Kyo Kara Maoh!
The Darkest Timeline
By: Biven von Brumfield
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Return
"Uh, Murata?" asked Yuuri quizzically, "Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" He struggled to sit up as he found himself in floundering in several inches of water. This, in and of itself, was not all that surprising. Yuuri Shibuya was more than a little klutzy, often finding himself falling into puddles, pools and other bodies of water, large and small. He just chalked it up to his brain having difficulty coordinating his growing teenage limbs. No, he was not overly surprised to find himself sopping wet after a fall. What did surprise him, though, was the scene he saw before him.
He saw a familiar courtyard bound by medieval stone walls on eight sides, the open sky above him, bright and clear. He found himself sitting in a small pool, also octagonal, flanked on either side by two leonine statues, also familiar, from whose mouths spilled forth steady streams of water. Most startling though, was the unexpected company he found himself in. Directly in front of him he saw five people; Three grown men in tan, green, and white, military uniforms respectively; a (seemingly) teenage boy with blond hair and green eyes in a similar uniform in blue; and a (also seemingly) young girl, with violet eyes, long silvery hair and flowing robes of red and white. Each person standing in the courtyard of the Temple of the Great One, himself included, wore a wide-eyed expression of shock.
From behind him, Kenshin or "Ken" Murata, his longtime friend and confidante, answered. "Well, the moment you defeated the Originators, you surpassed even the Great One's powers," he replied matter-of-factly. "That means you now have enough of your own power to cross the dimensions just by willing it! Pretty cool, huh?" he said excitedly.
"Really? I can?" Yuuri asked, still numb with shock. "Why didn't you tell me I could?"
"Well," began Murata sheepishly, the gleam of his glasses shielding his eyes from view. "I know I'm supposed to be this 'Great Wise Man' and everything, but even when I pushed you into the pond, I was still wondering if it would work," he admitted guiltily. "I mean, at worst we'd just get sopping wet!" amended the young sage defensively.
I swear, though Yuuri, If Murata doesn't start filling me in before he uses me in his hair brained schemes… Yuuri was still trying to move on from the underhanded way the Sage had used him, and his friends, in the battle against the Originators. Yuuri could have definitely forgiven Murata for using him, but the "Wise Man" had put so many people in harm's way to fulfill his goals that it had permanently changed Yuuri's perception of his longtime friend. People had nearly died! Well, one person in particular had died, technically. Later, Yuuri decided, We are going to have to have a long, serious talk about his manipulative tendencies.
"Well, in any case," began one of the men standing before the two boys. "This solves our problem of choosing a new and worthy Demon-King!" said Gwendal von Voltaire, the first to recover from the sudden and entirely unexpected return of their King. For the first time in Yuuri's recollection, the green clad man smiled. Really smiled. The wrinkles on his forehead disappeared entirely and his steely gray eyes shone a s brightly as his charcoal colored hair. Yuuri, who was trying to recover from his initial surprise, was sent back into shock at the sight of this extraordinary phenomenon.
"Oh!" exclaimed the man in white, his long silver/lavender hair whipping in his fervor. "To think I have the honor of meeting him again!" Gunter von Christ was renowned the world over for his sycophantic episodes and his adoration of the young King. In most situations such as this, he would have charged the boy and wrapped him in a vice-like embrace, spouting off praises and every royal title imaginable in his borderline-lust fueled frenzy. Yuuri immediately braced himself for such an occurrence, but then noticed that Gunter had managed to restrain himself. His initial relief was dispelled, however, when he realized what had warranted Gunter's hesitation.
Wolfram von Bielefelt. The Selfish Prince. Little Lord Brat. Though he had most certainly earned these well-known epithets, Yuuri could not deny that, over the course of their time together, Wolfram had grown from the spoiled third son of the former Demon Queen into a noble and kind person that Yuuri would have been lost without. Gone were his anti-human prejudices and elitist attitudes towards the peasantry of the Great Demon Kingdom. Gone was his selfish world-view. Wolfram had been changed by Yuuri, and Yuuri in turn, felt he had been changed by Wolfram. Wolfram had challenged Yuuri's infantile ideas of world-peace, had helped train the young King in the ways of combat and magic, and had been by his side more often than any other friend he had made in this world. The engagement the two had shared may have begun as an accident, a cultural misunderstanding, but it had blossomed into the most important relationship in Yuuri's life. A relationship that Yuuri, at the time, had tried to deny and invalidate any way he could, but had never faded away, as he had told himself it would. Upon reflection during his time away, Yuuri had come to appreciate that bond, and the changes it had wrought within him. Though they had both changed and grown with the times, Yuuri was keenly aware of one thing that had not changed in his time away.
Wolfram von Bielefelt was still the single most beautiful being in this, or any, world.
Honey-blonde hair framed his perfectly sculpted face in gentle waves. A small, delicate nose, perched above soft, supple lips the could melt into a beautiful smile or curl into a fearful scowl. But most striking were his eyes, are rare emerald green, like his mothers. Eyes that were framed by thick, luscious, eyelashes and naturally manicured brows that made them seem so deep and mysterious, as if looking into the depths of a Venetian lagoon. Eyes which Yuuri had both lost himself in and hidden from more often than he'd like to admit. Eyes that held more influence over him than he could have ever possibly thought possible. Eyes that Yuuri had seen in his dreams every night in the 5 months since the day he thought he left the Great Demon Kingdom for good, scolding him, blaming him, tormenting him, consoling him. Eyes that he now saw were full of tears as a cascade of conflicting emotions flashed through them. A sight that broke Yuuri's heart, as he realized that he was the source of each and every one those feelings.
Wolfram was walking toward him, quickly closing the distance between them, wordlessly stepping into the fountain he sat in. He stood there, ankle deep in water, still beautiful despite the pain and sadness plainly visible on his perfect face. Yuuri looked up at the beautiful boy, and their eyes met for the first time in many months. The stillness in the courtyard was palpable, no one spoke. Even the usually chatty Murata was stifled by the tension that crackled through the air as the two stared at each other wordlessly.
In silence Wolfram knelt down so that he was eye level with Yuuri, those emerald orbs easily capturing Yuuri's own black eyes, demanding his attention. Their faces barely a foot apart, the two boys stared into each other's eyes for long seconds that felt like minutes. Yuuri didn't think he had ever felt so terrified, happy, guilt or anxious in his life, both desperate to break the silence and praying it would never end.
Suddenly it did.
Wolfram's right hand flew up and struck Yuuri's left cheek with lightning speed. For several seconds, Yuuri was aware only that pain had exploded on the left side of his head, not knowing what had caused it. As he gathered his wits about him, he realized what had happened, and some small part of him was elated, remembering the meaning of the seemingly hostile gesture. Despite the happiness blossoming in his chest, he dared not speak, certain that the exchange was far from ever. He looked back up at Wolfram, stunned, just as the blonde boy, seized his collar and began to relentlessly throttle the startled King.
"Why did you wait SO LONG to come back!? What have you been doing!? You WILL show me SOME respect! I'm your FIANCE, you little WIMP!" shouted Wolfram in Yuuri's face, as he shook the raven-haired boy back and forth by the collar of his shirt.
"Look, Wolfram," said Yuuri breathlessly, with the blonde's hand still at his throat, "I didn't know I could do it, either! It's not my fault! You should be mad at Murata instead of me! Get off me, you crazy nut!" They rambled on like this, talking over each other, Wolfram trying to strangle Yuuri, and Yuuri trying desperately to escape the blonde demon's wrath. It was amusing, the two had managed to pick up all their old habits within just minutes of the reunion.
With all the excitement, no one else noticed that the seemingly little girl, Ulrike, Oracle of the Great One, had turned around, noticing a hidden observer, who silently place a finger over his own lips, telling her to be discreet. With great excitement the little girl nodded and turned back to the heartfelt reunion in the courtyard.
After a minute or two, and once Wolfram had managed to calm himself down, somewhat, Yuuri allowed himself to feel the happiness he had been holding back. It was true, he was back in the Great Demon Kingdom, with all the friends and loved ones he had given up hope of ever seeing again. He felt a strange euphoria come over him, as he looked at the blond boy on his knees in front of him, to his other friends standing in the courtyard beaming. Even the dutiful and typically reserved Ulrike had broken into a wide smile. At last Conrart, who had held back, allowing Wolfram the chance to have his moment with his betrothed, walked up to the edge of the pull, and offered his hand to help Yuuri up.
He smiled warmly at his godson and King, "I'd like to welcome you back, Your Majesty," he said happily, "To your kingdom."
Yuuri, now standing, let the full weight of those words hit him. His kingdom. His friends. His life. A tremendous smile broke across his face. "Yeah!" he said, as he began to laugh excitedly. Turning to the others he exclaimed joyfully, "Hey, everyone! I AM BACK!"
Barely an hour later, after he and Murata had been dried off, Yuuri found himself on his faithful demon-steed Ao, at the head of a Royal procession bound for Capital City and Covenant Castle. Yuuri road at the head of the column, followed by Wolfram and Conrart, then by Gwendal and Gunter. Murata, as per the usual, had chosen to stay behind and reclaim his old room at the Temple of the Great One, despite Gunter's promise of a state suite at Covenant Castle. As they approached the Main Gate of the Capital, a full regiment of trumpeters and drummers that had been waiting for the procession took their positions in front of Yuuri. As the gate opened, and the King and his retainers rode into the city, the soldiers began to play a familiar fanfare. Before his time away, he had been used to this sort of reception whenever he returned to Covenant Castle. Now though, the sudden blare of the trumpets caught him off guard, and he started. Luckily, he managed to prevent Ao from scaring, and the incident seemed to go unnoticed. Despite this, as they began their slow march through the streets of the Capital, he found himself unable to concentrate on anything other than the beautiful blonde boy riding behind him to his right.
After the initial euphoria of his reunion with his friends had worn off, Yuuri had wanted to ask so many questions, but had been assured that there would be time for "all that" later; How much time had passed in this world? What damage had the Originators done to the Kingdom? To the other countries? Was the Demon Kingdom Alliance still intact? Was Wolfram okay? That question seemed to be pushing itself to the forefront of his thoughts. Yuuri had seen the blonde boy die and come back to life in less than a day, and had to leave before he could even make sure he was alright. For five months the image of Wolfram's lifeless body cradled in his distraught mother's arms had haunted Yuuri. Though he knew rationally that the fault for that disaster lay with the Originators, he had blamed himself. So many times had Wolfram protected him, risked his own life to save Yuuri, and the one time that Wolfram need to be protected, to be saved, Yuuri had let him die. The self-imposed guilt had changed Yuuri in ways he didn't yet fully understand. He wanted so badly to talk to Wolfram, to apologize, to set everything right that nothing else seemed to matter.
Yuuri was suddenly pulled out of his introspective daze when Ao stopped. He realized, with some embarrassment, that he had been mechanically waving with an absent-minded smile on his face for the entire ride and had now arrived at the castle. As they waited while the gates were opened, Yuuri surreptitiously stole a few glances at Wolfram, who was talking with Conrart about security concerns they had noted as they rode through the city. As he watched Wolfram speak, the setting sun behind him caught his hair, making it seem as if a halo of light encircled the fire demon's face. Ugh, thought Yuuri, What a cliché, he's literally glowing. The trick of the light, though easily explained, added to the surrealism of the experience.
In the Great One's last appearance, he had heavily implied that he would not be able to return if he chose to go through the portal to Earth. The farewell to his friends, and to Wolfram, had been rushed, unsatisfying. Yuuri had turned to go through the portal when he had heard Wolfram call out his name. He could hear the tears in the prince's voice. In that moment, the temptation to stay in the Demon Kingdom had been overwhelming. He could see the life he could have here, and it was good. If he had turned around to answer Wolfram, if he had seen the blonde boy cry, his will would have broken. So, he had refused to look back. He could only imagine how that must have hurt Wolfram. He could barely muster the resolve to say a final "goodbye" before his own tears began to fall. The moment he had made it through the portal, he had fallen to his knees and grieved for life he had left behind, the friends he would never see again, and for Wolfram, and all the ways he had wronged the poor blonde.
Wolfram met his gaze with a puzzled look, but grinned nonetheless. Yuuri blushed profusely as he realized just how long he had been staring at the boy. He gave Wolfram a quick nod and turned back around to guide Ao through the castle gates. The young king knew that he was zoning out entirely too much. For now, he could pass it off as being overwhelmed by his unforeseen return to the alternate world, but if it continued, and especially if he kept staring unabashedly at Wolfram, his retainers would start to ask questions. Putting his best "everything-is-fine face" on, he rode his horse into the courtyard of Covenant Castle. Luckily for him, his attention was soon occupied as a small, copper-haired body collided with him just as he dismounted.
"Papa Yuuri, Papa Yuuri!" cried Greta, her voice muffled as she buried her face in Yuuri's chest. "I was so scared, you never came back!" She looked up, and Yuuri saw tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so glad you're back!" she sobbed into his shirt.
Yuuri hugged the young girl tightly, his eyes beginning to water. "I'm glad to be back, Greta! I thought about you every day! I missed you so much it hurt!" Yuuri was crying openly, so happy to have the Official Love-Child of the Demon-King back in his arms. They sat there together, curled up tightly on the ground as the two let out all their pent-up emotions. The adorable scene brought a tear to the eye of every observer, with no one present having the heart to separate the two.
After several minutes, Wolfram approached the two, and gently knelt down behind the young girl. "Greta, dearest," he called softly, laying a hand lightly on the girl's trembling shoulder.
"Papa Wolf! You brought Papa Yuuri home! We can be a family again!" she exclaimed joyfully, pulling Wolfram down into the hug.
Wolfram sighed happily, wrapping one arm around the ecstatic girl, and the other around the raven-haired king. "Yes, my little love. A family. But for now, we must let Yuuri get into the castle. He has a lot to catch up on," he said somewhat wistfully as he stood up. "I know!" he said excitedly to the little girl, "Why don't you run to the kitchens and have Effe help you make a special treat to give Yuuri after supper?"
Greta's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's a great idea, Papa!" Turning to Yuuri, her big, round eyes sparkling with tears, now forgotten, she said, "Just wait, Papa Yuuri! I'll make you something extra special to celebrate!" And with that she dashed off and disappeared through the castle doors.
Chuckling, Wolfram offered a hand to Yuuri, helping him up. "Greta has become very fond of baking," he said, answering the question on Yuuri's face. "Effe, the new maid, has been teaching her. She's really quite skilled."
"Well, I can't wait to try my daughter's cooking," chuckled Yuuri, rising to his feet. Before he could steady himself, though, Wolfram quickly pulled him into a tight hug, throwing his arms around the double-black's neck.
"Welcome home, Yuuri," whispered the blonde prince into the king's ear. "I've missed you so much." Whereas he once would have quickly pulled away, uncomfortable with such intimacy, Yuuri now returned the embrace in earnest, wrapping his arms snuggly around Wolfram's waist, and burying his face in a shock of blonde. He couldn't help but chuckle as he heard a surprised squeak escape the blonde boy.
"I've missed you to, Wolfram," the king breathed into the boy's neck. "It's good to be home."