Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten ❯ Song of Memory ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Kyou Kara Maou does not belong to me and I make no money from this work of fanfiction at all. The song comes from Tsubasa Chronicle, but I was never able to find the name of it. It’s Sakura’s Song, and that’s all I can think to call it. If you’ve seen the fan subs, you’ll know the one I’m talking about, when she’s in the café and singing. However, as I got the lyrics from the fan sub itself, I can’t verify how genuine it is in translation. Please, bear with me.

Pairings: Wolfram and Yuuri, others mentioned.

A/N: I may have had Wolfram and Conrad make up too easily, but I wanted them too, and I have my own pet ideas of why he hates his brother so much. And, once again: written for shit and giggles. I probably should try to write something more original but I want some wish fulfillment in getting those two together… And thank you for the reviews… but please make them a bit more coherent?

I’ve always thought Yuuri had a crush on Conrad. He may not even realize it, because its half hero worship, and probably a quarter influenced by Julia’s spirit. Though their relationship is never quite cleared up for me; it seems she does feel something for Aldebert, maybe even more romantic than what she felt for Conrad, which could be a deep bond of friendship.

Spoilers: The entire first season.

Yuuri pondered, considered and thought, as he tried to understand yet the latest curve ball that life had thrown at him.

It was the latest in a series, of course. Being flushed down a toilet seemed to have been the first, but almost as soon afterwards he’d met his own personal hero and the one who’d given him his name (and part of his childhood torment).

Somehow afterwards he’d gotten a beautiful brat for a fiancé. Later he’d acquired a daughter. Yuuri seemed to be making a family for himself, whether he liked it or not.

Then…

Looking up from his paperwork, he realized his daughter had come for a visit.

“Hello, Greta!” he said, smiling brightly at the little girl. She had finally left her room, even if she was still clutching her species-indeterminate plush toy. Her eyes were red rimmed.

“Did Wolfram recognize Yuuri?” she asked, going over to one of his chairs and perching on the edge, her little feet swinging.

“No, he didn’t.” She deflated, and Yuuri hastened to reassure her. “It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love you.” He moved out from behind his desk. “You can be his friend even if he doesn’t remember you- and I’m sure once he gets to know you, you two can be great friends again.”

She hugged her toy harder. “But it won’t ever be the same again, ever. You don’t sleep in the same room so I can’t come in and jump on your bed to wake you up and he’s not my other daddy anymore.”

Yuuri swallowed, and then reached over to ruffle her hair. “Don’t worry. We’ll fix things, somehow. Wolfram won’t stop loving you just because his memories are gone- you just have to meet him again.”

“Really?” Greta’s eyes filled with hope. “I can have my two daddies again?”

“It may take a little while, and things may not be exactly the same, but there’s no reason for you not to.”

Greta walked over, and Yuuri stood up and knelt to give her a hug. “I’m sure that things will be all right.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~  

Later, as Yuuri wandered down the halls towards the dining room, he thought about what he’d said to Greta, and wondered at the truth of it.

Wolfram’s personality was still the same, even if he was acting very subdued. It was like the fire that had been his element was smothered, maybe even extinguished.

Internally he rebelled at that thought.

“How are you feeling, Heika?”

Looking up, he noticed that Conrad was walking along side him. There was a moment of silence, before he took a deep breath.

“I’m very confused.”

He exhaled, looking up at the man who was most definitely his hero. It had not really occurred to him that what he felt could be even remotely romantic until then…

Okay, Conrad was handsome. He was all clean lines and stoic attitude, but his eyes were always soft when they looked at Yuuri. He understood Yuuri’s world and was a desperately needed bridge between the two. Conrad was devoted to him whole heartedly.

A blush stained his cheeks when he realized he was seriously contemplating another man.

He wasn’t as pretty as Wolfram.

“GAH!”

“Heika?” Conrad was treated to the amazing sight of his King attempting to beat the thoughts out of his head with the palm of his hand.

Conrad always made him feel warm…

“I’m okay, Conrad,” he said sheepishly. “Just thinking, and damn it hurts.”

Conrad’s smile was uncertain. “I understand if Wolfram’s actions have you unsure of yourself…” He looked off into the middle distance. “Having someone declare they love you unquestionably like that is… unsettling.”

“Huh?” Yuuri followed Conrad as he started back down the hall. For once, the soldier was not forthcoming.

“It is not something I want to bring up right now,” he sighed, oddly put out. Yuuri wanted to fume. Conrad was absolutely wonderful- except for his sense of humor and when he decided he had to protect Yuuri at the worst times.

Then he wondered if he was anything but someone to be protected to him. He certainly wouldn’t argue or fight back the way Wolfram did… To him, Yuuri was a child to either be indulged or protected.

Yuuri fumed a little more, and then sighed as they headed on to supper, his eyes once again gracing Conrad’s form.

He seriously couldn’t be considering this, could he? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~  

Wolfram had managed to get a new jacket in time for dinner that night, and now dressed in midnight blue and snowy lace, wound his way to the dining room.

He half wondered if he should be there. Granted, from what he was hearing, this new king was ‘unique’…

Wimp!

He shook his head to clear away that thought.

Something had been missing from his day, and on top of that, people were walking on eggshells around him.

Not to mention that crack to the head. Pieces of time kept disappearing from his memory.

Opening the door to the dining room, he bowed. “I apologize for being late. I had to retrieve my coat from the palace tailors.”

The conversation halted as soon as he had entered, and he again wondered why people seemed to be keeping something from him. It was as if there was a castle wide conspiracy…

It could be that some if his illness lingered. If it wasn’t for his inherently stubborn nature, he would have given in to that explanation. Yet the feeling of emptiness remained.

“Wolfram,” his mother said, standing up from her seat and rushing over. He was abruptly reacquainted with his mother’s bosom, and nearly smothered.

“Please, mother!”

“Oh, my little Wolfy!” She trilled, and Wolfram felt himself turn red in embarrassment then blue from lack of air. “I’m so glad to see you all right! I had heard what had happened and I was so afraid for you! Are you feeling better? Oh, my little baby!”

Wolfram dropped his arms, feeling his knees start to wobble, when he was let go.

“But come! You’re doing fine and we’re trying to decide how to celebrate!”

“Mother, please-“

“Mother, I think Wolfram would prefer to leave it in the past,” Gwendal said softly, absently swirling his wine in his glass. Wolfram looked at his brother and nodded absently, rubbing his head.

“I don’t remember any of it, so- why should I be honored? I wasn’t wounded, scarred, nor did anything brave…” He heard himself say. When he looked up, everyone was silent in a way that made him extremely uncomfortable.

The Ma- Yuuri was looking away in such a painfully obvious manner he might as well have stared. The little girl to his left sniffled, and Conrad’s eyes were flat. Gunter had a fake smile plastered over his face while Gwendal gained new wrinkles.

“What did I say? I’m all right, aren’t I? I’m just… I can’t call fire anymore but, if Oniisama can live without Maryoku, so can I.”

The silence this time was different- Gwendal had stiffened, but the wrinkles had disappeared, Mother looked like she itched to hug him again, and Gunter’s eyes were huge.

Conrad’s eyes were suspiciously shiny.

Yuuri though- he was smiling so broadly and so warmly, Wolfram thought the fire in the room would never be needed again. Unlike the scorch of the flames, this was as gentle as morning sunlight and it made his spirits rise beyond reason. He wanted to take that smile and treasure it, capture it somehow and put it some place where it could be safe forever. Yet as he thought that, he wondered how the rest of the world would be able to survive without its warmth.

“Oh, Wolfy!”

He was the victim of maternal hug attack number two. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  

Yuuri had felt everyone hold their breath when Wolfram had called Conrad his brother and he knew something big had happened. In the midst of all of this madness… At least something…

Now he had to rescue Wolfram from his overly affectionate mother.

“Ah, Lady Celi?” he croaked, a little nervously. The Sexy Ex-Queen had that affect on him. “I think Wolfram needs to breathe.”

There was a whoosh as Wolfram dropped into a chair and heaved, re-inflating his poor squashed lungs, and Yuuri had to smother a grin at his expression. Even his older body was cute-

He did not just think that.

Never mind, he did. Well, he could admire beauty, couldn’t he?

As he thought of Wolfram, he turned to Greta, and touched her hand and nodded. The two had decided on a plan right before Wolfram had come in.

Getting out of her chair, Greta walked over to Wolfram, and curtsied.

“Sir Wolfram, my name is Greta. I am the adopted daughter of King Yuuri, and I would like to make your re-acquaintance.”

Wolfram blinked. “Ah, I remember that you are the princess…”

“She is human, you’ve probably noticed. She came to us through the activities of Geigan Hubert. She was given admittance to the palace because of the seal he gave her…” Yuuri felt himself grin. “She promptly tried to kill me.”

Wolfram looked stung, and reeled backwards. “And you adopted her?”

“Yes, I did. A lot of people here haven’t liked me… or tried to kill me.” Yuuri smiled ironically, to which Wolfram looked baffled. “For some reason after that, they become my friends.”

There was a general coughing and chuckling at that statement.

“However, even if you don’t remember it, you were very close to my daughter.” The glazed expression started back, but Yuuri tried to derail it.

“You were one of her protectors. Well, it sort of defaulted to you- and we hoped you would become friends with her again.”

Wolfram shook his head, like he was trying to clear it, before his gaze settled on Greta.

“You are assigning me to be her protector?”

“Only if you want to,” Yuuri hastily reassured him. “I can’t be here all the time and I thought you might like to get to know her.”

The prince frowned, like he was about to protest, before Greta tugged his sleeve.

“I’ve been practicing and I want to read to you Anissina’s new novel!” she said proudly. “And I’ve also practiced what you showed me on the piano!”

Yuuri tilted his head. “Wolfram plays the piano?”

“Not since I was in my thirties!” Wolfram protested, but Greta leaned in and whispered something in his ear.

“Oh…” He looked a little glazed. “All right, I play sometimes.”

Greta grinned more, and opened her mouth to say something- to which Wolfram slapped his hand over her mouth, before dropping it and looking utterly confused. “I- I was about to say something and I can’t remember…”

“You could play for us,” his mother said, smiling faintly. “You used to be quite good.”

Wolfram looked absolutely embarrassed now, but Yuuri wondered why he had never heard of Wolfram being able to play an instrument.

“It’s of human origins,” Conrad said, walking over to him as Wolfram sighed, and walked over to something that was covered in a large tapestry. Yuuri blinked- it had never occurred to him that it was a piano.

But to play a human instrument would definitely keep Wolfram’s lips sealed about it.

Yuuri watched with wide eyes as Wolfram sat at a small stool. Its design was slightly different from what he was used to on earth, and when Wolfram ran through a bar, the tone was just a bit off… But it was still a piano.

The blond boy was quite a sight, sitting before the instrument, golden hair glowing in the candle light, his long fingers reaching out to caress the keys.

The song he started was a slow one, with a soft, wistful feel to it. Yuuri inhaled… And he wondered what would have happened if he’d seen this part of Wolfram when they’d met, instead of the brat.

Then he stopped thinking, because Wolfram opened his mouth.   “The faint scent of tears on my rain soaked cheeks The warm look on the faces of travelers”  

“He can sing?” Yuuri stage whispered to Conrad, who smiled behind his glass.

“Not since his voice started to change, but it’s smoothed out a bit lately…”

Yuuri did not wince at the reminder this time, because Wolfram sang with a lovely tenor, unpracticed but smooth and warm.

“The music from our childhood echoes faintly in the background The memories that I hopelessly try to remember wander aimlessly”  

The others in the room were as entranced as their King, watching the golden haired man play. The song seemed to intensify, as emotions that could not be expressed in words, could not even be remembered, and made themselves known.   “But with these tiny wings, launched by my dreams Over distant oceans and skies we’ll soar; together; To a place where memories never fade”  

Greta’s small hand had found its way into Yuuri’s, and he held it carefully. Why was he feeling so choked up by a song?

He didn’t love Wolfram.

Yet if he had wanted evidence of how Wolfram felt- here it was. Even if the events were forgotten, the feelings were still there, and fighting to be heard.   “You light up the way for me in the darkness of night Oh, that warm look on your face I miss you so much”  

What had the Original King been trying to prove? Yuuri had to wonder, as the song tapered off, the last notes lingering in the air as everyone stayed silent.

Wolfram looked up from where he’d closed his eyes- and Yuuri swallowed a gasp. His cheeks were wet from tears.   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  

Wolfram looked up from the keys, taking a deep breath. For some reason his heart was racing like he’d run a marathon, and his face-

Reaching up, felt his cheeks and pulled them back, examining what he found, utterly puzzled. He’d lost himself in the music some time back there- he couldn’t remember exactly what song he’d chosen to play.

“I think this piano must be dusty- my eyes have been watering.”

This statement achieved the same effect as some of his earlier ones. Utter, pained silence greeted him.

He felt for a handkerchief, and started wiping his face. “Come on, it couldn’t have been that bad…”

“No- it was good, Wolfram!” he heard Yuuri squeak, and he turned, still wiping his face. “I wish you’d done that before instead of painting! Anything other than that awful bear bee paint!”

Wolfram looked at him blankly. “What?”

“Ah, what Heika means is that you’ve tried taking up painting in the past year,” Gunter was quick to interrupt.

“What did you say?”

“You’ve been using bear-bee paint,” his mother added helpfully.

“What are you talking about?” Wolfram wondered why they kept stopping mid sentence.

“Its nothing,” Yuuri finally said, and sighed. “I guess you just felt embarrassed about it, didn’t you?”

Wolfram was happy to finally hear a sentence that made sense. “Ah… A friend, a long time ago, encouraged me. That was before the war.”

Yuuri smiled at him. “Please, play whenever you like.”

Wolfram would have been happy to bask in that smile the rest of his life- but Gunter interrupted them with dinner. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The days seemed to have a strange way of moving now, thought Yuuri. It had been two weeks since- then-

And it was like the moment would stretch out forever, but almost no time at all had passed.

Wolfram was going about his duties, but he wasn’t following Yuuri around like his shadow. He would read to Greta, who seemed to be worming her way back into his heart like she did with everyone.

He and Conrad would practice in the morning, and Yuuri would watch from the window, fidgeting as the two men he liked (only as friends! Really!) collided. Wolfram was still well behind his brother when it came to the sword, but he was still strong and dedicated.

Yuuri had his chin in his hands, his eyes dreamy and the quill in his fingers leaving a massive ink blot on the document he was working on.

“Shibuya!” someone shouted, opening the door. Considering that there was only one person who called him that…

“Hey, Murata,” he greeted his friend. The only other black clad person in the palace smiled and waved, before walking over to see what Yuuri had been up to.

“Uh huh… Well… I can see a lovely dot pattern and… ‘Is his hair soft as it looks?’… That’s a really massive stain on your desk you know… Oh dear. Who were you trying to sketch? And ‘my bed is cold’. You know, I think you’re actually starting to come out of your closet.”

“Hey!” Yuuri yelped, standing up. “That’s private!”

“What, you don’t want me to know you’re mooning over Conrad and Wolfram?”

Yuuri felt his face flush. “It’s all your fault for suggesting it in the first place.”

“It is not and you know it.”

“Have you thought about whom you like better?” Murata asked, absently flipping through the papers.

“Well, I don’t know, I mean, Conrad is almost perfect but Wolfram- HEY!” Yuuri had resumed the buggy dance. “That’s not fair! You tricked me into turning gay and you’ve made me have to pick a boyfriend! You jerk!”

Murata chuckled. “Last I checked no one could make a person gay. I just gave you a bit of a push…”

Yuuri growled, and started to threaten his friend with his quill. “What the hell am I going to tell my mom? Or my dad- or my big brother, for that matter?”

Murata opened his mouth, but they were cut off when they heard a commotion from outside. Yuuri turned to look out the window, peering out.

“Is that Elizabeth?” he asked, confused. He remembered the blonde beauty- who had originally been touted as a potential bride for him… And wound coming because of her childhood affection for Wolfram.

Wait- Wolfram had defended Yuuri because- wait- oh hell.

As he watched Wolfram cross his arms and look annoyed, then blush at the blonde beauty, Yuuri realized there could only be one reason why she was there.

He was out the door and headed to the courtyard in a heartbeat.  

To be continued.

A/N: Elizabeth IS a canon character from episode 45. It’s rather heart breaking to watch if you like Wolfram and Yuuri; I had to bring her back because I think she would be a great plot device. If the lyrics of the song sound odd, remember, they are a translation. The actual song is heart wrenching… Oh dear.