Kyou Kara Maou – Well of the Five Kings
Summary: Yuuri feared for racial conflict in his people's future. But he never dreamed that he could lose his past, and with it the Wolfram who would love him.
Disclaimer: Kyou Kara Maou is not mine. Its original creator was Tomo Takabayashi, with character design by Temari Matsumoto. The anime was produced by Studio Deen.
AN: Wow, thanks for all the feedback last chapter! Very helpful! LOL on "Bite me!" as the critical plot thread. Guess y'all like long stories, huh…
It's greatly easier to write two chapters in a week, than one chapter in a month. I should remember that, huh… Sorry for the slow update.
FWIW, I reworked the end of the last chapter to make it a bit clearer – Rain was final arbiter of the schism between the nymphs, and Quercus was chosen new Ocean Nymph to replace Soushu, the arch-enemy. Arch-enemy of demons, at least – we're not sure how the nymphs feel about their ex boss nymph. Their take on "destroying the world" isn't quite the same as ours…
Chapter 11 – Eye of the Storm
Well of the Two Nymphs
When Rain completed her bow to Quercus, she disappeared, and Quercus turned to address the Mazoku. "I'm afraid I must leave you now to assume my new position. There will be no further uncontrolled mergings between your realities. You will meet your other sides here, and only here, unless your pair agrees otherwise. Your countrymen will experience no further mergings at all. Today, you are free to remain here, or return to your own affairs. In twenty-four hours, you will be brought back here, and we begin our preparations in earnest. Salix, you can orchestrate this? Thank you. If all goes well, we confront Soushu six days from now. If things go less well… we fight Soushu sooner." Quercus paused to let that sink in.
"Any questions?" Everyone raised their hands. "Quercus happily beamed at them. "Good! Tariel comes with me. Salix, I leave our guests in your capable hands."
And with that, Quercus and Tariel disappeared. The many tree seedlings also sank back into the ground, and disappeared.
The raised hands sank, too. "Are nymphs always like that?" complained King Julius von Wincott. "Friedrich, could you explain what just happened here?"
Hon-Friedrich snorted in amusement. "Alright. First and foremost, Quercus has promised that our wells are safe. Quercus was elected new king of the nymphs. Apparently this merging business was mixed up in Soushu's succession as ocean nymph, the most powerful nymph of all. The key to Rain's judgment was, 'ability to predict the actions and decisions of other nymphs.' From that angle, the nymphs reached consensus – only Quercus anticipated the other nymphs, greater and lesser, and Mazoku as well. Thus he proved himself yet again as their greatest seer. Is that right, Salix?"
"Yes," said Salix. "Also best plan to control Soushu. More of that tomorrow. Today rest while Quercus assumes power. Can go back to your worlds, but only if both of pair agree and leave at same time -"
"Did I hear this correctly?" King Wolfred butted in. "Conrad of the well of the one king, will fight in the well of the five kings? His actual body? Can I go to the other well? Efram, darling! You want to visit my well, don't you?"
"Yeah! Awesome!"
"No," said Salix. "Most, yes. And either can face Soushu. But Wolfred cannot."
Wolfred folded his arms belligerantly. "I'm going. I want to see my son!"
"Cannot," reiterated Salix. "Because Wolfred… Garena?" For Friedrich's nymphier twin had emerged from the flowering magnolia trees, carrying Bertram. A strange man concealed in a dark red cowled cloak appeared with them, but hung back in the shadow of the trees.
Garena nodded unperturbed, to acknowledge Salix' plea for help managing Wolfred. "Wolfred, the way the others trade wells from here – you cannot, or the wells will become unstable. You embody the split between the wells."
Efram was dismayed by Wolfred's crestfallen face. "But look, Grandfather – you can meet his Wolfram and Bertram right now! C'mere, Chu trickster!" Efram knelt with arms wide as Garena put Bertram down.
"Bertram!" cried Shin-Wolfram. "Oh, sweetie!"
Bertram ignored Wolfram and pelted into Efram's arms. "Bite me!" he cried triumphantly. Efram met him demonic grin for grin.
"Yeah, we've met," said Wolfred. He rumpled the toddler's green-blond hair, a perfect match to Efram's. "We've also met," he said dryly, holding a hand out to shake with Shin-Wolfram.
Wolfram shook hands politely, embarrassed to remember exactly how his grandfather had seen him before, and the idiotic things he and Hon-Wolfram were shouting at the time. He quickly shrugged that thought off, and tore Bertram from Efram's arms. "No, no, sweetie! Efram, how dare you teach my son to say, 'Bite me!'?"
"Eh, get over yourself, vixen," said Efram. "It's cute. Isn't it, trickster?"
Bertram nodded emphatically, and demanded, "Down!"
"Not 'down'! Last time I gave you 'down', you ran into another universe! Bad Wimpue!"
"Say what?" blurted Yuuri, behind them.
"Well, it's all your fault, isn't it?" spat Wolfram. "Salix, how do we go home now, please?"
Salix blinked innocently at Yuuri instead of answering.
"Aha, Wolfram…" said Yuuri. "You see, Bertram has to stay here, just until this is all over…"
"WHAT?" hissed Wolfram. Uncomfortable with his fathers fighting, Bertram wriggled to escape. Wolfram let him down without thinking, the better to plant his fists on his hips. "Of course my baby is going home! I don't see any other-Bertram around here! How dare you bring Bertram here anyway! And stayed away three days without letting me know! After dumping twenty thousand alien in-laws on me! Irresponsible idiot!"
Time was, Yuuri the king would have taken this from Wolfram. Yes, even in front of foreign kings. Even during a national crisis. That time was past, however. We have an agreement about this kind of public uproar, vicious vixen… Slight arcs of blue lightning played in Yuuri's hair, snaking slightly in a static electric wind.
Aldrich – who'd had a number of 'little chats' with his stepson and vassal regarding 'conduct unbecoming' – cleared his throat loudly. "Lord Wolfram, as His Majesty just said, Bertram needs to be here. Other-Bertram, is that man over there." He pointed to the shadowy figure in the trees, who made no move to come introduce himself. Indeed he shook his head once, No.
Yuuri's eyes still narrowed at Wolfram, but blue fire and hair died down. "But we can go home," he said, taking Wolfram's elbow with false charm and some force. "I'm eager to see our daughters. And my parents…"
"But Bertram!"
"Stays. Here. Salix, I understand we need to leave in pairs? Other-Yuuri, Prince Wolfram? Would it be convenient for us to leave now? I'd like to make good use of our twenty-four hours' leave, if I may."
"Sire," Shin-Gwendal objected, "this seems overly… trusting. I think we should stay and make our own plans here, instead of blindly following the nymphs' lead!"
This was an extremely valid point, but Yuuri wanted to leave. Therefore he sank to saying, "Mmm. Say, Gwendal…" He theatrically surveyed the people on the nymph hill. "If all of us are here… am I right in thinking that Manfred now rules in Shin Makoku?"
Gwendal blanched, hands making unconscious grasping twitches.
Shin-Conrad's face lit up in amusement behind him. He put a hand on Gwendal's shoulder and commented, "Oh, Manfred's not so bad, right? He ruled Bielenfeld for a year. And Annissina's there. She'll help with the treasury."
"Gah!" erupted from Gwendal, at the idea of the national wealth in his wife's hands. "I'll be along as quickly as possible." He turned and made a bee-line for his escapist twin, to negotiate leaving now. With very little success – other-Gwendal didn't want to talk to him, and kept turning his back to pretend he wasn't there.
One might have expected Salix to be swamped with other pairs, eager to return to the lives they'd been so rudely kidnapped from. But as Lord Erick had said, the reunions in the nymphy glade were compelling. Even the Yuuris, who had no trouble agreeing to leave, were further held up as their entourage dominoed. Young Dietrich and Efram left with Shin-Yuuri, at Aldrich's request, as the Aldrichs wished to stay and talk. The Günters left with them as well, for a very cranky King Wolfred demanded that he and Garena spend the day scouting the intended battle zone, along with Günter Lord Krist and Hon-Dietrich. Wolfred intended to keep Hon-Yuuri under his thumb as well, both to pick his brain and find out what the weaker king was good for. A much relieved Gwendal extracted Shin-Günter's promise to guard the treasury, until Gwendal could get home to save it from Manfred's spectacular bookkeeping anti-genius.
The Wolframs found it harder to get away.
-oOo-
"Wolfie!" cried the broken Hon-Cecilie, arms out, tears streaming down her face. The Wolframs, who were trying to leave, turned to her in consternation. But it was not they whom she addressed, but rather the toddler Bertram. Aside from the greenish tinge to his blond hair, and rather bluer green eyes, he did bear a striking resemblance to Wolfram as a baby.
Shin-Cecilie stood beside her alter-ego, trying to break through her near-catatonia with well-meant but inexpert kindness. She beckoned, "Bertram? Please come to me, darling? Cecilie, dear, this isn't Wolfram. He's my Wolfram's adopted baby, Bertram."
Not a word of this registered on Hon-Cecilie, with her baby in sight at last.
"Hahaue," breathed Shin-Wolfram, to Hon-Wolfram's irritation. The Prince tried to yank the Lord's arm back – I'm going with Wolfred and Dietrich! – but Lord Wolfram wheeled on him. "She's your mother! Don't you care?"
Bertram moseyed over agreeably enough. But Hon-Cecilie pounced and grabbed him. "My baby! Oh, my baby!" she wailed.
Bertram frantically wriggled to get away from her, which made her clutch him all the more desperately. "DOWN Gamma!"
Shin-Wolfram rushed to help his mother extract the struggling toddler from Hon-Cecilie's hysterical arms. The moment he was free, Bertram fled to Lord Aldrich for protection, sobbing, little head hiding under Aldrich's ear. Hon-Wolfram watched in deep unease as the others manhandled Hon-Cecilie to the ground. She hugged her knees and rocked, keening softly, eyes still glued on Bertram, brimming over with tears.
Lord Aldrich strode swiftly away, to get Bertram out of this mess. But he sent back his father, the greatest healer of Shin Makoku. Shin-Friedrich sank to the ground before the distraught tableau. "Ah, Great-niece, you've had a rough time of it," he said gently.
Hon-Cecilie, even in her madness, recognized him, and twisted away, hiding her face. "No, oh no, Great-uncle. No, don't look at me. I've failed so badly…"
"None of that, Niece, don't hide your face. So beautiful," he crooned softly, and gently coaxed her chin to face him. "Of all her many descendants, you look the most like my lovely sister Emeraude."
Shin-Cecilie smiled sadly in gratitude. The haunted Hon-Cecilie looked far less than she like their grandmother, the vivacious beauty Emeraude, tragically dead before they turned 70. Shin-Cecilie felt a sudden surprise surge of empathy for her Hon-self. More than once she'd felt that same humiliation, before her illustrious great-uncle, when she was Maou over him. "Oh, Friedrich," she breathed. "Can you help her?"
He nodded, smiling soft encouragement at Hon-Cecilie, yet replying to Shin-Cecilie. "We can lessen her pain," he said, quietly setting a realistic yardstick for progress. "You'll be willing to stay for some of your free day? The rules here seem to dictate that neither of a pair can leave unless both do. And I would like to spend some time with this dear woman."
"Of course," said Shin-Cecilie. "As long as she needs me. Or poor Conrad or Gwendal. Or… Bertram. Yes, I think I'll just stay here." She considered Prince Wolfram with green eyes half-lidded. She crooked a finger at her own Wolfram and sashayed away a bit, with several playful looks tossed back over her shoulder in challenge.
Shin-Wolfram made to follow, but Prince Wolfram grabbed his arm. "We're leaving now, remember? If I don't go now, I'll never find the others scouting around the temple!"
Shin-Wolfram glared at him disparagingly. "I'm sure Salix can insert you back wherever you want. But I'm not done yet! Come meet my mother – your mother."
"A cheap whore, three sons by three fathers! I am not my mother's son!"
Shin-Wolfram wheeled on him. "No, you're an orphan! Because you're certainly not my father's son! If you spoke of Hahaue like this in front of Chichiue - !" Words failed him to convey how Manfred would verbally carve him to the bone. "Chichiue would never have condoned tearing me from Hahaue, or tearing Shin Makoku apart!"
This gave Hon-Wolfram pause. Though his father wasn't really the same as other-Wolfram's, he'd heard this before, from Aldrich. "Well, I was well rid of both of them, wasn't I? You had them both and look at you – a wimpy mommy bottom! You're more worried about your baby than the fate of the world! I'm a soldier, not a boy-toy!"
"Wolfie," interrupted Cecilie, with a hand on each Wolfram's shoulder. She'd snuck up on them while they were entirely self-absorbed. "Everyone does the best they can with the strengths they have. The two of you are one person, having faced different problems. But for the grace of Shinou…" She looked compassionately toward Hon-Cecilie, presently rocking and whimpering in Friedrich's arms.
"Wasn't that interesting," she pointedly mused, "what Quercus said, about drawing on the strength of both sides of ourselves, to overcome a power formed from negative emotions… And that my Conrad and Gwendal would easily have bested their other selves in well-merging. But the two of you would have fought until you destroyed yourself. And ended up like her, poor woman."
She met each Wolfram's eye with a pained maternal look, I expect better from you, and let go their shoulders. She wandered off toward the Conrads and Gwendals, with a little finger-wave to Lord Aldrich.
The Wolframs were still glaring at each other, considering their next pot-shots, when Aldrich joined them, handing off Bertram with a hungry wail of 'Chewwy!' "I think this little boy could use some quality time, Lord Wolfram. Prince Wolfram, I'd like to speak to you, if I may."
Shin-Wolfram exited the throng, to play with Bertram on the sweet grass. He cast a curious glance toward the shadowy other-Bertram in the trees, currently talking to the Kings Julius, Adeldan, and Franklin. He resolutely put that aside. His son's past lives were none of his business, until and unless Bertram himself told him, when he was bigger. It was a matter of honor.
-oOo-
Aldrich – professor of unconditional love, and the third greatest healer in Shin Makoku after his father and husband – sat with Prince Wolfram. And told him a tale of how Shinou, via a raping gang of Mizrati marauders, caused a proud and haughty blond knight to put away the command of cavalry, and become a 'mommy bottom'. And of how quietly proud his father Manfred was of Wolfram, for being the canny political advisor and loyal husband to the Maou, the force behind the throne. He was a devoted father to his children, and now taking after his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, providing national leadership in public health and welfare. And how proud Manfred had been of how Wolfram stood by his mother, even during her fall from power as Maou.
These were things Prince Wolfram could easily have known from their contacts, had he been interested in anything beyond besting Lord Wolfram. But this mirror version of his liege lord and foster father, with pure love and pure sales genius, got him to listen. And to see that indeed, there but for the crimes of Shinou, walked himself. And that perhaps this victim of Shinou's manipulations, from rising to different challenges, had strengths that complemented his own.
"But I'm still in love with Dietrich, not the Pretender Maou," the Prince objected. "Does that mean he fights to save my world, instead of me? That's outrageous!"
Aldrich shrugged. "We'll have to figure that out. But probably our Yuuri Maou, not yours, will face Soushu. I'm not going to ask whether you could love our Yuuri yet. But could you at least see how our Wolfram would?" This was clearly a rhetorical question. Lord Aldrich rose and brushed grass from his perennial Bielenfeld blue pants with gold piping. He really did look better in his counterpart's dove grey. Indeed, given the dissolute traces of other-Aldrich's centuries of hard drinking, Aldrich looked far better in dove greys than Aldrich Maou did.
"And you, Lord Aldrich?" the Prince asked. "Will it be you or my foster father, to face Soushu?"
Aldrich smiled wanly, and replied, "He's Maou. I'm a 'mommy bottom', as you put it."
But he didn't meet Wolfram's eye as he said it. As the Lord walked away, it belatedly occurred to the Prince to wonder what this other-Aldrich's trials had been. But of course, his Aldrich was Maou, and thus obviously stronger. Except… for the drinking… He watched Aldrich walk over and embrace Hon-Friedrich. After conferring a bit, the two collected King Franklin, and then Aldrich Maou, and drew him into the woods. Perhaps they're concerned about the Maou's drinking, too.
My father. If other-me agreed, we could swap worlds, and I could meet my father, even if Grandfather can't. His roving eye came to rest uncomfortably on Shin-Cecilie, talking to the hostile Hon-Conrad, the half-breed turncoat who led Suberian forces against Mazoku. The Prince cast his eyes down in chagrin. You're willing to face a shadow of your dead father, but not your own mother and brothers? They've already told you what your father would think of you for that – wimp!
Alright, then. Maybe later in the week. We should swap worlds, anyway. Otherwise, it might not be so easy for him to work side by side with Duke Axel, given the way Aldrich says his Axel died for him. In his well, the Prince had a casual roll in the hay with the Duke a few times, as had Wolfred, but Axel was the Maou's lover these days, while Lady Glynda turned a blind eye. Other-me will clearly have to be the one to go 'give his heart' for Yuuri – Prince Wolfram started to snort in derision at that idea, but recalled something else Aldrich had said. Fracture lines on his psyche… heroic self-destruction… Could Yuuri keep fighting and win, if he lost his Wolfram? In discomfort, he found that he cared, not just for the success of the mission, but for the welfare of Lord Wolfram and the Yuuris.
But is there any choice? Could I give my heart to the man my other self loves?
Before, he'd wanted to fight for his reality as a matter of haughty pride. Now, though, he considered whether perhaps, in the end, it might be the only way to win.
It wasn't easy, but he swallowed his pride enough to tell Shin-Wolfram his thoughts and concerns. He asked that they work together to make both of them as best able as they could, for either of them to face Soushu at Yuuri's side. And with that, the two Wolframs began to pull together.
Granted, they continued to bicker every step of the way.
-oOo-
"CHICHIUE!"
Aldrich materialized in the Blood Pledge dining room just before supper, with barely time to give Manfred a quick peck on the cheek before Dietrich, Trenton, and Efram mobbed him. He hugged them, but spoke to Yuuri first. "Sire, Wolfram hopes to be home in time to visit with Greta and Ekaterin before bed." He didn't mention their foster daughter Frieda. She was on her father's lap, listening rapt to an episode from Adelbert's childhood, involving her grandfather Adeldan. Aldrich smiled – he'd barely heard Adelbert speak of his father since the man walked out on them.
Yuuri followed his glance and smiled understanding. Then he curled up one lip. "Wolfram just couldn't leave Bertram, hm?" He unconsciously clutched infant Ekaterin closer – he was starting to get very unhappy over Wolfram's continued Bertram-centricity.
"Well, that too," allowed Aldrich. "But he's mending fences with Prince Wolfram and his brothers and mother. Conrad and Gwendal and Cecilie may not be back tonight at all."
Yuuri nodded thoughtfully. "Well begun, then." And he turned back to chatting with his brother and parents, as Aldrich finally turned his attention to the boys.
"Hello, hello! Oh, it's so good to see you guys! Trent – your father went back to Gratz tonight, but he sends his love, and if he has time tomorrow, he'll come visit you here. Diet, Efram, I was proud of you this morning! But enough of that," he dismissed the well of two nymphs, and facing Soushu, with an airy wave. "What's been happening here while I've been gone? Manfred taking good care of you?"
Dietrich: "He's been wonderful! We helped with Moxy and Foxy!"
Trenton: "You shoulda seen Manfred's face when he realized he was Chancellor of Shin Makoku!"
Efram: "Man's desperately in need of a blow job."
Manfred, white, started rising from his couch. "Eff-ramm…"
Aldrich waved him down. "Oh, relax, Manfred, you've had the boys for days! I've got this one." And indeed he had Efram, by the scruff of the neck, with a nerve pinch. Dietrich turned his back on them, shoulders heaving. Trenton's crossed arms and belligerant stance, one foot and hip tilted toward the opponent Efram, looked delightfully like his pissed-off father Brendan in miniature. "Trent? Is there something you'd like to say to Efram?"
"Hey, I'm –" Efram attempted. Increased pressure on his neck shut him up.
Trenton jerked a chin at Dietrich. "Dietrich thinks –"
"Trenton speaks for Trenton…" Aldrich gently reminded.
"Alright,I think Efram's way out of line! How dare you speak of your father like that?! In the Maou's dining room, no less! I'm sick and tired of Efram getting all the attention for being bad! Dietrich and I were good! We helped Manfred! We played with the twins so Manfred could work! We taught the refugee kids our language! We should be getting the attention! I think we'd make better Heads of the Horde! Efram, your conduct is unbefitting an Aristocrat!"
"I –" attempted Efram.
"Thank you, Trenton, excellent points," interrupted Aldrich. "Dietrich, are you ready to speak to Efram?"
Dietrich first shook his head, but then reluctantly turned to face them, posture erect. "Efram, what Trenton said. But more… You don't treat us like people you love and respect. You embarrassed Manfred. You taught Bertram to say… something bad. It'll be really hard for Wolfram to make him stop saying that. I was really excited when you came to live with us. I really looked up to you, and wanted you to be my big brother. But you don't treat us like brothers. Now sometimes I wish you lived with your mother instead. Manfred's a wonderful father, and a true noble demon. I'm lucky to have him as a stepfather. But you… You're not noble. You're a… clown."
That landed, Aldrich decided. Efram looked like he'd been punched in the solar plexus. Everyone else in the room was staring at him, eyes wide. "Efram? Now it's your turn," Aldrich prompted.
"I… oy… I'm sorry. I was just trying to be funny, and the joke came out too rough. Um." He looked at Aldrich, biting his lip.
Aldrich raised three fingers, and pointed the first one at Manfred.
"Right. Chichiue, I'm sorry, my joke was inappropriate. What I really meant was, um, you were pretty stressed out and you'd be glad to have Aldrich home." He turned beet red, picturing how graphically he'd conveyed that point. "You were a great father and a great lord, even when you were saddled with a public health crisis, then Aldrich's job on top of yours, and then Gwendal's job on top of that, all while you were worried sick. And I respect you, and I love you, and, um…"
"And your jibe would have been fine in different company," said Manfred, having cooled off. "You're right, I've been stressed out. I hope I haven't taken it out on you. Apology accepted."
The 'squirts' were a much harder sell apology-wise. The negotiated surrender involved them teaching him Lord's Lesson tonight, on Noble Comportment. Though not how he'd hoped to spend the evening, it could have been far worse.
-oOo-
"Stop… ah!... Manfred, stop, I can't… take any more of this," objected Aldrich, somewhat half-heartedly. They were making love in their suite to while away some time until the twins needed their midnight bottles.
"I'll heal you up a bit first, then, shall I?" Manfred murmured in his ear. "And… you make love to me this time."
Aldrich arched an eyebrow at that. True, they traded roles now and then. But during the comfort lovemaking of a reunion under stress, was hardly the time. Besides, by this point, with fresh seeds started in his sinuses, after lovemaking round two, Aldrich felt as aggressive as a warm puddle. Not tempting at all. "I didn't mean… ah! stop!… lovemaking, Manfred." He roused enough to flip over and wrestle Manfred flat, then collapsed on top of him. "I can take all the lovemaking you can dish out! I mean, we need to talk."
"Talking is over-rated." Manfred turned his head away, cheek to the pillow.
Aldrich hauled himself onto his elbows and took Manfred's face between his hands. He kissed with a feather touch, lips barely pressing his. "Manfred, I'm melted. But you're still wound tighter than a violin. Talk to me, love."
No answer.
"I wanted to thank you. For making love to me while Aldrich Maou was in my body –" He paused as Manfred went stiff as a board. As I suspected. "You reached me, you know," he whispered. "I was busy talking to the kings, but… I felt it, your love. You were making love to me."
Manfred squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenched. Aldrich shut up and waited. Manfred was quick on his tongue, at verbal jousting. Emotional honesty took longer. "I'm sorry," Manfred whispered. "I broke our… And… Glynda? That must have been…"
"I was never alone with Glynda, Manfred," Aldrich whispered. "Nor wanted to be." Rather than looking relieved, Manfred's face crumpled with a sob, and a tear squeezed out of clenched eyes. "Manfred, our vows are intact. Our monogamy vows."
Manfred cracked a sad green eye at him. Yeah, how do you figure that?
"I never told you this. I dunno, maybe I felt it was too… pushy. That it would be manipulative, or asking too much, or… Manfred, since we got together ninety years ago… Yeah, I made love to Glynda to create Dietrich. But, other than that, there's been no one but you. And this… he is me, Manfred. At first, you notice he's different, but… he's not. Efram and Wolfred, yeah, of course they're separate people. But not other-Aldrich and me. To age 90, fully adult, we were one person. You made love to my body. My soul. Your touch reached across realities to me. I don't know if that makes any rational sense. But, that you were willing to vow monogamy to me, and finally able to accept it from me… Manfred, that means the world to me, that you gave yourself wholly to me. Thank you."
"You're not just… rephrasing reality? Political spin?"
Aldrich chuckled. Then laid forehead to forehead, nose to nose, and touched lips in another feather kiss. "No." Still holding Manfred's face, he gave him a light touch of his true healing fire. Manfred stiffened even more at first – he always did. A man so self-critical, perfectionist, he might never accept pure unconditional love with ease. But then Manfred suddenly unclenched, and let it in. "I love you," Aldrich whispered, words utterly redundant to the direct experience.
"I love you," Manfred agreed.
After a few minutes basking in love, however, Manfred frowned, and complained, "This is utterly unnatural, you know. You go off to fight an epic battle, and I stay home to mind the kids? And do –politics? I don't approve of this role reversal at all, my Lord Aldrich! You talk and do the mommy thing. I do danger and killing people. Please tell me that other-Aldrich is going to face Soushu in battle, not you. And for Shinou's sake, Aldrich, if someone comes at you in a berserker rage, swinging a sword – don't try to talk them out of it, just kill them. Promise me. I swear, you'd try to talk your way out of a blizzard!"
Aldrich had rolled over beside him laughing, but objected at that. "No! Oh, wait –I did talk us out of a blizzard last winter, didn't I? Hey, it worked!"
"From which, no doubt, you learned the wrong lesson, my liege!"
When their laughter died down to the occasional chuckle, Manfred tweaked the duck tail on Aldrich's recent short haircut. "The Maou faces Soushu. Not you. Right?"
"He is Maou, after all," Aldrich replied. But they knew it wasn't really an answer. And of that, they spoke no further.
Aldrich did have to prove he could take all the lovemaking Manfred could dish out, however.
-oOo-
"You're awfully quiet," said Yuuri, feeding Ekaterin her midnight bottle.
Wolfram had returned late, and then talked long with Greta, before joining him. Now he stretched in an old pink nightgown, worn thin and soft over the years, propped on an elbow to watch Yuuri and the newborn. The howling lash of rain at the windows continued unabated, even stronger than this morning. It made the candles gutter and dance, despite their bedroom being fairly snug, for a room in a stone castle. The fullness of the day made it seem incredible that Wolfram had woken just this morning alone with Ekaterin. He hardly felt the same person. Perhaps he wasn't.
Wolfram bit his lip slightly, an effect Yuuri loved, as it accented those lips' tender pink kissability. "I'm sorry, Yuuri. Overload." He reached a hesitant fingertip to touch Ekaterin, brow and nose, ear and chin. He spoke in a low throaty whisper, the voice Yuuri recognized as pure vulnerability. "Yuuri… We haven't been alone since I… Is it… I don't think it's… cheating on you. I did, at first. Well, you cheating on me, I thought, but, it wasn't, was it. Prince Wolfram is me –"
"Agreed," Yuuri said, to cut off that line of worry. "How did you two get on after I left, anyway?"
"He's so arrogant!" At Yuuri's snort of amusement, Wolfram chuckled and dropped his head. "Well, we're pulling together now. He almost sounded like me, talking to Conrad and Gwendal at the end. Hahaue… will take longer. But she's really patient and respectful with him. Loving. My Hahaue, anyway. Other-Friedrich is making slow progress with… other-Cecilie. She doesn't know us yet."
And we dance, and circle around the point. We weave closer, then skitter away. Yuuri risked venturing closer. "It was almost like making love to the Wolfram I first met. And at the same time, the Yuuri I'd been when we first met, was making love to the Wolfram you've become." Yuuri was encouraged when this gambit didn't result in immediate bodily assault.
"We… talked. About facing Soushu. He's afraid that I can't… We decided that we're both going to try, to be the one who can stand by you, to provide the heart key. He thinks he could… maybe love you, too. So long as he doesn't have to stop loving Dietrich. I want to stand beside you. But maybe…"
"It might be easier for me to stand beside him, you know," Yuuri said softly. "To have you and the children safe away from the battle."
But they wouldn't be safe. No one was. Ekaterin finished her bottle, and they made love. Lately Yuuri had been quite emphatic about not creating any more seeds. He feared Wolfram would raise a dozen children or more if Yuuri didn't put firm limits on Wolfram's baby acquisitiveness. But tonight, they started seeds, without discussion. Even if they only grew into trees, they were a declaration of hope and intent. Their parents would make sure the world was safe for them to grow in.
-oOo-
Switzerland, Well Forsaken by the Angels
Tariel quietly buried the Maou Bob and his loyal assistant Stella Krebs, beneath the tree that formed the gateway between the worlds and channeled healing life maryoku into the fracturing ecosystems of Earth. The glass tower of DTI's global headquarters was shattered, shards of glass and broken furniture strewn everywhere on the grassy hill by the lake. The tower's steel girders stood twisted and broken against the stormy night sky, tortured by one of nearly a hundred freak tornados that had ravaged Europe. The Atlantic had become a cauldron of hurricanes, spinning massive thunderstorms and worse far inland. Earth's disastrous, insane weather patterns were quieting again now, with Quercus wielding the power of ocean to heal, instead of lash out. But even in the few days since the Mazoku evacuation, the death toll had been staggering.
I'm sorry. I should have woken Yuuri sooner. Tariel's soundless tears fell with the rain onto the slight burial mound. He wore his physical form, to honor their physical passing.
Tariel had made no effort to contact Quercus. He'd essentially snuck out on the convocation of great nymphs. But a tendril of Quercus' attention followed him, anyway. Caring for the fall of a sparrow, Tariel? Yuuri did need the sleep. And Bob and Stella made this choice.
Choice? How is it free will, a choice, when they can't foresee the consequences. They don't know what they're choosing. The good they sought to do, they had no chance to accomplish.
They knew the risk, Tariel. You disparage their courage by thinking otherwise. And where they are now, they know. Nothing is ever truly lost.
Tariel knew that. But perhaps he'd become too close to the mortals. He grieved at their passing. In the long millenia with no other nymphs to communicate with, perhaps he became too like them, to soothe his aloneness.
This is how angels fall, isn't it, Quercus. The great ones don't cast us down. We fall ourselves.
And if you fall of yourself, Tariel, then you can also pick yourself up again.
It's never been done. I'm doomed.
You are alone in this? I plotted the past four thousand years, partnered with Shinou, without coming to care for mortals? Doomed, yes, Tariel. We are both doomed to become much greater than we were, by caring, yet remaining nymph. Deal – I won't fall if you don't.
You make fun of me! Fall! You've risen to greatest nymph of all!
These facts are not unrelated.
-oOo-
Please review? I gets discouraged when I don't get reviews. T.T