I can't give enough thanks to you guys, for reading this story! Here's chapter 9 (more Yuuri on next chapter, promise!)
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9. That young mazoku who played politics
For Greta, it was always waiting. For the longest time, life had seemed composed of a list of waiting moments, one just after the other: anxiously waiting for news of Lady Cecile, restlessly waiting for daddy Yuuri to finally come back, and the itchy nervousness of knowing papa Wolf was far away from home –from her.
So when the rains had settled over the kingdom, covering everything in gray dullness, Greta had restlessly trailed behind Conrad, and he had graciously acknowledged her thirst for information. He had tried to make her feel included somehow by letting her stay at his elbow while he read the endless list of documents that everyday arrived from every corner of Shin Makoku to uncle Gwendal's desk.
And uncle Gwendal... well he had changed so much, and it was all so confusing now. Because even if he had showed in the past that he had the softest spot for Greta in his heart, this time around he had closed off like never before. Day by day, 'uncle' Gwendal had been consistently eroded from the picture, and day by day, 'general' Gwendal had been taken his place. He didn't smile anymore, his face was just as gray as the sky, and he certainly had run out of kind words for her. Nowadays, Greta couldn't help but to feel slightly edgy around him.
But no matter how stern and complicated things had become the last couple of days, because in the end, they wouldn't compare to that night. When everything had gone from bad to worse.
.
Greta closed the door to her bedroom, biting her lip and fighting back treacherous tears. She could feel her slim body trembling with contained anger and hurt. Her emotions setting an erratic rhytm to her shivers, to her heartbeat.
Because.
Because how could them.
She had walked into a quick, heated discussion between her uncles, Conrad and Gwendal. The words attack, dead, treason had been pronounced. And among them, her papa Wolfram's name.
She had stayed frozen on the spot, door still open to a corridor where two servants were just passing by. Those words had echoed in her soul and body, and she learned a new level of fear. It was then that uncle Gwendal had looked away from Conrad's strained, worried face, to hers.
A second of surprise, and then anger. He had gone livid, and shouted at her to leave his office and go to her room, and repeat nothing of what she had heard.
She had stood her ground, demanding to know what had happened to her papa Wolf. It was the first time she had stood up to Gwendal like that. It was also the first time Gwendal had been so on edge, so angry, that he had raised his hand against her.
Conrad stopped him, a stern, stone cold gesture on his face, while holding on tightly to his arm. And Gwendal had yanked his arm away, only to go and sits on his desk, head on his hands and eyes closed, trying to control his quick breathing.
Without another word, Conrad had taken Greta's hand –way too tightly- to take her to her room. She had had to almost run to keep up with uncle Conrad's quick step. She had been afraid then, scared of asking, of knowing, because this time, it seemed like knowing the truth would be actually worse than waiting for news.
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Waltorana hissed, looking away, his hand clenched tightly on a fist over his desk. The only window in the room showed them a sky that was as heavy and gray as the old metal of some swords.
"You are not ready to leave" he said.
"That is not up to discussion, uncle" answered Wolfram, standing tall in front of him. Both Sven and Alois Volker where on opposite corners of the room, listening but not interrupting while both Bielefelds talked.
"You are still weak, so what good would it do to any of us if you die on the way there?" hissed Waltorana.
"What good would it do to any of us if I stay here, doing nothing? I have rested a whole day here already, I am as healthy as I am ever going to be. And never forget: I have a duty"
"To whom? The King that actually manage to get you killed for his own amusement?"
"It wasn't like that" lashed out Wolfram, voice tired. He didn't look back, but he could feel both brothers shifting in their places. This is the first time they have heard Yuuri had anything to do with his… temporal death. Accidental death. Almost death. He sighed, this was so tedious.
"This is for my mother. And I am done talking, so next time we cross words it will be because I have something to report about her. Till then, uncle" said Wolfram formally, nodding to Waltorana, turning around sharply and walking out.
He wasn't surprised though, when he heard quick steps behind him. He knew Sven would come with him, and it was both a comfort and an irritating inconvenience.
"When are we… when are we leaving?" asked Sven, running to catch up.
"Thirty minutes, we will met at the gates of Bielefeld and then we will be on our way. Get ready".
Sven nodded before running off.
Wolfram watched his back till Sven left the corridor, and then went to his room to get his own things. He had gotten the letters signed by his Mother on his bag, he knew which leaders and politicians he should met first.
There was a knock on the door.
"Enter" said Wolfram, while picking up his bag, ready to leave.
A seriously aesthetically lacking maid came in. She was uncharacteristically tall, and bulky. Strong arms and fiery blue eyes. She had long blonde hair tied up in a messy braid.
"Yes?" he asked, when said maid just stood there for a whole minute in silence.
"You really look odd… But I guess I wouldn't look better if I had died yesterday" said the maid with a smirk.
"Wha-" a second, then realization. "Yozak".
"Hello little lord…" said the man, taking off the blonde wig but staying in his hideous maid dress.
"What are you even doing here? You should be looking for Mother!" hissed Wolfram, bristling. This man was supposed to be one of the best spies in the kingdom, and yet here he was at Bielefed, playing dress up.
"I am" was his easy answer.
Wolfram stood by him, closer than before and glaring into his face. It was hard to look intimidating when Yozak was so much taller than him, but at least he wasn't wearing a dress.
"You have five seconds to give me a better answer, soldier, because that's the time I am giving you before I snap my fingers to melt the meat off your bones"
Wolfram's mind was buzzing. Yozak was here, he was investigating Bielefeld. His uncle? Himself? Why blow his cover now, then? And had he found out about the letters yet? It was a great effort to Wolfram to keep his green eyes focused in those electric blue orbs, giving nothing away but the thread of blazing fire.
"The letters brought me here" answered Yozak, sobered now. No more games then.
Wolfram cursed, then walked to the door to make sure it was closed.
"You can't tell anyone yet"
"Too late for that, little lord" said Yozak, looking at him testingly and crossing his massive arms over his chest.
"What do you mean?" asked Wolfram, going pale but not changing his stance, his eyes still trained on the other man in the room, "what have you done, Yozak?"
"I haven't done anything yet, but it is no longer in our hands –if it ever was"
"Speak clearly because I swear in my Mother's name that if another vague answer comes out of your mouth, I will set you on fire, damn it all"
"Your uncle Waltorana didn't show you all the letters, but only because he didn't have them all… some of those letters signed by Lady Cecile were kept by the recipients. Some of those nobles didn't answer the letters, but kept them for blackmail, or just as insurance for themselves, and I am sorry to inform you, but Wolfram, the cat is out of the bag".
"We have to make sure those letters are destroyed then" said Wolfram quickly, his heart beating so fast in his ribcage it was becoming actually painful.
"You are not listening, and you have to understand what is happening here. Lady Cecile disappeared, some letters got in the open and your uncle could get them, to keep the shame off of the Bielefeld name. But some of those letters have reached Shin Makoku".
Silence.
"…What?"
"You actually thought you could keep something like this hidden? How naive can you be, little lord?"
Wolfram was too scared and stunned, to snap at Yozak for that insolence.
"Whose letters?"
"From a rich merchant from Shem, called Boris Naaham. Another one from a noble from Iranistan, named Lord Kodiak, and one from Shin Makoku itself… from Lord Radford".
"He betrayed us" whispered the young man, shaking with renewed fury.
"It would have been betrayal to keep that letter hidden, and you know that. When those letters began to see the light, he was forced to acknowledge he had received one himself. Lord Radford did what he had to do".
"He has always hated Bielefeld"
"That is beside the point" cut Yozak.
Wolfram looked up at the taller man, his eyes glassed, and he didn't have to ask because Yozak understood the question in those emeralds.
"By this time, Gwendal has already read all those letters… don't expect sympathy from your brother, little lord. He loves Lady Cecile as much as you do. But he is Shin Makoku first general, and he has a duty".
"Is that why you are here? Am I under arrest because of some letters no one can actually prove my mother signed?"
Wolfram stood straight, tense and sure that he would fight his way out if he had to.
Yozak shook his head.
"No… I was not sent to arrest you. I was sent to investigate how much does Waltorana know, if he is hiding something, and why. This smells like betrayal already, and I have been here only for two days".
"I ordered him to keep the letters secret" said Wolfram firmly "I am the only Lord here, so I am the only one responsible here".
"Are you turning yourself in early then?"
"I thought you said you weren't here to arrest me"
"But it will come to that. You know that. I am just waiting orders myself".
"Then why are you telling me this? Why would you warn me?" asked Wolfram, looking intensely into Yozak's eyes. This made no sense.
"Because…" Yozak looked away, licking his lips. "I… I think there is something more here, but I don't know what yet. But trust me on this, little lord, I have a feeling we are being played. And I do believe Lady Cecile is innocent. Dead or alive, she is innocent".
Wolfram hold his breath.
"There's only two options, Wolfram" said Yozak. "You can either leave now, and hide. Because Bielefed is the only place where the letters are being kept secret, and that is high treason, more so if you are the traitor's son… Or you can stay, and play politics. Turn your back on your mother, for appearance's sake. Invent a reason for hidden the letters… and do it soon, because there are already whispers among the nobles. Some are saying, who better to help the ex Maou plot her betrayal, but her youngest son, the one that had already been named Maou, even if for a short period of time… same young man who has a personal reason to want to take King Yuuri out of the way".
"That's insane! Why would I ever want to hurt Yuuri?" Wolfram couldn't believe anyone would even entertain the idea.
"You are the prime example of what a rejected lover is, Wolfram. Everyone in the kingdom knows King Yuuri doesn't take the engagement seriously… you became the kingdom's joke".
Wolfram saw red.
"That's-!"
"That's true, and your time is running. You need to make a choice Wolfram".
"I can't turn against my own mother…"
"Then you need to hide".
"I am not hiding away in some hole! I am a Bielefeld and I did nothing wrong!"
"You don't have more choices!" shout Yozak, and for a moment he looked actually scared for the young demon in front of him. "Play your role Wolfram, as a noble. Play your cards correctly and you can still look for your mother in secret. Appearance's sake, little lord, nothing more".
There was a heavy, tense moment of silence before someone knocked on the door. Wolfram jumped startled, but Yozak only put on his wig quickly, fixing his skirt and going to the door. It was Sven Volker, dressed in riding attire, and looking curiously at the ugly maid before fixing his eyes on Wolfram.
"Wolf?" asked the man tentatively.
Yozak moved to the back discretely, out of the way, but holding Wolfram's gaze the whole time.
"Are we going?" said Sven, taking a few steps closer to Wolfram.
Wolfram gulped, flexing his hands open and close, a drop of sweat running down his temple.
Staying, faking and fighting politics. Or. Going, hidding, and looking for more cold clues.
Wolfram felt like throwing up when he shook his head.
"No Sven… change of plans, we are staying. And call my uncle, we have some issues to discuss".
That night, when Wolfram went to bed after an exhausting day of discussions, plans and plots, the young mazoku closed his eyes and whispered:
"Yuuri… where are you?"
He had never felt so alone.