“Let him out.”

Kurt stood up and instinctively turned around, placing himself across the cell door, blocking Blaine from sight.

“I wouldn’t bother trying anything,” Sebastian said calmly, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, a smirk tilting his lips. “I admit I underestimated you--the fact that you’re here proves that. So I’ll be taking steps to ensure you won’t be a problem anymore. Let him out of the cell.”

He took a half step forward, drawing his sword smoothly. He let it hang at his side, deceptively casual. His eyes never left Kurt’s face.

Kurt was entirely certain that Sebastian was perfectly willing to run him through if he didn’t cooperate.

He knelt down and grabbed the keys.

“Very good,” Sebastian praised, and Kurt swallowed against the urge to snap back. “Go ahead.”

Kurt turned around, aware of the fact that he was turning his back on a man who intended to kill his love and take him as a personal whore. As quickly as possible, he slipped the key into the lock and turned, all the while staring into Blaine’s eyes, half-convinced it would be his last chance.

“Blaine,” he whispered. “I’m sorry--”

“We’ll be okay, Kurt,” Blaine said.

“I’m waiting,” Sebastian called.

Blaine grasped the bars of the cell and pushed outward, opening it himself. Kurt watched him slip out, wishing he could reach out and pull Blaine into his arms and never let him go. Instead, he stood as close to Blaine as he dared, keeping his eyes on his Prince as he turned to face his cousin.

“Good,” Sebastian drawled. “Now. Blaine, you’re going to lead the way up to your chambers, and I’ll be right behind you with dear Kurt--”

Kurt was caught off guard as Sebastian gripped his arm and tugged him in, tucking Kurt into his left side. Kurt squirmed, but instantly Sebastian’s sword was up, the blade resting against Kurt’s throat. A whimper left him involuntarily.

“Don’t--” Blaine lifted a hand, admirably steady. “Just...I’ll lead the way. Kurt, just...stay calm. We’ll be all right.”

Sebastian hummed happily.

“For a given value of ‘all right,’ anyway,” he said. “Go ahead.”

Blaine led the way through the lower level of the castle to a winding staircase that placed them just outside the kitchens. Kurt walked right behind him, with Sebastian bringing up the rear, his sword pointed at Kurt’s back.

“Keep going,” Sebastian ordered. Blaine complied silently, passing guards stationed regularly through the hallway and into the court.

“My lord!”

At the entrance to the dining hall, two guards held their spears across the doorway, and against these struggled several of the servants, the foremost of which was Mike.

“Blaine,” he called. One of the guards struck his leg with the butt of the spear, silencing him with pain.

“Enough,” Blaine commanded. “Mike, just cooperate. Keep everyone safe. Just...do your duty.”

Kurt wisely didn’t comment on the strange emphasis Blaine put on the final word, or the pointed nod that went with it. But he did look around cautiously--thankfully, though, only he and Mike seemed to take any meaning from the words. It made sense; no one knew Blaine better.

What is he planning?

“Go on,” Sebastian said, poking Kurt’s back with the sword lightly. Kurt arched his back away and grunted at the little stab of pain that accompanied it, but he stayed still, well aware that any false moves could get everyone killed. Blaine seemed to realize the same thing, for while his eyes screamed with anger and hurt and terror, he steadily walked on, guiding them into the hallway and to the door of his chambers.

“Kneel by the fire, your highness,” Sebastian sneered, shutting the door behind them. “Facing the room, please.”

Blaine did as he said, sinking to his knees in front of the crackling fireplace. Sebastian grabbed Kurt’s shoulder and guided him over, shoving him into one of the chairs facing the warm glow.

“Now,” Sebastian said evenly, “stay still.”

There were several tearing sounds behind him, but he remained where he was, staring ahead until Blaine’s gaze caught his own.

He looked so beautiful, lit from behind by the fire. Even though his hair was disheveled, even though he was filthy and rumpled from the dungeon floor, and even though they could very well be about to watch each other die, his eyes stared at Kurt just like they always had, to some extent--with awe, with love. Kurt stared back, and he didn’t look away, not when he started crying, not when Sebastian started tying him up, and not even when Sebastian began speaking.

“This is how it will work,” he said. “Blaine, you will remain in the dungeons. You will remain alive. You will publicly declare that you support my reign. If you do not, Kurt will pay the price.”

With a quick swipe of his sword, a line of pain bloomed across Kurt’s cheek, and he felt a warm trickle of blood slide down to his jaw.

Still, he didn’t look away. Blaine’s eyes remained locked on his, and the only thing Kurt wanted was to take away the look of utter devastation from their warm amber depths.

“And you, Kurt,” Sebastian continued, “will fulfill your duty to me as my concubine. You will serve me willingly and enthusiastically, with all the skill that I will make sure you possess. And if you don’t do all that you’re told, and all you can to please me, Blaine will pay the price.”

Kurt kept his eyes on Blaine. He needed to see him, needed to commit him to memory. Because if they were doomed to part, he wanted to keep the memory of Blaine in his heart as long as he could--a little treasure, something Sebastian couldn’t take from him even if he could take everything else.

He’d never be able to take away the absolute happiness that filled him when he remembered their love. He could kill everything Kurt held dear, take away his freedom and his comfort and even his life, but he’d never be able to remove the knowledge that, for a short, beautiful time, Kurt had found his soulmate.

It might be the only thing he could have left.

“But for now,” Sebastian continued, “I’m going to demonstrate the consequences. And because I plan on showing you exactly what your duties will be tonight, Kurt, I’ll spare you.”

He stalked over to Blaine, slipping to his side and swinging the tip of his blade into the fire.

“Sebastian,” Kurt gasped. “Please--don’t--I’ll do whatever you want, but please do not do this--”

“Oh, I do love how prettily you beg,” Sebastian purred. “Why don’t you keep practicing while I show you just what will happen to your lover if you stop.”

A swish of air, a hiss, and Blaine was screaming, slumping forward. Sebastian stuck out a foot to catch him and prop him back up, removing his blade from Blaine’s collarbone with a quick jerk of his arm. Kurt gasped, his eyes swimming with tears as he watched Blaine’s skin turn an angry red where the blade had touched.

“I think we’ll need to remove some clothing to continue,” Sebastian noted. “Stay still, cousin. I wouldn’t want to hurt you accidentally.”

He crouched down next to Blaine and grasped his shirt firmly. He cut at the fabric with his sword, tearing the back until it parted, hanging off Blaine’s front and falling down his arms.

“Better,” he said. “Now.”

He stood, sticking the tip of his sword into the flames again. Kurt’s eyes locked onto it. Sebastian was going to keep hurting Blaine--he was going to burn him and cut him and harm him until he got bored of it or until he had something better to do. And Kurt couldn’t reach the knife at his hip, nor could he wiggle free.

There was only one thing he could think of to do to keep Blaine from suffering.

“Please, Sebastian,” he begged, turning his eyes up and finding Sebastian’s. He put everything he had into keeping their gazes locked. “Please don’t. I know what you’re capable of--”

“Do you?” Sebastian interrupted. In a quick second, he swung the sword around and stuck the tip down into the meat of Blaine’s upper arm, just below his left shoulder. Blaine screamed again, his body twitching away from the sword so forcefully that he toppled over, landing on his side. The sword drew free, leaving a smoldering puncture wound, a little burned pit in his skin.

“No!” Kurt called.

“I could do worse,” Sebastian continued. He knelt behind Blaine, sheathing his sword and pulling a dagger from his opposite hip. He slipped that arm around Blaine’s shoulders, holding him in a half-reclined position, the blade hovering near his throat. He placed the other hand on Blaine’s back, running it down slowly.

“I could show you what I have planned for you. If I keep him face-down, I don’t even have to look at his disgusting scars.”

He pushed Blaine onto his front, pulling the dagger away and instead pointing it at Blaine’s bare back as he worked a hand down the back of his breeches. Blaine squirmed against it, earning a quick cut for his troubles. Kurt cried out.

“Stop!” He stared Sebastian down. “Show me instead. Show me whatever it is you want to do to me. But do it to me. I want to know firsthand.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, and his tongue darted out to moisten his bottom lip. Kurt watched it briefly before flickering his eyes back up, licking his own lips.

“Whatever I want?” Sebastian asked. “Are you sure of that?”

Kurt fought against the bile rising in his throat and nodded. This could be the only way to spare Blaine more pain.

“Anything,” he said as convincingly as he could.

Sebastian tilted his head and stood, approaching slowly, a predator gathering himself to spring.

“What would you do to distract me?” He pointed back to Blaine, still studying Kurt’s face intently. “Would you do it in front of him?”

Unable to help himself, Kurt looked down at Blaine. He expected to see Blaine protesting, betrayed and in agony, but instead Blaine was half-propped on his elbow, and he was nodding at Kurt encouragingly, flicking his gaze up to Sebastian.

Kurt had to keep going. Whatever Blaine was planning, he had to go along with it. Even if it meant--

Kurt kept his face carefully stony and looked back up at Sebastian.

“Yes,” he said determinedly. “Whatever you want. He can watch.”

Sebastian laughed.

“I think I could enjoy that.”

He stepped forward, invading Kurt’s space. A calloused hand cupped Kurt’s uninjured right cheek, thumb drawing across his bottom lip, pulling it down. Kurt obediently opened his mouth, darting his tongue out to lick at it. Sebastian’s mouth fell open just a little bit, his breath coming quicker.

It’s working, Kurt thought, and he immediately changed his posture, straightening, tilting his head back to bare his neck just a little bit. He arched his back and sucked Sebastian’s thumb into his mouth, nipping at it and swirling his tongue around the tip.

“Oh, you’re going to be good at this, aren’t you?” Sebastian whispered. His free hand started loosening the ties on his breeches. “Why don’t you show me, sweetheart?”

Kurt swallowed the saliva that flooded his mouth, not from arousal, but from nausea. He was going to have to do this, he was really going to have to do this, oh gods--

“What--”

Sebastian backed up, drawing his sword again, and before Kurt could figure out what was happening there was a heavy, metallic thud, and Sebastian went crashing to the ground.

“Get his weapon,” Blaine said, dropping the iron poker from the fireplace. Mike suddenly appeared from behind him, rushing to Sebastian’s prone form and kicking away his sword. “Keep him there--is he--”

“He’s awake, but he’s stunned,” Mike replied. Kurt heaved out a heavy sigh of relief--Mike must have snuck in through the concealed door from the dining room where he’d been held. That’s what Blaine had been hinting at when they’d passed by.

“Damn,” Blaine cursed, staggering forward to the chair, his hands working at the ties holding Kurt there. “I would’ve liked to have killed him, but my damn arm--”

As soon as Kurt was loose, though, he cut Blaine off, launching up and throwing his arms around his neck, kissing him frantically.

“I thought I’d never--I thought I’d have to--” Kurt babbled between kisses, threading his fingers into Blaine’s hair to keep him close. “I can’t--Blaine--”

“Sh, it’s okay now,” Blaine soothed, running his hands weakly up and down Kurt’s back. “He didn’t--he won’t. We have him, he’ll pay for what he’s done once we can figure out what to do with his soldiers--”

“Nick,” Kurt blurted out. “Lord Nicholas should be on his way. We--we sent messengers, last night, when Sebastian locked me in my house, Finn sent a messenger and when I escaped we sent more, he could arrive at any minute.”

“Wait, hold on,” Blaine said, pulling back and grabbing Kurt’s hands. “Mike, did anyone see you leave?”

Mike shook his head.

“The guards just stood post outside the doors and up on the balcony, none of them were in the room with us. Everyone’s been instructed to act normally, they won’t realize I’m gone unless they come in to check on us and realize I’m not there. It shouldn’t be a problem, we’re not that important and there were so many of us--”

“Okay,” Blaine said, cutting him off. “Go tie up Sebastian, make sure he’s gagged.” He led Kurt to the bed and sat him down, kneeling before him and holding Kurt’s hands to his lips. “We have a little time. Just tell me...everything.”

Kurt took a deep breath. He told Blaine everything--about the letters, the guard’s betrayal, his escape, and how he entered the castle. Blaine nodded along gravely until he told them about Santana, at which point Blaine stopped him, turning to Mike.

“Do you know anything about that--”

“No,” Mike said. “She wasn’t brought to us, and I didn’t hear anything--”

“We’ll find her when we get this under control,” Blaine said. “Go see if you can hear anything outside the door, and then check on what’s happening in the dining room. Call out to warn us if needed.”

He turned back to Kurt and kissed his hands, nuzzling into them when Kurt turned them over to caress Blaine’s face. “You were so brave, Kurt. I can’t tell you--I thought--”

Kurt stood and pulled Blaine to his feet and wrapped him up in his arms, careful not to touch his cauterized shoulder or his collarbone, the burn there shiny and pink.

“I know,” he said into Blaine’s neck, kissing the scars there gently. “I know, I thought I’d lost you--I thought he’d won--”

“He didn’t,” Blaine said firmly, hands drifting up to Kurt’s cheeks, cupping them tenderly, one thumb wiping away the blood from his left side. “There’s--there’s still a lot that needs to be done, battles that need to be fought. Nick coming here won’t magically fix--”

“I know,” Kurt interrupted, leaning his cheek into one of Blaine’s hands. “I know. Just tell me what you need me to do.”

Blaine’s eyes pleaded with Kurt as he breathed in shakily through trembling lips.

“I need you to stay safe,” Blaine said. “You--I’ll need you to stay alive in case I die, because--no--” Kurt opened his mouth to protest, but Blaine shook his head. “I need you to hear me. I will be sending one of the servants out the way you came in to make sure Nick is coming, and I will be joining whatever battle happens when he arrives. If I die, there will be a battle for the throne. I need you to relay my last wish that Lord Nicholas take the throne. He’s the best option, and I am naming him my heir. Do you hear me? Can you do that?”

Kurt closed his eyes against the tears that formed at the possibility, but he nodded, silent but for a quick whimper that slipped past his lips.

“No, sh, it won’t come to that,” Blaine soothed, laying his forehead against Kurt’s. “I just need to be careful. But I will do everything in my power to return to you, Kurt. And when this is all over--gods help any who try to keep me from you.”

He kissed Kurt hard. Kurt melted into him, tilting his head and parting his lips, moaning when Blaine’s tongue slid in against his own. He closed his lips around it and sucked, feeling Blaine’s chest vibrate in response.

After a moment, Blaine pulled back, gasping for air.

“I wish we had the time to continue our reunion,” he said regretfully, “but we don’t.”

Kurt nodded, sighing.

“What do we need to do? Right now.”

Blaine pulled back, kissing Kurt one last time, quick and sweet.

“We need to find out if Nick is on his way. If we can find a way to get Mike down to the basements--”

“No need.”

Mike peeked his head out from the secret passage and grinned.

“There’s fighting outside,” he said. “I think it’s Nick--”

And then, with a flash of movement and a glare of light from metal, Mike groaned and slumped to the ground, clutching his side, an alarming amount of blood seeping between his fingers. Sebastian stood in his place, panting and twirling his dagger in his hands.

“I’ll be back for you,” he hissed, and then, with a click of the door and the screams of servants beyond, he was gone.