Notes. Everything in this story is placed in Breslau – now this city after IIWW is in Poland, but during Interwar period it was German city (generally it is quite complicated and if you want to know whose Breslau was earlier you should just read about this, because it is not the most important thing for my story). Anyway Breslau was also one of the last German city which surrendered . It was 6th may 1945, four days after Berlin. Festung means fortress. Breslau was announced fortress in 1944 which means that no one could surrender, they should have fought to the end and they did. This politick caused that thousands of civilians was killed and the city was destroyed. It is just general background of my story. Main paring (probably I am not sure for now) will be fem!Austria/Germany.

Festung Breslau

Berlin

A sunny day in Berlin. Sophie was sitting in an armchair. They were losing. Nothing new, it's impossible to win the war when you fought on two fronts. Her thoughts were interrupted by Gilbert's clumsy entrance.

"I need your help!" He exclaimed loudly.

"You always need my help." Sophie muttered.

"Yes, yes, I know, listen, I need you go to Breslau."

"No." Austria didn't want to know what was going on, helping Gilbert wasn't her dream.

"I am going to eastern front and West will be alone there and you know that kid doesn't know how to deal with all this crap, so you need to go there and make sure that he will be fine."

Sophie wasn't amused, but reluctantly she agreed after all it was for Ludwig not Gilbert.

Few weeks later in Breslau.

The sun was shining for many days. It warmed the walls of the Old Town, which glowed in different shades. Light went through ivy leaves. High boots clicked on pavement. The heat was unbearable even for the Thousand Year Reich officials. Slowly sun forced them to took off jackets and leather gloves.

Young man with inadequately to his age high insignia was wearing white shirt with sleeves pulled to his elbows. After a quick march he stopped and walked into the shop, bought water. Seller looked sympathetically at him.

"So, from now we are a fortress."

Blue eyes, so tired from heat suddenly focused on the other man.

"They announced it?"

"Something like an hour ago. Is there any problem Herr Beilschmidt?"

Ludwig's palm curled into fist. He quickly drank water and ran out from the store. Streets from Old Town to his mansion had never been so long before. The tram in front of his car was as fast as snail. Germany clenched fingers on the steering wheel until they were white. He wondered if Austria would be still there.

These times they were barely seen each other. Sophie came after Gilbert went to the eastern front. She lived in Ludwig's mansion and she was asked to help with changing city into fortress. Now she was probably in Fabric District. She was preparing city for a long siege. Dozens of sleepless night and anxious waiting.

With a soft crunch of gravel car parked in the driveway of the villa number one on the Park street. Trees protected Ludwig from hot sun. He saw his dogs and started wondering when he had taken them for a long walk… Duties filled every moment of his existence.

Heavy oak door opened with a creek. Inside of the house was silent in his marble glory.

"Sophie?" Ludwig stepped inside. "Are you…"

"You are lucky, I am living in five minutes." Tired eyes of Sophie appeared from nowhere.

He touched her palm lightly, it was trembling and she really looked like she needed more sleep.

"How is Fabric District?" He asked without comment about her health.

"It will be tough, but we are prepared. Russians are close and you now that they are…"

"Destroying everything on their path, right?" Ludwigs' eyes narrowed. For many years he was very sensitive to unnecessary destruction of the buildings, cities and memory places. He hated raids even destroying the cities of his enemies make him melancholic, he just thought that it was unnecessary. But he never had said that about killing people.

"What do we have today?"

"Meeting." Sophies' hands distracted Ludwigs' thoughts. Even if she was only improving his collar.

"Do we have to?

"Sorry, you know we do…"

They went to the car, Ludwig was driving. All the way they were silent.