I'm so sorry this chapter took forever! And it isn't as long as my others, but I felt as if I needed to stop there (sorry) because there wouldn't have been a nice place to stop after that and it would just take me even longer to get this out. I know it's taking me long to finish this story, but no worries, I will finish it at some point. Thanks so much for keeping up with this story for so long! I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

For the first time in a long time, Yuuri felt good. There was still an ache and an emptiness inside of him that Yuuri knew he would never be able to fill. Unless, of course, you could bring back the dead, which he knew was impossible. But for the first time in a long time, Yuuri had something to smile about. He found himself so wrapped up in the past and the people that are long gone from this world, that he simply forgot to live.

But not anymore. He's going to make the best out of what he does have and not of what he's lost. Greta's here now. And she's apart of that. It's possible for him to be happy.

Now if only he could feel more of it.

WolfYuu WolfYuu WolfYuu

Yuuri sighs as he approaches the door to his small home. It's in the city, now. If you took one look at it, you would never have guessed he was from a noble family. Because Adelbert wanted it that way. No one but him could have any sort of power. Yuuri smiled slightly and stifled a laugh as he thought of Wolfram as he said the word 'commoner' with a disgusted voice and expression. Yuuri definitely understood why people in the castle called him a 'selfish loafer' and a 'little prince brat'. And Yuuri agreed with them.

But that wasn't all he was. He was so much more. Wolfram let very few people see that, and Yuuri was glad he was one of them.

But, back to his original point, Yuuri essentially is that now. A commoner, that is. He's practically forgot the times he wasn't.

"So, you've adopted a human girl?"

Yuuri frowns with his hand on the doorknob, before turning around. He breathes out, "Alaric..."

He gives him a small frown in return. "When did we get to the point where I had to hear these things through rumors, instead of from you?"

The hesitance and uneasiness went away as anger quickly replaced them. "It's not like I have to run things by you before I do them. It just all happened so fast. So forgive me if I didn't feel the need to consult you."

Yuuri quickly turns to leave, but is stopped by a hand being placed on his arm. "You know very well that is not what I meant. You've been avoiding me. Why? What is so different about now?"

Yuuri closes his eyes and sighs. "I can't deal with you telling me you love me everyday. I'm turning a new leaf. I'm trying to be happy, which I haven't tried to be in a long time. And you telling me you love me, when I can't, isn't helping that at all."

Alaric narrows his eyes, "Can't or won't? You say you're trying to be happy. Haven't you even considered the possibility that I could make you happy? That I could be a part of that happiness? You running away is an obvious sign that you aren't moving on."

Yuuri clenched his jaw and then turned back to face him. Yuuri was slowly losing his will to argue this point with him. So Yuuri chose to plead, before he lost it and gave in. "Alaric. Please. I can't."

"You can. If you have really let the past go. Don't you want to see if I could make you happy? If you don't try, then you'll never know. And you know I would never hurt you."

Alaric was looking at him with such wide and sincere eyes that it dug into Yuuri's soul. He doesn't understand. As much as Yuuri wanted him to, he didn't. He has thought about it. A lot. Whether or not Alaric could make him happy. And in many ways, Yuuri knew he could. But Yuuri also knew it wouldn't be enough. It wouldn't be fair to Alaric. Because as much as he tried to believe otherwise, Alaric was right. He was in love with someone who was no longer here. And no matter how much he tried, those feelings wouldn't leave him. He couldn't be with Alaric because he wasn't his first choice. Alaric deserved better than that.

But his first choice also wasn't here anymore. And Alaric obviously wasn't going to let up about this. So maybe-just maybe- if he at least gave him a chance, then there would be no regrets. And Alaric would be able to move on. Or maybe...they could be happy together.

Yuuri had lost it. He gave in. After years, he finally gave in. He took a chance...

Yuuri bit his lip and looked up into Alaraic's eyes. He whispers, "Okay."

Alaric's eyes widened considerably, as if he hadn't been expecting that. Yuuri was pretty surprised about it too.

"A chance," Yuuri clarified as he looks up into his eyes.

And there is so much happiness in them, so much so that Yuuri doesn't know how to deal with it. But Alaric was right. He told himself he was going to stop living in the past and that was exactly what he was going to do.

But he couldn't help but feel nervous about the change in atmosphere. And Yuuri completely froze when Alaric was leaning in. He tried to control his breathing and erratic heart as this happened. This is a part of it, Yuuri told himself.

And when Alaric was only centimeters from his lips, a yell made him jump back in surprise. He looked to his left to see Gunter running towards him.

"Oh, Sacred Double Black! I didn't think I would be able to make it in time to tell you!"

Yuuri looked at him in surprise. "Gunter? How...how did you get here? Adelbert never let's you leave the castle!"

"There's no one there at the moment to stop me! Listen, Adelbert has been planning this for ages! He has an army and he's going to take over the rest of lands owned by Lords! Oh, Yuuri! It's going to be full on war!"

Yuuri's eyes widen as his heart drops in his chest. Alaric looks over towards Gunter with a glare and steps in front of him protectively. Yuuri scowls slightly at that in annoyance.

"And what exactly do you expect him to do about it? Fight? Are you absolutely insane?!"

"Alaric!" Yuuri scolds.

"Fight? Of course not! The sacred double black should be kept safe. There is nothing anyone can do. The best we can do is round as many people up as you can and leave this place at once."

Yuuri's breath nearly stops. No. He pushes Alaric out of his way. "But Gunter, if we do that, we'll only be able to save a few. Numerous others will die! Not just here, but in other lands, too!"

Gunter looks at him sadly, "I'm sorry, Young Yuuri. But I'm afraid that's all we can do. You can't stop it. So save as many you can and leave."

Yuuri glares at the ground as Alaric's voice reaches his ears. A hand is placed on his shoulder gently. "He's right, Yuuri. That's all we can do. So let's get your daughter and Cheri and leave. We can all be together and be happy like you wanted."

Yuuri turns his glare on Alaric at that. "At the dispense of thousands? How can you even say that?"

"Yuuri," Alaric sighs. "This is a terrible, awful situation. But if we can't look for the positives-"

"Because there are no positives," Yuuri growled and then turned and ran as fast as he could. Ignoring Alaric calling his name behind him. He needed to get to the temple. Murata or Ulrike had to have some answers that could help him.

They had to.

WolfYuu WolfYuu WolfYuu

"Murata! Murata, where are you?! Murata!" Yuuri yelled as he entered the Temple, maidens flinching and glaring at him as he did so.

"Yuuri? What's with all the yelling? You're disrupting the peace, you know," Murata informed him with a smirk on his face.

"Murata!" Yuuri spoke with relief. "Did you hear? Adelbert is going to war with the other lands! He was building an army this whole time! Did you know about this?"

Murata's amused expression fell as shock replaced it. "He what? Well, I suppose that's why the kings finally contacted us."

Yuuri's eyes widen, "The kings? But you haven't heard from them since-"

"I know. It was quite a shock to us, too."

"What did they say? Do they have a way to help us?" Yuuri asked, happiness starting to creep its way into him at the thought.

Murata sighs forlornly, and Yuuri's face drops. "Yes, but there is the problem of actually getting this person here. I mean, if they haven't been here yet, then they must not..." Murata trails off as he stares at Yuuri. Yuuri just blinks at him in return. A questioning looked etched into his face. A slow grin forms on Murata's face. "Wait...Yuuri. You."

Yuuri's eyebrows furrow as Murata looks at him with a huge grin on his face. It made Yuuri feel uncomfortable. He asks hesitantly, "Me what?"

"You are the only person who could possibly bring them here. I honestly doubt they'll listen to anyone but you."

Yuuri's eyes narrow and asks with a frustrated tone, "Bring who here?"

"You'll know when you see them."

"Your riddles suck."

"Just trust me. You'll know."

Yuuri rolls his eyes, "If I don't know who I'm looking for, then how will I know where to look?"

"In the jungle. The one between here and the human territory."

Yuuri's eyes are bulging out at this point, "The human territory? Are you insane?"

Murata rolls his eyes. "Don't worry, Shibuya. No one from either side goes that close to the border."

"Except this mystery person you want me to find."

Murata just laughs. "Except him. Why do you think he stays there? My guess is for that very reason."

"So he doesn't want to be found?" Yuuri asked. "Then why are you so convinced I can change his mind?"

"I don't know it for a fact. I just know that if you can't, I doubt anyone could."

Yuuri was about to respond, when a soft "Yuuri" was heard from behind him. He turned to see Greta looking up at him with fear filled eyes, clutching Cheri's hand tightly. Yuuri immediately softens at the sight of her. Next to her, Alaric appeared with a slight frown on his face.

Yuuri sighed as he walked over to them. He knelt down in front of Greta and smiled at her reassuringly. "I need to go away for a little while, Greta. There's someone that can help us, but I need to go get them."

"No! You can't leave me! I'll go with you!" Greta said as tears came to her eyes. She quickly reached out and grasped his shirt in her hands tightly, desperately.

"It's not safe." Yuuri try's to explain in a soft voice. "Don't worry. You'll have Cheri, Murata, and Alaric here looking after you."

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be back before you know it." Yuuri grinned. "Promise."

"Yuuri?" Cheri asked. "I need to tell you something. It'll only take a minute. I need to before you leave."

Yuuri nods, giving Greta a reassuring smile before she, hesitantly, released her grip on him. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she whimpered softly. Yuuri pulls her into a gentle hug and kisses the top of her head, before stepping away from her and the rest of the group with Cheri. Yuuri instantly says, "If you're trying to talk me out of this-"

Cheri interrupts him by shaking her head. "No. I know better than that. When you set your mind to something, there's no changing it. That's the very same thing that led you into adopting Greta."

Yuuri smiles. "You will watch out for her, won't you?"

Cheri smiles back at him. "Of course I will. But I wanted to tell you something. Mainly because if I don't now, I probably never will. And someone needs to know, if I can no longer tell Wolfram."

Yuuri's eyes softens as he remembers a crying Cheri murmuring that "she should have told him." Yuuri couldn't imagine it was anything as bad as what she was thinking. Because this was Cheri. The person who was his queen once, but also took on a role of his second mother. Both before and after Wolfram.

He asks softly, with a gentle tone, "What is it, Cheri?"

Tears spilled out from her eyes as she let out a breath, "Wolfram...is not my only son."

Yuuri blinks in bemusement as she says this. What? What is that supposed to mean? She had other children? If that was true, then where were they? And why did nobody know?

"What?" Yuuri said, perhaps unintelligently, but Yuuri couldn't think of anything else to say in his confusion.

"Before Wolfram...I had two other sons. Both...both with different fathers. If the court knew I wasn't pure...then I never would have been able to marry Shinou."

Yuuri supposed that made sense, but... "Did Shinou know?" Yuuri couldn't help but ask. Because if he didn't...

Cheri's eyes widened, "Oh, of course he knew! But, bless his soul, he wanted me anyways. And he knew that if others knew they would only get in the way."

Yuuri nodded, relieved to hear that. Whatever Cheri's past...he couldn't ever judge her for it. Ever. Of course, there was another thing...

"Where are they?" Yuuri asked in a gentle, none judging voice.

"I...I had to give them up," she whispered sadly. "My greatest regret. Shinou didn't know. I made the decision before I told him. My mother...she wanted so badly for me to marry the king. And she knew I couldn't if I had them."

Yuuri reached out and held her hand and squeezed it. "Maybe it's time you make up for it, then, if it is your greatest regret. Where are they, Cheri?"

She wiped the tears out of her eyes. "You know one of them. He works in the castle, now." She whispered as she looked at him. "Gwendal."

Yuuri's eyes widened slightly. Gwendal? Seriously? Yuuri knew he would never have guessed that. Though, Wolfram did form quite an attachment to him. Personally, Yuuri found him a bit terrifying.

"And the other?" Yuuri asked.

Cheri sniffs. "He...Conrart was half human. I gave him up right after...I just wanted him to be safe. And with the life I was in...I knew he would face many peoples judgements."

Yuuri nodded, "Then one day, when this war is behind us, I promise we'll find him."

Cheri blinks at him. "That's all?"

Yuuri blinks in return. "Well, yeah. I'm not going to judge you. You've made mistakes in the past, everyone has. And these mistakes aren't unfixable. And they don't define you."

More tears spill from Cheri's eyes as she looks at him. She pulls him into a tight hug. "Thank you. Promise me you'll be safe?"

Yuuri sighs as he hugs her back. "Of course."

"Yuuri? Do you mind if I cut in? If you're finished, of course."

Yuuri looks up to see Alaric standing a few feet away from them. He sighs as he pulls away from Cheri and nods. She gives him one last smile before turning and returning to Greta's side. She takes her hand in hers and squeezes.

Yuuri looks back to see Alaric frowning at him.

"Don't give me that look," Yuuri stated. "I have to do anything I can to protect everyone."

"Who said it was your job?" Alaric said with a glare.

Yuuri's teeth clench as he looks at the ground. "It's what Wolfram would do." He feels Alaric stiffen. "He may have had a lot to say about 'commoners' but in the end he really did care about his kingdom and the people in it. He would protect them as best he could. And now, there is no one left to do it. So, I am."

"You're doing it for him?" Alaric whispers.

"He wouldn't want me to either. But I know him, and he also wouldn't want his people to suffer." Yuuri responded as he looked up into Alaric's eyes. He sees so much hurt in them that it makes Yuuri flinch.

"Where does this leave us, then?"

Yuuri sighs, "Alaric...we are hardly the most important thing right now. There is going to be a war. So I'm going to do everything I can to save as many people as I can, and once we get through this, we can see where we stand. I think it's best if we leave it at that for now."

Alaric frowns, but slowly nods.

"You're a soldier," Yuuri states. "Protect Greta and Cheri. And Murata and Ulrike if you can, too."

Alaric simply nods. Yuuri takes a deep breath, before turning away and walking towards Murata. "Now, where exactly am I going?"

"Head North. He should be in the woods between our territory and the human one. Believe me, if you think you're too close to humans, you probably are and have gone too far. He isn't in hiding for no reason." Murata said with a smirk. "Believe me, you'll be fine, Shibuya."

Yuuri really hoped so.

WolfYuu WolfYuu WolfYuu

Wolfram was currently in a glaring match.

And he refused to lose.

Now, he cared a lot for Conrad and Yozak. He really did. They took him in when he had nothing, and he was very grateful. But that hardly meant that they, mainly Yozak, as Conrad was too much of a peace maker, didn't get on his nerves.

Specifically, Yozak (of course) did something to get on his nerves. Actually, Yozak just existing seems to get on his nerves. But over the years he's come to just accept that. However, there are times that are just extra-Yozakish that he can't get over. And he is going to die for it. Slowly and painfully, Wolfram promised himself. Because no one, and he means no one...

Had the right to pat him on the head.

Like he was some sort of dog. Like he was below him. Wolfram wouldn't stand for it. He continued glaring at Yozak, in a way that used to send most people running for the hills, even when he was a child.

But Yozak, Wolfram thought angrily, was completely unaffected by it. He just stood there smiling and humming to himself as if he hadn't just set of a beast.

"Don't ever do that again," Wolfram hissed at him.

Yozak just smirked, but before he could respond, there was a sharp cry.

"Yozak!"

Wolfram jumped as he looked towards the woods with wide eyes. Conrad, Wolfram thought. And it sounded like a cry for help, he realized. That was unusual considering were they were. What idiot went this close to the border?

Wolfram quickly makes a grab for his sword as he attempts to run towards Conrad's panicked cry. But is stopped by a hand grabbing his, tightly.

He turns to see the smirk gone from Yozak's face, and was replaced by a stern one.

"Stay here. I'll go check on Conrad." And, with that, he took off.

Yeah, right, Wolfram thought, as he quickly grabbed at his sword and ran after him. He wasn't just going to stand around like some damsel in distress. Because he completely wasn't. And besides, he's honestly been getting quite bored, as of late. And something like this never happens.

He made it in to the woods, but slowed and hunched down once he heard swords clashing. He quickly hides in the brush to see Conrad down- and how did the guy manage that? Conrad was excellent with a sword.- and Yozak was currently sparing with the man dressed in all black. He watched in awe as the man was able to disarm Yozak and then point his sword at him.

Wolfram took no chances as he jumped out and ran in front of Yozak. Their swords clashed immediately and Wolfram was struck again with awe on how perfect his technique seemed. But Wolfram was pretty good with a sword, too. And he wasn't going to back down. That is, until the sword seemed to hit him just right, and he lost his grip on it as it flew out of his hands. And then Wolfram was knocked to the ground and he saw red. Because of how humiliating this was. He glared at the ground for only a moment before lifting his hand, the anger enough to burst flames from his hand...

But then he looked up. And he froze, the flames along with it. And Wolfram thinks his heart stopped.

He was looking into deep black eyes. He quickly glanced up because it just couldn't be true. But he saw it- black hair. He was staring straight at a double black and Wolfram swore he was going to start hyperventilating.

"Yuuri?" He whispered, disbelief laced into his voice.

But he knew it was true when those black eyes widened and he dropped his sword to the ground. He quickly backed away from him.

"How do you know my name?" Yuuri practically hissed at him. And Wolfram had a hard time believing that this was the same naive, innocent, wimpy best friend he had as a child. Yuuri never talked to anyone in such a way.

"Yuuri," Wolfram said again, mainly because he liked saying it, but also because he needed to remind himself that Yuuri was there. "It's me. Wolfram."

He watched as Yuuri's teeth clench and as he glares at him. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I am not an idiot. Wolfram is...Wolfram is dead. He has been for a long time."

Wolfram frowned. Dead? He shook his head. "You've changed. The Yuuri I knew would have believed me in a second. The overly trusting wimp."

Something seemed to click in Yuuri's brain as he backed away some more. Almost as if he didn't want to hope...

Yuuri's eyes filled with fear as he breathed out softly, "Wolfram?"

Wolfram smiled and relaxed. This was more the Yuuri he remembered. And though his insides seemed to be exploding with the happy thoughts of Yuuri's here. He also couldn't help but wonder what had changed his overly trusting, loving, naive wimp into someone who could be so cold.