894Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcu7O7XmWE
The girl fled from the foggy woods, her smoky eyes round as eggs. She looked as though she had seen a ghost as she stared at Viktor driving past on his motorbike. Viktor came to a growling stop a few feet away and peered over his shoulder into the night. It was well past curfew for villagers to be out.
“You!” He shouted at the dark, “I saw you. Come here!”
Georgiana materialized, stalking directly towards him. Her gaze was so alert, it made him rest his hand on the pistol at his hip.
"I know. I’m sorry if I startled you."
Viktor lifted the goggles from his eyes and set them on his hat. This road at night had always made him anxious. It was too exposed. The girl casually dipped her hands into the pockets of her toggle coat.
“You aren’t supposed to be out this late. I should report you," he barked.
“I got lost hunting for truffles. It’s the season, you know.”
Her voice was dry but a lingering spark of resentment hovered in the corner of her mouth and flickered in her pupils. Even when he had held her hands the other evening, it had been there glaring at his uniform. He couldn’t blame her but he didn’t pity her at the same time.
“If you were hunting mushrooms, where is your basket?”
“Lost. I tripped and fell,” she turned her ankle, showing a tear in her stockings.
Viktor let his gaze rest a moment longer than necessary on her leg. Despite their circumstance, it was becoming more difficult for him to deny that the girl was attractive. There were others he had seen more beautiful to be sure but there was a verve to Georgiana Roux that drew him. It made him all the more wary of her.
“I thought these woods were well known to your folk.”
“I don’t believe anyone can truly know these woods, Sergeant,” she blinked at him, her mouth taut, “Can I beg a ride home from you?”
Her request threw him even more. The girl wouldn’t accept a chocolate bar for her hungry brother but now she wanted to hitch a ride. It was all too queer for Viktor. However, it was growing colder by the minute and they were two miles from the Roux estate. Begrudgingly, he nodded.
Without a word, she mounted the bike behind him. Viktor kick started the motor, exhaust pluming in the dark. The fog closed in around them. Off they sped, the light from the headlamp swirling with wafts of white air. Georgiana drew her hands around his waist and Viktor’s spine stiffened. He hit the gas and the bike picked up speed.
They pulled into the farmyard of the Roux household, the chickens in their coop kicking up a fuss at the sound of the engine. Georgiana strode towards the kitchen door. Viktor shut down the motorbike, the headlamp clicking off.
“You can go now if you wish-“
“That would not be wise for you,” Viktor took the goggles off his head and walked up to where she had paused. He could barely make out her features in the purple darkness, “I guess that the Lieutenant is already in for the night. He will want to know where you have been. Its best if I vouch for you, tell him I gave you a lift from the village where the time had gotten away from you.”
“I can tell him that.”
“He may not believe you.”
A heavy pause filled the arm’s length distance between them, “Why are you willing to lie for me?”
“Because he will make you pay for it if he suspects anything of you. You’re a smart girl, I should think that would be obvious-“
“But you won’t?” She interjected, her tone lilting with accusation, “You won’t expect anything from me in return?”
Viktor studied her silhouette, her hair frizzing from the braid crown on her head. He wet his lips and cleared his throat, “No. I don’t have a taste for Regenian women.”
“That’s fortunate. I don’t have a taste for Berchten men.”
The door to the kitchen creaked open, Theda’s generous form filling the doorframe, “Georgie? Is that you?”
Georgiana shifted her weight on her feet but didn’t turn away from him, “Yes, Theda. I brought a guest with me. Won't you come in, Sergeant Domnin?" Her acidic tone sizzled the tense air between them.
They entered the warm kitchen. Gruber was nowhere to be seen. Georgiana let out her breath in relief until she heard his voice in the parlor. She approached the door to the other room. Georgiana froze, staring at Gruber in an old chair by the fire as he read aloud to Edgar where he played on the rug in front of him.
Edgar raced up to her, "Georgie! You’re home! The Leuitenant is reading from those old books you gave me, the ones that belonged to-“
“Sid,” Georgiana snapped, “They were Sid’s, our older brother's books.”
Gruber sauntered over to her. Viktor’s gaze snapped away, his stomach turning as Gruber stopped much too close to Georgiana, his coppery eyes confident and greedy, “Lovely little story, I must say.”
Georgiana snatched the book away and grasped Edgar’s shoulders close to her. Theda took a step forward, “Lieutenant, the Sergeant is here.”
“I wanted to make sure you knew I escorted the young lady home, sir.” Viktor quipped, Gruber glancing up at him, “She didn’t break the curfew. She asked me for a ride home from the village and I obliged.”
Gruber eyed him for a moment but nodded in acceptance. Viktor let out his breath, his nails digging into his palms where they were folded at his back. Georgiana swept from the room with her brother, murmuring that it was past the boy’s bedtime.
“Lieutenant Gruber, the tea is ready if you are still interested?” Theda broke the uncomfortable silence.
Gruber gave her a quiet smile that didn’t reach his chilly eyes, “Yes, thank you, madam. Domnin, I’m glad you stopped by. I have something I wish to discuss with you.”
Theda got the hint in Gruber’s tone. After handing him a cup and saucer, she left the kitchen to the two men. Gruber made himself comfortable in the kitchen chair by the stove while Viktor remained standing.
“I don’t believe anyone has spoken to you yet but your career is about to take a turn for the better. You are up for a field commission to Lieutenant," Gruber sipped the black tea.
Viktor’s brow furrowed, “Sir?”
"I put you up for it, once news of my own promotion came. I will be replacing Mercer as Captain of the company. Mercer is being sent home for medical reasons.”
Captain Mercer hadn’t been the same since the Drumon campaign. Whispers of shell shock had been circulating for months. It seemed that the Brass had gotten news of Mercer’s condition.
Viktor’s stomach twisted. The thought of following an untested officer into combat, not to mention Gruber’s queasiness around blood, made him terrified for his men. They had already lost too many soldiers. They didn’t need any more killed because of Gruber’s incompetence. However, news of his own field commission was wondrous indeed.894Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZOz1Yd7zN
“This is certainly news.”
“As soon as the Regenian Military Police arrive, we will receive our promotions.”
“The Police, sir?”
Gruber stirred a dash of cream into his cup, “Headquarters felt it was wise as reconnaissance has been a little nervous about this area. The Police will be good for local morale as well.”
Viktor bit back a scoff. Recruited from the Regenian troops and general population, the Police were known for their brutality. They were worse to their own people than the Berchten troops.
“What do you think, Domnin?”
Viktor blinked at him, “Thank you, sir. I’m honored.”
“Well, you have proven yourself. You have only you to thank. You are dismissed to relieve the watch.” Gruber waved his hand.
“Thank you, sir.”
“One more thing,” Gruber commented quietly. Viktor stopped hard in his tracks, his hand on the door knob, “Miss Georgiana was breaking curfew, wasn’t she?”
Viktor swallowed but his expression remained sober as he peered over at Gruber, “No sir, she wasn’t.”
Gruber leaned back in the chair, “Very well.”
Viktor marched out into the night, his head reeling with the conversation of the last ten minutes. He glanced over at a ground floor window. A curtain shifted closed, a feminine figure drifting out of view.
He couldn’t understand why he was willing to lie on her behalf. It made no logical sense. Perhaps he felt guilty for the blood he had shed in that country. These people had never done anything to them. Clapping on his goggles, he fiercely snapped the motorbike into gear.
A fireball lifted high above the tree line. A terrific explosion a half mile away tore into the misty night sky. He threw back his head as metal twisted and groaned. The explosion had come from the train tracks. 894Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYVXjcwWSv
Author's Note: For me, writing is very much a sensory experience. I am a visual person anyway so photographs and films tend to inspire a lot of my descriptions. If you are interested, I have been keeping a pinterest board of things that inspire this story. Here is the link if you are bored and curious, I update it fairly frequently, especially as I am developing the next steps in the story.
https://www.pinterest.com/pennylynnie/tick-of-the-idle-hour/894Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqqq6sLSmg
Thank you all for your reviews, criticism and encouragement! It makes the process SO much more enjoyable! I really appreciate it.
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