Yuri was on a roll like never before. The taxes for the fall quarter were a looming threat on the horizon. To prepare for the deluge of paperwork about to rain down upon his desk, he was clearing away as much as physically possible. As soon as he left Gisela's office last week he told his advisors he planned on sweeping his desk clear of anything low priority and focusing on actually finishing the important stacks on his desk before the taxes came in. Anyone with a minor petition would receive a polite notice that if they really couldn't handle the situation they could send a reply and someone would get to them before the New Year. He simply couldn't spend four hours a day working on things the local authorities should have handled. Half of them were only submitting the requests for royal judgment because they weren't convinced by his coming of age celebration that Yuri was back on the throne, so the signed letters took care of the real problem without all the time and trouble of fretting over whatever asinine little squabble they had come up with as an excuse to see Yuri's royal seal.
Maybe he should have worded it that way when he told Gunter, Gwendle, Wolfram, and Conrad his plans. The petulant wining about the local security unfairly dumping anything that was too much trouble to research on him wasn't very kingly even if it did get him what he wanted. On the other hand, wining while walking out of the infirmary after a lifespan scan on strict orders not to over-exert himself was a particularly effective tactic. Gisela had been lecturing him about how he did things like that off and on all week. She said he should explain his thinking more often rather than letting everyone make assumptions about him.
Gisela was fast becoming Yuri's new best friend. They met every day after lunch and talked about random things meant to help him with the mental scars left behind during the Battle of the Boxes. He knew she could be fearsome and even frightening when need be, but she'd done the impossible four days ago. The green haired healer went into Gwendle's office as Yuri went into his own with Gunter and when he next saw his Military Advisor the man was shaken. He handed Yuri a set of forms in a style he'd never seen before; a style that was much less repetitive and abridged than the ones currently sitting on his desk. The size of the stack of forms relating to internal trade miraculously shrunk by a third, just by removing the redundant parts! He had to think a little harder to keep track of all the trade between the provinces, but wasn't he supposed to memorize which of the ten nobles was selling what to whom anyway? Whatever his healer told Gwendle to get the stacks on his desk to shrink so quickly, it was pure genius.
The papers were practically evaporating off his desk. The shortened forms coupled with his restriction to international and interprovincial issues only (with the noted exception of the capitol city's maintenance) let him eat his way through his official duties faster than ever before. He was actually able, without sneaking out a window, to sit in the garden with Wolfram and Greta to help his daughter learn to play the flute. Sure, he only knew the one song, but he was learning new ones with her while Wolfram peppered Yuri with criticism and showered Greta with praise. It wasn't a fairy tale afternoon, but it was good enough for him.
They hadn't discussed the lifespan scan Gisela gave him except to schedule another one the following week, which was this afternoon, and put a long list of restrictions on what we was allowed to do in the mean time. The scan was as horribly invasive and exhausting a procedure as Gisela had promised it would be, but at least he'd have the remainder of the day off to recover. No one said it, but Yuri got a strong feeling that it was a bad sign to need a second scan.
Greta didn't seem to pick up on anything being off, mostly because Yuri made sure he was cheerful and carefree whenever she was around. He'd been ordered not to go on his morning jog and put down for a nap every afternoon after Gisela finished digging into his psychology. He took potions every day with every meal. His diet had also been changed, though he couldn't exactly tell how. He was still too unfamiliar with the food in this world to make a guess about what they were adding or restricting. There was less cake available and more blue or purple vegetables than usual. He'd never been served wine as casually as the others had at dinner, but now he was served milk with every meal and the wine glass that he'd usually left empty wasn't even on the table. He always just ate whatever they served him, only speaking up if he absolutely hated something or wanted seconds, so it wasn't hard to act normally in front of Greta during dinner. Wolfram didn't seem to appreciate Yuri's efforts to keep their daughter happy, and had been bothering Yuri all week.
"You need to take this more seriously," Wolfram said instead of hello, walking in as if summoned by Yuri's thoughts.
"I am taking it seriously, look at all the paperwork I've gotten rid of!" Yuri chirped, waving his left arm over the very short stack in his inbox.
"I'm talking about your health! You made jokes all morning about your appointment," Wolfram shouted. The perfectly groomed soldier stalked across the room and leaned over Yuri's desk. It reminded Yuri of an afternoon TV crime drama interrogation scene.
"I'm not going to drop dead or anything." Yuri signed the paper he'd just finished reading authorizing Waltoranna von Bielefeld to export a limited amount of steel and copper to Caloria.
"You don't know that," Wolfram snapped. The blonde soldier looked out the window rather than at Yuri. "If your magical core is damaged you could overspend you magic without warning on even the smallest thing. You have to be careful."
"I am being careful. You were being careless."
"What?"
"You were scaring Greta. I've been trying really hard not to." Wolfram sputtered indignantly for a moment. With great effort Yuri kept his voice even and calm as he took Gisela's advice and explained himself. "There isn't anything I can do more than what I have been and we don't even know if anything is wrong yet, so there isn't any reason Greta should be upset." Yuri slid the last of the commerce reports aside. "I'm glad you are worried, but you have to be more careful with what you say around Greta. She's ten years old."
"It sets a bad example for you to be so carefree," Wolfram shouted back.
"She needs to believe that everything will be alright as long as I do what my healer instructed. That way, when she gets sick she will follow that example and take her medicine," Yuri argued back, his voice rising against his best efforts.
"That's fine, but you still need to take the situation seriously," Wolfram repeated.
"How? I've done absolutely everything asked of me. I just smiled while I did it, for Greta's sake." Yuri watched Wolfram glare down at him in silence for a moment. Was he about to win an argument? Had he ever won a personal argument with Wolfram before?
"Wimp," Wolfram scoffed and sat down. Yuri just won an argument. Someone had better go check the thermostat in hell.
"I'm nervous about it," he admitted, feeling guilty for winning. "I could die. I'm trying not to think about it. I don't… know how… What else can I do?" The soldier looked back at Yuri from his casual slouch in the armchair. He even made relaxing look elegant. Really, how could anyone expect Yuri to get over his inferiority complex in this sort of environment?
"Just do what Gisela says. You have too much magic to overspend it casually." It sounded like Wolfram was trying not to admit Yuri was right.
"Well, I have been taking it easy. Gwendle has reduced my work load a lot, and Gunter is hardly giving me lessons at all. It's weird, but I don't think I'm getting less done as far as actual effective policy. I'm just getting through it faster with this new system," Yuri sighed. "It's brilliant the way he changed things, I just wish he'd done it earlier."
"If you are feeling fine then there isn't anything to worry about. You're just being a wimp and my honorable big brother is going along with it."
"My symptoms haven't gone away," Yuri admitted quietly.
"What?" Wolfram was suddenly the picture of a soldier at attention: sitting straight in his chair, green eyes bright and attentive, one hand on the hilt of his sword (not that a sword would be at all helpful given the circumstances.)
"It wasn't anything serious from the beginning. I was just tired all the time and a little numb. Gisela figures I didn't heal properly from the Battle of the Boxes, and possibly before then."
"What kind of injury did you receive in the battle?" Wolfram, in his usual way of assuming Yuri is hopeless, hadn't actually asked him what was wrong. He just took Gisela's comments about exhaustion at face value. Yuri looked down at his desk, unsure if he should give even part of the truth. He'd always hated lies, but to tell Wolfram he went to Gisela because he had tried and failed to pleasure himself to the thought of his roommate was more honesty than either of them were ready for. Yuri got up and looked out the window. "Yuri! Answer me! What kind of injury makes you tired and numb?"
"Psychological torture," Yuri murmured. Wolfram exploded out of his chair.
"What are you talking about? When? Who hurt you? I'll roast them alive! Was it someone on Earth?"
"Shinou, Soushu, and Murata were… In the temple, while you…" Yuri was not going to cry again. He'd been through that and finished with it. Wolfram hovered awkwardly at his side. "Dad helped me with it a little, and Gisela is helping me with what they did to me physically."
"You weren't hurt. You didn't look hurt," Wolfram insisted.
"It was like a thousand white-hot needles burning into me, never mind the things it said. Murata was no help at all; he just waited to see who won." A hand was on Yuri's shoulder. He leaned into it. "Gisela gave me a book to read about the scan. It recommended… relaxing as much as possible before and after because of the muscle strain it can cause."
"Massage is medically recommended in the hours after a scan," Wolfram primly informed. His hand squeezed Yuri's shoulder.
"If that's an offer, I'll take it." Yuri leaned further into the hand on his shoulder. "Like I said, I'd rather not think about it. I'm focusing on my paperwork or anything else, really." In the window, Yuri could see Wolfram's blushing reflection.
"As you're fiancé, it is my duty to take care of your health. Sit down," Wolfram ordered, forcing Yuri back into his chair. He was treated to his first ever backrub from Wolfram. The prissy soldier had tried to wash Yuri's back several times, but he'd never actually done it. Yuri melted forward, leaning his forehead on his desk.
"Mm, good," Yuri moaned. The hands left his back.
"Well, it's time for lunch anyway." Yuri heard the heels of Wolfram's boots clicking across the room. "I have to oversee my troops this afternoon, but I collect you when you are finished with Gisela." The king sat up just as Wolfram opened the door. "If we waste any more time we'll be late."
For some reason, the light blush on Wolfram's face was fascinating to the young king. He followed it all the way to the dining room.
.oO0-+-0Oo.
Gisela handed the king a cup of tea. He knew it was a test. She was staring at his hand, using the cup and saucer to gauge how much it was shaking. The tea sloshed out of the cup, proving to both of them that he wasn't strong enough to hide how horrible he felt. He was glad she didn't say anything and had the foresight to put a napkin on his lap before testing his dexterity with delicate china and hot liquid. The scan had been hell, even though he was expecting it this time.
"So, are you going to tell me anything today or do I just continue to follow orders and you'll have the results in later?" Yuri asked.
"I am sorry for not telling you more, your majesty, but the first scan was inconclusive. I considered asking for a second opinion, but out of respect for your privacy and given the nature of the data I thought a second scan would be the better choice," Gisela apologized. Yuri managed to sip the tea without soaking himself, and then looked at the healer expectantly.
"I have never seen a scan that looks anything like yours. It took me days just to sort it out enough to be sure nothing had gone wrong. By comparing the second scan to the first, I'll be able to make more sense out of the data." Gisela shuffled the papers on her desk. "So far I can give you a few general observations. I had the records of your travel between Earth and the Demon Kingdom pulled. You have been king a little less than three years. On Earth you just turned sixteen, but if I add the days you lived in this world you are seventeen and a half years old in linear time. According to the scan you are somewhere between forty and seventy."
"Wait…" Yuri did a little mental math, "that's eight and fifteen."
"Yes, on the human scale that is eight and fifteen. You are younger than you appear, but that is all I can say. The data is self-conflicting."
"Eight and fifteen… that's a rather wide range. I'm kind of tall to be Greta's age," Yuri joked. "There isn't anything you can tell me at all?"
"I have you on a recovery program. It was developed for soldiers who have regularly exhausted their magic on the field and are in danger of overspending. The idea is to increase the rate your body replenishes its magic, boost the immune system, and ensure proper nutrition. Demons naturally use magic to try and heal ourselves when we are ill, so this has the dual effect of aiding your body's physical recovery as well. Unfortunately, it does nothing for the mental scars." The healer offered Yuri a plate of cookies. "That's why we're here now."
"You make a good shrink, Gisela," Yuri laughed. He took a cookie against his will and bit it. He let it sit in his mouth, unwilling to actually swallow.
"Shrink?" she asked, confusion written all over her face. "The point is preventing you from shrinking. The worst case scenario for your mismatched aging is that as your magic manifests more fully some of your organs will try to revert to a younger form. You would be most familiar with this phenomenon from the shrine maidens that attended to the Original King's soul. That can be dangerous when it happens suddenly."
It took Yuri a little while to fully process what Gisela just said. He chewed the cookie thoughtfully. He wasn't hungry; in fact he was a little nauseous. He'd wondered about why Ulrike had an adult form if she'd never grown up in the first place. It had never occurred to him that she had grown down as she'd gotten more powerful. He swallowed with difficulty.
"So very powerful demons can grow younger?"
"As they gain more control of their powers, those who tend to the elemental spirits are in contact with so much magic that their bodies revert to a younger form. There is a limit to what is possible naturally, however. The low limit is about sixty-five."
"Is that why Lady Cecilie looks so young?"
"Yes, if I scanned her she would probably register around a hundred and fifty. She is actually around twice that." Yuri was glad Gisela gave him time to do the math.
"So I am in danger of shrinking down to Ulrike's size suddenly and painfully?"
"Given what the scan told me about your natural ability to recharge your magic, which is below average for a full demon and about right for a half-demon, and your magical capacity, which is enormously above average for anyone; I believe that the Original King has been actively recharging your magic for you, and the increased contact with raw elemental energy through him has had side effects complicated by your Earthling aging."
"I'm not sure I follow," Yuri said. Gisela paused a moment, then got a look in her eye that Yuri was fast coming to associate with quoting a textbook.
"Demons have four parts to the system of Magical Flow within the body. Magical capacity is the tank that holds your magic until you use it. Your recharge rate is the size of the tap you can turn on to refill that tank. Sudden use is the amount you can use in one action, like a floodgate that can be popped open. Continuous use refers to the amount of magic you can use over an extended time, like a hose attached to the bottom with a control valve," Gisela explained. She then held up one of the papers covered in medical mumbo-jumbo Yuri told her not to bother letting him try to read.
"There is damage to your continuous use, indicating you have repeatedly strained yourself by using more magic for a longer time than the 'hose' can handle. This is part of what I am treating with the recovery plan, and is probably the most common magic-related injury seen in powerful demons and healers. What is uncommon is similar damage to the 'valve' controlling your recharge rate. Put in simplest terms, it opens when your 'tank' is below a certain threshold and allows ambient magic to flow in until your reserves are completely full before closing. Normally a demon will 'open their valve' around fifteen percent depletion at rest or twenty percent while active. This is all involuntary action, like the beating of your heart." She waited for him to nod in understanding before continuing.
"You have likely heard Lord von Bielefeld muttering a chant before he uses his magic. This is a voluntary way of opening that valve even when his reserves are above the threshold, ensuring he is at his peak capacity at the start and increasing the amount he recharges for the duration the technique is active. Due to his high skill level, it is likely he is actually increasing his recharge rate by a significant amount, actively drawing ambient magic into himself far faster than when he is at rest. It would be like adding a temporary second tap flowing into the tank. This is mildly dangerous. If he were to use that chant without expending an adequate amount of magic his 'tank' would overflow and cause either involuntary bursts of magic or internal damage." Gisela looked up at the king's expression and then rushed to explain further. "That kind of accident is common in children, your majesty, and is something your fiancé grew out of long ago."
"I think I understand the Magical Tank theory," Yuri smiled. "So what makes 'tap damage' so strange?"
"Even with over-use of recharge enhancements, damage to that part of a demon's system is extremely rare. As I said, a problem there is more likely to cause issues with overflowing one's capacity. Enhancements like chants or focus objects open the tap or add a second tap; they do not increase the pressure on the recharge system the way overuse damages the use end of the system. To do that, there would have to be sustained pressure of the ambient magic against the tap."
"So the increased ambient magic here is damaging my system because my body is used to the nearly non-existent magic on Earth," Yuri interrupted, happy to have figured it out before Gisela got to the end. "Is there something I can do to condition myself? Would whatever training Wolfram had to use chants like that properly help?"
"Your majesty… That is brilliant!"
"Eh, what?"
"I thought that the Original King was somehow forcing magic into you through your natural recharge system for some reason rather than more traditional augmentation methods. I am sure that he was helping you to recharge, but perhaps he was using conventional methods. I hadn't thought about Earth's ambient magic levels at all! This will require more research. Would it be all right if I shared knowledge of the damage to your recharge system with the Great Sage? Since he has traveled between the worlds many times he…"
"Absolutely not," Yuri snapped. He hadn't thought of his so-called friend until Gisela mentioned him, but now that she had the gears were turning quickly in the young king's mind.
"Your Majesty…"
"You can tell another healer if you need help doing the research, and I don't mind the assistants who work beneath you knowing part of this either, but I do not trust Murata that much anymore," Yuri hissed angrily. "If this is a normal thing that happens to people who are born on Earth and come here, then he should have already spoken up about it. Not to warn us means he knew this was happening and either does not care if it kills me or had some wild plan for fixing it without my knowing about it. That is a wild invasion of my privacy and beyond reckless, but so was his plan for destroying the boxes. He would also know a lifespan scan would reveal the damage. He says a lot more with silence than anyone else I've ever met. Even if there is a chance we're completely wrong and he didn't withhold vital information again, I'd rather not prove the depth of his loyalty by confirming he doesn't give a damn about my health."
"I understand," Gisela agreed gently, reaching over to squeeze Yuri's arm. They sat in silence for a long moment. "Training in controlling the flow of your magic may help. You need that training in any case; this just makes it a higher priority." The healer stood up and exchanged some of the papers she had with others off a shelf.
"In any case, I am not sure how to treat the damage to your recharge system yet. I know your body is restricting the natural flow of ambient magic, like having a kink in the pipe. In the Continuous Use section of your magic, such a kink protects you from releasing too much magic at once and comes into existence from regularly forcing out more magic than your body can comfortably handle. It is possible for you to go on your 'Justice Rages' without damaging yourself, as long as it does not happen often. Your strange relationship with time makes 'often' a difficult variable to quantify, but the damage you have sustained proves you are currently doing it too frequently." The healer put down a chart in front of Yuri that he could make no sense of whatsoever.
"Given your recharge rate, even assuming it was at average levels for a full demon rather than a half demon before it was damaged, it is impossible for you to have used as much magic as you have without assistance. You simply could not have absorbed that much ambient magic naturally in the time you have been king, whether or not you count the time you were absent. The Original King has therefore been pumping you up with water energy on a regular if not constant basis. There is no evidence in the scan that you have recently been assisted, but the signs of augmentation fade after about seventy hours."
"There is no evidence of overflow, which is not surprising. Your capacity is so vast that at an average level it would take you around a month to recharge from safe depletion. That is a depletion of around eighty percent of your total capacity. You have a habit of passing out when you reach safe depletion, which is both normal and healthy."
"Your sudden use is dangerously large, but again unsurprising given what we have seen of your magic. It is otherwise healthy: unrestricted and easily available to you. Training your magic will increase your capacity for continuous use. It is always healthier to use that system, and you will naturally use the continuous system so long as it is up to the task at hand. It is only when you strain yourself or feel greatly threatened that your fight or flight instincts kick in and allow access to 'sudden use' magic. It is likely that since you have remained mostly untrained in the conscious use of your magic you are essentially reaching out in a panic whenever you use your abilities. This has to change immediately. You must study magic, your majesty."
"You won't get any arguments here. Everyone else thinks the situation is just fine the way it is, but I don't like being that far out of control whenever I have to do something. I felt bad about the collateral damage and asked for help, but they all said I was strong enough already." Yuri shrugged and focused on his cold cup of tea. "Do you think with time and training I can get my recharge rate up to the level of the rest of my magic?" Yuri was glad for all the tactical video games he'd played over the years. "I'm like a Tactics Mage who sunk all their experience points into getting a huge mana bar but forgot about his stamina and speed stats. Being good for one shot a month isn't very safe."
"I'm more concerned with gradual drain. At the moment you are more than able to drain your magic through continuous use faster than you can recharge it."Gisela simply ignored the comments she didn't understand and made a mental note to requisition one of the universal translators Lady von Karbelnikof made for their next meeting.
"You said I had an average recharge rate for a half-demon," Yuri interrupted before Gisela could get into another lecture. "I thought most half-demons didn't have magic."
"Very few half-demons in history have ever connected with an element. It is rare enough that many consider it impossible. Few of the common people believe you are half-human because of your deep connection to water. Most half-demons lack part of the magical system or else have systems so out of proportion that they are nonfunctional. There are actual physical organs that correspond with the systems I have been describing; they are not fully intangible magical constructions. I don't want to give you the false impression that the ability to use magic is completely contained within the soul. Because humans lack the physical glands, organs, and structures used to guide and control the magic flow within the body, few half-demons are born with enough of a functioning system to ever use magic."
"So, some half-demons are born with the magical equivalent of missing limbs?" Yuri asked. "Like if a baby was born missing a finger?"
"Exactly, the most common deformation is a complete lack of a functioning continuous use system. That is also the most complex system and the structure with the most variety among demons. Without that, magic is only accessible in life-or-death situations. This prevents any kind of training or sustained connection and makes a person's magic useful only for emergency self-healing or violent self-protecting bursts. Such children usually do not survive to adulthood due to such violent bursts. Stillborn half-demons most often lack proper recharge systems leaving them without enough magic to sustain life and those who are sickly leak magic at various points along the flow."
"Most healthy half-demons are nearly human. They completely lack the organs for magical capacity or use. Without the organs associated with capacity, they do not suffer physical strain when they are low on magic. It also means they have a nearly nonexistent amount of magic stored in their bodies at any time and only have a recharge ability connecting ambient magic directly to their use systems. This gives them longer life due to self healing and little else. Those without either use system are identical to humans in every functional way excepting that they can have overflow outbursts in much the same way as untrained children." She paused a moment. "Speaking of the big picture, your magical flow system is equivalent to that of a full-blooded demon who was trained improperly."
"So it's like improperly trained muscles. I've built up the ability to sprint but never had any cardio exercises," Yuri thought aloud. "Or I was born that way?"
"I'm unsure, but it can be fixed in much the same way as improper physical conditioning. We will have to go slowly in the beginning because you are healing. I want to test you again next week as a confirmation that we are on the correct path before beginning any actual training. In the mean time I will provide you with books on the theory behind the use of water magic. As an earth elemental I can observe and discuss but not demonstrate the methods."
"That's OK with me. How much can we tell people without causing an unholy panic?" Yuri was glad Gisela shared his concerns about telling the world their beloved king was actually a prepubescent child with severe internal scarring and abnormal growth.
"It is quite straightforward. I am obviously treating you for magical exhaustion and rehabilitation through retraining the patient's magic is not unheard of as part of the recovery procedure. Unorthodox is your standard operating procedure, so it won't be questioned too much." Gisela started to put away the reports and clear away the mostly untouched tea. "Your most recent duel was the feather that busted the pillow." Yuri blinked, and then remembered that was this world's version of a straw that broke the camel's back. "With your symptoms finally bothering you enough to complain, I was able to detect the root problem. It was public knowledge from the start that you requested the lifespan scan."
"Wolfram," Yuri sighed, "is never quiet when upset."
"No, he is not," Gisela giggled. "As far as the rest, we maintain silence. No one should expect that there is any more to your condition than what you have already admitted."
"Well," Yuri decided, "that's what I'll tell the ten nobles tomorrow."
"The ten nobles are coming tomorrow?"
"Didn't you hear? The first arrivals are expected tomorrow afternoon. The official meeting is Friday so I have to put up with them snooping all week."
"You have my word that I will be the picture of discretion in this matter, your majesty." Gisela bowed formally, her vow raising Yuri's already high opinion of her by several levels.
.oO0-+-0Oo.
Wolfram stalked down the hallway. He told the wimp he would collect him after his appointment with Gisela, but he was delayed. His men were still unsure of their position and it was starting to show in their work. The wing his soldiers occupied was a disaster. Half-unpacked bags sat on top of unused furniture, swords were improperly stored under beds or in umbrella stands, the latrine was a mess… the whole unit was out of order. He couldn't blame them completely. Before Yuri returned they were set to be disbanded and split to the four winds as Wolfram took the throne. Then they were moving to Bielefeld lands since dissolving his engagement meant Wolfram suddenly lost most of his rank and they became a regular patrol unit full of young, nearly untested soldiers.
Now their position was unconfirmed. Wolfram was again the King's fiancé, and they should be an honor guard, but the king was severely ill. Yuri had not signed the papers to re-confirm his unit as his personal honor guard as he had when they were first engaged. Should Yuri be unable to rule, the ten nobles may well try to force Wolfram onto the throne again. They were mostly Army Specialists, their intense magical training the only thing preventing them from getting bullied around as privates in a castle full of the most elite military in the country. Few were more than a hundred years old, as Wolfram's physical appearance and youth made it nearly impossible for older soldiers to take him seriously, no matter his noble blood. His uncle had repeatedly sent messages, some unsealed, offering he and his men more active military assignments and therefore greater chance for promotion or distinction throughout his engagement.
Wolfram himself had neglected them slightly, being more concerned with his wimpy fiancé than giving them clear orders. He hadn't even been in the wing where his troops were housed in the month since he helped them clear out on Yuri's birthday. He hadn't expected to do a surprise inspection this afternoon, but that was what he'd ended up doing. It was embarrassing, as Wolfram was still a Second Lieutenant and regular inspections were his responsibility. Corporal Jameson, Wolfram's second, had kept things from going completely to pot, but without orders he didn't know if he should encourage the men to be ready to move out at a moment's notice or completely unpack and settle in.
He'd had to bark orders and make a show. Of course they should move back into their rooms properly, they were going back to their old status quo. They couldn't put the honor guard insignia back on their uniforms yet, but this was where they were living. It would take some time to get the paperwork finished, true, but they were to assume the fiasco surrounding Yuri leaving for Earth for the last time never happened. Jameson apologized for doubting Wolfram's intentions and all twenty-four men had immediately gotten to work properly moving in.
As a result, Wolfram missed the end of Yuri's test by two hours. True, Gisela told Wolfram that she wanted time to talk over the test with Yuri and not to show up until at least an hour after the test was over. As Yuri's fiancé he felt he should be there for support, and had planned on going in as soon as the test was finished. When Wolfram had finally gotten to the infirmary, he had been informed that the wimp didn't wait for him and had gone to his room. Gisela had also left for the day and her subordinates either would not or could not discuss anything with him.
Wolfram took a deep breath when he reached the bedroom door. He'd been scared out of his mind all week. Only knowing that Yuri was in bad enough shape to need rest and a second scan, with no details as to why, was maddening. Yuri, as usual, was carelessly going along with whatever he was told and not bothering with the details. He didn't know exactly what was wrong with him or didn't think it was important. Wolfram was going into that room and getting answers. He would throw an unholy tantrum if he needed to, but at the end of the night he would know what happened while he was unconscious with a stopped heart that left Yuri so badly injured.
Wolfram threw open the door to reveal the opening scene to some of his best dreams. Yuri was leaning against the headboard of the bed, lean legs stretched out across the duvet, wearing nothing but his black thong. A bottle of green lotion, something Wolfram recognized instantly from his mother's potions, sat on the bed next to the double-black. The curtains closed, white roses on the side table, and a few candles lit around the room perfected the fantasy.
Wolfram shut the door quietly and looked to his left and right. At either end of the hall were guards in Gwendal's green. He didn't think he was hallucinating or asleep. He shook himself and straightened his jacket. It had been a stressful week. Maybe he ought to put off grilling Yuri for answers and get to sleep early. The wimp probably needed the rest more than he did anyway. He opened the door again, cautiously this time. The candles were still lit, the roses were still in a vase on the side table, and Yuri was still stretched out on the bed with a bottle of lotion. Yuri looked asleep, his head tipped back against the headboard.
"What?" Wolfram couldn't manage anything more articulate than that under the circumstances. Yuri opened his eyes, apparently not asleep at all.
"Is everything alright?" Yuri asked. "I thought you were going to meet me after the test was over?"
"The inspection took longer than I expected it to," Wolfram answered automatically. He walked into the room mechanically and closed the door.
"As long as nothing's wrong, I guess," Yuri sighed and suddenly realized he was undressed. He sat up straight and pulled a pillow onto his lap with one hand while pointing at the bottle with the other. "I'm supposed to use this on as much of my body as possible." That explained why he was nearly naked. "I… um… was wondering if… "
Dear Vulcan, embodiment of fire in the land, if Yuri asks me to rub him down I swear the next time I am asked to aid the temple I will accept whatever boring, tedious, back-breaking thing they ask without hesitation… no, I'll write a letter asking if they need assistance! Please, take mercy on this fire demon.
"I can't reach my back," Yuri said at last. "Would you do it for me?"
"Of course!" Wolfram locked the door and started unbuttoning his jacket. "Lay down on your stomach."
"I have gloves for you to use if you want them. It's…" Yuri squinted at the label.
"I'm not some air-headed wimp. It's a eucalyptus mint potion." Wolfram hung up his jacket in the closet and his sword on the bedpost. He pulled off his cravat, already feeling warm. It would be best if he undressed as little as possible. They were not yet married, and he had to remember that incredibly important fact no matter how naked Yuri was. "It is infused with stress-relieving and muscle-relaxing agents. I use it myself after a long patrol."
"Oh," Yuri said. "I never noticed. You usually smell like cedar and spice to me. Well, except for when there is a big ball and you use that flowery cologne." Wolfram's head snapped around. Since when did the wimp notice things like that?
"Does that bother you?" Wolfram asked as he pulled off his boots and climbed onto the bed next to where Yuri was laying.
"Um…" Yuri mumbled, "Cedar is fine. It suits you, you know. It smells warm. Like cinnamon in a cupboard."
"You don't like my cologne," Wolfram accused, pulling the green bottle of medicated lotion out of Yuri's hand.
"It's… flowery." The wimp sounded like he was trying not to be overtly repulsed. That shows how much Wolfram's mother knew. She'd given him the bottle of women's perfume and the frilly pink nightgown after the first night Wolfram snuck into the king's bed.
"I don't like it either. It was a gift from my mother; if you don't like it that gives me an excuse to throw it away," he explained. He poured a small amount of the lotion onto his hands and focused his magic to warm it. With a deep breath Wolfram shifted to kneel next to Yuri. The scent of eucalyptus, mint, and lavender almost overpowered the medicinal undertones of the muscle relaxers. The double-black was clearly exhausted and already succumbing to the soporific properties of the lotion. The relaxing scent already filled the room from where Yuri's green tinted arms and chest.
"I didn't want to say anything in case you liked it."
"If there is anything simple that you don't like, you should say something. You go along with things too easily." Not to mention that I could have ditched that floral perfume years ago.
"I'm working on that, actually. I ah… "Yuri cut off when Wolfram started rubbing his back."It's warm."
"I am a fire demon, in case you forgot."
"Mm… What was I saying? Oh, in the beginning I didn't know what things were offensive to say or do in this world, so I just accepted whatever. People expect me to be less accepting of things now that I'm sixteen… or eighty. I have to get used to saying that correctly."
Wolfram remained silent, afraid that the things Yuri was accepting against his will included their engagement. He let some of his magic flow into Yuri's abused muscles. This was a rare opportunity. They were talking about private things on their bed during an intimate massage. If he could make it work, make Yuri enjoy this enough to do it again, it would be more progress in their relationship than in all the time since they adopted Greta.
"That is wonderful," Yuri moaned. He shifted on the bed, squirming closer to Wolfram. The soldier swallowed, breathed deep, and gathered his courage. He fumbled with the bottle for more lotion.
"I'm going to get a better angle," he announced. Yuri grunted in approval. Wolfram carefully shifted forward and to the left, setting himself down so he was straddling Yuri.
"Wolfram?" Yuri sounded as nervous as Wolfram felt.
"I'll be able to put more weight into it this way." Wolfram leaned into his task before Yuri could protest any more. It seemed counter-productive at first as Yuri had tensed up as stiff as a board.
"You're hands are really warm."
"Is it too hot?" Wolfram asked, pulling back and lightly sweeping his hands down Yuri's back. Yuri hummed and shifted.
"No, but that tickled." Wolfram thought about it a moment, then swept his fingers lightly down Yuri's back again. "Ah!"
"Just tell me if it gets too hot, wimp," Wolfram chuckled. Every once in a while he tickled Yuri on purpose. It wasn't long before the double-black was completely relaxed and moaning in pleasure.
We aren't married yet. I will not take his thong off. We aren't married yet. I will not take my shirt off. It is not proper. Wolfram reminded himself. I'm going to get a damn good look when he rolls over, but we aren't married yet. I will not touch the thong.
"I should get ready for bed," Wolfram admitted when he heard the castle guard signal the all clear for the evening. Yuri grumbled something into the pillow. He agreed with the sentiment, but he needed to stop or he was going to embarrass himself. "It's getting late. If you want to, I can do this again tomorrow night." He carefully sat up and shifted off Yuri's back.
"I'd like that," Yuri mumbled. Wolfram's self-discipline stretched to its limit. He stood up awkwardly; glad for the extra room he'd had the tailor leave in his trousers. Earth fashions were more than just comfortable and good for mobility. He heard Yuri roll over and sit up, and turned back toward the bed to get a clear view of his fiancé.
"Thank you, Wolfram. I feel much better," Yuri said, pulling his folded pajamas off the night stand. Wolfram raked his eyes over Yuri and saw nothing more interesting than he had when he first walked in. An extended sensual massage and Yuri wasn't even slightly affected.
"Oh, um. Right. I'll be back in a little while." Wolfram fled the room, desperately trying to outrun the idea that Yuri did not find the last hour sexual.