The walls were far from the opening in a street where one would have been able to see the boundaries of the town. The foreigners had been led away from their memories of a cold reception and upon entering the fort, they had been greeted by another side that they had not known to have existed within the Danner. Its townsfolk may have been wary but some made the effort to befriend them, asking where they may have hailed and why they had come. As the children stared at the century, their mothers marketed their wares. Passing by each road, the pavements seemed much used from the footfall of its citizens and wandering merchants, horses and carts which were walked and wheeled through the fortress town bustling with traders, travelers, soldiers and their families, even entire villages. Whether they were there to sell, to buy, to gather, or were simply passing by, all happened to flow from and towards the eastern and southern gates. Ever since the century’s entry, the north gate had been sealed and it had not been opened for anyone else. Not even for their own countrymen from the continent. But every corner of the town appeared to be in bliss of innocence. Journeying down a main avenue that the foreigners assumed to have been placed under tighter watch, the townsfolk happened not to feel that way. They enjoyed a great deal of freedom and even most soldiers were off duty, unneeded to patrol or to guard the already safe streets. Parts of the century soon found themselves parting ways in discovering new alleys and streets to be explored despite having no coin but the sight of trades happening and unfamiliar wares being displayed was enough to satisfy them, telling by the smiles that befell their faces. They simply admired what the town had to offer, like one party whose soldiers were gaping at the residence they were to be treated to for the night.
It was a town house by a main street, medieval in fashion, yet all the more enticing that they would be able to experience a night as a burgher. Though the town was lively, its noise slowly lessened in the evening because of a curfew, but to finally have a roof over their heads, this was the only thing that they have ever asked for ever since Seding and more. They sensed the warmth emanating from within the house where some privacy and quiet waited on them. It was more than they had asked for, thinking that all they were to be subject to were barracks, and instead, the young lord had granted them far more. The lancers, corporals, sergeants, and lieutenant-elect, all alike, turned around and thanked the lord who denied their kind gestures humbly. He had his aide open the door to what was one of the many homes which were gifted to Rantzau, dotted across the kingdom, and before long, the squad charged inside without a care of etiquette, especially those who had never experienced being treated as guests of a nobleman. Rantzau’s gladdened smile only grew wider, seeing happiness fill them who had known nothing but despair and ruin. Although the remainder of the century would indeed be given quarters in the military district, Julien had insisted to bring along Arnau and Siegfried. Not once did the mayor ever question him and allowed the two lower ranking soldiers to join their officers even if it did break the military code. As they filed in, the last to enter was Arminius who had placed a foot through the doorway and was long ready to retire for the night when he was stopped by the noble calling his name.
“Gjælassengetisk, Reichner, was it?” Rantzau remembered, separating him from his companions for a moment of his time.
The lieutenant-elect halted on the doorstep and turned around. Curious as to what Rantzau wished to say to him, he exited the house and stepped onto the porch again, giving him his undivided attention.
In seriousness, the young lord faced him directly and asked, “For how long have you been…acquainted?” He searched for a word that could not reveal too much nor would it be too cryptic to understand.
It was broad enough for the boy to be able to discern what he had meant and it did not take long for him to realize what he insinuated. His eyes seemed alerted and as he withdrew from the door, he closed it. Retreating away from the house, Arminius stepped off the porch and onto the path of the front yard, unsurprised, knowing that whatever he had hid from his comrades was known to the mayor patiently waiting for his answer.
“Three years.” Arminius replied openly.
Rubbing his chin in thought, the mayor began to recall his memories of then. “Three years since the…” Rantzau slurred having deduced when he appeared enlightened. “I see.” said he, mumbling.
The lord looked up to the corner of his vision where a window of a second floor was conveniently set. Behind the glass, there was a spy, standing curiously by, wondering what had kept his friend. It was Julien who was watchful of their discussion and though he could not hear them, he could imagine what they were conversing about. When someone else entered his room and called for him, he responded in an instant, as if nothing had occurred to him, and drew his curtains, hiding behind the safety of homely walls.
Upon seeing the corporal’s figure turn around and disappear, Rantzau returned to Arminius. “I was asked by an elder,” He remembered what he was told when he once thought that it was just an saying old people muttered. “Eb hending kannej tragleben das rede, inger wird kan hen mœjliket fœjrer de himmjælne? (If man cannot survive the earth, then how can he hope to lead the heavens?)” His phrase was repeated in Zhermannik but the young had no doubt that he had heard of it before.
As if he was throwing a childish tantrum, the lieutenant averted his eyes in disdain. “And he has suffered for it.” Arminius dared say before a lord. “What kind of—”
“I suggest you mind your tonfallne, Reichner.” Rantzau lightly berated him with a smile that almost escaped from it a laugh. “I am still a servant of his.” The nobleman could not believe that the boy had the gall to speak of the man in question in such a manner but he certainly seemed amused by his lack of leniency to some regard.
Falling silent, Arminius sighed, as if all of his questions had been answered, that he had longed to know for the past three years. Every doubt he had ever had about the Carlstadt was cleansed within a few minutes. Admittedly, he had not expected it to be so simple an answer but it was as the mayor had suggested, nothing else could be said that had not already been said.
“Nevertheless, you are not wrong to think so.” He confessed his sense over the matter. “I would expect no less from a Regen.” The mayor praised him with a haunting name.
He was the second to utter the name, Regen, but it was the first time Arminius froze upon hearing it. Even his slightest movements had braked. It could not have been a simple coincidence for two men on opposing fronts of starkly different backgrounds to have known it, but how had this name spread so far, he knew nothing of it except for the stories that his father had ingrained in him ever since his memories began that was just five years ago. It was becoming more evident that the boy’s unsureness was growing, that he did not understand who he was, but he was no more perplexed than the man who uttered it. The mayor noticed the lieutenant’s change in expression into one of utter confusion and he could not understand why he would react in this way. This name that he called him by that should have been known to the boy was seemingly unknown.52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEy4Xb69pxl
