Disclaimer: I want ShinMakoku! I want to have a fiancé like Wolf! wailing And most of it, I want KKM...sniff...
A/N: Thank you for everyone who spend their time to review this story! I love you, all! glomp her reviewers It's also thanks to all of you that this chapter is done today! J I'm really sorry for a slow update...-.- Lately I got a bit busy at school and this iskinda long chappie...T.T I'm tired editing it too many times (and there are still many mistakes! sigh...) Third chapter might come out sooner. Maybe. :P (giggle) And I realize that my bad habit is, too love to write poetry sentences, so it's a bit wordy. Sorry about that...I think that's how my style is, though I know that most people don't like that way... T.T sob...
My words of gratitude for your reviews will be under this story. So, let's go with the story. :D Dang...my English is still very bad. So, please bear with me...T.T
Curse of Moon
There was an urgent meeting in the very early morning on Counsel Chamber. There was no even a glimpse of golden light of the dawn seen yet in the horizon. The grass swayed sleepily by the lazy fresh wind on the meadow. The city was mostly still sleeping and silent in the dark when several torches had been lit on Blood Pledge Castle.
Unknown to common people, there was a crowded site on the very side of city, where there was under guards which had been located and shifted for every four hours for scheduled report. Several Kotzuhisoku flied across the sky with clattering jaw upon the burned house, transmitting the most updated details back to the palace.
The counselor shut his eyes closed in the deep thought as he leaned his chin on his clamped hands.
"Another attack was reported this morning." Gwendal stated firmly, frowning like his usual habit. The maid wouldn't be surprised to find another unidentified doll to be stuffed on the doll cabinet.
Yuuri stifled a wide yawn with back of his hand, dozing a little bit through out the hazy window. /Why do we have to have meeting in such early morning...? It's still dark and cold/
An hour ago Gunter had rushed and stormed into his bedroom in sudden, ruined his nice sleep in a courteous manner. Yes, very courteous. Thanks but no thanks… To his surprise, Wolfram, who used to sleep like a log, had stood by their bed side, waiting for the young king. He leaned by the slumber's pillar with crossed arms in his usual blue clad uniform, complete with his sword by his side while the raven boy was still sitting and rubbing his dozing eyes.
"Get ready, Yuuri." Wolfram tossed a pair of black uniform on the bed from the drawer. "There is a meeting soon."
Yuuri frowned on his clothes for a moment and nodded lazily as he headed to his private bathroom, too distracted to even argue.
He didn't miss a dark gaze of certain emeralds when he passed his accidental fiancé for the entrance bathroom door…
"Wolfram?" He asked carefully, as if the blond would shatter like glass if he didn't.
"…Aniue is at his limit. Don't make him waiting for long."
"I know." He grinned sheepishly. "But…are you okay?"
Wolfram was silent and deep in his own thought momentarily. Yuuri's goofy grin faltered successfully into a deep concern one.
"…Don't worry." A small unconvincing smile finally managed to escape from his lips as he pushed the young king to the bathroom.
"Hey! Wait a minu…!"
A long line of soft curse echoed from the bathroom afterward.
The raven king stole a glance to the young prince who stood impassively between the ShinMakoku counselor and Gunter. To his fear, he couldn't even read the expression on his fiancé's face.
It was too neutral and…pale.
Feeling irritated, he growled in displeased at the image of another mount of papers to be signed that he could imagine on the air already as well.
Wolfram was worried.
He couldn't behave like his usual self after all dreams he had for a whole torturous week in the middle of the night. Fortunately he could hide it pretty well because of all of these occurrences, or he could say his uncharacteristic conduct was hidden. Gwendal had become restless and hid himself even more often in his counseling room. Gunter had always looked for Yuuri as if Yuuri would be gone if he missed a sight on his king only for a minute. If he could give a picture, the only one who didn't amend a lot was only his half brother. He was by Yuuri's side like he always did, only a bit too much. To put it simply, he believed, his fiancé never had time for himself alone any longer and no one would notice on his sudden change.
He chuckled bitterly on himself. When he would probably accuse on his fiancé for being cheater, for this moment, he was the one who kept the distance, distrusting of his own self.
Creaking open the drawer, he took out his usual pink night gown and was unbuttoning his soldier uniform, when all of sudden he could feel a strong gust of night breeze, knocking his conscious out vehemently. Collapsing to the drawer limply, Wolfram forced himself to escape of the room hastily by leaning to the wall. Before he could even reach for the slumber door, he fainted vainly.
"Yu…uri…"
The moon hung on the high sky, stained from ivory to crimson one, shone glowingly upon the unconscious body. As the only silent witness, it watched quietly as the pretty blonde rose leisurely on the floor, tugging golden locks behind his ear with a veiled smile.
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"Conrad…" Yuuri let out a sigh as he stopped strolling down the hallway.
"Yes, Heika?" The faithful soldier brought himself to a halt in instant behind his King.
"Yuuri." Yuuri stated firmly with deep determination and turned to face the half human soldier. "You don't have to guard me everywhere…" He whined a little while he was rubbing his temple lightly.
"Your safety comes to our prior, …Yuuri."
"I know that. But I also need my private time! You don't even have time to play baseball with me..." He remained silent for good two short seconds. "Not that I really object it, though..."
"Maou is the most important that we should protect." Conrad explained briefly as if he had only said that for once.
Yuuri muttered halfheartedly. "Why am I always being protected and never allowed to protect all of you?"
"Yuuri?"
"Nothing!" The raven head exclaimed and stomped down to his bed chamber.
After a bit walk, Yuuri found a grand door and was holding for the handle when Conrad rested his palms on the shoulders. The brown haired man leaned forward a bit to put the same eye level with deadly grave look.
Taken a little, Yuuri stepped a bit backward only to find his back hitting the door.
"C…Conrad?"
"Please be careful, Yuuri." A stern voice echoed.
Yuuri was stunned for a moment before he laughed sheepishly, shoving the hands on his shoulders assuredly with a smile curved on his lips.
"Don't worry!" He hit his chest proudly. "After all, Wolfram is going to be here too, right?" He paused. "Though he perhaps won't wake up even if there is an earthquake…" He trailed sardonically on such thought.
Conrad straightened himself with a weak chuckle that brought shiver to Yuuri's spine and huffed softly. "Yeah…you're right."
"OK then! Good night!" The raven boy cried jovially and pushed the door.
Conrad could only stare hard on the mahogany door in worry, standing still on the chill on night breeze. "Please be careful."
Yuuri peeked on the poor-light room through a slight opened door before he stepped inside inaudibly. Oddly, he could feel a sudden chill to his bare skin, but he tried to put it aside ignorantly. After all, there was nothing to fear on your own bedroom, right? Except for a furious fiancé waiting on your bed, of course.
Catching no sudden burst or yells for him being wimp, he snorted in relief and strode to the wardrobe, digging for his favorite pajamas. He could feel a sudden deluge of exhaustion over him at once. More papers and more papers had to be signed each passing day that he felt as if he was going to hate the thing called paper for the rest of his life. He swore if the incident kept going for next week, he wouldn't be able to last.
Just when he buttoned up his pajamas, he noticed how his fiancé had holed himself on supposed-to-be Yuuri's room with a small smile crossed his lips vulnerably. He found it very weary to fight over it since there were too much things to argue with his thick-headed fiancé everyday and he would just let the topic about his room pass lately. He didn't feel uncomfortable as terrible as the first time, that he actually got himself used to the blonde's accompany on his night sleep slowly by time, including being kicked, punched and etc.
He was crawling on the bed and pulling the blanket sheet over him to overcome a nice dream when he suddenly pinned on the bed sheet by strong grips on his shoulders. Gasping slightly, he was momentarily shocked before he could recover from sudden raid in the midnight and take a good look on his invader.
"W...Wolfram?"
The young prince only snickered down on him, sardonically, looked in pleasure as if he had just got his prey. Yuuri grew impatient. His cheeks started to burn in embarrassment of their dangerously over close proximity.
"Let me go!" He growled and tried to push his fiancé over but failed vainly.
"No."
"I said let me go!"
Wolfram smirked seductively, leaning forward as their noses were about to bump to each other. Yuuri was wondering whether the blond could hear his heart beat obviously when he was tempted on the rosy soft lips. So close yet forbidden to touch.
As if something hit him, Yuuri raised an eyebrow worriedly. "Wolf…your eyes…" They were red; rich red like the color of blood in place of pretty glowing emeralds. Yuuri shuddered and gulped hard unconsciously.
"What do you want?"
The blond leaned on his chest and whispered huskily to his ear. "You."
"What!" Yuuri sat abruptly and nearly screamed himself out with blooming crimson flush on his cheeks, only to be slammed hard on the bed.
"I want you."
"Wolf...!"
He was swiftly interrupted by a forceful kiss, claimed in maddening lust. He muffled in protest, trying his best effort to push the blond away within arm length vainly.
"Wolfram!" Yuuri snapped angrily in protest between persuasively desiring kisses, pushing the young Mazoku away on the chest. The lips met Yuuri's were soft, but he almost could feel no pleasure or sweetness in it as he would like to imagine. He growled angrily, "What are you doing?"
It was only a second just before his eyes widen like a saucer at the sight of glinted silver metal by moon light behind his fiancé's back, rise high on the air. He barely missed the sudden attack that it cut across his right cheek and several strands of raven hairs. His face grew deadly pale in mix of disbelief and fear. Betrayal from Wolfram was the last thing in his lists he would expect from the over loyal and protective Mazoku prince.
"W-Wolfram...?" He edged himself as far as he could bring himself on the bed. Wolfram remained at the same spot, looked deadly stern and cold as he rose and sat to face the young king.
Wolfram clenched tight on his knife, "Yuuri…"
"Wolfram never uses knife! Who are you?"
"...I'm myself."
Yuuri shuddered at the long lingering silence. As if he was awakened from truth, he abruptly ran to the door to make an escape desperately at least as far as he could from this so-not-Wolfram. The other lad flung himself out of the bed to catch his prey back when suddenly Yuuri bumped on a pale green soldier uniform just in front of the bedchamber's door.
"Conrad!" He cried automatically when the other soldier also spontaneously exclaimed. "Heika!"
"Weller! He is coming forward!" A low baritone interrupted.
Conrad swiftly pushed Yuuri behind him and gripped on the cutting metal just on time before it thrust to his chest. A stream of blood started to form and it flew to the hilt of knife to drip on the marble floor. Not letting it go, he used his free arm to grab both of Wolfram's wrists effectively to slip the knife away from those delicate fingers with a loud clang sound as the metal touched the marble ground.
"Wolfram! Wake up!"
He didn't want to hurt his little brother, but Wolfram kept thrashing. A pair of ruby eyes flickered in hatred, glaring up on him murderously. Conrad was taken back a bit, watching the deep hatred that eyes could harbor for him; he never saw his baby brother to hate him that much! Gwendal came between them and hit the blonde's nape bare-handedly pretty hard, knocking the young prince into unconsciousness into Conrad's arms.
"Gwendal!" Conrad was about to protest when Yuuri tugged his sleeve with tempted look and white face, trying to register what had happened just a moment ago in a flash.
"Wha...What has happened here?"
The brunette glanced away, trying to avoid an eye contact in regret. It only made Yuuri grew impatient and more desperate. "Conrad!"
"He is probably the suspect who did a great mess on our territory within this week." Gwendal stated firmly. "Based on investigation, he is good at swordplay. And a few witnesses said that they barely caught a glimpse of golden hair."
"But why?" Yuuri glanced aside to the Mazoku prince with worry and fear. "His eyes are also changing color..."
"Changing color?" Conrad nodded lightly as the advisor cocked an eyebrow.
"Yes. They are red just now..."
Conrad averted his stare on his brother to get a curt nod in reply.
"Uhh..." The boy on Conrad's arm stirred a little. The other three froze instantly, dumbfounded.
"Ouch...It feels like hell..." The blond growled painfully, rubbing back of his head absentmindedly before he snapped at pair of supporting arms. "Don't touch me, Weller-kyo!"
The blond yanked his hand away from the brunette with a faint blush rather harshly. Conrad was hesitated for a moment before he drew his hands away in defensive pose. Wolfram was confused.
"What are you doing in this room?" Wolfram asked innocently, brushing his night cloth in manner, not really realizing the incident.
"Wolfram...Are you Wolfram?" Yuuri half-hid behind the brunette, looked like a freaked out cat.
"Wimp." He snarled and was about to change into his jealousy mode on his half brother and Yuuri when he stopped abruptly because of sudden sting of pain behind his neck.
"Oww...It hurts..."
"I guess it's okay now, Gwendal." Conrad finally said as he snorted slightly.
"Be aware, Weller."
"Hey, they are green again!" Yuuri exclaimed in notice of Wolfram, pinpointing on the eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Wolfram rubbed his neck and stared on the three curiously. "And Yuuri, your cheek is bleeding! What happened?" his voice trailed weakly.
A knife on the floor, Weller's bloody hand and Yuuri's cut cheek.
Three of them gathered there, observing him intently like a sinner and Yuuri looked as if he had seen a monster at him.
He did it.
Again.
"No...way..." He stepped backward with incredulously widen eyes.
He was solemn for the longest time he would ever feel, feeling strained gazes on him. "Is it...me?" He flinched at his wavering voice but ignored it aside.
"Yes." Gwendal paused. "And I'm going to ask you. Are you the one who has done a murder attempt in the village?"
"Gwendal!" Conrad exclaimed.
"It's impossible! Are you saying that you are going to doubt him!" Yuuri cried irately as he stood between the princes, in front of his staggered fiancé defensively.
Yuuri turned to the lowered-head blonde and grabbed on the stiff shoulders with frantic smile. "It's not you, is it? Tell him, Wolfram."
"Stop it..."
"Your Majesty! Stay away!" Gwendal commanded, but Yuuri didn't move even a step.
"Wolfram!"
Conrad stared at his brother, then to Yuuri, and rested his gaze on the quiet boy. "Yuuri..."
"Stop it!" Wolfram pushed Yuuri away for good two steps from him, trembling severely in his own embrace.
"Wolfram...?"
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." Yuuri flinched at the quavering small voice.
He tried to reach out the weak shoulders, but he halted in the middle way at the glowered glassy emerald eyes.
"Don't touch me, Yuuri..."
"But...!"
"I might hurt you again!" He cried before fell in gravely bitter smile. "Don't you understand...? I've hurt those villagers...Don't you think I can hurt you too?"
"What are...you talking about?"
"I'm sorry..."
Yuuri was about to answer back when he felt a strong firm tapped on his shoulders. He managed to glance on hand on his pajamas then up to the narrowed glowering silver eyes. The counselor didn't even glance on the young king that he instead gazed hard on his youngest brother mercilessly. "Gwendal...?"
"...You're going to be under arrest." Gwendal sounded in final. "Wolfram von Bielefeld! You're proven guilty, harming villagers, attempting on murderous act on King!"
"Gwendal! He deserves an investigation first!" Conrad exclaimed, but then put his attention on sudden tug.
"You must be kidding." Yuuri whispered anxiously. "Yeah...This is a joke, right, Conrad?"
"Yuuri..."
Gwendal moved the raven haired boy aside before he advanced to Wolfram's side, pushing his quivering little brother with a little effort with his hand on the slumped shoulder. "Come, Wolfram."
"Gwendal!"
"Don't interfere, Weller!" Gwendal turned on his half-human brother with a sharp glare with an emphasize push on Wolfram's back.
Wolfram nodded weakly and spared a fleeted glance on the other two regretfully, whispering forgiveness. Yuuri was about to stop the eldest prince but a strong grip on his shoulder stopped him. When pair of dark black orbs curtly stared up, he found the soldier shook his head slowly. All Wolfram could hear were protest, echoing through the hallway as he strode down to the custody gravely in long torturing silence.
The Blood Pledge Castle bathed amidst the warm sunlight and the cold air of very morning. Dew crystal droplets radiated rainbow multicolor like thousand prisms on the wet green grass, which swaying gently as the wind whispered softly on the meadow and forests around hills.
The scene was serene and peaceful, except for several flocks of ravens, which gradually increased more and more, perched on the pine trees' branches restlessly around the castle.
Yuuri stared out through the glass misty window which connected to the opened balcony with annoyance crossing his feature.
"They are gathering more and more."
"Maybe it is because they could feel something happened in this country." Conrad stated as he walked through the half opened door, catching Yuuri's attention.
Yuuri averted his eyes to one of his knights, then to the view outside again. "In my world, people say they are signs of misfortune…"
"Yuuri…"
"I hope they have mistaken…" Yuuri said, leaning forward to see more crows soaring high in the sky. He unconsciously touched a bandage on his cheek.
"I believe you don't want to talk about those crows only, do you?" Conrad asked gently. He crossed his arms as he leaned on the door frame with locked gaze. Yuuri sighed and closed his eyes before he opened his lids, unsealing the glimmer orbs with a deep frown.
"I want to speak with him."
"Yuuri, I wish I can help you…" The second son of previous Maou paused. "But I don't have the authority and it's dangerous."
"There is no way he is going to hurt me!"
"I know. If it's Wolfram, he would never hurt you, Yuuri." He paused. "But this is not just Wolfram..."
"Conrad!" He pleaded. For Conrad, that kind of look was definitely his weakness. "Please..."
Conrad frowned for a brief moment before sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. "...Follow me." The brunette turned his back on Yuuri who hastily in clumsiness trailed for him along the dark hallway.
He could feel the cold touch of the dimmed wall as his fingers were in contact with the damp bricks. He could see the sea of stairs running to below endlessly through the poor light from few flickering fire on the wall. The young king hardly managed to see clearly of Conrad that he could see nothing more than familiar silhouette figure to follow. Sometimes he could hear the echoing sound of dripping droplets on the small pool through the eerie silence and light footsteps. Yuuri totally had no idea how a man could survive on such place in his sanity.
"Watch your step, Yuuri." A firm and soft voice broke the cold serene between them.
A long sigh and ragged breath escaped from Yuuri's lips. "Is it still long way?" Why did they have to make such a long stairs under the castle?
"No." Conrad threw his amused smile. "Are you tired already, Heika?"
"Don't call...pant... me that..." Irritated as he was, Yuuri growled to his throat.
He was never being that happy when he finally met a steel huge door which connected to certain blond's place. He inhaled nervously, not sure what to say or do as he waited for the soldier to push open the door in short gasps impatiently. All he wanted to do was seeing on Wolfram...
He rushed through the door as soon as it was opened to find another dimmed bigger chamber with dark jails, leaving the brunette to guards for explanation. Yuuri couldn't even think of living in those jails, not even a glimpse of sunlight could go through inside, when he ran along the way to find vacant dying places.
He didn't even know how he finally managed to locate his fiancé through the poor light in a quick run. It was just all of sudden; he caught a glimpse of him that other people would easily miss. Maybe it was also because of the shimmering golden fine hair, or his intuition, he wouldn't know.
He grabbed forcefully on the steel bars and cried instantly. "Wolfram!"
His heart sank on such sight.
The blonde crouched in the corner of the jail, embracing his kneels close to his chest, veiling himself utterly in the darkness. He buried his face between his arm and leg and behind the tousled golden strands. Emerald orbs slowly peeked through an arm to meet anxious onyx eyes devastatingly before he slumped back further in the dark.
"Go away, Yuuri..."
Yuuri clenched on the bars angrily with extra effort. How could they imprison him in such place?
"Wolfram, come on! Everybody is alright, including me!"
Emerald pools rose a little higher with no interest or lively amusement. "Go back, Yuuri. Please..."
Yuuri was stunned for a moment. Wolfram had pleaded! Something he would never ever do due to his pride. And he could even notice the frailness in the weak voice.
"Wolf..."
Wolfram gazed out through the steel jail on his king wistfully with a shook. "I might try to kill you again..."
"No, you don't."
"You're afraid of me, aren't you?"
"No, I don't!" Yuuri gritted his teeth heatedly at the soft sourly chuckle. "Why can't you stop blaming yourself?"
A little spark glinted in the void shadowed forest orbs. "Why can't I?"
"Wolf...!"
"I don't want to see you..." A soft whisper echoed. I shouldn't see you...
The raven king was speechless. "...Why...?" He tried to ignore the grief pang in his chest. "I thought we are friends..."
Yuuri froze for a short second. Is it just friend...? If it's so, why I feel pain?
Before he realized it, a pair of soft but firm hands tapped his palms leisurely with emphasized squeeze. The blonde closed his eyes which seemed very calm and relaxed with thin smile. For the first time, Yuuri felt displeased of the cold steel boundary between them. "Wolfram?"
His onyx eyes couldn't gaze aside of the emerald ones, mesmerized by their solemn glow.
"Thank you..." Wolfram finally said with a soft smile, the one Yuuri never had seen before, as he tilted his head to his side, his blonde bangs touched his cheeks as he shifted. "Heika."
Yuuri tensed on the word silently.
"We wouldn't meet anymore." Wolfram began to pull away his hands on Yuuri's as he stepped backward, but abruptly stopped by Yuuri's firm grasps. He gazed hard on the young Mazoku.
This was too much information for Yuuri, too much which his chest started to burn wildly.
"What do you mean?" The young king winced inwardly, he didn't mean to sound very demanding, but he actually was really distressed for answer. He restated with stronger urge and squeeze. "What do you mean?"
Wolfram was stunned for moment, waiting voluntarily whether his fiancé was about to change to Maou or not. "Yuuri..."
"Answer me, Wolfram."
"...I thought you have known..." Wolfram torn his gaze away as much as he could. He wasn't even sure if that tense gaze couldn't see through him. He winced to emphasize his pain on his wrists, instead of yanked his hands away. He felt weak in lack of sleep for entire week, his head spun callously and he was distressed; he certainly couldn't put a good fight against Yuuri in such condition!
Whether Yuuri noticed the pain look from the blonde or not, he didn't have any attention on releasing the other lad; at least until a strong tap on the young king's soldier warned him.
"Yuuri! You hurt him."
"Conrad..." Yuuri snapped sharp on the older soldier. "What does it mean?"
"Heika?" Conrad sounded doubtful. Both of brothers stared on him warily. The raven eyes had pierced like a pair of glinted cat eyes. Conrad glanced on his younger brother questioningly who shook his head gently and dropped his gaze hard on the dump floor.
"It has been decided."
"What?" Two tense gazes were locked on the prince. None of them dared to break the silence, as if anything would easily shatter like broken glass. Tired on long thought, Wolfram gave a long defeated sigh before he gazed up.
"Tomorrow morning." He swallowed hard, not wanting for another tears to come up. Not again...not again...You have decided, haven't you? "I will be exiled out of ShinMakoku."
The young king could feel chill slithering along his back. "What...How...?"
"It also means our engagement is over."
Yuuri was convinced that he felt the ground shook and spun hard beneath him.
Oh, I'm such a cruel fanfic writer. XO Wolf is a bit OOC here…sorry for that. :P I know that my writing skill is still bad and I love to use poetry words though I know that it can cause my fic to be too wordy. It's just my typical. For the one who feels uncomfortable with it, I apologize. Perhaps it's pretty hard for me to change my writing style.
Reply for reviews:
Alysei: Thanks! I'm glad you like this chapter.
Jonquina: Thanks for giving a read. I appreciate your time and review. :D
ILLK: Ha! Finally someone notices it! Yes. English is my second language. T.T sob I would like to have a beta reader, but it's not that easy to find one. I'm still trying to find one. Please bear with my bad grammar and vocabulary until that time...T.T I've tried to make it simpler. Hope this is easier to be understood.
DarkSapphireDragon: Hey, thank you very much! XDD I love you! Thank you for bearing with my bad English! Hope you love this fic.
AnimeGoil: Uh-oh...another person notices my bad English. I really should study harder on English. Gosh...I really need a beta reader...T.T Thanks for reading this story! I will try to improve and find a beta-reader like what you have suggested. Thanks a lot:D Aww...I'm a cruel writer who always put her favorite character in pain. I'm too cruel...(sigh)
Tanni baby: Thanks for hearting this fic:D I hope this chapter can please you, even if just a bit. Ehehehe...calm down, calm down. I would never drop this story since I've plotted the whole already...giggle I will try to update faster next time. Nee? Thanks for reading my fic. J
Donaville: Thanks for reading and your review. You flattered me. :D
