Summary: While on a diplomatic mission, Yuuri and Wolfram visit a merchant's shop, but it isn't Wolfram who walks out.

AN: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh or its characters. Thank you everyone who has reviewed and flagged With This Ring for alerts and as a favorite story. You inspire me! Enjoy and please review. Thanks!

With This Ring

Chapter 4: The Tale of the Rings

The first round of negotiations was over at last. Yuuri kept to small talk in the hallways but as soon as they reached the wing assigned to them, he turned to his friends.

"Well? How did I do?"

Gunter practically gushed as he took a seat at the common room table. "You were perfect, Majesty. Our hours of study definitely paid off."

Gwendal, on the other hand, sat in one of the wing chairs by the hearth and, leaning back into the padded leather, qualified, "You held your own against an experienced negotiator. King Jaida's brother may have been heir apparent, but it's clear that their parents prepared her to rule as well." An ironic smile quirked his lips, "I think I'm going to enjoy dueling with her once the treaty is signed."

Yuuri casually glanced into Murata's room and saw no sign that he was back from his errand. He hoped he'd return soon. He really wanted to give Wolfram his present in time for him to wear his new jacket at the reception. Yuuri flopped on a nearby divan and covered his eyes with his right forearm. "I was too nervous to enjoy anything. I'm glad you were there, Wolf. It really helped."

"Of course I was there, you wimp," Wolfram snorted as he pushed Yuuri's feet out of the way and sat on the end of the couch. "I'm your fiancé and bodyguard. Where else ought I to be?"

"Don't call me wimp!" Yuuri protested, just to see the spark that backlit the emerald green of Wolfram's eyes when he got riled.

What he saw made him blink and look again.

"Hmmph!" Wolfram broke their gaze and crossed his arms over his chest. "I notice you didn't deny it."

Yuuri gave his head a quick shake and got back in the game. "The denial is implied."

The corner of the fire demon's mouth twitched from fighting a smile. He opened his mouth to retort but Gwendal interrupted their word battle.

"Will you two please remember where you are and who you are?"

Conrad, who had been perched on the wide sill of the huge diamond-paned window opposite the fireplace sipping a glass of water, smiled, "Let them be young while they can, Gwendal. In a few more hours, they'll be statesmen again."

Yuuri shot his godfather a grateful smile then sobered. "So who on Jaida's council do you think favors the treaty? You have to admit, it's hard to tell when none of them spoke more than ten sentences in the last seven hours."

"I'd say Lady Kindt, the minister of finance." Gunter leaned his elbows on the table's polished mahogany surface, folded his hands and began tapping his chin with his steepled forefingers. "She looks at Shin Makoku and sees new revenue streams to fund the projects and improvements her kingdom needs to maintain their prosperity."

With his eyes closed, Yuuri visualized the woman who held Aeriemille's purse strings. Tiny, austere, with gray-streaked auburn hair pulled back so severely that the strands lying against her skull showed no trace of the natural curl that cascaded down her back. She'd kept paper, quill, and ink with her throughout the meeting, scribbling notes, calculating and passing her totals to Jaida before she asked for them. He remembered thinking at the time that she'd make a perfect teacher or tutor back home. She certainly looked the part.

"Okay. Who else?"

The other two councilmen at this first meeting, Lords Merrann and Ivst had been as controlled as professional poker players, giving nothing away, at least not while he was looking at them. Yuuri instinctively didn't like them, though he didn't know why.

He almost giggled out loud. Maybe it was their mustaches. Both men had taken lip hair to extremes. Lord Ivst's had been waxed into curling patterns that tracked the line of his chin in a kind of fake beard. On the other hand, Lord Merrann used even more wax and shaped his so that it looked like black lightning bolts were coming out of his nostrils. The two men probably spent more time with hair dressers than any ten ladies.

"Neither of the others impressed me as being all that supportive," was Wolfram's comment. "Maybe it's because they still haven't adjusted to working under someone other than her brother Jobel, but did anyone else get the feeling they…" He waved his hand in circles as he tried to find the right words.

Gwendal supplied them for him. "Lacked the proper enthusiasm?"

Wolfram nodded, setting his bright blond hair flashing in the last rays of sunlight spilling through the window glass.

"There's always a period of adjustment when a throne changes hands, even under the best of circumstances," Conrad reminded them. "That's probably one of the reasons King Jaida approached us, to demonstrate to her detractors and supporters that she can rule as well as or better than King Jobel."

Mention of the previous King had brought a frown to Yuuri's face. "How did he die? Was there any hint of foul play?"

"None," reported Gunter, absently pushing pale lavender strands of hair out of his eyes and behind his ear. "From what I've gathered, Jobel was liked well enough, performed his duties but without much in the way of innovation. Pride and temper were his failings. He apparently thought he was a better swordsman than he actually was. He took offense at something a man said, no one remembers exactly what, and challenged him to a duel. The man chose not to let him win. That was a little over a year ago."

Conrad added, "I heard that the duel was meant to go only to first blood, but King Jobel tried a professional duelist's maneuver and failed, putting his own body in harm's way. No blame fell to his opponent."

"Jaida was Jobel's heir until he had children, right? That means her younger brother – Jihn? – is her heir. Why haven't we met him?"

When Gunter cleared his throat, Yuuri knew that his instructor had gone into lecture mode. With a sigh, he pulled away from the nap that had started calling to him to pay closer attention. No doubt he or Gwendal would quiz him on it when he least expected it.

"The Aeriemille royal dynasty follows the bloodline so long as the heir is considered of age and capable. If Jobel had lived to father children, the eldest would be his heir – assuming competence – and inherit at his death if he or she was of age at the time. If not, the throne passes to the next sibling of the first generation until the descendent heir comes of age. Jihn is still too young by at least a year. Since he is not a viable candidate yet, his presence at these conferences isn't strictly required. He is currently away at their equivalent of the private schools in your world, Heika. I hear the boy's more scholar than warrior."

"Pay closer attention to your own lessons, Shibuya. I'm sure Gunter already covered this ground when he taught about the governance of Aeriemille before we made the journey here."

"Murata!" The sound of his friend's voice had Yuuri upright, on his feet, and at the door, where the other boy leaned on the jam with a goofy grin on his face. "What took you so long? I was beginning to think you'd miss the party."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Murata shrugged as he came in and angled for the water pitcher to serve himself a drink. "We'd've been back sooner but things turned out to be a bit more complicated than you led me to believe."

Yosak, wearing a devilish grin and an Aeriemille military uniform, poked his head through the door long enough to put in his two cents. "We filled the cart and still had five shops to go when we realized we'd run out of time. We're going to have to go back tomorrow." Then he was off to resume whatever role he'd taken on this time.

Gwendal gave Yuuri a look that made him decidedly uncomfortable. "Just how much did you buy, Heika?"

"Not all that much. Murata, stop exaggerating!"

The Great Wise Man laughed. "He is his mother's son, after all. Go shopping with Jennifer the next time you're in our world and you'll see what I mean."

"Murata!" Yuuri tried to sound threatening but didn't pull it off.

"I should have warned you to take two carts," Wolfram snorted and Yuuri rolled his eyes in surrender. "Yuuri bought or ordered something in every shop we entered."

He moaned, "It really wasn't that bad."

His fiancé just shrugged where he sat on the divan. "The evidence speaks for itself."

Before Yuuri managed a suitable response, Murata stepped up to Wolfram and leaned in close.

"That's a nice ring. I don't think I've ever seen you wear one before."

Gwendal arched a brow at his baby brother. "I didn't think you owned a ring."

Wolfram's cheeks flushed at the unexpected attention. "I don't. They interfere with my grip when I use a sword so I've never taken to them. One of the artisans we visited gifted it to me. Since I'm going unarmed today, I decided to wear it."

"Beautiful workmanship."

"Let me." Taking Wolfram's hand, Yuuri raised it closer to his eyes for a better look. He had to agree with Murata. The jeweler had amazing dexterity to make each scale stand out like that, and the way he or she made it look as if the snake's fangs had pierced the skin was impressive. "This is really nice! Which shop was it? I'd like to get something like it for Shori."

Wolfram pulled his hand back and crossed his arms again. "I can find the place again, not sure I can tell you how to get there though."

"Great! Next time we have a few free hours, we'll go, make a day of it."

Murata smiled, "Count me in. Yuuri, you should go check to make sure we didn't miss anything before your dressers get their hands on you. The house steward is dealing with the unloading downstairs." His back to Wolfram, he mouthed at him 'It's there' and winked.

Yuuri suddenly became aware of the sounds of activity coming from his room and saw the team of royal dressers and tailors laying out the night's finery. "Good idea. If they ask, tell them I'll be right back."

Gunter stood, "I'll see to them, Your Majesty. It will allow me to give your regalia a final check," and strode with purpose into the bedroom.

"Thanks, Gunter!"

Wolfram got to his feet as well, "I'll go with you."

"No, that's not necessary. Why don't you go to the baths now. By the time I get back, you'll be done and I can take my turn."

The blond shrugged, spun on his heel, and strode to their rooms without a word.

"Do you think I made him mad?"

"I doubt it," Murata assured him. "And even if you did, when he sees his present, I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"Right!" and he rushed out of the room, already imagining the pleased surprise on Wolfram's face when he saw the coat.

-o0O0o-

Yuuri was barely out the door when Conrart rose from his perch at the window to follow. Murata reached out to stop him, his eyes darting from him to Gwendal and back.

"Let his escort do their jobs for now," the Sage told them, keeping his voice low. He tightened his grip when the younger brother tried to pull away and go after his godson. "We need to talk. Now and where we can't be overheard."

Something of his urgency must have communicated to the men because Conrart stopped resisting him to stare down into his eyes, and the frown lines between Gwendal's brows deepened.

"We'll go to the healers' rooms. They're more private than here, and Gisela needs to hear what I have to say as well."

The brothers exchanged glances. Murata saw their worry deepen. They followed him in silence to the rooms where Gisela and her team of medics and healers had set up a clinic to deal with any illnesses or injuries incurred during their mission. The way wound through the halls of the ambassador's wing to the floor between their rooms and those for their security escort. Gisela had wanted not just privacy but to be equally accessible to everyone in the Shin Makoku delegation. That worked in their favor.

Before Murata could even knock, the door swung open and he faced the green-haired healer.

"Get in. I've sent the others away so we can speak freely."

Gunter's daughter ushered them inside, then closed and locked the door. Both Conrart and Gwendal wore puzzled expressions at her apparent precognition until they saw Yosak standing in the shadows behind the door. Gwendal turned to Murata first.

"Alright, Geika, we're here. What is this news we must hear in secrecy?" he demanded.

"And why cut out Yuuri and Wolfram?" finished Conrart.

Murata, smiled ruefully. He'd had a mental bet with himself on which one would notice that bit of maneuvering first. And lost.

"Everyone, sit." He took his own advice. "This is going to take some explaining and we don't have a lot of time."

The sitting room of the healers' suite was quite comfortable, done in neutral colors with upholstered furnishings and vases of fresh flowers scattered about, all meant to put the ill and hurting at ease. His four companions, however, radiated tension despite their surroundings. Unfortunately, Murata was about to justify it.

"We have a serious problem. Yuuri isn't here because he can't lie to save his life." A deep breath. "And Wolfram isn't here because he isn't Wolfram."

Everyone else in the room froze for the span of three heartbeats, including Yosak. That part was news to him as well.

"Are you saying Shinou has possessed him again?" Conrart asked, though his voice tone said he really didn't believe that.

"Unfortunately, no. The person getting ready to escort Yuuri to dinner is literally not your brother."

Gisela shook her head. "How is that possible? Sooner or later, an imposter must make a mistake that gives him or her away. A lookalike might fool the eyes, but no one can learn enough about another person to pull it off successfully. Not even with magic." Then she frowned at him, "At least none that I've ever heard of."

"It has something to do with that ring, doesn't it?" Gwendal's soft question drew all eyes to him. "I wondered at your interest in it. Frankly, Geika, you don't impress me as the type to notice or care about that sort of thing."

"You're right," he had to agree. "But I've never seen a troth ring before, though I learned how to recognize one. Seeing the signs now was not a pleasant surprise."

"What is a troth ring?" Gisela asked for everyone. "I've never heard the term before."

"I'm not surprised they aren't remembered now, troth rings were practically folklore in my first lifetime. The irony is that it all began with a love story in a kingdom gone to dust long ago. A couple, one a warrior and the other a spellcaster, were to be parted by war. Both loved so deeply that neither wanted to spend what might be a year or more apart without knowing the fate of the other. So the spellcaster devised a new magic and bound it into their wedding rings."

Conrart's eyes widened. "We had that Earth tradition here too?"

Murata shrugged, "You'd be surprised by how much our two worlds have shared. Anyway, while they wore the rings, each knew what the other felt and had the ability to reach through the ring to offer comfort when needed.

"Word spread and other couples came to the spellcaster to have rings cast for them. It became a status symbol and a test for those who dared, because the ring spell only worked if the love bond was a true one. The war ended, life moved on. But human nature does not allow for peace without strife. A time came when civil war broke out, factions splitting over which of twinborn princes should inherit the throne. The worst thing to come from it was the corruption of the troth rings bond.

"One of the princes hired sorcerers to change the way the rings worked. Instead of sharing heartfelt emotions, the rings now allowed wearers of the master ring to enter the mind of whoever wore the ring's mate and take whatever knowledge they wanted. No need for physical torture and the risk of faulty information it often garnered. Any captured servant, soldier, or noble was simply ringbound to an interrogator and stripped of whatever knowledge they had. There was no defense. The rings proved very efficient, but they had a nasty side effect. The longer the bond lasted, the weaker the ringbound pair became, and if either died while in the thrall of the rings, both died.

"Eventually, the prince's own people learned of the heretical use of magic he and his inner circle used and turned on him, at a great cost in lives, and surrendered him to his brother's forces. The corrupt prince and his sorcerers were tried and put to death. All the rings and the written records on how to create them were destroyed. Using rings to symbolize marriage lost its attraction and was eventually replaced by the traditions in use today."

Gisela looked at him with sick eyes. She understood just how twisted this misuse of maryoku truly was. "So someone somewhere has rediscovered a corrupted spell and corrupted it even further to make a false Wolfram good enough to deceive his family and friends."

"But not for long," Murata pointed out. "You were right. We are each more than our physical appearance and conscious actions. We are also the thousands of little things we do without thinking. And since they are unconscious, they are that much more difficult to mimic or mask. Even with the aid of sorcery, being someone else must put tremendous strain on the fake Wolfram."

Then Conrad asked the dreaded question. "What about our Wolfram?"

"Wherever he is, he's alive," Murata assured them. "He's safe while they need him to fuel the spell. The problem is that the minute our unknown foes – I can't imagine that the fake is here alone – realizes we know what they've done, Wolfram loses his value to them. We have to keep them in the dark as long as possible."

"That's why His Majesty isn't here." Gisela had been only half-listening ever since he told the story of the ring bond, no doubt searching her memory for any lore that might help them. "If he knew the truth…"

"He'd either go Maoh on our imposter or give us away trying to pretend that he is the real Wolfram." Murata pushed his glasses up on his nose. "We need Shibuya to believe for as long as possible. We also need to figure out why whoever it is has gone through all this trouble."

Gwendal's frown deepened. "You said that the impersonation has to fail eventually. What kind of timetable are we talking about?"

"Among strangers, he'd get away with it longer, but with family and close friends, I doubt they counted on more than a few days."

"So," Gwendal came to the logical conclusion, "our foe has a small window to accomplish whatever they have planned before inevitable discovery."

"One man on the inside." Yosak speculated, "Best bet, it's going to be an assassination."

"I doubt Yuuri's the target." Conrart stood abruptly and began to pace. "The imposter has had plenty of opportunity but done nothing. That has to mean he wants someone high in Aeriemille politics."

His older brother agreed. "Getting close to Yuuri gets him close to the nobility and the crown, all of whom will be here in a matter of hours. Any one of them might be the target, though it's most likely King Jaida. So we need to be in position to stop him when he acts as well as find and rescue Wolfram."

Murata nodded, "I believe I can work out a way to use the ring bond to find your brother with Gisela's help, but I'll need time."

"We'll see you get it." Gwendal stood, decisive and determined with a plan of action. "Yosak, have a third of our escort stand ready to ride out as soon as we have Wolfram's location. Then shadow the imposter. The rest of us have duties tonight but will stay as close as they allow us to. You'll be our best chance to stop him when the imposter strikes."

"Yes, sir."

His slate gray eyes scanned everyone in the room. "Whoever is closest when he makes his move takes him down. No permanent damage. He may be our best chance to get Wolfram back safely." With that, Gwendal left with Conrart on his heels.

Gisela waited, as did Yosak. The first he'd expected, the other he almost wished wasn't so astute.

"Alright, Geika," the spy stared him down. "What aren't you saying?"

"What I think you've already guessed." Murata leaned back into the cushions behind him. "The reason the prisoners interrogated with the rings died was that the bond created only took: knowledge, strength, maryoku. In the end, they had nothing left to sustain life. The prince's torturers were very methodic and kept detailed records. Prisoners started dying after seven days. A strong man or woman lasted up to ten days. No one lived longer than that."

Gisela nodded and Murata knew he'd confirmed her fears. "To achieve the level of impersonation to fool us as long as possible, the rings must be pulling even more from Wolfram and non-stop since they took him."

"Exactly."

Yosak's expression struggled between worry and rage. "How long does the kiddo really have?"

"Nowhere near a week, possibly only hours."

-o0O0o-

AN: It's the calm before the storm. Everyone is making their preparations for the night's reception. Things are starting to go wrong, just as Murata feared, but there's no turning back for anyone. And just what did Yuuri see when he looked at the Wolfram imposter? Don't miss Chapter 5: Mirror Images.

I hope you enjoyed. Please review and let me know what you think. I plan to have the next installment posted in early December. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!