Chapter 9

Half an hour later, Kurt and Blaine were sitting opposite the fire, cradling hot cups of tea that Kurt had proudly shown Blaine how to brew over the gentle flames and glowing ashes, when there was a loud rapping on the door.

Kurt froze, meeting Blaine's anxious look as another rap sounded through the heavy wood.

'Kurt, open up!' came a shrill voice. 'We both know I'm perfectly capable of breaking through this spell in seconds!'

Kurt panicked, jumping up and setting down his tea as he pulled Blaine to his feet. They hadn't decided how to introduce Blaine to Kurt's friends yet, or come up with an explanation for his appearance at Callahan.

'What do you want to do?' he whispered urgently. It was Blaine's decision, not his, whether he would be revealed to his friends. Blaine simply shook his head, mouthing "I don't know" as Kurt sighed and ushered him over into the bathroom. 'Maybe just stay in there for now, okay? Then we can decide what to tell them later.' Blaine nodded and pulled the door almost shut.

Kurt hurried to the entrance to his room and unlocked it to reveal a frantic and frustrated-looking Rachel, who pushed past him into the room, clutching a rolled-up piece of parchment to her chest. She dropped into the chair Blaine had just vacated and motioned Kurt over urgently.

He sighed and sat down opposite her. 'What?'

Rachel's eyes widened as she began to speak. 'I was helping Mr Watson sort out the official letter for Sir Karofsky – he often asks me to help him, and I'm very willing, of course, to lend my excellent organisational skills for the benefit of the school –'

'Just get to the point, Rachel.'

'Yes, yes, Kurt. Anyway, I was sorting through his messages from Varrod, and normally I don't read them properly, of course, but this one had a green seal on it and those arereally rare, and I couldn't resist just peeking, so when Mr Watson left to use the bathroom I glanced over it briefly. I read it. And then I – well, I copied it.'

'Rachel!' exclaimed Kurt, shocked. 'You can't steal Sir Karofsky's letters!'

'I didn't steal it, I borrowed a copy of it. No harm done.'

Kurt eyed her warily, but eventually nodded. She was just being her usual, over-the-top dramatic, but completely harmless self. 'Okay. So why are you here? Is that – is that it?'

'You have to read it, Kurt,' she said, nervously fingering the edge of the parchment before handing it over to him. The faintest of tinglings in Kurt's fingers told him that it was a magical copy and would disappear as soon as Rachel willed it to. 'I had to share it with someone, I couldn't keep something like that to myself, you know me.'

Kurt unfolded the parchment, now intrigued in what could put Rachel in such a state. His eyes briefly scanned the curling writing before he read out loud:

'To the right noble Sir Paul Karofsky,

'This information is as of the moment top secret. Please do not share it with anyone but yourself and those you trust the most.

'It has recently come to our knowledge that the Kingdom of Kerajan is under threat from external forces. After some investigation, we discovered that the neighbouring Kingdom of Roden has been mobilising their forces with the view of moving on Kerajan. We do not know the reasons behind this movement but we suspect that it is not diplomatically remediable. The king of Roden has not yet declared open war on Kerajan, but there is a high possibility that it may happen soon.

'The reason we are sharing this extremely delicate information with you is that, if the worst comes to the worst, Callahan Academy and the surrounding village are closest to the border between Kerajan and Roden and therefore are most likely to be in the attack line. We are not asking anything of you yet, but please be prepared to act. We will send you clearer instructions when or if the threat becomes more lucid.

'In the meantime, we ask you to continue to ensure the safety of your students as well as remaining wary of any newcomers to your school or village.

'With condolences about your situation and thanks for your cooperation,

'Richard Williams

'Secretary to the Minister of Defence.'

Kurt stared at the parchment, barely noticing the quick beat of his heart of the sewat coating his palms.

He swore quietly.

Rachel nodded. 'You understand why I had to show you, right? I couldn't just read that and then try to keep it a secret.'

Kurt didn't reply, still staring in shock at the words. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. How were you supposed to react when you've just accidentally found out that your country was on the brink of war?

'What – what are we going to do?' Rachel ventured quietly.

Kurt simply shook his head as he stood up, dropping the letter back on to Rachel's lap as he turned to pace the room. He didn't know. He was helpless. Heck, he was terrified.

'I – I think you should go,' he said eventually, turning to Rachel. 'I need to… think.'

Rachel nodded and rolled up the parchment. She walked over to the door silently, pausing with her hand on the knob. 'I'm sorry, Kurt,' she said quietly.

'It's not your fault. In any way.'

She smiled weakly and left the room. Kurt immediately spun round to Blaine, whose face was clouded with worry as he emerged from the bathroom.

'You heard it all?'

'Everything.'

Kurt sighed again and sank down onto his bed, running his hands through his hair as he tried to ignore the fluttery feeling in his stomach. The bed dipped as Blaine sat next to him, hands clenched and head bowed.

'Threat of war,' Kurt breathed, still unable to contain his shock – and now his fear.

Blaine took his hand and clenched it tightly. Kurt could see the rise and fall of his chest, feel the blood pumping fast where their wrists were pressed together. Blaine was just as scared as he was.

'Are you okay?' asked Kurt.

Blaine hesitated, then shook his head. 'You don't need to worry… it's just… it's been a really emotionally traumatic day. I'm exhausted and I have a headache because I barely slept last night.' Kurt saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed, heard his breath hitching. 'I'm terrified. I'm terrified for my friends and I'm terrified for myself and for you and I'm terrified for this situation because the Kingdom I just fled to to be safe is now being threatened by the very Kingdom I ran from!'

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand, then realization of what Blaine had just said dawned on him and he turned to face him.

'You – you're from Roden?'

'I… yes.'

Kurt remained silent, feeling Blaine's palm become sticky under his fingers. Of course he was. Roden was to the north-east, on the far side of the Forest. Blaine had said they had travelled west when they had escaped the school. He couldn't have been from anywhere else.

'I'm sorry if you can't trust me anymore.' Blaine's voice was small.

Kurt glanced up quickly, heart clenching at the hesitantly apologetic look on Blaine's face.

'I still trust you,' he said softly. Blaine smiled faintly, leaning his head to the side as Kurt stroked his thumb over the back of his hand. 'I told you before and I'm gonna tell you again. I trust you.'

'But… that was before you knew me properly. I mean… my past. I – I've hurt people, Kurt. Injured them. And I've come pretty close to killing them as well. I understand if… if you… if we can't be friends anymore. I'm a pretty bad person.'

'Blaine, stop it!' Kurt said sharply. 'You are not a bad person. You're amazing. But you need to let your past go and stop dwelling on everything that's happened to you. I know it was hard and that it's scarred you, trust me, I understand, but it does nothing to make you a bad person. In fact, the fact that you went through all that and still emerged the astonishing person you are today just proves that you're one of the best types of people there can be.'

Blaine looked up at him, something like hope in his eyes. 'Um, thanks. I guess you're right. I just… I have confidence issues. I was always told I was bad by the people I wanted to love me and … it hurt. I put up barriers. I created a whole different personality of confidence and brazenness and stood up to them just because I thought deep down inside that I was bad. But I think… since meeting my friends, and even since meeting you, I might be starting to… accept myself again.'

Kurt grinned and squeezed his hand as Blaine smiled back. It reached his eyes this time.

'Um… a bit off-topic, maybe, but what brought this up? I understand that you're from Roden, and that's fine with me, but –'

'My father.'

'What?'

'I know at least one of the reasons they might attack. It's… um. Me.'

'Blaine, what do you –'

'I'm wanted back there. To control. To keep watch on. To keep locked in a tower room at night and followed around during the day.'

'But… why?'

A look of resignation fell over Blaine's features as his met Kurt's eyes. 'My father is the king of Roden.'

'I told them to stay up the room for now, just in case…'

'I understand.'

Kurt followed as Blaine led him down the dark corridor and stopped outside a low, wooden door. 'We couldn't afford a very big room. Ethan got the bed because he was injured.'

He knocked a couple of times, and there was a voice from inside that Kurt couldn't quite hear.

'It's me,' Blaine called back. 'And I, um, I've got someone with me. Don't worry, you can trust him.'

The lock scraped loudly before the door opened a crack and a pair of inquisitive hazel eyes curtained by pale blond bangs peeked round the wood.

'Hey,' said Blaine.

The boy nodded at him and glanced at Kurt suspiciously, eyebrows raising as Blaine pushed the door back.

'Let us in, Jeff,' he muttered. Jeff stepped away and Kurt followed Blaine into the low-ceilinged room.

Blaine was right, it wasn't very big. A single bed was pushed up against the far wall, occupied by a sleeping form covered in a large pile of blankets. Another mattress had been set up on the floor, and the ratty armchair that stood by the small sooty fire was obviously also being used to sleep in. There was a large pile of bags and knapsacks in the corner, Blaine's bow and a couple of swords propped against the wall beside it.

'Um, come in,' said Blaine. He turned to Jeff. 'Kurt, this is Jeff. Jeff, Kurt.'

Jeff smiled faintly, holding out a hand. 'Blaine's mentioned you,' he said. 'Quite a few times, actually.' The smiled widened as he looked across at Blaine, who ducked his head, muttering for him to shut up.

The person sleeping on the bed – Ethan, if Kurt remembered what Blaine had said correctly – rolled over, eyes scrunching as he woke up. He propped himself up on his arms and blinked confusedly round the room, eyes landing on Kurt as he muttered, 'Who's that?'

'Ethan, this is Kurt,' Blaine said. Ethan's eyes widened as he understood and he nodded, a faint glint of something in his eye as he stuck out his hand at him.

'Nice to meet you,' he said. Kurt shook his hand. 'We've heard a lot about you.' He winked at him as Kurt turned round to Blaine, eyebrow risen. Blaine blushed and looked away awkwardly.

'So Blaine told me about what happened to you guys,' he said. 'I – er – I'm sorry.'

Ethan just shook his head as he sat up in bed. 'Yeah, I mean, it was a pretty crap thing to happen, man. But us three are all fine now, so that's good. It's good Blaine knew about your village and stuff.'

Kurt nodded, hands stuffed in his pockets as Ethan dragged himself out of bed, revealing a splint around one of his legs.

'Oh my gosh, are you okay?' asked Kurt.

'Huh? Oh, this little thing? Nah, that's nothing. I'm fine.' He glanced up at Jeff. 'Did you check about dinner?'

'I told him to stay up in the room,' answered Blaine. 'But we could have some now, I guess. Kurt, do you want some?'

'Oh, yeah, sure, thanks.'

'Okay.' Blaine rubbed his hands together. 'Shall we go down?' He glanced at Kurt. 'Will there be anyone down there to recognise us?'

Kurt shook his head.

They sat round a table in the far corner of the little inn, Kurt and Blaine opposite Jeff and Ethan, as they picked at their food.

'So what do you do exactly, Kurt?' Ethan asked. 'It's probably better to hear it from you than the garbled stories Blaine would tell.'

'I live at the school. Um, I'm mainly focused on magic.'

'Cool,' said Ethan as Jeff whistled through his teeth. 'They're okay with that here?'

'Yeah. I mean, it's not considered particularly cool, but it's not like… Blaine said how…'

'How we get thrown in a reform school for it? Yeah.' Ethan grinned. 'A lot of things seem more relaxed here.'

Kurt hesitated, pushing a lump of potato onto his fork, before asking, 'If I may… what were you in there for?'

Ethan grinned as Jeff's face darkened. 'Oh I was just always messing around. My dad didn't approve of the fact that I had piercings and tattoos and stuff. Or that his stock of ale would always decrease when I was left alone in the house.' He shook his head, sighing as if it were a fond memory, and took another swig of his rum. 'Jeff – did Blaine tell you?'

Kurt nodded, meeting Jeff's eyes with a sympathetic smile.

'I'm fine with who I am,' said Jeff quietly. 'I'm sorry I'm not being very talkative. I just… I really miss him.'

He saw Ethan pat his shoulder sympathetically.

'Um… I'm sorry they had to put you through all that, Jeff,' Kurt said quietly. 'I – er – I kind of know what it's like.' He paused. 'I'm gay too.'

Jeff's eyebrows shot up his forehead but he offered Kurt a warm smile.

'Does anyone want dessert?' asked Blaine, obviously trying to lighten up the conversation.

They bought a plum pie to share, then retreated back up to Blaine's room. Ethan got back into bed, stretching out his injured leg with a groan as Kurt, Blaine and Jeff settled on the threadbare rug in the centre of the room.

'Okay,' said Kurt. 'So, earlier today, my friend Rachel found a letter to Karofsky, our Principal. She – she was pretty worried by it, so she showed it to me and… well, she certainly had reason to be worried. It looks like Roden is preparing to attack Kerajan.'

Ethan's face blanched as Jeff sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

'They haven't done anything open yet,' continued Kurt, 'but there's evidence of the soldiers mobilising around the border. And, er, the school and this village are the closest. If they attack.'

'So, what… are we just going to wait and see what happens?' asked Jeff.

'Yes, I – I think so. For now. But we can't tell anyone. I'm only telling you because you're from Roden and I think you needed to know.' They nodded. 'You also need to come up with some pretty good reasons to have just appeared, injured, jobless, in our village when the local Knight is on the lookout for strangers.'

A small smile settled across Ethan's features as he exchanged a look with Jeff. 'Well,' he said, 'better get cracking, hadn't we?'

Jeff returned a smirk and they began to plan.