Title: When in Rome…
Rating: PG
Pairing: … lots… that's why Wolfram is not happy.
Summary: It's not the first time people told him to, but Yuuri really should learn his country's customs.
Beta-read by Hisoka44
---------- Part 1: Customs, customs …---------
It was a lukewarm and slightly cloudy spring day, a perfect day to go outside and not be locked in a castle room, so Yuuri jumped at the occasion. Gunther had just recently deemed him ready enough to ride by himself but that was not what he wanted to do. He had begun to know enough horse-riding to enjoy it and wanted to explore his country with more freedom, therefore he decided to organise a ride out, with the others.
They all were enthusiastic about the king's idea and not half an hour had passed before Wolfram, Conrad and Gunther were on their respective saddles, followed by a few guards while the king led them out the gate.
Yuuri was riding Ao at a slow pace, making him walk down the slope, but when they reached the end of it, he started at a trot and across the country-side. Together with his company they rode on for some time when suddenly Ao started to limp. Immediately they stopped to assess the problem. It seemed that the black horse had managed to get something stuck under his horseshoe.
They could not get it out easily and had to take him back to the castle. But Yuuri did not want to go back yet. He had hoped to get to the hills, maybe to the small mountain even, so that he could see his country from a higher place.
The king might have made some progress in his horsemanship, but he certainly was not ready to ride any horse just like that, and none of the horses they had was as calm as the black royal one. So, while a soldier took Ao back to the stables, walking, it was decided that they would go on.
Conrad and Gunther were already in their saddles and the half-demon held a hand out for Yuuri to climb behind him. Wolfram made a face, but said nothing and helped his fiancé up to double-ride with his brother. Then they went on.
Their pace was slow and careful, and when they reached a long free path, Yuuri could not take it anymore.
Bending closer to Conrad's ear, he asked: " Let's race Conrad. "
Slightly surprised, but smiling, Conrad turned as much as he could towards the young man. "Race ?"
"To the top of the mountain, Conrad. " Yuuri explained. "I want to ride faster. Let's race."
Something strange passed on Conrad's face, like panic, like disbelief. He paled. "Your Majesty, I…"
"What is it Conrad ? " Yuuri was concerned. "Is it too hard for your horse ?" They were double riding after all. "We don't have to gallop when the slope is going up."
Conrad shook his head. "No, it's a strong horse, but…"
"Then what are we waiting for ?" Yuuri half-scolded the brown-haired soldier.
"Your Majesty…" Conrad tried again.
"Don't your Majesty me ! Do I have to make it an order ?"
The smile fell off Conrad's face, and his voice was deep when he answered. "No, Yuuri."
He gathered his reins and looked around, as if searching for support in the other horsemen, but none of them were paying too close attention.
"Conrad ?"
Conrad looked back one more time at Yuuri. He looked at him with a strange stare -- so intense that Yuuri thought afterwards that he might have dreamed it -- before he turned forwards and spurred his horse on, shouting a challenge.
Yuuri held on tight to Conrad's waist and laughed as he felt the wind rush on his face, enjoying the speed.
After a few seconds he turned to share his enjoyment with his other companions. But none were there. A bit more frantically he looked around but there was no other horse in sight.
"Conrad ! " He shouted to the other rider. "Conrad ! Slow down !"
"What is it Yuuri ?" Conrad shouted over the sound of the hooves, the whistle of the wind. But he did not slow down.
"Conrad ! Stop !" Yuuri shouted back. "Something is wrong: no one followed !"
Immediately but slowly, their pace slowed down. But Conrad did not turn his head back, nor did he speak to Yuuri.
"Conrad ? What's wrong ?" Yuuri asked, worried by the man's strange behaviour.
The horse came to a stop, then, finally, Conrad turned. When he looked at Yuuri, he had a small gentle smile on, but it did not reach his eyes.
"They did not follow to give us a headstart, I believe."
"What are you talking about Conrad ?"
And Conrad's smile widened in a sadder way. "Tradition is that couples who want to elope go to the top of that mountain," he explained. "If they manage to escape their pursuers -- be it family or rivals -- they will be left alone. But it has become customary to give them a five minutes headstart."
"No way !" Yuuri exclaimed. "We have to go back ! Let's head back Conrad ! We can't let them think that ! It was just a normal race, wasn't it ?"
There was a second pause, then Conrad turned their horse back. "Of course Yuuri," he said. Yuuri heard both the tension and relief in his voice but did not pause to think about it. He was worried. How would Wolfram react ? He feared the blond demon's anger.
When they got back, he felt that his fear was justified. The group had been waiting at the same place but Wolfram was fuming. Hurrying off the horse, helped by Conrad's guiding hand, Yuuri rushed to him to apologise. He did so many times, explaining he did not know, but Wolfram would have none of it.
"I can't ! " Wolfram exclaimed. "I can't take it anymore, don't you understand ?" Yuuri wanted to speak but Wolfram did not let him. "Do you have any idea what it does to me ? How I feel ? Once or twice I could forgive you but this…" He spat the last word as if it were poison. "What will it be next time ? Will you make another indecent proposal to someone without giving him or her a choice ?" Wolfram was incensed. "Seven, Yuuri, seven ! It's the seventh time this month you've done something like this. Seven advances to five different persons !"
"No way !" Yuuri exclaimed, scandalized. "I didn't !" He turned towards Conrad. "It's not true Conrad, is it ? Please tell me it's not true."
Conrad's voice was calm and reasonable when he answered. "It is not true, Your Majesty." But his smile was slightly sad and embarrassed. "I counted nine," he said apologetically.
Yuuri was too shocked to say anything more, and Wolfram was rendered even angrier.
"Right ! Even better ! Nine ! None of them to me ! From now on I'm not your fiancé anymore. And don't even think of slapping me again before you know all of your country's customs."
The blond demon mounted his horse, turned it back towards the castle and went off in a fast gallop, never looking back.
There was a moment of silence when no one knew what to say. Yuuri just stared at the disappearing cloud of dust in Wolfram's wake.
Then he turned back towards Conrad with every intent of confirming what he had just heard. "It's true?!" Conrad's smile was very sad, wounded even, and Yuuri froze. He had just put Conrad in a very difficult situation towards his brother. How many times had it happened in the past and no one had warned him ? Back then Conrad had believed Yuuri wanted him to elope with him, or rather that his king had ordered him to… Yuuri remembered the glimpse he had had of Conrad's face, that last expressive look before he spurred on his horse. His heart ached. Now that he knew he could see the pain on the man's face.
"I'm sorry," he said contritely. "Sorry, Conrad." He was beginning to realise the extent of the blunder he had committed this time and each word seemed to weight a ton ; he had to dredge them up to his mouth before he could speak them. "I put you in a terribly uncomfortable position."
"I'm all right, don't worry about me, Your Majesty," Conrad answered in an equal voice. "You didn't know."
'I'm all right,' Conrad had said. Not 'it's all right' like he usually did. Because things were not right, not for Yuuri, nor for Wolfram.
He wanted to shout, to grieve. "Why didn't you tell me !? Ben !" Except they had told him. They had encouraged him to learn about his country… It was he who had not listened to them, who had not made the effort to study.
He wanted to rage against them; they had known he didn't know, so why did they take everything he did so seriously ? But he could not really be angry. He sighed. He was the king ; that was why.
"Yuuri ?"
Conrad's voice and hand on his shoulder startled him out of his morose reflections. Conrad had worry etched over his face.
Yuuri made his best effort to smile. "I guess I have to study now," he tried to joke.
Conrad smiled then, reassured. "Yes, Your Majesty." He did not add that Wolfram would not forgive him if he did not, but he did not have to. Yuuri understood that very well.