martedì 3 marzo 2020

Chapter 104 : Fake normality


Alessandro and Friedrich had decided to explore the largest parks in the Westminster district in order to get to know them and know where they would fight during the war. Saber and Specter, instead of hiding, decided to wear "normal" clothes in order to go unnoticed. During the day they visited Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, St. James’s Park and Green Park. It took them five hours to do everything and stopped at Daisy Green, a cafe near Portman Square Private Park.
Waiting to eat, Friedrich asked Alessandro:
« When did you join the Coven? You look young. »
« I was sixteen. My mother practically forced me to enter. I've been a member of the Coven for four years now. »
« So you're only a year older than me. Life must have been hard in there. »
« Yes, but in the end I got used to it. I had to do it, I didn't have anyone outside the Coven. My mother had abandoned me and my father abandoned me when I was still a child. I never had anyone and I never needed anyone. What about you? »
« I lost my older brother Clovis, he committed suicide, he was unable to bear the death of his daughter. The girl had died of tuberculosis. I've never been too close to my parents, they wanted me to join Rote Mäntel, but I've never felt good in those organizations. So I ran away and decided to live my life my way. No expectations, no rules: just me and the world to explore. »
« Have you ever been in Rome? »
« No. Maybe one day I will visit it. »
« And have you ever been to Paris instead? »
« I have a friend there: Dorian Benard, a magus belonging to the AMPM, I don't know if you know it. »
« Of course, it's like the Coven and ... if I'm not mistaken, it's the French counterpart of the Mage's Association. It's the Association des Mages et Philosophes de la Magie, 

right? »
« Du hast recht. »
« What does your friend Dorian think of the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil ? » Alessandro asked curiously.
« I haven't had a chance to meet him yet. I couldn't find him, he probably had something to do. The French, especially if they are philosophers, are like us Germans: they shut themselves in the rooms and no longer go out for days just to elaborate some theory on the world. They are fantastically strange, so I love them and sometimes I envy them a little. »
Specter, sitting next to Friedrich, said in a seductive tone:
« You wish you were a philosopher, huh? I see you as my dog. »
« Specter ... I'll cancel the contract. »
« No! No! Wait, I was joking! I'm your bitch. Woof. »
« Specter, you're embarrassing me! There are other people here! » The boy exclaimed, with his face as red as a tomato.
Saber, meanwhile, thought about what she had heard from her Master a little while ago. She didn't know that he had been forced into the Coven and had no idea that he had so many problems in the family. Once out of the cafe the Masters separated.

Saber and Alessandro returned to their hotel room. The girl had noticed that her Master was strangely silent, his expression was unhappy, perhaps he wasn't well in the company of her, his eyes were dark constantly turned downwards, they avoided her eyes; and then she asked, worried:
« Why didn't you tell me about your family? »
« Because they're not things that concern you. »
« But do they concern a Master who was our enemy before? »
« Is not the same thing. He's not a simple Master, he and I have something in common, I feel it. I know he understands my situation. That's all. There's no need to make a tragedy of it. »
« Master ... I have the impression that you keep too many secrets from me. Can I know why? »
« I've already told you. » He replied, annoyed.
Alessandro went into the bedroom and prepared his pajamas for going to bed. By now the sun was going down.
Saber didn't want to give the impression of being too sticky but she wanted to know more about her Master.
« It's not a good reason. You and I are a team, Master, we must communicate with each other. »
« You're wrong, we mustn't. There are things I prefer not to tell you. »
« This isn't how you should act. »
Saber took Alessandro and turned him so that she looked him straight in the eyes.
« An army needs rules and the rules are based on individuals. I can't organize an army if I don't know my soldiers, only in this way I do know what tasks to entrust to them. You and I are no different from each other. There is no hierarchy, we are fellow soldiers. »
« Said by someone like you ... » Alessandro said in a rude tone.
« Are you talking about my title of dictator? Are you talking about my reputation as a general? Do you think something changes? I am a dictator for the people but for the army I am both the general and the legionary. I fought alongside my legion, my legion was my family and every legionnaire had a value for me. A unique value. I was in command, yes, but I wasn't separated from the legionaries, they had my destiny in their hands and I had theirs in mine. It was a pact. And this agreement is also between us now. This is the meaning of being "fellow soldiers". »
Alessandro was shocked by the passion that Saber put into those words, she was convinced of what she said, her eyes were like on fire and the way she gestured captured his attention. It was like being in front of a divinity who with words instilled a great warmth, a feeling of strength, it was something he had never experienced before.


An arrow broke the window and hit Alessandro in the shoulder, the tip had passed the flesh, Saber, bewildered, saw her Master with the arrow stuck and was frightened:
« AAAAAH! » Alessandro shouted, suffering.
The boy bent to the ground, she took Alessandro to the bathroom, the only place where there were no windows facing the direction from which the arrow had come. The boy, pained and panicked, said:
« Take it off! TAKE IT OFF! It fucking hurts! IT HURTS! »
« Ok, you have to be calm, now it will hurt you even more. »
Saber broke the point, Alessandro held back a groan of pain. She made the boy turn and with a quick and decided move she removed the arrow. He screamed in pain.
« Forgive me, Master, but it had to be done. It was the only way. Do you have any medicines? »
« Wait! I know the Magecraft that can heal me, but it will take a while for it to effect. You have to protect me. »
« Don't worry, Master. That son of a bitch will regret attacking Caesar! »


Alessandro Serpi and Saber by Bikowolf
 

Nessun commento:

Posta un commento