"Now, now…is that how you address your king?"
"Shut up! Who's my king!? Heh, so you're not dead? Good for me, I get to roast you alive. I'm sure uncle will be happy too."
Wolfram bore a sardonic grin as he raised his hand elegantly and began his chant.
"All the elements that make…"
Shinou chuckled and jumped on the stern deck. Conrart escorted Gisela inside, already anticipating what was about to happen. He jerked the helm towards right. The ship titled dangerously and Wolfram choked to a stop. One hand covering his mouth, he glared angrily.
"You barbarian. Resorting to such cheap tricks…"
"Well, that is true. I'm no longer a noble. So I won't pretend to indulge in any chitchat with you. Bind him up," he said, now looking at Yozak, "and show him around our crib. He's going to bunk with the cook."
Wolfram cringed inwardly.
'I do not like that smile. Who's this cook? And why is Yozak grinning like a maniac? Tsk, I don't care. I'll slice that cook if he dares to do anything funny.'
He gave a wicked smile in return. "This is merely strategic retreat, WILLIAM. I will murder you the moment you go lax in your defense. Be warned."
"Alright. Lets move now, bishie."
"Don't call me that!"
"Ouch! You don't have to bark in my ear, bishie."
"You insufferable…"
...
"Yare yare, what a troublesome boy you have as your nephew…Shinou."
"Daikenja…"
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"Alright, so you already know me, ex-captain and Doc. Conrart and I are the fighters of this ship. Gisela is our doctor and assistant to the cook."
"Who's this cook you keep talking about?"
Yozak smiled mysteriously. "You'll see soon."
"Ok, look up there. What do you see?"
Wolfram glanced up and squinted his eyes against the bright sun. He tugged at the chains that bound his hands.
"DACASCOS! Meet our new pirate!"
"What the heck was that? Don't shout in my ear!"
"Payback, your excellency." Yozak winked.
"YOUR EXCELLENCY! IT IS MY UTMOST PLEASURE TO SEE YOU AGAIN! WELCOME ON BOARD!"
"It can't be…" Wolfram said, his eyes widening in surprise, "It can't possibly be THAT Dacascos."
"Who else can shout so loud?"
"I thought he resigned to return to his family."
"His family died in the war. There was no other place for him to return when Shinou picked him up. He is a good navigator. He is mostly perched on top of the mast only."
Wolfram was lost in thought for a moment, and then asked- "Why do you keep calling him Shinou? Sure, that jerk looks like Him but…"
"He's may be eccentric but is a good man, Your Excellency. Yes, he stole from the Bielefeld Treasury. But he gave it all to the families who lost their sole breadwinners. He only kept enough to buy a ship for himself. Though it could have been on the whim of his lover's too…"
"Lover?"
Yozak chuckled and pointed over Wolfram's shoulder. He turned around and gasped. 'A soukoku.' They were kissing shamelessly too.
"It is said that he declared his love as soon as he saw him. The man is Ken Murata or Daikenja as Cap'n calls him."
Wolfram raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, they are cosplay addicts."
Wolfram coughed loudly. Shinou looked up, "Do you mind?"
The former flushed.
"Pfft…!"
"Shut up, Yozak! Just take me to this cook already."
"Hai hai. This way, Your Excellency."
Wolfram was not sure what was it that irked him about the way Yozak addressed him. It was not completely disrespectful but more like he was being sycophantic to stop a kid from throwing a tantrum.
"Mmm!"
Wolfram snapped to attention. 'Ugh! Kissing and moaning so intimately out in the open. Such vulgarity!' He ran towards Yozak who was already entering the kitchen.
Entering the room, he halted brusquely. Doing his best from letting any surprise show on his face, he thought, 'Another soukoku.'
He looked carefully at the boy, taking in all his features. His shocking black hair and eyes, athletic built, long fingers that were so deftly peeling the potatoes, strong elbows peeking out from rolled sleeves, lips that were speaking to him…
'Speaking…ah!'
"-fram, Wolfram…Can you hear me? Yozak, maybe he's having a heat stroke."
"Ahem! Sorry about that. So YOU're the cook?"
'What's with that tone?' Yuuri thought. "Yes. I'M the cook. Is that a problem?"
"It better not be, for your sake."
Yuuri's eyes narrowed. 'Is it just me or is this guy purposely trying to piss me off?'
He glanced at Gisela, who only shrugged in response.
"Really, I didn't expect Conrart would have such a petty brother."
"Who're you calling petty, you wimp!"
"Wimp? Is that all you can come up with?"
"Shut up, you barbarian! Honestly, I knew Conrart was just a filthy half human but to think he is around the likes of you makes me want to puke."
He looked at Yuuri tauntingly but got no response. The latter was still like a statue; Hands clenched, jaw taut and head bowed. Wolfram felt a chill. He saw Gisela giving him a 'Now-you've-done-it' look.
"You dare speak such ill towards my godfather; your own brother?" Wolfram flinched at the acerbic tone.
'His godfather? Weller?'
When Yuuri looked up, he gasped. Slit eyes were boring into his. Wolfram took a step back instinctively.
"I do not tolerate such words against my comrades, much less Conrart, who is dearest to me."
A blue aura faded in around him.
"The one named Wolfram, you shall repent!"
Wolfram held his breath, preparing himself for the worst…
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A bead of sweat trickled down his neck.
"What kind of a stupid punishment is this anyway?" Wolfram grumbled to Gisela, who was supervising him.
"Peel a hundred potatoes! Ha! I knew that guy was all bark and no bite. He must've been too scared to duel."
"Your Excellency, Yuuri is a pacifist…he believes in peace above anything else. He would never accept a duel as a punishment."
"Hmph! He is REALLY a wimp."
"I see I've been too lenient with you. Maybe I should ask you to chop a hundred onions too?"
Wolfram craned his neck to see Yuuri grinning at him. His heart tugged a little, which was ignored conveniently.
"…"
"Hahaha! So you CAN be amiable. How pleasant."
"Don't push your luck, wimp!"
Yuuri left while stifling his chuckles and shutting the door just in time to avoid the potato missile that Wolfram launched at him.
"Your Excellency…you dare throw tonight's dinner like that?" Gisela asked in her sergeant mode.
"Ah…so-sorry! I will not do it again."
"Very good, Your Excellency."
Wolfram gulped and picked up another potato.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Cheers!" Glasses clinked as the pirates merrily toasted for their newest member, who was ironically, sulking in between a bulky Yozak in a red dress and a drunk Shinou feeling up his sage. His only consolation was that Yuuri was sitting opposite to him.
'Huh? Why is that a consolation? Get a grip, Wolfram von Bielefeld!'
"Wolfram, how do you like those roots I gave you for your seasickness?"
"Hmph! I didn't need them at all."
He stared right ahead at the double black who frowned and resumed chatting serenely with Conrart.
'Tsk, stupid Weller! Bringing me here in such a dastardly manner. And what's with that Yuuri, getting all 'Justice-be-done' on me back then just because I insulted that Weller!'
He looked around to distract himself and saw Gisela place a plate of food on the pulley. She pulled the rope next to it, making it reach all the way up to Dacascos.
He looked up at the sky and wondered how everyone at the castle must be doing.
'Aniue, hahaue; Even Gunter and Anissina… I hope they won't worry too much for me. After all I'm a soldier. I can protect myself.'
A strong hand slapped his back, bringing him back to reality.
"Hic, you agree, huh, Exlecenly?"
"Exlec..? Hey, are you drunk? Let go of me!"
"Your exclemency is extremely cute! But I love his excenelly's brother only. If only he'd notice…hic!"
"Don't hug me, you brute! Weller! Get this ass off me! Wel-?"
Conrart was not in front of him anymore. For that matter, so wasn't Yuuri. Wolfram looked around frantically.
"My Sage! The soldiers are advancing! Let me make love to you one last time before I head into the battleground."
"My king. You know my body is to serve you. Please embrace me!"
Leaning forward, they shared a kiss sloppily.
"You inebriated fools! Yozak let go of me THIS INSTANT! Gisela!"
He called for the healer who he realized had already left for the crew quarters.
Wolfram's left eyebrow twitched violently just before Yozak hugged him to his chest.
"Hic! But I still feel excellelly is cutest! Are you interested in trying my cute pink dress?"
Wolfram twisted hard but couldn't win against Yozak's biceps. He caught sight of Yuuri and Conrart standing near the bowsprit, deep in talk.
"No, unhand me right now Yozak. Weller!"
"Mmm.. ah! Your body is as lustful as ever my sage…!"
"HEY! Weller! Get this ape off me!"
"Hic, how could you call me that, excl-exlecc-ency! When I adore you so much.." Yozak nuzzled him like a pet.
"Hey! Stop! Weller! WELLLEEERRRRR!"
.
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There it is! The second chapter. I wanted to post both of these at once. So Wolfram meets the cook, who turns out to be Yuuri. But who are these two mysterious double blacks? How did they end up on this pirate ship? Stay tuned to find out! ;)
And do review! :D