CHAPTER ONE: GHOSTS AMONG THE WIND
AUGUST 1935
KONIGSBERG IM PRUEßEN
MIDDLE PRUSSIA
The skies shone favorably with partly cloudy, cooly weather. A slight breeze blew into the wind. Thundering hoofbeats galloped out of the dark forests of Königsberg in Preußen. "Schnell! Schnell, Desider!" the voice trailing in the dark...
The wide open plains spread across as the horse ran past the marshes near Solinim. The horse rider, fixated and leaning against his horse, looked around with great urgency.
Emperor! I shall not fail you! threaded his thoughts.
A cracking
thwack rang indistinctly in the air. Another, then another... The rider leaned closely to his horse and veered toward the sea, slowly descending into the plains. The crackling sounds stopped... As he neared the bottom of the plains, he stopped his horse. Scanning quickly to the left or right, he held on to his satchel tightly. "Schnell!" He rode again further using the high plains as cover.
BERLIN
WESTERN PRUSSIA
"Time he cannot afford..." a sad voice chimed in.
"Ja. Jawohl, Herr Göring,' a respectably well-dressed man raised his drink. "Um Preußen kann Zeit sein Ewige!"
Herr Göring raised his glass, "Ja! Um Preußen kann Zeit sein Ewige!"
Glasses clinked against each other and both men drowned their bitter drink.
"Say, what will happen to Prussia thereafter?" the inquiring man asked.
Göring contemplated quietly then looked at him square in the eye, "We hold it together. There is no chance in hell it ends up as a footnote in history!"
"Ja, that I agree."
A uniformed officer arrived with two soldiers in pickelhaubes. "Herr von Hindenberg, ahem, our Emperor requests your presence."
Göring nods quietly. Paul von Hindenberg stood up, "Mein freund, we will chat again."
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Two soldiers in pickelhaubes, with swords sheathed in their scabbards, guarded a twin set of ornate doors made of mahogany, gold, and carved in detail. As the footsteps grew louder, they saluted von Hindenberg, then opened the doors for him. Herr von Hindenberg saluted and entered the room.
The room was a very large bedroom. A king-sized bed with woven canopy rested upon the wall, across from Hindenberrg. The bed had seen very many years of use, worn out with the mattress distressed by an unmade blanket. The emperor wasn't found among the bed itself, standing near the window to Hindenberg's left.
A fitful cough, then a glimmer of hope in a croaking voice, "Paul... Come."
Von Hindenberg approached his emperor, bowing out of respect, "Your Highness."
"Enough of that... Come. Take a look at the weather out here."
The skies were partly cloudly. The moons graced the lands of Prussia with a glowing reflection, increasing the visibility among the modernized town of Berlin. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes, Your Highness. It is. A sure sight for August."
Wilhelm II turned away from the window, walking slowly to his bar. "Paul..." He wheezed a few times as he poured himself a new cup of scotch. Swigging around his drink, he turned to his old friend. "The doctor told me I don't have much time. Time..."
"I know, Your Highness."
"My son... Wilhelm. He is the Crown Prince for now."
"Ja, Your Majesty."
"53 years old..."
"Your Majesty, you requested my presence because?"
"Yes, forgive me. You see, I'm about to leave this mortal realm we know as Earth soon. Make preparations to crown my son, Wilhelm, as the next Emperor of Prussia. Legitimize Wilhelm and assure that Louis Ferdinand he is second in line. Do you get that?"
"Jawohl, Your Majesty. Wilhelm is heir to the throne with Louis Ferdinand second-in-line."
"Sehr gut. Sehr gut...." A gulp then a sigh, "Come here." The Emperor beckoned von Hindenberg. He opened a scroll of a parchment. Technical plans for newer technologies as it appeared to von Hindenberg.
"You can be serious, Your Majesty! Not after what we experienced in the Great War."
Wilhelm II nodded, "Ja, I agree with you. Unfortunately, I've caught wind... ghosts in the wind speaking to me. Do you know what they said? Remasuris einer Schlange Säure, tote Blumen blühen, und Felder der toten Last der Erde."
"Slivers of a serpent's acid, dead flowers bloom, and fields of the dead burden the earth... Your Majesty, they are dreams, ja?"
"Nein. Ghosts spoke to me. I can tell. The current climate we're in... Do you see us being friendly with the stiff-necked Bourbons? What of the uppity European Soviets? Certainly not with the Swedes... What of the Roma Gypsies or the Cossacks? Hmm? They keep to themselves. They even envy us..."
Paul von Hindenberg quietly analyzed the current situation as he knew best. "It is true, Your Majesty, that we are not friends with those near but from afar. It is also true they desire our land. We are prospering. We are second to Russia..."
"Ja, second to Russia. I wish to be the first!"
"Your Highness...."
"These plans... When I am gone, reveal these to Wilhelm and set forth plans. Even if we failed the first time, we will not this time. Prussia will be greater after I leave."
"Ja, Your Highness. When shall I reveal it to Wilhelm?"
"After his coronation, naturally. Understand this, Paul, if we don't act, Prussia will be no more."
Paul nodded, "Yes, Your Supreme Excellency, I will relay these plans to Wilhelm after his coronation. Upon my heart I will do you this service."
The emperor laughs, "That's why I trust you, Paul. You go above beyond your duty and serve Prussia proud!"
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"Whoa! Whoa, Desider!" the horse rider panted, "Who dares stop the Emperor's courier?"
A man stood in front of the horse rider, his hat drawn low. With a twinge of unfamiliarity, the voice rasped softly, "Et sudarium, quod videt tenebras."
The horse rider shouted, "Bewegen, du verdammter Bauer!" He attempted to ride past the man, either trampling him or forcing him out of his way.
The rider gasped sharply, looking back to the man with the dark hat. He looked back, feeling dizzy. He rode on further until he lost grip of the reins. Something soft and warm flowed down his back and his eyes slowly lost vision. He slipped out of control as Desider quickly dashed off. The last thing he saw was the man in the hat grabbing his satchel. He grew furious and forced his limping hand to clutch the satchel in defense, however feeble his attempt was....
My Emperor, I have failed you...
Next chapter, there will be preliminary screenshots and continuation of this story...
