Note : *WARNING*

Spoilers from the novel canon. The novel is extremely different from the anime so I suggest you should check it out at baka tsuki because its just awesommmmeeee

The King's Return

I had assumed that once I had returned to my kingdom, I would hear the usual *gugupi gugupi of a certain blonde in the morning. Yet, it was rather quiet and all I could hear now are the omen birds squawking, "Engiwaru!"

I stretched out my arms and I clicked my tongue. My body was aching from last night's huge party. Although I'm pretty sure that was not the main reason why my body was hurting.

It could be because I was not used to sleeping on a comfortable bed, not after many months of sleeping on the ground or on a rickety old bed or on a moving horse whilst travelling through the desert.

The party however, was redundant to me. Many important people came over to greet me and gave their blessings to me that I came back home safely.

By important, I meant those people who would bring the Kingdom more riches or aristocrats from the different territories of the country. I wasn't' able to socialize as much, because I had no idea what to say rather than "Thank you" or "Keep up the good work!" And when it comes to politics, I made up some stupid excuse to avoid the conversation because I still have no idea how they worked. I mean, I'm just an average high-schooler who loves baseball and hot baths. I couldn't understand politics back in Japan, not alone the Demon Kingdom.

I would usually let the scary eldest brother to handle all the work but now, he would tell me to at least take part a little since I had travelled all the way to the other side of the world and he had expected that I would have learnt a lot when I was away.

Even if the royal advisor had told me that the party was extremely important for me to socialize with the guests, the little brother however, emphasized that the party would show the people that the King is back and alive. Although that made a lot more sense than the shimmering purple man, it was all just way too exhausting for me to handle the whole night.

At least, I'm not suffering a hangover. Despite of me being of legal age here, I'll refuse to consume anything that would harm my growing body.

Hmm? But I was so sure that he had drank a few glasses last night.

I rubbed my eyes to fight off the drowsiness and get out of bed. The atmosphere of the room was different from the last time I was here. I know I'm back home safe and sound, but it still felt off.

"Good morning, Your Majesty"

I looked up to see the shimmering purple whom I would call my royal advisor and a familiar looking cute maid entering my room. The petite lady was pushing a push cart with food.

"Good morning you two. Breakfast on bed today, huh?"

The tall man gave me a gentle smile as he gestured the lady to place my breakfast on bed and took her leave. I examined the food for a few seconds before picking up the spork to dig in. Before I could do so, he was already going on and on about my schedule for today with his reading glasses on. I ignored him and ate my food.

"And your Majesty should be done by early evening."

I dropped my food as I said, "Great! I can go over and visit to see if he's getting better."

I realized I had said something sensitive. The beautiful man didn't know what to say after my sentence and that made the situation more awkward.

I cleared my throat and continued to eat my breakfast.

I missed the big guy. I missed his not so cute "feminine" voice and his huge presence. I wonder when will I ever hear his playful voice again?

"Then, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."

"Say, where is everybody?"

I asked and he thought for a moment before replying, "I believe they're busy going around fulfilling the duties that they had to attend to. Since they were left unattended when everyone's away, but we should be able to see them by lunch."

Lunch! That's right; maybe I could go and eat lunch with him.

"Yuuri!"

A little person jumped on my back. I picked her up and embraced her tightly. Her brown curls tickled my cheek and she smells like roses from the courtyard.

*"Greta! Welcome back! Have you been studying well?"

"Yes! I heard you're returned so I came back as fast as I could!"

Her high-pitched voice was so cute that my poor little heart melted. Ah, the joys of being a father. I've missed this too!

I held her tanned, left hand and we walked along the corridors of the castle.

"Yuuri, are you sad?" My daughter raised a question that surprised me.

"What made you say that?"

"When we hugged, you held me really tight. You never hugged me like that before you went away. Were you afraid of letting me go?"

Greta. Since when have you grown so sensible?

"I heard about what happened while you were far away. Yuuri, you still have me! And Wolfram! So please, do cheer up!"

I couldn't help but smile when I hear such a touching thing from a little girl. I patted her head, hoping that it would convince her that I am alright.

She wasn't fooled. She was staring at me, refusing to move and walk with me. She wanted an answer.

"It's okay. I am a little sad but it's fine. It's normal for us to feel sad when someone is sick. Like you said, I've got you so I'll be fine after spending some quality time with you."

"And Wolfram!" She squealed.

I didn't know what else to say so we just continued walking. We managed to spend our afternoon together for lunch but we couldn't find the 82-year old anywhere in the castle.

"How are you today?"

I wasn't expecting a reply but subconsciously, I had asked that question. This routine had been going on ever since we returned home last week.

I would knock on the door and asked him how he was feeling.

I would sit down beside him and talked about my day. Sometimes, I would start talking about the times we had spent together, the funny and the sad moments.

I would hold onto his tough hands tightly until I could feel the sweat from my palms. Then, I would tell him stories;-

A story of a man who would go all the way to serve his King.

A story of a man who would travel everywhere in disguises.

A story of a man who is proud to wear a dress and a story of a man who had made his King proud.

Today, I continued from the usual stories and I began to talk about Arnold. *

I mentioned the amazing things he had once told me about him and another, where they both were the only survivors left after the battle and how close they were ever since they were kids.

They were friends yet soldiers and they had suffered discrimination as half-demons, only having one another to rely on.

I could feel tears welling up but like any other day, there were no signs of response. His eyes were lifeless and his body as stiff as a rock, sitting on the wheelchair, silently.

"Can we take a bath together? We can scrub each other's backs!"

The voice was innocent but the question was not. How did she get the idea that girls and men can take a bath together?!

"No we can't. You're a growing lady so you mustn't bathe with Daddy."

"But you and Wolfram bath together all the time!"

"That's because we're both men and we don't bath together all the time! Where did you get that idea? Sure we scrub each other's back once in a while but who told you all that?!"

The little lady giggled and once again, my poor daddy heart dropped.

"I found out on my own! So can I, Yuuri? Can I scrub your back and you scrub mine?"

How persistent.

"No no no. Ladies must not bath with men unless they are married or betrothed. Listen to you daddy and remember this okay? They might do something to you!"

"But you won't do that!"

"But! I'm still a man. Even if you're okay with it, men should know better and not to take advantage of the situation. And besides, you're not a little girl any more, my angel's growing up!"

"Angel? Who's that? So is that why you can bath with Wolfram? Because you're engaged?"

This conversation isn't getting anywhere.

I had to finally force her to take her bath otherwise she would continue asking me questions. Are children always asking so many questions at once? She reminded me of Jason and Freddy*. They too asked too much even though their speeches aren't fully developed yet. I had a hard time understanding their questions too.

"Can I sleep in your room tonight, Yuuri?"

She doesn't stop!

I watched as Greta's chest rise and fall as she slept in the middle of my bed.I wish I could sleep as peacefully as her but I couldn't set my mind at ease. Maybe it was because I didn't spend much time in the baths.

I jumped out of bed and head over to the table to grab a glass of water. Before I could do so, I heard footsteps outside. They weren't loud but I could still hear them passing by my room. Curious, I went out and turned my head to the left.

There was a strong stench of alcohol and I could see a shadow walking slowly, further away towards the end of the corridor.

"Where are you going?"

I knew it was him. I could tell from the height. No one has a similar body structure as me aside from Murata and him. Murata isn't the answer, since he sleeps in the shrine. The figure stopped walking and judging by the silence, he wasn't facing me when he answered.

"To my room. I had too much to drink with the others so I'm heading straight to bed."

"All the way to the other side of the castle? That's too far away. Come on in, I don't want you puking in the middle of the corridor."

"I'm completely sober."

Oh yeah. Despite his cute looks, he has an amazing tolerance for alcohol.

"Just come on in. Greta's in too."

He didn't answer me but I heard his light footsteps approaching, until could finally see his face, even though he wasn't directly looking at me. I couldn't see his usual honey coloured hair, as it was dark. The soldier didn't even acknowledge me; he just walked right into the room.

I watched him as he approached the round table and chair, which he pulled and sat. He brought his hand to his forehead, where he held part of his fringe as he closed his eyes and sighed.

He seems tired. I feel like I'm a Japanese housewife, waiting for my husband to come back home from a long day of work.

I'm bad at cooking though.

"Need a massage?" I asked as I took the chair from the other side of the table and sat on it.

"Ma..ssage?"

I hadn't realized that I said the word "massage" in English.

"Ah, it's okay. Where have you been all day?"

"Work."

"Usually you would visit e in the middle. Were you that busy?"

"Yeah. With Lord Weller."

His eyes were closed, as if he was sleep talking.

"Weller? I hadn't seen him today too. I wonder if he had been visiting Josak."

There was no reply.

"Hey, what is up with you two? Are you guys avoiding me?"

I could tell that my voice was loud, as I saw Greta turning to the opposite side of the bed from the corner of my eye.

Ever since the whole fiasco at Caloria and Seisakoku, nothing seems to be the same any more. Everyone had gone quiet on me or they had been avoiding me. It could be because they felt guilty for what they had done to me over the past few months while we were away.

One had betrayed me and went over to Big Shimaron's side and another had hurt me physically, twice.

"Avoiding you? I guess you could put it that way?"

"!"

"To be honest, we were busy, With Conrad's return and unfinished duties we had to tend to because were gone for so long…"

Excuses and more excuses.

"Maybe I was. Avoiding you unconsciously I mean, but…"

The pretty boy finally lifts his head up to face me. With a snap of his fingers, he lit up the candle that was on the table so that he could see me.

And there it was.

His verdure emerald eyes, staring right at me, his expression hard to read. I could finally see his blonde hair as well.

"I had been thinking about it."

"Thinking? About the divorce?!*"

I was right. He was most definitely thinking about the time when he punched me in the stomach, attempting to knock myself unconscious.

"I would gladly accept any form of punishment you wish to put on me since we're back home."

"Don't talk as if you're me!" I yelled loud enough for the fire on the candle to flicker.

I knew this topic would have to resurface sooner or later. I was angry back then, thinking that how could he have planned something without my knowledge? But once I had calmed down and thought about it after the whole thing was over, I realized he was just trying to protect me, his King.

He said, "Love and respect," when I asked him why he did what he had to do.

"I couldn't even think about punishing Conrad for his betrayal, how could I think of anything for you?"

"You're the same as ever." He smirked as he stood up and faced the bed.

"A wimpy king."

"You…!"

"But, I'm lucky. No, we're lucky, to have such a kind King to rule our country."

"Wolf…"

I'm touched by his words. For a person like him to praise me, it was a rare moment.

"It's not as if I'm praising you for running away and creating trouble outside our lands!"

Tsundere.

"…But, maybe if you hadn't done what you did, we might not have found out about the location of the boxes and prevent the humans from misusing them any further then they did."

This guy was being too serious that he instantly reminded me of his eldest brother. They do share a common trait after all.

I walked over and grabbed his left hand. His hand was warm, as I would expect from a demon who had made contract with the element of fire but he didn't respond to my touch.

"But hey, I couldn't have done all that without your help."

He quickly turned to face me, with a confused expression locked on his cute face.

"I mean, you did all those stuff just to make sure I'm safe and alive. Even though I had hurt you and you had hurt me but hey! We're home now right? "

My fiancé looked away and I knew he was smiling. He nudged me to let go of his hand. I did and he walked straight to the cabinet to grab his nightclothes.

Thank you, Wolfram. For all the things you had done for me to be the King that I am now.

*Notes :-

1.) Gugupi gugupi – the sound Wolfram makes when he snores

2.) In the novels, Greta had gone with Hyscliff to learn more about human territories

3.) Arnold – A city located near the border of Shin Makoku. A battle took place there between the Luttenberg division and the army of Shimaron in the war 20 years ago

4.) Jason and Freddy – Seisakoku twins that Yuuri and the others met during their long journey

5.) In the novels, when Wolfram punched him, he had said, "Divorce?! Second marriage?!" lol