Slipping Away

Part 1

Wolfram counted the footsteps as they came closer.  Only two guards this time - they knew he was too weak to resist.

The key rattled against the heavy lock, but he didn't move. Only days ago he would have dragged himself upright for the sake of his pride. Now even his pride wasn't strong enough to move him. A few more days with almost nothing to eat or drink and he probably wouldn't have the strength to keep conscious between beatings. He would welcome that.

The door scraped open and the torchlight from the hallway blinded him after hours in total darkness.  He blinked slowly against the moisture in his eyes and barely saw the feet of his tormentors.

"Up," one of the guards demanded, hauling Wolfram to his feet and shoving him at the other guard. They dragged the unresisting Mazoku to the Interrogation Room. Wolfram's mind supplied the more accurate description of "torture chamber."

They forced his hands up over his head, securing his wrists with heavy manacles.  

Wolfram barely stopped himself from crying out as his right shoulder was wrenched. He'd dislocated it when he'd been captured, and although his captors probably meant it as punishment, they'd popped it back into place during one of their interrogations.

Wolfram let his head drop, closing his eyes against the sight of the dried blood on the floor under his bare feet. He didn't want to think about how much of that blood was his.

The guards left and he was alone, a single torch cast ominous shadows over the implements of torture that lined the walls.

He wondered how many days had passed since he'd been ambushed while returning to his castle. Yuuri had returned to that other world and Wolfram had decided to use their time apart to tend to Bielefeld business. Safeguarding his fiancé took precedence over his other duties, but he still had a responsibility to those dependant on his family.

The Bielefeld castle and lands were well inside Mazoku territory, so he'd foolishly sent all but two of his soldiers on ahead. He wondered if they had survived or if they'd been killed immediately, like his escorts Hans and Karl.

He hoped, at least, that they hadn't suffered.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway and Wolfram took a deep breath while he mustered what little strength he had left. He wondered if this room would be the last thing he'd see.

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Both his legs were broken.

Wolfram lay in a heap, just as he had fallen when the guards threw him back into his little cell. The last of his uniform was in shreds and blood still seeped from the lashes across his back.

His vision was fading. Even in total darkness he could feel his eyes failing. He closed them and tried to think of nothing, especially not Yuuri. He would not taint his memories of his fiancé by thinking of him in this evil place.

Wolfram finally understood why he was here, at least. It wasn't a royal with designs on ruling the world as he'd suspected. No, his captor was something far worse -- a human weapons merchant intent on making a profit by starting a war. The merchant had learned of Wolfram's status as the Maou's fiancé and intended to use Wolfram as bait to lure Yuuri into a trap. He was going to torture and kill Wolfram, then make it appear as if a local ruler were to blame. He had spread rumors throughout human and Mazoku territories already, preparing to sell his weapons at considerable profit.

Wolfram squinted at the water dish with its scant mouthful of dirty water and licked his chapped, swollen lips. The dish was so far away and it offered so little, but he gathered his resolve and dragged his body towards it anyway. He would not be defeated. Not today.

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He would have begged for his own end if he had voice left to speak. Helpless, he curled tighter in on himself and tried to conserve warmth he no longer possessed.

The fourth bucket of icy water was emptied onto his shivering form before the guards left, one of them getting in a sharp kick on his way past.

Wolfram shivered uncontrollably even as he wiped droplets of the fluid from his skin and pressed them into his mouth.

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He was delirious by the time the fighting started.  He giggled when he heard a voice that sounded like Weller's and laughed outright when he started floating.  He closed his eyes against the bright light and wondered why his life hadn't passed before them.  He was vaguely disappointed that the end was so dull – he should have at least seen a vision of his loved ones.

Shouldn't he?

He wanted to call out his disappointment – demand a better finish, but he felt himself fading away.

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"Take him to Gisela," he commanded, passing his bundle carefully into Günter's arms. Blood streaked Conrad's clothes, but Günter barely noticed. He understood what was at stake.

"Keep Heika away as long as you can."

Conrad nodded and hurried in the opposite direction, back to his older brother and his king.

There were battles throughout the isolated keep, but many of the mercenaries had been defeated or fled into the woods. The fiercest battle raged near a well-protected storage building that housed a daunting variety of weapons.

Conrad joined Gwendal and Yuuri who were waiting with a small contingent of soldiers well away, but still in sight of the main battle.

"Wolfram's alive," Conrad reported before Yuuri could ask. He saw the king studying the bloodstains on Conrad's uniform and tried to offer reassurance.  "Günter has taken him to safety. Gisela will tend his wounds."

Yuuri wasn't distracted. He gestured to the bloodstains. "Are those Wolfram’s?"

"Heika…"

"Answer me, Conrad. I've been your king and your friend for three years. I deserve the truth."

"He is seriously injured, but he is alive."

"Did they hurt him? Deliberately?" Yuuri's eyes were hard, demanding. Nothing like the eyes of the trusting young king Conrad was used to. The soldier nodded once.

"Thank you for being honest," Yuuri said before spurring his horse into sudden motion. The others cried out, scrambling to follow, but the Maou was not to be stopped. He dodged a few skirmishes along the way, stopping only at the outer fringe of the main battle. Without dismounting, he narrowed his eyes and summoned his powers.

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The weapons merchant lay bloody and unconscious in the street, half-buried under a wooden construct that spelled "justice". The rest of his mercenaries were being dragged off by Conrad's soldiers.

Yuuri watched impassively while some of those soldiers started working to free the man who had kidnapped and tortured Wolfram.

He turned his horse away from the sight and demanded, "Take me to Wolfram."

Conrad nodded once, then urged his horse forward.  He resisted the need to look back at Yuuri, to make sure the Maou was still there. Yuuri needed a moment to collect himself, to recover from the insane rage that had nearly led him to kill a man.

They arrived at the house that Günter had comandeered.  Conrad waited for Yuuri to secure Ao, then followed him inside.

Günter met them just inside the door, ready to throw himself on his king. Yuuri stopped him with a look.  The young king crossed the floor to his fiancé's bedside, stopping behind Gisela so as not to interfere with her healing spell.

The vision of his broken, bloody fiancé nearly sent Yuuri into another rage. He could feel Conrad and Günter bracing themselves for it. Instead, Yuuri clamped down hard on his emotions and turned to Conrad.

"Would he be dead?" Yuuri asked in an oddly neutral tone, referring to the weapons merchant. He looked directly into Conrad's eyes and demanded the truth.  "If you hadn't stopped me?"

Conrad nodded, yes, and was surprised that Yuuri's expression didn't change.

"Remind me to thank you later," Yuuri said quietly before moving to the far side of Wolfram's bed and kneeling. He nodded to Gisela then closed his eyes, willing everything he had into a healing spell.

"Heika!" Günter protested, afraid that his king had already expended too much of his power.

"Let him be," Conrad spoke softly but forcefully, drawing Günter’s attention away from the king and his beloved. "He knows the risk."

Günter wanted desperately to protest, but he really couldn't. He knew Conrad had been at Yuuri's side since his arrival in this world and Conrad knew better than anyone what Wolfram meant to the young king.

"I've arranged somewhere safe for them to rest, and a carriage to transport them." Günter looked out the window, catching sight of a group of shackled prisoners being led away. "I expect you to keep him here while I do what I must."

Conrad nodded. Just because he didn't wish to see blood on his king's hands didn't mean that dirty jobs could be left undone.

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Yuuri blinked twice fighting off the remnants of sleep. He smiled at the feel of his fiancé beside him and snuggled closer. Yuuri's hand brushed unfamiliar cloth and he frowned. It took him a full twenty seconds to realize what the cloth meant.

"Wolfram!" Yuuri sat up quickly, almost losing his balance and falling onto his fiancé.

Wolfram smiled, reaching up to touch Yuuri's face. "I thought you were going to sleep forever."

Yuuri shook his head, shifting onto his knees so he could examine his lover's injuries. He didn't quite touch the skin mottled with bruises or the bandages that covered more serious wounds. "How are you?"

"Awake. Alive." Wolfram's voice betrayed how impossible that second fact seemed to be. "Tired of waiting for you to wake up."

"I'm so glad you're back." Yuuri was comforted by the irritated comment. He leaned down cautiously and kissed Wolfram softly on a less-bruised spot on his cheek. "Do you need anything?"

Wolfram snorted. "Don't you start! Gisela and Gunter have been in here every five minutes asking the same thing. You slept right through it."

"Sorry." Yuuri stifled a yawn, looked around and reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. "I should let you rest."

"You should get yourself right back here before you fall on your face. You used too much of your power yesterday."

"It was worth it," Yuuri assured him, returning to his place at Wolfram's side. He settled into the blankets with a happy sigh. "You're back. Everything will be okay now."

"Wonderful," Wolfram said sarcastically. "As long as I don't need to go anywhere."

"What?" Yuuri sat up, eyes taking in every bit of his fiancé's body.

"Both legs are broken. Gisela said the bones were shattered. She doesn't know if I'll walk again."

"But…" Yuuri started to protest, then stopped abruptly, a look of determination on his face. He sat cross-legged and held his hands over Wolfram's legs, eyes closed in concentration as he started the healing spell.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram objected. "You don't have enough energy for this."

"It's okay," Yuuri smiled. "I'll just use a little at a time until you're completely healed."

"It doesn't work that way," Wolfram argued. "Besides, I want to sleep. Gisela and Gunter kept me awake with all of their questions."

"Then sleep," Yuuri said quietly. "I'll be here."

"You'd better be," Wolfram warned before closing his eyes and falling almost instantly asleep.

Yuuri smiled at the familiar sight of his fiancé sleeping peacefully. He felt a bit sappy, but he'd been so afraid… Shaking his head, Yuuri returned his mind to the healing spell. After only a few minutes, he reluctantly stopped. He really had used up most of his energy reserves the previous day. He barely had the strength to climb out of bed. Maybe some breakfast would help.

"Heika." Conrad greeted Yuuri enthusiastically, not quite able to hide his look of concern. "Come sit while I get you something to eat."

Gisela was already there with a bowl of soup and mug of tea. She added a thick slice of bread and some fruit. "Eat as much as you can," she urged. "You'll feel better."

Yuuri nodded and opened his mouth to thank her.

"Eat now, talk later," she chided. She turned and left the room before Yuuri could object.

Conrad hid his amusement behind a sip of hot tea.

Yuuri shrugged and took a bite of soup, suddenly ravenous. He had finished everything, including a second slice of bread, when Gisela returned. She cleared the dishes away, then returned with a pot of tea, refilling everyone's mug before taking a seat.

"Now will you tell me what's going on?" Yuuri looked at the two adults across from him and prompted, "Wolfram's legs?"

"There are limits to healing spells," Gisela reminded him. "Wolfram's legs were broken in several places, and the breaks were not clean. With time he should regain some of his mobility…" She hesitated but Yuuri waited for her to finish. "There is a very small probability that he will walk again, unaided."

"So… possible but not likely," Yuuri said, more to himself than the others. Gisela nodded anyway.

"What about his other injuries?"

"The wounds on his back were shallow but there was some infection. That's under control and there should be no problems or scarring. His shoulder requires time, but it will heal completely as well, as long as he uses it as little as possible for the next few weeks. The lacerations and contusions are minor. I set his broken ribs. There doesn't seem to be any other… internal trauma."

She gave Yuuri a significant look, but it was Conrad who asked. "He wasn't…"

"Apparently not. But…" She cautioned Yuuri with an almost smile, "I'd wait to… celebrate… your reunion until those ribs and shoulder heal."

Yuuri looked confused for a minute, then blushed when he deciphered her meaning. The fact that he and Wolfram had been lovers for several months didn't make those kinds of comments any less embarrassing.

"Heika," Conrad interrupted Yuuri's thoughts. "Duke Clairmont would like to meet with you this afternoon to discuss the prisoners."

Yuuri nodded agreement. The Duke was ruler of this province and he and Yuuri had exchanged communiqués but had not met.

"The Duke would like to take responsibility for the criminals. He has had other complaints about the weapons merchant and some of his men. He will see that they receive proper punishment."

Yuuri nodded, suddenly unable to meet Conrad's eyes.  He remembered all too clearly how close he had come to killing the man who had kidnapped and tortured Wolfram. It had gone beyond the desire for justice. He had known that and still not wanted to stop. But now…

"If you don't mind, I'm going to rest a little. Just wake me up early so that I can get cleaned up before we meet the Duke." Yuuri left the table quickly, not wanting to give Conrad or Gisela time to ask any questions.

He slipped into the bedroom and closed the door quietly, thankful that Wolfram was asleep. Yuuri needed time to think, to understand what had happened and to find a way to make sure he never lost control like that again.

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"How is he?"

Yuuri offered Conrad a tired smile and turned to look out at the ocean. The meeting with Duke Clairmont had gone well. So well that the man had insisted they use his personal ship to travel home. Wolfram hadn't been happy, but in his condition it was the fastest way to transport him home.

"Gisela is with him. She gave him something to calm his stomach and help him sleep." Yuuri grimaced. "How many days will it take to get home?"

"Three if the weather is with us."

Yuuri leaned against the rail and rested his head on his arms. "Do you think he'll walk again?" He spoke so quietly Conrad barely heard the question.

"Wolfram has never lacked determination."

Yuuri laughed at that. "You're right." He met Conrad's gaze. "I probably shouldn't worry so much. He'll have all the help he needs to get better. He'll be calling me 'wimp' again in no time."

"He doesn't do that as often as he used to," Conrad observed.

"I guess. It's more like a term of affection. Somehow I can't see Wolfram calling anyone 'honey' or 'baby'." Yuuri made a face. "I'd rather be called a wimp."

"I'll remember that," Conrad promised, laughing at Yuuri's expression. "Let's walk a little before you go back to your cabin."

They made a slow circuit of the deck in companionable silence. It was mid-afternoon and the sky was bright blue with few clouds.

"You owe me a baseball game when we get back." Yuuri grinned at Conrad. "We missed our game last week."

"We did," Conrad agreed. "We'll have to make it up." He reached out and placed a hand on Yuuri's shoulder.  "Yuuri, you have nothing to feel guilty about. You were in an extreme circumstance. You did not lose control."

"I could have," Yuuri replied, eyes haunted. "It would have been so easy to pile on a few more boards, to add a little more pressure. I would have crushed him to death and been happy about it."

"No!" Conrad protested. "You stopped. You did not harm that man, Yuuri. He suffered nothing worse than cuts and bruises – certainly nothing like the harm he inflicted on Wolfram. You have far more control and more mercy than I.  I would have cut him in half."

Yuuri blinked at the sudden flash of – hatred – in Conrad's eyes. There was a terrifying coldness to the man when he got like this. Yuuri had only seen it once before, but it had frightened him beyond words.

Silence hung between them, stiff and uncomfortable, until Conrad blinked and became himself again. Yuuri let out the breath he was holding.

"Shall we go relieve Gisela?" Conrad asked calmly.  "She might appreciate some fresh air."

Yuuri nodded, relaxing again, but still very aware of the moment that had just passed. He desperately hoped he never saw that look on Conrad's face again.

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They were home. Back in Blood Pledge Castle. Back in their own room. Yuuri dropped onto the bed beside Wolfram and stretched out his arms.

"Don't you have to be somewhere? Günter must have papers for you to sign or something." Wolfram shifted uncomfortably and turned away from Yuuri as well as he could with the casts on his legs.

"Nope. He's in a meeting with Gwendal and Conrad's in town, so I get to spend some time with you."

"Yay," Wolfram muttered, unenthused.

"Hey, I thought we could get that cart Conrad brought and go somewhere. Gwendal made a blanket for it and everything. You don't have to worry about getting bounced around too much."

Wolfram hated the very idea of the cart – a modified wooden produce vendor's wagon with big wheels that could be pulled along by person or horse. Padding had been added and the back built up for comfort, but the mere fact that he needed it to get around made Wolfram detest it.

"You go. I'll be here when you get back."

Yuuri started to argue, then stopped. They'd replayed this conversation many times since returning home. It was time to try something else.

"I'll go get us a snack," Yuuri offered. Wolfram made a sound and turned away.

"Don't hurry back," he said, but it was mostly muffled by his pillow.

"I'll bring something good," Yuuri promised, leaning down to kiss Wolfram's ear. The blond liked that.  "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Wolfram closed his eyes and listened to Yuuri walk away.

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He waited until they had an audience of his brothers, Günter and a variety of servants before formally terminating their engagement. Wolfram watched without expression as understanding dawned on Yuuri's face. He knew his fiancé well enough to almost read his thoughts. He saw Yuuri's hand raise a little, as if to repeat his marriage proposal, but then Yuuri hesitated, clearly unwilling to strike Wolfram.

Just as Wolfram planned.

Painfully, Wolfram turned his wheeled chair around and moved slowly out of the room.

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For the first time since becoming Maou, Yuuri didn't care what happened to the country or the people around him. There was only one person who mattered and Wolfram refused to talk to him.

"Heika!" Günter scolded loudly. "We're leaving in an hour. You need to get ready."

"No."

Günter stopped, mouth agape and stared. "Heika."

"Gwendal can handle it. Or Conrad. You don't need me there."

"But Heika?" Günter's eyebrows were almost to his hairline. "One of our border towns has been attacked.  We need to stop the attackers and bring aid to the citizens. You always…"

"Not this time." Yuuri stood up and walked out, ignoring Günter’s wails of protest. Yuuri kept walking, past Wolfram's room with its' pair of guards stationed outside. Wolfram's personal guards who refused to allow Yuuri inside.

Defeated, Yuuri climbed up to the small room at the top of the north tower. This was his and Wolfram's favorite hiding place on rainy days. They'd smuggle a picnic and blankets up here and play cards, read or talk – anything to let them escape for a little while.

Some of the old blankets were still there, a bit dusty but not too bad. Yuuri wrapped himself up in one and lay back, looking up through one of the high windows to the cloudy sky.

If he concentrated hard, maybe he could pretend that Wolfram was with him, sharing a peaceful afternoon.

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"I suppose you know what you're doing." Murata leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and expression calm.

Yuuri knew better than to believe the act for a minute. The Great Sage was not happy and he was going to make sure Yuuri knew it.

"I'm not neglecting my responsibilities as Maou if that's what you're suggesting." Yuuri was exhausted and frustrated and so many other things he couldn't even name them all. And none of them would fix the real problem.

"You think sending subordinates to do your job is not neglecting your responsibilities?"

"I know it's not," Yuuri responded tersely. "It's not expected or reasonable for the Maou to directly intervene in every conflict. I'm here tending to my duties, just as I should be."

Murata studied Yuuri before offering a smile. "Quite a change from your usual insistence on being in the middle of things."

"I am in the middle of things, Murata." Yuuri slumped into a seat behind the desk where towering piles of paperwork awaited his signature. "Everything but the most important one."

"I talked to Wolfram this morning." Murata pushed off from the doorway and crossed the room, motioning for Yuuri to stay seated. The Maou had leapt to his feet at the mention of his fiance. "He wants to return to his family home, but Gisela doesn't want him to travel just yet."

"His legs?" All the hope Yuuri possessed was put into that one question. It pained Murata to disappoint.

"Not much better. But..." Murata dropped into a chair across from Yuuri as if he were suddenly weary.  "Gisela tells me that he's not cooperating. He just lies in bed all day, refusing to do any of the exercises. She's afraid that if he doesn't start making an effort soon, whatever chance he has of regaining mobility will be lost."

"He refuses to even see me." Yuuri looked and sounded as if he were seconds away from tears. "How can I help him?"

"You are the Maou, aren't you? And you're his fiance.  It doesn't matter how loyal his guards are to Wolfram, they are still under your command."

"So I bully my way in. Wolfram will love that."

"Only as a last resort. Have you considered asking them nicely first?"

Yuuri rolled his eyes. Sometimes Murata drove him crazy.

But... Yuuri stood up, determined to see Wolfram immediately.

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"Go away!" Wolfram threw a pillow for emphasis, then shifted sideways, turning his face away from the doorway and Yuuri.

"I wanted to see you." Yuuri spoke softly, almost as if trying to calm a wild animal. He crossed the room at a moderate pace, taking in the vision of his fiance. He was not pleased by what he saw.

"Aren't you eating?" Yuuri noticed the untouched breakfast tray on the nightstand and the pallor of his lover's skin. As thin as he was normally, Wolfram seemed to have lost weight, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

Yuuri perched cautiously on the side of the bed, resting a hand on top of Wolfram's. He was surprised that Wolfram didn't pull away.

"Why did you come here?" Wolfram asked, voice breaking. "I don't want you to see... this."

"There's nothing wrong with what I'm seeing. Nothing that some food and rest wouldn't fix anyway. Besides," Yuuri shifted more onto the bed so he could lay down beside Wolfram and take the Mazoku into his arms.  "I've been worried about you."

Wolfram resisted Yuuri's embrace at first, then slowly relaxed into the familiar warmth. It felt so good that he started to drift off to sleep. He didn't feel Yuuri's gentle kiss, or the tears that dropped onto his cheek.

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"You have to tell him," Conrad repeated, his voice rising with anger. "He is the Maou. We can not treat him like a child."

"You know what happened, Conrad. Heika almost killed this man. If he finds out the criminal escaped..." Gunter's eyes darkened and he was no longer the Maou's fawning advisor; he was a soldier and he knew how to kill. If the weapons merchant who had tortured Wolfram were in the room now, he would quickly become a corpse.

"A known criminal is free. This man has already caused harm to the Maou's fiance. He will not be given another chance to harm our king." Gunter placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I will lead the search personally. You may tell Heika after I have gone." Gunter turned and left the room, back straight and footsteps silent.

Conrad waited until Gunter was out of sight before reaching for the parchment that carried such ill tidings. Conrad could be ruthless, but even he feared Gunter when he was like this.

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Yuuri leaned against the windowsill and stared out into the garden. Wolfram was asleep but Yuuri's thoughts were too chaotic to let him relax.

He heard Wolfram mumble something that might have been 'wimp' and smiled. He had missed that, oddly enough.

At least Wolfram hadn't kicked him out of the room yet. Yuuri didn't care that Wolfram's bed was smaller than the one they usually shared. It didn't matter that his lover still barely talked to him. He was able to see him, to touch him. Yuuri needed that right now.

He could still picture Conrad's face when he brought the news. It was almost as if Conrad was afraid Yuuri would break. Or maybe he was afraid Yuuri would want to go off and hunt the criminal down. Yuuri certainly had more than one murderous thought about it. But...

Conrad had seen what Yuuri had done to the man who had hurt Wolfram, he knew how close Yuuri had come to committing murder. Conrad had reason to worry.

Yuuri turned towards the bed, taking in the sight of his bed-ridden lover. Wolfram was eating and sleeping again, at least, but he still refused to get out of bed. Gisela had been clear that the longer Wolfram stayed in bed, the lower his chances for recovery.

Yuuri couldn't imagine never riding horseback with Wolfram again, never playing baseball with him, never taking walks through the garden, or town or even traveling on a ship with him - despite Wolfram's weak stomach. They might not be officially engaged at the moment, but they were still lovers, and Yuuri wasn't going to give up. And he wasn't going to let fear of that criminal, or of his own rage interfere.

He'd talk to Conrad in the morning, tell him to send word to Gunter and the other search parties that the criminal was to be captured alive and brought in for judgment. Yuuri had made a mistake before, by letting his emotions get the better of him, but he would prove to everyone, including himself, that he was worthy of the title of Maou.

Resolved, Yuuri slid into bed beside Wolfram. He started the healing spell just as he did every night since returning to Wolfram's bed. He didn't know what good it would do, but he continued anyway, spending time each night reassembling the shards of leg bone and willing them back together. Exhausted, he finally fell asleep, Wolfram pressed against his side.

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"I said no." Wolfram had his arms crossed against his chest. With his hair sleep-rumpled and his nightgown sliding off one shoulder he looked about eight. Yuuri bit his lip to keep from laughing at the sight - it certainly wouldn't improve Wolfram's mood.

"It's just to the garden. You promised to help me identify more flowers."

"Get a book," Wolfram grumped, throwing himself back onto his pillow.

Yuuri started to argue, then changed his mind. He threw himself onto the bed and rolled his upper body so that he was pinning Wolfram down. Ignoring the hands that tried to push him away, Yuuri pressed his lips hard against Wolfram's. Yuuri let his tongue dance across Wolfram's lips, tickling and teasing until those lips yielded. The hands that were pushing Yuuri away started pulling him closer, the slim body pressing up against Yuuri's.

Hands fell into familiar patterns as they explored. It had been so long it was like rediscovering something almost lost. Wolfram's ribs and shoulder were healed, but Yuuri was as mindful of them as of Wolfram's legs.

It was a little awkward but their bodies knew what was needed better than their brains and they were both sated and content when they drifted off to sleep.

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"Wolfram!" Conrad's face lit up with joy when he saw his brother riding down the hall in his wheelchair.  "It's good to see you out of your room."

"Isn't it great?" Yuuri enthused. "We're headed for a bath. Gisela took the casts off this morning and she's going to fit the braces after lunch. If everything goes well, we'll be out in the garden later."

Wolfram made a grumpy sound. "Don't talk over me like I'm not here."

"Conrad..." Yuuri smiled a little sheepishly. "Gisela said that it would be okay for Wolfram to ride his horse later this week, after he gets used to the braces, but I'm not that great on a horse..."

"Would you like me to go riding with you?"

"Would you? I wanted to take Wolfram to the baseball field and show him the changes we made. We could use the cart but..." Yuuri shrugged while Wolfram made a disgusted noise.

"Just let me know when you want to go. We could take a picnic."

"Thanks Conrad!" Yuuri said happily while Wolfram continued to grumble about people running his life.  Yuuri happily ignored him as they proceeded to the bath.

Conrad watched them go, shaking his head and smiling.

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"I didn't want to say anything until I was sure, but..." Gisela looked up at Wolfram with the hint of tears in her eyes. "This leg has completely healed and the other..." She wiped away the tears quickly and looked a little embarrassed. "This is far better than I ever expected, Wolfram. Your right leg will be weaker than the left, and you should probably wear the brace when walking for extended periods, but I don't see any reason that you can't be fully mobile again as long as you take reasonable precautions." She gave Wolfram a look that indicated how serious she was.

"You've been very, very lucky this time. Don't take chances. And don't forget that the Maou has many soldiers, but only one fiancé."

Wolfram snorted. He'd had quite enough advice. Even Gwendal had stopped in to lecture him. He did thank Gisela before she left, but there was still a frown on his face.

"She's not asking you to give up being a soldier, you know." Yuuri smiled faintly, approaching Wolfram with caution. "No one is asking you to give up everything you know." There was a hint of sadness in Yuuri's voice that got Wolfram's attention.

"No. Not like we expected of you." They'd had a few conversations about Yuuri's other world, but Wolfram had never liked thinking about Yuuri having a life that Wolfram couldn't be part of. Now he wondered how hard it was for Yuuri always being divided between his old world and this new one.

"I was thinking..." Yuuri changed the subject with a smile. "As Maou, I'm still pretty bad at protocol. All those ceremonies..." Yuuri shuddered remembering one particular mistake that had had the entire staff wearing fishtail hats and dancing in a conga line.

"Gwendal did forgive you for the hat. Eventually."  Wolfram laughed at the memory of his oldest brother dancing. "You are pretty hopeless, though."

"You do know that the Maou's consort can take over most of those duties. Gunter told me they don't even have to be married - just engaged. Of course, I don't have a fiancé at the moment..."

"Come over here and you will have," Wolfram promised - or threatened. "No one else could keep a cheater like you in line."

"Really?" Yuuri crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Come prove it."

Wolfram stood, wavering a moment, then walked carefully forward without braces or crutches. He raised his hand, then lowered it again. Using Yuuri for balance, Wolfram knelt and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a velvet pouch and held it up awkwardly, color tinting his cheeks pink. "Here. Conrad told me this is how they propose in that other world. So you're my fiancé again, right?"

Yuuri opened the pouch and took out the two plain gold bands. He knelt down facing Wolfram and handed him one of the rings. "You have to put it on my finger." He held out his hand for Wolfram to place the ring. "The second one is for you?"

"So everyone will know you're mine." Wolfram held out his hand and smiled as Yuuri slid the ring into place.  They exchanged a kiss and Yuuri helped Wolfram to his feet, keeping an arm around him as they moved back to the bed.

"Aren't we going to tell someone?" Wolfram asked.

"Later," Yuuri assured him before leaning in for another kiss.

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Gunter dragged the man into the throne room, heedless of the heavy shackles that hindered the criminal's movements. He jerked the man to a halt well away from the throne, and Yuuri, and pressed him down to his knees.

"I, Gunter, advisor to the great Maou, bring before you the human criminal, Ivor Jorgenson. He has been charged with the murder of two Bielefeld soldiers and with the kidnapping and torture of Wolfram von Bielefeld.  He has been convicted of these crimes along with the crime of dealing illegal weapons and inciting unrest. He was sentenced to life-imprisonment in the Elrania mines.  He escaped and entered Mazoku territory with criminal intent. He awaits judgment from the great Maou."

Yuuri studied the man before him, acutely aware of Wolfram at his side and Conrad behind him in the shadows. Wolfram was struggling to remain impassive in the face of the man who tortured him.

Taking a deep breath, Yuuri stood, moving several steps closer to the criminal, yet still maintaining a safe distance. The man was looking, no, glaring up at Yuuri with an expression of contempt. There was no sign of contrition.

"Ivor Jorgenson, given the gravity of your crimes and the clear evidence that you have no regret or remorse for those crimes, I have no choice but to sentence you. Because greed was the motivation for your actions, your punishment is this: You will be taken out to sea, three days from any coast. There you will be given a rowboat with no oars, and a choice of either a knapsack full of food and water or a knapsack full of gold. If you choose wisely and survive to return to shore, you will be forever banned from Mazoku territory. If you violate that ban, you will be killed. There will be no appeal for this sentence."

Yuuri took the signed, sealed copy of his judgment from Wolfram and held it up. "The criminal is dismissed. Judgment is to be carried out immediately."

Yuuri took Wolfram's hand, lending him strength and support as they watched four of Conrad's soldiers take the criminal away. Gunter approached and took the document.

"Heika..."

"I'm made my decision," Yuuri said firmly, stopping whatever Gunter might have said. He appreciated Gunter and the others for all of their help, especially when he first became the Maou, but Yuuri had learned from them and his own experience. This time especially, he had to be strong - for his sake as well a Wolfram's. He could not rely on his advisors forever.

Gunter closed his mouth on whatever he'd intended to say. He nodded, smiling faintly and looking every bit the proud parent.

"As you wish, Heika. Conrad and I will make sure the judgment is carried out exactly as ordered. Gwendal will be back in the morning to assist you in our absence."

Yuuri nodded his thanks, to both Gunter and Conrad, then took Wolfram's hand and led him from the room.  They deserved a little private time.

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"Do you think he'll take the gold?" Wolfram asked much later when they were relaxing together in the bath. He was idly toying with Yuuri's hair and frowning.

"What would you want him to take?" Yuuri shifted to see Wolfram's face. He was still a little worried about Wolfram's reaction - or lack of reaction - to his judgment of the criminal.

"He's smart, but greedy. The question is: will his intellect win over his greed." Wolfram frowned, considering before answering Yuuri's question. "I'm not like you, Yuuri. I don't forgive so easily, or forget when wrong's been done. I hope greed wins and he never makes it back to shore."

Yuuri nodded, expression neutral and let Wolfram hold him closer. He didn't offer his own opinion because he still wasn't sure which he preferred. Once, he could have wished only good, even for someone like Jorgenson. But now... things weren't black and white any more.

"You're thinking too hard," Wolfram scolded with a tender kiss on Yuuri's forehead. "You gave him a chance - something he didn't deserve. His fate is his own choosing."

Yuuri wondered if that were true - if fate really was something one could choose. Or, was it something that happened to you. He looked up at his lover thinking how impossible their relationship had seemed a few short years ago. Maybe it wasn't fate at all, maybe it was all just happenstance. Or luck. Whatever it was, Yuuri was thankful for it.

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