Twilight Between: Day 15

Word Total: 90,026

Year to Date: 270,125

Summary of Events:

Adler woke up in the bed of his master's sister and was overcome by a horrible feeling, but despite his swift departure from the room and even the house, he couldn't escape the guilt of what he had done, even if he had been forced to do it. Emma accompanied Torben to his private audience with König Theoderich, where she initially feared that Torben would lack the courage to say what he had wanted to, but even if there was a delay, Torben did say it, even telling König Theoderich the story of how his family had come to practise the Außtöst Munster on their estate, which quite amazed König Theoderich . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Indeed, if you were to look upon the family trees of those whom I pay to work for me as overseers and the like, it would be neither a long nor arduous search for the Royal Brand, in fact, it may take little more than raising the sleeve on their own right forearm,” Papa said. “Many, many slaves who have worked for my family have enjoyed it so much that they asked to stay once their sentence was through, instead of returning to wherever they had come from.”

“Really?” König Theoderich asked. “This is true?”

“If you do not believe it with your ears, then I would gladly welcome you to come see it with your eyes,” Papa replied. “I would not bar the gate of my estate to my König. You need not even tell me you are coming.”

“I would,” König Theoderich said, nodding. “I would come see.”

“It is what I wish could be the future of Zeig,” Papa said. “As, for all the people that I help, there are hundreds, thousands, even millions more whose twilight does not come to dawn and day, but comes instead to the darkest and most hopeless of nights wherein their life ends. But I cannot make it so on my own, and the burden of it seeks to crush me every day.”

“I must know more,” König Theoderich said. “For all is twilight about me, and I know not whether the sun will rise or sink. Is it dusk? Is it dawn? I hope it to be the latter, but I ever fear it to be the former. You seem to me almost as a sorcerer, who have shown me by your power both the darkest night that could come, and the brightest dawn.”

“I am as mortal as you,” Papa said. “And as ruefully so also.”

“I must know more,” König Theoderich repeated. “For I am König of a feeble Königreich, so feeble I fear it would crumble beneath my feet, and I do not want to be the great-grandfather, grandfather, father, or — least of all — the last König of Zeig.”

“Nor will I such for you,” Papa said. “But as my great-grandfather Siegfried fought for your great-grandfather and namesake Theoderich in the field of battle, where blood was spilled, so will I do for you, even if it should not ask my blood of me.”

“It is my honour to be your König,” König Theoderich said. “I now know why my great-grandfather and namesake felt compelled to make the Kühne not merely Erzherzöge, and I speak not for the others, but I will say of you, that you are a worthy heir of your great-grandfather.”

“It is my honour to be your servant,” Papa replied. “Thank you very much for your time, my König.”

“Thank you very much for your boldness, Fürst Reiter,” König Theoderich replied. “May all your forefathers be pleased their blood flows through your veins.”

Papa nodded, before rising and bowing low. Emma followed suit.

“Auf Wiedersehen, Fürst Reiter, Fraulein Emma,” König Theoderich said.

“Auf Wiedersehen, my König,” Papa replied.

Emma gave a small nod before trailing Papa out the door. She felt that König Theoderich had emphasised his farewell, as if to let them know that he really did mean to see them again, and that, unlike his father, she might become quite familiar with him.

Pronunciations:

Königreich: kuhnihgraick

Kühne: kuuhneh

Erzherzöge: ayrtzhehrtzuhgeh

Auf: aoff

Wiedersehen: veedehrzehehn

Fraulein: froyline

Next Post: 31 March