Hans stood at the entrance of his family's palace with his luggage sitting near the door, waiting for his eventual departure. There was a calm and collected expression on his youthful face, despite being deployed to the vanguard of the German Armed Forces, which would no doubt be the first to intercept the Japanese Navy when war finally broke out between the two mighty empires.
The boy was surrounded by family, who all prepared to say their goodbyes. It was entirely unknown when the war would begin, but the idea of having a member of their own family march to war was a sobering and grim thought for most.
After all, it had been some time since Berengar had last step foot on the battlefield, and in these peaceful years none had expected the next generation to take up arms so soon. Linde was in tears as she hugged her son and kissed him on the forehead goodbye. Naturally, she was deeply concerned about the boy's safety and continued to whimper a single phrase.
"He's too young... He's far too young..."
After saying her farewells, Hans was approached by several of his fiancees who had gathered with the rest of his family to say goodbye, each of which gave him a passionate kiss on the lips, before whispering their own words of encouragement into his ears.
"I love you Hans, promise me that you return to me in one piece..."
"Hans, if you die out there, I will never forgive you!"
"I want you to know that no matter what happens, I am yours, now and forever."
"Be safe out there, little brother, and whatever you do, don't be a hero!"
Hans smiled and nodded his head silently to each of the four young women's statements, however when he heard what Noemi had to say, he could not help himself but to scoff. For how could the Prince of Germany not be a hero on the battlefield?
Soon after each of the boy's fiancees had said farewell, his siblings approached him one by one. With Helga being the first. The girl reached into her bag and handed Hans a small framed painting which contained an image of all the boy's women. She then hugged him with all her strength and kissed him on the cheek before bidding her older brother farewell.
"Good luck Hans! I know you will be brilliant!"
After this brief interaction, the remainder of Hans's siblings, including those who had been born by other mothers, hugged the boy and said farewell. Once Hans had said all his goodbyes, his father approached him and lifted his luggage before opening the door.
"Come on, boy, the plane is already waiting for you. If we delay your flight any longer, you will be chewed out by your CO."
Hans wore a bitter smile as he nodded his head in silence and cast one last glance over his shoulder before following his father into the car, which took them to the nearest airfield. Like his son, the man was dressed in a military uniform, however while Berengar wore an Army variant, Hans wore a pale blue uniform that symbolized his service to the Luftwaffe. In fact, the uniform was almost a replica of those worn by pilots during the Second World War of Berengar's past life.
The car drove through the city of Kufstein while Hans looked out the window and examined his hometown, wondering perhaps if he would ever see its glory again. It was during this thoughtful observation that his father spoke to him for the first time since they entered the vehicle together.
"I feel like a broken record saying this, but I must give you one last reminder that no matter what happens, you are not to remove that ring! I know you find the idea ridiculous, but I assure you that specific piece of jewelry has the power to save your life.
I will be honest with you. I don't know when the war with Japan will begin, but when it does occur you will be right in the thick of things. So... Trust your instincts and remember your training. Do this and I have no doubt that you will be marvelous..
I know that you wish to prove yourself on the field of battle, and right you should, however you must always remember to be smart and vigilant. Do not take any unnecessary risks, and whatever you do, don't hesitate. This is the best advice that I can give you from one man to another."
Hans remained silent as he continued to stare out the window. Despite this, Berengar felt that the boy had understood every word he said, and decided to leave it at that. Shortly thereafter, the car arrived at the military air base stationed outside Kufstein, where Hans was forced to regroup with his unit. However, before he could do so, Berengar pulled his son aside to give him one last farewell. Berengar held Hans tightly and whispered in his ear something that the child had not expected.
"I love you, son... And I know that no matter what happens, you will make me proud. I will see you sooner than you might think. So until then, obey your orders, and keep your head on a swivel, you got that?"
Hans remained utterly silent as he broke away from his father's embrace and saluted the man. Which Berengar was quick to return, before watching the boy head off with the rest of his unit. Unlike the rest of his graduating class, who now had to complete specialized training, Hans had already completed flight school and was the first among his peers to enter active service.
Thus, the pilots who composed of Han's unit were all strangers, who gazed curiously at a boy who appeared far too young to see service. Despite this, Hans did not break under pressure and regrouped with his unit, whose commanding officer was starting roll call.
Berengar silently watched his eldest son until the moment his plane took off, where he then sighed heavily and returned to his car. He said nothing throughout the entire drive home, instead he gazed out the window, much like Hans had done during the journey to the airfield.
Eventually the Kaiser returned home, where, for the first time in his life, he witnessed the atmosphere that existed in his palace when he had gone off to war in years past. It was a depressing silence. The only sound which echoed throughout the halls occasionally was that of a woman's wails. Whether it was his wife, or one of his daughter in laws who was crying so profusely, Berengar did not know, nor did he seek an answer.
Instead, he sat down in his study and broke out a bottle of whiskey, where he poured himself a cup, and drank in silence while gazing out the window and onto the dreary landscape which was covered in rain.
Berengar immediately thought that the scene was cliche, a storm raging in the background as a young member of the household marched off to war. If he were superstitious, he might take this as a bad omen about his son's future, but he was not, and thus he drank his whiskey silently while watching the torrent of rain crash down upon the alpine city.
It would be some time before the Kaiser emerged from his study, and when he did so, he noticed that more than a few of his family members had puffy eyes. It became immediately apparent, that he as the head of the house needed to give his family a pep talk, and thus he gathered all his wives, his daughters-in-law, and his many children into one room where he poured every one of them a drink.
For those old enough, they were given an alcoholic beverage, while the young drank from fruit juice. As the members of his family gathered around him, Berengar gave a toast to Hans, who had just embarked on a perilous journey.
"You all should know why I gathered you here on this gloomy evening. A member of our house, my eldest son, Hans von Kufstein, has now entered military service, and is deploying to Singapore as a member of the Vanguard. Should war break out with Japan, he will be among the first to take part in combat.
This is indeed grim news, and I understand your feelings regarding the matter as I, too, share them. However, Hans is now a man, and a man must defend his family and fatherland, as I have done in years past.
It is his duty, as a Prince of this great nation, to stand at the front lines of war, and lead his troops by example. For if Hans were to sit on the sidelines and watch as young men died around him, then he would not be a man, but a coward. And no son of mine is a coward!
So, to Hans! May the gods protect him during his service to the fatherland and may he return to our loving arms safe and sound!"
Every member of Berengar's family lifted their glasses in the air and toasted Hans before drinking their fill. As for Linde, she gulped down the wine as if she had been dying of thirst. Berengar could only do his best to comfort his wife, who seemed to take their son's deployment the hardest. It would appear that for the next few days, he would have to be by her side, along with his other wife Honoria, who had a special relationship with the redheaded beauty.
