Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Out with the Old, In with the New ❯ Sixth Installment: Mind Over Matter ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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Me: Good morning…morning? Tommy? What am I doing up at this time!?!?
Tommy: The Request.
Me: Oh yeah! So, I received a request from a dear reader's husband to post my next chapter in the morning so that his lovely wife, tsukihime, would be happy all day. Ain't that sweet?!?! So I set my alarm clock for six…9.45a was as close as I could get…?
Tommy: We were tired.
Me: So yes, this early morning post is dedicated to tsukihime. I hope it *does* make you happy!
Tommy: Here's some of Herme's notes to her reviewers:
 
To tsukihime: Thanks for your concern! It seems my lettuce was just normal lettuce after all, though I may never look at yogurt the same way again…Well I hope you enjoy this next installment! *Hands over some Orchid Perfume*
 
To wolfram_kyo: *Dances with Joy* Your whole review made me incredibly happy! I'm so, so happy…*Faints*
 
Tommy: *Fans Mistress with Holy Fan* Uh, you guys better read this prepared speech until she comes to.
 
Prepared Speech: To General: I'm so glad at the response people have had to *Ding!* Conrad: I, which is, personally, one of my favorite parts…well, in the entire book! Ha ha, yes, book. Last I checked, it's 71 pages long and the last chapter is only half-finished! It officially surpasses my DaiKen story as the longest story I've written for internet post.
 
Tommy: *Throws Confetti and Waves Noisemaker*
Me: *Comes to* Yeah!!!!!!!! I rock!
Tommy: That's modesty for you…
Me: Whatever, I'm in a great mood and flying high! So, without further blabber from your author, here goes the Sixth Installment!
Tommy: Enjoy.
 
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Our extreme gratitude goes out to ishtar and Emeryl, for helping us answer a dire question when presence of mind deserted.
 
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=Out with the Old, In with the New=
Sixth Installment: Mind Over Matter
 
Wolfram was hovering somewhere between a dream and consciousness. It was his least favorite state of sleep to be in: he could never remember what he was dreaming but he couldn't quite bring himself to wake up either. It was during these times that his mind began to wander, and without his conscious restraints, he usually thought of some pretty stupid things. Today was no different. His mind kept replaying to him the look on Yuri's face the night before when he had looked afraid. He was afraid to give in to Wolfram.
 
And what was worse? Wolfram was exactly the same. He realized now that he was never going to give in to Ludo. The only thing he wanted out of Ludo, and indeed of all the others, was constant adoration...from a safe distance. It was true, Wolfram loved the attention, but in order to have someone's undying love usually meant he'd have to give something in return. Usually his own undying love. It really seemed far too much to give, narcissism aside. Just think! If he gave his undying love to Yuri, what was to guarantee that the love Yuri gave back (just assuming he ever would) would be also undying? What if eventually Yuri decided he didn't really mean it? Where would that leave Wolfram? Plus, Yuri was seemingly having further issues about them being the same gender. What does that mean?
 
Wolfram's mind slowed down. It really was far too early to be thinking. Besides, he felt so comfortable. He felt like he used to before he had begun to sleep in the same bed as Yuri. It used to be that he had slept nude under many covers. Nothing compared to the absolute freedom it afforded coupled with the heavy sensation of the many warm blankets that pressed down on him, especially on cold nights. Those nights were the best nights. And now, the same feeling of euphoria was sweeping over him. He felt comfortable. He felt warm. He felt...good. He felt...
 
Wolfram's eyes opened and he stared at the neck that was attached to the torso he was wrapped around. Even stranger than that, arms, which were attached to that same torso, circled around him. He was snuggled well into Yuri, who was holding him close; one of his legs was caught between Yuri's. Yuri's chest moved with the steady rhythm of his breathing, each time pressing against Wolfram, softly. Wolfram looked up at Yuri's relaxed face in the dim early morning light. Yes, Yuri was indeed a completely different person when he slept. He was...cute. His lips parted, and the thin sound of breath could be heard as he breathed through them. Curious, Wolfram tilted his head up and touched his lips against Yuri's. He didn't kiss him, he just wanted to know what Yuri's lips felt like.
 
Pulling away, Wolfram looked at him again. He may look cute now, but most of the time, Wolfram thought Yuri looked...like a fool. He smiled a lot. Real smiles. That made him strange in Wolfram's mind. Who in their right mind, besides Conrart, smiled that much? No one. Exactly. Sometimes, though, sometimes, Yuri could look rather sexy. Or maybe it was just in Wolfram's mind. Did that mean he thought Yuri was sexy? Wolfram skimmed through all the people he'd known before that he had considered sexy. In comparison, Yuri didn't match up to any of those people. He didn't seem to match up with anyone. Wolfram couldn't rightly place him in his categories.
 
He moved on to the next point. Well, Yuri was neither very sweet, nor passionate. Or at least, he didn't think so. At least not passionate. Or at least, he hadn't seen anything that indicated such a thing. Yuri was simply...well, Yuri. He was...dumb, with a huge case of “Justice Be Done.” One of the Do-Gooder types, a die-hard boy scout.
 
Next. Well, the guy was filthy rich, but that's just because he was the Maou. Still...Yuri had grown up in a normal family. Doing alright, Wolfram supposed. That must be why Yuri never flaunted the fact, or indeed even asked for anything ridiculously expensive, though he could certainly afford it.
 
Next was intelligence...
 
The verdict: Overall, a moron.
 
Well, that was that. Yuri was an okay-sorta-good-looking, he was an all around moron, down-to-earth; he was brunette, obviously. That black hair of his has brought more harm than good, Wolfram supposed. Yuri certainly didn't *ask* to be made king based on his eye and hair color. Yuri was slender, but toned. Far from perfect. Yuri Shibuya was...
 
“...mine,” Wolfram breathed.
 
Wolfram paused in his thought when he felt Yuri's arm's shift around him. Wolfram felt a flat hand curve around his upper thigh, then Yuri relaxed back into sleep. Wolfram wasn't sure if he was glad or disappointed that Yuri didn't wake up. Wolfram continued to look at Yuri's face in the growing light of the dawn. Emotion prickled at the corners of Wolfram's eyes and he closed them hard.
 
**This is enough,** Wolfram thought, but he didn't know what he was referring to.
 
Gently, he slid out of Yuri's embrace and off the edge of the bed. Grabbing a robe, Wolfram quietly walked towards the doorway and left.
 
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A few moments ago, Yuri had been enjoying a very nice dream. Now however, it was slipping away from him. Then he blinked. He lay there, thinking about his dream. This freakin' gorgeous fairy (actually, he couldn't remember the fairy's face, but like with all dreams, you just know) was lying with him on this grassy hill. The grass was deep and soft like feathers, or something, there was bright golden light everywhere and the fairy was smiling at him and talking to him. That's what he remembered, the fairy's lips. Yuri couldn't remember what the fairy told him, but the best part was that this beautiful creature had kissed him. It had felt so real. Yuri raised a hand and touched his lips, as if they might have disappeared after the surreal kiss. But they were there.
 
Yuri smiled and pressed himself into the bed.
 
**Wait a minute,** Yuri thought. Something about the bed didn't feel right. Opening his eyes, he looked at the spot in front of him, but nothing seemed amiss. In fact, it felt rather nice, but still it wasn't quite as nice as he thought he remembered. **I must have just become uncomfortable,** he concluded. That must be the reason he woke up.
 
He took in a deep breath and stretched, thrilling in the feeling of his muscles pulling out of their relaxed state. Mid-stretch, he paused again. He took in another breath, but couldn't quite understand what he was smelling for. For a second, he thought he had smelled...something. Something familiar, a sort of metallic but sweet tinge, but he wasn't sure what. Regardless, the smell wasn't strong, and was, in fact, rather pleasant.
 
Now feeling very relaxed, Yuri continued to lie on his bed. Sunlight was fighting with his curtains to enter the room, and he could tell by the weak light that it was only barely after dawn. He closed his eyes and fell into a light doze.
 
Then suddenly, Yuri opened his eyes and sat straight up. Looking around the bed, he found he was completely alone. What had happened to Wolfram? Had he snuck out in the middle of the night? Somehow, Yuri doubted that. He had guessed that Wolfram wouldn't leave the night before because he 1) either didn't want anyone to find out he had went to the wrong room, or 2) his pride was even larger than Yuri had guessed. If it was the latter reason, which Yuri was betting on, then if he left in the middle of the night the guards would have seen, thus sealing Wolfram's doom.
 
Yuri put his hand against the bed beside him. It was still warm, but Yuri wasn't sure if that was because Wolfram had been there recently, or because he, himself, was still in the bed. Yuri let himself fall back against the mattress. What was he going to say to Wolfram when he saw him at breakfast?
 
Then a rogue thought entered his mind: what if Wolfram had snuck out of the room and out of the castle? What if he had run away with Ludo or something?
 
Yuri reminded himself that he shouldn't care.
 
Himself reminded Yuri that he should shut the hell up and mind his own business.
 
**It is my business,** he argued feebly.
 
Fact of the matter was, Yuri had felt guilty the night before. The look of sadness (was it sadness?) that had crossed Wolfram's face when Yuri hadn't answered him plagued him all night. Yuri tried...sometimes. Just because he didn't *always* try didn't mean he was...a wimp, Yuri concluded. Besides, this was big! Wolfram was already his fiancée, now all it'd take from Yuri is a set date and it was permanent! Sure, Yuri cared for Wolfram. He cared a lot, even if Wolfram was an arrogant, (it-must-be-said) perverted, handsome jerk of a Casanova guy.
 
**Why is handsome in there?** Yuri wondered, before he went off on another tangent.
 
And besides, if what he has seen of Wolfram is any indication, Wolfram would much rather go around flirting with anything that can understand how hot he is than be saddled with Yuri.
 
**Plain old Yuri,** Yuri thought bitterly. He could understand if he wasn't exactly up to Wolfram's usual high standards, but he wasn't that bad! Conversely, Yuri wouldn't even play around that Wolfram *wouldn't* be up to his own standards. If anything, Wolfram surpassed them. Hell, maybe Wolfram *was* the standard! Guy or not.
 
Yuri's eyes widened as he realized what he had just thought. Great. He kinda...okay, he *did* think Wolfram was handsome...no, he was pretty...very pretty...okay, gorgeous!
 
**You happy now?** Yuri asked himself, irritated.
 
Okay. Wolfram was...gorgeous...and he was an okay guy. Yuri wouldn't budge on that point. Sometimes Wolfram could be a pain, but then there were the other sometimes...
 
Sometimes, they talked without being angry. When Yuri had first shown up, it was obvious that they were not the best of friends. In fact, Yuri would be the first one to admit he had muffed it up by proposing to Wolfram. Accident or not, he knew it was pretty rude of him to say he didn't mean it.
 
He paused. What a stupid custom!
 
Anyways. So, even though there was that...and that duel...sometimes they just hung out. Sometimes Wolfram just talked to him, told him things, explained things (not without some sarcasm, but still). Sometimes, Wolfram smiled at him.
 
Yuri blinked.
 
He touched his lips.
 
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Wolfram sighed and allowed himself to sink down into the warm bathwater.
 
**This must be the best part of the whole castle,** he surmised. The baths were always kept filled with fresh warm water. Not lukewarm, and not steaming hot, always just perfect. Plus there was the faint smell of something pretty in the water. The dandy in Wolfram loved that.
 
Wolfram's eyes closed as the water crept up over his head. On the further end of the bath, the depth increased and it was for this particular reason that Wolfram always bathed on this end. Because of its depth, Wolfram was able to float underwater. To his amazement, he enjoyed the weightless sensation, and the warmth that pressed in all around him. It surprised him, this affinity he held for being in the water. Especially when one considered his great dislike for boats…
 
One would also think he'd be a pyromaniac due to the fact that he shared a bond with a fire spirit, and in more recent years, a contract. Maybe it was because he couldn't immerse himself in flames. Well, he could but he'd really rather not.
 
Wolfram hung around in the water for a few moments, doing a couple of turns just because he could, and then he pushed on the bottom of the bath towards the surface. As he surfaced, he began to wonder if maybe he had a thing for water because of—
 
“GAH!”
 
Wolfram wasn't alone in his strange utterance. He quickly wiped the water from his eyes and pushed back that hair that was plastered over his face in order to better see the person who had joined him in the Bath Chamber.
 
Yuri had been about to pull off his pajama bottoms when Wolfram's head had suddenly popped out of the water. After he had shouted, Yuri had jumped back and pressed his back against the wall behind him, for support.
 
Wolfram stared in shock at Yuri. Shirtless, barefoot, leaning heavily against the wall, staring back at him as if he were the *last* person Yuri was expecting to see. Wolfram had no doubt he was. Indeed, Yuri was the last person Wolfram was expecting or even wanted to see.
 
“S-sorry!” Yuri said then. “I didn't know anyone was in here. I'll just wait until you're done.”
 
“No, it's fine,” Wolfram replied. “I was just about to get out.”
 
“Oh no, you don't have to cut your bath short just because I'm here.”
 
Wolfram gave Yuri an “Are-you-stupid?” look. “I'm not. I'm done.”
 
“No, it's okay—”
 
“I said it's alright—”
 
“But—”
 
“I SAID I'M FINISHED!” Wolfram shouted in frustration.
 
Both of them paused when the statement reminded the both of them first of dinner the night before and then of their argument afterwards. Individually, it also reminded each about their early morning musings. Both of them flushed as they remembered how they had felt. Even worse, it seemed with the other awake or in the same room, the feelings felt much more overwhelming.
 
The silence between them built up again and Wolfram felt himself becoming annoyed. He was really sick of them doing nothing but be silent and stare at each other all the time. Instead, Wolfram began focusing on more prominent problems, like how to leave the bath. As they had argued, Wolfram had been making his way towards the shallows, first walking then crawling on his knees, and now he stopped. If he stood up or continued any further, he'd be completely bared to Yuri. He had never been completely nude in front of Yuri before, and he wasn't about to start now.
 
**Great! Now I can't even leave the bath? What's wrong with me?** Regardless, Wolfram didn't budge.
 
“Could you leave?” he said suddenly then.
 
Yuri blinked. “Huh?”
 
“I asked if you could leave, I want to get out but I can't if you're still here.”
 
Yuri's face turned strange. “Funny time for you to develop a sense of shame,” he mumbled, but in the Bath Chamber, the walls magnified the sound and Wolfram heard him loud and clear.
 
Against his better judgment, Wolfram rose to the occasion. “What's that supposed to mean?”
 
Yuri sighed quietly. He hadn't meant to say that. Honestly. And he was only half *thinking* it before he found himself blurting it out. Yuri figured he'd better apologize, good and quick.
 
“What do you think it means?” he said then.
 
O...kay. That wasn't what he wanted to say at all.
 
Wolfram seemed to swell up like a red balloon floating in the water. “I beg your pardon! Just because you can't seem to recognize a moment that calls for common decency doesn't mean everyone can't! If anything you're the one with no shame! I can understand if you really didn't know I was here but now that you know why aren't you leaving?”
 
“You're the one who insisted I not leave!” Yuri countered, bemused by Wolfram's sudden use of illogic.
 
“I said you could use the bath, not stay here! You're supposed to wait outside while I finish up,” Wolfram said, giving a brief lesson in etiquette.
 
“Finish up?” Yuri said, ignoring the advice. “You said you *were* finished. What more do you have to do?”
 
“Never you mind. Just get out!”
 
“No!” Yuri said stubbornly. “I can stay if I want, these are *my* baths!”
 
“They're not just your baths!” Wolfram argued.
 
“They're the *royal* baths!”
 
“Who do you think I am? In case you've forgotten, I am a *prince*!”
 
“Well, *I'm* the king!”
 
Wolfram laughed. “Funny time for you to be remembering *that*!”
 
“Don't copy me!”
 
“I'm not copying you!”
 
“You are too, you jerk!” Yuri shouted.
 
“Am not, lecher! Freak!”
 
“Wolfscum! Pervert!”
 
**I'll kill him for that pun on my name later,** Wolfram thought, but aloud he said, “How am I a pervert?”
 
Yuri gave Wolfram a bizarre look. “Are you kidding? What about all those times you snuck into my bed? The first time you weren't wearing any clothes! You were probably trying to feel me up in my sleep!”
 
“Ha!” Wolfram laughed. “You should BE so lucky!”
 
“And,” Yuri continued as if Wolfram had never interrupted, “what about all those people who came around trying to get you to run away with them? Yes, I knew what was going on! And what about that guy, Lewd Ludo? Yeah, I knew about him, too!”
 
Wolfram opened and closed his mouth a few times, tempted to laugh, before regaining his bearings. “Well! It's not *my* fault. Don't put the blame on me just because I'm a gazillion times cuter than you! Besides, if they want to lust over me then who am I to turn them away!”
 
“Gee, that's funny! That's not what you told your mom!”
 
Wolfram's memory vaguely recalled the time, the first dinner they'd had with their new Demon King, of him telling his mother that he wasn't interested in men lusting over him. Well, maybe it was because his mother only mentioned men, and not women as well. Like he'd ever admit that to Yuri. “Of course it isn't!” Wolfram retorted. “What did you want me to say?”
 
“`Hello, Mother, I'm a manwhore' sounds about right.”
 
Something in Wolfram snapped. With something akin to a growl, he slapped his hand against the surface of the water. He sent a spray of water towards Yuri that full on hit him in the face. It wasn't much, but it made Wolfram feel better.
 
“So what was that?” Yuri asked, feigning calm as he wiped his face. “Another Shin Makoku tradition? What did that one do? Break off the engagement? Demand alimony? Pre-nups? What?”
 
Wolfram glared at Yuri. “How dare you make fun of our customs, you outsider! It didn't do anything of the sort, I just felt like it. And as for breaking off the engagement, you can forget it! I'll stick around you for as long as I can, if only to make your life miserable! You're mine and I won't let anyone else touch you—” Wolfram came to an abrupt halt when he realized just what he was saying.
 
Yuri stared at Wolfram. Wolfram was sitting at the opposite end of the bath, with his knees drawn up to his chest. His hair, color darkened by the water, curled in wisps around his head. His face was flushed, with either the heat from the bath or from their argument, Yuri wasn't certain. His eyes were piercing into Yuri's, and he was breathing hard through his open mouth from his exertions. Yuri narrowed his eyes and pulled away from the wall.
 
“W-what are you doing?” Wolfram asked, startled as he watched Yuri walk towards the edge of the bath.
 
His voice was robbed from him, however, when he caught sight of Yuri jumping down into the shallow end of the bath directly across from him. Yuri's pajama bottoms up to his knees were immediately immersed in the water, and the moisture began seeping its way upward as Yuri began making a slow trudge towards him.
 
Uncertain of how to feel or what to do at this point, Wolfram unfolded his knees and began to crawl back away from Yuri, but he only had a foot between himself and the edge of the bath to move in. His back touched the edge only seconds before Yuri loomed above him. Figuring it was either his modesty or his life, Wolfram tried to stand up in order to get the hell out of that pool. He only made it so far before Yuri's hands shot out and held him in place. The hands felt larger than life and hotter than fire as they cupped his head, forcing him to look directly into Yuri's face. In something he could only call fear, Wolfram's own hands had risen to grip around Yuri's wrists. Eyes wide, Wolfram waited for Yuri to do something.
 
“If you think I'd let you go back to all those other people,” Yuri said quietly, “you've got another thing coming. You can go ahead and stick around, but on one point I can guarantee you, you'll soon find that you've got it backwards. I'm going to show you what it feels like to be owned by *me*.”
 
Wolfram blinked. Even Yuri blinked. Wolfram had never before seen the power Yuri was displaying outside of Demon King mode, and Yuri himself couldn't pinpoint the exact location it was all coming from. What was this overwhelming feeling? This...desire...that felt like fire was taking over their senses? Yuri was so close to him that Wolfram could feel the hot puffs of air coming from Yuri's mouth. The moistness that hung in the air around the baths began to cool against Wolfram's skin, making him shiver. Or was that Yuri's proximity? Yuri glanced down at Wolfram's lips. They were merely inches, *centimeters*, away. Just there.
 
**Great One above,** Wolfram thought when he realized he had long ago given up on the idea of running. **I think I've been...tamed.** His mind was just beginning to think that he should get away from this as quick as possible, when Yuri spoke.
 
“I dreamt of you.”
 
Wolfram blinked, and even though he understood what Yuri had said, he was still about to ask, “What?” when suddenly Yuri's lips touched his.
 
Wolfram had never felt a kiss like this before. Rather than thrilling and passionate, exciting in its taboo, Yuri's kiss was...tender. And more than anything, it made Wolfram want to stay right where he was. His pride, his fear, his paramours, everything be damned. There was nothing that made him want to leave the feeling Yuri's lips were giving him. And it seemed the moment he decided this, was the moment everything changed.
 
Yuri couldn't understand it. He was lost, just absolutely lost. He didn't know what made him jump into the bath. He didn't know where his speech had come from, though he remembered it, without a doubt. He didn't know why he was kissing Wolfram. He didn't know why it felt so good. He didn't know, but he liked it. And the moment he realized this, was the moment everything changed.
 
Neither of them were sure what it was, the desire or some deep hidden carnal knowledge, but suddenly their bodies knew exactly what they wanted, and they knew exactly how to get out of each other. Sliding his hands down Wolfram to Wolfram's waist, Yuri pulled the blonde into a full standing position, crushing their bodies together.
 
“Yuri,” Wolfram breathed against his neck, and Yuri felt his whole being shiver.
 
“You smell so good,” Yuri whispered to Wolfram. “Sweet. I think I'm going to eat you.”
 
The idea sounded heavenly to Wolfram, but he grabbed Yuri's wrists before they progressed any further. “Not here,” he managed to gasp.
 
Yuri pulled away and stared into Wolfram's eyes, trying to gauge how serious Wolfram was. As well as how much control he still might have over himself to not jump Wolfram right there and then. Yuri thought he probably had enough.
 
“Fine,” Yuri said quickly, then he jumped out of the pool. Ignoring his pants which were sloshing water in large puddles everywhere he stepped, Yuri turned back and hauled Wolfram out of the bath. Wolfram helped himself along, but couldn't contain his blush. He was a man after all and could very well have gotten out of the water himself.
 
“C'mon,” Yuri said then, and Wolfram was barely able to grab his robe before Yuri began running with him back towards their room.
 
In record time, they reached the King's Bed Chambers and rushed past the guards. Yuri fairly threw Wolfram through the doors before he, himself, entered. He then turned and slammed the door shut behind them.
 
The two guards were startled to say the least. They weren't even certain who it was who had just rushed past them. They didn't have much time to muse upon it though, before the door reopened. There stood their Maou, clad only in pants which seemed to be soaking wet. He looked at the two of them, and even though was out of breath, they heard him clearly.
 
“Hey,” King Yuri said to them. “Go take a break.” Then, the door slammed shut again.
 
The two guards looked at each other before shrugging. They began to make their way towards the kitchen for some breakfast, figuring a break would be nice, and since they got their orders from the king himself, who would want to contradict them?
 
“Say, Lowenthal,” one guard said to the other.
 
“Yeah, Marshall?”
 
“Is it just me,” Marshall began, “or d'you ever feel like we've had more doors slammed in our faces this one week alone than in all the time we've been guards here at Covenant Castle?”
 
“Y'know, Marshall, I do believe you're right.”
 
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In the seemingly deserted bedroom, someone shifted impatiently in their chair. The sun had already risen, and still there was no news. Then the sounds of footsteps, light and quick, made their way towards the study. After a brief knock, three people entered the room. Three, there were always Three.
 
The person in the chair grinned. “Well, have you done as I bid?”
 
“Yes,” Doria replied, and the other two nodded as well.
 
“And?”
 
“The Orchid Perfume has taken effect,” Sangria picked up, “almost immediately.”
 
“And the boys?”
 
“According to our inside men, who are currently on a `break,'“ Lasagna stated, “they returned from the bath and to their room four-point-zero-two minutes ago.”
 
“Wonderful. It is as I suspected: as soon as they caught scent of the perfume, all of their feelings have come to light. Once they came within contact with each other there would no longer be even the chance to pretend anymore.” A grin. “Here are the pictures I promised you girls. The Lady Anissina took these herself with one of her gadgets. Thanks for your hard work, please enjoy them. Now, I think I will go to bed.”
 
“Your highness,” the Three said with a bow, then they left the room. Once outside, the Three giggled over the intimate photos revealing Gwendal and Gunter sharing a piece of cake.
 
“See? I told you Lord Gwendal would go as far as to feed Gunter,” one of them giggled to the others. “Shit,” the other two whispered as they forked over a couple of coins each. Pocketing her loot, the first turned and led the way back to the servants' quarters.
 
“So,” Doria spoke up after a few moments. “Who's willing to make a new bet with me?”
 
“On what?!” the other two said, spinning around.
 
“Let's bet on how long it will take King Yuri and Lord Wolfram to realize they've been played. Any takers?”
 
“By dinner,” Lasagna said suddenly. “I bet five.”
 
“Not even! Two hours,” Sangria chimed in. “I'll meet that and up it five.”
 
“No way, as soon as they come out of the bedroom,” one of the butlers said from the shadows. “I also bet they won't make it for breakfast.” Doria scribbled the new side bet. “Meet and raise to twenty.”
 
“Put my bid in for by dinner and a no-show breakfast,” a passing maid said, handing Lasagna her money bid as she went.
 
The Three grinned. There was never a dull day, nor shortage of wagers to be made, in the Castle Covenant.
 
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A/N: Threw in some small tributes to Othello by Satomi Ikazawa and to Avenue Q... Well, I think I've actually run out of things to say today.
Tommy: *Falls to knees* Oh, thank you, Great One above.
Me: *Loads Gun* Please join Me Alone next time for the Seventh Installment: Bathwater. Thank you
Tommy: *Already Running*
Me: I love moving targets. *begins walking* Until next time!
 
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