And I'm back (sorry for the delay)...Like I said at the end of chapter 11, from now on the story will be more dynamic and less explanatory. We will start with a very small time jump (3 weeks after CH11) and things will start to change between our boys, so enjoy!
Chapter 12
Blaine was walking anxiously around his chambers, the sun was already out and although he was supposed to be heading to his daily lessons, he couldn't leave the room yet. He was waiting for Kurt who was supposed to be back already. Blaine was distracted, looking intently at his bed in hope to make Kurt to suddenly appear when Agatha, his serving-maid, walked in.
"Your Highness." She said, but with the look Blaine gave her, she immediately corrected herself. "I mean, Blaine. Your tutor is here and waiting for you at the library. Also Your Majesty, King Richard, asked me to inform you that he won't be able to join you at your sword lessons today. However, Your Highness, Prince Cooper, will be there instead."
"Thank you, Agatha, you can go now. Tell Signor Goretti that I'll be there shortly."
"As you order." Agatha said, making a small bow and walking out the room.
Blaine quickly looked back to the empty bed and took a deep breath as he remembered the past few weeks he had shared with Kurt.
'Kurt...' He thought, and a smile crossed his face. That boy had slowly stolen his will and now, he couldn't conceive his life without him in it. In just a few weeks, Kurt had become his best friend and the reason why he smiled every day.
Waiting there for the blue-eyed boy to appear, Blaine remembered the first time he had seen Kurt practicing itineranzza—the same night Ray and Kurt had confessed everything. He couldn't deny that it had been weird and a shock to his system, he had felt as if he had witnessed some kind of illusion or something, but now that he had seen him doing it for three long weeks, that feeling had been replaced with one of wonder and excitement. Kurt was a real itinerante who came from a different world. How could he not be excited about that?
"Hurry up, Kurt!" Blaine said to the air, and in that moment the wall at the far end of the room cracked a bit and Raymond poked his head through it.
"Is he here yet?"
"No…he hasn't returned yet."
Ray entered the room and started scolding Blaine. "How many times do I have to tell you both that he has to travel from my laboratory? How many times, Blaine? If someone enters this room when he returns we all are going to be in trouble! Have you thought about the risks we're taking?"
"Sorry?" Blaine said tentatively. "We lost track of time, and then Jeff and Trent wanted us to stay for dinner and since Cooper was there too, we stayed until late. When we came back, I couldn't sneak Kurt in using the usual passageways since Cooper was with me, but he helped and it was harder than we originally thought, and then he insisted on showing Kurt his armors' collection and last thing we knew it was past midnight and he had to go back, so…" Blaine explained.
"Wait!" Ray said, "Cooper knows Kurt's staying in the palace? He helped you sneak him in?"
"No!" Blaine immediately said, but knowing it was better not to lie to the old itinerante, he confessed, "Well, yes. He knows that sometimes he stays here, but he doesn't know he's actually staying full time and I didn't say a thing about the itineranti. He just thinks I bring him here often?" Blaine said, but the scowl on Ray's face showed that the man was pissed. "I'm sorry, Ray, but he had caught us twice walking around the palace and he's my brother and I trust him, so I told him what I thought wouldn't harm anyone. I didn't tell him everything, just that Kurt is not from here and that he's your apprentice, the whole cover up story. Yesterday was a one-time thing. He thought we were just being 'naughty' and helped us sneak in."
Ray just shook his head showing his disapproval, and took a seat in one of the chairs by the coffee table. "I just hope he doesn't open his mouth in front of your father or else, you and I, young man, will be in a lot of trouble...and Kurt, too."
"He promised to keep it as a secret."
"Okay, fine. Cooper is a wise man, so I'll trust his judgment." Ray said, clearly not wanting to keep talking about that.
"Ray? Hmmm, have you read your cards lately?" Blaine asked out of nowhere.
"Yes…why?"
"Because, yesterday when we were walking around town an old man came by and said he could read us the cards. We said no, but he insisted, and you know Jeff, he's always excited about everything and with Cooper there I couldn't say no, and-" Blaine trailed off.
"And? What happened, Blaine?"
"He dealt the same pattern you got that night at your laboratory. Jeff and Trent recognized the cards too, and well...I don't know what to get from that. The man just looked at us and whispered...danger, before disappearing." Blaine said, a little bit scared.
Ray stayed silent for a couple of minutes. If someone else had dealt the same pattern he had being getting for almost two months now, that only meant that whatever that was going to happen was clearly related to Kurt's presence in their world. There was no other reasonable explanation.
"My lectures haven't changed, Blaine. I've been having the same lecture over and over again. I can't lie to you, son, I'm worried. You know my cards very rarely lie and I think we all are in great danger and somehow, and don't ask me why, but I think Kurt is related to all of this."
"You think?"
Ray just nodded. "There's no other explanation, Blaine. He's not a chosen itinerante, his arrival to this world is completely up to faith, so yes, I believe he's related to this reading greatly. How much? I don't know, but he is in a way."
Blaine swallowed slowly; he was suddenly concerned about Kurt's safety. Ray looked up and saw that spark of concern flashing through the youngest boy's eyes. "Don't worry, Blaine. As long as he's near me, he's going to be fine. Now, you go and take your lessons, we don't want your mother here to drag you out."
"I want to wait till Kurt is back." Blaine complained.
"You know that his return can take hours, Blaine. We don't know why he's not here yet. Maybe he had some difficulties to come back, I think it's better if you just-" Raymond was saying when Kurt suddenly materialized on top of Blaine's bed.
"Kurt!" Blaine exclaimed excitedly, rushing to give the boy a welcome-back hug.
"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed back, mirroring the Prince's excitement and hugging him tightly.
The two boys looked at each other directly in the eye and smiled warmly. They were always the happiest versions of themselves when they were next to each other and that was something everyone around them had noticed.
Ray cleared his throat. "I'm glad you're back safe and sound, Kurt, now, Blaine, please go to take your lessons! If your mother comes here, she's going to kill us all and it's not figuratively, but literally."
Blaine nodded and squeezed Kurt's hand. "See you later?"
Kurt just nodded and tried not to blush because still after three weeks, every time Blaine grabbed his hand, he managed to make him blush.
Blaine left the room and Ray immediately stood up and walked to the secret door hidden in the wall at the far end of the room. "Are you ready for today's lesson?" He asked.
"Ready!" Kurt exclaimed. He loved the life he had in this strange land.
"Good, because today's lesson is not going to be easy."
Kurt laughed. "None of your lessons have been easy, Ray."
"True." The old itinerante said, while a playful smile was trying to escape from his lips. "But this one will be harder, you'll see why." He said, opening the secret door and stepping in. Kurt followed right behind him and the two intineranti disappeared behind the wall.
o-o-o-o-o
Blaine took a step forward and draw his sword giving his best strike in an attempt to finally beat his opponent, but the tall man read his movements ahead and with one quick movement of his arm, disarmed Blaine and left him cornered at the edge of the fence where they were practicing.
"You see, Lamb?" Cooper said, removing the sweat from his forehead and lowering his sword. "The key to win any battle is to never announce your next move to your opponent. If you do so, then consider yourself dead."
"I did not announce my moves." Blaine replied, but he knew his brother was right. Perhaps, if he hadn't emphasized the last step he took, he could have caught Cooper off guard.
"Yes, you did. Look, Lamb, you just have to be quicker and less predictable, but you're actually getting better. I wish I had your style and shape when I was your age."
"Do you think I'm any good?" Blaine asked.
"No," Cooper shook his head, "I don't think you're good, I'm sure you are. You're the first opponent that actually makes me sweat, so consider that an honor. It's not a secret that I'm the best swordsman in all Bellezza."
"What about father?" Blaine teased.
"He's pretty good, but he's also an old man and I'm young so…"
The two brothers started laughing while they cleaned the dust that had managed to stick at the top of their boots. Meanwhile, the servants picked up their swords and put them safely inside their suitcases.
"You have any more lessons today?" Cooper asked casually.
"Yes, my riding and piano lessons and I'm done for the day."
"Are you going to see Kurt today?" Cooper asked. "He stayed here last night, didn't he?" He added, giving Blaine a knowingly smile.
"Stop it, Cooper! It's not like that, okay?"
"No?" Cooper teased.
"No!"
"So, are you telling me that you don't like him that way?"
"No! Well, yes I like him, but-" Blaine trailed off. He hadn't talked about what he felt for Kurt with anyone, and he wasn't willing to start with his brother.
"It's okay, Lamb. He's a nice guy. I like him, and you two look cute together. If you want my opinion I'd say you totally went for it...I think he likes you too."
Blaine blushed. "You think? Why?"
"I've seen the way he looks at you, besides, you two aren't exactly discreet in the way you flirt with each other."
"We do not flirt." Blaine said in self-defense, but the way Cooper was looking at him wasn't helping him to keep a straight face. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what? It's okay, little brother. I won't tell father that you have a crush on the Amerighi boy. Your secret is safe with me." The eldest Prince said, winking playfully at his brother.
"I don't have a-" Blaine was saying, but Cooper interrupted him.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Lamb! Because if you don't have a crush on him then the only other option here is that you're actually in love with him. And if you can't admit to yourself to have a crush on the boy, then there's no hope in you actually saying that you're in love with him, so leave it like that, okay? I know and I won't tell anyone. Now, go and have fun with your horse. I'll go take a bath and then supervise the niche for great, great grandmother Catherine. Did I tell you it's almost finished?"
Blaine shook his head. He couldn't articulate a word; his mind was still trying to assimilate what Cooper had just said because he had practically voiced his feelings. He didn't have a crush, he was madly, and insanely in love with Kurt.
"Well, it's almost finished. I think mother can start to plan the Ball for two weeks from now or something. Anyway, see you at dinner, Lamb!" Cooper said, walking away and leaving Blaine standing at the sword practice field with a racing heart and a flood of butterflies fluttering in his stomach.
'I'm in love with Kurt.'
o-o-o-o-o
Kurt was at Ray's laboratory trying to make his brain understand the text he had in front of him. When Ray had told him that the lesson of the day would be harder than the rest he had had so far, he had never imagined it would be this hard. In front of him, he had a parchment where the hidden secrets behind alchemy were 'deciphered.' According to Ray, every itinerante should understand and value this discovery since it had been the foundation of the itineranzza as the art of time/space traveling. The old man had also said that the concept was easy to understand once you got the basic principle of energy and matter. But that was precisely Kurt's problem. He didn't understand a word of what he was reading and it had nothing to do with the language, which by the way, he was sure it was some variation of the 'normal' Talian.
"Hmmm, Ray?" Kurt asked, looking up from the parchment and noticing that the old man was lost in thought mixing some potions in those strange containers that looked like flasks but were not really common flasks.
"Yes?" The man asked distractedly.
"Are you sure this is in some kind of language that I understand? Because so far I haven't understood a single word."
"That's because you're trying to read all the text as a single concept and you need to remember that every word is a concept in itself." Ray said, not even looking up from his task at hand.
Kurt frowned confused, but looked down and tried to read the whole thing again as multiple concepts, however, he still wasn't understanding a single word. They both were lost in their respective activities, when Giacomo, entered the room.
"Master." He gasped. He had clearly run all the way up to the tower using those mortal service-stairs.
"What is it, Giacomo?"
"The Pope, Ambassador Rinaldo, and his son are here, master. Your Majesty, the King, requires your presence in the Grand Salon for the official meeting."
Ray's face went pale and Kurt held his breath. By now Kurt knew all about the Smythes and as any other Bellezzan he had learned to fear them—they were the worst scum around the Kingdoms of Talia. But what had Kurt more nervous was not the presence of the Pope and the Ambassador, but hearing about his son, Sebastian Smythe. Kurt didn't know him yet, but whenever he heard his name, his guts twitched and a weird feeling flooded his mind.
"Do you know what are they doing here?" Raymond asked.
"No, master, all I know is that they arrived without an invitation."
"That's so unusual of them." Ray said sarcastically. "Anyway...thank you, Giacomo. Please inform Your Majesty that I'll be joining him in a minute." He said, giving Giacomo a soft nod and waiting for him to leave.
As soon as the servant closed the door, Raymond continued, "I hate these unexpected visits, they never end well." He said, standing up. "I guess the sooner I know why they are here the better, right?"
Kurt just nodded. He was still speechless and trying to pinpoint what that weird twist in his guts meant for him.
"I think we will have to dismiss today's lesson, but you can stay here reading the parchment I gave you or you can spend some time at the library. Blaine will join you as soon as he's done with his own lessons. Needless to say...please stay hidden, okay? See you at night!"
"Okay." Kurt managed to reply almost in a whisper, a sudden realization about his feelings for Blaine had just clicked in his mind and heart.
"Wish me good fortune." Raymond said, making the traditional sign with his right hand, and Kurt mirrored it when the old man left the room and closed the door behind him.
"I'm not jealous." Kurt whispered to himself, and returned his attention to the parchment in front of him.
o-o-o-o-o
Blaine walked to the palace stables looking for his horse, he was already changed and dressed in his riding apparel. He was anxious, the sudden realization he had had about his feelings for Kurt had left him uneasy—in the best way possible. He wanted to finish practicing with his horse, so he could go back to the palace and take his piano lesson. Ray usually let Kurt stay hidden behind the secret doors of the Grand Salon so he could listen to Blaine play the piano for two full hours.
"Maybe if I play him the right melody I could actually-" He was telling himself when Paolo, the stable man, waved at him. "Good afternoon, Your Highness. Your horse is ready for your lessons. I just gave him his daily brush, so you'll find him in a very good mood." The young man said, politely smiling to the young Prince.
"Just Blaine, and thank you, Paolo. I'll go find him then." Blaine said, entering the stable and walking to the stall where he knew his horse was waiting.
When he found the door that had his initials on the top door, he entered and smiled at the magnificent white horse. "Hi there, Snowflake! Are you ready to practice?" Blaine said, petting the majestic animal.
The horse let out a snort and Blaine laughed a little. The saddle was already in place, so he took Snowflake by the bridle and helped him out. When he was walking toward the jump field, he heard someone calling him from somewhere near the bushes.
"Psst! Psst!"
Blaine turned around and saw a boy standing hidden behind some bushes.
"Kurt?" Blaine asked surprised, walking near him. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Ray learning who knows what about what-you-know?"
Kurt looked around to make sure nobody was there before replying. "Yes, but there were some unexpected visitors and he dismissed the lesson."
"Who's here?" Blaine asked intrigued.
"The Pope, his brother, and his nephew." Kurt said, his voice changing of tone with the mention of the nephew.
"The Smythes are here?" Blaine asked alarmed.
"Yes, your father asked Ray to be at the meeting. I guess we'll find out why they are here later, right?" Kurt said, giving Blaine a smile.
The Prince was pale as a ghost, he feared the worst. It was as if he could already predict why they were there—they were there to start with the preparations for the arranged wedding.
"Don't worry, Blaine." Kurt said, noticing the look on the Prince's face. "Everything is going to be okay, I promise you that."
Blaine just smiled and with one look of Kurt, he suddenly felt better. 'Everything is going to be fine.' He repeated to himself. "Yes, you're right...but you didn't answer one of my questions, what are you doing here? I know Ray cancelled your lessons, but still."
"Well, Ray told me to stay hidden and everything, but I was bored and-" Kurt hesitated a little. Now that he looked at Blaine there was no doubt about it, he had lied to himself, he was jealous of Sebastian—very jealous indeed. "And...well, we barely have time to be alone anymore. I mean, it's always fun to spend time with Ray and then fool around in town with Jeff and Trent, but I kind of-" he hesitated again.
'Why is this so hard?'
"You what?" Blaine asked softly.
"Well, I kind of miss being just with you. I thought it could be fun to spend some time alone? Maybe sneak out of the palace?" Kurt said, lowering his gaze and trying to hide the blush that he was sure was now covering his face.
"Do you really want to just go out with me?"
"Yes…" Kurt whispered, "I like Jeff and Trent so much already, but I enjoy just being with you. Alone." He replied coyly.
Blaine's smile went wider. "I enjoy spending time with you too." He said, and they both looked at each other.
They didn't have to say it out loud to know that there was a double meaning behind those words.
"Your Highness?" Someone yelled from the field.
"I have to go, but-" Blaine was saying when Kurt interrupted.
"Meet me at the North exit, okay? The one that takes to the small bridge over that big tree. We could go to the Abbazia, nobody is ever there, so it is very unlikely that someone could notice my lack of shadow." He said, giving Blaine a playful smile.
Blaine just nodded and walked away happier than ever to his lessons.
o-o-o-o-o
After Blaine practically forced the poor horse to complete the springs and jumps around the field as fast as possible, he headed back to the palace and met his piano teacher. The old lady had just started her lesson, when the smart boy pretended to suffer from a very painful headache and excused himself from the lesson.
Once in his room, Blaine told his serving-maid, who already knew that he sometimes sneaked out of the palace, that he would be out exploring the gardens for some time, but since there were some visitors in the palace, if someone came asking for him, she should say that he had had a terrible headache and had fallen asleep.
"And if your mother insists on checking on you?" The woman asked.
"Tell her that I requested not be disturbed and that I'll join my family and our guests for dinner."
"Okay, as you wish."
"Thank you." Blaine said, carefully placing two pillows under his covers and slipping through the passageways.
When he arrived to the North entrance, Kurt was already waiting for him. He looked a bit crestfallen, but the moment he noticed Blaine's presence, his expression changed and a smile crossed his face.
"Hi, there!" Kurt said.
"Hi!" Blaine replied smiling coyly, now that he knew what he really felt for Kurt it was awkward to be close to him. "Hmmm, you still want us to go to the Abbazia?"
"Yes, well, only if you want."
"Of course I want."
"Then lead the way, I'm definitely more familiar with the city, but I'm still not an expert."
Blaine smiled and took Kurt's hand; together they walked away and sneaked out of the palace, taking the first narrow street that lead to the Abbazia, not noticing the man in a blue coat who was watching them as they go.
o-o-o-o-o
Arriving to the Abbazia felt exactly like it had felt the first time they had been there, the magic of the place gave them both some sense of deja vu to the very beginning of their friendship, although this time things were different between them.
"It looks as spectacular as I remember it." Kurt whispered.
Blaine just nodded and took a seat in one of the concrete blocks coming out of the water. Kurt took a deep breath and sat next to him. Silence filled the atmosphere, and although the only sounds that could be heard were the crickets and the trickle of the water, the boys were not uncomfortable. On the contrary, they were just enjoying being next to each other, sharing some time in this magical place.
Blaine turned to his left and admired Kurt's face. The blue-eyed boy was lost in thought, looking at the water. His mind seemed to be somewhere else, lost in some sad place.
"Are you okay?" Blaine asked worriedly, taking Kurt's hand.
Kurt shook his head.
"What's wrong?"
Kurt took a deep breath and confessed. "I don't want to go back to my world ever again, B. I'm miserable there! Sometimes when I'm here and I'm this happy-" he said, pointing to his surroundings to emphasize his words and giving Blaine's hand a soft squeeze, "-I wonder what would happen if I decided to never go back."
"Kurt…" Blaine said with sympathy.
"I don't like my life there, B. I'm always afraid, constantly watching my back and the only moment I'm truly happy is when I'm about to go to sleep to come back here. I don't know, but sometimes I wished I could just stay here and never, ever, come back."
"You could do it…you could live in the palace and be a Bellezzan. You're already disguised as one, but we could make it official."
"I can't, B. I can't…I know I have a lot of reasons to leave that place and come here, but I have my family there. I couldn't do that to them. Imagine my brother and Carole...and my dad." Kurt sighed, lowering his gaze and trying to fight back the tears, just the thought of never seeing his family again made him feel even more miserable.
Blaine noticed the small tear that was running down Kurt's face and not knowing what else to do, he leaned over the water and took the most beautiful water lily he could find and handed it to Kurt.
"Thank you..." Kurt whispered, smiling sweetly at the beautiful flower and the man who had given it to him. He seemed to always know what to do to make him smile and feel better.
Blaine held his gaze, fixed on those blue eyes that he happened to love so much, and without thinking what he was doing, closed the small distance that separated their mouths and pressed his lips against Kurt's, melting into a sweet kiss.
Kurt stopped breathing; Blaine's lips were sending electrical shocks through all his body with every twist they made. He felt every cell and every fiber of his body becoming alive with just that simple intimate moment. This was the first kiss he had been waiting for, and now that he knew what a real kiss felt like, he was sure that the incident with Dave hadn't ruined the experience for him.
When the incident in the men's dressing room had happened, Kurt's biggest fear had been the idea of having lost such an important and special moment of his life with that Neanderthal. But now that Blaine was kissing him—really kissing him—he suddenly felt relieved. Dave hadn't stolen that moment from him, his first kiss had always belonged to Blaine and now that their lips were melted into one, he couldn't be happier. Everything was perfect and just like he had dreamed his first kiss would be.
"I'm sorry." Blaine apologized, slightly stepping back. He didn't regret the kiss, it had been his first kiss and the best one if you asked him, but he didn't know what Kurt thought of any of this. He knew what had happened to Kurt back in his world, and now he was afraid of having overstepped.
"Don't!" Kurt exclaimed, an instead of keep talking, he grabbed Blaine's face and kissed him again.
Blaine smiled into the kiss and embraced Kurt to pull him closer. Kurt smiled too and while the sun set in the horizon, the boys shared the most epic first kiss of all the first kisses in the history of both worlds—shared in the most romantic spot Bellezza had to offer.
Hope you liked it! I'll try to update this weekend so keep an eye for CH13 ;)
