Kyou Kara Maou - All Is Fair.
Title: All Is Fair.
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou.
Warnings: Nothing really, other than references to the Shinou and the war.
Characters/couples: 'Ruffas' Bielefeld, Siegbert Voltaire.
Summary: “I am the last one of my House. I would see the Bielefeld house stand up proud, after everything it has lost.”
Rating: PG.
All Is Fair.
Ruffas' body wasn't even yet cold upon his bed when the news about the man who traveled with the cursed dark one arrived upon the Bielefeld lands. Mathilda remembered, heart unbearably heavy, that her brother had meant to follow the lord of the Spitzburg family to gather revenge after their lost ones.
But his demise had come first.
“I would take your people to the war and care for them as if they were my own, if that is your wish.” Siegbert told her that evening, voice quiet and solemn as they remained by Ruffas' side. Where in the past her brothers would have been talking in jester and making plans, Ruffas the loudest and more enthusiast, now only she remained. She kept her hands holding her brother's, the link they had shared as twins all but lost.
The mourning clothes felt so heavy upon her shoulders. There wouldn't be a Bielefeld lord until she bore a heir, her wedding with Siegbert postponed due to the five years of mourning she ought to follow.
Mathilda put her brother's hand upon his chest and leaned forward, brushing Ruffas' hair from his brow to place a kiss upon his it. Then she turned towards Siegbert, his eyes as heavy and solemn as hers.
“May I talk to you as I did in the past, as a friend rather than my lord, Siegbert?”
He looked startled for a moment before he nodded, walking closer to her.
“I would not have you address me any other way, Mathilda.”
Her throat was dry, the promise ring upon her finger suddenly clenching. Mathilda closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her strength and the will her mother had tried her best to break her away; as sorry as she had always been of causing pains to her mother, Mathilda couldn't help but be grateful at the moment.
“I would follow my brother's last wish,” she said, doing her best to keep both her voice and temper checked. “And have our people help in this war... with Ruffas still on their command.”
Ruffas and she had oft pretended to be the other, when they had been much younger, their magical signature almost identical as well as their physical resemblance, as any other marking upon their bodies except for their sex. It had been only after their sixtieth birthday where they had had to stop playing, when Ruffas had started training with older brothers Heller and Alger - both long lost to the war - and she had been promised to Siegbert.
Their resemblance still remained, down to the very fact that Ruffas' hair was as long as hers.
Siegbert's eyes were heavy on her, his mouth set in a tight line.
“Are you mad with grief, Mathilda?”
How oft had she lamented her boyish figure? She might be mad but she was already planning how she'd be able to carry this task. Certainly it wouldn't be unheard of, after losing so much in such a brief time, that she was to move away while her mourning lasted, while her betrothed marched to war. Her maids, she knew, would offer no troubles if she was to tell them, had oft enough in the past helped her disguise herself, helped her hide the fact that Ruffas had been teaching her how to use a sword, sharing the learnings of magic that she hadn't been allowed to pursue. Surely they'd help her on this, to also hide the fact that the Bielefeld lord had been murdered in this war.
“Not with grief, Siegbert, but with fire,” she told him, trying not to look too ready for this, not when her brother's body wasn't even rigid yet. “I would see my family avenged and their dreams fulfilled.”
“If that is your wish, I will see it through,” Siegbert answered, eyes dark, expression just as troubled. “This isn't one of the games you and Ruffas indulged, Mathilda. I would not see you risk yourself in vain.”
“I am the last one of my House,” Mathilda spoke, voice strong and certain. “Fates have me a woman, but I would fight for my family and for the land they died protecting.”
“It is my duty to do so in your stead,” Siegbert's voice grows in strength, before one of the candles sizzles he remembers the respect for her brother's body. “And it is what I promised. Don't ask of me to betray your brother's will.”
Mathilda turned to look towards her brother's body for a moment. The healer's magic had erased most of the cuts and bruises her brother had gotten in battle, had done the same with Siegbert, but Ruffas' wounds had been just too terrible. Mathilda knew without a doubt, despite the fact that Ruffas hadn't woken up once, that what had hurt his brother the most had been the knowledge that he might have failed.
She swallowed her doubts and asked for her brother's spirit not to think ill of her for what she was about to say. She looked towards Siegbert again.
“I know you loved Ruffas well, Siegbert, perhaps even more than you love me,” before Siegbert could interrupt her, his eyes wide and surprised, she placed her hand upon his arm, smiling gently at him. “And I know that if he had been free to do so, my brother would have loved you the same way, and it has always been a weight upon my heart knowing that I stood between the two of you. Allow me to do this in Ruffas' name. Won't you help me keep my family's honor? I would see the Bielefeld house stand up proud, after everything it has lost.”
Siegbert looked at her for a long moment, eyes the color of the darkened sky before he sighed, head bending low.
“Sometimes I forget that you remain a fierce opponent, Mathilda.”
Mathilda smiled, throat suddenly tight with something other than grief for the first time since her father had been struck, since her twin had been brought by Siegbert in his arms, already dying.
Her father and mother, her brothers and Ruffas, she knew, would have expected nothing less from her. “All is fair.”
Siegbert sighed again and reached for her hand, holding it gently. He smiled.
“I would not deny you, nor your family's pledge for honor.”
-...-
The Shining One, as the men that were already traveling with them, was smiling as he welcomed them. Mathilda kept herself from showing fear as she and Siegbert knelt in front of their future king, Siegbert offering his vows.
When it was her turn, she took a deep breath to stop her voice from faltering, wishing for her brothers' strength to aid her.
“I too offer my magic, my life and my sword.”
As she offered her brother's sword, Mathilda left her previous life behind her.
“Ruffas Bielefeld, my lord.”
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou.
Warnings: Nothing really, other than references to the Shinou and the war.
Characters/couples: 'Ruffas' Bielefeld, Siegbert Voltaire.
Summary: “I am the last one of my House. I would see the Bielefeld house stand up proud, after everything it has lost.”
Rating: PG.
All Is Fair.
Ruffas' body wasn't even yet cold upon his bed when the news about the man who traveled with the cursed dark one arrived upon the Bielefeld lands. Mathilda remembered, heart unbearably heavy, that her brother had meant to follow the lord of the Spitzburg family to gather revenge after their lost ones.
But his demise had come first.
“I would take your people to the war and care for them as if they were my own, if that is your wish.” Siegbert told her that evening, voice quiet and solemn as they remained by Ruffas' side. Where in the past her brothers would have been talking in jester and making plans, Ruffas the loudest and more enthusiast, now only she remained. She kept her hands holding her brother's, the link they had shared as twins all but lost.
The mourning clothes felt so heavy upon her shoulders. There wouldn't be a Bielefeld lord until she bore a heir, her wedding with Siegbert postponed due to the five years of mourning she ought to follow.
Mathilda put her brother's hand upon his chest and leaned forward, brushing Ruffas' hair from his brow to place a kiss upon his it. Then she turned towards Siegbert, his eyes as heavy and solemn as hers.
“May I talk to you as I did in the past, as a friend rather than my lord, Siegbert?”
He looked startled for a moment before he nodded, walking closer to her.
“I would not have you address me any other way, Mathilda.”
Her throat was dry, the promise ring upon her finger suddenly clenching. Mathilda closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her strength and the will her mother had tried her best to break her away; as sorry as she had always been of causing pains to her mother, Mathilda couldn't help but be grateful at the moment.
“I would follow my brother's last wish,” she said, doing her best to keep both her voice and temper checked. “And have our people help in this war... with Ruffas still on their command.”
Ruffas and she had oft pretended to be the other, when they had been much younger, their magical signature almost identical as well as their physical resemblance, as any other marking upon their bodies except for their sex. It had been only after their sixtieth birthday where they had had to stop playing, when Ruffas had started training with older brothers Heller and Alger - both long lost to the war - and she had been promised to Siegbert.
Their resemblance still remained, down to the very fact that Ruffas' hair was as long as hers.
Siegbert's eyes were heavy on her, his mouth set in a tight line.
“Are you mad with grief, Mathilda?”
How oft had she lamented her boyish figure? She might be mad but she was already planning how she'd be able to carry this task. Certainly it wouldn't be unheard of, after losing so much in such a brief time, that she was to move away while her mourning lasted, while her betrothed marched to war. Her maids, she knew, would offer no troubles if she was to tell them, had oft enough in the past helped her disguise herself, helped her hide the fact that Ruffas had been teaching her how to use a sword, sharing the learnings of magic that she hadn't been allowed to pursue. Surely they'd help her on this, to also hide the fact that the Bielefeld lord had been murdered in this war.
“Not with grief, Siegbert, but with fire,” she told him, trying not to look too ready for this, not when her brother's body wasn't even rigid yet. “I would see my family avenged and their dreams fulfilled.”
“If that is your wish, I will see it through,” Siegbert answered, eyes dark, expression just as troubled. “This isn't one of the games you and Ruffas indulged, Mathilda. I would not see you risk yourself in vain.”
“I am the last one of my House,” Mathilda spoke, voice strong and certain. “Fates have me a woman, but I would fight for my family and for the land they died protecting.”
“It is my duty to do so in your stead,” Siegbert's voice grows in strength, before one of the candles sizzles he remembers the respect for her brother's body. “And it is what I promised. Don't ask of me to betray your brother's will.”
Mathilda turned to look towards her brother's body for a moment. The healer's magic had erased most of the cuts and bruises her brother had gotten in battle, had done the same with Siegbert, but Ruffas' wounds had been just too terrible. Mathilda knew without a doubt, despite the fact that Ruffas hadn't woken up once, that what had hurt his brother the most had been the knowledge that he might have failed.
She swallowed her doubts and asked for her brother's spirit not to think ill of her for what she was about to say. She looked towards Siegbert again.
“I know you loved Ruffas well, Siegbert, perhaps even more than you love me,” before Siegbert could interrupt her, his eyes wide and surprised, she placed her hand upon his arm, smiling gently at him. “And I know that if he had been free to do so, my brother would have loved you the same way, and it has always been a weight upon my heart knowing that I stood between the two of you. Allow me to do this in Ruffas' name. Won't you help me keep my family's honor? I would see the Bielefeld house stand up proud, after everything it has lost.”
Siegbert looked at her for a long moment, eyes the color of the darkened sky before he sighed, head bending low.
“Sometimes I forget that you remain a fierce opponent, Mathilda.”
Mathilda smiled, throat suddenly tight with something other than grief for the first time since her father had been struck, since her twin had been brought by Siegbert in his arms, already dying.
Her father and mother, her brothers and Ruffas, she knew, would have expected nothing less from her. “All is fair.”
Siegbert sighed again and reached for her hand, holding it gently. He smiled.
“I would not deny you, nor your family's pledge for honor.”
-...-
The Shining One, as the men that were already traveling with them, was smiling as he welcomed them. Mathilda kept herself from showing fear as she and Siegbert knelt in front of their future king, Siegbert offering his vows.
When it was her turn, she took a deep breath to stop her voice from faltering, wishing for her brothers' strength to aid her.
“I too offer my magic, my life and my sword.”
As she offered her brother's sword, Mathilda left her previous life behind her.
“Ruffas Bielefeld, my lord.”