The modest home of the former mayor was fueled by a single fireplace yet the warmth that was drawn out of the living room was enough to have heated their entire home. It was no larger than the house they had stayed in on their first night in Dannen and the corporal quickly familiarized himself with the humble interior. Arminius took off his coat and hung it on a hook behind the door before he journeyed towards the living room, but along the way, he noticed there on the wall were photographs of the Rantzau family as complete as it could ever be. Moving down the corridor, the further he went, the hand of time turned too. From their days at school, to marriage, to the birth of their son, to his younger childhood, then eventually, there were more contemporary pictures. Drawn by the photographs, he mistook his place for home and nearly ascended the stairs but luckily, the sound of the firepit and the ringing of a fork pushing around the firewood that the corporal helped to move broke his spell. Arminius turned into the living room of minimalistic value which unlike Julien’s home, the place had no use for carpets nor decorations. There was not a single display of treasures and there was just a single clock above the hearth, ticking. The room would have been too cramped if there were anymore than four present at one time, but for a family of three, it was of perfect comfort. Regardless of what the other nobles would say of their abode, it was all the Rantzaus had ever lived with and everything was already to their satisfaction.
Kneeling in a corner, her knees padded by her dress, the lady unlocked a door to the floor with a key and reached down. “Would you care to join me for some wæng?” Rantzau offered, knowing that it was sensible considering the season but she had her other reasons. “It’ll lift our spirits if only just slightly.” She explained, quietly, her heart still wrenched.
Though he had never tried wine and neither did Julien who looked at him, the lieutenant thought it would be best to accompany her. “Gladly, bjeden denekbarkæd.” He replied.
The lady rummaged through her hidden cellar and retrieved a bottle. She carefully read its sticker and determined that it would be the best fit for her guests. The door was shut and the cellar was safely locked away, then from a drawer beside her, she picked up a screw and peeled off the foil around the cork. However, since her late-husband had always been the one to open bottles, she struggled to unseal it. Moving a chair closer to the fireplace, Arminius noticed her trouble and offered a hand to the lady who reluctantly gave her guest the screw and the bottle to try, and as carefully as he could, Arminius wound the screw into the cork and pulled on it with all his might. When the cork popped out of its sheathe, Julien flinched. The lady prepared their glasses, which they would have never bought with their own coin, for Arminius to pour their wine into, a dark cherry red in color, a tasting at a time. He passed one glass to the lady and handed another to Julien who seemed nervous to try it. Once their drinks had been set, they sat around a fire as a family would, reminding the lady of a sight that was never to be anymore. Her eyes began to water, blinking to keep her tears from running but it was one of her guests who saved her from the embarrassment of crying when he began to speak, undelayed.
“Jeg beden wer wekennej suisk son. (I hope we haven’t woken your son.)” Julien looked up at the ceiling, concerned.
The lady dried her eyes with her handkerchief and smiled, gently holding onto her glass. “Nej, allenej. (No, not at all.)” She shook her head, assuring the corporal. “Hen kan hœren bessemer hins pader kanen…kaned…aben henes wil hœrnej skafend. (He listens as well as his father does…did…but he’s deaf asleep.)” Her eyes became fixed on the ceiling.
Arminius was able to pick up some of their words but he often had to imagine what they were talking about. Having found nothing of interest in the ceiling, he returned to his glass and swished the wine about, however he had seen adults do it in the movies for reasons unknown to him. He took a sip and felt a rush of sweetness and though it had been stored away underground, the wine tasted warm when he swallowed it, and somehow he felt at peace. Although his palate could not yet understand its taste, his mind enjoyed the soothing qualities of the wine in the same manner he would his cigarettes.
Taking a sip, Lady Rantzau cleared her head and remembered. “I take it this is about Paul.” She had long read their thoughts from their tensed posture as if they were afraid to bring it up as directly as she did.
Surprised that she could tell from their faces alone, the lieutenant sat upright and proceeded with his mission. “Partly.” Lowering his glass, he leaned forward. “After the king had set off, your husband received a decree.” Arminius told the young widow.
“I believe I know of it.” Lady Rantzau calmly nodded, recognizing the missive that he referred to. “He would often ask me for radskag und komford.” Rubbing her glass with her thumb, she did not seem discomforted by the thought even if it did resurface more recently tragic memories.
“Then…” Motivated by the fact that she knew of everything they had planned on explaining, Julien jumped to the conclusion.
“Ja…he would ask me the same thing as you boys are probably planning to ask.” The lady also figured.
Arminius decided that it would probably be best for him to speak on their behalf as the only one who knew the true motives behind the lord mayor’s plans but the corporal returned a look to his friend that resembled a gaze of a thousand questions.
Setting down his glass on the low table treacherously near the fire, the lieutenant reeled himself away from the influence of the wine and started to wind around his ask. “My lady, I had hoped that the military would be able to come up with something but,” He paused, carefully choosing his words. “I’m also afraid that some might get the idea that it would be better to give in or to fight to the death.” The boy used some excuses but it did not dismiss their fears over such possibilities.
“At this rate, our home would be torn apart from within.” Julien backed him, realizing that they should be reassuring her.
Stilled, Lady Rantzau sipped on her wine and smiled in a kind manner, just as the lord would have done so whenever he had no clear answer. But hers was different, rather than it having come from shyness, she was simply unsure of her abilities. Afterall, the boys had not yet detected a trace of unwillingness from the lady to hear out their request.
Sighing, she said her worries before considering her answer, “I’m but a bœjgrelikisk mother and wife.” She sought to remind them that she was incapable even if the lieutenant and corporal had reason to deny it. “My husband was a well-respected man, but how can I hope to repay that same respect?” The lady only continued to doubt herself.
“En respekdet her hæraded en respekdet frau. (A respected man can only wed a respected woman.)” The acuteness of Julien recited a saying to assure her.
All it did was draw out a giggle from the lady who had not heard anyone say those words to her as form of praise. “Jeg hofen jegisk son wreder end rafinjerdisk wil hues. (I can only hope that my son grows up to be as charming as you are.)” She returned the favor.
With the glass on his lips, Julien choked from the embarrassment of having heard someone else say those words to him.
However, even that had not changed her beliefs. “I must decline, haben.” Lady Rantzau turned down their suggestion, guiltily. “I have no doubt there are many more capable candidates among the soldadne and the edeliskne.” She tried to discourage them from asking anymore of her.
Seeing that her resolve was apparently near-guaranteed, they seemed to be at a road’s end, yet, one did not give up hope. He was certain that there was something else that would convince her and turned to his Danner comrade for help. The corporal’s hand was already atop his collar for all he could think of that could aid their cause was to use his priceless amulet that he had never parted with but he was stopped by Arminius, thinking surely they need not their last resort.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8XpTO5bIh
