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Chapter 4

That was one awful situation. Animals and creatures roaming everywhere, wolfs in pursuit. Rory knew he had to intervene the moment he felt Kurt's smell from the underground, together with few other scents – all spiced with fear and hostility. And then there was the foreign scent which he fully felt only once in his life before – a rich fragrance of a human, full of passion. The situation could go bad in many different ways, therefore Rory had to make sure to get Kurt out of this place before the witchling would be harmed. Or worse – before he would harm others.

Being a capable fox, Rory was proud to possess an incomparable ability to track down even the slightest scents. He smiled upon finding just what he needed. Rory sprinted in its direction to soon run into the massive bluish- grey dire wolf, who had Kurt's fresh citrus-pine fragrance all over him.

"You have some spunk to actually seek me." the massive animal growled, getting into offensive position.

Rory sighed, front leg pushing aside his collar fur to reveal a small emerald on a thread around his neck. Dire wolf looked surprised, but he loosen up his stance.

"It's rare to see a fox working for anybody, least for the queen. I'm Ingolf."

"I work for Kurt." Rory wasn't one for chit-chat "And I need you to get him out of trouble. Out of the tomb. No stupid fighting."

Ingolf hesitated. "We are not fond of stairs. That's why Kurt insisted to go there alone while we took care of the Narnians outside..." he stopped seeing little fox's eyes go narrow with anger. He was small, but Ingolf was sure he knew how to bite " No need for fuss. I'm going." dire wolf darted towards the tomb.

Rory didn't follow. Instead, he went straight to queen's castle.

"Blaine, you really have to get away from this... demon. He is a son of the White Witch!"

The White Witch. The evil queen that cursed the entire land. That conspired against every human coming here. And Blaine's first fiery kiss he had wasn't even with human.

While the boy stood there paralyzed, Kurt didn't waste any moment. He called for his enchanted chains again. They swiftly bounded Blaine again.

"Hey!" the shorter boy realized what was happening too late. He couldn't move his hands again – although this time his legs weren't tied. Kurt moved quickly behind him, one hand grasping Blaine's arm while the other pressed a sharp dagger to his throat.

"If you want him away from me, the more reason I keep him close." said Kurt calmly. "If you all could just move out of my way, please. Yes – everyone together, don't split up."

Terrified for Blaine's life, Narnians willingly moved to the other side of the tomb. Kurt pushed Blaine forward, turning him as they progressed so the Narnians would be always facing the curly-haired hostage.

"Great. Now I don't want to see or hear anyone while we go up."

Fauns nervously nodded. Kurt and his hostage walked through the corridor and started climbing the stairs backwards. Blaine almost tripped on his first step as he forgot about the staircase. Kurt held him steady and chuckled.

"Careful. I need you alive to be an effective shield."

"It would help if you lower that dagger." squeaked Blaine. "If I trip I might just stab myself by accident."

Kurt lowered the blade a little, tightening the grasp on Blaine's arm instead and bringing the boy closer to himself. He shifted them so they could see the stairs and not risk falling down.

"I really don't have anything against you personally, but you seemed to be awfully important for them." Kurt's light tone didn't sound very apologetic. "Oh, we are almost out." he said when noticing the shining moonlight above their heads. "I don't think I actually need using these, do I?" Chains started retracting from Blaine's body back to Kurt's belt. However, the pale boy was still holding on to his hostage while checking if there was anyone outside. The area above the ground was empty.

"It's better if you stay here. I can hear your friends from downstairs and I would appreciate you stopping them at least for a bit so I can disappear." Kurt whispered directly to Blaine's ear. "Can I count on you?"

"You really think I'm going to help White Witch's son? You..." Kurt interrupted him with another kiss – briefer and more spontaneous. Blaine was surprised with his mouth still open and his tongue – apparently having a mind on his own – darted forward skimming Kurt's lips. That must've been something new for the taller boy because he jerked his head back, blue eyes wide. And this time he was definitely blushing, noticed Blaine with a small sense of pride, before bolting backwards completely repulsed , because he just kissed an enemy. Again.

Kurt narrowed his eyes seeing that "I see. It's better if I go now. And you all just call me White Witch's son while I have my own name. It's Kurt." he finished almost spitting the last word. With amazing agility Kurt jumped out of the tomb, not looking back at Blaine.

However, this time the area around the tomb entrance wasn't empty. Kurt's bright eyes met wild stares of five huge sun bears - towering above him, seeming even more dangerous in the glow of the pale moon . The witchling stood there, unable to move – only his enchanted chain slit into his hand by itself, as if feeling the unavoidable fight that would be starting soon. Kurt was almost sure he heard someone shouting his name. Was it Blaine? He didn't want to look at the boy at the moment, also because it wouldn't be wise to lose eye contact with the feral animals around him.

The deadly silence was cut in by a roar full of pain. One of the bears stumbled forward being hit by something big, fast and in possession of a lethal collection of fangs. The new beast didn't bother with the bears too much. It jumped to the front of Kurt rising a cloud of snow with its sudden stop.

"My back. Now!" it growled.

The witchling with relief recognized Ingolf. As quickly as his shaking legs allowed it he crawled onto the dire wolf.

"Kurt!" now he was sure it was Blaine shouting.

"Take me away from here" quietly ordered the boy. And Ingolf run away before the Narnians could stop them.

"Are you okay?" asked Ingolf when Kurt slid down from him onto the translucent floor inside the castle.

The boy checked if he could stand without any support before answering " I think so. Nothing a long shower and rest can't cure. I hope Maugrim is not going to give you a hard time about going back earlier?"

"Of course not. I had orders to protect the Prince."

Kurt sighed. Ingolf looked at him more closely. "You sure you are alright? You seem a bit more... pink than usual."

The boy touched his face. It didn't feel different than normal, but wolf's remark reminded him of something. "I will be really fine. I just need to get a book from the library." Ingolf raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. The animal went back to his quarter, checking few times from behind his shoulder if Kurt was able to go to his room by himself.

Rory was already waiting in Kurt's room when he entered with a huge, brightly died book. The fox rushed to witchling's side checking for any injuries, but the boy looked fine, maybe a little shaken.

"Ingolf told me a little fox got him to run back for me." smiled Kurt "I see you've been abusing my gift."

"That gift saved your ass." Rory eyed the book in Kurt's hand "You come back from The Run and first thing you do is stroll to the library?"

The boy threw the thick volume onto the bed. Rory saw a title and said nothing, because nothing really can be said when a friend - are we actually friends? – decides, that the best way to cope with his first real combat is to study a book about seduction.

Kurt without any embarrassment started to flip through the tome.

"Are you looking for anything specific?" against better judgement, Rory was intrigued by young prince's sudden interest in this... area."I don't want to disappoint you but that one was written for women. I honestly don't want to know what your mother used it for... wait! Are those her margin notes?"

"I'm certainly not reading them. Oh, here it is." Kurt started skimming the text more closely "I knew it!" he shouted a moment later "I should've open my mouth and let his tongue inside!"

That was too much for Rory, who started blinking rapidly, confused. "Open your... Whose tongue?!"

"Blaine's" started explaining Kurt, his eyes glued to the page "that's the cute dwarf I told you about. Except, he's actually something called a hobbit. Foreigner. Maybe that's why his skin is tanned. I kissed him. And his hair is curly now. Fortunately still black. And he turned out to be friends with the enemy. And he licked my..."

"Hey!"the fox decided to stop this chaotic rant "What I don't understand is... you kissed this 'Blaine' who is a member of Free Narnian Resistance and a male?"

"Yes, why?"

"Oh..." Rory searched his scent memory of who was at the tomb with Kurt, but all of them were animals... except the human. And he now remembered the thick smell of passion, so clear in this human's aura. "...Oh" That was... unexpected. It meant that Kurt didn't know there was a human in Narnia, which was good because otherwise he would tell the queen, but he also seemed to be attracted to the new candidate to Narnia's throne. Possibly mutual. I think it's time to soon visit Puck and check what those morons are up to - decided Rory - But before that I have to make sure Kurt won't read too much of that book - he added quickly in his thoughts, seeing unhealthy spark of interest in prince's eyes at the sight of some rather vulgar illustrations.

Narnians celebrated tonight. Finn brought out his best wine stored in some ancient barrels, Rachel was fluttering among guests with glasses, cups and midnight snacks.

"One more toast to all those who helped bringing the freedom closer to us today!" shouted an already drank faun. No one counted the toasts, so almost everyone was at least tipsy. They were drinking to honour few Narnians who died from dire wolves, they were drinking to celebrate getting the part of Susan's horn and they were drinking, prising Blaine on finding the lost sword of King Peter.

The only person, who was still holding his first and almost full cup of wine, was Blaine. When someone mentioned him he was smiling nervously, but most of the time he sat hunched on a chair in the corner.

"What a night!" Sebastian – slightly flushed from alcohol and excitement - slumped down on the floor next to him. "I thought I was going to die there. You should see how everyone panicked when those wolfs attacked. Some faun threw me at this deer so I escaped easily but I was so worried about you!"

"Uhm" responded Blaine. He eyed ruby liquid of his cup. He wondered suddenly if Kurt – he was tasting that name on his tongue whenever he was alone – had red blood or blood at all in his veins.

"I heard you were in a tougher spot." Sebastian tried to get his cousin's attention again. "So how did it feel being held hostage by our arch-enemy?"

Blaine opted to not tell truthfully how that actually physically felt, because Sebastian would call it an accelerated Stockholm Syndrome. "Quite terrifying." He said instead and that was a truth as well.

"Did he look like human at all?"

"Uh... a bit" said Blaine reluctantly. He didn't really want to say anything about Kurt to anyone.

"Are Your Majesties talking about that Witch's spawn?"asked a slurring voice in front of the boys. They soon were crowded by a pair of honey-drank bears and some staggering fauns.

"This is so surreal. We are talking with smashed teddy-bears." murmured Sebastian to his cousin before answering "Yeah. I guess you guys heard a lot about him?"

"We sure did! And Bjorn here" the bear waved towards his bulky companion "even saw him in action. It was few years ago. Dire wolfs got them paws on a boar family that tried to run away from Narnia. Said they had some relatives beyond Archenlands. Poor folks tried to deny all, but Maugrim no fool, he saw all the luggage, and they were on a straight way to Anvard."

"It's a capital of Archenlands, south from Narnia" explained one of the fauns - Blaine vaguely remembered his name was Giles.

"Stop interrupting!" grumbled the storyteller "As I was saying – they were in a lot of trouble. And then comes the queen with her son in a sleigh. She decides the whole family will be an excellent example for anyone trying the same trick. She takes her wand..."

"Did she changed them into stone?" asked Sebastian.

"If it was her it would be all done at least fast" Bjorn took over the story, eyes fogged from remembering " but she hands her wand to her son – still young thing then. And when he trust it in the boar father there is this shriek I'm never going to forget for my whole life. The blood is there only for a moment, but the wand got stuck into the stone and to take it out the little demon had to chip the rock... And the queen just laughs and says he still need a lot of practice..."

"He might look human but it's an evil incarnate." adds Giles again "Some says his father was chosen among djinn from Tashbaan so he could be even more powerful than Jadis."

"Oi! I heard the queen slept with a god Tash himself so her child's blood could be pure... evil!" argued another faun.

The drank Narnians started to quarrel shouting increasingly worse theories. Blaine, who was really uncomfortable at the beginning of bears' story now was really sick. All the smells and noise in the room were suffocating him, so after dropping his cup on the floor he run from the room. He wasn't allowed to go outside alone – for his own safety – but standing alone in the corridor helped him a bit to catch some breath. All those terrible words – demon, witch's spawn... - were hammering at his head stronger than any hangover could. The boy decided that he definitely did't want to think about Kurt tonight and he should go straight to bed.

When he almost got to his room he noticed someone who also wasn't in the mood for celebrating. Puck was standing leaning on the wall, one hand covering his face. An empty goatskin lied on the floor nearby.

"Puck?" asked gently Blaine. Centaur twitched, showing his attention. "What are you doing here? Everyone is celebrating getting the second part of the horn. Shouldn't the leader be there?"

"It's only the second part." spitted suddenly Puck "And this is the last celebration, because this is all we are going to have."

Blaine looked at him for a longer moment.

"Where is the last part, Puck? And no lying or avoiding answering." ordered Blaine, putting as much authority into his tone as he could.

Puck's hoof kicked the goatskin, as if checking if it's really empty. It was. Centaur's dark eyes met Blaine's.

"As I said, the giant – Will – has the last part. But he's now in White Witch's inner garden. As a stone statue. It's physically impossible to get it."

Next chapter: Of Christmas and Christmas gifts

AN: country Tashbaan and god Tash mentioned here are from other Narnia books. Knowing about them is not that important for this story, but googling them will provide some interesting info...