OH FOR THE LOVE OF ERNST! Once again, I appologize for the long wait. I go to private school and finals are hell. Anywho I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm thinking about doing a song fic for this pairing to the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls... any way, ENJOY!
Hanschen's POV
I opened my eyes to bright sunlight and a freezing cold room. I tried to sit up, but my head throbbed like a thousand war drums. The previous night I had tried to fight the news of the engagement off with sleep, when that failed I turned to my father's secret stash of liquor. I drank myself to sleep that night. Today was my last day of winter break. The next day I would have to face hell again. And Ernst, poor Ernst, by then people at school would have heard about his engagement to Thea. News in this town spread like hungry wildfire in an open field, and there was nothing you could do to stop it. While it would have provided Ernst and me with a thick cover, both of us were worried. How soon would the wedding be? Would they wait till Thea was done with school? When Ernst was done with school? Or would they just jump into it as soon as the priest said that Ernst had enough training to become a pastor? The way that boy read his bible was incredible. He nearly memorized the first half by this time.
Once the ache had subsided a bit, there was a knock on my door. I groaned, the pain returning to my skull. With that Celeste opened the door and looked at me lying in my bed.
"You don't look to good." She said, not yet entering my bedroom.
"I don't feel so good," I responded groggily. She entered the room and put her hand on my forehead, so just in case I wasn't cold enough she could freeze my skull with her ice cube hands. She pulled back quickly and held her nose.
"Well you don't have a fever. Booze breath on the other hand, that you most certainly have," She coughed, her face scrunched up in a repulsed manner. Celeste then spied an empty bottle of whiskey on the ground. She picked it up gingerly, "what the hell is this?" She asked holding the ornate bottle in my general direction, the brown label reflecting sunlight.
"An empty bottle," I offered sarcastically, she gave me the don't-even-start-with-me look, "an empty bottle of whiskey." I said, putting my head back onto the pillow, she slammed the bottle on the nightstand, "Do you have to be so loud?!?" I said, putting the pillow over my head to try and muffle her noise.
"You're hung over."
"Really? I had no idea!" I said unsurprised.
"Why?" Ugh, why did she have to ask that question? I didn't want to have to explain my situation to her. Not her. Not now. There was nothing she could do about it, so why bother telling her? I didn't answer. She repeated her question; again I didn't answer, "Does it have to do with Ernst?" she said sympathetically. Celeste really had to stop hanging around Melchior; she was becoming too damn smart for a servant girl.
"Partially," I said quietly.
"Oh my god! Did someone find out? Hanschen, did they hurt him? I knew you-" I sat up quickly despite the painful throbbing my head.
"Now you listen to me," I said in a low voice, threatening her to utter another word, "I will never, ever put Ernst in that kind of danger. So don't you ever assume that that is the situation unless I tell you it is, got it?" she nodded fear from her first day of work flashing momentarily in her eyes, replaced by new fear. I laid back down, "It's something else," I said. I had no desire to explain what was going on, but Celeste had other plans.
"Tell me, maybe I can help." I sat back up resting one hand on my knee; I looked her straight in the eye.
"There is nothing you can do to keep Ernst marrying Thea." I said, trying to hide the few tears that found their way to my eyes. I couldn't let Celeste see me cry, I would lose all power I had over her in a matter of seconds. She looked at me surprised, "His parents had them engaged," I said looking down at my bed sheet, biting back tears. We were silent for a moment.
"You found out last night didn't you?" I nodded, not looking at her. She took my chin in her hand and forced my head up to look at her. She smiled, "It's going to be ok." And you know what? I believed her. I knew I couldn't let Ernst marry that… that… girl. I loved him, if I had to be killed in the process, I would never give up. I grabbed Celeste's hand and removed it from my chin. I gave her a smile to assure her that I was ok. She stood and began to walk out of the room before turning around, "I won't tell anyone that you were crying." She said jokingly, though I knew she wasn't going to tell.
"I was not crying!" I said defensively throwing an extra pillow at her. She dodged it and laughed.
"You need to rest, you have school tomorrow." I groaned at the mention of the hell hole my parents sent me to.
"Please don't remind me." I looked down at my wrist, there was a scar on it from the time the reformatory boys beat me up. It was a reminder, I still had a long fight until Ernst was safe. I just wasn't sure how to do it.
Celeste's POV
The news of Ernst's engagement threw me off completely. It came to my attention that love had zero place in this town. If you loved someone but it was considered wrong, you couldn't be with them. And if you didn't find someone to be with your parents would find someone for you, at a very young age. I knew that Herr and Frau Rilow were happy together, or at least they seemed that way. I couldn't tell if they had found each other by chance or by force.
I gave an aggravated sigh, my thoughts getting in the way of work. I took my aggression towards the town out on the dirty entry way floor. A knock on the door aroused me from my cynical thinking. I had barely opened the door before a shorter chubby woman barged her way in. She had a large smile on her face, her hair was greased back like Thea's into a tight bun that made her face look exceptionally round. She looked around quickly before her eyes fell on me.
"You, um-" she didn't know my name either.
"Celeste," I said quietly, wanting to slap my hand to my forehead.
"yes, Celeste, do you happen to know where Frau Rilow is at the moment?"
"She's in the library," I started, "Follow me Frau- uh-" it came into my head that I didn't know her name either.
"Robel," She said with a bright smile, "My son is one of Hanschen's friends." I tried not to look so stunned. This was Ernst's mother? I would have never guessed the relation.
"Very well, Frau…. Robel," I started slowly, "I'll show you to the library." We walked down the long hallway to the small library the Rilow's had managed to compile. Frau Rilow was sitting in a large armchair, reading some small blue book with the picture of a woman in a blue gown on the front. I cleared my throat to get her attention, "Frau Robel here to see you Frau." Her head jerked up immediately and she smiled that wonderful smile. She rose from her seat to hug her longtime friend.
"Gisela!" She exclaimed as she hugged her friend, "How are you?"
"Absolutely wonderful, I have such grand news for you," I exited the room but stayed close to the door in order to hear the conversation. I peeked through the crack in the door and saw Frau Robel sit down in a large armchair, "What on earth are you reading now, Adelaide?" Frau Rilow looked down at her book.
"Pride and Prejudice."
"That English garbage, again? Really Adelaide, you need to find something better to read." Frau Rilow looked up at her friend and smiled slyly.
"Didn't you have something important to tell me?"
"Oh yes! Adelaide, it's so wonderful. Falk and I were speaking with the Frau and Herr Diebvonliebe, you know the parents of that Thea girl?" Frau Rilow nodded her head indicating that she understood, "and the engagement has been sealed!" She said excitedly. Frau Rilow smiled at her excited friend.
"Oh, Gisela that's wonderful!" Frau Rilow had a talent for keeping a calm elegant air about her. Frau Robel turned back to her friend with seriousness written on her face.
"You know, you should probably start hunting for a wife for your Hanschen." I couldn't help but laugh a little on the inside, "What about that girl who answered the door for me?" Answered? I cracked the door open and she barged into the room with such force I thought she was a battering ram! The words suddenly sunk in. I made a disgusted face. This was Hanschen we were talking about; he wasn't exactly what you would call prince charming. Well at least I wouldn't call him that, Ernst might though.
"Celeste is simply one of our servants," Frau Rilow said quickly, thank god for that.
"Well you must find someone for him soon, before all of the girls are taken up." Frau Rilow smiled then looked down at her book.
"Hanschen is still a child in many aspects," Oh how true that was, "I'm not ready to let him go that quickly." Frau Robel humphed at that statement, "Just know that when your son is standing there at the altar, my boy will be right there beside him." I had heard enough. I rose from my crouched position behind the door.
I now knew what it must be like for Hanschen and Ernst. The conversation I had just heard wanted to make me not only throw up, but in dire need to talk to somebody! This secret was a burden for us all. But to tell it would result in horrible consequences for both of them. I couldn't do that to them. They were the only friends I had here. They were the only friends I ever had in my life. And I couldn't let them go. Not like that
Hanschen POV
The cold air whipped across my face, calming the remainder of the headache from yesterday. I held my cap down against the wind. The wind, the ever changing wind. I turned my head to the sky, not letting go of my cap, "you're changing your mind a lot lately," I said to no one in particular, the wind howled in response, "yea, I don't know what to do either." I sighed as the school house came into view. Facing a day at school after what had happened two days before seemed just as appealing as eating my own foot. Suddenly I felt a warm body beside me. I knew who it was immediately.
"I don't want to go in either," Ernst said quietly. I looked at him. The cover would be nice for a while, but I still didn't know how long the engagement was going to last.
"We're going to have to face it sooner or later." I said, trying to sound as brave as possible so as to ease Ernst's worried expression.
"Can't we face it later?" he asked looking at me like a scared child. I grabbed his hand and pulled him off the trail into the bushes again. I kissed him gingerly and brushed his bangs out of his eyes before looking at him.
"Everything is going to be okay. I won't let them get to you," and I meant every word of what I said, "I love you." I kissed him quickly before we both returned to the path.
The school house was cold from no one being in it for the past month. Kids greeted each other as if they had been separated for years, even though they had just seen each other practically two days ago. As soon as some of the boys saw Ernst they rushed toward him, patting him on the back, congratulating him on the engagement. Otto didn't look quite as pleased as the other boys, and George talked to him for the first time ever. George was kind of involved with Ana at the time and Thea was Ana's best friend. I had been pushed over to the side like an abused puppy. Ernst looked at me with apologetic eyes.
Herr Sonnenstich walked into the room and slammed his books on the table grabbing our attention. We all sat down immediately, placing our books under our seats. Herr Sonnenstich walked up and down the aisles of chairs as he spoke, "I hope you all had a pleasant winter vacation. But make no mistake, this is not you break any more. It is time that we get back to work." He placed stacks of books on the seats in the front row and instructed that the students pass them back, "Our next assignment will be reading and analyzing several French authors," the book landed on my desk, Usule Mirouet. I thank some god for making the author be French. I personally had no desire to read French novels, of the ones I had heard about they were filled with pointless romance and exaggerated story lines, nothing I had any desire to read. But Celeste was French, so maybe there could be a silver lining here.
Herr Sonnenstich spoke up again, "Your first assignment is to read chapters one through five and attempt to find lines that support one of the book's main ideas of redemption. Now can anyone…" I zoned out for the rest of class and stared down at the book. Redemption, could this day get any more painful! I had tried so desperately to escape this nightmare that was descending on Ernst and me, and then the hell hole had to deal out another steaming plate of reminders!
The school day ended, homework had been assigned and hell had begun once again. Ernst had to hurry home to help his mother, so I walked home alone, or so I thought. As I walked down mainstreet towards my house I saw Celeste walk out of the Gabor's residence, Melchior was standing beside her smiling and talking, though I couldn't exactly hear what they were saying.
Celeste's POV
I walked out of Melchior's house with a smile on my face. My first reading lesson had taken my mind off of other matters concerning my other two friends. Fanny Gabor was an exceptionally kind woman and helped Melchior and I whenever necessary. We had started with the basics. Melchior taught me how to identify certain letters and I learned the alphabet. He made me write all of the letters 10 times before my lesson was deemed to be over. He escorted me to the door with a smile.
"You're a pretty fast learner," he said leaning on the door. I smiled up at him.
"Well I have a great teacher," he laughed a bit.
"So, for the next lesson maybe…"
"Yes?" He leaned closer to me
"Uh, maybe we could meet…"
"Yes?" he moved closer still. Our lips were nearly touching before a loud whistle made us break apart. Hanschen stood in the middle of the road, arms folded across his chest, tapping his foot impatiently, "Ugh," I sighed annoyed, "I have to go. Does Wednesday sound good for the next lesson?" I asked looking back up at him. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Wednesday sounds great," He said rubbing the back of his neck embarrassed. He shot a glare at Hanschen who simple smirked, "I'll see you then, Celeste." I loved the way he said my name. I quickly stepped off the porch and ran towards Hanschen, hearing the door shut quietly behind me.
"Must you always ruin my moments?" I asked him harshly as we headed off to his house.
"Must you always go running off with Gabor?" I rolled my eyes.
"Why do you even care? You love Ernst remember!" he made a disgusted face.
"ok, firstly, ew, I do not love you nor have I thought of you in that light, ever. Secondly, I'm just protecting you."
"I don't need protecting! Melchior is harmless." He sighed.
"Whatever you say, Celeste, whatever you say." I saw a book clutched under his arm.
"What's that?" I asked pointing curiously.
"It's not a whiskey bottle if that's what you're thinking," he said sarcastically. I gave him my not amused look. He smiled, I didn't see him smile as much so he was obviously amused by me, "It's the new book we're reading in class." He showed me the cover quickly but then pulled away, "Oh wait! You can't read!" He jeered. I glared.
"How did you know that?" he shrugged.
"I heard you talking to Gabor at the party. But maybe you can help me with it."
"How I can't read." I said sarcastically.
"True, you can't read German. But the book is originally French." I gave him an odd look and he produced a copy of Ursule Mirouet. I swear to god I thought that book was following me. I looked down quickly.
"I haven't read that book. Melchior gave me a copy of it for New Year's Eve, but I can't read German."
"So that's why you were at his house!" Hanschen concluded, "You're taking reading lessons from that…. That-"
"Watch it," I said warningly.
"Person," he said finishing the sentence as calmly as he could.
"Look, I know you're still distracted about the whole engagement thing," I said, he turned his head to the ground, "but it is my life. I promise I won't get hurt. And if I do, you can pound his head like you did to the rest of those reformatory boys."
"Thanks," he said before realization that I was mocking his defeat set in, "HEY!" I smiled at him and punched him playfully in the arm.
"Don't worry, everything is going to be okay," I opened the door to the house and walked in quickly. I was due to help Mrs. Manlady in the kitchen again.
"I really hope you're right," I heard him mutter before he closed the door. Secretly I hoped I was right too.
alrighty! did you like it? Reviews would be wonderful. Tell me what you think about the Iris idea. but most of all R&R, it makes me happy like Timon and Pumba with grubs. (please excuse the disney comparison, I'm on a disney rampage with my friend)