A/N: Before I introduce this, I want to apologize for not having updated "Child's Play" in a really long time. I'm sorry, the only excuse I have is that things came up and I lost interest in the story by the time things settled down. I recently became inspired though and I will definitely finish "Child's Play", it just may take a longer than I intended. This idea has been plaguing me for a while though, so I've decided to put this up to bring a little Conyuu back to while I work on my other story. It was originally one big story, but it got so long I decided to separate it into chunks. It'll only be about three chapters, four max, I think.

I hope you enjoy "Among the Trees" and I'm once again sorry for the delay with "Child's Play".

Among the Trees

Chapter 1

"Shibuya! Your bandage isn't tight enough! Someone could've bled to death by now! That floppy knot wouldn't save anyone! Try again!"

Yuuri winced as his drill sergeant of a teacher—who reminded him a bit of Gisela when she was ordering around Dakoskos—singled him out in front of everyone before marching off to verbally harass another student. He glared at her back and pretended to squish her head with his thumb and index finger. If you knew I was the Maou I bet you'd think twice before making me feel stupid. Justice! But nothing happened. Oh well, he supposed, it'd probably be an abuse of my powers anyway. But if I asked Gunter, he could probably help me get her imprisoned on the grounds of being a mean teacher.

"Shibuya! How many times do I have to tell you to stop lazing around and get to work?!" She hollered from across the gym.

"S-sorry, sensei!" he laughed nervously and turned to face his partner who was playing with the failed, floppy bandage around his arm. "Why is she picking on me?"

His partner, Yuuri believed his name was Asuka, shrugged and let the wrapping slip off his arm. "Who doesn't pick on you, Shibuya?"

Yuuri frowned, "Oh thanks." He forgot that here he was an average high school student who was targeted by bullies on a regular basis. Due to that he didn't have that many friends outside of Shin Makoku, Murata, and his baseball team. At least I didn't get paired up with one of those bullies… he spared the three guys who usually harped on him a glance. They were attempting to suffocate some poor kid with gauze. Yuuri felt a familiar anger bubble up inside him; he almost went over there to defend the kid, but his scary PE teacher beat him to it.

"Hey! Do you three want to be suspended or not?!" she started ranting and hit the larger one on the head with her clipboard.

Yuuri sighed with relief and went back to attempting to dress a wound. "Why are we doing this? What does wrapping bandages have to do with PE?" Though he was grateful they didn't have to change into their PE clothes for this demonstration.

"Health, I guess. Physical well-being and all that." Asuka shrugged again, "Tighten it up some, Shibuya, I can still feel my fingers."

He tugged until the other boy winced and knotted it off. "Okay. Now what?"

"You get one of those towels wet and bring it over here to clean my supposed head injury." The boy pointed to the tub of water their teacher set up.

"Shouldn't we have taken care of the head wound first?" Yuuri wondered aloud before yelping as a shrill whistle blew in his ear.

His teacher towered over him with her whistle poised and her expression menacing, "Head injuries are usually shallow, you can't bleed out from one. The only way a head injury could kill you on the spot is if you smashed your skull or somehow made contact with the brain. Only doctors can identify concussions or hematomas. Deep wounds near vital veins and arteries are fatal and need to be dealt with first. Remember that!" she turned to leave, but took a second glance at Asuka, "Better bandage, but it still needs work."

"I'll never satisfy her, will I?" Yuuri sighed once she was out of earshot.

Asuka didn't provide any sympathy, "Nope. Now go get a towel so we can finish this lame project."

If Conrad were here he'd sympathize with me. He'd be on my side with a smile and some form of reassurance… granted it may be a really bad joke, but it's better than nothing. Yuuri felt a dull ache as he pictured his protector. "I miss them." It had only been four days, but who knew how much time had passed in Shin Makoku? He was eager to get back to see everyone, but what jumped to his mind first was the thought of playing catch with Conrad again.

Yuuri picked up a towel and dipped it into the basin of water. The familiar falling sensation tapped at his senses and he found himself being sucked into the other world. Perfect timing! He thought gleefully as water engulfed him.

With a pop he sprung out of the water and bobbed there for a bit. He'd landed in an unfamiliar lake and began to tread water when he noticed he couldn't reach the bottom. No one jumped out to give him a choking hug or called out to him from the shore. It was eerily silent.

The young, wet maou paddled over to the bank and shook a bit. He wrung out the hem of his school uniform while he took in his surroundings. The lake appeared to be in the middle of a forest; dense trees surrounded him every way he turned. This isn't good. Yuuri didn't explore the forests too often and he had no idea if this was Mazoku or human territory. Well, mom always says to stay in one place if you get lost. He thought as he plopped down on a log and huddled there to conserve some body heat that the chilled lake stripped him of.

This wasn't how he envisioned his return at all. He expected to be called a cheating wimp by Wolfram and smothered by Gunter. Then, after all that was out of the way, He'd be handed a warm fluffy towel and be on the receiving end of an equally warm and fluffy smile. Yuuri's fantasy came to a halt. Wait, since when have Conrad's smiles been fluffy? Smiles aren't fluffy! He shook his head and sniffled; perhaps his head filled up with water on this past trip and made him think weird things.

The air began to cool more quickly as a breeze picked up. Yuuri craned his head upward to see what the sky looked like. Between the green of the trees he could make out little patches of blue. I wonder how much time has passed. They should've found me by now, right?

"EHH?! What if they don't realize I'm back?!" Yuuri panicked, leaping off the log all frazzled.

This posed a bit of a problem. If his retainers didn't know he was back, then he'd be stuck on this log and eventually starve or freeze to death. "But they called me, didn't they? Or Shinou did… so they must know. Especially Conrad. He always knows." Yuuri relaxed a bit, but refrained from sitting back down.

The trees groaned around him as the wind weaved between them. Leaves rustled with the breeze; often giving Yuuri the false impression that someone was coming for him. A loud snap alerted him to approaching footsteps. Yuuri's face lit up and he started to go greet whoever it was when a thought hit him. He could be in human territory; it had happened before. What if this person isn't too friendly towards people with black hair and eyes?

Spying a low branch, Yuuri used it to climb up higher into the tree. He situated himself on a relatively high branch so the leaves would partially conceal him. He stopped breathing for a moment as he waited for the person or persons to show themselves.

A familiar mop of brown hair and a tan uniform caught his eye. Yuuri exhaled and laughed airily with relief. I'm saved! He thought happily, watching Conrad emerge from the brush and dash over to the lake.

"Yuuri?" the concerned pitch of his voice didn't escape the teenager.

"Up here, Conrad!" he called out from his perch in the tree; waving ecstatically at the man below.

Conrad turned abruptly and his trained eyes scanned the tree tops for his liege; locating the splash of black amidst the green fairly quickly. His tensed shoulders relaxed some and that familiar smile took its place upon his lips.

"Heika, might I ask what you're doing up there?" Conrad asked fondly, amused by the sight of his king up a tree.

Yuuri glowered, "You might if you called me by my name, nazukeoya."

Conrad's chuckle warmed Yuuri inside and out despite the damp clothes he sported, "Well then, Yuuri, why are you in that tree?"

"I didn't know if you were you or not." He explained, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Or like Gwendel or Wolfram, you know? I'm not exactly sure where I landed so I figured… I'd be safer up here then down there."

"Good thinking, Yuuri." It comforted Conrad some to know that Yuuri wasn't as naïve as he appeared and finally realized some of the dangers that surrounded the maou. "Would you like to come down now though, seeing as it's only me?"

"I don't know. How do I know you're really Conrad and not some guy dressed up to look like him?" He asked playfully.

Perhaps he doesn't really understand. Conrad sighed inwardly; there was a possibility that someone could impersonate a member of the maou's royal guard. If only he took his own question more seriously.

"Test me then, Heika." Conrad responded in his no nonsense tone.

Yuuri frowned when Conrad refused to take the bait, "I was only kidding, Conrad." Sheesh, doesn't he remember that I said I'd always believe in everyone? I said I'd never doubt him again, didn't I? He began his slow descent of the tree, but one of the branches gave way beneath his feet. His stomach dropped, along with the rest of him, and the awkward sensation of falling prompted him to cry out as the canopy of trees spun above him.

Conrad caught him easily, his legs bending to support the extra weight that landed heavily in his arms. Obsidian eyes blinked up at Conrad; he felt dazed from the fall and everything still spun around him. He finally focused on the concerned expression his protector sported and smiled to reassure him.

"You pass, Conrad."

The concern morphed into confusion before understanding dawned on the man's face and he gazed upon his charge with amusement, "How so, Heika?"

"Yuuri!" he chastised as Conrad helped steady him on the ground, "You pass because I know you'll always be there to catch me." He placed a hand on Conrad's shoulder, under the pretense of being unstable still from the drop, and squeezed firmly, "Thank you, Conrad."

The pair trekked through the foliage with the hope of arriving where Conrad left his horse. "This part of the forest is too dense for her to make it through and I needed to find you quickly." He explained when Yuuri asked. "There's a change of clothes for you with her; I regret not bringing them with me. You'll catch a cold if you're wet for too long."

"I'm fine. I haven't been wet for that long." He tried to convince him; but from the looks of Yuuri's clothes, he'd been wet for quite some time.

The forest was dense and a lot of uncovered roots, stray branches, and rocks coated the ground. Yuuri found himself stumbling about rather unkingly-like, so he held onto Conrad's arm for assistance. Apparently Yuuri had been transported fairly close to human territory. Too close for Conrad's liking. The man kept one arm around Yuuri and the other near the hilt of his sword as they walked.

"I thought we were on good terms with everyone except Dai Shimaron." Yuuri voiced his concern, "What happened? How long have I been gone?!"

The panic rushed through Yuuri and startled Conrad a bit, "Don't worry, Heika, you've only been away for two weeks." He felt rather than heard Yuuri's relieved sigh against his side. "We're just near some renegade human tribes that don't agree with some of our allies' decisions. It's just for precaution that I want us to keep our distance."

"But you keep reaching for your sword." Yuuri pointed out.

"I am a soldier, Yuuri." Conrad reminded him, "And I take my duty in guarding you very seriously. There are other dangers besides the human tribes. Wild animals are indigenous to forests such as these and a trained assassin would have an extreme advantage with this kind of coverage."

"Oh…" Yuuri looked around and edged a bit closer to Conrad; he wished he had Morgif with him, but then again the demon sword drew too much attention to itself.

Conrad didn't mean to frighten Yuuri, but this was a precarious situation where he was the only guard. Wolfram had fallen ill a few days prior and Gwendel remained behind to keep the castle from falling into the maniacal hands of Anissina. Gunter had joined him, but stayed at the inn they found with the rest of the soldiers who accompanied them to heal those that had sustained a few injuries thanks to an accidental welcoming committee. Yuuri's arrival had been so sudden, only Conrad had been fully prepared to go this deep into the forest.

Both froze simultaneously when they heard a branch snap. "Please tell me that was you again." Yuuri whispered and tried to look into Conrad's face.

The soldier hushed him and listened hard. He couldn't hear anything else that alerted him to another presence. He guided Yuuri downwards into a crouching position, shielding the black haired boy with his body. Yuuri's cheeks flushed of their own accord as he found himself nestled tightly against Conrad. The warmth the man radiated made him shudder despite himself.

"Don't move." Conrad hissed through his teeth

The tone of his voice sent shivers up and down Yuuri's spine. He personally couldn't hear anything, but Conrad seemed to and it didn't look good. For a while all Yuuri could discern was the sound of their synchronized breathing. His fingers clutched at Conrad's uniform and, for a second, brown eyes met his. That second was all it took.

The scrambling of leaves and cracking of branches rapidly closed in on them and Yuuri found his face being pressed into the dirt. He could feel the weight of Conrad pressing down on his shoulder. Steel screeched against steel; the familiar sound of two swords clashing. Yuuri cringed as the onslaught of sounds hammered against his ear drums. Something warm dripped onto his face, but he didn't get a chance to wonder about it before he was yanked up off the ground and shoved forward.

"Run, Yuuri!" he stumbled and paused to look back at Conrad; the man was faced with two attackers at once. "Go!"

He remembered the flaming chapel and the squelching of Conrad's arm being sliced off and the horrific thought that the man had died and he couldn't move.

The young maou shook his head slowly, "No."

Conrad side stepped and knocked one of the men back, "Yuuri run to safety now!"

"No! I'm not going without you!" The desperation in his voice startled himself as well as Conrad, but it was short lived when he found himself sprawled out on the forest floor again. He gasped for breath; the wind had been knocked out of him by a third enemy they hadn't seen.

The cloaked man lifted his sword to strike the vulnerable boy. Fear seized his body as the blade began its descent.

"Yuuri!" Metal locked against metal; Conrad's sword quivered mere centimeters from Yuuri's face, straining under the force from the opposing sword. "Yuuri move!"

He rolled out from under the blades and scrambled over to a nearby tree and pressed his back against it until the bark dug deep into his skin. His dark eyes followed Conrad's movements; he was ferociously graceful as he alternated between dodging and striking the three different attackers.

Just like before… he's outnumbered and trying to do everything to protect me… Yuuri's gaze settled on Conrad's left arm. No. I'm not just going to sit back and watch or run away! He searched the ground frantically for some kind of weapon. He took up a good sized rock and aimed carefully; he didn't want to hit Conrad accidentally. Imitating a major league pitcher, Yuuri chucked the rock at one of the assassins and struck him in the shoulder. The man grunted and pulled back to clutch at the injury while the second one turned to face Yuuri.

"Ah!" Panicked, Yuuri picked up a stick and swung it back and forth to keep the man who approached him at bay. "Why are you attacking us?!"

The attacker ducked down and moved to stab Yuuri in the stomach, but the boy brought the branch down on his head before he could lunge. He momentarily dazed the man, so Yuuri stumbled away to take cover behind another tree. His dark head peeked out from behind the trunk and he watched Conrad and the other two still engaged in their deadly dance. Conrad… He didn't notice the guy he'd just hit come up behind him until it was almost too late. The sword cut away at the tree as Yuuri kept ducking and staggering away.

"Please leave us alone! Can't we just talk about this?!" Still holding onto his peace ideals, Yuuri just kept running in circles around the trees. His foot caught on an unearthed root and he crashed to the ground.

He yelped involuntarily at the shock of gravity betraying him. He regretted the instant he opened his mouth. At the sound of Yuuri's distress, Conrad turned to check on him. Their eyes met and Yuuri watched the chestnut depths change from frantic concern to excruciating pain when one of the assailants swung.

Yuuri stiffened; his jaw dropped and his eyes remained locked on Conrad's grimacing face. Slowly, his gaze traveled to the hilt of the attacker's sword against Conrad's side. He couldn't see the blade at all. His vision blurred when he realized all the blood soaking through Conrad's jacket was because the blade was inside Conrad's body.

He felt the familiar spark of his maryoku before the sword was ripped from his soldier's side and before he heard the sickening crack when Conrad's head made contact with a rock when the other man shoved him to the ground. Blood trickled down from his hairline and he looked like he was in so much pain, but he still tried to fight back! The swords came down again for another round when the maou snapped. The blue aura surrounded him and the winds picked up and the rain started pouring as he screamed.

"CONRAD!!!"