Wolfram woke up before dawn with a slight start as the hand that held his squeezed hard, smashing his bones together in a painful grip. He glared halfheartedly at the sleeping form of his king for disturbing him and pulled his hand from the sweaty grasp, shaking the discomfort from his joints.

Yuri slept on fitfully as he grasped the sheets with his now empty hand, his lips uttering indiscernible words.

A nightmare.

Wolfram sighed and thought for a moment he should wake him, but decided against it. Not yet anyway. He threw his legs over the side of the large bed and got up, stretching the sleep from his body as he yawned. He needed to be out of the king's room before too many people were out and about. The fact that he would have to walk around in formal dress until he got back to his room to change would certainly make for more talk. He'd wake Yuri when he was dressed and ready to go so that he kept his promise but was not delayed.

As he tied the sides of his small black under garments, the door to the room opened. Turning to grab his sword, Wolfram's green eyes blazed with more than just embarrassment. He grabbed the hilt and had the blade pointed in the direction of the intruder when the breath he'd held suddenly left him and he felt himself growing warmer.

"Conrad, how dare you enter here without knocking."

His older brother smiled faintly, closing the door behind him. "It might have woken Yuri. Please keep your voice down."

Wolfram sheathed his blade and leaned it back against the wardrobe. "I take it you came here to speak to me then. Or do you make a habit of watching Yuri sleep now?"

Conrad shook his head and crossed quietly over to him. "No, I came for you. His majesty has enough people watching him during the day, I let him have his nights." He took from inside his shirt a change of clothes and extended them to his brother. "Wear these. I'll see to it the others are taken care of."

Wolfram looked at the clothing in mild surprise. He accepted them and began changing, not one to stand around in a state of undress no matter who the audience was. "Yuri made it sound as though you were angry at us."

"Whether I am or not, I have a responsibility to you both. As you have gotten yourself in here without being seen well enough, it comes to me to get you out without any undo attention."

"I can manage well enough on my own."

Conrad sighed. "You're not showing that to be very true."

Wolfram buckled the brown leather around his waist with a furrowed brow. The last thing he was in the mood for was a lecture from his perfect younger older brother. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Is that why you've been avoiding me?"

"No." The blonde grimaced. He sat on the end of the bed and began to pull on his boots.

"Then what is the reason?"

Wolfram looked up at Conrad with an almost sour expression. "With you, Yuri comes first. As it should be. So forget it. I don't need you like that wimp does."

"You've got him very confused, Wolfram. Your advanced aren't making it any easier for him to sort himself out. And it's not making it any easier on you either." Conrad's hand rested on his brother's shoulder. For a moment, Wolfram felt the desire to shake him off. It was nice though, even if it was perhaps more pity than concern. "Why not try something different? The say absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"It also goes 'out of sight, out of mind.'"

"You know that's not how it works."

Wolfram turned his face away from him, looking instead at the sword he needed to attach to its bindings. No, it certainly hadn't worked for him. Every night away from Yuri and Blood Pledge Castle had just made him home- and heartsick. "You told me he cared for me. That if he could have stayed here, he'd have married me."

"I'm sorry. I had thought those were his intentions. I didn't speak them solely to comfort you at his loss."

Wolfram stood and fastened his sword in place. "Maybe not."

"Sometimes friendship can be stronger than love, Wolfram," Conrad spoke.

Wolfram glared at him. "Then I hope the two of you will be very happy." He walked to the head of the bed and shook Yuri gently. It was time for him to leave.

Yuri blinked at him, the sweat on his brow trailing down the sides of his face. "Wolfram?"

"I should be heading out."

Yuri sat up and looked for a clock but found Conrad instead. "Conrad?"

The older man smiled a little at him. "It's not yet sunrise. You don't have to get up yet. You look rather feverish--I'm sure you could use the rest."

Yuri shook his head and looked back to Wolfram. "You said you'd stay till morning."

"It's morning enough."

Yuri shook his head again and grabbed Wolfram's arm. "We're not done talking. And I know there's no big hurry."

Wolfram opened his mouth to protest but his brother's voice intervened.

"Wolfram can stay till breakfast is over. Gwendel has special orders for him that require he wait until the rest of his team arrives at the castle."

This was the first Wolfram had heard of this. "When was that decided?"

"That's the other reason I came so early. I knew you'd try sneaking out again and needed to be sure you were here to be briefed."

Wolfram glared at him. This smelled of conspiracy.

Yuri seemed pleased though and relaxed back into his pillow. "That's good. There's still time then."

Conrad nodded and came to stand beside his brother. "We shall see you then, Yuri. I should escort Wolfram to less conspicuous parts of the grounds."

Their king nodded. "You're not still mad at me, are you, Conrad?"

The soldier shook his head. "I do not put the blame solely on you for this situation. I am sorry if my words caused you distress."

Yuri's smile broadened and he closed his eyes. Wolfram both hated and loved that Yuri seemed happier than he had been the night before. "I'm glad," the king said, as he slowly drifted back to sleep.

Wolfram looked at him for a moment; to be sure he was asleep, then leaned forward and kissed his brow. Conrad said nothing, simply stood and waited for him to join him at the large doors to the room.

They walked to the courtyard, where they watched the sun explode over the tops of the castle walls, neither one saying a word. It would still be hours till most of the inhabitants were awake aside from the servants. Wolfram contemplated what mission his brother had decided for him and prayed that it was something more interesting than his initial assignment. It made the anticipation of the morning linger all the more.

Before their morning meal, Wolfram met up with his daughter and mother, ditching Conrad with Gwendel after being told he'd have to wait to be informed of his new job till later. It was infuriating to be kept in the dark but with his daughter sitting beside him, telling him about all the fun she'd had recently with her friend Beatrice, it was easy to forget. His mother, of course, still had plenty of tales of love and lust from her travels to tell, most of which earned her a grimace and landed Wolfram's palms over Greta's ears.

By the time breakfast was served, Wolfram had almost forgotten all his trouble. He walked into the room holding Greta's hand, letting her run to her seat once she smelled the delicious scents of fresh fruit and baked confections.

He expected plenty of their foreign guests to be in attendance for the meal, but what he did not expect was for a woman to be sitting in his seat to the right hand side of the king.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my seat?"

The Lady smiled at him and stood, dipping down in a curtsey to him. "Sir Von Bielefeld, it's an honor to meet you. I am Lady Emily. I'm here at his majesty's request."

Whatever appetite Wolfram had thought he had had vanished and was replaced with repulsion. He wanted to throw down her knife and fork and for her to accept. He wanted to grab her by the bow on her blouse and escort her to the stables where she could roll around in the dirt and act like the beast she was. He wanted her to disappear forever and never insult him again with her presence. "Oh," however, was the only response he could muster.

"I hope you don't mind. I know a lot has changed since you left. It's customary however for a prospective bride to sit beside her king. I'm sure there's plenty of room for you on the other end of the table."

"Mm." Wolfram glanced back to where his mother sat. "Just so you know, I will kill you if you hurt Yuri."

The woman smiled cheerfully at him, though her eyes looked much darker. "Believe me, I will do the same if you make him cry anymore."

Wolfram nodded slowly and stepped away, feeling his insides chip away with every step. She was right though, it was no longer his place beside Yuri, as much as it pained him to see that it was now someone else's, even if only for the present.

Yuri was the last to join them, which was his prerogative. He still seemed sleepy, his face made even paler by its contrast to his dark hair and eyes. Wolfram watched the woman cater to him as she recognized his weakness, how she took it upon herself to cut his food as he sat back in his chair looking blearily out at his guests, obviously embarrassed by the attention, though he made no move to ask her to stop. The look he gave Wolfram was sad and curious, as though he thought it was of his own desire that he sat so far away from him. Wolfram would have loved to have stood and proclaimed that the only reason he sat apart from him was the creature he'd chosen to invite but for once, he kept such an outburst to himself. Instead he just watched as Yuri smiled and chatted with the Lady as she wiped milk from his upper lip and inquired about his health.

"Don't they look lovely together?"

Wolfram looked at his mother in shock. "Must you say things like that in front of me?"

"I'm sorry, Wolf," Cecilie said with a small pout. "You have to admit though, she's very kind to him. Isn't that what you would want your replacement to be like? Someone who is good for his majesty, Yuri?"

Wolfram cringed and looked to the head of the table. "She pampers him. It makes him appear weaker than he already is."

"But he's smiling."

He poked at his food and pushed it away. "I don't care. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Hey, kiddo! Sorry I missed the party."

Everyone turned their attention to the late arrival as he marched into the room with a carefree air about him. His orange hair seemed to glow in the morning sun while his drag clothing clashed with the ornate decorations still hung in the room.

"Yozak!" Yuri's cheerful voice carried across the room. "It's been too long! Where have you been?"

Yozak shrugged, throwing up his muscular arms. "Here and there. I can't stay, though." He plucked an apple from the table and took a bite from it. "I just came by to pick something up and wish you a happy late birthday."

"What do you need?"

Yozak's free hand came to rest firmly on Wolfram's shoulder, jostling him in his seat. "Him."

Wolfram blinked then glared at his brothers, both of whom neglected to meet his stare.

"Come on, no time to waste." The older man swiftly pulled Wolfram's chair back and pulled him from his seat. "Sorry to run, your majesty, but it's rather urgent we go."

Yuri got out of his chair as well and crossed over to them quickly. "You have to go right this instant?"

Wolfram looked back at his king, understanding the unspoken words that hung between them. He couldn't say he was sorry to let this drag on, though. In that, he still had some hope. "Sorry, Yuri. We'll have to talk later. I have to go."

"Come back safely." Yuri looked up at their orange haired friend with a forced smile. "You too, Yozak."

Yozak nodded and pulled Wolfram from the room, closing the doors behind them. There was a very final sound to its echo and an almost foreboding feeling in the weight it carried. They hurried down the halls towards the courtyard to make their expedited departure.

"Sorry about that. I tried to get here sooner but I suppose I managed to arrive before the carnage began," Yozak said as soon as they were outside earshot. "That's all that counts."

"You what?" Wolfram walked beside him, looking up at his face as they spoke. "You mean that was all staged?"

"Conrad thought it might be best to give you an excuse to leave, what with her Ladyship there and all."

"He knew? You mean all this stuff about me having a new assignment was a lie?"

Yozak smirked. "Not at all. We're leaving right now for one of the border kingdoms within human territory."

Wolfram gawked. "Human territory? I'm a full blooded mazoku. I'm too weak in those parts to be of much use. You're better off taking another half blood."

"Don't worry. I've taken it all into consideration when choosing your disguise."

"My disguise?" Wolfram froze. "What do you mean my disguise? What exactly are we doing?"

Yozak's smile grew and he winked in the younger soldier's direction. "Just a little subterfuge."

Wolfram paused, watching as Yozak walked on in front of him. He had a very, very bad feeling about this.