Although Kurt hadn't seen the sun while cooped up in the subterranean mansion, he knew that days had passed. He wasn't quite sleeping regularly, but his body was beginning to ease into a cycle based on Blaine's activity around the house and his eating and sleeping habits.

At least once, he had woken up to Blaine's face looming over him, and he nearly jumped out of his skin, letting out a string of profanities that startled Blaine and caused him to step back, apologize, and assure Kurt that he was only checking in to see if he was okay and to wake him for breakfast. But every time Kurt went to sleep and woke up here, he was slapped with the hard reality of his surreal situation.

Blaine continued to care for Kurt, preparing foods which he ate without question, trusting that Blaine wasn't out to poison him or trying to fatten him up to devour him. And Kurt continued to behave himself, although it really pained him to do so; he would take care of his frustration in the evening after watching Blaine turn around and leave the room on his way to bed. The image of his deliciously round bottom walking away was enough for Kurt's imagination, but it wasn't nearly as satisfying as the things he imagined doing to him if only he could.

Blaine showed Kurt around the house, helped him bathe at Kurt's request and feigned weakness - his arm was still a bit sore - , and gave him some of his own fresh clothes to wear. Kurt scrunched up his nose at the stiff, navy pants that were about two inches too small on him, but, knowing he had no other choice, he reluctantly pulled them on. Luckily, Blaine had a robe spun from a light, silky fabric, and Kurt claimed it as his own; there was no way he was walking around with his chest exposed. He would just feel so...naked. The robe hung almost to his knees and was reminiscent of those long sweaters he used to be so fond of back in high school.

Kurt began to feel his strength returning to his body by the fifth day, but then, having not had a cigarette in what felt like ages, his body decided it had had enough.

Kurt was curled up on his side in the bed, gripping his stomach and groaning quite loudly, and a concerned Blaine soon came rushing into the room looking alarmed.

"I'm dying," Kurt said, accompanied by an exaggerated whimper. "I feel like my insides are trying to break out of my body, and my head feels like someone smacked me with a cast iron frying pan."

Blaine approached the bed and looked Kurt over, knitting his brows as he examined Kurt's current state.

"You're sweating, and you're burning up, but I don't think you're dying," Blaine said as he placed his hand on Kurt's face. Kurt shuddered at the touch, and Blaine withdrew his hand. "I'll be right back."

He left the room but soon returned with a cloth and a small basin of water. Blaine dipped the cloth into the water, wrung it out, and then sat down by Kurt whose eyes were squeezed tightly shut as he continued to emit various noises of discomfort.

"Lay back and try to relax," Blaine said, pressing the cool compress against Kurt's forehead as he began to shake and chills shot up and down his spine. "I've never seen a fever like this before."

"How is that supposed to help me relax? And that's because this is my body pissed at me for cutting off its nicotine input," Kurt groaned.

"I've never heard of nicotine, but it must be dangerous. Your body is acting as if it's dispelling poison." Blaine began to wipe the perspiration from Kurt's face and neck, and Kurt shifted painfully on the bed, rolling onto his back.

"That's because it is. And don't ask me why I ever chose to put it into my body, because right now I wish I hadn't," Kurt said.

"I'll make you tea we use to cleanse the body of illness," Blaine explained. "It should help you feel much better." He placed the cool cloth back into the basin by the bed. Blaine reached over and, faltering, gently brushed Kurt's hair out of his face with his fingertips. Kurt shivered from the touch, and Blaine pulled away again. Even though he was delirious, Kurt began to really appreciate his luck in finding Blaine who had taken to caring for him without a single complaint - and perhaps he was beginning to appreciate Blaine. But that was probably just the fever.

-s-

Over the course of the week since Kurt had arrived, rumors were quickly spreading throughout the colony. There was speculation about who this mysterious stranger was and why he had shown up with Blaine. They didn't understand the way he dressed, and many were skeptical about Kurt being underground with them.

Blaine had wandered into town to shop for more ingredients for meals since he was running low from caring for Kurt, and he caught a snippet of conversation that caused him to freeze where he stood.

"What is he doing bringing him into The Barrow? He doesn't belong here."

"And did you notice the way he was dressed? I don't think he's even from our world."

"How is that possible? You can believe what you want, but I'm suspicious about Blaine's actions. I mean, he returns from Ivory Wood looking miserable, and then he brings home a strange boy and disappears inside for days."

"I always thought there was something odd about him, and I don't care who his parents are."

"He's such a nice boy, though. We don't know what happened when he was away, and maybe there's something about this otherworldly boy that will help us find the answer to all the chaos we've been dealing with lately."

"If he isn't from Gaia Mitera, then the divide between the realms must be very weak, and there's no doubt we are in danger now."

He couldn't listen any longer. Hands trembling from nerves, Blaine paid for the vegetables, herbs, and spices he had picked up and rushed out of the shop, trying his best to go unnoticed.

-s-

As much as Kurt enjoyed beds and what he usually did in them, he had now been confined to one for much longer than he would have preferred. When his withdrawal symptoms finally subsided thanks to that amazing tea that Blaine brewed, he had taken to wandering the house. However, everything was still so strange to him, and Kurt was too afraid to touch anything or leave the house, finding himself generally lethargic with no means of entertaining himself.

After almost going mad in the quiet of the nearly empty house, Kurt couldn't help but start to wonder about something. It struck him as odd that, after all this time, Blaine's parents had never come home. He wanted to find out why.

"They're away at council," Blaine told him when Kurt finally asked over a cup of tea that afternoon. "They travel a lot and are currently on an important mission concerning the realm."

"So they're politicians? The mansion makes sense now," Kurt said before taking a sip of his tea.

"Politicians? They represent Luxterra Barrow at the Chief Council in Ivory Wood. They're our voice," Blaine explained.

"That makes you kind of important then."

"Yes. I mean, I'm their only son." Blaine stared down into his cup, watching the steam rise off the surface.

"At least you won't have to fight anyone over the inheritance." Kurt began to laugh, but he stopped when he noticed Blaine wasn't responding; he was sure it had gone way over his head. In fact, Kurt was realizing that there was a definite barrier between him and Blaine when it came to most things. He was used to laughing at his own jokes, but it would have been nice to at least receive the familiar rolling of the eyes or glare of disgust.

"Are you feeling better now, Kurt?" Blaine asked, finally lifting his head again to look at Kurt.

"Yeah, I feel much better, actually. Whatever it is you've been feeding me must have your faerie magic in it, because I've never had so much energy."

"There's no such thing as magic," Blaine said with a laugh. "If nature is healthy, then the plants we eat are and we thrive."

"You sound a bit like hippies, only without all the free love," Kurt joked.

"Maybe," Blaine said, although he never understood Kurt's references. He hesitated for a moment as he thought about the gossip he had heard in the market. Knowing that people were talking that way about him made him realize that it was time to take Kurt away from Luxterra Barrow and to search for an explanation. If anything others were saying could be true, he wanted to find out. But he had decided to remain quiet on the topic and keep it to himself.

"If you're better, we should head to Ivory Wood. I think we can find answers for you there."

"Oh, good. I was getting tired of sitting around the house all day. When are we leaving?"

"Tonight," Blaine said.

"Whoa, okay. Let me get myself together," Kurt said.

"You won't need much. Just what you're wearing. I'll pack some ingredients for meals, but it's not a very long trip. We should be there by dawn if we leave by sundown."

Kurt nearly choked on his tea.

-s-

Twigs crunched underneath the soles of Kurt's boots, and every now and then he would kick a small rock in his path. His feet were sore again, and he was cursing the fact that his Louboutins were not made for so much walking. They were worn and absolutely destroyed by this point. On two occasions, he had even stepped in swampy patches of mud and sullied the leather which now appeared to be cracking.

He had become comfortable in the clothing Blaine had lent to him, and he now understood the reason Blaine dressed the way he did. Function over fashion, Kurt thought. Although, they were definitely designed for more temperate weather conditions. Blaine was no longer going about without a shirt and was wearing a sort of collared vest that matched the pants Kurt had first seen him in.

"What do you guys call this place, anyway?" Kurt asked.

"What do you mean? The woods?" Blaine asked.

"No. The world you live in."

"Oh. Gaia Mitera." Blaine glanced over at Kurt and snickered. "I'm sorry. It's just that your ignorance is actually endearing, although a bit of a mystery to me. Where are your parents?"

"My parents?" Kurt asked, quirking an eyebrow. "And I'm glad this is all funny to you," he interjected bitterly. "My mother died, and I left my father's home a long time ago."

"I - I'm sorry - " Blaine began, but Kurt cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"It's fine, seriously. I can take care of myself," Kurt huffed indignantly.

"Are you sure?" Blaine asked with a slight smirk.

"Of course I'm sure! I've been on my own for years. I'm thirty-six - practically middle-aged," Kurt said, disgusted at the thought. Blaine began to laugh again, and Kurt had the urge to smack the smug look off his face.

"That's ridiculous. You don't look a day older than me, and I've just had my coming out celebration - "

"Coming out?" Kurt nearly spluttered. "That's a thing you publicly celebrate here? I must have been born in the wrong place," he mumbled to himself.

"Of course we celebrate it. It means that I am of age and can now enter into a union," Blaine said, becoming even more amused.

"Okay." Kurt's eyes grew wide. "Not what I was thinking at all. Is there some kinda arranged marriage thing around these parts?"

"Only for the chosen ones, the Keepers," Blaine said.

"Who are they?" Kurt asked.

Blaine grew quiet in contemplation, and his lighthearted and teasing demeanor fell away. Then he cleared his throat and began to explain in a dreadfully serious tone that made Kurt feel uneasy.

"They are the most important entities of our world. Every hundred years, two babies are born on the same day and are soul mates. When they come of age, they are meant to form the perfect union. They're responsible for maintaining the balance of the energies - we need them to exist so that we can exist in a harmonious world," Blaine said.

"Soul mates?" Kurt said, laughing. "Sounds like a bunch of crap to me thought up by some romantic nut."

"Romantic nut? You're so odd," Blaine said. "It's common knowledge that in a union two souls mate and come together to become one, hence the union."

"Okay, so I get the mating thing - I'm fantastic at that. But I'm not buying the rest," Kurt said, crossing his arms.

"Kurt, this is serious, and it's something you should try to understand...our world is in danger because of it. Something has upset the natural order, and it seems like one of the soul mates is missing."

"Well, there's obviously something ugly going on around here," Kurt said, as a chilly breeze rushed by only to be followed by an intense wave of heat. He looked up and saw lightning flash across a completely clear night sky almost as if it was competing with the stars to illuminate the darkness. It was all out of place, and he could practically feel the tension and charge in the now still air.

"You've got this ass-backward weather, those creepy exploding bugs, and that animal I saw race off past us about ten minutes ago, whatever the hell it was supposed to be, was not natural at all."

"You're right. And that's why it's so crucial that the soul mates are united - and soon."

"If they're chosen, then why haven't they already gotten everything sorted out? Shouldn't you guys know who your keeper people are?"

"That's just the problem," Blaine explained. "One of the soul mates resides in Ivory Wood, and she's the heir to the throne, but the link seems to have been severed. She's unable make a connection with the others who share her birthdate."

"You look a little glum about this - what's bothering you?" Kurt asked.

"Besides the fact that our world is on the brink of total ruin? Well, I'm one of the possible matches."

"Oh -?" Kurt raised his eyebrows. Blaine appeared flustered and took a moment before continuing.

"When I went to her, there was...nothing. And it's worse, because, I think she's beautiful, but I don't think I could ever love her or that our souls could ever meld in the way they are meant to. Because - because my energy seems completely incompatible with women. It's like my body literally rejects and repels them." Blaine looked embarrassed at his confession.

Kurt snorted.

"You don't say. Well, I hardly see that as an issue," Kurt said, his mind wandering a bit at Blaine's statement.

"It is when you seem to have no potential mate. It's lonely."

Kurt was quiet as he studied Blaine who had grown somber and seemed to become lost in thought, a hardened expression taking over his features. Then Blaine turned his face back toward Kurt, and, although it was dark and his eyes were sad, the way Blaine was now eying him made him feel like the sun's rays were upon his skin again after a long and frigid winter. He quickly turned his head away from Blaine, attempting to rid himself of that unwanted and unnerving feeling.

"Where exactly are you from, anyway?" Blaine asked. "Since it's obvious you're completely unfamiliar with, well, everything, and I've never seen anyone dress or wear their hair like you do. Granted, I haven't been far beyond the halls of Luxterra Barrow or Ivory Wood."

"New York. Well, I'm from Ohio, but it feels like another lifetime."

"I've never heard of either of those villages," Blaine said.

"They're not villages," Kurt corrected him. "They're much, much larger. But they're nowhere near here - wherever here actually is," he said, looking around. "I'm not even sure it's the same world."

"Impossible," Blaine said under his breath but loud enough for Kurt to hear.

"What's impossible? That I somehow ended up here? Obviously it's not - because I'm here, in the flesh."

"No - no. You can't be from another world. I knew from the minute I saw you that you were from this world, just, something was off about you. Like - something was missing."

"Come again?" Kurt said in complete disbelief.

"Well, you're an elf, Kurt," Blaine said as if stating the obvious. "That's why I'm still so puzzled by you. The elves rule these parts and hold all the knowledge of the land, but you know nothing. That's also why we're headed to Ivory Wood where your people reside."

"Um, can't say I've ever been called that before, and I'm not sure if you're trying to insult me. But, no, I'm as human as they come," Kurt said. "I'm afraid you're terribly mistaken and confused."

Blaine began to laugh, and Kurt, confused and offended, shot him a warning look.

"You're not like humans. You never were. You're different, and you've always known it," Blaine said.

"What are you playing at? Yes, I'm gay, and my voice hasn't dropped since I was twelve. Tell me something I don't know," Kurt snapped, unamused by Blaine's accusations.

"No, Kurt. That's not what I mean. There are things about you that are of this world - your voice, your mannerisms, your beauty - I bet you have people falling at your feet with a single word. Or a song."

"I still have no idea where you're going with this. I'm a very convincing person. I know how to get what I want when I want it and as often as I want it. I learned to stop questioning it years ago."

"Kurt."

"Okay, so if what you're telling me is true, then why have I been in the human world my entire life? Why was I born to human parents and raised by humans? None of this is making any sense to me."

"I don't have that answer for you," Blaine said sadly. "But it's certainly worth finding out."

"Well I hope you know where to look then," Kurt said.

"I know exactly where to look. Haven't you ever wondered why you don't seem to age? You think thirty-six years is a long time, but for elves, you're only an adolescent like me."

"Oh joy. I've always wanted to relive my adolescent years," Kurt quipped. "So let me try to get this straight. This alternate world I somehow ended up in is 'Guy-uh Whatsit', you're a wingless faerie man, your world is on the brink of an apocalypse because someone's not getting ass, and now you're telling me I'm some sort of elf creature?"

"I'm not sure why you don't believe me, but it should become clearer soon enough. Hopefully, everything will eventually make sense," Blaine said.

"Yeah, hopefully," Kurt said, wrapping his arms around himself.

Now his mind was reeling, and he suddenly felt unsteady on his feet. He wasn't about to take everything Blaine said at face value, but from what he had experienced so far, he wasn't going to completely disregard it either. Still, no amount of Disney or fantasy films and literature could have prepared him for something like this: these types of things didn't really happen, right? He was still waiting to wake up. But he knew that that wasn't how this was going to end for him.

-s-

The wind howled, tugging at Kurt's hair and robes as they pushed on ahead. As they approached a clearing, Kurt's eyes fell upon debris on the ground and swirling about in the air that seemed like the aftermath of a harsh windstorm. Blaine stopped suddenly. But Kurt didn't even need to ask why, because when he looked up, he saw the scattered remains of what was once a village, completely reduced to scraps of wood, torn cloth, and pieces of cracked stone. Not a living being was in sight, and the wind continued to whistle through the trees around them, chilling Kurt to the bone.

"It's gone," Blaine said.

Kurt looked over at Blaine who appeared distraught, standing stock-still as if bolted to the ground and unable to move. He had no idea what to say. He could deduce that a small village had been destroyed, but it had meant nothing to him. He had no connection to this place.

Suddenly, Blaine's knees seemed to give out, and he stumbled over to a tree and placed his palms against it to steady himself and keep from falling over. Kurt, startled by the sudden movement, had reached out to grab at nothing as if he meant to catch Blaine, but he pulled back before slowly making his way over to the tree. He remained silent as he watched Blaine survey the damage, close to tears.

"I - this isn't good. We need to move on quickly. Come on," Blaine said, turning away and waving Kurt forward. Stepping over what looked like a piece of a door frame, Kurt hurried on to catch up with Blaine who had picked up speed, his pace more urgent now.

As they continued on, Kurt noticed patches of woods that were scorched, torn up, and uprooted. Some fields they passed through were more like swamps, flooded out by heavy rains. After hours of walking with a few breaks to eat and rest, the sky had begun to lighten, and Kurt finally saw the sun begin to rise above the horizon. He knew this meant that they must not have too much farther to go.

Blaine didn't need to announce to Kurt that they were getting closer to their destination. He nearly pirouetted as he gazed in awe at the forest that was now comprised of pure white trees; Kurt could only compare them to the sycamores he had seen back in Ohio, but they hadn't been breathtaking like these. Their branches were bare and skeletal and stretched across the sky as if they longed to pull it down on them like a great, blue blanket. The heights to which the branches stretched and the width of the trunks gave Kurt the impression that these woods were ancient, and the smooth, white bark and the calm that surrounded them through which he believed the slightest whisper would echo, sent chills down his spine. These woods felt sacred, and for some reason, he was scared of disturbing them.

The appearance of the start of a cobblestone pathway interrupted Kurt's musings, and it opened up before them, splitting through the trees and winding on toward the town. As they approached the village, structures came into view, and Kurt could hear shouting and what sounded like the roar of an angry crowd. Suddenly, he wasn't so eager to meet the elves.

Just as he suspected, they were met with a large mob in the streets, and he tried to gauge Blaine's reaction, wondering if this was a normal occurrence. Kurt couldn't catch what all the commotion was about, but he could tell it was directed toward the king and queen.

"Come on, Kurt, let's get out of here," Blaine said, grabbing Kurt's arm and tugging him along.

"Huh? But we just got here," Kurt said, caught off-guard.

"Out of the streets, Kurt. Just follow me - quickly," Blaine said.

If Kurt had been surprised by Blaine's village and home, then he definitely wasn't prepared for the elves. Their craftsmanship and architecture was beyond belief. In the center of town was a fountain that was like a hub from which the narrow cobblestone roads stretched out and away and through the trees. The houses and shops were built in and around the trees, some high up in the branches and only accessible by spiraling staircases. Tree houses, he thought. He felt like a ten-year-old child - a fashionable one with excellent taste - had dreamt up this place, and he couldn't help but feel a little giddy as they raced down the road.

Up ahead, Blaine slowed his pace, and Kurt followed suit, finally finding it possible to catch his breath. But it was soon taken away again when their apparent destination came into focus.

"Holy shit," Kurt stage whispered. It wasn't a mansion, it was a freaking castle, and he stood there awestruck as his eyes scanned the immense construct that sat just over a bridge and past a high stone wall.

"This is where I stay when I come here. It's the residence of the royal family - Obsidian Manor," Blaine said.

"Unbelievable. I guess I'm lucky that I met you and not some poor chump. You seem to have all the connections. This is great," Kurt said, grinning and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I told you my parents are on the Council. We should head in now and find Rachel."

"Who's Rachel?" Kurt asked.

"The lone Keeper and the heir to the throne," Blaine answered.

"Gotcha. Lead the way then," Kurt said, and they made their way across the bridge and through the gates of the manor.

They entered the main hall, and one of the attendants went off to find Rachel at Blaine's request. A few minutes later, a small brunnette made her way toward them, practically bouncing with each step. Kurt was amazed by how childish she looked coming down the hall, but when she came closer, he could tell she was anything but.

"It's great to see you here again, Blaine, and so soon!" she beamed and set her palm on his shoulder. "What brings you back here?"

"It's good to see you too, Rachel. I'd like you to meet Kurt," Blaine said, stepping aside to introduce him. Kurt held his hand out but then allowed it to fall limply to his side, remembering Blaine's reaction and realizing that offering your hand to shake obviously didn't mean the same thing in their world.

"Hello, Kurt." Not unlike Blaine, Rachel stood only feet from him and stared into his eyes as if she could see right through them and into his brain. It was making Kurt uncomfortable, but then she smiled, and he felt slightly less freaked out. Kurt could see that Rachel was not like Blaine: she was paler, had slimmer features, and a certain air of confidence and superiority to her that Blaine did not possess. For once in his life, Kurt felt small standing next to a woman. But he figured, she wasn't really a woman as he knew them.

"Well, come along, you two. There's no use standing around here." Rachel led them into the manor and through the main hallway until they reached a room that appeared to be a study. There was a small, round table over by a window on the far side of the room, and Kurt followed Blaine and Rachel to have a seat around it.

"You never answered my question, Blaine. What brings you back to Ivory Wood and with an elf whom I've never seen around here?" Rachel began, speaking as if Kurt wasn't sitting right there.

"I was out on one of my periodic excursions to clear my mind a bit, and I came across Kurt who was lost. From what he's told me, it seems like he was living in the human world." Blaine turned to Kurt. "Perhaps you could explain better to Rachel."

"Sure, let me see...I don't really know where to begin. One minute, I was in the back of a Tokyo nightclub, and the next thing I know, I wake up with a mouthful of dirt in the middle of nowhere, Gaia...?" Kurt looked to Blaine for help.

"Mitera."

"Gaia Mitera." Kurt took a breath. It was the first time he had voiced the name aloud, and there was something about it that made it feel like he was finally admitting this was all really happening. "And then I've got Blaine here telling me he's a faerie and that I'm an elf, and I guess I'm still trying to process this whole situation," Kurt said.

Rachel narrowed her eyes and cocked her head slightly to the side. Then she began to laugh softly at Kurt.

"He doesn't believe you at all, does he?" she asked, turning to Blaine.

"I'm right here, you know," Kurt said, mildly irritated.

"No, I don't think so. But what I want to know is how Kurt somehow crossed over into our world and why he was never in it to begin with," Blaine said.

"I'll consult with my parents, and we can try to figure it out. I'm assuming you two need a place to stay for the time you're here? There's plenty of room here at the manor, and you're welcome, as always," Rachel said.

"Thank you, Rachel. Yes, I'll accept, and I appreciate your generous hospitality. Is the High Council meeting tomorrow?" Blaine asked.

"Yes. At noon. There is an emergency public session scheduled to respond to the small uprising we had on our hands today, which I'm sure you saw. People are restless. I think they're scared, understandably so, and they don't know how or where to direct their grief."

"The problem is that it's too easy to place blame when we feel so powerless and a solution seems out of reach," Blaine said.

Kurt listened to the two of them talk, and he wondered what exactly they were going on about while they seemed to forget he was there beside them. Blaine had explained the soul mate thing to him, and he had witnessed the unsteady climate and devastation firsthand, so he could only assume it was the root of all their current concerns. Nonetheless, he had decided that he was going to attend that public council meeting, because he wasn't one to stand idly by and allow others to take charge when he wanted something. And right now he wanted knowledge, to know everything.

Soon enough, they had grown quiet, and the conversation drew to a close.

"You two should settle in before dinner. I'll show you to your chambers," Rachel said, rising from her seat.

Rachel lead them down a long hall, around a corner, and then down another hall. Finally stopping in front of a row of doors, she directed them to separate rooms, and Kurt sank down onto the bed, already exhausted from the trip over. He took Rachel's suggestion, settled into the bed, and immediately drifted off, sleeping through dinner and through the night. If someone had come to wake him, he hadn't known, and when he woke up the next day, he felt refreshed and ready for almost anything. But his stomach was growling up a storm: priorities, Kurt thought, and he exited the chamber in search of Blaine, but more importantly, breakfast.