Author's Notes
Hi to everyone!^_^
I'm back, and... sorry!
Truly, I'm sorry! Because I said many times that the chapters of this story were planned to be no more than 13, excluding the Epilogue and the extra chapter.
Well, the more I kept on writing, the more things there were to say, and the longer this chapter was becoming.
That's why I ultimately made the decision to add one more chapter, because elsewhere both this 13th one and the Epilogue would've become excessively long.
Again, my apologies.
By the way, tomorrow I will depart for Easter holydays, but I should be able to find a bit of time to write in any case.
See you soon!^_^
Cj Spencer
13
In the heart of Arlea there was a place that every single living being of the forest greatly respected.
The elves called it the Sikkerbanding: the Cosmic Tree. A giant, outstanding cherry tree always flourishing, whose marvelous and powerful branches were endlessly filled with pink petals, and around which sun seemed to beat strongly and more gently, blessing that small piece of forest with the same light of the Gods.
It was strictly forbidden for anyone to come too much closer to the tree, and for elves in particular the sole occasion when everyone were allowed to see it was for the first day of spring, during the holy festivity celebrating the end of the winter. Or maybe, it was forbidden, when the Arleian Clan still existed: and the fact that the Sikkerbanding was in a so deep and unknown place of the forest was probably the sole reason for its having survived to Reich's purges during the Arlea Campaign.
That place was so much important for everyone in that Region that even the Italians had chosen to respect it, avoiding anything apart for a brief expedition to collect some data and samples for their studies, something that had raised greatly their reputation among the locals.
Sadee gently touched the trunk of the tree, trying to taste a bit of its magic to relief from her sadness. So much time had passed since when she used to watch that place with the eyes of a little girl, losing herself in a world of dreams and hopes.
«I knew you would've come.» she said when her trained warrior instincts sensed someone coming out from the woods behind her back. «Niwa.»
When she turned, what really hit Sadee's heart was the sight of a red band with a black eagle over the forearm of the young elf in front of her, even more than the dark dress or the bun in which her blond hair were now tied, resembling the way to appear of a Reichian noblewoman.
«I was sure you would've received my message.» Sadee said again, before turning again to look the tree. «Did you remember? When we used to snake here when we were just kids? Those days now seem so far.»
«What do you want?» coldly asked her younger sister.
«I want to know. Why are you doing this? Why did you side with Reich? You and all the others?»
Niwa remained silent for a moment, but Sadee remained speechless by the lack of any sort of regret in her eyes, in which she was able to see only anger and coldness.
«For so much times I thought I was the only one left of our tribe.» Sadee said again. «When I saw our fathers and friends die in that cave… If I think to all time spent praying Gods to let me come back. I waited so long, and right when I thought I had been heard…»
Sadee did her best to avoid crying in front of her sister, but it was right Niwa's unmovable and piercing glance to provoke the worst pain in her.
«I know it… they're threatening you, right? They're forcing you to fight to protect the others. You just have to say it, sister. Together, I'm sure we'll be able to do something.»
«No, Sadee.» Niwa asked in hate. «Me, and not just me… we're doing this on our own accord.»
The elven princess was so shocked that she felt at the point of passing out, unable to breath in front of so much contempt by the only relative left to her.
«Why?» she asked while trembling. «What's the reason for all this?»
«Think that just for having seen the last days of our agony is enough for you to understand everything? You were not here since the beginning. You've not seen our best friends die in that hopeless battle. When Reich attacked Arlea, most of the other clans and species immediately chose to surrender. Then, I said our father "why to die uselessly in a futile resistance? Let's just surrender ourselves too." But no, we had to fight! Because the Arleian Clan must live! He told us to go battle, knowing that we had no chances to survive! I saw more friends and relatives die in those few days than in the rest of my life!»
«And he was right!» Sadee answered, her anger starting to grow. «I would've done the same in his shoes! Look at yourself. Look what you've become. You just look like one of them. But do you really think that by dressing like one of them you'll become a Reichian yourself? Elves and dwarves, centaurs and cobolds. We're nothing but animals for them!»
«It's right what he said the last time I tried to move him to cease that massacre he was forcing into. He said that it was better to die with our honor than keep on living as slaves. But I, Lea, and all the others… we had no intention to throw our lives away just to follow a senseless code of honor.
At the end, you can almost say that we cared for our clan far more than those bunch of old men.»
«And what about the others? Our brother Thane, our cousin Zora… did they too deserve to die?»
«They chose their fate. I told them that it was dangerous to stay close to the old men, warning about the risks of their choice.»
Hearing this, the worst thought appeared in Sadee's mind, followed by a sense of loss.
«It was you. You revealed the hideout's position to Reich.»
Niwa didn't answer, but the way she kept on looking at her made Sadee's blood starting to boil in her veins.
«They wanted a proof. The proof that we were ready to obey every order. In exchange for this, we would've allowed to keep on following our traditions and customs, at the condition of swearing our obedience to Fuhrer and his powers. We did it just to save the Arleian Clan from being completely wiped away.»
«You betrayed our friends, you sold your pride and our people to Reich, your hands are tainted with the blood of our father, and you consider yourself a savior of our clan?» Sadee said, finally letting her rage free to explode. «You're just traitors caring for your life!»
«And what's the problem in wanting to stay alive? You have any idea of how many children we saved thanks to this? What should've we done? Let them die? Isn't a life of partial slavery still better than Hardy's realm?»
«And what do they think about this? Are those women and children you saved aware of what you did to save them?»
Niwa gridded her teeth, revealing truth at Sadee's eyes with no need of words.
«You speak like a saint sister, but what about you?» she then provocatively asked
«What!?»
«When you came back, you said that those barbarians from another world were savage and violent, and all they wanted was to gain power and influence for their own. But still, you're following them. Then why in the world should you consider yourself better than us?»
For a moment Sadee remained speechless, but a single face well printed in her mind and heart gave her enough force to not lose her will.
«Maybe the Italians are not perfect, but there's not a single time when I saw them going against the rules of respect for other cultures. They never asked me or anyone else to throw our identity away in exchange for our lives. When this whole region was about to lose all hope due to Reich, they came from the Gate, but instead of forcing us to choose between them and Reich, they simply gave us a choice, and without asking for nothing that included the loss of our hearts. That's why everyone trust them. That's why I will not stop trusting them.»
«Be careful, sis. Your trust in them risks to be misplaced.»
«What do you mean?»
«When Reich's founder left this world to rejoin with Fuhrer in Heavens, le left behind some notes, a sort of warnings for the ones destined to complete his drawing. And believe it or not, one of them names right a people called Italians.»
«What!?»
«"Be careful", he wrote, "Beware of this people that loves to betray his brothers, hang his leaders, that poses as friend just for its own self-interest. Be careful, because the blade they claim to use to fight on your side, one day will be stuck right out of your back."»
A weak wind came down from the sky, breaking silence suddenly fallen in that piece of forest and freeing a rain of petals into the air.
«I saw it, sister. I saw what's the fate waiting for this world. Reich showed it to me. Everything that existed until now will be wiped away. And when this moment will come, if the founder's words are true, who says that your Italian friends will really help you?»
At that point, Sadee's glance too became calm and icy, almost unhuman, and a moment later she threw something to her sister. Niwa caught it without problems, and once opened her closed fist she saw a fine golden ring of her size, covered with elven ideograms.
Gold was forbidden among elves: it was considered an holy element, the kind of that the simple fact of being alive made you unworthy of touching it. That's why it was used mainly to adorn dresses during mourning ceremonies.
«You know what it means, right?» the older sister severely said. «The sacred laws of our tribe forbid to insult this holy three with blood. For from now on, sister, you're no more among us, sister. Your soul is dead, it already belongs to Hardy. And next time we'll meet, I'll make sure that your body too will face the same fate.»
Niwa didn't answer, and after having closed her fist again around the ring she simply left, leaving Sadee alone with her tears.
A bit of things had changed among the forests of Narni in those last months.
After having excavated completely the hill and revealed the true gate hidden into the cave, the Italian Army had hidden it again from undesired eyes from the sky, this time under a giant military base built in record time.
Officially it was just a training base created with the purpose of studying countermeasures against bioterrorism, and due to this it was quite rare to see someone curious or crazy enough to get too close, making the work for guards and anyone else involved in the Special Region's affair much simpler.
A long ramp provided with six two meters thick steel doors connected the vault – as the place where gate was located - with the surface, located almost ten meters higher, and thanks to a large window on the vault's left wall made with bulletproof glass there was a clear sight of the whole installation from the control room.
The rest of the base were mainly underground hangars filled with equipment and vehicles, an housing block for the personnel and a small offices building, this last one also used as a proper and true customs for anything coming from the Special Region.
Kanaria had put her best dress for the occasion, and apart for Agrippa she had taken with her even the young Lisippo, the late Valeriano's best scholar in foreign diplomacy, came right from Padavium to act as a counsellor for the negotiations. After the incredible experience of crossing the gate riding one of the Singing People's horseless chariot, the Vicequeen and her two companions had been put on another one of those flying machines, but this time the fight from the base to the place where the first part of the meeting was planned left them even more speechless than before.
From above, that place called Italy was not so much different from the heart of the Empire: the same low mountains, the same hills covered with small forests, the same villages and small cities connected each other by a net of roads, the same cultivated fields as far as the eye can see.
However, nothing in the world could prepare them for what Kanaria and the others saw at the end of the voyage.
Italy's capital was something beyond human comprehension, it was… magnificent. Built around a large river, with a tiny island on its center, that city called Rome expanded for miles in all directions, and it was so full of people, so overpopulated that maybe its sole population was from six to ten times Padavium's.
Neither Sadera was so big and mighty, and both Kanaria and Argippa's hearts trembled just thinking what a nation with such magnificent capital was capable of.
After having returned back to earth not far from the heart of the city, the three guests met a young but extremely elegant local politician, with a bit older but still charming woman at his side.
«Welcome in Rome, Your Highness.» said the woman. «I'm minister Scoleri, and this is minister Giovanardi. We're here to take you to at the meeting with our Prime Minister.»
«The Prime Minister?» Kanaria asked. «I thought I would've met your Emperor.»
«Well, it's a bit complicated question. To make it simple, Prime Minister Rigamonti is the entrusted negotiator chosen by our ruler. Everything he chooses and does is in his name.»
Kanaria didn't object further and boarded an even more luxurious and big chariot with black windows that left in a few seconds with a powerful security escort of police and carabinieri.
For a moment, Kanaria and the others feared that such an important escort could mean that Italy was an unsecure place to live, or even worse a militaristic nation where even a pacific embassy was seen with suspect; however, especially once finally in the heart of the city, they felt a sense of relief, because something was telling them that a civilization capable to create such incredible yet beautiful buildings couldn't be so dangerous and warmonger.
Both Kanaria and Agrippa however were unable to avoid feeling a bit strange at the sight of some of the monuments they saw: for how strange and incredible it could seem, there were something incredibly familiar in that city and its culture, making Italy and Italian people incredibly similar to the Empire's.
The same faces, the same culture, even a similar language. Of course it was something beyond reason, and initially all of them thought it was just an incredible coincidence: however, they had absolutely no idea of what they were about to know in the following hours.
Their voyage ended in Montecitorio, and in a few minutes the three important guests met the Italian Prime Minister Rigamonti in the Executive Room, and looking in his eyes Kanaria noted something similar with the Emperor's: they were the eyes of a master governor, and for a moment the idea of negotiating with someone so apparently skilled in political affairs scared her a bit.
«Your Highness.» Rigamonti said with a respectful bow. «It's a real honor to meet you. I'm President Rigamonti, Prime Minister of Italy.»
«Prime Minister? So you're truly not the Emperor of this nation.»
«This country's state order is a bit different from Empire's. The President… I mean, our Supreme Commander uses to name a Prime Minister to administrate all power in His name. I'm the person entrusted with this task. Speaking with me is like speaking with him.
Please, have a seat. We have a lot of things to talk.»
The tree ambassadors then sat in front of Rigamonti, Scoleri and Giovanardi, and when a local servant closed the doors of the room, Kanaria felt like the first time she had taken part at the yearly meeting of the Vicekings with Emperor Molt.
«First of all, I want to clarify that this is just a preliminary discussion.» Rigamonti said. «All terms and decisions for our eventual agreement will be postponed for a second occasion.»
«Since we're speaking of clarifications, here's another one: can you please tell me why are we here?»
«What!?»
«When I sent General Agrippa to Castria, my goal was to speak with the Green People with which the Empire is actually on war. But you're not the Green People.» Kanaria said with almost malicious tone and glance. «Then, can you please tell me why should I speak with you?»
Just this phrase was enough for Rigamonti to rise his defenses: probably Kanaria was young, but certainly not naïve.
«If you were ready to risk your best General defying the Emperor's rage in such dangerous mission with so few hopes of succeeding, this means that you know that at the moment, the Empire has no hopes to win against the Japanese. I cannot offer you the ceasefire you was hoping for, but who knows: maybe I can give you something even better.»
Kanaria looked right into Rigamonti's eyes, trying to understand how much honesty there was for true in his words.
«What exactly are you speaking of?»
«As they probably told you already» Scoleri answered for him. «Japan is an allied nation, and we have a lot of agreements and common interests with them. But this doesn't mean that we support their actual policy in the Special Region.»
«And I can assure you that we're not the same.» Rigamonti said «Differently from your world, here on Earth there are a lot of nations, some of them even more powerful than Japan, and with really few exceptions most of them doesn't appreciate the Japanese way to act with you and your nation.»
«About what?»
Rigamonti and his ministers looked each other, then Giovanardi took a dossier out of his bag and put it on the table.
«Do you recognize it?» he asked showing her one of the signatures on the first page, placed right above a stamp that both Kanaria and her advisors had no problems in recognizing.
«It's princess Pina's signature.» said Lisippo
«With the Imperial stamp.» said Agrippa
«What's this?» Kanaria asked
«The terms of an official ceasefire between the Empire and Japan that will eventually lead to a peace. If you want to give it a read…»
With a bit of hesitation, as if she was scared from what she was about to know, Kanaria opened the dossier, and just a few moments were enough for her and the others to complain that they were not dreaming, and that was not a nightmare.
«But… this can't be!» Lisippo said. «These terms are absolutely madness!»
«I refuse it.» Kanaria said. «I refuse to believe that Pina has signed something like this!»
Seeing their stunned and scared faces, Rigamonti silently thanked their spies both on Alnus and Tokyo: they had to pay an incredibly huge amount of bribes to have a copy of the initial terms of peace with an original Imperial stamp and princess Pina's original signature, but all of a sudden those money seemed such a little price to pay to him.
«Please, I beg you to consider that these are just first terms.» he said. «They're a starting point from which they will start treating.»
«This is just a waste of time.» Lisippo said. «The Senate will never approve something like this.»
«You're right. Such kind of agreements require the Senate's authorization, and right now the senators refusing the idea of signing something like this are still a large majority.» but then, Rigamonti's glance took a very worryingly shape. «However, it's quite probable that things will change in a few time.»
«What do you mean?» Agrippa asked
«Probably they told you already.» Scoleri said. «Right now things are quite complicated in the capital. The emperor is severely sick, and at the moment Prince Zorzal is acting in his stead. His aggressive policy however has provoked new tensions with the JSDF, and princess Pina has officially accepted their help in trying to put her father on the throne once again.»
Kanaria felt her heart stopping for a moment.
That was the scenario so long feared becoming true.
«A civil war!? Is this what you think will happen?»
«It's highly probable.» Giovanardi said. «At the moment, we have not enough information to make previsions about what will come next, but we're quite probable that the JSDF will try to use this occasion to put someone trustworthy on the throne.»
«And when this happens, the negotiations for a peace will start again.» Rigamonti said «But this time, there will most probably be a Japan's supporter on the Imperial throne.»
The Vicequeen felt a terrible sense of pain in her chest, and even Agrippa and Lisippo were in her same bad state.
Divide et Impera: the same strategy the Empire had used for centuries against other peoples was about to be unleashed against them.
«Let me speak frankly, Your Highness. For me, this is what will happen from now on. Prince Zorzal and Prince Pina will fight each other for the throne. Zorzal still controls most of the Senate and the Imperial Army, so princess Pina will have no choice but to ask for Japan's help. With their assistance, Pina's golpe will succeed almost surely, even if I fear the Empire will end up in ruin from this civil war. Then, once sat on the throne, and with a Senate now completely supporting her, the now Empress Pina will continue peace talks leading a nation on the verge of a national bankrupt due to the costs of the conflict and the state the Empire will be at the end of the war.»
«But how can Japan hope to gain something from a ruined Empire?» Agrippa asked. «We are be unable to satisfy their requests right now, much less we would be able to do after a war.»
«Don't you understand?» replied an almost angry Lisippo. «What you cannot pretend on gold, you can still have it with something else.»
«Precisely.» Rigamoti said. «Probably Japan's requests will lower a bit with a supporter of them on the throne, but surely they will not let such a good opportunity fall from their hands. Territorial concessions, economic sanctions, unbalanced trading agreements. They will feel legitimate to make all sorts of requests, and probably Empress Pina will accept everything just to not see those same weapons used to reach power pointed against her. When the music will end, the Empire will find itself so indebted that it will need decades to recover.»
Neither in their worst nightmares Kanaria or her companions had ever imagined to see such a day: were they about to see the end of the Empire?
«Of course this is just an hypothesis» Rigamonti said as if he was trying to minimize his own words. «But I think I'm right when I say that as a ruler, a senator and a soldier, you know the human nature better than anyone else. Japan is a peaceful country, but there's a spirit of vengeance still beating in its heart, since when we lost together the last war our two countries have fought side by side. After that past defeat, they've tried to strangle their warrior spirits rejecting the same idea of war; but now, for the first time after decades, they have the opportunity to end a war as winners, with a whole new world to claim. And they'll do everything they can to succeed.»
«And… and is there nothing we can do?» Kanaria asked in fear «Maybe, if you should decide to fight on our side…»
«Unfortunately, war is a bit more complicated matter here than in your world. Both Italy and Japan are among the most powerful countries on Earth, and a conflict between us could be too much risky. But as an expert commander like you probably knows, there are other ways to win a war.»
«What kind of?»
«The Japanese still thinks that the one with the Empire will be an easy victory, because of course the difference in terms of force and technology is outstanding. But what would happen if someone at their level should make its appearance?»
The true meaning behind those words was more than clear.
«An alliance?» Agrippa said. «Is this what you're suggesting?»
«I have to warn you. An eventual alliance between Italy and the Empire will not save your nation from paying his war debts with Japan. But of course, whit someone as economically and militarily strong as Japan on your side, the Japanese would have no choice but to reconsider their punitive intents against you, to not have an enemy like us to deal with.»
It was an unexpectedly good offer, but there was more than a problem to face.
«I'm just a Vicequeen. I have no power to negotiate something like this in the name of the whole Empire.»
«Are you sure about it?» Rigamonti asked with a strange smile
«What!?»
«The Empire is at the verge of a civil war.» Scoleri said. «And the Imperial law is clear. In case of civil war, all Vicekings and vassal kings gain total control over the territories they rule, as long as they swear their loyalty to the legitimate Emperor.»
Kanaria remained stunned for a moment in front of the Italian rulers' fine knowledge of the Empire and its rules.
«But like this, my power and influence will no more count outside my dominion. Maybe I can try to move some of the vassals of the north to support me, but whatever we should be able to negotiate, it will have no consequences for the rest of the Empire.»
«This would be just a temporary first agreement. The moment you'll return your special powers at the end of the war, the terms eventually reached will be put at the attention of the whole Empire, together with Italy's offer for an alliance with us.»
That was the Italians game: like this, at the end of meddling again with the peace talks with Japan, the Empire would've been able to count on its new alliance with Italy, forcing Japan to take a different kind of approach.
But as said, maybe Kanaria was young, but surely she was all but unprepared.
«I heard that even the Green People posed as friends at first, right before making such requests to the Empire. Then, what should I think of you and your offers? Who says that you too are not wolves posing as sheep?»
«Good point, Your Highness. I will not lie to you. We too have our own interests in the Special Region. But you can be sure, and I'm ready to bet my own career on this, that differently from the Japanese, we have absolutely no intention to make them collide with the Empire and his policy. We know very well what means to be forcefully moved to sign an unfair treaty, and the kind of sentiments it can create. We'll not reclaim neither a single stone of Imperial territory, and every piece of land already part of our administrated region is there because the clans and tribes occupying them has chosen it. Nothing in our future relationships will be made without mutual agreements; every single aspect of our partnership will be discussed and accepted by both sides, that no matter what, will talk and relate as equals.»
«Fine words. But still words nevertheless.»
As if he was waiting nothing but such kind of objection, the Prime Minister took a new dossier from Scoleri.
«What's more valuable than a true man's word?»
«His blood.» Kanaria answered as hypnotized by Rigamonti's eyes.
«I suppose you know Amelio Vonerius from Zyn.»
«Of course.» Lisippo answered. «He's one of the most important historians of all times. Every single scholar of the Empire has red his books.»
«And you certainly know that he spent most of his life searching for proofs about the existence of the Dimarcarium, the legendary Book of the Origins.»
«This is just a fairytale.» Agrippa objected. «The Dimarcarium has never existed.»
«Wrong. Vonerius dedicated his whole existence on investigating the origins of the Empire. In his final years, his research leaded him to Calibria. That's where he found the Dimarcarium he was searching for, but he died before being able to publish the result of his studies. Well, those results are right here, together with the most important abstract of the book, both written right by Melachius' hand. My men found them before the siege.»
All of a sudden, Kanaria and the others felt an unpleasant sensation, and something told the Vicequeen that maybe in that manuscript there were plenty of answers, but also that it was not a good idea to try unveiling them.
«I must warn you» Rigamonti said seriously, «You could remain shocked by reading this thing. But at the same time, you'll even understand why you have no reason to doubt about us and our promises.»
At the end, curiosity prevailed and Kanaria took the dossier, revealing an incredibly old parchment well protected behind a protective plastic shell. And as Rigamonti had said, just a few lines of text were enough to make their souls tremble to the foundations.
Worse getting worse, there were very few doubts that what they were reading was a fake, some sort of artifact created by their vis-à-vis, as part of them were desperately forcing themselves to think. Vonerius' same writing style, the same metaphors, even the same calligraphy: for a couple of scholars like Kanaria and Lisippo, it became clear almost immediately that the document was authentic.
«This… this can't be…» the Vicequeen said while rising her shocked eyes toward Rigamonti. «Then, this means that you… and us…»
«It's right as you think, Your Highness. We're not strangers. The Empire… no, every single human civilization born in the Special Region comes from here. We share the same blood.
The Empire in particular is nothing but the flame of Rome risen and flourished into another world. We're like your brothers arrived from future, and you're what we were long time ago. Like blossoms of a same tree.»
Scoleri called the butler to bring some water for their guests, but even like this Kanaria and the others needed a bit of time to recover; right now, they were probably the sole persons in their whole world knowing the truth about the birth of the human civilization in the Special Region, and this only thought was enough to make them tremble.
«You understand, Your Majesty?» Rigamonti said «Maybe our civilizations are different right now, but we have only one common ancestor. And like you, we have big respect for blood ties. Look into your heart, and tell me if this is the best proof you can have about our being worth of your trust or not.»
«I… I'm still unable to accept it. I mean… thins kind of revelation…»
That was the perfect moment to let their guests stew in their own juice for a bit.
«I suppose this is the better moment for a break. We'll continue our talks another time.»
The Vicequeen didn't object, and the same was for Agrippa and Lisippo: after all, right now they were too much shocked to reason calmly and rationally.
«Maybe you're right.»
«We'll talk about this later. For now, I took liberties of settling everything for a visit to our country. You'll have the opportunity to meet our industrial, economic and cultural personalities, each of them more than anxious to create friendly ties with the Empire.»
Kanaria wasn't still completely sure that she could trust Rigamonti completely, but all of a sudden his words seemed a bit more pure and trustworthy than before, as much as his apparently benevolent glance and way to act.
«Will you not come with us?» Kanaria asked
«Unfortunately, my presence is requested elsewhere. But don't worry, I'll reach you as soon as possible, and in meantime ministers Giovanardi and Scoleri will come with you. And when you'll have seen what we have to offer and how honest and peacefully our demands for friendship is, we'll be free to speak again about our future relationships.»
The usual butler at that point came to take the guests back to the hall, leaving Rigamonti alone with his ministers.
«Is everything ready?»
«Yes, Prime Minister.» Giovanardi replied. «They will see what they want to see.»
«And what about the final act?»
«Preparations are going as planned.» said Scoleri «There will be no delays.»
«Perfect.»
San Giusto's cathedral in Trieste was completely full in its every single inch of place, and even the courtyard in front of the entrance was filled with people.
Almost the whole population had come to pay respects and say goodbye to its new hero, former Sergeant but now Captain Vittorio Rocco, and the coffin in front of the altar, covered with the tricolore and surveilled by a couple of Lagunari like him was covered with flowers and crowns arrived from all Italy.
The Hero of Sirte, that's how the papers had called him, had died on combat do protect his comrades from terrorists; years ago he had been the sole survivor of his unit, this time instead he was the sole victim, blew into the air together with his vehicle by an RPG while protecting the rest of the squad from enemy fire.
His body had been found in such terrible state that apart for his companions' testimony, a genetic test had been necessary to prove his identity, not to mention that like this his wife and sole daughter hadn't had the opportunity to watch him for a last time.
Or at least, that was what everyone in that church and the rest of Italy thought to know.
Because the truth was much more different, and the sole people to know it were the authorities sat on the first benches of the cathedral, right at the widow's side. The truth was that Captain Rocco had died into a nameless land during a nameless war, and his no more findable body replaced with a John Doe forgotten into the local coroners' mortuary room, just to avoid useless questions.
That's why the world didn't know yet that there were still eight more funerals yet to celebrate: because differently from Rocco, for the others there was still hope to find their true bodied to bury.
Lunardi was doing his best to hide his true feelings, but he had problems even in finding enough courage to look at the coffin, barely able to keep his rage under control.
«This is just a circus.» he murmured during the bishop's final homely
«We did our best to find his body at least.» Pedersoli said at his side
«Please, General. You're too smart to not understand what I mean.»
The bishop came to end the ritual by dispersing holy water over the coffin, and the cries of Rocco's daughter were like a stab in Flavio's heart.
«This is unfair. His family at least should know what he truly died for.»
«I tried to ask for permission, but they've been unmovable. Right now, we're in the middle of a diplomatic negotiation with the Empire, and orders are to avoid news leak at all costs.»
«So, no one will ever know why Rocco has died.»
«The circumstances of Sergeant Rocco's death don't change the fact that he's been a hero. He received all honors and tributes he deserved.»
«With all respect Sir, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that bastard Rigamonti's desperate need for glory. To be in control of a three times bigger than Italy is not enough for him, we wants to become the sole ruler of that goddamn world. And we're out there paying the price of his ambition.»
«Do not defy your luck again, Flavio.» said a worried Pedersoli, sensing what his boy was thinking. «They have too much to lose at this point. If you defy them again, I will not be able to save you this time.»
The Silenzio played in the church stopped every talk, forcing Lunardi to face his demons all alone, ripped apart by his duties, his honor and his human nature.
Before the music stopped, the Captain, followed by Cassetti, Amato, Stefanini, Valenti and Torrisi regrouped at the altar's steps, and once risen the coffin on their shoulders they slowly brought it outside along the nave, while the crowd all around exploded into a single and moved applause.