A/N: Hello again lovely readers! First of all, I'm so sorry for the icky wait for this chapter. Between work, looking after my little siblings, and the temptation of the warm California sun, pulling me away from the indoors, I haven't been able to find a ton of time to write. But I'm flattered that you guys were so anxious for another chapter! It makes me want to toddle along and write faster for you all, truly! :3

As a little side note: some of you might have noticed with the publication of this chapter but there is a trend starting with the chapter names if you look at that of last chapter and this one - think about it! I'll just tease a little bit by saying that at the end of the theme (and if you pick it up, you'll know what I mean) something special might happen! :)

Now I've talked enough! Enjoy!

Summer, 629 A.D.; Lima, Algania

A ray of early morning light filtered through Kurt's window and into the line of his eyes. Sighing at his own absentmindedness, he realized that he must have forgotten to shut his curtains the night before. He rolled over onto his other side to avoid the light and started when his skin made contact with another warm body. Kurt's eyes flew open in shock before the events of the previous night came back to him and he remembered who it was.

Blaine was splayed out on his back with his limbs scattered haphazardly. Kurt almost giggled at how disarrayed he was in the throes of sleep. His mouth was hanging open slightly and his curls were sticking out in all directions.

For a long while, Kurt kept still and looked at Blaine. His heart was fluttering lightly in his chest – this was happening, not in a dream but in real life. Kurt didn't want to think on the how of it all because he still couldn't make heads or tails of it. Some of the best things were those that were difficult to figure out, Kurt told himself, so why bother on the how when he could enjoy the what?

That thought in mind, Kurt snuggled in closer to Blaine's side. He could lay there, pressed up against Blaine, forever and never get bored. Part of him couldn't believe that this had happened at all. How was it possible that both he and Blaine felt the same way at once? It was almost too good to be true. After all the times they'd been separated and the many years spent apart, Blaine was still lying in the bed next to him.

Acting on a whim, Kurt gently extracted himself from the tangled sheets so as to not wake Blaine. He searched until he found the shirt he'd cast aside the night before and slipped it over his head. Without taking time to get his appearance in order, he slipped out of the door. He had been able to tell from the morning light that it was still early; not many people would be up and about to see him.

He practically skipped down to the ground floor of the castle – he was suddenly feeling elated with his situation in the world. He'd never felt like this before and it was a wonderful feeling to have; it was like he was flying, or floating weightless on the clouds.

Light as air, he drifted through the kitchens and into the gardens. He flitted back and forth between arrangements, bending his head to examine the various flowers that were in full summer bloom. Kurt picked a select few; spirits high, he practically skipped back to the door to the kitchen, tucking a glowing, pink Carolina Rose behind his ear as he went.

The kitchens weren't crowded; he hadn't met anyone on his way out but now he saw Catalina in the corner, chopping vegetables. He hopped over to her side and leaned against the counter next to her. When she turned around to look at him, he grinned in what he hoped was an adorable fashion and leaned in toward her.

"I know that look," Catalina said with a sideways smile. "What can I get for you, Prince Kurt?"

"Two breakfast trays that I can take on the run?" Kurt asked pleasantly.

Catalina raised an eyebrow and gave him a questioning look. "Two?" she asked. "On the run? Not taking these back up to your rooms, are you, love?" He saw her eyes flick up to the pink flower behind his ear.

Kurt didn't answer her; he merely smiled in a placid, noncommittal fashion.

Catalina leveled her critical gaze at Kurt for a moment longer before turning to put something together for him. "Well I can't imagine why you're eating two breakfasts, or why you currently look as if you were raised in a flower patch." She turned to him and placed a tray into his hands. Her examining gaze turned into a soft look, one that an affectionate aunt might give her favorite nephew. "But I won't tell anyone, either way."

Kurt gave her a delicate smile. "Thank you," he said quietly. Before leaving, he placed a soft kiss against her cheek. Catalina patted his shoulder as he stood up straight. "Dinner was wonderful last night, by the way," he added as he scurried through the door.

Extremely satisfied by how his surprise had turned out, Kurt started to walk back to his rooms with a spring in his step. Blaine would wake up after he got there, hopefully, and they could have breakfast together in his room. The pessimistic voice in the back of Kurt's head said that Blaine might feel differently when he woke up. He might take back everything he had said the night before; he might regret everything he'd done – everything they'd done.

Then there was the other voice that said that Kurt was only thinking these things in the first place because he dreaded any of them happening. That alone was enough to set him on edge. He really and truly cared about his relationship with Blaine…if it could be called that.

Kurt paused and closed his eyes briefly as he scaled the stairs. Once again he was overanalyzing every little thought that entered his head. He needed to take what happened to come as it came.

Just as that thought entered his head, a voice called out from behind him.

"Kurt!"

The prince turned, using his body to partially obscure what he was carrying: the tray and flowers. "Oh…Finn," Kurt remarked, still edging along the corridor. "W-what can I help you with?"

"You were skipping," Finn said in a strange voice, "all through that last corridor. Do you have something sharp in your shoes or something?"

"No, Finn," Kurt said patiently. A goofy smile slid onto his face as he thought of who waited for him back in his room. "But I am going somewhere, so if you'll just –"

"You look like you're just heading to your room," Finn said curiously, craning to peak behind Kurt's back.

"I…well, I….uh." Kurt cleared his throat and tried to look less giddy.

"You have a flower behind your ear," Finn continued, reaching out to touch the pink petals delicately.

"That's quite observant; I'm glad you can identify the local flora," Kurt said dryly.

Finn took a step back and raised an eyebrow. "You're keeping a secret," he said smugly. "I can tell. You're acting different. The skipping and weird smiles; the flower behind your ear and whatever you're holding behind your back. I'll just wait for you to come out with it at your own pace, then."

"Well," Kurt said quietly. "If that's it, I'll just…go." He edged back around and began to walk away. Suddenly, his steps faltered. "Finn?" he asked quietly without turning around.

"Yes, Kurt?"

"Have you ever…had someone you really liked?"

Finn was slow to reply. "…Yes."

Kurt nodded. "How do you know if it's real?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how is it supposed to feel when you have finally found someone that…that you've been looking for forever?" Kurt was still facing away from his stepbrother. He smiled down at the flowers in his hand, picturing the moment when Blaine woke up to see them there.

"I don't think I'm the right person to answer that," Finn told him. "I think that's different than really liking someone; I don't think I've found…the one yet. Is that what you mean?"

"I'm just talking out loud," Kurt said quickly. "I'll be around later."

"Kurt," Finn called as Kurt walked away. "It's good to have you back."

Kurt nodded as he continued to walk; both of his hands were full. He didn't know why he had been driven to ask that of Finn; the words had almost burst out of him and now he almost felt foolish. Finn would probably try to make something of his words, too. He told himself for what he thought must have been the hundredth time that his mind was working overtime.

Nevertheless, he continued to ponder all the way back to his room. Kurt entered quietly through the door.

"Kurt?" Blaine's voice came hesitantly from the next room.

Kurt's face fell. "You're awake," he said, disappointed. He entered into the bedroom.

Blaine's sharp eyes quickly surveyed Kurt's handful. A moment later, the corner of his lips turned upward in a smile. "Sorry?" he said, the word getting higher at the end as if it were a question. Kurt noted that he looked freshly awake. He was still shirtless and he had lines across his face as if it had been recently squished up against a pillow. "You look like you've been productive."

"Oh, I have!" Kurt exclaimed. "I just ran downstairs for…for some things."

"Some things for me?" Blaine asked knowingly, his amber eyes twinkling.

"Maybe it was silly," Kurt said quickly, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "M-maybe I was…maybe I…" His voice faded out as he set the tray down on the nearest countertop. Feeling the sudden urge to hold something in, he crossed his arms tightly across his chest.

Carefully, Blaine got off of Kurt's bed and approached the prince. They were close together when he stopped. Wordlessly, he reached out gentle hands to loosen Kurt's grip around his own middle. Kurt was wary as Blaine pried apart his arms.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked, the huskiness of his voice surprising himself.

"You ask that too often," Blaine informed him. In place of where Kurt's arms had been, Blaine's own arms wrapped around Kurt's torso. After a hesitant moment, Kurt relaxed into Blaine's embrace. "And you worry too much," Blaine added.

"I don't think that's possible," Kurt said. "It's better to worry too much."

"It's better to just have faith in something," Blaine said, looking up into Kurt's blue eyes. "Don't you think?"

Kurt paused, hardly daring to breathe. "I guess so," he said slowly.

After another quiet moment had passed, Blaine lifted a hand to brush Kurt's pale cheek lightly with his fingertips. "Can I ask you a question?"

"A real one this time?" Kurt asked with a hesitant grin. "I think you just did…but since I'm in a generous mood, go ahead."

"You aren't running away right now."

Kurt tilted his head slightly. "That's not a question, Blaine. But no, I'm not…and I don't really intend to. I – I mean, that is, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," Blaine said quickly. "And the question's still coming. If you aren't running away and I don't want you to run away, then what does that make…this?"

Kurt searched for an appropriate answer. "It makes it whatever we want it to be," he replied with more confidence. Now that Blaine was in front of him, holding him, his doubts as to what might happen had dissipated like smoke in the wind. "You know…I'm tired of doing things because I think they're what people would want for me – my father, my aunt, my cousin. I'm tired of living for everyone else. Just for once, I want something that makes me happy for nothing more than the sake of my happiness." Kurt paused. "Does that even make sense?"

"No," Blaine said with a chuckle.

"If instead I said that I just want to be with you forever…no matter the consequences…does that make sense?" Kurt asked, his blue eyes hopeful.

"Now that," said Blaine in a whisper, "makes perfect sense." For the first time, his eyes flicked over the pink flower tucked behind Kurt's ear. "That's a nice touch," he said, hand lifting to graze the pink petals gently. "You did tell me that you'd put flowers back in fashion."

A bubble of ecstatic emotion rose within Kurt at Blaine's words, propelling him forward until their lips pressed together. In the light of the day, when Kurt was fully awake, it was even more glorious to be kissing Blaine than it had been during the night. That mid-flight feeling soared through his veins once more, making Kurt feel like he would start to levitate at any moment.

Simply being near Blaine made Kurt feel like nothing in the world could go wrong, so when they pulled away a fraction, Kurt's face lit up in a smile. "What?" Blaine whispered, that familiar secret smile twisting its way onto his face. "Do I have morning breath or something?"

"No," Kurt said with a small chuckle. "Well, it is the morning, so…but I don't mean that it's bad! You could have worse morning breath than a troll and I'd still –" Kurt paused in his ramblings to mentally scold himself. "That sounded a lot less strange in my head, you know."

"I'll bet," Blaine said, not able to hide his laughter. Instead, he turned his face inward so that it rested on the indent of Kurt's shoulder.

"I was just thinking," Kurt continued with a shrug. "I – I don't think this is normal…per se. But I can't imagine it any other way…I can't imagine wanting things a different way."

"Would you stop thinking so hard about things?" Blaine asked with a good natured laugh. "You can say no to what is supposed to be right and instead wrong things as many times as you want but what differences will it make?" He moved his head up and caught Kurt's blue eyes with his amber ones. "Either way, you'll have me."

Blaine had hit the allegorical nail on the head, in Kurt's opinion. He didn't know why he was second and triple guessing himself. He'd told himself to stop numerous times but his mind kept jumping back to over analysis as if it were a preset tendency.

"So," Blaine said, his eyes cutting sideways. "Why did you venture downstairs? And might I ask what's under the cover on that tray?"

"You might," Kurt responded, his eyes twinkling as he drew away from Blaine and slid the cover off the tray. "I thought we might want to…stay in." Kurt attempted to look guiltless as Blaine arched a questioning eyebrow. "You hear about people doing romantic things like that; I thought I might as well give it a go." He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. "I even risked prosecution by picking flowers from the Queen's Garden."

"How brave," Blaine said, picking a matching Carolina Rose out of the small bouquet and tucking it behind his own ear. He slipped a hand into Kurt's and laced their fingers together. "Is it just for decoration?"

A moment later, Kurt had yanked a blanket off his bed and spread it on the floor. He and Blaine settled down on it as if at a picnic, with Catalina's tray between them.

"Well, it isn't war rations," Blaine said with a chuckle.

"Good Lord, no," Kurt agreed. "After getting back yesterday, all Mercedes would talk about was how I was only skin and bones. I reckon she passed on the word to Catalina, who's taking this opportunity to get me back to pre-war weight."

"Well," said Blaine mischievously. "You are rather bony at the moment." Kurt gasped in indignation. "You kick around in your sleep, by the way. I think I might have bruises…"

"That you shall treasure highly until they fade," Kurt finished for him. He picked a grape from the newly harvested cluster Catalina had stuck in with the breakfast. "Catch?"

Blaine opened his mouth. A moment later, Kurt tossed the grape. Blaine hardly had to move to catch it in his mouth. "You should know," Blaine said as he swallowed the grape, "that I never lose this game."

"Oh, really?" Smiling widely, Kurt grabbed another grape and placed it half between his teeth. "Catch?" he asked the question around the small, round fruit.

Returning the smile, Blaine got to his knees and inched toward Kurt. He draped a leg over Kurt's and faced the other man as he straddled his waist. With teasing slowness, Blaine's arms snaked out and encircled Kurt's neck. He inched forward until their chests were pressed together, and very slowly, he reached out to bite off the other half of the grape that was in Kurt's mouth. Their lips pressed together during the action and Kurt was disappointed when Blaine pulled away and he was left to eat the grape half that remained.

But he hadn't gone far. He was still all but sitting in Kurt's lap and the prince could already feel the front of his breeches suddenly getting uncomfortably tight and confining. The way Blaine was staring at him wasn't helping – examining him as if it might be the last moment they saw each other and he had to memorize every plane of his face. It made Kurt want to latch onto the knight and never loosen his grip.

Just as he was about to act on the urge in some manner, a sharp knocking came from the door. An electric buzz of shock shot out under Kurt's skin, literally and figuratively deflating any desires he had a moment before. Blaine scrambled off of him and they both shot to their feet.

"Kurt?" A voice called from outside the door. Kurt immediately recognized it as his father.

"What do I do?" Blaine whispered frantically. "I can't get out, should I…should I hide?" His hands reached out and grabbed both of Kurt's.

Kurt looked around quickly and squeezed Blaine's hands reassuringly. "Under the bed," he finally whispered, gently pushing Blaine toward the space under his bedframe.

"Kurt, are you alright?" his father called once more. "I'm coming in."

"What if there are spiders down there?" Blaine whined irrationally as he got onto his knees and lifted up the bed spread to peek into the darkness below.

"Blaine!" Kurt hissed in quiet indignation. Without waiting for another word, he bodily shoved Blaine under the bed and yanked down the blankets so that he'd be well and hidden. He barely had time to straighten up before his father entered the room, a small frown upon his lips. Kurt closed his eyes briefly and prayed to the forces that be that if Blaine did encounter a lounging arachnid, he had enough good sense to keep quiet.

"Are you alright?" Duke Burton inquired, worry evident in his voice.

"Yes, yes," Kurt scrambled to say. He stood fully and attempted to look nonchalant. "W-why do you ask?"

"I ran into Finn this morning, not long ago," Kurt's father continued, looking around shiftily. "He was acting awfully…odd. When I inquired as to what was on his mind, he mumbled your name and then scurried away from me, looking shocked that he'd spoken at all." Burton raised an eyebrow. "Any idea what that was about?"

"No," Kurt answered, altogether too quickly. He smiled winningly at his father. "I'm just peachy – completely spiffy, thanks for worrying. Now if you'll just –" He pushed his father toward the door but Burton slid out of his grasp, still looking at Kurt with caution.

"Why so eager?" Kurt's father inquired. At that moment, his eyes flickered over toward the breakfast tray. Kurt's stomach sank in his chest as he saw that the two plates were obviously displayed. "Hungry?" Burton asked suspiciously.

"Yes," Kurt answered quietly, thinking rapidly. "We don't get much food on the road, you know that. Catalina didn't want me to walk off with one of her large platters so she gave me two smaller ones. I already lost one of her cups before I left; I don't think she trusts me anymore."

Kurt's father raised an eyebrow but didn't provide another argument. Kurt noticed that his eyes also traveled up to the spot where Kurt knew he had forgotten to remove the flower from behind his ear, but Burton didn't comment on that, either. "Well, whatever you say," he said easily, stepping toward the door once more. Kurt was a little too eager to see him on his way. "Finn did seem concerned, though. Perhaps you should reassure him that you're doing well. You know, it has been almost a year since we've seen you. I hardly recognized you when you got back." He reached the door and turned around, back toward Kurt. His face, usually proper and careful arranged into diplomatic impartiality, broke into a wide grin. "But I cannot tell you how good it is to see you back safely, son."

"Oh, father," Kurt said softly, taking the pat on the shoulder with a smile that was almost bashful. "Thank you." Thankfully, Burton didn't seem to have anything else to say; he turned and truly left.

Kurt shut the door quickly in his wake and ran over to his bedside to lift up the blankets. He peered under the bed. Blaine was lying flat on his stomach in the darkness, looking so silly that Kurt couldn't help but crack a smile at the sight of him.

"Do not laugh," Blaine warned him, even though he was close to laughter himself. "Kurt, that was a really close call!" He wriggled out from under the bed and stood up as he brushed off the dust that clung to the skin of his still bare chest. The matching flower was still behind his ear, though a petal or two had fallen out in his scramble, and several others were bent.

"Don't I know it," Kurt agreed, "Mister what-if-there-are-spiders?" Blaine flushed. "Tell me, how is it possible that one of the best knights Algania has ever seen is afraid of spiders?"

"That…is beside the point," Blaine said with a guilty smile. He ran a hand along the back of his neck. "The point is –"

"That it was a close call," Kurt completed, stepping up to Blaine and wrapping his arms around the other boy. "I heard you the first time. It doesn't…change anything…does it?"

"Well, no," Blaine said, raising a hand to run it through Kurt's hair lightly. "But what you said about people not understanding…if that's true, things can't get closer than they did just now."

"No, they can't," Kurt agreed, bending his head to rest it on Blaine's shoulder. But Blaine had already said that it didn't mean anything would be different… "So what do you want to do?"

"Come away with me," Blaine said suddenly, gripping Kurt's shoulders strongly and pulling away slightly. Kurt could see that his eyes had lit up with an excited gleam and an eager smile played upon his lips.

"I…Blaine, you know I can't do that," Kurt said haltingly, looking sideways. "I have a duty to uphold here. After King Paul died, I became next in line for the throne after Dave…you know I can't just run away…as much as I might want to."

"But it doesn't have to be forever," Blaine continued eagerly. "King Dave isn't here right now either, Queen Vivienne is ruling in his stead. We could just leave for a few months! Come with me to Westerville! It's small enough there, we wouldn't be put in situations like this." Blaine paused and his gaze grew a bit more serious. "I want to walk hand in hand with you through the gardens; I want to dance with you at night."

"And we could do that at Westerville?" Kurt asked skeptically. Really, he would give everything to be able to lie among the flowers in the royal gardens for a day with Blaine, talking all day, free to lean over and kiss him whenever he wanted to; he would give anything to be able to dance with Blaine instead of Brittany.

"Well, maybe not that last one," Blaine said, but he wasn't deterred from his overall mission. "But everyone is watching you here at court, all the time. No one would be watching us at Westerville; we'd be free to do whatever we want. We could ride out of town with a picnic and spend a day by the lake." He stopped, looking hopeful.

Kurt was still hesitant. "Don't you think it would look a little strange, you and I riding out alone to Westerville?"

"Thinking up a story would hardly be difficult," Blaine insisted. As if to sway Kurt's decision, he dipped his head toward Kurt's, pressing their lips together firmly and only drawing away fractionally, so that their lips still danced off of one another's when he spoke. "I grew up there; it will hardly be strange that I want to visit after returning from war."

"What about me?" Kurt asked, a smile playing upon his lips in spite of himself; his resolve was crumbling and Blaine could tell.

As if confident in his victory, Blaine smiled elatedly. He bounced on the balls of his feet and pressed his lips to Kurt's more than a few times in his excitement. "I am fully confident in your ability to think of something," Blaine told him, squeezing Kurt tighter.

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Kurt complained pessimistically, shaking his head.

"You didn't take very much convincing," Blaine told him, grinning mischievously. "I was almost ready to beg."

Now that was interesting, and Kurt was sure that he didn't know exactly what Blaine meant, though his too-innocent expression was a good indicator. "Oh, were you now?" Kurt asked him, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure that I have no idea what you mean." He paused. "You know, you could still always just show me."

"I think maybe I will," Blaine said, bringing his fingers to trail lightly across Kurt's jawline as he softly kissed the corner of his mouth. He tugged on the loose fabric of Kurt's shirt and with a soft "oof!" they landed together on the sheets once more.

Fun Fact: So, I know I said these would have to do with history but they're kind of becoming all inclusive. I try to include little symbolic snippets or minute details in almost every chapter (including carrying themes over - I'm sure you noticed that Blaine says the same things over and over again, and they say little things reminiscent of what the actors have said). The one for this chapter was the Carolina Rose, which may have caught your attention because of how specific it was. It would hardly be native to a made-up land in between France and Germany, but after looking at hundreds and hundreds of flowers, I realized that no other flower would work for me. The symbolism of that specific rose was just too perfect: a Carolina Rose means "dangerous love" - make of it what you will! ;)