Yuuri knew better than to believe the act for a minute. The Great Sage was not happy and he was going to make sure Yuuri knew it.
"I'm not neglecting my responsibilities as Maou if that's what you're suggesting." Yuuri was exhausted and frustrated and so many other things he couldn't even name them all. And none of them would fix the real problem.
"You think sending subordinates to do your job is not neglecting your responsibilities?"
"I know it's not," Yuuri responded tersely. "It's not expected or reasonable for the Maou to directly intervene in every conflict. I'm here tending to my duties, just as I should be."
Murata studied Yuuri before offering a smile. "Quite a change from your usual insistence on being in the middle of things."
"I am in the middle of things, Murata." Yuuri slumped into a seat behind the desk where towering piles of paperwork awaited his signature. "Everything but the most important one."
"I talked to Wolfram this morning." Murata pushed off from the doorway and crossed the room, motioning for Yuuri to stay seated. The Maou had leapt to his feet at the mention of his fiance. "He wants to return to his family home, but Gisela doesn't want him to travel just yet."
"His legs?" All the hope Yuuri possessed was put into that one question. It pained Murata to disappoint.
"Not much better. But..." Murata dropped into a chair across from Yuuri as if he were suddenly weary. "Gisela tells me that he's not cooperating. He just lies in bed all day, refusing to do any of the exercises. She's afraid that if he doesn't start making an effort soon, whatever chance he has of regaining mobility will be lost."
"He refuses to even see me." Yuuri looked and sounded as if he were seconds away from tears. "How can I help him?"
"You are the Maou, aren't you? And you're his fiance. It doesn't matter how loyal his guards are to Wolfram, they are still under your command."
"So I bully my way in. Wolfram will love that."
"Only as a last resort. Have you considered asking them nicely first?"
Yuuri rolled his eyes. Sometimes Murata drove him crazy.
But... Yuuri stood up, determined to see Wolfram immediately.
xxxxx
"Go away!" Wolfram threw a pillow for emphasis, then shifted sideways, turning his face away from the doorway and Yuuri.
"I wanted to see you." Yuuri spoke softly, almost as if trying to calm a wild animal. He crossed the room at a moderate pace, taking in the vision of his fiance. He was not pleased by what he saw.
"Aren't you eating?" Yuuri noticed the untouched breakfast tray on the nightstand and the pallor of his lover's skin. As thin as he was normally, Wolfram seemed to have lost weight, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
Yuuri perched cautiously on the side of the bed, resting a hand on top of Wolfram's. He was surprised that Wolfram didn't pull away.
"Why did you come here?" Wolfram asked, voice breaking. "I don't want you to see... this."
"There's nothing wrong with what I'm seeing. Nothing that some food and rest wouldn't fix anyway. Besides" Yuuri shifted more onto the bed so he could lay down beside Wolfram and take the Mazoku into his arms. "I've been worried about you."
Wolfram resisted Yuuri's embrace at first, then slowly
relaxed into the familiar warmth. It felt so good that
he started to drift off to sleep. He didn't feel
Yuuri's gentle kiss, or the tears that dropped onto
his cheek.
xxxxx
"You have to tell him," Conrad repeated, his voice rising with anger. "He is the Maou. We can not treat him like a child."
"You know what happened, Conrad. Heika almost killed this man. If he finds out the criminal escaped" Gunter's eyes darkened and he was no longer the Maou's fawning advisor; he was a soldier and he knew how to kill. If the weapons merchant who had tortured Wolfram were in the room now, he would quickly become a corpse.
"A known criminal is free. This man has already caused harm to the Maou's fiance. He will not be given another chance to harm our king." Gunter placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I will lead the search personally. You may tell Heika after I have gone" Gunter turned and left the room, back straight and footsteps silent.
Conrad waited until Gunter was out of sight before
reaching for the parchment that carried such ill
tidings. Conrad could be ruthless, but even he feared
Gunter when he was like this.
xxxxx
Yuuri leaned against the windowsill and stared out into the garden. Wolfram was asleep but Yuuri's thoughts were too chaotic to let him relax.
He heard Wolfram mumble something that might have been 'wimp' and smiled. He had missed that, oddly enough.
At least Wolfram hadn't kicked him out of the room yet. Yuuri didn't care that Wolfram's bed was smaller than the one they usually shared. It didn't matter that his lover still barely talked to him. He was able to see him, to touch him. Yuuri needed that right now.
He could still picture Conrad's face when he brought the news. It was almost as if Conrad was afraid Yuuri would break. Or maybe he was afraid Yuuri would want to go off and hunt the criminal down. Yuuri certainly had more than one murderous thought about it. But...
Conrad had seen what Yuuri had done to the man who had hurt Wolfram, he knew how close Yuuri had come to committing murder. Conrad had reason to worry.
Yuuri turned towards the bed, taking in the sight of his bed-ridden lover. Wolfram was eating and sleeping again, at least, but he still refused to get out of bed. Gisela had been clear that the longer Wolfram stayed in bed, the lower his chances for recovery.
Yuuri couldn't imagine never riding horseback with Wolfram again, never playing baseball with him, never taking walks through the garden, or town or even traveling on a ship with him - despite Wolfram's weak stomach. They might not be officially engaged at the moment, but they were still lovers, and Yuuri wasn't going to give up. And he wasn't going to let fear of that criminal, or of his own rage interfere.
He'd talk to Conrad in the morning, tell him to send word to Gunter and the other search parties that the criminal was to be captured alive and brought in for judgment. Yuuri had made a mistake before, by letting his emotions get the better of him, but he would prove to everyone, including himself, that he was worthy of the title of Maou.
Resolved, Yuuri slid into bed beside Wolfram. He
started the healing spell just as he did every night
since returning to Wolfram's bed. He didn't know what
good it would do, but he continued anyway, spending
time each night reassembling the shards of leg bone
and willing them back together. Exhausted, he finally
fell asleep, Wolfram pressed against his side.
xxxxx
"I said no." Wolfram had his arms crossed against his chest. With his hair sleep-rumpled and his nightgown sliding off one shoulder he looked about eight. Yuuri bit his lip to keep from laughing at the sight - it certainly wouldn't improve Wolfram's mood.
"It's just to the garden. You promised to help me identify more flowers."
"Get a book," Wolfram grumped, throwing himself back onto his pillow.
Yuuri started to argue, then changed his mind. He threw himself onto the bed and rolled his upper body so that he was pinning Wolfram down. Ignoring the hands that tried to push him away, Yuuri pressed his lips hard against Wolfram's. Yuuri let his tongue dance across Wolfram's lips, tickling and teasing until those lips yielded. The hands that were pushing Yuuri away started pulling him closer, the slim body pressing up against Yuuri's.
Hands fell into familiar patterns as they explored. It had been so long it was like rediscovering something almost lost. Wolfram's ribs and shoulder were healed, but Yuuri was as mindful of them as of Wolfram's legs.
It was a little awkward but their bodies knew what was
needed better than their brains and they were both
sated and content when they drifted off to sleep.
xxxxx
"Wolfram!" Conrad's face lit up with joy when he saw his brother riding down the hall in his wheelchair. "It's good to see you out of your room."
"Isn't it great?" Yuuri enthused. "We're headed for a bath. Gisela took the casts off this morning and she's going to fit the braces after lunch. If everything goes well, we'll be out in the garden later."
Wolfram made a grumpy sound. "Don't talk over me like I'm not here."
"Conrad..." Yuuri smiled a little sheepishly. "Gisela said that it would be okay for Wolfram to ride his horse later this week, after he gets used to the braces, but I'm not that great on a horse..."
"Would you like me to go riding with you?"
"Would you? I wanted to take Wolfram to the baseball field and show him the changes we made. We could use the cart but..." Yuuri shrugged while Wolfram made a disgusted noise.
"Just let me know when you want to go. We could take a picnic."
"Thanks Conrad!" Yuuri said happily while Wolfram continued to grumble about people running his life. Yuuri happily ignored him as they proceeded to the bath.
Conrad watched them go, shaking his head and smiling.
xxxxx
"I didn't want to say anything until I was sure, but..." Gisela looked up at Wolfram with the hint of tears in her eyes. "This leg has completely healed and the other..." She wiped away the tears quickly and looked a little embarrassed. "This is far better than I ever expected, Wolfram. Your right leg will be weaker than the left, and you should probably wear the brace when walking for extended periods, but I don't see any reason that you can't be fully mobile again as long as you take reasonable precautions." She gave Wolfram a look that indicated how serious she was.
"You've been very, very lucky this time. Don't take chances. And don't forget that the Maou has many soldiers, but only one fiancé."
Wolfram snorted. He'd had quite enough advice. Even Gwendal had stopped in to lecture him. He did thank Gisela before she left, but there was still a frown on his face.
"She's not asking you to give up being a soldier, you know." Yuuri smiled faintly, approaching Wolfram with caution. "No one is asking you to give up everything you know." There was a hint of sadness in Yuuri's voice that got Wolfram's attention.
"No. Not like we expected of you." They'd had a few conversations about Yuuri's other world, but Wolfram had never liked thinking about Yuuri having a life that Wolfram couldn't be part of. Now he wondered how hard it was for Yuuri always being divided between his old world and this new one.
"I was thinking..." Yuuri changed the subject with a smile. "As Maou, I'm still pretty bad at protocol. All those ceremonies..." Yuuri shuddered remembering one particular mistake that had had the entire staff wearing fishtail hats and dancing in a conga line.
"Gwendal did forgive you for the hat. Eventually" Wolfram laughed at the memory of his oldest brother dancing. "You are pretty hopeless, though."
"You do know that the Maou's consort can take over most of those duties. Gunter told me they don't even have to be married - just engaged. Of course, I don't have a fiancé at the moment..."
"Come over here and you will have," Wolfram promised - or threatened. "No one else could keep a cheater like you in line."
"Really?" Yuuri crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Come prove it."
Wolfram stood, wavering a moment, then walked carefully forward without braces or crutches. He raised his hand, then lowered it again. Using Yuuri for balance, Wolfram knelt and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a velvet pouch and held it up awkwardly, color tinting his cheeks pink. "Here. Conrad told me this is how they propose in that other world. So you're my fiancé again, right?"
Yuuri opened the pouch and took out the two plain gold bands. He knelt down facing Wolfram and handed him one of the rings. "You have to put it on my finger." He held out his hand for Wolfram to place the ring. "The second one is for you?"
"So everyone will know you're mine." Wolfram held out his hand and smiled as Yuuri slid the ring into place. They exchanged a kiss and Yuuri helped Wolfram to his feet, keeping an arm around him as they moved back to the bed.
"Aren't we going to tell someone?" Wolfram asked.
"Later," Yuuri assured him before leaning in for
another kiss.
xxxxx
Gunter dragged the man into the throne room, heedless of the heavy shackles that hindered the criminal's movements. He jerked the man to a halt well away from the throne, and Yuuri, and pressed him down to his knees.
"I, Gunter, advisor to the great Maou, bring before you the human criminal, Ivor Jorgenson. He has been charged with the murder of two Bielefeld soldiers and with the kidnapping and torture of Wolfram von Bielefeld. He has been convicted of these crimes along with the crime of dealing illegal weapons and inciting unrest. He was sentenced to life-imprisonment in the Elrania mines. He escaped and entered Mazoku territory with criminal intent. He awaits judgment from the great Maou."
Yuuri studied the man before him, acutely aware of Wolfram at his side and Conrad behind him in the shadows. Wolfram was struggling to remain impassive in the face of the man who tortured him.
Taking a deep breath, Yuuri stood, moving several steps closer to the criminal, yet still maintaining a safe distance. The man was looking, no, glaring up at Yuuri with an expression of contempt. There was no sign of contrition.
"Ivor Jorgenson, given the gravity of your crimes and the clear evidence that you have no regret or remorse for those crimes, I have no choice but to sentence you. Because greed was the motivation for your actions, your punishment is this: You will be taken out to sea, three days from any coast. There you will be given a rowboat with no oars, and a choice of either a knapsack full of food and water or a knapsack full of gold. If you choose wisely and survive to return to shore, you will be forever banned from Mazoku territory. If you violate that ban, you will be killed. There will be no appeal for this sentence."
Yuuri took the signed, sealed copy of his judgment from Wolfram and held it up. "The criminal is dismissed. Judgment is to be carried out immediately."
Yuuri took Wolfram's hand, lending him strength and support as they watched four of Conrad's soldiers take the criminal away. Gunter approached and took the document.
"Heika..."
"I'm made my decision," Yuuri said firmly, stopping whatever Gunter might have said. He appreciated Gunter and the others for all of their help, especially when he first became the Maou, but Yuuri had learned from them and his own experience. This time especially, he had to be strong - for his sake as well a Wolfram's. He could not rely on his advisors forever.
Gunter closed his mouth on whatever he'd intended to say. He nodded, smiling faintly and looking every bit the proud parent.
"As you wish, Heika. Conrad and I will make sure the judgment is carried out exactly as ordered. Gwendal will be back in the morning to assist you in our absence."
Yuuri nodded his thanks, to both Gunter and Conrad, then took Wolfram's hand and led him from the room. They deserved a little private time.
xxxxx
"Do you think he'll take the gold?" Wolfram asked much later when they were relaxing together in the bath. He was idly toying with Yuuri's hair and frowning.
"What would you want him to take?" Yuuri shifted to see Wolfram's face. He was still a little worried about Wolfram's reaction - or lack of reaction - to his judgment of the criminal.
"He's smart, but greedy. The question is: will his intellect win over his greed." Wolfram frowned, considering before answering Yuuri's question. "I'm not like you, Yuuri. I don't forgive so easily, or forget when wrong's been done. I hope greed wins and he never makes it back to shore."
Yuuri nodded, expression neutral and let Wolfram hold him closer. He didn't offer his own opinion because he still wasn't sure which he preferred. Once, he could have wished only good, even for someone like Jorgenson. But now... things weren't black and white any more.
"You're thinking too hard," Wolfram scolded with a tender kiss on Yuuri's forehead. "You gave him a chance - something he didn't deserve. His fate is his own choosing."
Yuuri wondered if that were true - if fate really was something one could choose. Or, was it something that happened to you. He looked up at his lover thinking how impossible their relationship had seemed a few short years ago. Maybe it wasn't fate at all, maybe it was all just happenstance. Or luck. Whatever it was, Yuuri was thankful for it.
End