Dawn

Okay, let’s see if we can stir the pot a little shall we?



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Yuri couldn’t breathe for a second. It was hard to step through the gate that time. He was used to being sucked between worlds when he was least expecting it. He was even okay with planning a jump between worlds, but those had always seemed more like field trips. He knew he would be coming back. He hadn’t felt this unsettled since the very first time he had been flushed to Shin Makoku.



But that was okay he thought to himself, when he had first been flushed away he hadn’t known anyone, hadn’t been able at first to speak to anyone. That would make anybody unsettled. What was important was that he knew this time that even though he was leaving he had made friends there, good friends, and he just knew they would be all right without him.



Yuri looked around and saw that he was alone. It looked familiar, “Aha! The park,” he thought, “this is the same park where it all started. Wow, that’s a little strange.” Shaking his head he stepped out of the park’s fountain and turned towards home. He knew that his family would be waiting for him, they always were.

+++



The preparations for the upcoming peace conference were well underway. Gwendel had left most of the invitations and castle details to Gunter and he was more than happy to see to every detail. As he looked at it this conference was the best way to celebrate Yuri’s coming into their world. He knew that everyone at the castle was amused by how he had taken over the planning of this conference. Every detail from seating arrangements and dessert selections down to which flowers would be paired with what vases and which rooms would be given to which diplomats was under his watchful eyes.



In truth he enjoyed it, he liked being needed. He loved it when anyone came to him with some question or problem or task that could be done. This was no different. It had been a time of peace for many years now, yes. But for the first time since the end of the war it had become a time of peace freely given not peace forced by fear. It felt freer. And Gunter knew that that was because of Yuri.



He smiled to himself when he thought of Yuri; he had been elated when their new double black Maou had come back into this world. He knew he had been hoping for someone who would care enough about the people of the Great Demon Kingdom that he would heal them with his power and strength. He chuckled softly and admitted that he had really been hoping that their new Maou could somehow help heal him.



Gunter knew that the greatest thing in his mind was that while Yuri had indeed brought this new refreshing type of peace to their lands, and cared for his people, and changed them for the better; most of all, in his heart of hearts he knew that Yuri had healed him too. It hadn’t been like the lightning strike of healing love that Gunter had imagined. It had been more like the gentle warmth of the early spring sun that melts the snow and ice so slowly that you don’t even see it happening until days later you turn and look down into a valley filled with green.



Yes. That’s what Yuri had been to him. A person that had brought new life into the people that he had touched. Gunter knew it was true. He felt also that everyone here in the castle knew on some level that they were both richer for having known Yuri and poorer now with his absence. “I suppose that’s why I still try to make them smile with my antics on these preparations.”

Gunter wasn’t even aware that he had spoken out load until he heard Gwendel’s voice right behind him.



“What antics do you refer to Gunter?”



If he hadn’t already been deep in thought he would have heard Gwendel’s approach and been able to prepare for the surprise with a loud and dramatic yelp of fright from his ‘surprise’ presence. Unfortunately, he had been lost to his thoughts and didn’t have a yelp ready for Gwendel’s sudden appearance. “I wasn’t referring to any one antic, I was just thinking; out loud.” He tried to reply drolly.



Gwendel raised an eyebrow. “So then which antics were you thinking about then?” he continued, completely ignoring Gunter’s attempt to turn the question aside.



Gunter turned finally to face his old friend. He knew that Gwendel more than anyone remembered who he had been before the wars. He saw the memory of what he had done outside of Blood Pledge Castle for his country. He beckoned Gwendel out to join him on the balcony, a small smile on the edge of his lips.



Gwendel took a seat next to him and gazed out across the castle’s courtyard.



“It’s almost like old times again isn’t it?” Gunter asked quietly. He turned and looked at Gwendel and saw by the look on his face and the glaze of his eyes that he too was back there in his own memories. He remembered himself sitting beside a campfire next to this man as they tried to rest between skirmishes. If he closed his eyes Gunter imagined he was back there in front of that campfire.



He could feel the rough bark beneath him as he sat staring into the flames of the fire in front of him. He could hear the constant rustle of horses and gear behind him, the grunts of men around him as they tried to ease their battered bodies, and the horrible rasps of breath that those who lay dying drew.



If he concentrated Gwendel could even smell the sweat that had dried and crusted on the bodies of the men and horses. The metallic tang of blood on his tongue only seemed to make the acrid smell of charred flesh stronger. The more he tried to block it the harder it was not to vomit. He closed his eyes and just tried to breathe, realizing that the harder he tried not to vomit the more difficult it became to do anything but.



It wasn’t until Gwendel shook him and Gunter opened his eyes that he saw they were both sitting out on one of the courtyard balconies. He looked around, shocked a little to find that they weren’t still there in that camp; two miserable souls staring into a fire and trying figure out how to keep men alive and how to wrest power back from a greedy uncle.



“I’m sorry,” he said with a regretful smile, “did you say something?”



Gwendel watched the frown that had been on his friend’s face disappear, the small lines of pained thought smoothing across his brow. “Yes. I asked if you were okay.” Gwendel took a moment. “I appreciate all of the planning that you’ve put into the upcoming conference and I am grateful that you’re overseeing the day to day operation of the castle in my stead. It’s greatly freed up some of my time so that I’ve been able to focus my attention on other matters, but Gunter, I am concerned for you.”



He turned and reached out to turn Gunter to face him directly, “I know that you were just as affected as the rest of us by Yuri’s leaving, but I don’t understand this masquerade. You played the grieving fool for him right after he left and you continue to burst into fits of this weeping whenever his leaving is mentioned or whenever anyone begins to doubt him in your presence. And I’ll admit that it has been good for everyone here at the castle to help them put their grief into perspective. But, Gunter, I know you I see you and I can tell that these fits of yours are nothing more than a new act that you’ve added to your repertoire.”



He stopped again to felt himself tense slightly before continuing. “I need to know if you’ve had enough time for-to give yourself some time.” Gwendel faltered for a second and began again. “I’m afraid that with everything happening so quickly and then with all of the responsibilities you’ve taken over that you haven’t had enough time for yourself. I still consider you a friend, Gunter, and I worry for you.”



Gunter felt his mask crack as he heard Gwendel’s words. His hands tightened on the arms of the chair he was sitting in. He barely heard the crack as the wood splintered under his grasp. He didn’t here Gwendel call his name, all he heard was the blood rushing in his ears. He never saw Gwendel move from his chair to kneel beside him. But he felt Gwendel’s hands as they took each side of his face and turned him, forcing him to see the man before him and not the inner guilt that his façade had been broken.



“Gunter! Gunter! Look at me. Steady now, can you hear me again? Good, all right then, that’s good.” Gwendel took his hands away from Gunter’s face as he saw that his friend was back with him. He didn’t move away though, he just turned his attention towards Gunter’s hands, checking for any cuts or scrapes from the splintered wooden arms. Seeing no damage he leaned back slightly resting on his heels and knees.



“Gunter, this can’t go on. You’ve done admirably well here with this, taking everyone in, taking care of everything, all the details. But it’s too much. You need to take some time now, get yourself back together again. I need you here with me for the conference. I can’t have you half alive this way; you’re no good to anyone like this. We only have a few more days before people start arriving for the peace conference. Take these last few days and-“



Gunter’s voice broke in sharply, “Don’t you understand I can’t!” His interruption seemed to drain the fight from Gwendel. He continued in a ragged whisper that was harsh and scraping, “I can’t take a few days, there’s already too little time to get everything arranged so that all the details can act as a perfect foil for the plans of continued peace. I don’t have the time to spare to get things ‘worked out’ as you put it, Gwendel, can’t you understand? I know what my duty is to my country and its safety. And I am prepared to do everything in my power to-“



“That’s not fair Gunter!” Gwendel’s eyes seemed to blaze as he straightened to stand over the glowering figure still seated in the broken chair. “You know that that’s not what I was saying. I have never questioned your loyalty to this kingdom, and you insult both yourself and our friendship by implying otherwise.” He fumed.



Gunter shot from his chair. “And you insult me by thinking that I cannot handle this on my own!” he tallied back. “You say you know me well enough to see through my masks and yet you don’t even know me well enough to understand that all I have right now, all that I am capable of is my loyalty to my country? I can’t think about anything that has happened here, the only thing that I can focus on is the now and the soon to be. Don’t you understand me at all Gwendel?”



Chagrin washed over Gwendel’s face as he realized his mistake. He reached out without thought and folded Gunter into his arms. Tightening his embrace he whispered quietly into his old friend’s ear, “Forgive me. You feel to deeply still. I apologize, Gunter, I was thoughtless.” He pulled back slightly to look into Gunter’s face and ask, “Will you promise to come to me? When you feel that you can talk again, will you come to me, Gunter?” He felt his tension drain away as Gunter’s arms tightened around him, pulling him closer.



Gunter relaxed into the embrace and felt Gwendel’s soft sigh against his neck and he wrapped his hand in the ponytail of hair and gave a soft tug as he replied with a gentle smile, “Don’t I always, Gwendel?”



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A/N



Alicem, thank you for your reviews! I am so happy to see someone agree that Yuri’s an idiot! Well, maybe not a hopelessly irredeemable idiot; I feel sure he’ll make a turnaround here eventually. We’ll just have to see if it’s soon enough, right?!?



Lovelessjayson, I can’t tell you how happy you made me when you called me a meanie! Seriously it was a very-uber happy moment. And while I freely admit that this last chapter wasn’t sprinkled with giggles, hopefully it was at least a little “spicier” hehehe. You’ll have to let me know, but don’t worry I’ve got some nice warm gooey chapters ahead for you and I promise to add some extra ooey-gooey to make up for all the preliminary angst.