Disclaimer:Kyou Kara Maou and Plot Bunny are borrowed and not mine (Disclaimer in the Prelude)

Warning: mpreg

Rating: PG13

A/N:Thank you so much for the reviews. I am happy some want to read this as much as I want to write it ^^ This chapter is, yes, based on the original novel you will notice, as I wanted to start it like this, but from the next chapter on I will follow only my course. Please have fun reading it!

MidsummerLullaby

Chapter1

News of the king's arrival in the city seeped into every corner, every street up to the castle. People, women and men, children of every age watched out of their windows if they didn't find a place on the crowded street to cheer at the majestic look of the young noble on a splendid black mare, which had been especially risen and trained for his rider. Beside the young king rode the brown haired third brother of Wolfram and Gwendal, instructing the newcomer in the correct behaviour in front of his people. Astonishment and disbelief adorned the face of the black haired boy while he greeted the surrounding crowd with a pure and wide smile.

Inside the castle the king was awaited since morning, when a member of the bone folk delivered notice of the group's return by afternoon. Of course everybody was excited and busy preparing everything for this event. Bets were made of how the new king would look like, how he would bring change over the Demon Kingdom or how he would mislead it into another disaster like some of his predecessors. Of course every speculation was done whispered behind hiding hands.

A certain blond demon did not listen to the talk anyway. He was already bad tempered towards the new king, sceptical about the new man, who was born and raised in a different world. A world he despised, a world of humans. And so intentions to deny him brooded inside him. How in the world their First King could decide such a filthy breed to be their next regent?

In the notice, which obviously had been written by his mentor Gunther von Christ, who tended to be enormously exaggerating, already enthused over the glorious and decent charisma of a double black, black hair and eyes, the utmost of noble appearance and whatever came to his mind.

Through the window of Gwendal's room he overlooked the agitated swarming of maids and security guards.

"So he is finally here", he remarked. "Let's see what type of wannabe he is, no Gwendal?"

In his arms again he had the baby securely sleeping. When Conrad's group arrived at the castle, Magdalena would take care of him and until then he would not let go of him. Another thing he disliked the one riding up the city for. He knew that with the new king he would not bow to unconditionally would bring duties that prevented him from being with Rudolf. When the arrival was announced he had asked to return to his uncle's lands to raise the child properly and was simply denied. Denied for reasons he didn't want to accept. Just because the First King said so. Which was not even a reason at all anyway. But he had said "I can not let you go" and that was final. And as a full member of the Demon Tribe, he had to listen to this order or take punishment of unknown but cruel amount, whether he liked it or not.

"We will see", was the only answer he got now. Wolfram knew that the other was sceptic as well and in his opinion, his oldest brother fit much more into the position of the Great Demon Kindom's ruler. After all he had managed the country since their mother, the former queen had stepped back and disappeared on her never ending cruises to find the freedom and love she had been denied as queen.

"It is stupid how the whole city is cheering so much. He is human after all."

"Half human", Gwendal corrected him.

"How does it matter if he is only half human?", he rolled his eyes annoyed, turning around to look at his brother at the desk. " He is not an adequate demon, that's enough"

"Wolfram", the older warned him, "Don't infuriate yourself more than necessary and wait, until he arrives, at least" With a thud he closed the map with documents he had worked through and put aside a quill to stand up and join his brother at the window to take a look outside. "He will have to prove himself anyway."

Rudolf had been awoken by the tensing body language of the one holding him and started to move and whine inside the dark blue blanket he was wrapped into. Softly Wolfram whispered to him and rocked him so he would go back to sleep.

The citizens of the capital were still cheering even if, for what Gwendal could see, the group already had reached the path which led up to the castle.

"Let's go down before he arrives", he suggested and started to move towards the door. Wolfram stood still for a few more seconds and tried to figure out the statue of the new king he had to face but they were too far away and so he followed to give Rudolf into Magdalena's care, who already waited for him in her room and not without a bow to the prince took over the task brightly smiling.

"I will come for him in an hour. Prepare yourself to have him most of the evening.", he informed her. "Yes, your excellency", she nodded and with a last kiss on the baby's forehead the blond left, feeling uneasy for leaving the little one behind for so long and for the first time since it's birth.

"This is to be our new king?", the snotty voice of the blond demon bellowed over the scene he just had to watch. Gwendal was reassuring the black mare which nervously stomped her hooves on the ground and a boy with said black hair and eyes sitting in the dust, unseated from his horse in full gallop. A wimp, was Wolfram's first image of the other. A beautiful face and it had a familiar vibe around it Wolfram instantly loathed and stared down at him. Conrad came running to help. "Your majesty, are you hurt?", he worried which made Wolfram squirm inside even more. Oh, but yes, of course the human loving half demon would pamper the double black beauty.

"Big Brother,", he directed to his oldest, "you are not going to accept this excuse of mixed blood as king, are you?", Wolfram insulted the teenager who was standing up and brushed of the thin layer of dust on his clothes. "Hey!", he objected confused but the voice of lavender haired Gunther von Christ prohibitively interfered to show the bratty prince his place. "Wolfram, don't you dare talking about our precious king! If he wasn't so generous and humble, your life would be forfeited by now!", he argued towards him.

With a pursed lip Wolfram obeyed, glaring towards the intruder, who obviously was not sure how to react in the face of such greeting beside red cheeks.

"Hmpf!", Wolfram grunted and returned back into the castle. He saw no further need to waste his time with this matter, which was even better, because like that he could return to a much more valuable object of interest.

Gunther had turned pale in disbelivment of such behaviour towards their ruler to be.

"Conrad?", the youngest of the group asked the one who had saved him days ago from the grip of death, when he was flushed down a toilet, nearly got killed by hating humans and learned that was in a different world than earth where he was the king of The Great Demon Kingdom. "What just happened?"

"I apologise for this, your majesty, I don't know what has gotten into him."

"Have I done anything wrong?", the black haired, named Yuuri, wondered. Such a beautiful boy and the first think he did was ranting? It made him somewhat angry. He was the one that had been dragged into this strange world where everybody was beautiful and had powers he knew only from fantasy novels.

"I will talk to him," Gwendal handed the reins to a guard and directed his second brother. "You take care of him? We meet at dinner", Conrad nodded and Gwendal bowed to Yuri to apologise himself. "Your Majesty". The deep voice sent chills down Yuri's back.

"He will not punish him, will he?", he asked after the tall demon had left.

Conrad smiled gently yet his eyes seemed a bit sad.

"Wolfram was not allowed to act like this, it was more than disrespectful of him", he explained, "Gwendal will talk to him that is all. He will advise him to apologise to you in an appropriate manner."

Yuuri nodded. So now he at least knew the name of these two. They seemed to have a special position inside the castle, not dressed like maids or guards, but only in fine clothing. And the reaction to Wolfram's behaviour was not one Yuri knew from movies when someone from underclass dared to speak against his king. They were tortured and finally hanged for all to see as a warning.

"Your Majesty, if you allow, I bring you to your room, so you can refresh and rest a little before dinner"

That suggestion brought back the wide smile on Yuri's face. To get out of this sweaty and stiff school uniform and good hot bath and then a good meal! He could eat a whole steak or two bowls of curry, no three. Wait, if they had such meals like that?

"Good idea", he cheered anyway and followed his friend into the castle.

Humiliation! What for? How dared the wimp to do this and in front of his family?

With the painful sting on his left cheek a dark red colour spread all over his face. His fists were ready to punch and his body trembled in restraint.

"Please take it back, your majesty!", the young king was begged from different sides, but he did not listen.

"Never!", he refused, "It is one thing if he bad-mouths me, but when he started to insult my mother he pushed it over." Angered his eyes glared against the emerald green ones. "

"So you say, this is your final decision? Your are not going to take it back?", the clear voice of the former Queen Cecilie von Spitzweg and, Yuri had learned the mother of Conrad, Gwendal and Wolfram, filled the room.

How often did he have to say it? "No, I am not going to take it back!", he answered

The colour of Wolfram's face changed from red to white. `No! No, he must take it back! Take it back!`he thought desperately. How could he not know?

"Wonderful!" Instead of clearing the situation, his mother happily congratulated on the proposal. Wolfram felt betrayed and his anger grew anew to full extend. How could they let this happen?

It did not help at all to realise that the other didn't know what he had done and it was called official anyway?

Wolfram did not listen to what Conrad and Gunther were debating with Yuri, who already told them, it was not possible.

"He is a boy and so am I! We can't marry!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the shattering sound of dishes being swished down from the desk onto the floor silenced the room and drew everybody's attention to the blond demon who's hand had just been asked for marriage.

"NEVER in my life I have been humiliated like this!", Wolfram fussed.

Did they not understand? How could they let engage them like this? He, engaged to a stupid young, inexperienced wimpy excuse of a half demon. What should happen now? What would be with Rudolf?

Rudolf!

He could never allow to empower this creature over his little one, who knew what could happen or be decided. Maybe he would even take him away and do whatever filled this mind that was raised among humans. The thought alone of the other taking the baby into his filthy hands made Wolfram sick.

He could not let this happen! He had to cancel it, but it would not be that easy to decline such a proposal, if it was truly the king standing before him.. With a look at the table he noticed a single knife lingering on the edge and it gave him the best idea. He just had to prove him to be a weakling, possibly not the one Conrad was convinced of him to be. The same moment he had the thought he had already brushed off the metallic object from the table directly to Yuri's feet.

"Be careful, you could hurt somebody", the other jumped back and then bent down to pick it up. The others' words of horror not to take it went unrecognised, as he thought about what the hell was going on and why the blond hated him so much.

"Ha!", came the triumphant voice above him. Confused Yuri looked up into now eyes burning with confident of victory. "You picked it up!"

"What?", Yuri asked and nearly slipped the knife in his hand. This meant no good again.

"You picked it up, so you accept my challenge! We see tomorrow at midday. You decide the weapons", Wolfram explained with crossed arms.

Gwendal was talking to his mother silently, but Yuri did not understand and instead looked for help from Conrad, who massaged his forehead.

In just what kind of mess had he gotten himself into...

"I ask for permission to leave" Yuri looked back to the blond who talked to his brother Gwendal, who simply nodded. It would be better than having another disaster possibly happen.

Cecilie broadened her smile. "I will come with you, Wolfie", she chippered. But before she followed the already leaving demon she approached the double black to caress his cheek. "Don't worry your majesty, he will never hurt your beauty. Just take good care of him!" For a short moment Yuri gulped as he believed to see what was concerned thread of a mother for her child. He simply nodded even if he did not understand what she meant by that.

Back was her other smile and she laid her hand on Conrad's shoulder first and then on Gwendal's to wish them a lovely good night. Then she was gone and so was the blond prince.

Outside the former queen called for her youngest son to wait for her as he directed to the only one you would never betray him like the rest of his family just did.

"Wolfie, wait!", she called, but the called one did not listen. Why should he? All he got were orders. He had enough of obeying, especially now. His mother caught up anyway.

"Mother, by all respect, I do not understand what you just did", he told her with angry voice. After all she had called it official.

"Oh Wolfram, you know the traditions. And he showed so much passion in the slap, could you not see?" He could actually hear her eyer sparkle. His cheeks coloured red. How could she not take this seriously? His feet came to a halt and he starred up at her. He loved his mother dearly and respected when she decided to step down from the thrown but sometimes she was just out of her mind.

"I just want the best for you", she sighed.

"As if the engagement to a total stranger, a human after all would be the best for me. Did you think a second about it? How could he bring anything else than chaos?", he argued back. "Do you know what can happen to Rudolf, if he learns about him? I will have to give him away, I bet! You easily put his existence on a risk I can't defend him against, less spoken he could defend himself."

"I wish you would stop thinking as if everybody was only after you or Rudolf", Cecilie concerned. "Since Fynn disappeared you were never the same, you know?"

Wolfram flinched.

"You should give him a chance. He has a good soul, you know?" Softly smiling she looked into his face even though he denied to look back. "Just because one did not see what precious gift you made him means that other's look at you the same, Wolf"

They have reached their destination.

Wolfram put his hand on the handle. "I will do whatever is necessary to proof that he is not who everybody thinks he is. Just because he has a cute face and noble appearance you most likely are all fooled by him, mother."

Finally he looked up at her. "I really don't see why you of all do not understand my reasons."

He opened the door and went inside. He knew his mother would follow into the room anyway to take a look at her grandchild, if he wanted or not, so he didn't close it completely.

Cecilie sighed. Of course she understood. When Wolfram's father had left she had felt lost for a long time. It was not because she had to let go the one she loved. Gwendal's father had died in conquer, Conrad's, being human had to leave in the middle of the night and was thought dead. But Wolfram's father had in the end told her he had fulfilled his duty and left her broken hearted with a child underneath her heart, although after a long time of grieving he had been the first one she had let enter her heart, even if it had been a marriage called by the First King. He had never shown interest in his child she had given any possible attention she could give him like Wolfram did now, until the moment Conrad's father reappeared many years later to reunite before he died of old age soon after.

She had many acquaintances in order to find a father for Wolfram and also to find someone to hold herself in the nights. Her third son never was introduced to one of them as none of them were right to father him at all in Cecilie's opinion and also his brother Conrad had caught the boy inside his heart and spent every single minute possible with him.

It was not before Wolfram turned sixty-five and too old to have a stranger be introduced as his father, that a proud demon she met on a midsummer banquet started to capture her heart and courted her with all honesty and modesty that she found the peace which in the end helped her decide that she had enough of following the First King's orders and freed herself.

She really hoped for Wolfram not to suffer as long as she had. He needed someone to drag him out of this vicious circle.

And somewhere deep inside she had a hopeful feeling that the soul she had known in her past life so well, could success.

With this she entered the room where the younger demon already babbled and cooed and hummed to the little creature in it's blanket in his arms.

tbc...