Warnings: Dubcon, slavery, Past character death.

A/N: Whoa, so this chapter is hella long and I basically throw a shit ton of information in your faces. But that's good, because it's stuff both you and Blaine need to know, so why not tell you at the same time? Also, a few of you questioned Blaine's behavior in the last chapter, considering the complete 180 he turned from starting to trust Kurt to being terrified again, that is also explained. I hope you enjoy :)

Word Count: ~ 5,100

Kurt saw the moment Blaine's eyes widened in panic and immediately backtracked. "Shit, wait, that sounded wrong, I just meant I should tell you what I expect of you."

Blaine's breath was quick as he instinctively curled in on himself, shying away from Kurt when he stupidly reached out to try and soothe him.

"No, no, Blaine, that-that was wrong too. What I mean is, I don't expect anything of you, okay?" Kurt said, hoping that made more sense, and for a second it seemed to, Blaine's eyes losing their wild look, tremors of terror slowing slightly, until, apparently, a different translation, a very wrong translation, of those words occurred to him and he was straddling Kurt's lap, shaking hands gripping his hair painfully tight as he pressed a hasty, anxious kiss to Kurt's mouth.

Kurt froze for a minute, not sure how to respond as Blaine clung to him, mouth moving down to kiss along his throat and his hand went to Kurt's crotch, massaging him through his pants. Kurt choked back a moan, eyes rolling back his head, hips jerking fitfully to press himself harder into Blaine's hand even though he knew he really shouldn't, but the way Blaine was sucking just on the underside of his jaw was making it really hard for him to think of why he should be stopping this.

Only when Blaine squeezed a little too hard, making Kurt grunt in pain and dimming the haze of arousal buzzing through his body, did he feel the way Blaine was sobbing into his neck where he was leaving open mouthed kisses with every gasp, tears dripping onto his shoulder, and murmuring quiet pleas.

"Don't sell me, please don't, please. I'll be good, I'll be quiet, or-or loud, whatev-whatever you want, just please, please, please, don't get rid of me."

Kurt pushed Blaine gently off of him and Blaine's hands scrambled for the button on his pants, but Kurt pulled them away, pressing them tightly to the bed when Blaine fought against him. Blaine slumped, bent fully in half over his knees, hands held above his head by Kurt and sobbing into the mattress. "Let me fix it," he whimpered so, so quietly, "please, p-please, give me a cha-chance."

Kurt hushed him quietly, running a gentle hand through Blaine's curls, but keeping his grip on Blaine's wrists to hold him still. Blaine didn't stop shaking, but he stopped fighting, breath slowing and only minutely hitching every once in a while and Kurt let go of his wrists, gently tugging on his hair until Blaine kneeled back up.

"I started this all wrong, and you had every right to freak out, but can I please try again? I really do need to explain to you what I do and do not expect from you."

Blaine nodded weakly and Kurt scratched at his scalp gently, loving the way Blaine's eyelids fluttered slightly at the touch.

"We'll start with what I do not expect from you. I do not expect sex from you, I do not expect kisses from you, I do not expect cuddling anything. That latter one may happen in the future, but only if you feel comfortable enough to ask for it or initiate it. There will, however, never be any sexual contact between us ever again. I hate myself for what I had to do to you that first night, and I will never force you into anything like that in the future, and I won't allow you to initiate it because I have no way of telling if you really want it, or if you're just doing it because you think it's your duty or the only way for me to want to keep you around, like you were doing just now. That is unacceptable, and it will not happen again, is that understood?"

Blaine nodded slowly.

"Secondly, I will never sell you, Blaine. You've already been designated a sex slave and I know how most owners treat their sex slaves and I won't let that happen to you. But I can't free you either, so you're kind of stuck with me for… well, forever. And since we're stuck with each other it's probably be a lot nicer if we actually talked to each other. I won't make you talk if you really don't want to but… I liked how we were that day we did talk. You were happy and carefree and I know I shouldn't have asked… that question, and I'm really, really sorry I did, but if you'll give me a chance, I'd like us to be friends, not just… two people who share a bed and avoid each other for the rest of the day.

"You can't have a job, not one that is specifically designated for you at least, but if you want to, you can help out around the castle sometimes, work in the kitchen with Carol, the stables with Finn… I don't actually know if you've met him yet, but he's sweet. There's laundry, and gardening, and lots of different things you can do around the castle, you don't have to just sit in the room all alone when I'm not around, go out and explore. I want you to make the most of your life, Blaine," Kurt said, reaching out to take his hands, "I know it can't be the dream life, you'll never be allowed to own your own house, or get married, or have a litter of children running around, you can't be free… but I want you to try to make the best of your lot, and I would like to help you, if you'll let me."

Blaine frowned, "I-I can't…" he looked conflicted as to whether he wanted to ask or not, whether he really wanted to know the answer, "M-mariage makes sense, but can-can I not have a boyfriend ever?"

Kurt bit his lip, trying to ignore the ache in his chest as his mind immediately conjured up the image of Nick and Blaine cuddled together on the couch. "You'd have to hide it," he said quietly, "n-not from me, of course. I-I want you to be happy and that includes any future relationships you may decide to try-" Kurt's voice cracked and he cleared his throat, "but-um, the council wouldn't be too happy if they were to find out, they'd think I wasn't strong enough to control my own… you know," he mumbled, "sex slave. They think I should be possessive and want you all to myself, and you having a boyfriend wouldn't… well it might lead them to realize that I'm not using you." Kurt shrugged, eyes on their hands, unconsciously rubbing his thumbs over Blaine's knuckles. He let go when he realized what he was doing, sitting on his hands to keep himself from reaching out again.

Kurt shook his head to clear it and focus on Blaine. "Why-why do you ask?" Kurt stuttered, "Is there any...anyone you're… interested in?" He peeked up at Blaine through his eyelashes, noticing how the slave's brow was furrowed as he studied him curiously.

"No," Blaine said with a small shake of his head, "I-I just wanted to know."

Kurt nodded, heart thrumming happily at the answer. "Well, um, other rules I guess, uh… you can leave the room whenever you want, eat whenever you want, spend time with anyone you want, and basically do whatever you want. Except leave the castle grounds, that's a rule I didn't make, but it's for your safety. A lot of the council has determined that if a slave leaves the grounds without express permission they are to automatically be considered a runaway and well… it's not exactly pretty if one of them or the police find them before myself or my father."

Blaine noticed the change in Kurt's demeanor, talking about the last rule, face stricken and a little panicked and back tensed. He almost wanted to reach for him, but the prince's hands were tucked firmly under himself.

"I won't leave the grounds," he assured softly, instead.

Kurt gave him weak smile, "That's the only rule a member of the council is allowed to enforce," he informed him, "they will tend to enforce the "respectful names" rule, but even then, if they punish you for the way they refer to me, I want you to let me know, okay? They're not supposed to do that."

Blaine nodded, biting his lip and shifting uncomfortably. Kurt's eyes narrowed. "One of them already has," he stated. Blaine nodded again, keeping his eyes down. "When?"

Blaine swallowed "My-my second day in the castle. I went out to-to look for food and ran into Carmichael."

Kurt's nostrils flared and Blaine tensed, "He's why you thought you couldn't leave the room?"

Blaine wet his lips, "Yeah… he-he told me I couldn't leave unless with you, and that-" he took a deep breath, "that if you wanted me to-to eat, you'd send me food. Since you ha-hadn't, it meant I was being starved in punish-punishment."

Kurt's hands clenched into fists under his thighs, lips pressing into a firm line, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Blaine's breathing was quick, "He-he hit me, and he t-told me you'd do wor-worse once you found out I-I'd left. I was scared to te-tell you."

Kurt ground his teeth together, "Where did he hit you?"

Blaine blushed, squirming in his seat, not able to meet Kurt's eyes. "He-he spa-spanked me," he muttered quietly.

Kurt closed his eyes, taking a few deep, calming breaths. He could tell Blaine was nervous already, stuttering and shaking, and Kurt getting angry would only upset him more, so he fought to keep his cool.

"Carmichael has no control over you," he said finally, "none of the council does, you can oblige small orders if you wish, to prevent the chance of them punishing you, but anything that makes you uncomfortable or that goes directly against something I have told you you can do, you don't have to comply. Tell them that I am your master and they do not have any power over you, do you understand?"

Blaine nodded jerkily and Kurt reached out to him, happy when Blaine still let him take his hands.

"Your feelings don't matter to them, but my ownership of you does, and acknowledging that you are mine is the only way to get them to back off. The other slaves don't have that luxury, since they are owned by the state, my father has power over how they are treated in general, but he can't prevent the council from bossing them around, I can stop it with you though, because you are mine and mine alone. I will never refer to myself as your master, or expect you to refer to me as such unless it is for your protection, okay?"

"Yes, Kurt," Blaine said softly.

Kurt brought Blaine hand to his mouth, kissing his knuckles gently. "Do you have any questions?"

Blaine thought, he had a million questions, but first he needed to sort through everything Kurt had told him. Figure out what it all meant and how he felt about it. "Can I ask you tomorrow?" he questioned quietly.

Kurt smiled, "Sure, I have something I need to do tomorrow anyway, and I was hoping you'd come with me. We'll have time to talk on the way if you decide to accompany me."

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked.

Kurt pursed his lips, "It'll be a surprise, should you decide to join me. If not, well, I guess you'll never know."

Blaine frowned, "That's hardly fair, for all I know you could be going to some big shindig where all the nobles would want to fondle me."

Kurt's eyes hardened and if Blaine had to guess he would say Kurt was thinking about all the nobles he knew that would want to do just that. "I wouldn't do that to you," Kurt said, sounding slightly hurt that Blaine would even think that, "if I do ever take you to a party, I'll keep you close and make sure everyone else keeps their hands off of you."

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand until he looked up at him, "I know," he murmured, "I trust you to protect me."

Kurt tried to not let the smile on his face stretch too wide. "You trust me?" he whispered, almost in disbelief.

Blaine thought. He wasn't sure how much he trusted Kurt, not yet, not with all the conflicting signals he was getting, but the one thing he knew was certain was that Kurt was fiercely protective over his slaves and he wouldn't let anyone else touch what belonged to him, his reaction to Carmichael spanking him and his and Nick's closeness earlier was enough to tell him that.

Blaine just nodded, returning the smile with a small one of his own, not sure how to convey all of that without hurting Kurt's feelings, so he left it with the nod.

Kurt went to sleep shortly after, but Blaine was left awake, too many thoughts running through his head. Blaine had believed in Kurt when he first got back to the room with Nick, believed he was as good of a guy as everyone said he was, because he'd seen enough that pointed that way. And seeing him interact with Rachel had reinforced that image, Kurt was young and confused just like he was, and if they talked it out, it would all make sense, everything he had done would have clear reasons.

But the look in Kurt's eyes when he'd seen Blaine holding Nick hands, he'd been hurt, he'd been upset, and how far were those emotions from turning to anger, really? And what did the other slaves know about how Kurt would treat him? They didn't belong to him, they weren't his and his alone, how could it possibly be the same? And maybe Kurt was nice to him when Kurt was the only place he could receive any kind of kindness from. What about when he started making friends and getting love and affection from them? Would Kurt stop being nice? Or would he take the friends away? Leave Blaine alone and isolated again, so he could play his mind games and make Blaine think he cared and that he was the only one who cared. Would he take Nick away from him? Could Blaine handle that?

When Kurt had asked to eat in the room… Blaine knew he was right. He was going to be cut off from everyone again, even Carole, and that would be how Kurt finally broke him completely. And then Brittany and Santana showed up and Kurt was worried about Brittany, and let Brittany cuddle next to Blaine and he'd seemed actually happy about them being close and Blaine didn't know what to think.

Now Kurt had listed off all these rules that were more like orders for Blaine to just have a life and make it happy and he promised safety and protection and even love and affection if Blaine wanted it and it all seemed too good to be true, but, god, did he want it to be true but it was terrifying to hope but Blaine didn't know how he would last without a little hope. So he let himself believe, let himself believe that Kurt was as good as everyone said, that Kurt would be kind and fair and give him as much freedom to make the best out of his limited life, and he hoped that believing wouldn't be the thing that shattered him.

Blaine jolted awake to Kurt gently shaking his arm, feeling like he'd only fallen asleep minutes prior. "Do you still want to come with me?" Kurt asked, and he was already dressed, simple jeans and a black t-shirt with a beanie pulled down over his head, forcing his bangs to lie flat and in his eyes, deaging his face dramatically, and making him look so, so young. He was ready to slip on his shoes and leave if Blaine said no, but Blaine needed to give Kurt a chance to prove himself to be as noble as he said he was. So he hauled himself out of bed, showered quickly, and dressed in the clothes Kurt had left in the bathroom for him. Kurt was waiting by the door for him, when he came out, holding his shoes and a backpack.

"What's that for?" Blaine asked as he slipped the simple pair of sneakers on his feet, nodding at the backpack.

"Oh, it has food, water bottles, a jacket, you know, just in case. The walk won't be horribly long, but… you did a lot of crying yesterday so you need to keep hydrated. I have the same things in mine," he shrugged his shoulders, making the bag on his back bounce a little.

Blaine nodded, taking the bag from him. "Do I get to know where we're going yet?"

Kurt smiled, "Nope."

Blaine sighed, but followed Kurt out of the room. They didn't make it far at first, stopping in the garden. Kurt busied himself in picking a beautiful bouquet of flowers while Blaine watched, nibbling on a granola bar since they hadn't stopped to eat breakfast. Once Kurt was satisfied with his arrangement, he had Blaine help him tie a beautiful teal ribbon around the stems to hold them together and then they walked on.

They walked for a while, past the stables, past a field of crops, and right to the gate that lead into the city. Blaine paused as Kurt started to unlock it.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to leave the castle grounds," Blaine said, keeping back and glancing around fearfully as Kurt pushed it open.

Kurt frowned at the worry on Blaine's face and reached for his hand, "It's okay, as long a you're with me, you'll be fine, just stay close and don't wander off, okay?"

Blaine nodded carefully, took the proffered hand, and followed Kurt out of the gate. It was still early and most of the citizens were asleep, but Kurt kept his head down, not meeting anyone's eye. Blaine wondered if anyone would actually recognize him, even if they got a good look at his face. Sure, there were pictures of the king all over the place, but Kurt? Any pictures of him that Blaine could remember were of a small porcelain skinned child buried in text books that none of the kids actually read. And Blaine was shocked to realize that truthfully, before being gifted to him, he had never really known what Kurt looked like. Blaine racked his brain, trying to remember old textbooks he'd seen and if there had been pictures of young Burt in them or not, and if they kept his face just as hidden from the townspeople as they had Kurt, but he honestly couldn't remember one way or another.

When they reached the woods at the edge of town, Kurt relaxed exponentially, being away from anyone that might see them calming him. And in relaxing he noticed the deep lines on Blaine's forehead from his furrowed brow and pursed lips.

"You're thinking very loudly, Blaine," Kurt said and the slave jumped a little at his voice in the quiet hum of the woods, "Have you figured out what questions you want to ask?"

Blaine bit his lip, "For-for being the future king, you're rather a mystery to your people, you know that?"

Kurt hummed and nodded in confirmation.

"I-I wasn't alive when your father took the throne-"

Kurt scoffed, "Clearly, I wasn't even born yet."

"Yeah, but, I remember my parents talking about how handsome a prince your father was when he was young, all the girls in the town fawning over him, wishing he could date a commoner… and now that I think about it, I've never heard of your father having been married. Clearly I knew you existed, but even that was barely a paragraph in a textbook, and there not one word about your mother, who she is, where she came from… not even a name."

Blaine trailed off as he noticed the tightness in Kurt's jaw, back straight and shoulders set. He looked… angry, but not quite, more pained. Blaine could guess that is not a question he had expected Blaine to ask.

"And you're not much better," he continued carefully, "I haven't seen a picture of you since you were a child… it's, it's almost like they wanted you to not even exist."

Kurt licked his lips slowly, "Well, you have that about right, they do wish I didn't exist, or at least that my father would have another son, a better heir."

Blaine frowned, "Why? You're strong, you're assertive, you're caring enough about your slaves, I can't even begin to imagine how good you'd be with the people, and yet, they don't think you're worthy? Why? And who are they to decide whether you should be king?"

Kurt paused in his steps and Blaine had a feeling they were getting close to their destination and Kurt didn't want to have this conversation there. Kurt let go of Blaine's hand, folding them instead, across his chest, and leaned against a tree.

"They are the council," he said slowly, "Carmichael and all those other old men that are mostly royal original purpose was to aid the king, help him run the kingdom, give him advice in tough decisions. But after a few bad kings, it was decided to give them more power, the power to stop any laws they deemed unfair, the power to stop anyone from becoming king that they deemed unfit. It was a good plan, until the council members became just as corrupt and power hungry as the kings. And when a good king came around again, he could do nothing to change the power they held over him."

Blaine pursed his lips, "And they don't want you to be king?" Kurt nodded, "Why?"

Kurt shook his head, letting out a breath that was somewhere between a sigh and humorless laugh. "Many, many reasons."

"Because you're gay?" Blaine said.

"That one of them," Kurt confirmed.

"Because you want to change the slave laws?"

"And that's another one, those are… two of the biggest ones-"

"But not the biggest one?" Blaine inferred.

Kurt let his head fall back against the tree, eyes closing, before he let himself give Blaine a small nod.

"And that biggest on has something to do with your mother?"

Kurt opened one eye to peer at him suspiciously, "For someone who has barely spoken to me for the past month you're prying quite a bit."

Blaine dropped his eyes, "You-you told me I could ask you questions…"

"Yeah," Kurt said and Blaine could hear the snippy edge to his voice starting to come out, even if Kurt was trying to fight it back, "but I expected the questions to stay focussed on you and what you were allowed to do or not do and life in the castle, stuff like that. Not about personal matters that don't concern you."

"Don't concern me? Of course it concerns me, the possibility of you not being the next king concerns me! I have a right to know, because I am a citizen of this town!"

"No you're not!" Kurt shouted, "You're a slave, Blaine! Not a citizen! You don't have a right to know, because the only rights you have are the ones I give you and I say you don't need to know this, so back off!"

Blaine stumbled back a few steps, face crumpling and arms wrapping tightly around himself. Kurt's face softened when he saw the fear returning to Blaine's eyes. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean that. Of course this concerns you, and of course you're still a citizen, I just really, don't like talking about it, okay? All you need to know is that I have enough council members on my side and as long as I can keep them there, when the day comes for me to take the throne, I will be king."

Blaine nodded shakily, flinching slightly when Kurt reached out a hand for him to take. Blaine hesitated for a moment before entwining his fingers with Kurt's and letting him lead him the remainder of the way through the woods. They spent the rest of the walk in silence and Blaine could feel the tension in the air between them, almost stifling despite the fact that they were outside. It almost made him want to let go and run, runaway just to get away from the awkwardness surrounding them, but Kurt's grip was firm, so he kept walking.

When they exited the tree line, Blaine knew exactly where they were, but was a bit confused as to why. Kurt led him along the rows of graves until they reach one placed directly under a weeping willow. Kurt kneeled carefully on the ground, letting go of Blaine's hand to give him the option of sitting or standing. Blaine chose to sit, easing himself gently onto the ground next to Kurt and looked at the headstone.

Elizabeth Dawn Simmons

Loving Mother

Kurt took the wilted bouquet of flowers out of the vase on the headstone, handing them to Blaine to hold while he retrieved a water bottle from his backpack. He filled the vase again and sat the fresh bouquet carefully inside before sitting back. He took the dead flowers from Blaine and started carefully picking the petals off, crushing them in his fist, and letting them fall to the ground on top of the grave.

Blaine sat quietly next to Kurt, thinking of who this woman was, and there was only one answer. It was Kurt's mother. But that still didn't make sense, this was the commoner cemetery, a queen would not be buried here… but, Kurt's mother wasn't a queen, the gravestone didn't even say anything about her being a wife, which meant her and Burt had not been married when Kurt was born and never married after, but…. oh, oh.

"Your mother wasn't of noble birth," Blaine breathed. Kurt stiffened beside him but didn't say anything and the reaction was confirmation enough. Of course Burt and Elizabeth wouldn't be allowed to marry, not without her having any royal blood. And of course they wouldn't want the son of a commoner to be king, no wonder they tried to hide Kurt, pretend he didn't exist so that Burt could marry a noblewoman and have a son they deemed worthy of the throne. That one small fact made so many of Kurt's complications in life make so much more sense to Blaine.

Blaine reached out a hand when Kurt had pulled and crushed the last of the petals. Kurt took it and Blaine squeezed it in comfort. They sat in silence for a while until Blaine spoke.

"Tell me about her?" he asked quietly.

Kurt blinked quickly a few times before giving a shaky nod. "She loved the horses, had me riding before I could walk. Obviously not alone, with her, or Dad, until I was old enough to hold myself up on them. She gave me Pavarotti just before she died. He was a newborn who'd lost his mother… I can't even count the number of nights my father found me sleeping in his stall because I felt like… even with the species barrier, he knew what I was feeling.

"I don't remember what she looked like, Dad says I look just like her, but I don't know if it's true or not. I-I remember her voice, though. She loved singing, the-the piano in my room was hers, my dad bought it for her. I don't even know how to play, but when my dad talked about getting rid of it, I couldn't let him, so I took it.

"The council was horrible to her, everyone was, really. Offered her money to leave when they found out she was pregnant with me. But she wouldn't take it. She loved my dad, didn't want to just disappear in the middle of the night, or keep me away from him. She had faith the laws would change, that he could change them and they could be together… really together, married, with her as his equal, not his-" he cut himself off abruptly, shaking his head.

"She's been dead ten years and nothing has changed. I'm not sure I believe it ever will at this point."

Blaine laid his head gently on Kurt's shoulder. "You can change it, you're young and you already know this is something that needs to be different. You have your whole life to work on it, your father's only had eighteen years. Don't let up, and you can make a difference."

They lapsed back into silence, Kurt eventually resting his cheek against Blaine's curls. They sat in front of the grave for a while, Kurt occasionally listing off something else about his mother, Blaine was content to just sit and listen to Kurt talk until his stomach growled loudly and Kurt looked up to the sky.

"It's almost lunch time, we should head back," Kurt said, letting go of Blaine's hand so he could stand up. Blaine followed suit, grabbing onto Kurt's arm when the world started to spin. "You okay?" Kurt asked in concern.

Blaine nodded, "Yeah, stood up too quickly is all."

"I haven't seen you touch the water in your backpack," Kurt scolded, "you're probably dehydrated. Get one out and another granola bar while you're at it. I don't want you passing out on me on the way back."

Blaine grumbled but did as he was told. He ate as they walked, bumping shoulders with Kurt every once in a while to make up for being unable to hold his hand. They were a few feet from the tree line when Blaine paused, turning back to the cemetery and biting his lip as he scanned the rows of graves.

"Blaine?" Kurt said, touching his shoulder gently.

"Could we… I mean, could I-" he gestured vaguely out at the cemetery, not sure how to ask.

"Is there someone you'd like to visit?"

Blaine nodded giving Kurt a slightly pleading look.

Kurt laughed, "Of course we can go see them, do you know where they are?"

Blaine frowned, "I think so… I haven't been able to visit since the funeral."

Kurt gave him a sympathetic smile, "Point us in the general direction and I'll help you look."

It took them another half an hour before Kurt called out that he found her and Blaine practically sprinted to him, only slowing down when he almost tripped over the headstone for a stillborn baby. When he got there, he dropped to his knees in front of the headstone, a teary smile on his face as his fingers traced the writing.

Riza Layla Anderson

"Hi, Nana."