To Turn the Other Cheek
part eighteenYuri stood anxiously in Frederick’s office, looking at the books stacked on the shelves along the walls. It probably served as the library as well, judging by the comfortable looking armchair tucked in the corner by the window where plenty of sunlight could illuminate the passages on the page. Most of the spines read various subject on plants, which didn’t surprised Yuri in the slightest, as their host had already professed to a green thumb. Like most rooms in the manor, the walls were painted with a nice warm color. Here the walls had a delightful orange glow while the bookshelves were untouched and retained their sturdy wood shades from ebony to beige. It was like standing next to a fire and watching the flames dance as they consumed the logs. Despite the comfortable look of the room, though, the atmosphere was anxious and grim.
Judging by the tension the human noble held in his shoulders, this was not to be a gentlemanly chat about the weather or foreign policy. Yuri hoped Wolfram had had a chance to sit him down and explain certain things, but the hour was far earlier than probably allowed for that. The king could scarcely claim more than two hours sleep himself and, knowing his friend, Wolfram was probably still dead asleep in his bed with his mouth wide open and his blankets thrown across the room. In fact, the only other person Yuri could recall seeing awake, other than the servants, had been Conrad who was engaged in a rather cheerful conversation with an orange haired maid.
“I want you and your companions to leave here.”
Yuri’s attention focused back on the present, a little taken back by the forcefulness in the other man’s tone. “Already?”
Frederick leveled an icy stare at Yuri from behind his desk. “Immediately.”
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong and Yuri only wished he could put his finger on it. “Sir, I think there has been some sort of misunderstanding. I’ll gladly sit and discuss whatever is bothering you. It’s not my intention to be rude and it...means a lot to me that you like me. For Emily’s sake at least.”
Frederick shook his head. “For Emily’s sake? Did you have Emily in mind when you went to visit your ex-lover in her room last night?”
“My...?” he left a hard blush stain his cheeks. “That...that’s not exactly what it may seem to be. If you’ll let me explain I can--”
“You entered Miss Jennifer’s suite at two, unchaperoned, and did not leave till half past three.” Frederick took up his quill and began to scribe quickly as he spoke. “Miss Jennifer is obviously an alias. The Lady, however, is a noble and the child she carries is that of a mazoku. That she would arrive here, at the home of one of your female suitors, and that you should arrive to take her the rest of the way speaks of conspiracy. This is Shin Makoku’s ploy at covering up the trail of bastard children their king leaves in his wake.”
Yuri’s jaw hung open.
“My sister’s attendant saw you last night and through unfortunate misguidance informed my sister of your infidelity at that hour. I have spent my time since comforting her in the wake and she will not suffer the sight of you. She desires no further contact with you in the future and I will not allow you to leave here with the Lady just so you can keep quiet your lecherous acts.” Frederick stopped his quill and held out the parchment to the mazoku king. “This is an agreement urging you to leave at once. It guarantees my silence so long as you do so and make no further attempts to collect the Lady from my home. This time only am I willing to hold my tongue, though for her honor, not yours. I can only imagine what empty promises you whispered in her ears to her to trick her into your bed.”
“Frederick!” Yuri’s tongue finally obeyed him again, having been stunned to silence. “No, you’ve got everything wrong. There’s nothing like that going on. I’ve never slept with a woman!”
“I see the way your face burns red at them mention of your immoral actions against Miss Jennifer.”
“That’s because...Miss Jennifer is...she isn’t a girl. Or a woman or whatever you think I’m trying to get around. She’s not female.” Yuri swelled hard and hoped Wolfram would forgive him for this. “She’s a he. A guy. His name’s Wolfram Von Bielefeld. He’s my...ex-fiancé. Last night I wanted to talk to him because I thought you were mad at me about something.”
Frederick’s face looked shocked. It was now his turn to be silenced as pieces of the puzzle came together.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t know why he’s here like this. I mean...he said it was to make sure that everything here was safe for when we came, but...I don’t like spying on people and when I get back to my home, I’ll be sure to have a very long talk with my advisors about this.” He looked at the human with a pleading expression. “Please forgive them for being distrustful and me for going along with the charade after learning of it. I should have put an end to it last night at dinner. I have only the most honest intentions with your sister and will spend as long as it takes to prove that to you.”
Yuri waited for a response, but even as he spoke, Frederick had risen from his chair and began crossing to the exit. Halfway across the room he was at a jog and as soon as he passed through the doorway he was at a full run out and to the stairway leading to the yellow hall.
Where was he going in such a hurry? Yuri watched him run, walking slowly behind him in case he was only to return with a sword and the mad dash would be away from him rather than towards. But no, he was simply running away. Did it upset him to know he was wrong? The king shook his head and leaned against the wall, feeling drained already. What did Wolfram really see in the guy?
Wolfram!
Yuri took off up the stairs as well, two at a time to hasten his way. Oh god, what if Frederick was pissed off at him? Would he challenge Wolfram to a duel? Maybe he’d just strangle him in his sleep for pretending to be a woman and letting him kiss him. Wolfram was in danger, he could feel it. In the hallway, the door to Wolfram’s bedroom was open. Yuri grabbed hold of the doorframe to catch his breath but found it lost again for a different reason.
Wolfram still lay in the bed, his nightgown ridding up to his thighs with the blankets kicked down to the end of the mattress. Frederick loomed over him with his arms wrapped around his chest. They were...kissing.
“Frederick?” Wolfram’s voice was surprised but hushed.
“I know. It doesn’t matter to me. I love the strength of your heart and your fiery personality. It makes no difference to me if you’re a man or a woman. I love you.”
They kissed again.
Yuri felt himself being pulled away from the door but hesitated to avert his eyes and see who it was that had grabbed him. Conrad stood behind him alongside the orange haired maid.
“We should give them some privacy, Yuri.”
“Why, what are they going to do?” Yuri looked back into the room but the maid was already closing the door between them. “No, wait!”
“Shouldn’t you be more worried about your girlfriend, your majesty?” the maid asked. “I hear she’s been crying since early this morning.”
“Yozak!” Yuri growled. ”Open that door!”
Yozak shrugged his shoulders. “I really don’t think it’s your place to interfere. Like I said, the girl’s been crying. Wolfram isn’t.”
“Yuri.” Conrad pulled him closer, though the king hated every inch he lost from the white door. “It is perhaps time we tell Gunter to have our people reassemble. I don’t think we are welcome here any more. This is a good time to prepare for departure before anyone acts on rash emotions rather than reason.”
“I won’t leave without Wolfram,” he stated firmly.
Conrad closed his eyes for a moment then looked sadly at his king. “If you order him to return, he must. However, if even then he decided not to, he will be considered a traitor to the crown and exiled from Shin Makoku. These lands are still outside our borders. He could stay here even against your will and there would be nothing you could do. He would not be allowed to go home or see Greta ever again, though, as catering to his will on the matter would be against our laws.” He pulled him away from the door more, beginning to escort him to his quarters to pack. “If you force him to leave with us, we may lose him forever. So I ask that you think hard on that before you make any more quick decisions.
Yuri looked over his shoulder at the closed door to Wolfram’s room and nodded solemnly, feeling dead inside.