The royal doctor’s shift is over, and the other royal doctor shows up. The first doctor quickly briefs the second one on the stranger’s condition and Blaine listens along.

There isn’t a lot that Blaine hasn’t heard before, but there are some new things.

A rancher found this stranger roaming around the woods east from Castle Town. The stranger was talking incomprehensibly and then collapsed. and the rancher brought him to Castle Town. The rancher first brought him to a doctor in town, but he recommended the royal doctors, so the rancher and some other citizens brought him to the king and queen. The queen accompanied them to the infirmary. The royal doctor tended the stranger’s wounds, but the stranger regained consciousness, talked about how he was in pain, and passed out again. The doctor and the nurses called a maid to find Cooper. Cooper’s not around, so Blaine was asked after the queen recommended him. Blaine’s magical potions did something, and the stranger’s been sleeping peacefully since.

Blaine studies the stranger’s face. How did he get lost in the woods? The paths in the woods are clear and everyone in the kingdom learns them in school. Only ranchers, hunters and other specialist stray from them.

“You are a serious observer, my prince,” the new doctor says to Blaine.

Blaine nods.

“I wonder where he came from,” Blaine says.

This man’s clothing are unfamiliar to Blaine, and he’s knowledgeable about different fashion styles around the kingdom.

“I have asked the kitchens to prepare some food for him, in case he wakes up.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Blaine says.

The doctor goes back to his office and Blaine’s left alone with the stranger.

Is it morally wrong to note that the stranger is very handsome? This isn’t the time and place, but it’s noticeable. How can Blaine not think of it? And unless the stranger wakes up, there’s no use thinking about where the man came from or what happened to him, because Blaine doesn’t know.

Blaine also doesn’t know why this stranger reacted to his potion.

After half an hour, Blaine decides that maybe he should go back to his chambers. If the stranger wakes up, then he will be notified. Blaine’s about to stand up, when the man stirs. Blaine freezes.

The man stirs again, and his fingers move. Then, slowly his eyes open.

“… Hello?” Blaine asks.

That attracts the attention of one of the nurses, and she also walks towards the bed. She tells another nurse to get the doctor.

The stranger coughs a couple of time and the nurse reaches for his hand.

“Hello dear,” she says soothingly, “It’s alright. You’re safe.”

“W-What… Where…” the man blinks a couple of times, as if he’s trying to make sense of what is going in.

The doctor and the other nurse also join them.

“Good evening, sir. You are in the Castle infirmary. Welcome.”

“Where?” the man asks, sounding more awake.

“The castle infirmary,” the doctor repeats, “I am the doctor, these are my nurses Marcus and Marcelina. And prince Blaine is here as well.”

“What is your name?” nurse Marcus asks him with a kind tone in his voice.

“… Kurt,” the stranger answers, “I’m… Kurt.”

“Are you in pain, Kurt?” the doctor asks.

Kurt shakes his head and then looks around the room again. He looks even more confused. The doctor decides to test him memory by asking simple questions, but the questions seem to confuse him more.

“The name of… the king?” Kurt asks.

“Yes. My father,” Blaine says.

“King of, uh, what?” Kurt asks and he sounds genuine. He’s not pulling anyone’s legs.

“Daltonia. You’re in Daltonia,” the doctor answers.

“Daltonia?” Kurt sounds baffled, as if he can’t believe it.

Is Kurt from another kingdom? Most of the neighbouring kingdoms at least know of Daltonia, the same way the citizens of Daltonia know of their neighbours. Kurt seems to be confused by the existence of Daltonia in the first place.

Kurt closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“No. No, this… cannot be real,” he mutters, mostly to himself, “I should’ve woken up by now. Damnit, did Santana put something in that cake?”

“Do you think this is a dream?” Blaine asks.

“Well. Uh. Daltonia isn’t real,” Kurt turns to him and his eyes widen. It’s as if he’s seeing Blaine properly for the first time.

Blaine feels himself turn red. Kurt’s gaze is very intense. Now Kurt is the observer.

“Blaine?” he asks.

Blaine nods.

“Yes, I am prince Blaine of Daltonia, son of queen Pamela and king Devon of Daltonia,” Blaine explains. Kurt still looks dumbfounded, so it’s time for Blaine to namedrop his brother. “I am the younger brother of Cooper the Chosen One.”

Kurt looks aways and looks towards the ceiling.

“Okay. Yes. Santana must’ve put something in that cake,” he concludes, but it makes no sense to anyone else. He’s still talking to himself. “How else can I explain that I am in the world of The Cooper Chronicles?”

The Cooper Chronicles?

“Pardon me?” Blaine asks.

Kurt looks at him again and he has a weird smile on the face.

“Blaine, huh? You don’t look like the guy who portrayed you in the movies, although to be fair, Blaine is a young child in the books, not a hot guy my age. I think. How old are you?”

“Twenty,” Blaine answers, confused. Books? David’s books? No, David is still writing them, and even while using the text-to-speech parchment, no one can write that fast.

And did Kurt just call him hot? Blaine does feel very warm. Maybe he should brew some cooling potions later.

The doctor interrupts the conversation. He must’ve realised it’s going nowhere since Kurt’s clearly confused, and instead he and the nurses decide to focus on Kurt’s health. Blaine sees that as his cue to leave. He doesn’t want to be in the way.

He’s about to make his leave when he hears Kurt call out his name.

“Blaine, wait!” he says.

“Yes.”

Then Kurt turns towards the doctor.

“Can, uh, prince Blaine stay?”

“Sure. He’s the one who healed you!” the doctor says and the nurses agree.

“Is he?” Kurt’s intense gaze is back, and Blaine’s sure his redness is also back.

Blaine sits down again and watches the infirmary staff work. After a while, it’s clear that Kurt is magically cured from everything, which is just extraordinary and it blows Blaine’s mind. One kitchen worker brings him some food, and once it’s clear that Kurt’s alright, the doctor and the nurses leave Kurt and Blaine behind.

Kurt sees that as his cue to lean towards Blaine.

“Okay, Blaine,” he says in a low voice, “Tell me what the hell is going on.”