A/N: please remember that this is an adobpted story that was started by Love Is BeastN so if you have not already please start there and then come back to see what happens.

Chapter 4

"Come on, Gwendal! The swelling has gone down and they're almost back to their normal color. Please!" Yuri begged, showing everyone his pale fingers, which were still two sizes too big.

"No," Gwendal said for what him like the thousandth time. "You are in no condition to leave the castle."

"Please!"

The green clad man pinched the bridge of his nose and let our a low sigh. Persistent little brat…

"He won't shut up till you let him," Wolfram muttered.

"…Fine," the raven haired man gave in grudgingly.

"Yay!" Yuri exclaimed throwing his hands above his head gleefully and skipped from the room. From where he was leaning beside a tall window, Wolfram shook his head resignedly, detached himself from the wall, and followed after him, grabbing a pair of white gloves from a vanity drawer. Halfway down the hall, Yuri stumbled for a moment but quickly regained his footing and resumed his race for the stables. He spotted his horse outside and his eyes lit up, a face-consuming grin came upon him. "Ao!" He jumped and began to mount his steed.

Wolfram caught the excited king around the waist and pulled him down. "No you don't."

"Aww!" He reached for Ao again, pawing the air, and the coal-black horse tossed its head and whinnied in reply.

"You will ride in the carriage if you want to come at all," Gwendal said sternly as he watched his half-brother struggle to restrain Yuri. Finally, Yuri was tame enough to walk, but that only lasted until Conrad appeared through the castle's huge double doors.

"Conrad!" Yuri sang, pulling away from his handler. Wolfram caught him around the neck with one arm and held him at bay, releasing him only when he stropped squirming. Yuri looked at an amused Conrad with excited eyes. "You're coming, too?"

"He will be riding beside the carriage," Wolfram informed him, somewhat annoyed. He wasn't sure if it was because of the way Yuri was acting due to Maoukowsu Kais or that fact that Yuri was never that happy to see him, his own fiancé!

Yuri pouted and climbed reluctantly into the carriage. Wolfram shut the door behind him before sitting opposite of the Double Black. Yuri stared out the window and bounced, even before the wheels started turning. On the way to the harbor, Yuri leaned halfway out the window and talked to his godfather. Wolfram reminded him to keep his hands inside and handed him the gloves.

When the harbor came into view, Yuri was so excited he couldn't even speak, like Sara's arrival was the most interesting event in the history of man. Whenever he tried to say something his words got all jumbled up in an inarticulate slur. He tried to climb out of the carriage even before they had come to a stop.

Saralegui adjusted the cuff of his sleeve and waved his guards away, explaining to them curtly that they were unneeded here and he could not understand why they felt so pressed to come along. The royal carriage pulled up and Yuri stumbled out in a mess of flailing limbs, as if he expected he could simply fly out of its interior. Sara watched curiously as the young king refused his handlers help and began to limp in his direction. "Sara!" he called joyously, almost tripping over his own feet. He composed himself and beamed at his visitor with happy black eyes; Sara returned the smile, but caught his tongue when he saw the annoying blond prick Yuri was accidentally engaged to saunter up and stand beside his fiancé promptly rewarding him with a firm slap over the head for his too-happy smile.

Sara chuckled lightly in good-natured humor. "You two seem to be that same as always, but…" he trailed away, observing the paleness around Yuri's eyes and the way he seemed to be trembling, ever so slightly.

Yuri carefully composed a smaller grin. "It's nice to see you again."

He nodded. "It seems like centuries since we last met, and even then it was on… unfortunate terms." Yuri agreed solemnly, remembering that the last time he had seen Sara the Small Shimaron king had betrayed him. But this time he had full confidence in his friend to be trustworthy, and not try to kill him.

Yuri was about to ask Sara why he had so suddenly decided to visit Shin Makoku when his vision blurred and his head spun dizzyingly. Then, his legs gave out from under him and the ground rushed up to meet him.

"Yuri!"

"Heika!"