Stormy Nights

It was storming. Gwendal woke with a start from a crash of thunder and two young screams, "ANU-WE!" Quickly, grabbing his night robe, he jumped out of bed and rushed to his brothers' rooms. He checked Conrart's room because he knew little Wolfram would go to their half human brother first. He was nearly thrown off his feet as he opened the doors. The wind blew fiercely.

Come stop your crying, it will be all right...

Using his arms to shield his eyes, he found that the windows were opened – supposedly forced by the wind. Another thunderclap accompanied a flash of lightning crashed. Two screams were heard then. Gwendal clenched his teeth and marched inside, his robe bellowing fiercely about him as the strong winds ceaselessly seemed to try to push him back out, away from his brothers. It was likely the fiercest storm he had ever faced.

Just take my hand, hold it tight

Once he reached the windows, Gwendal had to use much of his strength to force both windows close before slumping down to the floor. He did not hear any wind blowing in Wolfram's room but the crashes of thunder ought to have been enough to scare his baby brother into finding Conrart.

I will protect you
from all around you

"A-Anu-we?" a small voice called

I will be here,
don't you cry

There was a squeak as he lifted the blanket. "It's all right you two," he soothed, "Anu-we's here." He could see two pair of eyes looking straight at him and slowly crawling out together.

For one so small,
you seem so strong

Conrart, he knew, was a happy child in general. It somewhat startled Gwendal when he saw those brown eyes big with fear. What amazed him even more was that Conrart tried his best not to look it. Gwendal hated it when some nobles, particularly Waltorana and and his own cousin Huber, talked about how disgusting and evil humans are when his very own little brother was half human.

Some way or another, the two little miscreants have to go to bed otherwise they would never get to sleep – and neither would he. But he could not leave them alone, not when they were so frightened by this storm. "You want to come into bed with me?" he asked his brothers.

My arms will hold you,
Keep you safe and warm

At first, Conrart and Wolfram were surprised. They had thought Gwendal was just going to sit with them for a moment and return back to his own room and they were scared of the storm. A flash of lightning followed by a series of thunder was seen and heard. It lit the room and made it sound as if the windows were breaking. Gwendal found himself clung to by his brothers. "I take that as a yes," he muttered as he cradled tiny Wolfram in one arm and wrapped the other around Conrart's shoulders.

Once they reached his own room, Gwendal closed the curtains so the storm would not scare his brothers as much as they were already. He then propped up the pillows and invited his brothers to come into bed with him. Wolfram, half asleep, chose Gwendal's stomach of all places in favour of the pillows. Gwendal snorted but did not move.

This bond between us

Conrart snuggled close under Gwendal's left arm. He whimpered slightly as another crash of thunder was heard from outside and brought his arms around his brother. Gwendal did not move his left arm, but gently brought Conrart closer murmuring, "Everything's going to be okay." It amazed Conrart that Gwendal was so calm when the weather is unfriendly.

can't be broken

"Ne, ne, Anu-we," he asked, getting Gwendal's attention, "Weren't you scared?" It was some time before Gwendal answered.

"I was," he said, "I was scared when I..." a silent breathing interrupted him, he looked down to find Conrart's head against chest where his heart was. Gwendal could not help but smile at the sight. With Wolfram on his right and Conrart on his left, he felt then to be the luckiest prince in the whole world to have two very cute, even if they were miscreants at times, little brothers. He shifted gently so the blanket could cover the three of them. He then put protective arms around both his brothers before letting his consciousness fade away into the mystic world of dreams.

Don't you cry

In the morning, when Queen Cecilia opened the door to wake Gwendal, she smiled when she found her three boys snuggled close to each other. Pride for her eldest child swelled within her heart when she saw Gwendal be the older brother that he is, as she noticed that he had his arms around his two brothers. Keeping them safe. She loved the three of them more than ever.

Decades later, when Yuri was Maoh...

Wolfram woke from a nightmare by a storm. He was sleeping in a different room that night because he worked late and did not want to disturb his fiancé and their daughter when they were sleeping. This storm woke him from a nightmare.

Worried, he dressed and hurried to check on Yuri and Greta. He tried to keep his fear inside and walk bravely to the royal chamber but the flashes of lightning with the rolling thunder was not helping one bit. Eventually he broke into a silent run towards the chamber.

Once he saw that his fiance and his daughter were safe and untroubled by the storm, Wolfram just stood by the door for a moment trying to compose himself despite the soounds the storm is making in the dark. He literally jummped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder and someone calling him. He quickly unsheathed his sword and turned towards the intruder. The lightning flash revealed a familiar kind face, but evidently frightened face, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Koonichan!" Wolfram groaned, "Are you trying to give me a relapse?"

"Funny," Conrad replied, chuckling nervously, "I was thinking the same thing."

Wolfram eyed his brother nervously; the last time both he and Conrad were this shaky, he was barely four years old. "The storm scared you too?" he asked. Upon which, though Wolfram could not see it very well, Conrad blushed slightly.

"I tried not to be afraid," Conrad confessed sheepishly. A flash of lightning and a clap of thunder coupled with the howling wind came with a bursts of light, noise and force that echoed throughout the stone hall. So loud and frightening that Conrad and Wolfram clung to each other with fear they had not felt since childhood.

Cause you'll be in my heart

"This was like back then..." Wolfram mumbled trying not to show fear. One would think after seeing many of Yuri's storms both Godfather and fiancé would be immune to facing a storm like this, even if it was in the middle of the night.

"You two all right?" said a gruff voice. They both looked up to find Gwendal walking towards them with his usual grumpy expression written all over his face. Both Conrad and Wolfram wriggled out each other's embrace, embarrassed that Gwendal had to see them in such a way.

"It's similar to the storm back then," Conrad explained, laughing nervously while Wolfram crossed his arms and turned his eyes away from his brothers. Grown men, particularly soldiers, are not supposed to be afraid of storms like this – even if their Anu-we was there.

No matter what they say

Gwendal's annoyance deepened as he sighed at the stubbornness of his brothers. "It's okay to be afraid you know," he growled as he brought his arms around them.

Without a word of explanation, Gwendal led his brothers to the library and led his brothers to a couch. He closed the window curtains so not to let the lightning scare them anymore than they were and joined his brothers again on the couch. They sat for a long moment in silence before Gwendal felt a weight near his stomach. Gwendal looked down to find Wolfram sleeping against him. He snorted but didnot move.

"A-Anu-we?" Conrad called.

"Hmm?" said Gwendal, looking towards Conrad.

Conrad hesitated for a moment before another flash of lightning and a clap of thunder scared him so, that he clung to Gwendal. His brother's hand massaged his shoulder and coaxed him to come closer.

You'll be here in my heart...

Once Conrad calmed down he found the voice to ask again. "How is it that you weren't scared?" Conrad asked, "Even back then?"

Gwendal was a little surprised by the question. Because it was the same question Conrad had asked all those decades ago.

"Ne, ne, Anu-we, weren't you scared?"

Apparently, Conrad had not heard his answer.

"I was scared," said Gwendal, pulling Conrad closer and rubbing soothing circles on his back.

Always

"You didn't look it," Conrad murmured, starting to feel sleepy.

"I wasn't as scared of the storm as much as I was scared for you and Wolf," said Gwendal, his blue eyes soft. Conrad smiled slightly as he edged closer to Gwendal. Moments later, he fell asleep in his brother's embrace.

Gwendal stayed awake for moments longer, watching over his brothers and listening to the storm outside. He observed his brothers' behaviour and remembered how it was all the same years before, in exception for the fact they were on a couch rather than on a bed, and in the library rather than in his bedroom. But he felt as if he was the luckiest man in Shin Makoku. His two brothers were safe in his arms. One was a father, the other was a captain of the army, but they were his little brothers. Despite the fact that he believed they would always come back alive in every dangerous missions, Gwendal could not help worrying about them.

They were his life.

Always...

You haven't changed at all, he thought to himself. With Wolfram's head was near his stomach and Conrad's was near where his heart was, Gwendal eventually drifted of to sleep. His arms wrapped securely around his brothers.

The End

Author's note: I know Conrad and Wolfram look a little wimpy in this fic, but this was supposed to be cute especially when they know Anu-we Gwendal is there to protect them.