MAIN PAIRING: Yuuri x Wolfram
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou! However, I do so claim the rights to the originality of this plot.
WARNING: Some light slash scenes in this chapter and a lot of fluffy moments between our two favourite boys as usual.
Let us start!
Chapter Four:
Yuuri looked up from the documents in his hands when the double doors of his study opened to reveal a certain, emerald-eyed youth.
"You asked for me?" Wolfram drawled as he closed the doors behind him.
"That I did," replied Yuuri. He gestured a hand at the two sheets of parchments lying before him on his desk and continued, "I've made the necessary preparations and things are ready to go. How about you?"
The blonde nodded his head, making his way across the spacious study to stand before the young king. "I've already informed my men during training session an hour ago. They'll just review some moves while I'm gone," he said.
"Excellent." Yuuri stood from his seat, rolling the parchments up into two scrolls and tying them off with red ribbons, the seal of the Maou visible on the undersides of the documents. "Come on; let's grab some stuff from our room before we sneak off to Shinou Temple."
Nodding his agreement, Wolfram furrowed his eyebrows lightly when the raven-haired young man drew abreast to him as the both of them exited the king's study.
'There's something a little different with Yuuri,' pondered the blonde thoughtfully as he watched the taller youth catch the attention of one of the two guards standing guard outside the study.
Yuuri held out the two scrolls in his grasp to the soldier in front of him. "Would you mind delivering these, please?" he asked. "And please inform the recipients that they are to read their messages inconspicuously and to carry out the contents contained within just as discreetly."
The guard took the scrolls in both of his hands with a bow and then he gave a curt salute. "As you wish, Sire!" said the soldier smartly before he hurried off instantly to carry out his sovereign's requests.
Finally figuring out just what was bothering him several moments later, Wolfram's eyebrow rose in an elegant arch as first, the feeling of surprise coursed through him, before it was followed by the sentiments of amusement and quite a copious amount of arousal. He moved in closer towards Yuuri's side as they continued down a short hallway and then turned around a corner into a long corridor. Yuuri cast him a bemused glance but did not move away; instead, he lightly brushed his hand against the blonde's. At the fleeting contact between them, the emerald-eyed young man confirmed the thought running through his mind: there was no heat radiating from Yuuri. A slow smirk began stretching across his face.
"Did you take a shower?"
The raven-haired young man blinked and gave a nod in reply, a quizzical expression painting his features. "Yes, I did just take one. Why?"
Wolfram had to struggle to hold in the snicker that threatened to escape from him. He slanted a sly look up at the taller youth as they reached the double doors of the royal suites.
"A cold shower to be more specific, perhaps?" he pressed on with a teasing grin, his voice dropping to a low purr. He hid a snigger when he noticed the other go rigid beside him as Yuuri's hands pushed the double doors shut behind them both.
"What about it?"
"Did it succeed in calming down your…excitement?"
"What are you talking about?"
Wolfram quirked an eyebrow. So, Yuuri was taking out the card of denial? A wicked smirk appeared on his face. It was not like he was going to let the taller boy use it if he had anything to say about it. Teasing Yuuri was just too fun!
"Come now, you don't need to hide it. I know you can't stop yourself. Boys have needs after all, wouldn't you say, Yu-u-ri?" Wolfram said, dragging out the young king's name in a husky tone. Before he could stop himself, he shot a sly grin at the other standing stiffly across the length of the chamber and staring at him with an incredulous look in his black eyes. "It's not my fault if you can't control yourself whenever I'm in your presence, now is it?"
"You sound so damn proud of yourself," Yuuri finally choked out, getting over his initial shock.
Wolfram paused as if thinking it over before he smirked. "Yes, I do believe I am."
"Is that so?"
The blonde looked down and pretended to inspect his fingernails, not noticing the predatory glint sparking in Yuuri's eyes, nor did he notice that the young king was stalking towards him. "That's right. You know—"
Wolfram yelped loudly in shock when Yuuri took advantage of the blonde's lax guard of attention to force him backwards until the back of his knees hit the side of the bed and the two of them toppled back to slam onto the mattress, the young king straddling the emerald-eyed youth in a blink of an eye.
"Yuuri!" Wolfram squawked, his eyes wide with astonishment as his cheeks coloured at the position they were both in.
"Take care, Wolfram," Yuuri crooned out the name as he leaned over to purr into the smaller youth's ear, feeling quite satisfied to feel a full-body shudder run through the slim body pinned underneath him. "Seeing as you're the cause of my delicate problems, I think it's only fair that you be the one to take care of them." His lips ghosted over a flushed, porcelain cheek before he continued on down to map the expanse of a long, pale throat. He settled more firmly down on the blonde and grounded his hips against Wolfram's, earning him a surprised gasp. "Don't you agree, love?"
"T-T-Take c-care of th-them?"
"Mmhmm," Yuuri hummed in affirmation and lightly sucked on a pulse point at the juncture of Wolfram's neck.
"I…mmm…" the blonde started to say before trailing off into a quiet moan when Yuuri sank his teeth lightly over his pulse point and sucked hard, leaving behind a bright, red hickey.
The young king gave a last nip at the sweet-tasting skin and gently laved his tongue over the forming bruise before pulling back to scrutinize his work with a satisfied grin on his face. He took in the glazed, green eyes and the brilliant flush spread across pale cheeks and smirked.
"Don't think that I didn't catch on to what you were trying to do during lunch today," he said in a low croon. "So allow me to say this to you now: I will be repaying you the favour. You won't find me staying passive in the face of your provocative actions because I will definitely retaliate in turn." Yuuri grinded down a last time, receiving a strangled moan in response. He smirked again. "Have no doubt about it, love."
Thoroughly stunned, Wolfram could do little else but to gape at the raven-haired young man as the other gave him a swift kiss before pulling back and sliding off of him. He watched through dazed eyes as Yuuri made his way to a large wardrobe and stuck his head inside, clearly rummaging for some things.
"Come on, Wolfram, we need to get going," came Yuuri's muffled voice accompanied by the rustling sound of clothes. "Gwendal and Gunter are going to be occupied with some things for only a few more hours, so we have to go before they discover that we're missing. Hurry and grab your stuff and we'll head out in a few minutes. I just need to find…ah ha!" Yuuri's head reemerged from the depths of the wardrobe with a wrapped up bundle in his grasp. He grabbed a sack from a chair beside the bedside table and slung it over his shoulder before glancing at the still sprawled out form of the blonde on the bed. He raised an eyebrow at the smaller youth. "Are you coming or not?"
Wolfram finally shook off the stupor paralyzing his ability to function properly and dragged his mind back from the haze of arousal clouding his senses. He rose slowly and slid off of the bed to stand. Grabbing his sword from its place where it was leaning against the headboard, the blonde swiftly tied the weapon to his belt on the hip of his waist and shot a coy look at the young king from beneath his thick lashes. "Oh, I'm definitely 'cumming'," he purred, "hopefully soon and by your hands."
Yuuri went crimson at the turn of phrase the blonde employed and narrowed his dark eyes as they began to smoulder with desire. "Careful, love. Remember what I told you not mere five minutes ago? I will give as good as I get, do not doubt it."
Wolfram strolled forward and placed his hands on the handles of the double doors. He sent another heated glance over his shoulder at the taller boy as he slowly opened the doors. "Oh, I have no doubt about it, wimp," he drawled, his nickname for the other said in an obviously endearing manner. "In fact, I'm counting on it. Now, shall we get going or not?"
The young king smirked and followed after the blonde as the other sauntered out of the royal suites, heading towards the stables. Fathomless, obsidian eyes locking on the swaying backside of Wolfram, his smirk grew wicked.
'I do so love this game of seduction,' Yuuri mentally grinned, unaware that a similar expression was being portrayed on his features. 'And under no conditions do I have any intentions of losing it.'
Saddling Ao and Wolfram's white stallion was a task swiftly completed by the stable-hands and after Wolfram had thoroughly checked that the straps were sufficiently tightened, the pair thanked the stable-boys before riding out. When they reached the main gates of the Blood Pledge Castle, the young king nodded once at the soldiers stationed as guards of the gates. The men scrambled to do their ruler's bidding and slowly, the heavy gates swung open as the metal bars outside for additional security lifted with the sound of chinking chains.
"Sire!" saluted a high-leveled officer. "Might I inquire as to where you're departing?"
"Just a visit to Shinou Temple," replied Yuuri. He cast a stern glance at the man standing beside his steed, causing the soldier to straighten his shoulders back subconsciously at the look. "I might be gone for a while longer than normal but there'll be no need for worry as Wolfram will be accompanying me. I do not want neither Lord von Voltaire nor Lord von Christ to get a wind of this excursion from you; however, should they question you directly, do not lie and just tell them, otherwise, do not inform them intentionally, am I understood?"
The officer nodded curtly. "Perfectly, Your Majesty."
Yuuri smiled. "Excellent. Well, good afternoon, officer."
The soldier saluted smartly again. "Thank you, Sire! May you have a good afternoon too!"
The raven-haired youth slightly inclined his head in acknowledgement and nudged Ao into a brisk canter, Wolfram urging his mount after him. They rode in comfortable silence down the dirt path leading up to the Temple and in a short amount of time, the young king and his blonde companion clattered into the central, cobblestone courtyard of Shinou Temple.
Yuuri swung a leg over the broad back of his midnight black stallion and smoothly dismounted as Wolfram followed his lead. The couple turned when a familiar, child-like voice called out, "Your Majesty, Lord von Bielefeld, it's nice to see you."
"The feeling is mutual, I assure you," Yuuri greeted the Head Priestess with a wide smile. "How are you, Ulrike?"
"Very well, Your Majesty, thank you," Ulrike replied softly with a gentle smile of her own. She tilted her head a little to the side and asked, "If I may ask, what brings you here this afternoon?"
The raven-haired young man handed Ao's reins to a priestess-in-training with a nod of thanks before he turned back around to face Ulrike with a quirked eyebrow. "I'm sure you know very well why we're here, Ulrike," he said. "You wouldn't happen to know where I can find Murata by any chance, would you?"
The child-like priestess smiled, a sparkle of humour in her violet eyes. "Indeed," she responded and swept a long-sleeved arm out before her. "Please follow me." She led the young king and Wolfram underground and they entered the spacious, stone chamber situated at the centre of the Shinou Temple right below the large fountain that decorated the middle of the main courtyard outside.
Yuuri looked up and studied the shimmering sheen of water flowing in gentle motions across the glass ceiling as Ulrike halted in front of the altar and raised her small hands out in front of her. Dragging his gaze away from the mesmerizing view above, Yuuri moved to stand beside Wolfram as they watched a dark globe rise out of the ground on a small, short, circular pillar.
The Head Priestess peered into the globe's inky depths that were dotted throughout with small twinkles of light. A brief moment later of silence, she spoke up in a tone that did not sound at all that surprised, "His Holiness is in Dai Shimaron. Where he is in that particular country, I can not tell. The barrier between mazoku and human lands makes it difficult for me to fully scry His Holiness' exact location."
Yuuri grinned in triumph as Wolfram gave an aristocratic sniff.
"I knew it," crowed Yuuri. "I just knew Murata and Conrad went to check out Dai Shimaron in face of King Berard's abdication and the connection the sword thieves have with the new king!" He nodded his head at the priestess. "Thank you for your help, Ulrike. Wolfram and I'll be taking our leave now."
"A minute, Your Majesty." Ulrike withdrew from the depths of her voluminous robes two bundles and gave one to Yuuri while the other was given to Wolfram. "His Holiness bid me to give these to you in case you, and here I quote: 'take it to your head to stupidly follow him to Dai Shimaron where its ruler is out to capture you with a vengeance'," she explained with a slightly sheepish smile.
Both Yuuri and Wolfram snorted elegantly at the same time as they tucked their respective bundles into the crooks of their arms.
"Yes, that'll be exactly the sort of thing Murata would say," the young king commented dryly.
"Undoubtedly," agreed the blonde with a wry smile of his own.
Ulrike giggled softly. "Come," she said, smiling, "I'll take you to an empty chamber so that you may change before you go."
Following after the Head Priestess, Yuuri cast a puzzled glance at the bundle of clothes in his arms and voiced his thoughts out loud. "I wonder what get-up Murata obtained for us," he mused.
"We'll find out soon enough," replied Wolfram as the door closed behind Ulrike, leaving the two boys alone in an empty room. "You get changed here, I'll take the bathroom."
Yuuri shrugged. "Sure. Just ask if I'm done changing before you reenter the room, alright?"
"Afraid I'll see something personal?" the blonde teased, moving towards the bathroom.
"No," came Yuuri's retort, "just worried about my virtue when you'll undeniably lose control and try to have your wicked way with me if you catch a glimpse of my naked body."
Wolfram flushed and firmly closed the door to shut out the raven-haired youth's smirking face. "Wimp," he muttered before he grinned and began to get undressed.
000o000
A pair of youths stood waiting beside a grand, cruising ship lying anchored by the docks on the shores of Shin Makoku that faced the ocean which separated the kingdom from Dai Shimaron. Their stylish garbs screamed of wealth and the sophisticated way they carried themselves as they waited portrayed the epitome of nobility.
One was dressed in a lengthy robe of a deep violet trimmed with silver linings and who had long silver hair that fell to the small of his back, the wavy locks held back in a low, loose ponytail with an emerald clasp as several shorter strands framed his face, the wind of the sea sweeping the bangs away from his dark, blue eyes. The smaller figure beside him was clothed in a robe similar to his companion though it was of a royal blue colour patterned with gold embroidery; he had straight, shoulder-length hair that was looped back in a loose, platinum blond braid tied off with a matching blue ribbon. His light grey eyes seemed to shimmer with veiled amusement as Cheri blinked in bemusement at the two young men standing in front of her ship.
"May I help you two gentlemen?" she inquired politely, her eyebrows crinkling a bit more when the smaller of the two boys began chuckling.
The one with silver hair smiled at her. "Do we really look that different, Cheri?" he asked.
Cheri's green eyes narrowed as she tried to place the familiar voice with a face before the light dawned on her face. "Your Majesty?" she said in a questioning tone.
"Correct," replied Yuuri in his disguise, his eyes with dark blue contacts glimmered with laughter at the incredulous look on the woman's face. "I suppose my voice gave it away?"
Cheri nodded a little dumbly. Her gaze flitted over to the smaller youth standing beside the young king. "Then, you're Wolfram, aren't you?"
The young man dressed in royal blue nodded. "Of course, Mother," Wolfram said. "I didn't know you liked to state the obvious."
The blonde woman shot a pout at her youngest son. "Mou, Wolf, you shouldn't tease your Mother like that!" she sulked childishly. Then, her moody countenance did a full 360-degree turn in a blink of an eye and a wide grin stretched from her left ear to her right ear. "Don't you two look gorgeous!" she cooed. "Absolutely stunning! If I didn't know who the both of you were or that you are together, I would most definitely try to get my hands on you; especially you, Your Majesty, you're exactly my type! All tall, broad-shouldered, attractive—"
Cheri was interrupted when a pale hand clamped down over her mouth and laughing green eyes looked into narrowed grey orbs. "You're right, Mother," Wolfram drawled as Yuuri coloured at the starry-eyed look Cheri was giving him. "He is, indeed, all that and more, and what's more is he's off-limits."
Cheri gently tugged her youngest son' hand down with a knowing smile playing on the edges of her lips. "My," she teased playfully, "aren't you possessive?" She laughed in delight when the smaller youth flushed at her words.
Chuckling softly, Yuuri stepped up beside his blushing lover and slipped an arm around the lithe waist in a claiming gesture. "He's not the only one," he said and shared a smirk with Cheri as Wolfram turned a darker shade of red and smacked the young king's arm. Yuuri took the light blow as his due for teasing Wolfram with an indulgent grin.
The attention of the three was diverted when a voice called out, "Madame Cheri! It's time to sail!"
The busty woman looked up at the captain of her ship who was leaning over the railing and was looking down at her from his position. "All right," she called back, "we'll be up in a minute." She turned to face the two young men. "Come on then, let's get on board, shall we?"
In a short amount of time, they were out on the open sea. Yuuri watched on sympathetically as Wolfram clenched his eyes shut, his knuckles white as his hands clutched the railings in a death grip, trying to keep in his lunch.
"I hate being seasick," Wolfram scowled, an irritable grimace on his face as his stomach churned again.
The taller youth smiled understandingly in return and rubbed a hand on the blonde's back in soothing circles in hopes that it would calm the other while his other free hand slapped away silver stray strands of hair away from his face.
After what seemed like a year, but really, it had only been an hour since they had set sail, Wolfram eventually succeeded in keeping his lunch in his stomach where it belonged and finally adjusted to the rocking motions of the ship. He slowly released the vice-like grip of his hands on the railings and sighed in relief. He cast a grateful look over his shoulder at the other young man. "Thank you," he rasped.
"No problem," Yuuri said. "Alright now?"
The blonde nodded.
Yuuri smiled, his hand batting away flying locks of hair from his eyes in an annoyed manner. "That's good."
Wolfram watched from the corners of his eyes in growing amusement as Yuuri futilely attempted to keep stray strands of silver hair away from his cerulean eyes, but the ocean breeze was just as stubborn as the taller boy and it persisted on blowing the long locks away from the king's grasping fingers and back into obscuring his face. He gave a quiet chuckle at the humorous scene the other presented only to quickly school his features into an innocent expression when Yuuri shot him a bemused glance. After a couple of minutes watching his lover struggling to tame his misbehaving tresses, the blonde spoke up, "Would you like some help with that?"
Giving Wolfram a look of exasperation, Yuuri nodded. "Please?" he implored, his tone tinged with disgruntlement. "Why'd Murata choose a wig like this for me anyways? It keeps getting into my eyes!"
"But it looks good on you, admit it," the blonde chortled quietly, moving up behind the young king. "You were practically preening in front of the mirror back at Shinou Temple."
"Was not," replied Yuuri petulantly. His eyelids drooped over his azure globes as he felt Wolfram twine his slim fingers into his hair in soothing motions.
"'I look awfully gorgeous, don't you think, Wolfram?'" the smaller youth quoted. Yuuri could practically hear the grin in the other's voice. "Does that sound familiar to you?"
"Nope, doesn't even ring a bell."
The fingers stopped moving and a small whine of protest involuntarily escaped from his lips. Yuuri could feel himself flush at the impromptu sound he emitted and he felt the blush on his cheeks darken as Wolfram leaned over his shoulder to look at him with a skeptic expression.
The king tried to control the portion of blood rushing to his cheeks while the other portion flew down south as his every nerve tingled and electrified with the feeling of Wolfram being pressed flush against his back. "What?" he asked, quite proud that it had came out steadily without any hint of his internal struggle with his hormones wreaking havoc on his mind.
Not as completely oblivious to the effect he had on Yuuri as he pretended to be, Wolfram pressed even closer until not a margin width of a hair of space was left between them and then merely quirked an elegant eyebrow in response.
Attempting to ignore the radiating heat from the blonde burning into his back but failing miserably, Yuuri huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine, be that way," he sulked.
Deciding to cut the other a little slack, Wolfram took a small step back. Then, swiftly unclipping the clasp holding back the long hair, he used one hand to gently comb back loose strands while his other hand held the silver locks in order to prevent them from blowing out in disarray with the wind current.
"Moody wimp," Wolfram said, his tone affectionate. He smiled softly as Yuuri moaned in pleasure at his ministrations, his fingers gently massaging the taller youth's scalp in sweeping touches as he tried to tame the other's silver hair. A while later, Wolfram re-clasped the emerald clip into place and moved to step back only to be pulled into Yuuri's arms. Relaxing into the warm embrace, Wolfram laid his head on the young king's shoulder.
Yuuri nuzzled his nose against the blonde's ear, making the smaller youth shiver as a warm tongue darted out to trace the sensitive shell of his ear. "But I'm your 'moody wimp'."
Wolfram tilted his head to the side to bare more of his neck as the king trailed his lips down the side of the offered pale throat. "Damn right," he replied breathlessly.
Yuuri released a low laugh; the vibrations rumbling from his chest against the blonde's back practically made the smaller youth dissolve into a warm pile of goo in his arms. The young king suckled at the other's earlobe, wrenching a delighted groan from Wolfram as he melted deeper into the hold of the taller young man. "Thank you, love," Yuuri murmured before giving a last nip to the moist earlobe.
Wolfram turned his head and, placing a soft kiss on the corner of Yuuri's mouth, he replied, "You're welcome, Yuuri."
"Don't you two look adorable together!" cooed a voice from behind. The couple turned their heads to look at the source but did not break apart.
"Mother?" asked Wolfram.
"Seeing you all grown up and…"
As the older woman continued prattling on, Wolfram wiggled slightly in Yuuri's grasp so that he could shift to face his mother without leaving the circle of Yuuri's arms, but stopped in his movements when a quiet gasp hissed in his ear. He paused and raised his head slightly to look up into the taller youth's flushed face. "Yuuri?" he said in a whisper.
The young king's eyes were hooded when he looked down at the blonde's upturned face. "Nothing, love," he whispered, his voice sounding a little strangled. "Just…don't move so much, ok?"
"Why?" Wolfram frowned lightly. He moved to turn around again only to come to a screeching halt when he felt something hard poking him in the back, and being a boy himself, he knew instantly just exactly what 'it' was. The realization that Yuuri was aroused and hard for him and in front of his mother as it was, Wolfram could not stop the blush that erupted on his cheeks like exploding fireworks. As uncomfortable as he was of the situation seeing as he too was getting just as hard as Yuuri right in front of his chattering mother, Wolfram could feel a smidgen of smugness rising up within him at the fact that he could provoke such a reaction from Yuuri as easily as being pressed up against the other. Then, a wicked idea came to mind. The blonde hid a smug smirk before he casually cuddled back into the young king's embrace.
Yuuri bit back a moan when the blonde arched back a bit and pressed down on his erection. Wolfram shifted a little more to the left and Yuuri had to literally bite the inside of his cheek to stifle the groan from erupting from deep within the workings of his voice-box as his stiff member lodged itself between the cleft of the blonde's arse. The king swallowed hard and his head reluctantly bowed over the smaller boy's shoulder, his forehead coming to a rest on the juncture of Wolfram's neck and shoulder as the blonde subtly rubbed himself back against his straining length. Yuuri's hands spasmed slightly on his hold around Wolfram's waist and a low, shuddering moan came rising unbidden from his throat.
Cheri paused in her prattling and shot a concerned glance at her sovereign. "Your Majesty? Are you feeling alright? Are you feeling seasick?"
Wolfram hid a smirk when he felt Yuuri stiffen, his faint thrusting against his behind stilling instantly at the question. The young king dragged his mind from the haze of lust, belatedly remembering that they were not in the privacy of their rooms and very much in the open to the public eye, and not to mention Wolfram's mother was standing right there in front of them. The blush flamed hot on his cheeks and his ears went just as pink. Yuuri pulled Wolfram before him in a subtle maneuver to hide his prominent hardness and managed a weak smile. "I'm fine, Cheri," he reassured her.
"Are you certain? You look quite flushed…"
Yuuri tightened his hold around Wolfram when he felt a nearly imperceptible shudder of a silent laugh shake the blonde's frame. The king gritted his teeth and tried to will his raging erection down. "Yes, truly, Cheri. I assure you, I'm perfectly fine."
The taller young man shot a veiled glare down at the mirth-filled grey eyes of the smaller youth looking up at him. He leaned down a fraction and brushed his lips against the other's ear. "Don't think you can get away with this," he hissed hotly, grinding his hips up against the blonde's behind and wrenching a breathless gasp from Wolfram in turn. "I'll get you later."
Wolfram tossed a sly grin at the young king staring down at him with a heated gaze. "Do your worst," he murmured back, his hand offhandedly dropping down to his side to casually brush against the other's hard-on. The hands on his hips immediately tightened their grip in response.
Cheri pretended to not understand what was going on between the pair of young men in front of her though she allowed herself to giggle girlishly in her mind. She clapped her hands in a gay manner to attract the attention of the youths. "Really, whenever I see Your Majesty and Wolfram together, it makes me miss Fanfan all the more! I can't wait until we get to Dai Shimaron so that I may see him again!"
The mention of Dai Shimaron brought an important matter to Yuuri's mind and he turned to fully face the older woman. "Cheri, I almost forgot to inform you but once we reach the human lands, please do not refer me to my title nor call Wolfram by his name. It's too conspicuous and much too risky, especially now that we're going to be on unfriendly territory; so we took the precautions of changing our names. If you must address us, I am Lord Anthony von Enders and Wolfram is Lord Drake von Lyon."
Cheri smiled and nodded in understanding. "Very well. Consider it done, Lord Anthony von Enders."
As the ship pulled up into the docks, an extravagant carriage rolled up into view to come to a halt at the base of the lowered ramp. A tall, bearded man in well-dressed clothing stepped out of the carriage and Cheri released a happy exclamation at the sight of him. She practically flew down the ramps and then promptly into the man's open arms.
"Fanfan! It's so good to see you!" she said in a sugary tone. "I've missed you!"
The bearded man pulled a blooming rose from seemingly out of nowhere and presented it to Cheri with a fancy flourish. "Oh, my love," he stated, bringing up one of her hands to lay a kiss on it. "The days that I could not spend with you were faded and dull. My heart felt like a barren wasteland, forever devoid of producing any fruit…"
Yuuri quirked an eyebrow as he and Wolfram slowly made their way down the ramp towards the older couple below. "He hasn't changed," he commented with a wry grin.
Wolfram tucked himself into the young king's side and smiled as Yuuri's arm automatically snaked out to wrap around his waist. "She must have informed him of our arrival beforehand, using the messenger doves."
"I know."
The blonde glanced at the other. "You arranged Mother to do this in one of the two messages you had the soldier deliver when we left your study, didn't you?"
Yuuri nodded. "I did," he said.
"And who's the other for?"
"Anissina."
"Anissina? Whatever for?"
"You'll see."
Wolfram huffed at the cryptic answer but did not persist. By then, the pair of boys had reached the bottom of the ramps and Fanvalen swept a bow. "Might I request as to who these two young gentlemen are?" he asked politely.
Cheri tucked her arm into the crook of Fanvalen's right arm. "Allow me to present Lord Anthony von Enders and Lord Drake von Lyon. However, I'm quite certain that the three of you have already met in the past."
Immediately understanding the meaning behind the blond woman's words, Fanvalen smiled. "Ah, I recall now. Welcome to Dai Shimaron, as it is. How are you, Lord Anthony and Lord Drake?" the merchant greeted. "I'm honoured to be able to meet you again!"
"Thank you, Lord Fanvalen," greeted Yuuri in turn. "Rest assured that the sentiments are reciprocated. Once again, I would like to thank you for helping us last time when we needed to escape. I apologize to ask this of you, but I'd like to request your help once more."
Fanvelan looked a little taken back by the smooth and formal response but he quickly recovered with a nod of acknowledgement. "Why, I wholeheartedly consent. Please leave everything to me, this Fanvalen."
Cheri moved closer towards the merchant and laid a hand on his chest. "Think of this as a favour for me," she cooed.
"Of course, my fair lady," replied Fanvalen. "I would gladly give anything to you, you know that." He turned and gestured at the carriage behind them. "Please, would you like to come to my place for the duration of your stay here?"
Yuuri smiled brightly. "That would be most appreciated, Lord Fanvalen. I gladly accept."
As the small group climbed into the carriage, the merchant whispered quietly so that only Yuuri could hear him. "It truly is an honour to meet Your Majesty again! Know that the affairs you have requested are in good hands. And might I add that your disguises are very well done?"
The young king nodded. "Thank you," he replied just as softly.
Fanvalen merely smiled in response and moved to sit beside Cheri. As the four settled into their seats and the carriage started moving, the merchant looked at the pair of young men sitting across from him and could not stop the raise of an eyebrow when he caught sight of Yuuri's fingers intertwined with Wolfram's, their joined hands resting on their thighs. Fanvalen noted then that the two were pressed together at the shoulders, hips, and legs. "This is a new development, is it not?"
The young men nodded in unison with wide smiles.
"Well, it was about time," Fanvalen exclaimed with a smile of his own. "Forgive me if I seem to be too forward, Lord Anthony, but I'm happy that you finally stopped denying yourself and took the wonderful gift Lord Drake has been offering to you for a long time." He motioned at the bracelet on Wolfram's wrist. "Would I be correct to presume that my assumption of that lovely trinket as an official gift of courtship is accurate?"
Wolfram nodded. "It is."
"It's a beautiful gift. I've never seen such intricate workmanship," commented the merchant, studying the bracelet.
"That it is," Wolfram agreed, glancing proudly at the lightly blushing Yuuri beside him.
"May I inquire as to where you found such an elaborate work of art, Lord Anthony?"
Yuuri's blush deepened as Wolfram replied for him, "He didn't find it per se, Lord Fanvalen. You see, Anthony crafted it himself."
The merchant visibly started in surprise. "Really? How extraordinary! I'm very impressed, Lord Anthony! This is truly a masterpiece; I've never seen such an exquisite work of art!"
"Thank you," said Yuuri.
"Think nothing of it for I merely spoke the truth," responded Fanvalen. He nodded at the both of them. "Might I offer the both of you congratulations?"
Yuuri ducked his head shyly before raising it again. "Thank you, Lord Fanvalen. I'm glad that I stopped refusing to see what was in front of me as well." He shot a coy smile at the blonde pressed up against his side. "Very glad."
"Indeed," Wolfram drawled with a haughty smirk. "Like Lord Fanvalen stated, it was about damn time."
Yuuri flushed as the other occupants of the carriage laughed in good-natured mirth.
000o000
Taking a glass of wine from a tray offered by one of the many circulating servants, Yuuri nodded in thanks to the liveried boy and took a small sip. Fanvalen had managed to successfully bring him and Wolfram as his distinguished guests to the ball that King Ranjeel the Second was hosting in celebration of his enthronement. His dark azure orbs scanned the ballroom brimming with dancing figures then he brought his attention back to the noblemen Fanvalen was conversing with.
"And who might your young companion be, Lord Fanvalen?" asked a balding nobleman, indicating politely at Yuuri.
"Gentlemen, allow me to present a close friend of mine, Lord Anthony von Enders," Fanvalen introduced Yuuri to the other men. "He is here visiting Dai Shimaron for only a few days before he continues on with his journey."
"Lord Anthony von Enders?" repeated another noble. "I've never heard of the Enders. Tell me, what is it that you do, my lord?"
Pretending not to notice the barely veiled disdain, Yuuri efficiently replied, "I'm a merchant by trade, like my friend Lord Fanvalen. I mostly specialize in the thriving business of jewelry and perfumery. With my numerous connections with royal families and noble ladies alike, I am hardly in one place for long before I'm off to another country seeing as my products are very popular among the circles of the ladies and as you all well know, fashion is always in demand. So it's quite understandable that you have not heard of me."
The noblemen blinked at his smooth response, his drawl tinged with the obvious accent of a high-standing Court Member. However, they visibly recovered quickly and whenever they addressed him from then on, the scorn in their conducts was absent and replaced with grudging respect.
Yuuri took another sip of his wine as he continued to scan the ballroom. Catching sight of what he was seeking, he politely excused himself and began maneuvering his way through the throng of dancing bodies.
Wolfram clenched his teeth together in frustration when the young woman in front of him would not take 'no' for an answer and continued pestering him for a dance. "I'm sorry, my lady," he said calmly, a direct contrast to the aggravation building up within him. "But I'm waiting for someone at the moment."
"Oh, can't this person wait?" the girl simpered.
"I'm afraid not," Wolfram bit out. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He tensed when the female had the nerve to latch onto his arm as he made to leave. 'Like a damn leech!' he fumed mentally. "I would advise you to back away and to stop touching me. I have managed so far to remain a gentleman, but if you keep this up, I will not be held accountable for my actions," Wolfram said through gritted teeth.
"Come on," the young woman wheedled. "Just one dance, gorgeous?" She let out a squeak when the beautiful blond man was pulled away from her by a pair of arms.
Recognizing the comforting scent of storms and forests right away, Wolfram relaxed as two strong arms wrapped themselves around his waist, drawing him up close against the familiar hard planes of the taller body behind him.
"Please remove your person before I do so for you," drawled Yuuri's low voice.
The girl stared at the attractive silver-haired young man before gathering herself. "And who might you be, handsome?" she simpered.
"Who I am is of no concern of yours, my lady," the young king droned, his sapphire eyes narrowed. "I believe you were courteously asked to leave?"
"How dare you! Y-You…Do you even know who I am?" the young woman sputtered, indignant red spots of colour appearing high on her heavily powdered cheeks.
"No, I do not," Yuuri responded civilly. "And frankly, I do not care."
"I am Princess Marilyn Lilia, crown princess of Dai Shimaron and the daughter of King Ranjeel the Second," the girl stated snootily. She sniffed and tossed a long auburn curl over her shoulder. "I demand that you apologize for your atrocious behaviour!"
Yuuri quirked an eyebrow. "On what basis? If you would recall correctly, you were politely asked to take your leave. I find that it is not I who needs to tender an apology; quite on the contrary, I do believe you owe us your apology. With all due respect, if you are the crown princess of Dai Shimaron as you have claimed, should you not take it as your responsibility to be a charming hostess and try to charm your guests instead of harassing them?"
Princess Marilyn gawked at the young king, struck speechless by his smooth speech delivered in a perfect drawl of a high-class Court Member.
Yuuri inclined his head slightly at the gaping young woman. "Well then, a good evening to you, my lady." With that, he turned and gently steered Wolfram—who was fighting back his urge to snicker—away. He led them through the crowd and behind a pillar, blocking themselves from the view of the shocked princess still standing where they had left her in case that once she regained her senses, she would try to seek them out.
Wolfram lightly squeezed Yuuri's hand. "Thank you for that, Yuuri."
"Not a problem," answered the young king with a bright smile. He tenderly tucked a lock of platinum blond hair behind Wolfram's ear. "You're mine," he whispered heatedly, sending pleasant shivers down the blonde's spine. "And I don't share."
Wolfram smiled radiantly back at him. "I know. The same goes for me."
Yuuri squeezed the slender hand in his own. "I'm glad we've reached a mutual understanding," he drawled jokingly. Then he cast a dubious look in Princess Marilyn's direction. "I didn't even know Ranjeel was married, much less had a daughter!" he added disbelievingly.
The blonde shook his head. "Neither did I. I don't understand how our intelligences didn't discover this particular tidbit of information either."
"That would be because Princess Marilyn's existence was only revealed not mere five days ago after the coronation of King Ranjeel," spoke up an unfamiliar voice from nearby the two young men. Surprised, the youths turned to face a young man looking about the exact same age as they were with purple tinted glasses and long pale blonde hair that fell to his lower back. He was dressed in a Mandarin style robe of a vibrant scarlet with a complex design of a gold dragon curling over his right shoulder and down one side of his clothes. The stranger bowed his head slightly in greeting. "Forgive me if I may seem rude but I could not help overhearing the last bit of your conversation and your rather spectacular confrontation with the crown princess," he said with an apologetic smile. "Allow me to present myself, my name is Sara and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."
Yuuri eyed the other for several moments. "How can you be pleased to make an acquaintance to which you have yet to make?" he asked curiously, one eyebrow arched in question.
Startled, Sara blinked and stared for but a second before a delighted laugh escaped from his lips. His golden eyes behind his glasses sparked with humour as he smiled. "You're going to be a breath of fresh air among these dusty, worn dancers," he chuckled.
Yuuri just nodded, mentally frowning at the obscure meaning behind the other's words but he dismissed it from his mind not a moment later when the golden-eyed man's name tugged at his memory. 'Sara…now where have I heard a name like that before?' Yuuri pondered, then it dawned on him and his eyes widened a tad in surprise before he schooled his features into a blank but pleasant mask. 'If I recall correctly, I studied about a youthful king, much like me, who rules a vassal nation to Dai Shimaron and he governs it very well for his age. His name is…' Yuuri inclined his head towards Sara. "Indeed," he said. "I apologize for not recognizing you right away but how do you do this fine evening, King Saralegui of Shou Shimaron?"
Again, Sara visibly started in surprised, and then he shook his head with an enigmatic, rueful smile. "You are very astute, are you not…?" he trailed off in question.
Knowing what the other was enquiring for, Yuuri introduced himself. "My name is Lord Anthony von Enders, Your Majesty," he said and waved a hand at Wolfram standing closely beside him. He could feel that the blonde was tensed and wary and, for some odd reason, the smaller youth was watching Sara through marginally narrowed eyes. Yuuri surreptitiously brushed the back of his hand against Wolfram's in an inquiring manner, earning himself a fleeting, reassuring smile and a glance that told him that the blonde would tell him about it later. Yuuri nodded his head in a small movement before turning his attention back to Sara and continuing as if he had not paused at all, "And this is Lord Drake von Lyon."
"Your Majesty," Wolfram nodded stiffly.
Sara returned the nod with a smile. "Please, the both of you," he said, "call me Sara. 'Your Majesty' at the moment is not I but King Ranjeel giving the circumstances that we are in Dai Shimaron and not my kingdom."
"Very well, Sara," Yuuri agreed. "You said that Princess Marilyn was only made known to the public a few days ago. Might I inquire as to why she has been kept secret until now all this time?"
"There are many speculations running about on this particular subject but the most popular one is that the crown princess is an illegitimate child and His Majesty did not want others to know about her because of it," replied Sara nonchalantly. "However, rumours have it that he had heard about the grand celebrations that are going to be hosted in Shin Makoku for the Maou's eighteenth birthday, and it's said that His Majesty wants to offer the Maou the princess as a potential bride in order to bring together the two countries in a political marriage union."
"What?!" Wolfram blurted out without thinking, his face pale as his hands clenched into fists.
Yuuri had stilled in shock too but the outburst from his lover quickly brought him out of his frozen state. He moved forward without a second thought and placed a hand on the small of Wolfram's back, immediately rubbing his hand in firm soothing circles.
Wolfram took a calming breath, allowing the gentle touch of his taller lover to calm him down. Yuuri kept his hand on the blonde's back and seeing that the smaller youth was still struggling to restrain his anger, he decided to speak and draw the attention away from Wolfram in the process.
"How will he pull that off? From what I've heard, the Maou is currently in a formal courting ritual with someone else," said Yuuri, keeping his tone as uninflected as possible despite his own urge to snarl angrily like Wolfram at the distasteful news. "To interrupt a courting ritual when it has been officially announced is downright offensive, and it's liable to create a greater fissure between the two countries. Not to mention, it just might be enough of a catalyst to induce the expected war."
Sara's glaze flickered fleetingly from between Yuuri and Wolfram as he shrugged his shoulders in an elegant roll. "I don't know," he answered. "Everything is being arranged by Geneus and details about that man are very little." He paused. "The Maou's in a courting ritual? Interesting…" he mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
Sara waved a hand. "Pay no heed; I was simply rambling to myself."
"I see." Yuuri's dark cerulean globes narrowed. "Tell me, why are telling us all of this information to people you've just met? I do not mean to be rude but quite frankly, we don't know you and you don't know us. What, exactly, is your intention?"
Lowering his head a tiny bit so that the purple-tinted glasses gleamed over under the candlelight to shadow his golden eyes, a small inscrutable smile curled the corners of Sara's lips. "I find that a spicing up of the dull mediocre dance was due, that is all." With his cryptic reply, Sara nodded a farewell at the pair in an inclination of the head that was tinged with an unknown irony. "Please excuse me. It was a pleasure meeting you both. Happy festivities."
Yuuri silently watched with a thoughtful frown as the king of Shou Shimaron walk away to be joined by a tall, dark-haired man who had emerged from the shadows like a slinking ghost.
"I don't trust him," Wolfram muttered beside him, his body still rigid with controlled rage. "There's something about him that doesn't seem right."
The young king nodded. "I know," he agreed quietly. "I can't really make out what's bothering me about him and I can't read him. Something is blocking my senses from reading him…" He shook his head. "There's no point in wondering about it now. Come on, let's continue circulating among the others and see if we can gather any more news; especially reports on this 'Geneus'."
Wolfram made a noise of agreement and he let Yuuri guide him to mingle with the crowd of nobles. A quick movement from his peripheral vision caught his attention and the blonde furtively tossed a glance over his shoulder in time to spot a man wrapped in a cloak stride by. Grey eyes locked on to the emblem emblazoned with the outline of a raven on the clip holding the man's cloak shut. The subtle tug on Yuuri's sleeve pulled the taller boy's attention down towards him and Wolfram imperceptibly pointed at the man moving swiftly through the throng of people with a jerk of his chin.
Yuuri's navy-blue orbs followed in the indicated direction, his eyes lighting on the retreating back of the man. Carefully, he unraveled a tendril of his senses and stretched it out towards the man, only to recoil back with a low hiss a second later.
As the blonde shifted to move forward, the hand that fell onto his shoulder stopped him from following after the man and Wolfram turned perplexed eyes on the young king.
Yuuri shook his head mutely in response, his gaze fleeting over to the right though his head did not move. He pursed his lips and leaned over to whisper quietly in the blonde's ear, pretending to flick an imaginary stray lint off of Wolfram's collar. "Don't," he murmured lowly. "His aura is tainted and the foreign tinge to it makes me wary. Besides, it's a trap. Look to your far right, do you see the soldiers following discretely after him?"
Wolfram nodded faintly. "Yes, I see them. You don't think that our cover's blown, do you?"
"No," whispered the king. "But someone knows that there are some intruders here. I don't know how, but I think that man standing in the shadows behind Ranjeel suspects that there are uninvited people among the nobles in this ballroom seeing as he's the one conducting the soldiers' movements. We better make our exit quietly before they find out that we're not legitimately on the invitations list." Without another word, the pair began to navigate their way towards the exit in a blasé manner, politely nodding to acquaintances they had made during the evening as they passed. They were joined by Fanvalen a few meters from doors before the three of them were forced to halt in their places by a group of soldiers.
"Hold it right there!" snapped a guard.
Fanvalen took a step forward, his hands spread out before him in a placating movement. "Might I ask what is wrong?"
"Where do you think you're going?" growled the soldier.
The merchant allowed a light frown to crease between his eyebrows. "What do you mean, my good man? Are we not allowed to come and go as we please?"
The soldier shook his head. "Yes you are, Lord Fanvalen," he said before pointing at Yuuri and Wolfram. "However, these two are not."
"I beg your pardon?" Yuuri spoke up, quite aware of the murmuring crowd gathering behind them, drawn to the spectacle like a group of gossipers they were. "And what would the reason be for you to prevent us from retiring for the night?"
"You are not human," the man snapped back, his hand reaching for his sword.
Yuuri arched an eyebrow. "I assure you, sir, that we are human through and through. What gave you the idea otherwise?"
"We'll see about that," sneered the guard. Not a millisecond later, five cloaked men appeared in a circle around the young king and the blonde. Fanvalen watched on helplessly as the masked men raised their hands with a large red crystal within each of their grasps. Strands of glowing crimson shot out from the crystals towards the two young men at the centre of the human-circle…and passed right through them with no incident.
Yuuri frowned heavily. "What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded.
The soldier stared dumbly back at the young men. "Uh, w-well…" he began stammering.
"Is this the sort of hospitality you show to your guests?!" Wolfram cut in, smoothly picking up from where Yuuri had left off.
Eyes darting from one youth to the other, the guard was clearly dumbfounded as he tried to articulate cohesive sentences instead of a string of broken words. "I—well, that is to say…ah…"
"I find these actions toward us completely outrageous!" Yuuri interrupted, permitting no chance whatsoever for the flummoxed man to gather his scattered wits. "Not only do you insult us by preventing us from retiring for the night without providing any explications, you offend us even further by accusing us of being inhuman and you have this group of people try to lash us with power to top it off! I reiterate one last time: what is the meaning of this?!"
Reduced to a cringing mess of blubbering flesh, the soldier could only stutter out apologies repetitively.
"I'm sorry for any offense we caused, my lord," a deep voice broke through the stammering words of the guard. The tall figure cloaked in black who Yuuri had sighted standing in the shadows behind Ranjeel stepped through the parted crowd of soldiers. "We have some signs indicating that there are uninvited visitors here who could prove to be overbearing nuisances to our noble guests. Therefore, we are taking the compulsory precautions by asking any unfamiliar faces to present some papers confirming their official invitations and we humbly ask for your understanding."
Yuuri mentally raised an eyebrow. The eloquent speech of the newcomer was too smooth for his tastes and, for some strange reason, he had a feeling that the cloaked man knew just exactly who they were even through their disguises but the man had no proof to verify his suspicions. "I see," the young king finally responded. He reached into the folds of his robes and withdrew two folded sheets of parchment before handing them over. "If that is the situation, it would have been much appreciated if that had been made clear in the first place. It would have saved us the inconvenience of all this misunderstanding and confusion."
The black cloaked figure graciously bowed his hooded head at Yuuri's words, recognizing the subtle reproach it was. "I apologize," he said, taking the held out documents. After a perusal of the papers, he gave them back with a nod. "Everything seems to be in order. Once again, I offer you my apologies for any misdemeanor we have caused. Rest assured that the rest of your stay here in Dai Shimaron will be to your utmost satisfaction, Lord von Enders and Lord von Lyon."
Yuuri slightly inclined his head in acknowledgement before he, Wolfram, and Fanvalen left without another word. The young king was wholly aware of the dark cloaked man's eyes fixed on their backs as they strolled down the brightly lit corridor only to have the sensation of being watched disappear when they turned a corner. As the trio walked out of the palace, Yuuri paused in his steps and threw a puzzled glance behind him in the direction of the west-wing.
Wolfram peered from inside the carriage at his lover. "What is it?"
The young king blinked and then shook his head. "No, it's nothing," he said. "It was just my imagination running away with me."
"Then let's go! I don't like being here longer than necessary," the blonde urged.
Yuuri smiled and climbed into the carriage to seat himself beside Wolfram and across from Fanvalen. "I agree," he said as the carriage door closed behind him and coach began to move.
000o000
Somewhere back in the west-wing of the palace, Murata paused in his steps, drawing the attention of Conrad and Yozak.
"Your Holiness? What is it?" asked Conrad.
Murata blinked and then shook his head, his actions unknowingly an exact mirror image to that of Yuuri's. "Nothing," he replied. "Come on; let's get moving to the treasury room. I want to take a look at the stolen swords quickly before we're discovered."
Yozak pointed to his left. "It's this way. Hurry!"
The boy sighed and pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with a finger as he followed after the two men. Foolish Shibuya, he thought with a wry grin. You really did come after us. I guess we'll see you in about two hours. If I'm correct—which I usually am—Lord Fanvalen will be housing three more guests before this night ends.
000o000
Wolfram took a sip of his steaming tea as he leaned back into the soft cushions of the settee beside Yuuri. "Where did you get the identification papers?" he asked the young king.
Yuuri grinned, removing the said documents to lay them onto the glass table before them. "That credit would go to Lord Fanvalen. I requested him to formulate some official papers for us."
The blonde lowered his cup to stare at his lover. "When did you do that?"
"About two days ago. That gave Lord Fanvalen a sufficient amount of time for him to put everything together," explained the king.
Fanvalen nodded towards Yuuri from across the glass table, seated beside Cheri. "And it was a very well good thing that you did so, Your Majesty," said the merchant, using Yuuri's title now that they were in the safe confines of his home. "If you did not have those documents on you, both Your Majesty and Lord von Bielefeld would have been detained by the soldiers."
"Speaking of that particular incident, would you happen to know the identity of the man cloaked in black?"
"That would be Geneus," replied Fanvalen.
Yuuri's eyebrows furrowed. "Sara had mentioned a man named Geneus as well. Do you know anything about him?"
"Sara?"
"King Saralegui of Shou Shimaron," Yuuri clarified. "We met him during the evening and we discussed some things, one of which contained Ranjeel's plan with the crown princess and how everything is apparently being arranged by this 'Geneus'." Pressed against the young king's side, the taller youth could feel Wolfram immediately tensing at the last part of his sentence, the blonde's frame practically thrumming with suppressed anger. Yuuri rested a hand on the other's knee and gave a reassuring squeeze but it did not seem to help Wolfram relax at the least.
"There is not a lot of information about Geneus. He was with King Ranjeel at the very beginning and it was through his help that King Ranjeel was crowned," said Fanvalen, taking a sip of his own cup of tea. "I've heard a couple of reports from my own intellects that are a bit disturbing. It seems that Geneus is part of a secret organization called the 'White Ravens'. I have a man who sent me a message stating that he has some new information concerning the White Ravens and…" he trailed off as a knock sounded on the closed double doors of the sitting room. "That must be him." Then, setting his teacup on a side-table, the merchant stood and walked across the chamber to let a tall broad man in.
Yuuri blinked in surprise as Wolfram exclaimed, "Adelbert!"
"We really do meet at the oddest moments, don't we?" asked Yuuri after a while with a dry smile.
Adelbert grinned roguishly. "That we do, Your Majesty."
"I surmise that you're the man Lord Fanvalen was just talking about?"
"If it's the man who has something to report on the White Ravens then I'm your man," replied the brawny Adelbert.
"So what do you have for us?" Fanvalen spoke up, pouring tea into a cup before offering it to Adelbert.
"Yes, it seems that it is indeed the White Ravens who have been collecting stolen priceless swords," said burly man while accepting the steaming teacup from the merchant with a nod. "They are located in the treasury room in the west-wing of the palace. I have gathered that their leader, Geneus, is searching for a magical sword. For what purposes he has for this weapon, I have yet to find out but I'm working on it."
"I have a pretty good clue as to what he's planning to do with the magical sword he's looking for," spoke up a familiar voice from the direction of the doors.
Yuuri turned to look at Murata as the other boy entered the sitting room with Conrad and Yozak trailing in behind him. "I was wondering when you'd show up," said Yuuri as he took another leisurely sip of his tea.
Murata snorted, taking a seat across from the raven-haired youth after giving a nod of greeting to Lord Fanvalen. "I still can't believe you were foolish enough to come here."
"I guess I am as much of a moron as you are," Yuuri retorted, "seeing as you're pretty idiotic yourself for coming here in the first place too."
A small smirk twitched Murata's lips and he responded in a wry voice, "Touché."
"What are you doing here, Your Majesty?" asked a stupefied Yozak, both he and Conrad were staring at their ruler with wide, incredulous eyes. "You shouldn't be here! It's much too dangerous for you. Why didn't His Grace stop you?"
The young king raised an eyebrow. "Gwendal doesn't know about this little trip and neither does Gunter. But really, even if they did, do you think they could've stopped me?"
A dubious expression overtook Yozak's features as Conrad donned a resigned look on his face. The two tall men sighed in unison.
"Yes, you're right," Yozak acquiesced, crossing his muscular arms across his chest. "But still…"
"It's dangerous for you to be here," Conrad finished.
"Don't worry," Yuuri assured. "We're prepared if anything goes wrong."
"Oh?"
"You'll see, but let's hope it doesn't come down to that." Yuuri allowed a small, enigmatic smile to surface. "Besides, why are you scolding me and not Murata? I was only following him here to make sure he doesn't get himself into a sticky situation being the moron that he is for coming to Dai Shimaron in the first place."
Murata shot his friend a mock glower. "Oh, you should talk," he grumbled.
"You know calling you a moron is not all that true," continued Yuuri. "Thanks for the clever disguises. The absorbers were additions quite ingenious as well."
"I suppose they came in handy?"
The young king nodded, his onyx orbs glinting with amusement at the sight of Murata's polite inquiring look. Yuuri did not fall for the other dark-haired boy's innocent expression at all, the shadow of a smug smirk curling Murata's lips a dead give-away. "You presumed accurately," replied the king with an arched eyebrow. "There's no need to act so humble, Murata."
Murata scowled playfully, fully aware of the puzzled glances of the other occupants of the chamber flitting from him to Yuuri. "Spoilsport," he muttered. The young king merely tossed him an unrepentant grin.
"Pardon me, Your Majesty," Conrad spoke up, "but what are these 'absorbers' you're talking about?"
Yuuri reached up and fingered the emerald clasp holding back his hair in a low ponytail. "I'm talking about these," he said, indicating at both his and Wolfram's hairclips. "Murata had Ulrike create and customize them. Their purpose serves in absorbing houseki. They came in very handy indeed. If it had not been for them, when Ranjeel's guards back at the palace threw a houseki net at us, both Wolfram and I would've been revealed as makokus."
"I guess being overly cautious pays off in the end, doesn't it?"
"I wouldn't say 'overly' but yes, I agree." Yuuri swallowed another gulp of his cooling drink. "Now, I believe we got off track. You said that you know what the reason is for the White Ravens to be searching for a particular holy sword, Murata?"
"The holy sword's name is Gifmor," replied Murata, his expression becoming serious. "And she is the twin of Morgif."
000o000
A/N: Wow, this chapter's even longer than the others! Thank you very much for the encouraging reviews! As always, they are very much appreciated! Wolfram's acceptance gift to Yuuri's first courting ritual gift and Yuuri's eighteenth birthday celebrations is coming up soon, so don't worry. I just need to elaborate a bit on Gifmor and Yuuri's eye-opening trip to Dai Shimaron.
Anyways, tell me what you think of this chapter!
Please Review!