AN:
Please use this link to view image references since FF doesn't allow mid chapter images. Please also be reminded that all the photos in the pinterest link are NOT mine. All the credits goes to their original owners because they made really amazing photos that I can use for inspiration.
The board contains images of how I imagine Branwen's looks, Her Clothes etc. I will be continuously updating this together with the fic.
leiiiriuuki/god-save-our-queen-story-board/
SOOOO... For those who were hoping that Gwendal and Yuuri have a scene or interaction.. I present to you this chapter. :D
Normal POV
It didn't take long for Branwen's group to arrive at Gwendal's position. The immediate response of the cerulean eyed mazoku upon setting his eyes to the newly arrived group was to ask "What is this child doing here?" Lord Gwendal von Voltaire turned to his two half brothers with an obvious expression of displeasure. His hair was long and of a very dark gray color; his eyes were blue, with a permanent look of bad humor in them which no beauty could get rid of.
Despite Lord von Voltaire's obvious irritation, he was greeted cheerfully by Conrart explaining "Her Majesty intends to explain that the prisoner Svelera is holding captive is a fake."
Branwen who just dismounted her mane in practiced ease, second Conrart's statement by saying that she can not by any circumstance allow somebody else to get executed on her behalf. In addition to that, she wanted to retrieve the Mateki as well. This added to Lord von Vontaire's annoyance. He stared sharply at his brother, the one he held in high esteem as a soldier willing Conrart almost commanding him to take both Wolfram and Branwen back to the capital.
"What?! Me too?!" Wolfram exclaimed indignantly. The younger brother apparently did not think he would be treated the same way as Branwen.
"I only obey orders from her Majesty." Conrart said smoothly.
Branwen's eyes instantly lifted to Conrart's at his words. She tried to see if there was anything_ even a glint of hesitation in his eyes. When she found none, her heart pounded in disbelief. This lion really meant it. He believes in her unconditionally and that touched something in her soul.
She listened to the three brothers' exchange of words. She can't help but feel a tad bit out of place. She was surprised when Lord von Voltaire finally growled and allowed them to do what they wanted. Seeing that he could really do nothing regarding their child queen's antics.
They made necessary preparations before heading out such as dyeing Branwen's hair to red again, putting on dragon scales to hide her black eyes into brown, gathering cloaks for their travel and other supplies. After, they are already on their way to traverse the desert. Lord von Voltaire and Conrart on their own horse while Branwen and Wolfram shared on one. Wolfram was the one controlling the reins and Branwen held onto her thighs to keep her balanced at the horse's steady gallop.
Everyone wore dresses like in the movie Lawrence of Arabia - white cloaks to protect from the scorching sun, because we were riding through endless sand dunes of a desert. Safety measures against heat strokes are crucial when traveling through even a short stretch of desert.
They had reached the edge of a parched river separating Shin Makoku from the country of Conashia. The river had completely dried up in what was called a "record drought." The cracked riverbed was about a kilometer wide.
There was no comparison with the Tone River near my home… Branwen thought to herself.
"It'd be an amazing sight, if only there was water" Branwen said for her companions to hear.
Wolfram explained that during the civil war, lots of corpses would drift and land on the river bank to shin makoku's side and that since humans were afraid to set foot in their territory, they had to take care of them. Branwen's sweat dropped at the blond's musings. It wasn't what she meant by beautiful.
When they crossed the riverbed, they arrived at a simple picket fence. There were soldiers all around; their number was considerably higher than their group. It was understandable that the borders should be well protected, but the mazokus had never invaded their neighbors, yet they found their soldiers openly hostile against them. Their spears pointed directly to them. Some standing in the back row pressed the back of their hands to their chins.
"What are they doing?" Branwen wondered. Wolfram clucked his tongue. "A malicious act against the mazokus. Although humans are actually scared their pants off by the mazokus, they feel safer as a group, and they become insolent. Nasty creatures!"
"Eh, sorry about that." she muttered.
"Stop feeling defensive! You are not human but a mazoku! Accept that already!" Wolfram's agitated response. Branwen only turned to him sad eyes and quiet. In her mind, she's still a human, well half human no matter what the blond says.
Normal POV
Branwen and the others are still traversing the desert. Branwen, who is not used to the hot climate, was already reaching her end. To her dismay, the cloaks that are supposed to guard them from the scorching sun did not help, on the contrary, it added to the heat. She is now sweltering under the cloak. She tried to shift her body away from the boy sitting in front of her as much as possible so that some air could pass through between them. However, it was nothing but hot air all around, and there was no stir even remotely resembling a breeze.
"If you slip further back, you'll fall." Wolfram said, trying to steady his passenger.
"I'm dying of heat!" Branwen complained.
The crew, consisting of twenty men, was crossing the desert under the sun instead of the moon, and on horses bred by humans instead of camels. The border soldiers they had passed earlier claimed that animals must be kept quarantined for 20 days before they can be allowed entry in the country leaving them no choice but to send back mazoku horses and buy local horses at the village near Conanshia.
With nothing better to do, Branwen studied her companions. Gwendal rode a distance away in front of the group. The cloak on his back moved in a wavelike motion in the air like seaweed in a lake. She turned toward Conrart and lamented. "Damn, why is no one else but me suffering so much from the heat?" Branwen grimmanced.
"It's probably because of our training." Conrart replied, looking extremely fresh and relaxed. He gathered that Yuuri is not used to so much heat but since this is an adventure, he knows she will pull through. They didn't even sweat that much but their Queen is visibly sweltering.
She concluded that it was expected for well-trained soldiers in the medieval times. In anycase, she was still dying of heat and soon, she saw hallucinations. "Do you also see over there in the middle of the sand a small animal raising its arms?" She asked in all curiosity.
"What? Where? What small animal? I can't see anything." Wolfram said as he squinted his eyes in search of the said animal.
"But it's so cute! I like pandas better than dolphins" She stared googly eyes at the animal. She was startled by Conrart's worried voice "Panda?" She looked at him and noticed small beads of sweat forming in his temple. He's clearly alarmed.
She could see the head of an unknown animal sticking out from a hole about ten meters away. But no one seemed to see it apart from her. Suddenly, a soldier on a dark brown horse disappeared in front of her. The gray horse that Wolfram and Branwen was riding suddenly flexed, lost its balance and sank.
"Yikes, what's happening now?!" Branwen cried suddenly alert.
"A sand bear!" You can hear the screams of the soldiers around.
Gwendal who was riding further from the group was able to steady his horse and stop at a safe distance when he heard them cry about the desert beast. He saw his troops and brother get swallowed by a sand vortex. His eyes darted to his other brother who was already preparing ropes. They exchanged knowing looks and nodded to each other as they proceeded to their next course of action.
Everything became fuzzy around them as clouds of dust covered their vision. The whole world turned into the color of gold and orange. All can be seen are helmets of the soldiers that sank into the smooth sand.
Yuuri's POV
"Wh... what happened?! How can this be?!" When I opened my mouth, sand immediately filled between my teeth. I tried to hold Wolfram back by the hem of his robe, but his arms, legs, hands and finally even his face disappeared. I could barely breathe. What kind of animal could this be?! In my field of vision, which was becoming blurred, I could see a huge two-toned panda moving his arms up and down at the center of a whirling mass of sand.
"That's a damned panda!" I cried. A panda in the middle of a desert. With a new variation of color too: his coat was of beige and brown. Suddenly someone grabbed my arm firmly, freeing me from my immersion into this giant sand hourglass.
"Conrart..." No, that could not be Conrart. My indestructible protector was supporting my legs from below with his shoulders as he dangled with a rope that twirled on his arm. When I looked up I saw Gwendal standing right on the edge of the hole his other hand holding the end of the rope that is connected to Conrart. Wolfram and the other soldiers had been sucked into the vortex. I saw only a few horses' legs and someone's hands. The sand kept swirling down the center of the vortex.
I wailed asking if Wolfram and the others will be fine. Only to be met by Gwendal's stoic reply as if he didn't care about it. "If they were unlucky…" He says from above me. Then Conrart assured me that if he was not suffocated he'll find his way back to the surface. He also asked me to hurry and climb.
I protested and tried to slide down the slope, But Gwendal held my arm tightly and would not let me go. "You cannot help!" He reproached me.
"But we can't just leave him like that! Then at least you go and save him, he is your brother! Go and save him instead!" I turned to Conrart. "Hey, you can deal with that bear, can't you? You are a sword master! Surely you can deal with it?" I appealed while being dragged up. Though it was in order to steady his feet, he avoided my eyes.
"The top priority now is your security." He looked up and panted, still trying to push upward.
"But I'm fine, so..." I tried to reason.
"No!" For a split second, his eyes, brown with flecks of silver, met mine. Conrart bit his lips, frowned, a scar barely noticeable on an eyebrow, and then spoke with a tormented voice. He turned towards the center of the vortex. "Your Majesty, Wolfram would agree with me immediately. He is also a seasoned warrior and knows that things like this can happen. Your safety comes first!" Conrart who rarely gets angry at me, is visibly frustrated at the moment.
"But-!" I bit my lip. Trying to get the right words out. By now, there was no visible trace of the soldiers who had been swallowed by the sand vortex. Would they pass off falling into such a land hole as a matter of bad luck?. Twenty lives would weigh more than one, even if it was my own life that was at risk. Go and save those twenty people, rather than staying here for me. The choice is straightforward. No one should be sacrificed, even for a monarch!
"Conrart, I don't want you to be someone who abandons his own brother. I would not see you guys grieve from his loss." I finally said with a steeled resolve.
I reached up and got to the solid ground. Finally the sand under my feet felt solid and stable. I turned to Conrart who was still dangling on the rope: "You've said that you would only follow my orders." I said with a sad smile. I wouldn't want to be giving anyone orders.
"Yes, but that was..." He studied my reactions.
"You said you'll follow me without a tinge of doubt. Then go save your younger brother and the others. Please! I'm fine; you have no reason to worry about me. After all, I still have a strong guard here." I pointed to their eldest brother who was standing just behind me.
"An order?" Conrart looked amused and shifted his eyes back and forth between me and Gwendal. I hummed and nodded in response. "Go, deal with the panda and then go back to meet with us."
He smirked and finally turned to Gwendal and murmured. "Okay. But you take care of her!" He said to his brother sternly. "Mhmmm." Gwendal grumbled in agreement.
He was standing behind me so I could not see his face, but I thought I heard a bit of relief in his voice. Confidence grew in me that my decision could not have been wrong. Conrart let go of the rope that was steadying him and slid down the slippery slope, to rescue his younger brother and subordinates.
"Do you know how to find the hidden tunnel out of that beast's den?!" Shouted Gwendal a moment later.
"No need to worry, this is the third time I have had to deal with a sand bear! See you at the capital!" Conrart continued to smile as he slipped away from our view.
Yes, my decision was correct. It has to be. I looked at the now closed vortex and muttered lowly. "I'm sorry Conrart"
My decision couldn't have been wrong! But why didn't it make me happy, but uneasy as if I was sinking in a swamp? We found a horse that had managed to escape from danger and continued our journey for two. We had to leave the dunes behind as fast as possible.
At night, the temperature dropped significantly. For me, an untrained soldier, it was more than just another tough night. It had already been hell during the day! Because of the scorching heat, I was always on the verge of fainting. To remain conscious, I tried to carry on a non-stop conversation, but I never got much response from my traveling companion, except for a non-committal "Uh-huh" or "No" as the answers. If I asked more complex questions, Gwendal would even refuse to answer. Given this lack of communication, had we been a married couple, we would have already been separated and divorced long ago. It didn't surprise me however... After all, in the entire Shin Makoku, he was the one who hated me the most. To him I was nobody.
Since Gwendal always seemed moody and expressionless, I couldn't guess what was in his mind. I felt ill at ease and didn't know how to behave towards him while we rode on together. Since I don't dare to ask my companion if I can grab onto his cloak for support, I had no choice but to balance myself and try not to fall off the horse.
Meanwhile, there were thousands of questions at the tip of my tongue: Why was I the only one who could see the deadly panda? Why didn't Gwendal fall into the pit? How would Conrart, Wolfram and the others escape from the quicksand? But even if I could voice all these questions, they would remain unanswered.
"Here, take it!" I was startled at the voice in front of me. Ohh he talks. I rolled my eyes. Then I blinked as Lord von Voltaire handed me his water skin. He probably noticed that I have already finished mine. But I had to refuse since I knew that he hadn't drank since earlier. He is probably conserving what little water that we have.
"Do I have to force it down your throat?!" growled Gwendal after my thoughtful refusal. Since it had already been decided by the stern general, I had no choice but to comply. I sighed as I hastily grabbed the water skin from his hand and drank a little bit of its contents before handing it back to him. "You should drink some too. It wouldn't do good if the only companion I have is weak due to dehydration." He only grunted and we were silent once again.
I began to hallucinate again. This time, I saw what seemed to be a mirage: a city on the other side of a whirlpool of sand. I rubbed my dry, sore eyelids but the shimmering buildings didn't disappear. Maybe the contact lenses had slipped; my sensitive eyeballs did feel a bit strange.
"I could be imagining it, but I see a town over there," I said. Gwendal didn't utter a word, but steered the horse straight toward that direction. The closer we went, the more clearly we could see the shape of the houses. The uniform beige color of the walls was probably due to the large amount of sand mixed with the cement. The gigantic building in the town center was a solid construction with stone walls. Maybe it was a sanctuary or a government building. My brain, in a stupor from the heat, was incapable of more accurate observations.
The town was small but wide, spreading out for about a mile, very much like a strip mall in Ginza. However, there were no splendid shops here. We could only see dusty and dirty facades one after the other. I was overcome with serious doubts as to whether one could buy anything here. Some women walked around, and children were playing on the ground. There were a surprising number of guards stationed around the place, but not a single male civilian in sight...
When we were about to ride inside, the guard on duty stepped forward to stop us. He wore a sleeveless, simple military uniform with a long, quite heavy looking sword hanging at his hip. His tanned, bronze-colored face was twisted into a grin, and he had a bizarre hairstyle. His dark brown hair was shaved short on the sides, leaving only a circular mat of hair on the top which was dyed red. Probably this was the conventional military hairstyle here, but I couldn't help it, this brown-red mat reminded me of something... Yes, salmon and caviar sushi! That was exactly it! This hairstyle reminded me of a Gunkan - Maki in the shape of a battleship. If all the soldiers were to move in a circle, it would look like the conveyor belt in a sushi-bar.
The soldier with the sushi-hairstyle barked at us saying that horses are not allowed in town. Gwendal quietly got down from the horse. While acting as if he was helping me get off the saddle, he whispered in my ears telling me to hide my face. Mister Sushi-head asked Gwendal if we came from the desert and if we had encountered a Hinemos along the way. When Gwendal only answered him with an 'uh-huh' and a 'no'. I had no idea why the Sushi-head and his group just laughed and said that we were lucky.
"The horse needs rest. We also need water and food. Is there a hostel in this town?" Gwendal asked. It was the first time I heard him talk so much.
"No idea", answered the soldier. The whole group gurgled with laughter again. Were these lunatics suicidal? Didn't they know who they were dealing with? If Gwendal shredded them to pieces, they would have only themselves to blame. However, instead of teaching some manners to this reckless bunch, Lord Gwendal von Voltaire - the invincible mazoku between mazokus, famous for his unparalleled sangfroid - only stared at them briefly and rolled his eyes.
"Would you perhaps be kind enough to tell us where we could find a hostel in the city?" he said in such a humble tone that I thought I had misheard. "We would also appreciate it a lot if you could tell us where to find some water and food."
Gwendal only grumbled something to himself when the soldiers said that it would depend on how much we are willing to shell out. We left the horse and went further into town on foot. Everywhere I looked, the walls were plastered with posters. The pictures were no better than children's drawings: the faces of the candidates - a man and a woman – were more like circles with spikes on top. I could not read the sentences below the pictures.
"Stay here and don't do anything stupid," Gwendal said then disappeared into one of the shops.
I was left alone on the street. Some children were crouching on the dry ground throwing something into a circle. Their toys were full of rusted nails. I can't help but smile at them and ask if they wanted to be carpenters when they grew up. It shocked me to hear them say that being carpenters is nonsense and that all men should become soldiers to be able to provide for their family. A sad smile grazed my lips at their statement. How can the people here just readily give up a life other than being a soldier. I mean it would have been great if it was because they love their country so much that they would want to protect it. But it's just so they can earn money. A few moments later, a woman raised her voice angrily telling the kids to get back inside already.
According to the watch on my right wrist, it was three o'clock in the afternoon. The temperature hadn't dropped and sweat was running down my chin. Then, someone called out to me. "Hey, girl!" I looked around for the friendly voice. A nice looking woman waved at me from the door of a huge building. Her extremely long eyelashes probably gave her eyes good protection against the sand. "Isn't it hot out there? Come into the church, you can wait for your companion here." she said.
Günter has always drummed into me two things: that I should never accept food or drink from a stranger, but it was okay to seek refuge in a shadowed shelter.
It was very cool inside the stone building. The sweat dried immediately on my skin as if I had stepped from the platform into an air-conditioned train. The idols of the country's deities were hung on the walls in two long rows that reached the altar. There were about 300 such idols. They were straw dolls. I have always been reminded by my mom to respect other cultures and beliefs no matter how absurd they may be in my eyes. So I chose not to comment on the straw dolls. I made my way to the door just to get out of the church since it made me uncomfortable.
But a guy with the sushi hair suddenly blocked my way to the door with his back. He had at least seven or eight comrades with him. This gave me a bad feeling. The men closed around me, hands on their swords. Did they want to shred me into pieces inside their own church? I heard noises coming from outside. "As long as you keep your mouth shut, we won't kill ya." Then the explosive sound of the door burst open.
"Come on, let's get out of here!" shouted Gwendal. I made a move to run away. But somebody grabbed me roughly and pulled down my hood. They held me from behind and peered into my face. "This is the one!" one of them exclaimed.
"Wh... what do you mean?" I asked. Thanks to the best mazoku technology my disguise looked exactly like a normal human. There was not a trace of the revealing black. But why the hell would these guys want to capture me then?
At that moment, Gwendal entered the church with a surly face, he was restrained by the soldiers. He probably would not spare time to appreciate the cool temperature inside the church. Although I wasn't sure what I had done wrong, I immediately felt the dire need to apologize to my companion. The group leader said that even a mazoku warrior would find it impossible to use majutsu inside a church as it was protected by their gods.
"What do you want? Money?" The furrows on Gwendal's brow deepened and his lips were slightly distorted. He was clearly angry.
"Of course it's about money! But we want much more than your pocket money. If we turn you two in to the authorities in the capital we'll collect a very fat bounty!" Mister Sushi-Head held out a poster, the one I'd seen before. "It is you in this drawing, am I right?"
"Definitely not! I have much longer hair than that. It's tied into a ponytail." I exclaimed. For a moment there was a weird silence.
"Don't pretend you know nothing! These drawings look exactly like you. Though we need to know if you are really a woman." The soldier eyed me mockingly.
Excuse me? What do you have for your eyes, tomatoes?! This time even Gwendal was surprised. Did these guys seriously want us to believe that those bizarre portraits resembled us in any way? Two balloons with spiky hair on top - a drawing I would have made as a preschooler for Mother's Day.
Wanted! A tall male mazoku with grey hair and a human girl dressed as a boy. Both have eloped together. Whoever captures them will receive a bounty of fifty thousand gold pieces. The bounty hunters read the poster.
"Eloping?" exclaimed Gwendal indignantly as he pointed to himself and then to me. "I'm eloping... with that thing?!"
"What's with that disdainful tone? And I am a THING?" I shouted looking skeptical at Gwendal. "Eloping? Absolutely not! We are not a couple! He's not a_"
Very accommodating companion! That was what I meant to say, but before I could finish protesting, Mister Sushi-Head tried to force his hand through the neck of my clothes, without my permission. Knowing what he intended to do, I kicked him and staggered to the side distancing myself from him.
"Arghhhhh!" He held a hand to the kneed I kicked.
"What the hell! Just looking at me will tell you I'm a girl! I'm sorry but touching me is a no no." I glared at him. Attempting sexual harassment right in front of everyone, yet he showed no sign of embarrassment.
"She's a feisty one! If there had not been a bounty on her cute face I might have just taken her." He looked at me with lustful eyes and it sent shivers down my spine.
Gwendal couldn't control his ire either. He bellowed more furiously each time. "Drop that nonsense! We aren't even remotely similar to that drawing!" as he pointed at the drawing.
"Exactly!" I roared too.
A soldier grabbed my right arm and showed the back of my hand to Mister Sushi-Head who was now angry at being kicked and held out a knife to my neck. During the long journey through the sand dunes my hands had become red. In the middle of the sunburn area, a faint whitish mark was still visible, my mouth formed an O at the realization that it is the stamp from Sea World.
Mister Sushi-Head exclaimed that the mark was the proof that neighboring countries use to mark those who have eloped as lovers. I tried to reason with him that it was only a stamp from Sea World, but of course they could not read Japanese letters. Damn it! What do we do in these situations?
"Don't make any foolish mistake, or I'll break your little friend's neck! Drop your weapon, come closer and put this on you and the girl." Mr sushi head glared at Gwendal whilst pointing the blade on my neck.
It seemed the soldiers were afraid to approach a mazoku. They threw a short heavy-looking chain at Gwendal's feet instead. It made a muffled clanking sound of metal on metal. While Gwendal held his glare steady on the men, he stepped forward, slightly bent down towards the chain and picked it up. "Please don't put it on my right arm... That's my dominant arm." I told Gwendal. Geez, looks like we don't have a choice at the moment.
Gwendal put the metal rings on my left wrist and his right one. The handcuffs snapped into place with a clicking sound that seemed to extinguish all hope. Between us now hung a thick chain about thirty centimeters long. It was so heavy my shoulder dropped right towards the ground.
Even a pig couldn't have had such bad luck! I had to be chained to Gwendal, of all the people in the world. I sighed "Urgh!" the man who had been holding me a knife towards me groaned in pain and dropped the knife altogether. I bit his hand that is near to my mouth and elbowed his gut and sent a kick to his crotch. Instinctively, I reached for one of the idols, grabbed its head and threw it towards them as if to distract them.
Gwendal's lightning-fast attacks were much more effective than what I did. As he kicked his extremely long legs, three men went flying through the air. A High Kick, a Round Kick and even a Flying Knee Strike! Urgh! All his kicks hit their targets with devilish perfection. While I try to match his speed and movements as I dock and avoid the fallen bounty hunters.
"Run!" cried Gwendal. He didn't have to tell me twice. I felt large calloused hands on mine as he grabbed my hand and we ran out of the church hand in hand to the bright and dusty road. Footsteps and angry voices followed us. Something sharp whizzed past my ear and struck the ground two steps in front of me. arrows…
"Wow, it barely missed me!" I yelled and sped up. Gwendal, who probably found me too slow, just went ahead and carried me effortlessly like a sack of potatoes on his shoulder. I couldn't help but scream as I dangled on his shoulder. My view is of those men that chased us.
Gwendal settled me on the horse, pulled himself up to ride behind me and spurred him on. I was not even able to ask him if I could rest my back against his chest as the sudden gallop forced me back crashing to the sturdy chest behind me. I was then steadied by the strong pair of arms by my side.
Normal POV
They are half a day away from Svelera's capital. It's already evening when the two "elopers" decided to rest their horse. In the shade of a rock, they crouched down. Gwendal prepared everything. From the fire to fend off the desert cold, to their dinner which consisted of dried meat rations and water. Branwen just watched him taking it as a learning experience. In the dry air and starlit sky, both spent their time in silence. No words were uttered between them since they had left the town.
Branwen mused at the outdoor camp. Taking in every detail with her eyes wandering at every nook and cranny that she can see. She had always wanted to do an outdoor camp. What she is not thrilled about was her companion who is as silent as a mute. The way to the capital is desert-like, but with rocks, cacti and dry grasses. It seemed more fit for cowboy hats than Lawrence of Arabia-type clothes and if compared to Earth, it would have been like Arizona.
With nothing better to do, Branwen relaxed and welcomed sleep as she looked at the beautiful moon while resting her back on a rock. She was already drowsing off when she felt something itchy near her stomach. Thinking that it was a desert bug or animal, she instinctively jumped awake only to find her companion hovering above her…
"..." Both were speechless. The eldest son's fingers were placed near the belt of their queen. And their queen was still slumped resting her back on a rock with a flustered and questioning look. Branwen's face flashed flustered, questioning, then cold and threatening. Cerulean eyes, although he tried to hide it, were wide in shock. This has caused a major misunderstanding.
"Lord Gwendal von Voltaire" Her voice was low, a little bit slurry from sleep and stern eyes devoid of emotions. "Just what do you think you're doing hovering above me?" she added calmly.
"Wait." The man said in a deep voice.
"And how can I just wait while you are still hovering above me?! Are you planning on checking my gender just like with those bounty hunters? Don't even think about it. You know what happened to them from attempting it." Something in Branwen snapped. She glared at the man.
"Wait, calm down. I'm not doubting your gender and you look like a girl from every angle." The gap between his eyes and eyebrows is larger than usual. He's a bit flustered too.
"… Yeah. I'm a girl right?" Branwen questioned
"Yeah." The man confirms the statement with a nod.
"My face, my voice, the way I move, the way I talk and the way I eat are all feminine right?" Branwen furthered.
"Without a doubt."
Since he's not the type to be kind with his words, Branwen guesses that she can believe in his affirmation.
"… Then why were you trying to unfasten my belt? Ah! Don't tell me you've got the same hobbies as your little brother and were looking for a fight!? You look so composed! I would never have passed you with someone who has a polluted mind!" Branwen's starting to lose it; veins can be seen at the side of her temples.
"No!" He waves his right hand in front of his face in a move unlike him. The movement also lifted Branwen's left hand and got waved from the chain. "Owowow, that hurts" was Branwen's cry from the sudden movement. Realizing what he had done, the cerulean eyes muttered words of apologies.
His eyes still darted down to Branwen's belt. It was the only time that she noticed it and trailed where the cerulean eyes landed. Only then the realization came to her. His long fingers were not holding her belt and certainly was not eying her in any indecent way. but the swaying blue ornament that is attached to it. The realization caused Branwen to be embarrassed, especially after she threw her accusations earlier.
"… Ah, I see. Bando-kun. You should have said so from the beginning. I apologize for judging you." Branwen bowed as an apology and she giggled.
It seems this man with a deep bass voice and an aggressive face had an unexpected love for small and cute things. I'd only half believed it when I heard it from Conrart, but judging from the interest he had for the dolphin keychain hanging from my belt buckle, it appears the information was true. She thought.
She unhook the keychain and dangled it in front of him. The flame reflected the round blue eyes of the sea creature. "I'll give it to you." She turned to Gwendal with a smile.
"… No. It appears to be an extremely valuable item." He quickly dismissed the idea and just looked far into the horizon. He had been eyeing the item out of curiosity since earlier and had thought to examine it more closely when the young queen fell into slumber. He was so surprised that she awoke immediately after, hence the situation. He already knows that even though their queen appears to be kind, she can be a devil much like a certain red head when it comes to virtue and beliefs.
"It's fine. I don't really like them anyway. I can never tell what they're thinking. Now hold out your hand already. My arm is beginning to stiff." She jested and chucked as the older man held both his hands open to receive the trinket. She watched as he held the trinket in front of him and studied it with a child-like curiosity.
"What's his name?" he asked without looking away from the token.
"Bando-kun… or Eiji-kun" She answered as she recalled what the aquarium trainers called the dolphins.
Gwendal is delighted to finally examine the token in his hand. His face was a bit flushed at the cuteness of the sea creature. He had to admit that it was unexpected that their queen would just give this treasure away.
Yuuri's POV
I called my traveling companion's name as I looked up at the sky, thinking that now we won't be like graffitti compared to the Petit Julien and we can have a talk on equal terms. Gwendal von Voltaire, the unlucky demon chained to me with handcuffs.
"Gwendal, Umm, would it be alright if I called you Gwen? In return, you can call me Branwen or just Yuuri whichever you might prefer. I've been meaning to ask, but will Conrart and Wolfram and the soldiers all really be able to get out of there? And even before that, how come I was the only one who could see the panda? And then, while I do feel it's my fault we ended up in handcuffs, how come we haven't even tried to break the chains with all these handy rocks along the way? If we really smash it, we might be able to do something." I ended the questions in huff. I almost forgot to breathe. I feel that I'm too excited to be able to talk with someone after a long time.
"You want me to answer all of that?" Gwen asked me back, his brow twitching with slight annoyance.
"Err… If you can." Even though the gift put him in a better mood, I'm still intimidated by him.
"Fine."He let out a growl but proceeded with his explanation anyway. Firstly, he said that sand bears don't live in small dunes so it is possible that the Svelera humans placed it there in order to prevent travelers from going back and forth. That he can't say if it were placed there because of the civil war or if it were to prevent any smuggling activity. He says that a few years ago, houseki was discovered in Svelera and that Houjutsu users from different countries want them so badly that the black market dealers won't let the opportunity pass them. "That was probably the reason they placed the sand bear there." He explained the situation in detail as I listened intently.
"Furthermore, this land's history of war is long. In other words, their houjutsu has been developed just as long."he continued.
I continued to ask him what is houjutsu and its difference between maryoku. Probably because this is more suited to a teacher of some sort, the wrinkles between Gwendal's eyes gathered together. But the effects of the dolphin are tremendous and he doesn't attempt to end the conversation. I smiled at that. This has been the longest talk we have had since we were left alone.
"Maryoku is an ability only the demons have. Magic power is determined by the quality of the soul you are born with, so ultimately only those with the soul of a demon can use it. Conversely, houjutsu is a technique those humans have received by praying to their gods. Even those born without talent or exorcism abilities can train themselves to be able to use it. Houseki supplement people's abilities and even those without any ability can use their power. Because there aren't many countries where they've been discovered, they sell for quite a high price."
"So, in order to protect the outflow of those precious resources, they've laid traps along the border…" I concluded.
"It seems so. As for why you were the only one who could see the sand bear, it's likely because the deception of the houjutsu had no effect on you. I don't know why, but maybe it's because you're naturally thickheaded."
That might be true. Ever since I was a kid I've never been able to get hypnotized or have any sort of subliminal message work on me and in my school trip's group photo, I was the only one who didn't see the ghost.
Upon seeing my light nod of understanding he continued to say that the handcuffs were embedded with houseki and can't be removed normally. That trying to smash them with a rock would just be wasted effort and energy. That if we were in mazoku soil, it would have been possible since there is much of the essence that obeys us there. But in human land, it would be difficult. "Hmm, then, what should we do about it?" I nodded again in understanding wilist thinking of what we should do next.
As he examined the keyring, Gwendal spoke in a low and subdued voice. "I had intended to wait for Conrart and the others to catch up to us in that town back there, but now that this has happened we'll head for the capitol. First we need to find a monk who can use houjutsu and get these annoying restraints cut off. Then we can deal with Gegenhuber and the Demon Flute."
"But judging from that, Conrart, Wolfram and the others are okay right? Because it sounds like you think it's obvious we're going to meet up." my eyes lit up at that.
"If a warrior of his prowess were to fall to a desert bear, they would talk about it till the new millennium." He regarded his brother with much confidence as he looked at the distance.
"That's amazing. I'd definitely lose if I had to have a match with a panda." My knight...He's really that great huh?
"That's why I pulled you out. As for what you will call me, it's entirely up to you." He grumbled.
Gwendal's POV
It has been awhile since he had left the castle for official business and he really can't believe what has become of it. Both of his brothers as well as all of their entourage are nowhere to be seen because of a sand bear's sudden appearance. Most of all, he was now a chained elopee. He had never imagined himself to go on a journey alone with their queen. Just thinking about it made his brow twitch uncomfortably. Their queen seems to attract trouble whenever she's out of the capital. He sighed. He had heard about it from Josak and Conrart's reports and passed it off as the other retainers' carelessness and had never imagined that it would also happen under his watch. He also had to admit that it has been awhile since he talked so much with someone other than giving orders to soldiers, he is not really fond of small talk. He sighed at all the questions their young monarch asked a while ago.
He eyed their talkative queen. Who is clearly fatigued; she had drawn her knees close to her chest in attempts to fight off the coldness of the desert night and cradled her head to her knees as sleep began to consume her. He can't help but take pity for the girl. She's probably not used to having a rough journey but he was also amazed at how resilient she can be. Although she always complains, she sees to it that she still gets the work done and although he knows that she can handle herself to an extent, he didn't expect her to be able to think clearly at certain situations like the one that happened earlier. He was beginning to see the merits of their queen, not that he was going to admit it to anyone.
"Hey" He called out to her. She raised her head at him and muttered "hmm?" she questioned. Then he offered his chained hand to her and motioned her to come closer to conserve the heat. At first, he didn't know if the queen would trust him enough to be near to him but was pleased when she immediately took his offer. He pulled her close to him; his free arm anchored to her shoulder protectively. He stiffened when their queen rested her head to his shoulder and snuggled closer finding a comfortable spot in her new position. The chains between them made a heavy sound and he heard their queen muttering in a soft sleepy voice."So warm. Thank you, Gwen."
His eyes grew tender as he watched her. Then turned to the trinket that was given to him. "Hey" he asked in a low voice. "What now?!" Was the teen's irritated reply. "Do you like animals? like cats or rabbits?" Their queen is visibly trying to fight sleep just to answer his question. "Hmm, I don't really care about orange rabbits…As for.. Cats.. I prefer lions to cats..Yeahh.. White ones..a white lions..strong..lions.."
As the young queen already drifted to sleep, she was no longer able to see the soft smile that grazed the lips of her companion as he eyed the figure of his sleeping queen. His eyes studied the sleeping figure under his wing. A white lion huh? He thought to himself. He mentally arranges a knitting plan for the white lion.
The cerulean eyed mazoku was not aware that he too had fallen into slumber alongside their queen with his head resting on top of hers. He was awoken by fingers of light that illuminated the night. As startled as he may be, he tried his best not to make big movements so as to not disturb their still sleeping queen. His face flushed a little as he looked at the young woman in front of him. He gathered that her sleeping form looked like a curled kitten.
He mentally smacked his head for falling asleep and not keeping watch the whole night. He will never tell anyone about this. When the time was right, he carefully nudged their queen awake. They had to travel to the capital in hopes to take the annoying chains off.
Normal POV
The sun was at its highest when the pair reached the capital. To Branwen, this trip can be considered as an achievement. She would not have lasted long on this journey if it happened months ago. It proved that she was slowly gaining stamina and endurance. She only noticed the chain's weight again upon entering the capital. She speculated that Gwen must have been carrying most of the weight for her and looked at him with thankfulness in her eyes. He can really be dependable despite his grumpy attitude. Noticing the looks the people are giving them because of the chains, they decided to skillfully cover it with white cloth so that they look like they have a bundle between them.
"Hey Gwen, doesn't it look like we're in a commercial for dishwashing detergent?" Branwen just said to break the silence that is forming between them again. Only to be greeted by a scoff "I've never washed a dish." Branwen's lips formed a thin line and her eyes rolled at that. She had forgotten that she is in fact with a former crowned prince.
As may be expected of the heart of the country, the scale of the city is different from the town on the border. The royal palace towered in the south and the traffic of the people was intense. However, the ratio of soldiers was high. The women, children and elderly were left tending the stores as most of the men were soldiers. All of them had the military cut, but it seemed that the colors were different depending on their unit – red, yellow and light brown.
After a few turns, they find themselves in front of a church. Despite being the middle of the afternoon, the church with the pointed roof was deathly quiet. The tall doors were closed and locked from the inside. Branwen saw the supposedly calm and collected Gwendal readying his long leg. With ease, she matched his movements and the two of them kicked the door in at the same time.
At that moment, the gazes of everyone inside focused on them. They all froze up like mannequins. Inside the church chapel, there were about a hundred people seated in attendance. On the other side of the straight course, a man and woman dressed in white and a priest stopped in their movements. He might be a pastor or a reverend.
Branwen and Gwendal were frozen in place at what they saw. The venue was packed and there was a wedding going on. All of the attendees were wide eyed in shock at the sudden interruption.
"G-Gwen.. They seem to be in the middle of a wedding.." Sweat trickled at the back of Branwen's neck.
"That's what it seems like. Should we leave?" Was her calm and collected companion's response.
Branwen tried to calm herself and nodded to her companion. They slowly tried to turn away.
The bride looked gentle in her pure white, sleeveless dress. The veil that covered her face hid her surprised look. The bridegroom was sporting an ikura sushi haircut just like their pursuers. Branwen observed as they stepped away.
But before they could completely leave the venue, they were stopped by the pastor telling them that it was perfect_ that they had come at the right time. He asked words of blessing from a loving pair that by chance came to the occasion while holding hands. He reached toward the two and a clerk ran around the benches to hand them a megaphone in place of a mic. Having been swept along with the mood of the ceremony, the guests' eyes are teary. And the loving pair being asked to give a speech is undoubtedly Branwen and Gwendal.
"You're passionate enough to be holding hands, right? Please give some advice to these young people since you have gotten married one step ahead of them!" The pastor said with beaming eyes.
"We're not married!" The eldest son and Branwen said in concert. The pastor exaggeratedly slumped his shoulders and the clerk with the megaphone put it right by the pair's mouth. He then asked them what their relationship was.
"This has been my younger brother's fiancé from the start." Gwendal said in a matter of fact way. At the tall and beautiful brother's answer. "Gwen! That was an accident too!" Branwen tried to correct the cerulean eyed mazoku. The place got noisy again for another reason.
"With his little brother's fiancé… that's all the more passionate." was the response they gained from the guests.
Branwen was becoming agitated at the turn of events. She tried to explain that the whole thing is a misunderstanding. The bride who was hanging her head slowly raised her face to them. She has a small, unexciting figure. For her, this good day is a once in a lifetime occasion.
Deciding that the special day shouldn't be ruined by some people who barged in like an unlucky accident, Branwen proceeded with her speech despite Gwendal tugging her beneath the cloth telling her to stop this instant. She told everyone the importance of fitting one another. That the husband and wife will always be two parts of a whole..
Someone voiced their agreement in Branwen's words. Branwen curiously sweeps the area to find the voice only to find that it was the bride. "That's right, isn't it? Once you're together, you absolutely can't be joined with another person. Gloves mean that, right?"
When Branwen agreed to the statement, the bride lifted her head and threw away her veil and bouquet. She has tanned skin that looks a bit like wheat and a boyishly short cut. She also has large, resolute eyes of a reddish brown color and eyelashes so long they make her bangs move. Lifting up the hem of her pure white dress, she barrels down the stairs. The groom and the pastor are so astonished, they don't move.
"I was wrong. Your words made me realize it. Thank you. I was going to marry someone that didn't fit with me."
The elbow that was poking Branwen suddenly fell in exhaustion. Gwendal gave a low groan of defeat and waved his hand to his face. His Queen…Just crashed and called off a wedding. The bride was now standing in front of them and she grabbed Branwen to run out the church. Because of the chains, Gwendal was also forced to follow.
Conrart's POV
Luckily his hair was short. Lord Conrart Weller thought from the depths of his soul, as he secretly observed his half-brother riding a shaky horse next to him. With each step, fine grains of sand trickled down Wolfram's blond hair which had become dull with dust. He suppressed a chuckle.
When they had escaped from the sand bear's lair through an air hole, they no longer knew whether they breathed in air or sand. Almost all had survived the quicksand adventure without a scratch. They owed this to Shinou's grace.
A soldier from Lord von Voltaire's squad came galloping up. Conrart recognized him as the second or third son of a merchant from the south coast. He was not exactly the type of warrior who would gain utmost honor, but he had enough talent to command a squad. Gwendal had taken him as his adjutant. Lord Weller tried to recall his name as he reported that he had already checked all the horses and of them had suffered burns from the sand bear's saliva but they were all minor injuries. He also reported that they now have two extra horses.
"Two more horses?" Conrart wondered aloud.
The adjutant scratched his recently grown mustache awkwardly. Boyd, thought Conrart. His name was Boyd. He was the second son of the wealthy merchant family Boyd. Boyd explained that they must have joined their horses when he defeated the beast.
Conrart Weller instructed them to make use of the new horses. " Let the bear a part of our loads. Move some baggage from the tired horses to the new ones."
"Yes, Sir! And there is one more thing..."
"I'm listening..."
"We have a deserter in our ranks."
Conrart frowned and involuntarily lowered his voice. His eyes eyed the adjutant sharply. "Be careful what you say. We are not at war. We won't treat anyone as a deserter. Let's just say the man has left the troop. And? Who is it?"
"It's Ryan from your unit. We tried to stop him, but he would not listen. He could only stammer incoherently. He had found his fellow sufferer, and he would one day see Your Excellency again in Hildyaard. Can you understand what that's all about?"
Ryan was known as a fanatical animal lover. He probably wanted to stay with the severely injured sand bear and tame him. He would be the first one ever to tame and train a sand bear. Conrart thought.
"Um ... No, but that's okay. There is no need to search for him. I regret that you had to give such an unpleasant report, Boyd. Send two men to the vanguard of the troop. You are now responsible for the security of the expedition." he instructed as they ended their conversation. Boyd left after a salute and carried out the orders given to him.
After the soldier had ridden on to carry out the order, Conrart turned to his neighbor. The youngest brother stared frowning at the tried to coax his younger brother not to be so depressed. Only to earn a despised and angry look.
"Why can't I?" Wolfram said to him.
"Spit out the sand in your mouth first." sweat drops on Conrart's forehead at his brother's current state.
"Shut up! You don't understand! Branwen is traveling with my brother ... With my brother! " Wolfram can no longer contain his fury.
"Yeah, and? What is the problem? Are you jealous? Since you're officially her fiancé, you should probably trust her a little more." He tried to reason with the younger man.
"You know yourself how smitten Gwendal is with everything cute! And Branwen is a damn flirty woman. She is not even aware of it herself! She's kind to everyone! " Conrart smiled at his brother's words. Those are the very qualities that endeared Yuuri, their queen to everyone she meets. Minus the flirty part.
"And what do you think would..." Conrart meant to ask how intimate those two could be for Wolfram to consider it a breach of fidelity, but he changed his mind and hastily broke off his question with a cough.
"All that trouble is because of you! I would have come out of the trap on my own. There was no need at all for you to follow me! Do you really have so little faith in my sword?" Wolfram glared at him accusingly.
"What nonsense," Conrart tried to pacify the fuming blond and, thanks to a century of life experience, found his refreshing smile again. Yuuri said that she doesn't want me to be someone who abandons his brother. He also knew to himself that if something were to happen to his little brother under his watch, he would not be able to bear it for the life of him. "I know you're an excellent swordsman. I was only thinking about my first encounter with a sand bear. I got into trouble because I did not know his weaknesses. I wanted to show you what it takes. But… would you really feel better if I had gone with the other two?"
Wolfram furrowed his brow to think.
"Just think…Yuuri.. Gwen.. and I, the three of us traveling together…" Conrart added slowly so that the words sank into the blond's head.
"Right. I'd like it even less!"
Conrart was successful at pacifying the blond. He just knows how his trail of thoughts go. He smiled. His brother really cared for the Queen. With that they resumed their travel to the nearest town in hopes to rendezvous with Gwen and Yuuri.
Normal POV
Somewhere in Svelera capital, Branwen was getting frustrated at teaching the runaway bride and the stern general the game rock, paper, scissors. She came up with the idea to decide their next hiding spot. To her dismay, the two can't really understand the game no matter how many times she explains it. They kept coming up with their own rendition. Be it "But a crab has scissors in its claws that would never be able to cut paper," or "Paper would be likely to rip if you wrapped a stone in it,".
The very first hiding spot they went to is the market. It would have been perfect for them to blend in the crowd. But with Branwen and Gwendal's bundle, they were perceived to be customers and were bombarded by sales personnel. Branwen shuddered at their market encounter. They were approached by a woman hawking some suspicious looking purple fruit, and by a child who held up a brown frog with long legs. Both objects were purported to have a Viagra-like effect. She heaved a frustrated sigh at the memory.
Branwen and Gwendal had been taking turns at bantering at each other asking where they would hide next and for the other to decide. Gwendal spoke last saying that he didn't want to hear an ear full from Branwen when he decided so he just let her.
They were in the middle of arguing when the bride spoke up. "You two are so cute!" The bride's eyes twinkle with delight.
"What the heck is cute about this!" Gwendal and Branwen roared at the bride together, as if from one throat. Causing the bride to chuckle more.
They had been sitting at the front of a pickle store for some time, like gang members more than anything, when a short, bald man approached them. Since he didn't have a sushi haircut, he didn't seem to be a soldier or one of their pursuers. "Peepee?" he asked the group with a rough voice that would have stood him well at the auctions in the market halls at Tsukiji.
Branwen interpreted it as going to the toilet. Since she didn't have to go, She was about to decline, when Gwendal spoke up and said, "Yes, peepee." She was stunned as the bride also interjected in the conversation. "Me too, peepee." Both of them made a serious expression.
The man indicated for them to follow him with a wiggle of his pointer finger. Since Gwendal went on ahead with long strides, Branwen was dragged along. The girl gasped as she saw the chain that flashed out from under the cloth, but she ended up following as well. The man's bald head teetered back and forth as he hobbled on. He had a bad leg. They made turn after turn in the labyrinth of countless narrow alleyways.
After they'd passed a bunch of identical looking houses, the bald man knocked on a light brown door. A child's face peeked out from behind the door - he looked to be about six years old. "We've got guests," said the man. After the young boy had ushered their group in, he closed the door quickly and turned the key. Then he lowered the blinds on the windows, too. On an old but sturdy-looking table, there stood an empty vase.
The grandfather, who had a crotchety face, introduced himself as Sash and his grandson is Jilta , but Jilta looked extremely cute with his light brown, curly hair and blue eyes. The two looked absolutely nothing alike. Then he continued stating that one of the group is without a doubt a mazoku and wondered what a bride would want with an eloped couple.
The bride exclaimed that the two were indeed in love and had eloped. When Branwen heard this however, she indignantly said "NO!" and cursed. Not minding both the ladies' conversation, Gwendal eyed Shas and said to him quietly: "The blood of the demons also runs in your grandson,"
Shas nodded in response. He told the tale that during the civil war, his daughter fell in love with a demon who traveled as a messenger. The demon was respectable and decent and would have liked him as a son-in-law. But he died in one of his travels leaving his daughter to be sent to the labor camp where his grandson was born. Then another demon brought a newborn to him. Since then he had been helping demons in secret.
"I understand, that's why you said 'peepee'," Gwendal said to the old man.
"That's right! You two wanted to find a bathroom! Why haven't you gone, then? It's not healthy to hold back for so long!" Branwen interjected.
Gwendal shot her an ice cold glare. "'Peepee' is a slang term for brother." The realization dawned on Branwen. Language barrier. Another thing she needs to conquer in this world. She thought to herself.
The old man added that the other demon had been visiting them a few times in order to check on them. He even offered to take them to Jilta's father's homeland if he noticed that the boy is growing much more slowly than other children. In addition to that, he says that despite the mazoku's dignified speech, the guy is really a quick thinker and that he looked a little like Gwendal.
Branwen pulled at Gwendal by the chain. "Why were the demons involved if it was a civil war in this country?"
"Because of the decaying corpses," he growled in an extremely unfriendly voice, and then was silent.
"Could you be a little more explicit?" Branwen eyed Gwendal with an arched brow.
The bride took up the explanation. "You see, it happened like this: The messengers of the demon folk brought us the remains of the soldiers that had fallen at distant borders. When I was a child, I was told that these people were devils who robbed the dead bodies. But that was wrong. Now I know that the demons are good people." The bride smiled as she reached the end of her speech, and her smile looked to be completely honest.
For the second time, Branwen took a closer look at the girl. She had a deep tan from the sun, red-brown hair and lively eyes of the same color, that were full of feeling and expression. She gathered that in comparison to the female demons of the empire, she had a rather small snub nose, and large ears. She looked average through and through. "Thanks for the explanation, um... Ms. Bride," Branwen was not sure on what to call her.
"My name is Nicola. I'm not a bride any more," said the girl and smiled again. She had a sweet smile, and something in her reminded Branwen of a player at the shortstop position in softball.
"Nice to meet you Nicola! I'm Yuuri. You may call me Branwen. It's really nice to finally be with a woman after so long" Branwen eyed her male companion in a tired smile. Indeed. She had been traveling with just men. It's not that she disliked it but it's refreshing to be with other ladies sometime
"Nice to meet you too, Then, I'll call you Branwen! You make it sound as if you have been traveling with just men all the time." She held Yuuri's hand in silent understanding. Then Nicola tilted her head to the side and eyes twinkled. "Won't you introduce me to your sweetheart?" She eyed Branwen teasingly.
"That is not my sweetheart!" Branwen frustratingly pointed at Gwendal. Who is currently sitting quietly on a chair beside Branwen listening to the conversation with eyes closed. He nodded slightly in the teen's statement. You are my brother's fiance. He didn't know if he said it in agreement or to remind himself.
"But of course he is, you two have eloped together. Despite all the resistance from your friends and family, and -"
"Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?! I'm not interested in anything as such. Well not for the moment at least. Gwen, don't just remain silent, help me out here or we'll really be labeled as elopers." Oh God, had I lost it completely? My face began to burn, the veins at my temples filled with blood… Branwen thought to herself.
Gwendal pulled a yellowed paper from his shirt. "Near the border, we were mistaken for this couple here," he said. In front of them lay one of those silly drawings, the unbelievable masterwork of a kindergartner who'd been allowed to run wild with his crayons for the first time.
Nicola's smile transformed immediately into shock. "That's me!"
"Nonsense, that can't be you. Even if it were, then who is this other guy supposed to be?" Branwen for the life of her can't imagine how the strange drawing resembled the girl in front of her.
"That's Huber and I, one month ago." Nicola affirmed.
This name rang a bell. It was Gwen's cousin. It was explained at the castle that he was supposedly tasked with finding the mateki 20 or so years ago. Branwen thought to herself and eyed his companion worriedly. Gwendal slowly crossed his arms over his chest. It was accompanied by the sound of clanking metal, and her left arm was dragged upwards, too.
"Surely you don't mean Gegenhuber Griesela?" asked Gwendal.
Nicola nodded. "His hair and eye color is a little different, but at first glance you two do look alike, with your grumpy dispositions. But actually, Hube is a really dear man. Oh, my Huber..." sighed Nicola and turned her gaze down to the floor. Then her tears rolled down her knee. They'd fallen directly out of her eyes, without touching her cheek or chin. "I miss him so much," sobbed the girl.
Branwen tried to console her, she was somewhat confused. "If you'd eloped with Gegenhuber, then why did you want to marry that soldier back there?"
"I'm going to break the damn fool's neck!" rumbled Gwendal with a growl in his voice.
"Now, now, Gwen, stop scowling already. You are scaring Nicola." Branwen tried to pacify the anger of her companion. She sweat dropped at Gwendal's comment. She knew that the mazoku was somewhat serious. Knowing Gwendal, he must have had a reason to be angry at his blood relative. The reason however was still unknown to the double black.
Conrart's POV
Conrart and his companions noticed the faint shape of the city despite the sand storm that had recently raged over the sand dunes. Everyone felt relieved. Yuuri and Gwendal must have also stopped at this city to stock up water and to change horses. With some luck, they would be able to find both of them there. Everyone harbored the hope that they would soon see their Queen and their Chief Commander safe and sound again.
Conrart gathered his men in the lee of some rocks. He dismounted and prepared to explore the situation in the city himself. "Your Excellency, but you can send one of the men out as scout," protested Boyd.
"That's right," waved Conrart. "However I'm probably the best among us all to deal with the locals. For this purpose, it's best to blend in. It's time I take advantage of my appearance." Boyd's face looked slightly embarrassed as Conrart went on, "You all know I understand the human well. Moreover, I myself am half human."
"Weller!" The voice of the handsome Ex-Prince had returned to normal, a sweet tenor tone. Although he dressed like a police officer in a tropical climate, his outfits made him look like a boy scout. It would be no problem in the evening, but during the day, exposing that much skin under the scorching sun was suicidal.
"You have to let me know right away, if you should find Branwen and my brother," Wolfram said nervously.
"I promise." Conrart said in all seriousness.
Wolfram put both hands on his hip, puffed his chest up and said with a haughty voice: "And if you do not want to join in the search for the Magic Flute, that's not a problem. You can always turn back."
"Why do you say that?" A little bit of shock registered in Conrart's eyes at the remark of his brother.
"I know you don't want to face Gegenhuber. And if we find the Magic Flute, that guy must be nearby." Wolfram's tone towards his brother was still far from being respectful, but at least he seemed to care about Conrart's feelings. Compared to his behavior a few months ago, this was by all means a huge progress. "Besides, Branwen would pay more attention to me when you're not around." The blond tried to mask the fluster and the concern that he feels for his half brother.
"Yes, yes, I got that already." Conrart held up his left arm to protect his eyes from the sun and walked away.
Almost all the shops in the city, the rows of houses that wriggled like an eel through the dunes, were already closed. The entrance was guarded by many soldiers. They were distinguished from all others by a very strange hairstyle. Conrart remembered the strange people he had seen during his stay in London: The hairstyle of these soldiers was actually very similar to those Englishmen, who pierced holes everywhere on their bodies and were called punks. Conrart wondered briefly what would be the best way to approach these men.
"Damn it, if only the men of Suberera could share some of their strength with my companions," he spoke to them. The punk-heads grinned. Conrart was pleased with the result. "They are delicate like flowers. The sand storm is just too much for them. Are there any hotels in this city?" He continued as he knows that he has already gained their attention.
The soldiers explained that they don't have enough water and women but have plenty of liquor and beds. Conrart said that beds would be just fine since if they were to camp out that night he might wake up alone in the morning. "That must be the case, if you have only wimps around you." The soldiers laughed at his statement and looked mockingly at Conrart's party.
"Tell me about it. One more question though: Have you seen two strangers in the city? They have very different builds, one taller and one shorter. Do you happen to know where they stay for the night?" Conrart faked a frustrated sigh and proceeded to gather information.
"What, you know these two?" Excited, the soldier tapped his finger on a leaf of paper that his subordinate handed to him. "Surely you mean these two here. Yes, they were here. We almost arrested them, but they ran away hand in hand!"
Conrart looked skeptically at the hand-drawn pictures on the wanted poster. "They look quite different from this drawing..."
"You are looking for them? You got to be the one cuckolded, am I right, old boy? So it's your girlfriend or wife-to-be who ran away." The other one said.
"I can't quite follow you." Conrart questioned; his brow raised.
"No wonder. You don't look that bad at all, but this demon was really a first-class specimen. She's not so bad herself, a decent figure even under those cloaks. No wonder she can manage to wrap one guy after another around her finger. If there wasn't any bounty on them, I would have taken her for myself. Isn't that so guys?" said the leader.
"Yeah! That dignified way of how she brings herself. She's amazingly strong for a girl too. Makes me want to conquer her." the underling seconds their lead's words. Both of them lost in thought dreaming about the girl they had just met.
The conversation had taken a strange direction. Conrart was indeed looking for a man and a woman, but certainly not a couple. But the way they talk about the woman who might likely be Yuuri made his blood boil to no end. Before he could manage to speak, the leader said that the couple could not have gone far since they were chained together. And that they will be the ones to find them first because they would get a decent sum for capturing a pair of elopers.
Conrart could not believe his ears: A pair of elopers chained together! How on earth would he break this news to Wolfram? He could only wave his hand to his face in frustration and to calm his boiling blood at the words of the bounty hunters. He needed to remain calm to gather information and provisions.
SHAS'S HOUSE
Normal POV
Branwen, who is not used to the raging heat, was trying her best to stay still. Their group has taken refuge in the bald old man's house. Jilda, who noticed their discomfort came running holding a huge fan in his hand. He began fanning Branwen and the others to relieve them of heat.
"You do not need to bring me a fan," Branwen said to the boy who was trying his best to give them air.
Understanding that their queen is not used to the weather much less than being parched, Gwendal waved his hand mentioning for the boy to approach him and thrust a handful of banknotes to his hands. Telling him to buy drinks with and without alcohol and dinner for everyone. "Can you do that without losing it?" Gwendal challenged. The boy gave Gwendal a determined nod and went on his way.
Branwen watched the interaction and couldn't help but smile. "I didn't know you were good with kids Gwen." She commented to her companion and was given a light scowl as usual. It was probably because of the boy's puppy eyes that Gwendal suddenly became so unusually amiable. Since this scary blue-eyed man had a soft spot for anything cute, his heart must have softened. Branwen thought to herself.
Old man Shas utter words of displeased protest in the lines of not accepting charity from guests but was greeted by Gwendal's nonchalant reply that it was the same for their group. With that, the impending argument ended. Most probably since the old man gathered that he would not win against Gwendal's trail of thought.
Branwen asked if there were wells in the area in an attempt to diffuse the tension. To her dismay, Nicola stated that the wells in Svelera are all dried up. That there had been no rain for almost two years.
Nicola continued: "If only it would rain! Then even poor children and their parents would have enough water to drink. The crops would grow; the cows would produce milk... Huber was searching for an object that could make it happen. He has promised that he would help us."
"Did Gegenhuber really say that he would himself use this object to help the human?" Gwendal's voice had regained its usual threatening tone.
"Yes, he did," Nicola affirmed.
"I swear I'll break his neck!" Another vein appeared in Gwendal's forehead.
"Why do you say such awful things? What do you have against Huber? He was the one who showed me that demons are actually good-natured. Through him I learned that when you're in love, it doesn't matter if the other is human or demon. To save Huber, I was even willing to get married to this soldier whom I have no feeling for. They promised me that they would then release Huber." Nicola started crying again.
Gwendal looked grim, arms folded on his chest. Despite Nicolas' desperate tears, Gwendal's composure didn't change one bit. Branwen couldn't help but sigh. She also didn't know the answer to Nicola's question since everyone is shielding her from the 'bloody past'. She eyed Gwendal with an equal scowl "Stop saying some gruesome stuff Gwen." and tried to calm Nicola "Don't worry Nicola, I will not allow anyone to take anyone's life. Not even Geggenhuber's. It might not look like it but I do have a little bit more authority than this guy here." Then she added in a whisper "Plus even if he acts like that he can't resist cute things. He's gentler than he might look" Branwen winked and said with finality.
"Really?" sniffed Nicola. "Yes, really." Branwen assured the other lady.
"Stop that nonsense immediately!" Gwendal snorted another vein popping on his head for what Branwen revealed.
"He will not take my baby away?" Nicola looked at both of them for answers.
"Good heavens, no! Babies stay with their mothers!" Branwen who didn't quite get the question immediately answered without thinking.
"…" There was an eerie silence at that. Both Gwendal and Branwen froze on the spot. Branwen tried her best to continue the conversation and probed as to when the baby is due. Nicola said that the baby is due soon and that it is without a doubt Hube's child.
"This... this damned bastard!" The color on Gwendal's face kept changing. First, it became pale, then dark red. Any moment now, the veins on his temples would be swelling and throbbing.
"Stay calm, Gwen! Take it easy" Even Branwen is not thrilled by the news. For one she knows that this Hube has a long history with Shin Makoku and he's currently nowhere to be found.
"Shut up," he snapped. "I'm as cool as a cucumber! It does not concern me at all if this girl brings Huber's brat into this world or if the bastard himself kicked the bucket!" He greeted his teeth as he pointed to Nicola; Branwen grabbed his arm. They looked like the couple in the bronze statue "The Golden Demon".
Nicola stared at Gwendal, her mouth half opened in horror. The fingers she pressed against her lips trembled slightly. "Gwen, you can't frighten her like that! It is not good for the baby!" Branwen shouted in panic. "How are we supposed to take care of her? I have no experience with such things. What do we do now?" She looked at Gwendal with questioning eyes.
"How should I know?" Gwendal roared. He was steadily losing his patience and stood upright toppling his chair in the process.
"You surely have one or two secret children with your mistresses, don't you, Gwen? Having love affairs is hardly avoidable. Besides, you have two younger brothers. You must have probably been there when they were born." Branwen probed.
"No," said Gwendal flatly. When Conrart was born, his feud with Danhiri Weller prevented him from being close with his brother. When Wolfram was born, the kid never left Conrart's side and he was already away at the military academy.
"What, no? But you're still an older brother," Branwen replied.
"Everything is just fine. Stop making a fuss there," our host suddenly said. Branwen turned her attention to Shas as Gwendal righted his fallen chair, Shas looked thoughtfully at Nicola with a warm smile. Shas saw his daughter in Nicola, his dark face visibly brightened.
"How have you ever got into such a complicated situation?"Shas asked Nicola.
Gwendal had finally decided to sit down again, but his fingers fidgeted on his knees as if he was operating a joystick. He always did that when he was irritated.
The party listened to Nicola's tale. She said that her parents died in a civil war and were left in an orphanage near Zorasia. She was supposed to be married at 16 to a family chosen by the church. However, about half a year ago, there came a terrible sandstorm that raged through the area. That was the time that Huber came to her village and since he was the mazoku that returned the remains of her father to her, their souls found each other quickly.
"Not to mention your body," Branwen heard Gwendal mutter through grinding teeth next to her. Branwen rolled her eyes at him clearly displeased by the sudden comment.
"A dark past weighed on poor Hube. Great pain in his soul had left its mark on him. He was afraid to love, but together we have overcome that fear." Nicola continued.
"Did he tell you?" asked Gwendal. Nicola was stunned by the sudden question and asked him what he meant. "Did Gegenhuber tell you what he had done in his past?" He probed. Nicola frowned and slightly shook her head. "No, Huber didn't say anything."
Gwendal let out another growl. "Geeez! Gwen calm down already!" Branwen tried to soothe the bad-tempered man. "I have an idea. Whenever you get angry, you should caress something soft and fluffy to calm yourself down." Gwendal grabbed Branwen's head between his huge hands and squeezed.
"Arrrgggghhh!" She shouted. "Not me! I'm not fluffy!" A tear escaped her eye. But Gwendal did not stop. She sighed. Ohh well.
Nicola went on, Huber told her that he was looking for a precious treasure and that he already found a part of it and had hidden it in a safe place. The other missing half was rumored to be in her village. He also said that the treasure is a wonderful instrument and that when the right person plays it, it would summon rain. And that was the reason why she stole the excavation site's key from the church and there they found the other piece.
Could this instrument really be the famous Magic Flute Gegenhuber had been searching for? Branwen thought to herself.
"What does it look like?" asked Gwendal. He's quite interested in what the girl was saying and stopped squeezing Branwen's head. But his hand stayed still on her head.
"It's a dark brown pipe. And I think it has affected the place somehow. Since we removed it, there are no more exorcist-stone in that excavation site. Not the smallest speck, nothing. You could dig as much as you want, you wouldn't find anything. People from the village did not know that we were the cause; still we had no choice but to run away. Otherwise we would surely have been arrested, sooner or later." Big tears were rolling down again from Nicolas' large and lively eyes.
"They discovered we were an eloping couple and they distributed the arrest warrant for us all over the country. Huber wanted to take me to his homeland. He said that his Queen was very tolerant of love affairs between humans and demons. There we could be together as a couple openly in front of everyone. In my dreams, that place was paradise." She continued.
Well, I thought. Was it really? Was the empire of the demons really paradise? It still did not deserve this name, but had I helped to make it better? You need to know, Nicola, now I am the queen of your dream land. At least I try to make it a better place… Suddenly, I wish someone would pat my back encouragingly. I wish someone would tell me that everything would be fine. I longed for the crazy praise of Conrart and Gunter - even if they were mostly thin air. What I have now is a hand resting on my head most probably out of anger. Branwen thought in her head.
Nicolas' fine and clear voice brought Branwen back to herself. "We wanted to bypass the capital and make our stop at another city. There too, the wells had dried up. When I saw that even the children had to suffer from the thirst, I could no longer contain myself. At a hostel, while Huber was not there, I brought this tube out, examined it, rubbed it, and tapped on it. At last, I tried to play it. But nothing happened, the rain didn't come. And unfortunately, the village elder caught me right then. He said that would be the Magic Flute of the Demon King! And since it was in my possession, I must therefore be the Demon Queen herself! "
Then Branwen summarized everything. She stated that they tried to escape but was caught right after and that she was almost executed but was offered a deal to be married to the son of a prominent family in order to live. Causing Nicola to be bewildered at how the other lady knew.
Branwen can't contain her surprise. Her double is actually Nicola. They set out on the journey to free her double but was already actually free herself.
"But we don't look one bit alike, do we? Gwen, could you see any resemblance?" Branwen peeked at Gwendal.
"No," he said curtly after taking a quick sharp look at both of them.
"Hair and eye color are somewhat similar," Shas said cautiously.
But only a little! The people from Suveria were confused because they had no idea how the 27th Demon Queen Yuuri Shibuya really looked like. And because Nicola had the Magic Flute. Nicola was also astonished that Branwen was mistaken for her. And Branwen immediately stated that she and Gwen were mistaken for Nicola and Gegenhuber.
"What happened to the pipe?" Gwendal interrupted.
"Don't you want to know what happened to your cousin?" Branwen asked him in return.
Nicola was over the moon at the revelation that she was now standing before her lover's cousin. She immediately stood and offered a curt bow. "You look similar to each other but it never occurred to me that you are related by blood. My name is Nicola. I have allowed myself to enter a serious relationship with Huber. My gosh Branwen could it be that you are also a relative of Huber? If you are Gwendal's treasure, then.." She added.
"I'm not his treasure!" Branwen scowled.
"What happened to Gegenhuber and the pipe?" Gwendal impatiently interrupted again. With that Nicola lamented that Huber should have been released already but was not able to see him. As for the pipe, she put a hand through her neckline and pulled something out.
"It's here," she said and offered it in front of Gwendal.
The dark brown tube was a little thicker than a thumb. On the front there were three holes, and on the back, one hole. It was at most four inches long. Gwendal. After he examined it carefully, he put it in Branwen's chained left hand.
"What do I do with it?" Branwen looked at him with questioning eyes.
"It's yours, It was made just for you. It only listens to your commands. Remember Morgif?" said Gwendal.
Morgif was the legendary sword that only the Demon Queen could handle. It had a weird face, from which it had spat a yellow liquid all around. It could moan pitifully and it had bit my finger before. The experience was very unpleasant. But this… Branwen's eyes glittered with excitement. It's the flute. She wanted to play it! She examined it carefully but there was something missing.
"Gwen, I can't play this. Well not yet at least. The head joint is missing. Every recorder has three parts; the head joint which is where you input air from your mouth, the middle joint which is where the tone holes are and the foot joint which enhances the sound's resonance as it escapes the end of the recorder." She explained to the expectant eyes while she pointed to the parts and stated the missing one.