Chapter 1


The advisors stand facing the occupied thrones at the front of the large chamber. Nerves run high as the eyes of the two royals land on each and everyone of them afraid of how the report they had brought to the meeting is being received. The King keeps all emotion off of his features, posture staying tall and slightly intimidating.

"Would you like to repeat what you just told us?" His Highness turns his gaze to the original man who brought the report.

"Well your Royal Highness." The man swallows thickly trying to clear his throat. "There have been reports of a few noble families turning their eye towards the throne claiming that your line will end sooner rather then later."

Another advisor speaks up. "With the loss of your ability to bare children during the fevers, Majesty," He bows towards the Queen. "You are left with one heir, which is seen as very weak. He could be taken from you in the next fevers or when he takes the field in a tournament. Without any spare children you are in a precarious position."

Yet another man speaks up. "The nobles see this as their chance. Your cousins are the main families keeping their eye on your every move." He looks around at the other who are afraid to bring up their options.

King and Queen look at each other, sadness in her eyes at being the reason they are in this situation at all. His hand covering her in comfort. "If this is how we are seen, what may be done to change their opinions?"
"More children Sire." Advisor three speaks, moving slightly closer to the couple.

"That isn't an option. We have tried, even though the doctors have insisted she is now unable to bare children." He studies the advisor that is brave enough to move closer.

"They do not need to be of your great lineage. Your Majesties have one heir who is of marrying age who is capable to producing children that would be direct heirs if anything were to befall him before yourselves hence strengthening your hold of the crown."

For the first time the Queen turns towards them "You wish for us to marry our son for the creation of children?"

"Yes Majesty."

"That might be a bit harder then you may think." The King sighs, finally giving into what is facing them. "He has spent the past year being wooed by the women of noble families and other kingdoms resulting with us finding out he is not inclined to the female persuasion."

"Then we find him a carrier Your Highness."

"That may sound easy, but carriers are not a guarantee of child production."

"Give me a couple weeks and I will find you a carrier with high fertility and a guarantee for giving you grandchildren."

Both royals look at each other, the King only looking back towards the advisor after his wife nods his head in agreement. "You have two weeks to present this carrier to us and if we approve of him we will have our son meet him at the formal ball when the month ends. We are done for today." He rises from the throne offering his arm to the Queen while all the advisors bow.

Walking out of the hall and heading back towards their personal chambers, the Queen puts her hand through her husbands arms in a more relaxed posture. "Edward." When he looks towards her she continues. "Are we doing the right thing?"

"There is very little doubt in my mind we are doing the right thing Victoria. Not for us, but for our son and his future." He leans in, kissing his wife on the temple. "If we leave him sooner then we hope to and there is any hint of him being weak, the nobles would attack and take the throne from him."

"You're right darling. I just wish he would have found someone on his own."

"That was a very small option for him Victoria. He is Crown Prince Blaine Devon Anderson and will be the fifth Anderson in our direct line to be crowned King. The option of him meeting and marrying for his own reasons shrunk to almost none on his sixteenth birthday three months ago."

"I hope who ever is found is someone Blaine will at least like."

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All dressed in black, gathered in the study of the large mansion, there is near silence aside from the sniffle of tear now and then. Kurt keeps his eyes on the lawyer seated behind the desk, no tears falling from his eyes. He knew this day would come sooner rather then later.

"Is everyone here?" The lawyer looks around the room and nods. "Seems so, alright let us proceed then. We are all gathered her to go over the last will and testament of the recently deceased Lord Fitzwilliam Masterson." The old mans eyes scan through the document as he takes a sip of water before continuing. "I, Fitzwilliam Masterson, of sound mind when this was written hereby leave the bulk of my estate and holdings to my son from my first marriage, Fitzwilliam Masterson the second." Kurt tunes out the rest now that he knows the home he has been living in with his deceased husband and their young son will no longer be his home unless that rude boy that has never liked him finds pity in his heart. "To my darling Kurt Hummel-Masterson, I leave a sum of..." Kurt tunes out again. His name having come at the end, after all the children the man has sired with his other two wives, both having passed away long before they had to see their husband marry another man. There wouldn't be enough to support himself and little Eric, not with him having to find a new home. There was the living afforded to him from his fathers estate, but even that was dependant on his step brother remembering it is owe to him as part of the dowry. He does his duty though and stands thanking the lawyer for coming all this way and suffering the looks he receives from his step children, a few being his age or older.

"Kurt, hold a second please."

His eyes turn to see Fitzwilliam coming up to him, one of the step children that are older then his 20 years of age by five years. "Yes Fitzwilliam, I can spend a second of time with you as I am on the way to check on my son, your brother, at this moment."

The man eyes Kurt it being no secret of his dislike of the man who tricked his way into his old fathers marriage bed. "I just want to give my condolences, my father loved you dearly and I know how hard it is to be left with no where to call home."

Kurt highly doubts the spoiled brat even knows half of what it's like. He was already married before his mother died and his father had moved onto wife number two, who just happened to already have given the man two bastard children before his first wife was even dead. Kurt lost his father when he was 14 and was lucky enough to have found his husband when he was 16.

Fitzwilliam continues. "I would like to offer you to stay here in the east wing for as long as you need. I know father would wish me to provide for you and Eric as much as possible. I just wish I could do more, but with my own family moving in it just isn't possible."

"Of course. Eric and I thank you for your... hospitality in these times. I'll look for a new residence to relocate to as soon as I can." He bows his head and heads off down the hall towards his sons chambers. Mentally making a list of everything in the mansion that belongs to him and needs to be moved to the east wing as soon as possible.

His features relax though as soon as he opens the door and his eyes land on Eric sitting and playing with the toy horses his father got him for his last birthday. The boys blue eyes look up and his smile falls seeing his dad. "Papa. Are you alright? You look very sad."

Kurt tries to smile and goes over sitting with his four year old son. "I am sad Eric. I miss your father."

"I miss him too." His tiny hands move the horse around. "What is going to happen to us now papa?"

He reaches out tucking a light brown lock behind his sons ear. "Well, first we will hug each other." Kurt laughs as his son hurries into his arms, hugging to his chest.

"What next Papa?"

"We get to go on an adventure. We will pack up all our things and move to somewhere you have never been before and explore new streams and forests."

"Really? I love adventures." His little eyes scan the room they are currently in. "But I will miss my room."

"Oh sweety." Kurt kisses his temple tears finally falling from his eyes, not from the loss of his husband, but because he has to expose his son to a world where life isn't fair and that this house isn't their home anymore. "I am so sorry. I love this home, but it belongs to your big brother Fitzwilliam now and we can not stay here."

"Oh." His little mind starts to think before he sits up and wipes his papa's tears away. "That's ok. I will miss this home, but I will love our new home."

Kurt laughs softly a smile growing on his lips. "And why will you love our new home?"

"Because it will have you in it papa."

"Oh Eric. My sweet angel." He kisses his sons cheek and pulls him in tight. "You are the perfect son. What did I ever do to deserve you."

Eric snuggles into his papas hold both crying now and letting everything out. No clue what their future holds.

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He had asked for two weeks in order to find a carrier with a guaranteed fertility. It had taken Jonathon, adviser to the royal family, a ten days to find information on a carrier that fit the bill and now he rides in a carriage to call upon the man. Who knew it would be so hard to find an unwed carrier that could prove their fertility?

When the royal carriage pulls up in front of the Masterson estates mansion, the advisor steps out of the carriage and heads towards the front door. A man servant rushing ahead and knocking as well as announcing to the house keeper that answers the door who they are and that they wish to speak with the widower of the late Lord Masterson. The servant and advisor are shown to a waiting room. Both standing and waiting while the young man is told there are guests for him.

It isn't long before the doors open and Kurt steps in without any servants or attendants at his side. "I was informed you wished to speak with me Sir."

Jonathon smiles taking in the beauty of the carrier in front of him. Even though he is dressed in the black attire of mourning, his eyes sparkle with interest and his stance is regal already. "Yes, you must be Mr. Kurt Masterson."

"Hummel-Masterson and yes that is me." He bows slightly to the gentlemen. "I am a bit confused why a royal messenger would be sent to speak with me."

"What I have to say was to important to send through a messenger sir, I am Sir Jonathon Montgomery Advisor to their royal highnesses, King and Queen Edward and Victoria Anderson."

"Sorry for the mix up, but I am still at a loss for why you would wish to see me." He takes a seat in one of the chairs, gesturing for his guests to sit. Only the advisor sits down.

"The King and Queen have tasked me in finding carriers inside their kingdom and bring them to the palace to meet with them."

"Why?" His eyes study the man closely. "I do not mean to be rude, but why would their Highnesses wish to speak with carriers?"

"To be honest, they are looking to meet with prospective husbands for their son. The crown prince has inclination towards the male gender and as he is the crown prince he must have blood heirs."

"So marry him to a carrier." Kurt closes his eyes. "I am in mourning. It isn't proper for me to look for a hand in marriage so soon."

"There really isn't a choice in the matter sir. You are being summoned to the palace to meet with them be you mourning or not. I also hear you are left with naught from your husbands passing. Your son and you are homeless and near penniless. Come to the palace. If they approve of you, you win the hand of the prince in marriage. If they do not, I will make sure you are given a compensation for your time. A small holding and some coins. Enough to keep you and your son for a little while."

Kurt nods a bit. "Alright, but I must take my son with me now. I can not leave him here."

"Agreed then. Have your son fetched. We leave within the hour." The advisor stands offering his hand for Kurt to shake on the agreement.

Kurt slowly rises and seals the agreement with a handshake before hurrying off o gather his son and a travel case. His smile grows once he is out of view of the royal advisor. He was becoming worried that he would be stuck sneaking around the mansion and now he has an offer for a place to live. Either as the husband to the crown prince or if they do not like him a place provided by the crown. When he reaches the living chambers his step son provided to him he hurries to Maria, he personal attendant. "I need you to get a travel case together as fast as you can. A few days clothes for both myself and Eric. I will get my son ready for travel."

"Sir." She curtsies and scurries off to prepare the trunk. While Kurt goes through the connecting door to his sons room, finding him sleeping in an afternoon nap.

"So sorry Eric." Kurt gently sits and places a hand on his sons back, shaking him to wake him up. "Time to wake up son. We need to get you up and ready to go."

"Unn... papa.. Sleepy."

"I know sweetling, but we have been invited to the palace. I wouldn't want you to sleep through the whole adventure."

"P-palace?" The child sits up slowly rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Are you telling the truth? Are we really going to the palace?"

"We are darling. Now up. I need you to pick out your favorite toys to bring in the carriage and a couple to pack in the trunk and then we will get changed into travel clothes." He gets up and goes to the closet the two of them share, meeting up with Maria and Hans both picking and packing a few outfits for the two Mastersons. "Maria, les black for me. My husband didn't find it in him to provide for me when I cared for his ailing health the past three years, my time of mourning is over. If my son wishes to wear black still, he may."

She curtsies and changes out a few of the pieces she had packed. Kurt picks out a comfortable travel clothes. His tan pant paired with a white shirt, black vest, grey ascot, and blue tail coat. He looks himself over in the mirror after getting his shoes on and nods. He looks pleasing to the eye, his hand grab up the blue jumper with a sailor collar for his son, holding it up for the boy to inspect. "I am leaving the choice to you Eric. Do you wish to stay in black for the memory of your father or would you like to wear your blue jumper?"

Eric has just given Maria the toys he can not do without and looks towards his papa that is no longer in his black clothes. "If I wear the blue, does it mean I miss father any less?"

"No darling it doesn't. You wear the black so that others may see your sadness for losing him."

"I want to wear the blue one then papa. Everyone has been sad enough. I want to smile and play outside again and Maria wont let me when I wear black because I am suppose to be sad."

"Then come. We do not have much time."

He gets Eric in his blue outfit smiling at his son, so proud of the youth even though he is only four years old. Once they are both completely ready to go, Kurt takes his son up into his arms and carrying him and his horse to the main door and out to the royal carriage where Maria and the steward are getting the trunks arranged for travel.

"Mr. Hummel-Masterson, are you both ready to go?" Jonathon holds open the door of the carriage for them.

Kurt smiles and goes over wishing the steward and Maria farewell and telling them to continue packing all his and Erics belongings and bring them into the living chambers in the east wing, he will call for them to be sent as soon as he knows where he will be settled at. Both kiss Eric on the cheek and Kurt smiles when he sees the tears in the two loyal members of the house staff shed tears at their leaving so soon. He lifts Eric up into the carriage, instructing him to sit on the right side next to the window so he can watch everything go by before he gets in himself. Sitting beside his small child and once they start moving he watches what he knew as home for the past four years disappear into the distance as they head towards a new life. His only worry is if he has made the right choice or not.