Hello everyone. Yeah, it's been a long time since my last update, although not as long as the interval between CH21 and CH22. Got to give me points for that right? Okay, lots of stuff is going to happen in this chapter and more will be coming in the next (which I hope will be finished faster than this one).

A Big THANK YOU. To all of the reviewers who are still keeping up with this story and pushed this story over the 100-review mark. This is the first story on mine on FFNet to ever do so. And that's thanks to all of you.

Title: Into the Indefinite Sky
Anime: Kyou Kara Maou
Genre: AU, Angst/Drama, Romance
Pairing: YuurixWolfram
Rating: M-MA (R-NC17)
Chapter: 23 of ?
Warnings: Angst, NCS (referenced/implied), AU, OOC Wolfram, possibly OOC everyone else, Self-betaed (Fair warning of any typos/misused grammar)
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…

Dedicated to Lena Inverse. If not for her, this chapter would never have been completed as "quickly" as it was.

Chapter 23 – By Way of the Man Named Murphy

Wolf's training with Yosak continued daily, even though the blonde did not request his personal tutelage, the redhead seemed to have taken it upon himself anyway. Sparring with Yosak was quite different to sparring with Conrad, no matter how close the two were to each other and how well they seemed to work together. Perhaps it was the contrasts that encouraged their perfect synchrony rather than any similarities. Yosak was less direct that Conrad in his actions. Conrad's swordsmanship was based on his undeniable skill and prowess, while Yosak used his flexibility and split-second ingenuity. Yosak's style was a mix of contradictions—military training and something far more natural—making Wolf wonder if he more self-taught than Conrad was as well.

Still the change was a good one. The blonde no longer practiced on his own, and therefore progressed in his combat skills, which had been slacking severely since Conrad's departure. With Yosak's presence, there was also less visible hostility from the soldiers, something that he was very grateful for, and Wolf had found himself a not-so-silent companion that seemed to enjoy frustrating him to no end. The gift and the bane; he could not have one without the other. He wasn't sure that he would want it simply one or the other anyway.

It was during their morning spar a few days later that one of the sentries sent to wait at the harbor had rushed through the gates, carrying the message that a Dai Shimaron naval vessel had been spotted not even an hour off the coast. Günter had then rushed Wolf into the castle to bathe and ready himself. At hearing that the ambassador was barely two hours from arriving at the castle gates, Wolf was suddenly overcome by a numb form of anticipation. He did not feel worry or stress—although that was perhaps because Günter was feeling enough for everyone in the castle; truthfully, he didn't feel anything. In a way, he actually felt more in control and ready than he had been in any of the days preceding. He knew that this was his chance to prove himself as a capable leader, and yet didn't feel the need to exert too much effort. The man's mind was already made up, he knew, and Wolf's main objective was to allow nothing to occur that would only give fair reason to Dai Shimaron to go to war with Shin Makoku without looking like ungracious bigots.

He retrieved Greta from her room, where she had been confined—unfairly in his opinion—for most of the day, so as to remain out of the way of the servants and prevent her from getting anything on the dress that had been picked out for her by Doria. It was a very pretty sundress that was yellow with dark green vines embroidered on the bottom hem and a lovely green jacket with red rose embroidery on the left breast. Wolf knew it had been one commissioned for her by Cheri-sama.

They stood upon the stairs, awaiting the arrival of the emissary and Greta looked up at him, eyes searching when she asked, "Will Papa Yuuri be back before the man from Dai Shimaron leaves? He should meet him, too."

Wolf understood that she was lonely, as he had been very busy with the preparations and hadn't spent as much time with her as he usually did. She had been more than understanding about it, but Wolf knew that with many of her daily companions away, and no other children living in the palace, his company was something that she counted on. The arrival of the ambassador only proved to take up even more of his time.

"He'll return soon," Wolf assured her, even if he wasn't very confident in it himself. "The ambassador will not be here long, only a week at most, and perhaps His Majesty will be back before then."

His words were meant to be reassuring, but honest, because he didn't want to get her hopes up waiting for her wimp of an adopted father. It made the blonde's brow twitch in irritation at the length of time that Yuuri and the others had been gone. Yes, he had been informed that seconds in Yuuri's world could be hours in Shin Makoku, but he still believed that they should have returned already.

Suddenly he could hear the Horns of Welcome, which were only used when someone of high status was visiting Blood Pledge Castle. He felt a light touch on his arm, and then a small hand fitting into his own. Tilting his head to the side, he gave Greta a small smile, and returned the light squeeze from her hand with similar sentiments. He knew that she was also expected to perform and a give a good impression, as they were the ones representing her absent adoptive father.

A well known saying in Dai Shimaron was, "Look to the wife and children for the true power of a man." Of course, Wolfram was only the fiancé and not the wife, but the saying still applied. If a man couldn't control his family and lead them well even while he was absent, then he was considered weak in the eyes of his peers.

The gates were opened and Wolf felt Greta let go of his hand, her own coming to together in front of her. The carriage and horses entered the courtyard and Wolf could tell that there were nine Dai Shimaron soldiers in attendance, along with Günter—who had rushed off to greet the foreign dignitary, as he didn't believe that anyone else could do the job properly—and the twelve Shin Makoku guards that had been sent to accompany them to the palace.

The carriage had been pulled off to the side, away from the large steps leading to the main doors of the castle, which confused Wolf. He looked to Günter, who was sliding off of his horse and moving through the cluster of soldiers to someone that Wolf suddenly realized was NOT wearing the traditional uniform of a Dai Shimaron guard. While he did indeed wear the uniform of a soldier, it was that of someone with high ranking within the ground forces, tassels dangling from his shoulders and a long green cape trailing behind him. His hair was cropped short in the front, but a shoulder length tail of light brown was pulled up so tightly that Wolf believed it to stretch the skin of his face.

Wolf started down the stairs, Greta following quietly beside him. Günter was motioning the man in their direction and he looked up towards him, face as stern and grim as Gwendal's ever was. He was a very young man—young in the eyes of someone more than twice his age—no older than his late twenties, but his posture and physical presence revealed his experience and belied his age. His eyes were a pale blue color, distinct and cold like ice, but also very familiar. There had only been two other people he had ever seen with those eyes…

When they reached the last step, Günter bowed in a respectful, reverent way that was alien to his normal behavior towards Wolf, and said, "Lord Wolfram von Bielefield, Consort Apparent of Yuuri Shibuya, the 27th Maou of Shin Makoku, may I present the Goodwill Ambassador of Dai Shimaron, Colonel, Lord Chauston Baborone II."

Wolf stared at their guest, almost not registering the man's curt bow of greeting. It's not possible…he thought.

Then the man spoke, tone hard and suspicious. "You are 'Consort Apparent'? Your king left someone that is not even yet his spouse to watch over his kingdom?"

Günter stepped forward, "As I previously explained, Lord Baborone, Heika left for a previous engagement shortly before the arrival of your missive. Because of its importance, he was not able to return in time for your arrival, although he hopes to be here before your departure." He turned and extended a hand towards Wolf, "Von Bielefield-kyo will be your host. While he may only be Heika's betrothed, he holds all of his authority in the Maou's absence."

Still Wolf had not moved, still staring at the man who had once been the infant—Baby Chaz—he had raised for the first eighteen months of his life. The child, who had smiled so readily, had laughed so easily. Looking upon the man now, it was almost as if his memories were nothing more than dreams and illusions, for surely no charming, innocent child could transform into this man before him.

They were staring at him, and Wolf realized that a response was expected of him. He gave as regal a bow as he could, hoping that his delayed actions had not been too damaging to their cause.

"Lord Baborone, I do hope you find your stay pleasant and agreeable," he replied. "His Majesty would wish for you to enjoy your visit to our kingdom as well."

The young man's eyes gave no quarter. "I did not come here on retreat," he replied. "My duty to my country is and will always be the first priority." It was then that he seemed to notice the small figure that had remained patient and quiet by Wolf's side. "And who is this?"

It was obvious that Greta was intimidated by the man's tall stature and hard features, but she managed to give a polite curtsy and smile anyway. Wolf place a hand on her should encouragingly, "This is Greta, His Majesty's daughter."

"I heard that your king is very young," the man stated.

"She's adopted, but His Majesty gives very little weight to the distinction between family by blood and family by heart," he explained, trying to keep his tone as explanatory as possible. It would not be beneficial to have him believe they were smug or arrogant.

"I heard that His Majesty was of the soft-hearted sort," Baborone replied.

Wolf could see that Günter wanted to retort to this seeming insult, but he did not have the authority and knew it would do more harm than good in the current situation. Before he realized it, the blonde was saying, "His compassion and willingness to look beyond the surface into the heart of a person are two of his best qualities. It is how he has managed to bring so many of our allies together to work towards unity and peace."

No response was given and for that, Wolf was grateful. Why did I say that? He wondered. He's right. Yuuri is a soft-hearted wimp, who's too naïve to realize that his kindness can be just as much a weakness as a strength. But even if the words were correct, Lord Baborone had never met Yuuri and knew nothing but hearsay about him. He had not right to make observations on a man who he had never met, or to speak of him in such a way. Wolf wouldn't allow such ignorant slander from anyone, no matter how much the person used to mean to him.

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They entered the castle and servants were ready to direct Lord Baborone and his entourage to their respective rooms. While Lord Baborone and two of his guards would be stationed in the east wing, where all foreign dignitaries stayed, the rest would be sent to the barracks designated for them. They would give the lord time to rest and meet again for dinner that evening. After making sure that all of their guests were being seen to and Greta had gone to Anissina to continue her studies –Wolf almost envied her for being able to escape the tense atmosphere – Günter had sequestered Wolf away into his study.

"Very well done," the pale-haired man complimented, eyes alight with pride. "Oh, how you defended Heika's honor was wonderful!" But within the next moment, the change was evident. He was suddenly, every inch the advisor and Mazoku Nobleman, eyes serious and posture stiff. "While you have overcome the initial meeting, I know that those coming will not be as simple to resolve. He seems like a man set in his ways that doesn't change his mind easily."

"Thankfully, business of state is not allowed to be discussed at dinner," Wolf sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was tired and the ordeal was nowhere near over. What was the chance of such a coincidence occurring? The vision of the small, happy baby from his memories had been washed away like dirty water on a fresh painting, leaving it distorted and warped until he was forced to accept the reality of what that child had become.

best, Wolf thought, feelings of bitterness arising in him. How could such a thing have been for the best? Didn't he need his mother more than anyone else? That thought left a heavy feeling in his chest for reasons he didn't want – wasn't sure he could handle should he decide – to explore.

"Is something the matter?" Günter inquired, bringing Wolf out of his internal monologue. He realized that he had fallen silent some time ago, leaving the other man to stare at him in suspicious concern.

"No, everything's fine," he replied. None of this matters anymore, he reminded himself.

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Dinner had been a surprising one. Lord Baborone had refused to have his meal in the main dining hall and, instead, had supped with his guards in the military mess hall that was adjacent to the kitchen. Wolf hadn't wanted to admit how relieved he had been that he would not have to be in the man's presence again until the next morning. While he seemed to be calm and in control, he was also stressed from the preparations and the tension, the proof being that he was now currently 'relieving' himself of barbecued fish and lentil soup that had been the main course of the evening in the royal bathroom.

It was at times like this that he was grateful that Yuuri and the others had left. The bathroom was peacefully empty, save himself, and there was very little chance of someone entering while he was busy.

he thought, I'm using more now than I was. Before he would make tea from the leaves after he awoke before breakfast and before he went to bed at night, but just the day before, he'd also had to drink the specially-brewed tea after breakfast, before lunch, and before dinner. He was going to run out in a matter of just a few days if he didn't restock.

After his stomach had finally calmed, Wolf brushed his teeth and then washed up before leaning against the cool wall beside the sink, letting out a deep sigh. I need fresh air, he thought, suddenly feeling as if the immense room was a thousand times smaller. Pushing up from the wall, he exited the bathing room and followed the darkened hall, which was only lit by moonlight, to the stairs that led directly to the corridor that opened up into the gardens.

He took a deep soothing breath, allowing his body to take in the cool breeze, savoring the feel of the freezing stone on his bare feet. He looked up into the sparsely-clouded sky and was taken back into his days under Verik's ownership, when Hilde would release him from his 'room' while his 'master' slept and they would go outside to lie in the bed of the cart and stare up into the stars. Those were the times he cherished most. Four hours they would look up at the stars and just speak about anything. Those were the nights when he could actually believe that perhaps one day his life would change and he wouldn't grow old and die as a slave to whoever got him after Verik's death.

.

But now things were changing. He refused to allow himself to remain the 'victim'. No, he would not have wished for things to turn as they had, but Wolf knew better than anyone that Life had a way of twisting and turning, only never in the way that you wanted it to go. All he could do was make the best of everything.

Things will go much easier once my little 'passenger is go-

There was a noise. A subtle, scratching, creaking noise, like the sound of a door long unused being forced open. Turning towards the direction he believed the distinctive, yet soft sound, originated from, Wolf was surprised to see part of the outer stone wall of the castle's barricade shifting. It would have been harder for anyone farther away to distinguish because it was a darkened corner of the castle's outer wall, but the area was close to where he stood.

At first he was confused, not knowing how to react to the fact wall have moved, but one thought came to mind. It could be an assault on the castle! He reached for his sword—something that had become reflexive to him ever since the night of his abduction all those months ago—but he had left it back in his room in his 'hurry' to get to the bathing room to 'relieve' himself—he'd been drinking more water lately and therefore had to do this more often.

Cursing his own thoughtlessness, he knew that he needed to alert the guards of the security breach. But at that moment, a man-sized rectangular piece of the stone wall opened up—not completely, yet well enough for a person to fit through, was something that absently flittered through the blonde's mind for a moment—as if it was on hinges and a large figure stood in its place. The figure stepped into the garden and Wolf was shocked to see the familiar blonde hair and blonde shoulders lit up by the near-full moon that was free of any obstructions.

"Adelbert?" he spoke, shocked.

The man turned his head towards the blonde and blinked, as if surprised by his presence. "If it isn't the little bouya," he stated. "Young boys shouldn't be running around in their sleepwear this late at night."

"Why is a man that exiled himself from Shin Makoku using an obviously secret passage to sneak into the castle?" the blonde returned, no longer feeling the adrenaline-rushing alertness from before, but still keeping himself on guard.

Instead of answering him, Adelbert turned back to the secret door and gave the signal to enter to whoever was on the other side. Shortly, Wolf watched as Keenan stepped through, another much smaller form leaning against him.

…

"I need help over here!" he called out. "His rib has punctured his lung! I need help!"

The young boy from that day held partially onto Keenan while his other hand stayed wrapped around the handle of a child-sized crutch. His breeches were not the normal wear for a boy his age either, sagging off his frame, but kept on his waist by a belt that must have been cut to fit him.

"Wh-Why is he here? Why would you bring a child on one of your criminal escapades?"

"We seek Gisela," Keenan stated. "The boy's leg did not heal properly and she's the only one with skill enough to fix it."

Then another sound was heard from nearby. Footsteps clicking against the stone paths. The patrolmen. Wolf stared at the two men and then to the small boy in their care, who was staring up at him with pained eyes. It was obvious that he was hurting even though most of his weight was being carried by Keenan. The footsteps were getting closer and not taking his eyes off of those of the boy who could have been no older than nine years old…Wolf made a decision that he was not sure he would regret.

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The guards came and found nothing, for the door had been pulled shut once more. Adelbert and Keenan were gone and the two men moved on with their rounds, never realizing that the Shin Makoku fugitives had been within the palace grounds. Wolf at that moment was awkwardly knocking as loudly and softly on a dark wood door that was in a small hall just off the main corridor of the healing wing. He continued to look over his shoulder, hoping that no guard would come checking in that direction soon.

Finally, he heard movement on the other side and stopped, just as the door was opened and a disheveled woman holding a candle stared out at him. Her eyes were alert and ready, trained to expect late night calls and be prepared and coherent as quickly as possible. He face was a little damp and a few wet strands of green hair stuck to her brow and the sides of her face, evidence that she had splashed some water on her face before coming to the door.

"Wolf, wha-" Gisela's question halted when she noticed the small boy being practically carried in the blonde's arms.

"Who is this?" she asked in place of her original question.

"Someone who needs your help," Wolf told her, ignoring his hesitance at entering a woman's private chambers without permission and he pushed passed her and into the room.

The room was smaller than his own, which surprised Wolfram internally, because even though he knew servants had smaller rooms than the 'royalty' they served, to actually see for himself a bedchamber smaller than his own—as Greta's was the same size—was unsettling. Something that he was not accustomed to.

The room was sparsely furnished, but had more of a personal touch than his own. There was also an extra cot only a few short steps from the four-poster canopy bed, which he led the boy over to and helped him sit down without jostling his lame limb. He had felt the protrusion as the dark-haired child had leaned against him. It must have been excruciating, especially since the limb had already healed. How had infection not set in? Had no healer been able to do something for him sooner?

Gisela shut her door and came up behind him, tying the rope of her well-worn robe tighter to cover up her thin nightgown.

"I demand to know what is going on!" she hissed, although not loudly.

"His leg was broken, but healed improperly," Wolf explained. "He was brought here in hopes that you could help him."

"Who brought him? Where are his parents?" she asked, kneeling down next to the boy as she went about giving him a visual examination.

The boy flinched, eyes shut for a long moment, head and shoulders huddling inwards. Wolf swallowed heavily before replying, "They're dead."

Gisela's turned sharply away from her patient to look at him, but only for a moment. Gently, she rolled up his saggy, left pants' leg staring at the damage. The boy's foot was twisted slightly inward and the lump was just below the knee. It was sizeable and rather pointed.

"Incompetence!" she growled. "Who ever cared for this should be stripped of their status as a healer!"

"At the time the injury occurred there were many injured and very few healers between them," Wolf stated, trying to keep his sudden surge of less-than-rational anger in check. Yes, the injury had obviously not been care for properly, but there had been so much going on at the time and very few left injured enough to care for all of those that need help. He understood why Gisela was upset, but she had not been there. She had not seen the destruction, nor been caught in the middle of it.

"I'm going to need my supplies, and more candles," Gisela stated professionally. "He shouldn't be moved any more," she then gave a glace to Wolf, "and I take it that you want this done discreetly, so I'll have to perform the operation here." She turned her eyes to the boy and the change in her face and mannerisms was instantaneous. "Don't worry, darling," she ran a comforting hand over his left cheek. "I'm going to do everything I can to take care of your leg. Everything's going to be fine…"

For a second there was silence, but then a small voice broke through a whispered, "Johann. My name is Johann."

"All right Johann," she smiled reassuringly. "Gisela and Wolf are going to take care of you."

The glace she gave back to the blonde sitting next to the boy was one that Wolf was willing to take. It promised demands for questions after this was over, but Wolf knew that after pulling her into this she deserved as much as he could give her.

Yeah, a few more twists in an already convoluted plot. Maybe now you'll understand the meaning on the chapter title. Murphy's Law and all that. If you're not familiar, Murphy's Law is: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."