Gunter was more than happy to show Yuuri where Wolfram's squad was quartered. As with Gwendal, Yuuri got the impression Gunter disapproved of
Wolfram's training. The man didn't even glomp him in greeting, and he was practically stalking down the hall so that Yuuri had to trot to keep up with him. He
bumped into him when Gunter was stopped by two of the regular castle guards.
"What is the meaning of this?" Gunter demanded.
"I'm sorry, sir," one of the guards said. "We have standing orders to admit no one but Lady Gisela into this wing."
"This is His Majesty's castle-"
"I'm sorry, sir," the man repeated. His eyes flicked to his comrade, who stepped up beside him until they physically blocked the hall. "We have standing
orders."
Gunter snapped a sharp look on Yuuri, "Rescind them."
"Huh?" Yuuri stepped back. The two soldiers had stiffened and were currently staring at him as if he were an enemy. "What-" He cut himself off when he
spotted Gisela exiting a room down the hall, Wolfram right behind her. The blonde's eyes narrowed dangerously when he caught sight of them. Luckily that
glare swept right past him to lock on Gunter.
"He can't rescind Lord Bielefeld's orders," the guard blurted.
"Of course he can," Gunter scoffed. "He's the Maou."
"What is this?" Wolfram demanded. He barely glanced at Yuuri. The two guards almost slumped when he came to their defense. That was enough to make
him grind his teeth. His orders had stood for months without anyone contesting his authority. This was the third time someone had threatened these
particular guards since Yuuri's return. Bad enough his mother had snicked her way past the watch without Gunter trying to force his way in, using Yuuri, no
less. He glared at the haughty disapproval Gunter was sending him. Gwendal was behind this. "You know that no one is permitted into this wing."
"This childish behavior is unacceptable," Gunter stated. "I've spoken with-"
"Gwendal," spat Wolfram. "I don't doubt it." He turned curtly to nod at the two guards. "My orders stand."
"Of course, sir!"
"No exceptions."
"Yes, sir!"
Gunter drew himself up, "You don't have the authority to-"
Wolfram cut him off with a cold look. "I will speak with you in the privacy of your office. Or Gwendal's, since he's undoubtedly responsible for this." His fury
faltered when he caught sight of the concern and guilt on Yuuri's face. Did Yuuri think this was his fault? Gwendal had been hounding him since he'd first
gotten the idea to initiate his own training. Gunter might be using Yuuri's presence to bolster his own self-righteousness at the moment, but that was hardly
Yuuri's fault. Judging by the uncertainty blazing off the boy's face, he had no idea what he'd unwittingly stepped into the middle of. "Did you want to speak
with me?"
"It can wait," Yuuri blurted. He winced, bracing himself for a disgusted mutter of 'wimp' that never came. Even Gunter seemed to forget he was there, too
caught up in his open disapproval of whatever it was that had Wolfram channeling Gwendal. Yuuri couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Wolfram's eyes
so cool and shuttered. He remained frozen in place, watching dumbly as Wolfram marched past him, Gunter hot on his heels. Gisela snapped him out of it by
addressing one of the guards, both of whom, Yuuri realized, were still eying him warily. He flashed them a harmless, apologetic smile, and backed up a few
steps. It didn't help much, judging by they way they continued to watch him.
What had gotten into Gunter? He knew his title supposedly gave him power over others, but he'd never used it. He certainly hadn't given orders to the castle
guards, who he assumed belonged to different sections, each following the command of one of the brothers. Gwendal or Conrad in particular because, now
that he thought about it, he'd rarely seen Wolfram give orders to anyone. The few times he had, Yuuri had assumed the guards obeyed out of respect rather
than because they had to. Now he regretted knowing nothing about the chain of command within the castle. He didn't want to be drawn into whatever power
issues Gunter had with Wolfram, especially when he was trying to make peace with Wolfram. Peace. Even as he thought the word, he knew it wasn't the right
one. They could hardly make peace, make up, when they weren't fighting to begin with. What he really wanted was for things to go back to the way they'd
been before, where he'd complain and Wolfram would yell and everything was comfortable and familiar. Could he honestly tell himself he was trying to change
when what he wanted the most was for nothing to change?
Gisela joined him, giving him the perfect excuse to get away from the suspicious guards. He cowardly used the excuse to get away from his thoughts as well.
It had been so easy to imagine what he would do differently when he had thought it would take place years in the future. He had expected time to do most of
the hard work for him. He was still doing it, still letting himself be swept along without putting forth any effort on his own part. Just when had he gotten into that
habit? Earth certainly didn't work that way, so why did it seem so natural to be a passive participant here? He was frustrated, on the verge of getting angry
with himself, and so - knowing full well what he was doing - he avoided the issue by latching onto the closest distraction in sight. This was his problem, he
admitted it, and acknowledging he had a problem was the first step to fixing it, right? So he'd focus on the first step and work on the next one later. Right.
And to think, he used to wonder why Wolfram insisted on calling him a wimp.
"Were you checking on Wolfram?" he asked Gisela. He wanted to ask if she'd mentioned their earlier discussion with Wolfram, but he was afraid of her
answer. If she had, then he didn't need to speak to him about it now. And, knowing himself, he'd need that excuse to start up a conversation with Wolfram. If
she hadn't said anything about it, then he'd get to keep his excuse, but he'd have to worry that Wolfram would get angry that they'd talked about it behind his
back. Honestly, everything was much too complicated now. He didn't like it one bit. At least Gisela smiled at him, casually, proving that none of the conflict
going on in his mind had made it to his voice. Maybe he was improving.
"Were you?" she smiled back.
His mouth opened and a blush hit his cheeks. He stopped himself before he could deny it, lie and say he'd just wanted to talk to him about Greta. Why was
he embarrassed? Why did he need to explain away his reason for wanting to talk to Wolfram? He'd done the same thing with Gwendal earlier. Why did he do
that? He was worried about Wolfram. At least, he had been worried. Having seen the way Wolfram marched off, head up and scowling, he wasn't really
worried about his health now. But he had been worried and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. "Yeah," he said, finally. He was grateful when she didn't make a
fuss over his continued blush. Telling himself he had no reason to be embarrassed didn't stop him from feeling that way.
"He's in high spirits," Gisela assured him, "as I'm sure you noticed. If he had his way, they'd be back out there tomorrow. Luckily for us, Lukas didn't fair so
well. I've ordered two days of bedrest for him. Wolfram won't take the squad out without their second."
He almost asked if that was the boy Wolfram had carried inside. But Gisela hadn't seen that, and he had an idea he should already know who Wolfram's
second in command was. The boy hadn't looked very strong. Then again, none of the magic users in Wolfram's squad looked particularly strong. They all
looked young, small, and pretty, much like Wolfram himself. That blush returned and he gritted his teeth, turning his face away from Gisela as subtly as
possible. The first time he'd seen Wolfram, he'd thought of him as a pretty boy. That was nothing new! "Um. There was a lot of blood when they came in,"
Yuuri mumbled.
He hadn't seen any blood just now. Wolfram must have changed quickly. In that room he'd come out of? Was that wing where he'd been staying? He
glanced at Gisela, the question on the tip of his tongue, only to bite it back. She was nodding at his comment, worry showing on her face for the first time.
"I can help with the nausea and debilitation, even the internal damage. I can't make up for the blood loss, though. They'll have to replenish that the slow
natural way."
"Internal damage?" Yuuri blurted. He immediately felt stupid. A person didn't cough or puke up blood unless something inside was damaged. But that
sounded serious, a lot worse than Conrad or even Gisela made it out to be. Both of them were treating the subject far too casually. He frowned at her,
assuming what he thought was a properly sober stance, head up, shoulders back. This was serious. If they were downplaying it for his sake, he wanted them
to stop immediately. "Do you approve of this training?"
Gisela looked surprised, possibly even amused for a moment, but she sobered quickly. "In theory, yes. It's overdue. You saw what happened to Gwendal
after longterm exposure to hoseki. We have no defense against it. High level magic users are especially vulnerable. Any tolerance they can build up now
may save lives later." She sighed, frowning off into the distance. "In practice, I don't like seeing the effects firsthand. They're attempting too much, too
quickly. Another accident like today's could be fatal. At the very least, they should have a healer on hand."
"Why don't they?"
She sighed, flashing him a weak smile. "Because Gunter forbid me from risking myself. I'm just as susceptible to houjutsu as anyone else. And Wolfram
refuses to have outsiders spying on his squad. He never even introduced them to you, did he."
It wasn't a question. He winced guiltily. This was as bad as admitting he didn't know where Wolfram was sleeping at night. "I saw them a few times, when I first
came here. But they almost never went with us on trips, so..."
"Understandable. Maybe you can accompany them on their next exercise. You are the only one with healing abilities who can withstand hoseki, after all."
She left him with a conspiratorial smile and wink. Yuuri stared after her, feeling a little off-kilter and suspicious. He'd just been set up. He'd swear he had.
"That's a marvelous idea!"
He whipped around to find Cecilie standing at his shoulder, smiling in a very disconcerting way. His eyebrow twitched. This was definitely a set up. Had
Gisela come up with the suggestion herself, or had she been taking cues from Cecilie all along? He tried to recall if she'd looked over his shoulder while they
were talking. He wouldn't put it past them.
"I'm sure Wolfram will appreciate your company," Cecilie smiled, as if he'd already agreed.
Yuuri was just as sure he wouldn't.
"He hasn't had a chance to show off his squad to you since your return. They really are quite impressive. Conrad can accompany you to forestall any
complaints about your safety. Yes, that will do just fine."
She seemed to have it all worked out. Yuuri shifted uncomfortably. "Um, shouldn't we ask Wolfram about this first?"
"Not at all! I'm sure he expects you to be just as opposed to his efforts as Gwendal is. Having your support will be a splendid surprise." She clasped her
hands together, beaming a pleased smile. "It's so nice that you're taking an interest in this. I'm sure it's just the sort of thing you'd have proposed yourself
eventually."
He had no idea what she was talking about, the training or his tagging along. He was certain he wouldn't have suggested either, though, considering he had
yet to say more than two words to Wolfram without a handful of people watching on. A blank look was claiming his face and he seriously disliked it. How was
he supposed to take control when dealing with people like these? Cecilie was even harder to deal with than Wolfram.
"Now, then. We'll stop by the kitchen and pick up a few things. Knowing Wolf, he won't be joining us this evening, but he will be hungry. I'm sure we can find
something that will sit well on his stomach. You can deliver it personally and have a private dinner for two while you discuss your plans with him, among other
thing. You two have so much to catch up on."
"Um..." The plans were hardly his. Admitting Cecilie had conned him into the idea wouldn't make him look very good in Wolfram's eyes. Just the wimp, being
manipulated as usual...
"Come along," Cecilie beamed, prodding him into motion.
He let himself be propelled along, his stomach churning uneasily. Was she playing matchmaker, trying to smooth things over between them? Or was she
hoping to rile things up by getting them together where they couldn't help but clash? His gut told him it was both. He did want to talk to Wolfram, and it would
be better if he didn't have to use Greta as his reason for seeking him out. But it wasn't very kingly to let himself be manipulated by his fiance's mother. He
should have spoken up earlier instead of clamming up, should have ignored Gunter and whatever issues he had with Wolfram. Or, even better, he could have
gone with them to help sort out the problem. It was one thing to decide he would take his life here seriously, and another to actually step up. Especially when
it involved this overbearing family and an angry Wolfram.
.-.
Wolfram couldn't remember the last time Gwendal had addressed him with such open contempt. He was proud of the way he withstood it. He held his tongue,
knowing he was absolutely in the right. The training was dangerous but necessary. The benefits were obvious. All he had to do to prove it was carry an
activated hoseki in his pocket and hand it to the man. He could have, and would have, done just that if he were willing to make half the people he passed sick
long before having the satisfaction of seeing his brother spew all over that polished desk of his. Gwendal didn't believe he was good enough to attempt this.
Would never believe. He would always be an ignorant spoiled brat in his eyes. Fine for the third son, unacceptable for the leader of an elite squad.
Then there was Yuuri. While Gwendal wouldn't address that issue openly, Gunter had no such reservations. Wolfram wondered what sort of discussion the
two of them had shared on the topic. He had no doubts that half of the things Gunter said were taken right from Gwendal's mouth and given to him because
his brother was too stuffy to say it himself. While he was obligated to listen to their objections about his squad, because Gwendal was his superior there, he
wasn't about to be lectured where Yuuri was concerned. Certainly not by a man who molested his fiance every chance he got.
"It's none of your business," he said flatly.
Gunter definitely didn't agree. "It is when you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment." Gwendal gave a stiff nod. "You are using this training as an
excuse to avoid-"
"I decided on this when we thought he was never coming back!" Wolfram denied.
"But he is back," said Gwendal. "You should have postponed any further excursions in light of that. With the Maou's return, you have other obligations-"
"What obligations? To be seen doing nothing? I haven't missed any public appearances and I won't! Even if I did have a mishap and missed one, what
makes you think any of the visiting nobles would notice? Or care, for that matter? He's the figurehead, not me. I'm a soldier. My obligation is to the kingdom
and to my squad."
"It doesn't have to be your squad."
Everything seemed to freeze. His vision blurred around the edges until all he could see was Gwendal's disappointed eyes. The threat hung overhead,
smothering him in cold disbelief. He'd wondered before if he hadn't been given his own squad simply to keep him busy and out of the way. His magic had
always been strong, but his temperament made him unreliable. When he'd first formed the team, he'd been arrogant and reckless. He liked to believe he had
grown since then, more than enough to have earned the responsibility. He felt his body numb, heating from the inside out as if his blood were boiling. He was
vaguely aware of Gunter backing away from him. Gwendal barked something at him that he didn't hear. That threat had struck him where he was most
vulnerable. His squad was all he had. He'd been reminded of that when Yuuri left and he wasn't going to forget it again. They were his alone and they looked
only to him. No one could take them away from him.
"Try," Wolfram murmured. He felt an odd smile curve his lips. "You must be desperate to resort to idle threats, Brother." The numbness remained, but he
reigned in his maryoku. "You have no cause to interfere with my squad. You need them to keep me occupied more now than you ever have before. The
nobles never believed Yuuri was coming back. We both know who they had in mind for the next Maou. Not all will be satisfied by his return, knowing he will
continue to leave for his world whenever the mood strikes him. You wouldn't want me with too much time on my hands. My squad keeps me busy and out of
your politics. That's the reason I was given it, after all. Let it alone."
"Wolfram," Gwendal hissed, half rising out of his chair.
"What? Are you the only one allowed to make idle threats in this office? You're the one being rash and unreasonable. You're the one using my training as
an excuse to interfere with my private life. Go back to scowling each time I give you a report on our progress and leave the meddling to mother. At least she
doesn't have to call in Gunter to say what's really on her mind. Which reminds me," and he turned to him, his vision still too blurred on the edges to make him
out until he was staring straight at him. "I need a background check on our new hoseki user. Giro Reinhild. If you really want to interfere with my training, pull
up something damning on him. Then I'll listen."
His brother yelled after him when he left the office. He ignored it. He was starting to feel cold again, and dizzy. The satisfaction of having told off his brother
was marred by the realization that Gisela had been right. He had no business being on his feet. At this rate, he would never make it back to his room. For a
moment he actually toyed with the idea of using Yuuri's room. It was closer and he could rest and be gone long before dinner was finished. His pride ruled
against it. Unless it was to save Yuuri's life, he'd never step foot in that room again. He stopped by a window instead, using the pretense of looking outside to
pause and lean against the wall. His eyes were bleary when he was roused by someone stepping too far into his personal space. He almost thought it was
Conrad because of the height and hair-color, then the blurry figure spoke.
"Captain?"
He bristled, snapping at him. "Don't call me that in the castle."
"I'm sorry, Lord Von Bielefeld."
"Wolfram," he corrected testily. They weren't on the field, and while he resented that Florian's loyalty was to Conrad first, the man was still a part of his
squad. "What is it?"
"May I assist you?"
Wolfram scowled and straightened up proudly, ignoring the way his stomach protested the movement. "Do I look like I need assistance?"
"Yes," Florian said quietly, in an apologetic tone.
That was another thing Wolfram resented. He was convinced Conrad had picked the most calm-mannered man he could find just to spite him. It was no
wonder Florian had so much trouble getting along with the rest of the squad off the field. He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his eyes. It didn't help. Now
they were sore as well as blurry. "Is it noticeable from a distance?"
"No."
"Good. Walk with me." With the figure on his left and the wall on his right, he wasn't likely to bump into anyone. It was still embarrassing to think he looked
bad enough to need help just walking back to his room. Hopefully anyone who spotted him would assume he was otherwise occupied and not come close
enough to notice that he wasn't seeing straight. This was the last time he'd let himself be lured into an argument the moment he got back to the castle.
It was slow progress, but better than waiting and risking being noticed by anyone else. His vision cleared after a while and he found himself frowning at
Florian. The man was taller than anyone on his squad, visibly older, too. He wasn't striking, but Wolfram was sure he'd have noticed if he had seen him in the
halls before. He wondered what he did with his time. The others accepted him by default, even ribbed him on the field, but they had little interaction
otherwise. By choice? "Do you regret being assigned to us?"
"No! It's an honor."
Wolfram snorted. "It's a waste of your skills. This training doesn't benefit you. When we advance to combat simulations, I'll put you to better use. I'd like to
arrange fights against someone wielding a sword embedded with hoseki. Humans have such weapons. If it were activated in advance, it wouldn't matter who
wielded it."
"Reinhild has the stance of a swordsman," Florian pointed out.
"I know. But even if he checks out, I wouldn't trust him in armed combat, not against the others. Daniel's the only one as good at hand-to-hand as he is at
magic, and even he lacks the height and strength to deflect a strong attack." Contrary to Gwendal's biased opinion, he did not take chances with his squad.
"May I ask an impertinent question?"
If he'd felt better, he might have laughed. They'd never had someone in the squad as polite as this guy before. "Feel free."
"Why are there no older mazoku in your squad?"
He would hardly call that question impertinent, though it did touch a sore spot. "Doesn't it bother you that you're taking orders from someone younger than
you? Older mazoku don't last long on my squad. They don't follow orders well and they condescend to the others." And they were even more condescending
to him. They wanted a leader like Gwendal, tall, stately, visibly aged. They couldn't take him seriously and he refused to be treated like a child by his own
men. Besides, "Our ability to function as a unit is just as important as the strength of each individual. We're only as strong as Phillipp." Florian didn't laugh,
but he did smile. He couldn't have been completely alienated from the rest of the squad if he caught that joke.
"He's improving," Florian said diplomatically. "He doesn't flinch nearly as much as he used to when you snap at him."
Wolfram scoffed. "I was serious about him spending time with the infantry. It would make him appreciate riding. He does very well on the ground, but put him
on a horse..."
"Have him ride bareback in his free time. He's more nervous of the horse than he is of you."
Wolfram nodded, but didn't accept the suggestion outright. It was a good idea. Unfortunately, free time wasn't something they had much of at the moment.
The best he could do right now was have him sleep in the stall with his horse, and despite Philipp's shortcomings, he had too much maryoku to face hoseki
after sleepless nights. He should have paid closer attention to him when he first joined the squad. There were many things he should have done but hadn't.
Now, he had to make the best of it.
He almost didn't notice when Florian stopped walking. He turned to see what had caught his attention and promptly scowled, humphing under his breath. He
should have expected Conrad to show up. His day wouldn't be complete, otherwise. He seethed, watching as the two men greeted each other. He couldn't
help but wonder if Conrad was the reason Florian had approached him in the first place. He was Conrad's man, after all. Wolfram turned on his heel, walking
away from them without a word, relishing in the rude gesture. He'd spent more than enough time being jealous of Yuuri's attachment to Conrad. He refused to
be jealous over an auxiliary member of his squad.
He didn't make it far before Conrad fell into step beside him, taking Florian's place as if it had been planned in advance. He fumed and ignored the man for as
long as he could. Since Yuuri's return, Conrad was the only person who hadn't pressured or lectured him to get back into Yuuri's bed as if that were all he
was good for. Not that he was particularly good at that, either. Part of him insisted this was because Conrad enjoyed being able to spend time with Yuuri
without Wolfram interrupting to drag his cheating fiance away. He honestly didn't believe that any more, though. He had seen for himself the nauseating
depths of Conrad's selflessness. Even if their engagement were dissolved today, Conrad would have to be pushed to make any sort of move on Yuuri,
pushed by Yuuri himself. Wolfram could easily convince himself that this had been Shinou's plan all along; Julia reborn in a body Adelbert wouldn't want, an
instant affinity with Conrad, and the only thing standing in their way was him. If it happened, he would hate Conrad forever and spend the rest of his life
ensuring that he never laid eyes on either of them again. But he wouldn't fight against it because Conrad wouldn't fight for it. He honestly despised him for
being so morally perfect, yet they were in the same position in the end. Yuuri took them both for granted and, if the question were put to him, wouldn't choose
either of them. Not for marriage, anyway.
"Did you really threaten treason?"
Wolfram stumbled, the amused tone catching him off guard nearly as much as the question itself. An insulted denial rose up his throat and froze there. He
had, hadn't he? He wasn't supposed to even know what the nobles had been saying during Yuuri's absence. Had he not gone to the Bielefeld holdings, he
wouldn't have known some of them were pushing for him to take the throne. At the time, he had dismissed the notion as ridiculous. An unfulfilled engagement
wasn't enough to put him in line for the throne. Gwendal had been running the country all throughout Yuuri's reign and would continue to do so. If he chose
not to assume the throne himself, then their mother would, while he continued to run the country behind the scenes. Yet the nobles had made one point that
Wolfram took note of with pride. The person with the highest maryoku was always the Maou, and his was highest next to Yuuri's. That realization had been a
turning point for him, making him determined to focus on improving what he already excelled at and leading to his current training regimen. Here was
something he had over Gwendal and even his mother, a former Maou herself. It was his alone, much like his squad, and he'd sworn not to take either for
granted again. But that was all part of living for himself, finding his own goals in a world where he was just the third son and not the Maou's fiance. He'd never
seriously considered the idea of replacing him. Maryoku aside, he didn't have the training or temperament, or the desire, to rule the country.
"It's about time," Conrad commented, smiling lightly when Wolfram sent him another shocked look. "You're not a child who has to act up for attention. You're
skilled in your own right and others have noticed, even if members of your own family haven't."
"I would never displace Yuuri," Wolfram scoffed. Conrad seemed to be praising him, if threatening to steal the throne could be praiseworthy, and he neither
wanted nor needed it. "Gwendal threatened to take my squad away from me. He can't do that any more than I could take this country away from Yuuri. My
men will never follow another and no human nation would ally with us if we had a pure mazoku Maou. He made an idle threat to scare me and I responded in
turn. That's all."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that..."
Not Conrad, too. There was no humor in his tone now, and his eyes probed him in a way he didn't care for at all. He could feel his maryoku coiling again, but
this time he kept it tightly in check. "Let him try, then. He'll regret it." He turned away, eyes blazing, and growled when Conrad caught his arm before he could
take a single step.
"That's not what I meant," Conrad said quickly, in that infuriatingly calm and reasonable tone he had. "Whether your men would let themselves be reassigned
or not, he can't take them from you. Yuuri would never allow it." Wolfram's shoulders hunched, and he relaxed his grip, just a little. "Your threat, on the other
hand, isn't an idle one at all. There are nobles who would choose you over him, regardless of how the human nations would react. If you didn't mean it, you
shouldn't say such things. If you did mean it..."
"I don't," Wolfram muttered, staring at his feet. "You know I would never do that to Yuuri."
"I know," Conrad smiled gently. "You did scare Gwendal, though. He was beside himself when he couldn't locate Mother and ranted quite loudly to me about
the possible ramifications of this. Can I reassure him?"
"Do what you like. Just do it away from me." He tugged his wrist free and walked away, thankfully alone this time.
He felt he'd been doused, left with smoldering resentment in the place of anger. Rather than revitalizing him the way anger might have, the sodden mess
stunk and weighed him down. Conrad would smooth the ruffled feathers, taking the sting out of everything he'd said, and Gwendal would be right back to
hounding him again. He had accomplished nothing. He might as well have ignored Gunter and Yuuri both and gone straight to bed. The only reason he'd
spoken to the adviser in the first place was to stop him from trying to use Yuuri to undermine his orders. He still couldn't believe the man's gall. At least
Gwendal had blood ties to justify his high-handed meddling. He wondered if the two were sleeping together now. He snorted at the thought, but didn't dismiss
it out of hand. Gunter was awfully supportive of Gwendal's attempts to get him back into Yuuri's room. Well, he hoped they were. It would serve Gwendal
right to have a taste of what it was like to watch his supposed partner fawn over someone else right before his eyes.
The guards had changed while he was away. The new ones snapped to attention when he passed, a gratifying show of respect that helped sooth his mood.
Gwendal was ultimately in charge of the palace guards, but Wolfram had intervened enough to ensure that none of the ones stationed here had ever stood
guard over the Maou's wing. The last thing he wanted was a daily reminder of how shamefully he'd behaved in the past.
He couldn't blame that on Cecilie, not entirely. She had suggested he go that first night, but he was the one who'd decided to officially move into the room.
And he had enjoyed it, terrorizing Yuuri with the slightest flash of skin, punishing him for the humiliation he'd suffered both from the public duel and the
extended engagement that followed. It had been thrilling to see how much influence he had over this, the strongest man in the kingdom, the Maou himself.
The wimp. Then later, once he realized Yuuri did have some redeeming qualities to go with his innumerable flaws, he'd stayed because it gave him a sense of
purpose, worth. He had protected him with his mere presence and no one could take that away from him. He had enjoyed it, too, not having to sleep alone,
unseen, unknown, shunted off to the side and forgotten. He could barely admit that to himself without his stomach clenching in disgust. But it was true. If it
weren't for the engagement, not even his own family would have noticed him. The engagement had given him Yuuri, a captive audience, an unwilling
companion, and he'd taken full advantage of it. Really, it was a blessing Yuuri had left, otherwise he might still be throwing himself at the boy like some dog
starving for affection. The only thing he couldn't understand was why Gwendal and Cecilie wanted him to act that way again. If he could see now how horribly
he'd behaved, surely they had seen it all along. Conrad was the only one who had ever taken him to task for his excessive behavior, so it was no wonder he
was the only one who understood why he was so determined to make a fresh start now. He'd finally seen the error of his ways. Wasn't that a good thing, a
sign of maturity? Maybe that was the problem. They didn't want him to grow up because then they would have to deal with him. It had to be easier to
disregard a spoiled child than a strong soldier with loyal men and the support of a few influential, however misguided, nobles. They insisted it was all about
Yuuri, but it wasn't. He was coming into his own and they didn't want him to own anything.
Light shone under the door of his room. He berated himself for the carelessness, though he didn't remember lighting the lamp at all. He'd only ducked in to
grab a clean uniform before meeting Gisela and doing the rounds with her. The unfortunate boy he'd carried in had scrambled off his back before vomiting all
over his shoes, but that hadn't spared Wolfram from following suit. Now he wanted a bath, some crackers, and a long sleep. He'd take those members of his
squad who were well enough out for a short ride tomorrow. The way his maryoku had flared today proved he was overdue for some serious meditation.
Hopefully he could pry Daniel away from Lukas' side long enough to join them. He still couldn't believe Gisela had ordered bedrest on his second in
command. As if he'd follow it for a single day, let alone two. Just because Wolfram left him behind didn't mean he'd remain inactive. Why, at this very
moment, he was probably-
"Um!"
Wolfram froze, one hand at his neck, the other reaching for his towel. He hadn't even glanced at the bed upon entering the room. Why would he? No one
other than himself and the maids ever entered this room. He turned slowly, wide eyes taking in the boy sitting on the edge of his bed. Yuuri looked rumpled,
as if he had dozed off while waiting for him. Dozed, in his bed. Wolfram nearly reeled from the sudden epiphany that struck him like an open handed blow.
Was this how Yuuri had felt that first night? Anger might come later, though he doubted it since this was no more than he deserved. For now he felt nervous,
wary, not frightened exactly since this was just Yuuri, but strangely violated. And this was someone he'd shared a bed with countless times. He couldn't
imagine how it must have been for Yuuri to wake up only to find a complete stranger sleeping beside him. And he'd been naked! If he hadn't hated himself
already, he would have started now. Yuuri jumped to his feet, a blush striking out on his face. Wolfram felt his own cheeks heat, though it was more from
shame than embarrassment. He wanted to bolt from the room and drown himself in a chamber pot. It would be less painful and humiliating than standing
here, facing what he'd done.
"It was Celi's idea!" Yuuri blurted. He cringed the moment the words were out of his mouth. Coward, coward, coward! Just a minute ago he'd been lying on
that bed, admitting to himself that he not only recognized Wolfram's scent on the sheets, but that he'd missed that scent in his own room. He was going to
apologize for leaving the way he had, tell him he missed him, and ask if they could try again. He'd do it better this time. Yet here he was, blushing his fool
head off and barely able to meet Wolfram's eyes without fidgeting. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I would have waited outside, but she snuck me in when the shift
changed. I didn't want to cause any trouble if they saw me in this wing. I shouldn't have involved her at all, but she said you wouldn't be coming to dinner and
I didn't know where your room was."
Yuuri hadn't even known he had his own room until Shinou's nightmares had driven him to it, so many months ago. Wolfram shouldn't have felt guilty about
that, but he did. He turned away, gathering the rest of his bathing supplies. That was the perfect excuse to keep this short, whatever this was. He could
hardly order Yuuri out of his room after invading Yuuri's for over a year. "Is it about earlier?" he asked as casually as he could. "Our training went on too
long, that's all. It's nothing to worry about." He heard Yuuri approach him and resisted the urge to tense up. He was not nervous around the wimp. He never
had been and never would be. "I'm sorry I was so abrupt with you. I didn't want anyone to be sick in the courtyard."
"Wolf?"
He could still remember the first time Yuuri had shortened his name that way. He'd been so surprised and hopeful. A nostalgic smile pull at his lips. As bitter
as he might be about so many things, he did like Yuuri. Maybe he even loved him the way his mother insisted he did. Whatever the emotion was, it wouldn't
disappear just because he'd given him up. He turned to find Yuuri hesitating a few steps away, looking young and uncertain and vulnerable. He was so much
older than him, really. Maybe he could start thinking of him as a little brother the way Conrad claimed to. Bitter amusement bubbled in his throat and he
swallowed it down quickly. That would be the day. "What?"
Yuuri forced himself to straighten up, meeting those green eyes head on. This was important and he wasn't going to screw it up. "I'm sorry." Not good
enough. He took a step closer, caught one of Wolfram's hands, and tried again, firmly ignoring Wolfram's surprised expression. "I'm sorry, Wolf. I really am."
For a moment Wolfram simply stared at him, then he laughed suddenly. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it was a sharp startled sound, exasperated and confused.
The hand was tugged away before he could make up his mind to hold onto it.
"You don't have to apologize, wimp," Wolfram said, shaking his head. Of all the things for Yuuri to say to him. "How many times did I force my way into your
room? We're still engaged. If anyone has the right to come in here, it's you." He grabbed his supplies and turned back with a brisk frown. "What did you
want to talk about? I'm overdue for a bath and you'll miss dinner if you don't hurry."
Yuuri picked himself up off the floor, figuratively speaking. Wolfram couldn't have knocked him more off-kilter had he whacked him upside the head with a
baseball bat. His heartfelt apology was taken completely the wrong way and dismissed with a flick of those perfectly manicured fingers. The worst part was
that he was relieved. This was familiar territory, Wolfram reminding him of the engagement, calling him a wimp, looking at him with that naturally haughty gaze
of his. Was it sad that he had missed this?
"Actually," Yuuri said quickly, "I brought food with me. It's nothing sweet, thick, or overly salty. Mostly it's just bread, potatoes - I heard somewhere that
carbohydrates can settle an upset stomach, though I'm not sure if it's true. Stuff like that. I thought we could eat while we talk, or afterward. There are a lot
of things I want to talk to you about. But it can wait till you've had your bath, if you want." He listened to himself babble, feeling a stupid grin tug at his face.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so awkward around Wolfram. Maybe it was the way the boy was staring at him, as if he were some curious insect
he were about to depict in one of his horrible paintings. "In fact, why don't I join you. I'll even wash your back. It'll be just like old times." He was in awe at the
nonsense coming out of his mouth. Old times? Who was he kidding? He'd never offered to go anywhere near Wolfram in the bath. Every time Wolfram had
so much as suggested washing his back, he'd panicked, becoming self conscious to the point of freaking out entirely. He certainly didn't want to be anywhere
near a naked Wolfram now, when he knew he wouldn't be able to look at him without remembering those dreams. Which probably wasn't something he should
even be thinking about when in a bedroom with Wolfram, who was now walking toward him with a determined frown. Was it too late to take it back? "Um..."
Wolfram frowned more when Yuuri leaned away from him, ever the skittish fiance. He placed the back of his hand over the boy's forehead and peered into his
big wary eyes. "You don't seem to have a temperature..."
"What?" Yuuri huffed, batting the hand away irritably. "I'm not sick. I just want to spend some time with you. Is that such a bad thing?" From the concerned
expression that spread over Wolfram's face, he supposed it was.
"Has Gunter been working you too hard? Maybe you should see Gisela, just in case." Yuuri was obviously stressed, antsy, and not thinking clearly. Hadn't
Conrad been watching over him at all? Wolfram sighed. He should have known this would happen. Between Gwendal and Gunter, they probably had him
under so much pressure he'd run back to Earth before the week was out. He would have to talk to his mother about this. If they didn't ease up, Yuuri would
be in no condition to meet their allies, let alone to reassure them. He hated to admit that Gwendal might have been right, about anything, but Yuuri's state
proved he had neglected him. Someone had to take care of the wimp and they were still engaged. He shoved his handful of supplies into Yuuri's arms and
went to grab an extra towel and robe. "I'm not walking to the other side of the castle, so you'll have to use the bath here." Yuuri was still frozen in place when
he turned back, staring at him with a wide-eyed, chagrined expression. He scowled, marching past him to hold the door open. He didn't know what annoyed
him more, how obviously sick Yuuri was or the fact that the bathing room was probably occupied. A glance back at his gaping fiance cleared it up for him. He
was most annoyed with Conrad. Even when he'd clung to Yuuri's side like a tick, Conrad had hovered just as closely. Wolfram would never have left Yuuri to
the mercy of Gunter and Gwendal if he had known Conrad would be doing the same.
"Don't worry, Yuuri," he sighed, watching the boy hesitate, then stumble past without even trying to meet his eyes. "You'll feel better after a good soak." And
he'd feel better after taking Conrad to task for allowing this to happen. Maybe he could ask Florian to keep an eye on Yuuri for a few days. It would serve
Conrad right to have his own man taking better care of their king than he was.
The bathing room was similar to the one Yuuri was used to, just on a smaller scale. Wolfram had made him wait in the hall, checking that the room was clear
before letting him enter. Once inside, he bolted the door behind them as well as the one leading to the adjoining pool. A few muffled voices told Yuuri that the
pool was currently occupied. He wondered if Wolfram would run whoever was in there out once they were ready to go in. Although he didn't appreciate
Wolfram's ridiculous possessiveness any more now than he had before, it was a relief to know some things hadn't changed. As usual, he was tempted to
inform the boy about a few Earth customs that would make his head explode, such as locker rooms, shower rooms, and public hot spring trips with his family
and teammates. And hadn't they both participated in group nudity in his cramped bathroom on Earth? As far as he was concerned, it was a little too late for
Wolfram to worry about a few people seeing him with nothing but a towel around his waist. He couldn't count on both hands the number of people who'd seen
him with nothing at all. But, as usual, he put up with it. At least this time it came in handy. While Wolfram was busy ensuring their privacy, he had a chance to
get a grip on the situation.
Wolfram was mothering him. This was familiar. This he could deal with, and as unnecessary as it was, it was certainly better than being avoided. Wolfram
wasn't angry with him, or, if he was, he was doing a good job of hiding it. Considering all the angry tantrums he'd seen Wolfram throw, he wasn't sure anger
was something he was even capable of hiding. Wolfram was distracted. He'd seen a lot of that right before he left, though he hadn't realized it was Shinou's
doing at the time. It felt strange, wrong, when he closed himself off like that. He had such a loud presence that the entire room seemed muted when his mind
was a million miles away. Wolfram was also keeping his distance. This Yuuri had no experience with at all. When he entered the room, Wolfram had stood
well back so there wasn't so much as a brush of their sleeves. Once the room was secure, Wolfram took half of the bath supplies and retreated to the corner
with his back to him. He was left feeling like an intruder, one who was being completely ignored. If Wolfram was still possessive, controlling, and not angry,
then why was he making an open show of not paying attention to him?
"We're not the only ones who will want a bath tonight, Yuuri. Don't dawdle."
Yuuri scowled at Wolfram's back, annoyed by the lecturing tone and by the fact that he hadn't even bothered to look over his shoulder at him. How did he
know he was dawdling? Maybe he was just getting undressed really quietly. He was about to turn his back, to prove Wolfram wasn't the only one who could
play that game, when he realized he'd never seen Wolfram undress before. He was the one who always got to the bath first, putting his back to the clingy
shadow and ignoring him for all he was worth. Was that why Wolfram was doing this, to show him how it felt? Somehow he didn't think so. Wolfram attacked
head on, he wasn't the type for subtlety.
Blue slipped down over a pale shoulder and Yuuri tore his eyes away before his traitorous mind could turn the sight into something erotic. Maybe it was good
that he had no memories of ever seeing Wolfram undress, or dress, for that matter. Dream Wolfram was frilly and pink and soft like a sleepy sex kitten. Yuuri
blushed, grimaced, and swallowed a laugh at the thought of it. This Wolfram was just Wolfram, the stubborn one with whom he'd bathed dozens of times.
Even when Wolfram had used the fiance excuse to come after his back in the bath, it had never been sexual. Yuuri had been afraid it was at first, back when
he'd worried the boy might molest him in his sleep or something. After a while he'd realized it was just part of the possessive claim Wolfram had staked on him,
the right to wash his back. He assumed Wolfram never did that for his friends because he'd always insisted it was something Yuuri should be grateful for.
This was another point where he was tempted to burst Wolfram's bubble by revealing that back-washing was just as casual on Earth as bathing was. He'd
never tell him, though. Not only would he lose his excuse to keep those hands off his back, he'd also have to deal with the jealous explosion and cheating
accusation.
By the time he had doused himself and was lathering, Yuuri felt much more at ease. Although the temptation to sneak a peek niggled at him now and then, he
resisted without any real trouble. It helped that Wolfram wasn't looking at him, either. Which, now that he thought about it, was fairly typical. For someone
who wanted to marry him, Wolfram had never looked at him in a suggestive manner, or done anything more intimate than sleeping in his bed. Even that had
proven to be innocent, his own dreams notwithstanding. He didn't need to be nervous just because his brother had planted some seeds and his hormones
had let them take root. Even if he told Wolfram he was thinking of him that way, it wasn't as if his fiance would turn into some pervert and attack him. His mind
supplied an image of that, complete with drool and flaring nostrils, and he laughed out loud.
"What is it?"
"Nothing!" Yuuri said quickly. No, he really wasn't afraid of that happening. He felt Wolfram looking at him, and he glanced over his shoulder, relieved when
he met those green eyes evenly. "I was just thinking of something Shori said about that night he made his pact with water. Do you remember any of that?"
Wolfram looked away, rubbing shampoo into his hair. "I remember being in his room near the balcony, looking at the rain outside, not knowing how or why I
was in there." He also remembered that his hand had been flat against Shori's chest. His throat tightened at the reminder. Wasn't it bad enough Shinou had
taken him into another man's bedroom, the brother of his fiance, without making him touch the man? He dumped the bucket of water over his head, wishing
he could wash the memory away just as easily. "I didn't think he would tell you about that." Yuuri had left so soon afterward, that he hadn't thought he would
ever have to face Yuuri if Shori did tell him about it. What could Yuuri possibly find amusing about that? The irony, of course. After all the times he'd warned
Yuuri about cheating on him with his own brother, in the end he was no better. But... "Whatever happened that night, I had no part in it."
Yuuri was across the room before he realized what he was about to do, and by then he didn't care. It was Wolfram's voice, so small and hurt. Wolfram should
never sound like that. He leaned over his back so he could hug him. The embrace should have been awkward, with him hugging his shoulders more than
anything, and the wet hair dripping from where he'd pressed their cheeks together, but it wasn't. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have brought that up. I wasn't
thinking. I'm sorry I didn't realize what was happening to you. You would have noticed if it had been me. I was so caught up in everything else that even when
you said you were having nightmares, I didn't even..." His breath caught in his throat and he tried to tighten his arms, but they slipped. Then Wolfram turned
and suddenly he was the one being held, comforted. It wasn't right. He couldn't do anything right. "And then you died. I let you die." Wolfram, who had
vowed to fall with him with such a beautiful smile. He hadn't even let himself think about it afterward because if he had just paid more attention he would have
seen it. The day Wolfram was kidnapped he'd be so close to the temple, if he hadn't been standing by the window he wouldn't have gone after him, his heart
could have been taken then and there and he wouldn't have even known. "I'm so sorry..."
"Oh, you wimp," Wolfram sighed, holding him closer and trying to smooth away the telltale shake in his shoulders. "Why do you blame yourself for
everything? I didn't know what was happening, so how could you have known? None of that was your fault. It was mine." Yuuri stiffened and he patted his
head back down before he could argue with him. "It was my fault. I should have told someone." He'd wanted someone to notice on their own, to notice and be
concerned enough to force him to talk about it. He should have known better. Unless he screamed his hurts to the world, the world could care less. It had
always been that way. The only difference with Yuuri was that he felt guilty for not noticing, where no one else would have. He gave a little laugh that made
Yuuri's shoulders twitch upward. "You must have overdone it playing ball with Conrad today, for your body to hurt so badly you're crying over it."
Like the excuse he had given for crying after retrieving Conrad's arm. He hadn't needed an excuse then and he refused to use one now. He shoved himself
free enough to glare at him. "I'm crying over you, you idiot."
Wolfram's eyes widened, warmth spreading over him before finally settling in his cheeks. He couldn't stop himself from smiling. He did, however, stop his
hopes from soaring and his hands from drawing Yuuri into another embrace. "Then I'm sorry for making you cry, wimp," he teased. He released Yuuri's
shoulders and waved him off. "You're wet. Finish washing before you catch a cold. You're clearly under enough stress as it is without getting sick."
Wet. Like Wolfram, with his blonde hair clinging to his face, beads dripping over his blush to catch at the edge of his smile. Another drop of water slipped
free, enticing him to follow it down, and Yuuri fled as quickly as he had approached. His heart and throat ached, and he still had tears in his eyes, yet his
hormones chose now to make themselves known. Suddenly every part of his skin that had touched Wolfram's was tingling, and he couldn't understand how
his body could be at such complete odds with his mind. He was angry and upset here! He had avoided that guilt the entire time he was away and now that
he'd finally faced it, what did he get? Wolfram comforting him and his body reacting to the moment as if he'd been copping a feel rather than crying his heart
out. He was such a mess. He scrubbed until he'd burned away that traitorous tingle completely. He doused himself with cold water, just to punish those
hormones, and then stalked toward the door to the pool.
Wolfram whipped around when he heard the bolt being thrown. "Yuuri! Wait!" He rushed over, but it was already too late. By the time he reached him, Yuuri
had already opened the door a crack and was frozen, staring wide eyed at the pair inside. Wolfram winced and closed the door, not that doing so would erase
what Yuuri had seen. How many times had he told them not to do that in the bath? He rapped loudly on the door, causing a splash to be heard on the other
side. "Bedrest means you rest!" he yelled. "In bed!"
There was a muffled giggle, then a plaintive, "But I was dirty!"
"You still are," Daniel pointed out before raising his voice. "My apologies, Your Excellency. I shall take him firmly in hand."
"Oh, my," Lukas breathed. "Is that a promise?"
There was another splash, and then muffled whining. Wolfram burst out laughing. It was undignified, and he shouldn't condone them, and he really did feel
guilty for letting Yuuri be traumatized, but he honestly couldn't help it. They never failed to amuse him. There was a reason he didn't let people into this wing.
He demanded decorum in public and perfection in the field, but here the members of his squad were free to be themselves. They were a breath of fresh air at
the end of a long day.
He listened for the door in the other room to close, and then sent a side-long look at his slack-jawed fiance. He sighed, rolling his eyes. Was it really that
shocking to see two boys kissing? He and Gisela had walked in on far worse when they were doing their rounds, earlier. Yuuri was lucky that kissing was the
most they'd risk doing in the bath. Still, he knew he had to take responsibility for this. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Yuuri. If it helps, tell yourself the
dark-haired one was a girl." His lips twitched as he imagined Lukas' reaction to that, though Daniel would definitely get a kick out of it. "He's certainly prettier
than Yosak, even without a dress." Yuuri snapped around to gape at him and he cracked, laughing so loudly he had to slap a hand over his mouth to muffle
the noise.
Wolfram's convulsive laughter was so infectious Yuuri found himself trying to smile. He couldn't quite pull it off. His mind was working way too slowly at the
moment. It had hit a snag on one thing in particular, replaying it over and over, and still, he wasn't sure he had made the right connection. "Firmly in hand..."
"Yuuri!" Wolfram gasped.
For a moment Yuuri was confused at how Wolfram could look so scandalized, wide-eyed and blushing, when he was the one who'd gotten the reference right
away. Then he realized he had also gotten the reference, he just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. A furious blush came to his own face. Wolfram sputtered
and then he was laughing again. This time Yuuri joined in, though he was laughing at himself for having been stupid enough to repeat the line out loud. In his
own defense, he was used to innuendos involving girls. This one was definitely a guy thing.
.-.
PART 3
.-.
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