Chapter 8

While his brother sneaks around with his boyfriend - Blaine’s not as sneaky as he thinks he is and the royal guards work for him now - Cooper tries to figure out what to do with the woman he’s in love with. It’s three months till his coronation and both government and Church have let him know that a King is supposed to have a Queen by his side and it would be better if Cooper announced his engagement to a suitable woman rather sooner than later. The problem is that Cooper would love nothing more than announce his engagement but unfortunately the woman he is in love with and had been hiding from his father is a lot of things, but suitable is not one of them. Because not only is she six years older, she’s also divorced and has two children from her previous marriage, an eight year old son and a six year old daughter who both adore Cooper and what’s even better, have no clue that he’s someone special.

But finding a solution to his problem will have to wait, because today he’s officially meeting Kurt Hummel, Blaine’s boyfriend, to determine if Kurt’s just a passing fad for his brother or someone Blaine actually plans to have a future with. Well, technically, he’s meeting him unofficially, because no one’s supposed to know about the meeting since Cooper is expected to pretend his brother never came out and isn’t secretly dating a man. It’s the only reason why he’s given Blaine permission to take Kurt to the club after a report from Sue Sylvester that suggested that Blaine could do worse, but he could also find a much more suitable partner than Kurt Hummel. He plans to accidentally bump into them at the club so it doesn’t look so much like a secret meeting though Blaine’s probably right and the other members of the club will likely keep their mouths shut since most of the male members have brought their mistresses at some point.

When Cooper gets to the club, with much more fanfare than he likes because he would have preferred to keep this visit under wraps, the stable master gapes at him for a full minute when Cooper tells him to saddle horses for him and his guards, because every one knows about the tantrums threw as a child when his father had tried to teach him how to ride. Of course, he now knows how to ride them because his father had not been impressed by the tantrums and had put him on a horse nonetheless, but Cooper most certainly does not like the nasty, stinking animals.

“The Crown Prince is our guest today as well,” the old man tells him once he’s gotten over the shock of being in the presence of the King.

Cooper pretends to be surprised.

“What a coincidence. Could you tell me where I can find my brother?”

A few minutes later, Cooper leads the black stallion he was given down to a clearing behind the golf course where he finds Blaine and Kurt as promised by the stable master. His brother’s guards are close enough to intervene should anyone try to attack his brother but far away enough that they aren’t hovering and Cooper instructs his own guards to join them before he approaches his brother and his boyfriend. He didn’t pay much attention to the young man when he picked up his brother from Ohio, preoccupied with his father’s sudden death and while he’s watched Blaine’s video, his focus had been on his brother and not the man he was with.

Kurt Hummel sits stiffly in the saddle of the old mare he’s been provided with and Cooper’s pretty sure it’s his first time on horse back since Blaine’s got his reigns and is slowly leading Kurt’s horse in a circle. Kurt's riding boots look brand new as does the rest of the outfit and Cooper wonders if Blaine bought it for his boyfriend. When they notice him, Cooper nearly laughs, because in his haste to bow to him on horseback, Kurt’s face ends up in the horse’s mane.

“Your Majesty,” the young man mumbles and Cooper sees him give Blaine a look that says why didn’t you warn me that your brother was coming.

“What are you doing here, Cooper?” Blaine gets straight to the point. “You hate horses and you don’t play golf.”

“I thought it was time the three of us had a little chat,” Cooper tells him, “since you want me to publicly support your relationship.”

Blaine’s boyfriend hasn't come up from his bow yet and Cooper tells him to relax but doesn’t offer Kurt to call him by his first name like he knows he does with Blaine. Or normally does. If Sue’s briefed him well, he won’t call his brother just Blaine in front of the King.

For a moment no one says anything and Cooper rolls his eyes because it’s so typical of his brother. First he pesters him for weeks to let him date Kurt and then when he has the chance to show Cooper why he and his boyfriend should be allowed to be together he doesn’t say a word.

“Is there anything you would like to know about me, Your Majesty?” Kurt breaks the silence though he’s probably aware that Cooper already knows all there is to know about Kurt Hummel from Lima, Ohio.

“What do you expect to get out of it? I’m sure Sue’s told you the rules, so why are you still here? It can’t be love, you’ve barely known each other for three months. Why do you want to be with my brother?”

Cooper can tell that’s not the question Kurt’s expected.

“I don’t, ah, I don’t expect anything from dating your, I mean, from dating the Crown Prince. I didn’t know I was talking to Prince Blaine when we met and I liked the man I met. I’ve always wanted to be an actor, but not one of those that are only famous because they have a bad reputation, so I can live with the rules. And as for why I want to be with Prince Blaine - he’s handsome, he’s smart, he treats me with respect, he listens to me, he supports me and he compliments me. Who wouldn’t want to be with a man like that? And you’re right, it’s too soon to talk about love. But I’d love to find out if this is where our relationship is going.”

With the way his brother is looking at Kurt, Cooper’s sure it’s not too soon to talk about love for at least one of them.

“You gotta be sure,” he tells them. “I’m not gonna release a statement after my coronation if you aren’t sure. Because once I do, I’m openly defying the Church whose head I’ll be when I acknowledge that it’s possible that my brother loves a man the way he’s supposed to love a woman.”

“So no pressure at all,” Kurt quips before he slaps his hand over his mouth in shock, apparently forgetting for a moment who he’s talking to.

“You’ll have another three months to convince me that this is real and that I’m not backing the wrong horse if I support you. You have my permission to bring Kurt to the club,” he turns to Blaine “and as long as no one else finds out about it, you can keep visiting him at home, but that’s it. At least until I’ve made my decision.”

Sensing that the talk is over, Kurt bows to him again and Blaine inclines his head as well. Cooper gets his horse to turn and move back toward the stables as his guards catch up to him. And now back to my own problems, he thinks before getting the stupid beast to quicken its pace.

Kurt’s hands are shaking badly and if he wasn’t sitting atop a horse his knees would probably wobble too.

“That was scary. When did your brother become scary?” he turns to Blaine who looks pissed.

“I can’t believe he made you call me by my title when he hated it when Dad did it to his girlfriends. It’s humiliating, like he thinks we’re so much better than you.”

“Well, legally you are,” Kurt shrugs, less bothered by it than Blaine apparently is. “I really didn’t expect him to ask me about my intentions concerning you. I guess that’s what the first commoner who ever married into a royal family must have felt like.”

“I think you handled yourself very well,” Blaine smiles at him and puts his horse next to Kurt’s so he can lean over for a kiss, but Kurt turns his head so the Prince’s lips land on his cheek.

“No public PDA,” he reminds Blaine of rule number one because while he’s pretty sure that Puck and Sam are the only other people around, one could never be too careful.

You never knew if there weren’t paparazzi hiding somewhere in the bushes or behind a fence with a telephoto lens - his subscription to Royal News taught him that - so they had to be careful for the time being.

Blaine sighs and picks up the reigns to Kurt’s horse again.

“Alright, lets continue then. Try to relax and keep you’re breathing steady. If she feels you’re nervous, she won’t do what you want her to.”

“Try to relax he says,” Kurt mumbles under his breath but loud enough that the Prince can hear him. “How am I supposed to relax when your brother basically just told us that we have three months to fall madly in love otherwise he won’t support you publicly.”

Not that he thinks it will be a problem, at least not for him. Kurt’s well on his way to falling in love with the Prince even though the past two months have been difficult. Trying to have a relationship when Puck and Sam are always around is frustrating because Kurt can’t fully relax when he knows he and Blaine are not alone. The most he’s consented to since their return to the city were rushed hand jobs when he claimed he wanted to show Blaine a new outfit in his room,  but he just doesn’t feel comfortable staying with Blaine in his bedroom for too long, when either Puck or Sam is always on the fire escape and would know what they are doing if they’re in there for more than a few minutes at a time.

Blaine doesn’t care, used to little privacy after years of boarding school and the military, and since neither Puck nor Sam seem to have a problem with his sexuality it wouldn’t bother him if they thought he and Kurt are having sex in Kurt’s bedroom, but it bothers Kurt and fortunately Blaine doesn’t pressure him. Neither of them had sex regularly before they met, so it’s not super difficult to go without. And like Blaine has told him totally matter of factly and without a hint of blush on his face - ‘that’s why they invented masturbation’. He didn’t specify who they are and Kurt was too busy blushing to ask him about it.

When his first lesson is over, Kurt’s proud he didn’t fall off the horse and he spends a few more minutes petting it while Puck and Sam whisk Blaine off to the showers, blocking the doors so no one can go in while the Crown Prince is using the facilities.

While Kurt waits for his own turn, he tries not to be too star struck when a famous actor whose poster Kurt had on the wall of his Ohio bedroom walks past and says ‘hi’ to Kurt after doing a double take. Kurt knows it’s not for his own acting career since the play hasn’t even started rehearsal and the full cast hasn’t been announced yet, though Kurt’s ecstatic that he made the cut and got offered the role even though the production originally wanted to go with a woman because Peter Pan was rarely plaid by a man since most couldn’t hit the required high notes. Well, Kurt could and Adam’s praise hadn’t hurt either. And - but he tries not to think about it - it may have helped that the director did follow American royal news and knew who Kurt was when he auditioned. A six weeks rehearsal is set to start next months, before a six months run off Broadway with the possibility of extending it for another two months if tickets sell well. After getting offered the role, he sent the script to Sue Sylvester for final approval and after a meeting with the costume designer during which Sue Sylvester pretty much told the woman how much skin Kurt’s Peter Pan costume was allowed to show, he accepted his first acting job out of college.

That night, Blaine brought over Champagne to celebrate but he couldn’t convince his guards to let him stay at Kurt’s over night and pick him up the next day.

Apart from his audition and two call backs, he’s barely ventured out since the night at Scandals, online shopping his new best friend since he can even get his groceries delivered, though he always instruct the delivery guy to leave the bags in front of his door because he doesn’t want anyone to find out his new address because that would be a sure fire way for King Cooper to stop Blaine from coming over.

Their time together at the club gets cut short when after they are both freshly showered and ready to go for a walk before a late lunch, Queen Pamela calls asking Blaine to come to the palace to help her sort through his father’s things. Kurt knows she doesn’t approve of him, would rather pretend he doesn’t exist at all, and constantly calls with reasons why Blaine has to spend time with his family at the Palace like she has a sixth sense for when her son’s heading out to meet Kurt. Or she has an in with Palace security, Kurt thinks spitefully, because Blaine’s mother has never even met him and seems to hate him on principle.

They didn’t drive up together since as far as the gossip press is concerned, Kurt’s supposed to be nothing but a one night stand who has no contact with Blaine anymore. While Blaine climbs into the backseat of a black Bentley with tinted windows, Kurt unlock’s Wes Audi since Blaine’s told him to keep using it if he needed a car. He felt like shit when he finally spoke to Wes and his friend chided him for not being honest with him when Blaine knows Wes has an openly gay brother. He felt even worse when Wes joked that maybe he should set them up unless Blaine was seeing someone. He told Wes about Kurt then and there even though he’s not supposed to talk about it with anyone outside the Palace, but Wes’ kept many of his secrets over the years and Blaine’s sure he won’t start spilling them now. His friend also had no problem with Kurt driving his car while Wes finished his trip as long as it was intact when he got back.

“I’m curating an exhibition about your father’s reign,” Blaine’s mother informs him when he arrives at the Palace two hours later. “Be a dear and help me find items we can show the public.”

Blaine’s surprised she doesn’t asks why it took him two hours to get to the Palace but he assumes it’s part of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ thing his mom has going on in regards to Blaine’s sexuality.

“Also, please talk to your brother about what’s expected of a King since he seems to have forgotten. Bishop Alanza called on me today to tell me that Cooper has asked Parliament to abolish the white wedding law.”

It’s not what it’s officially called, but only lawyers would call it Royal Law, section three, paragraph five.

Blaine takes a deep breath before he replies because he’s not trying to be contrary, he just doesn’t understand why his mother doesn’t support a modernization of Royal Law.

“That’s such an outdated law, Mom. Did you never think it was unfair that Dad was allowed to have affairs before you married and you weren’t?”

He follows his mother into his father’s dressing room where King Richard’s robes and other official uniforms are already laid out.

“Marrying into a family like your father’s demanded sacrifice and I always believed anyone not willing to make that sacrifice wasn’t worthy of it. And the same goes for your brother. He needs a wife by his side who’s willing to sacrifice everything for the Crown just like I did.”

Blaine doesn’t say ‘and look where it’s got you - widow at fifty-two, with no power of your own and your inheritance part of the Royal Estate' - because he’s certain that deep down his mother knows that too and maybe that’s why she’s clinging to all remnants of power, like meeting with the bishops behind Cooper’s back and telling Blaine who he can and can’t bring to the Palace.

“So that exhibition - what’s your plan?” he changes the subject because he doesn’t want to think about outsiders marrying into the royal family when he will never be able to have more than a civil marriage, which still is a step below ‘normal’ marriage since civil same sex marriage doesn’t award all the same rights yet as marriage.

As he pretends to listen to his mother, Blaine thinks about Cooper’s words and how Blaine needs to be sure about Kurt if his brother’s going to support them. But how sure can you be about someone after three months? Well, Kurt’s parents got married after three months, but that’s an aberration, the chances of a relationship like that working out one in a million. It hasn’t been an easy three months for them, the lack of privacy the biggest issue since Blaine isn’t allowed to bring Kurt to Richmond House where it would be easier to send Puck and Sam to another side of the house since Blaine’s home has a great security system. It sometimes makes him feel like a 19th century princess who’s only allowed chaperoned visits by her betrothed so they don’t get too close before the wedding. Some days it’s really hard not to resent his father for dying and making Blaine number one in line and thus requiring constant security. Things would be different if he and Cooper had royal cousins who could ascend the throne if something happened to his brother before he started a family because then Blaine could just abdicate but his grandmother, King Edward’s wife, had been unable to bear more children after their son Richard was born and so the person third in line is Blaine’s great aunt Sophia, who at seventy-five is already senile and since she never married she would be succeeded by one of Blaine’s grandfather’s cousins and his family. Blaine doesn’t see that part of the family often, his second and third degree cousins leading relatively normal lives with jobs, no restrictions on marriage and no need for security because they are so far down the line of succession, a meteor would have to hit the Palace during a family reunion for them to get a chance. 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like his brother is getting married and starting a family any time soon though Blaine knows he’s under pressure to do so. But Cooper’s not even looking, hasn’t been seen in the company of a woman for a while now. Maybe he will once the wedding laws change, Blaine reasons with himself. Maybe his brother already has a woman in mind who he can’t marry until the law’s changed.

“Blaine, are you even listening?” his mother pulls him from his thoughts and Blaine nods guilty.

“Of course, Mom. But I think whatever you do it will be great.”

Fortunately, that seems to be the right thing to say.

*=*

“Everyone’s speculating that King Cooper will announce his engagement soon now that he’s got Parliament to repeal that stupid law,” Rachel says when Kurt invites her over, feeling guilty about neglecting his best friend the past few weeks.

“Don’t look at me. If he is seeing someone I don’t know about it. I only met him twice and he wouldn’t be telling me a secret like that when I’m his brother’s dirty little secret,” Kurt says bitterly because another months has passed and he’s still not allowed anywhere near Blaine’s home and they barely ever have time to go riding together because Queen Pamela’s exhibition is keeping the Prince busy at the Palace.

At least rehearsals are going well and so far no one’s made him feel like he only got cast because he’s had a one night stand with Prince Blaine.

Another thing to look forward to is a Halloween party at the club because Blaine’s somehow convinced his brother to let him stay over night at the Club House which is more like a hotel if you ask Kurt, getting them adjourning rooms with a connecting door. Cooper’s only caveat has been that Blaine travel with a full a security detail and that the guest list had to be Palace approved but in a few nights Kurt will finally get to spend a full night with his boyfriend again.

“Who do you think he will marry? A princess or a commoner destined for great things,” Rachel swoons. “If I didn’t love Jesse I’d ask you to introduce me to the King.”

“That might be difficult since I’m not allowed anywhere near the Palace. I’m surprised they didn’t tell me that Central Park is off limits too.” Still bitter then.

“Well, I for one am looking forward to the royal wedding since we weren’t born yet when the last one happened,” Rachel still has a dreamy look on her face and Kurt wonders if her boyfriend knows that Rachel has the hots for the King.

“And I don’t think he’s going to get married or even announce an engagement before the coronation. If I barely get to see the Prince, how’s a King going to date?”

*+*

Sometimes his brother has smart ideas. Like attending a masked party at the club so he can spend time with his boyfriend without people staring at them the whole time. Because Cooper’s sure people are even if the club members are mostly celebrities, sport stars and a few politicians known for their discretion. It’s the perfect place to meet with Sarah since sneaking around has become much more difficult since the burden of the Crown has landed on his head. Metaphorically for the time being though it’s not long now till his coronation, where he’ll have to wear his father’s crown for the first time.

“So, Sue gave me a thirty minutes long talking to about appropriate costume choices because we don’t want a Prince Harry incident,” Cooper says to break the ice when they meet in the parking lot behind the club house, because since he’s in charge of his brother’s life it’s gotten much harder to have a normal conversation with him.

“Me too,” Blaine rolls his eyes. “So what are you supposed to be?”

Cooper huffs. “Well, isn’t it obvious? I’m King Charming.”

“More like King Conceited,” Blaine mumbles under his breath and Cooper would admonish him because there’s club staff in the vicinity, but then Kurt bounds over and Cooper knows his brother isn’t paying him any attention anymore. At least Blaine’s boyfriend is following the mask theme, dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, though does that make his brother the young ingenue? Probably not since Blaine is dressed in what looks like a homemade superhero costume, expertly sewn by Palace seamstresses of course, but not a superhero Cooper’s familiar with.

“I’m Nightbird, the Nocturnal Avengers,” Blaine explains to Kurt so at least Cooper’s not the only one who didn’t know who his brother’s supposed to be.

All their guards - and there are a lot with Cooper and Blaine both in attendance - are wearing costumes as well which makes them stick out less like sore thumbs and it actually takes Cooper a good ten minutes before he finds the female Zorro in the crowd, but when he does and after making sure it’s the right one, he grabs a masquerade mask from one of the tables and sneaks out with his lady before his guards notice he’s gone.

“God, I missed you,” he tells Sarah and kisses her deeply even though he knows he probably shouldn’t when there’s no way he can be King and be with her.

Because the real question is - would he be willing to give up everything for her?

“If I gave up the throne - would you marry me?” he asks her.

“You can’t do that to your brother,” Sarah shakes her head sadly. “You know he’ll have to take a wife and have children if you abdicate because he won’t let the throne go to either a bunch of senile fossils or underprepared twenty year olds who’ve never really seen the inside of the Palace.

“But what if I made provisions so Blaine could marry who he loves and still be King?” Cooper says almost desperately because whatever they do either Cooper or Blaine will be unhappy.

“You’ve been trying to find a loophole for us for months. But if you aren’t allowed to marry me because I'm divorced and the law wouldn’t consider any children we still might have as legitimate heirs, what makes you think your brother could marry a man and still carry on the line? I don’t want us to break up either, but you don’t have a future with me and you know it.”

“Give me a few more months to figure things out,” Cooper begs and he never begs. A King doesn’t beg. “I’ve never cared for anyone the way I care about you. I don’t want this to end because of stupid rules and century old laws.”

“Me neither,” Sarah says with tears in her eyes. “But I’m afraid it will.”

*+*

“Do you know who that was your brother left with?” Kurt asks, his chin hooked over the Prince’s shoulders as they slow dance to a song Kurt’s unfamiliar with but has brought many couples onto the dance floor.

The Prince’s hair is curly tonight and his eyes hidden behind a broad mask that’s part of his superhero costume - apparently he came up with the character at boarding school - and Kurt has a hard time keeping his hands away from Blaine’s tights covered ass, shielded from view by a cape so the outfit’s not too provocative.

“I haven’t seen her before,” Blaine shakes his head. “But since the King deemed it Okay to ditch his guards, how about we do the same and head upstairs,” The Prince waggles his eyebrows suggestively under his mask and Kurt blushes, but he’s been looking forward to this night too when Blaine’s guard will hopefully be across the hall and not right in front of Blaine’s bedroom.

“We only just got here. If we leave now people will talk,” Kurt points out and wonders why he seems more worried about breaking the rules than Blaine seems to be. “Also, this is our first party together and I’d like to enjoy it a little longer before we have to go back to hiding in my apartment.”

“Sorry,” the Prince apologizes though it’s not really his fault. Sometimes it’s just really frustrating having a secret relationship. In the beginning, he thought sneaking around was hot but now all he feels is frustrated and like he’s living a lie.

“A few more songs and then we can go upstairs,” he compromises because yes, he wants them to have fun together in semi public but he’s also horny and can’t wait to get the Prince alone.

As if the universe is eavesdropping on Kurt’s thoughts, the next song that comes on is When I get you alone and Kurt turns beet red under his phantom mask when Blaine sings in his ear you can keep your toys in your drawer tonight. Well, if the universe is sending him a sign then who is he to ignore it? A pretty girl in a cat woman costume walks by Puck and Sam and Kurt and Blaine take advantage of their momentary distraction and slip out of the room, bypassing Blaine’s bedroom for Kurt’s since that’s the first place anyone will come looking for them.

Kurt nearly rips Blaine’s costume in his haste to get the Prince out of it and they kiss messily, Kurt’s mask hanging half of his face while Blaine’s pushed his up using it like a headband to keep his hair out of his eyes. When he’s got the Prince stripped down to his underwear he takes a moment to look him over, but he’s just as hot as the last time he saw him fully naked, just a little less tan now that summer’s over and he’s not on base in South Africa anymore. Blaine nearly drips over the cape by his feet when he rushes to get off Kurt’s costume as well and Kurt tries not to fidget under Blaine’s gaze and when the Prince’s eyes rake over his exposed body as well.

And then his back hits the mattress and Blaine crawls on top of him, taking his breath away when he licks into his mouth and sucks on Kurt’s tongue before moving on to his jaw and down his neck before sucking on Kurt’s nipples making him squirm underneath the Prince as his dick hardens in his underwear. He’s about to divest him and Blaine from their last layers when there’s a knock on the door and Kurt groans loudly because he’s so turned on right now and would like to see what Blaine’s planned for them.

“Your Highness, are you in there?” Sam calls, using Blaine’s formal address. “We just need to know you’re safe, then we’ll leave you alone for a bit.”

“Sam, I’m perfectly safe. Why don’t you go and see if my brother’s guards need help locating the King,” Blaine says through gritted teeth, but the moment they hear Puck and Sam’s footsteps disappearing down the hall, he’s attention is back on Kurt and Kurt quickly pulls off his own underwear before doing to same to Blaine.

“God, I love you,” Blaine mumbles into Kurt’s bellybutton as he kisses his way down Kurt’s stomach and Kurt freezes because they haven’t said I love you yet and he isn’t sure if Blaine really means it or it’s just because they’re naked and about to have sex for the first time in months.

“You love my bellybutton?” Kurt asks to give the Prince an out if he hasn’t meant it the way Kurt wants him to mean in.

“I do,” Blaine smiles up at him from where he’s lying between Kurt’s spread thighs. “I love you’re bellybutton.” A kiss. “I love your dick.” A kiss. “I love your nipples.” Two kisses. “I love your fingers.” Ten kisses. “I love your mouth.” A kiss. “I love your nose.” A kiss. “And I love your heart.” Another kiss on Kurt’s chest. “Maybe it’s too soon, but I love you.”

Blaine’s smiling at him like a love sick fool, like he would be content to stay like this even if Kurt doesn’t say it back, but Kurt has no intention to keep quiet.

“What, no love for my ass?” he teases the Prince before pulling him down for a soft kiss. “You’re just lucky I love you too.”

Somehow, the sex is even better than night, their moans interspersed with declarations of love and for the first time since Ohio, he falls asleep with the Prince in his arms, wishing it could always be like that.