A/N: Hello, everybody :) I wanted to thank each and every one of you who took time to read this story and especially those perfect people who wrote reviews for me! I can't express how happy it makes me to see that you like my style of writing. I wasn't sure before posting it if anyone would be interested in a historical story, and such take on Klaine relationship but now I see that you are and that's great! I listened to one of your advice and I changed the summary, so hopefully more people would read this :)

You're all amazing and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. It will focus more on the life of the noblemen and the intrigues happening in the estate :) Can't wait for your reviews!

K.

Chapter 2 – The Ball

"What a good book…"

"Get out!"

As if there wasn't enough worries and preparation for Burt that day waiting for a young soldier to arrive and making sure that everything is ready for the ball. It was almost noon when one of the estate's household serfs informed him that there was an unexpected guest waiting for him. Burt didn't expect to see this man but the minute he stepped into the room he could feel his jaw clenching. Standing in his common room was a black-dressed man casually looking at one of his bookshelves. Recognizing the man made the blood in his veins start to boil. The intruder just smiled sheepishly.

"I said get out!" The lord repeated.

"Burt, why all the emotions?" The man shrugged his shoulders with a sneaky smile on his face pretending to be interested in a book he was holding. "Oh and by the way what does the word 'la'argent' mean in your book?"

"Please, leave." Burt said again trying to calm his voice a little while talking. This man already was getting on his nerves enough; he didn't have to know what kind of effect he had on the lord.

The middle-aged man closed the book loudly, put it back to the shelf and flipped his hair obviously irritated at Burt's unwelcoming attitude. He walked over the room to his lord keeping the disgusting, sleazy smile on and stopped a few steps away from Burt.

"Sir Hummel, the payments are late." He said sighing dramatically.

"I told you, you'll get them." Burt crossed his hands on his chest.

"I need them now, right away." The man said not looking apologetically at all. It seemed as if he was enjoying their encounter quite dearly.

"You'll ruin my estate. You'll ruin my land…" A glimpse of desperation could be seen on Burt's face as he obviously didn't know what else to say to defend himself. This man was his worst nightmare, the one that was hunting him for close to twenty years now, the one who was ruining his peaceful life and safety.

"You, your highness…" The man said walking even closer to Burt and keeping a tight eye contact while his eyes just laughed at the lord's desperation. "Are the ruin of your estate. You have been for a long long time. And I'm just an obedient servant of fate."

"You… You're a monster, Edmund!" Burt screamed banging his fist to the wooden table next to them.

"Your highness…" The man backed off a little obviously taken aback by Burt's rage."I may be a monster. But you own your entire life to this monster!"

If they had more time and there wasn't so many other worries in Burt's head, he would have argued. He would have told this horrible man what he thought about him, but their encounter was interrupted by a polite female serf who hurried into the room suddenly. She seemed apologetic to intrude and break the tension between the two men, but Burt was quite thankful for her. He was getting really tired of these visits. The serf bowed a little and looked up at her flushed lord as if asking for permission to speak. When Burt nodded breathing loudly and trying not to look at his unwelcome guest, the woman spoke.

"The important guest we've been waiting for is here, sir." She informed him with a smile.

"Tomorrow…" Edmund whispered to Burt before he could say anything and stormed out of the room leaving the nobleman and his serf to their own devices.

These balls were really the most boring part of Kurt's life. He could never understand how anyone could find anything fun in just standing around and drinking wine. Since he was a little child, Kurt was always required to take part in these gatherings along with his father, one of the noblemen of this land. Being a little boy made things easier: he could just run around, laugh with other young children, play under the tables and whine at the old ladies to give him the most delicious candies. Now everything was different.

Kurt grew up to be a strong, handsome young man that each and every lady desired to dance with or to hear a pleasant word from. Along with that his father was the richest man in this area and it was clear to everyone around that Kurt as his only son will be the inheritor of the estate and the land. He knew his father had expectations of him as well as every other highborn person around here. At these balls he was expected to dance around with beautiful ladies, talk about hunting and politics while bossing his serfs around like everyone else did. But Kurt was very different. He didn't like hunting and he wasn't interested in politics, because he found those very boring and hopeless cases to talk about. He wasn't mean to the serfs, his father Burt taught him that way. Lastly, Kurt wasn't interested in ladies.

About fifteen years ago when Sebastian Smythe, the son of Kurt's uncle Adam, was sent away and later wrote in his letters that he was taken to the army, Kurt hoped to never see him again. One, because he never liked Sebastian when they were kids and two, because Sebastian's name reminded him about his beloved uncle Adam who mysteriously disappeared in the woods while he and Kurt's father were hunting. It wasn't the most pleasant memory of his childhood. But now here he was. Sebastian Smythe. A young soldier standing in their ballroom talking to other noblemen, but obviously eyeing Kurt curiously. Even if they already said their formal hellos, they didn't have the time to speak to one another without Burt's supervision.

So not only was this ball absolutely boring to Kurt—who was trying to keep from yawning as yet another lady sat down by the piano to play something—it was also very uncomfortable being watched by Sebastian like this. Kurt took another sip from his glass letting his minds wonder. Ever since he met those two young serf boys in the woods, he couldn't shake the thought of coming back there to actually talk to them. Or more likely to talk to Blaine, the guy who jumped in the river to save him. He sighed. If he wasn't a serf, then he would have probably invited him for some tea and introduced him to his father. As a friend of course. Kurt couldn't expect anything else. Although the kiss gave him hope… That maybe he wasn't the only one on this land who couldn't imagine his future with a woman.

"I don't recall you being so distracted when we were kids." Sebastian's voice shook him of his thoughts as he noticed the guy standing right next to him. "What a shame that we only get to talk now."

"Shame, indeed." Kurt said calmly sipping his wine and glancing at the soldier for a second. "How do you like the ball?"

"Oh it's lovely…" Sebastian laughed slightly answering and sipping a bit of wine too. "Many beautiful ladies, good music. And pretty calm for a change."

"Must be a real disappointment after the huge balls you've been to in the capital." Kurt just shook his head obviously humoring Sebastian and shrugged. He wanted to ask why the guy came back, he really didn't believe the 'visiting my homeland' bullshit. So he decided not to drag the question away anymore. "Why are you here, Sebastian?"

"And aren't you blunt too?" The soldier look at Kurt a bit taken aback by his straightforward question. He obviously didn't expect the question, but stayed calm and relaxed which got on Kurt's nerves even more. "Why don't you rather ask me about army? Or tell me how you are doing here in a beautiful countryside. Is hunting any good? I mean, my farther used to love it so it must be great…"

"Could you cut the crap?" Kurt clenched his jaw tightly, he got his impulsiveness from his father. "I have to know what's your deal with my father."

"You don't need to know anything."

Sebastian just shook his head looking straight at Kurt. He didn't like the look that the other man was giving him. It seemed to Kurt as if Sebastian was pitying him for still being such a child, as if he wasn't even taking him serious. He hated to be looked at like that, because it made him feel so stupid and worthless and small. Sebastian put a glass of wine on the cabinet and moved closer to Kurt so that their faces were just inches away.

"The czar granted the freedom to the serfs." He said silently so only Kurt could hear him. "Tell anyone before I can and you're so doomed."

Then Sebastian turned around, took his glass of wine, walked over the ballroom's entrance and disappeared in the dark corridor. He didn't even glance once at Kurt.

"Ninety-six… Ninety-seven…" Edmund was counting clearly to himself out loud trying not to miss any number. He was very picky when it came to money.

"Is everything clear, you fool?" Sebastian was obviously getting impatient as the man in black counted his money. He nervously looked through the window to see the bonfires of serfs burning bright in the horizon. "Seems like they're having a ball too…"

"It's Friday, serfs are celebrating the end of the week. Ninety-eight… Ninety-nine… Oh yes, clear like a day… One hundred." Edmund put the money in his pocket.

"Repeat it." Sebastian demanded.

"I'm not a child. Unlike you." Edmund smiled at the soldier with the sleazy smile. "You pay me. I know what I have to do."

"You watch out…"

The door opened and Burt Hummel walked in the room together with three other noblemen. These were all the men responsible for the land. All serfs, all land belonged to them. And while Burt had the biggest part, three other lords were just as important.

"Edmund…" He addressed the man in black clothes much more calmly now. "How many times do I have to say it? Get out of my estate. We have much more important things to do."

"Oh no, it's fine. Edmund was just telling me how you were getting along here." Sebastian stepped in smiling dearly to his uncle and nodding to other noblemen politely. "He told me what a wonderful hunter you are, uncle Burt."

Burt's jaw clenched. He breathed deeply in and out and gestured other noblemen to take their seats in the common room where a few bottles of expensive drinks were being served and a middle-age serf woman was covering the table.

"Of course, I left the most interesting parts out." Edmund added. "Have a wonderful night, sirs."

Sebastian and other noblemen went to take their places by the table when Burt walked Edmund out. The man obviously didn't intend to stay any longer, but Burt grabbed his arm and stopped him looking right to his eyes.

"I should have gotten rid of you long ago…" He whispered and pushed the money into Edmund's hands. "Here. All of it. Like I promised."

"Do you think you can get away so easily?" Edmund said taking the money and pushing it into his pocket along with Sebastian's payment. "Everything has changed, Burt. There is a new player in the game now, Lieutenant Smythe. My silence has gotten more expensive. More expensive…"

"Where are you going?" Burt asked when the man walked down the corridor.

"To hell!" Edmund shouted back flipping his hair. "As far from your secrets as possible!"

The minute Blaine heard that Edmund showed up he knew something really happened. That man was like a mediator between serfs and the estate. Not a serf, but not a nobleman either. Nobody knew what money he lived on, but every one knew Edmund and surprisingly trusted him. Blaine was dancing around the bonfire with his friends Sam, Finn and Rachel when they heard the horse and dropped everything to run and see what the man has to say.

"Brothers! The czar!" Edmund shouted and the whole place went completely silent as serfs listened to him. "The czar signed the manifesto!"

"What…"

"What did he sign…"

The confused muttering went through the whole crowd of serfs. Blaine looked around, because he couldn't understand what was happening either. He was pretty sure that he nor his friends didn't know what the manifesto was.

"A manifesto!" Edmund repeated loudly. "He has abolished serfdom."

"How do you know that?" Somebody asked from the crowd.

"Sir Hummel told me!"

Silence stayed for several minutes. Nobody said anything. Then the crowd bursted into shouts of happiness and complete oblivion. For a minute Blaine thought that he was going to faint. How could that be true? How could the czar abolish serfdom just like that? It was like a dream. People kept screaming and hugging each other and kissing one another. Freedom. This word was being repeated thousands and thousands of times in a minute. Blaine fell into Sam's embrace as he saw Finn clutching Rachel closer to his chest. Now he and his friends could get married and have a beautiful life. Now they were finally free.

"But what we are supposed to do now?" Asked some much older serf who didn't seem too impressed by the news.

"I have no idea…" Edmund sighted dramatically. "But Burt Hummel knows! So go and ask him!"

"What? Now?" The man asked obviously confused.

"No, wait for the winter to come…" Edmund laughed at him. "Of course now! Go and ask him! Who's responsible for what now?! Go, all of you!"

"You should think what you're going to do with your serfs." Sebastian said looking around the room where all most important noblemen were seated along with Burt Hummel who seemed more worried than anyone else. "They'll be full of themselves now."

"But why do you think they're going to up and rebel right away?" Burt asked scanning Sebastian with his worried eyes. "Why, they got their freedom."

"What are they going to do with that freedom of theirs?" One of the fattest noblemen asked brushing his chin with one hand nervously while sipping whiskey with another. "Eat it? Spread it on bread?"

"The serfs may have gotten their freedom, but they didn't get something more important." Sebastian agreed nodding his head and crossing his hands on the chest. "Land. Listen, gentlemen, whether the peasant is free or not, he still has to eat…"

"And since the land is ours, he's not going to run far away from us!" Finished the young soldier's words the fattest noblemen.

Burt stood up. He couldn't listen calmly anymore as all the noblemen were degrading these poor people who worked so hard to survive and serve the noblemen. He walked over to the window not knowing where to put his eyes while he really didn't want to join the conversation. The manifesto worried him too, he didn't know how people were going to react, what they were going to do without a land. But he knew, or at least dearly hoped, that none of them will try to hurt him or his son.

"So I'm saying if you need my help, my men and I are always here…"

"So kind of you, so kind…"

Burt heard noblemen and Sebastian in the background. Mixed feelings went through his chest when he pushed the curtains to look through the window. His heart started beating fast. What Burt saw was breath-taking. A huge crowd of serfs with burning torches were moving closer to his estate.

"What is it?" One noblemen asked Burt seeing his shocked face.

The crowed was moving fast and Burt pushed the curtains for all noblemen to see. The gasps were heard behind him.

"Oh god… I think it's starting…"