating will make you even more powerful. It will be good for you, being mated. And Dave Karofsky has come here today, to ask my permission to mate with you."

Kurt held his breath. He was terrified of just that. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, praying to Ahmras, the faeren deity, hoping that if there was any luck on his side, he would not be fated to a life, mated to Dave Karofsky.

But it appeared that life was not on his side.

"And I said yes."

Kurt inhaled sharply, and Karofsky extended a hand out towards Kurt. However, Kurt quickly pulled away, not in the mood to be comforted. He glared at his father. "Dad, I don't want to be mated! I'm not in love, it's not the right path for me!"

He felt slightly bad, arguing like this in front of Dave, but it was necessary. There was nothing wrong with Dave Karofsky, the thought of being mated to him did not repulse Kurt, but it greatly concerned him. He did not want to be doomed to a loveless life for the rest of his life.

After all, look at William, of the Schuester kinfolk. He was mated to Terri, though everyone could see that he and Emma were meant to be. Kurt did not want to find the faerie he was meant to fall in love with after he had been mated to another.

"Kurt, it is the right path for you. It's the only path for you. You know the customs of the McKinley clan, and this is going to be your life. This is how you are going to live. I'm sorry son, but for now, you aren't eighteen yet, and that means that I'm still in charge of you. And I say that you are getting mated to Dave Karofsky on the eve of your eighteenth birthday.

Kurt swallowed, and he was ashamed to say that tears began welling up in his eyes. Not from sadness or sorrow, but from frustration. Why could his father not understand? He had gotten his chance, twice. He had mated with his mother first, and Carole later. Why could he not let his own son have the opportunity to try for such love and happiness? He knew if his mother had been here, she never would have stood for it.

"Kurt, I promise, it won't be so bad." Dave said, trying to console the emotional faerie. But there was no chance of that. Kurt definitely had no desire to be comforted by the faerie he did not love, yet was promised to. "Kurt, I've been watching you for a long time. I love you, I swear. Kurt, I will be a good mate, a good husband."

Kurt swallowed. He didn't want to hear this. This was not what he wanted for his life, yet he had no control over it. He had no choice whether or not he would be happy in his life. He would live the expected mated life. He would do his clan duties as expected, and he and Dave would have babies, and live out the life that every mated couple lived.

Except for the fact that love would be absent from their relationship.

"He's a qualified faerie Kurt." Burt said, eyeing his son warily. "He's a hunter, so not only can he protect you, but he can provide for you and your future family. He's a good faerie Kurt. You're lucky that he wants to mate with you."

Kurt's eyes flashed dangerously, preying upon the words that his father spoke. "And what is that supposed to mean? That I'm lucky any faerie is willing to mate with me? That this is my one and only shot? That I'm so abhorrent that no other faerie is willing to mate with me?"

Burt opened his mouth, and tried to protest, but Kurt cut his father off. "Because while you may prefer the company of female faeries, I know that I'm attractive. I'm not falsely modest and I know that I am good looking. I could find a mate if I wanted to, a mate who I love. And just for the record, I hate meat. You know that." Kurt's days of vegetarianism were over, as the war had progressed, and made protein harder to find.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt glared at the company in the room. "If you don't mind, I'll be in my quarters."

And with that, he spun on his heel, and walked up to his room, in a tantrum fit of a Rachel Berry faerie fit.