Title : Pledge of Allegiance

Author : seiryuu saito

Chapter : Portrayal of Betrayal

Summary: Conrad returns from Big Cimaron to Shin Makoku's side. But, guilt settles in ...

Pairings : None ... at the moment

Genre : Angst

Conrad awoke as the sun shone through the bare window. In the sweltering heat, he pushed the mound of blanket off his body. He got up slowly. His body hurt. He tried to remember. The image pained him.

Just hours ago, he was still with Big Cimaron, betraying his own nation – Shin Makoku, betraying his own maou – Yuri Shibuya. Yet, it was the Shinou's will. He had made his friends and maou captives of Big Cimaron. He dueled with Josak, only to push him of the cliff and injure him. He had broke his mother's heart. And when all was done, he had openly shed tears in front of his maou and his subjects.

He rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. He touched his bandaged left shoulder and felt immense guilt. The war scars on his lean body was nothing compared to the pain he felt. The country that he had pledged his allegiance to he had betrayed.