Glee 1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

The sun was setting on the kingdom of Lima. The warmth from the day was slowly deteriorating into a bone chilling freeze that began to ice the great lake that surrounded the castle. Snow started to fall and dusted everything in white. In the highest tower of the castle was the Queen's secret chamber. In the twilight the yellow walls reflected and cast off an orange and pink glow. The room itself was a cheery sight, with a small basinet in the center of the room, stuffed animals lined the walls and leather bound books of harmless meaningless children stories stood in small bookshelves. But the room held a certain melancholy feel to it in the late December afternoon. Instead of the room being bright and radiating a feel of warmth and love, it possessed a deep sadness. A single candle burned on a small desk by the bay window. There, the Queen sat spinning thread. She spent most of her nights in this room working on an infant's wardrobe, one that didn't exist.

As she tied off the last thread of a sweater, she silently cried. She couldn't help thinking what could be if she had a child of her own, wearing this sweater, running around this room. _Fifty._ Fifty was the number of clothes that she had made for her imaginary child but to a mother in mourning the baby she imagined was all too real. She could picture it running around this room, playing with the toys and stuffed animals, and pretending to be a prince or princess. For a year King Burt Hummel and his wife Elizabeth had been trying to get pregnant but to no avail. The first time that they thought they were with child they redid the entire eastern tower, the tallest, into the Queen's and baby's. There the baby's room was situated at the top. The couple, and the kingdom, was elated over the news of an heir. But then disaster struck.

Young Elizabeth woke up in the middle of the night a month into her first trimester in a puddle of blood around her legs. After that night, the queen never bore a child again. They tried for six months following that painful night, but no child came. It troubled the royal family and disheartened the kingdom's subjects. Rumors that the Queen was inadequate spread like wildfire. The king's parents adored Elizabeth deeply and knew that Burt was very much in love with the woman, but the importance of a living heir unfortunately outweighed love in their eyes. In the military meetings following, Burt's advisors instructed him to remarry or impregnate another of blue blood. He chose to do neither. His love for his wife and queen was undying, unconditional, and incorrigible. Every night Burt assured his wife that he loved only she and he would not have a child with anyone but her.

Queen Elizabeth did not doubt his devotion, in fact it may have been the only thing that kept her alive in that year of sadness. She understood the things that were spoken ill of her were just out of fear; fear that maybe if an heir was not born than a member of the distant royal family would come and take the throne. The truth behind the tears that flowed down her cheeks every night and the despair that clung to her heart like a noose was that she wanted a child of her own. She dreamed of having a little baby to love and cherish: to give herself to each and everyday entirely. In her dreams she would braid a little girls blonde locks, like her own, while they played dress up. In others she saw a little boy, whom she scolded for getting into the kitchen and stealing cakes from the cook. The pain of the beauty and happiness she experienced in her dreams was too much to bear when she woke up. So every night, the Queen would steal away to her secret chamber that looked over the forest of Dalton. Each night she would knit and sew clothes for a child that may never be.

On this coming night the snow clouds outside were lightly dusting the Earth. A strong wind came through the open window and blew the candle out. Startled, Elizabeth jumped and pricked her finger on the needle she was working with. The droplets fell onto the snow that had accumulated on the ebony window sill beside her. The Queen gazed at the blood like it held some profound truth, that it might give her the answers she searched for.

Sighing she spoke out loud, "Oh, how I wish that I had a child that had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony."

Just as the last words were leaving her lips a great gust of wind blasted through the window. It traveled through the room with purpose, moving in one direction. It circled the room till it came back full circle to Elizabeth. Expecting the wind to be cold, the queen was surprised to find that the wind was in fact warm. It moved around her making a tornado of snow. Elizabeth shielded her eyes from the onslaught, her heart racing in fear and bewilderment. Surely this couldn't be happening, could it? The winds attack had ceased. Opening her eyes, a surprised gasp escaped her mouth. Standing before her was a tanned woman. Her eyes were slightly turned up, foreign to this land, and she had long jet black hair with blue streaks running through it. Her attire was something to be called scandalous. She wore a black laced corset dress that didn't have any sleeves nor did it go past her mid-thigh. No one in the kingdom would be caught dead wearing so risqué, except maybe the women who belonged to the brothels.

The young girl smiled at her warmly, "Queen Elizabeth, beloved by all of Lima. Words of praise spread far and wide of your kindness." Her face softened and her mouth turned down in empathy. "But your deep sorrow is felt by many of my kind. Tell me, what is it that you wish for?"

"I wish for a child to call my own."

"Why?"

The Queen moved towards the basinet letting her hand caress the wood longingly. "There is no love like that of a child's."

"What would you do to have all that you wish for?"

"What are you?" The Queen asked suddenly, suspicious.

The girl let out an amused high pitched laugh. "The rumors of your intelligence do you well my Queen. I am a witch who has felt your sadness deep in my own soul. I want to bring you happiness Elizabeth. "

"But what price must I pay? I know magic all too well, life cannot be created without life being taken away."

"This is true," she sighed, "I can't give you a child without first taking a life, your life."

Elizabeth didn't falter a step as she moved towards the witch, "How long will I have with my baby?"

"It will be a slow death Elizabeth. You won't feel it happen till the very end. Seven, perhaps eight years. I can't promise you anymore."

"I'll do it, I'll do anything. Just please let me have a child." She sobbed.

The witch came up to her and placed a hand on each side of her face, leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. When she pulled back she was smiling at Elizabeth. "It is done."

"Pray tell me what your name is good witch, so I can thank you properly."

"Tina, of the Chang clan."


	2. Prelude: The Glass Trunk

**a/n: Hey everyone! This is a prelude of sorts to the beginning of the real story. Sorry if you were expecting the real first chapter! That is coming out tonight or tomorrow afternoon though! Please be patient with me, I'm trying here haha **

William roamed around the room, seeing nothing of real interest to him. Out of the entire castle, this room was the only one he had not explored. The teenager with a full head of curls was dead set determined to find something of importance here. There had to be something unique or special in here since it was the tallest room in the whole castle. After all, the room was in the tallest tower. Old furniture and trunks were scattered about in a haphazard manner around the room giving little walking space. A sliver of light from the open window gave spotlight to one trunk. It caught William's eyes because it was a large rectangular box. A few jewels adorned the edges, but mostly the reason he was so transfixed on it was the fact that it was completely made of glass.

The boy made his way across the room and dropped to his knees beside the strange box. Carefully, he peeled back the top to fully examine the contents. There were a few garments obviously made for a man, folded very neatly to one side: one of them was a blue coat with red piping. On top of the winter coat was an elaborate golden speckled mask. Uninterested, William brushed it away and kept looking. A small wooden box was underneath the clothing. When William opened it, he found three broken pieces of a mirror. The glass was warm to the touch and the surface seemed to ripple when his fingers brushed against it. He closed the box and placed it back down. Beside the box sat a comb, a corset with the strings cut, and an apple. There was a bite taken from it, yet it was still as red and ripe as if it were just picked from the tree. Curious, William thought to himself.

William's hands felt something smooth and velvety underneath a white covering. It was a very large book, almost too big to sit in his lap, with gold plating making thin branch like lines from a corner that weaved and circled in various patterns around the cover. His fingers traced the lines absently before he carefully opened the cover. It was blank. There wasn't one word written on any pages. Frustrated, William shut the book with a loud SNAP. Maybe he was mistaken. Why would there be a beautiful book with no words in it? He pulled open the cover one last time. Nothing. He dropped the book in his lap and stared at it. Sighing, William placed his fingers on the page gently, willing there to be writing there. He wished it were something that held deep secrets that no one else knew. Perhaps it could have been a military planning book, or a recount of every dirty secret of the past royals compiled into one book.

Suddenly brown script formed where his fingers brushed on the paper. Startled, William pulled his fingers from the page quickly. The words disappeared. The boy grinned as if he had just bested a foe in a fencing match. He moved his finger across the page, starting from the top, and read.


	3. The Tears I Cry

Once upon a time… most fairy tales start that way don't they? The good tales that end in happy endings and the sad tales where the bad guy wins in the end, they all start the same way; once upon a time. Who decided that the first line of a story began with those four words? Is it some kind of known rule that it is said in every story, at the beginning? Well, I wish I could spare you from such a cliché but I cannot for this is a fairy tale and as all good fairy tales do, they begin with a simple phrase.

Once upon a time, in a faraway land there lived a prince named Kurt Hummel. He was the most beloved Prince in all the land, though most wouldn't admit it. Since he was a child most of the Lima Kingdom looked down on him with strong distaste. Kurt never truly understood why he received such cold stares from his father's advisors. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, told him once when they were sitting in on a meeting that '_It's the face all politicians have my dear.' _When he asked why his father didn't have the same look she answered '_because I do not allow such a look to cross his face sweetie, now pay attention.' _That was said when he was six and under his mother's protection.

Elizabeth was a loving mother. Since Burt Hummel was the reigning king, it was his duty to travel the kingdom for many months on end tending to each lord's needs, therefore leaving his son in his wife's trustful hands. She would take him to meetings with the common people, which Kurt took keen interest in, and tended to each of their problems. Occasionally Elizabeth would take young Kurt into the market but kept him close. Eyes tended to linger on the Prince, most in disdain. Kurt was not the average looking Limaian. He was already tall for his age and was very thin, albeit the baby fat that was still attached to his cheeks. His lips were as red as his own blood and quite plump. The sky on the darkest night could not compare to the darkness of the boy's hair. His skin was white, so white in fact that it seemed to never tan even though the castle sat a mere walking distance from the sea. Many made fun of his obvious physical differences. The average Lima subject was tan due to long exposure to the sun with broad muscles which attributed to hard work in fields. But no, it wasn't any of these physical attributes that set him apart.

The truth was the people of his kingdom knew what he was before he really knew himself. Kurt Hummel was a homosexual. Being a homosexual was widely accepted throughout many kingdoms, but Lima seemed to be behind in the movement towards equality. Something about Kurt gave off his nature even at a young age. Elizabeth saw and fully accepted it, even if all her subjects did not. Every special occasion she smiled and laughed as Kurt always asked for the latest fashion from other Kingdoms. She sat with him at tea parties he threw with his stuffed animals and dolls. She tried to shelter Kurt and let him find out who he was on his own, without the hateful words of the others. In doing so, Elizabeth never left her son's side. No matter how hard the queen tried, rumors and rude comments about her son traveled throughout the kingdom. The people of Lima called him an abomination, a mistake. As far as they knew, no other native of Lima was gay. Kurt was the only one. To further the torment, some gave him a new name.

_Snow White._ It was whispered behind his back, hidden behind hands with snide remarks following. Many of the jeers came from the other children when he was younger. As Kurt grew older, and with the acceptance of his father, the kingdom started to warm up to the idea of their prince's attraction to the opposite sex. The real turning point in the people's opinion was when Kurt was eight years old. The much loved queen of Lima passed away in her sleep. Everyone felt the loss of such a warm and kind woman, a woman every Lima resident looked up to. After her burial the people took pity on Kurt and changed the way they acted towards him. They didn't want the mourning son to have any more grief than he needed. Knowing that their pleasant words and actions were done through pity, Kurt felt worse than he ever did before. At least before he knew what people really thought of him.

He grew up and came to terms with his mother's death and accepted her passing. As he did, so did his father. Out of the two Burt was affected by Elizabeth's passing much more than Kurt was. He was so stricken with grief he couldn't bear to court another woman for years following her death. Once, he told Kurt that no woman would burn brighter than the sun or warm his heart as Elizabeth did. The years passed by and Kurt and his father grew closer. Burt tried to connect with his son by giving him lessons in weapons and fighting. When he was home, Burt would have Kurt sit with him in advisory meetings. He realized very quickly the natural talent his son had in dealing with politics. He never lost his temper and gave thought out solutions to the problems at hand. He would be a fine king, Burt mused to himself often.

One day, while Kurt attended an advisory meeting, he heard the news. Burt had to marry again if he intended to keep the throne. It was custom in royalty that there be a king and queen ruling together. Each had their duties to the people. The king would deal with politics and the military side of ruling while the queen focused on the people personally. A king or queen alone could simply not perform all the duties themselves. So, when Kurt turned eighteen, his father married Sue Sylvester. She was a beautiful woman of noble blood from a kingdom far away. Kurt had never met the woman before she moved into the castle the week before the wedding ceremony.

**a/n wow! I can't believe people are already following this story and have favorited this XD thank you guys so much and I really hope I don't disappoint y'all! I'm working hard on the next chapter so that should be up by Wednesday. I'm going to try to post weekly if not every two weeks. **

**Next up! Sue moves in and Kurt learns he just got way more than he bargained for. **


	4. The Serpent's Seduction

The to-be queen was supposed to be arriving any minute. Everyone was bustling around excitedly. The castle guards were lined up on both sides of the room at full attention and many of the castle's help was in attendance as well. Kurt was present but kept more closely to the back of the crowd. He leaned against the wall and stared at the large doors at the front of the throne room.

"If you stare any harder your highness, the door may catch fire." A soft voice sounded from beside him. Smiling, Kurt turned to see the kitchen's cook and his once childhood nanny.

"A fire may be more than welcome at this moment, Carole."

Her eyes grew softer, "Kurt you know this has to be done. You would lose your noble title if your father doesn't remarry."

"I know, I know." He sighed deeply. "That doesn't mean I have to like this though. Who is this woman anyway? What do we know about her?"

"I've heard the maids' gossip and they say that she goes through extensive beauty treatments. The word is she stopped by one of the villages outside of the castle to acquire a carriage load of lotion."

Kurt laughed; the sound was like bells chiming in the wind. "How is it that maids hear so much?"

"Oh, they buzz around like bees after honey the way they talk and gossip." Carole leaned on the wall beside Kurt. Sighing, her eyes found one of the guards across the room. "My poor boy has been quite the popular topic as of late."

Kurt examined the boy as well. His face was completely covered by his helmet but it was unmistakably Finn. The tabard that draped around his body was askew, his knee plate was upside down, and he held his sword in the wrong hand. Shaking his head, Kurt frowned at his friend's lack of coordination.

"How is the great ogre? I haven't spoken to him much since he joined the guard."

Carole's lips turned up into a proud smile. "He is doing a fantastic job! His training commander recommended him to be a member of New Directions."

Wow, Kurt thought, that's impressive. The New Directions was the special group of soldiers who showed the most promise. The members of the regime were the most agile, flexible, topnotch marksman, and strongest of all Lima's subjects. The New Directions did not see age or gender; if you were the best, then you were the best. There were a few women in the force and the people knew better than to mess with them. One, Kurt recalled her name was Quinn, was so angry at one of the soldiers that she hung him upside down with her whip from the clock tower in town. Kurt never found out what the poor man did but he knew he never crossed the line again. There was far too much drama, but they were certainly the best. They were the ones who looked after Kurt and his father when they left the castle. Kurt was particularly fond of Sam and Noah, or Puck as he called himself. They were the swordsman of the crew and were the two who usually jumped at the chance to escort Kurt anywhere outside. Their favorite pastime when at Kurt's side was trying to hook him up with one of the few gay bachelors in town. Even though they were skilled in the art of deception, they failed at being subtle when they crossed the path of a fair looking man. They made animal noises and rude gestures towards other men and then blamed it on the young prince.

Kurt found their antics childish but they were dear to him all the same.

"What is the gossip, then, of Finn? You made it sound like it was bad earlier. Has word not spread of his appointment? I would imagine many of the ladies flocking to him like a pigeon after a bread crumb."

"Oh, many maidens are very attracted to the idea of him being in New Directions. No, his name is slandered in a love triangle unfortunately."

"Love triangle? With who?"

Carole's body fell solemnly, seemingly defeated. "The noble lady Rachel, your friend, and Quinn Fabray. Leave it to my boy to get himself in such a mess."

This was certainly news to Kurt. Rachel was always twittering in his ear about the latest gossip and her numerous relationship woes. In fact, he was with her just the other night having a sleepover. _Strange_, she never once mentioned anything about Finn. Which was abnormal since she drawled on and on about his friend.

Kurt's train of thought was interrupted when the trumpets sounded outside the room. Groaning, Kurt slid off the wall and stood straight up, waiting to see his new mother. The large wooden doors opened to a small fleet of men dressed in the most horrid colors Kurt had ever seen. The men were wearing yellow coats over bright orange trousers.

"Welcome to your new home, darling." Burt announced loudly.

The woman whistled in appreciation as she entered the throne room. Burt followed close behind her with hearts in his eyes. It was like all he could see was the fair maiden before him and nothing else. It was very reasonable, Kurt admitted. The woman before him was a very attractive one indeed. Sue's hair flowed in golden locks against her shoulders, her complexion was even and her skin smooth, her eyes were a piercing green, and she was tall with curves in all the right places. In every physical respect, Sue was incredibly beautiful. Kurt could see the appeal. Kurt also noticed the future queen's delectable fashion choice. Her immaculate dress put the extravagant décor to shame.

Every eye was on the woman as she made her way around the room, examining each bit of wall with a judgmental eye. Her skeptical eyes landed on Kurt, her face falling for just a fraction of a second before a bitter smile took root on her lips. Her eyes raked up and down Kurt's thin frame with such scrutiny that he felt oddly subconscious all of a sudden. Beneath the mask of purity and pleased beauty, the young prince detected some sort of hate in those old eyes. It made his skin crawl.

"Well, aren't you a handsome young man." The woman breathed.

"The fairest in all the land, madame." Carole beamed.

The woman shot her a cold look, "an opinion I suppose."

Burt clapped a hand down on his son's shoulder, shaking it proudly. "Sue this is my son, Kurt."

"Pleasure." It came out as more of a hiss than it did a greeting. "I've heard about you, outside in the towns. They did say your skin was as white as snow, but I see you more as a porcelain doll. Your skin reminds me of the flawless face of one I had as a child. Pray tell me what lotions you use."

"I don't your highness."

That was the wrong thing to say he realized as her eyes squinted into a glare. "Of course you don't." Carole's hand came to rest on his elbow. It seemed they were the only ones who caught the act. The maiden schooled her features before turning to his father, "Darling, be a dear and give us a minute. I would like to acquaint myself with the boy who is to be my son."

Burt's face split into a bright smile. He nodded furtively, "of course my queen. Everyone tend to your chores immediately. Knights, I wish to see you in my war chambers. You're all dismissed." The burly man turned back to Sue and kissed her cheek. From the corner of his eye, Kurt could see Carole's eyes sadden ever so lightly. "My advisors and I will discuss the plans for the masquerade ball before the ceremony. It will be quite the event having Dalton and Carmel in the same room."

"Very well dear."

And with that the whole castle seemed to disappear into thin air. Carole gently squeezed Kurt's arm before retreating out one of the hidden doors to the kitchen. Oh how he wished he could escape at this moment. The woman before him seemed to transform instantly. The train of her head dress slinked behind her, creating waves in her wake. She stalked up to the boy as a lion would to its prey. Her hand snapped up and her fingers coiled around his chin. She held it firmly in place as she scrutinized him.

"The fairest in the land, HA! Your skin is as white as the dead, pasty even. Your eyes are the shade of swamp water and you're much too tall for a reasonable dance partner." Her voice was distant, as if she were speaking more to herself than to him. For a split second Kurt could see a shift in the woman's looks. Her shoulders slumped and wrinkles appeared around her eyes. Kurt's eyes drifted to the hand that held him. He could see the faintest of sun spots there. She snatched her hand back with fire in her eyes. Leaning in close, she spat, "now listen to me Porcelain, if there is one thing I know its beauty. You are nothing in the definition of the word. Just like a porcelain doll, you are fragile and I can break you in a heartbeat. Now while I am living here, you will stay out of my way. I don't want to see you; I do not want to hear you. Is that understood?"

"And why is that?"

"Because my dear boy, "her voice dripped with tainted honey, "as any simpleton does, I do not wish to see something so undesirable as you. I fear I may catch a physical disease from you. Now leave."

Her voice was so cold and so piercing, Kurt found himself moving towards the doors without a thought.

* * *

The click clack of Sue's heels echoed throughout the tunnel. The air had an earthy scent and hung around her nose like a cloud. The only light that shone was the small torch she held in her hand. It created a bubble of light around her, completely encompassing in a warm glow. The further she walked, the more sodden it became. It was absolutely perfect. This far underground, no one would ever suspect a secret chamber. She was entirely secluded down here and Sue loved it.

The tunnel curved slightly to the right and she was stepping into a large room where a waterfall once fell. A bowl had been eroded out of the ground where the water had pooled. It was now barren and bone dry. In the farthest reach of the room, in a small alcove, a bulge of a man was grunting. Something tall and very thin was in his hands. It was tilting this way and that as he fidgeted with the object. Standing with her arms crossed, Sue watched as he finally settled on a placement. She rolled her eyes and placed the torch on a wall stand.

"Huntsman. Enough fiddling around."

He sighed. "It wouldn't stand anywhere else."

There was a table in the center of the room. Bottles containing multicolored potions lay about in an ordered fashion that only Sue seemed to understand. She had begun to pour some of the contents into a bowl. A cloud of purple smoke rose up from the mixture once she added the last vile. A wicked smile crossed her face. It dropped just as quickly as it came once the skin around her knuckles darkened, wrinkled. It aged by ten years it seemed. A gasp echoed throughout the chamber and it came back to her she was not alone.

"And what are you still doing here, Karofsky?"

"I thought maybe you-"

"Leave me. Now!"

Without looking up from her hands, she could hear the quick shuffle of feet move up the tunnel until the only sound left was the movement of water. One would suspect that it was coming from the moist walls. The woman's eyes slowly turned up to the curtained object the man had just placed down. The curtain was rippling in a draft that didn't reach the rest of the room. In one final blow, the covering fell to reveal a large mirror. The surface was vibrating within the crystal frame. Sue didn't move, instead she waited patiently for what she knew would come. Deep within the depths of the mirror a figure was taking place. The murky structure rose to the surface as if it were about to step out of the mirror but it stopped. A face erupted from a cloud. It was only a face but it moved around like it was cracking a neck, like it was stiff from sitting in a position for too long.

The figure was of a man, elegant looking with his blonde hair gelled fully back. Gray eyes, which looked right into Sue's, were full of wisdom and ageless insight. There was no color in the mirrors face, just a murky white fade.

When he spoke, it was no more than a whisper.

_ 'My Queen, you let your feelings run wild_

_Like that of a child_

_You have let your colors show too soon_

_Your indignant words have caused the prince a scarring wound'_

She sighed indignantly, "Well if it hadn't have been for that weasel looking maid I wouldn't have said a word to that little fairy." She lifted the potion mixture to her lips, the liquid flowing down her throat like burning air. Once it was finished the skin around her fingers tightened and was bronze once again. "He's too pretty. In all the land I have never dealt with such a beautiful man as he. On most occasions it is the daughters or the common maiden I must deal with. But this one… he is different. I fear that- no he may be beautiful but he cannot be as fair as a woman. It just cannot be."

The mirror rippled and seemed to ponder her tirade.

_'A man and a woman can be just as fair _

_Just as a stallion can have the same slick coat as a mare' _

"But beauty and fairness are different for a woman!" She all but shouted into the empty cave. The mirror seemed unfazed by the outburst. It simply stared back at her with mock interest. "To be fair, a woman must have the perfect skin tone, hair that flows like a stream down her back, eyes that can bore a hole into a stone wall, and skin that is more beautiful than the sun. Things of which he has not!"

The face in the mirror shifted and it seemed to roll its eyes.

_'My queen, you waste breath with mindless jargon_

_Ask now, the obvious burning question' _

Sue smoothed out her waist line and approached the mirror slowly. Her angry features morphed into worry. Her confidence was as high as ever, but this question always caused worry to rise up in her heart. She dreaded it with every fiber of her being.

"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" Sue's voice quivered on the last word in fear.

The surface of the mirror rippled and the face grew opaque for several moments before it came into focus once again.

'_You, my queen, are fair tis true_

_And no one is as fair as you' _

A smug smile appeared on Sue's lips.

'_But beware the eyes of the beholder_

_For every day you grow much colder. _

_Soon someone comes to the castle_

_And will see that you are too much of a hassle. _

_He will look upon another_

_Between them love will gather.' _

"Who?" The face did not answer. She sighed, "When?"

'_You will know in due time' _

The face said no more as it receded into the depths once more. Stomping her foot in agitation, Sue retreated to the table of potions. She placed her palms flat on the wooden surface and stared down at the contents. "Cryptic bastard." The words were spat. She groaned, "how am I to know who it is then? He said soon, which could mean the wedding… so it is a guest. But which _one_?"

The list of guests was longer than she cared to admit so narrowing it down would be difficult. Sue would just have to wait until the night of the masquerade to find out who she was to be competing with. When she did, she wouldn't have competition for very long. Sue would make sure of that.


End file.
