The Night of the Nuptial Rite

Kurt approached the Great Hall slowly, still too lost in his thoughts to bother reacting to Sree's scowl as she and the other guards on duty moved aside to let him enter.

He felt like he was in a dream as he approached Firae's bedchamber, though it was slowly turning into a gut-twisting and anxiety-filled sort of dream. The sort of dream that made him wake up in a cold sweat, heart pounding. He was really going to do this. After the soul-walk...he just couldn't believe that he was really going to do this.

He was surprised to enter Firae's bedchamber and find that he wasn't there. Kurt sat on the bed and fidgeted for a bit, before pacing around the room and then mindlessly wandering over to the largest window to gaze out at the North Tower.

He needed to find Firae.

Kurt wandered about the Hall for a bit, but no one was quite sure where Firae was. Yes, he had come back from his soul-walk. Last anyone had seen him, he had been in his bedchamber. Or in the music room. Or at the Royal baths. Or in the garden.

Kurt looked everywhere he could think of before finally retiring to his own chamber.

Which was of course precisely where he found Firae.

Firae turned away from the window and smiled at him as Kurt entered the room.

"There you are. Firae, I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Oh." Firae laughed softly. "I'm sorry. I suppose I thought you would just come back here."

They looked at each other for a long moment.

"So," Firae finally began. "Was it...the same as before?"

Kurt shook his head. "No. You were right to insist that we do this again. Firae, I-"

"It was different for me too," Firae said, moving to sit down on Kurt's bed. "But Kurt, I still love you. I still want to be with you. That hasn't changed at all."

Kurt closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"I love you too," he said softly, opening his eyes and meeting Firae's. "And Firae, I would be honored to be your husband."

The Wedding Day

Blaine wanted to give Puck a piece of his mind.

He had awoken in the middle of the night from the most bizarre sleep he had ever experienced, head pounding and stomach full of bile, luckily managing to make it to the window before completely surrendering its contents.

But even after that, he was well aware that something wasn't right. Solid lines were waving and twisting in on themselves, and he kept seeing faces everywhere.

That nectar had not just been nectar. That nectar had done something to him.

When he woke up again in the morning, the world was back to its usual shape and continuity, but his head was still thumping and his stomach was still squirming. Yes, he would most certainly be having a word with Puck.

But of course, Puck was nowhere to be found. Kiiz had been on duty all night, and she told him that she didn't think Puck would be back before Blaine left for Khryslee. She smiled and asked him if there was a message he would like her to pass along.

The look on her face when Blaine told her exactly what message she could pass along to Puck was one of absolute horror.

Blaine didn't feel even a little bit bad.

And when Puck surprised him by walking into his cell that afternoon, he opened his mouth to demand to know what Puck had been thinking, to find out why Puck apparently got so much pleasure out of kicking a man while he was down – but then he stopped.

The look on Puck's face was...unreadable. He looked oddly serious.

And then Puck's presence and Puck's actions and all of it fell to the back of his mind because behind Puck was Kurt.

And beside Kurt, holding his hand, was Firae.

The Night of the Nuptial Rite

"I hope you mean that," Firae said, smiling up at Kurt.

"Of course I do," Kurt said.

Firae studied his hands for a moment, and then looked back at Kurt.

"And what about...Blaine?"

Kurt blinked. That was the first time that Firae had ever called Blaine by his name.

"I...I've chosen you, Firae. But I do still want to bring Blaine to Khryslee. Like...like you promised I could. After the wedding."

Firae smiled. "Of course," he responded gently, "after the wedding."

The Wedding Day

This was odd. Odd and awkward, and Blaine wasn't enjoying it one bit.

He was sitting in the carriage with Kurt and Firae while Puck drove, and for some reason Firae had insisted on sitting directly beside him.

The seats weren't that large. They were incredibly close to one another.

Kurt sat across from both of them, actively avoiding Blaine's eyes. Mostly, he kept his gaze trained on his lap, where he was wringing his hands mercilessly. Occasionally, he looked up and smiled nervously at Firae.

Having Kurt there was the worst kind of torture of all, because he loved and hated it with equal fierceness, and he couldn't decide if he wanted this carriage ride to be over as soon as possible or if he wanted it to last as long as possible, just so he could spend a few more moments this close to Kurt, able to see him and almost to touch him even if Kurt refused to look at him.

"Blaine," Firae said, and Blaine almost jumped, he was so startled at being addressed by the King.

"I...I want to tell you that I am sorry. I should not have held you prisoner. I am a very passionate man, and I can sometimes be..." Firae looked to the roof of the carriage, then let out a frustrated sigh and said something to Kurt in Elfin.

"Impulsive," Kurt said softly. It was such a blessed treat just to hear his voice.

"Sometimes I can be impulsive. But you saved Kurt's life. You brought him home to us. I should have treated you like an honored guest, not a prisoner."

Firae glanced at Kurt.

"I was jealous," he added, looking strangely self-conscious. "I hope that you can forgive me."

Blaine didn't look at him directly, but he tilted his head slightly in Firae's direction. Was he serious? Was this man who was taking the love of Blaine's life away from him actually asking Blaine to forgive him for almost killing him? For holding him prisoner? For taking the love of his life away from him?

Still, Blaine reasoned, it was probably a good idea to take into consideration that Firae could burn him on the inside just by looking at him, with the full and complete blessing of the law.

"Yeah, I...guess so," Blaine mumbled.

Firae frowned. "Blaine, I suppose I had hoped you'd be a bit more...gracious than that," Firae said.

Kurt's eyes flickered to Blaine, just for the merest instant, and he looked...

He looked confused.

Blaine was beginning to get the distinct impression that he was missing something.

Something big.

The Night of the Nuptial Rite

Kurt was beginning to feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny of Firae's gaze.

"Kurt, my soul-walk..." Firae stood up and began pacing slowly. "Last time it was about you. Just you. But this time..."

"Was there someone else?" Kurt asked softly. He certainly couldn't fault Firae for something like that.

Firae turned and looked at him. "No."

Kurt continued to watch him, as Firae searched for words.

"It...it was more about me. My role as King. My legacy. And...and what sort of a man I want to be. What sort of a person."

Firae paused at the window before turning back to look at Kurt.

"Kurt, I need you to be completely honest with me. If the non-interference doctrine weren't in place, if there were no slavery in Villalu and no exploitation in the border towns...would you still marry me?"

Kurt stared at him.

"Firae, I...that isn't...that's not..."

"Kurt." His tone was so soft and vulnerable, his eyes so open and beseeching, desperate for honesty no matter what the cost.

"No." Kurt couldn't look at him when he said it. He felt his cheeks burning with shame.

"You don't love me, do you, Kurt?"

"Of course I-" Kurt sighed. He had no taste for half-truths and intellectual dishonesty and it was time to be done with them once and for all. He owed Firae that much.

"Firae, I love you. But like family. Like my dearest and most precious friend. When I was sent to Cloudlen for training I was so alone, and you...you breathed life back into the world for me, Firae. You made me feel so special and you understood me. That's never going to change and I don't think I could ever bear to lose you."

Kurt looked up when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He smiled sadly at Firae through wet eyes.

"You won't lose me, Kurt. You'll never lose me. But I can't marry you."

Kurt stared at him, unblinking.

"I can't marry you because you didn't really choose me. You chose Blaine."

"I...but..."

"Kurt, I don't want a political marriage. I want a love match. I want a life mate. And...and the fact that you were willing to sacrifice that for yourself just to help so many others, just to bring the world closer to a place of justice...I was so selfish and so blind. Because what you're looking to do is important. There is nothing more important. But Kurt, I'm the one who should be making that sacrifice, not you."

Kurt was rendered absolutely speechless. He wasn't even sure he was hearing Firae properly. He didn't dare to dream that he was. As subtly as possible, he actually pinched himself on the thigh.

And he felt it.

And that meant that this was real.

And then suddenly it was real, and it was like an enormous band of iron was cut free from his heart, and it felt so good that it hurt, and Kurt burst into loud tears that shook his body. He leapt to his feet and threw his arms around Firae, hugging him as tight as he could. "I'm sorry," he managed between sobs. "Firae, I'm so sorry. I wish... I just..."

"I know, Kurt," Firae said, holding him. "I know."

The Wedding Day

"Blaine, I understand that you may not care for me. But I...Kurt is the most important person in the world to me, and he wants us to at least be..." once again he seemed stuck on a word, and after inquiring to Kurt in Elfin, Kurt supplied him with "amicable."

"Yes. Amicable. He would like...I would like us to be amicable. And if I can try, then surely you can. After all, you're the one he's chosen."

Blaine froze.

He wondered, briefly, if the clearly hallucinogenic nectar that Puck had given him the previous night had completely worn off.

"I...what?"

"Didn't..." Kurt cleared his throat. "Didn't Puck give you my note?"

Blaine stared at him.

And then suddenly he realized what had been happening.

Kurt wasn't avoiding Blaine's gaze because it was too painful or because it would make Firae angry or because he wanted to spare Blaine.

He was doing it to be Kind to Firae. He was doing it because he didn't want Firae to have to see the way he looked at Blaine. He was doing it because he didn't want to make Firae suffer more than he already had.

Because Kurt had chosen him. Kurt had chosen Blaine.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked tentatively, still not meeting his gaze.

"Oh. No. Puck never gave me a note. I...I thought you two had gotten married this morning."

Kurt swore in Elfin under his breath, and yelled something to Puck, who responded with a peal of laughter. Firae also laughed softly, but now that Blaine knew what to look for, he saw the pain in the King's eyes.

"Well," Firae said, "that explains a few things. I didn't read Kurt's note, but I can tell you at least some of what it said."

Blaine nodded, still too deeply in shock to do much more.

The Night of the Nuptial Rite

"I am going to need your help, though."

They had gotten through the worst of the tears and the raw emotion, and were sharing a pot of fragrant, calming tea on the garden terrace behind Kurt's room.

Kurt looked at him. "With what?"

"Kurt, I can stop the enforcement of the non-interference doctrine as far as sending Sidhe into exile goes, but there's a lot more to it than that. I only have control of the Eastern Border Lands, and I'll need the cooperation of the other Queendoms as well as the Council of Elders to really see this through. It's going to be difficult and complicated, and it's going to take a long time. This isn't just about ending slavery, this is about changing our relationship with the human governments in Villalu. This is about changing our entire criminal justice system this is..."

"Long overdue," Kurt whispered.

"Yes," Firae agreed. "And I'll need...well, I'll need someone who has been through it first hand. I'll need...I'll need you to talk about it, Kurt. What you went through. What it's actually like in Villalu."

Firae looked at him nervously. "I'm sorry, I just..."

"I'll do it," Kurt said softly. "Of course I'll do it, Firae."

"And I'll also need...well, we're going to need an ambassador to Khryslee, they've come the closest to what I think we're actually looking for, they've got Sidhe and humans living and ruling together and they know how to make it work. We're going to need their help."

"Are you...you want me to do that? But Firae, I barely know the first thing about-"

"I know. You'll need to keep working with Tash. You have a lot to learn but you're smart, Kurt. And...people respond to you. And being Spiral doesn't hurt your standing either, truth be told."

"All right," Kurt said slowly. "That's...well...this is quite a lot to take in, Firae. Are you sure about all of this?"

"Of course," Firae answered. "I want to be remembered for this, Kurt."

And ah, there was the ego that Kurt knew so well. But he certainly couldn't begrudge Firae that. Not now.

"So," Firae continued, "we should go to Khryslee before you show up there with Blaine. Speak with their Council and...well...if we can't get cooperation from the Khrysleans on this, Kurt, I'm not sure what kind of chance we have, to be honest."

Kurt nodded. "That makes sense."

"So if we leave first thing in the morning and go by grimchin, I imagine that we can be back in time for you and Blaine to leave before nightfall."

"Wait. What? Are we in that much of a hurry, Firae?"

"Don't you want to get started right away?"

"Well yes, but...I mean...everything has changed, Firae. Maybe we should just take a few days to-"

"Kurt, please," Firae said very softly. "I...it would be a kindness to me if you and Blaine could leave as soon as possible. I'm still in love with you Kurt, and I know that you were with him the other night because I can smell him all over you, and I want you to be happy, Kurt. I really do. But to...to have to see the two of you, even just walking about together, to see you looking at each other and knowing that you're with him in my feririar..."

"I understand," Kurt said quickly. "You and I will visit Khryslee in the morning. And I'll leave with Blaine when we get back. "

"I still want to see you and Blaine off," Firae assured him. "And...I want to speak with Blaine. I want to..." Firae sighed. "I suppose I'll have to stop trying to kill him and holding him prisoner and such if you and I are going to continue to be friends."

Kurt smiled slightly. "It might be helpful. You don't need to be his friend, Firae, but it would mean a lot to me if the two of you were at least amicable."

Firae sighed. "I think I can manage amicable," he said.

Kurt stared up at the sky. It was late. He wanted to go see Blaine, to throw himself into his arms and tell him everything that had happened, to laugh and cry and talk and make love and know that they had years to fit all of it in. He had to let Blaine know.

But he also had to honor Firae. What Firae was doing was so noble and brave and kind, and all he was asking for was a bit of sensitivity. If Kurt showed up for their morning trip to Khryslee reeking of Blaine and exhausted from too much lovemaking and too little sleep (which, knowing Blaine and himself, was more or less inevitable), he would never forgive himself.

Kurt had been willing to suffer for centuries for his principles. Now that he wouldn't have to, one night was certainly not going to kill him. Even if it felt like it might.

But he had to let Blaine know. He couldn't tell Blaine right before Firae had his amicable chat with him, as that would be torture for all three of them. And he couldn't let Firae chat with Blaine before Blaine knew what had been decided, as that would be decidely cruel to Blaine.

"I'll have Puck bring Blaine a note," Kurt said finally. "And I'll let him know that we will be leaving for Khryslee tomorrow afternoon. Assuming, of course, that all goes well in the morning."

They sat in silence for a while, allowing the intensity to dissolve a bit as they drank their tea and felt the warm night breeze on their skin.

"Kurt?" Firae finally asked against the stillness of the night.

"Yes?"

"You are in love with him, aren't you?"

"Yes. Very much."

"And the years...?"

"Two hundred, perhaps, if his health is generally good and I extend his life."

"You'll lose some years that way too."

Kurt nodded. "A few. It's worth it."

Firae nodded. "Well, if you love him that much, I suppose it's worth it to me as well."

Kurt took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Thank you," he said.

The Day There Was No Wedding After All

Firae parted ways with them just outside of the village, members of the Royal guard waiting for their King and Puck, grimchins at the ready.

Upon climbing out of the carriage Kurt instantly lunged at Puck, who danced away from him, giggling uncontrollably.

"I just had to! You're all so fucking dramatic and serious! You should have heard yourselves before you realized Blaine hadn't gotten the note! Pure diamonds!"

Blaine couldn't even bring himself to care about Puck's cruel prank, because it was starting to sink in that this was really happening. He was going to Khryslee, and he was going with Kurt. No one was chasing them or trying to kill them. No one was trying to keep them apart.

Kurt looked as if any other circumstance might have led him to end Puck's life, but Blaine could see it in him too. The knowledge. What it meant for them. Even though Kurt still wasn't meeting his eyes, he could sense it there.

Kurt kissed Firae goodbye, and it wasn't a chaste kiss either.

But Blaine didn't mind. Firae was getting one last kiss from Kurt. And Blaine would be kissing Kurt for the rest of his life.

Puck pulled Blaine into a bone-crushing hug before he left, promising to come visit and see if there were any interesting women to bone in Khryslee. Blaine was touched.

"Oh, yeah, and Kurt has this note he asked me to give you," Puck added innocently, tossing a folded piece of parment with a wax seal into Blaine's hand.

As the grimchins took off, Blaine and Kurt stood side by side watching them go. Kurt waved at Firae, his fingers just barely beginning to brush against Blaine's as Firae got farther and farther away. When the grimchins were nothing more than tiny dots on the horizon, their fingers tangled together. They stayed like that for a moment beforethey spun to face each other.

They both opened their mouths to speak. Nothing came out.

Their eyes were fixed on one another and it was so much, it was everything, and they couldn't comprehend it and they were still afraid to hold it too close for fear that it might break and something else might wrench them apart.

"Oh my God, Kurt," Blaine finally whispered before their lips fell together.

And just like that it fell into place, and it was utterly, completely, irrefutably real, and they were holding each other close, so close and tight that they could barely breathe, but they didn't care.

They kissed with intensity but without desperation, and they let the tears fall, they let everything they'd been holding in bubble to the surface and explode and they laughed and cried and kissed, and of course, of course they made love, right there in the grass beside the carriage without unpacking a thing.

There was I Love You, whispered bright and fervent, against lips and palms and chests and thighs. They said it and they said it and they said it and neither one of them grew tired of hearing it.

But love had never been the question, really. Not between them.

And that night, snuggled warm and sated in the tent, the question, the real question, was finally laid bare.

That night they did something together they had never done before.

That night, for the first time, they talked about their future.