There was no thought of diplomacy this time. This time Stoffel had committed with amounted to, at least in Yuuri's mind, a sin. He had threatened Wolfram! As the group of riders neared Stoffel's castle, Yuuri's fingers tightened on Ao's reins.

"Your Majesty, stop!" Conrad's voice cut through his thoughts, and he reined his stallion in hard.

"What?" he snapped dangerously.

Conrad accepted his king's anger stoically, riding up to his side. "We need to think more carefully about this, Your Majesty." When he saw a muscle in Yuuri's jaw twitch, he quickly continued, "I mean we need to think about how to get into Stoffel's castle." He pointed down the slope towards the closed castle gates. Yuuri growled in frustration.

"So what do we do, Conrad?"

The soldier was silent for a few moments, rubbing his chin and staring at his horse's neck. Finally he looked up, and there was a gleam in his eye that Yuuri couldn't help but smile at. "I think I've got an idea," the brown-eyed half-Mazoku said with a smirk.

When the group rode up to the castle gates, it was calmly, at a walk, and Yuuri was as composed as he could make himself. As he swung down from his dark horse's back, followed closely by Conrad and Yozak, the heavy gates swung open to reveal Stoffel, who stood with a disarming smile, Raven just behind and to his right, with several soldiers nearby.

Stoffel spread his hands. "Your Majesty! Welcome! I trust you got my message?"

Yuuri plastered on a smile. "I did, and you know, I thought I just couldn't wait to come and see you. I hopped right on my horse and rode right up here."

"I'm so happy you were so eager to see me, Your Majesty," Stoffel replied, beckoning them inside. "Can I interest you in something to refresh you after your long ride?"

The young Maou's brows drew down, but Conrad's hand on his shoulder stopped him from saying anything rash and blowing their "cover". Instead he forced another smile and nodded. "That sounds good, actually. Thanks."

With a syrupy smile that nearly made Yuuri nauseous to look at it, Stoffel and Raven led Yuuri, Conrad, and Yozak up to the blonde noble's private study. Yuuri shared quick glance with Conrad as Stoffel moved to go around to the far side of his desk and nodded almost imperceptibly.

The brunette soldier moved so quickly Yuuri was barely able to register it before Conrad had shoved Stoffel up against a wall and had his sword pressed against the man's throat. A noise from behind Yuuri told the boy Yozak had taken care of Raven, knocking the man unconscious with a swift, brutal blow to the back of the neck.

"Yuuri! Go find Wolfram!" Conrad commanded. "I'll stay here and make sure none of Stoffel's men try anything." He turned an angry glare on Stoffel, who gulped.

With a nod, Yuuri and Yozak dashed out of the room to begin searching the castle. Yuuri's heart thudded against his ribs as he dashed down the corridor of the guest quarters. Wolfram… Wolfram, please be all right…!

"Wolfram!!"

"Wolfram!!"

Wolfram's head shot up from where it lay against the arm of the couch. That voice… He knew that voice! Yuuri… "Yuuri!" He ran to the heavy oaken door, pounding on it with a clenched fist. "Yuuri!"

Suddenly he was knocked back onto his backside as the door was violently kicked open, and he found himself staring up into the clear blue eyes of Yozak. He gaped. He'd never realized the man was that strong… But in the next instant, all his thoughts of Yozak -- all his thoughts period -- were wiped away as he noticed the slim, dark-haired figure standing behind the soldier, sword in hand. Black eyes met green, and for a moment time stopped… Then Wolfram hurled himself into Yuuri's arms, clinging to him in desperation. Morgif clattered to the floor with an indignant moan that went unnoticed as the young Maou returned the fierce embrace, his face buried against Wolfram's shoulder.

Oh, Yuuri…! He didn't care now that Yuuri loved someone else, or that now that he'd been rescued he would go back to the castle and watch his king and Weller be together. All he cared about was that Yuuri had come for him, that Yuuri really did care, and that Yuuri was hugging him so tightly he thought his ribs might break. Then he became aware of a damp warmth against his neck. Yuuri was… crying…

"Wolfram… God, I thought I'd lost you! I'm so sorry, Wolfram… I-I thought…"

The blonde pulled back a little to press a finger against Yuuri's lips. "Hush, Yuuri. I forgive you. It… isn't your fault if you want to be with Weller. We can't help who we love…" He smiled sadly. "I know, because I love you. And I want you to be happy, Yuuri. If being with Weller does that, then… I can accept it. So you don't need to explain…"

Yuuri shook his head furiously. "No, I do need to! Please, Wolfram, hear me out…" When the other boy didn't show a sign of objecting, the dark-eyed king glanced at Yozak, who took the hint and made himself scarce. Then Yuuri turned back to Wolfram, bowing his head.

"I don't want to be with Conrad," he began, his voice so low Wolfram had to lean in a little to hear him. "When you saw us, we weren't kissing. I mean… we were, but… we were just… just practicing…"

Wolfram arched a brow. "Practicing…?"

Yuuri turned crimson and nodded once. "I… I wanted everything to be perfect when you and I had our first kiss, so I… asked Conrad to help me, since I've never kissed anyone before…"

The blonde noble was completely speechless, staring at Yuuri in stark disbelief. It took a moment for the words to sink in, and then he wasn't sure how to react. Yuuri had done that… for him…? Yuuri wanted to be with him…? On several levels Wolfram was touched and overjoyed, but…

The other boy was knocked back a step by the force of the blow when Wolfram's open palm connected with his left cheek. "You idiot!!" the green-eyed Mazoku exploded. "You made me think you cheated on me, you put me through all of this, just so you could get some kissing practice?! You thought I'd care if things didn't go just right the first time? Damn it, Yuuri, how long have I been waiting for you? I would have been thrilled that you were finally kissing me in the first place! I wouldn't have paid attention to your technique!"

Yuuri cowered a little bit. His ex-fiancé was downright frightening when he was angry. …Wait a minute… Ex-fiancé…? But… Yuuri lifted a hand to his face where Wolfram had slapped him. His left cheek. Wolfram had hit his left cheek.

"Wolfram…"

Wolfram paused in his tirade. "What?"

"Do you… still love me?"

The other blinked and gave Yuuri a look that implied that had been a stupid question. "Of course I still love you, you moron. Just because you're stupid and a wimp doesn't mean I ever stopped caring." He sighed, shoulders drooping as his rage oozed out of him. "I just wish you'd think before you do something. You're always acting so impulsively!"

Kind of like someone else I know, Yuuri thought with a small smile, before saying aloud, "Then… you still want to marry me, right?" When Wolfram gave him a clueless expression, Yuuri beamed and pointed to his left cheek. "You hit me here…"

Wolfram continued to stare for a moment or two more. Then he threw his arms back around Yuuri's neck, hugged him fiercely… and began to laugh.