Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KYOU KARA MAOU

It is not my property. No profit made.

WARNING: a bit of violence.

Yuuri's pov again.

The night was chilling and I found myself glad to have a light blanket rolled around me as a protection. The cold though didn't prevent me from seeing the beauty of the night, here, in a different world. This was particular because no night in Earth looks like this one. I raised my head to watch the dark blue sky, so dark that it appeared nearly black, with a few constellations shining here and there.

Some travellers had had the same idea than mine; they were walking and talking and not paying attention to me. For my safety, I had to put my wig and lenses on again, otherwise, mister Wolfram would pester me. He kept a distance so he wasn't that close. Seeing how cold and reserved he was with me made me feel like a leprous man and it made me wish to say to him to return to the bedroom if he couldn't stand me.

His attitude reminded me of something that more or less chagrined me: it was when at school; girls, mostly the beautiful ones, ignored me because I'm not the most handsome boy...DAMN!! Is everything so based on looks nowadays?! It felt so unfair! And...er, now that I realized I had compared Wolfram's behaviour with theirs made me shudder.

" You want to vomit?" Wolfram asked with an annoyed tone. " If so you should have said it sooner!"

" No...why are you saying that?" why is he always associating me with repulsing ideas?

" Your eyes are wide open and you are pale. You have the symptoms of someone who wants to vomit."

Oh, if only you really knew why I looked like that. I rolled my eyes and got closer to the edge, probably making Wolfram upset by ignoring him. He's just got a taste of his own medicine, ahaha. The sea was calm and even soothing but its mystery- built over thousand years of history- drew me towards it.

" Wolfram...is there some legend here about the sea? Do you have stories about mermaids and such?"

I looked at him again, smiling and waiting for his answer. He must be someone with a solid and great education, that's why I bothered myself to ask him. I hope he doesn't mind and that he will have the amiability to answer me. But, as soon as he frowned and gazed at me as if I've grown a second head, I know I should have shut up. My eyes rolled, a second time.

" Okay, okay," I sighed, looking into the sea again. " I will ask Conrad..." I started to get used to his attitude but he still tires me.

Thanks to the moonlight and the few lamps around, I saw a shadow sliding closer and closer to my left. As I lifted my face, I saw Wolfram who had got strangely- and why, pleasantly?- closer to me. Oh, now, I can safely say I don't smell that much if he dares being next to me.

" There are legends about the sea, of course..." he eventually said, quietly, and pensive, as if memories were coming back to him. I looked at him, already fascinated about what he could reveal to me but these superb green eyes of his were directed at the softly moving water beneath us.

" One includes a double black," he continued. Oh, really? " It was said a pretty boy with hair and eyes black like ebony was often alone. His parents were fishers, so he often helped them to sell what they had caught. Thanks to that, they had a good living but the boy didn't have many friends to play with. He went everyday to the sea side to admire the sunset or the waves. One day, while he was amusing himself with throwing small stones into the sea, something popped out of the water before disappearing again . The boy stopped what he was doing, and not sure of what he had just seen, remained motionless until it began again. And then, the thing that had appeared just in front of him appeared again: he thought first it wast a beautiful boy with long curly blond hair," I watched as Wolfram flipped his own hair with pride as if he had found gold, which made me inwardly giggling " but then, the blond "boy" quickly swam to the beach and let the double black saw something that almost made him faint: a fish tail. The blond boy had a fish tail instead of legs. Can you guess the shock it must have been to him? No, you don't, you're too much of wimp," This time, I saw Wolfram inwardly giggle. " Well, then, day after day, they started to get along, even if they didn't speak the same language. But the fisher's son was an idiot, he hadn't realized the way the strange male creature was looking at him and then, falling in love with him. While he thought the mermaid was only babbling, he didn't understand at the beginning that the mermaid was trying to explain to him that when he threw a stone at his head, it made him his fiancé."

I blocked...His fiancé?...What? It was a gay male mermaid? Um, it sounded quite amazing in my ears. I almost held my breath, but what was the most surprising it was how Wolfram looked casual and cool with it. If this story belongs to their culture, well...it is then quite natural that they aren't that shocked with this kind of things.

" One day, the double black, who had made a friend in the village, decided to bring her to the sea and maybe present her to his mermaid friend. But the latter sensed the other presence and feared it. He then spied on the couple, hidden behind the rocks of the cove. He was profoundly crushed by the way the double black was looking at the girl and even holding her hand. He then made up his mind: he would disappear and not see him again.

The fisher's son waited and waited for him to show up again, and the girl was not his girlfriend anymore. He knew something was wrong and he wished to talk with his friend. Nights had become forlorn, sleeps hard to find... One day, he succeeded in finding him sleeping against rocks. He then tried to wake him up but when he realized the mermaid was going to escape him, the fisher's son just held him close and asked him what was wrong. They could only understand each other with a few words that they'd taught to each other, and their eyes.

" You...love me? Is it this?"" the double black asked. He could only figure out the mermaid's answer as a yes. So, he made himself a choice, some nights after this encounter. He would follow him in the sea. As soon as he decided what he wanted to do, he was changed into a mermaid, and he followed the blond. His parents never saw him again.

Since then, it is said a bunch of sea creatures with blond and black hair can be found in the sea. As they were made out of a pure love, a lot of people believe it is bad to catch them."

What?

" They made babies, in case you didn't get it," Wolfram said, eyeing me as if my lack of personal understanding was an offence to him. I nodded, not sure of what to do. It had been weird, yet very touching to see Wolfram soft and dreamer like any other normal person...Are you romantic, Wolfram?

"...um...was the initial mermaid creature the one to lay the eggs?" I tempted...somehow fearfully.

Ooops, shut up, Yuuri, shut up. I did offence him now, Wolfram was glaring at me with very sharp daggers.

" They don't lay eggs like fishes, you wimp! They make love and get pregnant like mazoku and human beings!"

Er, why was this discussion taking a direction I wasn't feeling quite at ease with? I stepped back.

" Okay, okay...I didn't know..." My sudden fear of Wolfram made me look away. I cooled down when I saw he wasn't going to tear my eyes off.

" Thank you for telling me about that," I said after a silent while between us " I...I am glad you shared something with me..."

" Yes, I don't want you as my king but I have to deal with you. The least I can do is to teach you about our history and civilisation."

" Thanks for your effort," I tried a smile at him.

" Mph. It doesn't mean I appreciate you so stop deluding yourself about becoming friend with me."

I already knew that even if his constant reject felt harsh and undeserved. I wanted to talk with him about how much this story made me think of a certain fairy tale written by Hans Christian Handersen, and by this way have a nice exchange with him and make our "relationship" progress in a good way, but a strange noise stopped me.

I turned my head back towards the sea. It was as if a wale was howling through the night with both incredibility and despair...but the despair soon changed into slight hope and I perked up my ears to hear that. The waves became more impressive. Wolfram was in pert too and got closer to me until his arm touched mine. As for the passengers awaken around, they were as frozen in place as we were. All were intently listening to the strange song...

However, I saw nothing. Nothing in the sea. Just the reflection of the moonlight, though the stars seemed to have disappeared from the water mirror.

" Stay behind me," I heard Wolfram warn me while pushing me backward with his arm. I made a simple, stupid 'huh' but obeyed him. I mustn't forget he's a soldier and he knows this world better than I ever will.

Like us, people had drifted closer to the edge where the eerie, even sound came from. My breath, suddenly, itched while my heart started beating quicker. I caught sight of two red rounds under the water, like evil eyes.

" Wolfram, you too, step back," I said. He looked at me, with a frown of annoyed curiousness:

" What are you mumbling about?"

The luminous red eyes disappeared into the darkness of the water before reappearing again just too close of the boat at our left!

" Wolfram!! Did you see that?!!"

" See what?"

A frightening, freezing sound was emitted as something long and incredible skyrocketed out of the sea. FRRRRRISSSSSSSSSH!!! In the second it happened, my chest ached abominably as my heart nearly stopped dead. Fear replaced my amazement as I kept my eyes locked upon...

the most scaring creature I've been given to see. It was something like a monster, long, damped dark hair entangled with greenish seaweed, red eyes, a long mouth whose crimson lips let us see sharp yet human-like teeth, tan torso and arms with very visible blueish veins, showing muscles, scars sprinkling all over his body and...

" Wh-where are his legs?" I stuttered, shocked.

He had a tail. You know...a long, viscous green, blue tail that must measure at least several feet, and that was stuck with seaweed again.

" A mermaid," Wolfram and some of the flabbergasted passengers around let out in a breath.

WHAT? I thought they looked like pretty human beings or...it almost made faint. How could such a terrifying creature be a mermaid?

" WOLFRAM!! YUURI!"

We turned our heads towards Conrad, almost all dressed up, who was running at us. But before we could answer him, the mermaid hurled himself towards Wolfram and wrapped his arms around him before plunging back into the sea, with him. Everyone gasped and cried out in horror.

" WOLFRAAAM!!!" I shouted as I saw the water still troubled by the dive of the terror. Conrad wanted to pull me back but before I could think twice, I was already diving into the sea.

" Wolfram!!"

The water was cold, threatening, appalling and...

I caught sight of blond hair...

Wolfram was still in the arms of the mermaid who held him very tightly. Obviously, Wolfram was struggling for deliverance and I screamed in the sea, which was an error as water entered my mouth, when the monster got his face closer to Wolfram to eat him!!!

...Or maybe not. His blood-red lips were pressed against Wolfram's. As I quickly swam towards them, I could see Wolfram totally terrified and astounded. A mermaid was kissing him. Amazing, even the sea creature had fallen under his spell. And it was a male!!

I couldn't ponder long over the double shock because I had to free him! As I made this choice, Wolfram precisely grabbed a stab that was hidden in his boot and wounded the mermaid. Blood escaped from his injury like a scarlet smoke.

The mermaid, in visible pain, hastily moved back and Wolfram quickly swam to the surface to get air. I joined him as fast as possible, calling him with relief. I coughed, spitting water.

" Wolfram!"

When he turned in the water at the sound of my voice, his eyes widened as he saw me, his damped sunny hair stuck against his temples.

" Yuuri?! What are you doing here?" he asked going towards me.

" Quick, let's go back to the boat."

" Yes! You shouldn't have dived, though!" he told me off.

" No time for arguing, Wolf!" I protested while tugging at him " I couldn't let you alone there!"

" Yuuri, Wolfram, grab the rope!!" Conrad ordered us. We looked up. In his moves and his deep hazel eyes, I realized he was about to dive too to help us. But before he could do that, something firmly rolled around my leg and Wolfram!

We were pulled back into the sea and Wolfram caught my arm as though he feared I could be lost.

As we struggled to see what was happening, which was a difficult thing to do with our blurred sight, the mermaid was "standing" before us, majestic like a king...and wrathful like a demon. He was staring at us with a tremendous ire...and...jealousy?

But I was too afraid to think correctly. I pulled at my leg but he didn't let go of that. With an amazing strength, he threw me upwards out of the water and I felt something crack. My leg. I fell back into the sea and I vaguely saw Conrad swimming at me with determination. A wince escaped my throat: it hurt too much.

" Wolfram," was all I thought.

I was then held by Conrad and I found myself unable to swim again; but despite my physical pain, I continued to seek him with my eyes, scanning the surface.

" Your brother is in the water!" I said, panicking. " We have to save him!!"

I saw a few men sliding down a light, small boat, some other men in it, with torches and picks in their hands.

" Wait for us! We're coming!" they said " we'll save your friend!" their lamplights helped us to see better. Was I dreaming or was I really watching the beautiful muscular woman with orange air and blue eyes descending with the small boat?

All of a sudden, the same FRRRIIIIIISH! sound met our ears again and we all looked as both the mermaid and Wolfram were above the sea, as if the aquatic creature could stand upon the water.

Wolfram's clothes were torn off. He was trying to free himself from the monster's embrace but the mermaid wouldn't lash him. As I looked at them more intently, I realized the creature was talking to Wolfram. I just couldn't understand a word, nor hear them neatly.

Was he trying to convince Wolfram to do something? I wondered, dreaded.

Follow me.

What? Who's talking?

Follow me. It is what he is saying to Wolfram. You're my loved one. I lost you...I found you back.

He wants Wolfram as a companion. He thinks he is his. He will not let go of him.

But it was out of the question for Wolfram to follow him! He kept struggling against the monster. I was in despair, what could I do, what could I do?!! The mermaid all at once roared, maybe out of impatience at Wolfram's resistance.

" Let go of me!!" I heard Wolfram yell at him with much anger, yet fear too. I'm sure he was shaking like mad. " LET GO!!"

The monster roared again, and, to our shock, scratched Wolfram's shoulder with one of his long 'claws'. Blood ran along his body. I saw Wolf knocked down by the attack. He wasn't unconscious but the shock made him stare helplessly at the mermaid.

" Wolfram!!"

I felt myself burst into a fit of anger, making me stand in the air and waves whirl more and more dangerously. I don't know what happened then except that I felt curled up against myself as if I was searching for comfort in a dark nestle and I trusted another powerful part of myself to take care of the matter.

My lips moved. But I heard nothing. I felt my eyes wide open. But I saw nothing. I felt my body full of emotions but I couldn't control any of them, even less the power emerging of my body. Even if I kind of felt it was a mess around me, I couldn't watch it. I was in a semi-sleep.

The only thing I could perceive was someone with blond hair brought back to a boat and that was all.

Then, my body seemed to lighten until I fell loudly against a wooden floor.

" YUURI!!" I heard someone shout before dozens and dozens pair of feet ran towards me. The only thing I could remember, then, as I weakly opened my eyes was a beautiful angel with golden hair, and almost nude, though tatters and blood covered him, who pulled me against him until my head rested upon his soft lap.

" Yuuri," his fingers brushed my bangs.

...Am I dead? I asked before darkness surrounded me.

" Hey, you're only waking now, kid?"

" Huh?"

" It's morning and you're in Van da Via, my dear...and oh...I guess your name isn't Florian, is it, sweetie?"

The muscular woman. Conrad's girlfriend.

She was even prettier as I could see her closer to me. But wow, she also looked more manly than I had thought!

" Yozak, please, he needs calm." I identified this soft, yet firm voice as Conrad's. Then, I had him at sight. He smiled down at me.

" Conrad?" I managed to say with a slight hoarse voice. He stroked my hair with affection.

" Rest, your majesty, you need it..."

" How?"

" You transformed yourself into the Maou again and fought the mermaid. You scared him away. Everyone is fine. We were shipped to Van da Via. People were very frightened when they realized who you were...but you saved them, so they accepted to bring us directly to this isle."

" You should have seen their faces when they saw the demon king," the now named Yozak said, straightened and I realized I was in bed. " But they were not wimp enough, they are grateful that you saved someone from becoming the next mermaid's fiancé against his will. Ah, captain, your brother is really too stubborn! He could have become the prince of the seas, if he had accepted!"

Was he serious?

" W-Wolfram?" I suddenly asked, almost sitting up but Conrad daintily pushed me back against the large and only pillow.

" He's fine, your majesty, he is in the next room eating."

" Ah...okay and his injury?"

" It's been taken care of. Don't worry, Wolfram can handle this, he's strong. As for your leg, it's healing nicely, too."

I trust Conrad enough. I looked at Yozak again.

" Ah...Your majesty...Here's Yozak Gurrier. He's a loyal servant of the demon kingdom, a former soldier of my personal army and a childhood friend. You can trust him, too. He's our ally."

" Nice to meet you, your majesty," he said bowing. " I'm glad to speak to you..."

" Wait...you are..."

" I am a man but I often disguise myself as woman or any character when the situation demands it!"

"..."

" That's part of the business," he winked with mischief.

Okay, things are clearing up for the first time about his mysterious identity! My stomach growled.

" Sorry, I'm so hungry..."

" We'll bring you something to eat right away."

" Captain I have an errand to run."

" Go," Conrad granted smiling at him. Yozak greeted me friendly- I think I can seriously like him,too- before getting out of the bedroom. The sun was generous today, the beams were lighting the place warmly. I felt relief wash over me, the...the story ended up well...A mermaid...this world is incredible...and scaring. Full of good and awful things. Shudders ran down my spine.

Conrad didn't notice my incomfort because he headed towards the door and said, before leaving:

" I'll ask the inn owner to prepare you something...please, sleep again. You saved my bro..."

" Conrad!!" Ah that sharp voice.

" Ah, Wolfram," Conrad lowered his look as Wolfram got in the room. He still had his smile, full of tenderness " You can come in, the king will need you to watch over him."

" That's why I'm here."

Conrad nodded then left both of us alone.

I was glad to see Wolfram safe and in one piece, a bit pale and dark circles under his eyes, but he looked fine. The sudden picture of him almost naked hit my mind...yes, I remember! My blood rushed into my cheeks to stay there, to my misfortune.

" Ahaha, Wolf," I said nervously.

" Are you all right? You slept two days."

" Yes, thank you...I...I'm happy to be with you now, I worried...and..."

He shook his head.

" Don't. I've known worse than that."

" Ah okay...Glad it was not too serious for you."

The mermaid wanted him.

What had he seen in Wolfram? A companion? When I remember the mermaid struck by Wolfram's looks, I could only find him myself even more beautiful and stunning...and strong and courageous. A lot of people would have been scared to death to be "captured" by such a creature but he didn't let himself reduced to a trembling child. He fought...

" I'm sorry," I finally said.

" Why?"

" Everything happened because of me...I wanted to go out that night and you ended up attacked because he noticed you and..."

" I said 'don't', Yuuri, right?" he walked towards my bed and sat by me. " Yes, we've been careless but things like that can happen, no matter the precautions you're taking. Of course, be less capricious next time and try to think twice before adventuring yourself out like this just because you're bored. You don't know this world, Yuuri. Fortunately, things ended up well."

" You're right," I said. I'm amazed at how softly Wolfram talked to me but he still had this sharp, disdainful voice of his. Now, I think I can recognize it anywhere." I'll watch out, next time."

Wolfram looked out the window and I followed his gaze. Outside, the world seemed perfectly calm yet lively.

" Legends can be true," he finally said.

" Oh yes...Now that you speak of it, the mermaid fell in love with you and..."

I saw a vein pop up at his temple,and I couldn't help but chuckle at his blush.

" Don't talk about that, wimp!! I can't imagine myself living with...with him and...that just makes me shiver!"

" But he was the fishers' son maybe and he was searching for his blond companion", I said with a teasing tone but, deep inside, I was seriously making assumptions. Perhaps, it had been really the same person...his dark hair...his inclination towards Wolfram...it was possible...

A pillow was chucked at my poor face.

" I know what you're imagining, wimp!! I'm not the blond mermaid of the legend!"

" Wolfram! Even with a pillow you hurt me!!" I cried out before hurling the same pillow on his head. He got angry and tried to take it back but I was faster and grabbed it to hit him with that. Ad we fought, Wolfram, trying to catch the pillow, gripped my shirt instead and I, trying to push him backward, lost balance and fell on him. We both fell on the ground, loudly.

" Your majesty, here is..." the door opened at the same time and I looked up only to see Conrad coming back with a tray filled with food...and a surprised expression on his face. Then, he chuckled, with a bit of embarrassment " ah, all right, I didn't know...well,enjoy your meal," he put the tray on the table near the door, then got out.

" Get off of me, Yuuri," I heard a hissing voice order me. I looked down...

WHAAAAAA!! what am I doing atop Wolfram, between his legs?!! I quickly moved back, meeting the wall in a brutal contact. Wolfram raised to his feet, too, and I had never seen him so flushed.

" Eat, you wimp!"

" Y-yes..."

" Great, now, Conrad is going to think I'm falling for you."

" Don't exaggerate." What was this male-male thing again? Though I feel my stomach churn agreeably at the thought he might have feelings for me... It disturbed me that I found this "agreeable", pleasant, to tell the truth.

" I'm speaking from past experience, moron," he stated, looking away from me " when I was younger and I simply made friend with one of Anissina's cousins, everyone thought I was falling for him."

"...And you were not?"

" No, he was great as a friend only and he already had someone else."

Wolfram sat with me and we talked together a long time before other matters took all of our time. I think I start seeing another side of Wolfram when he merely accepts to talk with me and treat me nicely. And sometimes I surprise him glancing at me. I don't know the reason of those glances but they're not mean...Even if he was still cold, he was also caring... Maybe being friend with him wasn't so impossible. I smiled at him as he led Ao towards me, for our ride , that second morning in the isle, to the mountain where my Demon sword is said to be resting.

TBC

The small story that Wolfram tells Yuuri is not really inspired by The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Handersen but was rather inspired by the legends about mermaids in general and my own liking for these legends. I have a one-shot about Wolfram being a mermaid that I have never published , so I decided to use it, here.