Wolf Watching

It was a mild spring afternoon in Shin Makoku. All was right with the world of the Mazoku. The maou was in his office signing paperwork, the troops were drilling on the training pitch, and Conrart Weller was assigned to guard the Royal Family.

He stood by watching the Crown Prince chasing a frog around the lily pond, while his mother, Prince Consort Wolfram was sitting on a spread blanket holding the infant second prince. If the king had been proud when his Heir was born looking like him, then he was ecstatic when his younger son was born looking like his precious Wolfram.

Conrart couldn't keep the smile from his lips as he thought back to his childhood. He could still see his baby Wolfcub like it was yesterday….

The Lady Celi was exhausted after the premature birth of her third son. She was thrilled to be finished with the pregnancy and was looking forward to fitting into her clothes again. Conrart was still holding the baby that he had helped bring into the world less than two hours ago. He saw it was a little boy, and he was glad to have another brother, one he could teach swordplay to, and riding. He hoped that Big Brother Gwendal would have more to do with the new addition than he did with him.

After the healers finally came, they cleaned up the baby and the maou had decided on a traditional von Bielefeld family name. Before he was killed in a skirmish with the humans, Lord von Bielefeld had asked the queen to name the baby Wolfram Reesaire Augustinian von Bielefeld.

When his Wolfram was a year old, he would go and stand at the gate that kept him inside the nursery to visit his Wolfcub.

"Up, Ra-Ra! Up." Wolfram would cry with an enthusiasm that only his Ra-Ra could get from him.

"Okay, Cub. Hang on tight!" Conrart would pick him up and swing him in a circle that would always make his Wolf squeal in happiness.

He loved the ride and would yell, "mo, Ra-Ra, MO!!"

The most painful thing he remembered about his cub's infanthood, was the day the maou was walking with the regent through the halls of the castle, and ended up at the nursery. Wolfram stood at the baby gate to his room, and when the queen tried to pick him up, he started to cry, not knowing who grabbed him. The queen tried to quiet the sobs from the small child. Finally, not knowing what else to do, she passed the little prince to Conrart. As soon as he was in his Ra-Ra's arms, he quieted, and snuggled into his neck.

Present Day

Conrart smiled remembering his little cub as a baby. He missed him depending on him for love and comfort. His little brother always was his little cub. He came to him to fix his boo-boos, and to fix his broken toys. He even came to him when Big Brother gave him a scary pig-dog (teddy bear) that he knitted for his birthday. He thought of the convincing it took before he would let it sit on his shelf with the other toys.

He was jerked out of his reverie by the unmistakable sound of a SPLASH! The Crown Prince had just chased the little frog right into the lily pond. Wolfram ran over to the pond and handed him the baby. He pulled the prince out of the water and led him inside with Conrart and the baby close behind. He had to smile thinking of how much the little prince's hijinks reminded him of someone else's mischief.

Conrart was trying to find his cub. He thought he looked everywhere for him. Then, from behind a tapestry, he heard a little giggle.

"Hmmm… I wonder where Wolfcub is? AHA!! Found you!" he yelled as he pulled away the fabric that held the hiding place of the small boy.

"You found me Conrart! Now you hide." Wolf really was good at hide and seek, especially around bed time. He bent down and scooped him up, "we can play tomorrow, but now it's time for night-night." He started walking towards Wolfram's bedroom, when the little boy broke free and started running while laughing. "Wolf! Come on! It's time for bed!" Conrart was not really annoyed. It just bothered him when Wolfram didn't listen to him.

Several feet ahead of him, he saw Wolfram trip and fall on a runner that led down the corridor. The poor little guy fell hard and scraped his knee and sat there crying and holding his boo-boo.

"Poor baby. Hang on, let me look." Conrart said as he knelt down in front of him, all of his annoyance deflating within him. "It's just a little scrape. Come on cub, and I'll bandage it for you, then we can put you to bed. No more playing tonight, okay?" Wolf nodded in agreement, as his little big brother fixed his knee.

As he tucked him in, Wolfram held onto his sleeve and looked at him with tired emerald eyes and asked, "Conrart, will you stay with me tonight?" Conrart looked down at him for a moment and replied, "Sure. Let me get into my sleeping clothes, and I'll be right back, okay?" Wolf found it agreeable and snuggled down to wait for his brother.

Present Day

Conrart put the baby down as Wolfram led his elder son into the bathroom for a warm bath and a change of clothes. He couldn't help but feel saddened at how his little cub had outgrown him with cubs of his own. A part of him was happy, while another part wished he had his little one all to himself again.

He knew he could be the best uncle for his sweet little nephews. He would protect them from Crazy Lady Annissina, and from Gwendal's hideous creations, and from Gunter's psychotic outbursts. He would watch over his Wolfram from afar, as always.