Temple of the Winds 3
Pairing: Yuuram
Rating: PG-13 (may change)
Summary: There's one more custom Yuuri doesn't know about.
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
-o0o-
"Happy birthday, Princess!"
Yuuri smiled gamely as the chorus of greetings echoed in his ears. He glanced approvingly at the gaily decorated hall and the towering cake that announced to all and sundry his daughter's birthday.
"You've done an excellent job, Günter." He complimented the royal adviser. "It's perfect!"
Günter preened in spite of himself. "It is an honor to serve Your Majesty."
Yuuri's gaze swept through the guests milling around, his eyes searching instinctively for that one bright head. However, when his search yielded nothing, his smile wilted.
Wolfram hadn't made it after all, he bit his lip, trying to quell the intense disappointment that flooded him.
"Yuuri! Yuuri!"
Yuuri pasted on a bright smile as he caught sight of his daughter barreling through the crowd. He caught her, swung her up, and caught her in mid-air.
"Happy birthday, Greta." He greeted her warmly, a little of his sadness receding at the sight of her glowing face and the sound of her laughter. "Having fun?"
Günter had organized clowns, magicians, games, and everything else he could think of that the little girl would like.
"Oh yes!" Greta nodded vigorously. "There are just so many things to see! Are you having fun too?"
The innocent question caught him unawares. Fun? Yuuri forced a smile and nodded, but his heart wasn't in it. Fun wasn't the word he would have used to describe the leaden weight that had settled around the region of his heart. He sighed inwardly.
A few days, Wolfram had said. Yet it had been three weeks since Wolfram had left for his vacation, and not once in all that time had he bothered to send a message home. And while Yuuri appreciated the over-all peace and tranquility around the castle, he couldn't help the feeling that there was something missing. Someone missing. His days felt incomplete. And his nights – Yuuri bit his lip. He had never realized how big his room was.
"Is Wolfram back yet?" Greta asked, peering over his shoulder. She'd been asking for her other father more and more as her birthday neared.
Yuuri swallowed, squeezing his daughter a little tighter. "Ah – not yet, Greta." He said a little thickly.
His reply wiped the smile from the little girl's face. "Not yet?" She frowned.
"Maybe he's just late." Yuuri said quickly, hopefully. But his voice lacked conviction, and Greta quickly picked up on his uncertainty.
Her mouth began to quiver. "He's not coming, is he?" Her breath hitched.
Yuuri felt like crying too. "I don't know, Greta." He said thickly.
"But it's my birthday!"
"Greta-" Yuuri bit his lip.
"A present for the Princess!" The almost holler distracted them and Yuuri was once again saved by the timely appearance of Conrad.
"For me?" Greta's eyes widened at the sight of the large, colorfully-wrapped box her uncle held, tears momentarily forgotten. Sniffling, she reached for the ribbon.
"It's from Wolfram." Conrad told her with an indulgent smile. "He sends his love."
Greta's hands stilled in the act of undoing the ribbon. "So he really isn't coming!" Tears filled the big round eyes and she pushed the gift away.
Conrad crouched down so that he and the princess were eye-level. "Greta," he began gently, "Wolfram would have done everything to get here, but it's snowing really hard where he is right now, and it would be too dangerous for him to try to cross the mountains. He sent the gift several days ahead just in case he couldn't get here on time. Please don't be upset."
"But I don't want gifts!" Greta wailed loudly. "I want Wolfram!" Big fat tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Yuuri quickly drew the crying girl into his arms. "Oh Greta, I miss him too." He whispered in a choked voice. "But Günter went to a lot of trouble to prepare your party, and I'm sure Wolfram wouldn't want his absence to spoil it for you, don't you agree?"
"I want Wolfram!" Greta sobbed brokenly. "I want him to come home!"
Yuuri bit down on his lips hard to stop their quivering, but he couldn't stop his heart from twisting painfully. This was all his fault. He was the reason Wolfram had left, the reason why Greta was celebrating her first birthday party without one of her fathers.
"Make him come back, Yuuri." Greta pleaded, clutching at his clothes. "You're the great Demon King. You're all powerful. You can make him come back, can't you?"
His daughter's words sparked something in Yuuri. Something he had forgotten. He was the Maou, so why was he here, waiting helplessly? Why couldn't he just go and fetch the blonde aristocrat home? His heart caught. Why hadn't he thought of that earlier?
"He'll be back, I promise Greta."
The surety in his tone calmed the small girl.
"When?" She demanded, her sobs subsiding once she'd received his promise. Yuuri had never lied to her, and she trusted in him implicitly.
"Soon." Yuuri vowed. Over her head his eyes met Conrad's squarely. "The moment the snow stops I'll go and get him, okay?"
"You're not just saying that to make me stop crying?" Greta asked, sniffling loudly.
"No." Yuuri told her, switching his gaze back to her and letting her see the sincerity shining in his eyes. "I want him back too, Greta. More than you can imagine."
-o0o-
In an unmarked place, a solitary figure stood unmoving on top of a hill.
/I'm sorry, Greta./ He cried inwardly. /I'm sorry I can't be at your birthday ball./ Tears slid freely down his pale cheeks. /I miss you so much./ A sob escaped him.
A rustle of movement from behind alerted him to the presence of another, and he stiffened. "I wish to be alone." He growled, the hostility in his voice glaringly apparent.
"There are times when solitude is not good for the soul, young Wolfram." An elderly man wearing monk's robes walked slowly to his side. "Perhaps you would like to share the burden that weighs you down so heavily?"
"No!" Wolfram burst out angrily. "I certainly do not want to share any burden with you. I just want you to leave me alone! Stop following me! Go away!" Grief turned to rage, and fire licked at his fingers.
"To do what, Wolfram?" The monk asked calmly, unfazed by the blonde's baleful glare. "It's always hard in the beginning." He went on in measured tones. "Your heart yearns for the home it had always known, for the people it loves. You rail bitterly at the fates that brought you here. You hurt. You grieve." He shook his head. "We have all been through that. Everyone in the Temple once knew a different life. Were once different people from who they are today. But circumstances forced them to leave that life. Just as it has forced you to leave yours." Sympathetic eyes gazed on the Mazoku aristocrat. "In time the longing will ease, young Wolfram. You will forget the past. You will learn to accept that this is your home now."
"Shut up!" A fireball burned a wide streak through the empty field.
"Even were you to raze the entire place, it will not change what already is." The old monk went on blithely. However, he did step back. "But go on, Wolfram, give your anger free rein. It is the first step to the path to acceptance and new life. It will help ease your pain. In time, you will forget."
/But I don't want to forget!/ Wolfram raised his hand, let loose another fireball. /Why,/ he raged impotently/why couldn't Yuuri love him? Why?/
/WHY?!'/
Before long the entire field was ablaze, the smoke and flames blinding in its thickness. Only then did Wolfram lower his aching arms. He was exhausted. Spent. All the anger and rage. All the grief and sorrow. He sank to his knees.
"Feel better?"
Wolfram closed his eyes in defeat. Was there nothing that could make the stubborn monk go away?
"You shouldn't be here." He said finally. "The smoke-"
"Will not hurt us." The old monk smiled. True enough, Wolfram saw that a ring of safety enclosed them, kept the fire and smoke away.
"Who are you?" Wolfram asked, stunned. "What magic is this?"
"The Temple protects its own." The old monk replied gently. "Nothing here can hurt us, young Wolfram. Nothing can keep you from finding yourself, or from starting over."
/But I don't want to start over./ Wolfram thought wearily/I just want to go home./
-o0o-
Yuuri was in high spirits the next day as he gathered his advisers in the throne room. Once he had reached a decision all his uncertainties faded away. He knew what he had to do.
"You seem pretty happy this morning." Conrad remarked.
Yuuri grinned. "I just had a great idea."
"Ohh! How wonderful, Your Majesty! Please do tell us!" Günter, as usual, was all ears. Conrad often wondered how the silver-haired swordsman managed to maintain that perky façade all the time.
Yuuri gazed at them, taking in Günter's obvious excitement, Conrad's indulgent curiosity, and Gwendal's impassive silence.
"I think it's time I took a break from my studies."
Günter blinked, then immediately began to protest. After all, there were still several piles of history books waiting for Yuuri to go over!
However, Yuuri simply tuned the silver-haired adviser out. He shot Conrad a sideways glance. "Will you come with me?" He knew what he wanted, but there was still no accounting for his temperamental fiancé. He would need all the help he can get.
Conrad nodded his head in agreement. It was his sworn duty to protect the King, wherever he went. "Where are we going, Your Majesty?"
Yuuri's grin turned bashful and his cheeks turned slightly red. "Umm…I was thinking maybe that temple Wolfram went to would be a good place to visit."
The silence that followed his announcement was deafening.
"Well," Yuuri went on a tad defensively after noting the shell-shocked expressions on the three faces, "it must be pretty interesting, considering that Wolfram's spent such a long time there already." He remarked just a little acidly.
"Your Majesty-" Günter got out faintly.
"Although," Yuuri babbled on, uneasy now that everyone was staring at him as though he had grown a second head. "I really don't know what could be so fascinating about a temple. Ano….I would have thought that Wolfram of all people would be bored out of his mind in that place…" His voice drifted off as he gazed uncertainly at his advisers. "Not a good idea?" He asked meekly.
"A terrible one." Gwendal told him bluntly.
"But why?" Yuuri queried, a frown pleating his forehead. "It's not like those books are going anywhere." He complained. "A week or two's absence isn't going to hurt them or my education."
"It's not that, Heika." Conrad intervened quietly.
"Then what is it?" Yuuri demanded.
Silence. This time no one was meeting his stare.
Finally, Conrad spoke up. "There are many other places for you to see and explore if you wish, Heika."
"That's right!" Günter seconded eagerly. "Why, just the other day I was thinking that we could –" He began ticking off names and places, his voice determinedly cheerful.
Yuuri gazed at them in growing perplexity. He didn't understand what was going on. He had thought for sure his advisers would be just as eager to see Wolfram again. After all, Gwendal for one had been grimmer than usual since the blonde had left. And Greta was promising to throw tantrums everyday until he returned.
He raised his hand impatiently to cut off the adviser. "Günter I'm sure all those places would be wonderful to see. And I will make sure to find time to visit them. But right now I'm really more interested in that temple Wolfram went to." He stared hard at Günter. "What was the name of that temple again?" Wolfram had conveniently forgotten to tell him, but the obsidian-eyed boy was certain the others knew.
Günter swallowed. Meeting Gwendal's eyes, he shrugged infinitesimally. He could hardly refuse to answer a direct question, could he?
"The Temple of the Winds." It was Gwendal who answered, his tone harsh.
"Oh, right." Yuuri absorbed that silently for a moment, then nodded. "Right. So, how soon can we leave?" He asked, already planning what he was going to tell the blonde when he got hold of him.
"We can't." Conrad's voice was heavy with regret.
"Huh?" Yuuri thought for sure he'd heard wrong. Conrad had never denied him anything he wanted. Well, almost never. The only time the gentle-eyed captain had opposed him was to actually help him, so that didn't count.
"Your Majesty, we can't go to the Temple of the Winds." Conrad reiterated.
"Why not?" Yuuri shook his head. "I know you said there are heavy snows there right now, but I'm sure we can manage."
"Your Majesty-" Conrad took a deep breath, "I lied to Greta last night."
Yuuri stared at him, nonplussed. "I don't understand. The gift-"
"Wolfram prepared that gift weeks before Greta's birthday. He asked me to give it to her before he left." Conrad said quietly. "Your Majesty, I don't know where Wolfram is."
Yuuri's frown deepened. "He's at the Temple of the Winds. Gwendal said so!"
"He meant, Your Majesty," Gwendal cut in grimly, "that he doesn't know where the Temple of the Winds is." Indigo eyes locked with black. "No one does."
Yuuri stared at him, stunned speechless. "Wh-what?"
"The Temple of the Winds is a secret place, Your Majesty." Günter explained softly. "Not everyone is permitted to enter it, and no one is allowed to leave. Ever."
"But – but Wolfram's there right now!" Yuuri argued. "If no one knows where it is, how did Wolfram find it?"
"He didn't." Gwendal said darkly. "It found him."
"I don't understand." Yuuri said in a small voice, totally at sea.
Three pairs of eyes met and a decision reached.
"Your Majesty," Günter began somberly, "there is a custom in Shin Makoku that you need to know about."
-o0o-