Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KYOU KARA MAOU
No profit made.
From Yuuri's pov
xx
Through the thin window, Wolfram and I could see the night replaced the day, and our worries increased like the number of stars in the dark blue sky. We couldn't hear anything from our place and I began wondering what had happened to our friends. This quiet place despite its comfort and utilities wasn't that reassuring. I felt insecure.
Wolfram and I settled around the table, me sitting on the only chair and Wolfram on the near bed. Eating was then our only occupation and we shared everything in equal parts; my blond companion wanted me to eat more than him because he found me feeble; however, I insisted we should eat equal portions. I couldn't eat if he had to leave more food for me.
" Whatever," he said then smiled " but thanks".
I smiled back, allowing myself to feel pleasure gaining me because of his beautiful smile. To pass time and ease our worries, we played cards; there were some in a box that was shaped as a book.
I taught him games and he did me, too. We were so entranced by the games that we forgot our discretion and started to play loudly, Wolfram being unable to admit a defeat and trying by all means to have revenge when I had the upper hand. He doesn't like to lose and I said to him that this trait of character wasn't flattering.
" Shut up, I'm concentrating!"
I found this small frown, and those adorable round cheeks of his so cute when he tried to focus on the game. His long golden bangs fell on in eyes, they glowed like light. His long darker lashes never concealed his amazing green eyes. They shined so brightly that no one would doubt that a proud soul was living in him. A smile tugged at my lips and stayed.
Wolfram lifted his face from his cards, looked surprised for a few seconds then his eyebrows furrowed again:
" What? Why are you staring at me?"
His blush was revealed to my eyes and I looked away.
" Sorry...I just found you cute," I somehow mumbled. Everything that had taken place before the intruders burst into the castle came back in my mind and sadness soon invaded me. I don't really understand this pain: it's the first time I'm feeling like that. The candles' flames flickered as I blew a sigh.
" C-cute?" Wolfram stuttered. His cards were lay on the table. When I looked into his eyes again, his blush darkened. My feelings seemed to pass into him. As his eyes widened, I knew then he guessed what I was thinking about. Being comfortable around one another seemed to fade away, as he averted his gaze.
" Sorry," I said again. " I think we should sleep, I'm tired." Softly , I tossed my own pile of cards in the box then got to my feet. I headed to the toilets to change ( yeah, we found shirts folded upon the chair) then after brushing my teeth as best as I could, I came back to the bedroom. Wolfram then changed gears too in the toilets, then joined me.
He found me seated on the bed, hands on my lap. I smiled a little:
" There's one bed and the mattress there. I'm willing to sleep on the mattress, it's comfortable enough," as an emphasis, I tapped two times on the downy mattress with my foot. Wolfram took an offended expression as he crossed his arms on his chest:
" No way. A king doesn't sleep on the ground. I'll take the mattress your majesty."
" Yuuri, Wolf."
" Yuuri. Happy now?"
" Yes, I'm the happiest when you say my name as a friend," I smiled wider.
When my words come out, I really don't expect them to startle or trouble Wolfram. But there, I saw him sigh and shake his head, unfolded his arms until they loosely hanged at his sides. He didn't look at me. The nude wall seemed more interesting to him than my sight.
" What?" I said " did I say something wrong? Aren't we a bit friends?" I felt angry at his lack of...obvious friendship, do I make sense? Wolfram still wasn't looking at me as if he was trying to escape our conversation. He glanced at me several times before lowering himself to the mattress, tugging it in a better position in the room, then sat down, ready to lie down.
" I'll be your friend, Yuuri, if it's what you want. But now, let's go to bed, and be quiet. We'll perhaps need it tomorrow."
" Okay," my anger was soothed by his words and his efforts. As he lay down, facing me, his hand serving as a pillow, I was unable to lay.
" Wolf...there's only one blanket. How are you going to sleep?"
" What do you mean? It's fine like this, the mattress is enough, I'm a soldier don't forget that."
" yeah, sure...but you have no blanket, no pillow...it's not that comfortable..."
" I can use my clothes as a pillow and my jacket as a blanket, it's not big deal, Yuuri."
As to underline his statement, Wolfram fetched his folded clothes that he'd previously put on the chair then used them as pillow and cover. It didn't leave me satisfied.
" I don't like being the one to take advantage of everything. Come here," I said beckoning then patting the bed. " There's room enough for two and the blanket is large enough to share with someone."
Never in my life had I thought I would one day share a bed with a boy, but the circumstances obliged me to break the rule for once. I stood up and turned around to roll the blanket down then I tapped the large pillow. Wolfram's silence made me wonder and I looked over my shoulder:
" Hey, come in," I said." I won't let you sleep down there."
Wolfram slowly raised up and stood still behind me.
" Isn't it improper for me to sleep in the king's bed?" he enquired awkwardly.
" ... if you're thinking what I'm thinking...er...no. We will just sleep in the same bed because I ordered so. It's better."
" Fine...You won't give up until you get what you want, wimp," Wolfram said crawling into the bed, his mischievous smile shining in the semi-darkness. He chose the side against the wall. My eyes remained on the lean body that was stretching before me, and for a second, I was perplexed. What was that strange sensation in my lower body? It felt hotter. Taking a deep breath, I switched the lights off then I allowed myself to lay by Wolfram's side, his head and curly hair already resting against the pillow, but his face turned towards the wall. Then, we pulled the blanket up our chests and tried to go to sleep.
I thought with our tiredness it'd be easy, but how wrong I was! I'm really not used to sharing a bed with someone, even less when it was with a beautiful boy. Having another's warmth under the cover had been totally unknown to me until this night.
I guessed he wasn't asleep either, feeling him tossing and turning several times. The bed was cracking with his moves.
" Wolf," I said " stop moving so much, you're going to break the bed."
"...then the mattress will serve to something," so you said Wolfram my dear.
" Can't sleep, huh?"
" N-no...I'm just wondering if Gwendal and the others have well handled the situation."
" You're worried?" I asked, turning my head towards him but all I could perceive was his fair hair that tickled my nose. It smelt good too.
" Of course, I am but I trust my brother. He's the strongest of all and he could have been the king...but you are THE king,of course," he felt obliged to recall as he turned his head to me. His green eyes shone. Ahah, is he afraid of vexing me? So cute. Wolfram then looked up at the ceiling. Earlier we had closed the open ceiling after we'd fallen in this room. I'm expecting some of our allies maybe to land here too. I remembered everything we'd spoken about before we were attacked. This unfinished matter made feel quite uneasy, as though something was blocked in my throat.
I know I have to talk about that with Wolf, no matter his reactions. I have to catch up the missed opportunity.
" Wolf," I said courageously enough but there was something that made my voice "hurt".
" Mh?"
" I want to talk with you about something."
" What is it, Yuuri?"
" About the other day and what happened at the theatre...and what my decision was going to be today before the soldier came in."
First, he was silent . Then I heard a very small sigh.
" Fine. What was your decision over this matter going to be, Yuuri?" he sounded cold and self-controlled as always, but I'm not fool enough not to sense his shaky voice. " Why did you applaud?"
...
" My answer was going to be...'no'. ' I won't court Wolfram.'" That's done it: he knows now.
"..."
" Wolfram?"
" Go on!" he seemed almost angry, to my surprise. Wasn't it what he wanted...?
" Er...I was going to say 'no' for your sake and...also mine?"
" Why for 'my sake'?"
" ...because you love Charles, right?"
No answer.
"...and he's important to you, what's more...isn't he?"
I then distinguished a small growl and Wolfram really turned away from me.
" I don't know what makes you think I love him but I don't, and this conversation is unnerving me. Let's quit it and sleep now!" he answered next to aggressively.
But had he just said he didn't love Charles?
" If you don't love him, why do you let him kiss you? Or is it some habit you guys have here in Shin Makoku?"
Wolfram promptly jumped on his other side, now facing me:
" What? What did you say? kiss?"
Oh, shit. I wasn't supposed to reveal that:
" Well..." my sweat started rolling down my face " I saw...well, I saw you and Charles in the garden and he kissed you several times...even on your lips."
What I could see was only his emerald green eyes glinting in the dark.
" You were observing us, Yuuri?" he asked slowly, almost lowly. I wanted to run away but it was, of course, impossible for there was no "escape door". As a result, I just softly moved away from him, my ass over the edge of the bed, but Wolfram suddenly gripped my wrist and said menacingly:
" Don't you dare to get away from the bed, Yuuri. And answer my question."
I fear for my life now, I want to get out and too bad if I am caught by some enemies. But I prefer this future than the one of ending up roasted by a wrathful demon soldier. Maybe the enemies would even take pity on me and not try to kill me and would listen to my peace treaty and everything could finish well thanks to my own persuasion!... Hm, I would do that after I was saved from Wolfram's fuming anger.
" I-I...I didn't want to observe you, I swear! I...I just happened to be in the open hallway to be alone, and then, you and Charles came there too. I couldn't uncover myself so I stayed behind a column and bushes and...well...I"
" You listened to everything?"
"...Y-yeah but I won't repeat to anyone, I swear."
" You better not."
" I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you...but at least, I knew better that cancelling the courtship was what to do. I won't...interfere in your life and your plans with Charles."
My heart hurt as I said that. But I wanted to speak honestly. He must hate me now; he had only thought of me as an incapable king and when he started to trust me ( we can all trust him), I was betraying and disappointing him.
Wolfram's grip loosened until he dragged his hand back against his chest. His breath sounded laboured. He was probably realizing how awful my behaviour had been.
"...Yuuri," he began, and the softer tone of his voice extraordinarily lightened the weight of guilt on my chest as well as surprised me." I really have no intention to marry Charles. I don't love him. Or not anymore if you prefer. He kisses me, but it doesn't mean I like it. And I wish sometimes he would stop treating me as if our marriage was on for tomorrow. He's just one of my greatest friends and I'm still wondering how he fell for me, but I don't think I acted special to get him."
"...If you don't like him and him touching you and kissing you, why don't you tell him right away? It would stop the confusion and maybe he would stop believing you feel the same for him? I can see he's quite smitten with you, Wolf. It's not fair how you treat him if you aren't in love with him."
Wolfram's eyes seemed to narrow, thus indicating me a frown was again marring his face.
" You don't understand, Yuuri," he replied offended, coldly. " Here, we marry for alliances and social statuses. It's even better when you already are friend with the person in question. I'm preparing myself for this kind of marriage. You're always trying to find the best for you and for the moment, Charles has been the best for a potential marriage. This has nothing to do with whether I love him. For my family, I may even find better than him, that's why I'm telling him to wait two years more."
That's so...disturbing to hear such words from Wolfram. But it's just a cultural difference.
" Oh..." I let out " but...don't you want to get married to someone you are in love with? And not just for propriety."
" My mother married Gwendal's father for propriety and things went well between them. Look, even my own big brother is a monumental success. So why wouldn't it go well for me?"
That's Wolfram's logic. I shrugged.
" Well, okay...if you're fine with that, I'm all for it. But now, you know that you're totally free from that so-called courtship."...even if it didn't please me that much, strangely.
" You never intended to court me, Yuuri?"
" Huh? Of course, not. I just applauded you and stood up because I found you great. You'd impressed me...But I never thought it would mean that I was courting you."So why did I think that courting you wasn't that bad, actually? I need to have my brain checked.
I heard a thud and then, the bright eyes disappeared from my view. As I stretched out a hand, I only met his back. His warmth reached my fingers.
" Wolf..."
" Good night."
And that was all for today.
xx
The next day, after we washed, once dressed, Wolfram and I saw the opposite wall to the bed open. Wolfram didn't need to stay longer in front of me to protect me. The persons who entered the small bedroom were our friends. Yozak and Conrad. They were wearing great smiles on their faces.
" Conrad!" I cried out of joy and hugged my godfather in my arms, he hugged me back. " You're fine! Wow!"
" Don't worry, your highness!It was a quick matter. Those men were not strong enough to resist us." Hold on it's the first I'm hearing Conrad expressing his pride. Yozak ruffled my hair, his smile goofy.
" Hey, Yozak! It's been a while! You're finally back!"
" I'm sorry, majesty I tried to prevent that attack but they were quicker than us. Next time we'll do better. Glad to find you safe and alive...but I would have imagined you at the front, brandishing Morgif."
Er...I scratched my hair, but Conrad elbowed his friend.
" You'll see, next time, Yuuri will be good enough to defeat his own enemies."
Yozak almost sent an apologetic look at Conrad. Before I could grasp what they intended to say to each other, my godfather asked:
" How have you been here? Was it comfortable enough for you or did you need more? I bet Wolfram really took care of you..."
He glanced at his little brother. I looked at my blond friend:
" Yes he did..." I noticed Wolfram's moody expression. He averted his eyes. "... take care of me."
" Great...let's go back to our quarters."
xx
The sight of the castle flabbergasted me. It let me befuddled. How did they manage to break so much? I plodded among the debris that the explosions created, some smoke nearly blinding me. Fortunately our soldiers were turning off every fire they found. Gunter followed me close behind, watching me out. Almost the entire right aisle was collapsing because of the destruction of the foundations. For the first time , a terrible anger washed over me.
" Your majesty," Gunter leaned over me, his lips close to my right ear. " They are our prisoners."
I lifted my gaze towards a long row of men whose wrists were linked with cords. Gwendal was inspecting them. He was scaring enough to maintain them still and silent. Nevertheless, his imposing presence was not enough to intimidate them completely: as soon as they all saw me, probably for the first time of their lives, their eyes hardened, their lips curved downwards in hatred, and some whispers started running among them. My blood froze...but in frustration.
" So they're the ones to attack us?"
" Yes," Gunter answered with a nod as he stood by my side. " They'll be kept in our prison. They'll be interrogated one by one. The time it will take won't matter; we can't let them a chance to start all over again."
" Of course...We have to find out if they acted under someone's orders" I'm almost shocked by my own clairvoyance as if I wasn't totally the one taking decisions, "in any case, are there casualties?"
" Yes, unfortunately, majesty. My daughter and some of her apprentices are taking care of them in a close room."
" Right, lead me to them..." I turned around.
" Fine but what do you want to do with our foes?"
" As for them" I stopped, staring at them with wrath... " as for them. Lock them up."
I was led to the room whose walls and doors were not efficient enough to muffle the moans and the cries of the victims. Someone opened the double doors for me, and two long rows of beds spread to my view. My eyes grew larger as I stepped in. Healers and doctors were fussing around to cure the wounds of the casualties. Even Anissina was once very serious as she bandaged a woman's leg.
" Are they all from the castle?" I asked to Gunter.
" No."
I startled upon hearing Wolfram's voice behind me instead of Gunter's. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Wolf who had just joined me. He rested a hand on my back as he walked to my side.
" Gisela said me there was one little girl who was with the opponents. She's an enemy. For the moment she's resting here because she was injured and some said she was going to be left behind once Gwendal and the others succeeded in scaring the enemies away. A servant found her under the main stairs and brought her there."
" Okay I wanna see her!"
I was then in front of two beds at the back of the room. A little girl with curly brown hair and dark skin was sleeping on one of them, her head wrapped under gauze. She was suffering-her difficult breathe was an indication of her pain- and my heart felt miserable. How could children be implied in such horrible conflicts? I asked if there had been other kids in the crowd. She was one of the few. I nodded and wanted to know her name. They didn't know for she'd fainted before she could speak, only a tattoo on her dainty arm could tell us where she was from.
" M-majesty!" I drifted my gaze towards the near bed. My eyes narrowed as I recognized that young man lay on that second bed. It was the one who had welcomed me when I came back from Van da Via. I approached his bed as he tried to support himself with his elbow.
" Hey you...What's your name already?"
" Stefan Engelbert, majesty..." he said weakly as he took my hand that I'd held out for him. His smile was bright despite his wounds.
" You've been hurt too?"
" Yes. One of the men whipped me" he touched his sore face as an emphasis " but I'm all right and I'm so glad your majesty is safe."
" Don't worry for me..."
" You saved that girl?" Wolfram asked, in a harsh tone.
" Y-yes," he answered. " she was going to get crushed by some some falling wall so I pushed her underneath the stairs."
His words made me smile widely too. " You saved her? You're a hero, Stefan!"
He blushed and lowered his gaze.
" I didn't do that much...she needed someone and I was there. Lord von Voltaire would have saved her as well as he wasn't very far away."
I shook my head:
" Thanks for doing that...people have been so much braver than me...I won't let people do my work any longer! You'll be awarded, Stefan. For the moment, rest and eat well to heal quickly."
" I will, your majesty. I agree for a rewarding...but please, let me still work here. I'm a commoner but this castle is like my home...I hope not to ask too much..." he said fearfully.
" No no it's okay..." I realized I was using "okay" lots of times. I wonder if they know what I meant by it as I'd noticed so many wondering looks when I said it. Nonetheless I could only grant him what he wanted. " Don't worry no one will expel you from here unless you're doing some reprehensible acts. And you've lived here for so much longer than me."
I wouldn't feel right if I had to drive these people out.
Stefan smiled more peacefully and closed his eyes to sleep once I stepped back to check other victims of that attack. I brushed his hair then the little girl's who shivered at my light touch. Wolfram stayed with me.
xx
In the afternoon, the nobles and I were gathered in my office to decide what to do with the prisoners and the information that Yozak had collected for us, and the castle. A great part of it had been horribly spoiled by the explosions and one of the nobles suggested to hire some villagers to re-build it again. " They'll get some work and they can meet your majesty. We need them to see you as a real powerful and kind person to gain and keep their support as a matter-of-fact."
I was seduced by the idea.
" I agree. Let's do that."
" Yozak confirmed some of our suspicions about our enemies," Gunter said as he unfolded a long paper. " Those humans who dared to assault us are probably under a rich human merchant's orders. His name is said to be Valten Theobald and a few of the rebellious mazoku even elevated him to the rank of Duke."
" Do we know where he lives?" I said perplexed.
" Maybe in the west, it's still very unclear because that man is mysterious and kept hidden," Gwendal went on drawing with his finger a line upon the atlas that Gunter had opened for us. " In any way, we'll soon find him. We'll send some experts and spies."
" Right," I sighed. " I think it's the best to do. As for the prisoners, don't harm them...but try to get as more information as possible. I think it'll be all for today. I need to see the reconstructions to do even if I'm not an expert. Conrad will guide me, don't worry, nothing will collapse on me," I added quickly when Gunter opened widely his eyes in fright. I raised up from my chair. " And I need to know more about that girl that those people wanted to abandon. I'm pitying her."
They nodded even though they remembered me she was probably human. Was it a warning? I shook my head in disapproval: it didn't matter to me. I refused to consider a kid a threat to me either.
" If it's all...everyone can go back to their duties," Gwendal pronounced standing up as well. They imitated him. I kind of start wondering if they all fear Gwendal...
" No it's not over." Our eyes all directed at the same direction: Wolfram had just flung the doors open, his face set in a determined expression. What was up with him? I wondered with a frown. No need to tell that everyone was probably thinking the same.
" Wolf...?" I chanced, tilting my head.
" Maybe it isn't time to speak of such matters...But it concerns my honour so I have to put my opinion and my decision on it."
" And what is that Wolf?"
The blond lion stared at me, his hand tightened around the golden door handle. Breathing deeply, he then finally answered:
" Before we were attacked yesterday, we were talking about the king's courtship. The law said I too have the right to accept it or reject it if the king still hasn't stated his opinion publicly. Well...I merely decided to accept your majesty's courtship."
….NO...What have you just said Wolf?
Wolfram smiled nervously then turned around so fast that I couldn't catch him, the doors slamming behind his back. I was left stunned as all the Nobles started to congratulate me.
TBC