CHAPTER 2:

Kurt found Blaine's campsite with ease. He helped the prince down onto his bedroll and patted the horse before he spoke.

“I'm going to go over to the river. It's just on the other side of the trees you've tied the horse to. I need to wash. Will you be alright on your own?”

“Yes, I'll be fine. Call if you need anything.”

Blaine listened as Kurt's footsteps quietened before he let himself relax. His blanket was rough and itchy beneath his hands as he tapped his fingers against the material. He ran his tongue over his teeth again and again before he began to hum. His focus was intense enough that he didn't hear Kurt return until the boy spoke.

“That's a nice tune. Is it your favourite?”

Blaine swallowed and shook his head. “No. I don't really have a favourite.”

“Do you listen to music a lot?”

“A little. More than I used to. Since my parents left and my brother became king, I haven't had much else to do.”

Leaves crunched and Kurt's voice seemed louder – closer. “You seem to have improvised ways of getting around. Why don't you travel more?” He must have sat down.

Blaine forced a laugh. “I left Anders this morning and have already had to adopt a travelling companion. I don't think travel is an option. Not yet anyway.”

There was a pause before Kurt asked, “What are you hoping the Witch Quinn will help you with?”

“I'm hoping she'll give me back my sight. So that I can travel. And read and write and,” Blaine waved a hand. “Whatever else people do when they have eyes that work.”

“You could learn to paint. You have nimble hands.” Kurt's fingers touched his hand, taking it and rubbing over the lines in his palm. “Soft too.”

Blaine turned his head to the side, hoping he was facing Kurt. “What are you going to ask the witch for? Help with your visions?”

Kurt made an affirmative sound. “Oh, sorry, I nodded. Yes, I'm hoping she'll be able to make them stop. It's uh, it's become quite a problem.”

“How so?”

“I killed someone.”

Blaine tugged his hand free and pushed himself away. “You're a-”

“Murderer. Yes. I'm well aware of that fact.” Kurt sighed. “It was an accident. She startled me when I was hallucinating. I'd been collecting firewood and I thought there was a snake. I hit her over the head with one of the pieces of wood. She fell, the snake disappeared, and she was dead.”

“W-Who was she?”

Kurt was silent before he whispered, “My mother.”

Blaine's fear washed away and sorrow took away his breath. “Oh Kurt…”

“My father wasn't angry. He was sad mostly. He suggested I come looking for the witch.”

“How long have you been searching?”

“About a month now. I think I'm getting close though. The legend always said that she lived in a grove of weeping cherry trees. It's warm enough for them this far south and they'll love the water from the river. I wouldn't be surprised if it only took us a day or two to find her.”

Blaine nodded, settling back on his bedroll. “Thank you for coming with me, Kurt. I'm glad you're with me.”

“Don't worry about it. We all need guidance sometimes.”

***

The morning brought warmth. They decided to walk alongside the river – it was wide and made it easier for Kurt to see any change in the trees.

“Everything's so green down here,” Kurt said as they walked. “I would've thought the trees would hate all the sunshine.”

“Not with a ready water supply,” Blaine replied. He led his horse by the reins with one hand and carried his cane with the other. “Besides, don't plants get their food from the sun?”

“I don't know. All I know is that this much sun in Hummel is bad for the plants and bad for the skin.”

“Why for the skin?”

“Sunburn. Haven't you ever had sunburn?”

“No, I don't think so.”

“Hmm, probably not with your darker complexion. That subtle tan probably spares you from it here but a week in Hummel and you'd be burnt to a crisp.”

“I don't like the sound of that.”

“And so you shouldn't.” Kurt's footsteps stopped and his elbow bumped into Blaine's stomach. “This is ridiculous. We should have found some cherry trees by now.”

“Will the trees have cherries on them? I'm getting hungry.”

“You ate an apple and half a roll of bread this morning.”

“And I've been walking ever since then. Aren't you hungry?”

“I'm from a border town, I'm always hungry. Come on, we'll head back towards the forest path and try our luck there. Maybe they're just hidden behind all these willows.”

Blaine nodded and let Kurt lead him through the trees. Leaves brushed against his arms and face and twigs caught in his hair. His horse kept nuzzling its nose against his back, pushing him forward where he knocked into Kurt. “Sorry,” he muttered every time he stumbled. Kurt never responded but he never got angry either so Blaine supposed it wasn't a problem.

“Be careful,” Kurt said after another hour of walking. “It's beginning to slope down now.”

“That's alright. Can you see any cherry trees yet?”

“No, not yet. This is a nice little dell though. The trees are closer and I think there's a stream down the bottom. Shall we stop for lunch?”

“Alright.”

They walked down to the bottom of the small valley, a harsh wind buffeting them as they came to walk alongside the stream.

“It's cold down here,” Blaine said as he pulled his cloak closer around him. “There's a spare cloak in my pack.”

“I'm warm enough for now. It's gotten dark though. There must be clouds in the sky today. This is as flat as it's going to get. Shall we stop and have some lunch?”

“Yes please.”

“There's nowhere to tie the horse but he won't wander far. You can sit down right where you're standing. I'm going downstream to go see if the water is drinkable. I can't reach it from here, the banks are too steep. Do you want to get the food ready?”

Blaine nodded, reaching for his pack before he sat down. There was a rock at his back and the grass beneath him was damp. No birds sang here and Blaine felt his skin prickle with uncertainty.

Kurt was taking a long time and as Blaine turned his cane over and over in his hands, he began to think about searching for his travel companion. He was about to get to his feet when he heard a rustle and felt the warmth of a body beside him.

“Kurt? Is that you?”

“No,” an unfamiliar voice said. This voice was airy, soft like the wind and quiet as a mouse. Blaine didn't recognise it and he reached to his other side for clear space before he tried to get away. Long fingers grabbed his other hand and his cane was taken from him before the stranger began to hum.

“Who are you? What do you want with me?”

“You're so beautiful. I've never seen someone like you before. Your hair's so black and the curls are lovely.” Fingers brushed against his cheek and a woody smell filled his nose. “The Fae of the Dell will be glad to welcome you to their land.” Something brushed against his lips and Blaine felt the stranger's breath on his face before he pulled away and scrambled to his feet.

“Get away,” he shouted as he stumbled backwards. “Kurt! Help!”

“Kurt – if that's the pale beauty's name – is busy with Adam. That oak-dweller will have your friend wrapped around him in no time with his song.” The stranger – the fae – caught his hand again and Blaine trembled as fear overwhelmed him. “I don't want to hurt you. I just want you to hear me sing.”

Blaine scrunched his eyes closed, wishing it had an effect. He wanted to pull away but the fae had backed him up against a tree. His hand was placed on the creature's bare waist and he shook his head.

“Please, let me go.”

“Sebastian of the Dell doesn't let people go.” Blaine flinched when the fae breathed in but instead of trying to kiss him again, Sebastian began to sing. The song was soft and Sebastian's voice was clear and lilting. There were no discernible words to the melody, just the calming sound of his voice as he stroked Blaine's hair and the young prince relaxed.

“Please don't stop singing,” Blaine murmured. His knees had grown weak and he sighed when they gave way beneath him. He fell into Sebastian's embrace and let the fae lower him to the ground without missing a note of the lullaby he sang.

Blaine began to feel sleepy where he lay on the ground. His head rested in Sebastian's lap as the fae continued to stroke his hair. His hearing was beginning to fade as he drifted off when he heard fast and heavy footsteps coming towards them.

“Get away from him you loin-clothed buffoon!”

“Kurt,” Blaine whispered. The sleepiness receded and he clambered off of Sebastian but the fae continued to sing, his voice turning angry and venomous.

“Blaine, get away. Climb up the hill. Behind you!”

He crawled across the ground, up the incline, while he listened to the crunch of leaves and a yelp of pain. Sebastian's song had stopped so Kurt must have been fighting him off. Blaine tried to move faster but the fear had returned and a burst of heat knocked him down.

“Keep moving, Blaine!” Kurt called. “He's trapped me in fire but I'm alright.”

Blaine turned back towards the valley floor, hearing the crackle of flames and smelling the smoke. He wondered where the other fae was – the one Sebastian had mentioned was with Kurt. He tried to hear what was happening but the wind had picked up and the whistle of it in his ears was all there was.

“Blaine, keep moving,” Kurt yelled before something crackled and popped. “I'll try to follow. Just keep moving!”

Blaine felt tears spring to his eyes but he kept moving up the hill. Stones dug into his hands and thorny bushes pricked his skin before strong hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up.

“Oh, I can see why Sebastian wanted you. You're adorable.”

Blaine could smell the strong aroma of acorns and oak leaves. Sebastian had called his companion an oak-dweller. “Adam?”

“And he knows my name? I should've sung to you. That Kurt wasn't easy to convince but you – you can't even see me can you?” Adam laughed and took Blaine's hands into his own. “I do love it when they're missing a sense. It makes it that much easier to coerce them.”

Adam pulled him up the hill and Blaine tried to break away. The fae lost his grip and Blaine moved as fast as he could. He knocked into trees as he ran up the hill but he kept moving. When a fallen branch tripped him, he crawled and he didn't stop until his hands found something that felt like feathers in the grass.

“Be still,” a female voice said over him. “You're safe now.” She stepped around him and wood knocked on wood. “Adam, Sebastian, stop.”

Her voice was airy like Sebastian's but the way she commanded the fae made Blaine realise who she was.

“My queen,” Adam said, reverent.

“Take care of this boy. No singing. I will fetch Sebastian and the other one.”

Blaine listened to her footsteps as she walked down the hill before he felt Adam's hand on his shoulder. The fae helped him up and Blaine asked, “Who was that?”

“The Witch Quinn, our queen. Pity she came when she did. I would have liked you.”

Blaine ignored the comment and strained to hear anything that gave away where Kurt was. He heard a sharp yell from further down the dell before there was a loud bang and the sound of rushed footsteps up the hill.

“Blaine,” Kurt exclaimed before he embraced the prince. “Thank goodness you're alright! You're not hurt are you? That idiot with the maple leaf crown didn't do anything to you, did he?”

“I'm fine. Just a few scrapes from coming up the hill.”

Kurt embraced him again before pulling away and speaking to someone else. “Thank you, milady. Your help is greatly appreciated.”

“It's alright, Kurt of Hummel. I protect those travelling through my trees.” Her voice turned venomous when she said, “But these two are hardly worth protecting when they've behaved so badly.”

“What were they trying to do?” Blaine asked. “I don't even know what they are.”

“Sebastian and Adam are fae – guardians of the forest. They help me take care of everyone in exchange for me letting them take lost travellers. But you two – you were not lost.” Blaine could feel Quinn's gaze boring into him. “You two were looking for me.”

“We were,” Blaine said. “We wanted to ask you for something.”

“Then we will go to my house. Sebastian and Adam will find your belongings for you. Seeing as they are responsible for scaring off your horse and stealing your cane.”

Kurt led Blaine as they followed the Witch Quinn. Blaine let his hopes swell to the surface. With some luck, the cane the fae were searching for wouldn't be necessary much longer.