A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and alerted! I am so happy to see that you are all enjoying this so far! So here we are at the ball. Btw the ball will be in 3 parts because it's so long and a lot happens. Here's part 1. I hope you will all review, it means everything to me when you do, and Enjoy!

Ch.13*The Ball*

part 1

Kurt's POV

Kurt and Santana chatted and giggled together as they made their way to the double doors of the ballroom where light music, laughter, and clinking of glasses could be heard. Kurt peeked through the doors as they stopped and waited for their introduction. The ballroom was full of people all dressed in their finest with diamonds and jewels drapped over necks, wrists, ears, and sashes. Men and women all doing their best to look richer and more important then each other. The finest silks, furs, and cashmere all made to fit to perfection with gold, silver, or jeweled embroidery and patterns. Women with rouge on their cheeks, lips painted various different colors, waists forced to be almost non-existent by the tight lacing of unseen corsets, and chatting away at each other with judgemental eyes and upturned noses. The men with trimmed mustaches, slicked hair, expensive cigars being thrown about in animated hands as they discuss how rich and powerful they are, and, of course, their backs straight and heads held high.

Everywhere you looked there were servants bustling around to refill glasses and offer food, flowing skirts, bright banners, and people talking obnoxiously amongst themselves. The colors of all the people, as well as everything else in the room, mixed with the almost obscenely bright lights, felt like a certain kind of blinding torture to ones eyes. Kurt sighed. It was the same routine at every ball. It was very annoying to have all of Ohio's finest in one room. All the royals, nobles, and adversaries, who would normally have no problem destroying each other just to better themselves, would all put on a front and treat each other as if they were the best of friends. It was the fakest thing he had ever seen. Women who gossip and try to ruin each others reputation all complimenting each other with forced smiles and men pretending to care about each others businesses and land ignoring the fact that they were trying to take them from each other. It made him want to be sick.

Balls were the time when enemies would be forced to endure each other and pretend to get along for one night as well as the time when everyone gets to show off in the attempt to make everyone else feel jealous and bad about themselves. They would all pretend to care about the thing or person that they are supposed to be celebrating but they are actually participating in an unspoken I-am-better-then-you competition. It was infuriating to walk around the room and hear nothing but,"My daughter is going to marry this man!", or,"My wife has become the leader of this organization", or,"My husband has just bought this!",or even,"My son was accepted to Dalton Academy because he was the best in this!" All just one endless contest between each other and as he looked around he could see it happening once again. Smug faces as people told anyone around them about their latest brag and the crestfallen faces of those whose news was'nt as special and were trying to hide their jealousy and humiliation at being defeated, while the winners smiles got bigger and less forced at being the champion.

He shook his head with a roll of his eyes. Sometimes he was really disgusted at being apart of this kind of world. The world of the "glamorous people", so it was called. He wanted to laugh at that. What was so glamorous about the judgemental, backstabbing, narcisistic, and fickle people, who were supposed to be the best that Ohio had to offer, in front of him. They were supposed to be the leaders of this country! They were supposed to care about the people who put all of their trust and loyalty in them more then how much money and power they had. He had to bite back a sarcastic chuckle as he thought,"That's probably why there are still homeless people in Ohio! Because these people spend more time on their vanity and spending money then taking care of the problem!"

Santana looked over at Kurt, after also observing the ballroom as they waited, with a knowing smirk, as if she could read his mind and completely agreed with him. Kurt smiled back at her and opened his mouth to make a witty comment about the subject, when they heard,"INTRODUCING HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCE KURT HUMMEL AND MISS SANTANA LOPEZ!"

The doors opened wider to reveal all eyes on them as Kurt led Santana, who was still on his arm, into the room and down the path that had been made for them leading down to where his family and suitors were waiting. Santana and Kurt had plastered polite smiles on their faces and were nodding in greeting to various guests as they made their way to the front of the ball room. Kurt had never been more thankful for Santana then he did in that moment. He was supposed to have entered the ballroom alone, which is something he had had to do before and hated. Katherine used to always enter with him, despite what everyone had said was expected of them, until she and Noah had become engaged and she no longer could. He had told everyone he was allright with it when they had asked him.

Rachel had insisted that she enter with him but he assured her that there was no need. Katherine gave him sympathetic looks for days and Santana looked skeptical. Kurt now wondered if Kat had told Santana or if she had figured it out for herself. Either way he did not care. She was here now and that was all that mattered. He found that he hated the judgemental and forcibly polite looks from everyone and that it was easier to face when one was not alone. He wondered if Santana felt the same way.

They both knew that they were the type that people loved to judge and make feel vulnerable. They were different in many ways which made them often feel a little scared and insecure, and people fed off of that. He felt his smile grow as he realized that together they were stronger and they were not giving people their vulnerability. He was glad it was Santana on his arm right now. He gave her arm a light squeeze and she turned toward him and smiled with a knowing look, once again, her eyes shining. He smiled back as they continued until, at last, they were in front of his father.

"LET THE BALL BEGIN!",Burt bellowed with a clap and a lively pavane began to play. Kurt sat down next to Santana and Katherine, Rachel had yet to arrive, as couples took to the floor and began to dance.

"Vladimir! Ivana!",Burt called out and made his way across the room,dragging Carole along with him.

Kurt watched from the table as his father and stepmother approached Vladimir and Ivana Smythe, Sebastian's parents and King and Queen of Cincinatti. King Vladimir Smythe was feared by almost everyone in Ohio. He was a tall, cruel looking man in his late fourties with pitch black hair, black eyes, and a grimace planted permanently on his stone like face. Vladimir Smythe never smiled and never showed feelings other then anger and nonchalance. He was known for his sadistic and cold ways toward his family, kingdom, and anyone else who dares to cross his path. He was the type of man who only cared about himself. His kingdom was wealthy, powerful, and prosperous due to his ruling with an iron fist. There was hardly any crime in Cincinatti and Vladimir oversaw everything. He was also known for his promiscuous ways. Everyone in Ohio knew that Queen Ivana was not the King's only lover. He would often humiliate her by bedding maids, whores, and mistresses right in front of her. Vladimir Smythe was cold toward his wife and would often desert her or disregard anything she had to say at balls and other events. Noone understood why he would act this way toward her.

Ivana was famous for being one of the most beautiful and kindest women in all of Ohio. Many people say that she is actually an angel sent from heaven above while others say that she is the goddess Aphrodite herself. Queen Ivana Smythe was the complete opposite of her husband, Vladimir. She was born in the kingdom of Dayton and is the daughter of a Count and Countess. She was one of Kurt's mother's childhood best friends, Elizabeth was the princess of Dayton. Ivana was known as the most warm-hearted, beautiful, and intelligent young woman in Dayton and eventually all of Ohio learned of her. Suitors came from far and wide to pursue her for marriage, when she became of age, including Prince Vladimir Smythe of Cincinatti.

No one understands to this day what Vladimir did to persuade Ivana to choose him over all of her other suitors and no one wants to know. There has been talk of threats, manipulation, and bribes. Kurt knows it had to be something along those lines because he is very sure that Ivana had not willingly chosen the life she has now. Everyone knows that her only form of happiness is Sebastian. Outside of her son she is miserable, lonely, and treated cruelly by her husband and his vile friends. Yet, she still finds time and energy to go out to visit the people. She personally oversees the crops, orphans, homeless, and businesses. She is known for making monthly calls on all of the people of Cincinatti to ensure that they are well. She constantly donates to various charities and plans organizations for everyone. Ivana Smythe was a saint among her people and every man wanted her to be his bride.

No one could even pretend to respect Vladimir on his treatment of his wife. She was an average sized woman with a slim frame, light brown hair, bright green eyes, pale skin, and a warm smile planted permanently on her heart shaped face. It is clear that Sebastian almost completely took after his mother in looks and personality. Except for his height, tan skin, and oval-like face. He had some of his father's personality traits but only the good ones from what Kurt has seen, such as, his fierce determination, ability to make quick and well thought out decisions, and bravery.

Kurt watched as his father talked animatedly to Vladimir who only responded with a cold expression while Ivana smiled and nodded politely and Carole looked around the room clearly bored. He felt his chest tighten anxiously as he watched Jason, Courtney, and Cooper Anderson walk over to join the conversation. Jason and Courtney were Blaine's parents and the King and Queen of Westerville. They were also the sworn enemies of Cincinatti and vice versa. Cooper Anderson was Blaine's older brother who had sworn off the throne, which is why Blaine is the heir, in order to become a doctor.

King Jason Anderson was a tall, muscled man with black hair, blue eyes, tan skin, and a warm but firm expression. He was known for being a King much like Burt in that he was kind, warm-hearted, and fair while still being firm, direct, and wise. He and Burt both ruled with an iron fist like Vladimir, however unlike Vladimir, they were not at all cruel or unnecessarily violent. Jason was a family oriented man who loved his wife and two sons more then anything. He cared about family, his people, and God. In short, Jason Anderson was a wonderful man. His wife, Queen Courtney Anderson, was just as wonderful as he was.

Courtney was a short, petite woman with long, curly, dark brown hair, golden-hazel eyes, tan skin, and a warm smile. She looked just the way a mother should look with her motherly eyes, caring demeanor, and loving smile. She was a lot like Ivana in that she would go out of her way to care for the people of Westerville. She was constantly coming up with new and exciting ideas to care for and involve their people as a friendly kingdom of togetherness. She was also born in Dayton and is the daughter of a knight and a Duchess. She had been Elizabeth's other best-friend. Elizabeth, Ivana, and Courtney were often called the three good angels of Dayton. They were all beautiful, kind, intelligent, and one-of-a-kind.

When Jason and Courtney met, Jason had been coming home from a visit to a distant country and Courtney had been out for a ride with Elizabeth and Ivana in the countryside of Dayton. It was love at first sight and from that moment on Jason spent more time in Dayton with her then he did at home in Westerville. They were married soon after and 9 months later Cooper was born. Courtney had remained close with Elizabeth and Ivana until Ivana married Vladimir 1 year after Cooper's birth and Ivana had been forced into solitude. Elizabeth had married Burt a short while after Ivana married Vladimir and had tried to keep them all close. But with Courtney and Ivana being married into and living in opposing kingdoms, it was much more dificult. After Elizabeth's death, the women completely lost touch with each other and everytime they met again after it was a small nod in greeting and avoidance the rest of the time.

The women were both extremely kind and loving toward Kurt and Katherine, talking about how much they look like their mother, how much they miss her, and how if they need anything that they are there. It was very kind of them and he and Kat adored the Queens. It was easy to see that, like Sebastian, Blaine took after his mother more then his father. He was the spitting image of Courtney. He had her curly hair, eyes, height, and skin. His personality was almost identical to hers as well. Except for having his father's wisdom, charm, and courage.

"Ah! Jason! Courtney! Cooper! So wonderful for you to join us!",Burt called as they approached with his arms spread to embrace them.

Kurt was too far away to hear anymore as the volume of them all went back down as they conversed, but he could see the tension in Vladimir and Jason's shoulders and the desperation in his father's hands and face as he spoke to them. As he watched on, he saw Vladimir all but snarling at Jason as he pointed at him heatedly and Jason responded with a step forward and clenched fists at his side. Burt stepped between them with his hands calmly on the both of their chests as he, obviously, tried to reason with them.

Before anymore could be said or done, the trumpets blew and the announcer said, "PRESENTING LADY RACHEL BERRY-ABRAMS OF THE GAP!"

Three things happened almost at once. First, the doors opened and Kurt had to hold in a squeal of excitement. Second, Rachel walked through the doors and everyone froze with a collected gasp.

And third, the most unexpected person imaginable leaned over to whisper in Kurt's ear,"That can't be Rachel, right? I never knew it was possible for anyone to be that beautiful."

So what did you all think? Part 2 should be up either tonight or tomorrow.