Dawn

Wolfram stretched, arching back against the sheets behind him. He rolled his neck and shoulders as he flexed the last dregs of sleep from his body. A half awake yawn slipped out as he heaved over onto his side and looked out the window. The rays of morning light had been what had awakened him. He rose from the bed and walked towards the window, pulled by the view. His new room was towards the back of the castle and looked out over the gardens, but that wasn’t the view that called to Wolfram. It was the distant view of the hills and forests surrounding the valley that whispered to him.

There was something about watching the newly risen sun bathe the forests in light that calmed him. It took his breath away and for a few minutes at least he could feel a small measure of the same peace he had first found in the forest over a month ago. Wolfram turned away from the window to grab his robe and a quick change of clothes for the coming day. After he left his room he followed the hall to the bathing room and entered.

Once he made sure to lock and seal the door behind him, he dropped the robe and entered the steaming water facing him. He scrubbed quickly and dressed in a matter of moments. He could feel the collar of his shirt and jacket absorb some of the moisture from his still wet hair. It was an uncomfortable cold touch against his nape, and it sent icy shivers down his spine as he left the bathing room.

Wolfram quickly walked to Greta’s door and leaned in, gently pressing his ear against the wood. When he could hear the quiet shuffles that signaled she was up and dressing, he leaned back away and continued on down the hallway. As he passed the guards stationed at the corner turret he nodded slightly and turned, his feet carrying him towards Gwendel’s office. He knocked quickly and entered. As he sat in what was quickly becoming, to his mind, thought of as his chair; he inclined his head in greeting to Conrart, who was already seated, and waited until Gwendel had finished reading the forms in front of him before greeting both of his brothers.

“Good morning Gwendel, Conrart.” He stated plainly.

“Good morning Wolfram.” Conrart welcomed.

Gwendel remained silent behind his desk, his only acknowledgment of the greeting a slight raising of his brows in Wolfram’s direction.

Wolfram smirked. ‘It’s strange to think that this routine of sitting here and watching Gwendel try to ignore us both has become one of the greatest sources of my amusement.’ He thought to himself. He opened his mouth to begin the first round of questions, but was interrupted by Conrart.

“I understand that the last of the delegates will be leaving this morning after a short morning breakfast. I’ve already arranged escort for them from the castle to the coast. I’m planning to start out on the rounds tomorrow before first light.”

“You’ll be taking the rest of today to pack up then.” From Gwendel, this came as a statement more than a question.

“Yes.” Conrart answered.

Gwendel nodded and then leaned back, folding his fingers and peering over the top of his hands to look at Wolfram who was silent.

Wolfram finally broke the silence and asked, “When is the first visiting emissary expected?”

“I believe Yozak’s last report said that they were expected to arrive here at the end of the week.” Gwendel answered after sliding a quick glance towards Conrart to verify that he hadn’t had any new reports from Yozak.

“I see. In that case I believe that Greta and I shall also be leaving with Conrart tomorrow morning. If the emissary is expected in a few days it makes the most sense for Greta and I also to be absent. You’ll of course have Mother here, as well as the rest of the ten aristocrats.” Wolfram continued, “If something happens we will of course return to the castle as soon as possible.”

Gwendel sighed as he dropped his hands form their position on the desk. “Are you set with this idea then Wolfram?” he inquired.

Wolfram felt the very corners of his mouth kick up into a small smile as he replied, “Gwendel, I have been ‘set’ with this decision for weeks now. It is a happy circumstance that with the peace conference my personal plans to leave Blood Pledge Castle also coincide with the plans of my country.” Wolfram turned his head and caught the gaze of his other brother.
“I have not hidden my desire to leave the castle from either of you. You both know that it is better for the kingdom if Greta and I place distance between ourselves and the throne. With you leaving, Conrart, and the first of the emissaries soon to arrive it is just as important for us to uphold the honor of the Great Demon Kingdom by following the new strictures as decided by the Peace Council.”

Gwendel and Conrart remained silent, each meeting the eyes of the other as they contemplated the changes they had seen in their youngest brother these past weeks. Conrart finally was the one to break the silence of the room. “If this evening is to be the last one for a while that we are all gathered here together, perhaps we should celebrate the success of the conference at dinner.” He suggested.

“That sounds like a reasonable idea Conrart.” Gwendel agreed.

Hours later Wolfram found himself seated again, this time in Greta’s room. He watched as she shuttled back and forth between her bureau and the open bag on her bed. He had been sitting on the wooden bench for over an hour now. It was strange to him how in all of that time he hadn’t said anything to her. All he had done was simply sit down and watch her, listening to her as she argued with her own thoughts as far as what to set aside to have Lasagna pack and what should be placed in storage here at the castle.

It was scary in a way to know that a month ago he wouldn’t have felt comfortable enough to sit in Greta’s room for longer than a few minutes, long enough for Yuri to have read her a story, but no more. And yet now after just weeks, he was sitting here content for the moment to calmly observe his daughter have another of her fits. He idly wondered what time it was.
He could see rays of sunlight as they filtered in through the lacey drapes at the window. They caught the tiny smotes that danced in the air and turned them into mirrors, reflecting off of the bits of brightly colored glass that Greta had spread around her room. Little bottles and stoppers of cut crystal that caught the light and threw it back up into the room.
It was almost like a ballet of color that splashed and played around the room, dancing to the sound of the breeze as it gently sang through the open window.

He could hear the sounds outside from the bailey, a lulling background of life. The steps on the stones of the courtyard down below ringing like an added bell to the slight wind’s chorus. Wolfram felt the corners of his mouth kick up in a wry half-grin. “That would make Greta the star dancer in this play of music and light. I wonder if she even knows it’s being played?”

“Wolfram, are you okay?”

Wolfram quickly turned his head to see that Greta had stopped in her latest circuit of the room to look at him questioningly. “Yes. Yes I am fine Greta. Have you decided then, what you will be bringing with you this first time?”

Greta sighed and sank down to the floor sitting on her heels and knees. “That’s the biggest problem Wolfram!” A moment passed where she looked down to her hands and then back up to catch his eye. “I know that we’ve talked about this before. And I agree that leaving here is the best thing for us both right now, but I-I just don’t know.” Her voice cracked and she began again, “I can’t decide if I should bring just a little with me or if I should bring everything. I mean not everything, but-you know-more than just a little.” She finished and sent a pleading look to Wolfram hoping that he understood what she was trying to say.

Wolfram gave a short nod and then stood, “I see. I think I know what you mean Greta, you are not sure if you should bring only the necessities or if you should also bring the other things that are important to you; is that right?” he tried to ask the last part as gently as he could. He had begun to learn very quickly that when Greta upset herself with doubts, his normal tone of voice was not something she appreciated.

“Yes.” The small voice came out as little more than a whimper. Greta looked up again at where Wolfram stood. She got up with another small sigh and walked over to her bed to sit down. “It’s just that, Wolfram, I can’t decide from one minute to the next if I want to take all of my memories with me when we go. I know that there are some things I have to bring, but the others; I don’t know.”

“I look around me and I can see the first doll that Yuri brought me. And when I look at it all I can see is how he came straight from his horse and bent down and handed it to me. I see his face and his smile and I can almost hear his voice as he tells me about his first doll, the one his mama gave to him.” Greta looked away and balled up her hands into fists as she blindly hit at the covers of her bed. “And there are times when all I want to do is smash it. Or throw it out the window so I never see it again. But that’s the problem, don’t you see?”

Greta rose from the bed and swept across the room picking up the little red-haired doll from its spot on the bureau and turned once more to Wolfram. “Because there are other times when I’m down in the garden or past the kitchens and all I can think about is this stupid doll. And I know that I have to come back here, to check and make sure that she’s still here. That I haven’t really thrown her out the window or kicked her under the bed and broken her.”

Wolfram walked over to Greta and took the doll from her hands. “I think you should bring it all. We will be taking a coach. There is more than enough room for you to bring everything.” He handed the doll back to Greta and continued with a soft smile, “We may stay at Bleifield Castle for a while and you should make sure that you are not missing anything.”

Greta felt her brow wrinkle. “But then-if we have enough room for me to take everything why have you let me go on and on trying to figure out what to take and what to leave?” she asked.

Wolfram gave a short bark of laughter as he turned and walked towards the door. “You should probably get ready for dinner now Greta, it should be soon.”

“But Wolfram, why did-“

“Because,” Wolfram’s voice cut through Greta’s plea. “I wanted to see if you’d remember to bring the doll.”

**A/N**
First of all, thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to review. You three are the best! For the other 986 of you out there, PLEASE-PLEASE would you be so kind as to review? Not only would I really absolutly appreciate it but i think you would too. Heaven knows i don't like to read sloppy slap-shot drivel, and i'm guessing you probably don't either. So the more you review and let me know what works (sigh) or what doesn't then the better the next chapters will turn out to be. And really isn't that what we both want?

Second, yes Alicem i heard about season 3 and the 5 part OVA release (insert high-pitched squeel of rabid fan-girl excitement) and absolutely cannot wait!

Finally, thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to read (both this fiction thus far and my rant), hopefully you'll like what's coming up next. Dinner anyone? Also, I'm thinking maybe Yuri is feeling a little left out, we should probably check in on the wimp and make sure he hasn't driven Shori nuts yet.