A/N: This is a fanfiction work. The characters are not mine. I'd really appreciate some reviews.
It was a mistake that ruined everything for Wolfram. One evening of indulgence and misery led to one night of disaster. He woke up with a pounding head and a vile tinge in the back of his throat. It was the reason why it took him so long to notice the arm, arm that was rougher than the one he'd only seen from a distance, wrapped around his waist. He almost screamed. He was not in the king's chamber as he had been for the last couple of years but in the king brother's.
He looked wildly around and noticed the plain décor of the near empty room. It was spacious but nowhere near as glamorous as the king due to the infrequencies that Shori spent in Shin Makoku. The half mazoku beside him was handsome like his brother though it was only something he could say while the other man slept. When he was awake Shori was nothing more than a know it all jerk who liked to put his kid brother down due to his overwhelming desires to protect his Yuri from all form of pain and misery.
It took him awhile to notice that he'd been staring at the man for a while and nearly jumped when the arm pulled him closer. His heart was pounding harder as the moments passed. He had to get out of the room. It was practically closing in on him and the arms felt like a vice grip that was getting tighter. He lifted the arm gently and tried not to wake his sleeping companion. 'Wonderful' he thought after getting out of bed and looking at his naked body as proof of their treasonous act. He doesn't remember any of it though the pain in his back and kiss marks were proof enough.
His clothes were scattered all over the room and once again he wanted to scream so loud that it would wake him from this nightmare. He quietly dressed and when finished looked around the room once more to ensure that no evidence was showed of him being in the room. He carefully opened the door and cringed when it creaked. He looked back once more making sure that Shori still slept and when he was satisfied opened the door fully and closed it just as stealth-fully.
When the door closed, he'd exhaled surprising himself as he hadn't even realise he'd been holding his breath. He started to make his was back to his chamber all the while trying to figure out how he'd ended up in the room he'd left behind.
All he remembered was starting the evening with suspenseful glee. It was his fiancé's 18th birthday surprise and the throne room was covered in decoration and tables that surrounded the great hall were filled with delicious foods. The room was full of merry friends, all of whom owed a great debt and appreciation to the celebrated king. It was also the evening he'd decided to mention their wedding to his fiancé and was looking forward to setting a date.
It all started so well, Yuri came in and was so surprised and happy to see all the wonderful friends he had made over the years. He greeted them all with exuberance, he had grown over the last 3 years and didn't overdue his welcome as he once did when he first started as king. He dances and laughed throughout the evening and after awhile seemed to have forgotten that his fiancé was in the room with him. That's when Wolfram started to forget as he started to take in more and more of the offered beverages. He didn't even remember when he Shori joined him. He didn't remember how they'd ended up in the same bed and how he came out covered in bruises.
He put his hand on his head and tried not to scream. 'I'm a traitor! I'm a traitor! I'm a traitor!" The same thought kept repeating it self around his head and he didn't notice when he found himself in the castle's garden.
Wolfram looked at the flowers that filled the garden. The area of the castle was favoured by his mother as it contained her flower collection. There was Secret Gwendal, Cheri's pink sigh, Conrad stand upon the earth, Yuri's innocent and beautiful Wolfram all beginning to blossom and waiting anxiously for the sun's arrival. Looking at the flower named in his honour, he wished with all his being that last night had never happened and he could remain proud, beautiful and deserving of all the blessing life given him just like the beautiful Wolframs.
He sat down on the porch and looked at the flowers without really seeing anything. He could not believe that with one evening his life could end. It was a mistake that no-one in the history of Shin Makoku have ever made. Each Maou no matter their faults have been loved and cherished, each had been great but his fiancé, though now he'd no longer had the right to call him that, had been the greatest.
He had always accused Yuri cheating and he was right! Yuri would always show other too much affection that should only be reserve for him but now he'd done something worst that showing too much affection. He'd committed the very traitorous act of cheating on his king.
He had no idea how long he sat there but when he looked up the sun was high enough in the sky that it passed the horizon and he knew that Yuri would be having his morning run with Conrad right around that time.
He knew that his punishment was either to die or be sentence to exile and was crushed by the knowledge. He breathed in and gathered his courage, had he been any other person he might have wallow in his self pity longer but he'd always been very honourable and truthful. Now that he had lost his honour, he knew the proper course of action to get it back. He stood and was about to look for his king, no longer had he the right to call him his fiancé, when he saw Yuri and his brother conversing in an easy manner.
He had the strongest desire to ignore the whole thing and to not say anything but he'd always been brave about all things in life and he was going to be brave now and face the consequences of his action. He straightened his shoulders and waited for the two to reach him. He was almost annoyed when his king and brother didn't seem to take notice of him but he now had no right to complain.
When the king looked his way, he smiled that innocent, trusting smile he gave to all the people he'd meet.
"Good morning Wolfram!"
Wolfram noted with a sad thought that this might be the last time he'd be greeted in such a way by the maou. Before he could reply Yuri continued talking "Good morning Shori."
He nearly jumped at the name and turned around to see that the elder brother of his king walking toward them. He looked calm as always, radiating supremacy like Wolfram before last night did but no longer had this morning.
"About to start your morning run Yu-Chan?" Shori asked. He nearly tensed when the other man stood beside him as though nothing at all happened the previous night.
"Yes, either of you want to join us?" Yuri answered.
"Nah, I was actually wanted to have a word with Wolfram, so if you'd excuse us Yu-chan, we'll see you at breakfast." Shori said and started leading him away. They'd already turn a corner when he finally noticed what happened and was about to protest when Shori put his hand in his mouth.
"Not here. Do you know where we could talk in private?"
He could not believe what Shori was saying. The two brothers were so different from one another and yet so similar at the same time that it confuses the mind. Shori's over protective nature was where the divergence began but his choice of avoidance was very much the same as when he first tried to tell his king's parents of their engagement.
"I need to tell the king what happened."
"You're calling him the king now?"
"This is not a joking matter Shori."
"Last night was a mistake but we can't tell Yuri what happened. It will only hurt him and I will never do that if it can be avoided."
Wolfram could not believe what he was hearing. The elder brother of his king wanted him to lie and it pissed him off to see the expectation in the man's face, as thought it was already decided. As though he'd willingly follow like an honourless wimp. He breathed in and cooled the raging volcano within him. He would not have his king find out about his sins in this manner, yelling it out to the world as though everyone had the right to know about it. It was a private matter and so he breathed out and spoke evenly.
"I don't understand your avoidance of facing the truth. It's hard I know but nothing honourable ever comes from lying. I've already lost my honour last night. I'm not about to fall further in disgrace by lying to my King."
Shori was about to interrupt him but he continued. His world was crumbling around him and the older brother of his king acted as thought his was the solution to their problem.
"Yes, I am calling him my King because I no longer have the right to call him my fiancé! I lost that right last night!"
He turned to leave, he anger was getting the better of him, only to be grabbed by the hand and dragged away.
"Let go of me before I hurt you!" He warned pulling his arm back.
"We can't hurt my brother like this!" Shori raised his voice the desperation coming out clear and for the first time that morning Shori looked scared. His eyes were desperate and crazed. He had always though that the elder brother to be brave because he had proven this many times before especially when it came to the safety of his younger brother but he'd never thought him to be a coward also. He had faced the possibility of death many times before but in the presence of harsh truth he was cowered. He balled his fist and closed his eyes.
"What we did last night will hurt Yuri. It was a mistake but lying to him is an even greater mistake. I refuse to be such a cowardly mazoku especially before my King."
He turned walked away and with each step closer to his king the speed of his pounding heart increase. He hadn't even turn a corner when a devious thought entered his mind. The king's brother wanted his silence and if he'd stay silent the king will never know what transpired between Shori and himself.
"He doesn't have to know!" Shori called back to him. "And he shouldn't know about something like this. It will only hurt him!"
The temptation was so tantalizing. It felt so desirable to give in and the choice was so easy to make. The king wouldn't know of his affair and he'd avoid a harsh punishment. If he avoided telling the king of the truth then he could still have everything. He would still be prince, he'd still be fiancé and someday he'd be husband to the king he loved. He was so lost in his thought that he didn't even realise that he'd stop walking. At least until he felt the hand on his shoulder that made him jump.
"We can't tell him. It was a mistake but it will never happen again. We can't hurt my brother this way. He'll be crush. Please."
Shori was speaking so softly and earnestly and a large part of him agreed with the lord whole heartedly. He's seen the suffering gaze on Yuri before and he couldn't bare to see Yuri in such a way again. It was to painful he decided and he was not going to ever be the type of person to bring that much pain to the one he loved. He turned and looked back at Shori.
"You're right."
He would keep this secret from the king and make it up to him in greater delegacy of service. He would protect the king in everyway and from all types of dangers especially those of the heart. He made a silent promise to never again betray Yuri.
"Nothing happened last night and nothing of the sort will ever happen again."
Shori gave a sigh of relief.
"Thank you Wolfram. This is the right course of action, you'll see."
Shori walked past him and he felt a pang of dishonesty at being thanked for keeping such a terrible secret but he to walk the opposite direction towards the king's chamber to change out of yesterday's clothing.
'It's the right thing to do' he repeated the mantra over and over in his head and by the time he'd reached his king's chamber he believed it. 'It is the right thing to do.'
He kept pace beside his king as they jogged around the castle. It was a morning routine that started on king's first arrival at blood pledge castle and only very rarely missed. It begins well before breakfast to provide enough time for a morning bath. The morning run was very close to his heart as it was one of the few moments he share alone with his beloved king but this morning his thoughts were also with his younger brother.
"Conrad?" Yuri asked.
"Yes Heika?"
"It's Yuri, man who named me. Yu-Ri! How many times do I have to tell you?"
He nearly chuckled at the face the young king made and address him in the manner of which his king wished to be addressed. He always enjoyed the way his king insisted on being called by his name instead of his title but for a trained soldier it was a difficult habit to break.
"Yes Yuri"
"Did you notice that Wolfram was wearing the same clothes as yesterday?"
He did indeed notice his brother's dishevelled appearance. He also noticed the tensed featured, uncombed hair and doom that radiated from his younger brother. It was something that bothered him since they saw the young prince in the garden patio. Wolfram had been particularly quite and had an air of defeat around him.
"Yes"
"He also looked strange. Do you think he's alright?"
His king was the most compassionate person he'd ever met and it always made him happy how well he'd kept his compassion even after seeing all the ugliness that surrounded him. Yuri had changed so much in the 3 years he'd served as king but in a lot of ways his king was the same, something that made him glad. He'd grown taller and more muscular. His hair was now shoulder length and making him look very handsome. He was more focus in his lesson and he was also able to keep up with his physical training but he still had a great heart and he'd still full of innocent and trust.
"I'm sure he's fine. If you'd like I'll speak to him later?"
"Yeah, please. I hope nothing's wrong with him."
He smiled at his young king. Yuri was still very oblivious to the love that his younger brother had for him. He gave himself a mental sigh when that thought crossed his mind. It was probably Yuri's obliviousness that was the cause of his younger brother's melancholy behaviour.
After their run he led the king to his private bath set up guards before quickly taking one himself making sure to finished and dressed just as the king before the king stepped out.
He once told his king the mazoku's detach themselves from time because of their long life span and it was true. If a mazoku could live long enough virtually any pain or misery would lessen with time. It was a lesson he, himself had learn after the death of his father and the death of Julia and he was sure that someday his younger brother would look back on this time of his life and feel completely different from what he was feeling now. He was sure that he'd also look back during this period of his life and be content of the life he had with his king.
He walked behind Yuri as they headed to the dining hall and took the time to enjoy the moment he was privilege to share alone with his king. It was too short in his opinion but he also knew that other matters required his king's attention but during moments like these it was just him and Yuri.
At the breakfast table Yuri and Wolfram sat side by side. Wolfram had changed but sat uncharacteristically quite. He didn't want to bring attention to his brother's brooding but made a mental note to speak to him after breakfast.
As he continued to watch his king and brother he couldn't help but think of how incompatible the two looked together. He did know however that his younger brother loved Yuri. He saw it the moment it began. When Yuri first defeated Wolfram, he saw the awe in his brother's face. After the witnessing the courage Yuri showed during their many adventures he witnessed his brother's amazement change to love.
It was at that during those times he'd come to accept the engagement, the possibility of the two one day being married and contended himself as being Yuri protector. He had made the same mistake with Yuri as he had with Julia but he knew at the time his king had been too young, too unaware and the thought that he'd have a chance to tell him later was ended by the realization of his brother's feeling toward the young king.
He watched Yuri try to engage Wolfram into a conversation only to be given one line answers. It was the proof he needed to know that something was bothering his brother. Wolfram had always relished whenever Yuri gave him extra attention however he acting distracted and jumped every time Yuri asked him a question.
"Thank you so much for the party last night Wolfram. It was a wonderful surprise." Yuri tried again.
"It was nothing Hei..Yuri"
They all heard it, the minor slip and it was enough to end all the conversation at the table. Since the king's first arrival at blood pledge castle not once had Wolfram ever called the king other than by his given name. He saw the look the king gave his brother and the chance to talk to his brother flew out the window.
"You've almost called me Heika. What's wrong Wolfram?"