Bruderlein und Fledermaus
Walter took a deep breath as he added the latest purchase to his cart.
"Auf Wiedersehn, Herr Strickler," The girl running the stand waved, pocketing her coins.
"Tschuss," He waved back.
In the past year that he had been living in Arcasia in the Holy Roman Empire, he had gotten used to the language. It hadn't been easy at first, trying to raise a five-year-old shapeshifter wouldn't talk in a foreign country. But they were getting the hang of it. Now, he was finishing up their weekly trip to the market. He had left the child watching the Punch and Judy while he filled the cart. But nothing was ever that easy.
The child was leading the other children in a dance; singing, clapping, and having taken off his shoes. It was adorably endearing and Walter had no doubt it would be his favorite song for weeks.
"Mitt den Handen,
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Mitt den Fuzen,
Trap! Trap! Trap!
Einmal hin, einmal her,
ringsherum, das ist nicht schwer!" (1)
Walter chuckled and decided to let him finish whichever repetition of the song he was on. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the cart.
"Ich schwöre, der Kind ist ein Erlking."
Walter frowned and turned his head slightly to better hear the woman behind him. They were older and had likely been born in the village proper. They had always been distrustful of him for being an outsider.
"Er ist der Kinder von Elaine. Die Erlking Frau."
"Er muss also ein Erlking kind sein."
Walter's blood ran cold, "Otto! Komm jetzt hierher!"
The little boy stumbled to a halt and he fixed Walter with large blue puppy eyes.
"Nein! Bitte! Ich Bin Gut! Ich bin Gut!"
"Jetzt, Otto."
He hung his head and retrieved his shoes. Otto grabbed the edge of the cart and kept his head down as they made their way out of town and back to their forest home.
"Fledermaus?" Otto squeaked once they were out of town, "Es tut mir lied."
Walter sighed, "Nein, Bruderlein. You didn't do anything wrong. But the people are starting to talk again. Remember, we have to be careful."
"Ich kenne. I know."
They continued across the footbridge Walter had built over the river, entered the forest well before the little stone house came into view, and continued until they saw the new cave house Walter had built in the forest. The wooden door was open.
"Fledermaus? Didn't vve close ze door?"
"Yes…we did," Walter set the cart down and set Otto on top of it, "Stay with the cart, Bruderlein."
Otto nodded but leaned forward. Walter crept towards the open door.
"Who would break into a monster's house?" Otto called.
Walter shook his head and placed one hand on the door.
"Wally!" The blue winged changeling leapt through the door and bowled him over, sitting on his chest.
"L-Lottie!?"
"Hello, Walter," William stepped through the door and crossed his arms.
"Will?!"
"Fledermaus? Wer bist Das?"
All three changelings looked back at the little boy. Otto slid off the cart and took a step forward.
"Wally? Is that him?" Charlotte sat up, "The Natural Changeling?"
Walter pushed her off his chest and stood up. He made his way across the clearing to Otto.
"Otto, das ist William und Charlotte Shakespeare, meine Freundin aus England." Walter put a hand on his shoulder and turned back to William and Charlotte, "Will, Lottie, this is Otto Scaarbach. The child of a troll and a human."
LLB
Charlotte and Otto ran around the clearing while William helped Walter unpack the cart.
"So that's him?" William stashed the food in the cupboards, "The natural changeling?"
"Yes." Walter poured the sack of apples into the bowl on the table, "The people in the village call him Der Erlking Kinder. The troll child. Most don't realize how accurate that is. His mother was a human woman and his father a troll. He…He's a polymorph changeling. He can become anything he wants."
William looked out the door at the younger changelings. Otto transformed from his troll form to a little bear cub and then jumped over Charlotte. The transformation made her stumble and duck out of his way.
"Why does he call you that word?"
"Fledermaus?" Walter asked, "It means bat. Otto struggles with his 'W's and his 'th's. So he calls me Fledermaus and I call him Bruderlein. Little brother."
William nodded and looked around the little hut. Walter smiled and looked around.
"I found him here." he explained, "His family was all killed by the villagers and I found him hiding here. I don't know how but I don't think any of them knew he existed. No one has ever recognized him when I take him into town. So I turned the cave into a place where he could really be safe rather than just a place where he would feel safe."
A small stone fireplace was built into the wall with the door and there were no windows. The bed and trundle were pushed against the back wall with two trunks, no doubt full of clothes for each of them. The table was really only big enough for the two of them and had the cupboards were against the other wall. Two small candle lanterns hung from the stone and thatched ceiling and provided them with light.
Walter looked back out the door. William followed his gaze.
"You love him. Don't you." He said, "The same way I love Lottie."
Walter sighed and shook his head, "I do. I know I shouldn't but…I can't help it. I hate the idea of anything happening to him. I hate thinking about what they did to his family and all because of…"
William nodded slowly and watched as Otto began to lead Charlotte in a dance, "I'm still having a hard time believing that a human and a troll could fall in love like that. Or a troll and any flesh being for that matter."
"I know," Walter smiled and watched the younger two dance, "But human is Otto's natural form. It takes energy for him to transform into anything else."
"Well, then it's a good thing you're here for him," William put his hand on Walter's shoulder, "His first family may be gone but he has you now."
Walter nodded slowly. Otto giggled as Charlotte twirled him around and around while he sang and taught her his song. Walter leaned against William's shoulder.
"What are you and Lottie doing here anyway?"
"I was on tour in Berlin with my latest play and we thought we would stop by," William shrugged, "I'll be honest, we knew you were still a part of the whole Natural Changeling mission but we weren't expecting a child. (2)
"Neither was I when I arrived but here he is."
Otto turned and rushed over to them, "Fledermaus! Herr Shakespeare! Come dance mit Lottie und I!"
"Maybe later, Otto." Walter stepped forward, "I've just put supper on. Can you and Ms. Lottie bring some water up from the river and get washed up? With taking off your shoes like that I think your feet must be a mess."
Otto wrinkled his nose and nodded, "Ok. Komm, Lottie! I'll show you vvhere der fluss is."
He grabbed her hand and the wooden bucket and scampered down the path.
LLB
Late that night, the four changelings squished together into the bed and trundle. Charlotte slept on the trundle with Otto while William slept in the bed proper with Walter. The fire in the fireplace had burned low, washing the room with a dim glow.
"Fledermaus?" Otto rolled over to face the larger bed.
"Ja, Bruderlein?" Walter rolled over in William's arms.
"Are Herr Shakespeare und Lottie staying mit us?"
Walter sighed and shook his head, "I'm afraid not. They'll be going back to England tomorrow."
"Oh. VVill zey visit us again? I like playing mit Lottie a lot."
"I don't know. Maybe if the Janis Order sends them to Germany or if another of William's plays comes here."
Otto grumbled and wiggled on his trundle, "VVill you leave me too? If ze Janis Order sends you avay?"
Walter frowned and reached down to grab his brother's hand, "No. Not any time soon, Bruderlein."
"But you alvays say zat vve have to do vvhat ze Janis Order tells us to."
"True. But it will be a long time before the Janis Order sends me away." Walter assured him, "And, if they send me away from Germany, I'll be taking you with me."
Otto hummed again, "Ok."
Walter smiled softly and pulled Otto into the bed, "Come on. I know Lottie can take over an entire bed."
Otto smiled and curled against Walter's chest, holding on tight to his nightshirt. Walter gently stroked Otto's hair as he sang the silly little song he had written for the little boy.
"Du bist mein Engel,
Du bist mein Hertz,
Du bist mein Ein und Alles.
Ich sagte 'Ich Leibe'
Und das ist immer,
"Für dich, meine Kinder, mein Haus."
LLB
1) My sister and I used to sing this song and do the matching dance while on the school bus. But we had the English dub that we heard in a version of Hansel and Getel. I have never been able to find the version of the movie but I remeber us liking it a lot.
2) So, fun fact. Shakespeare never left England and most of his work didn't even see Germany until after he was dead. However, the most popular Shakespeare play in Germany is Hamlet.
German Translate:
German Translate:
Raus hier. Wir sind in Berlin.-Get out. We are in Berlin.
"Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen? - How can I help you?
Um, Ein r-zimmer? Bitte? - Um, one r-room? Bitte? (He started to say room but corrected himself to zimmer.)
Maria, führe unseren Gast bitte zu Zimmer vier. - Maria, please take our guest to room four.
Gute Nacht - Good night.
En-Entschuldigung. Sie kenne house…auch Scaarbach? - Excuse me. You know house...also Scaarbach? (Poor boy making the same mistakes I did in the beginning...and still occasionally make...)
Elaine Scaarbach, Die Erlking Frau. Sie wohnte unten im Wald. Auf der anderen Seite des Flusses. - Elaine Scaarbach, the Troll Wife. She lived down by the woods. On the other side of the river.
