Guinevere sat inside an intricately decorated litter with her Silver Hand bodyguards surrounding her in a tight square formation, raising the silk banners of the Arthurian Empire, creating an almost impressive display with their gleaming armour and longswords. She didn't wear anything too fancy, only a robe thick enough and ornate enough to be considered regal, but kept her crown on her head. Vera decided to ride on top of a white horse near the litter, raising her sword high, awaiting orders, and giving herself the mien of a battle-hardened warrior.
Sera and Cara sat within Werner's roofless car directly in the centre of the square formation, both fidgeting in the excitement in anticipating to be the first dark elves to go beyond a Gate to another civilisation's homeworld, a very rare event that will surely be written down in the history books of dark elven civilisation. On Werner's suggestion, they for once dressed modestly in robes with hoods. Unknown to them, Werner simply didn't want them to look like his whores as they sat right next to him.
Elaine chose to sit in a Zündapp's sidecar, calmly sketching the exterior of the Gate in all its details as well as the German forces. She was most excited to be able to sketch out what a German city looks like, but she feared she didn't bring enough lead. It was certainly a rarity for a magician to be able to get this close to a force from beyond the Gate without them attacking them. If Werner was truly going to help her, she was going to complete her studies quicker than any student ever could to become a full-fledged apprentice.
Erenn and his contingent of knights rode upon their horses at the rear of the column, much to the Archduke's chagrin. Just as Werner instructed, he didn't bring his entire army of knights with him. Instead, he brought only a few dozen of his most high-ranking and trusted knights, mostly the ones whose armour will shine the most under whatever sky the Germans had. The worst thing that could happen is that the Germans would see him and his men too intimidating.
The Gate itself pulsed blue energy in its interior, waiting for them to approach. Nobody knew the exact background of the Gate, only that it appears every few hundred or a thousand years to bring a new civilisation over. Many who came and or have been on the Continent for a long time theorised that it was the mages of the long-running Holy State of Magic, the oldest civilisation on the Continent, to have been the ones who created the Gate, but they have since denied it outright since they themselves have been studying it. That left with the simple fact that the Gate is an unknown entity of unknown origin that exists for a purpose unknown to everyone.
Guinevere savoured the sight of the massive gate and its decorations with as much glee as possible from her litter's front window, as it was the first time in a thousand years since the Gate had opened up. Even better, she was going to be the first of the House of Arthur to ever step foot beyond one. She made every effort to make sure her entourage recorded this moment with every little detail, right down to her reaction.
"It would be best if my men took to lead," Werner told, directing dozens of soldiers to the front. "They would be expecting German soldiers to come first."
Guinevere opened all her litter's windows to get a good view of everything happening before her. Her curiosity of the German homeworld reached its peak as she saw grey soldiers marching in disciplined formation around her column. It only made her wonder how grand the German capital city was for men to suddenly show such determination when going through the Gate.
"Excuse me, Werner," Guinevere called out, getting Werner's attention, "what are we to expect of your capital city? Is Berlin . . . huge?"
Turning back, Werner excitedly yelled out, "Huge is a complete understatement. Out of all the places during the civil war, Berlin was all but destroyed after we took it back from Hitler. We had to rebuild what was left from the ground up, replacing certain buildings with stronger concrete combined with certain metal alloys unmatched anywhere in the world, pretty much remaking Berlin with many designs by Albert Speer, another released Nazi. When comparing it to Guinevere, yes, it is indeed very, very large. Larger than large. It is colossal. Right now, it stretches further than it ever did before with a population of over five million."
Guinevere had no choice but to not doubt anything Werner says, even if it sounded over-glorified, seeing as she had never seen a real German city before. The colony of Hindenburg and the fortress of Ludendorff didn't seem to come close to a city, although they were impressive as they were.
When the entire column passed through the Gate, the only sounds that were made were the gasps of every non-German. Everyone stared in absolute amazement at the grandeur of the capital city of the German Empire that shined as bright as diamonds under the blue sky.
Werner wasn't over-glorifying anything, he was simply telling the truth. Everything was mountainous. Each building was much more monumental than even the Palace of Arthur, which was built over a massive elven spiral, and looked strong enough to last centuries to come. The craftsmanship had to have been introduced to them by their gods themselves to construct such strong and powerful architecture. It would certainly put the finest architectures in the entire Arthurian Empire to shame. This is . . . amazing, Guinevere thought.
What waited on the other side were thousands of German uniforms, all armed to the teeth but not on high alert at all, standing in tight formation as if they were being greeted to a ceremony. They did their absolute best to keep away the ecstatic crowd of people away from the column, but some managed to get past and flash their cameras at their faces. The way they all looked dressed made each of them look like nobles than the peasantry. Perhaps
The Empress and her entourage became nervous and shocked at the looks each soldier and civilian gave them but managed to keep themselves formal. Though, Guinevere couldn't help but look out her silk curtains at the army before them. She had never seen so many disciplined men in one place. It almost added a sense of relief that she wasn't on the other side of the conflict. I'm so glad I'm on their side, Guinevere thought.
"Can you believe this, Your Majesty?" Vera said, pulling her horse near the litter, trying not to sound as dumbstruck as she truly was.
"Normally, I wouldn't, but here I am staring at it right now," Guinevere responded.
"Not even the descriptions of ancient empires that came before are enough to match this. It's got buildings that go to the sky, statues of leaders made of metal and it is all defended by a disciplined army! Do you think we could get them to share their designs with us, Your Grace?"
Guinevere raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me if we can adopt the culture of the Germans rather than improve ours at our own pace?"
Vera recoiled. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I did not mean it like that. I meant borrow some of their ideas and . . . I did it again!"
Guinevere couldn't help but laugh. "Calm down, Vera. I'm only kidding. You just take everything so seriously. But in seriousness, I don't see why architects won't enlighten us with their buildings, it is the technology I am concerned about."
"I know that feeling. I don't even want to think about what would happen if they decided not to hold back and went right ahead."
"Don't give me nightmares, Vera!"
They both would laugh, but now wasn't the time for it. Looking back at the architecture, the size and the noticeable prestige, they knew how little they were compared to the Germans. The fact they had the manners to negotiate was fascinating indeed. Guinevere certainly shivered at the possibility that their culture would be too inferior in the eyes of the German leadership so much that they might consider "enlightening" them with their own age of wisdom and innovation. It all boils down to if Werner's people were pacifists or conquerors.
...
Werner took the time to smile for the cameras in the crowd, waving his hand up as the people cheered for him, ignoring the fact they were likely cheering for the armoured knights and strangely dressed women. The Gendarmenmarkt was not always this crowded, but it seems like the whole city came down just to witness more people coming out of it that weren't German soldiers. It was at least a relief for the people of this grand city that it wasn't a dragon that came out this time.
Looking back at his two passengers and the entire column of outdated people, their faces spoke louder than words. If the grand architectural design isn't enough to put them on edge, then nothing will. It wasn't just for his own personal humour, it was to set an example of our high they should aim.
Nominally speaking, the German Empire no longer bows to the whims of the west and east. In fact, they bow to no foreigner anymore. The Kaiserreich was back as a world power. This caused great fear in the eyes of the west and east, especially in Britain and France who were rumoured to be planning a union, which would unite all their armies and colonies together to deter the rising German power, showing just how much more power the Germans had.
"Your people must feel very proud of all of this, Werner," Vera told, coming up next to the car. "Your people have to be glad to live under your protection. I certainly hope you didn't build this on the backs of others."
"No, this wasn't built on the backs of slaves at all," Werner told. "Slavery has been illegal for hundreds of years . . . except across the sea in the Americas, but I wouldn't worry about them."
"Uwah, then your people should definitely be proud of this!" Guinevere said in excitement, earning her a look from everyone, causing her to turn bright red.
"Most of them are," Werner replied.
"What do you mean, most?" Sera asked, scoffing. "You mean there are ungrateful Germans who don't appreciate this spectacular architecture?"
Werner gave her a smile. "There are men, like Field Marshal Rommel himself, who believe that the empire is evolving too quickly and that we should slow the process down a bit before it consumes us all. I for one see no reason not to continue with the advancement of our technology as long as it works in our favour." His face then turned to sorrow. "Though, I am not so keen on bringing more of our technology."
"You fear that it would wreck the natural order of our world?" Vera asked.
Werner simply nodded.
"So, Werner," Erenn called, moving his horse next to the car. "What can you tell me about this German Empire?
Turning around, Werner said, "Well, we don't run under a single autocratic authority. Our government is a federal parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy, borrowing elements of a powerful empire and strengthened democracy."
"I thought you said you hated democracy?" Erenn questioned.
"No, I said it can work within a constitutional monarchy," Werner corrected. "Our authority is split between the Reichstag, with a majority of members being the German National People's Party, a unity of authoritarian democracy and conservatism who handle the federal affairs of the state, and the Bundesrat, the council of German princes who are the true monarchy in our empire. This was made to be during the Great War, where it was demonstrated that the military leaders were capable of handling the affairs of the state by themselves, with the Kaiser being a figurehead. Each party works together to bring forward the Reich, but we have been requested to meet in the Reichstag itself to answer certain questions about your world. You'd do well to model your soon-to-be independent kingdom after ours."
"I'll consider it, but that was not the answer I was hoping for. I was hoping for what kind of technology you have, how many people live in your empire alone, how many soldiers man each of your city's walls and how many-"
"Sorry," said Werner, "but that right there is deliberate espionage."
"What is it you are trying to get, Erenn?" Vera chimed. "Are you hoping the German armies are going to be the ones to blast any opposition to your rule?"
"Laugh all you want, Vera," Erenn growled. "Honour and chivalry will return to the world."
Guinevere peaked her head out of the front of her litter. "So that is the reason you betrayed me, Erenn!?"
"You were a soft ruler, Your Majesty. Mordred was an incompetent one. Now that I see both options are ultimately going to lead my people to destruction, I have fully committed myself to establishing the independence of my realm."
"What makes you think it would remain independent, Archduke? You are clearly expecting the Germans to help enforce your independence, aren't you?"
"And just why not? Helping friends is what allies do."
"If one has to rely on nations to do their bidding, then perhaps the nation doesn't deserve to exist at all," Werner chimed.
"Hard to argue with that," Erenn said, hiding a snarl. "Clearly your country has a lot more to show than just a bunch of men in grey uniforms. Tell me, what do you think of your own nation? I am dying to hear the sounds of patriotism."
"I love my country," Werner told. "I love Germany. A nation that once rose to a world power so quickly that the other nations decided to humiliate us just to prevent another great power in the world. It is such a wonder to see it risen above the ashes stronger than before. No one would dare oppose us, not even you. Just be thankful it is not under the reign of the National Socialists or they would look at you as if you are vermin."
At that moment, Werner thought about how much Germany wasn't always kind to outsiders even before Nazi Germany. The Herero and Nama genocide was a clear example of how Germans treated natives once offended during the colonisation period and the creation of poisonous gas was certainly a cruel milestone in warfare. In fact, a lot of empires are guilty of righteous slaughter. The need to repress such actions had never truly died down in the history of the world, especially if one was to look at the reign of the fascist CSA from across the Atlantic.
"Just like all empires, we are everything but pure," Werner continued. "But, we hope to make up for it with our pride."
"I know that feeling," Guinevere said. "I plan to blur out our people's nasty history once this is over and lay the foundations of a new era in our world."
"Oh no, you shouldn't blur it out, Empress. Your people need to learn it, be convinced of its horrendous consequences and learn to move in from it. Nothing good will come if you abandon your country's history just to try and build a new one, otherwise, you will lose it all in the making."
"That is . . . quite the sentiment, Colonel Werner. I never knew you were well versed in wisdom."
"If wisdom comes in the form of common sense, then I am a greater philosopher than Aristotle."
". . . I don't even know who that is."
"You probably don't need to. What you will know is that soon you will be taken to a luxurious hotel in the heart of Berlin to spend a single day while the Reichstag prepares. You will not be allowed to learn but, the hotel is said to have a lot of luxuries to suit your needs."
"I am guessing this is your version of hospitality?" Vera asked.
"Just be glad that they are giving you the time to rest. Officers don't get anything. I mean, when this whole thing started, I was supposed to be outside of Berlin but instead, I chose to take a few hours break to eat some sausages and sauerkraut. Funny thing, if I didn't decide to take a knee to my duties, I wouldn't have witnessed dragons attack my city, fight against two giant beasts and made friends with a metallic dog."
"Well, you should be glad they didn't punish you for slacking off," Vera chuckled.
"My punishment was being in a hospital bed for three days while the action was raging on outside the window. That alone is a worse punishment than you could ever imagine."
After a while, Werner's infantry broke off and joined the line of soldiers, revealing a large number of buses and government vehicles waiting for them on the road to take them somewhere before the great meeting of dimensions.
Werner hoped out of his vehicle and brought the Empress and her entourage to the buses first. Although clumsily, they managed to get loaded on one by one. As the loading continued, a hand touched one of the shoulders of Werner. When he spun around, he saw his own commanding officer standing right before him.
"Herr Rommel?!" Werner blurted, bowing. "I-I never expected to see you here."
"Settle down, Werner," Erwin chuckled. "I only came to see the Empress before their departure."
"Schön dich zu sehen, Rommel." Guinevere said, bowing. Nice to see you, Rommel.
And just like that, all eyes are on Guinevere, astonished that she could utter a single German word. Rommel only clapped softly in amazement.
"So you have been studying our language?" Rommel congratulated. "This will prove fruitful for you to sway the leadership to your cause."
"I want to try my best to impress your leaders of this fine nation. Either way, I thank you for the hospitality we have been shown in the care of your officer and would like to rest before our meeting."
"You will be sent to one of our finest and most luxurious hotels ever; Hotel Adlon," Erwin said, going over and opening the door to a limousine. "We have set up an army of men around it to prevent the journalists from ever getting to you so you won't have to worry about anything. Now if you would hop in, we'd like to get you settled in as quickly as possible. Please, enjoy the Kaiserreich as much as possible."
As Guinevere hoped into the government car, Werner looked over and saw Rommel staring at Erenn and his knights, who were in the middle of waving at the crowd of people around them like celebrities. The way he looked at them with a confused glare made Werner concerned about what situation he just got himself in.
"Werner, who was that man in the white armour who came with you beyond the Gate?" Erwin demanded, sounding furious. "And why is it he has so many troops?"
Gulping on his own saliva, he responded, "That is Archduke Erenn of the Archduchy of Zaurus. He showed up at my camp with an army behind him. I told him to join us on the journey because he wanted to negotiate an alliance personally to escape the fury of Mordred's regime."
Rommel cast a glare at Werner, almost disappointed in his subordinate. "This is irregular, Werner. There had been no such report of this Archduke joining in the delegations. Such an act can be attributed to treason. It seems you are disobeying not my orders, but the laws of this empire itself with this act."
"Sir, you of all people know that a report would have taken us weeks just to end up in the hands of High Command. Added to the fact that we are beyond the Gate, it would have taken us the same amount of days just to redo the meeting; a month. I want these negotiations over and done with."
"Hmm, so proper procedure doesn't exist within you, does it? That month was used to deliberate bringing a foreign leader from another world over to ours and you went ahead and brought over another leader without proper consultation from the High Command, the Reichstag, or anyone in particular, not even me."
"I sent a report ahead while on the train of an Archduke coming with us. I guess it was never sent beyond the Gate. I can tell you that the Archduke is very eager to fight for our side as long as we help him succeed from the Arthurian Empire once and for all."
"But was he processed like all the others, or at least granted an official seal of approval from the Kaiser himself? I guess not since from over here it seems they don't have a clue what the hell a 'German' even is."
Standing tall, Werner said, "This is supposed to be our chance to gain two allies from beyond the Gate; an empress and a future king. My decision to do so was made easier with the fact it would give us access to a steady supply of rare metals in both their territories."
"That is no excuse for you to skip procedures. And don't try and make excuses based upon the advantages of resources, since it is obvious you just want to have as many people on your side as possible."
"On our side, Herr Rommel," Werner blurted out.
Staring blankly, Erwin said, "What happened to you, Werner? You used to be able to follow my orders without question. Is being beyond the Gate turned you into a self-serving insubordinate? Must I keep you from going back beyond the Gate just for you to be kept a close eye on? Perhaps that would be for the best since it would keep you in line with the other officers if I redeployed you somewhere in Poland or the Rhine."
"Rommel, I still follow your orders. I am still loyal to the Reich."
"Then prove it by listening to me!"
Grabbing Werner by the shoulder, reaching a little too high with the size differences, Rommel walked with him towards the Archduke, gesturing at a nearby platoon to follow close behind. When they got close, Rommel let go of Werner and shoved him forward a bit, staring into the face of the just as confused Erenn.
"May I introduce Field Marshal Erwin Rommel," Werner said, a little nervous, "my commanding officer, leader of the Tor Korps, and one of the most high-ranking officials in the Wehrmacht."
Erenn moved past Werner and bowed before Rommel. Rommel, in turn, took off his hat and did his own bow.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Field Marshal Rommel. I assume you are here to escort me the kaiser's chambers to begin the negotiations at once?"
Raising an eyebrow, Rommel asked, "I am sorry, is that a request or an order?"
"A demand, to be sure," Erenn said nonchalantly. "I and my men have travelled a long way from the southeast of the empire all the way to one of your camps, so it would be best if I was to meet with the kaiser before the empress so I can get my terms sorted out."
"No," Erwin told, to the confusion of Erenn and his men. "I am sorry, but these negotiations were meant to between the Empress of the Arthurian Empire and the Kaiser of the German Empire. You were not included in the demands and thus, you are trespassing on the territory of Kaiser Wilhelm himself. At worse, you were not checked and processed, as we don't seem to have a report of you anywhere."
Werner looked at Rommel in horror, realizing how much of protocol he skipped just to get straight to the Reichstag.
"You and your men will be escorted to the nearest outpost, beyond the Gate, to be processed one at a time. After that, then you will be allowed to be escorted back to our side to begin negotiations, otherwise, you have committed a breach in homeland security. I trust you will comply with these regulations."
"You can't be serious," Erenn growled. "We just came through the Gate and you are sending us back out to be processed to follow your stupid protocol?"
"I can and I do," Erwin told, keeping a straight face. "These men behind me will be sent with you to report to the nearest outpost for processing. Failure to comply will result in your immediate removal from the territory. For your sake, I hope you will comply with this demand because my men aren't as pacifistic as the men of the Third Unit."
Stuttering for a moment, Erenn looked at Werner, who was trying his hardest to keep himself steady. "Field Marshal Rommel, your officer gave us permission to-"
"Which he will be reprimanded immediately for not following the right procedure. Now will you comply with our demands or will this have to turn into an immediate arrest?"
Erenn stuttered for a moment before looking from Werner and back to Rommel. Only after the platoon behind the young officer and the aged veteran cocked their guns did Erenn finally give in and stomp with the rest of his men backwards, grumbling all the while.
Werner looked to the ground in sorrow. "You just sent him back beyond the Gate to be processed? This is not the way to win the Heart and Mind of the people, Herr Rommel."
"That is how you are supposed to handle the situation, Werner," Erwin hissed. "Orders are orders! That is the orders we put forward for the first contact and you didn't even bother to follow it, all because you want to make as many allies as possible to fight against Helga!"
Werner jumped at the accusation. "H-Herr, I am not-"
"You are too wise, too trusting, and certainly too impatient to be an officer. I would reprimand you right now and seek an order to demote you back to Hauptmann, the kindest I can do for a hero if the Reichstag didn't demand the one who called upon this meeting in the first place is to report himself with her."
"I am supposed to be attending the meeting?"
"Of course, you are the one who called upon it in the first place and now you are surprised you are to be called upon to answer for her demands? Do not think that because you are so young that you will be excused from the meeting. Men have become full generals at an earlier age."
Taking a deep breath, Werner replied, "I will do as instructed, Herr Rommel."
"And do not think you are excused from your insubordination. Right now, I will directly report this to High Command myself so you will learn the consequences of your actions. I hope this is how you will learn this."
"Herr Rommel, you know I look to you as a good mentor. I need to be given the chance to prove myself."
"I think you already have done enough, boy!" Erwin finished, stomping away.
In the distance, Vera heard the whole thing. It would appear that Werner truly did have two fatal flaws that impact his handling of certain situations; incompetence and impatience. At the same time, it almost made her smile at the sight of an angered Erenn be forced beyond the Gate if not for the fact that her heart sank for Werner.
"I guess you were right, Werner," Vera comforted. "Germany has no need for heroes."
Werner sighed. "That wasn't the whole point of all that."
"What did he mean by protocol?"
"Standard procedure of the first contact of anyone: all newcomers are to be taken to the nearest outpost to be processed and recorded before being allowed within our territory, anyone record of those who want to return to their original homes is to be traced. That is the protocol I skipped just so I didn't have to wait another damn month."
"Wait a minute, why weren't we processed?"
"Because you got an official invite from the Kaiser himself to come over and present yourselves. I never bothered to get one for Erenn and his men. I pretty much defied my orders just to get this meeting over and done with."
Vera grumbled in disgust. "Well, that was incredibly stupid of you to defy your own orders like that for the sake of getting us here quickly. That sort of rushing is only met with an early retirement where we come from."
"I didn't want any delays with the meeting. I wanted to get it over with quickly so I can sort out the reinforcements and my auxiliary corps. You should know that is all I care for right now besides the safety of your world."
Vera stood shocked. Clearly, Helga has gotten inside of his head. "Werner, I think you are becoming paranoid?"
"How can you not be with everything that has happened? Every single-"
"Werner, this really isn't the best time to have a mental breakdown!" Vera hissed.
Looking around, he knew she was right. Werner could only debate it within his own mind as he marched towards his limousine. Vera was right, he was becoming paranoid. It wasn't just about Helga or the world beyond the Gate, it was his own standing as an officer in the glorious German Army. He had failed at following orders, failed at following procedures, and basically became rogue to follow his dreams of becoming something he always wanted to be; a saviour.
...
Guinevere, Elaine, Vera, Sera, Bela and Cara were together in a room on the highest floor of the hotel, all sharing the same room. Despite the number of people in the same room, the room itself was large enough to fit an entire platoon inside with enough beds to be a boarding house. Werner was supposed to be living in the same room, but he chose to get the others settled in while they rested.
They all sat together in the living room staring at a wall-sized television. The video was titled, "Wehrmacht während des Bürgerkriegs," which Werner said translates to, "Wehrmacht during the civil war." It apparently showed the superiority of the rebel Wehrmacht when they were fighting their own kind in a war that caused the deaths of millions.
The footage was clearly propaganda, showing the power of the Wehrmacht armies from during wartimes, but everyone in the room just couldn't resist sitting down and watching the power of the movie combined with the music radiating around them. It makes them proud to be fighting for their side. It probably makes every German who watched it proud.
They took note of how the Germans fought, their tactics and their weapons. They fought like warriors, brave and true in the heart of danger, something that had never been seen before in many lifetimes, and handled their weapons with utmost efficiency. They took note mainly of the red flag, the one described by Werner as evil but both sides seemed to be using it in the war. In the end, they couldn't really tell who was who - they all wore the grey uniforms of the Wehrmacht. From the looks of it, they were all Nazis once, making them all question if the Nazis truly were a subrace of the original Germans.
As expected, the elves sat too close to the television, on the floor right in front of it to be exact, but didn't bother trying to figure out what is making the little men on the blackboard move when Werner wasn't there. The rest merely sat on the couch, trying their hardest to just concentrate on the men in uniform.
What they took note of above all else was the fact that they were all human. They were assured that in their world there was no other race that inhabited the world except the race of mankind, but they held onto their own beliefs that human supremacy won out thousands of years before their history began. It was stupid to assume it, but from their eyes, it was stupid to assume that this planet was home to a single species when many others could flourish. Elaine certainly thought that was the case, but she would need hard evidence to prove it.
"This is just amazing," Bela said, voicing everyone's opinion, "it is fascinating that these people could build such a glorious empire by themselves in such a short time."
"Yeah, and they did it without giving themselves up to another species," Sera sniggered. "You city elves could learn from them."
Bela turned her head and glared, "What is it with you and city elves? What have we ever done to make you dark elves so angry at us."
"It is just pathetic to think that these people have managed to conjure up such a powerful empire with sciences that stretch for miles while most elves have decided to imbed themselves into a human empire when you could have easily preserved your culture elsewhere."
Bela got up and stood over Sera with her muscles clenched. Sera continued to stare at the television. "We are the elves who decided not to waste the rest of our lives travelling the entire world and arrogantly reject the cultures of everyone else. We chose to live among those rather than living alone."
"Your people could have kept your tribes, your traditions and your very culture by offering your services to the monarch in exchange for land to settle. I had a similar idea for Empress Guinevere before the Germans arrived. But your kind . . . there is not a word in the Common Speech that I can use for you."
At that, Bela pulled herself so close to Sera that their noses touched, not bothering with the fact they are blocking the humans behind them.
"Go ahead and say it, dark elf!" Bela snarled.
"Fine then," Sera sniggered. "Traitor is the word I will call you."
Bela screamed, "My people have suffered enough!"
"So have my people," Werner said, getting everyone's attention, who didn't even notice he entered the room. "We have been wandering the world when our homeland was taken from us by a hostile power. We have traversed the world seeking recognition in every single plot of land held by another power. They didn't know us, trust us, they blamed us for things we haven't even done."
Werner then gave Sera a glare, terrifying her. "You'd be best to shut up about her people if you don't understand them."
Everyone in the room was as silent as a crypt. Apparently whatever Sera said made him angry while Bela's rebuttal made him snap.
"Do not get me wrong," Werner continued, "when I was referring to 'we', I was referring to the 'bad' side of my Mischling body. On my better side, I am a true-born Prussian. I honour the word of the one true God, the holy church and virtues every man in Germany must guide themselves by. I will never forget my other side as long as I live since people here seem to care more about how the person is born rather than what that person grows up to be. We-"
Werner suddenly relented when he realised he revealed way too much horrendous information about the conditions of his world. It was a single idiotic act done in a moment of stress and rage.
"Is that because you are trying to find which people you belong to?" Vera asked.
Werner then gave a frightened look, as if he realised he just said something he shouldn't. After a few minutes, he said, "I am so sorry, but I need to take my leave."
He then stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving everyone with a confused look on their faces.
"What was that?" Sera asked.
"I believe his words were clear," said Bela. "He wants you to keep your mouth shut but other people and their cultures."
"Well, he did mention something but judging people by their noses. I still don't get it."
Ignoring the two elves, Guinevere tried to give chase but Vera, for the first time ever, stopped her in her tracks with a hand on her chest.
"I apologise, Your Majesty, but let him go," Vera begged, letting her hand go. "He is under a lot of pressure and doesn't need anyone else to bother him, judging from what I have seen so far."
Guinevere didn't speak or at least make an attempt to argue back, just sighed and went back to the couch. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out the translation book Werner gave her, flicking through the pages she bookmarked with quills. She felt fortunate that she actually took the time to study the most essential words for the past few months, seeing as the Germans clearly value their culture with utmost respect and efficiency.
"Are you prepared with that, Your Majesty?" Vera asked.
Guinevere gave her a look of sadness. "Nothing in my training, in an entire lifetime, could ever prepare me for what I am about to do."
"If you want my advice, it is a simple fact that you must not trust them. These people have the power to take down a dragon and an entire army. Whatever reason they brought Her Imperial Highness over here, it has to benefit them. I see no reason why they shouldn't declare themselves the emperors of the Arthurian Empire."
Those words cut deep into Guinevere, more than Vera could ever know. When Vera caught an eyeful of Guinevere's fearful face, she tried her hardest to repress the need to run over, hug her and apologise for everything she just said.
"I am sorry again, Your Royal Highness," Vera apologised, moving very close to the empress. "I just find it hard to believe that an empire of such greatness would even consider a meeting with us. It is just too hard to imagine them being this generous to our conditions."
"Maybe they're not," Guinevere sighed. "Maybe they only brought us over to humour us before they make their intentions clear to us because as you say they have no reason to even spare a single thought about us. Remember, this only happened because of Werner. He was the one who wanted to bring us over to spare us from ever dealing with the might of the German Empire. We have to count on him from now on."
"What would happen if he was forced to choose between helping us or remaining loyal to his country?"
"Then we might as well start translating our history books from here onwards into German."
"I don't expect the Germans would have a reason to destroy our culture."
"They don't need the reason or the right. If they want something they can just take it. They don't even need to pay attention to our laws except their own. By the laws of the significant empire, they bow to no one. We were once the significant empire, do you remember that, Vera?"
"Only too well, until your brother-"
"Don't give me that, Vera. The Arthurian Empire was already crumbling after the death of the first Arthur. I seem to recall the kingdoms from Albion all the way to Fandoria all belonged to us before the Great Succession. We had brought this upon ourselves since the beginning when we burnt the elven spire down to the ground, calling it just, authorized by heaven. Perhaps the Germans are the answer to all of this." Guinevere hung her head down, feeling nothing but sorrow in her own words.
"Your Majesty, I can not allow you to talk that way about your empire!" Vera told, looming over Guinevere with an aggressive mien, making everyone else on the couch move over and allow her to sit down. "If every emperor thought just like that, then we would have been a mere duchy by now. You must remain an optimist until the end, no matter the cost!"
Guinevere laughed, amused at Vera's optimism. Sera joined in the laugh, much to Vera and Cara's ire.
"If you would look outside that window, Knight, then you would see how much the Germans are ten times the empire you'd ever be," Sera sniggered. "Their buildings will be raised higher and block out the skies, overshadowing yours by an amount that is too large to imagine."
"Sera!" Cara yelled, slapping the back of Sera's head. "That is a horrible thing to say!"
"But it is true," Elaine chimed. "The libraries of Avalon have detailed sketches of hundreds of different architectures of those who have come across the Gate and yet there are none that reach the sky. Not even the ancient elves built so high. If they were to bring this level of design over to Opara, then it will essentially lay the foundations of a new era."
"Well, we thank you for your words of encouragement, Mage," Vera groaned. "Why is it you are here anyway?"
"If you must know, Werner intends to use me to help you win the German leadership over to your side by convincing them that there is something worth their attention since the leaders clearly are more concerned with their own world than yours."
Guinevere cast a glance at her. "What does he want you to do?"
"He wants me to reveal magic right in front of all of them," Elaine told, earning herself a look from everyone. "Over here, the Germans have no magic. I have felt no such sensation in the winds that shows any kind of magic exists in this realm. If I was to show my skills in magic, then the Reichstag would likely take a keen interest and likely voice support you just to get a taste of raw power."
"So Werner wants the Reichstag to get interested in us because of our magic?" Vera asked. "Does he want to bring more troops over to bolster the German presence in our world?"
"No, Ma'am," Elaine sighed, "he wants to give you an edge in the discussions to come. He seems to have a lot of interest in helping you to keep you safe as well as a crown on your head. Why he cares so much about you, I don't know. You should be grateful for his help since it is clear that not many Germans share his sentimental values in life."
"That . . . makes so much sense," Guinevere sighed.
Werner's mindset was completely set as well as the state of the meeting. The Germans do not care at all about them except for a few. Guinevere had to convince them all to take an interest in her side the Gate otherwise it would end up going downhill from there. It certainly didn't make it any easier knowing that their level of technological innovation and sciences was pathetic compared to the Germans, meaning there is literally only one thing they could offer them besides her sword allegiance. Guinevere sighed as she slumped herself into the chair.
"Also," Elaine continued, "we both bore witness to the truth be revealed by one of the fleeing nobles. He made a strong case that if the Germans are to be the ones to put you on the throne, then the people would likely see you as nothing more than a puppet of the Germans, one so pitiful that you need the Germans to handle your wars for you."
"Who said that!" Vera growled. "I'll have him whipped like a dog."
"That doesn't matter," Elaine chuckled. "What does matter is that it is a fact. A ruler who needs others to do their bidding is not a ruler to respect. The Germans would be the ones to handle the state of affairs from then on."
"Then I must make the case to them!" Guinevere announced.
"Might I remind you that you have absolutely no leverage to make these demands?" Sera asked, sounding too snide. "Minus the magician, you have nothing at all."
"Sera!" Cara yelled.
"What? It's true!"
"You don't need to make it sound like the Empress is going to stand trial or something, she certainly doesn't need it from the likes of you!" Cara then turned towards the Empress, who was in the middle of deliberating her choices. "Perhaps the Empress could consider offering more spots of land so the Germans would be distracted while your forces push past Blanche in the final stretch."
"Or," Vera chimed, "we should show the strength that we-"
The laugh of Sera cut her off, infuriating Vera. "Strength! What strength do you have? In fact, if it wasn't for the German forces, there would be nothing at all for the Empress to offer up."
"Sera," Cara screamed, "for the love of the ancestors, shut your mouth!"
For once, Sera did as instructed and took a back seat, grinning openly.
"She's right, Lady Cara," Guinevere sighed. "I am guessing I would have to go back to my original plan of appealing to their loyalties . . . or considering a marriage proposal."
Sera jumped up, smiling widely. "I presume you want Werner to be your husband?!"
Before Cara could yell again, Guinevere said, "If need be. Werner certainly has the right looks, right talent and right rank, but I feer marrying him would bring me even more problems than benefits, especially with that . . . Helga . . . breathing down our throats."
"I wonder what he is planning to do with her now, I wonder?" said Vera.
"Who knows," said Guinevere, "but I hope he finds a way to get rid of her soon, otherwise I fear the rumour that the Germans are demons will be a reality among our people."
...
At the bottom floor of the hotel, Werner sat alone at a four-person table at the bar. In front of him in his hand was his third glass of beer, but this time it was a pint, something that he expects to knock him off his chair when the first three failed. He was supposed to be a respectable member of one of the finest armies in the world, but he chugged his beer down like a fish. If the barkeeper was paying attention, he'd definitely say he was trying to give himself alcohol poisoning.
His mind bogged down to complete shame in himself. It's bad enough not the following order, but to be reprimanded by both his commanding officer and soon the leader of the entire damn Wehrmacht was enough to take in. Despite his conflicting emotions, he knew it the most he brought it on himself from the start. It is not like he wasn't given a choice. All of it was done to protect the people from beyond the Gate and to be praised for it. A single childish notion that put him on the path of a renegade.
A tap on Werner's right shoulder followed by a figure sitting next to him broke his concentration on his half-filled pint. He retained some of his vision as he looked and saw the face of Salomon staring right into him.
"Shouldn't you be with Simo?" Werner said, trying to end the conversation before it even started.
"We are in Berlin, Werner," Salomon laughed, "nobody drinks their beer alone."
"What does a Finn know about drinking?" Werner snarled.
"Only those people who drink alone tend to be depressed. So, what is making you feel down this time?"
"Nothing at the moment, but if you continue to interrupt my drinking, I'll be glad to make you feel what it's like to be truly down."
Salomon didn't recoil. "Hmm, threatening your own officers when they ask about your mental condition, that is something you shouldn't do. So tell me, why are you upset? It is clear you are drowning a guilty consciousness with that pint you have. Not many officers would have the nerve to act so far out of proper officer regulations and-"
"Am I truly an officer?"
Salomon sighed. "So, what is troubling you this time, Oberstleutnant?"
"Just the simple fact that I have been nothing but a renegade this entire campaign, that I was scolded by my idol and I have never followed a single order but my own. The civil war never taught me how to lead men, only to kill them. I was better suited for a squad commander. Right now, I don't even know who I am right now. Do I even belong here?"
"I know what I am now," Salomon sniggered, "a man serving under someone who is busy having an existential crisis."
"I am being serious," Werner growled, throwing his empty mug at him, which Salomon caught in the knick of time. "How am I supposed to build great respect great enough to earn myself a title as great as the Iron Chancellor when I have failed at soldiering?"
Salomon could not respond. When Werner sensed it, he went right back to chugging his beer, further disgracing himself. Salomon had nothing but pity for his own commanding officer. Werner was one who was simply too young and too emotional to be an officer, one that contradicts the loyal and prideful Prussian idealist and was much better off leading armies as a squad leader, not a full-ranked officer. If he'd trained more at the officer's academy, then perhaps you'd be ready, Salomon thought.
"Tell me something," Salomon started, "how did you manage to convince the entire garrison to turn against the Nazis during the war? I never asked."
"By appealing to proper logic, of course. I made them see reason in turning away people who are willing to slaughter their own people just to get back at us."
"So you do know how to use logic where it counts? Then why won't you use that against your enemies? The Nazis are still alive and are gaining power each day while you are here drinking and cowering like a whipped dog! You think your job is more important than what is the right thing to do?"
"How am I going to counter the influence of the Nazis if I don't hold any respect in my own army?!" Werner growled. "The fact is, I am caught between two things; my position and my will. I can't have both when I don't have the position to do both. Damn the High Command. Why did they put me in such a position in the first place if they won't let me use it the way it needs to be done?"
"So you are asking that know?" Salomon snorted.
Werner cast a confused glance back. "What do you mean by that?"
"I saw you when you were speaking to Rommel and I was disgusted to see how you cower to men who you view as above you. You need to make your own logic stand out! Scream at the officers if you have to!"
"Do people in Finland have such unrealistic expectations in a land of snow?" Werner groaned, chugging down another cup. "Men like I, who are expected to follow orders, have no such right to challenge men of such high regard and prestige, the same men who took the power away from the Nazis, especially one who brought pride to the Prussian army. What do you expect me to do, challenge the Last Hussar to a shouting match against me abandoning my post?"
"What does it matter if you abandoned your post?"
"I stretched our supply lines too thin and now we have to rely on-"
"At the end of the day, you saved lives and didn't suffer such casualties of any kind. The German Empire has more than enough men to stretch their own supplies when the people of the Continent still travel on horseback and fight with swords. If they want to spread fear, nobody will stop them if men like you don't challenge them. Do not let them intimidate you, Werner."
Werner eyed Salomon for a moment before ordering beer for himself and vodka for Salomon. In his heart, he knew Salomon was right about everything. But in his mind, he knew he was wrong. The Wehrmacht aren't ones to forgive so easily just two years after a brutal civil war and are likely trying to identify dissidents in ranks whether they can. Werner's fear won out.
"At this point," Werner said, "my only hope is that they don't see this act of insubordination as any worse than what they already got their hands on. It is a pathetic thing to think, I know, but I just hope they don't strip me of my rank so quickly after all I have done to protect these people."
"I wouldn't worry about it now," Salomon said. "When this is all over, we can finally worry about Helga. I have a feeling the leadership are going to use her for something outside of our parameters. That means we have to find a way to beat her before she has the opportunity to strike."
"Helga?" Werner said, jumping in his seat. "She did everything right, but I use that word very loosely. She slaughtered the population so they would think we are demons, convincing likely a large number of people to not answer my call to join the Freikorps as well as get more people to join Mordred so she can get the opportunity to slaughter them like animals. She managed to show her superiority over my forces by breaking in the train, holding my soldiers at gunpoint and intimidate the empress and her entourage, likely convincing them that she is the superior leader, which is likely going to cause some support problems when they realise I am a weaker leader. In her greatest acts of pure malice, she is still a tactical hardass on the front lines."
"All of that was just a coincidence," Salomon deduced, taking small sips of his vodka. "She did all of that to spite you and she happened to make it out to be that way. She's just a psychopath, so don't give her that much credit."
"There must have been a reason she was among Hitler's top-ranking SS leaders, one who was so close to being among the ranks of Himmler and Göring, and it must have had something to do with the fact she always gets the job done while managing to combine it with sheer brutality."
"I heard what she did and what she planned to do, especially with my pe- . . . the Jews of Germany. What did happen?"
Werner groaned. "When the Nazis were close to pushing into our territory, they adopted the notion that the Juden was responsible for building and funding the uprising, turning 'corrupted Germans' against the Reich, and decided that the question on what to do with them was to simply herd them all in concentration camps and gas them or take them out into open plains for mass slaughter. I first heard Helga's name be mentioned among Himmler's leaders for this holocaust."
"And if she has the opportunity to do so again but this time within a world where no one is watching her?"
"It would be an absolute slaughter."
Both Werner and Salomon chugged on their mugs of alcohol simultaneously until it was all finished, giving both of them a temporary headache as they tried to shrug it off. Both didn't get the effects they were hoping for as they were still on their chairs. Still, it freed them from the burdens of overthinking.
"As I said on the train," Werner continued, "there is nothing we can do about her legally."
Salomon darted an eye. "But what if we could do it . . . our of public knowledge? Just like Helga did on the train, we find a way to covertly take our rival down a notch?"
"We will have to discuss this after the meeting," Werner told. "Rommel might be watching us this instant."
"You know Rommel trusts you, right? To him, you are nothing more than a disobedient child. He'd never expect you to come up with something this convoluted. Trust me, Werner, this is necessary to counter the ever-growing power of Helga."
"So that is it then; we form our own intelligence agency as well as an army of our own. I would probably select Simo to lead the."
"Why? Do you plan to have him shoot someone from afar?"
"If need be. I want to keep this quiet, but I need you and Simo with me on this. I am going to form my own circle, one compiling of me and my allies from both here and beyond the Gate. The only way we are going to counter Helga's cronies are if we sat down and come up with plans to counter it."
"We have to first know her weaknesses."
"Is there any weakness with Helga, Werner?"
"For starters, the Nazis are way too homogenized into their own ideology to think clear, assuming everyone else around them is simply an inferior opponent, which I don't need to tell you about. Their thinking would be their downfall unless they realise there are benefits to thinking like your enemies. Plus, Helga is far too open about her beliefs that we can easily work out her motivations. If we were to use that against her, she will fall."
"Is Helga really like that? We already discussed how she uses her own brutality to her advantage."
"We will just have to see after this meeting, where I will be the highlight of the German military. Hopefully, we will be given a true army to win this war and be home just in time for Christmas." Werner then raised his mug, smiling at Salomon, who in turn raised his glass of Vodka. "Let us hope this doesn't end up backfiring on us."
Both their cups tapped each other, taking a massive swig of their drinks, both falling backwards as a result of their massive intake.