Sora no Ato: Chapter 4
Welcome Home: Tales over Dinner
Springtime had come to Seize, as if the new-made peace had awakened the fields and trees from the long winter of war. And now, the cherry trees were shedding their lovely petals dying the wind white.
The girls assigned here to the Timekeeping Fortress stood at the end of the bridge, waiting for their new member to arrive. A fifth member had been finally assigned to complete their platoon again.
``I can hear Klaus's bike!'' exclaimed Kanata, her good ears picking up the first news of their impending arrival.
``She's here, she's here!'' exclaimed Kureha. ``I'm looking forward to meeting our newbie! I'm going to work her really—'' Kureha stopped short in her plans for their new member as she saw her walking confidently across the bridge toward them.
She arrived and saluted Filicia. ``As of today, I have been transferred to the 1121st platoon. I am Lieutenant Rio Kazumiya Arkadia. Captain Filicia Heidmann, I request permission to take up this post.''
Rio had come back to them, all the way back this time.
Kanata and Kureha leaped forward to peer joyously around Filicia, who responded to Rio with a kinder smile than usual. ``Permission granted. Though we don't use rank here, Rio.''
``Umm...'' Rio mumbled, in embarrassed explanation. ``The Roman Emperor is actually a pretty understanding guy. H...He said that as a reward for stopping the war, he'd grant me any wish. So I...''
While she was saying this, Noël snuck up from behind Filicia and took Rio's hand. ``Welcome back,'' she said, looking up at her, quietly upstaging the others.
``I'm home,'' Rio answered, looking over at her.
This was too much for Kanata and Kureha, who both leapt to embrace Rio, saying, ``Welcome back.''
Their enthusiasm was a bit much, and Rio went over backwards, all four girls ending up in a happy pile on the bridge.
``Welcome back, Rio,'' said Filicia, smiling down on them all. Her little ``family'' was now back together, and it filled her with joy to see them this happy to be reunited.
ooo OOO ooo
That evening the welcoming dinner was transformed from one to welcome and introduce a new member into a celebration of the return of a treasured companion. Everyone had a wonderful time with the food and conversation.
The platoon naturally asked Rio to tell of what happened since she'd left them months ago. She was equally curious of their adventures, but they had her outnumbered, so she began.
``We arrived at Villa des Friedens where the peace-talks were being held with almost no time to spare before the deadline would have expired and we would all have been back at war.'' She turned to the younger members of the platoon. ``You know that one of the clauses of the peace treaty was that it was to be confirmed by the engagement of a Royal Princess of Helvetia to the Rightful Roman Emperor. After the death of my half-sister Iliya, I was the only one left who could fulfill this clause.''
Their heads all nodded in acknowledgment. Filicia had told them this earlier.
Rio continued. ``Well, I found out about that clause when I met Archduke Arkadia after reaching our capital. He showed me the full treaty they had negotiated. There are so many interlocking interdependency's that there was no way we could change the clause that applied to me. Believe me, they tried to after Iliya died.'' She paused, thinking. ``You know, at first I was unable to understand why Iliya would ever have agreed to that. After actually meeting Emperor Franz Leopold and learning a few more things, I don't question her judgment quite as much. Anyway, after that, and a bit of negotiation with his nobles, we departed the capital for the border where we met Emperor Franz Leopold and the rest of the Roman peace delegation. After some further negotiation, that got us a signed peace treaty. Then I had to travel our whole border, declaring the war over ...just like you saw me do here.''
``But why didn't you even stop to talk to us after you came back with the treaty? Why didn't you write?'' Kureha demanded. Her voice still held some lingering resentment and feelings of abandonment. But she adored Rio too much to actually be mad.
``I'm sorry, Kureha,'' Rio looked around at the others at the table. ``Kanata, Noël, Filicia, I'm sorry that I couldn't even stop to say hello.'' She shook her head and smiled sadly. ``We were under tremendous time pressure there. I couldn't be sure that fighting might not break out somewhere else along the border, and I needed to rush of to the next hot-spot to cool things off there. Colonel Hopkins was sadly not the only officer with those views ...on either side.'' She let out a tired sigh. ``That was how I've spent the last couple of months: running from one spot on the border to the next with the Royal Guard, declaring the war over, showing the signed declaration of peace, and ordering both sides to stand down. I never knew if I would make it in time or whether I might arrive to find battle already in progress and the war re-started in spite of all of our efforts. Thankfully, it never came to that, though it was touch and go at a couple spots in the east.'' She gave a tired sigh. ``I visited every garrison along the border, both Helvetian and Roman. You know, there are a lot of them.''
She looked back at Kureha. ``I'm sorry that I ran off then without saying anything, and that I didn't write. I barely had enough time to sleep.'' Rio allowed her pride in her juniors to show in her smile. ``But I knew you all were strong. You showed me that in Nomansland. I knew that Filicia would take care of all of you. I knew you could take care of yourselves without me.'' Her voice dropped, and she quietly concluded, ``But I missed you, too.''
``Rio-sempai.'' Kureha didn't even notice that she forgot to refer to her by rank.
Rio grinned over at Filicia. ``And I'm not always so good at communicating, am I.''
Filicia smiled back, amused at Rio's reference to her pointed rejection of communication with her father for a long time. ``After you finished your `border tour,' your father didn't try sending you off to other spots in the country to take care of his problems, did he?''
``No.'' Rio grinned. ``There are certain advantages to being Emperor Franz Leopold's fiancée. I feel this is what Archduke Arkadia would have tried otherwise. After all, that's what he did with my sister Iliya. But I now understand that she did that of her own will as well. She truly did want to help and do what's best for the country. I learned a lot more about her on that `tour' as you called it. Several members of that Royal Guard unit served under her, and once they found I liked talking about her, told me of her time with the unit.''
``Anyway after that tour,'' Rio continued, ``I headed back to the Roman Empire, this time to a spot closer to the northwest border as Emperor Franz Leopold is working with the Franks. There seems to be some trouble brewing on the border, and he needed to be closer to the border with them to facilitate talks. When I got there, Emperor Franz Leopold was so grateful that the war was finally over that he asked me what I would like as a token of his thanks for my part in the peace. And that's how I got back here.''
The heads round the table nodded in agreement.
``So, until then, I was too busy to write, and getting mail out would have been a challenge, and even more I was uncertain about my future. What would I write you about? After that, I'll admit to wanting to surprise you. Did I?''
They all nodded. ``And what a wonderful surprise you were,'' Filicia added.
``But I don't want to mislead you. I'm only here to finish out the rest of my ordinary tour here. After that, I need to return to the Roman Empire to fulfill my obligations under the treaty.''
``But what's the Roman Emperor like?'' asked Kanata.
``He's actually rather a nice guy.'' Rio paused to recall. ``He's a little younger than my father, and I think I might actually like him better—but then again, I also didn't grow up holding a grudge against him for abandoning my mother. Nor could I see him taking a mistress like my father did, and especially not abandoning her like that.''
``But you'll be his third wife,'' Kureha pointed out. ``Doesn't that mean...''
``No, Kureha.'' Rio smiled gently at her confusion. ``He outlived his first two wives. His first died early on in his reign, and he then married Empress Maria. She just passed away two years ago, so now he's a widower.''
``But that would mean that he insisted on getting another wife before she was dead.'' Kureha was still unconvinced. ``That means...''
``Kureha.'' Rio's voice was firm yet oddly caring. ``It was his wife, Empress Maria who insisted on that clause in the treaty. She was sick and knew that she was dying. That's also why the treaty only specified engagement. Franz Leopold would have refused to marry anyone else while she was still alive. Empress Maria didn't want him to be alone after she was gone; she wanted him to be happy again; she wanted peace ...for all of us.'' A touch of sadness colored Rio's face. ``Everyone in the Empire loved her. I wish I could have met her.''
Kureha didn't really look convinced, but she made no further comment.
``She sounds like someone I also would have liked to meet,'' said Filicia, sensing a kindred caring soul in her.
``Me too,'' Kanata piped up.
Noël said nothing for a bit, but those who knew her could tell she was taking this all in, and that she respected peacemakers like Maria. An idea came to her, and she spoke. ``Aisha wrote that, on returning home, she was checked out at the Empress Maria Hospital. Was that named for her?''
``I believe so,'' Rio answered. ``She was closely involved with nursing and caring for those hurt by the war as long as she was able, or so I heard. It would make sense for them to name such a hospital for her.''
``But tell us more about the Emperor.'' asked Kanata, her curiosity still unsatisfied.
Filicia chuckled quietly to herself. It was obvious to her that Kanata wanted to make sure that the Emperor would be good enough to be a husband of the Rio she adored.
Rio smiled. ``He's tall ...taller than Martin at the store here. He's active and keeps fit, so he hasn't gone fat like many nobles his age. A bit of gray is creeping into his chestnut hair and beard, but that brings out the gray in his eyes. He keeps his beard trimmed neatly, shorter than Klaus does.'' She smiled over at Kureha. ``Not that I'm saying anything bad about Klaus and his beard.''
Kureha grinned back, silently glad to hear confirmation this was not a slight against her beloved Klaus.
``He's actually a handsome fellow.'' Rio's smile softened in memory. ``I brought a picture back with me that I can show you later. He's also kind and caring, and I found that his people seem to trust and respect him more than Helvetians do ...my father. Then again the Roman nobles I met seemed less venal than the Helvetian ones I know of. He genuinely cares for his people, just like Empress Maria did. That's why he wanted peace. Of course, her wishes just gave him all the more incentive.''
Kanata and Kureha both looked relieved to hear that Rio's fiancée was a good man, though they still wanted her here. Filicia was better at keeping her thoughts from her face when she wished, so she only let a similar happiness show in hers. She hid any worries she might have that Rio could have been mistaken or deceived.
Rio cocked her head to the side as another memory came back to her. ``But I'm forgetting. Emperor Franz Leopold specifically told me to give you each his greetings and his special thanks for your part in helping end this war.''
``Really?'' asked Kanata, surprised to be singled out so by a monarch.
Filicia returned a quiet smile and a nod. ``Thank you, Rio. Or I should more properly thank His Majesty.''
Kureha was still to busy trying to figure out her reactions to say anything to this, and Noël, as usual, remained silent.
.
``But enough about me,'' said Rio. ``I want to know everything that's happened to you since I left, all of you.''
Each of the girls took up a piece of the tale. Kanata began by telling of discovering Aisha in the snow and bringing her back to the fortress where they treated her broken leg and frostbite. ``And she knows how to play the trumpet,'' Kanata eagerly explained. ``She even knows the song we learned from your sister, the Sound of the Sky. Romans know that song too!''
``I heard the same thing when talking with Romans about your playing in Nomansland,'' Rio replied.
They continued telling how Yumina came and translated, how Aisha's grandmother actually served as a fortress maiden here, and that Aisha came to Seize to see the fossil of the angel in the lake her grandmother told of. Kanata interrupted to tell how she saw it when she fell into the lake on her first day here.
Filicia smiled over at Noël. ``And Noël and Aisha became friends here. She's even learning Roman from Yumina now.''
``Is she?'' Rio was surprised. ``Noël, would you mind having a fellow student? Do you think Yumina would mind teaching me too? I do need to learn the language.''
This earned her a smile from Noël. ``Yumina shouldn't mind.''
``And then Colonel Hopkins had to show up and spoil it all,'' Kureha lamented.
They told of his arrival and Filicia's decision to hide Aisha.
``And his men found and shot her,'' said Noël. ``But Filicia stopped them ...and took him prisoner.''
Rio was surprised to hear this mixture of fear and hatred from the normally emotionless Noël. Both Hopkins and Aisha obviously had meaning to her, bad and good respectively. She cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at Filicia.
``Colonel Hopkins knew Noël when she was younger,'' Filicia explained, ``and he made her do some things she'd rather not remember.''
Rio nodded, understanding more than was said, and also that Noël wouldn't want to openly talk of this.
Kureha picked up on this too, and continued in a different vein. ``I was worried about Filicia ignoring the chain of command then, but she was right, and the government approved her actions in the end. Colonel Hopkins is bad: he likes war, he was going to torture Aisha in public to make the Romans attack.''
Rio nodded, she had heard some about Hopkins, and this reinforced it.
``But Colonel Hopkins escaped and was going to start up the fighting again,'' Kureha continued. ``We had to stop him.'' She looked over at Filicia.
``And thanks to Noël, Takemikazuchi was fully operational so we actually could.'' Filicia paused to smile at Noël in thanks. ``We took Aisha along to keep her safe, too. We had to fight more than I would have liked, but we stopped Hopkins. We were barely in time so that Kanata could play `cease fire' and her lovely song which stopped the armies until you got there.'' She gave Kanata a smile of pride and thanks. ``And thanks to Aisha, she knew the Roman cease-fire bugle call as well as our Helvetian one.'' Turning back to Rio, she concluded ``I assume you know the rest as you were there for it.''
Rio acknowledged that she was. ``And thank you for stopping the war. My declaration couldn't have stopped the fighting if it had already begun.'' Her gaze fell first on Kanata, and then on the rest at the table. She then turned to Noël. ``And you were able to save people with Takemikazuchi. Thank you for restoring him so you all could save the peace.''
Noël nodded. ``I'm glad. A person I admire once told me, `Machines are just a tool, they're neither good nor evil. It is humans who decide to use them to either kill or save'.'' She smiled at Rio. ``She helped me discover the power to save people ...through him.''
``You remembered those words?'' Rio was impressed. She had quoted that line from Iliya to Noël back when she first showed her Takemikazuchi and convinced her to work on him.
Noël nodded, her quiet blush showed she had also taken them to heart, and that they had changed her life.
To avoid embarrassing Noël further, Rio turned to the others and asked, ``But what happened after that?''
``I assume you saw the crane behind the garage here when you arrived,'' Filicia asked.
Rio agreed that she had.
``Well, after you left—I assumed it was to take care of the next hot-spot on the border—some of the army camped here until transport home could be arranged. The story of Takemikazuchi and how we stopped Colonel Hopkins' unit got passed around. Everyone was glad that they didn't actually have to fight the Rightful Roman Empire, and this story grew into the reason they didn't.'' Filicia looked down. ``I don't want to diminish your part, as you truly stopped things.''
``Don't worry, Filicia. I understand. And I couldn't have done it without you: I would have been too late. Please go on.''
``Anyway, this story spread, as did the part of our having to shoot our way out of the garage to avoid Colonel Hopkins' troops and place ourselves between the forces before he could re-start the war. The troops were so grateful for this that they got together and arranged for the repair of the garage. A few of the troops also arranged to stay behind to do the work, and most contributed what they could. The people of Seize are helping too. The officers even arranged for some government monies.'' She smiled at Kanata. ``Rumor has it that the idea started with a certain sergeant who remembered Kanata and her trumpet playing, and it grew from there. The end result is that not only are they fixing the part of the garage we destroyed, but they're also fixing all the holes in the roof and such so that we'll have a very nice and dry place for Takemikazuchi.''
Rio nodded and smiled. She had heard rumors of this in her travels, and was happy that her friends were so recognized and thanked.
``And Rio,'' Kanata piped up. ``I know you know that Captain Filicia was promoted, since you knew her rank when you got here.'' She had had been paying attention even in her surprise at the bridge. ``That was for all she did here to end the war.'' Her pride in Filicia turned more personal as she continued. ``But she's not the only one. We were all promoted. And they gave us each a medal for our actions in ending the war.''
Rio smiled. ``Good for you, Kanata. Good for all of you.'' She smiled at her friends around the table. ``You make me proud. You earned those decorations and promotions.''