Chapter 136: Book 2 Chapter 1

Fritz

 

The carriage drove slowly along the bumpy roads. Fritz had not seen his half-brother Paul for a long time. Too long. Near the village where Paul lived, was a large hospital. Under the pretext of personally checking on it, he was now on his way to his brother. He had already visited the hospital in the morning. The staff was stressed, and the funds were a bit tight, but otherwise, everything was fine. Medication for the disease, which had plagued them for almost three years now, had to be reproduced. Unfortunately, the production was expensive, and the price could hardly be lowered.

He had given the guards who usually accompanied him a day off. Nearly nobody recognized him here and he wanted to keep the visit secret from the queen. His coachman was also free. Instead, he rode one of the local carriages.

"Hold on!", cried the coachman. "The road is damaged. It's going to be uncomfortable!"

Fritz sighed.

Paula had stayed in their villa. Together with her two children. Two-year-old Loelia and eleven-month-old Nino. Both children looked like their mother, but they had inherited Fritz's green eyes. The queen didn't know anything about them yet. They had managed to keep both pregnancies a secret from her. How long this would go well, he did not know. Paula was worried about the safety of her children, who always stayed with Paula's parents when Paula and Fritz had to go to the castle.

He looked out the window of the carriage. In front of him lay a barren landscape. He could see the mountains of werewolves. Their territory was close. Then, finally, the carriage drove into a small, seemingly poor village and stopped in front of a small house, with a tiny front yard. The house was old but in good condition.

"We're here!", shouted the coachman. "Should I wait? Or are you staying longer?"

Fritz got out of the simple carriage. "I'll stay longer thank you. I would be grateful if you came back in the evening. Around seven?"

"Of course. But, that costs extra."

"That won't be a problem." Fritz paid the coachman and went to the small house where his half-brother lived with his family. He knocked excitedly on the door.

It took him some time to hear footsteps. A pretty woman opened the door. Behind her stood two identical-looking toddlers. Two girls.

"Are you Valentina?", he asked. "My name is Fritz. I'm Paul's brother."

The woman blinked. "Fritz? Prince Fritz?"

"Yes, exactly. Is Paul at home? May I come in?" He looked at the clothes of the woman and the two children. They were simple and somewhat tattered clothes that had been mended several times.

"Yes, of course. Paul is still in the bakery, but he should be here soon. He always closes around this time." She pushed the two girls aside and held the door open for him.

"Thank you very much."

The house was simply furnished, but it seemed cozy. He followed Valentina into a small living room where a little boy was playing with two wooden horses in front of a fireplace."

"Amaury?", his mother said to him. "Please say hello to our guest. This is your Uncle Fritz. Daddy's brother." Her gaze wandered briefly to Fritz. "May I introduce you like that?"

Fritz nodded. Of course, she was allowed to. They were family.

The boy, Amaury, looked at Fritz curiously. He was Paul's image, while the two girls had inherited Paul's nose, but otherwise resembled their mother.

"Hello", the boy said shyly, then returned to his game.

"Sit down, please!" Valentina pointed to the sofa. "Would you like tea? Or some pastries? I have cake there. From yesterday. Oh!" She pushed the two girls in front of her. "These are Ava and Aleidis. They are two years old. Amaury is three. Amaury? Please play with your sisters. I'll get tea and cake!" The girls looked at Fritz and tilted their heads synchronously. He blinked irritated.

The little boy groaned while Valentina rushed into the kitchen, leaving Fritz alone with the children. He grinned. The little girls stared wide-eyed at him but didn't say a word.

"Hello", he greeted them. "Glad to meet you."

The girls blinked. In sync, again.

"Ava and Aleidis don't talk", Amaury told him. "They never say anything. Do you like horses?"

"Horses? Yes, very much. Do you like horses?" Instead of sitting down on the sofa, Fritz sat down next to the little boy. The girls followed him while continuing to stare at him. He stuck out his tongue in amusement. They just blinked.

"Dad says you shouldn’t do that!", protested Amaury immediately.

"Does he say that?"

"Yes." Amaury held out one of the horses to him. "This is Browny."

"And what's the name of the other horse."

"Horse." The boy looked at his sisters and furrowed his brows. "Go play!"

Ava and Aleidis were staring at the wooden horses now.

"So here I am again!" Valentina came into the living room with a tray full of cakes and tea and put them on the table. "Thanks for watching them. But you don't have to sit on the floor. I have tea and cake. Come. Take something before the kids try to eat the cake on their own."

Fritz realized a few minutes later, how true this threat was. He sat on the sofa and ate his piece of cake in amusement, as he watched Amaury, Ava, and Aleidis fighting over the remaining pieces. Ava and Aleidis had pulled the entire cake to them and Amaury cried bitterly. Valentina tried to stop them, but Ava and Aleidis refused to let go of the cake. Nevertheless, Valentina took care of it. Each child got only one piece of the cake, which Amaury was happy with, but the two girls were not. They stared insulted at the rest of the cake and tried, again and again, to pull the cake plate towards them.

Fritz had never heard the word 'no' as often as Valentina said it now.

A bit later, they heard the front door being opened. Immediately Amaury jumped up and ran to the door. "Daaaaaad!", he exclaimed. Ava took the chance to steal Amaury's piece of cake, which to her luck Valentina did not notice, as she looked after her son.

Then, finally, after half an eternity, Fritz saw his brother again. Paul came into the living room. His brown hair was adorned with a few gray strands. He had grown older. Paul blinked in surprise when he saw Fritz.

"There's a visitor!", said Amaury. "Look, Dad. A Visitor."

"I can see that", Paul replied. "Fritz."

Fritz got up and rushed to his younger brother to hug him tightly. "Paul! Finally!"

"Fritz! What are you doing here?" Paul buried his face in Fritz's shoulder. "Why... Does the Queen know you're here?"

"The Queen?", he heard Amaury say. But a short time later, the child was plagued by another problem. "My cake is gone! Ava and Aleidis took it away!"

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Paul broke away from Fritz and looked at his son and then at the table. "Oh. There is cake!"

"Mooooom! My cake!", babbled Amaury, pointing to his sisters. The two girls just stared at him.

"You get a new piece." Valentina sighed and gave Amaury another piece of cake.

"That's mine!", he said angrily to his sisters, who just blinked.

When Fritz sat down on the sofa again, he found that his piece of cake had also disappeared. With raised eyebrows, he looked at the two girls. Aleidis blinked. On her plate lay the remains of two pieces of cake.

"The girls love cake!" Paul sat down laughing next to him and gave him a new piece. "You better defend this one with your life. So? What brings you here? A normal visit, or not? A week ago, Ingried and Adam were here. I had hoped that they would present me with a nephew or niece, but no. The two don't want children and apparently Adam... Well. He is not able to. You know, what I mean. So, I say to them, just adopt a nephew and a niece for me. And what does Ingried say? Our Ingried? No, thank you! She said, no thanks! And Adam nodded. That’s something! Fritz? Do you have nephews and nieces for me? Did you bring them with you?" He looked around the living room. "You're not hiding them under our carpet, are you?"

"What? Uh. No." Fritz looked at his brother in confusion. Carpet?

"What?" Paul seemed disappointed. "You neither? Fritz! You must have married a nice witch by now! Why won't anyone give me nephews and nieces! Fritz! I beg you! I want children!"

"You have your own. Take care of them!", snorted Valentina. "Ava is throwing cake at Amaury."

In fact, Ava somewhat lethargically threw small cake crumbs at her brother, who scolded and screamed angrily. "Mom! Dad! Ava throws food!"

"Then throw some back", Paul replied.

Before Valentina could intervene, Amaury had tipped his cake over Ava's head, only to find that he now had no cake to eat left.

"You'll clean them, Paul!", scolded Valentina. Meanwhile, Ava ate the cake that had landed on her with an expressionless face. Aleidis helped her.

"What?" Paul looked at his wife in shock. "Me? Look. The girls can do it on their own."

"Mom! I need new cake!", grumbled Amaury. "It’s Ava’s fault!"

"Paul!" Valentina crossed her arms.

Her husband sighed and stood up. "I'll go clean my brood. Children? Come along. We play the funny game 'Goodbye Cake'" The three toddlers followed Paul out of the living room. Amaury complained that he had no more cake.

"So. What gives us the honor of a visit?", Valentina wanted to know.

"I'm here to ask you if you want to join the rebellion."

"The rebellion? The elves? I thought the uprisings were over. We haven't heard anything about it for two years. With the laws tightened, I thought the elves had given up?"

"They didn't. We are now an underground organization consisting of three factions - elves, werewolves, and humans. Including witches and wizards. I hope you're interested?"

"I don't know. We have young children. I don't want to endanger them", Valentina objected. "That would be certainly easier without children."

"That might be. I also have children, but my wife and I are still part of the rebellion. The decision was not easy for me at first. There are different tasks. Not everything is dangerous."

"You have children?" Valentina's eyes lit up. "And you didn't bring them and your wife? Paul will be disappointed."

Fritz laughed. "Probably. But the queen knows nothing about them. She doesn't know that Loelia and Nino exist. I married a mortal. Mother demands that we do not have children together. But I don't know how much longer we can keep our children a secret. One more reason to join the resistance. I also do it for my children. And for yours. Please think about it, yes?"

Valentina nodded. "I heard that Princess Julia and Prince Peter have disappeared. Or are even dead. Are there traces of them?"

"No. They're probably dead, yes."

"I'm sorry. Paul was devastated when he heard about it. And then the new laws. Limited travel permission for all, the mail is monitored... If you want to leave the village, you will be checked by soldiers. It's terrible. The queen turns against her own people."

"She wants to prevent the formation of further resistance. Officially, it is for the safety of all of us. Since Julia disappeared, mother ... She has changed. For the worse."

"Yes! All the kids are clean!" Paul came back with the three toddlers, who went to sit in front of the fireplace. Amaury played with his wooden horses again. The cake seemed forgotten. His sisters watched him. "What did I miss."

"Your brother belongs to the resistance. He wants us to participate. And he has children." Valentina sat down with her children and took Ava and Aleidis on her lap.

"You have children! Where are they? They aren’t in your pocket, are they? Fritz! You didn't bring me, my nephews, and nieces?" Paul put his hands on his hips in offense. "How could you! I am deeply disappointed. My own brother! Wait!... Resistance?" He sat down next to Fritz and rubbed his head in disbelief. "You?"

"We could use all the help. I will also visit Ingried and Adam. I hope they will join us. And I hope that I can count on your help."

"And Cleo? Lea?"

"Lea is currently working at the Academy. And Cleo... The fact that Julia has disappeared has hit her hard. She blames herself. She withdraws a lot. The military is now completely led by the von Strahls. Cleo only works as a consultant. And she travels a lot. To clear her head. I guess she's hoping to find Julia."

"So, they don't belong to the rebellion?"

"No. They are not part of it. I don't think Cleo would join us. After all, elves have kidnapped Julia and Peter. That's what stopped me in the first place, too. The same goes for Lea and she has really blossomed in her new job at the academy. So? Paul? Will you help me? Do you sell your baked goods in the werewolf territory?"

"Yes. I drive over to the territory about once a week with bread. Why? What would my tasks be? What do you have in mind?"

"Delivering messages to the werewolves. Once a week... That would probably be enough. You can do it. You wouldn't stand out."

Paul nodded. "All right. I'll help you. But only as long as I don't endanger my family. Can you guarantee me that much?"

"Unfortunately, no. But delivering messages is the safest task." Fritz sighed. "I need you, Paul."

"Good. I'll do it", Paul agreed. He looked sadly at his children. "They should grow up in freedom. Without the worries that now plague us, thanks to the Queen."

"We'll do it", Valentina corrected him. "We will help. I'm here too. Don't forget that! I want to do something. We will join you. As far as we can."

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