As Yuri stared at the set up in front of him, he couldn't get over the fact that Conrad had done all this, especially for him. He felt a touch guilty now for having ever doubted Conrad's feelings.

Unexpectedly, just watching the food, his stomach made its presence known, causing Yuri to blush darkly. 'Darn', Yuri thought. 'Now, we'll have to leave for the meal and come back later. Couldn't I do anything right, before ruining it?' Yuri cursed.

Conrad was extremely happy that Yuri had actually liked everything he did. He could tell this for sure, not just from Yuri's heartfelt confession, but also from the divine look on Yuri's face. He smiled as he heard the boy's stomach rumble.

"I guess we'd better leave to get to the dining hall for breakfast before everyone gets worried." Yuri said, although he was disappointed in having to leave.

Conrad smiled and shook his head at that. Taking the boy's arm and leading him over to a large blanket on the floor that Yuri just noticed was covered by another blanket, obviously hiding stuff under it, he said "No need for that." Conrad, then, uncovered the top blanket to revel a huge feast.

Yuri was in awe. "You had all this made for us? Isn't it a bit much?"

Conrad smiled, "Yes, it seems like a lot but I've already talked to Gwendal and told him that I was keeping you to myself for the entire day. I made sure that we had enough food to last till then."

Yuri was astounded."ALL DAY?"

Yuri might have been extremely surprised, but he couldn't help but feel extremely contented internally. 'All Day'. He was going to get to spend intimate time with his lover for an entire day, with no disturbances due to his duties. Really, he thought, he couldn't get any lucky. Then, he watched Conrad, preparing a makeshift couch for them, and his inner voice spoke to him, 'And life couldn't get any better.' Smiling, he abandoned his thoughts and approached his love.

"It's warm now, but with all this rain it might get cold in here. Be sure to let me know if you get cold and I'll start a fire." Conrad said, unaware of the intense look that Yuri was giving him. "Shall we sit, before the tea gets cold?" He finally turned to Yuri and reached out to take his hand.

Yuri blushed at the gesture, but nodded and grabbed the offered hand, still unable to believe this was all truly happening, as he sat down.

Conrad reached out and gently traced the edge of Yuri's jaw, intensifying the blush even more. Yuri looked adorable flushed like that. Suddenly, another image flashed in Conrad's mind. A more intimate one with an even more flushed Yuri looking so beautiful writhing under him and chanting his name with those kiss bruised lips of his.

Realizing his inappropriate line of thoughts, Conrad quickly shook his head and retracted his hand. He didn't know what was happening to him. Such thoughts never occurred to him in front of Yuri before, and definitely not about him. But then, he guessed, may be this was what love does to a person. He made a mental note to talk to his mother regarding this new feeling later on.

Yuri noticed his mental absence. Feeling Yuri's eyes on him, watching him with a little concern, Conrad quickly flashed him a warm heart-felt grin to erase any doubts from Yuri's mind, causing Yuri to smile in return and everything went back to normal. They just talked and laughed about random things, ate the delicious meal and spent the most relish able intimate time together, coming even closer to each other in several aspects. This was the most alive that Yuri as well as Conrad had felt in a very long time. They spent the rest of the day basking in each other's presence, away from the intruding eyes of anyone else or the tiresome obligations of their duties.

Yuri enjoyed himself immensely and blushed darkly as he managed to mutter a weak, "Thanks Conrad. For everything. I love you!" Having said this, he very nervously but gently traced his lover's slightly stubbled jaw and kissed it equally gently. Conrad's happiness knew no bounds, his heart practically jumping in his chest. A maniac-like grin appeared on his face and remained planted there for the rest of the day.

x-x-x-x-x

Wolfram walked outside to face his uncle. Waltorana detested rain. The rain itself he didn't mind so much as the mud it created. Waltorana's aid jumped out and held an umbrella up for him. Waltorana got out and found Wolfram standing there, staring at him. He walked over to him with his aid keeping pace. He stopped in front of Wolfram.

"Are you here to give excuses for what has happened?" Waltorna demanded.

"No, uncle. I have no excuse." Wolfram politely replied, although he was not pleased with this topic of conversation.

"You're damn right you don't." Waltorna hissed.

Seeing where this was heading, Waltorana's aid interrupted them. "Sir, perhaps it best to discuss this inside where it is dry and warm and I could get you some tea."

Waltorana didn't approve of the interruption, but he couldn't argue against the logical suggestion. It was better to talk in private than to make a scene in public and let people laugh at his troubles.

Wolfram led him to the room that Gwendal had had set up ready and waiting for his arrival. "Perhaps we should inform Aniue that you're here."

"My assistant, Taka, can take care of that after he prepares the tea." He gave a meaningful look to his aid.

Taka bows and says, "Yes, right away sir." After that he leaves the two nobles alone.

"Now." Waltorna started. "I want a more detailed explanation from you, not just what I've heard from the rumors but what really happened between you and Yuri-Heika. And also explain why you have seemingly approved of allowing that half-breed brother of yours to take away what was rightfully yours?"

Wolfram sighed. He wasn't looking forward to this but instead of arguing, he started to recount everything that had happened that fateful night. Arguing wasn't going to lead him anywhere anyway because his uncle was just so stubborn and he knew it. He also explained why he helped to get Conrad and Yuri together.

After hearing the entire narration, Waltorna was positively livid. "I thought I raised you better than to simply walk into a blatant trap like a fool." Waltorna was angry. Not only had Wolfram lost his only chance at the throne and glory to the Von Bielefelds but had also foolishly risked his own life for nothing. No matter how he thinks of others, or how he might behave with others, Waltorna actually loved Wolfram like his own son and didn't want him to fall into any harm's way. But if his own nephew was going to behave like a fool in spite of all his training and lessons, it was obvious that Waltorna's blood will boil.

"But uncle!" Wolfram objected. "This was Yuri. I had no way of knowing that he'd be so sneaky and that he and Geika would get together and do such an old unused ceremony like that. I didn't know that it even existed."

"It shouldn't have mattered, even if it was the first ceremony ever made and only used once. You walked right into it without a second thought. You admitted it yourself that you heard a wild rumor that Yuri-Heika might be at Shinou-Heika's temple, and instead of waiting till the morning or questioning why it was not brought up sooner in front of your brothers, you just went running off halfcocked, all by yourself. Do you even realize what could have happened? What if Geika had told Yuri-Heika that the only way to get out of the engagement was a dissolving ceremony while in actuality it was a death ceremony? Do you not understand the dangers of walking straight into strange things? What if the ceremony hadn't been held at Shinou's temple but somewhere else unfamiliar or with some intentions other than simply breaking your engagement? You could've died. Is that what you want? This is NOT the way I raised you. Do you realize that you LOST your claim to the throne?" Waltorna was shaking with anger.

Wolfram justly felt uncomfortable in his uncle's presence as well as his words. Yes, he knew everything his uncle had said but he didn't follow his instincts because he never felt danger in the situation. His uncle didn't trust anyone. But he was not his uncle. He trusted Yuri and knew that he wouldn't put him in harm's way, no matter what. As for the engagement, he knew that it was bound to happen one day or other. Yuri had never shown any interest in their engagement and he knew of his affections for Conrad. What Wolfram had not predicted was the manner in which Yuri would dissolve the engagement. And the method he chose truly shocked him. As for the throne, he was never really interested in it. It belonged only to Yuri. He had no answers, so he simply stood his ground and stayed silent.

Waltorna sighed, noticing that he won't get any answers for his questions. He chose to change tactics. "Tell me, did you know of his majesty's feelings for Sir Weller before now?"

"No, of course not uncle." Wolfram replied hesitantly.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then."

Wolfram sighed, how he could've ever hoped to lie to his uncle.

"If you knew of this, then why, upon his sudden return to the kingdom and your subsequent returning of the crown to him, did you annul the engagement and came running back home to me afterwards, knowing that you'll lose him for good? You should've done everything to at least keep the kingdom to yourself. And when the nature gave you another chance, you chose to let it go just like that? How could you be such a fool? I'm beginning to question if you're actually a Bielefeld."

Wolfram was shocked at his words.

"You know how disappointed I was when you chose to return the kingdom to Yuri-Heika."

"Yes, uncle. I know, but the only reason I was chosen was because we believed that Yuri wasn't going to return. So when he did return, I chose to return the kingdom to him because it was the right thing to do."

"When Yuri-Heika came for you all the way to the Von Bielefeld lands, despite knowing of his deep feelings for Sir Weller and his constant rejection of your previous engagement, you reinstated your engagement. I didn't say anything at that time as I'd hoped that you'd be able to convince him to finally give your engagement a try. Obviously that didn't work."

"I-I didn't know that they were that close. He didn't always reject me." Wolfram admitted sheepishly.

"Really? Wolfram, do you take me for a fool? You underestimate me and my spies. I know that he has never returned your feelings. Even if you hadn't known that Yuri-Heika and Sir Weller were that close, you knew that Yuri-Heika's feelings for you weren't the same as yours. Or do you deny that as well?"

"Well…"

"And when you chose to return to Yuri-Heika's side and reinstated the engagement, you knew that he would have never brought it up if you hadn't. He'd have been happier without it."

Wolfram simply lowered his head, not able to deny it.

Waltorna just glared him for a long time. "You know you've been a bigger fool in all this than anyone else." After a moment's silence, he spoke again and brought up an unexpected topic, "So, how are things progressing so far with Geika?"

"Progressing?" Wolfram was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me guess. You were so busy trying fruitfully to get out of your marriage, for which you already knew there was no way out of and then worrying about how to get Yuri-Heika and Sir Weller together, that you have neglected to even think of working things out between yourself and Geika."

"Well, he's come by a few times and we've talked."

"Talked? If this is the same approach you took with Yuri-Heika, then it's no wonder that he left you." Waltorna sighed and Wolfram just stared wide-eyed, not knowing what to think or say.

Slowly, Wolfram formed a broken sentence. "Well, I-I'm no-not much interested in Geika. There's not much to talk about. Uncle, if you know something regarding how to get out of my situation then pray tell."

"Do you really think that there's a way out? The only thing I could think of is 'The Blood and Fire Ceremony' and that too was something that came by after a lot of research. I'm afraid that even if there's another way to get out of it, then only Geika would know it. That's why I am saying, go and try to figure things out with him."

This piece of wisdom enlightened Wolfram a little. "I'll try." Wolfram said.

"Don't just try, but put your best efforts if you want to get out of this marriage." Waltorna said. "Make it very clear that under no circumstances am I going to allow you to participate in the 'Blood and Fire Ceremony'. It's fatal."

Just thinking about it made Waltorna's blood boil. He couldn't believe that his majesty, whom he'd trusted (even if only a little bit), had jeopardize his nephew's life just like that…just for that half-breed. He knew that Wolfram was desperate to get out of the marriage and would go to any lengths to achieve that. It was just his nature. But if he tried to participate in the Blood and Fire Ceremony, he was sure to get killed. And Waltorna couldn't bear that. A murderous look passed on his face. He hated Yuri more than anything else in that moment. Immediately, he pledged that he'd make him pay. Not only will he punish him for causing Wolfram pain and jeopardizing his life, but will also snatch his kingdom from him by using Wolfram's pain and turning his ex-fiancé against him. He was determined that he'll make Yuri suffer and badly, so that he could never recover.

His anger was beginning to become uncontainable and finally he snapped. "I can't forgive him. I'll never forgive him." He mumbled.

"What was that?" Wolfram asked.

"That boy…I knew he couldn't be trusted. That alien." Waltorna spat with a newfound hatred. Suddenly, he started screaming at his nephew for his huge mistakes. "See? Do you now realize why I told you to maintain distance from him and not get romantically involved? Do you? You should just have used the engagement for your and Von Bielefeld family's favors. You should have just taken over the throne through marriage. There's no such thing as love. But, no, you thought I was an enemy to you at that point. See what happened now? Do you, now, realize how selfish his majesty is? He just used you and when he found himself more attracted to someone else, he jumped the ships in an instant, without even thinking of you. That slut!"

"Enough uncle! You've spoken enough and I heard enough. Don't speak another word against Yuri anymore. I will not tolerate that. He's more to me than just a tool to use and throw away. And you want to know why I never used the engagement to my benefit, it's because I'm not desperate for power like you. I never wanted the throne. It belongs only to Yuri." Wolfram was fuming. Waltorna's eyes narrowed, clearly unpleased.

"You say all that even after what he's done to you. How could you?" Waltorna demanded.

"Because I love him. And he didn't do anything. If you must know, know this that I knew that this would happen one day or other. The engagement was an accident. I knew Yuri was never interested in me like that. And time showed me that he never would." Words were coming slowly, grievously from Wolfram's mouth now. "The right thing to do would have been for me to dissolve the engagement myself and much earlier. But I was holding onto the fact that maybe he'd love me someday." Raising his voice once again, Wolfram quoted his final words before parting, "I never intended to use him in the first place, simply because I am not biased for power like you and don't share your narrow mindedness. And please don't show as if you're here for my feelings while all you're livid about is me losing the claim to the throne." With that Wolfram stormed off.

Waltorna looked like he'd been slapped. His fury knew no bounds. Things were not going as he'd wanted. Something had to be done.

"You'll pay Yuri Shibuya. You and your half-blood whore. I'll never forgive you." Waltorna's eyes gleamed with a newfound resolve. A resolve to destroy.