Chapter Text
Kurt sat on his couch, wearing pajama pants, a t-shirt, and a long cardigan sweater, while eating ice cream straight out of the tub and wallowing in self-pity, as he watched a cheesy rom-com movie on TV. His day had gone from bad to worse. First, he was laid off from his job as a senior designer at a high-end fashion house. Then, he was mugged at knifepoint on his way home from the office. And then, when he finally got home, he’d learned that his ex-boyfriend – who he had been with for three years and only been separated from for three months – was now engaged to be married. So Kurt thought he could drown his sorrows in a pint of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream and a funny, lighthearted movie about love. But all the movie did was remind him of how painfully alone he felt.
“Ugh! Why can’t I meet a hot stranger that will rush over to help me out and take care of me after a car splashes muddy water all over me? Even the guys I date aren’t that polite, nevermind someone I don’t even know.” Kurt complained. “The hot guy in question doesn’t even have to be extremely wealthy, like this guy in the movie is…but it would be a nice bonus; especially since I don’t even have a job at the moment, and all my bank accounts and credit cards are currently frozen because my wallet was stolen.”
As the movie went on, Kurt was feeling more and more miserable and pathetic. He sighed, his mood turning bitter, as he grumbled, “I wish there was a sweet, honest, generous guy like that – that genuinely cared about me – that actually existed, so I wouldn’t be alone forever. Dealing with everything that’s happened today would be so much easier if I had someone to share the burden with.”
Golden sparks shimmered in front of him, then suddenly a small, six-inch pixie appeared before him. Kurt stared at the tiny, winged faerie, hovering in front of his face, with disbelief. “What the…” he trailed off. He rubbed his eyes, trying to blink away the image. “I must be hallucinating. Or maybe I fell asleep, and this is a really weird dream, because there is no way Tinkerbell is flying around my living room right now.”
“My name is Álainn, not Tinkerbell; and I am neither a hallucination nor a dream,” the pixie replied. “I’m here because you made a wish, and it’s my job to fulfill that wish for you.”
Kurt’s jaw dropped when he heard the high-pitched voice speak to him, and he continued to stare at the pixie apprehensively. “Uh… I’m sorry; what?”
“I said, it’s my job to fulfill your wish,” she repeated.
“What wish?”
“Your wish to be loved, of course,” she told him. “You need someone to share your heart with. Right now, your heart is sad, and its yearning is immense. The intensity of your pain is so strong that it was able to pierce the border between your realm and mine, which is how I was able to hear your wish. So, I was sent here to relieve that pain and help you find what you seek.”
“And how exactly are you going to do that? Wave that little magic wand around and create a boyfriend for me out of thin air?” he asked, sarcastically.
“This is a staff, not a wand. And of course I’m not going to create a person. That would be against the rules. I’m going to help you find the one that your heart desires.”
“What my heart desires doesn’t exist. Trust me. I’ve looked. Prince Charming is just a fantasy.”
“Maybe you’ve just been looking in the wrong places. Ever think of that?” she asked him, petulantly.
“Right. So where should I look then?”
“Let’s find out.” The pixie closed her eyes and twirled her staff in a circular motion above her head for a few seconds – leaving behind a shimmering trail of gold – before her eyes sprung open, and she looked at Kurt with a bright grin. “I found your anamchara! He’s in the Highlands!”
“My Prince Charming is in Scotland?” he asked, skeptically.
“Not those Highlands. The Arcane Highlands.”
“Uh-huh. Sure. And where exactly is that?”
“In the Miotas Realm – on the other side of the veil.”
“The veil? What are you talking about?”
“The veil is what separates your realm from another.”
“Are you saying that my future boyfriend is a faerie? As in the magical being type of faerie, and not the derogatory name for a gay man type of fairy?”
“No, silly!” she said, exasperatedly. “I said that he was in the Miotas Realm, not the Faerie Realm. Although, it is more common to see fae in his realm than yours, since the people over there actually believe in magic, and are more respectful to our kind.”
“My mistake,” Kurt replied, sarcastically. “So he’s human – like me?”
“Human, yes. But not exactly like you, since you are only half-human.”
“Excuse me!?”
“You are half-fae. That’s why I was sent to grant your wish.”
Kurt closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and breathed deeply. “This is not happening,” he muttered.
“Do you not know how to cross the veil into the Miotas Realm on your own?”
“I don’t even know what that is, let alone how to get there.”
“I think the people of this realm would most likely refer to it as a ‘fantasy world’ or a ‘fairytale world’. Other than this realm and the Faerie Realm, it is the only other realm you can access.”
“Of course.”
“Would you like me to take you there? Show you where you can find the man you seek?”
Kurt let out a humorless laugh. “Considering that none of this is real, and I’m obviously hallucinating or something, sure. Why not? Take me to these so-called Arcane Highlands in this Miotas Realm – or whatever it’s called – so I can meet the man of my dreams.”
“You got it! Hang on tight!” The pixie pointed her staff at him, and he was suddenly blinded by a bright white light.
---
Prince Blaine was riding in the back of his carriage when it came to a sudden halt. “Why have we stopped?” he called out to his driver. When he didn’t hear a response, he poked his head out of the window to see if he could determine a reason for their delay.
A bright, glowing, circle of light had appeared in the night sky just ahead of them. “What is that?” Blaine wondered aloud, to no one in particular. Suddenly there was an iridescent beam of light flowing out of the circle, down to the ground below. Inside the beam of light was an object that looked like a comet rushing toward the earth.
When the object collided with the ground, the ground shook, and there was a loud booming sound. Blaine hurriedly got out of his carriage and began to rush toward the fallen object.
“Your Highness!” Lachlan, his Royal Guard, shouted, chasing after him with a lantern in hand. The guard caught up to Blaine quickly and prevented him from getting any closer. “Your Highness, please, stay back. We don’t know what that was. Whatever it was could be dangerous.”
“We need to assess the damage,” Blaine retorted. “Make sure there are no casualties.”
“We are in the middle of nowhere. We are the only noticeable travellers on this road. And there are no houses or businesses as far as the eye can see.”
“Then we must check to see that whatever has fallen is not a hazard that can spread to where there are houses and businesses. We are still within the borders of my kingdom; therefore, I am responsible for ensuring the safety of its citizens.”
Lachlan nodded. “I will go. You should stay here, with the carriage and driver.”
“The Oracle chose to send me on a perilous quest to the Western Border to find the key to my kingdom’s salvation, not you. If I could not handle myself, I would not have been tasked with such an urgent endeavor. You are only here because my father insisted I not go alone. But he is not here right now, which means I am in charge. I will go. You may accompany me if you must, but I will survey the area myself.” Blaine retrieved a second lantern from the carriage, then he and the guard cautiously walked over to the crash site together. Lachlan remained slightly ahead of Blaine, watching out for any signs of danger.
When they reached the area where the object had landed, they discovered a deep crater that was formed upon impact. In the center of the crater, was a young man, who appeared to be unconscious.
Blaine motioned for Lachlan to go toward the young man. “Quick! We must check on him and tend to his injuries.”
Before Blaine could take a step toward him, the guard pulled him backward. “Your Highness, he might be a threat. It’s best if we don’t get too close.”
“A threat? Look at him. He is hurt. He needs our help.”
“We don’t know who he is or where he came from. Nor do we have any idea if that mysterious light affected him in any way.”
“For all we know, he is an innocent citizen of my kingdom that was wounded by whatever fell out of that light. And I will not stand idly by and do nothing to help him.” Blaine broke out of Lachlan’s grip and carefully climbed down into the crater to check on the unconscious man.
The man began to stir, looking disoriented, as Blaine approached. Clutching at his head and looking around confused, the man muttered, “Where am I?”
“You are in the Arcane Highlands, near the Western Border,” Blaine told him. “Are you hurt? Can you tell me your name?”
“I’m, um…” He groaned in pain as he tried to sit up. “I’m a little sore. But I think I’m okay.” The man looked at Blaine with a puzzled expression. “Are you wearing a crown and a…cape? Why would you…? Are you going to a costume party?”
“I am Prince Blaine of Dalton. I am on an extremely important quest, decreed by the Oracle herself, on behalf of my kingdom; and the law states that I must adorn certain royal regalia while performing official duties,” Blaine answered.
“Did you say, ‘Prince Blaine’? Like, an actual prince? You are actual, literal royalty?”
“Yes. Now it is your turn to answer. Who are you? Where are you from? This region of the kingdom is uninhabited. How did you get here? I do not see a horse or carriage anywhere.”
“I’m…” he paused, then looked at Blaine confused, “I’m not sure. I don’t recall.”
“To which question are you answering?”
“All of them. I… I can’t remember anything at all…except a bright light. I remember being blinded by a bright light; and then…nothing.” He looked around, frightened. “What happened to me? Why can’t I remember anything? What’s going on?”
“I do not know,” Blaine replied. “My entourage was heading west, as the Oracle instructed, when we saw an unusual circle of light, glowing, in the sky. Something that looked like a comet, fell from the light, and crashed into the ground. Upon inspection of the impact site, we found you – unconscious.”
“Are you saying I was hit by a comet that fell from the sky?”
Lachlan, who had been silently standing watch while the two men conversed, replied, “Either that, or you are the comet that fell out of that light.”
“What? If I had fallen from the sky, I would be dead. There is no way I could have survived a fall like that! I don’t think I would have even been able to survive getting hit by something falling from such a height.”
“It is possible that you were not hit directly,” Blaine supplied. “You could have just been hit by some debris after it crashed. Or knocked off your feet from the force of the impact, which had caused the ground to shake.”
“Your Highness,” Lachlan said, hesitantly, getting Blaine’s attention, “there are no other craters. This is the only disturbance to the land. Whatever fell from the sky, it landed here. And there is nothing in this crater except for him.”
“Men do not just fall out of the sky, Lachlan! It is more likely that he had fallen into the crater after the comet crashed and disintegrated upon impact,” Blaine told him. He looked back at the man, and continued, “We should get you checked out by a doctor. My carriage is just across the road.” Blaine helped the man to stand, then asked, “Do you need assistance to get there?”
“No. I can walk. Thank you.”
“Please do be careful though. You are without footwear.”
Lachlan looked at Blaine apprehensively. In a hushed tone he asked, “Sir, is that wise? Taking him with us? He could be dangerous.”
“I cannot leave him here alone,” Blaine replied. “It is the middle of the night, and the closest town is almost ten kilometers away. He could be more injured than he is aware. He needs our help.”
“Yes, Sir, I understand. But I insist he be checked for weapons or other hazardous items before I allow him any further.”
“Very well,” he agreed. Blaine turned to the man to get his permission. “You do not mind if my guard, Lachlan, checks you for weapons, do you?”
“I suppose that would be alright.”
Lachlan patted him down and found nothing. He then helped both the prince and the man out of the crater and escorted them to the carriage. Once the two men were safely in the back of the carriage, he took his own seat up front, next to the driver.
---
As soon as they were in the carriage, Blaine hung his lantern on an interior hook, retrieved a flask of water and a towel from his pack, then handed them to the stranger, so he could wash off the dirt from the crater. He curiously looked the man over more closely, now that he could see him a little better, and noticed something odd fastened to his unusual clothing. “That is an unusual talisman you have there.”
“Talisman?” Following Blaine’s eyeline, the man looked down at the item. “You mean this? It’s just a brooch – a decorative piece of jewelry. It serves no purpose, except to look pretty. There’s nothing unusual about it. See for yourself.” As he removed it for Blaine to have a better view of it, he noticed something inscribed on the back, paused, then read aloud, “To: Kurt, You Matter – Dad.” He sat silently for a moment, then repeated, “Kurt.”
“That is your name? Kurt?” Blaine checked.
“I guess so. I still can’t remember. But it feels right.”
“Then that is what we will call you.” Blaine examined the brooch for a moment, continuing to stare at it curiously, as he handed it back to Kurt. Looking back up at Kurt’s face, Blaine asked, “The design of your brooch… What does it mean?”
Kurt fastened the brooch back onto his cardigan, shrugging at Blaine. “It’s just a heart-shaped lock and key with a crown at the tip. It doesn’t mean anything, as far as I know. Then again, my memory is a little foggy at the moment.”
“A key with a crown, and a heart?” Blaine repeated, questioningly. He sat silently for a moment, deep in thought, then suddenly gasped, looking at Kurt in awe. “It’s you! You are what the Oracle sent me to find.” He then recited the Oracle’s quest to Kurt, “‘At the sunrise following the full moon, go toward the Western Border until you reach the light in the Highlands on the third night. Once you reach it, search the pit of the unknown. There you will find the key to the Crown’s salvation. The heart will reveal its identity to you. The road to prosperity will be complex and formidable – stay course, do not waver – for the reward is greater than you know.’
“I had assumed that the light in question was daylight, since we should be reaching a town in the Highlands around sunrise of the third night, heading into the fourth morning,” Blaine began explaining. “And I figured that the ‘pit of the unknown’ was most likely a large, uncharted cavern of some sort that would be on the outskirts of that town since the mountain range of the Western Border is littered with caves and caverns. I thought the heart in question was my heart – that it would be my intuition that would lead me through the cavern to find some item of significance that I would recognize upon seeing it; and that the item that I located would help my kingdom to flourish in prosperity. But that is not what the Oracle meant at all. I was not sent to find an object. I was sent to find a person. You.”
“What? You think some…Oracle…sent you to find me? Why?”
“The Oracle said, ‘At the sunrise following the full moon, go toward the Western Border until you reach the light in the Highlands on the third night’. We left when instructed and had been travelling through the Highlands toward the Western Border when we saw that bright, glowing circular anomaly and beam of light that shot out of the sky during our third night of travel. ‘Once you reach it, search the pit of the unknown’. The unknown object that fell from the sky in that beam of light left behind a deep crater, or rather, a pit. Not only was the crater created by an unknown object, but its creation rendered your memories unknown to you. Thus, it is a ‘pit of the unknown’. ‘There you will find the key to the Crown’s salvation’. You were found in that crater, wearing a literal key, marked with a crown. ‘The heart will reveal its identity to you’. That heart,” Blaine gestured to the heart-shaped lock on Kurt’s brooch, “it told us your name; it revealed your identity. It all adds up. You are what I was sent to find.”
“Me?” Kurt asked, confused. “I don’t understand. Why were you sent to find me? Of what importance am I to a prince? And what about the last part of that riddle, or whatever it is, that said something about salvation and a reward? What is that supposed to mean?”
“I do not know. Perhaps the information we need is locked behind the barricade that keeps your memories at bay?”
Kurt closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning in discomfort. He then rubbed his temples, as if trying to massage away pain. “My head… I feel dizzy. Everything is so hazy.”
“It will be a while before we reach town – before we can get you to a doctor. Get some rest. It may help you feel better.”
“Okay,” Kurt agreed, nodding.
Blaine put out the light of the lantern and watched as Kurt leaned his head against the side of the carriage, closed his eyes, and slowly drifted to sleep.