Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou! or any of its characters and trademarks. This story was written strictly for entertainment purposes and no profit is being made.

:Remnants:
A Kyou Kara Maou! Fanfiction Endeavor

Timeline: Takes place after Season 2 (about a year), however Season 3 and the OAVs are disregarded. Some elements (the character Saralegui and Shinou's return) are molded into the story, however.

Author's Notes: This is my first KKM fic, and as such, I will try my hardest to keep the characters as 'real' to themselves as possible. Please note that there may be some OOCness due to the serious tone of this story. I don't do typical "romance", so pairings aren't anything I can talk about. But what I can say is that as far as canon pairings, my cold heart beats for Wolfram and Yuuri. ;)

If you notice any mistakes regarding locations/names/other canonical stuff relating to the KKM world, please let me know through a review or an e-mail (address is on my profile page), as I want to make this as great a fic as I can. That said, thank you for taking the time to read my story and please enjoy!

Chapter One:
Premonition

Ink flowed over parchment, led by a gentle hand. The truth of everything that was about to happen had settled over her in a permanent mesh of melancholy, and even the memories of the smiling faces of those who loved her were unable to break the spell that had taken hold. She knew there was no way to escape her destiny, and for the sake of everyone, she knew a sacrifice must be made.

I'm not strong.

The quill was trembling as her hands began to shake in the gloom. She quickly dipped the feather pen back into the inkwell and captured her right hand in her left, lacing her fingers together and feeling the pulse of blood beneath her skin. For now, she was alive. To make her final marks upon the world, to express the thoughts bunched inside her head through the act of writing, that was what must be done before sunrise. The next day would be her last, and it would be busy.

Even knowing the future, she was powerless to stop the flow of time.

I'm just a girl.

Faces flashed behind her closed eyes (when had I closed them?), people she had shared many joyous moments with, laughed and shared dreams with. Stolen instants in which a simple smile or brief touch had warmed her all the way to the core of her being. Hands stroking golden hair, a slight weight in her lap from the head of her fiancé, looking down with a smile on her face and noting that his usually hard expression was completely relaxed and open. Or the other, dark-haired man whose eyes held numerous mysteries, eyes that sparkled when they met hers after she had placed the pendant over his head and left it to dangle from his neck, catching the sunlight and shooting rays outward. Her father, eyes full of pride the first time she successfully healed an injured soldier with her Maryoku.

I don't want to die like this.

But she was already resigned. The vibrations coursing through her body ceased, and she picked up the quill, resumed her careful scribing. Someday, someone would find the parchment, read her words and understand, and on that day she might finally, at last, be freed.

What is the truth?
The things that happened were so needless.
Yet,
Had the world not decided to end,
Would I really have lived at all?

Is life so transient?
Is love so meaningless?
The waves of time so coldly distant?
If I could go back and do things again,
Would I,
Could I have changed a thing?

I can feel the wind of creation
Millions of one
I would send my words to you upon its wings,
If I could only remember your name.

'Yuuri.'

Yuuri's eyes shot open to the dark, slowly adjusting to accommodate the thin slips of moonlight that filtered into the room through the mask of his curtains. He squinted, positive as he awoke that he would see his mother's bright face above his as she called his name for a second time and told him to get out of bed and hurry to the table for breakfast. The fact that he was alone in his darkened bedroom did nothing but deepen his confusion. He could have sworn that a soft, feminine voice called to him, pulling him out of his light slumber and back into the world.

He sighed and let his eyelids lower, snuggling deeper beneath his sheets and waiting for sleep to once again return to him. He vaguely wondered what time of night it was but didn't feel the inclination to open his eyes and look at the clock beside his bed. The fact that it was still pitch outside told him everything he needed to know. Sleep time.

'Yuuri, please.'

Eyes opening again, sleep becoming a more distant memory, Yuuri slowly lifted himself off the bed, sitting up and placing his hands over the sheets bunched in his lap. He hadn't imagined the voice that time. It rang clear as a bell in his ears, that light, sweet voice with a pleading edge that stirred something deep within him to action. Something is wrong.

"H-hello?" he half-whispered, voice fading in the darkness. He cringed at the pathetic way his word had cracked the instant it escaped his lips, and swallowed thickly. He could have used a quick swig of water to quench the dry ache in his throat. "Is someone there?"

Silly, he thought. Of course no one would be there in his bedroom in the middle of the night. Certainly not a girl calling his name and asking for...

'Help. Yuuri. Please help me.'

The voice remained close but distant, a paradox that his puzzled mind couldn't begin to figure out. He shook his head, forgetting completely about sleep and shifting his legs off the side of the bed. The least he could do was turn on his light and make sure that he was indeed alone in the room. Surely he was just imagining things, that voice was just a ghost of something in his head.

Familiar, though. If I could only place it.

'Yuuri. Please listen to me. I-- I can't talk for much longer. I need you...'

With a start, hand frozen as it had begun to reach for the light, Yuuri recognized the voice. He had heard it many times before, in visions, memories. Julia!

His head whirled around, knowing that even as he searched for the woman, it was all in vain. There was no way he was going to suddenly see her when she was not only dead but hadn't belonged on his current Earth even when she was alive. Still, where was her voice coming from then, to sound so perfectly clear in his ears? She had never spoken those words before to him, so he couldn't even point to a poignant memory as the culprit. Was he losing it?

No, that's silly. I'm probably just... really tired. I should get back to bed.

But his feet refused to move from their spot by the door. He realized his entire body was stiff, each muscle tensed and almost aching from the exertion. He was waiting.

"Julia?" he managed to murmur.

'Yuuri. Come now. Please. I need--'

He was drawn. Water. A desperate longing filled his mind, fueling him to move. To hear Julia's voice in such a melancholic state, to feel her pain to the depths of his (her) soul, he moved out of the need to help her. To calm her fears and answer her call. Where are you? Julia? What's happening to you?

Before he could fully comprehend the ramifications of his actions, he was plunging into the depths of the nearest source of water in his bathroom, using his new-found powers to embark upon the journey. He was quite comfortable at making the trip now, after the first few shaky times, and he closed his eyes, knowing that the next time he felt air upon his face it would be in the land of Shin Makoku.

The cool breeze fanned across his dripping face, carrying the delicate scent of lilac and roses upon its wings. He slowly opened his eyes to a blue sky and sat up, shaking water from himself and brushing his hands across his eyes. Everything was extremely bright. His eyes were taking their time in adjusting to the stark contrast. He waited to hear the voices of Conrad, Wolfram, Ulrike, or any of the others who would usually be there to greet him when he arrived in their world.

Instead, an unfamiliar, "Oh my!" startled his ears and drew his attention, eyes falling upon a stranger in the place of his friends. He felt instantly sheepish at being seen like this in front of a person who was no doubt a guest visiting Blood Pledge Castle. He could have timed it better. His hand fell behind his head in an embarrassed gesture and he smiled a wide, goofy grin. "Ah, hi," he spoke to the figure, whose specific features were obscured by the bright sunlight at its back.

His self-deprecating display was interrupted by the feel of cold metal beneath his chin. He swallowed thickly, aware suddenly of how sharp the blade pressed against his neck was when the involuntary gesture forced his skin more firmly against the weapon. His eyes slid to the side to glance at the owner of the sword, meeting a cold, utterly humorless gaze. The man's face was a thick slab of stone, unreadable and bland. Yuuri didn't know what to say, was actually afraid to speak lest the movement cause his throat to press too roughly into the sword. He had already figured out that there was no way he could possibly be inside his own castle.

Someone having a weapon even pointed at me is a crime, isn't it?

"Now, now, Beries, he didn't look like he was going for my jugular," the surprised voice from before said in a bemused tone. The sword wavered a bit. "Let's at least hear what the boy has to say before eviscerating him, shall we?" The sword finally fell away, and Yuuri breathed a deep sigh of relief, watching as the tall, dark-haired man stepped back and sheathed his blade, keeping his hand over the hilt and continuing to eye Yuuri with suspicion.

Yuuri turned his attention to the other man, grateful to have been saved but still too confused to do much else than sit in the cold water and stare. A hand was offered to him, the fingers slim and long, an extremely elegant form. Yuuri hesitated before placing his hand into the fold of the other, allowing himself to be pulled from the water. He stood in between the two men, dripping wet and beginning to feel chilly as gusts of wind raced past his damp skin and through his wet clothes. His eyes fell upon the man who had helped him and he was surprised to find that he was extremely beautiful and feminine, a true picturesque bishounen. A thick whip of blonde hair brushed the tips of his shoulders and continued in a waterfall down his back. Mischievous golden eyes twinkled behind lavender glasses, matching the smirk upon his full lips.

He has to be a girl. No, what am I saying, the voice was clearly masculine. But look at that skin and hair! Oh, silly Yuuri, this is the land of bishounen, I mean, what about Günter and Wolfram? No wonder there are so many guys out there dating each other!

"So now, why don't you tell us what you're doing here in the castle fountain? It's kind of unexpected, you see, to get a strange guest without being informed by the guards. So I hope you can excuse my friend Beries' concern in such a matter," the pretty man smiled warmly at Yuuri, causing his cheeks to slightly darken in light of his frivolous thoughts. What the heck am I doing thinking about this stupid stuff? There's bigger issues to worry about, the first being the fact that I'm in the wrong castle!

"Ah, ah sorry!" Yuuri apologized hastily, bowing slightly to the taller man on his left. His eyes shifted to the stone man before settling back on the friendlier face. "You see, this is the wrong castle. Well--! I mean, I should be in Shin Makoku right now. I don't really understand why I'm here." Realizing he was babbling, he struggled his mouth closed with a forced smile, preparing himself for the questions sure to begin coming his way.

"Shin Makoku." Golden eyes narrowed and shifted to the other man, a frown of concentration forming. "That would explain the hair and eyes, don't you think?"

The other man, Beries was it? caught the stare and turned a penetrating glare to Yuuri, dark eyes becoming hard slits in his chiseled face. "A Mazoku should not be here in Small Shimaron," he said without a trace of light in his voice. The hand twitched upon the sword's hilt, fingers clenching.

Yuuri realized he was in a precarious situation. Small Shimaron? That was a really bad miss on my part, he thought with a frown. Then again, in human lands, my Maryoku should be suppressed... I mean, I can't even get my way out of this by going back right now. He shook his head to clear it of such frivolous thoughts. First things first, Mission Don't Let The Humans Slay Me For Inadvertently Trespassing. "You see, I didn't mean to land here. I honestly mean no harm and would very much like to just be on my way back home to Shin Makoku at the moment."

"Yes, of course." Blonde Bishounen was still frowning at him, lips pursed. "Still, this is most peculiar. One of my advisers had a, well, let's say premonition that something like this would happen."

It was Yuuri's turn to frown, forehead wrinkling as his confusion deepened. "Adviser? This? Really?"

The blonde's face lit up, brilliance nearly matching the sun at his back. Yuuri would have taken a step back and shielded his eyes, but he somehow managed to avoid the impulse and consequently didn't have to look like a fool for it. "Yes. If this is indeed parallel to his predictions, something very wonderful is about to happen. Beries, let's take him inside and get him into some dry clothes. I hope you won't mind wearing some of my things while we set yours out to dry."

"Your Majesty," Beries said, concerned. "Are you sure we can--"

"Of course," the other man cut him off with a dashing smile. "Syrinx has yet to steer us wrong with one of his predictions. Besides, he seems genuine." Yellow eyes raked over him, and Yuuri tensed at the inspection, smiling nervously out of habit. "I trust he has no ill intentions towards us."

"As you wish, your Majesty," Beries relented, falling in step behind them.

Majesty? The word and its implications hit Yuuri like a brick when his mind caught up. "Are you, um, royalty?" he asked the blonde, who rewarded him with a brighter smile.

"Ah, yes. Pardon me for not introducing myself properly sooner. This situation is, well, a bit unorthodox as I'm sure you're aware. I am Saralegui, the king of Small Shimaron." He tilted his head slightly forward as he made the introduction, silken strands of hair falling over his shoulders to brush against his high cheekbones. He lifted his head, eyes trained on Yuuri, and waited patiently, hands absently toying with the loose locks next to his face.

Yuuri's eyes opened a bit wider at the revelation. King! "W-Wow, I mean, well, pleased to meet you. Very much. I'm Yuuri Shibuya, the Maou. Um..." The introduction came too fast for his brain to intervene, but the mental kick came as quickly as the word thoughtlessly escaped his lips. He could hear Wolfram's voice in his mind, scolding him for the blunder. You tell a human country who isn't exactly on our good side that you're the Maou? What if they decide to use you as a hostage and start making demands? Are you that dense, Yuuri? Pfft, of course you are, you're a wimp! Well, it was too late. He couldn't think of a word that began with the 'maou' sound to clumsily turn his proclamation into. 'Maou'se? No, that made no sense in any context.

"Maou! This is even more wonderful than I thought!" Saralegui clapped his hands together and practically shimmered at Yuuri, eyes beaming. "Would you believe that I've been meaning to set up a meeting with you for the longest time? Unfortunately some things have come up, but this must be fate to meet like this! I've heard so much about you from our neighboring Caloria, and Lady Flynn can't say enough good about you!"

Yuuri was happy that the Maou bomb hadn't detonated like he feared, although he couldn't share his companion's joy at the fateful encounter. The mention of Flynn did some good, since he knew the lady would be sure to help him get across the sea and back to Shin Makoku once he explained the situation. He forced his mind to the current predicament, after all, Small Shimaron was no longer under the iron-fisted rule of Big Shimaron and would be more able to join into an alliance with his country. Still, what did any of this have to do with the very thing that had brought him across the worlds?

Julia...

"...would love to have you meet him, but he's very reclusive, more so than me even!" Saralegui was chattering on and Yuuri forced himself to pay attention. The task at hand, focus on the task at hand. There's nothing I can do about Julia. There was silence, and Yuuri realized the young king was waiting for his input. "Oh, yeah, well, it's okay," he stated blandly, hoping that the generic words were a good fit for whatever the other man had said.

Saralegui nodded sympathetically, placing a warm hand on top of Yuuri's cold, damp arm. "I'm sorry, I bet it's hard for you to think straight with everything that's happened and on top of being soaking wet and cold. Spring brings the loveliest flowers but it's just too darn chilly sometimes." Laughter like beautiful rain showers and the hand moved slightly higher as Saralegui gripped his elbow and pulled him closer. "We'll have you warmed up in no time. Beries, please go ahead of us and tell the servants to prepare some warm clothing and tea."

"Your Majesty," Beries' tone was full of reservations, as sharp as the crisp blade of his fatal sword.

"Please hurry," Saralegui insisted, unmoved by the other man's concern. He was steering Yuuri into the gorgeous sprawling castle, although Yuuri was still a bit too bewildered to fully take in the beauty and opulence of his surroundings. He felt like his head was still underwater or that maybe he was trapped in a dream. Julia's voice continued to echo through his mind, her pleas an unsolved mystery he couldn't begin to make sense of. His eyes fell upon Saralegui and he realized with a start that not even Wolfram had ever walked in such a... familiar way with him.

Like we're about to get wed in front of a preacher!

Yuuri discreetly tried to detangle himself, and Saralegui tastefully took the hint and stepped away from Yuuri, releasing his arm. They were walking down a long hallway lined with portraits of stern-looking men dressed in royal robes and rich furs. Yuuri let his eyes wander as he followed Saralegui down the glistening corridor. If those men were indeed the previous kings, he couldn't imagine which one of them was Saralegui's father. None of them resembled the beautiful blonde in the slightest.

"Everything should be ready inside the room. We work fast," Saralegui said with a chuckle, stopping in front of a mahogany-colored door and winking slyly at Yuuri. "Your Majesty Maou, please make yourself at home. I'll be back in ten minutes to take you to my formal chambers, and we can talk comfortably there." With a slight bow, the king disappeared in a brilliant flash of flaxen hair down the hallway.

Yuuri pushed open the door and looked around the spacious room. A four-post bed was pressed against the back wall, lacy mosquito-netting draping across the three exposed sides and catching the sun rays that worked their way into the room from the exposed window. The carpet was thick, ruby-colored lush, and the walls were a mute beige decorated with small paintings and other treasures. Despite the obvious air of nobility that the orderly room possessed, Yuuri couldn't help but get a cozy sensation from the space. The rooms in Blood Pledge castle were at least twice that size, and it was easy to feel lost inside them.

Quickly discarding his wet pajamas (Oh God, that's embarrassing to have the king of another country see me in those!), he changed into the clothes laid out upon the back of a wooden chair, noticing that they were slightly large on him. Saralegui was taller and probably a bit more bulky, he admitted, pulling dark socks over his feet and peering down at the steaming cup of tea resting upon a lacy coaster on the bedside table. He lifted the liquid to his lips and blew, taking an experimental sip to test the temperature. He drank in small sips, enjoying the way the hot beverage warmed a trail through his body. It tasted of thick honey and earthy leaves with a slight tang of lemon. Very nice.

Maybe this was what he came here for. Not the tea, of course, but rather the destination. Maybe Julia calling to him was all some sort of trick to get him to try and shift worlds at the exact moment he would land in Small Shimaron instead of the usual place. He remembered that Saralegui had mentioned something of an adviser predicting his arrival. What if he actually called me here? Well, that would be strange since it was Shinou who did that to begin with, and he was extremely powerful. Hmm. While he was lost in thought, he finished his tea and absently placed the empty cup back upon the coaster. He was heading for the door when it swung open and Saralegui peered in, a sheepish look on his face.

"Oh dear, I meant to knock first, really," he said in a breath, shaking his head at his own clumsiness. "Luckily you're all decent and ready to go, your Majesty Maou. Please follow me."

"You know, I'd actually be happier if you just called me Yuuri," Yuuri said quickly, inwardly dismissing the formalities as unnecessary. He realized it was pretty ingrained to the entire world culture, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to change it. "It's my name, after all."

"How wonderful! You must return the favor and call me Sara," Saralegui said cheerfully. Yuuri's somewhat dismal mood brightened considerably in the presence of the happy king. He couldn't imagine that such a person had been the cause of strife in political matters, but then, knowledge on that front had never been his forté. He wished for Gwendal or Günter to be there and help him out with his lack of knowledge on all things politics, because at the moment all he knew was that if he could get Small Shimaron on his side, his dream of a peaceful world would be more in reach than ever before.

Then all that's left will be the big guy, right? It might even convince them to join us if their small counterpart agrees to the alliance.

He decided to tread carefully, watching as Sara practically floated down the hallway, arms spread wide, and he noticed how different his style of dress was from the black garment Yuuri was always given to wear. Sara's outfit was white with navy blue trimmings, a high collar and flowing coattails that almost reached his ankles. The garments shifted and fluttered with each deliberate step, and Yuuri was given the distinct impression of a butterfly's wings gently unfolding to shine against a backdrop of light. He almost flushed as he realized he was seriously glamorizing the individual with almost a schoolboy's crush-type of intensity. Remember that whole 'boys are icky' thing? Stick with that, Shibuya.

"Now, then, Yuuri," Sara said, leading him into a vast chamber with muted golden walls adorned with sprawling murals of interlaced purple vines. A thin carpet of red outlined a path from the door to the throne conspicuously placed in the center of the back wall. The wall itself was a line of open windows, dazzling with the light of an indirect sun, spraying bursts of brilliance throughout the room. Yuuri cautiously made his way inside, recognizing it to be the audience room that was in some ways a mirror of his own. Sara closed the thick doors behind him and walked past Yuuri to sit in the center of his large throne, a smile etched on his face. His legs crossed and his face tilted, palm cradling cheek. "We can talk abut anything without worrying about anyone interrupting us."

"Interrupting?" Yuuri struggled to keep up, walking forward until he was about the usual distance his subjects would be when they were facing him in the audience room of Blood Pledge Castle. "Well, erm, we should definitely talk about an alliance between our nations, I think."

"I appreciate the fact that you seem to trust me so implicitly," Sara drawled, his words coated with a thick layer of honey as they spilled from his lips. His golden eyes had captured Yuuri's in a penetrating stare. "But let me be blunt. My nation may not be in any position to offer aide to anyone at the moment. You see, Big Shimaron is nearly in shambles, and we can no longer turn to them for assistance in these matters. And there are certain issues bearing down on us in the present times."

"Issues?" Yuuri's teeth worked his lower lip, though his insides were lighting up with a faint glimmer of hope. Things had been so quiet lately that when he spent time in Shin Makoku, it was usually studying with Günter until his eyes nearly crossed from all the information seeking to pry its way into his mind. Though he would never wish ill upon another nation, if there was some horrible thing happening, he was more than willing to drop everything in the instant and make a move to rectify things, in the process embarking on another adventure. Of course, I'd need Conrad and the others, it wouldn't be nearly as fun... I mean, safe! to go alone.

"Yes. You see, the effects of the four boxes' power was felt all across the entire world, at least that's what most reports claim occurred. I can tell you that, not shortly after you diffused the tragic situation, we sent an expedition out to sea to check on some of our sister islands. You might or might not know, but we do have numerous settlements, some a great distance across the ocean from us, and we needed to know if they were okay. For some reason, our attempts to contact them via messenger birds were unsuccessful, so you can imagine that we were worried."

Yuuri nodded, waiting for Sara to continue the tale. For some reason, uneasiness was burning within, coming in fiery tongues to lap the pit of his stomach. Earlier words returned to him, unbidden. Please help me.

Sara's eyes flashed dark behind his glasses as he continued. "We sent a rescue ship with a few of our skilled Houseki users, urging them to be cautious and send word back to us right away if they spied anything suspicious in their travels. It was bit over a week before we received word back from them. They told us of a strange land mass in the ocean we were most certain had never been there before. To remember exactly how it was described..." Frown twisting full lips, the young king leaned forward in his throne, appearing to struggle with his memories before continuing, "a cage of twisting spines, rising from the depths of a frozen ocean. With the use of a handheld spyglass, they were able to see wreckage of what we now assume was our other expedition, crashed upon the edge of that jagged barrier. They were afraid to approach it and voiced their intentions to return home at once."

Yuuri was fully engrossed in Sara's recollection, mind struggling to draw up images from the vivid imagery of the island's description. Twisting spines, a cage in a frozen ocean. He couldn't imagine such a phenomenon, and it bothered him a little. He had seen many fantastic and unbelievable things since his first trip into the other world, but nothing as strange as that in a natural architecture. But clearly, it can't be natural. "Did they return home safely?" he questioned.

Sara nodded, leaning back in his throne and interlocking his delicate fingers together under his chin. "Yes, they came back to us unharmed, a bit shaken by the sight but otherwise in perfect health. One of the men said he felt watched, almost haunted when he gazed upon the strange place. I thought perhaps it was the knowledge that comrades of his had most likely crashed and lost their lives there. I still can't say for sure, as I haven't seen the place with my own eyes. I've wanted to go, but things have been so rough here lately, I didn't think it wise to leave things..."

"Of course," Yuuri agreed, nodding emphatically. He could sympathize with the other boy's plight. It was difficult to lead a country.

Golden eyes moved shyly in his direction, watching him from behind violet-tinted lenses with a bit of a shine to them. Looking closer, Yuuri was surprised to see the hint of tears within the saffron depths, a look of sheepish hope coloring Sara's cheeks a soft pink. "Oh, I feel so silly to talk so forwardly about this. But I think I must let you know how grateful I am that you've come. Syrinx, our adviser who foretold your presence here, told us that we wouldn't have anything to worry about once you were finally here. I have to say that I'm just so relieved. I know it must sound silly to you, to trust the words of another so easily."

"Nonsense!" Yuuri said with a quick wave of his hand. "We have a guy like that back in Shin Makoku. He's my friend, a reincarnation of the Great Sage. He's very good at predicting certain things and being all mysterious and kinda annoying, like he always knows more that he's willing to tell you." He fastened his eyes on Sara with a large grin on his face. "I won't let anything bad happen to your country and your people, Sara. I want everyone to live happily and in peace."

"Yuuri." Sara's smile matched his own, gaze sending wordless thanks in his direction. "This truly was fate, don't you think?"

Yuuri's shoulders lifted in a hapless shrug. "I'm not the one to know about that. But I am happy I ended up here and got to talk to you." He flushed a bit, as silence descended and Sara's beautiful eyes were still searching his face. "I- uh- well, I should really get to Shin Makoku, though. I can't really use my powers here to get back to Earth, and we should probably make an official alliance or something."

Sara jumped up and rushed over to his side, coat swirling around him like a cape of whitewater. "Of course, they must be worried for you, and you for them. Ah, Caloria is on friendly terms with you, are they not? It's not too far a journey to get there, and of course they'll be willing to lend you a ship. I'll be happy to take you there in my carriage. I would even hope that you would allow me to accompany you on the trip. You are so gracious and kind, but would your regents not want to meet with me and make sure of my dedication to this alliance?"

Yuuri smiled. "That would be great, I'm sure they would be happy to meet with you and see your sincerity." He watched as Sara gently engulfed his hand in a warm grip, blushing slightly at the familiar touch but deciding that it would be rude to pull away too quickly. The somewhat awkward moment was interrupted by a knock on the door behind them. "Do come in," Sara said with a hint of impatience in his voice. Taking the interruption to disengage himself from the grasp, Yuuri turned around to see Beries enter the room, standing in front of the open doors and bowing slightly.

"Your Majesty, our visitor's clothing has been cleaned and is finished drying." Yuuri noted with some embarrassment that his blue pajamas were nestled in the other man's folded arms.

Sara chortled at his side. "Dear Beries, I suspect our friend doesn't wish to wander around in what appear to be nightclothes, however, thank you for bringing them over." He strode over to Beries and took the garments from him, shaking them free of their folds and holding them out to inspect. "An unusual pattern and color, but it's not bad," he commented, glancing over at Yuuri with a sly smile dancing upon his lips. He pushed the sleeves back and refolded the clothing carefully, talking quickly as he worked. "Beries, prepare the carriage and let the advisers know that I'm going to be taking a short journey with Yuuri to his homeland Shin Makoku. Be assured that nothing will dissuade me from this course of action, so please don't entertain dissension. As soon as you are able, join us in the courtyard and bring some things for a trip."

As Beries exited to see to his master's requests, Sara turned back to Yuuri with a large, Cheshire cat smile. "Would you believe I already have a bag stuffed to the brim with clothes for this trip? If you like, I can take you to my wardrobe, and I can pick out a few more outfits for you to bring along as well."

Yuuri's cheeks darkened. He had a feeling Sara was going to be an exhausting person to travel with. Then he chuckled inwardly. That's not such a bad thing. He was feeling lighter, as though heavy sheets that had covered him had blown away with a strong gust of sweet-smelling wind. He could no longer hear Julia's pleas or see her longing gaze inside the backdrop of shaded memories, eyes clouded with indescribable pain.

She had stopped calling to him. He was beyond her reach in an instant, and she was once again held back by the magical cage-seal, stretching into the spacial ether, leaving nowhere for her cries to go. They stayed inside her empty world, for she no longer had the will to struggle against her captors, the bars.

They were endless.