It was late afternoon before Yuuri had a chance to look around him with his freshly unshuttered eyes. Wolfram had shown for lunch, quiet and preoccupied.
Conrad had been absent. Gunter had dragged Yuuri off after the meal for 'greeting practice' every bit as embarrassing and weird as he had feared. Finally
free, Yuuri found himself walking the halls, lingering at windows and peering closely at everyone he passed. Each person here had a private life, which he had
of course known. He just hadn't considered exactly how much they kept private. When he encountered Sangria, he wished he hadn't stopped Murata at five.
They hadn't even gotten to the maids. Sangria asked, amid giggles, if they were satisfied with the room. He assured her they were, and she went on about her
business. A quick encounter that told him nothing about who she was. For all he knew she was the reason the black bedspread hadn't been replaced with
Wolfram's original blue. He didn't have it in him to ask why not, or to mention it at all.
Of the five men Murata had accosted earlier, three had reacted with guilt and fear. They might be too respectful and cowed to ever look at Wolfram openly,
but they had certainly noticed him. He didn't like the thought of men around here noticing Wolfram, yet the fact that they did was something of a relief. He
wasn't the odd man out, he was just the only one in a position to actually act on his interest. Wolfram thought no one in the castle wanted him because
everyone here was a member of the family, a friend of the family, or subservient to the family. Except for him. And Murata, but he wasn't counting him. Yuuri
suspected that if he hadn't been the maou, and a wimpy maou at that, he would never have been allowed near Wolfram. Sheltered, Murata had said. He could
definitely see that now. Maybe he had been sheltered as well.
If one of Gwendal's men could have a secret attraction for Wolfram then it was very likely some of the people in this castle really did have a secret attraction
for their king. That was a horribly uncomfortable thought. Now every time a soldier or guard avoided looking directly at him - which they all did - he was going
to wonder if it was just respect or something else. Were they hiding an unwanted interest in him or his fiance? He would never know one way or the other
unless he traumatized them by asking the way Murata had. Since he wasn't going to be doing that, he might as well continue taking it as respect and nothing
more. He wasn't sure he'd be able to do that now, though. Easier to take blinders off than to put them back on.
One of the men Murata had questioned, another dignified-looking green, had sharply informed them that he would never view a child in such a way. As if they
had accused him of being a pedophile. If some of them really did consider Wolfram a child they had to think the same of him. Which would go a long way to
explaining why Wolfram was the only one who had ever seemed to take their engagement seriously. They had never expected anything to come from it. Was
that the real reason Cecilie wanted him to dance with everyone except his fiance? To show the guests that he was still just a kid playing at being engaged? If
so, Wolfram had to know about it. Yuuri wished he had just come out and said as much. At least then they could have argued about it.
It was the last man Murata had stopped who bothered Yuuri the most. A young unremarkable-looking castle guard gray. The guard hadn't looked directly at
either of them, but his voice had been thick with contempt and disgust that said a lot more than his simple 'no' had. Even Murata had been taken back by it.
That was where Yuuri had stopped him, assuring him that he had proven his point and didn't need to torture any more of the guards and soldiers. As soon as
they parted ways, Yuuri went back to look for that last guard. He hadn't found him. He wasn't sure he would recognize him if he did see him again. He would
recognize his voice, though. He could still hear the sound of it...and the implication that such a thing was beneath him. He wanted to dismiss the man as a
homophobe, but he had never met one of those in this world, not even in the human lands. Maybe like that second green the guard had taken insult because
of Wolfram's age. Yuuri didn't think that was the reason, either. A personal grudge, then? Wolfram could be grating, but Yuuri couldn't imagine him doing
anything to inspire that much contempt in a person. Not just a person, either. This was a guard who moved freely around the castle and was charged with
protecting the occupants, one of whom he had contempt and disgust for. Were there others like him? How many? If he could identify them, would he have the
power to get rid of them?
He was nearly back to the greeting hall where he had left Gunter before he realized his own intent. He hesitated outside the door, reminding himself of how
easily Gunter might fill the rest of his day after answering his questions. He decided it was worth it. He threw the door open and was halfway across the room
when he saw them. He stopped in his tracks. He stood frozen and wide-eyed as the stony-faced man stalked past him and out the door. Gunter was as white
as a sheet. Yuuri's face felt as hot as lava. They stared at each other while the gears in Yuuri's brain gave a few rusty clicks. Oh. Oh...another one.
"Y-Yuuri-heika! I can explain!"
"No," Yuuri blurted. "Please don't. I didn't see anything." Denial surely went hand-in-hand with discretion. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted to ask about the
castle guards."
Gunter's lower lip trembled for a moment. Then he clasped his hands in front of him and gave a desperately forced smile. "The guards?"
"Yes. I want to know how many there are, who is in charge of them, how they're hired, who has the power to fire them, everything." He was relieved to see that
grimace of a smile leave Gunter's face. Did Gunter really think he was going to judge him? At least Gunter had been behind a closed door. Yuuri had jumped
Wolfram in a hallway. He wouldn't be judging anyone any time soon.
"Has someone insulted you?" Gunter asked in a more normal, yet now shocked, voice. "Or behaved inappropriately in some way?"
"Not exactly. I do have concerns, though. Can you tell me about the guards?"
"Of course!"
"Good," said Yuuri. He finished crossing the room, determined to forget what he had seen, at least for now. Later he would indulge in his shock. This explained
why Gunter had been so secretive and jumpy lately, particularly when he walked in on him unexpectedly. One thing was for sure, it would be a long time before
he entered an occupied room without knocking.
.-.
Conrad had never breached Wolfram's territory before. With Yuuri now openly installed in that part of the castle the guards made no real attempt to keep him
out. Wolfram's courtyard of choice was set between the soldiers' wing and the guards' quarters. Once it had been a weedy forgotten bit of space. Now it was
an enclosed and well-protected training area. He wondered if this was where Yozak had found Morgif last night. There were far worse places Wolfram could
have taken Yuuri for their fight. Assuming it had been a fight.
He lingered behind the railing, noting the differences between this exercise and the drills he put his own men through. Two x's from top left to bottom right,
hard on the shoulders double-handed and stylistically more suited to fencing than sword fighting. A good way to ensure cramped muscles and pinched nerves.
Yet the flushed faces proved they had been at it for some time without apparent injury. Lots of practice, he supposed. Florian was the only one who appeared
to be having difficulty, probably because he was facing Wolfram and had the height difference to deal with. That was the biggest difference from his own drills.
He assigned and monitored exercises like this. His men would have been very confused if he had ever attempted to join them in one.
A blonde, Wolfram's third, noticed him and made a hissing 'psst' sound that cut through the noise. Wolfram looked up, caught sight of him, and stepped out of
his row. The men shifted so Florian was trading swings with two who had been paired off before. Conrad smiled at the swift looks some of them sent him. Not
as hostile as Wolfram, but just as suspicious and wary. Even Florian looked suspicious about his presence here in Wolfram's territory. At this rate he might
have to stop viewing the man as one of his own.
"Why are you here?" Wolfram demanded. "Has something happened?"
"Walk with me?" asked Conrad.
Wolfram clenched his teeth and sent a quick look at Lukas, who nodded. There were less than fifteen minutes left of the drill. They could finish without him. He
stalked past Conrad, desperate to get him out of here. Conrad had no business being in here. It was bad enough to have Royal Guards just outside his room.
He refused to have Conrad lurking about the wing as well. He sent a sharp glare at him as they moved down the hall. "If this is about the room again-"
"How are you?"
"What?" Wolfram nearly stopped in his tracks. Only the fact that he was close to getting Cornad out of his wing kept him moving. "What kind of question is
that?"
"A concerned one. From the storm last night, I gather he lost control. The next month or so could prove very difficult for him. He might not be...quite himself.
You shouldn't feel obligated to deal with him all on your own."
"Are you volunteering to lecture it out of him?" Wolfram scoffed. "Certainly, since that worked so well with me. He doesn't need your help. I know more about
what he's going through than you do. I'm more than capable of helping him meditate and spar when his maryoku becomes unstable. Besides," he scowled, "it
isn't as if he damaged anything or endangered anyone. I took him outside before encouraging him to vent."
"And leaving your swords behind?"
Of course Conrad would know about that. Yozak was the one who had recovered their blades. Wolfram walked faster. "I wasn't expecting the lightning. We'll be
more careful next time."
"There shouldn't be a next time. It's dangerous to engage him when he has no control over his own power."
They finally exited the wing. Wolfram rounded to give Conrad the full force of his anger. "Do you think I don't know that? I would never intentionally endanger
him. But it would be far more dangerous for him to try holding it inside until it bursts out on its own. Then he wouldn't just hurt himself, but anyone who
happens to be near him - which would hurt him even worse."
"I was referring to the danger he poses to you," Conrad said quietly. He accepted that Wolfram was something of an authority on coming of age with an excess
of maryoku. Even Gwendal and Cecilie had been unprepared for and unable to suppress the explosions of rage Wolfram had been prone to at that age. If
Yuuri experienced anything even close to that level Wolfram might very well be the perfect person to help him through it. But he shouldn't have to be, certainly
not when it meant endangering himself. "Remember, Wolfram, he doesn't just have his own energy to deal with. He has the last of Shinou's as well."
"It's his now. He wields it the same as his own - by accident or under the influence of his maou side. I can handle both. Until he ends the engagement he is my
responsibility. Stay out of it and leave him to me."
"Wolfram-"
"You can't help him with this!" Wolfram clenched his fists against the need to lash out. This wasn't about keeping Conrad away from Yuuri like some scrap of
meat they were fighting over. This was about protecting Yuuri from Conrad and Gwendal and Cecilie - from all of them. Yuuri wasn't going to end up like he
had. He wouldn't allow it. "You can't even spar with him. He doesn't need to suppress his maryoku, he needs to use it and he'd be too afraid to do that with
you. Gwendal could spar with him, but we both know he won't. He'd have him terrified of his own power by lecturing him about control - as if anyone has made
a single effort to teach him that. Gunter didn't even want to teach him to meditate! What do you think you can do for him? You're not going to get him to stay in
his room until it's over, not when you can't even convince him to sleep in there. At best you'd send him running back to his own world and that's the last thing
this kingdom needs. Is that what you want? To chase him away?"
"Wolfram, why are you letting Yuuri stay in your room?"
"We're back to that? Is that all anyone here cares about?!"
"I care about his safety," said Conrad. "I also care about yours. Is he pressuring you, Wolfram? In any way?"
Wolfram took a sharp step back. The blood rushed from his face so quickly he felt dizzy and cold. What kind of question was that? He shook his head at
Conrad, whose face was so hardened he should have been on a battlefield with blood-splattered armor. "What are you asking me? If Yuuri is..." He caught the
flicker of pain in Conrad's eyes, guilt and distress and doubt. Had he put that there? Had he done something to make Conrad doubt Yuuri? That shouldn't be
possible. Yuuri was Julia in Conrad's eyes, perfection on a pedestal. Surely he didn't have the power to knock that idol down. Wolfram drew himself up and
reclaimed the step he had just lost.
"This is Yuuri we're talking about," Wolfram said calmly. "If he tried to pressure me into anything I would take my sword to him. Unlike you, I have no qualms
about punishing him as needed. He's in my room because he wants to be and I won't kick him out just because the rest of you want me to. He isn't hurting
anything aside from Brother's and Gunter's sensibilities and your pride as a protector. If you are determined to fight that, so be it. I won't back down. Yuuri's
mind is the one you will have to change." He looked at him closely, a small smile crossing his face at the consternation visible on Conrad's. "Unless he's
pressuring you? Do you need my help with the wimp?"
Conrad felt his lips twitch. How strange to go from doubting everything he believed to fighting helpless amusement. "He has been particularly headstrong
lately. But aside from his new sleeping arrangements he hasn't started any outright rebellions so far."
"Inform me if he does," Wolfram said haughtily. "So long as I remain his fiance I will do my part to keep him in line."
"Of course," Conrad smiled. "I apologize for doubting your ability to do so." Wolfram humphed at that. Conrad's smile widened. "I'll be taking Greta for a ride
tomorrow morning. If you and Yuuri would like to accompany us, we'll be going directly after breakfast." Wolfram just humphed again, neither accepting nor
rejecting the invitation. Conrad took himself off with a lighter heart. He should have known Wolfram had things firmly in hand. Hormone surges might have
Yuuri being not quite himself, but he was still Yuuri. Wolfram had never had trouble dealing with Yuuri. As usual, it was Yuuri he should be concerned about.
.-.
When Gunter stormed into his office, Gwendal's first instinct was to bolt upright to better face the menace head-on. It took most of his self control to remain
casually seated behind his desk. This was his office and Gunter was not Anissina. The man was an emotional whirlwind who taxed his patience at the best of
times. He was not, however, a threat to anything but his peace of mind. Gwendal held his place, cool and controlled, until Gunter reached his side and swept
one flat hand through the air...inches from his nose before it slapped down on his desk. Gwendal flinched and felt his heart pounding in his throat. A bit too
close for comfort, really.
"I take it you're upset," said Gwendal.
Gunter trembled, his breaths coming in short bursts, his hand curling into a claw on the desk. "You abandoned me! Give me one reason I shouldn't slap you
this instant!"
"I wouldn't let you. I would immediately challenge you to a duel and defeat you. It would be hypocritical of you to propose to me after refusing to allow me to do
so from the very first. With Gisela as an heir you have no need to marry. Anissina would mutilate you if you destroyed her dream of breeding a child off me.
Shall I continue?"
Gunter wilted into a resentful sulk. "I only asked for one. You can't use the last two, anyway. Those are my reasons."
"Which is why I felt I should remind you of them." Gwendal watched that hand slip off the table to flutter near Gunter's temple. Dramatics were preferable to
Gunter in a temper. "I suppose you made up some story as to what we were doing and, like the veriest fool, he swallowed it whole."
Gunter's hand snapped down to his side, insult and a dash of outrage on Yuuri's behalf stiffening his shoulders and spine. "I most certainly did not. As a
matter of fact..." Worry took over again, ruining his attempt to remain properly indignant. "He didn't let me explain. When I tried, he asked me not to. He said,"
and his eyes caught Gwendal's, "that he hadn't seen anything."
"Denial, then," Gwendal muttered, more disgusted than anything. "I should have expected as much."
"But he did see us. He must have," Gunter protested.
"Of course he did. He's just taking the easy way out, as usual. He has been denying reality since that 'maou side' of his first showed itself and he conveniently
forgot everything he had done. If he wants to pretend he saw nothing, let him. I for one have no intention of explaining anything. I will not defend myself to the
likes of him."
Gunter supposed he should have known better than to expect sympathy for that horrible scene he had been abandoned to face alone. That he had been
caught by the Maou in such a compromising position was too humiliating for words. Yet he was the one who had insisted theirs remain a dalliance only.
Gwendal might one day decide a marriage of convenience with Anissina was the simplest way to beget an heir and get her out of his hair forever. With Shinou
gone there would be nothing to stop them from marrying for the wrong reasons. Gunter, on the other hand, had no need to marry. It still stung his pride that
Gwendal wasn't jumping to make an honest man of him now that they had been caught by their king. At the very least they were setting a poor example for
someone so young and new to his place among the noble houses.
"Why did he come back?" asked Gwendal. "He usually avoids you as much as possible to avoid being forced to learn anything."
"Oh!" Gunter's eyes widened and glowed with pleasure. "He took it upon himself to learn more about the castle guards. I have never seen him show such
interest in a topic I did not personally bring to his attention. He wanted to know everything, where each one was stationed, the rotations, their ranks and
duties-"
"That's my domain."
"Well, yes, of course it is. But as the king-"
"The castle guards are my domain."
Gunter sighed and swept around the chair to rub Gwendal's stiff shoulders. It was no wonder he kept getting pulled muscles as often as he clenched up like
that. "Don't be stubborn. He's interested. We must encourage and foster any interest he has in matters of leading, controlling, or directing - whether it's the
castle guards or some other aspect of the kingdom. You did want him to take more responsibility and that is precisely what he's trying to do. Of his own
initiative! This is a wonderful development."
"You can say that," Gwendal growled. "It isn't your domain he's trying to interfere with. What exactly does he want with my guards?"
"Just to look them over for now. I thought a line up in the front courtyard would be fitting."
Gwendal whipped a sharp glare up at him. "You did not offer to arrange that for him."
"No," Gunter smiled, "of course not. I offered to ask you to arrange that for him. The castle guards fall under your domain so any requests concerning them
must by nature go through you. As I was careful to inform him."
Gwendal accepted the deference, but shrugged off the hands. He preferred to be tense and irritated at the moment. "I am having a bolt installed on this door. I
suggest you stay out of here until then."
Gunter gasped at the implication. "Need I remind you that you're the one who came to me earlier?"
"A mistake I will not make again."
"Oh?" Gunter sailed for the door, his cloak swishing when he turned at the last minute for a parting salvo. "You might wish to reconsider scorning his majesty's
penchant for denial when you are so often guilty of practicing it yourself."
"I'll take that under advisement. Now get out of my office." He watched coolly as Gunter left the room in as much of a tiff as he had entered with. It wasn't until
the door closed and he was alone that he smiled.
.-.
"Now?" asked Yuuri. He sent a quick look around the hall to make sure no one had overheard, and then blinked up at Yozak. Murata sure didn't waste any
time.
"There's a good hour before dinner," Yozak shrugged. "Sooner started, sooner done. You haven't changed your mind, have you?"
"No! I haven't changed my mind." He was having some serious second thoughts, though. "I just...would rather no one else know..."
Yozak laughed and escorted Yuuri toward the storage room he had picked out for this illicit lesson. "They won't hear it from me. I got my hands on a music box
for this. It's not the exact score, but it's close enough." He paused when they reached the door. If word got out about this it wasn't just Conrad he'd have to
worry about. Wolfram would be after his blood, too. "Before we go in and get started, we're going to have to make this an order. Just to cover my tail, you
understand."
"What?"
"You," Yozak pointed, "as the king, order me, as your subject, to teach you this dance and to never tell anyone I'm the one who taught it to you."
"Oh." Those second thoughts were now twisting and burning themselves into an ulcer. Yuuri took a deep breath and made his second leap of the day. "Yozak,
as your king I order you to teach me this dance and to never tell anyone that you're the one who taught it to me." He took another breath, which was much
easier than the last. "I won't tell anyone either. Okay?"
"I live to serve the king," Yozak grinned. He opened the door and waved Yuuri along. "Come on in, then. I'm about to make a man out of you."
Yuuri cringed as he trudged into the dusty room. "I wish you hadn't said it like that."
.-.
PART 15
.-.
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