A Marriage of State | By : Niko Category: +G to L > Kyou Kara Maou Views: 2727 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou or any rights to its story, characters or plot. I make no money from this. |
They could not stay and wait. Not all of them. Big Cimarron's response to the attack and murder continued to be withheld, no response given and no ideas in the rumor mill as to what word they were likely to hear back. They were waiting, Gwendal supposed, and most seemed to agree. They were waiting to see where Wolfram went, waiting for some chance to still find fault in Shin Makoku even in the wake of their folly. And so the Shin Makoku ships left and again they did so one man short of a victory party. If Yuuri ever heard the phrase "political ramifications" again it would be all too soon and the resulting shout would not at all be misunderstood.
What if they attack again once we're gone? What if that's what they're waiting for?
Then we'll fight them again and you'll come back.
What if I don't make it back in time?
I'll still be waiting here.
I can't keep saying goodbye like this.
Wimp. Now you know how we feel when you leave for Earth.
Promise me you won't do anything until we figure something out.
For as long as we can stall the court, we will.
Wolfram...
Don't say it here. Just go.
Yuuri had felt the weight of his body in every step he had taken in boarding that ship. He felt every hour of sleep he'd ever missed in his eyes and mind as he watched the featureless horizon behind which distant and familiar shores would someday soon arise.
Conrad leaned against the ship's rails beside him, silent and observant. Of the many things Yuuri needed in his day to day life as king, Conrad fell very high on the list. Even without saying a word, just knowing he was there made it easier to sink in defeat without feeling as though doing so let anyone else down. With Conrad he got to be a human teenager. Most days, that was hard enough.
The soldier smiled without any real cause, a cheerful expression that was as peaceful as it was pleasant. As miserable as Yuuri felt, it was hard to image what secret pleasure was making their departure a happy occasion.
"How can you look so happy when there's no telling what's going to happen?" he asked, face moist with sea spray and bangs lightly pasted to his brow.
Conrad looked almost sheepish as he shifted his weight, right hip resting on the rails. "My king is safe, my brothers are both alive and well, and my kingdom has performed her duties well to her allies. I'm very proud to be a mazoku." He smiled out at the sea. "I'd rather be happy now for the things that I know and have experienced than dwell on the things I don't know and have yet to happen."
Wise words as they were, Yuuri did not have the stomach for them. His mind seemed to remain plagued by insecurities and doubts, all of them suffocating and squeezing the joy out of life. To both his relief and disappointment, Conrad did not say anything more.
It was a quiet trip and a long one, made longer by meetings and think-tanks on what action to take next. Next to Conrad's smile in the list of things Yuuri needed was Gwendal's steady, unshakable dependability and straight forward approach to problems. He could always be trusted to come at things logically and with sound reason and honest though perhaps somewhat pessimistic expectations. It was he who sent the doves to Zorashia for a council upon his return. The struggling country would no doubt have their own thoughts on Bersi's plan. Another possible alliance, another crack to stumble over, it was all a matter of perspective. To Gwendal and even Gunter they were just part of a list of protocols and necessary measures. To Yozak they were tedious desk related tasks he would gladly take no part in. To Murata they were points of interest to which he seemed to listen very carefully to but for the moment remained quite silent. That was why the decision had been so easy.
Yuuri was going home. For as long as was necessary.
The last thing Yuuri wanted to do was to somehow sway the decision in any way. It had to be up to Greta. It had to be her choice--if discussions got so far as to give her one. Gwendal would make sure she was informed and most certainly cared enough about the princess to ensure the sacrifices made were minimal if any. He wouldn't force her hand. He wouldn't lie to her. As he had done with Wolfram, he would simply give the facts as plainly as he knew them and allow for her to do as she felt best. Yuuri knew somehow he'd bias her if he took the task himself, though he was not quite sure in which way. His baby girl a queen in a far away, dangerous kingdom; the person loved marrying someone else out of duty once more. His small family would be stretched out thin, close to being torn apart either way.
Greta would have to decide how she lived the rest of her life. It didn't seem fair to ask of her what even Yuuri still struggled to do for himself.
On Shin Makoku waters, Yuuri pulled Murata to the aft and leapt off with him into the traveling waves. No surprises, all planned in the quiet on the sea, all tasks assigned and time tables set. One of their months and a fortnight, Gwendal had said. That would be the time required to meet and settle with all the countries involved. It didn't give Yuuri much time on Earth but it would have to be enough.
Well, it would be a start at least.
Rising up from the tepid bath water, Yuuri gave a great sigh as he began to untangle his limbs from his friend's, pulling himself out and away from the water as though it might have other ideas for him once again. Murata took the towel from his hand and raked it through his hair as he started to undress from his wet things.
"Let's see.. a month and a half should be a little less than a week here, I guess." He wrapped a second towel around his waist and began wringing out his uniform. "How's your aim getting?"
Yuuri shrugged, dumping his shoes in a sink. "I'd rather go back earlier than later. Maybe five days just to be safe."
Murata nodded.
With their wet things tended to they both emerged from the bathroom. It was dark outside the windows and the lights in the house were off. They'd missed dinner by the looks of things. The clock on the dining room wall read 3:28. Upstairs in Yuuri's room was a dry change of clothes for both of them, something for Murata always stashed away in his closet or drawers for his return ware. It being both too early and too late for his friend to go home for the night, Yuuri gave him some pajama bottoms and set up a sleep mat on the floor for his guest. It was not an unfamiliar set up. Soundlessly as possible so as not to disturb anyone else, the two settled in for bed. A quick nap would do them well in acclimating back to their home time.
"Murata?... What do you think is going to happen?" Yuuri whispered, snuggled down in his own bed and staring up at the ceiling.
Murata shifted under his covers. "I'm sure only Shinou knows. The situation isn't so bad, though. There are far worse people to marry than Sir Bersi Veleif. I thought you liked him."
"I do. As a person."
"Well, he's quite a bit older than Alfgeir had been. You won't have to wait as long for Wolfram to become a widower again."
Yuuri scowled. "That's not very comforting, Murata."
"It should be." Murata sighed, tiredness creeping into his voice. "As far as worst case scenarios go, we're all very fortunate. And considering his new title and reputation, I don't imagine it being too difficult now for Wolfram to travel as he wishes. It won't be like it was before. His resolve has been tested and as far as Trebic is concerned, he's loyal to them and Shin Makoku will honor their alliance."
Sometimes he hated it when Murata was right. The cold way in which he made everything make sense was limiting and alienating and infuriatingly simple. It made Yuuri feel bad for being as worried as he was. Things were hardly ever that simple in his own head.
"I told him I love him."
"I figured you had. What did he say?"
"He cried."
Murata gave pause, silent for so long Yuuri wondered if he'd already fallen asleep. But Murata waited, thoughts spinning, before quietly reminding him, "Time is different for us and Mazoku. If you have to wait ten of their years, it's closer to two of our own. And for Wolfram, ten years is nothing in comparison to his lifetime. However bad it seems, divide it by half and then half again. That's the real size of your problem. That's not so bad, is it?"
"Two years is still a lot more than zero."
"No one said he'd come home and you two would begin some heated romance at the first pitch. Maybe it takes two years even then for him to be ready to move on."
"He didn't love him."
"He was still his friend and lover."
Yuuri cringed. He hated that word. He hated the mental images he'd just as well live his whole life without imagining. He felt like a child for being so disgusted by just a word. He was 16, he could handle the fact that adults did adult things. But it was very different when the adult was Wolfram--not even really an adult; just as foolish and brash and likely to do something in the heat of the moment as Yuuri himself was.
"Go to bed, Shibuya. Five days are going to fly by."
They were. They always did. Despite Murata putting everything into perspective, it was still going to be the hardest five days he'd had to wait in a long time.
---
It felt good to be home, more so as the days went on and his mother and brother let up on their inquisition and allowed Yuuri to vegetate and unwind like every other boy his age. With his feet tucked into a blanket and his body cocooned in the corner of the couch, Yuuri felt like just maybe he really could unravel and just forget for a moment everything that had happened. With the television on in an insulated room illuminated by glass bulbs secured in the ceiling, it was usually pretty easy to move past one life's medieval troubles and become immersed in the day-by-day of the world he was born into. He could forget it in the two and a half hours necessary to watch a movie. He could overlook his own concerns in the time it took to ride his bike to the store or school. He could be preoccupied enough to not recall the pressing concerns of his other life so long as the stark contrast between the two gave little to remind him of the other. It was cowardly, he knew, but having been raised as just another Japanese school boy, it was hard to abandon the simplicity and comfort of simply going home when everything felt a mess.
His mother brought out a steaming mug of tea with a peppermint striped handle and set it down on the coffee table in front of him, her own mug of pink paisley cradled in her palms as she took up purchase of the other corner of the couch. "What are we watching?"
Yuuri looked at the screen, not really remembering what it was he was looking at. It was an American dubbed film but not one he was familiar with. He hadn't bothered to flip through the channels, just turned on the set and got comfy. "You can change it. I'm not really watching it."
"I think I know that actress. Is this a romantic comedy?"
Yuuri shrugged, picking up his mug and bringing it to his lips. Even something as simple as tea reminded him of his home, the warm mixture of leaves, herbs or fruits unlike the simple or simply native drinks of Shin Makoku. Every sensory stimuli said this was home, this was where he belonged. But it did not help with the ache in his chest.
"Ah, it is! I love these. Yuu-chan never watches these with his Mama. Let's watch together!"
It was very low on his list of wants but with nothing else planned, Yuuri nodded and sipped his tea. "Alright, I'll watch for a bit. I think this is really more Shori's kind of thing, though."
This mother smiled brightly, bubbling over with happiness as she wiggled her feet under Yuuri's thighs for warmth. He imagined this was what it was like to have a little sister as he adjusted, letting her keep her feet burrowed as he handed over a bit of the blanket. Miko sighed with contentment and wiggled her way into the cushions loudly, getting settled in her own time as the movie continued on past commercials of snacks and soft drinks.
"Ah, Yuu-chan, look! New York!" She pointed at the screen as though he might think to look out the window for the skyscrapers and busy streets instead. "Do you remember New York? Surely you remember Boston."
Yuuri shook his head. "Not like Shori does."
"Mah, it was so busy!" She wiggled her toes, bumping against his legs. "Your mama had to take care of everyone in such a place! No friends, no family. Just me and the love of my life." She sighed as she settled in again, swallowing hot tea and smiling to herself. "It still seems impossible to have been so young and naive and raising a family so far away. Your mama is very brave, Yuu-chan. That must be where you get it from."
"I know mom. I've heard the stories."
"And now Yuu-chan knows what it's like too."
The young man paused for a moment, mind flipping through the many oddball things his mother had said to him before that had been surprisingly helpful in Shin Makoku. They had all been random words of wisdom, though, not retellings of her own life lessons. The United States was certainly not a whole 'nother world but it was a world away, a different culture, a different language. She hadn't gone over and been told her was suddenly the President but she was a mother, in charge or taking care of more lives than just her own. She had gone for love and staid for love even when she wanted to come back to what had always been home. He looked at his mother, not seeing her as the older woman she was now but one 15 years younger with nothing but her faith in humanity and love of his father to get her through hard times away from home. That feeling was not something he expected anyone to really understand. Even as she sat with her eyes wide and excited as the American actors played out on the screen, inside there was a kindred spirit whom he could relate to. His own mother. Sometimes he wondered just how far reaching Shinou's powers were.
The lead actress was flailing around, making a fool of herself in front of handsome actor number one to the jealousy of handsome actor number two. It was dull and trite but his mother giggled and spoke to the television to try and help the helpless woman. Yuuri cleared his throat, not at all interested in the plot. "Mom, about America. How did.. I mean.. I know you and dad argued and it was kind of rough but was it worth it?"
"Worth it?" She batted her long lashes, innocent confusion over her mature face. "Of course it was worth it. We had a lovely time. And that was where Yuu-chan was born. You're an American citizen, you know."
He really, really did not need to be a citizen of any more countries.
"Ah, but I guess when you're older you can change that." Miko drank her tea, oblivious in perception but Yuuri wondered how observant she really could be. She smiled at him, closed eyed and bright. "Going to America with your Papa gave you and Sho-chan so many opportunities. Even if Mama was homesick or lonely or sad, it was always worth it to be with the family I made. That's very important so make sure you remember, Yuu-chan. You have two families: the family that made you and the family you make. No matter what happens, the family that made you will always be there to welcome you home. And even if you have to go away for a long time, even if you break your mama's heart, mama will always have a place for you to come home to."
Yuuri smiled slightly, hand on the blanket that covered her ankles. "And what about the family I make?"
"Well, you can make your family anywhere you want. And then Mama can visit! Oh, and speaking of visits, when are the others coming again? I was hoping to take Wolfram shopping. Did he have his big fancy wedding already? I saw a dress I think he'd look beautiful in!"
Yuuri's chest felt tight again. The last he'd told his mother--that Murata had told her--had been of events from before even the Caloria ball. Before the fighting and the kiss and the murder and battles. He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. "Ah.. well... things have changed. There's not going to be a wedding." Not in Trebic if he had anything to say about it.
Miko sat up, stretching out to him with her arms. "What do you mean no wedding?! Then when does Yuu-chan get to ride in on a white horse and say 'I object!' and carry his fiancé away?"
"Mom, this isn't a romance novel!" He gave her a pout, more for his own foolishness at having dreamed up the same thing than in annoyance at her. "Wolfram's husband is dead. Things got really bad before I came home. They're mostly okay now but.. well, Wolfram's not home yet. They're working on that. I came home just so I didn't want to haunt the hallways forever waiting for some kind of resolution."
Television forgotten, Miko had her elbows propped on her knees, cheeks pressed on her palms as she gave him every ounce of her attention. "Does that mean Yuu-chan will be marrying Wolf-chan again?"
Yuuri burned red. At least he never had to worry about his mother's reaction to anything that might happen between them. "No, well, I mean... we.. I... uh... " That didn't mean it was easy. He coughed, clearing his throat and feeling warmth rising further up his cheeks. "There's kind of.. an understanding. I guess. I mean, I kind of.. well... love... him?" It wasn't a question but his voice tilted up into one, back tense and waiting for some kind of response. "I mean, I think I do... he's just.. really important to me, you know?"
She nodded, grin running from ear to ear and doe eyes staring into him with keen interest.
He sighed, hanging his head. "I kissed him."
That did it. In seconds his mother was pulling on his arm, bouncing gleefully on the couch. "Yuu-chan, tell Mama everything! What was it like? What did he say? What did you say? What happened next?"
"Mom, calm down! It's not a big deal." More accurately, it was a humongous deal that had him nervous and wary. It redefined his sexuality, was an important milestone in his teenage life, and the fact that Wolfram more than returned his feelings made for a world of possibilities he'd previously ran from like a frightened child from a ravenous wolf. He looked at the ceiling, the television, anywhere but his mom's flashing eyes and eager smile.
"So, was it you who saved him from this husband character who took him away?"
"Ah... no. He got killed by some bad guys. And he really was an okay person, I guess. I mean.... well, Wolfram thought of him as a friend or.. something."
"Oh. Is he very sad, then?"
"Wolfram? Ah.... Maybe. He just sort of seemed really serious most of the time I saw him. There was still a lot going on." Even as he said it, he felt guilty. He knew Wolfram better than that, knew the man who wore his heart on his sleeve well enough to tell when it was his brave front worn for court rather than the genuine face of his friend. Kissing the skull seemed theatrical and over-the-top but it was far closer to the truth than the smile he wore at the dance that same night. With everything that had happened, he couldn't even really say for sure he knew why Wolfram had cried in his arms after his confession; happiness, weariness, sadness. Maybe it was all of it. Why hadn't mattered why as much as it had that they were together. He only wished the clarity he felt in moments of certainty lasted longer than the hours that proceeded them. He loved him probably. He wanted to go out with him maybe. He was afraid of commitment definitely. It was a funny thing to learn about himself and not his favorite bit of self-reflection.
Miko picked up the television remote and muted the program, wiggling her toes under his thigh again to keep his attention. "So, when is my baby going to leave me? You have to give me plenty of warning or I'll cry for days."
"I... I don't know." Yuuri sank into his corner, nestled under his blanket. "I keep thinking I should at least finish high school but what's the point? Really, I want to finish school so I can make something of myself here. So I can still come back if I don't want to live my whole life in Shin Makoku. I'm pretty much planning my escape route before I've even decided to commit myself to my position as king. No, that's not... I am committed to being a good king. I want to spend my whole life doing what is right for my people... but I'm not ready to.. grow up, I guess; to be a king forever and not come home anymore and be a regular kid."
"But if you don't stay in Shin Makoku, you can't marry Wolfram and live happily ever after."
"Mom, there is so much more to it than just what happens to Wolfram and me."
"Well, maybe there shouldn't be." She leaned up into his personal space, searching him in a way that was very uncomfortable. "You never know if you can fly until you jump, Yuu-chan. Mama will help you leave the nest if she has to."
He groaned, trying to hide under his blanket. "I'm not a bird, Mom."
"No, you're from the demon tribe and my boys were both born with very special wings that only I can see. So you just have to trust me when I say they're there." She gave him a sly wink, poking him on the tip of his nose. "I know you'll be okay because you are so much like your dear Mama. I got engaged very soon after meeting your father too!"
Yuuri's jaw dropped as he searched for some way to comment, some strong piece of logic that very surely showed how very different their circumstances were from each other. But all he could think of was how much they weren't. They both became engaged almost immediately to the people they loved, hardly knew them at all, foolishly followed them all the way across the world to be together, started a family... "Oh god, I'm going to grow up to be you..."
Miko threw her arms around him, giving him a great big hug despite his protests. "That's why Mama understands! You can do it, Yuu-chan! Just forget about every scary or uncertain thing in your head and follow your instincts!"
It sounded so much easier said than done. His mother was and would always be a hopeless romantic but the echo of his own experiences in hers made him almost want to believe it was that simple.
"Why don't you tell Mama all about it? There was a ball, right? Start there. I want to hear all about the beautiful party and what happened!"
Despite his reservations and how odd it felt to talk so openly about so personal a thing as the last few weeks for him had been, Yuuri did.
While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.
All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.
Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!
Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo