Safe and Sound

[Misuki Marishima]

xCry out in joy,
xxSurpass hardships,
xxxPraise to German blood!

Ludwig

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

It was just a normal day. Ludwig relished in normal days. He would wake up, show up to his post and patrol. It was easy. It was simple. Some called his outlook on life "boring", but he didn't see it that way. He saw it as "stable." It wasn't like he didn't have dreams either.

As he marched, he often imagined his hopeful future. "Some day, I'll be a part of the military! I'll fight battles against the Allied forces and win medals, and then I'll retire in a nice little house sitting by the Rhine River. I won't be stuck here forever." he thought. Now that he was seventeen years old, the age that his troublesome brother told him he could serve, it was only a matter of time before he was a part of a unit. He could hardly wait. He might not have agreed with some of the new policies in his homeland, but Ludwig wouldn't bring himself to speak out. It would shatter his dreams of giving his service to Germany - the country he loved since he could remember.

The clouds that hung overhead were dark and gloomy. Even the hopes and dreams of having a normal, easy life could not keep Ludwig's face straight. His lips had already curled into a scowl as he marched. His brows arched in a serious manner as he focused intently on his patrol route for anything out of the ordinary. That didn't distract him from the fact that he hated the clouds, and the rain even more so. Though he wasn't the perkiest young man in the world, he still wanted the sunlight. Now that he thought of it, those were his feelings toward the war. "I might not ever protest, but along with my service, I want to bring Germany peace." he thought. Victory would be a simple consequence of peace - but he could never imagine his homeland losing.

Although he was lost in his thoughts and trying to get his mind off the weather, Ludwig wasn't marching alone. His brother Gilbert was close by him. He had no idea why their superiors thought it was a good idea to stick the brothers together on the same patrol route. Ludwig and Gilbert were almost at a state of constant conflict with one another. Ludwig truly despised his brother's personality and sometimes wondered if he was adopted, and wasn't really a Bielschmidt. Before he enlisted, Gilbert was a ruffian and a hooligan, who got into bar fights and used crude language every chance he could get. Ludwig's brother even refused to get married and have a family of his own, and scoffed at the idea of retirement. He went against everything that was normal in life. Ludwig hated that more than anything.

"The day I don't have to live in the same house as him couldn't come soon enough." he thought in dismay. He could hardly wait to at least be in a separate room from Gilbert, just to have some time to himself. "Any minute now, I bet he'll start trying to make small talk when we're supposed to be doing our jobs!"

But the moment where his older brother made small talk never came. A noise from the woods startled Ludwig. He was sure it wasn't just an animal either, for he heard a small cry in the distance. "Who's there?!" he called out loud, running in the direction where he heard the sound.

He didn't have to run very far. Ludwig ended up stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the face of a terrified young woman. She was lying on the forest floor, motionless. She didn't look like she was wounded, but her clothes were tattered and dirty. Any other man would have ran to her side and cradled her as if she were a child, but Ludwig didn't make another step. It could be a trick. She could have a hidden weapon, or she could be a spy. Her skin may have been light and fair, but he could definitely tell that she was still alive.

"Who are you?" Ludwig demanded, while still keeping his distance from the girl. "And what is your business here?" It was certainly suspicious that she was taking a route through the forest instead of using a train to get to where she needed to be.

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Bielschmidt

xxx

For something like justice,xxxxx
And something rather like faith,xxx
For something like love...xx
We battle on earnestly!xx

 

[iiAnarchyDuck]

ϓɵυɴɢ ϻєɴ șтɑɴɗɪɴɢ ɵɴ тнє тɵҏ ɵғ тнєɪʀ ɵѡɴ ɢʀɑѵєș
XXXXXXWɵɴɗєʀɪɴɢ ѡнєɴ Јєșυș ϲɵϻєș, ɑʀє тнєy ɢɵɴɴɑ вє șɑѵєɗ

Gɪʟʙєʀт ◆ BєɪʟșϲнϻɪɗтXXXXXXXX

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Patrols were relatively simple, easy things. It was a task normally given to younger boys of the Hitler Youth. It was good practice for them; they learned how to secure an area and properly track. Simple things but crucial once the boys were old enough to fight. It was even better since Schlichten was such a small village, in the middle of the Black Forest. There was peace and tranquility abound.

And Gilbert hated it.

After returning home from France, he quickly began to miss the fast-paced environment of the battlefield. It had been hard and his commanders pushed them to their limits but it was all worth it to march down the streets of Paris. There was a feeling of satisfaction once the French agreed to the armistice. It was like 1918 all over again, except this time it ended right. Even though he didn't follow the ideology of the Führer, Gilbert had to admit he was right about this. He and the men in his battalion laughed heartily once they heard the armistice had been signed in the same place as the one that ended the Great War.

With France's defeat, many of the men were sent home. Gilbert wanted to stay to continue fighting but his division needed to go under repair. New blood, new equipment, and new commanders came in to replace the old. With a clap on the shoulder and a shiny medal, Gilbert Beilschmidt was sent home. Sent back to his quiet, normal little village of Schlichten to raise his young brother Ludwig.

In the almost two years Gilbert had been away, the kid grew into himself. He'd joined the Hitler Youth, much to the dismay of Gilbert. Once he found out, he clapped the boys' ears. If their father was still alive, Ludwig wouldn't have had the chance. The man wouldn't have stood for any of this 'pure race' nonsense. Of course he learned later Ludwig didn't share Hitler's ideas. He only wanted to fight for Germany.

The plan was for Ludwig to wait until he was seventeen before joining. In the time of waiting, the boy had grown to become an ideal in his rank. The other boys looked up to him and the commanders who visited the area called him a fine example of a 'perfect Aryan'. It was all nonsense to Gilbert. Ludwig often times became embarrassed by all the attention, which led him to take up patrolling the outskirts of the town. Often times (and because he was ******** bored) Gilbert would come along - to 'supervise'. This soon led to him being assigned to patrol with Ludwig.

It was rather boring.

Shifting the rifle on his shoulder, the elder Beilschdmit heaved a sigh. The gloomy weather wasn't helping light their spirits. Ludwig was taking this all too serious for his liking. All Gilbert wanted to do was go home or at least hunt. Part of him even wished he was back on the line with the rest of his battalion.

A sudden noise cut through the man's thoughts and he looked sharply about the trees. Was there a chance Allied troops crossed the border without German knowledge? Could it be an escaped prisoner from a camp? Gilbert wasn't sure. Ludwig already went ahead to check it out. "Oy!" Gilbert called out then cursed. "What have I said about running off like that? Never go out alone. Always keep a man with you." He scoffed. 'Typical,' Shouldering the gun on his back, he took off after his brother. He found the man standing near a small field. The trees were thinner in the area, allowing one a clearer shot of the clearing that laid ahead.

"I swear, if this is another fox, I will knock you sideways." He stated as he approached. Yet, what Ludwig was staring at, was no fox. No, it was the huddled form of a young girl. Judging from her tattered dress, she must have been walking for days. A look of terror stared behind her dirty face and pale features. Gilbert recalled that look many times while he had been in Belgium. It was one of his less-than-finer moments.

In no time, Ludwig barked out commands to the girl. Gilbert couldn't help rolling his eyes. "Simmer down, Ludi. You'll just frighten her even more." With a grin, the pale man approached the girl. He stood mere steps from her head and looked down at the girl. She looked more like a child, younger than Ludwig. He couldn't recall seeing her any time in the village. There weren't many children who fit her description. It led him to believe she wasn't from the area.

"Hey girl, he asked you a couple of questions." He stated, a light smirk pulling at his lips. "Speak up now. We're not going to hurt you."

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Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ șɪɴɴєʀ ɪɴтɵ yɵυʀ ɑʟтєʀɴɑтє ʟɪғє

Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ ȷɵκєʀ, ϻɑyвє yɵυ ɗєșєʀѵє тɵ ɗɪєXXXXXX

xxxxxxxxxxxx  

[Misuki Marishima]

xCry out in joy,
xxSurpass hardships,
xxxPraise to German blood!

Ludwig

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Ludwig ignored Gilbert's comment on never going alone. He could handle himself. He was already old enough to fight, so he could handle anything that happened. What came ahead was not a fight, of course. The situation was just as serious though.

"Does that look like a fox to you, Gilbert?" Ludwig asked him, frowning as he pointed to the girl the two brothers were facing. His temper flared up even more when his elder brother told him to back off from her. "Don't tell me what to do! I asked her in my normal voice anyway! I wasn't shouting!" he exclaimed. If he wasn't yelling before, he certainly raised his voice now. He would have glared his older brother straight in the eye if he wasn't keeping an eye on the strange girl they encountered.

He kept his eyes on Elise as she spoke up, and begun to tell her tale. It was a rather elaborate one that he wasn't sure he could fully believe. Although she was starting to sob, Ludwig fought to keep his composure. It could all be a trick, and it likely was. "You're from Liechtenstein? A neutral nation? Losing your passport seems to be a convenient excuse. You have no proof to back up what you're saying. Why would you leave it with a friend of yours instead of keeping it yourself?" Ludwig said, continuing his interrogation. He crossed his arms, quickly expressing his doubt in Elise's words.

Although it sounded like a tall tale that anyone would tell to gain sympathy, Ludwig listened to the rest. Just like now, it seemed the military didn't believe her without her papers. There was no way for him to confirm that she was at the church or not. The other officers didn't take the young girl as a prisoner though, and she looked like she was even younger than Ludwig. At the very least, maybe she wasn't an enemy or a spy, even if she was desperate to escape.

"I still have no way of proving what you're saying, but at the very least, I'm not going to take you away." said Ludwig, finally making his decision. He looked to Gilbert, as if to see if his elder brother agreed. "Brother, what should we do? We might be able to pretend we never saw her, right?"

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Bielschmidt

xxx

For something like justice,xxxxx
And something rather like faith,xxx
For something like love...xx
We battle on earnestly!xx

 

[iiAnarchyDuck]

ϓɵυɴɢ ϻєɴ șтɑɴɗɪɴɢ ɵɴ тнє тɵҏ ɵғ тнєɪʀ ɵѡɴ ɢʀɑѵєș
XXXXXXWɵɴɗєʀɪɴɢ ѡнєɴ Јєșυș ϲɵϻєș, ɑʀє тнєy ɢɵɴɴɑ вє șɑѵєɗ

Gɪʟʙєʀт ◆ BєɪʟșϲнϻɪɗтXXXXXXXX

⋰⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋱

There were several things Gilbert Beilschmidt could withstand. He could face an army of enemy soldiers, armed to the teeth with top of the line weaponry, with a grin. Bullets could fly overhead and bombs could explode all around him and he would only laugh. Fighting in bars was what he considered 'fun'. He'd broken bones, taken punches to the face, and had all matters of hell brought down on him. In the end, he just stood with a half-crazed look in his eye and kept marching forward. It was in his blood.

There were only a couple of things that would falter him. One of which lay directly in front of him. Weeping children and women got under his skin, making him feel awkward and unsure. He didn't know how to properly react to a crying woman, let alone a child. He blamed his brother for that. Ludwig was such a cry baby when he was little. After their father passed and their mother slipped from reality, responsibility fell onto Gilbert. It was his job to tend to every cut and scrape, to wrap it and kiss it better while telling Ludwig to 'man up'.

When the girl began crying, Gilbert was caught between running away and trying to console her. Had Ludwig not been standing next to him, it probably would have been the latter. He was surprised to hear the girl was from Liechtenstein. Normally people were moving of Germany and not in. The more she spoke, the more he could hear it in her voice. Some words were off and different from how he and Ludwig spoke. It was strange that the girl didn't keep her papers on her. Foreigners were always told to keep documents on hand, in case of situations such as what happened with this girl.

There was a chance she was lying. As Ludwig stated, there was no way to prove her story was true. Gilbert took a glance at her person, looking over her clothes. They were dirty and fraying in some places. The stockings she wore, white at first, were marred with dirt and torn. She looked as though she hadn't bathed in days, let alone have any food.

He allowed Ludwig to finish his piece. The boy acted as though he was in charge of the situation though Gilbert gave him some leeway. He had to learn somehow. Then he had the nerve to suggest leave the girl there. Gilbert lifted his hand and slapped the back of Ludwig's head. "We can't just leave her. God, no wonder you've never had a girl." He shook his head and took a step towards the girl. Kneeling down, he rustled in his pocket of his uniform to pull out a beige-colored handkerchief and offered it to the girl.

"Don't mind my idiot of a brother. He has no manners at all. Guess that's what happens when they don't listen to their amazing older brothers." He grinned, a bit crooked. "You're still a long way from Switzerland but heading in the right direction at least. But you won't get much further in the state you're in." He paused and furrowing his brows slightly in thought. "Well, I guess there's only one thing to do. Since we can't leave you here and not turning you in, I suppose your only option is to come with us to our house."


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Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ șɪɴɴєʀ ɪɴтɵ yɵυʀ ɑʟтєʀɴɑтє ʟɪғє

Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ ȷɵκєʀ, ϻɑyвє yɵυ ɗєșєʀѵє тɵ ɗɪєXXXXXX

xxxxxxxxxxxx  

[Misuki Marishima]

xCry out in joy,
xxSurpass hardships,
xxxPraise to German blood!

Ludwig

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Ludwig thought that his brother would be reasonable for a change. But a sharp slap on the back of his head told him otherwise. "What was that for?! I was being perfectly reasonable!" the younger German shouted. "I was letting her go free instead of turning her into the Gestapo or the S.S., like some of the others would do! Isn't that nice enough?!" he continued.

He turned bright red when his elder brother had to mention that Ludwig never had a girlfriend before. "That is none of your business! You don't need to be saying those kinds of things in front of a perfect stranger either!"

The young man's jaw dropped when his brother flat out said he had no manners. Of course he had manners! Their uncle had drilled those teachings into the both of them when they had to move into his house during their childhood. Only Ludwig actually took his uncle's words seriously - even to this day. Maybe that was why some of the townspeople embarrassed him with the extra attention - asking him to be an example on how to be the "perfect Aryan".

As always though, Gilbert shunned their uncle's teachings. It was a wonder he wasn't discharged from his unit from all his rule-breaking behavior. And now he was about to break another rule. He wanted to take in this girl who was supposedly from Liechtenstein! "I want to tell him how wrong it is. He must be out of his mind! If the Gestapo find out we're doing this, we both could be sent to the eastern front, and then she would just be taken as a prisoner anyway! Then what would we accomplish?" Ludwig thought. Every minute, he grew more distressed by his brother's troublesome actions.

When he stepped a little closer though, he got a good look at the girl they found wandering in the woods. Her clothes were tattered, and she looked a lot thinner than she should have. Her gaze seemed to be in a far-off place, she certainly wasn't alert. Even if he favored logic and reason over sympathy, Ludwig couldn't leave her here either. As a soldier, he couldn't abandon a civilian who needed help, and as a man he would not leave a woman behind. Saying he would leave her be was one thing. Actually walking away was something Ludwig wasn't capable of.

"Very well, I guess we have no choice. You're coming with us, young lady. I apologize for my rudeness earlier, but I can never be too careful." said Ludwig. His voice seemed to get a little softer. Ludwig reached out his hand to help the wandering girl off the ground. "Let's go. If you don't mind, I'd like to know your name too. You can just call me Ludwig."

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Bielschmidt

xxx

For something like justice,xxxxx
And something rather like faith,xxx
For something like love...xx
We battle on earnestly!xx

 

[Misuki Marishima]

xCry out in joy,
xxSurpass hardships,
xxxPraise to German blood!

Ludwig

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

The more Ludwig listened to the girl's plight, the more he thought she was telling the truth. She might not have given him any solid proof, but it seemed to make sense. Had he been by himself, Ludwig might not have fully believed her. Gilbert's presence changed how he saw Elise and her situation though. "Now that I'm older, I realize that my brother is rash, irresponsible, and he lets his emotions rule over him! But Gilbert always looked after me, and was always there when I needed him. I suppose I have to trust his word, no matter how crazy it is!"

Trusting Gilbert's word, of course meant trusting his judgment. It wasn't because he happened to be Ludwig's elder. Usually Gilbert was the exception to the the rule of respecting one's elders. Ludwig actually wasn't sure why he trusted him, almost with all his heart. It was a strange feeling - he almost disliked it. Gilbert still had so much influence over him, to the point where Ludwig just couldn't say "no."

"It at least feels like we're doing the right thing, so maybe we are! If we don't get caught, it's going to be a miracle." he thought. Ludwig made a note in his mind to pray extra hard tonight to make that so.

When Elise brought up the rationing, Ludwig felt like he had to say something that would at least put her mind at ease. "Don't worry about our rationing! I know a few people that have helped us out before. We can manage." he stated. Although he wasn't too eager to have to ask his extended family and neighbors for a helping hand, it was necessary even before they had an extra person under their roof. "Let's get a move on now, before our superiors discover just how long we've been gone."

Just as Ludwig and Elise took their first steps. the young girl collapsed onto her knees. "Hey! Stay with us! We're not risking our lives so that you can drop on us!" Ludwig exclaimed. His words grew hasty, and even sounded panicked. Very quickly, the younger of the two soldiers knelt at her level. He unzipped his dark brown jacket, and slipped it onto Elise's arms. It looked a little big for her, but it probably kept her nice and warm.

"Elise, right? Excuse me, but I'll have to do this." he said softly. That was the only warning he gave before he scooped the supposed Leichtensteiner up from the ground into his arms.

"Gilbert! You better have some kind of plan for getting home, now that we've decided to take her in." he told him, addressing his brother with a sharp stare and equally sharp dialogue. "You know the whole town will be gawking at us. All it takes is one bad neighbor's rumor to have either one of us shipped to Russia! How are we supposed to explain this now?"

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Bielschmidt

xxx

For something like justice,xxxxx
And something rather like faith,xxx
For something like love...xx
We battle on earnestly!xx

 

[iiAnarchyDuck]

ϓɵυɴɢ ϻєɴ șтɑɴɗɪɴɢ ɵɴ тнє тɵҏ ɵғ тнєɪʀ ɵѡɴ ɢʀɑѵєș
XXXXXXWɵɴɗєʀɪɴɢ ѡнєɴ Јєșυș ϲɵϻєș, ɑʀє тнєy ɢɵɴɴɑ вє șɑѵєɗ

Gɪʟʙєʀт ◆ BєɪʟșϲнϻɪɗтXXXXXXXX

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Gilbert stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket and stood. He left it for Ludwig to reassure her on rations. It would be difficult though he was sure they could manage. Not only could they hunt for extra food but there was also their little garden to work from. Their aunt was also adamant about checking in on them, making sure they had enough food and clothing. If it came down to it, he would go without. He'd done it before, not that Ludwig would know.

“I'm Gilbert, the older and greater of the Beilschmidt brothers.” He said with a grin. The pale blond man shifted his rifle to shoulder it across his back as his eyes shifted away from the girl to their surroundings. The morning was fading quickly; they needed to get back as soon as possible to report. Those half-assed guards would start wondering what took them to long, though Gilbert knew they couldn't tell them about the girl, Elise. That would raise too many questions that he just didn't feel like answering.

They didn't get too far in walking before the girl fell, too weak to even walk. Before Gilbert could give a helping hand, Ludwig stepped in to pick the poor girl up. Awfully kind of him, considering he wanted to leave her here just moments before.

“Of course I have a plan!” He replied, ignoring the sharp tone in his brother's voice. “So stop worrying your pretty head about it. You'll have gray hair before you turn twenty-five.” Any other remarks made by Ludwig became lost on the man as they started back into the forest. Gilbert considered several options for sneaking Elise into town. Though Ludwig might have been overrating about them being sent to Russia, he wasn't too far off. It would be odd for them to return carrying a young girl in dirty, tattered clothes.

“Ludwig, do you remember the back way to get to the house? Through Backmeier's wheat field?” Gilbert inquired with a glance back to his brother. “Take it. You won't have to go into town that way and you can take her straight home. Don't worry about Captain Glockner, I'll take care of that. Just get her home and find some of mother's old clothes for her to wear.”


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Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ șɪɴɴєʀ ɪɴтɵ yɵυʀ ɑʟтєʀɴɑтє ʟɪғє

Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ ȷɵκєʀ, ϻɑyвє yɵυ ɗєșєʀѵє тɵ ɗɪєXXXXXX

xxxxxxxxxxxx  

[Misuki Marishima]

xCry out in joy,
xxSurpass hardships,
xxxPraise to German blood!

Ludwig

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

When his brother introduced himself as "older and greater", Ludwig rolled his eyes. He wanted to say how this was no place for Gilbert's typical foolishness, but then his older sibling surprised him. He actually did have a plan.

His comment about gray hair was unnecessary though. "I'd worry about your own hair if I were you!" Ludwig huffed. "People mistake you for an old man from behind." he added, trying to get the last word.

The teasing match between the two brothers probably would have lasted for a lot longer if Gilbert hadn't told the details of his plan. When Ludwig's elder brother mentioned Backmeier's wheat field, the blond simply nodded. He knew that back entrance like the back of his own hand. Both of the brothers knew it fairly well, actually.

"Maybe he does have a good head on his shoulders." Ludwig mused. While his brother's decision to help the girl was made on a whim, it was clear that Gilbert had all the details mapped out in his mind. In a way, Ludwig found that to be somewhat scary. He never even knew what the man was thinking until he said it out loud - and Gilbert raised him!

"I understand, Gilbert. I'll leave everything else to you." said the younger of the two Germans. Ludwig turned the opposite way, already beginning to walk in the direction he needed to go. The young man looked up at the sky once more as he walked. The clouds looked darker. They would start dropping rain at any minute now. The sight of the ominous thunderheads caused Ludwig to pick up his pace, not quite running but definitely not walking his easy, slow patrol pace that kept him on his patrol route and away from his younger onlookers in the Hitler Youth.

Ludwig stepped diligently forward on the dirt road. He traveled mostly in silence. Every once in a while, he would look at Elise, who was in his arms, but she was awfully quiet too. In a way, the young man was relieved. He wasn't really in the mood for small talk. Soon enough he found the wheat field, and he darted between the tall, golden sea of crops. Ludwig remembered playing hide-and-seek with Gilbert here when he was young. Now he wasn't playing, he was hiding for real and hoping not to be found.

Coming out the other end of the wheat field, Ludwig looked ahead. "We're finally here." he said. "That's mine and Gilbert's house, where you'll be staying for now." Ludwig explained as he walked closer.

The house looked small on the outside, topped off by a brown, tilted roof. It was painted a simple white, with one window facing the back yard. Had they been using the front door, Ludwig would have been able to boast about his and Gilbert's work on the garden - something passed on to the boys from their dearly departed mother. The younger of the siblings was especially proud of the healthy vegetables he grew out front, and he was sure he'd use them with an extra mouth to feed.

Pushing his thoughts about the garden aside, Ludwig walked toward his living room. He set Elise down on a dark blue couch, handing her one of its throw pillows. "You can rest here for a while, Elise. I'll find you something to eat first, then we'll see about getting you washed up."

Ludwig took off his hat, laying it on an end table that was by the couch. Then he stepped into the kitchen, grabbing a ripe red apple and two slices of bread. The young man put his hand on a third, but decided against it. He told himself he wasn't being selfish - he had to leave some for himself and Gilbert.

Ludwig took a look at a glass jar filled with red jam. It was a favorite of his on any piece of bread. His and Gilbert's aunt always gave them a jar. Nothing beat it. Ludwig never wanted to admit it out loud, but he rather loved sweet things when he could have them. He was sure his guest would like his aunt's jam recipe almost as much as he did.

Ludwig spread the preserve on Elise's two slices of bread, then placed them on a plate along with the apple. He made sure to shut the jar before he left the kitchen back to where the girl rested. Ludwig handed off the plate, allowing Elise to grasp it with both hands before he let go of it.

"I'll bring back some water for you to drink. I won't be long." said Ludwig.

He stepped out of the living room once again, almost as quickly as he had arrived. Ludwig took a bucket with him when he went to the well out back. There was a black water pump beside it. Ludwig hung the bucket over the spout, and pulled down the handle. Clear, fresh water poured out. Ludwig waited until it was mostly full, then stopped.

Ludwig took the bucket off the spout, and carried the water inside. Its weight used to cause him trouble when he was just a boy, but it felt effortless to bring water in now. Pushing open the back door and making his way into the the kitchen once more, taking out two cups. He poured himself and Elise each a glass, then made his way into the living room once more. "Here, have this." he said. "I'll fill up your bath later." he added, taking a sip of his own drink. Ludwig really wanted a beer after the unexpected twists and turns of his day, but Gilbert probably wouldn't let him have one.

⊠━━━━━━━━━↫ ↬━━━━━━━━━⊠

Bielschmidt

xxx

For something like justice,xxxxx
And something rather like faith,xxx
For something like love...xx
We battle on earnestly!xx

 

[Misuki Marishima]

xCry out in joy,
xxSurpass hardships,
xxxPraise to German blood!

Ludwig

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While Elise took the water and the food he offered, Ludwig switched on the radio. It was an older radio, but it worked just fine. He turned the dial when he heard news from the front. He normally listened to every syllable, but he felt that music was more appropriate to tune into in company. He hummed along as he made up his own slice of jam-covered bread.

When Elise finally spoke, Ludwig wasn't sure how to answer her. While he wanted to be honest and say he was not crazy about Gilbert's ideas in the slightest, he couldn't bring himself to say it. He'd only been suspicious earlier because he was doing his job - but now that he was home, the walls were down. He was wondering what he could say, if anything, to at least be a good host.

"It's not as much of a burden to have you here as you think. And don't worry about the bath water. I was going to run some for myself anyway. It will save me time." Ludwig finally answered in between his bites of bread. "It was more of a... shock to both me and my brother." he added, pausing to think of the right words. "We never get visitors, let alone from another country."

This time, he took a swig of his water as he tried to make conversation - anything to pass the time and make the girl feel welcome in their home. What was the harm in trying to know her, even a little? This arrangement was only for now. Ludwig actually wanted to make that part very clear once Gilbert came home.

"What's it like in Liechtenstein?" Ludwig asked. He was genuinely curious, but it was also a secret test. Many people didn't even know where Liechtenstein was, but if she could describe it, maybe she was telling the truth.

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Bielschmidt

xxx

For something like justice,xxxxx
And something rather like faith,xxx
For something like love...xx
We battle on earnestly!xx

 

[iiAnarchyDuck]

ϓɵυɴɢ ϻєɴ șтɑɴɗɪɴɢ ɵɴ тнє тɵҏ ɵғ тнєɪʀ ɵѡɴ ɢʀɑѵєș
XXXXXXWɵɴɗєʀɪɴɢ ѡнєɴ Јєșυș ϲɵϻєș, ɑʀє тнєy ɢɵɴɴɑ вє șɑѵєɗ

Gɪʟʙєʀт ◆ BєɪʟșϲнϻɪɗтXXXXXXXX

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Gilbert watched his brother take the girl Elise. Once they were nearly out of sight, he turned and headed back to the path that led to town. Ludwig thought he didn’t have a plan, that he had no idea what he was doing and he would get them all in trouble. Ludwig had such little faith in him. With a shake of his head, he shifted the rifle on his shoulder and continued on.

The outpost was on the very edge of town and acted as a sort of checkpoint for military personnel. The Hitler Youth often practiced in the fields outside of the village and they took over an empty building that had once been a grain shop (or so Gilbert had been told) on the main road on the way into the village. It served as a rallying point for those in the Hitler Youth as well as a place for men in higher ranks to meet. It had transformed into an office-like station, decorated with filing cabinets, the flag of the Nazis and a picture of the Führer. Inside, a boy was seated at the desk, focused on some papers set out in front of him. The boy was younger than Ludwig, dressed in the uniform of the Hitler Youth. Upon seeing Gilbert, the boy immediately stood and saluted. Gilbert returned the gesture and went on to explain how the patrol went. When the boy questioned Ludwig’s absence, Gilbert merely stated his brother felt ill and he saw no need for him to return to the outpost. The boy looked as though he wanted to argue or at least insist he should find a higher ranked officer but Gilbert shook his head.

“It’s not necessary. They’re too busy nursing brandy and looking at pretty women to worry about useless paperwork.” He stated. The boy looked stunned at his choice of words but he seemed to remember exactly who he was talking to. Then he looked too ready for Gilbert to leave and Gilbert couldn’t agree more. He finished up signing off on the report, turned in the rifle and watched the boy stand once more to salute.

“Heil Hitler!” He stated loudly as Gilbert turned to leave the building to head home.

Schlichten was a small village with roots dating back centuries when this land was still a kingdom. Everyone knew everyone else and it was nearly untouched by the war. If it weren’t for the Hitler Youth outpost, they never would have known what was going on in Berlin and throughout Germany. It was a sleepy village where nothing really happened. Gilbert hated it. After experiencing the fast paced battles and seeing Paris for the first time, being able to walk the streets he had only read and heard about, Schlichten was nothing. Time seemed to slow down.

Most of the families who lived around the village had been there since the village’s founding. In comparison, Gilbert and his brother were like outsiders. Their mother was from a well off family from Königsberg in East Prussia. His aunt was often quick to remind them of how his mother’s family distanced themselves whenever she married their father. They had met in Berlin and, from how the story went, fell madly in love with one another. He was a son of lucky farmers and was all too eager to bring his bride back to his sleepy village. His mother loved Schlichten and did not seem to mind being so far from home. Gilbert had only faint memories of his father. Proud, stern, hardly spoke a word but when he did, he made sure you listened. But he loved his sons and he loved his wife. Gilbert recalled times when he would catch them dancing or how his father would tenderly hold her hand. His mother would say how he had softened after serving his time in the war though, at the time, Gilbert could not understand what she meant.

His mother was devastated when his father died. She never recovered from it. He remembered hearing her cry and how she would shut herself up in her room, forgetting she had children to care for. Gilbert used to wonder if it was simply because they weren’t good enough for her – that he wasn’t good enough to fill the void his father’s death had left in her heart. She couldn’t continue on though. When his father died, part of his mother went with him.

It was a big scandal when his mother was sent away to the asylum. Gilbert remembered going out with his aunt and uncle and feeling the pitiful looks and hearing the hushed whispers of how his mother had lost her mind in grief, how she had left her children to starve. His aunt and uncle were told out ‘generous’ and ‘kind’ they were for taking them in even while they had children of their own to care for. When he was younger, Gilbert often wondered if they did it simply out Christian charity. As he grew older, the talk died down and finally stopped. Gilbert was known for causing trouble before he joined the service. Rebelling, if one could call it that, against the rules of his uncle. Ludwig often voiced his displeasure for his older brother’s antics but Gilbert didn’t care. He was far beyond tired of doing the same things over and over again.

A cool drop of water on his cheek broke him from his thoughts and he looked up to see the dark clouds overhead. “Oh, wonderful…” He muttered as it began to drizzle. He quickened his pace, taking a left off the paved road onto a dirt road that would lead him home.

The rain was really beginning to come down by the time home came into sight. He ran the rest of the way, passed the small shed in front and the garden as he made it for the front door. Pushing it open, he ducked inside and closed it behind him, taking a moment to shake the rain from his hair. Gilbert wondered if Ludwig made it back with the girl yet. He took off his boots and left them by the door as he headed in. “Ludwig! You here?” He called out as he walked out of the foyer to poke his head into the living room. Seated there was both Ludwig and Elise. He sighed, partly glad to see his little brother had actually listened to him and didn’t dump Elise off somewhere.

“It’s really starting to pour outside, I think you two made it back just in time.” He said as he rounded the sofa… only to see Elise still dressed in the rags they found her in. “What, you can’t even make a bath for her? You’re completely hopeless Lud.” He shook his head, though he did take notice of the glass in Elise’s dainty hand. At least Ludwig gave her that much.

Gilbert offered a crooked smile to Elise. “Welcome to our home! It’s not much but hey, our great-grandfather built it and that makes it great.” He felt a chill come over him, reminding him of the wet clothes he was still wearing. “Let me change out of this and I’ll find some clothes for you. Ludwig, go get a bath ready for her. She looks like she’s been through hell.”

He was already unbuttoning his jacket when he turned to head back to his room. There were only two bedrooms in the ground level home. When they moved back in, Gilbert took the room that had once been their parents and gave the other to Ludwig. There was also a small study that had once been a bedroom at one time. Gilbert could remember that room being the nursery after Ludwig was born. Now it was lined with books and other things he had collected and found when he took over the home. He closed the door in his room and changed out of the damp clothes into dryer ones. He hung up his uniform and slipped the straps of the grey suspenders over his shoulders and smoothed out the front of his off-white button up shirt and dark trousers. His next task, he supposed, was to find where he had put his mother’s old clothing. Probably in the attic.


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Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ șɪɴɴєʀ ɪɴтɵ yɵυʀ ɑʟтєʀɴɑтє ʟɪғє

Ϻɑyвє yɵυ'ʀє ɑ ȷɵκєʀ, ϻɑyвє yɵυ ɗєșєʀѵє тɵ ɗɪєXXXXXX

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