NOTE: You probably noticed that I mixed everything from novel, manga, and anime (especially season 3). Tangled Lineage revolved around Conrad's heritage mainly, so there will be Dai Shimaron involved. But Saralegui, Geneus, and any kind related to the Shinzoku's are a non existent in this story.
CHAPTER 14:
'Everything will be alright.. Normal.. Nothing wil change..'
Yuuri was laying on his bed, looked immensely bored. But no matter how dull the morning was, he didn't feel like experiencing the chaotic event yesterday. Anissina sure was scary as hell. Poor Gunter.. Poor Dacascos.. Yuuri was lucky enough to be able to escape with Wolfram—and Conrad.
'Conrad..' the name resounded in his head. He sighed as he thought about his godfather. He missed the brunette a lot.
He hadn't spent much time with the soldier these days. Heck, he didn't even have the chance to talk to him. What could he say? Conrad had his own problem to deal with. He certainly couldn't babysit him all the time. And pray tell what did he do? He didn't make himself useful. He even let the jealousy over Wolfram erupted in his heart. He knew he shouldn't, even if he liked the blond.
Yes, he did. He liked Wolfram, and he was aware of that. He self-consciously admitted he was attracted to his ex fiance, and didn't feel like denying it anymore. Murata was right when he told him to determine his feeling. And this is the answer.
He liked Wolfram – possibly loved him.
And Wolfram was currently his godfather's fiance – possibly changed into worse.
'What am I thinking?' Yuuri shook his head. He reached for a teardrop pendant on his neck, holding it close to his chest. He missed Conrad a lot – and Wolfram.
Yuuri got up from the bed and walked to a drawer next to the window. He opened the wooden railed drawer, reaching something in it and pulled out a broach. A beautiful golden broach Wolfam gave him when he first came to Shin Makoku, right before his coronation started (1). He examined both precious things he had in his palm dearly.
'It's different—they're different,' Yuuri mused inwardly, referring to his feeling toward Wolfam. But whatever it was, he couldn't afford to let it affect his relationship with Conrad. The bond he shared with Wolfram was totally different with the one he had with Conrad. He definitely wouldn't risk it.
They were both important person to him.
"Maybe I really am so naïve—idiot," he mumbled to himself, staring at the dawn through the drops on window.
'Conrad must be also feel bad about this whole thing, and he kept it hidden from me all this time to prevent me from worrying,' he thought, recalling the past days events. They became so distant somehow. Too formal for his taste, 'I can't let this happen!' he mentally shouted. He slipped the pendant inside his black uniform and decisively reached for the broach, putting it right on in his black trimmed collar.
"I have to talk to him!" Yuuri decided. The Maou stopped for a while, considering something. He then slammed the drawer closed and turned to the wardrobe nearby. He opened the grand-sized door, raking through the neatly hung black suits. He found what he has been looking for and smiled brightly.
'My answer to Murata will have to wait,' he made up his mind up as he turned away, leaving the room with a glove and a ball in his hand.
Wolfram yawned as he leaned on the pillar. He was slightly sulking in the balcony right now.
"Damn that Conrad," he mumbled angrily. Apparently Conrad had left him in the bedroom, sneaking away. The truth was the brunette didn't sneak out. Wolfram was too dozed to realize he was leaving that morning. Whose fault it was that he slept late yesterday night?
He leaned on the stone railing, inhaling the morning air. He heard a faint voice, calling his name. He barely cared anyway. He ignored the voice and continued on his daydream. He was about to get some peace when something hit the back of his head—
"Damn it! Who is that?!" he exclaimed in anger as he turned to find the culprit. He looked down to the first ground and found him. The suspect grinned sheepishly in apologize,
"Sorry, Wolfram," Yuuri said. Wolfram glared at the Maou who took a few steps back,
"YOU STUPID WIMP! THAT HURTS!" he yelled, totally annoyed. Yuuri cringed, trembled slightly. He raised his hand,
"I'm sorry Wolfram," he apologized again, "you didn't hear me when I called you several times," he reasoned, still grinning. Wolfram twitched his eyebrows,
"THAT GAVE YOU NO REASON TO THROW THINGS AT PEOPLE!!" he shouted in louder voice, several maids dropped their laundries on the way. Yuuri saw Dacascos tripped on his walking stick from the shock. All eyes turned at Wolfram who was now blushed in embarassment. He cleared his throat, turning away. Yuuri hopped vigorously,
"Wolfram! Wait!! Don't leave!" he shouted as the blond figure gone from the balcony. "Wolfram!!!" he shouted again. No response. Yuuri shook his head, "He must be mad," he sighed. He was about to leave when a ball fell from above, rolling to his feet. He looked up and found the blond behind the railing again,
"Stay still, I'm coming downstairs," he told the Maou and left. Yuuri smiled cheerfully. He took the ball from the ground and walked to the bench, waiting for Wolfram. It didn't take long before the blond showed up,
"Wolfram!" he exclaimed, running to the prince's side, "I'm sorry, are you hurt?" he asked, obviously concerned. Wolfram rolled his eyes,
"Of course it's hurt, wimp!" he narrowed his eyes dangerously to the Maou as he rubbed his head. Yuuri cringed again,
"I'm sorry, sorry, sorry—" he was cut by Wolfram's impatient gesture,
"Alright, I forgive you, just stop apologizing," he said, sighing as he continued, "Don't you have any dignity as a king?" he complained as he looked intensely at Yuuri. "What is it you want to talk about?" he asked. Yuuri smiled,
"I've been looking for Conrad since the morning, I couldn't find him anywhere. Do you know where—" the look on Wolfram's face silenced him. It looked like mentioning 'Conrad' wasn't the brightest idea. The blond looked scary now. Yuuri smiled nervously, "W-well, if you don't know then—I-I'll just go and – find him," Yuuri made a retreating steps, turning away. Wolfram sighed,
"Yuuri," he called. The Maou turned at the blond, slightly terrified. Wolfram's face was calmer now, "He left first thing in the morning, apparently went horseriding with Gunter," he answered finally. Yuuri's face looked disappointed,
"Oh, I see," the Maou replied. Wolfram noticed the glove in his hand and quickly understood,
"I can take you to them if you want," he offered, half sighing. Yuuri stared at him in disbelief,
"Are you sure?" he asked. Wolfram rolled his eyes impatiently,
"Fine if you don't want to," he said, stepping away. The blond was unbelievably irritable today. Yuuri chased him,
"Alright! Alright!" he grabbed the blond's arm, "Please take me to him," he persuaded as he leaned closer, more like clinging on the blond. Wolfram rolled his eyes,
"Really, Yuuri, you know how to persuade people," he stated as he smiled at the Maou, "Just go fetch Ao in the stables, meet me at the west gate," he said, gesturing at the visible small gate across the square. Yuuri nodded,
"Alright, but where are you going?" he asked.
"I left my horse on the other side," he answered. Yuuri nodded in understanding and left for the stables. Wolfram watched as his ex fiance walked away.
Even though he was a selfish, loud, insensitive, and such a temperamental person, he always knew what was going on around him. Yuuri and Conrad felt so much far-off somehow, and he didn't like it. Putting the jealousy aside, he knew he had to help them overcome the trouble.
'Jelousy, eh?' he repeated mentally. To whom?
"Yuuri, why are you wearing that?" Wolfram asked as they left the gate, half way on the road. They were riding slowly side by side. Yuuri looked puzzled and started to search around his body,
"Huh? Am I wearing something unusual?" he asked, searching over his plain black uniform, his other hand was firmly on the rein. He looked at Wolfram and trailed from where the emerald eyes fixed upon. He immediately realized, "oh, this?" he touched the broach. Wolfram nodded,
"Yeah, that," he replied, "I thought you lost it," he added. Yuuri sighed at the word,
"Of course I didn't," he shook his head, "this is important for me," Wolfram blinked in disbelief,
"It is?" he asked again. Yuuri exhaled again,
"Of course it is, Wolfram," he replied softly, "this is you first gift, remember?" Wolfram smiled contently at that,
"I remember that. That's my treasured golden wings broach. I'm the one who put in on you before the coronation," he told the Maou, "and I also remember when you came back to Shin Makoku without it, telling me you've lost it somehow," he continued. Yuuri felt guilty at that,
"I did that time," he said. Wolfram's face looked disappointed. Yuuri brushed that off, "but it came back to me, and now it is my treasure also," he added, smiling brightly. Wolfram blinked again, stunned for a while before replying his smile,
"Glad to know that," he said before he speed up. Yuuri followed him closely.
This was not a mere training or sparring anymore. It was the real thing. A real fight.
Conrad leapt to his side, evading the next blow. As expected from Gunter, he was an excellent swordman, barely gave Conrad a chance to fight back. He kept on dodging until he found a chance to strike.
Now it was Gunter's turn to defend himself. Even though Conrad was his former student, his capability was nowhere beneath him. The moment Conrad started to call him by his first name instead of 'Von Kleist', he no longer acknowledged him as his undergraduate. They were an equal swordmans, soldiers who had sworn theirshelves to serve under the Maou.
Gunter evaded the last blow of Conrad's chained strikes swiftly by slipping to his left. Conrad stunned for a moment. Gunter used this chance to charge, swinging his sword to the brunette—
"Conrad! Gunter! Stop!!!" a voice was heard. Yuuri gasped as a sword flew in the air. It landed straightly on the ground far from the owner who was now resting on his back. It was Gunter who lost the fight. The lavender haired man turned to Yuuri,
"Heika—why are you here?" he asked, still laying on the grass. Yuuri ignored the question and rushed to them, followed closely by Wolfram. Conrad raised his sword tip from Gunter's neck,
"Yuuri.." he addressed the Maou. Yuuri's face was understandable. He was concerned of course,
"Why are you fighting?!" he exclaimed. Gunter smiled,
"No, Heika—you misunderstand, we weren't fighting," he said as he took Conrad's hand. The brunette helped the advisor up on his feet again. Conrad smiled at Yuuri also,
"It's as Gunter says, Yuuri," he added also. Yuuri shook his head,
"But you seemed so serious, like you're going to kill each other!" he stated again and turned to his side, "right, Wolfram?" he asked the blond's affirmation. Conrad stared at the blond. From the look on Wolfram's face, he could see he was as clueless as Yuuri. Wolfram was concerned also,
"Y-yeah, it seemed so," he agreed. Gunter shook his head,
"Wolfram, did you forget? Today was supposedly the anniversary to mark the founding of the military academy," he explained. Yuuri had heard that before. Gunter smiled, "I assure you, we're not fighting," he said. He turned to Conrad, smiling at him, "it's like a special activity, aside from the simple routines. Pretty nostalgic right, Conrad?" he said. Conrad nodded at that. Gunter turned to Yuuri again, "Heika, you would never believe we actually tried to kill each other right?" he asked. Yuuri quickly shook his head,
"N-no, of course not!" he said abruptly. He exhaled in relief, watching as Conrad went to retrieve the horses nearby. He led them to the group,
"Shall we go back, Heika?" he asked. Yuuri shrugged,
"Now? But I'd like to play catch with you for a while," he told the brunette. Conrad looked shocked for a while, but quickly brushed it off, smiling,
"Sure Yuuri, but I think we better play at the castle, at the usual spot" he suggested. Yuuri smiled brightly,
"Alright! Let's head back to the castle!" he said as he mounted Ao. Yuuri looked energetic and start to speed up. Wolfram mounted his own horse and rode passed Yuuri,
"Too slow, wimp," he mocked as he went first. Yuuri gaped and quickly chased after him,
"I'm not! Let's race!" he challenged, speeding up. Wolfram answered by galloping closely beside him.
Gunter took his sword from the ground, sheathing it and mounted on the horse. Conrad did the same and rode beside him. They watched the Maou and the prince blissfully. Gunter sighed,
"Ah… isn't it lively and peaceful?" he said in a soft voice, "—watching them together like this," he continued. Conrad nodded at that,
"Yes it is," he agreed. Gunter quickly turned his head at Conrad,
"Oh! I'm so sorry Conrad, I don't mean anything," he quickly apologized for earlier statement, "Wolfram is your fiance now, it's not in the right place to make that comment," he said. Conrad only smiled,
"It's fine, really," he said. He understood Gunter clearly. He felt as peaceful watching them together like that actually and he would be thrilled if the condition was the other way around. Gunter cleared his throat,
"How is it going between you and Wolfram?" he asked again. Conrad only stared at him. It looked like Gunter made a false question again, "I'm sorry, don't answer if—" Conrad suddeny chuckled,
"Don't act so reserved around me, Gunter," Conrad stated, earning a relieved smile from Gunter. "We're fine actually, very fine," he answered. Gunter blinked,
"It worked out then?" he smiled, slightly enthusiactic. Conrad shook his head,
"Not that far, but I think we made a good progress," he corrected. Conrad closed his eyes, hands still on the rein, "All this time, he was a brother I cared for. I never thought it would eventually came to this—" he started again, "Ever since we engaged, it was like I met a completely different person, everything went in diverse," Gunter looked at him in sympathy. Conrad suddenly smiled, "but knowing him from a different side might be a good thing," he stated. Gunter looked puzzled,
"What do you mean?" he asked. Conrad lifted his gaze to the sky, still smiling,
"I think—it's not impossible for me to see Wolfram as my fiance after all.."
"Admit it, you're just a slow wimp," Wolfram said as he handed the horse to his subordinate. Yuuri unmounted his own horse, glaring in protest,
"I'm not a wimp!" he objected. Wolfram rolled his eyes playfully. He won for sure. Yuuri still had a long way to learn to beat him in a race. The Maou sighed, looking back at the direction they came from, "what took them so long?" he asked, releasing the rein to the blond. Wolfram handed Ao to a guard nearby,
"It's us who went ahead, leaving them," he replied, looking at the same direction. They were no where on the sight, "maybe they ride slowly, got things to talk about," he told the Maou. Gunter was Conrad's teacher after all. Surely they had something to talk to occasionally. Wolfram walked together with Yuuri now. The Maou led them to the garden,
"Usually Conrad will go after me," he said as he observed the flowers. Wolfram snorted,
"Grow up, wimp. He can't look after you forever," he said. Yuuri glared in protest,
"I'm-not-a-wimp, Wolfram," he spelled it out for him, and got at idea, "Hmm, since he's your fiance now, I guess I can't spend more time with him, or you'll probably get mad," he teased. Wolfram's face flushed in embarassment,
"I-I won't!" he stated, "not everyone is an adulterous leech like you anyway," he said, still blushing. Wolfram hid his face by kneeling on the ground near the flowers. Yuuri smiled at the accusation and bent down at the flowers also,
"They're pretty.. Cherri sure is amazing," he complimented then pointed at the flowers,"Cherri's Red Sigh— Secret Gwendal – Conrad Stand upon the Earth – Beautiful Wolfram –" he repeated the name one by one. Wolfram sighed,
"Yuuri's naïvette," he said softly. Yuuri blinked, (2)
"Huh?"
"I heard that's the name of the newest flower. Mother was currently working on it before she left," Yuuri stunned at that. Wolfram suddenlt snorted, "A flower that resembles you— sounds tragic enough," he added. Yuuri scowled again,
"Hey!" he cut in protest. He stopped abruptly, kneeling down beside Wolfram also, "but I think that's great. That means I can finally become one of you people," he said, faint sadness was spotted in his voice. Wolfram quirked his eyebrows,
"Huh? What do you mean wimp?" he retorted in disbelief, "We're together from the start, right? You said yourself," he said. Yuuri only stared at him. Wolfram sighed, "Whether there's a Yuuri flower in this garden or not, you're still a part of us. We're one family," he told the Maou. The 'family' sounded off in Yuuri's ear, but he brushed it off with a smile. They fell into another silence. Wolfram suddenly speak,
"These flowers withered once, in the war. Only Conrad Stand upon the Earth still strongly grew on their root," he said, gesturing at the blue petals. Wolfram smiled, "—and he did came back alive.." he said. Yuuri knew this event of course.
He was once witnessed it when he was strayed into the demon mirror. He couldn't forget how life fared back then. The face of Wolfram when he handed to bouquet to him, Julia's tears as she cried into his shoulder, and the misery in Conrad's eyes as he rode into determined death. Each who had lived through the war bear a great pain within their heart, something Yuuri refused to experience in his life. He decided to change to gruesome topic,
"Ne Wolfram, what do you think of him?" Yuuri asked. Wolfram thought for a while before answering,
"The idea of him as my brother displease me once," he started, and then smiled, "but I certainly overcome it," he continued. Yuuri replied with a smile also,
"He's your fiance now, are you alright with that?" he asked again. Wolfram turned and stared at him. Yuuri felt a slight discomfort at that. Wolfram was silent for a moment, probably considering how he should answer,
"It terrified me at first, but—" he stopped, shaking his head, "The day I've spent with him recently make me realize how clueless I am about him," his voice was gentle, "I guess I can see him as a whole new person in my life now," he continued calmly. Did that count as a fiance also? Yuuri didn't know how to react, so he just smiled,
"He's an amazing person," the Maou stated. Wolfram nodded at that. No matter who was Conrad to them now, he was personally dear to everyone.
"Heika~~~~" Gunter whined as he clung to Yuuri. Wolfram and Conrad only smiled at them. Yuuri tried to escape his hugs,
"U-uh.. Gunter, let me go—" he struggled. Gunter kept on hovering over him. Conrad chuckled at the sight,
"You shouldn't run off like that, Heika," he told the Maou. Yuuri sighed at his godfather,
"You're such a worrywart, just like Gwendal," he mused. He shouted as the realization hit him, "Gwendal!!! Oh no! I completely forget!" he was panicking. Wolfram rolled his eyes,
"Somehow I'm not surprised. You're dead, Wimp," he said cynically. It was Yuuri's turn to whine now,
"What am I going to do?" he said, shaking his head. Wolfram exhaled at the Maou's recklessness,
"I'll talk to him for you," he said finally. Yuuri blinked at that,
"You will?" he asked again. Wolfram waved his hand impatiently,
"I will – Oh, here," he said as he threw a familiar glove at Yuuri, "Have fun," he added. Yuuri smiled brightly,
"Thank you Wolfram!" he said gratefully. Conrad smiled at the blond. Wolfram turned to the brunette and threw a ball at him, apparently missed.
"I guess you're the only one who can play catch with the wimp after all," he mumbled as he smiled, turning away. Gunter followed him as well, leaving the two behind. Conrad thanked him and turned to pick up the ball.
***
"So Conrad, how're you doing?" Yuuri asked, that was all he could came up with as a start. He broke the silence between the catches, passing the ball. Conrad caught it perfectly,
"I'm fine," he said, positioned himself for the next throw, "I'm sorry, I rarely attend to your side these days, Yuuri," he apologized. Yuuri smiled,
"Don't worry, I understand," he replied, passing the ball, "I'm the one who should apologize for not be able to be there when you need me," Conrad smiled at that also,
"I can always feel your support," he stated, throwing the ball back at Yuuri. Yuuri shook his head,
"Not just like that," he said, gripping the round thing in his hand, "I mean, you're always there when I'm down, when I'm feeling like talking. I just want you to know that I can do it for you as well," he stared at his godfather gloomily, "Yet you never told me anything," he added. Conrad's gaze became affecting,
"Yuuri.. I didn't mean it that way. I just don't know what to say," he explained. He never meant to be so secluded and distant. But that was how he was. Still he knew he couldn't be like that forever, "You can ask anything of me if you want to know," he offered, since he didn't know how to start. Yuuri apparently accept and nodded warmly. He passed the ball again,
"Ne, Conrad? Why did you fight with Gunter back then?" he asked,
"We're not fighting, Yuuri," Conrad replied calmly, "I invited him there to give him my answer," he answered after reconsidering. Yuuri looked puzzled,
"Huh? Answer?" he repeated. Conrad was ready to throw, but he lowered his arm. He smiled and decided to share a story to the Maou,
"I was Gunter's former student, a bad one I think," he started, "I was so thick headed, full of myself, and constantly causing trouble for him," Yuuri was just staring at him, listening. The brunette continued, "I doubted his capability once, saying his swordmanship was only a theory," he shook his head in regret, "then he challenged me to a duel, and I lost," he smiled bitterly, "I demand a rematch, but he refused, telling me it was useless," he said as he recalled the short conversation,
"Give it up.. In your current state, I'll still win over you no matter what you do. Lord Conrad Weller, what is your sword fighting for?"
"What am I fighting for?"
"Are you fighting to make the mazokus you're living amongst recognize the strenght of those who were born from human and mazoku parents?"
"…"
" – And you don't care what happens to you for the sake of this purpose? If that is the case then your sword will never be able to defeat mine,"
"What gives you the right to say that? You, who has never fought on the battlefield but only waved your sword around inside a peaceful school building!"
"Let me ask you of this once again, Lord Weller.. What is your sword fighting for?"
Conrad sighed at the memory, looking at Yuuri, "That was how it went between me and Gunter at that time, and I finally found my answer," he ended. Yuuri looked at the unwavering gaze in his godfather's eyes,
"What is your answer?" he asked. Conrad's expression was firm,
"Well, I had always thought that it wouldn't matter if I threw my life away, no matter what harm would befall on me, it wouldn't matter as long as I could protect what was important to me," Yuuri looked astounded over the fierce determination, feeling miserable. Conrad noticed this and smiled, "but I won't die, no matter what happens. I will survive. I will live and protect you to the very end," he stated. Yuuri gaped at him,
"Conrad.." he was lost for words. Conrad smiled,
"That is why I wield my sword, Yuuri," he continued, "Whatever you do or decide, I'll always support you, no matter what," he said determinedly, "I devoted myself to you, not only because you're a king, but also because you're an important person to me," Conrad ended contently,
"Thank you, Conrad," the Maou was taken aback, but it didn't prevent him to smile wholeheartedly. Yuuri knew it was his turn to return the favor, helping Conrad, be a support to him. Conrad deserved happiness. He'd do anything to make his godfather happy.
He would do it, if he could..
Wolfram knocked the door and came in, greeting his older brother. Gwendal stared at him from behind his desk. He was frowning, clearly anxious. Wolfram didn't like the atmosphere at all,
"Aniue, what happened?" he asked as he stepped closer. Gwendal grunted as he moved his hand, revealing stack of letters,
"Something bad for certain," he replied sternly. Wolfram noticed the emblems, symbols, and silver codes..
"Emergency letters? From Rochefort?" he asked, recognizing the purple insignia. He looked obviously confused. Gwendal took the letter and flip it all on the table on by one,
"Rochefort.. Radford.. Karbelnikoff.. Wincott.. Spitzberg.." he spelled the senders out. The blond recognized the rest as Gyllenhaal's, Bielefeld's, and Grantz's. Wolfram shook his head in utter apprehension,
"W-what is happening?"
A/N: Thank you for reading..!! I guess this chapter is too long..
I'll try to update as soon as possible. Reviews are appreciated, critics as well. Tell me if there's anything I should fix. Once again, I'm sorry about my English. I'll try harder. :D
(1) In case you didn't read the manga, Wolfram gave Yuuri a broach before Yuuri's coronation as the king of Shin Makoku. But apparently, Yuuri pay less attention to it, leaving the golden wings on earth. I never spotted him wearing that broach after that. WIMP!!!
(2) Yuuri's naivette is the newest creation by Cecillie. Appeared in certain episode where Yuuri went seperately with Murata for earth and couldn't come back.
(3) The Conrad and Gunter scene was taken from an episode 88 in season 3 KKM (I modify them of course).
NEXT: Yozak came back with undesirable news. Conrad stayed in his flawless solitude while Wolfram barely able to maintain his composure. Things were happening all over again. Yuuri would never hand Conrad to the human country for the second time. But will the aristocrats desire the same thing?