“Our father sends you his best wishes,” Rachel said softly to Blaine. After an elaborate welcome breakfast, the pair had been forcefully encouraged to go for a walk in the castle gardens.

Blaine sighed heavily and nodded. As they wove through the beautiful flowers and elaborate stone sculptures and fountains, Blaine found himself becoming nostalgic for his younger days. Being alone with Rachel had been a comfort, because now he knew he could be himself completely, but he couldn’t help wonder what Kurt was doing at that moment.

Rachel watched a tiny blue bird flit between the branches of a towering maple tree, and then gazed up at Blaine, the golden sunlight bathing her face like a halo of warm light. Blaine knew that she was truly gorgeous. He hated himself for a short moment because he could not make himself love her. It wasn’t fair to Rachel.

Blaine found himself sighing again and ran his fingers over the delicate leaves of a bush of morning glory. They were blue, like Kurt’s eyes, but not quite the right shade of blue.

Gently, Rachel slipped a small hand into the crook of Blaine’s elbow and he allowed her to steer him towards a stone bench. The couple sat down. Blaine could not look at her.

However, Rachel reached forward and took Blaine’s jaw in her hand, forcing him to turn his head and look at her.

“Don’t you ignore me, Blaine Anderson. You forget that I have blackmail material if you decide to become unpleasant. After all, we used to take baths together when we were little,” Rachel said in her trademark determined voice. Blaine’s hard-set lips cracked into a small smile.

Rachel took that as a good sign and then exhaled deeply. “I know you love my brother.”

Blaine frowned at her.

“What? I-”

“I swear to God, Blaine, if you deny it, I will ensure that you wake up in the moat tomorrow morning.”

Blaine smiled again, this time bigger.

“That’s my boy,” Rachel said soothingly. “I know you love Kurt,” she repeated. “I’ve known for years. The way you look at him; it’s beautiful. When we entered that hall this morning, it was more obvious than ever. You had eyes only for him.”

“Rachel, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you,” Blaine said hurriedly.

“Do I sound insulted? No, I don’t think I do. Honestly, I think there’s no other man for Kurt than you.”

Blaine was quiet for a minute. “It’s not safe here, in my country, for me to love a man. My people aren’t as. . . liberally minded as yours are in McKinley. I’m sure you saw the way the court eyed Kurt. They know that he prefers men. They don’t like i-it.” Blaine’s voice cracked on the last word and Rachel laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I have to be King, Rachel. I have to marry a woman and make heirs and do it the traditional way. It’s the only way.”

“Blaine, of course it isn’t the only way. What is wrong with a country having two Kings? And you could always adopt a child. An orphan, with royal blood. I’m sure there are plenty in this world that would love to be adored by two fathers.”

“You don’t understand, Rachel,” Blaine sighed. “As much time as you’ve spent in my country, you still don’t get it. It can’t happen. I have no choice. We have no choice.”

The two of them sat in silence for a long time, Blaine staring at the grass, Rachel gazing at the sky.

“You know, I don’t want to be Queen,” Rachel finally said.

“W-what?” Blaine was shocked. Although Rachel was second in line to the crown of her country behind Kurt, she had been raised to be prepared for the possibility of her becoming Queen someday. “Rachel, you know that if we don’t get married, and you don’t become my Queen, then Dalton and McKinley won’t have the alliance our fathers have been working so hard on.”

“Yes, yes, and then Dalton will be invaded and McKinley will be the next target and all will be lost. I know that our countries are much stronger united against the enemy Carmel, but I have no desire to be Queen of anything.”

Blaine just stared at the girl next to him. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be without his future of being King.

“Then what will you do with your life?” he asked.

Rachel’s eyes brightened and she turned to Blaine, filled suddenly with energy. “There is a theatre group back in McKinley, called the New Directions. That is my dream. I want to perform, Blaine. I want to be a star. I want that world, not this one.”

“That’s insane,” Blaine said, but he was smiling.

Rachel nodded. “I know.”

“It’s brilliant, though. I wish it could happen. You really are quite talented, Rachel. I remember all of those plays we used to create when we were younger, all of those songs the three of us would sing at the top of our lungs as we ran through the corridors, all of those dances we would choreograph in the meadows.”

“I miss childhood,” murmured Rachel.

“Shall we name our favorite memories? To say goodbye to our youth?”

Rachel looked at Blaine with wide eyes. “I don’t want to say goodbye to it yet.”

“Then just for fun?”

She smiled. “You first.”

“I remember when I was four years old and I was visiting McKinley for the first time. I had never seen the ocean before, never felt such heat coming from the sun. The three of us were playing in the sea, pretending we were mermaids. A while after that trip, when I was old enough to live in my own chambers, I chose the South Tower, because if I looked hard enough, I could see the ocean in the very distance. It made me feel better when I missed you and Kurt particularly badly.”

“Wasn’t that the day the servants taught us to write our names in the sand?” Rachel asked, staring off into the distance as if she were watching the memory play out somewhere far away. 

“Kurt’s handwriting was the best out of us,” Blaine replied, laughing lightly. “It’s your turn.”

“Alright,” Rachel said. “I remember the first time I rode a horse when Kurt and I were visiting you for the summer holiday I turned seven. The stable boys led us up one of the mountains, and I recall being so terrified that I clutched the reins like a lifeline the entire time. My hands were so cramped when we returned to the castle.” Rachel laughed. “You were cantering along ahead of Kurt and I, already an expert, and Kurt kept rolling his eyes and trying to catch up to you.”

Blaine put an arm around Rachel’s thin shoulders and rested his head on top of hers.

Oh, Kurt. Blaine thought the name like a person would breathe a sigh. Softly and delicately, but with love and decisiveness. How I wish we could be children together again.

The two of them jumped slightly, having relaxed into a contented and friendly silence, when a servant approached them. He bowed deeply, straightened, and then cleared his throat.

“Princess Rachel is requested by her chambermaid to begin preparations for the royal engagement ball tonight,” the servant said. Rachel sighed quietly and stood. She curtsied, smiling kindly, to Blaine and then left with the servant. Blaine watched her go. 

Tonight he and Rachel would officially be future husband and wife. Blaine furrowed his brows, imagining what it would be like to be married to one of his closest friends. To make love to her. To be the father of her children. To have her stand by him until their own reign was finished.

But, he couldn’t. The only thing his mind allowed him to see in that place was Kurt.