And as promised, the next chapter is here. I adore this chapter, for reasons that will become obvious by the end. Let's call it the calm before the storm.

I love the friendship between Mercedes and Kurt, and personally, I think Puck and Blaine would make great friends, so that's why he has a little cameo in this chapter. I have just finished writing chapter nine, so this story is coming on nicely. As always, thank you for your reviews. There have been nearly 1000 hits on this story, making it easily my most popular, so thank you to everyone who had contributed to that number.

In the three or so hours between last chapter and this one, I haven't managed to buy Glee. It's an ongoing struggle :D

4.

The next morning, Kurt told Mr Shue that he wasn't coming to lessons for today. That was one of the best things about being a Prince. You could just skip whenever you felt like it, and Kurt was a good enough student for Mr Shue to let it slid this time.

Kurt went to find an escort. When he reached the barracks, however, the only knight still there was Blaine. Kurt was feeling a little awkward around him, but Blaine apparently didn't feel the same and cheerfully agreed to escort him to Mercedes' home.

On the way there, with Blaine on his own horse, Samos, there was no silence, with Blaine chattering happily all the way there. Kurt would call it small talk, but it was all said with such enthusiasm that Kurt almost wished Blaine wasn't so cheerful. Upon reaching Mercedes' home, Kurt escaped up to her dayroom with a sigh of relief.

Mercedes settled herself opposite Kurt and took his hand gently as she asked "What's wrong?"

"Oh, 'Cedes. Everything."

Mercedes laughed softly "Okay, how about a bit more specific?"

"Blaine. And Dave Karofsky."

"Who's Dave Karofsky?"

Kurt rolled his eyes at her "You must have at least heard of the name. He's the son of a rich nobleman and he's applied for my hand in marriage. My dad approves. He wants me to marry Dave."

"And you don't?"

"No, of course not! We've got nothing in common. The only thing that's going for him is that he's the only one interested."

Mercedes nodded "I see. So that's where the Blaine problem comes in?"

Kurt groaned "He's gay, Mercedes. I said, in front of him, that I was going to marry Dave and he just didn't blink. He's acting exactly the same."

Mercedes wrapped her arm around Kurt's waist and hugged him tightly "You think he doesn't like you in that way?"

"What else am I supposed to think?"

"Maybe he's just really good at hiding his feelings. After all, maybe he's not sure if you like him. You are a prince, Kurt. He probably thinks he's beneath you."

Kurt shrugged "I wouldn't mind that."

Mercedes burst out laughing "Not like that! Honestly, where did my innocent Kurt go?"

"Disappeared about the same time I met you. I wonder why that could be…"

Mercedes laughed again "You're feeling better then. You know, you don't have to marry this Dave."

"Yes, I do. I won't disappoint my dad."

"Kurt, he wouldn't want you to be unhappy, and you said it yourself, he wouldn't mind you marrying a knight."

"I won't be unhappy. I just… won't be as happy as I could be. I'll be… content, and I can live with that. As for the knight thing, he wouldn't mind, but only while there wasn't a better prospect. Dave's a better prospect."

Mercedes hugged him again "If you're sure…"

"I am, 'Cedes. My dad knows that I have a responsibility to the kingdom to marry acceptably, and I know it as well. Now, I've got to go. I need to clear my head."

Mercedes nodded "Go riding. Have fun."

Kurt kissed her cheek "Thank you, Mercedes. You always make things better."

"That's because I'm brilliant. Now go."

Kurt laughed, and went back down the stairs, emerging into the courtyard and calling for Blaine. Immediately, he appeared in a doorway, and they went to collect their horses.

As they came out of Mercedes' house, Kurt said to Blaine "I need to go riding. Are you going to be able to keep up with me?"

Blaine grinned "Is that a challenge, Prince Kurt?"

Kurt just grinned back and spurred Moran forward. In less than five minutes, both young men were galloping full pelt through the forest, laughing and cheering, Blaine's curly hair blowing in the wind they created with their speed. For half a hour, everything was brilliantly blissful, and Kurt found all his worries melting away, as he was fully focussed on keeping his balance on Moran.

Then something happened.

Blaine had pulled ahead of Kurt, smirking slightly as he turned back to look at Kurt. It was at the exact moment that Blaine wasn't looking forward that his horse, usually so reliable, tripped over a rock and stumbled.

At a walk or a trot, it would be fine, but at a full out gallop, it was dangerous. Samos fell, and the lurch forward sent Blaine flying. Samos came to a halt at the loss of his rider and in a panic, Kurt pulled Moran up as fast as he could, dismounted, and ran over to where Blaine lay, his heart in his mouth until, with a groan, Blaine sat up.

Kurt dropped to his knees besides Blaine, not caring how dirty his trousers would get as he asked breathlessly "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Blaine answered, his voice relatively steady "Is Samos okay?"

"Right now, I couldn't care less about the horse. Can you stand? You haven't got a headache or blurry vision?"

"I'm not concussed, Kurt. I didn't hit my head."

Kurt snorted with disbelief, before standing and extending his hand. Blaine grasped it and together, they got Blaine back on his feet. As he stood upright and put weight on his right ankle, Blaine gasped and buckled.

Kurt caught him and said "Yeah, you're not walking anywhere on that. Wait here, I'll catch Samos."

Kurt did, but as he led Samos back over, the horse seemed to be having the same problem as Blaine, and Blaine could see it.

"I won't be able to ride him back."

Kurt frowned "Ride Moran. We both will and we'll hold Samos' reins."

Kurt mounted Moran and Blaine climbed up behind him, holding onto the back of the saddle and they moved off, not going as fast now Moran had two passengers.

Kurt was doing his best not to blush and shake as he felt Blaine's solid warmth behind him. He was quite glad that Blaine wasn't holding onto his waist, but his brain short-circuited as Moran stumbled over some uneven ground and Blaine did just that, wrapping his strong arms around Kurt's slender waist.

Kurt took a deep breath and let it out, blushing deeply. As they came up to the palace, Kurt's hands were trembling so badly that he could barely hold onto the reins. Blaine, naturally, noticed and leaned forward, setting his head on Kurt's shoulder, and moving one of his hands to grasp one of Kurt's.

Kurt kept his head angled down as Blaine asked "Are you alright?"

"Y… yes."

Blaine frowned, taking in the red blush painting Kurt's cheeks as he asked again "Are you sure? You look kind of red."

"I… y… you… you're…"

"Yes?" Blaine's voice dropped, both in volume and timbre "I'm what?"

"You're t… too… close."

"Really?" Blaine asked, unable to keep a note of triumph out of his voice "Why is that?"

Kurt swallowed. Blaine was seriously asking him to explain why his heart felt like it was bursting from beating too hard, and why it felt like all his blood was in his face, and why wherever Blaine touched him, it left invisible trails of fire behind. He was asking him why?

Kurt choked out finally "Please, Blaine. Please stop. I can't."

Blaine raised his head from Kurt's shoulder, but didn't move either of his arms as he whispered "Why can't you? Do you think the feelings aren't returned? They are. Is it because I'm a knight? I'm also the only son of a rich nobleman from Westerville and I am at least the equal of Karofsky. Whatever you think is stopping us from being together, Kurt, I swear to you, I can change that."

Kurt smiled weakly "You can't change my dad."

Blaine wasn't deterred "Do you want to marry Karofsky?"

"No, but…"

"And didn't your father let Finn pick his bride?"

"Yes, but…"

"So tell your father that you want to pick someone else."

Kurt snapped "What, and pick you? I can't do that, Blaine, why don't you understand? My dad likes Karofsky, likes his son and thinks I do to. He's already working so hard to make things right, I can't pick someone he doesn't approve of."

"So give me a chance to make him. At least let me go to him and ask his permission to court you."

Kurt didn't answer, instead choosing to pull Moran over, pulling Samos to a halt as well, and dismounted, before helping Blaine off, and handing the reins over to a waiting stable hand.

Together, they made their way over to the knights' barracks, Blaine leaning heavily on Kurt. Each knight had a separate small room, in which there was just enough room for a bed, a closet and a side table. It was a far cry from the luxury Kurt was used to, but as he lowered Blaine onto the bed, Blaine sighed and relaxed, clearly comfortable.

Kurt waited for him to settle, before helping him off with his armour and pulling his boots off. His right ankle was considerably more swelled than his left, and Kurt winced. Blaine wouldn't be walking on that any time soon.

Blaine had also groaned when he saw his ankle, coming to the same conclusion as Kurt and not liking the idea of being cooped up in his room for some time. Kurt pulled off his sash and quickly soaked it in cold water before wrapping it around Blaine's ankle.

Without looking up, Kurt explained "That should help reduce the swelling."

A hand covered his and Kurt looked up to see Blaine watching him, his hazel eyes very warm and an utterly tender look on his face. Kurt blushed and Blaine grinned, tugging him up the bed, and settled him onto the side table.

"You blush really easily."

Kurt lifted his chin fractionally as he replied "No, you just make me blush easily. I assure you, only you have this effect on me."

Blaine smiled again, the hand that wasn't holding Kurt's cupping his face as he asked quietly "Do you like me, Kurt? Even just a little? Enough to consider me as an alternative to Karofsky?"

Kurt had never found such a little word so hard to say, and the rush he got afterwards was amazing.

"Yes."

Blaine's responding grin was both brilliant and beautiful and it lit up his face, his eyes shining as he asked "And can I talk to your father about you?"

Kurt nodded, overwhelmed in both shock and delight as he replied "Yes."

Blaine nodded "Then I will."

They looked at each other, blue-green eyes gazing into hazel as they clasped hands, one of Blaine's in between two of Kurt's, with Blaine's other hand still resting on Kurt's face. There was a deep intimacy in the locking of eyes, and there was no need for words, everything they wanted to say could be read in their eyes.

The private moment was shatter abruptly by a harsh knocking on the door and Puck's voice calling "Anderson! You back?"

Kurt pulled away from the cosy position as Blaine called out "Yes, Puck, I'm here. Come in."

Puck walked in and looked surprised "Hummel! What are you doing here?"

Puck, being Finn's best friend, didn't do the bowing and scraping that most people did upon meeting a member of the royal family, for which Kurt was very grateful. He would, however, be more grateful if Puck could work on his sense of timing.

Kurt got to his feet and rolled his eyes as he said "Blaine came off his horse and sprained his ankle. He couldn't walk on it so I helped him back here. He'll need taking care of, Noah."

Before either Puck or Blaine could say a word, Kurt said a quick goodbye and was out of the door, brushing past Puck quickly and shutting the door to Blaine's room behind him. There was silence for a few seconds before Blaine threw his hands up into the air in exasperation and glared at Puck.

Puck cowered slightly under the gaze as he asked "Hey, how was I supposed to know he was going to be here?"

"Two minutes, Puck. You couldn't have given it just two more minutes?"

Puck smirked widely "Why, did I interrupt?"

Blaine scowled "You know you did. He was so close…"

"So, he likes you. Guess you're glad you've confirmed that. Well done, man, but be careful, alright? I know you like him, but I know Dave Karofsky, and he plays rough."

Blaine sighed "I was afraid of that. This isn't a game, this is Kurt's happiness we're talking about. Karofsky can't treat Kurt like a possession.

Puck nodded "I get it, man. Hey, do you need anything?"

"Yeah, a way to get about would be nice."

Puck grinned as he left the room "I'm on it. I'll see what Santana and Brittany can rustle up."

"Don't get caught."

"I resent the implication. I never get caught."

Outside the barracks, leaning up against the rough stone wall, Kurt placed a hand over his heart and sighed to himself.

'I nearly kissed him. Oh God, I nearly kissed Blaine!'