I HAVE RETURNED!!!! Here is your lovely chapter. Sorry it took so long, but remember, that offer to whip me is still open.

I DON'T OWN KKM!!!!

Chapter 7

The preparations for the coming festival were finally underway, and what a wonderful sight for the people of Shin Makoku to behold! The decorations for the event were both beautiful and intricate, flourished with bold colors glimmering in the sunlight. Malsomnium was itself an unique part of Shin Makoku and like many other parts of the country it possesses its own special cultural flair that the festival certainly didn't lack in presenting.

Everything had an almost surreal quality to it. It was as though the city had walked into a fairy-tale. Banners of a deep sensual purple fluttered in the breeze, and hand blown glass blubs hung like fairy lights over the streets.

During the day the blubs threw an iridescent light across worn cobble stones painting rainbows against a grey background. The bulbs, however, would remain unlit until the first lighting of the ceremonial candle by the King himself. This event would mark the beginning of the festivities. The tradition had long since been held within Shin Makoku, and the kingdoms residents beamed with pride with the knowledge that this year would be Yuri's turn to celebrate.

The decorations weren't the only important part of the festival!

People scrambled around in a dizzying array of activity. The smell of backed goods floating from the doors of the city's many bakeries, and workers hanging this or cleaning that.

The florists were thrown into overdrive and as a result there was a wider selection of flowers in the city. Huge orange roses, glossy irises, nodding poppy like blossoms tinted an unearthly green, and a rather strange cactus like thing that bit people, were by far the most demanded. These flowers could be found all over the place. Parading the ground with petals and biting unsuspecting demons. Each flower stood for something important in regards to the festival. The elegant iris stood for the joyful hope of the people and the coming spring. The green poppy-like flower represented long life, and gratitude. The orange roses, however, represented pure consuming desire that tinged your hair, and keep the neighbors up.

It was no secret to the people of the kingdom, the real reason the fifth Maou saved the Capra household. It seemed that the fifth Maou had harbored an intense desire for the lord's beautiful daughter. Although not often spoke of in public the festival was renowned as romantic event, which was dully represented by the rose itself.

The cactus… well the cactus represents sharp bite of responsibility. Which the fifth Maou learned that harsh reality as a result of an unwanted pregnancy. Let it be known that Yuri was far from the last Maou that got duped into some form of commitment by a beautiful demon.

Along with the flower stands there were also a variety of interesting people parading the streets, sultry gypsy women, acting troops with dainty ingénues and dashing heroes, colorful jokers, and swindling showmen all just a few of the colorful characters flooding into the kingdom.

There was always something going on within the city now. There were often productions in the city square depicting a tragic love story or mythological fables, fortune tellers would foretell fantastic predictions, and acrobats would perform spectacular stunts.

The air was ripe for celebration, and everyone was looking for an excuse to get drunk and party for three days straight.

Along with the normal hustle of the city came nobles from important families, pouring in to stay with the king himself. It was quite a show to see the parade of prim carriages climbing up the hillside to castle.

The men and women oozed wealth and importance, but also stifled the air with arrogance and self-interest. The women wore long flowing gowns, and spent hours priming themselves to perfection. They strutted around like peacocks, discussing this and that, and trying to catch the eye of any high ranking official that tickled their fancy. The male nobles weren't much different stomping around in heavily shined boots, brandishing decant swords, and wearing the finest in men's fashion. They had their eyes on prestige and climbing the social latter.

Wolfram, unsurprisingly, was not amused with the increase of dashing men and beautiful women in the castle. This along with his already thinned patience ruined any chance of a good mood. As a result both Yuris found themselves the victims of Wolframs fiery ire.

"What did I do!" light Yuri wheezed grabbing onto Wolfram's blue clad arm as he struggled for breath from the older boy's crushing headlock.

"You know exactly what you did, YOU LECHOROUS WHIMP", Wolfram countered releasing the blue monarch only to place his sturdy hands on shapely hips. He leveled Yuri with an angry glare, "You just can't spend one minute without drooling over some womanly figure can you?"

"I was looking at a mannequin!"

"With the eyes of a starving dog PERVERT!"

"You know you really shouldn't argue with him", dark Yuri strode from his place by the window and stood behind Wolfram, "I mean, I think I agree with Wolf, you did look a little too excited to see that mannequin".

"Shut –up!" light Yuri cried, "besides who asked you!"

"I was just stating a fact", he shrugged and cast a heated gaze down Wolfram's figure staring openly at his fiancés shapely bottom.

Wolfram was more than just a little aware of dark Yuri's lustful eyes and although deep in his core he was quite flattered that dark Yuri was attracted to him, today however, he really didn't give a rat's ass.

"My face is up here idiot" he snapped turning on his heel and rendering dark Yuri with a look so vicious it could melt steel.

Dark Yuri wisely returned his gaze to Wolfram's eyes. No matter what situation Yuri is in be it asleep or in pieces if Wolframs tells him to do something in that tone of voice by Gwendal's love of Bearbees he listens. If Wolfram tells him to jump he jumps, if he tells him to sing to he sings, and he asks him to make sweet sweet love to him… well you get the picture.

"Serves you right", light Yuri snipped smirking at his counterpart, "and you say I'm the perverted one".

"As far as I'm concerned your both perverts", Wolfram grumbled.

Both Yuris wisely chose to ignore that statement.

The three of them had been locked up in the king's study for the four hours making arrangements and working through documents, when light Yuri had made the unfortunate decision to stare at a women's dress catalogue that had somehow ended up on his desk. This led the unusually volatile Wolfram to assume the worse and as a result breaking the once orderly working environment, and a rather nice vase in his misdirected ire. The origin of the catalogue would unfortunately remain a mystery to the three men, though Yuri hypothesized that it more than likely had something to do with his mother and her obsession with cross-dressing.

To be honest it was no surprise that Wolfram had finally lost his temper being cooped up in that study for so long would damper anyone's spirits. It was this break in atmosphere that finally gave Dark Yuri the chance to do something more interesting for a change.

"I have a suggestion!" Dark Yuri issued easily crossing his arms in satisfaction he smiled and waited for Wolfram to adoringly ask his advice.

"No"

So much for an adoring Wolfram…

"You haven't even heard it!" he cried grabbing at his hair. "Wolfram please, we've been stuck here since breakfast! If I don't get out of here soon I'm liable to throw him out a window!"

"Hey!" Light Yuri yipped.

Wolfram sighed as he looked over his two Fiancés. "Don't even start!" he warned, moving to stand next to the grand wooden door. In retrospect Wolfram was not a cruel person, and he did understand the need to get away from responsibility, maybe he had overreacted a little.

"I suppose we could go out and train for a little while…"

Wolfram let out a strangled cry as he was tackled by two very thankful Maous. "Libido Libido Libido!" echoed around in his pretty blond head.

Anissina smirked and brushed her sweaty bangs back behind her ears. "This just has to work" she thought tightening a loosened screw and connecting a green and blue wire together. Her fingers worked rapidly and efficiently switching tools to tinker with another component of her hay-wire machinery.

I suppose it was fair to say that in a small and rather puny way Anissina felt a teensy bit guilty about tearing her country's king in two, but really when we say small we mean small. For a man Yuri wasn't too bad and although she felt her conquest for the furtherment of women was far more important, she knew she had to somehow atone for her mistakes, and as such the only way to do so would be to pull the monarch together.

On the other hand, however, she considered the power Yuri himself posses, if he truly wanted to he could easily pull his two haves together.

So is the power of the king, she mused brushing her fingers over the metal casing of her beloved invention. For a long time Anissina had always found herself brooding over the concept that was power. Her entire life could be summed up in the struggle for it and her need to feel like she had some sense of control. For a long time she fought with her family over the implications of her lifestyle, her refusal to marry along with her activism and penchant for science led to quite a few arguments, and more often than not a battle of pride. To her the more equal she could make things for women the more equal the power is distributed therefore the more control she could gain over her own life.

The creak of the old wooden door startled Anissina from her thoughts.

Young Greta peered into the room, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the change from the dim halls into the humid light of the lab. She smiled as she focused on Anissina, and like an arid pixy seemed to glide into the room and up to the red haired inventor. Peering into the bowls of the exposed machinery, the princess cocked her head as she tried to figure out the secrets it concealed, after a second of knitted eye-brows the young girl glanced up at her female role model.

"Why are those panels rewired like that?"

Anissina gifted her young protégé with a pleased smile, "I'm trying to reconfigure the machine to see if its effects can be reversed. Greta nodded at this seeming satisfied with the answer, and turned to sit attentively next to Anissina.

"Can I help you?" she asked looking up with inquisitive brown eyes. The red haired inventor nodded and pointed to her nearby tool box. "For right now I just need you to take the median sized wrench and tighten any of the outside bolts along the hull", she responded and then turned back to her prior work.

Greta jumped into action and began to work vigorously at her given task. Anissina herself pondered over her little helper.

She had always seen a great potential within the young girl, and after examining her curious nature and healthy thirst of knowledge the inventor just knew the princess would grow up to be a well rounded and capable ruler. "A sociable one at that" she thought thinking back to her many influences, from Yuri's kind nature to Wolfram's stead-fast determination, Cecile's feminine power, Gwendal's no nonsense stance, Conrad's bravery, and Gunter's devotion. Anissina could see how the princess's world would help her flourish into a formable leader. She was young but aw, the sky was the limit for such a bright mind.

"To be young again" she thought remembering her own childhood which involved hours of tinkering with metals, and chasing Gwendal down to experiment on him. Every time she saw him glance wearily at her inventions she was filed with an intense sense of nostalgia.

"I'm done!"Great proclaimed as she looked up expectantly at her mentor. Anissina give the girl a quick nod and examined the handy work with a proud gaze. "Finished in a timely manner", she noted "as expected from you Greta".

Greta smiled proudly standing tall against the bright shimmer of sunlight gliding in from the window. Her smile was proud and a little noble and her cinnamon colored eyes glinted she looked all the part of a stately queen.

"A fine leader indeed" Anissina thought.

At that instant Greta smiled changed to that of a rather evil smirk. "We should go find Gunter to test it" she said.

At that exact second Anissina knew Shin Makoku would expect a powerful future ally.

Lord Capra leaned carefully on the stone column of the open-air hallway, watching the neat courtyard of the training grounds. He watched the tenacious figure fending off the swift blows of his partner wrapped up in a fictitious battle.

Long legs clad in a vibrant blue bent at elegant angles as a sinuous back arched into the movement, pushing forward with steely shoulders. Every blow released some sound from the dueling men, a grunt or a gasp pushing pass panting lips, and floating above the metallic twang of the swords. They moved together then pulled apart contorted as though in an agonizing dance, a war-torn tango, and then just as easily thrust themselves into another position.

"The blond is not one to tangle with", Capra thought watching as the young demon prince gracefully side stepped an oncoming attack and launched a strong offense. He licked his lips and continued to devour the sight in front of him.

The king's Fiancé really was a beauty to behold and from the show Capra was granted in the bathing camber he knew how creamy that pale skin really was, and just how high that voice sounded in the throes of pleasure. Although he knew it was dangerous to harbor attractions for things he could not possess,(especially given his family history) that still didn't change the need to sate his desires.

"Why are standing there" a voice called startling Capra from his rather raunchy day-dream. The young Lord turned quickly plastering on a fake smile as he regarded the less menacing looking version of the demon king.

The young monarch, half of him at least, stood shoulder width apart watching Capra for the last three minutes as he made weird faces at the dueling pair in the courtyard. Personally he could understand the allure of watching the swordplay Wolfram was quite remarkable with a sword, not that he liked watching or anything, but he really was disturbed by the Lord's facial expressions. One second he was standing there with a neutral smile, and then next thing you know he's got this weird little smirk on his face and Light Yuri swore he saw the man lick his lips!

"I was just watching the battle, and I must say your fiancé really is quite talented" Capra answered glancing back to the grunting men.

Light Yuri wasn't sure he liked the way the lord had phrased that statement. "Yes…I suppose he is", he noted.

"ummm… so do you like swords Lord Capra" light Yuri asked wracking his brain for any topic that didn't involve certain flaxen haired men. Capra thought about this for a second "Yes I suppose I do, very much indeed", he remarked then gifted light Yuri with another odd smirk.

"That's good, I guess" he replied, and before he could return the statement Capra interrupted.

"So tell me your majesty do you enjoy playing with your sword?"

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Dark Yuri although not a bad swordsman in the least seemed sloppy compared to the powerful strokes of his opponent. He did, however, did seem to have one general advantage over Wolfram.

His thrusts were generally much stronger.

So when he did catch Wolfram off guard the blond would be forced back with a strong blow and a rather questionable sound of excretion. Though the power of Dark Yuri's sword really couldn't compare to the speed, flexibility, and not to mention experience Wolfram held over the younger man.

They clashed again breathing deeply focusing on the here and now and forgetting the uncomfortable situation at hand, right now the only thing that existed was Wolfram and himself, no weak lighter half or annoyingly weird Lord. Part of Dark Yuri longed for this kind of thing, to be able to spend time with the other boy without the suffocation of his own social stigma. Fuck what the world told him, he just wanted to be happy.

Suddenly the sword went flying from Dark Yuri's hand as the force of the impact sent him flying to the dusty ground. He coughed as the air was knocked out of him and looked up to see dazzling smile adorning Wolfram's face, as he walked over to help the fallen king.

"You've gotten a lot better", he remarked watching the dark haired boy as he collected himself. Then just on cue just like in a smutty romance Dark Yuri locked gazes with his fiancé and smiled.

"I'm nothing compared to you"

WHAT!!!

The couple jumped at the loud exclaim echoing from the side hall, both turning to see Light Yuri staring at Lord Capra with a look of awkward surprise on his face.

To be continued…

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AN:

Holy mother of frogs I took my sweet time updating! I'm really sorry I've been distracted with school not to mention the upcoming birth of my nephew. I just want everyone to know I am thinking about the story and I WILL finish it. I really do love the reviews and I'm happy receive them.

Also a note about Dark Yuri and Light Yuri: Dark Yuri is not the Maou he is Yuri's unrestrained feelings and desires and dark emotions, Light Yuri is his social conscious and keeps Dark Yuri in check he is most like the complete Yuri but lacks his emotional understanding.

Okay then this was Mistress thanks for reading!