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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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"Knotted Chest"
July 10 1935 EC
Major Crymaria Levin
Castle Randgriz, Randgriz, Principality of Gallia
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It has been a few days since Crymaria's new chore had been revealed and, while she had expected many grimaces while handling children that shared with her just the genetic strand of the Valkyriae of old, the young woman realized that things were not as she expected those to be.
To begin with the tamest detail, the three girls were malnourished. While they were far from starving, their bones were showing and the intense experience with the Ragnite and the Federation's drug only made their bodies even more receptive of this negative circumstance.
The giddiness and intense joviality she expected from the trio was not there as these children, which were meant to have had a better life in the Federation than herself and those that took part to the harsh training of the Empire, could not produce the same delight of innocence that was known for people their age.
Something about this really angered Crymaria. Sure, it would be too far to say that malicious abuse was being practiced by their enemies, but the negligent interest towards the wellbeing of these children still made her blood boil. Wasn't the Federation meant to be a beacon of righteousness? Was that a lie? Was it propaganda meant to just slander the Empire in quite the indirect but nonetheless deceitful fashion?
These questions she aimed to her direct superior. And Kurt Hertling was quite the source of answers. He had been promoted to General through the brilliant operation that saw the 'crippling' of the Federation's major plans to damage the Empire's foothold in the region while also securing a way out for the dwindling pocket of their troops that was being slowly ground to dust.
"The Federation is born through ideals, fueled by bribery, and painted with lies. Perhaps there are good people, but so are here in the Empire. The difference is that the Federation lacks the courage to be honest, the Empire is truthfully ruthless."
A very... honest review. Far too honest from what she could imagine some officers seeing it as. Rebellious even. But Crymaria didn't see a point in raising that concern. Hertling's power was not through deception within his chain of command, but honesty.
It was what made him stand out without making him appear weak to any opportunists. Plus, he was a diplomat that knew better than to shed blood when negotiations were a better choice. At times. It was one of the more recent decisions of his that made Crymaria really annoyed.
Out of concern, nothing more. It was just worrying that he was trusting the words produced by one of the recently-captured squads of the Federation.
Minerva Victor was not a friend, and she refused to see her as such.
Pragmatic, extremely coy, and clearly adding some flirting here and there to crack into her superior's smooth yet hard shell of an emotional barrier. It was blatant, outrageously so, and Crymaria didn't even want to see the 'good values' of that. Yes, she had pretty much confirmed that the Federation's supplies were running dry and that the harsh mobilization had sparked severe riots across their richest regions but... what kind of point was there to value.
Hell, she could understand that tiny girl Isara being around as she was a little scientist that liked to explore new things. Same for Cordelia as the Princess was just being around for her job's sake despite being somewhat interested in Crymaria's superior but.
That redhead skank had no rights to put her claws on her Hertling!
That loud thought in her mind was what broke her out of her irritated inner rant. And what led her to make some deep thinking of that too. 'Her' Hertling. Where did that one come from? Crymaria tried to find proper reason for her possessive nature as this clearly went beyond the mere 'keeping your superior away from being seduced by the enemy'.
He was charming, yes, and he was honestly a good and caring leader, that was quite true, but surely that shouldn't be enough for Crymaria to start falling for him.
Right?
She debated about this for a while, taking notes on how she felt at ease around him compared to others. She just didn't feel threatened by him and not just because he was 'weaker' than her, but because he bore no true interest in harming her- using her for his own desires.
He saw her as an individual rather than a weapon. An equal in all but ranks rather than an outright superior. This was... enough? She wanted to say it wasn't the case as she was meant to be more. But as the mental dust cleared, as the cloud hiding out the truth settled in, Crymaria had another thing to worry about.
What if I am being tricked like Selvaria was?
The aforementioned Valkyria was still detained and treated with enough respect as a prisoner should be but... Crymaria worried that her fate may be like hers. Was it? She wanted to be wrong and she knew she had to test it. Carefully so, but within a degree of boldness quite uncommon for her to entertain.
So, on this very day, she decided to do something that was quite brash of her and extremely out of character."
"A... hug?"
Hertling looked a bit surprised by this request, but the dare was now set. It was just the two of them- the optimal setting for a rather depraved escalation. And while that was the 'failure option' within the scenario, part of her felt a bit tempted to indulge some touching if those were to ensue.
"Yes. Considering that you have been quite trustworthy, I would like to request a hug for my good work."
...
...
"Okay...?"
He was confused, flustered even, but not as much as she truly was deep down. Crymaria was daring a forbidden fruit, and his hands- oh, his hands were going to be on her. It got so awkward that, right as he opened his arms to her and slowly welcomed her in an embrace, her body tensed up instinctively. She expected... some awkwardness, but not the kind she got instead.
Like a knot wrapping around her chest, she felt her body burn up a little as she was just granted... a hug. Just a hug.
Nothing more than a rather warm and friendly and lovely and intriguing embrace that thawed some of that cold heart that had been struggling against that emotion. There was no true love there, only affection and it was...
Enough.
She didn't expect to be pampered with care and romance, and she definitely didn't expect to be granted the kind of thing she looked for. Intimacy within limits. Not even once he tried to touch her body in a bad fashion, limiting his posture to what a hug should be like and... as he pulled away, Crymaria felt her heart drumming within her chest with the intensity of those that made her wonder if it had moved closer to her throat.
"If you want any more hugs, we could do those in private so you don't feel too nervous about it. I didn't know you were missing on those."
"W-What do you mean?"
"Well you look quite happy," Kurt remarked and she felt her smile, still persisting at that moment, forced to a sad scowl- very forced into it.
But her blush? That persisted.
"I...I suppose that would be alright."
Now, how to get her heart to slow down with its intense drumming whenever she thought of that silly hug?
AN
Next time, some rebellions unfold around! But not in Gallia.
REVIEW Q&A!
LordOfSteel:
1) For the Federation, corruption and general instability due to the Versailles-tier Peace Treaty they will be handed. The Empire is going to collapse due to overextension and the fact that the extensive duration of the conflict is keeping needed troops from keeping previously acquired lands from falling to revolts of pseudo-Communist/Independentist connotation;
2) The full collapse will start at the end of the EWII;
3) Executed.
Standy100: The war will end with the Federation's surrender. Even if Vinland and Edinburgh may put an effort, they don't have the means to mount a naval invasion that would be good enough to turn the war back on their favor. They are not going to lose territories, but war reparations will be paid by those two countries. I want to remind that this is less of WW2 and more of a 'what if WW1 ended early and then started again a few years after it'. So that sort of naval move is not just within the means of either remaining nations. In a similar situation like Kaiserreich, 'Peaces with Honor' will be pushed forth by the Empire to keep the other two enemies out of causing trouble to them and bring peace fast.