Kurt didn't know when the decision was made to go to the Castle of Knowledge, but before they knew it they were at the door that he and the Tweedles had escaped through before. David walked soundlessly as he checked ahead of them for dragonflies, but the nest was vacated. David always seemed to walk on the balls of his feet, making as little noise as possible. When he spoke his voice was quiet, but not soft. As they reached the door into the castle, the Caterpillar's voice boomed through the small passageway.
"WHO ARE YOU?"
Blaine sighed and answered, "The White Rabbit, and Alice, bringing the Dormouse." There was a slight squeak and a sob, as the door swung open. Wes stood in the door frame, looking wild.
"If this is a joke I willskinall of-" Wes begun.
"It's not." Said Blaine, cutting Wes off. David moved out of the shadows, tears falling from his eyes as he ran forward and embrace the dumbstruck Caterpillar. Wes was shaking as he wrapped his arms around David, his eyes darting from his love's face to the two boys in the cold passageway.
"Well... come in." Wes said, his voice shaking. Kurt followed the Caterpillar into the Great Library, and a cup of tea and some cake was presented to him by a mushroom. Kurt raised the cup to his lips, taking a sip from the barely warm tea, as Wes began talk.
"I- I- just... how?" he stuttered.
"It's not often I see you at a loss for words." said David quietly. Wes shot him a glare, which softened into a fond smile.
"Um, well, Santana came to help us and we figured that her place was the safest place for Davey, here, so we found him andran." replied Blaine.
"Well, my other guests will be glad you're okay." said Wes as Rachel came bursting into the library.
"YOU SCRUFFY, HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING EXCUSE FOR A RABBIT, WHERE IN THE KINGDOM OF CARDS DID YOU GO?" she screeched. Blaine's eyes widened as Rachel grabbed the, now cold, tea and threw it in his face.
"Rachel, calm down!" said Jem, who was walking into the library.
"Yeah, you're gonna go grey before your time." Added Jayce, always close behind.
"And then you won't be half as pretty."
"And you'll look twice as old."
Rachel looked as though she was about to tear her hair out. And Wes gave her a biscuit and sat her down, before whispering to the two stunned newcomers, "She's been trying to keep those two in check by herself all week, you can't blame her."
Kurt and Blaine shared a confused look.
"Week? We were only gone two days." said Kurt.
"No, its been a week." Rachel insisted, and David, volunteering conversation for the first time, began to explain, in his soft voice.
"It was the veil. Time is odd there. The time lapse is unpredictable. One day there can be anywhere from two minutes to two months outside."
"Dave, how do you know this?" asked Blaine.
David began telling them about how Santana talked in her sleep and how he had sensitive hearing, which flowed into discussing all the things Santana said in her sleep. They all talked for hours before Kurt began to feel drowsy, his head dropping onto Blaine's shoulder. His eyes started drooping and Blaine helped him up, leading the exhausted boy to a bedroom, before wishing him goodnight, and heading back to the library. Kurt's eyes dropped and the familiar feeling of sleep washed over him.

Kurt watched curiously, as Blaine chased the Knave around an oak tree singing, "Round and round the mulberry bush the rabbit chased the weasel, the rabbit thought it was all good fun, thenpopwent the weasel!" On the 'pop' Sebastian changed. He looked the same, save for a new scar over his eye, but he looked different too. He looked meaner, and angrier, he looked as if all the happiness had been drained from him. He turned around to face Blaine, and began to chase him back, with a murderous look in his eyes. He caught Blaine and with a single swipe of his sword, stabbed him through the heart.

Red. Blood. So much blood. Kurt was going to be sick. There was an ache in his chest, and it felt as though he had been stabbed as well. Kurt fell to his knees tears streaming from his eyes as the Knave walked towards him. Fear began to accumulate in Kurt's heart, and head, fogging his thoughts and strangling all other emotions.
"No, Alice, I can't kill you yet." He said bitterly. "But I have a message for you.
Stand at the way to your heart's desire
Or build your way to your friend's pyre
Choose the right path and put to sleep,
The forest of Witches Teeth."

Kurt awoke with a start, sweat pouring down his face. He reached for a towel, wiping at his face, heart beating fast at his dream. Was it just a dream, or was it something more? He looked out the window at the perpetual dark outside, and then to the sky, which shed a little light on the deep ravine, and was his only source of hope. The sun, which forever rose and set, which was constant as it was in his own world. Kurt wondered if it was the same sun that fell on this world, and rose in his. A tear slipped down Kurt's cheek as he thought of his father, watching this sun rise, waiting for him to come home. Would he ever go home? Would he ever beat this sadistic king, or get close to winning this terrible game? A hole ate its way into Kurt's heart and he soon found himself sobbing. Tears fell from his eyes, his heart aching, until the doors of his room burst open, and there stood Rachel, the unbroken Queen. The queen, who, despite everything she had been through had held strong. The queen, so prim and proper, who looked as though she had not a soft side, fell to her knees, and brought Kurt into her embrace, whispering words of comfort, and crying herself. She knew how it felt, to not see your family, to be cut off from everything you loved. She told Kurt that he would see his family again, and that while her heart was trapped, she was a prisoner in her own mind. She couldn't feel, but she felt so much. In her mind she would cry, but her body remained emotionless. She knew how Kurt was feeling, and Kurt finally giving in to the blackness pushing at his thoughts, cried himself to sleep on her shoulder.