Blaine poked through his wardrobe and even dug the clothing out from under his bed trying to find someone appropriate to wear.

Clearly he had done something to upset Kurt, or maybe Kurt was upset at something else, because in the short time he had known him, Kurt had gone from warm to cold. Maybe that was part of his diplomatic skill, making it seem like he was truly interested in a person and then when he had the person hooked, becoming indifferent to them.

Blaine needed Kurt to be open with him though. He was his best shot at getting the information he needed to help his family. Plus it wouldn't hurt to take the opportunity, while it was available, to get close to such a good looking individual. Nick and Jeff were no doubt enjoying the freedom they suddenly had, so why shouldn't he?

He pulled out a red tunic and put it across his chest. He hadn't worn this in awhile. He discarded the hanger to the ground and pulled the tunic over his head. It had a built in gold-threaded rope belt which he drew together and tied. With the plain white leggings he had on, this should make him look regal enough.

Blaine looked over at Cat, who laid on the bed in some sort of drugged and dopey state, rolling around in the pillows and mewling periodically. The Catmint was long gone at this point.

He shook his head at the sight and smiled to himself. If Cat could enjoy the evening, so too should he.

Blaine walked to his door, pausing at the dresser to grab a nice silver chain which he strung around his neck and left the room, closing it behind him.

Crossing the hall, Sam nodded to him and spoke, "Just so you know, my replacement for the evening will be here by the time you're done your supper. His name is Jake. He will patrol this hall until dawn."

Blaine nodded his acknowledgement and knocked on Kurt's door. He had purposely waited until just after sunset to come across the hall so he didn't appear over eager or insistent. He could smell that the food had already arrived from the smell emanating from behind the door he stood at.

"Come in." Kurt's voice called from inside. Blaine turned the knob and opened the door, stepping in. The food was placed on trays atop the table sitting near his sister's... now Kurt's bed. He salivated a little, realizing how long it had been since he had actually eaten in all the chaos of the day. It was a nicely spiced chicken with potatoes and a mix of greens. It was accompanied by bread rolls, dipping sauces, and rice pudding for dessert. His stomach made a low growl.

Kurt was across the room, standing at the window which on this side of the castle overlooked the stables. He had a glass in his hand of what Blaine assumed was a red wine by the looks, nearly emptied. He did not turn to greet Blaine, looking over the stables below. Blaine could hear from where he was the yelling outside as people called for horses for evening patrols.

Blaine stepped further in and shut the door behind him, feeling ill-at-ease with the lack of any acknowledgement. He took a deep breath in and reminded himself that this was an opportunity to show his skills as a leader, and initiate.

"I apologize for my tardiness. Can I offer you another drink or would you like to begin dinner?" Blaine stepped towards Kurt, stopping when Kurt turned. Kurt's face was flushed and his pupils were blown. He held the glass to Blaine who took it. "I think a drink AND dinner would be just fine." Kurt brushed past Blaine and went to sit at the table, picking up a fork and looking over the plate in front of him critically.

Blaine took the wine bottle off the table and poured Kurt another full glass which he then set in front of the red-cheeked boy. He sat across from Kurt and spoke, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me tonight. I understand it's been a difficult day for you as well and I appreciate everything you've done for me despite that."

Kurt poked the greens with his fork, "Do your people cook everything so thoroughly or am I going to have to make my own suppers?"

Blaine had not anticipated that response. "Ah... well... The king... I mean my father prefers everything cooked thoroughly, so that's what they're used to making. I'm sure if you preferred a salad we could accommodate you however."

Kurt huffed and let his fork fall, reaching for a bread roll. "Who is... 'we'? You haven't been granted any special privilege by me and you're already speaking in royal english." He tore a bite out of the bun and stared at Blaine as he chewed.

"I..." Blaine startled and looked at Kurt intently back, "I didn't mean to offend you. Please... tell me what I've done. You went from friendly to angry with me and I don't know why." Better to be direct since he had no idea what was going on.

Kurt threw the bun to the side and stood up, leaning over the table with palms flat on it. His face with a hair's breath away from Blaine's and Blaine could smell the wine on Kurt and feel the heat radiating off Kurt's face. Blaine's cheeks began burning and he looked wide-eyed into the glasz orbs directly in front of his own.

"You wouldn't would you? You have been kept so pure and innocent in this little palace. You don't realize how much the clothes and necklace you're wearing cost in terms of lives. How most of your people probably don't get to bath once a week in dirty rain water and you get a full tub of hot, scented clean spring water. You have no idea what your family has done. You've gotten to live a plum little life with no cares while the rest of us have lost people we love because of your father."

Blaine's adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed in his nervous was. The burn in his cheeks spreading out over his face. "I'm sorry..." he weakly whispered, surprised that the words came up at all.

"You're sorry?!" Kurt stood back up and Blaine released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in. Kurt raised both hands up in a frantic gesture, "You're sorry?! Really. Well too bad. You don't get to be sorry. Sorry isn't helping the people around you. Sorry won't fix it. You have to do that!" Kurt grabbed his glass and took another full drink of the wine in a very un-gentlemanly like manner.

Blaine crossed his hands over his lap and shook his head. "You're right... I am sorry though - and not for whatever my father has done that I will have to somehow make up for. I'm sorry about whatever is hurting you, about the pain you seem to be feeling."

Kurt stopped mid drink and set the glass down, walking around the table and kneeling now in front of Blaine. The heat was back and Blaine turned his head to once again go eye to eye with Kurt.

Kurt slipped his head forward and whispered into Blaine's ear softly and invitingly. "You know my father is worried that I'm going to fall for you and create some kind of over dramatic situation."

Blaine choked a little on his own breath. "I... what?" Not only was he not exuding the confidence he had hoped for this evening, but Blaine was sure he was also coming across as absolutely incompetent.

Kurt's lips stayed by Blaine's ear and Blaine found himself pressing his legs together tightly, trying to keep things contained. "My father is Burt Hummel. Leader of the army."

Blaine's eyes snapped shut. This is why Kurt was so respected among the troops. He was the son of their leader.

"Your father is responsible for the death of my mother and my grandfather."

Blaine's eyes snapped back open and he pulled his head back, looking at Kurt who was licking his lips. "What?!"

Kurt placed a hand on each of Blaine's thighs, and his lips twitched up in the corners, "So I'm not going to fall for you. You may have been here so innocent and carefree, but your innocence came at the cost of my own and my father before me."

Blaine's body was a mess at this point. Conflicted by the angry words coming out of Kurt's mouth which would normally put him on the defensive, and the touch of Kurt's hands on his thighs which might have otherwise relaxed him completely.

Kurt stood up and went to go sit back in his seat across from Blaine. "So I'll eat your overcooked vegetables for now, because when I'm done grooming you for a throne you don't deserve, I will put this life behind me."

Blaine looked over at Kurt who started digging into the vegetables with his fork and shovelling them into his mouth, looking down at his plate the entire time. Did all that just really happen? How could he eat like everything was alright?

Blaine didn't know what else to do, so he picked up his own fork and began eating his dinner as well. For all his well laid plans about wowing Kurt with his eloquence and ideas for the kingdom, nothing came out of this dinner but silence and awkwardness.

When he had finished eating he quietly excused himself, though Kurt, in the middle of what Blaine had counted to be his fourth glass of wine since he had arrived, didn't seem to notice that Blaine existed anymore.

He fled back across the hall to his room, nodding all too quickly at the replacement guard there - Jake was it? Blaine shut the door behind him and ripped the clothing and chain off him, tossing them onto the floor as he went to his bed and fell on it, letting a low scream out into his pillow.

Dear god. What had his dad done? How could he be expected to fix things? He didn't even know what had gone on and now he had the son of his father's enemy flirting with him? No. It wasn't flirting. He was doing it to make him feel uncomfortable. He knew Blaine was gay and was using it against it.

Well he succeeded, Blaine decided. He felt smaller and more pathetic than ever.

He struck the stack of papers Kurt had given him earlier off the nightstand, letting them scatter and fall to the floor. Well damn him. Two could play that game. If Kurt's father was truly worried that Kurt would fall for Blaine then that meant Kurt had to be attracted to men too, which mean Blaine could use that to his advantage as well.

Blaine rolled onto his back and stared up at the red canopy. Tomorrow morning they would go into Westerville. He needed to keep it together. He needed to keep the upper hand. He needed to get over the fact that it would be the first time he had been out of the castle and maintain his focus. Tonight had been an absolute disaster and he couldn't let that hang over him.

Cat curled up against Blaine's side and purred. He reached down to pet the feline.

"I'm not going to let myself continue to be everyone's scapegoat Cat. This is my time."