Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou or kyo kara maoh, or any of its other spellings. I believe the rights belong to Tomo Takabayashi and a few other licensed parties.
Chapter one:
It was a bright and sunny day and the inhabitants of Blood Pledge Castle were having a lovely brunch together. Everyone was there to welcome Lady Cecillia (Celli) back from yet another one of her cruises in search of free love. Everyone being: her sons Gwendal, Conrad and Wolfram. His fiancée Yuuri (who also happened to be king of Shin Makoku), their adopted daughter Greta and two long time friends of the family as well as close associates Gunter and Anissina.
"I brought back gifts for everyone," Celli said after regaling them with the story of her travels. "For Wolfy and Yuuri I got something sweet to share. I had these fine candies special made for the two of you in Egglantine. It's a small village in Caloria where they are renowned for their candies and pastries." She said handing over several beautifully decorated candies nestled in a black velvet tray.
"Here Gwendal. It's getting so tough to buy for my older sons these days." She gave him a blue glass vial. "It's a manlier version of my special perfume, you have been on your own too long, and you really need to find someone to settle down with." She said patting him gently on the arm as she put the vial into his large hand.
"Conrad, I brought you this," she said handing him a box which she opened with a flourish. Inside was a cylindrical shaped leather object with a cork stopper in one end, upon moving it a liquid slosh could be heard from within the object. Conrad looked at his mother questioningly almost as if afraid to ask.
"It's an soldiers emergency instant sword kit," she said with a motherly smile. "If a situation should arise where you need it just unstopper the end and pour it onto your sheathe for the magic to happen."
He 'hnned' nodding and said, "Thank you mother." Closing the lid on his gift, he took it from her, his expression carefully neutral but a very faint blush was pinking his cheeks.
Yuuri was sure he missed something as he noticed that most of the table was shifting uncomfortably Gunter and Anissina looking everywhere but in Conrad's direction and Wolfram looked like he had choked on something, Yuuri leaned over to pat his fiancée on the back concerned as the boy doubled over "coughing".
After a few seconds ,and reassurances that some water just went down the wrong way Celli continued with the gifts.
"Greta I bought you a few dresses they are in your room, I couldn't carry them all down here by myself but we can go try them on you later this afternoon." She said smiling widely at the delighted look on her adopted granddaughter's face.
"Thank you grandmother," Greta stood and hugged her.
"That gives me time to look them over and get rid of the ones that are inappropriate for a child her age to wear." Wolfram said nodding to himself.
"But Papa." Greta whined, snorting and just frowning at him when she saw the look on Wolfram's face and could tell he wasn't going to change his mind about this.
"And Gunter I didn't forget you," she said handing him a stack of parchments. "It's an ancient text of great historical significance I am sure you will enjoy studying it."
Gunter absently thumbed through the stack "Yes indeed this might have some interesting historical references, thank you lady Celli." he said.
Gwendal was the only one close enough to where he sat to see that the parchments were some sort of ancient demon sex manual, complete with pictures. Inwardly he groaned. Why was his mother like this?
"And last but definitely not least Anissina; I brought you these." she said opening a satchel with rows of lidded jars in it. "Rare herbs and resins for your lab dear, have fun."
"Oh Celli thanks so much you shouldn't have; but I'm so glad you did!" Anissina practically squeeled "What should I make first?"…and they were off walking to the lab together debating if a love potion or a cure for sagging breasts was more important.
Gunter stood to excused himself muttering about having much studying to do; at which Gwendal rolled his eyes.
"Wait," said Yuuri to Gunter before he could leave. "There's no way wolfram and I will eat all of this candy to ourselves, go ahead and take a piece. There are enough for each of you." He added gesturing to Gwendal and Conrad to also pick from the tray. Each of the three men took a candy leaving a few for Wolfram and Yuuri. Before Gunter left Gwendal surreptitiously slipped his candy into his hand, never having cared that much for sweets. This was not unusual, Gunter often benefited from Gwendal's lack of a sweet tooth. Realizing Anissina had just gone to her lab, Gwendal suddenly decided to go patrol the border as soon as he was done eating.
Once the room cleared Yuuri turned to Wolfram and asked the question he had been holding onto all through the meal. "There really isn't such a thing as an instant sword is there?"
Wolfram snorted. "No, but I am surprised you figured that one out, wimp." He said smiling at the dark eyed maou affectionately.
"Don't call me wimp." Yuuri grumped popping a candy into his mouth as he headed back to his study and mountains of paperwork
Upon leaving, Gunter almost bumped into Conrad who was trying to make a quiet exit. Looking at the gift box in the young commander's hand Gunter smiled brightly "Your mother is something else isn't she?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, but what I'd rather not say right now." Conrad replied with a good natured chuckle, "Here," he said handing Gunter his candy. "I am not really hungry right now, and on my way out to train the troops. It seems a shame to let it sit around melting in the heat all day."
"Well then, thank you Conrad." Gunter said accepting the gift gracefully and heading on to his quarters to look over his new reading materials. He arrived in his room deciding to forego the solidly built armchair he usually preferred to all his other furniture, he didn't want to chance getting chocolate on the nice green crushed velvet that covered it. So, shutting the door and flopped onto his stomach on the bed flipping through the documents with one hand as he nibbled on the chocolates with the other. After about twenty minutes he started to notice the images in the text were very erotic, not that it was odd that they were but something like this rarely if ever actually affected him in a personal sort of way. After all it was just ink on parchment he was looking at not actual people. Ink or not he was definitely being turned on by these images. After a bit of thought it seemed suspicious that this would be so and he began to suspect something. 'Why would Celli put a pheromone or something in my gift?' he mused. Then he looked at the candy wrappers on the bed by his elbow and a chill ran down his spine, no, it wasn't the parchment or pheromones, it was the candy intended for hieka and his fiancée. No doubt a ploy to hasten the setting of a wedding date, they must be laced with something. 'Oh no!' he thought to himself as he leapt up and ran from his rooms. He ran to the dining room and was relieved to see that the box of candies had been left there forgotten. He quickly shut the lid and headed at a brisk walk to see his daughter.
Gwendal led his horse back to the stables, he had made it about two miles away when the beast had thrown a shoe. Not having a spare or any way to nail one on if he did, he had carefully led Kyuyu home taking no chances with injuring his hoof and leaving him temporarily lame. Upon entering the stables he heard a soft moan coming from one of the tac rooms. He was fairly sure it was none of his business what was going on so he tied his horse and left the tables for the blacksmiths, determined to shoe the horse himself this time and make sure it was done right. As he entered the outer courtyard Gizela came running up to him, "Have you seen father anywhere?" She asked worriedly.
"Not since brunch." Gwendal said.
"Damn!" She huffed then looked at Gwendal who was clearly wondering why she was cursing. "I have to find him and give him this right away." She said holding out a flask with a thin amber liquid in it.
"what is this?" he asked.
"It is and antidote for the substance he ate in Celli's special chocolates.
"Candy? Substance? what's going on here?" He asked puzzled and starting to get concerned.
"Well it seems Lady Celli spiked Yuuri's candy with a powerful aphrodisiac. Each one of those candies was enough a dose to have the intended effect, but father said he ate three of them. It is a bit of an overdose. I don't know where he went to after he talked to me he was already feeling the effects, before I could finish making the antidote he told me he shouldn't be seen in public, I assumed he went to his rooms but he isn't there…"
Gwendal reached out and took the flask from her "I think I know where he is." he said turning to go back to the stables.
"Lead the way," Gizela said starting to follow.
"No! You stay here. I will bring him to you after he has had the antidote."
"Gwendal I am a doctor. I have lived and worked with soldiers my entire life there is nothing…." her words froze in her throat as she saw the scowl Gwendal directed at her from inches in front of her face.
"He is your father Gizela" he said gruffly, "if he is in the state you described he'd be mortified to have been seen like that by you of all people." Then he turned and stormed back toward the stables leaving her standing in the courtyard blinking. It was not like he wanted to be the one to find Gunter in the state described either, but better him than her. He went directly for the tack room he had noticed earlier.