AN: I feel like all I have been doing lately in my author’s notes is apologize for the lateness of the updates. This time my excuse is I was asked to make my niece’s birthday cake, which took up my two free writing afternoons last week. So here is the update. I will not promise when the next chapter will be up, because I think I have been jinxing myself to stay busy so I cannot fulfill my promise. I will however, start writing the next chapter in the morning. So… Anyway thank you for everyone who has reviewed so far. Please let me know what you think, if this is at all ok.

As the chill deepened over the woods, the two princes sat discussing their plans. “Kurt, what was your strategy for infiltrating the fortress?” Blaine asked pulling the long stick out of his sack and began working with his knife.

“To be honest,” Kurt began, “I was more concerned about the dragon itself than the fortress at this point. A dragon has not been seen in these parts in ages, so we know whoever captured the princess had to have brought it with them. This is to our advantage though. All dragons have a weakness, but it seems this one has two. One we can use to slay it, but yet another we can use to subdue it. After all, the ones who brought it here had to have kept it from eating them some way.”

Blaine looked at him in confusion for a moment before speaking. “But why even worry about the dragon. Were you not planning to use the tunnels under the fortress? These would bypass the dragon.”

“I… did not know about any tunnels.” Kurt told him wondering how Lady Sue didn’t know about them but Blaine did.

“Sir Dalton said in his youth he was sent on a mission to the fortress to try and recover treasures stolen from our kingdom. He stumbled on the entrance and was able to use the passages to his advantage.” Blaine explained.

“It almost seems too easy.” Kurt mumbled, his brain warring with him that the easy path always held unforeseen danger.

Blaine sighed. “Well Sir Kurt, I don’t know about you but I, for one have never attempted to slay or subdue a dragon, and honestly, I would rather not if I can avoid it. It seems the tunnels are more of a secret than I thought. The fiends who stole away with the princess most likely expect us to fact the dragon and die at it’s hands. The tunnels will afford us the element of surprise.”

“You are right” Kurt agreed gravely. “That does mean however that we must leave the horses and Pavarotti behind as we enter the belly of the mountain. I know Merlin and Pavarotti will answer my call once we emerge again with the princess. What of your horse?”

Blaine chuckled and the sound sent Kurt’s heart racing. He blinked in confusion at his body’s reaction. Seeing this, Blaine went on to explain, misconstruing the reason for his look. “Orion is well trained, he will come.” A smile like the sun seemed to light up the dark clearing, and Kurt could not help but match it.

Blaine looked on at Kurt’s radiant smile. A flurry of thoughts flew through his mind, the two most common; I put that smile there, and he is so beautiful.

Kurt voice broke him from his thoughts. “We still have two more days ride before we make it to the base of the mountain if we meet no more danger. We have time to strategize more, later. Now it is best if we get some rest.”

Glowing lights began to flicker in the trees around them. “We should take turns keeping watch. Who knows what these trees may hide.”

It was Kurt’s turn to laugh and the tinkling noise sent a jolt through Blaine. “There is no need, those are fairies. If we give them an offering they will watch over us.” He said indicating to the lights that danced ever closer. “They maybe small, but they are a mighty people.” Kurt dug through his saddlebag and pulled out a small pot of honey. “Might Fairy Folk, please except this offering and keep us safe through the night.” His voice lilted through the woods, drawing the lights in. He laid the pot on a nearby stone.

One by one, the boys watched as the delicate fairies flew to the pot, plunged in their hands, and withdrew a dollop of the sweetness. Soon the trees around them were dotted by the little figures as they licked their hands clean and settled in to watch over them.

Kurt once again broke Blaine from his contemplation. “We should rest.” He said simple before rolling out his sleeping mat and blanket. Blaine followed suit and soon the pair were drifting off to sleep. What neither knew was that the other could not clear his thoughts of the handsome young man he had met that day. Each wondering why these thoughts could not leave their minds.

Kurt woke first as morning approached. He looked over at the still sleeping figure of the prince beside him. Prince Blaine, he knew little of the man by reputation. Padua and Illyria not being allies the way Illyria was with Navarre. All he knew of Padua was that his father thought their king was too cold and calculating to trust. However, Blaine seemed anything but cold. There was warmth in his eyes that could not be faked. Peering down at him, Kurt fought the urge to stroke his tanned cheek. Prince Kurt shook his head at the thought; it was silly and not appropriate. He should be daydreaming about the beautiful princess waiting for him to rescue her not the handsome your prince who helped save his life.

He quickly rose and busied himself packing his things for the day’s journey. When he heard Blaine stir, he began riffling thought his saddlebag for something to eat, pointedly not turning to look at the man.

Blaine Stirred blinking, he surveyed his surroundings. His eyes then fell on Kurt’s back as he bent over his pack. The blue of Blaine’s own shirt contrasted so well with Kurt’s pale almost aluminous skin. His cheek looked so smooth and soft; Blaine could not help but wonder what it would feel like under his own palm.

Something seemed to draw him towards the other young man, but he resisted, only taking one more moment to study what few features he could see. Once the moment had passed, Blaine busied himself packing his things as he noticed Kurt had already done. When Blaine was tightening Orion’s saddle he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he was met by those entrancing blue eyes and a soft smile on the other boy’s full lips.

“Here, have some dried fruit, it is not much, but we should save some of our food for our journey under the mountain.” Kurt told him placing the offering gently in his hand.

Blaine looked down at the food, before meeting Kurt’s eyes with a smile. Unable to brign his voice above a whisper he said with all the sincerity he felt, “Thank you.”

A light pink colored Kurt’s cheek at the woods, but before Blaine could say anything else he had turned away again.

Kurt’s heart beat rapidly in his chest. He didn’t understand what was happening. Being so close to Blaine. Feeling the strong muscles of his shoulders flex underneath his hand. The whispered words almost breathed across his skin. The way his heart stuttered then sped and the blush that crept up his cheeks. The urge to close the space between them, brush their lips together, and stroke Blaine’s cheek as he did. It was too much, and not at all what he should be thinking of doing with a Prince. He should want to do that to Rachel the as yet unseen damsel in distress.

The great stories told of the handsome prince rescuing the beautiful princess. There were no stories of two princes meeting in the woods and falling in love. And that one word stopped Kurt’s heart. He shook his head commanding the thoughts to go away at once. He then hurried to mount Merlin.

Seeing Kurt swing onto his horse Blaine did the same; but not without marveling at the young man’s strength and dexterity. In silence, they rode on towards the mountain barely glimpsed through the occasional parting of the surrounding trees.

The quiet was making Kurt’s skin crawl, just knowing Blaine was a mere horse length behind him. He wanted to talk to him, find out more about this man who seemed to be invading his every thought of late. However, the wood held many dangers and he could risk either of their lives to quench is curiosity.

For his own part, Blaine while he would have loved to speak more with Kurt, had the luxury to stare and memorize every aspect of Kurt’s physique that was afforded to him from his position. He couldn’t help but notice how his chestnut hair caught the breeze and fluttered. Or the way his body swayed and undulated with the movement of his horse. It was mesmerizing just watching him.

Blaine’s thoughts then turned to the quest they were on. It had only seemed duty to his father that led him on this path, but part of him was hoping that he might find some love on the way. However, meeting Kurt was an anomaly Blaine couldn’t have foreseen. Even without the undeniable pull Blaine felt towards him, he was also seeking out the princess. What would his father do if she chose to marry Kurt instead? True he was a commoner, a mere knight, or maybe a knight in training but there was no law barring royalty from marrying below their station. Blaine’s heart ached at the thought, but not the thought of Princess Rachel marrying another, but that of Kurt.

Before the Blaine could dwell deeper on the thought, a twig cracked up a head. As if on silent command, both horses stopped short. Blaine saw tension ripple up Kurt’s back and in one fluid movement he had his bow drawn and an arrow notched in place. As almost an afterthought Blaine did the same. �Another twig snap and a majestic stag emerged from the trees. Kurt’s movement stilled as the noble beast eyed them before bounding away into the trees.

There was a beat and then laughter filled the air around them. Great boisterous guffaws broke the tension of the morning into shards. Kurt looked back at Blaine his face alight with mirth; the amusement there warmed Blaine’s heart once more. “Could we stop a moment and look for water, there is bound to be some nearby.”

Blaine quickly agreed and soon the pair was walking side by side down a path, water bladders thrown over their shoulders and a sword by their side. Both horses trailed behind them obediently as they listen for the sound of water. Not far from their original path, they stumbled upon a small babbling brook. The shores were dotted with briars baring dark berries. Kurt went immediately to pop one of the fruit in his mouth.

“Wait, what are you doing? Those could be poisonous!” Blaine exclaimed, startling even himself.

Kurt chuckled again. “My dear Prince, lest you forget, I grew up in this region. These are merely blackberries. I used to pick them all the time with my mom, I would recognize them anywhere.” As if to punctuate the claim, he then popped three more fresh berries in his mouth and smiled. His smile was so sweet and innocent; Blaine’s knees almost gave out.

Trying to distract himself, Blaine approached the plant and carefully plucked one of the barriers from it’s thorny home. He eyed the fruit for a moment before bringing it to his mouth to taste. The tangy sweetness was a pleasant surprise and soon his expression matched Kurt’s.

They settled on the shore of the stream, watching the horses graze the luscious grass they found there, and for the first time began talking, not about princesses, battles, or training, but about themselves. They exchanged stories of their childhood.

“So you actually grew up in the castle?” Blaine asked enjoying the berries and the company.

Kurt distracted himself with the bush as he answered as truthfully as he could with out revealing his precious omission. “Yes, I was lucky; I was afforded a good education with some of the best tutors in Illyria and beyond. I was given music lessons and trained with the royal guards… but even after my mom died, I still had a supportive father.”

“What does he think about you going on this quest?” Blaine asked.

Kurt smiled fondly, “He did not want me to go, but he knew that I was the best one to send. I had to promise him that I would return with the princess before he would let me go. He knows I would never break a promise to him.” Kurt gave Blaine such a piercing look Blaine had to turn away, “What about your father?”

Blaine gave a humorless laugh, “I wasn’t given a choice in the matter either way. I knew that I would be forced into a political marriage, but I never thought… he just hopes that King Hiram will allow me to marry his daughter.”

“Your dad would actually force you to marry? I could not picture my… king doing that to his sons. He has always spoken of marriage as life’s most fulfilling quest that should only be taken up in love. King Burt has been lucky enough to fall in love twice, and I don’t think he would wish a loveless marriage on anyone let alone his own sons.”

“Well, then it sounds like your king is a wonderful man.” Blaine retorted bitterly. “It’s not something that I agree with, but I have known most of my life that my marriage would only take place if it benefitted my father’s kingdom. I would love nothing more than to have the luxury to fall in love with someone and marry them… Can we please talk about something else?”

Blaine just sounded defeated; it nearly broke Kurt’s heart thinking about what fate awaited Blaine. The idea of this kind, handsome man, forced to marry a princess just because she was a princess, made Kurt’s blood run cold. He quickly changed the subject to music, an interest the two shared. Blaine took out the piece of wood he had been carving the night before and began working on it as they laze on the bank, all thoughts of princesses, and their current quest forgotten as they lost themselves in learning more about the other.

Before they knew it, night was falling. Hours they had spent plucking sweet berries and talking. Blaine’s flute was almost finished, being the only accomplishment they made that day. Kurt lay on his mat, watching Blaine as he took up the first watch and continued carving the flute by the light of the moon. He couldn’t help being mesmerized as the moon played over Blaine’s features. The look of deep concentration on Blaine’s face was his last vision in the waking world. The same face however, greeted him in his dreams.

As Kurt met Prince Blaine in the world of slumber, Blaine set down his carving to study the young man before him. Something about Kurt would not let him leave his mind, since meeting him, he has been ever present there. As Kurt’s face relaxed into a contented smile, Blaine watched him wanting nothing more to have put that smile there. Little did he know, he was the entire reason for its existence.