The last time Yuuri left, Wolfram had really believed he would never
see his fiancé again. It had caused him consider things carefully.
Most of his life he'd been accused of being spoiled and a brat, usually by the very people who had made promises they didn't keep and
given him things in place of their time. It was partly his own fault, playing to their expectations of him rather than making them see that
he was growing up.
Wolfram believed that he'd matured a lot since Yuuri had arrived and he was determined to become someone his husband-to-be would be proud of. That was why he was not going to let his grandfather's betrayal or the filth the man had preached effect him any more. He would put a stop to the voices that whispered dark thoughts into his mind, would stop being so impulsive, would show Yuuri that he was a true and dependable friend above everything else. Finally... finally Wolfram would have something he truly wanted, something he'd earned. And he would spend the rest of his life becoming someone worthy of Yuuri.
But first... He would rest a little. It wouldn't do to be exhausted on
his wedding day.
XXXXX
"You're sure this is the best way?" Yuuri had asked that question at least eight times and Conrad had answered calmly every time, "It's the best, but not the only way to ensure Wolfram's safety."
Finally Yuuri stopped pacing in front of the fountain and took a seat on its edge. He glanced at the water for a moment, then shook his head a little and looked back to Conrad.
"I'm really getting married tomorrow?"
"Only if you want to, Yuuri."
Yuuri sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and staring at the grass.
"A year ago, if you asked me if I could be a king, I would have laughed. Actually, I did laugh. I'm not special, or smart or anything really. But I don't think I've done that bad so far."
He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "But this... I don't know anything about this... getting married... especially to a boy. I just... I never thought about something like that. I barely even think about girls! And I'm not even old enough to drive... or play Pachinko or...lots of other stuff. And what about..." Images of those books in his room at home filled his mind. Yuuri hopped up, his face turning red. "Never mind."
"Wolfram's been alive more years than you, Yuuri, but he is really about the same age, developmentally. You know that time is different here compared to Earth. I don't think he has much experience with being intimate with someone. I think he..." Conrad trailed off and looked skyward for a moment, as if making an important decision. He turned to face Yuuri, looking unusually serious. "I think what he really wants, what he really needs, is someone to treat him like a friend, someone he can depend on to spend time with him rather than just give him things and send him away. He was very young when his father died and Mother was often distracted by affairs of state. After he found out about my human heritage, there really wasn't anyone he could confide in. It must have been very frightening to grow up watching everyone around you was being sent off to war, always being left behind. I don't think he ever really recovered from that."
"Conrad," Yuuri's large, dark eyes were sad. "Can I really be what he needs? He's always yelling at me."
"That's why I think it will work." Conrad smiled at his godson and stood up. "He hasn't scared you away yet. Come on, let's play some baseball before supper. You'll have a full day tomorrow preparing for the wedding."
Yuuri smiled a bit less energetically than usual. "My mother's going to kill me when she finds out she missed it."
"We'll have a big reception some day, after the current situation is resolved. You can invite her along with representatives from all our allied countries. It'll be a party without the worry of a big wedding. Although, Gunter is a little disappointed; he had his outfit all picked out."
Yuuri shuddered. "I don't want to know. Let's go play ball"
XXXXX
"I don't feel any different." Yuuri frowned at his reflection and fussed with his jacket. "Shouldn't I feel different on my wedding day?"
"Why would you?" Wolfram had slept badly. He was irritable and his head ached; the fact that Yuuri had slept like the dead all night and was now flitting around the room and chattering nervously didn't help matters.
"I just thought... I mean this is a big day. For both of us."
Wolfram flopped back onto the bed and wished he could detach his head and put it somewhere until the headache went away. Yuuri's concerned hovering just made it worse.
"If you check my temperature one more time, I'll burn your fingers off."
"Whoa!" Yuuri snatched his hand away and hid it behind his back. "I
think I'll just go... get-some-breakfast-now. Check-on-you-later.
Bye."
At least he didn't let the door slam on his way out.
Wolfram groaned and rolled over, putting a pillow over his head and
wishing for sleep or death – whichever came first.
XXXXX
"You'll get your payment, as promised. Don't come looking for me again until this is over; we can't risk being seen together." The man turned away quickly, slipping back into the shadows of the narrow alley.
Siegfried Warner glanced around, satisfied that none of the townspeople had noticed anything out of the ordinary. He strolled to the next corner and took a left, idly glancing in shop windows and thinking about the many things he'd be able to buy for his family with the money he'd been promised.
He wasn't poor by any definition, but he desired the kinds of fine
furnishings and good food his employer enjoyed. His mother had been a
Bielefeld, but she'd married a commoner and lived a simple life. She'd
often entertained her children with stories of growing up in a castle,
wearing silks, and lingering over extravagant meals. Siegfried wanted
to give his children that kind of life. By blood, he was a Bielefeld.
Didn't he deserve it?
He wasn't proud of what he'd done – he had nothing against the Bielefeld boy and he was loyal to his king – but he wasn't actually doing anything to harm them. He had just followed orders in his own way, substituting both Lord Ulrich's and Lars' potions with one that would weaken the boy mentally and physically without doing any serious harm. If Wolfram von Bielefeld's mind was so easily manipulated that he carried out his grandfather's command to kill the king, it was no fault of Siegfried's.
Content with his reasoning, Siegfried headed into a small pub to
reward himself with a good meal and some local ale.
XXXXX
"There's no doubt." Yozak leaned against the wall, arms crossed, still wearing his barmaid uniform. "Want me to delay him?"
"That won't be necessary. We've already planned a proper reception for Lord Ulrich von Bielefeld. Unfortunately, he'll be too late to congratulate the newlyweds." Gwendal looked back down at the document he'd just signed. "Speaking of which, where are they?"
"Conrad's gone to get them, though Gunter is helping so it'll take twice as long. Ulrike is ready and the carriages are out back so we won't have too many spectators." Yozak grinned. "You know your mother is going to be disappointed; she's been planning this wedding since the kiddo proposed."
Gwendal's frown deepened. Perhaps he should write to his mother and encourage her to extend her holiday. By the time she returned he could be at his own castle on an extended trip of his own.
"Conrad won't let you off that easy," Yozak said cheerfully. It always amused him how Gwendal's thoughts were so easy to read.
"You are volunteering to guard the king on his wedding night." Gwendal made it a threat but scowled when Yozak just laughed.
"No problem. The kiddo could probably use a few pointers."
"Never mind," Gwendal snapped, snatching up the last paper he'd signed
and standing up. "We'll be late." He strode out of the room with a
very amused Yozak on his heels.
XXXXX
"Why couldn't we ride in the same carriage with Wolfram?" Yuuri pulled at his sleeve for the twentieth time before looking up at Conrad. They were traveling to the Original King's castle in a closed carriage, just the two of them with four soldiers riding escort.
"It's a tradition," Conrad explained patiently. It was just after mid
-day and he'd been answering Yuuri's nervous questions all morning.
Between that and Gunter's fussing and wailing, Conrad was ready for a
stiff drink.
"So I wait at the side door, right? And Wolfram walks in and kneels in front of Ulrike. She asks him if he agrees to the marriage, then she calls me and I walk in and kneel beside Wolfram. We both drink from the goblet. Wolfram lights the candle and I pour the rest of the water from the goblet over it and then Ulrike places her hands on our heads. We join hands, she gives the original king's blessing, and then we're married, right?"
"Exactly, Heika."
Yuuri started to object, then remembered that everyone had to call him that today because it was a formal occasion. Everyone except Wolfram, of course. But then, he never called Yuuri, 'heika'.
The carriage stopped and Yuuri gave Conrad a look of panic. "I can't do this, I'm too young! He's gonna kill me!"
Conrad took Yuuri's hand. "You can do this. It will be all right." He reached over and opened the carriage door, climbing down before helping Yuuri. "Let's not keep Wolfram waiting."
Yuuri let Conrad's calm confidence strengthen him. He could do this. Giving Conrad a grateful smile he stood, back straight, and strode towards the castle, and his fiancé, determined to make everyone proud.
Or at least to not make a complete fool of himself.