The trees were scratched and mutilated, leafless, their twisting trunks tapering out into thin twigs, like hands clutching at the air. An eerie cackling filled the air, high, like a child's voice, and it had an insane edge to it, an unreserved sadistic tone that set Kurt's teeth on edge. They sat for a few minutes, feeling lethargic and slightly ill, which Jem claimed was an effect of being in this sick environment. A horrid stench wafted around them, and Rachel gagged, whispering to Kurt, "Rotting bones. We shouldn't go much further tonight." There was a general consensus to Rachel's plan, and Jem stayed up just long enough to say to Kurt, "This whole forest is cursed. The witch's spirit broke this place." Slowly everybody dropped off to sleep.

Kurt sat with Blaine, the shorter boy's head in his lap, not as tired as the rest of them seemed to be. Suddenly Blaine twitched violently in Kurt's hands, and a layer of sweat coated his forehead. He went rigid, and the curled close to Kurt, whispering something unintelligible. "Blaine." Kurt whispered soothingly. "Blaine, shhh. Wake up." Blaine jerked out of Kurt's arms, slapping him in the process. He stood alert, arms up in a gesture of defence. Kurt held his hand to his stinging cheek, and Blaine immeadiatly kneeled down, his eyes full of sympathy, although fear caused the fur on his ears to stand on end. "In so sorry." He whispered, his voice catching. Kurt's expression switched from shock to sympathy in an instant. "What were you dreaming of?" he asked cautiously, not wanting to push Blaine into telling him. The White Rabbit, relaxed slightly, and crawled into the taller boys arms again.
"My brother." He said. "I haven't seen him in a long time" Kurt's breath stopped for a second, as he thought of Finn. "He wasn't a perfect brother." Blaine said. "But... I miss him."
"What happened?" Kurt asked, arms sliding around the Rabbit's stomach, hugging him from behind.
"Hunter Clarington happened. When I was little, he came round and told Cooper he had unbridled talent, and like a fool Coop believed him. Hunter said that Cooper could be big, known throughout the kingdoms, but he... did something to him. Like Santana. Cooper was a strategist, he helped the King," Blaine spat the word. "Gain control of everything. He's still in the castle somewhere. "
"Oh." Kurt said, his voice faltering. "What about the rest of your family?" Blaine's eyes went glassy, and he waited a moment before answering Kurt

---O---

"BLAINE DEVON ANDERSON GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!" Blaine shuddered at his father's words, and tried not to think about what would come of them. He walked carefully into the room, not looking at anything for too long. "What are these?" said Richard Anderson. His teeth were slightly yellowing, and he glowered down at his son, through thin wired glasses. His outstretched had held a gold watch and a few pieces of jewellery, including a large diamond pendant. "I'm sorry!" Blaine stuttered. "It's all I could grab today." Anderson looked down at his seven year old son, and spat. "Liar. Your keeping some of it aren't you?" Blaine's heart raced. He had only kept a pair of earrings, and Mummy needed something to pay for her medicine. Surely Papa wouldn't hit him, once he explai- WHACK. Blaine's world went black. He opened his eyes and white spots danced across his vision. A kick to his chest, and suddenly it was like his ribcage had exploded, the throbbing pain caused him to scream out, which only made his father beat him more. He knew his rib was broken, and possibly his nose as well. His father left the room, taking the earrings from Blaine's pocket, and all Blaine heard before he passed out was his mother scream.

"They're not around anymore."

---O---

"Kurt." Blaine had been silent for several minutes now, and Kurt was slightly surprised when he spoke.
"Yeah?"
"Sing for me?" Kurt smiled, pulling Blaine's head into his lap, and leaning back against a rock.
"Of course.

"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go,
When all their shadows almost killed your light,
I remember you said, 'Don't leave me here alone',
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight."

Blaine's eyes drooped, and Kurt smiled down at him, oblivious to the world around him.

"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down,
You'll be alright, no-one can hurt you now,
Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

The trees around Kurt shuddered, and the incessant cackling stopped. It seemed even the forest was listening.

"Don't you dare look out your window, darling everything's on fire,
The war outside out door keeps waging on,
Hold on to this lullaby, even when the music's gone, gone."

Slowly, Rachel came too, and sat, listening to Kurt sing, the drowsy feeling leaving her body, and her mind becoming less cloudy. She noticed the trees. The stench in the air was being replaced with the smell of snow, and the cackling started sounding tired. It stopped all together, but Kurt kept singing, oblivious. A lullaby, Rachel thought. A lullaby to put a spirit to sleep.

"Just close your eyes, you'll be alright.
Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

A figure appeared in the fire, gaunt and pale-faced. Her cheeks were hollow, and her hair hung in wet stands around her face. She lifted her head, to reveal eyeless sockets, which her skin had healed over. Her white dress was torn and tattered and her fingernails bloody. She let out a high, wailing note, in the tune Kurt had been singing, but with none of his talent. As the note got higher, she seemed to be incinerating, slowly, and her note became a scream of pain, the song eating her away.

The group stared, in awe, at the fire, until long after the apparition had disappeared. It was amazing to think that Kurt had a voice so pure that it could put an angry spirit to rest. There was no conversation before they all went to sleep, slowly dropping off one be one. Kurt was still plagued with nightmares- the Knave had seen to that, but tonight they were different.

The Knave walked in slow circles around the Queen of Hearts, who looked even worse than she did when she was with Hunter, but instead of the joy that usually painted Sebastian's face when he tortured Kurt's friends in front of him, there was a deep sorrow in his eyes. He looked at Kurt, tears welling in his eyes and he whispered, "You have to win, Alice." He whispered. "Save him." Suddenly, Blaine was there too, bound to a chair, tired eyes looking up at Kurt, bruises prominent on his skin, so pale with sickness and hunger. Then Kurt was back at the mouth of the rabbit hole, and Sebastian was sitting on the other side, his eyes sad. Kurt crawled forward, and the Knave repeated the words he had spoken, when Kurt had first met him, before falling down the rabbit hole.
"I'm sorry, Alice."