both camps were all commoners. Among the rank-and-file soldiers of the Duke von Braunschweig camp, riots and mutinies had broken out as a result of accumulated hostility toward officers of high birth. There was even the danger of collapse from within …
“What do you think, Father?”
After Hilda had thus concluded, Count von Mariendorf remained silent, simply wiping his brow. He couldn’t argue with his daughter’s logic.
“I believe House Mariendorf should align with the winner—that is to say, with Marquis von Lohengramm. As proof of our loyalty, we should also offer him land and a hostage.”
“Land is not a problem—by all means, give him some. But I won’t furnish hostages. That’s out of the—”
“Not even if the hostage wishes it?”
“But who would ever—”
In midsentence, a fearful look appeared on Count von Mariendorf’s face. “No, not you …”
“Yes. I’ll go.”
“Hilda!” her father gasped, but she just kept calmly adding sugar and cream to her coffee. She was confident her body was not predisposed toward weight gain.
“I’m grateful to you, Father. You brought me into the world on the eve of some very interesting times.”
Count von Mariendorf looked on in stunned silence.
“I can’t propel history by myself, but I can observe with my own eyes how history moves and how the people caught up in it live and die.”
After drinking her coffee, Hilda stood and hugged her father’s head, rubbing her cheek against his brown, lusterless hair.
“Don’t worry about me, Father. Come what may, I’m going to protect House Mariendorf. No matter what I have to do.”
“Then I leave it in your hands.” Calm was starting to return to the elder von Mariendorf’s voice. “Whatever the end result, I’ll have no regrets. But you need not sacrifice yourself for the sake of House Mariendorf. Instead, think on how you can use House Mariendorf as a tool, to open up a path for your own survival. Will you do that?”
“Father …”
“Take good care of yourself.”
She tilted her head and kissed her father’s brow. Then, like a butterfly, she turned and left the sunroom.
IV
After a six-day journey, Hilda arrived on Odin. Or, from her perspective, she returned. She had been living on Odin for a full four years now.
Hilda took a robocar from the spaceport to the Lohengramm admiralität. Perhaps because she was in such elevated spirits, she felt no fatigue whatsoever. In any case, once this was over she could rest as much as she pleased.
“Do you have an appointment, fraülein?” asked the boyish-looking young officer at the window. He wore a name tag that read Lieutenant von Rücke .
“I’m afraid I don’t. But this concerns the lives and the hopes of a great many people. I’m certain that His Excellency the marshal will consent to see me, so could I please ask you to announce me?”
At the sight of the beautiful young woman’s earnest expression—about 30 percent of which was an act—Lieutenant von Rücke seemed overcome with chivalrous spirit. He had her wait briefly in the lobby, but after making several calls, he at last beamed at her, as though he were the one whose request had been granted.
“He says that he’ll see you. Please take elevator 4 up to the tenth floor.”
“Thank you very much. I’m sorry to have put you to such trouble,” Hilda said with complete sincerity, and boarded an elevator that doubled as a weapons detection system.
That day, Reinhard was awaiting the arrival of a particular report, but it didn’t seem to be forthcoming, and he took interest at the news that a lovely young woman was here to see him. For Reinhard, of course, beautiful women were not to be prized too highly. Even so, the sight of Hilda’s beauty—raw and natural, no noticeable makeup—left him just a little impressed at how unlike an aristocrat’s daughter she appeared.
“It’s a pity Kircheis isn’t with us today,” Reinhard said once they were seated in
“What do you think, Father?”
After Hilda had thus concluded, Count von Mariendorf remained silent, simply wiping his brow. He couldn’t argue with his daughter’s logic.
“I believe House Mariendorf should align with the winner—that is to say, with Marquis von Lohengramm. As proof of our loyalty, we should also offer him land and a hostage.”
“Land is not a problem—by all means, give him some. But I won’t furnish hostages. That’s out of the—”
“Not even if the hostage wishes it?”
“But who would ever—”
In midsentence, a fearful look appeared on Count von Mariendorf’s face. “No, not you …”
“Yes. I’ll go.”
“Hilda!” her father gasped, but she just kept calmly adding sugar and cream to her coffee. She was confident her body was not predisposed toward weight gain.
“I’m grateful to you, Father. You brought me into the world on the eve of some very interesting times.”
Count von Mariendorf looked on in stunned silence.
“I can’t propel history by myself, but I can observe with my own eyes how history moves and how the people caught up in it live and die.”
After drinking her coffee, Hilda stood and hugged her father’s head, rubbing her cheek against his brown, lusterless hair.
“Don’t worry about me, Father. Come what may, I’m going to protect House Mariendorf. No matter what I have to do.”
“Then I leave it in your hands.” Calm was starting to return to the elder von Mariendorf’s voice. “Whatever the end result, I’ll have no regrets. But you need not sacrifice yourself for the sake of House Mariendorf. Instead, think on how you can use House Mariendorf as a tool, to open up a path for your own survival. Will you do that?”
“Father …”
“Take good care of yourself.”
She tilted her head and kissed her father’s brow. Then, like a butterfly, she turned and left the sunroom.
IV
After a six-day journey, Hilda arrived on Odin. Or, from her perspective, she returned. She had been living on Odin for a full four years now.
Hilda took a robocar from the spaceport to the Lohengramm admiralität. Perhaps because she was in such elevated spirits, she felt no fatigue whatsoever. In any case, once this was over she could rest as much as she pleased.
“Do you have an appointment, fraülein?” asked the boyish-looking young officer at the window. He wore a name tag that read Lieutenant von Rücke .
“I’m afraid I don’t. But this concerns the lives and the hopes of a great many people. I’m certain that His Excellency the marshal will consent to see me, so could I please ask you to announce me?”
At the sight of the beautiful young woman’s earnest expression—about 30 percent of which was an act—Lieutenant von Rücke seemed overcome with chivalrous spirit. He had her wait briefly in the lobby, but after making several calls, he at last beamed at her, as though he were the one whose request had been granted.
“He says that he’ll see you. Please take elevator 4 up to the tenth floor.”
“Thank you very much. I’m sorry to have put you to such trouble,” Hilda said with complete sincerity, and boarded an elevator that doubled as a weapons detection system.
That day, Reinhard was awaiting the arrival of a particular report, but it didn’t seem to be forthcoming, and he took interest at the news that a lovely young woman was here to see him. For Reinhard, of course, beautiful women were not to be prized too highly. Even so, the sight of Hilda’s beauty—raw and natural, no noticeable makeup—left him just a little impressed at how unlike an aristocrat’s daughter she appeared.
“It’s a pity Kircheis isn’t with us today,” Reinhard said once they were seated in
Similar Books
