The Heat of the Moment

disclaimer- i do not own any of the characters to Kyo kara Maoh and neither do i make any money
from this story. all rights and whatnots belong solely to the original creator.


Chapter 39

As Gwendal ducked a vicious head cut by Nikolas, the stoic demon lord was becoming agitated. The battle between them and Drakko's men was taking longer than he had hoped. In addition, there still was no sign of his little brother and the others. He hoped that they weren't too late. Gwendal snapped out of his thoughts when someone started yelling.

"Fire!" yelled one of the Drakko's men, which promptly ended the battle. Everyone turned to stare in shocked horror as flames began to eat away at the palace.

"Wolfram! Yuuri!" said Conrad staring at the blazing inferno in fear. He was about to run toward the burning building to try to get inside. He had to rescue his brother and Yuuri. The brown hair knight began to run toward the inferno. Gwendal, Josak and several of the men followed him but they came to a sudden halt when several screams spilt the night air. The three demon males from Shin Makoku turned to see thick stalagmites of ice bursting out of the ground stabbing all of Drakko's men in the chest or stomach lifting them from the ground. Screams of terror filled the night air as the men tried to avoid being skewered but it was no use. No matter how fast they ran, only the icy hand of death awaited them.

"What in the name of Shinou is going on?" asked Josak shocked.

Then ice began to creep up the bodies until they were encased in the frozen liquid.

"It's that little bastard Yuu," snarled Gustav. "Our lord needs us. Let's get back to the castle." He dodged several of the conical spears trying to impale him. He and his fellow chevaliers ran back toward the palace dodging the icy weapons. Suddenly all four men stumbled as they clutched the area over their hearts. It was as if a fist of steel had closed around their hearts. Dread began to consume them as they quickly got to their feet to dodge more of the ice spears. Something was terribly wrong. They had to get back to the castle as fast as they could. Therefore, they sprinted toward the castle. Believing himself to be safe in the air, Nikolas was surprised to see the ground spat out one of the conical pillars of ice. The frozen projectile struck him through the forehead as he fell from the sky to be caught by one of the ice stalagmite waiting below.

"Nickolas!" yelled Sigfrid shocked.

"Come on brother, we can't help him now," said Siegmund staring at his comrade as the man was encased in a tomb of ice. "Let's go, we have to get to Count Drakko." As he grabbed his brother by the collar, he dragged his twin toward the burning castle.

While Gustav was busy dodging several ice spears, he did not notice the one zooming toward his back. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Both twins frozen as they saw the thick spear of ice rocketing toward an unsuspecting Gustav. "GUSTAV! LOOK OUT!" yelled Sigfrid snapping out of his shock.

Gustav turned but it was too late. The frozen projectile struck him in the back. Blood flowed like a river from the wound and from his mouth. Just as he fell forward, an ice stalagmite jutted up from the ground to stab him through the chest lifting him off the ground.

"No, this can't be happening," said Siegmund. "We have lived for centuries and all it took to defeat us was one spoiled child."

Sigfrid grabbed his twin by the hand trying to drag him away from the carnage. "Let's get out of here! There is nothing we can . . ." His words came to a halt as he gasped in pain.

Siegmund turned to see the conical pillar sticking out of his twin's bloody chest. Sigfrid's body was yanked away from his brother as the stalagmite lifted him from the ground. Siegmund could only look in shocked horror up at the lifeless corpse of his twin.

"Sigfrid." He raised a hand up to his twins as tears moistened his eyes. "SIGFRID!" Suddenly a stalagmite burst out of the ground behind him piercing him through the back lifting him from the ground to settle beside his twin. Tears began to flow from his eyes as he stared into the pale blue face of his brother. As he reached a hand out to grasp the cold hand of his twin, he smiled. "My . . . brother." He closed his eyes as his and his brother's body turned to ice just like all the others.

Gwendal and the others stared around the battlefield in speechless horror at the impaled frozen corpses. "Wh-what in the name of Shinou is going on?"

"I heard Gustav say something about it being Yuu," said Conrad.

"Wolfram!" said Gwendal staring at the yellow flames licking at the building. "We have to put that fire out. Get some water wielders up here!" He bellowed to the men.

However, before anyone could move to start putting out the flames, the ground beneath them began to rumble and quake. Suddenly, there was a fissure that began to snake its way around the entire battlefield. Seeing the danger, Gwendal turned to face the others. "Everyone get back!" he commanded and ran off the unstable ground followed by his brother and Josak. "It's too dangerous! Run!" The men turned and quickly ran off the battlefield to the safety of the forest. They turned just in time to see the roof of the palace exploded as several water dragons rose from inside the building. Everyone gasped in shock. The serpents stretched their sinewy bodies across the battlefield crushing the fozen bodies of the enemies in their path. They came to a halt where the others were waiting. The dragons gently placed Wolfram and the others on the ground. Everyone ran over to their friends. Corwyn and Gwendal both hugged Wolfram.

Then Gwendal turned to the Great Sage. "How is His Majesty doing?"

"He will be okay," said Murata. "They gave him some kind of drug to knock him out. But whatever it was is wearing off."

Wolfram tried desperately to get out of his brothers' embraces. He had to get back inside. He had to save his baby. "Let go of me," snarled Wolfram trying to break the men grips.

Gwendal frowned as he stared down at his panicky baby brother. "Wolfram, calm down," he said holding the blonde tight. "What is wrong with you?"

Suddenly, Josak noticed that someone was missing. "Wait, where is Yuu?" asked Josak looking at the wet, hysterical face of the blonde.

Just then, the entire roof of the palace collapsed. Wolfram screamed, as he broke free of his brothers and ran toward the flaming building. But the water dragons stood in his path stopping him. He looked up into the face of the huge dragons and saw tiny crystal droplets of water falling from their sad eyes. Wolfram fell to his knees sobbing helplessly.

Then the dragons turned from the weeping prince and began to burrow their way into the ground eating their way through the foundation of the ground. Suddenly there was an awful ear shrieking noise as part of the cliff that had the palace sitting on it broke off and fell into the raging water below.

Wolfram screamed in horror as he clutched a handful of his hair. He was about to jump off the cliff but Yuuri grabbed him and held the weeping blonde close to him. Wolfram became hysterical as he fought the hold of his fiance. "Let go, damn you!" His fists beat against Yuuri's chest in desperation. "I have to save Yuu! Let go! Let go!" His baby was down there. He continued to fight Yuuri trying to get away. Yuuri wrapped his arms around the blonde's flailing fists pinning his arms to his side. He buried his face in the soft blonde mane of his fiance as he wept for his son.

Wolfram struggled as he tried to break free but to no avail. His collapsed weakly against his fiance's chest. "Yuu," cried Wolfram. "My baby . . . my baby." He raised his head to stare into Yuuri's wet eyes. "My baby is gone." Then he continued to cry against Yuuri's chest. "I want my baby back."

"I know you do," said Yuuri crying. "I want him back too." It wasn't fair. They had just made up and Yuuri thought they would have a long happy life together. But now all that was gone. His first-born was gone and he could do nothing to bring him back. "I was . . . I was going to challenge him . . . To a baseball game. The winner would get whatever he. . .wanted." He stared up into the night sky as his tears trickled backward disappearing into his hair. "Yuu."

Wolfram cries became loud heart wrenching sobs as he clung to Yuuri as though he was a lifeline.

"Someone bring Gisela over here," commanded Josak holding his husband close to him as the man wept on his shoulder. Gwendal turned away as his jaws clenched tightly. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not hold back his tears. Josak could see that his husband and brother-in-law were not in any condition to give orders.

Suddenly Wolfram doubled over clutching his stomach in pain. "Wolfram," said Yuuri worried as he laid the blonde on the ground. Sweat soaked his pain twisted face. "Gisela!" Yuuri began to panic as he watched his fiance curl into a ball and claw at the ground.

Wolfram didn't know what to make of this sudden pain. It was like nothing he has ever felt before. The pain tore at his insides His stomach felt as though it was about to burst open. He could actually feel his organs burning and twisting inside his body. Wolfram felt as though he would throw up all that he had eaten but nothing came up. He shrieked as the pain seemed to get worser and worser. 'Someone . . . help . . . me.' His arms tightened around his stomach as a small stream of blood trickled from his mouth. He squeezed his eyes closed tightly as tears of pain flowed from under his eyelids to soak the ground.


"Where the hell is Gisela?" demanded Gwendal kneeling beside his baby brother worried.

Just then the green hair healer burst through the crowd. She immediately began to check Wolfram over. "Get him to the medical tent I had put up."

Yuuri gently lifted his fiance and quickly took the writhing blonde to the designated tent Gisela had set up for the wounded.

xxxxx

"Yuu. Yuu."

The double black boy's eyes fluttered and slowly opened. Yuu found himself floating in a void of darkness. 'Where am I?' He looked around but saw nothing. 'What is this place?' Suddenly a light came from out of the darkness to fall upon his small frame. Yuu had to cover his eyes to block out the brightness. He squinted his eyes as he saw a figure step out of the light.

"Hello Yuu," said the figure.

He blinked as the light lost its brightness and he could see the person. "Father?" Narrowing his eyes at the smiling man, he knew something was wrong. 'This can't be my father. I had gotten him to safety.'

"That's right," the man said smiling. "You had gotten both your parents and the others out of the burning castle in time."

"Wait. How did you know what I was thinking?" A scowl marred the boy's young face. Then Yuu saw it. It was the eyes. His father's eyes were a beautiful emerald green but these eyes were. . . Yuu eyes widened in shock. "Shinou."

The man chuckled as he stared into the shocked eyes of the boy. "Tell me Yuu, what brings you to a place like this?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's my punishment for being such a bad son to my parents."

"No, there is no such thing as a bad child," Shinou said smiling at the boy. "You were just confused about things. And I'm sure your father's confusing behavior didn't help any."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean one minute he's telling Yuuri he hates him and the next he loves him."

"Well, it did sort of throw me," said Yuu. "I couldn't understand how he could still love someone who kept telling him they would never marry you because they both were men." Yuu sighed heavily. "It's all so confusing."

"Well, love is a confusing emotion at the best of times. I can just imagine what you were going through while watching your parents." Shinou raked his fingers through the boy's hair. "That's why when it comes to adults and love. It's best to stay out of it because one minute they would be ready to kill each other and the next they are in public kissing like teenagers. Half the time you don't know if they will stay together or split up."

"You sound as though you know what I am going through."

"Do I ever," he said rolling his eyes. "My mother use to throw whatever wasn't nailed down at my father. And by the next day, they would be holding hands and kissing out in public. I was so humiliated I just wished I could crawl under a rock." He smiled.

"But you still wouldn't know what I was going through," sighed Yuu. "Your parents were male and female."

"I never said one of my parents was female." He smirked at Yuu as the boy stared at him with wide eyes. "Yes, both my parents were males. That's why the Spitzweg family are related to me."

"But your parents loved each other. Not once did one of them say they wouldn't marry the other because they both were men."

"True but they were born and raised in Shin Makoku." He scratched the side of his nose in thought while smiling sheepishly. "Well, at least they were raised here in this world before I gathered together all the demons to form Shin Makoku. Yuuri was raised on a world that considers themselves to be the center of the universe," said Shinou. "Compared to us, they are only children and if we want to be technical about it, so is Yuuri."

Yuu giggled. "Probably why he acts so childish at times."

Shinou chuckled softly as he stared into the boy's dark eyes. "So, what do you say? You want to leave this darkness behind and go home." Placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, he squeezed it gently. "Besides, you are the oldest and the next to take the throne."

"Are you kidding?" Yuu arched a dark brow. "I see what poppa has to go through every day. All those boring meetings, the complaints he has to listen to and all that paperwork he has to sign. Being king doesn't interest me at all. I know what you are thinking. You're thinking I'm only saying this now because I am a kid and I might change my mind in the future. But it's not that at all. I just don't like all that responsibility that goes with ruling a country. A lot of your freedom is stripped away because there are things you can and can't do because you are king. I'll leave that for someone else to do. Besides, it will be a long long long time before poppa even thinks about abdicating the throne."

"You truly are smart beyond your years," said the Great One smiling.

"Anyway, how can I return home?" asked Yuu. "What about the curse Drakko placed on me, and then there's the fact that my body is probably smashed to pieces and lying at the bottom of the ocean."

"Am I not the Great One," he said smugly. "I got a friend to rescue your body before it fell into the water, and as for the curse, you needn't worry about that. The curse ended when you died."

"A . . . friend?"

Suddenly a man stepped out of the darkness to join them. Yuu eyes widened in surprise and then tears fell from his dark orbs as Yuu got to his feet and leaped into the arms of the man.

"Dad."

"Hello, little one," said Captain Ellis Gilbit smiling. "I heard you were giving your parents a hard time." He wrapped his arms around the boy hugging him tight.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to make father cry." Yuu wiped the tears from his eyes.

"No, it's not your fault alone. There's enough blame for all of you to share." He kissed Yuu on top of his head.

"I've missed you so much."

"I know you have but now you have both of your parents to take care of you," said Ellis.

"I realize that but I don't want to forget about all the good times we had with you," said Yuu looking into the man's blue eyes.

"Than don't forget them. No one is forcing you to give up on your memories of me. That was all Drakko's doing. He was poisoning your inexperience, gullible mind." Ellis smirked at the boy. "But now it's time to make new memories with your parents, your sister and anymore siblings that Wolfram will have in the future."

"You're right. I do miss them and I don't want to leave them." Yuu turned to face Shinou. "I want to go home."

"Than home you will go," said Shinou smiling at the boy.

"Wait a minute," said Yuu narrowing his eyes at the Great One. "My father said your spirit was gone after poppa destroyed the Originators. So, why are you here?"

"Come along Yuu, it's time you returned to your father so he can stop crying," said Ellis abruptly cutting off the conversation.

"I'll be seeing you again, Yuu!" Shinou yelled after the boy.

Ellis sighed and mumbled something as he and Yuu walked into the light.

xxxxx

It was four o'clock in the morning when Gisela walked out of the tent. "Well, how is he?" asked Yuuri as he and the others rushed up to her.

"He's doing as well as can be expected. He was awake a while ago but I gave him something to make him sleep," said Gisela smiling.

"So, what was wrong with him?" asked Gwendal.

"It wasn't anything too serious." She wiped sweat from her forehead. "It was just the stress of everything that was happening."

"What about the blood coming from his mouth?" asked Conrad worried that there might be more that was wrong with his brother.


"When the pain struck, he bit down on his tongue but I have taken care of that," said the woman sighing. "We're all going to have to be careful around him for a while. He had a mental lapse, which is why I gave him something to make him sleep. I want him to rest in bed for a few days and then I want to check him again."

"Can I see him?" asked Yuuri.

The green hair healer turned sad eyes to look at the king. Yuuri was haggard with dark bags under his eyes from worrying about Wolfram. He was still pale from whatever it was Drakko had done to him. The bastard! His eyes were puffy and red from crying. Her heart ached at what was told to her by some of the wounded men. She could not fathom the pain and sorrow Yuu and Wolfram was going through. 'It must be so hard for His Majesty to know that he will never see his first born again.' "Of course you can," said Gisela smiling. "The rest of you should get some sleep. It's going to be a strenuous day for Wolfram in the morning." Then she led Yuuri inside.

Yuuri walked into the tent and felt his heart drop. Wolfram looked worst than he did. The blonde had purple circles around his eyes and they were swollen from his crying. His hair was damp and clung to his forehead. Yuuri walked over to the sleeping prince and sat on a stool close to the bed. He took Wolfram's hand into his grasp and brushed the damp blonde bang from his fiance forehead. "He feels kind of warm."

"He was running a slight fever but I gave him something for that also. He should be fine by morning." Then Gisela placed a hand on his shoulder. "You should get some sleep as well. I'm sure your heart hurts just as badly as Wolfram's."

"It does," he said as tears fell from his swollen eyes. "See, we had just made up and he . . . He called me . . . Poppa."

Gisela felt a fist close around her heart at hearing this. She knew this was tearing Yuuri apart. He had waited so long to hear Yuu acknowledge him as his father, only for the child to die saving him. The fates truly are cruel. "Get some rest, your majesty." Then she left the two alone.

Wolfram whimpered and moaned in his sleep as he tightened his grip on Yuuri's hand.

"Ssssshhhhh," whispered Yuuri soothingly into the blonde's ear. "Everything will be all right. You will see."

"Yuu," groaned Wolfram tossing his head from side to side. "Don't . . . leave me." Tears slipped out from under Wolfram's closed eyelids.

Yuuri wanted to cry but he knew that he had to be strong. Wolfram will need him in the morning. He will not wimp out on his responsibilities to his fiance. Yuuri slipped onto the cot with Wolfram pulling the blonde close to his chest as he rested their clasped hands across Wolfram's stomach. "You will see Wolfram that in time you will smile again." He kissed the blonde on the cheek and fell asleep nestled close to his love.

xxxxx

Yuuri didn't know how long he was asleep but he could feel light streaming across his face. Guessing that the sun must be up, he opened his eyes and immediately regret it as he quickly closed his eyes. It wasn't the sun. There was a bright light inside the tent. Yuuri covered his eyes trying to block out the light.

"You can open your eyes now," said a voice.

Yuuri opened his eyes to stare into the face of a human male in his early thirties with vibrant blue eyes and long forest green hair that hung down his back in a single braid. He wore a scruffy looking beard and mustache. The first thing to come to Yuuri's mind upon seeing this figure is that of a pirate.

Yuuri was becoming uncomfortable, as this person's bright blue eyes seemed to look straight through him. The man stood there with arms folded across his chest with an arched brow watching Yuuri twitch nervously under his gaze.

"Who are you?" Yuuri asked nervously. "How did you get in here?"

"It was quite simple. I'm a spirit." He smirked. "My name is Captain Ellis Gilbit. I am Wolfram's first husband."

Yuuri stared wide eyed at the man. "You're Wolfram's . . . Uh." He quietly slipped out of bed and stood before the man. "Well, it's uh . . . a pleasure to meet you."

He snorted. "I'm sure you're glad to see your fiance's first husband," Ellis said sarcastic. "So we finally get to meet face to face, Majesty."

"Uh, yeah," Yuuri said laughing nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

"I've waited a long time to do this." Ellis raised his fist and made contact with Yuuri's nose. The double black fell backward onto his rear holding his throbbing nose. "Well, what do you know. I didn't think I would be able to hit you," said Ellis smirking. "That was for making Wolfram so unhappy that he felt he had to leave his home and family."

Yuuri sat up still holding his nose. He checked to see if it was broken or bleeding. Luckily, it was neither. He stared up at the man. "Did that make you feel better?"

"Oh most definitely," he said smiling. Ellis sighed as he turned to the sleeping Wolfram. "You know even after we began to consummate our marriage. He still thought and dreamt only of you." He walked over to the blonde and cupped a soft cheek in his hand. "I was envious and jealous of you. Without even trying, you had the heart of the person that I would have given an arm to have love me the way he loved you." He sighed once more as he moved his hand to comb through the blonde locks. "I truly loved him."

"He told me." Yuuri got to his feet and watched as the spirit of Wolfram's husband lovingly caressed the blonde's cheek. "He also told me that he loved you as well."

Ellis smiled sadly, as he continued to look at the beautiful blonde. "Yeah, but it was never with the same intensity of how he loved you. His one and only true love. I never did understand why he continued to love you as much as he did. I guess you can't fight what your heart wants and his heart wanted you. But I was still happy that he granted me the honor of being my husband anyway."

Suddenly Wolfram began to stir. His eyes fluttered and slowly opened to stare into a pair of vibrant, smiling blue eyes. "Hello my sweet," said Ellis smiling down at the stunned blonde.

"Ellis," Wolfram said as his eyes widened in shock. Then his eyes began to mist over. "Ellis." He got up and wrapped his arms around his rogue pirate of a husband. "You still look as I remember you."

"I'm glad you remember me."

"Idiot. How could I forget about the man who made my life a joy for those eight years." Wolfram placed a hand on his ex-husband's cheek.

Ellis smiled as he took Wolfram's hand and placed a kiss in his palm. "You're still as beautiful as I remember you."

Wolfram smirked. "And you're still an incorrigible flirt."

"It's the pirate in me." They both laughed.

As their laughter died, Wolfram looked him in the eyes. "You were right Ellis. I should have listened to you and took Yuu to see Yuuri." Large tears began to fall from his eyes. "And now . . . And now my baby is gone." He wept in the arms of his ex-husband.

"Now now, no tears," said Ellis stroking Wolfram's back. "You know I hate to see you cry."

"But it's my own fault. I shouldn't have let my fears and pride get in the way of my child getting to know his father."

"You're so right."

Wolfram pushed himself out of the arms of his ex-husband to glare at the man. "You're not suppose to say that. You're suppose to say it's all right. No one blames you."

Ellis chuckled at the fire that burned in those green eyes. "That's much better. That self-pity face never suited you." He pulled Wolfram close and sealed their lips in a passionate, heart-pounding kiss. Wolfram moaned as he felt his knees turn to jelly.

Yuuri watched the interaction between the two. At first, he felt a little uncomfortable since they were talking about their life together. But when the rogue dared to kiss his fiance in such a passionate way, the double black could feel his anger swelling or was it jealousy. Maybe it was a mix of both. Whatever it was, he did not like some other man kissing his fiance.

As Ellis pulled away from the blonde, he glanced over Wolfram's shoulder and smirked at the look of jealous rage burning in those dark eyes. /Jealous, your majesty?/

Yuuri stared at the elder man in shock as he heard Ellis' voice ring loud and clear in his mind. Then he straightened his back and looked deep into those vibrant blue eyes. /Yes I am. He may have loved me more but you were the one that healed his heart. You were the one who held him and made love to him every night. Jealous? You're darn right I am./

/Good/ smirked Ellis. /It will make you appreciate him more./

"What are you two doing?" asked Wolfram staring from the mischievous face of his ex-husband to the determined face of his fiance back to his ex-husband.

"It's nothing dearest." Ellis kissed Wolfram on the cheek. Then he turned his gaze to Yuuri. "You needn't worry. He's all yours. Besides, my time here on this plain is almost up. Before I leave you my pet, I have a wedding gift for you and your fiance." He turned Wolfram around to look at the bed he had just vacated. A shimmering ball of light slowly lowered itself through the top of the tent to rest on the bed. Suddenly Yuu appeared lying on the bed.

"Yuu," Wolfram rushed over to his son holding the boy in his arms. Yuuri was beside them holding them both in his arms.

Yuu slowly opened his eyes to stare into the faces of his parents. "Father. Poppa." He clung to both his parents.

"Yuu." Wolfram thoroughly covered his son's small face with kisses.

"Thank you," said Yuuri looking at Ellis.

The green hair man just smiled. "Promise me that you will take care of them. They may act tough but both have soft hearts that can be easily broken."

"I know." Yuuri stood up straight and bowed low to Ellis. "You have my word that I will love them and protect them both, and I will spend the rest of my life making them happy."

"Good." He smiled at the family. "Well, it's time for me to go, my pet."

Wolfram turned to face him. "Thank you." Ellis winked an eye at the blonde.

"Now, I don't want you to give your parents anymore grief, understand Yuu."

"I promise, dad," said Yuu smiling. "Thank you for bringing me home."

"Well, this is where you belong. Besides, you would have irritated the others with all your whining and sulky mood." Ellis laughed at the pout on the boy's face. "Take care of yourselves. And Wolf. I wish you all the happiness this world has to offer. Good bye my sweet."

"Good bye my love," said Wolfram smiling through his tears. Ellis' form slowly faded away until he was gone. "This is the second time I had to say good bye to him."

"Are you all right?" asked Yuuri.

Wolfram looked at Yuuri and then down at Yuu. He smiled and turned back to face Yuuri. "Yes, I am doing better than all right. I am happy." He held Yuu tightly in his arms.

"Come on, let's go let the others know that Yuu is alive and safe," said Yuuri. They got up and went out to let the camp know about Yuu's return.

xxxxx

In Americus Dominique was up earlier playing with Shadow in the garden. Esmeralda walked out to join her. The older woman looked haggard and her eyes were swollen and red from crying all night. She sat on the bench and asked Dominique to come join her. The girl took a seat beside her teacher and stared into the woman's pale face.

"What's wrong, Esmeralda?" asked the girl puzzled.

"I know it should be Wolfram telling you this but I don't think he's going to be in any shape to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Dominique watched the woman as she took a minute or two to pull herself together. When it seemed as though she would not say anything Esmeralda finally breaks the bad news to her apprentice.

"Late last night . . . I-I felt a great disturbance in the elements. At first I thought it came from Yuuri but after watching the water and fire. . .I knew it was Yuu."

"What about big brother?" she smiled.

"Ni-ni, your brother is . . ." Esmeralda could not say it. She bit her bottom lip to hold back her tears and turned away from the girl.

"Big brother is what?"

The witch took a deep breath, turned to look Dominique in the eyes and just said it. "Your big brother is gone . . . He's dead." To her surprise, the girl only stared at her puzzled.

"Oh, I know," Dominique said as though she just remembered something. "Big brother is all right now. He's with daddy and Yuuri. And they are on their way home even as we speak."

Esmeralda figured the child was in shock from the news. "You poor thing."

Dominique giggled. "Silly. Poppa appeared to me early this morning. He said Yuu was dead at first but he brought him back so daddy won't be sad anymore."

"Ellis?" She frowned down at the girl. "Ellis appeared to you this morning?"

"Yep and he left a message for you. He said you should ask the Great Sage to marry you because the two of you are nosey know it all."

Esmeralda turned a dark shade of red as she pouted. "That rat fink." Then she sighed. "At least your brother is all right." 'I'm so glad everything turned out well for you, Wolfram.'

"Come on, let's go tell your grandmother and the others the good news." Esmeralda took Dominique by the hand and they went back inside.