Not entirely unexpectedly, given the empty courtyard and gatehouse, no one responds to his pounding fist on the door. Blaine pounds again. Nothing. He glances over at Kurt who shrugs and reaches for the door handle, which gives way easily. Too easily. As the door opens, he pushes Kurt aside, looking around for the inevitable trap.

The door creaks loudly and reveals an empty great hall, covered in shadow and dust. Blaine announces himself loudly, and the only response is his voice echoing back.

Blaine slumps in utter disappointment. To have come all this way, this entire journey, and Sue isn't even here. He has been so foolish.

"Hey." Kurt touches his arm. "Come on, let's look around."

Blaine wrenches his arm away, not wanting to be touched when it feels like everything has fallen apart. "It's no use. We failed. I led us on a fucking fool's hunt to a fucking abadoned castle in the middle of fucking nowhere and what did it get us? Absolutely fucking nothing!" He kicks the door shut with a bang.

"Your maps weren't wrong. Sue might have moved on and left some clue as to where she is now."

"Or she didn't and we are wasting our time. Again."

"You can't give up now, Blaine." Kurt protests.

"I can and I am done."

"Don't say that. We've come so far." Kurt counters. "Let's just look around and then we can decide what to do next."

"You're not listening to me!" He yells in frustration. "I'm done with this whole stupid, pointless journey."

"Pointless." Kurt's face falls and he blinks rapidly. "I see. I- I- I'm going to take a look around. You can do what you want." He stalks off.

Blaine doesn't bother to follow. He kicks at the door again and then collapses to the floor, his sword clattering useless beside him. He stares despondently at the tattered tapestries, where only a few beams of the setting sun pass through. He had been steeling himself for failure but he had thought that at least he'd have a chance to prove himself. That's all he wanted: a chance but he had been wrong, so very wrong.

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice breaks him out of his tortured thoughts, calling from across the hall. "I think you should come and check this out."

"What is it?" He calls back tiredly. Nothing is keeping Kurt here now. He will also want to leave him; he only came because he could be of use to Blaine and now he's angry and disappointed in Blaine too.

"Please, Blaine. I need you." Kurt's tone wobbles. Blaine catches the fear in Kurt's voice and scrambles to his feet, striding quickly across the long hall.

Kurt stands frozen near the other end. He holds a small dagger, gripping it tightly. As Blaine gets nearer, he can see that it shakes finely in his hand. "What-" Blaine starts, and Kurt nudges his knife forward. There.

In the corner next to the cold hearth, a large form blinks cold, yellow eyes at them. A thick tail, covered in dark purple scales tipped in spikes scrapes against the stone floor as those eyes regard them, narrowing in interest.

Blaine steps in front of Kurt, shielding him as best he can. He keeps his hand on the hilt of his sword, never looking away from the dragon. The dragon contemplates them for long moments. Blaine can barely breathe, his heart thumping hard in his chest. He feels Kurt reach for his other hand and Blaine leans into the support.

"Who dares disturb my slumber?" The dragon speaks in a deep growl, low and threatening. It crawls towards them, its claws scratching on the floor as it approaches them, never taking its slit-pupils off of them. "Usually, it's pathetic men who want to challenge me, not two dough faced weaklings who quiver before me."

Perhaps it's the fatigue, perhaps it's that overwhelming feeling of nihilism that has been feasting on his soul, but something snaps inside of him and all fear and nerves melts away. This is it: this moment where he will either rescue his brother or he will die trying. He straightens and looks the dragon firmly in the eye. The dragon sticks its claw out, poking Blaine in the chest. Blaine grabs the claw and holds it firmly. "I know it's you, Sue."

The dragon reels back and growls, ripping its claw from Blaine's grip. "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Blaine Andreason. I would like to negotiate the release of one of your captives."

"Negotiate? I should just eat you both instead."

"But you won't. Change back, Sue, and we'll talk."

Sue regards him for a long moment, before suddenly sending a plume of smoke from her open jaw over them. Blaine doesn't flinch as the acrid air washes over him, although he feels Kurt grip his hand tighter and he glances back at Kurt. If Blaine hadn't become so familiar with Kurt's expressions, he would have missed the slight tremor of fear in his set face. He squeezes back, trying to reassure him—and himself—that it will be okay.

"Fine." Bright flashes and sparks of green and yellow lights blinds Blaine; he squints against the onslaught. They gather and settle into the human form of Sue who snarls at the two of them. "Now talk."

They have been travelling for so long that the fact that they are here, staring down Sue, is surreal. "I am Prince Blaine, youngest son of Andrea, Queen of Dalton. Three years ago, you trespassed our lands and stole away our prince. I have come to free him."

"It's possible. I steal a lot of princes when they deserve it and they so often do. Why should I care?"

"My people have suffered without him. My parents miss him."

"Boo hoo." Sue drawls, clearly unimpressed.

"He's a good man and he deserves a second chance." Blaine insists.

Sue snaps her fingers and a goblet appears in her hand. She takes a long drink, glaring at Blaine and Kurt. "This reminds me of the time when I salted the earth of the couple living next door so nothing living could grow there for a hundred years. You know why I did it? Because they came by with a basket of eggs like we were neighbors." She slurps down the drink and licks her lips. "The woman nearly died of scurvy and tried to give me her brat in exchange for lettuce. So what are you going to offer?"

Blaine regards her slowly. He hadn't thought when he had encountered Sue as a teenager that she was deranged but she is making no sense."What do you want? I speak on Dalton's behalf and can offer lands or money."

"Land? Money? You insult me."

"Or." He pauses and continues calmly. "You could do the right thing and set him free." Beside him, Kurt stifles a laugh.

Sue's face twists in fury. "You dare to come to me and make demands? You?! I remember you, the charming prince who wept at my feet. Did you expect to just waltz in and bat your doe eyes at me and I would just release him? That isn't going to happen. So now what?" She mocks. "How do you intend to free him, Charming? I see no army. Will you fight me? Fight me as a dragon and prove your worth?"

"No." After weeks of indecision, an idea forms, and he knows instinctively what to do. It's impulsive, yes, and if he had time to think, he would certainly talk himself out of it. But. He made a promise to himself, to his family, and to his kingdom. Blaine speaks without a quiver, Kurt's hand in his providing him strength. "I offer myself as an exchange. Free him and you may have me instead."

"Blaine! What are you doing?!" Kurt hisses but he dares not look at him or his resolve will waver.

"My brother was foolish, yes, but the kingdom needs their heir. I will take his place."

Sue circles them thoughtfully. "Your brother I cursed to sleep for a hundred years—by then, I hoped that he might have learned to close his sniveling mouth. I will not lighten the duration."

"I know."

"Your people will live without you. You will lose all that you have loved. This porcelain boy who glares so prettily at your side will find some other foolish man to love instead. He will not remember you."

Blaine's heart seizes at Sue's words. Love him? He's never dared hope that Kurt might—. Beside him, Kurt recoils sharply and refuses to meet Blaine's widening eyes but he doesn't deny it and Blaine's heart aches for what he is sacrificing. He wishes that there was time to explore what is happening between them, speak his truth. He wishes for so much. "I know the consequences."

Sue tuts. "You are either very brave or very foolish. Perhaps both. If you think that you will somehow overcome me and avoid his fate–"

Blaine unbuckles his belted scabbard—his hand aches with the absence of Kurt's fingers around his—and holds it out in his hands. He contemplates drawing the sword, striking quickly, but even in this moment where he may lose everything, he cannot take human life. "Here is my sword. I bear no other weapon and come with no tricks." The sword clatters loudly on the stone floor and he kicks it over to Sue as he continues. "I am willing to take Cooper's punishment in exchange for his freedom. I, I just ask that you release my friend- my companion and allow no harm to befall him. He is innocent. I asked for his assistance to find you, and I should have sent him away, but I needed the strength of his presence to do this—" He blinks back sudden tears and pushes through the break in his voice "–please don't make him suffer for my weakness."

"No, no, don't." He hears Kurt whisper beside him.

"Your begging is delightful. Simply delightful. Fine, I'll let Lady Face walk out of here."

"And my brother?"

"And your brother. His rule will be a pox over your country. His grief at your needless sacrifice - ah, I can almost taste it." She smacks her lips.

"Then we have a deal?"

"A deal." Sue raises her staff and rests the tip on his head. Blaine feels the power circling over his head, sparks coalescing around him. As the spell coats him, heavy and sticky, he turns to seek out Kurt. At the end of all things, he just needs to see Kurt. His Kurt. He wishes for more time, wishes the words would come so he could tell Kurt those feelings he's been denying—

Kurt fumbles through his pockets, shouting something that he can't hear. Blaine wishes that he could hold onto those fingers one last time but the urge to close his eyes and embrace eternal slumber becomes overwhelming. Blaine fights to keep his gaze fixed on Kurt—he wants this last memory to be of Kurt.

He closes his eyes. The ground sways behind his feet and Sue shrieks in anger.

Something in the air pops like an explosion. A sudden surge of wind and power sweeps over Blaine and pushes him to the ground like a violent wave and then snaps back and recedes into the corners of the room. A scream and an agonizing howl fade into heavy silence.

He doesn't know how long he lies there. He drifts, eyes closed, mind strangely silent. This feels unlike normal sleep — a sensation of being caught in a thick syrup, with strangely weak muscles. His chest struggles to rise with breath and his side aches from the fall. He can't move and he can't—

"Blaine!" Kurt's at his side, turning him over, and cradling him to his chest. "Blaine! Blaine, wake up! Wake up! You have to wake up."

Kurt's fingers caress his cheeks, slides his fingers through his curls. He tries to open his eyes, let the words pass through his lips, reassure Kurt. Shh. I'm here Kurt, I'm okay. I'm here. His lids remain heavy.

Something wet splashes on his face and in shock he realizes that Kurt is sobbing. Don't cry. I'm okay. "Don't die. You can't leave me. I won't let you. Please, Blaine, wake up. Please, Blaine, I love you." Kurt presses his lips to Blaine, a soft, fleeting pressure that Blaine almost wonders if he imagines it.

Like the sun melting ice, the spell holding him stiff thaws, softening first at the edges. He senses the sticky sweet substance trickling down his torso into a puddle before dissolving and disappearing into the floor underneath him. He strains with effort to lift his legs and, suddenly, Blaine can move again. "Kurt." He croaks. His eyelids are heavy but he forces them open to look at Kurt.

Kurt clings to him in a desperate hug. "You're alive. I, I thought- You weren't breathing."

Blaine rests his forehead against Kurt's, gulping in large breaths. "What happened? Where's Sue?"

Kurt also seems unwilling to let him go, his hands clenching Blaine's tunic as if to reassure himself that Blaine is unharmed. "There, I think." He points to a glowing cocoon where Sue had been standing, a staff lying beside. "Her enchantment ricocheted when it was broken and she was trapped in the reverberations."

"I don't understand. How was it broken?"

Kurt takes a deep breath. "That might be because of me. I'm a fairy."

"A fairy?"

"An apprentice fairy, actually. I'm still a student at Adayn. I wanted to tell you, Blaine, so much, but I couldn't. You had to do this on your own. If you had known about me, it could have ruined everything. And if Sue had known, she could have used you—I shudder to think what she might have done."

"Used me? For what? I don't understand."

"The magic is complicated and it got all twisted and–"

"Cooper!" Blaine interrupts, looking around frantically. "Where's Cooper? Is he free, too?"

Kurt looks uncomfortable. "I don't know. I don't think this broke her previous enchantments; it just stopped her from trapping you."

Blaine slumps heavily against Kurt, clutching at him desperately. "I failed." He says in a dull whisper and all of the emotions of this terrible day release in a flood. Tears stream down his cheeks and he doesn't hold back the agonizing sobs that escape. "I failed my brother."

Kurt pulls him in closer, hugging Blaine tight to his chest. "No, that's not true. Shh. We'll find him. He may still be around here. We'll scour the place and when we find him, we'll take him back to Adayn. I'm sure that Carmen and my sisters can figure something out."

He can't do more than weep for long minutes, Kurt rocking him in his arms. "I can't go home without him. I don't even know if he's here. It's too late."

"It's not. It's not. I promise. Whatever it takes, we will find him."

"Can you reverse it?" He gestures towards the shimmering lump. "Is it permanent?"

Kurt shakes his head. "I don't know. I've never seen an enchantment collapse like that. It's advanced magic."

"I've got to save Cooper, Kurt. And if that includes releasing Sue from the enchantment so she'll tell us where he is, so be it. It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"But I'm not! I almost lost you and I'm not going to do that again."

Blaine pushes himself out of Kurt's embrace, wiping angrily at his cheeks. "You don't have a say in this, Kurt! This was my quest. Mine. The goal was always to free Cooper."

"I know! I know that! But there are other ways to do that without rushing in and haphazardly selling your soul and ending up in a curse yourself. We can figure this out, if you'll just work with me."

Blaine scowls and looks away. He hates to admit it but Kurt has a point. "Fine. What should we do?"

"I can use the mirror in the hall to contact Adayn. Madame Tibideaux is my teacher. She's a brilliant fairy and I doubt that there's a spell or curse that she can't figure out. She'll know what to do." Kurt scrambles up.

Blaine pushes himself up to follow Kurt and sways, black spots dancing in his vision. Kurt rushes back to his side, throwing an arm around his waist and Blaine leans grateful into the support. "Whoa, honey. Spells like that, especially when they go bad, can drain you of energy for weeks. I slept for two days straight the first time I cast a spell and that was just to clean a pot."

"I'm okay."

"You need food. I know what you're thinking, but you can take the time and eat and get some strength back before trying to save the world again. Honestly, Blaine."

Blaine acqueises. He doesn't want to admit it, but he feels terrible, drained of energy and stretched thin.

"Here, let's find the kitchen and something to eat. I bet it's just down the hall." Blaine's barely listening as they stumble down the hall, concentrating on lifting his feet. He's acutely aware of the way Kurt feels and smells, aware of his lean torso pressed against his, supporting him as always.

Had he imagined Kurt kissing him, telling him that he loved him? Kurt seems so matter of fact now, but Blaine's pretty sure that he's not imagining the way that Kurt blushes when he looks over, or the way that he pulls Blaine closer while helping him down the corridor. He starts to lean in, wanting to feel the stubble on Kurt's jaw, learn Kurt's taste– and Kurt's cheery voice breaks through those feverish thoughts. "Here we are! I'll go look through the larders. I'm sure we can find some bread and cheese and– who are you?" His voice hardens and his hand tightens across Blaine's waist, forcing him slightly behind.

Blaine looks up. For a moment, he doesn't recognize the lean, scruffy bearded man, with hands immersed in soapy water, who is gaping at them and reaching for the closest object for defense. There's something in his stature and eyes that comes together in familiarity and his mouth asks before his exhausted mind catches up entirely. "Cooper?"

The pan tumbles to the floor with a crash. "Blaine? What? Oh my god, Blaine, is that you?" Cooper pushes Kurt aside and scoops Blaine up in a hug. Blaine starts crying again, tears leaking onto the shoulder of his long lost brother.

"I don't understand." Blaine says as he pulls back to look at him. Cooper speaks over him. "What are you doing here, Blainey?"

"I came to rescue you. Kurt and I, we, we just defeated Sue. I think. She's in a glowing … thing back there." He gestures vaguely behind him.

Cooper hugs him again. "You defeated Sue! You did it! Quinnie, did you hear?" He yells out and dances Blaine around.

Blaine stumbles and pushes his brother away, not sure why he's yelling for the queen. "But Kurt says that it didn't break old enchantments. How are you here? How are you awake?"

Cooper suddenly looks sheepish. "Oh that. Well. I broke the enchantment a couple of years ago."

"A couple of years! Coop, people have been looking for you! Soldiers and knights and they put their lives in danger to bring you home. Mother has been a shadow of a ruler in her grief and you're telling me that you've been here for two years?"

"To be fair, I hadn't realized that it was that long." Cooper grins and shrugs.

Blaine pushes Cooper's arm off of him. "I think you need to tell me what's going on."

"That may take a little more explaining. Or rather— Quinnie!" He calls out. "Quinn! She just went out to gather the eggs. She'll be back in a moment. Now, sit. Let me grab you a bite of food. I heard you were hungry."

Blaine sits down heavily. None of this is making any sense and his head has started to ache behind his eyes. Cooper and Kurt settle down at the table beside him, spreading out bread and assorted jellies. He hears Kurt asking questions about the type of spell that Sue had used on him. "It was a sleeping spell, I believe," Cooper answers, "one charmed to be broken only with true love's kiss. Sue doesn't believe in love, so to her, it's the perfect spell."

Kurt blushes again and leans closer to Cooper, listening as if every word he says is utterly fascinating. "How did you end up breaking it then?"

"Sue hoards those she's enchanted, but she also loves to make bargains. Exchanges for weather spells or barters for curses, that sort of thing. Quinn had come to her in distress—"

"I was unmarried and with child and didn't know what to do." A voice in the doorway interrupts. The young woman looks bemused more than concerned, as she juggles a basket of eggs and a young child on her hips. "I hope these are friends, Cooper, as you have just destroyed any pretense of secrecy."

"Quinn!" Cooper leapt to his feet and kissed the woman, dancing her around much as he had Blaine. "Blaine conquered Sue! You're free!"

Quinn smiles wide and kisses him again. "I told you we just needed to be patient. You gotta let me set these eggs down, Coop; it's hard enough dancing around the baby. I assume these young gentlemen were the ones who bested Sue." She hands the child over to Cooper, who clings to his chest while staring bashfully at the strangers.

"Quinn, allow me the pleasure of introducing you to my younger brother, Blaine, and his companion—"

"Kurt. I'm his– I'm Kurt."

"Blaine and Kurt. And this is Princess Lucy Quinn from the kingdom of Mackinly and this shy little lady is Elizabeth. My daughter." He jostles her slightly. "Can you say hi, Beth?"

Blaine stares. The words process slowly in his overworked brain. "Your daughter? Princess? From Mackinly? Didn't you spend several months there? There was some kind of scandal and father had to fetch you back."

Cooper coughs. "Yes, well. Quinn and I were acquainted back then. Intimately. If you get my meaning."

"I'm sure he does." Quinn remarks wryly.

"Her parents found out about our relations and I was unceremoniously thrown out the door. I hadn't realized at the time that Quinn was, to put it delicately, 'in the family way,' or I never would have left."

"I was pregnant and desperate." Quinn fills in. "My parents disowned me. Sue promised me a return to my parents' favor and an unbreakable memory charm in exchange for my child, and in a moment of weakness, I agreed. But the night I birthed Beth, I realized that I could never give her up, so when Sue came to claim her, I refused. She went into a rage and demanded that I fulfill the contract. I had no choice. I came here as her servant."

"Meanwhile, Sue had brought me here, in a state of unconsciousness. She put me up in one of the rooms upstairs, as if I was a guest with too much to drink. One day, Quinn found me and recognized my handsome face. She kissed me and, what do you know, that broke the spell."

"But why didn't you come home after that?" Blaine questions.

"Quinn was still bound by the contract. Seven years of servitude she had to provide or she'd have to forfeit Beth. I wasn't going to leave her and Beth."

"Sue didn't care that you had broken the spell?" Kurt asks, fascinated.

"No, not really. I don't think Sue recognized me as the prince or even remembered why she had cursed me in the first place. I kept out of the way and she pretended I didn't exist. She always had a soft spot for Quinn - I think she was a favorite of hers."

Quinn sniffs. "I'm not sad about the hag. She trapped me here for years. I couldn't leave - once we tried to escape but we just walked around in circles until we found ourselves back at the gates. There have been several knights who attempted rescues but they were turned into toads or placed in eternal sleep. Sue wasn't particularly inventive in her punishments."

The headache has evolved into a persistent throb. Blaine can barely follow the conversation and he just wants to sleep. Kurt murmurs something to Cooper and Quinn, and leans over Blaine. "Come on. Quinn has a room prepared where we can rest." Kurt wraps his arm back around Blaine and lifts him up.

Kurt pulls the curtains closed as Blaine sits heavily down on the oh-so-soft bed. He tries to tug at his boots but the buckles slip out of his fingers. Kurt kneels down beside him. "Here. Let me help." He slides the buckle out. "There we go." He pulls off the boot and rests his hand on Blaine's foot. Kurt looks nervous. "Blaine. There's something else that you should know."

Blaine's not sure he can take more today, but he nods.

"When you found me that day, I was casting a spell. A scrying spell. To find my purpose for my final year of my apprenticeship. And you stepped in and the spell centered around you and bound me to you."

"Bound you. To me." Blaine repeats.

"Yes. It's complicated to explain, but basically it made it so that I had to follow you and help you complete your quest. Remember when we went to Adayn? Carmen tried to break the spell without hurting you, but she was unsuccessful. The spell broke with Sue's enchantment. It may have been part of why the enchantment didn't work, I don't know, we'll have to study it more."

The words mush in his brain. "You had to follow me. You didn't have a choice."

"Then, yes."

"Then." And now? He wants to ask, but the words stick in his throat. "Okay."

"Okay?"

He doesn't want to think that Kurt had never wanted to be here. That Kurt— "Kurt, I'm tired. I'm so tired. May we talk about this in the morning?"

Kurt squeezes his foot and makes quick removal of the second boot. "Yes, of course. Lie down, we'll talk in the morning."

Blaine barely registers the texture of the pillow underneath his head before he tips into oblivious slumber. His last memory is of a fleeting pressure, like a soft kiss, on his forehead.

A/N: Thank you for reading!