Disclaimer: Kyou Kara Maou! was penned by Tomo Takabayashi and illustrated by Temari Matsumoto.

Pairings: ConradxYuuri, slight SaraleguixYuuri, MurataxWolfram, GwendalxGunter, SaraleguixBerias.

Part I: Yuuri? Surprise!

It was during one of our trips to Caloria, I was sure of it. The Calorians had been holding one of their annual festivities that time and I was at the balcony together with Flynn-san and Gunter, watching the townspeople celebrate, when I made some offhand comment about a similar annual festivity held on Earth. Flynn-san had seemed interested, so I went on and told her some details about it.

I think I threw in something about wishing something like that could be held in Shin Makoku as well.

I couldn't believe that was all it took for all of this to happen.

"Oi, hen na choko, quit gaping at the others like that. That's not how the ruler of Shin Makoku should act around his subjects!" Wolfram said, tugging at my collar to get my attention. But my eyes stayed on the sight that was laid out before me.

The whole place smelled of pine. Strung on the wall were lots of multicolored paper cutouts and clustered leaves of holly and mistletoe. In the center of the room was a huge round table that was heavily laden with fruits, a roast goose, and lots of pastries. Near one of the floor to ceiling glass windows was an enormous, decorated tree lighted with tiny silver candles that sat on little golden cups. And underneath that tree were a couple of wrapped boxes.

Presents.

Presents.

Presents!

Oh no.

"Heika," Gunter came into view and clutched my arm. "Heika, is something the matter with our preparations? Did we fail to include some vital piece of ornamentation necessary to complete the occasion? If so, you need only tell us what it is and we will do our best to procure them for you at once Heika."

I shook my head at that. "No, everything looks perfect Gunter. But…but why didn't anyone tell me about this before?" I said my eyes still fixed on the mound of presents beneath the tree.

"Because it was meant to be a surprise for you, that's why!" Wolfram replied irritatedly. "Gunter went through all this trouble to get this right in time for your return. The least that you could do now is show some gratitude for his efforts!"

"Oh, ah…" I tore my eyes away from the presents and laughed embarrassedly at that.

"But Heika, the credit is not entirely mine to take," Gunter interjected and inclined his head towards Conrad, smiling. Conrad gave him a smile in return and went to stand beside me.

"I believe the whole lot of us pitched in our share to make this celebration possible for his majesty." He placed his hand on my shoulder, prompting me to lift my eyes up to him. Then he leaned a little ways down and gave me one of those dazzling smiles of his. I felt my heart give a joyful leap in answer to that smile.

"Then I owe all of you thanks, minna, for this wonderful surprise." I said, facing all of them in the room.

They all looked pleased at that. I smiled broadly for all of them, while a part of my mind lingered on other matters.

"Yuuri!"

It was then that my cute little daughter rushed into the room, dragging Anissina and Cheri with her. She let go of the their hands and then leapt into the air towards me. I happily caught her in my arms and whirled her around and around, the both of us laughing like a set of loons. When I was certain the two of us were absolutely dizzy, I stopped and looked at her blushing, giggling, cute little face.

"Greta! Don't tell me you're in on this one too?" I said as I nudged her nose with mine.

"Oh Yuuri," She stopped giggling and rested her head on my shoulder. "I helped Grisela put the glittery balls in the tree. I also made some cookies with Eve, the ones there on the silver tray beside the tarts. I made star shapes and heart shapes and kohi shapes and one big maou-pan," She put her tiny hand on her mouth and giggled at that, then raised her head to look at me. "But not all of them are good. I still need lots of practice, but I made them for you."

She tilted her head to the side and looked doubtfully at me. I wanted to take a picture of her then, something that she could treasure when she grew up. Something that would show my daughter how very sweet she was as she looked like that at me.

"I'm not sure if they taste that good…but I tried my best Yuuri! You will eat some of them, won't you? Please? Just one?" She was pulling her best puppy dog eyes on me now, and just how am I supposed to resist her when she was being like that?

"Of course I will. Every single one of them if you want me to."

"Wai!! He'll eat all of them! Did you hear that Eve? Did you hear that Anissina? Did you hear that, Wolfram? Yuuri said he will eat all of the cookies I made!" With that, Greta laughed happily and tightened her little arms around my neck.

"Hmph, he won't eat all of them." Wolfram said and held his arms out for Greta. Greta flung her arms out in response and tossed herself towards Wolfram who caught her easily in his embrace. "Listen, Yuuri, I won't allow you to eat all of those cookies, do you hear me? Greta is also my daughter. Therefore, that automatically entitles me to a fair share of those cookies and whatever else she bakes in the future."

Wolfram was practically breathing the words in face and we were standing so close that one wrong shove could send both of our lips crashing onto one another. That was just way too close for my liking, so I took a step back and bumped into something hard behind me.

At that point, a pair of large hands placed themselves upon my shoulders, grasping them firmly as if holding me in place.

And it was then that I saw Murata make his way towards Wolfram and take a hold of his elbow. He wasn't wearing his glasses tonight and his eyes fully met mine as he leaned close to Wolfram, murmuring something in his ear that sent the blond bishounen stomping towards the table with Greta in tow.

Murata stood there for a while, holding my gaze silently for a few more minutes. Then he bowed and, with one of those sly smiles of his, left to mingle with the others.

When I looked up, Conrad was there towering above me. I blinked at his upside down face in confusion. "What was that all about?"

Conrad gave me a solemn look, more solemn than his usual one that is, and replied. "Perhaps neither of us still has the courage to take things into our own hands, Heika."

"Eh?" I said blankly. He just squeezed my shoulders in answer and gifted me once more with those smiles of his. Predictably enough, my heart did another joyful somersault inside my chest.

Maybe I ought to take a picture of him too, because lately I had found that it was getting more and more difficult for me to leave Shin Makoku for long periods of time. I had grown so used to him being near me, being always by my side, that I had quite forgotten how it felt like not to be near him anymore. It was like I couldn't fully function without him, like an arm or a leg was cut off from my body. Maybe having one of his pictures with me would make me feel less so. Maybe…

"Hei~ka!"

"Cheri-sa-aaah!!"

I was suddenly engulfed- thoroughly and completely engulfed- by soft arms, soft hair, soft skin, and soft breas- ah! What was I thinking! This was Cecile, Conrad's and Gwendal's and Wolfram's mother, for Shinou's sake! She was off limits!

"Heika, please allow me to greet you a very, Merry Christmas!" She said in that silky seductive voice that never failed to set my face aflame. At that moment I was definitely sure that my face was flaming magnificently and so part of me was glad that it was concealed from the rest of the world's view while part of me continued to suffocate.

Then I was breathing, blissfully, blessedly free from the suffocating hug Cheri-sama had me in. I found out that I had my ever-faithful knight to thank for that, as he had pulled his mother off me and had taken over entertaining her in my stead. It took me several minutes to adjust to the lightheadedness I was feeling before my ears picked up on some of the words that passed between Conrad and his mother.

"…from Shou Shimaron you said?"

"Oh yes, and he was undeniably charming and so very handsome, don't you think?"

Shou Shimaron? If Shou Shimaron was involved, then that would mean…

I couldn't explain why the hairs on the back of my neck suddenly tingled. It seemed like everyone else felt it too as the room suddenly hushed up.

Delicate sounding footsteps echoed in our now silent dining hall. I realized that the sound was growing louder and louder to my ears because it was headed for me. I steeled myself, bravely faced the owner of the footsteps with a smile on my face, and was promptly met with the vision of Saralegui, Shou Shimaron's ruler who was about a few years older than I.

"Yuuri, I'm so glad to see you once more," He murmured cordially as he drew near me and clasped my left hand with both of his own, that bewitching smile painted across his face.

I think I've mentioned it before that Sara's looks could give Wolfram a run for his money. Cheri-sama was right, he was charming and mild mannered and- I'd be repeating myself but it's the truth- every time I looked at him, he only seemed to grow more and more beautiful to my eyes. Sometimes I wonder if it's a trick of the light or some such thing.

But still, no matter how pretty he looked, I couldn't help that creepy feeling I got every time my eyes locked onto his.

It was an unsettling kind of feeling, the kind you got when you chanced to see an abandoned house in the middle of the night while you were walking in the middle of nowhere. When everything was dark and there wasn't a light to be seen inside that house but somehow you felt, you knew, that there was someone inside that building, watching you from within. It was something close to that, or it could probably be just an after effect of me watching too much of those old horror reruns before going to bed.

But I just couldn't get rid of that feeling no matter how much I tried. It's as if it's telling me to be careful around him, to be careful around Sara. It's as if it's telling me not to totally put my guard down when I'm around him.

It's as if it's telling me not to trust him.

"Yuuri?"

"Ah, sorry, sorry." I shook my head and gave him a smile in welcome. "It's just, you surprised me with your being here Sara."

"Oh, I did? Then I'm glad." Past those purple lenses, I saw his eyes crinkle in delight. "I've come to Shin Makoku bearing gifts, my dear Maou Heika,"

"Hold on a second, don't tell me they let you in on this one too?"

"I have been…graciously invited by a very lovely close friend of yours,"

This time it was Sara who inclined his head at Cheri-sama and I was really surprised this time. I didn't know those two even knew each other's name. But then again, Cheri-sama did know Fanfa-er, Fanbalen-san I mean, from Dai Shimaron. And if she'd been able to obtain contacts in Dai Shimaron, Shou Shimaron would simply be walk in the park for her.

'Cheri-sama, you sure are one amazing woman.' I whistled silently in awe.

"Heika?"

I started and looked first at Sara who was clinging on my left arm, then at Gunter who was now standing at my right.

Gunter gave me a gentle tap on the shoulder and motioned to the far left corner of the room. Right by the windows was another mound. Pale, pastel blue silk had been draped over it to hide it from our view. The whole setup stood about almost as tall as me and the upper part of it was rounded.

Berias, Sara's trusted guard, stood on its left side. Puzzled, I looked at Sara and he in turn looked at Berias and gave him a slight approving nod. Berias moved and swept the silk cover off with one quick motion of his arm.

What we saw were two huge barrels mounted on neatly cut stone blocks. There was a silver tap located on the front end of each barrel. They looked like they had been sitting there for the longest time now, waiting patiently for their cue.

"These are two of the finest and oldest casks from the cellars of Shou Shimaron's best winery, one that has thrived throughout the history of my progenitors' rule. You would do me a great honor if you would accept these humble offerings from our little country, Maou Heika."

Sara said this with a courteous little bow, his left arm gracefully presenting the barrels. That creepy feeling hit me again.

He was leaning forward, those long golden locks of his tumbling playfully over his shoulder and spilling on the front of the pale green shirt that he wore. The shape of his face and the delicacy of his features was truly something to look at, and the color of his eyes…For someone who had such a fine set of eyes with that enchanting pale golden color, I couldn't help but wonder why he chose to hide them so much.

"I…" Those eyes, those lashes- so long and so fine- both seemed to pose a silent plea for me to look at them more closely. It was truly hard not to stare when it came to Sara.

I blinked and shook my head. I had to say something, all of them were waiting for me to say something.

"I accept your gifts, Sara. And welcome," I acknowledged Berias with a nod. He bowed deeply in return. "Both of you, welcome to Shin Makoku."

AN: Sara's such a sneak, isn't he? More to come!