1 Up – Chapter 09: Final Act

by Tetra26/Batty Gal

Summary: Wolfram and Saralegui play games with each other, with unexpected results and fallout. Shinou tactics, chemical provocation, passive-aggressiveness, manipulation and other dirty tricks are used to bring each other down. Wolfram and Saralegui.

Saralegui's personal guards didn't question it when one of his private maids approached his room for a night time visit. After all, Saralegui had a habit of, well, going through them at an alarming rate.

Wolfram mentally praised Yozak for scouting the place in advance and learning all of the inner workings of Saralegui's castle.

He had been beyond amused (as well as shocked) to find out that King Saralegui had a healthy appetite for young, redheaded maids, which was why he disguised himself as one.

He walked right past the incompetent guards and entered the room, not having missed their disgusting smirks due to what they thought "she" was getting ready to do with Saralegui. They wouldn't be so very misinformed for long, though – not after his final act.

He closed the door behind him gently, and took in his surroundings.

Saralegui's naked body was curled up in the middle of the bed, and he was softly snoring. Wolfram walked over to the bed, and clapped his hands in front of his face. Yozak was right about him being completely out of it; Saralegui didn't even stir.

Wolfram lit the candles in the room and quickly removed the bonnet, wig, and maid dress that he was wearing – revealing only a a thin pair of pajama pants underneath.

While Saralegui still slept on, Wolfram removed three small bottles from the apron of the dress he had worn in. Since Saralegui had used some sort of concoction to provoke him into attacking, he was going to return the favor with a few concoctions of his own. After all, he wasn't just a descendant of Shinou the original trickster (which the Sage had drunkenly revealed to him one night while trying to get into his pants), he was also the son of the 26th Maou – Cheri. Why not take a page out of her book as well?

He picked up the blue bottle, shook its contents, and opened the top. He poured a generous amount of the scented liquid into his hands, and rubbed it into his hair, face and neck.

Wolfram closed that bottle, and put it back in the pocket. He then grabbed the red one and uncapped it. It had a more lotion-like consistency, and he gently applied the lightly scented concoction to Saralegui's skin. He rubbed a little under Saralegui's nose just to be safe.

Finally, he took the purple bottle, and opened it up. He gently lifted Saralegui's head and opened his mouth, slowly allowing the tasteless formula to trickle down his throat.

After everything was set, he walked over and picked up the vial that Yozak had given him, and waited for his sign, which would let him know when to proceed.

When Wolfram heard a familiar series of light knocks at the door, he knew that the guards had been distracted by a "slight disturbance" outside the castle.

It was finally time to act.

He quickly opened the vial, and waved the strongly scented contents underneath Saralegui's nose.

As he started to come to, Wolfram closed the vial and tossed it on his pile of things that Yozak would quickly remove once this was all over with. He watched as Saralegui moaned and groggily opened his eyes, his sleepy brain not fully understanding what was going on.

Wolfram looked down at Saralegui, and gave him the most passionate look that he could muster up. "Wake up, sleepy. We need to talk about something," he said, sexily. He gently ran one of his hands through Saralegui's hair for the full effect.

Saralegui – who's head was rapidly clouding with something even worse than sleep – sat up and gave Wolfram a confused look. "Why are you in my bedroom?"

"Like I said, we need to talk."

"What... about?" Saralegui asked, slowly.

"About us."

"Us?"

"Yes."

"What about us?" Saralegui asked, drawling out the words.

"About earlier. I know you was watching me when I was drying off," Wolfram said in a seductive voice. "Did you like what you saw?"

Saralegui said nothing, and continued to look at Wolfram.

"Are you alright? Surely, you aren't getting sick again like you were earlier?" he asked, and placed his hand on Saralegui's forehead, for emphasis.

"I'm...fine?" Saralegui said, confusedly.

"Sure you are," Wolfram said, and let his hand slide down Saralegui's face.

He gently stroked Saralegui's cheek, mentally noting how he leaned into his touch. He moved his hand down further, and gently touched his neck.

"To think I ever violently bruised you here... I'm so sorry. I must have been out of my mind."

"You were. I made sure of it," Saralegui admitted.

"Indeed. I won't be happy until I can truly rectify that situation," he said, meaning it in a completely different way than Saralegui took it.

Wolfram gently pulled Saralegui's naked body toward him, and started to nibble and kiss on his neck. He heard Saralegui gasp loudly, which satisfied him to no end. He allowed his hands to slide down Saralegui's body, gently – and sensually – kneading his soft skin.

When Saralegui pulled him into a lying position on top of him, Wolfram was not surprised to find that Saralegui was completely aroused. As Saralegui frantically started to rub against him, Wolfram realized that Saralegui was becoming affected by all of the substances that he had used.

The substances in both the blue and red bottles, when used alone, were powerful with their own set of pheromones. The liquid in the blue bottle caused a person to be absolutely truthful, while the contents in the red bottle caused someone to become much bolder than they normally would be in any given situation.

The internally-taken liquid in the purple bottle, however, was neutral – unless activated by a combination of scents.

It just so happened that the two pheromones he used were the combination needed to turn that neutral formula into something that caused Saralegui to become completely delirious with passion. So very delirious, in fact, that he was beyond reasonable thought.

The best part?

Wolfram was immune to the powers of the scents affecting Saralegui thanks to one of his mother's special teas. Also, since he didn't take any of the purple bottle's contents, he was unaffected by the extreme passion that Saralegui was experiencing.

Yet, even without being affected by the concoctions, he still found himself highly aroused as Saralegui started to become more passionate in his kisses and touches. Wolfram was surprised to discover that he wanted to allow things to go further, himself.

However, making love to Saralegui wasn't his mission.

The complete, and absolute, humiliation of him was.

He decided to put the final play into motion.

"Your Majesty, we should stop here," Wolfram said, breathlessly. He tried to get off of Saralegui, but he wrapped his legs around his waist and held him, steadfastly.

"No! I don't want to stop, want you!" Saralegui said, forcefully.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think this is a good idea," Wolfram groaned. If he didn't get up soon, there was no way he could complete his plan. Not when the man underneath him was affecting him so very much.

"This is a great idea! What are you talking about?"

He pried himself out from between Saralegui's legs, pushed up off of him, and moved quickly to the edge of the bed.

"You can't go! You can't leave me like this!" Saralegui pleaded, his voice desperate.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do it with you," Wolfram said, and got off of the bed. He dashed over to the door, flung it open, and fled.

Saralegui did just what he expected him to do.

He gave chase.

Yuuri was just settling down into bed and about to go to sleep when he heard Wolfram out in the hall crying out for help. He quickly jumped up to see what the commotion was about.

When he ran out of his room he found Wolfram, his face full of fear, being pressed up against the wall and being ground into by a very naked, very aroused Saralegui.

"Your Majesty, get him off of me!"

"Stay back! He will make love to me this instant!" Saralegui insisted. He groped Wolfram's erection through his pants, causing him to yelp. "See? He wants it as much as I do!"

Yuuri stood, stock still, staring at the two men.

"I don't want it, anyone would react to being touched like this! Even His Majesty would!"

Yuuri still couldn't speak, he simply stared at the two – focusing on where Saralegui's hand continued to grope Wolfram.

"I don't care how he would react, you are going to do it to me, and you are going to do it to me now!"

"I refuse! I don't love you! I can't even stand you!"

Yuuri was shocked by Wolfram's declaration, especially since he was so certain that Wolfram was trying to romance King Saralegui.

"I don't care, you're going to love me tonight!"

Yuuri watched as the two men continued to wrestle, with Saralegui grinding into Wolfram at every moment he possibly could.

It was then that the others – who had heard all the noise as well – rounded the corner.

They all stared, frozen in place, at the scene in front of them.

"Don't just stand there Your Majesty, do something!" Wolfram shouted.

"You are no longer engaged to him, Maou – he is none of your concern!"

"It's your fault I'm not engaged to him anymore!"

"It's your fault! I only made you attack me, I didn't make you end your engagement!"

Yuuri was snapped out of his shock over the two men with that confession. "What do you mean you made him attack you?" he asked Saralegui, his eyes narrowing.

Saralegui, who was still very affected by Wolfram's concoctions, answered truthfully. "I had a bottle of pheromones with me that night which made him so angry he couldn't think straight – and neither could you. But what does it matter to you? You are now free to get with one of those opportunists that are only interested in you because you are the Maou – while I'm free to have my way with him! You had your chance, it's my turn!"

It was then that Yuuri understood what Wolfram said to him in the baths about his reputation. He remembered his harsh words towards him during that incident, and the way that Wolfram vented his frustrations in return. He thought about how he had automatically assumed that Wolfram was at fault, just because Wolfram used to have a habit of flying off the deep end – even though he had not done so in quite a long time. He recalled the lecture that Wolfram had received over the entire event, how Wolfram had been admonished harshly for something he was innocent of.

Most importantly, however, he remembered how Wolfram had been distant with him, not calling him by his name and avoiding him whenever it was possible.

All over Saralegui provoking him.

He felt himself getting angry.

"Yuuri, help me!"

Yuuri quickly grabbed Saralegui, taking care not to touch any particular parts. He half-tossed the other man off of Wolfram.

"Oh no you don't! He's mine!," Saralegui screamed, still beyond reason.

Yuuri, who was doing his best to shield Wolfram without actually touching him, was knocked into him. Saralegui was still trying to get at Wolfram, and reached around Yuuri to grab at Wolfram.

Yuuri, who was pressed against an aroused Wolfram and had an aroused Saralegui pressed against the back of him, fell forward to the ground – trapping Wolfram underneath him.

Yuuri looked up at the extremely furious face of of a visibly shaking Gwendal, and the shocked faces of Conrart, several guards, and everyone else. His eyes went to Yozak, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed, casually taking it all in. He felt Saralegui – still screaming about all the ways he wanted to defile Wolfram's body – trying to pull him up off of Wolfram.

He then looked down into Wolfram's flushed face, and noticed his eyes were filled with what suspiciously looked like expectation.

'Just know that, whatever happens, I hope you take my side next time,' Wolfram had said to him in the baths.

A jumble of emotions surged through Yuuri's brain at the moment, ones that he could easily acknowledge and others that he vehemently repressed. The ground underneath him started to shake, and he did the best thing he could do in that situation.

His mind went blank.

Wolfram watched as Yuuri's facial features sharpened, and his hair grew longer. He felt the body pressed up against him grow harder, as well.

The Maou looked down at Wolfram, his eyes unreadable.

"I am fully aware that you are not innocent in tonight's events," he said to him. "In fact, I'm certain that you planned for this to happen. I have the right mind to punish you as well for being so manipulative of me."

The Maou's eyes softened slightly. "However, due to the circumstances, I understand why you felt the need to resort to such behavior. Next time, though, I won't be so lenient about being used by you – of all people."

Wolfram simply nodded, and watched as the Maou pushed himself up off him. The Maou then turned his gaze on Saralegui, who – due to not being as close to the scent that Wolfram was wearing – was suddenly experiencing an highly-unwanted clarity of mind. "I have given you many a chance, yet you still are not above manipulating those closest to me, as well as myself. Tonight, however, long-overdue justice will be served."

The Maou then smiled, and it chilled Wolfram to the bone.

As odd forms of light started to shoot out towards Saralegui, Wolfram realized then that the ground shaking wasn't caused by the Maou, but by Gwendal. A strong pair of arms pulled him up off the ground.

"Looks like the final act is among us," Yozak whispered in his ear, as Gwendal let out a shrill cry of fury that could probably be heard way back at Blood Pledge Castle.

A week later, two men lounged around in the shrine gardens, carrying on a casual conversation.

"That was a very evil thing you did."

"I know."

"You seduced the king of Small Shimaron after drugging him; caused him to humiliate himself and confess to humiliating you; and manipulated the Maou into punishing him quite severely."

"Yes."

"It was bratty, vengeful, irresponsible, and could have potentially caused a war."

"It was also completely humiliating for him, which is why he wouldn't dare consider a war. It's bad enough that he'll have to deal with whispered rumors – which will at least blow over, eventually. A full-out war would bring to light the whole situation – and he wouldn't want that. All of those other things I fully own up to, though."

"Don't you feel any remorse at all?"

"No."

"You really are my descendant," Shinou said, his voice full of pride.

Wolfram smiled at him.

"It will take a while before they rebuild the section of King Saralegui's castle that was destroyed," Shinou said.

"I know. Gwendal really did a number on it," Wolfram said. He snickered at the memory of Gwendal, in sheer rage, standing there screaming ancient mazoku curses with his fists in the air as the walls crumbled. "The Maou had to restrain him in the end, which was no small feat. Had he not, that whole wing would have come down on us."

"Speaking of the Maou, the 'Justice' he dealt out to King Saralegui was quite interesting," Shinou said, his voice filled with amusement.

"Water tentacles. I still can't believe it even though I was there to see it," Wolfram said, shaking his head.

The way those tentacles had wrapped around Saralegui's naked body and lifted him into the air had been most amusing, and he still couldn't prevent himself from laughing about it at the most random of times. It especially ticked him considering that he had once come across a nasty book of Shouri's that had depicted a similar sight. To think that the Maou could come up with something so perverted.

"I was even surprised at Lord Weller joining in on it," Shinou said.

"Oh yes, the haircut he gave Saralegui was most interesting. Though, I'm still shocked he did that considering that he knew I was up to something."

"I guess seeing his baby brother being assaulted made him snap, just like Gwendal."

"I counted on those types of reactions."

"I see Gwendal is still upset with you over lying about trying to woo Saralegui and causing such a scene."

"I think he's more relieved than anything that I'm not trying to marry him, though that lecture he gave me got on my nerves. At least Yuuri isn't as upset as he should be over my using him – which is, well, Yuuri-like of him."

"Probably because he doesn't know how far you went with your trickery. I wonder what he'd say if he knew you were the maid saying all of those scandalizing things?"

"He'd probably whine at me for tricking him and causing him to almost have a heart attack. That rumor that I snuck into Shouri's room last time he was here really shook him – especially the part about the loud moaning sounds 'Hedda' heard."

"So... do you think Saralegui will bother you again?"

Wolfram knew that while Saralegui was down, he wasn't completely out. He also knew that one day there would be some sort of retaliation. As far as he was concerned, however, there was no kind of revenge that Saralegui could deal him that he couldn't deal back.

After having a taste of playing games and liking them, it was practically guaranteed he would.

After considering the question for a few more moments, Wolfram honestly answered.

"Hopefully. He's become my new hobby!"

A month after the whole incident, Wolfram stood in his room, holding a short-but-significant letter from someone he had anticipated hearing from once more.

Dear Lord von Bielefeld,

Even I have to admit, that last act was outstanding. I applaud how well you pulled it off. However, don't think this is over between us. It isn't – not by a long shot.

I fully look forward to playing with you some more, in the future.

Patiently awaiting the next round,

King Saralegui

"I'm looking forward to it as well," Wolfram said, with a smile.

- End -

Author's Note: This is the revised edition of this fic. Also, there's a sequel to this fic entitled "Suitors".