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Memories of Sand Chapter 13 - Fight
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Yuuri's limp body was carried to the captain's quarters of the ship. Saralegui followed behind, watching his fiance laid on the bed and fussed over by some random healer.
That was way too close. They had almost gotten away from him and he had almost lost total control. He could only thank his mastery of hypnosis that he kept the delicate power over his subordinates, much less Yuuri. He thanked the gods that he had caught Yuuri in mental distress and in time to place a quick hint on the young king to keep him compliant until he could come up with a plan.
Saralegui held his hand over the unconscious king and reached into the spirit realm. He bit his lip. Yuuri's life force and magic were well on their way to recovery, but still compromised. He thought back to the odd use of magic he witnessed Bielefeld use to revive his fiance.
He touched his cheek. The bruise on his face from a well-placed right hook from the demon whore was still sensitive. Where he lacked in intelligence, Bielefeld made up in brute strength and temper. He hated to admit he had been on the defensive when emotion got the best of the both of them and they grappled on the ground. He was furious that not only did they ruin his transference of the vector spell, but also killed the one thing he had fought the hardest to gain. He was ready to strangle Bielefeld.
He looked down at Yuuri. The king was calm and quiet on his bed. The healers had left when there was nothing left to do. Yuuri had rolled onto his side, facing Saralegui, his breathing steady. Saralegui brushed his fingers through Yuuri's rich, black hair. The king shifted, but otherwise remained unaware.
Saralegui couldn't remember a time when he would risk life and country for a single human being. The second he laid eyes on the king and felt that immense, deep power exuding from innocent eyes and a sweet smile drove him insane. Watching Yuuri dedicate his power to healing and helping his fellow man, both frustrated and intrigued Saralegui. He saw the demon king's use of his magic as a complete waste. This dedication to civil rights and equalitarianism went against everything the monarchy stood for...And yet, it made him all the more fascinating.
And watching that same innocence blossom into a handsome young man made the stakes all the higher. Saralegui's lust for Yuuri's power was only matched by his lust for the king himself. Yuuri symbolized everything Saralegui wanted, deserved, and was willing to kill for.
The vector spell would have to be recast now. They couldn't wait to get back to land. He didn't want to have to cast the spell in Shin Makoku as it would cause too much attention. This had to be done smoothly and secretly to keep people as ignorant as possible. Now that the original spell was all but dissipated, it would be easier to recast a new spell altogether. Yes, that made the most sense. He already had his new vector in Voltaire down in the brig. Those that would oppose him were imprisoned and would be killed soon.
He would cast a new spell on Voltaire and keep him long enough for Yuuri to fully recover and then transfer the spell back to Yuuri, the stronger vector. Saralegui could look forward to being in power for the next five to ten years. Plenty of time to find the next victim.
"Berias," he called, still twining Yuuri's hair around his fingers.
"Your Majesty?" Berias appeared at his side.
"Tonight, we will recast the spell," Saralegui stated, forming the plan in his mind. "We don't have time to make for a proper incantation. I have the basic tools I need and enough knowledge that it can be completed."
"Where?"
Saralegui thought for a moment. "On the main deck. This isn't a spell for tight quarters. Tell the captain to have the crew confined to their quarters after dinner and no one is allowed on deck until my explicit orders."
"The other two ships?"
"Same," Saralegui answered. "I don't want any interruptions."
Berias only paused for a moment, before a curt nod and leaving to relay the orders.
Berias would always be an asset to Saralegui. He valued the man's disinterest in questioning his orders. Berias simply didn't care if it didn't disrupt his duties to the king. The man was a true bodyguard and servant. Unlike Yuuri's retainers whom he allowed to question him and even go against his wishes. For the entire duration of his reign, Saralegui never recalled a moment when Berias went against his command. Berias was silent, emotionless, and cold - everything Saralegui needed. He had no idea what went on inside Berias' mind and he didn't give a damn so long as the man remained loyal.
Saralegui turned his attention back to Yuuri. Smiling, he settled down next to the sleeping king. So many times he had awoken in the night to watch his lover sleep to gloat over his triumph. Occasionally, he would even wake Yuuri up and coax the groggy king into intimacy, just so he could feel that toned body against his. It was a way of physically feeling how his power surged through the king and his vassals and the kingdom. A confirmation that Yuuri and Shin makoku belonged to him and him alone.
Saralegui brushed his lips against Yuuri's, feeling the soft breath against his mouth. He was so relieved to have Yuuri back under his power. He kept the king by a hair's width. He deepened the gentle touch into a kiss. Yuuri hummed and curled a little more into himself. Saralegui simply adjusted, letting his desire and relief take over and reclaim what was rightfully his.
He wanted to take Yuuri right now. Claim that body and wash it of any filth that Bielefeld might have given the king. He wanted to watch Yuuri moan and sigh under his touch and call his name in the throes of ecstasy, just to affirm over and over again that he belonged to Saralegui.
"Mine," Saralegui murmured darkly against Yuuri's slightly parted lips. "Forever mine…I will kill you before I let anyone else have you."
Taming his lust for now, Saralegui straightened and moved to begin preparing for the recasting of the spell.
But for Yuuri…
"Hmmm? Sara?" Yuuri yawned, slowly rolling over to look up at him.
Saralegui was momentarily distracted by Yuuri's deep black eyes. "Easy, love. You've been quite through a lot."
"My head hurts!" Yuuri groaned, cupping his forehead with a grimace.
"The spell those traitors put on you foiled with your magic. The headaches are a symptom," Saralegui soothed Yuuri with gentle strokes on his head.
Yuuri looked away sadly. "I...just….I can't believe Conrad and Gwendal would do that. It doesn't make sense!"
Saralegui shook his head. "I don't know, Yuuri. I honestly can't tell you. But they will be punished when we get to land."
Yuuri grabbed Saralegui's wrist. "Let me talk to them! This has to be a misunderstanding! Conrad...Gwendal...they would never do this to me willingly! There has to be a reason!"
Saralegui had to keep himself from groaning in his lover's face. Yuuri was too damn forgiving for his own good. He would send the king of Dai Cimarron a gift basket if it meant that they could be friends, and would promptly forgive the multiple murder attempts, political upheaval, and death threats.
"It's not worth it, Yuuri," Saralegui said, still soothingly running his hands through hair. "They are clear traitors who wanted you for their own gain."
Yuuri jerked away. "That's not true! It can't be true! Conrad - he's my godfather! He wouldn't do that! Please, just let me talk to them!"
Saralegui sighed and fought the urge to to slap Yuuri to dissipate the density. He trained his face into a sympathetic smile.
Yuuri's eyes welled up with tears. "I...what in the world is going on? I feel like the last weeks have been just..impossible! It's been one thing after another and I can't keep up!" Yuuri threw himself into Saralegui's arms, burying his face into his neck. Saralegui could feel the tears against his skin.
Saralegui held him closer, pleased that Yuuri was mentally weakened. It would make the spell-casting easier.
"You were deceived, Yuuri," he mumbled, holding him closer, taking in the scent that was uniquely Yuuri.
Yuuri shook his head into Saralegui's neck. "But that's always happening. I've tried so hard to make myself stronger and better so that other's won't betray me like this! But it never matters."
Yuuri pulled away to cup Saralegui's face, black eyes met gold in earnest and desperation.
"I don't have anyone but you," came Yuuri's broken whisper. "Please, don't leave me, Sara. I need you."
Before Saralegui could respond, Yuuri pulled him into a pleading kiss. Strong arms slid down his shoulders to trap him in Yuuri's beseeching touch. He allowed himself to be pulled down onto the bed with Yuuri beneath him.
Desire boiled up within him. Saralegui could never resist Yuuri when he begged for his attention.
Yuuri rolled them over, still trapping Saralegui in a passionate embrace. He ran his hands through Saralegui's long silky hair before gripping his skull, locking him in the kiss.
Everything went black.
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It was a technique of healing magic. A small, light shot of soothing green magic used for hysterical or violent patients. In times when natural anesthetics or sedatives were unavailable, it was incredibly useful. It was one of the first skills taught to him by Gisela.
'It worked...it actually worked,' Yuuri thought in disbelief.
Yuuri carefully got off of the now-sleeping Saralegui. He quietly searched the cabin for fresh clothes, constantly glancing back at the other king. After changing, he grabbed another fresh shirt and wrapped it tightly to tuck into his pocket. He searched the various cabinets and chests within the captain's quarters. If memory served, he was sure it was common for captains to keep a small collection of liquor for guests.
'Yes!' Yuuri found a cabinet with a small array of liquors neatly aligned. He took them, one by one, sniffing and tasting to find the strongest. 'Anything 70 proof…"
Yuuri had to fight the urge to choke when he sipped one of the clear liquors and wasn't prepared for the scorching burn in his throat. 'That'll do!...' Thankfully, the bottle was small enough to fit into his pocket. Now he just needed something to wrap a wound with.
'Shit!' Yuuri searched everywhere he could think of as quietly as possible and found nothing. The galley would have a first aid kit.
Yuuri peered out the cabin window. The upper deck looked deserted. Good. He tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. 'Thank you!' He sent out to the fates.
He very carefully exited the cabin, checking once again to make sure Saralegui was still unconscious. Yuuri breathed to calm his pounding heart and made his way below deck. It was weird. There was no one on deck. Yuuri pushed the thought away, he had more important things to focus on.
He didn't lie when he voiced his frustration at being too weak to protect those he loved. It had been a bane on his existence ever since he assumed the throne. It was his deepest insecurity being a teen and a foreigner and knowing little of the kingdom he came to rule. As he matured, he hated the dependency on his retainers, and that they always seemed to suffer for his incompetence. It was why he tried so hard to become a military healer. If he couldn't defend himself, he could at least patch up his friends and family when they were beaten up because of his clumsy attempts at politics.
Even now, he had royally screwed up. His memories were still in jumbles, but he could discern enough to remember truth versus fiction. How had a five minute conversation turned into four years of being played like a fool? He was trying to do the right thing! He had done his research, consulted his advisors, and they were all in agreement for the alliance with Shou Cimarron. Saralegui had stopped him in the hallway to ask a couple of questions. Easy! So how did he still manage to screw over not just his friends and family, but the entire country?
'I'm hopeless…' Yuuri shook his head to dissipate the turmoiled thoughts. 'Focus, focus, focus. You can at least do this.'
He made it to the galley with no interruption. It seemed the ship had only the bare minimum crew. He sent another thank you to the fates when he found the crew members asleep and drunk in the galley. Typical. It saved him from coming up with a story. It only took a few minutes of searching and he found the medical kit that was there for when a healer wasn't aboard. He grabbed a roll of bandages and continued his journey to the brig. He could probably use his healing magic, but he remained unsure of his own magical abilities at the moment. His magic remained a distant spark and even using a simple sedative spell took more concentration than normal.
'I hope when we get to Shin Makoku, it'll go back to normal…' He would scratch up what magic he could in the meantime.
He went deeper down into the ship, the brig was in the absolute bottom of the ship near the stern. It was dark and damp in the hull of the ship. The smell of tar permeated the stale air as he came to the brig. He approached the one guard lazily leaning up against the wall just in front of the cell.
Yuuri glanced behind the guard into the cell. He could make out the forms of his friends. He looked for Wolfram and saw him huddled into the far corner, away from the others.
"Your Majesty?" The guard drawled, coming out of his semi-sleep. "What're you doing here?"
"I'm here to question the prisoners," Yuuri said with as firm a voice as possible. He came to stand only a couple of feet from the guard, within touching distance.
The guard straightened. "King Saralegui doesn't want the prisoners questioned until we reach Shin Makoku tomorrow."
Yuuri stepped a little closer. "These men are - were - my trusted friends and advisors. I have the right to speak to them."
"King Saralegui has spoken," the guard was unmoved.
Yuuri became irked. "I am the king of Shin Makoku. Saralegui is my fiance. We are going to my kingdom, where my word is the law. I don't need to reason with you! I have spoken!" He said the last part with as much authority as possible.
Guard still didn't budge. "Forgive me, your Majesty. But you may still be under their influence and King Saralegui wants your word disregarded until we've freed you."
Yuuri remained firm while the guard watched him suspiciously. "I am not under a spell. I am not crazy. You will step down, soldier!"
Guard frowned and reached to take Yuuri's arm. "Your Majesty. With all due respect, let me take you back to King Saralegui. You may discuss the matter with him first."
The guard meant to guide Yuuri away, but the demon king saw his chance and in one fluid motion, placed his hand on the surprised guard's forehead and pushed the sedative spell into his skull with little care. The man crumpled to the ground.
Yuuri took the keys from the guard's belt and stepped over him to get to the cell. His retainers were staring at him in shock. It seemed they had fallen for Yuuri's previous act as well.
"Is everyone alright?" he asked his gaping retainers. The cell door opened with a gentle creak. Yuuri propped it open and entered.
Murata was the first to gather his wits. "Shibuya? You're with us?"
"Yes...always," Yuuri said as if it was the most obvious thing.
Murata grinned. "Yes! I knew it! I saw the look in your eyes!"
Yuuri just smiled. "Thanks for playing along."
He took in the state of everyone. They were all seated and had their arms suspended above their heads with iron cuffs attached to rings in the wall above them. Conrad and Gwendal looked scruffy and fatigued, but fine. Murata had a bruise on his face but looked otherwise in good health. Yuuri looked to Wolfram. The prince watched him in disbelief when Yuuri moved closer to see the dark red stain in his shirt. "Is anyone else hurt? I've brought some medical supplies."
Conrad nodded to Wolfram. "We all have some scratches and bruises. But Wolfram has a deep cut just over his right rib cage."
Yuuri didn't hesitate. He quickly kneeled before Wolfram and took out the bandages and liquor. But Wolfram tried to back away from him.
"You can't touch me, Yuuri!" Wolfram exclaimed, moving further away when Yuuri reached for the hem of his shirt.
"Wait, Shibuya! Be careful," Murata warned when Yuuri reached with bare hands to remove Wolfram's shirt. "Not without gloves!"
"I don't have gloves," Yuuri stated flatly. "And Wolfram needs care!"
"I'm unclean," Wolfram protested, still trying to move away from Yuuri.
"Yuuri, his blood is rotten," Conrad said anxiously. "You could get the disease if his blood gets in you in any way. Even the tiniest drop."
"Thank god we have penicillin on Earth made just for this thing," Yuuri said dryly. He reached again for Wolfram's shirt. "Now come here, Wolf. Let me see the wound."
"Earth has a cure?" Wolfram looked up at him, hopefully.
Yuuri smiled assuredly. "Yes...people survive this all the time. It's no biggie." He would have to unlock Wolfram's manacles to remove his shirt. After trying two keys, he found the right one.
"No, let me do it," Wolfram stopped Yuuri from helping him out of his shirt. Yuuri could only sigh and sat back as Wolfram slowly took the bloodied shirt off. He appreciated Wolfram trying to keep him from infection, but they didn't have time and he didn't care.
"Wolf, just hush," Yuuri ignored him and helped him anyway. "My immune system is fine."
Yuuri was relieved to find that the wound wasn't too bad, just lacking in proper treatment. It was definitely not life-threatening. The dried blood had caused a patch of fabric to stick to the wound in a flaky crust. He carefully peeled it off, murmuring apologies when Wolfram grunted in pain.
"How did you get past Saralegui?" Murata asked while Yuuri carefully made Wolfram lay on his good side. "And how did you resist his hint? You seemed completely under his control."
"A special thanks to my eighth grade drama teacher," Yuuri said, reaching for the liquor. "And during my studies, I found a small trick for blocking hints."
"What is that?" Gwendal spoke for the first time, far too curious to remain quiet.
"It's stupid actually," Yuuri shrugged. "The book I found said to 'distract the mind' when you can sense someone trying to put a hint on you. If you can't break eye contact, then just think of something else that's distracting enough to keep it from taking hold. I still felt the hint, but because I kept thinking of a song, it was too weak to hold. I came out of it within seconds and just played along." Yuuri popped off the cork to the liquor bottle. "As for getting past, I used a simple sedation spell. Pretty easy with the ship being almost deserted."
Murata leaned back, impressed. "Wow. I never would've taken you for someone that devious."
"While it's annoying that everyone thinks I'm clinically retarded, it does come in handy at times." Yuuri said sarcastically, concentrating on his work. He took the cleanest part of Wolfram's shirt and the liquor. "I'm sorry, Wolfram. But this is gonna sting. Just hang on for me."
Yuuri poured the liquor on the wound and Wolfram immediately let out a loud hiss to stop himself from screaming. Yuuri placed his free hand on Wolfram's head comfortingly. "Shhh. Breathe. We need to disinfect it." He set the bottle down and used Wolfram's shirt to clean away the blood.
"So what song did you think about? I'm genuinely curious," Murata smirked.
"Gangnam Style…" Yuuri said without hesitation. Murata let out a small bark of a laugh. Yuuuri went back to Wolfram.
"Feeling okay so far?" He asked Wolfram.
"I thought I'd lost you…" Wolfram breathed, as the pain subsided.
Yuuri stroked Wolfram's hair affectionately. "You'll never lose me. I'll always find a way back to you…" He earned a small smile from his true fiance.
"How much do you remember, Shibuya?" Murata asked.
Now that the wound was clean enough, he could use his healing power. "Still fuzzy...my head hurts...it all feels like a bizarre dream. Saralegui talked about casting some spell while I pretended to sleep… I…." Yuuri stiffened. "I also heard him say he would kill me before he let anyone take me... That's when I knew I had to get to you."
"I see," Murata murmured. "We don't have much time…how are your powers?"
"Weak… I can barely feel it," Yuuri said as he held his hands over the wound to seal it. "I might be able to summon my water magic at sea, but I'm not sure."
"Yuuri! Not your bare hands!" Wolfram cried. He had been watching Yuuri's hands the entire time, trying to make sure he made as little contact with him as possible.
But Yuuri ignored him. Summoning up his power from the deep, he focused the energy on weaving the flesh back together. He manipulated the tissue cells and forced them to heal a hundred times faster than normal. Yuuri's brow furrowed in deep concentration as he fought fatigue and forced his weakened magic to heal Wolfram.
It only took a couple of minutes, but the wound sealed shut. There was nothing but a thin scar now, still new and raw. He grabbed the bandages to create a protective barrier.
"Why are you so reckless?" Wolfram said in frustration. " We are trying to save you and the kingdom and you're touching an unclean!"
"Don't talk about my fiance like that!" Yuuri cut Wolfram off sharply. "That won't be tolerated." Wolfram stared at him in surprise. He turned to Murata. "Tell me you have a plan, Murata."
"We're at a checkmate," Murata sighed heavily. "Saralegui has us all captured. Our men are dead. It's just the five of us and we have no way of contacting the palace."
"What is this spell Saralegui was talking of?" Yuuri asked.
"It would take too much time to explain," Murata replied. "But the spell is used to basically brainwash an entire population by hijacking an individual's magical power. Saralegui used your raw immense power to suppress the memories of you, your entourage, the kingdom, and the nearby territories for four years. That's why you feel weak and have difficulty using your magic...it's been severely overextended."
"I can still feel my magic. I could still summon it," Yuuri suggested.
"I'm not sure," Murata contemplated. "Your magic has been under constant strain for so long. Like I said before, the only reason you're still alive is because of your fiance here. To use your magic in combat would be deadly, if not extremely risky."
Yuuri took a moment to feel his own power. It rested underneath the surface where he could once feel his maou side. His magic ebbed and flowed just inside his psyche. It was distant and dull. It only felt that way when he would overuse his powers as a teen. He felt exhausted and his head was throbbing - just as back then. To use his powers for battle would overextend his life force and prove dangerous.
But he didn't care. Glancing at his guardians and lover, he didn't care so long as he could protect them….for once.
"If it means saving all of you, then I'll be fine," Yuuri whispered resolutely, now wrapping the bandages around the wound.
"Don't you dare say things like that!"
Yuuri startled and met angry green eyes. "Wolfram?"
"I won't have you putting yourself in danger after all we've done to save you!" Wolfram said intensely. "I don't think I can revive you again - not in my current condition!"
"There's no need to revive me again!" Yuuri quickly tried to calm his prince, though he had no idea what Wolfram was talking about. "It will be okay! But I have to protect all of you."
"You're so dense!" Wolfram said exasperatedly. "You are the king! It's the other way around!"
Yuuri hated having this conversation. He hated to think of himself as worth more than someone else's life. He would never expect nor ask Conrad, Gwendal, and especially not Wolfram to sacrifice their lives for him just because of rank. Yes, he was their king, but they had a right to their own lives. It wasn't that he was dense, he just disagreed wholeheartedly.
"Shibuya, if Saralegui gets you, then we've truly lost," Murata added gravely. "You have to think of the kingdom."
"He is right, your Majesty…" Conrad added, while Gwendal nodded solemnly. "We can still fight. Maybe we can give you enough time to escape...with Wolfram."
Yuuri bit his lip. The slight pain helped him concentrate. They made sense. They were right, in a horribly hierarchical way. But he wasn't having it. "I will have all of us escape."
He finished dressing Wolfram's wound. "There, all done," Yuuri tied off the bandage and sat back on his heels to assess his work. The wound still needed time to heal completely, but the bandages with a final splash of liquor would keep it protected and stave off infection. "That'll do until we get home."
"Wait! Yuuri!" Wolfram tried to push him away when Yuuri leaned over to kiss the covered wound.
"I have to kiss it better," Yuuri said sweetly. "Or it won't heal properly." He managed a loving peck on the bandages. "I promise I won't get sick."
"Is that what they teach healers now?" Yuuri could almost laugh at the familiar tinge of jealousy in Wolfram's voice. It was good to hear the usual feistiness. He pulled out the clean shirt he brought and proceeded to help Wolfram put it on.
"Only for special patients," Yuuri placed a second kiss on Wolfram's temple. Even through the grit and bruises, he could still see the bright blush. He indulged a third kiss between Wolfram's eyebrows.
"Wimp," Wolfram tried to grumble, but it didn't work. Yuuri didn't miss the inkling of a smile at the corners of the blonde's mouth.
"Good lord, the mush!" Murata said in a good-natured groan. "We're trying to save the kingdom here! Don't get all touchy until we've made it scotch-free. You're making Voltaire uncomfortable!"
Gwendal just looked away. "We don't need to waste more time, Your Majesty." he said gruffly.
"See?" Murata said in mock annoyance. "Ya'll can make out later."
"You're just mad 'cause you missed this hot piece of ass," Yuuri sniffed jokingly in Japanese as he stood up to free the rest of them.
Murata paused in contemplation. "Maybe you're right…"
"What is talking?"
Yuuri quickly patted Wolfram's head, hoping that his fiance's toddler-level understanding of Japanese covered him. "Nothing, Honey-chan." Wolfram was skeptical, but remained quiet.
Yuuri had them all freed. Now they just had to come up with a plan to escape the ship and get to land before Saralegui woke up.
"What are you doing, Yuuri?" Well, that wasn't happening.
Yuuri went cold as he spun around to face his other fiance. "Sara?"
Saralegui stalked towards him, followed by Berias and several armed soldiers and looking absolutely livid. "I was happily kissing you and then I woke up to find you down here. May I ask what the plan is, my dear?"
"I...I," Yuuri stammered, fighting the growing panic. He looked around the brig. The guard was still unconscious, his friends were standing unbound in the cell, and he was standing with the keys in his hand. They were red-handed and weaponless.
"I would never leave my friends to suffer," Yuuri said, forcing down his nerves and remaining steady. He moved to further block Saralegui from his friends behind him.
Saralegui was icy. "Is that so?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Then you should come quietly or they will only suffer more."
"No," Yuuri didn't move. "I heard what you said earlier. I'm not going."
If this information upset Saralegui, he didn't show it. His voice came out smooth and low. "Yuuri...you are confused...come back to bed…"
Yuuri could feel the beginnings of a hint, and immediately called up the first lyrics that came to mind. 'Oppan Gangnam Style!…'
He felt the hint lift. "You need to come quietly, Yuuri, and let me punish these criminals for deceiving you." Saralegui continued normally, moving closer to Yuuri.
When Saralegui tried to guide him away, Yuuri shocked him with a hard punch in the stomach. The human king stumbled back with a shocked choke and looked at him completely irate.
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Yuuri shouted. "I'm not letting you use me! What the hell are you doing, Sara?!"
Saralegui backed away, wide-eyed, but his expression turned venomous.
"Yuuri," Saralegui hissed. "You will come with us, either willingly or by force. I don't have time for this." Berias and the other soldiers moved closer, brandishing their weapons.
Yuuri felt his guardians behind him, and dared to glance back. They watched him in silence, tense and waiting for anything that could happen next.
"Why?" Yuuri said, allowing the confusion and betrayal to take over. "Why would you do this?! I did everything to help your country! We entered an alliance with you! We saved your country from war! We were friends! I gave you all of that!"
Saralegui only stared at him darkly. "You never offered yourself…" Not waiting for a response, Saralegui ordered his men. "Take him!"
"No, stop!" Yuuri shrieked when Berias came with inhuman speed to seize him. Yuuri tried to back away and move into defense. He and Saralegui's bodyguard got into a primitive grapple with Yuuri twisting and landing kicks and punches. But Berias slammed Yuuri against the cell and painfully twisted Yuuri's arm behind him. Though a decent hand-combat fighter, Yuuri couldn't match the much taller, heavier, and experienced Berias.
"Yuuri!" he heard Wolfram shout, followed by curses as they all broke into a chaotic battle in the tight quarters.
"Let go of me!" He shouted as Berias further twisted his arm, but Yuuri bit past the pain and kept trying to break his hold. He heard his friends fighting off the other guards.
He saw Conrad out the corner of his eye trying to disarm the soldier that came for him. Gwendal stayed to block the other soldiers to protect Wolfram and Murata, but suddenly recoiled when the guard whipped out a collar made from esoteric stones. Wolfram reacted as well, slumping against the cell just beside Yuuri when a second was produced and they moved for him next. Murata tried to block them but was quickly overpowered and knocked unconscious.
"Don't let him cast the spell!" Wolfram gasped at Yuuri. The king could see the thin sweat on Wolfram's brow when the guards drew closer with the esoteric collars.
Yuuri couldn't let them take Wolfram and the others. He revamped his efforts and didn't care if he dislocated his own shoulder. He knocked his head back to hit Berias in the chin to surprise him. He knocked back Berias slightly, but the bodyguard recovered and returned his effort with a sharp punch to the kidney. Yuuri dissolved into twisting, kicking, and screaming wildly when Berias pulled him towards the exit.
"King Yuuri Shibuya!"
Yuuri only stopped when Saralegui angrily shouted his name. He, Conrad, Murata, and Gwendal all froze when Saralegui held a knife to Wolfram's throat. The blonde prince was kneeling with the esoteric collar now around his throat with his arms twisted behind him and a thin knife held above his adam's apple.
"If you want him to live," Saralegui poked Wolfram's neck with the blade as a warning. "If you want any of them to live, I suggest you come quietly."
Yuuri frantically looked at his friends. Conrad was the only one who had managed to overpower his assailant. They were the only two still standing. Gwendal was bound and reeling from the collar around his throat. Murata was regaining awareness after being struck in the head seconds earlier.
"Yuuri, don't!" he heard Conrad whisper desperately. But what could he do? If it meant preserving the lives of those most important to him…
Bowing his head in defeat, Yuuri allowed them to bind his wrists behind him.
"Bring him and Voltaire. Bind the others," Saralegui ordered, but then he paused for a moment and added. "And bring the blonde one, too."
When Yuuri gave a confused and frightened stare, Saralegui said coldly. "Need something to keep you under control."
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Saralegui and his men dragged Gwendal, Wolfram, and Yuuri up to the deck. It was past sunset with a few torches lit along the rails. They were forced to kneel and were tied to the rails while Saralegui finished making the large ritual circle to channel the magic.
"Why do we need the demon king?" Yuuri heard Berias mutter.
"Because I want him away from the others and to ensure that the spell takes on him," Saralegui explained impatiently.
Gwendal and Wolfram kneeled only a few feet from Yuuri. The rookie healer watched their every move intensely. They were both clearly affected by the esoteric collars. Exposure to esoteric stones could do lasting damage if it went too long. Gisela's lecture echoed in his mind; initial symptoms included nausea, headache, sudden weakness, lightheadedness. Continued exposure led to paralysis, inability to access magic, unconsciousness, dementia, and eventually death. The weaker the demon the faster and more severe the symptoms would appear. Even now, he could tell Gwendal was struggling to remain conscious, and Wolfram was barely hanging on. The blonde's eyes were glazed and dull, irises looking around but unfocused.
"Wolfram! Gwendal! Look at me! Stay awake!" Yuuri pleaded, trying in vain to shift closer to them. He only made it a few inches.
Gwendal looked up, a thin sheen of sweat reflected the firelight just above him. "You cannot let them recast the spell. You can't let them have the kingdom."
"I-I don't know what to do now!" Yuuri said as he watched Saralegui finish the circle. Glancing around the deck, he couldn't see a way to save himself and his friends. They didn't have their magic and they were outnumbered and unarmed. He had no way of getting his friends free and off the ship. He didn't even know how and if they could make it to land.
Wolfram suddenly went limp. HIs illness, the wound on his side, and the constant overextension of his own magic had taken its toll. Yuuri shoved away the panic, and desperately pulled at his binds, trying to get close to Wolfram even if it was just to give comfort to the ailing prince.
"Wolfram! Stay with me!" Yuuri was able to shift to sitting and stretched one leg to nudge at Wolfram's knee. "Please, just hang on!"
After a few nudges, Wolfram weakly lifted his head to focus on Yuuri. "I… I can't…"
"Please for me?" Yuuri begged. "For Greta? She's waiting at home for us!"
Wolfram just dully nodded, not really registering what Yuuri was saying, but Yuuri pressed on. "When we get home, I'll take you to Earth to get the best doctors and treatment. We'll go on a vacation. But you have to stay with me!"
"The esoteric stones," Gwendal's own voice sounded heavy and exhausted. "He's too weak to resist them. Your Majesty, you have to focus on the kingdom now. You can't risk saving the country for us."
"Shut up!" Yuuri snapped. "I am not leaving you all here to die!"
Yuuri whipped his head around to see Saralegui approaching them. Yuuri was still comprehending how someone he once considered a friend and tried to help would act so selfishly...and he hated himself for falling for it.
"Take Voltaire," Saralegui said to the men behind them. They dragged the struggling Gwendal to the spell circle. Gwendal sent one last stern gaze at Yuuri, silently repeating his plea to the king.
"Saralegui!" Yuuri implored desperately. "Take the collars off of them! Wolfram needs care! He's dying! We already can't fight, so just take it off!"
But Saralegui's attention was elsewhere. "In all the years I've known you, you never called me Saralegui…"
"That was before I knew better!" Yuuri hissed, anger replacing his fear. He was momentarily distracted when Wolfram shifted, slumping further. "Wolfram, please just hang in there! I'm not leaving you!" he whispered.
Saralegui watched them, jealousy emanating from his very being. "What did he do?" he suddenly asked in a snarling whisper. "What did this spoiled, loud, immature, emotionally unstable little cad do to get you to devote yourself to him?"
Yuuri's response was quick, sure, and cross. "He never lied to me."
Saralegui stared at him before sneering and turning to Berias. "Let's begin."
Yuuri tried to think quickly when they took Gwendal and forced him to kneel in the center of the circle. Somehow, they would have to hijack the ship...and take care of the other two that lazily followed just behind the stern. Damn it! If he had his magic.
An idea came to Yuuri. His water magic was easier and took less energy if he was near large bodies of water. They were right on the ocean. It saved him from having to summon water particles from the atmosphere. If he could concentrate enough, then he could manipulate the ocean and flood the ships with huge waves to capsize the other two and take the current ship.
Again, he reached out to feel his powers. Still weak, but he would force it if he had to. He could look forward to several days of being in a coma, but it was worth the try. He wouldn't be able to concentrate on precision, just pull up the water in huge swells to capsize the ships.
Yuuri went still. He reached out to the water spirits. They responded with uncertainty. He would focus on the other two ships first. He felt the currents and flows of the ocean beneath him. The water was choppy, but otherwise calm. Yuuri carefully timed the flow of magic to sync with the currents underneath the ship. With a little push, he felt when the water slid under his control.
He didn't want to admit how much effort it took. With his hands tied behind him, he couldn't use them to direct the energies. He had to rely entirely on his own mind and ability to picture how he wanted the water to move. He fought the growing headache and coaxed the water into swelling. He need more momentum. With a grunt, he pushed himself harder and felt the water respond immediately.
Push. Pull. Push. Pull. Churn the waves. Make the water rock the ships. Stir the sea with his mind.
"The sea's getting rough," he distantly heard someone say. Good.
'Come on! Come on!'
He bit his lip so hard he could taste the blood. His eyes were squeezed shut. It felt like pushing a boulder. He opened one eye to check where the following ships were. They were still behind the lead ship. Yuuri called upon a larger swell to rock one of them harder than the others, making it lean sharply towards its twin.
"Damn, what's up with the water? I don't see a storm!" Someone else cried out.
He heard the sounds of sailors calling to secure the ships. He tuned them out and focused harder. He had gathered enough momentum to make the following ships rock violently from one side to the other. They were close enough that if he could get one to crash into the other, it would knock two birds with one stone.
'Push!'
Saralegui and his minions were starting to notice. "What is going on?" Saralegui finally called, interrupting his first recitation of the spell.
'There!'
Yuuri summoned a huge swell of water that pushed one of the following ships far enough to make it capsize and its masts entangle with the other one. Screams and shouts broke out from behind and the scant crew on their ship rushed to see what the chaos was and help.
Saralegui immediately identified the culprit. "Yuuri!" he snarled. "Berias, stop him!"
Yuuri summoned a second, larger swell that sent the crew of the second ship washed overboard. The two ships behind them were entangled with each other, the third ship creaked when the second ship's rails grazed against the hull as it slipped further under water. There were more screams and shouts for help. He pushed away the initial remorse of endangering others, but he didn't have much of a choice.
"Stop now, or I'll kill him!" Berias had his sword pointed at Wolfram.
"If you want to live, you'll leave him alone," Yuuri growled, voice heavy with the water magic and not letting go of his connection with the sea. He swore he could feel his other self finally awakening. The need to protect his family grew even stronger.
Berias remained cold and grabbed Wolfram's hair to expose his throat.
It was the adrenaline fueled by anger that gave Yuuri the boost he needed to pull a similar of water up and knock Berias off balance within seconds. "I said leave him alone!"
"Don't let him summon the Maou!" he heard Saralegui shriek.
Yuuri felt the telltale spiritual energy of the Maou spirit dwelling within him. The second he felt it, he harnessed its power and diverted its energy and all hell broke loose.
There was no speech about justice, mercy, or repercussion. There was no need when it was clear those who wronged him and those he loved had no concept of morality. He let his magic make his point. Still kneeling and bound, Yuuri disconnected from the world around him and took his limited power and made every little bit count as much as possible.
Waves came up in violent torrents over the sides of the ship and flooded the deck. The water effectively washed the circle and soaked Gwendal, who managed to stand and yank his collar off amidst the chaos, and ran over to where Yuuri and Wolfram still kneeled.
"Your Majesty!"
"Get Murata and Conrad. Get off the ship!" Yuuri ordered through the haze.
"But-"
"Now!" Yuuri's voice resonated with the power of the maou. "I'll take Wolfram!"
Gwendal hesitated for just a second, but nodded in resignation. He found an unconscious soldier and grabbed his knife. He cut through the ropes binding his younger brother and Yuuri. They both choked from the torrential waves washing over the railing. Gwendal yanked off the esoteric collar and handed Wolfram's semi-conscious form to Yuuri and rushed away to find the others.
Yuuri made for the lifeboats, half-dragging Wolfram with him. "Come on, Wolf! It's almost over!"
When he dared to look back, he saw the other two ships completely capsized. He pushed to send another rogue wave to wash the remaining crew overboard and another wave just out of spite. Amid the wreckage, he saw men clinging to pieces of wood and trying to escape being dragged under by the sinking ships.
They made it to a single lifeboat. As gently as possible, he helped Wolfram into the boat and propped him up so he wouldn't be drowned. The king could feel his power waning. His limbs felt heavy and his breath was labored. He wouldn't be conscious for long. He turned his attention back to the deck and debated going after Gwendal when he didn't see him emerge from below deck with Murata and Conrad.
A cold hand grabbed his wrist just as he moved to aid his other friends.
"Yuuri," Wolfram pleaded with him weakly. "Don't. You need to escape the most!"
"I told you. That's not-" Yuuri had the wind knocked out of him when someone tackled him to the ground. Saralegui gripped his neck with a knife raised above him.
"I said I'd kill you before letting them take you!" Saralegui was maniacal.
"Damn-insane!" Yuuri managed to choke out as he tried to grab the knife-wielding hand. But Saralegui was undeterred. Yuuri twisted in time for the knife to bury itself in his shoulder. He cried out in pain and continued to wrestle with the crazed king on the deck. Saralegui landed another stab into Yuuri's side when the demon king broke free of his hold and scrambled backwards to get away.
Saralegui grinned in triumph. He enjoyed stalking forward to the wounded king. Yuuri braced himself for the blow.
It didn't come.
Instead of the knife being driven into his neck, Saralegui was yanked back when a piece of rope wielded by an irate Wolfram tightened around his throat.
"Bastard!" Wolfram growled as he tightened the rope. Saralegui could only let out a series of angry choking noises and claw at the rope. They fought against each other with Wolfram using all his remaining strength to strangle Saralegui. The human king kicked and scratched at Wolfram's face but he didn't loosen his grip.
Yuuri gathered himself in time to see Berias running towards them, his twin swords brandished and aimed for Wolfram. He grabbed and readied himself to get into what would clearly be a losing fight.
And yet again, his friends came to save him.
Conrad jumped in seemingly out of nowhere to engage Berias in a swordfight. Gwendal quickly joined him and they both took on the bodyguard with renewed ferocity. Wolfram was still strangling Saralegui and the human king collapsed to the ground unconscious.
Murata appeared and seeing the blood on Yuuri's shirt, immediately helped Yuuri to the lifeboat. "Shibuya, how bad is it?" He ripped a piece of his own shirt to stop the bleeding.
"It's not bad," Yuuri gasped in pain. "He missed my lung. They aren't deep."
"Just hang on. Breathe," Murata said hurriedly. He gently lowered Yuuri into the boat. "Keep holding the cloth in place, while I stop the other one."
"Murata, stop Wolfram!" Yuuri pointed to Wolfram. "Don't let him kill Saralegui!"
Murata looked like he really wanted to protest, but Yuuri silenced him with a cold, unyielding glare. "I'm not done with him."
Seeming to understand, Murata gave a curt nod and ran to intervene just as Wolfram further tightened the rope around Saralegui's neck.
"Bielefeld, that's enough!" Murata shouted and tried to yank Wolfram away from Saralegui's body. "Shibuya wants him alive."
Wolfram gaped at Murata. "You have got to be kidding!"
"Yuuri has plans for him," Murata said. "Help me bind him."
They both tied up Saralegui's legs and arms. They haphazardly pulled Saralegui along and then threw him into the lifeboat.
"You better have a plan, Yuuri!" Wolfram grunted angrily when they heaved Saralegui into the boat.
"Trust me," Yuuri said solemnly.
"You'd better!" Wolfram snapped. "You better not let him go! Not after what he's done to us!"
"He's not getting away," Yuuri promised. He checked to see how Gwendal and Conrad faired. They had Berias on the defensive. "Conrad! Gwendal! Hurry!"
Their fight only lasted a few more seconds. Gwendal sidestepped Berias' strike and found an opening to shove his sword deep into Berias' stomach. Conrad followed by piercing Berias' neck, just to be sure. They didn't wait for Berias' body to hit the floor before running to the boat.
"The hell is he doing here?" Gwendal sneered at Saralegui's form.
"He's still a king," Yuuri explained quickly. "To kill him now would cause too much upheaval. His punishment will come."
"He's right…" Murata added. "Best keep him alive until we think of something."
Gwendal didn't argue further though it was obvious he would rather end the human king's life then and there. Conrad said nothing, but allowed a disgusted glare at Saralegui. He helped Gwendal loosen the rigs and the boat fell into the water. They immediately grabbed the paddles and rowed away from the now-sinking ship.
Yuuri summoned the last of his water magic to build a single huge wave that dragged the ships underwater like a giant hand grabbing them from below and pulling them under. Adrenaline and his magic finally gave out and he collapsed back into the boat.
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Soaked, freezing, exhausted, they all huddled in the lifeboat in the pitch-black night. Their only light source were the stars that hung above them. Their only sense of direction was from Murata and Gwendal, who could actually navigate using the stars.
"We should make it to shore by sunrise," Murata surmised. "The current is in our favor."
"Good," Gwendal nodded, he turned back to where Conrad was tending to Yuuri and Wolfram. "How are they?"
"His Majesty has only superficial wounds," Conrad answered. "But they will need attention to prevent being infected. He overextended his magic. His Majesty will probably sleep for days. Wolfram too. But they will make it. Thank the Great One."
The royal couple were huddled together in the stern of the lifeboat. They had been asleep for hours. They both had quickly collapsed, completely drained, once they were all finally safe and away from the ships. They would need to recuperate before the group could make the one-day journey to the capital.
"I still can't believe we're stuck with this cur," Gwendal sneered at the still unconscious and bound Saralegui.
Saralegui's arms were bound at the elbows and wrists behind him, while his legs were bound at the knees and ankles. They added a gag and blindfold to his binds to save them from his hint and just to avoid having to hear his annoying voice. They left him to lay in the bottom of the boat with no urge to ensure his comfort. His hair and clothes were still stained with Yuuri's blood and his neck bore the telltale bruise of what his attempt at regicide had earned him.
"Shibuya will not let him go unpunished," Murata assured them.
"How can you be sure?" Gwendal said, vexed. "The king's greatest sin is forgiving those who would rather see him killed!"
"There was no love or sympathy in him when he told me to stop Wolfram," Murata said thoughtfully. "And besides, allowing Saralegui to die on the ship would cause too much political strife."
"What's our story then?" Conrad asked apprehensively. "Our allies are expecting a wedding. What will we tell them?"
Murata thought for a long time. He had nearly forgotten about the huge ordeal of the wedding that would ally Shou CImarron and Shin makoku together. The guests would be arriving within weeks. He wouldn't know to what extent the vector spell had influenced their allies until he could assess them himself.
"How did the allies react to Yuuri's wedding announcement?" He finally asked, slowly coming up with an idea.
Gwendal looked at him curiously. "They were skeptical. Some even protested. They worried that allying with Shou CImarron would provoke Dai Cimarron. Dai Cimarron has tried to invade Shou Cimarron and make the countries a single entity for decades. They feared it would cause Dai Cimarron to be even more troublesome and aggressive."
"And Saralegui?"
"Saralegui was always unpopular," Conrad added. "The aristocrats and the allies found him untrustworthy. He ruled over a small, politically insignificant kingdom so they didn't understand King Yuuri risking the political strife for him."
"There was a rumor going around that Saralegui was actually working for Dai CImarron," Gwendal continued, carefully watching Murata's reaction. "Some accused him of a conspiracy to assassinate Yuuri after the wedding so he would rule over Shou Cimarron and Shin Makoku."
"Yuuri ordered them to be quiet and to not spread rumors," Conrad finished.
"I see…." Murata held his chin and closed his eyes in concentration for a few seconds. When he opened eyes, they shone with renewed savvy and focus. "Okay...I have a working story for 's not perfect but we can work on the details later." He had Conrad and Gwendal's full attention. "We play on their fears. Saralegui drew Yuuri away from the kingdom under the ruse that he had been attacked. When Yuuri arrived, it was all a setup to have him assassinated. Turns out, Saralegui wanted to kill Yuuri to gain favor with Dai Cimarron. Just like everyone feared. Yuuri and his retainers escaped. They tried to pursue us and Yuuri overpowered them with his water magic. We're the only survivors. Done."
"Will that work?" Gwendal asked skeptically.
"If we give them an incentive to believe it, they will," Murata smiled assuredly. "And their dislike for Saralegui and Dai Cimarron definitely will help."
"What of Yuuri then?" Conrad looked to his godson.
'I'm not done with him.'
Murata wasn't worried. "Something tells me that Yuuri won't forgive Saralegui anytime soon…"
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Chapter 13!
Yuuram/Wolfyuu = Relationship Goals 3 And an outlet for my singlehood.
Good lord, this one was a doozy to write! We've reached the final chapters of Memories of Sand. How will our heroes deal with the aftermath of Saralegui's deception? Find out next time!
"Gangnam Style" is owned by Psy (Park Jae-sang) and YG Entertainment/Universal Republic. I'm not making any money off of including it in my fic. It was purely for satire.
Thanks to everyone for their reviews and for reading my fics. You're always a pleasure to hear from and I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter!
Thoughts on Yuuri's character:
When I began writing this story, I seriously didn't want to write Yuuri as stupid, weak, or dense. I kept his core traits; sweet, kind, naive, humanitarian, and devoted to his friends and family. But I did not want him to be stupid. I wanted him to actually protect the ones he loved and take action without needing someone to smack him over the head. Yuuri is capable of feeling anger, vengeance, etc. as much as the next person. Just because he doesn't always act on it, doesn't make him an idiot. That's his personality. Being forgiving doesn't make someone stupid/weak. BUT, even forgiving people have their limits.
Something that has bothered me in the KKM fan fic community is the habit of writing Yuuri as cartoonishly dumb, thickheaded, or emotionally weak. They also don't allow Yuuri to have as much development as the other characters. It's quite obvious when reading a fanfic that the author outright doesn't like Yuuri or uses him to barter sympathy for Wolfram. It gets old and is unfair to Yuuri's character.
I finally read the manga up to chapter 117, it was a breath of fresh air to see that Manga Yuuri was still the sweet, naive, and impulsive king we all know and love, but the manga wrote him to be less over the top. He had a spine and sense. He had moments where he actually thought things through and acted in what he truly believed to be the best way. What I really loved was the way the manga handled Wolfram and Yuuri's relationship. They developed the relationship *so much better* than the anime and you can see the beginning of Yuuri actually falling for Wolfram. And even early on, he wasn't outright homophobic, just embarrassed at the engagement. I would even say he's more embarrassed and nervous about getting married as a teen than being with Wolfram. And in his defense, Wolfram's intensity can be overwhelming. Lol.