Chapter 7 - Gwendal's Blessing

:Yuuri's POV:

It was only a few days until the babies were due. I was so excited! Wolfie and Greta were as well. We couldn't wait to have these new additions to our family. My parents were here visiting again, just in case we would go into labor early. It was so good to see them again. They were eager to meet their grandchildren too, along with Celi.

Wolfram and I had to spend every second together. I wasn't complaining, especially now that we'd discovered each other's feelings. It was so wonderful to know he was completely mine, and I was completely his.

The wedding preparations were coming together nicely as well. My parents had bought my tuxedo and Wolf's gown. I was really grateful they agreed on having a western-Earth style wedding. It meant a lot to me.

The only thing that was bothering me was Gwendal. While everyone seemed to be excited for the wedding, he never commented on it. I knew he was happy for us, I could see it in his eyes. But why was he being so stubborn about it?

I needed to talk to him. And I thought it would be better if I did it alone, but it was physically painful for us to be apart. And if we try to fight the pain, the magic in our babies literally pulls us together. We only tried that once, though.

"Yuuri, you're shifting a lot. Do you need to go to the bathroom again?" Wolfram said from beside me.

"What? Oh, no... but I do need to go somewhere."

He whined. "Aw, why? My back hurts, I don't want to go anywhere."

"I need to talk to Gwendal." I told him.

"Oh? Come to think of it, I haven't seen him in a while."

"I think he's been avoiding us."

"I got that feeling too. But do we have to go to him? Can't we just ask someone to bring him to us?" He reached across me to pick up the bell we were supposed to ring if we wanted a maid to come to us.

"Ah! Don't ring the bell, it's annoying!"

"How else are we supposed to get anyone's attention?"

"Fine, go ahead." I sighed and plugged my fingers into my ears as he rang the bell.

"I like the way the bell sounds. It's pretty." He smiled fondly at the tiny bell.

"I'm sorry, I just have a headache all the time."

"Maybe we're spending too much time together." Wolfram huffed and closed his eyes.

"Come on, you know that's not what I meant. I love that we've been together so much. I love you."

He opened his sparkly eyes and smiled at me. His beautiful golden hair was messy from the lack of activity and his maternity nighty was falling just slightly off his shoulders. "I love you, too."

"I know you do." I put an arm around him.

There was a knock of the door and Doria's head popped in. "Did someone ring the bell?" The bell wasn't actually loud enough to be heard throughout the castle, it was one of Anissina's inventions. It had a maryoku reserve built into the handle so when it rang, it would cause other bells just like it to ring in certain rooms of the castle.

"I did." Wolfram said tiredly. "Would you tell Gwendal we'd like to speak with him? And if he says he's too busy, tell him it's an order from the Maou."

"Hey," I said jokingly, "you can't just give the Maou's orders for him."

He hit my arm lightly. "Wimp."

"Uh..." Doria said, looking at us bicker. "I'll do that right away."

"I'm not a wimp." I pouted.

"Yes you are. But your my wimp, so it's ok. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Right, just like you're my stubborn, quick-tempered..."

"Ok, ok." He laughed. "I get it."

I laughed but got sidetracked when our door opened again.

"Gwendal." I smiled.

"You needed to see me?" he asked robotically.

"Yes." I said. "Um... I want to ask you why you haven't shown us any support in our relationship."

"I have never expressed any opposition to your union." he responded.

"That's not what I asked." I groaned. "Wolfram and I will be married in only a little over a month. Everyone has given us their blessing. Celi. Conrad. Even Waltorana has personally wished us happiness. Why haven't you?"

"That's..."

I saw Wolfram staring at me in shock. Did he really not know I'd noticed? "Wait. There's something I have to tell you before you answer. You may be thinking that this whole marriage is just for show and you're worried about your little brother. But I want you to know that I love him very much, and that my one wish is to make him happy. And your blessing would mean a lot to him. And to me."

Wolfram's eyes started to tear up. "Yuuri..."

"Gwendall... please, consider Wolfram's feelings if you're not concerned about mine. You're his brother, and I can see that it's hurting him to think you may disapprove."

"Is this true?" Gwendall addressed his younger brother.

"Well..." Wolfram blinked. "Yes... I mean... Yuuri really does love me. And I really love him too and it is rather sad that you seem to be against this whole thing. You're my brother, after all. I respect and look up to you. As will these children, as you will be their uncle. Are you really someone who would make his brother and nieces or nephews unhappy like this?"

"Of course not." Gwendall answered. "Until this point, I was unaware you'd finally admitted your feelings. I had assumed this was all for the sake of appearances, as if to prevent a national scandal. At this point I thought you'd never see the truth."

"Truth?" I repeated.

"Your Majesty, I don't take any joy in being the one to tell you this, but I suppose I must. You see, everyone already knew you two were in love."

"Huh?" Both Wolfram and I gasped.

He chuckled. Gwendall chuckled! He actually chuckled! That is so closely related to laughter and happiness, I was confused. "You boys appeared to be the only ones unaware of each other's feelings. We could all see it, how Wolfram changed almost immediately when you arrived. And how you worried about him nonstop. But we all agreed that we had to let you discover it on your own. There was still some doubt, of course, especially with the way you and Conrad were always fussing over each other."

"Me and... Conrad?" I said. Eew. I loved Conrad, but certainly not like that!

"I knew you were a cheater. Hmpf!" He crossed his arms and looked away. He was only playing. I hoped.

"And of course there were a few other bumps in the road." Gwendall continued. "Such as Wolfram running off back to his homeland and calling off the engagement. And Your Majesty's almost permanent return to earth. And Elizabeth's return. And..."

"We get it, already!" I shouted. "I mean... I know there have been a lot of threats to our relationship..." I stammered. How was I supposed to continue?

"But I suppose the event that crushed all doubt was when Gisela announced you'd conceived Love Twins."

"How does that get rid of the doubt?" Wolfram wondered. "Love Children can be created through one-sided love..."

"That is true, but Love Twins cannot. The legend says that a pure, one-sided love can indeed create a child through magic, but for this... well... certain activities must be performed. Love Twins, however, are created when two mazoku who are secretly pining for each other make any kind of skin-to-skin contact."

"So this happened because we needed a way to be together?" Wolfram asked.

"That is correct." Gwendal nodded.

"And everyone was just waiting for us to realize? Why didn't anyone just tell us?"

"You needed to realize for yourself." Gwendall explained. "None of us wanted to interfere and risk compromising things. Your Majesty, I am very happy to know that you love my little brother. I know you two are well suited for each other, and I leave him in your care. Consider this my blessing."

"Thank you." I say, stunned.

Wolfram is really crying now. "Thank you, Brother. This means a lot to me." I think it's adorable how emotional he is. I reach over and hug him as Gwendal excused himself.

"Thank you, Yuuri." Wolfram said through happy tears.

"Um... you're welcome... I didn't do much, although sometimes talking to Gwendal can be quite a chore..."

Wolfram leaned over and kissed me sweetly before wiping his tears away. "Not just for that. I mean that was noble and wonderful and I appreciate it to no end but... I'm thanking you for everything you've done for me. Even if I didn't see it, you loved me. And you wanted me so much... you gave us these children and now we're getting married in a few weeks and... I'm just so happy, Yuuri."

"I'm glad you're happy." I hugged him as tightly as I could. "But we created these children together. It was the love and magic running through both of us that allowed them to be here. So I should be thanking you as well."

"I never thought this would happen to me. I always thought... I'd get married for business or you'd marry me simply because you were too afraid to end the engagement... I never thought you'd ever love me back."

"I know. I thought the same thing."

"I really love you, Yuuri."

"And I really love you, Wolf."