Okay, I know you guys have waited quite a while for this, but it's not a very long chapter. Lots of stuff happened. Yeah...lots of excuses I could use, but the only one I actually think it a good one is the fact that my laptop got stolen. Thankfully, I had emailed most of this chapter to a friend, who sent it to me and now, Voila! Chapter 21. Be warned, the chapter gets a little confusing, but if you look at it from Wolf's POV, there's a reason for it.

Title: Into the Indefinite Sky
Anime: Kyou Kara Maou
Genre: AU, Angst/Drama, Romance
Pairing: YuurixWolfram
Rating: M-MA (R-NC17)
Chapter: 21 of ?
Warnings: Angst, NCS (referenced/implied), AU, OOC Wolfram, possibly OOC everyone else, UNBETAED
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 21 – Out of the Frying Pan

It wasn't until that night that Wolf finally settled on his own interpretation of what Anissina had meant by her cryptic words. But for the answers he needed, he would have to get out of the castle—which was something he had failed miserably at the one time he had attempted it without anyone's foreknowledge. Now that he held the power of Consort Apparent and knew how to utilize it, he found it rather easy to demand a relaxing ride into the countryside as a break that was much needed—this being at least an honest excuse and way to get out of signing papers for at least one morning. Greta did not accompany him, as she and Anissina were doing 'lab work' as part of her 'hands-on' lesson of the day—he would never venture into the same wing as Anissina's lab when she was occupying it—and thankfully he only had to suffer the company of two guards.

It was an odd experience to say the least. To reach the countryside—and his other destination—he and his guards had to first travel down the main road of the city. It was something he did not do often, as he usually did not have enough leisure time to leave the castle grounds. Most outings with Greta remained within the safe boundaries of the castle walls. Rarely did they venture out into the city—something that Wolf believed was a way to keep a line of separation between Wolf and the citizens. Most didn't even know what the fiancé of the Maou looked like, even though he only lived within a few minutes walk past the city limits.

To Wolf, he found it more shocking that people actually did know what he looked like. The Baby Ceremony seemed years in the past with everything else that had transpired since and it still seemed unbelievable that people would recognize him. Within Blood Pledge Castle, Wolf was 'Wolf pretending to be Wolfram', while outside, among the people, he was 'Wolfram von Bielefield, fiancé of Yuri Shibuya, the 27th Maou of Shin Makoku'. They knew him as no one else and could see him as no one else—until the day came that he could free himself of the chains of his accursed engagement. And so, for them, he would be Wolfram as he could not be for those who knew more than simply 'of' him. To Wolf, it was so much easier to pretend for those who had no expectations of who they thought Wolfram should be.

They passed down the main road, crossing the intersection at the outdoor market, which was still somewhat crowded from the morning rush and Wolf was shocked by the number of people who turned to stare. When he had first entered the city, most people ignored his presence, but now it was the exact opposite. The woman who ran the bakery that sat on the corner of the intersection—who also happened to have been present for her newborn granddaughter at the Baby Ceremony—had a table of fresh breads sitting outside her store and she called out to him in greeting, bowing when he turned towards her. From there, even more people seemed to recognize him and heads sporadically bowed and greetings were shouted. He did as he was taught, waving 'majestically' and sending thanks and salutations in return. It was a surreal experience.

Still, they went about unobstructed, traveling down the road out and heading in the direction of the Original King's Palace. There was forestry and fields between the city limits and the castle-turned-shrine, plenty of lovely greenery for him to enjoy during his 'relaxing ride'. The road was dirt, but smooth, flattened down by years of use. He made the effort of appearing to enjoy the scenery, looking about and even 'focusing' his attention on various spots, while he was actually trying to come up with a way to get his guards to return to the castle, or at least leave him alone long enough to travel to the shrine and return.

He was no closer to coming up with a good excuse—these two were handpicked by Günter from Gwendal's guard to watch over him and not very likely to be deceived just any trick—only to find someone on horseback in the center of the road after they exited the forested area. The road to the Palace of the Original King was otherwise deserted, as it usually was, and he realized shortly after spotting this person that she was one of the female warriors that guarded over the shrine and protected the priestess, Ulrike. Her clothing was rather distinctive.

His guards moved forward, one halting in front of him and thereby forcing him to stop as well.

"What are you doing so far from Ulrike-sama?" one of the guard, who appeared older and more 'Gwendal-like'—if his stern, ever-present frown and distrustful eyes were anything to go by.

"My lady has requested a meeting with von Bielefield-kyo," she replied, not shouting, although her voice carried easily.

Wolf knew that Ulrike had sent her messenger to give him the perfect alibi for his visit to the Palace. Thankfully, he had become used to her way of 'knowing everything' or such acts would leave him feeling more than a little unsettled in her presence. He had also wondered if she knew of his pregnancy, but had chosen to remain silent. If she did, it would actually make his mission that day that much easier.

"Von Christ-kyo has order us to guard Kaka during his ride," the younger of the two guard replied. "We cannot simply leave him to your care."

"Then you may wait at the gates for him to return to you," she replied. "Only men invited by Heika or Ulrike-sama may enter."

This was something repeated often by various people, even though everyone in Shin Makoku must have known the restriction by now. Wolf sometimes wondered why so many well-known traditions were continuously brought up as if the people needed to be reminded about them.

"I shall go," he gave a nod of acceptance and the guard turned her horse around, pushing them to move at a gallop down the road. Wolf gave Kin a light squeeze with his thighs and a light flick of the reigns, the white mare immediately catching the message and speeding up to keep pace with the other horse. His two bodyguards followed behind him.

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There was a pressure he felt when he entered the Palace, a strange ominous sensation that left him feeling as if eyes were following him from every direction—which could be entirely possible if one believed that Shinou resided with the halls of his shrine. He left his guard at the gates, although his guide did assure him that midday meal would be provided for them even though they could not enter the Palace.

They traveled down the stone halls and Wolf recognized the way leading to the inner shrine, although he found himself slightly surprised by Ulrike standing outside of its doors rather than within them. He gave her a courteous bow, respectful of her station even if he was still unsettled by her too-youthful appearance.

"You requested an audience with me?" he spoke.

"Come, von Bielefield-kyo," she spoke, turning to walk farther down the hall rather than to enter the room she spent so much time within. He didn't question why, as the more distance they put between themselves and the room, the more at ease he began to feel. It was as if the presence he had felt seemed to not follow them beyond that point. Inwardly, he wondered if the dark aura he felt was something else caused by the three boxes—to him they appeared to be little more than crates splattered with chipped paint in a few places—that sat on the altar in the shrine room.

They continued to walk, as if they had no definite direction, and a few good minutes for politeness, Wolf felt that he couldn't wait any longer.

"You knew I was coming," he stated.

"I know you have many questions that strain you," she replied. "So you may ask them and I will answer them to the best of my abilities. Perhaps that will ease the turmoil in your heart."

"Tell me about what happened after Wolfram disappeared," he said. "I've only learned a little on the subject and it seems that it is an unspoken rule that no one speak of it around me."

Ulrike stopped, turned to stare up at him. "Why ask about something that has no bearing on your life now? You have clearly stated that you are not Wolfram."

He gave her a scowl. "Everything in my life right now has to do with what happened."

"No," she shook her head. "It appears this way, yes, but you couldn't be farther from the truth."

"Then it's about the boxes," he said. "I'm not allowed to know about them either. I'm tired of secrets being kept from me."

"The boxes are a problem for everyone, not merely the citizens of Shin Makoku," Ulrike told him. "But you shouldn't stress yourself over something that has yet to come to pass. You will learn of it all soon, once His Majesty and the others return. Have faith in them and that they what they do is not meant to hurt you."

Wolf clenched his hands into tight fists, frustrated. He wanted to yell and demand more of her. It was obvious that Ulrike, too, would withhold the information from him that he sought and yet he could not bare to even raise his voice to her. Perhaps it was because she looked like a child, no older than Greta. She spoke like someone wizened by years of experience and intuitive knowledge, but that did not change the fact that physically she resembled a little girl.

"Please do not stress yourself," Ulrike told him once more. "It would only do more harm to yourself and your child."

His eyes widened at the blunt way she spoke of his 'condition' aloud, even though he had suspicions that she had known of his pregnancy from the time that they had met.

/ "I am very sorry for all that you have gone through. Shinou knows of the trials and tragedies you have endured." /

When she had spoken this at their first meeting, he had believed that she knew of his violation and felt angered by the claim that anyone could know or understand what he had lived through for more than sixty years of his life.

"You should not stress yourself so," she repeated. "If you know the answers, why do you keep distrusting them? Trust what you know rather than what you think you should do."

He took in her words and understood the point the soft-spoken woman-child was trying to make, if only accepting it was as easy. He turned to look at one of the tapestries that covered the many corridors of the Palace and allowed his hands to unwind, although he could feel the stinging pressure that said he had been close to breaking his skin to the blood. As it were, there were deep red scratches lining his palm at the base of his thumb.

"Why is this so hard then?" he asked. "Why can I not forgive Cheri-sama for saving my life? I know I shouldn't be as angry as I am, and, yet, how can I not be angry? I'm pregnant with a child I'm not sure I want and yet it seems like I can't bear to harm it."

Ulrike sighed, looking up at him with an expression that would seem like pity on anyone else. But with her childlike features and ageless eyes, he couldn't truly tell what that look was meant to be.

"Her motives don't matter anymore," the silver-haired child-woman replied. "The answer you need to find within you is whether or not you could forgive her anyway. Could you let go of your hurt if it was truly because she didn't want to lose Wolfram again? Or would it only matter if she truly did it because of how much she loves you, Wolf?"

The blonde stared at her, confused. "Whether or not she loves me isn't the point here," he shook his head.

"Yes it is."

"No, it's not."

"All because she chose to be selfish in that one weak moment, doesn't mean that she cares for you any less," Ulrike said. "It was because she loves you that she was too weak to let you go. Could you truly say that you would prefer death over this alternative?"

Another question that he couldn't give a definite answer to. The words from her were the same ones that he had heard from Gisela – and even repeated to himself. And yet the answers to his confused mind were still nowhere to be found.

There was a time when he would have said "Yes" death was a better alternative, but now…when he was so close to actually coming into his own, just a breath away from true freedom… And yet… The one thing that was truly holding him back was the child that he did not want.

But was the Cheri-sama's fault? He was the one who cared too much for children, and because of that love, the potion didn't work. So wouldn't that mean it was his own fault? His love is what almost caused his death and Cheri-sama saved him.

The thoughts swirling in his mind were becoming too much. He could feel the growing throb behind his eyes that was a signal to the oncoming migraine.

"Would this no longer be an issue if the child was no longer an issue?" Ulrike questioned him.

Her words were more than a little oblivious, at least to Wolf. "Of course!" he replied instantly. "If not for the child that none of this would have transpired to begin with. This all started because I wanted to get rid of it!"

"Then get rid of it. It seems rather simple."

"I can't without killing myself!"

"Then you'll just have to wait until it's born, correct?" she stated as if it was the most obvious solution known to Mazoku. "You don't want the child, so wait until it is born and give it away to someone else. I'm sure that someone told you of this option?"

Wolf thought of Gisela, and how she had given him that very same advice.

"But I can't…" he replied. "Sooner or later I will begin to show and everyone will know. There isn't anywhere I can go until the child is born. I am the Consort Apparent, it is my duty to look after Shin Makoku in the absence of her King. And we do not know when he and the others will return here."

Ulrike reached out and took his hand into her own. Her stared down at them, seeing just how much smaller hers were compared to his own. "The shrine is a safe place for you to remain until the birth of the child," she told him. "You may come here and reside when you feel that you can no longer remain at the castle. My guards will be ready to welcome you."

The blonde was shocked. She was offering him refuge at the shrine? He would be able to hide here until the birth of the child and it would be gone and he would never have to think of it again. But he wanted it gone! He didn't want to spend months with it growing inside of him while he grew larger and larger, suffering with the sickness and lack of appetite. He hated it.

"Please, von Bielefield-kyo," Ulrike patted his hand in a soothing manner. "Do not think of what you wanted. The child shall stay until it is born, that is absolute. You must decide what to do with what you can do. You do not need to accept my offer now, only think on it until you are ready."

She then gave him a small, understanding smile. "Now, with that situation settled, you can focus on easing the burdens you have created for yourself. You do not have to hate people to protect yourself. It is not wrong to forgive." She then let go of his hand, moving a step away from him and heading back down the hall they had just traveled.

For some reason, the pressure was gone. The shadowy presence and dark weight were no longer around him and he felt lighter than he had when he first entered the shrine. Wolf looked down at his hand, realizing that the deep scratches he had dug into his palm were gone. Looking back at the priestess, he followed after her once more, only no words were spoken between them. And Wolf was grateful for the silence, as he still had many things to think on.

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Upon his return to Blood Pledge Castle, Wolf was swept away by Günter into his study, as it seemed that piles of paperwork had suddenly appeared out of thin air during his few hours of absence.

"Yes, and Heika received a missive from Dai Shimaron!" Günter explained in his fast, flamboyant way of speaking. "Of course, I was forced to open do to its urgency and the fact that neither Heika, Gwendal, nor you were here. They are sending an ambassador from their nation to 'observe' Shin Makoku and decide if alliance talks should begin. It seems that King Belal did not recover well from the ordeal with Soushu and that he has been removed to one of his other country homes for recuperation. The kingdom is under the control of the Aristocratic Council and they have decided that war with Shin Makoku may not be…the best decision as of now. Of course, they didn't mention any of this in their missive, but I do believe that is why they have chosen this course of action."

Wolf shook his head in disbelief. "So they realize that the king they've been listening to for all of these years is a loon and now they wish to seek peace with us?"

"That's just it," Günter replied. "From the wording of the official missive, they are sending this ambassador to see if there is a more 'peaceful' way that our two countries may co-exist. If he does not find one, war may be imminent."

"But why?" Wolf didn't understand. "First they want war and to kill the Maou, but now they want peace? What could have made them change their minds? Was the king only influential while he was in power, but now that he isn't all of his plans are falling apart?"

"It's more than that," Günter explained. "Much of Dai Shimaron's power is based on their allies, the familial ties they share with so many countries after so many generations. Before now, many countries were willing to follow them into war simply because of those ties, but now those countries are also bound by other ties to various countries that are not Dai Shimaron. And many of the ties they have are to countries are now our allies, thanks to the magnificent unifying abilities of Heika." With this Gunter placed a hand against his chest as if he were swooning. "Oh Heika, how I wish that you and the others would return soonest."

Wolf seconded his wish, although his reasons did not coincide with the pale-haired Mazoku's. "An ambassador from the country we're practically at war with is coming here to decide whether or not we should stay hostile towards one another and yet that wimp of a king isn't even here to deal with it?!"

Were any of you expecting that ending? C'mon, be honest. (winks)