"I've never known anyone to sleep for as long or as soundly as you did last night." Blaine poured juice out of a stone pitcher into Kurt's cup and took a seat across from him. "You missed dinner."

"I swear I've never slept that long in my life. I guess the trip over took a toll on me," Kurt said. "And it's quiet around here, not like New York at all."

"It is peaceful here," Blaine said.

"Yeah," Kurt answered. "It's taking some getting used to, the change of pace, but it's kinda...nice."

Blaine smiled and then took a drink from his cup and set it back down on the table. "The council meeting is at noon. What are your plans until then?"

"I don't know. I don't really have any, but I think I'd like to walk around for a bit. I was going stir crazy from being inside for so long," Kurt said.

"Then you probably want to change into something more suitable. Rachel laid out an outfit for you in your chamber that should fit you much better than what I had to offer. It'll also help you blend in here."

"Blending in has never been my forte or my aim, but anything might be a step up from this - no offense. I just hope she has good taste," Kurt said. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on that and then head out."

"Okay. I'll see you at noon?" Blaine said as Kurt rose from his seat.

"Yeah. See you later," Kurt said.

He pushed his chair in and made his way back to his bed chamber. Sure enough, just as Blaine had said, there was a fresh outfit awaiting him. When he noticed the new pair of boots as well, Kurt gently lifted them up to examine them. They were no Hugo Boss or Doc Marten's, but they looked sturdy, and they really weren't so bad. He could deal with it. The new outfit was a three-piece set of robes mostly in a teal blue, and when he pulled them on and examined himself in the mirror, he was almost convinced that they had been tailored especially for him from the fit down to the eerie detail of the color that almost perfectly matched his eyes.

It was nothing he would have ever imagined himself wearing in the past, but the craftsmanship, tailoring, and fine, golden embroidered details were impeccable. The robes were made out of very fine, expensive looking silk that also seemed to shimmer a deep emerald when it caught the sunlight as Kurt spun around in front of the mirror. Both the boots and the robes appeared to be hand-stitched and made with the utmost care. If one thing was for certain, these elves knew fashion and shared his love of clothing, and Kurt could admire them for that.

He pulled on the boots, ran his hands one last time over the stiff material, and then decided he was ready to head out. He didn't have a real destination, but something about the fountain at the center of the village had caught his attention. So when Kurt stepped outside of the manor and crossed back over the bridge, he headed straight into town on his way to the center and into the heart of things.

This time around, he noticed a few small farms on the outskirts of the town and some people out tending the fields. When he passed the houses and shops again, he spent more time studying the very Victorian-esque architecture. The constructs were cylindrical with slanted roofs, and the windows were long and narrow. The spindles on the railings of their often spiral stairways were carved to imitate the plants and trees from which the wood most likely came. He could tell overall that the elves were a lot more concerned about aesthetics than the faeries, and he decided he preferred it here.

A few people passed by him in the streets, nodded in his direction, and then continued on their way. Eventually, Kurt reached the fountain and slowed his pace, coming to a stop at the lip of its basin. He watched the water flow out from a spout protruding from what appeared to be the mouth of a fish of sorts and into a wide, round stone basin below, where it bubbled and frothed. There were fixtures like this throughout New York City, but Kurt was well aware of the dangers of even considering placing any part of his body into the water there. This water, however, was crystal clear, and he felt like, if he were to run his hand through it or even drink it, he could do so without contracting salmonella or becoming infected with some skin-eating bacteria.

His eyes skimmed the surface of the water, and Kurt saw the sky reflected in it, slowly undulating, casting a blue tint upon it. The sun beat down on the back of his neck through the space between the tree branches overhead, and then a cool breeze blew through, causing the water to ripple.

Kurt allowed his eyes to slowly fall shut as he stood there. While concentrating on his breathing and the movement of the natural world surrounding him, Kurt unintentionally entered a meditative state. He became acutely aware of the organic rhythms weaving their way around him in the space he occupied: the breeze, the soft rustling of leaves, the sway and quiet creaking of branches. When he snapped his eyes open again, he whipped his head around, feeling foolish, but no one seemed to notice him there or think anything of it.

And as he stood there, it hadn't occurred to him just how he would know when it was noon. Then a low rumbling began off in the distance that he felt first in the pit of his stomach. His initial thought was thunder, but as he listened, the rumbling rose up into a steady roll, and he realized that they were drums sounding off with the sonority of timpani.

Then the movement of people around him caught his attention: the streets that had been practically empty before were now filling up, and the crowd seemed to be headed in one general direction. Oh, Kurt thought, making the connection between the drums that moved the masses and the council meeting. It must be noon, and he had lost track of time, having had no real way of keeping it or truly knowing. He spun slowly on his heel and followed the flow of people making their way toward the manor.

-s-

Kurt stepped into the round chamber and, glancing around, thought it resembled a small stadium. Much of the public had gathered in the stands, and he could hear chattering, mostly voices in bitter tones, of elves and faeries apparently riled up about the state of the realm and angry at the king and queen for not acting as they saw fit to address the issues. Kurt hesitantly made his way toward the front and sat down a short distance from the seats designated for the royal family and chief councilmen.

He was no stranger to boardroom meetings and the politics that came with them, and he was more interested than nervous to learn more about what he had fallen into. Across the way, he spotted Blaine who had taken a seat a similar distance from the front but must not have seen Kurt. Then silence washed over the crowd as the councilmen entered and took their seats. Kurt sat up alert and leaned forward.

"Councilmen, citizens, visitors," the king began. "We're gathered here for an emergency session during which we will address the state of the realm and then open the floor to address public grievances."

The king took a seat, and another man rose to his feet to speak. Kurt thought that there was something very familiar about the man, though he had never seen him before. He could tell that he reigned from Luxterra Barrow because he wore a uniform almost identical to Blaine's, only it was a decorated version. Kurt glanced back up toward his face again, and that's when it hit him: this must be the politician father of Blaine's. Beside him was a woman who, once Kurt had put two and two together, was obviously Blaine's mother.

"We are aware of the rising concern about the unusual weather activity which has resulted in some truly devastating storms. I promise you that we are doing everything in our power to address this. It is publically known that the second Keeper has still not been located, and, until the ritual is performed, much of this is out of our control."

A roar went up in the crowd, and Kurt, startled, looked around at the masses who were apparently not pleased with this answer. He knew why they were pissed. All his years dealing with corporate bigwigs and American politics made him a cynic, because he knew firsthand that there was always some truth being concealed. It was how power was maintained.

Kurt wasn't sure what had gotten into him, but he rose to his feet, and the roar of the people around him began to simmer down into anxious whispers. They were wondering what exactly was going on and were amazed by the audacity of this stranger to speak up. A deliberate throat clearing from Kurt was enough to bring complete silence to the stands and to capture the attention of the king who rose his eyebrows at Kurt. The king's lips tightened and his mouth became a thin line; it was apparent that he was torn between saying something and remaining quiet and allowing Kurt to speak to feed his curiosity.

"I'd like to call you on your bullshit," Kurt said. A collective gasp could be heard throughout the room. "I've been in this business for way too long to know that there's something being left out of this equation. I just haven't figured it out yet. I have, however, personally witnessed just how serious some of the destruction has been."

"Sit down, young man," the king said, flustered, rising to his feet again. "You're out of line."

"I will not sit down. I haven't even told my account, and your attempt to silence me only gives me more reason to think that there is something suspicious going on here."

The people in the stands began to chatter again, and a man stood up behind Kurt followed by a few others. There was a gradual rising of individuals around the chamber, and Kurt could hear that they were shouting things like "he's right!" and "let him speak!" This realization gave him an extra boost of confidence, and he crossed his arms and smirked.

"Silence!"

Everyone froze and fell silent. The source of the order was not the king but the woman now standing tall beside him. She was more intimidating in demeanor than he was, and in that moment Kurt could tell she had to be the queen. It was obvious people either feared her or greatly respected her - more than the king, at least. She held her hand out before her and then pointed directly at Kurt.

"You," she said. "What is your name?"

"Kurt Hummel." He let his arms fall to his sides again, but he stood up straight, raised his chin, and puffed out his chest.

"Clearly, you are not from around here," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"You're correct."

"And you believe you have some authority in our matters?"

"I believe that the issue at hand has a known solution, and if you would just take the time to dig deep enough, you wouldn't have storms tearing apart the land and taking out entire villages. Because, from what I heard, you've never had a problem like this happen before. Ever."

"You heard about Beryl Grove." Her expression turned stony. Kurt, realizing he had hit a nerve and now had the upper hand, continued smugly.

"I saw it. In the flesh, or what was left of it, which wasn't much at all," Kurt said.

"If you have anything else, Kurt Hummel, then say your piece. Otherwise, sit down. Please."

"I've finished. I'll gladly sit down now," Kurt said, and he dropped back into his seat in the stands. He crossed his legs and folded his hands in his lap.

-s-

"What were you thinking?!" Blaine asked, exasperated. "You were clearly overstepping by challenging the High Council, and the way you spoke to the king and queen was unacceptable. They're letting you stay at the manor, feeding and clothing you without asking for anything in return, and this is how you show your gratitude?"

"Whoa, whoa. Just slow it down, will you?" Kurt said, holding both hands up in front of him. "You're overreacting, and you know that someone had to say something."

"They're right though, Kurt. You're an outsider. You came here knowing nothing, and you still don't really know the half of it. So, I don't understand why you think you were the right person to speak up," Blaine said.

"You saw how people were rallying behind me, and you can't even deny it. They want someone to be their voice."

"You don't understand, Kurt. You really don't get it at all."

"Then explain it to me, why don't you! I'm sorry that you're too terrified to stand out, too scared to defy dear Mom and Dad, but I don't have the same reservations as you or anyone else."

"I can see that. But we came here for answers. Angering those who are possibly our best source of information will do nothing to help our cause. You need to learn that knowing your place is part of living in Gaia Mitera. In case you haven't noticed, there's a hierarchy, and we answer to and serve the royal family. And we all serve nature and obey the natural order. It's just how it has to be."

"Do you think I asked for any of this? We're all in the same boat now, all this chaos, and I would absolutely love it if I could just go home and forget about all of this."

"Take a good look at yourself, Kurt. I know you're still in denial, but take some time to really look at yourself. You are home."

"You don't know me at all," Kurt said.

"You don't know you at all."

"I'm going to bed," Kurt said. He didn't even give Blaine a chance to respond - he didn't want him to -, and he quickly turned and rushed off toward his room, breaking into a run.

His hands were clenched in tight fists as he entered the room, slammed the door, and collapsed down onto the edge of the bed. Who did Blaine think he was? Why was he still so convinced of all his delusions about Kurt? It was frustrating, and Kurt wished he had some sort of escape in this moment, something to ease the tension in his chest. But it seemed like his whole situation was becoming something he would definitely have to deal with head on, and he'd be damned if he had to suffer consequences for his actions at the council.

-s-

Kurt tossed and turned under the covers, unable to relax and knowing that he would not be able to fall asleep unless someone slipped him an Ambien - or a few Percocets. He threw the blanket off of him and quietly pulled his robes on. Then, careful not to walk too heavily, he sneaked out into the hall and made his way through the manor. He passed several doors from behind which he could hear soft snores and the rustling of those already asleep. He walked until he finally came to a room where the door was ajar. He peeked in and then slowly pushed the door open to reveal a magnificent library, filled with high walls lined with shelves on which several books were housed.

If there was ever a place for information, Kurt thought, this was it. Tip-toeing, he made his way to a shelf and scanned the titles. Some were in a language he didn't understand, but he came across a large volume resembling a dictionary. It was labeled as a history book of sorts.

Kurt pulled the large, heavy leather bound book off the shelf and, finding and settling into the closest chair, set it in his lap and ran his fingers across the cover before opening it. He flipped through the book, turning each leaf carefully as he read. He had to strain his eyes to see, because the thin beams of moonlight through the window were his only source of light. He skimmed through a section about the creatures that inhabited Gaia Mitera until he came across a section about elves. He swallowed hard and read closely:

"During the Dark Age, humans forced the faeries West, and our people had to recolonize and establish a new order. The elven race, being natural born leaders and blessed by Mitera with skills in speechcraft and persuasion, assumed power and began to inhabit Ivory Wood. The lesser faeries took up residence underground and in the mountains. Because of the divide, two kingdoms arose within the realm, but the elves continued to rule supreme. Our people have found balance between the two kingdoms through the establishment of the High Council."

Pausing for a moment to properly absorb the information, Kurt couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. If he was going to be completely honest with himself, then he would have to admit that this might explain some things he wondered about growing up, like the way he affected people when he spoke and sang, the way he always felt in control but at the same time like he was spiraling wildly out of it, like there was a force within him that he couldn't harness or even begin to understand.

Kurt always knew that he was different, but he was led to believe that his oddities and deviant behaviors were a result of losing his mother at such a young age, that his acting out was normal. At least, that's what every single one of his child psychologists concluded before ending their ever-too-brief round of sessions. Sometimes he thought people were treating him a certain way out of pity, but other times he felt like he was pulling the strings or pushing the pawns across the smooth, black-and-white-checkered battlefield while his opponent could only move their own into his path.

Check and mate...

Maybe it was time to consider the possibility that Blaine was telling the truth.

This book was telling him things about these beings who, despite the occasional flashes of what he pegged as supernatural in their behavior and appearance, seemed humanoid and not very different than himself when it really came down to it.

Directing his focus back to the book, he skimmed a bit past some rather yawn-inducing sections on government and the "lesser creatures" and then began to read again.

"The elves of Ivory Wood are especially well-known for their medicines, are master craftsmen of textiles, and possess the power of song with which they can affect the matter of the universe."

Possess the power of song? What was that supposed to mean? Kurt bit the inside of his lip. He narrowed his eyes and then turned the page again, skimming until the word "Keepers" jumped out at him and piqued his interest. He refocused his eyes to concentrate on the text.

"It is believed that the inhabitants of Gaia Mitera are all descendants of the music of the universe, that which created the first Keepers, instilled with the power of Mitera to - "

"Couldn't sleep, could you?"

Kurt jumped and snapped the book shut in his lap. He looked up into his visitor's face to see that it was none other than the queen. Now, up close, in the pale light of the moon, he could see her a little clearer; she was fierce but beautiful. Her long auburn hair was set and styled in a braided updo, accentuating her strong yet still very feminine features. It was her eyes which appeared an almost silvery gray in the dim light that pierced right through Kurt and caused him to shiver.

"I - I'm so sorry," Kurt said, standing up and rushing to return the book to the shelf.

"There's no need for apologies. You're curious. It's only natural. It's not every day that someone crosses the ether between the realms, especially an elf who has come from the human world."

Kurt eyed her curiously as she spoke and, noticing that she was not angry, he relaxed and sat back down. She took the seat nearby and leaned forward in her chair.

"So, Rachel told you?" Kurt asked.

"Yes. I know all about you."

"It seems like I'm the only one who doesn't."

"Tell me, Kurt. Did you find out what you wanted to know?"

"Not everything. I still have a lot of questions. But I think I finally believe it - that I'm one of you."

"You were bold to step up earlier at the council. You have a gift, you know. I don't see many like you."

"It's mostly because I don't give a shit about how others feel. I've always spoken my mind, and no one has ever challenged me."

The queen stared at him thoughtfully, and then she crossed her hands in her lap. She leaned back and fixed her gaze on some unknown point as if trying to remember something or to piece something together.

"You are welcome in our home, but I think it's time for you to go back to bed. Sometimes too much knowledge can be dangerous for an individual, especially someone like you who has much to catch up on in a short space of time."

Kurt noticed her expression hardened, and he knew she was serious. It was a warning: he was welcome in their home, but not in the library. He listened, slowly rising up to head back to his chamber, because he knew that he was already overwhelmed by his new knowledge. And now he had to find some way to figure out what the tumultuous whirlwind of thoughts in his head all meant as they crashed together and shook him to his very core, contradicting everything he once thought was true.