Update time! I'm loving writing this story, so I hope that you guys enjoy it as well. This chapters is somewhat shorter than the last few, but this story tends to jump around on chapter length anyway... And things are just going to get messier before anything gets sorted out.

Title: Into the Indefinite Sky
Author: S.P. Kathrine
Anime: Kyou Kara Maou
Genre: AU, Angst/Drama, Romance
Pairing: YuurixWolfram
Rating: M (R)
Chapter: Chapter 7 (07) ?
Warnings: Angst, Non-Consensual Sexual themes (referenced/implied), AU, OOC Wolfram, possibly OOC everyone else (and a few Warnings I can't mention without ruining the plot)
Summary:
Wolf had spent his life believing that he was meant for servitude. His master was strict, and often cruel, but he never thought he could be anything more than what he was. One night changes everything and he is thrown into a world that he knows nothing about and given a life he never thought he could have. But a secret he keeps could only throw his life into further turmoil and not to mention the Demon King…

Chapter 7 - Vindication

"But I'm not a full-blooded Mazoku."

"For this stone to work the way I think it does…you would have to be."

Another blow had been taken against the world as Wolf knew it to be. He did not know how many more 'surprises' he could handle and still keep his sanity intact. But he wondered who were more insane, the Mazoku for believing their own delusions, or himself for listening to any of it. This time, though, he would have none of it. There was only so much he would allow them to take from him.

"I'm not full-blooded Mazoku!" he growled.

Murata shrugged. "Then I don't know what to make of it," he stated. "The Houseki is draining your maryoku, but if you're only half-Mazoku then you wouldn't have any maryoku to drain."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" he retorted. "I'm know I'm only a Half-Blood."

"Not if you really are Wolfram von Bielefield," the man-Gwendal-spoke once more. "He was the son of Cecelie von Spitzweg and Alec von Bielefield, second son to the Head of one of the Ten Noble Families of Shin Makoku. He was a full-blooded Mazoku of great descent."

Wolf could not have lost any more composure than he did right then. He grabbed the first thing nearby, which happened to be a large, thick, heavy pillow and threw it with all of his might at Gwendal. It struck him directly in the chest, but the blonde knew it only hit him because the Mazoku had not bothered to move out of the way.

"Get out!" he shouted. "I'm tired of having people tell me all of these things without showing me one shred of proof about what you say. I might not have a prestigious education or background, but I'm no fool. I will not believe anything you say unless there is proof to it."

"I know about your birthmark," Conrad told him.

Wolf let out a sardonic laugh. "Yes, a birthmark that you could just as easily undressed me while I was unconscious and found."

Yuuri waved his hands about wildly. "I thought we had that settled!" he exclaimed. "He wasn't even in the room!"

Dark green eyes fell on him. "And that would leave you," he pointed out.

"I told you that I didn't do anything either!"

"That was before you made your vow," the blonde stated. "I have no reason to believe anything you said before then with solid proof."

"I can give you proof." The blonde woman stared straight at him.

"You can?" he asked.

"You are right about the fact that we've said much, but proven little," the words were strong, and her tone reserved. "You deserve that much at the very least. And I will prove to you that you are my son, because no matter how you feel about us or Mazoku in all, we all deserve to know the truth."

She the turned around and motioned to the door. "Now finishing dressing yourself and we will be waiting outside for you." Her eyes went to the others, her enchanting smile back on her face. "Now let's leave Wolf-chan to get ready, shall we?"

"Yes, Hahaue," Gwendal nodded to her and followed her example in leaving the room.

The others began to leave, Gisela warning him, "Don't stress your back anymore!" before she went.

Yuuri moved away from his side and was about to depart as the others had but stopped himself. "Oh!" his eyes lit with remembrance, "Your clothes are on the big chair near the fireplace. One of my pairs of boots are there too, seeing as you're about my size in footwear. They might be a little big, too, but it's better than nothing."

Wolf gave a small, absentminded nod. "…Thank you."

"It's nothing," Yuuri grinned as he once more turned to leave.

"Yuuri?" Those eyes looked back on him.

The blonde was silent for a moment, warring with his own thoughts. "Could you wait…here?" he finally forced out. "I mean, in here…with me, instead of out there."

There was a curious expression on the raven-haired boy's face, unsure of what to make of the former slave's request. "Anou…sure," he agreed. "I'll stay with you."

Then Wolf did smile, a small, shy upturn of his lips that one might not even notice unless they were staring directly at him. The emotion was more in his grateful eyes than anywhere else.

The blonde pushed himself onto the floor from the edge of the immenseness that was the canopy bed he'd found himself on. It was covered in pillows and blankets, with such a sleek, shiny wood frame that he knew he'd never seen anything so elegant before in his life. It only reminded him of how different he was from the Mazoku. Their wealth was obviously flaunted by all of their elaborate furniture and rooms. How can they even believe for a moment that I belong here?

He moved to the rather large, high-back armchair where the rest of his clothes were draped. He picked up the white shirt and a familiar piece of cloth fell to the floor. He picked it up and turned to Yuuri. "What is this?" he asked. "I have never seen anything like this before. Does it go on your head? It would make sense if the holes are where your ears come out."

Yuuri stared at him, his face suddenly growing into a deep dark red. "No!" he cried, hands waving wildly once more. "That's a… Well you wear it… Anou…"

"Yuuri?" Wolf frowned. "Why are you-"

"It's underwear!" he finally blurted out before falling over, covering his burning face with his hands.

"Underwear?" Wolf stared at the strange clothing. Then his eyes went wide with understanding. "You…You mean this is your un-undergarments? I'm supposed to wear this d-down…" At the thought, he could not deny the feel of his own cheeks lighting up with embarrassment.

It would take some time for both of them to recover from their mortification, but eventually Wolf did put on the undergarments provided-as Yuuri dutifully looked in the opposite direction-and finished preparing himself for whatever the Mazoku had planned for him. Before they had left the room, he had looked into the mirror over the washbasin and could not believe what he saw.

He had no idea who the person in the mirror was. His hair was a bright golden color that fell around his shoulders, face pale, creamy skin, clothing befitting someone of importance and money. The only things of recognition were the pink stone standing out against the sterling white of the blouse and the green of his eyes. They were the only signs that the one looking back at him was indeed Wolf himself.

He turned away from the mirror in horror and disgust. He almost looked as if he was one of them, the wealthy Mazoku. I'm not one of them, he told himself. Even if…Even if I am who they think I am… I will never be one of them.

"Wolf?" Yuuri called to him before placing a hand on his shoulder.

The blonde snorted, only for it to come out as a half-sigh, "I am not who they think I am."

The Maou shrugged. "I don't think even they know who they want you to be," he replied. "As Cheri-sama said, they just want to know the truth. You know, there is a saying where I come from, 'The truth will set you free.' Hiding from it will only hurt everyone."

The former slave pulled away from him. "You say that because you're not involved," he spat. "This doesn't affect you the way it affects me. It doesn't affect ANY of them they way it affects me. That woman wants her son, Conrad wants his brother…I don't even know what that Gwendolyn-fellow wants…"

"His name is Gwendal," Yuuri butted in. "They just want closure. Whether or not you turn out to be Wolfram, Wolf will always be Wolf. You don't have to change yourself for them, just give them a chance to know you."

The blonde couldn't believe how the other boy could put his heart at ease with words and a smile alone. What was it about this boy that just made everything else seem so much less worrisome than it was? It was as if once those eyes looked at him, all of his troubles fell away.

"You're a very odd person, Yuuri," he said.

The raven-haired boy chuckled in an abashed sort of way. "Thanks… I think." They didn't say anything after that, exiting the room in silence.

The others were waiting outside just like the woman had said they would. "Before we leave," she said. "There is something that I need to show you. I think it will help."

She led the way down the halls, of which there were many. Wolf knew he couldn't possibly retrace his steps back to the room. He was taken in by the majestic beauty of the castle. Tapestries and large canvases hung all over, along with a few flags of the kingdom. At the end of their not-so-short journey, it was obvious that all of the others, including Yuuri knew where they were going.

They came to a long corridor and the woman-whose name he knew now to be Cecelie, or Cheri-sama-moved forward, her heels clinking lightly against the floor and she spun and waved her hands out to the left. She was pointing to a pair of paintings.

One was of a man with a long, but handsome face and ebony tresses much like Yuuri's and the boy Murata's. He had eyes the same color as theirs as well. But when he looked to the painting beside it, he knew which one she was speaking of.

It was the person he'd seen in the mirror of the bedroom. Golden blonde hair that was somewhat shorter, the same face, but older, the elegant clothing that look so out of place. But the eyes… Blue eyes stared back at him rather than the deep green of his own irises. It was not the same person from the mirror, for this was not him.

"Who is he?" he asked, voice filled with awe and trepidation.

"That is Shinou, the first King of Shin Makoku," Günter explained. "He saved us from a great evil, but sacrificed himself for us later on. The other painting is of Daikenji, the Great Sage. He was Shinou's advisor and friend. He, too, is a hero of our people."

"Why does he…?"

"Because the Spitzweg are direct descendants of Shinou," Cheri-sama smiled. "And my Wolfram looked just like him. After…he went missing, I would often come here, because I knew this is how my son would look when he grew older. The only difference is that my son was born with my eyes, the eyes of my mother."

Wolf gazed upon the image of a man long dead and couldn't help but think, I will grow to look like him? It was not something he could believe. But…he's beautiful…

He had to look away. "This isn't much proof," he told her. "I could just as easily be a look-a-like."

"No one else could look so much like him and act so much like a von Bielefield," she replied. "For all that has happened, and for all that you say, you are just as stubborn as everyone else in that family." She gave him a wink, which he hadn't expected, although it seemed quite natural of her. "But this is not my proof. For that, we must go to the Palace of Shinou."

"To Ulrike?" Yuuri said. "Do…do you think that she would know?"

"I think that Shinou Heika would," she stated. "And I fully intend to ask him. With Heika's permission of course."

"Perfect!" Yuuri stated.

"Shinou?" Wolf looked back at the picture. "I thought you said he was dead."

"He is," Murata told him with a nod. "But when Shinou sacrificed himself, he lost his body. His soul still resides here in this world. It is he who guides the leaders of Shin Makoku to protect the people."

Wolf stepped back slightly. "So…you want to take me to visit a ghost?"

Yuuri gave a weak laugh. "I guess…you could put it that way. He won't hurt you though."

The blonde looked back at Cheri-sama. "But he will be able to decide if I'm actually who you say I am? How will he be able to tell?"

"Shinou Heika still has much of his power," Günter said. "And Ulrike would be able to define if you are indeed a descendant of him."

Yuuri must have seen his confusion at the new name. "She's the Priestess," he explained. "She watches over Shinou's shrine and communicates with him."

"Then that is the best way to have this over with," Wolf stated. "You will all get the answers you seek and will finally let me be." He didn't look to see the hurt flash across Cheri-sama's face. He wanted it over with. No matter what happened, he would have his freedom. Yuuri had promised him.

Wolf, Yuuri, Murata, and Cheri-sama rode in a carriage rather than on horseback. Greta had asked if she could come along, but after a short, private conversation with Conrad, she had agreed to stay behind with a red-haired woman with a disturbing glint in her eye. To Wolf, if was as if she was plotting something just by looking at him. He was glad that she had not approached him before.

As it turned out, the Palace of Shinou was not very far away. They traveled back through the city, but took a move to the south rather than the east as when they had entered that morning. Wolf sat next to Yuuri in the coach, but could not stop Cheri-sama from hugging him and such whenever the mood struck her. She also spoke to him about the different things going on in the kingdom, such as the Baby Celebration that was only a month away, and ball that was scheduled for the Harvest Festival at the end of August. She spoke to him as if she had known him his entire life and not for a mere half a day-part of which he spent unconscious.

Yuuri and Murata just smiled and laughed politely at some of her comments. It seemed that they was used to upfront and open behavior.

"Wolf-chan," she finally asked, a wry grin on her lips. "When we left you to dress, Yuu-chan Heika was the only one that you allowed to stay behind. Why? What happened while you two were 'alone'?"

Yuuri sputtered at her words, eyes wide and cheeks tinted. Murata smirked and nudged him with his foot. "Yeah Shibuya," he pushed. "What did happen while you were together?"

The blonde boy blushed just as the Maou had, frowning and turning his head towards the window. "That is something rude and personal to ask!" he huffed. "Are all Mazoku so nosy? What happened in there is no one else's business but Yuuri's and my own!"

Yuuri gave him a grave and embarrassed look. "You know that only makes them think something happened?" he sighed. But he didn't try to explain what had transpired either, whether out of his own awkwardness or respecting Wolf's privacy, the blonde did not know.

"Look!" he suddenly pointed out the window, taking everyone's attention away from the events of the bedroom-for the time being. "We're here!"

Wolf pushed aside the curtain in the window of the carriage door and looked out. Before them was a bridge and on the other side was a tall building made of grey stone. There wasn't any of the extravagant trimmings that the other castle wore, but Wolf knew that there was something more substantial on the inside.

"This is the Palace of the Original King?" he inquired.

"Yeah," Murata nodded. "Hopefully, Ulrike won't have any trouble answering our questions."

The blonde gave a small to sow that he had heard him but did not take his eyes away from their destination. They say that Shinou will be able to tell if I am really Wolfram, he said. But what if I'm not? Will Cheri-sama accept that? She seems so determined and sure that I am. Will she be losing her son a second time?

He didn't know why he felt concern over that. Why should he worry if some Mazoku woman had her hopes dashed? It would only mean that he would have no obligation whatsoever to her. Wolf would be able to leave and not turn back.

But what if I do leave? The question came unbidden. Would I ever get to see Yuuri again? Or would he not want anything to do with me? He kept these thoughts to himself and pushed them down where he would not have to answer them. He had enough troubles to concern himself with already.

They crossed the bridge and passed through the thick gates into an courtyard of only women. Some were carrying cloths and such while others wore small amounts of battle armor and carried weapons. There were no men around.

A blue-haired woman stepped forward, another on each side of her, and bowed before them. "Greetings, Maou Heika," she welcomed them. "Ulrike-sama is awaiting you in the shrine chamber."

"She knows we were coming?" Wolf was slightly unnerved by that.

"Don't worry," Yuuri told him. "She's a Priestess, she knows things like this. If you don't think about it too hard, you won't get confused."

"Please follow us," the women turned around and walked purposefully across the courtyard and into a corridor. They did follow, and Wolf allowed his attention to wander. The solidness of the building reminded him more of a fortress than a palace. Contrary to the large castle he'd come to upon arrival in Shim Makoku, this one was simple in its elegance, none of the extravagant or outstanding displays of patriotism. It simply was.

They were led down the corridor and through another, taking an additional turn down deep flight of stairs that was bare lit by the torches on the walls. Wolf felt as if they were going in a circle, but from the shape of the outer structure, they mostly likely were. Finally the stairs ended and saw the brightness of an open room on the other side of a doorway. It was then that an oppressive feeling washed over him.

The blonde stood still and the others moved in front of him, none seeming to have the same difficulty as he. As he stared through the doorway he could see very little, for the lighting different from the dim corridor into the bright room. What is wrong with me? he wondered. Why am I…afraid? It was not something that he would admit aloud, but the trepidation would not leave him. The finality of the act. If he stepped through that door, he was taking the next step in his life, wherever it made lead him.

"Wolf, c'mon," Yuuri was there, as always. "Don't let the atmosphere get to you. I think its because of the incense Ulrike burns. Some of them kinda smell strange."

A brief smile crossed his lips at the Maou's words. Those eyes were seeking to comfort him, even though he could not see them properly in the dull light. He slowly felt the anxiety fade from his body, and he gave a nod, willing to accept whatever came from that point on. I can't run from this, he told himself. I make my own choices now. No matter what comes of this, I am still myself.

With those fortifying words he passed through the doorway into the large room, following the others to the person standing near the opposite end. He was surprised by the petite-ness of the young girl that stood before them. She was rather tiny with very long, flowing silver hair covering the floor around her that only seemed to accent her fragility. She had strange markings on her brow and a serene look on her face, as if she was willing to handle anything with a grace few would ever possess.

Wise, childlike eyes bore into him, penetrating him is a way unlike Yuuri's heartening gaze, but rather in a way that said she knew everything about him before he even entered the room. It made him feel uncomfortable, just as stares of Conrad, Cheri-sama, and Gwendal, but in a different way. Their gazes were full of demands and expectations; her eyes were full of understanding she shouldn't have.

She stepped towards him and the others quietly backed away. No matter how much he wished it, Wolf could not turn away from her. The room itself felt as if it was pushing against him, trying to feel him and his intentions. It was stifling. To him, it was almost as if he could feel another person in the room, touching him, weighing his worth.

Is this how it feels to the others? he wondered. How can they not go mad in this place?

"Welcome," she finally spoke, her voice soft, melodious. "We have awaited your return with great hope, von Bielefield-kyo."

Yes, I stopped it right there. You'll just have to wait until the next update for what goes down. Expect it Tuesday or Wednesday next week.