Day 4: Date/Snow
A/N: I have NO idea where this came from, but once it started, it wouldn't leave me alone.
A brisk and relentless wind howled as the two weary travelers approached the gate. They'd been on the move for days now, often on foot, sometimes catching a ride with a friendly merchant or farmer to take them part of the way. Finally, they had reached their destination.
"Are you sure about this?" one traveler asked the other as he gazed upwards. The immense gate rose high above them, a massive structure that appeared to be made almost entirely of ice.
"As sure as I'm ever going to be, Sebastian," his companion replied. Taking a deep breath and exhaling a cloud of mist into the swirling snowflakes, the somewhat shorter man raised his gloved hand to grasp the large door knocker. He lifted it and gave two loud knocks, the sound seeming to reverberate among the surrounding mountains.
"I mean, come on, Blaine," Sebastian continued in the ensuing wait for someone to approach, "of all the kingdoms in the realm, you chose the land of the Ice Princess?"
"That's Snow King, Seb," Blaine corrected, not for the first time during their trip.
"Right. And do you know why they call him the Snow King?" Sebastian persisted.
"I don't know," Blaine snapped. "Maybe because the last person who called him Ice Princess disappeared and was never heard from again?"
Sebastian peered through the gate at the enormous palace beyond and considered the power that the man living there must possess. "Fair point," he conceded. "But the North Kingdom is the only kingdom that never traded with us in the South. In fact, I can't remember the last time your father and the Ice Prin…uh, Snow King, ever even communicated."
Blaine squinted through the bars of the gate once more, and through the blowing snow, he spotted a figure approaching from within. "Exactly the reason why we're here," he said quietly. "When you've been banished by the King of the South, you don't exactly go running to his best friends for asylum, now do you?"
Their conversation halted when a man, presumably a guard, reached the gate. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a heavy white parka trimmed with fur around the hood. "State your business," he ordered brusquely.
Blaine cleared his throat, attempting to clear his mind of anxiety at the same time. "I am Prince Blaine of the South, and this is Sir Sebastian Smythe. We come seeking an audience with his majesty, King Kurt of the North," Blaine announced in his formal, royal voice.
The tall guard narrowed his eyes. "The South does not normally send emissaries to our gates," he said suspiciously, reaching towards his hip for what Blaine presumed was a weapon.
"We are not emissaries," he insisted. "I am not sent by the King or any member of the royal family. I am here on my own accord with my friend. Please, we only wish to speak to the King for a few moments. We have traveled quite far, and beg your indulgence," he added with a slight bow. He ignored the grumbled "Oh, good lord," coming from beside him.
The guard eyed the two carefully, then shrugged and nodded. He unlatched the gate from the inside, and pushed one side open enough for the two to pass. Once they had done so, he swung the gate closed and locked it again. "Follow me," he motioned to them with his hand and began walking up the pathway towards the castle. They had to hurry to keep up with his long strides.
Fortunately, the walk to the front doors was not a particularly long one. The temperature seemed to be dropping with their every step, and Blaine wasn't sure how much longer he and Sebastian could stand being out in the elements. They'd attired themselves appropriately for the weather, picking up coats and boots and hats and gloves as they traveled northward, but their southern upbringing left them woefully unaccustomed to the bitter cold that deepened the closer they got their destination.
Blaine's heart sunk slightly as the castle neared. It, too, appeared to be made of solid ice. Great, he thought to himself. I'll never be warm again.
The guard opened the front doors of the castle and led them inside. Surprisingly, despite the icy exterior, the inside was warm and bright. They were in a massive entry hall, with high arched ceilings, a gleaming marble floor, and a huge double staircase winding upwards. Blaine could only take in a few of the details because suddenly, two servants were with them, helping to divest them of their outerwear before disappearing as silently as they had arrived. The guard, freed of his own parka to reveal a crisp white uniform underneath, continued walking forward, leading them between the two staircases and under an archway, passing into what Blaine realized was the King's reception area. There was a long, narrow hall, with mirrors lining the walls. At the end, the hallway flared out into a round room. All around the room were portraits, presumably of past kings, queens, and other royals. As much as Blaine would have liked to study them, he did not have time. In the center of the room, seated on a large, white throne, was the King himself – a sight that instantly demanded his full attention.
"King Kurt," the guard announced in a loud, bellowing voice. The man on the throne, who had apparently been too preoccupied to notice their arrival, looked up expectantly. "This is Prince Blaine and Sir Sebastian Smythe…of the South," the guard added hesitantly.
The king raised a perfect brow. "Of the South, you say?" he repeated, sounding impressed. "Well, well, this is a surprise. Bring them forward, Finn," he commanded.
Blaine and Sebastian approached, stopping a few feet from the throne where Finn indicated, and bowing respectfully. "Your majesty," Blaine greeted.
"Please, your highness, Sir Sebastian. Do rise," Kurt requested kindly.
Blaine and Sebastian stood, and Blaine's breath caught in his throat. He'd heard the tales of the Snow King, with eyes of ice and skin like snow. The legends had painted a portrait of a cold ruler, fair but devoid of warmth and sentiment. Looking into those eyes for the first time himself, he was sure they were wrong. The eyes were crystalline, not icy, and a faint blush kept his skin from appearing too pale. Blaine knew he was a bit of a romantic, but he was certain that a warm heart beat beneath that broad chest.
"Now tell me, Prince Blaine, what brings the heir to the throne of the South to my door on this fine day?" Kurt asked.
"You ask the perfect question, your majesty," Blaine replied with a sad smile. "As a matter of fact, I am no longer the heir to the throne."
"What? Why?" Kurt was clearly shocked by Blaine's revelation.
Blaine had had days to practice telling his story, but found that saying it out loud was more difficult than he'd imagined. "I will be honest with you, though you may find the truth objectionable. My father, the King, has banished me from the South. He has declared that I am never to return and never to ascend the throne, for his kingdom will not be ruled or inhabited by a man who loves other men."
The room was silent after Blaine's blunt but powerful statement. Blaine held his head high. If King Kurt turned him away, he was no worse off than he was before. He held the King's gaze, hoping to find some glimmer of hope in those captivating eyes. He thought he saw a flame of anger, and feared it was directed at him.
"You were right, your highness. I do find that truth to be objectionable," Kurt said, ice in his voice. Blaine's heart sunk and his eyes dropped to the floor. This was it. He had no other idea as to where to go. He and Sebastian were doomed.
"I find it highly objectionable, indeed, that a father should turn out his son for being true to his nature. No one should be punished or exiled for who they love," the King finished.
Blaine's head snapped up in surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth falling slightly open. "Y-your majesty?" he stammered.
Kurt's countenance warmed as he leaned on the arm of his throne and smiled at Blaine. "After all, if every father did that, I wouldn't be sitting here, now would I?"
"Well, I'll be damned," Sebastian murmured, drawing the attention of the two royals. "What?" he exclaimed to Blaine elbowing him in the ribs good-naturedly. "Like you saw that coming?"
Blaine looked back and forth between Sebastian and Kurt, hardly daring to believe their good fortune.
"So tell me, my Prince," Kurt went on, smirking at the blush that formed on the prince's cheek, "what is it you seek from the North?"
Blaine took a breath to calm himself. "Asylum, my King," he declared, stating his immediate allegiance. "Shelter, a new life. A chance to live as ourselves among those who accept us freely."
Kurt regarded the two men before him. "Of course. You shall have it. You and your, um," he faltered, clearly uncertain what word to choose. "…your, betrothed?" he ventured.
"No!" Blaine blurted, louder than he'd intended. "No, no. No betrothal. No."
"Subtle, your highness," Sebastian drawled, rolling his eyes.
"Sir Sebastian is my most trusted friend and companion. He is of the same…inclination as I, and would have been rejected by the palace had it become known. When he heard of my predicament, he offered to leave with me and go in search of a new home."
"I see," Kurt nodded. Blaine thought he noted a hint of relief in the King's expression when Blaine said he and Sebastian were just friends. "As I was saying, you and your friend are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. I will have rooms prepared for both of you at once. Should you choose, you may call the North Kingdom your home from this day forward."
Blaine couldn't help but smile in happiness and utter relief. He turned and hugged Sebastian excitedly. "Thank you! Thank you so much, your majesty," he gushed. "You have no idea what this means to me and to Sebastian. We will not encroach upon your charity for long, however. We wish to make lives for ourselves, and to be useful to the kingdom."
"Oh?" Kurt prompted.
"Yes. I could, um," Blaine fumbled, "well, I have a background in music. I could entertain the Court," he paused to think of other options. Sebastian found it an appropriate moment to interject, "Yeah, you could," suggestively. Blaine was mortified, but his fear was quelled when he noticed the King's color heighten slightly. "I could also teach music to the children in the kingdom, if you would like. I could…"
"Be calm, your highness," Kurt interrupted gently. "All will be well. There will be time to discuss details later. For now, why don't we get you and Sir Sebastian to the guest rooms so you can refresh yourselves and get some rest after your arduous journey." Kurt rose from his throne and walked forward to stand before the two new members of his kingdom. He held out his hand to Sebastian first, who, in an unusually serious display of grace and propriety, took it and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality, my King." Kurt nodded in acceptance of Sebastian's declaration.
He then turned to Blaine, who similarly took his hand and bowed. When he rose, he found himself still holding Kurt's hand and locking eyes with him. "If you are not too tired later, perhaps you would join me for dinner so we could discuss your future, Prince Blaine." Kurt's voice was soft and warm.
"I would be honored, your majesty. But please, you may simply call me Blaine. I am not a prince here," Blaine replied.
Kurt's brow furrowed. "I shall not strip you of your title, but I will honor your request…Blaine," the King answered with a smile. He leaned a tiny bit closer and whispered, "Between you and me, I kind of hate the whole 'King' and 'your majesty' thing, so perhaps you could call me Kurt?"
It was Blaine's turn to smile. "Okay," he whispered back.
Kurt stood tall again and gestured to Finn, who had been standing at attention off to the side during the whole exchange. "Finn, would you take our guests to see Mr. Schue? Our majordomo," he added as an aside to Blaine and Sebastian. "Tell him to place our guests in our finest rooms and to see that they are given all that they need."
"Yes, your majesty," Finn responded with a bow. "Your highness? Sir Sebastian? Please, follow me."
With a parting bow to their new king, the two men turned and followed the guard out of the reception room. "Not too shabby," Sebastian said quietly. "Not only do we have a new home in the palace, but you scored yourself a date!"
Blaine shushed Sebastian reprovingly and gave him a light shove, while Finn barely disguised an indecorous snort of laughter.
As they passed by some tall windows that revealed a wild blizzard raging outside, Blaine couldn't help but think that he seemed to truly feel warm for the first time in his life.
A/N: I probably should have taken a bit more time to edit, so forgive any errors.