Baudelaire's

Baudelaire's: Part VI

Colonel Worschoski sat in his officer's chair, legs crossed, left elbow propped on the chair's arm, left hand fisted at his chin, listening to his Lt. Colonel with a rather bored expression.
     From the first exchange of gunfire, until the last sight of a liberated, yet ravaged city, Colonel Worschoski had seen it all, and it had all become extremely dull. And now in the earliest hours of the morning, Lt. Colonel Hodgins came to him with some sob story of a raped prostitute (imagine that), and a possible Gardarik strike, which was complete nonsense. 
     He glared at Hodgins through steely grey eyes looking down a thin beak of a nose.
     "IF there are indeed rogue Gardarik soldiers in the area, who prey upon filthy prostitutes then, very well," Worschoski said with an aspirated sigh,"send out a a few of your men to search, find and destroy them, if it will put an end to your concern."
      Lt. Colonel Hodgins stood at attention, showing as little expression as possible, but replied, "If you'll forgive me, Colonel Sir, using my entire regiment to secure the riverfront is my suggestion, fearing this could very well be a retaliating ambush from Gardarik forces."
      Colonel Worschoski shook his head. "No, we've secured all areas I feel worth securing, that being the very little that is left of this city's infrastructure.  I am NOT wasting anyone's men to further secure whorehouses. The city's cesspool is of more value than those!  And besides. . . your regiment is being sent on to Intense by tomorrow evening."
     ". . . tomorrow, Colonel?" Hodgins repeated, confused.
     "Yes. As your superior I am making an order." Worschoski plucked up a sign and sealed document of which the ink had to have just dried and handed it to the dumbfounded Hodgins. "I'm sending you on to Intense. Major Baugainvillea's troops are making ready their attack on the largest of Gardarick strongholds.  The Weapon is with them. I have no doubt they will succeed, and it will mark an end to this war."
       Hodgins broke the seal of his given order, reading it to himself before looking up again.  "I am to go to Intense, perform my security measures after the battle . . and relieve Major Baugainvillea of The Weapon, to serve under your orders."
      Colonel Worschoski grinned. "That is correct."
      Hodgins paused.
      "Yes, Lt. Colonel?"
       Hodgins saluted, seemingly at a loss for any other words. "Yes, sir, Colonel Sir!"
       Worschoski's wolfish eyes narrowed as Hodgins made his exit. He did not care for the Lt. Colonel's demeanor.  It was as if the younger man could peek inside him and read his most secret of dark thoughts. . .
In ancient times warfare seemed to be more straight forward. Kill, destroy and conquer all. Prisoners of war fought to the death in great outdoor arenas. What a grand spectacle. Kill or be killed.
      In more modern times, war still owned most all the brutality but the glory of it all seemed to be lacking.  All these soft hearted fools oh, so concerned about blasted, good for really nothing women and children, who always seemed to be in the way to drain all the resources. What vermin. . .
      And then he witnessed something truly extraordinary just as the war began. A girl child beast in an arena full of criminal prisoners, showcasing her skill in the art of killing.  All she needed was an order from her master, that being Major Gilbert Baugainvillea.  But young Major Gilbert had been as the rest of the newly made officers. Bleeding heart fools when it came to worthless waifs.  But THIS was a child of worth, a true killing machine. . . And she was a blue eyed, porcelain skinned doll with flowing blonde hair. . . As she slashed her way about the arena, he noticed his Lt. Colonel Hodgins, an expression of dismay written all over his face and then there was Major Baugainvillea, the girl's master. Just after giving the girl the order to kill, he had stood from his seat and had walked away.  Afterward, splattered in blood, her little chest heaving from all the exhilaration, the girl lifted her face to her stunned audience, her eyes searching and then finding the face of Major Gilbert Baugainvillea who had once again presented himself.
     He would never EVER forget the way she looked at the Major. All consuming, complete and utter devotion was something he had yet to ever witness, but here it was.  He wanted her to look at him this way. . . HE wanted to give her the orders to kill. . . HE wanted her to be at his beck and call. . . HE wanted to show her the meaning of him being her master and she being his devoted servant. . . He wanted to lay his hands on her, stroke her long silver blonde tresses, taste her ever so soft skin. . . Order her to. . . to. . .  Major Gilbert Baugainvillea did not seem to show enough appreciation for his prized pet. He could relieve the Major of his burden. . .
       Colonel Worschoski found himself staring at nothing and decided it was time to lay himself down, and relieve himself of his aroused state of affairs. . .
      Cattleya opened the door to a rather distraught Mr. Hodgins, but did not say a word until she had closed the door behind him.
     "How is Miss Freya?" he asked just above a whisper.
      "Sleeping in my bed. She'll be alright." Cattleya replied. "Did you report to the Colonel?" She motioned for him to sit at the table.
       "I did."
       "And?"
       "Where's Benedict?"
        Cattleya rolled her eyes. "Once all was settled with Freya, he wanted to make his rounds to the girls, to make them aware of the newest developments of walking the streets."
        Claudia nodded. "Good man."
        "He tries.  Benedict can be so awfully contrary toward all of us, but beyond that, he has a big heart."
        "Yes. I could see that."
        Cattleya sighed. "He may or may not be returning tonight. Gabriella, the girl with the veils, really likes him and he likes her, too, despite all. I can't see him leaving her once she lets him in. . . So, you spoke to the Colonel."
"Oh, yes, that. . ." Claudia shook his head. "He did not take my warning about an ambush as seriously as he probably should have. He gave an order to be on the look out for rogue Gardarik soldiers, but other than that. . ."
Cattleya reached out and placed her slender hand on top of his where it lay on the table.
"Thank you."
"But it isn't enough."
"It is more than nothing. So, again, thank you, Mr. Hodgins."
Claudia stared at her hand on his. He tuned his own over and held it. "I have been given orders for my regiment to leave out tomorrow and head north."
Cattleya nodded. "Must move forward, yes. On to victory, I am hoping."
"As I said, if MY regiment is coming in, victory is all but certain."
"I. . .just hoped you would not be moving on so soon."
Claudia's hand tightened on hers, and he lifted her hand and laid it against his face, then turned his lips to it and kissed the palm. He then kissed her wrist, feeling her pulse. It was strong, as strong as her will. Claudia pulled Cattleya to him, and sat her on his lap. She did not resist.
He lay his head against her shoulder. "Promise me something, please."
"And what is that, Mr. Hodgins?"
"I do not have a good feeling about what might happen here after my regiment leaves."
"Your regiment only just got here, Mr. Hodgins. We will survive as always. Baudelaire's has never closed its doors, and I will be sure they never do as long I as I am alive to open them."
"I know. I've never met a more strong willed woman than you, Cattleya Baudelaire. But, if there is a strike and the Leidenscaftlich army left here isn't prepared, then. . . They'll be relentless, out of having nothing to lose."
Cattleya pulled away and looked at him. "But then what? Are you suggesting becoming a refugee?"
Claudia nodded. "Yes, come south to Leiden. I'll be there as soon as all this ends."
"No. I refuse to be booted out of my own city. We'll just have to endure then rebuild. And we'll rebuild even better."
"It'll be worse before it gets better."
Cattleya's eyes glared at him and she lifted herself off of his lap and she paced the floor, hands on hips. "You presume much, Mr, Hodgins," she replied trying to keep her voice quiet and controlled, "You who blew in only no more than three days ago, now making life choices for those of us who have lived here forever." She whirled to face him. "Don't you realize that maybe we would just as soon die here, too? Those of us who are still alive here stay because we'd rather die with dignity than be spat upon as refugees in Leiden!"
Claudia stood, towering over her. "Die with DIGNITY, you say?? What THEY did to that girl sleeping in there is a pat on the head compared to what they'd do to you!"
"We have 15 known mass graves in and around this city, Mr. Hodgins. Benedict's entire family lies somewhere in the one not too far from where your camp is now located. He escaped by the thinnest of margins. We have now lived through the worst. We will survive whatever is next."
Claudia bowed his head, not knowing of anything else he could say other than, "I'm sorry, Ms. Baudelaire. I do tend to presume too much."
Cattleya came to him and having to stand tip-toe, slipped her arms about his neck and laid her head against him. "Stay alive, Mr. Hodgins. Then return to your great city of Leiden, continue to grow in your family's shipping empire. Find that special woman and have the loveliest of children with her. I'll still be right here running MY family's legacy and helping to bring back Capria. We shall then both be happy"
Cattleya craned her neck and touched his mouth with her own in a light, innocent kiss. She pulled away from him, only to pause and reach for another kiss that was not light, nor innocent. 
      Claudia lifted her up and stepped over to the couch. Cattleya straddled his lap, reached for the clip that held her hair off her neck and released it, the thick shiny raven black tresses cascading over her shoulders. Claudia slipped his hands into it gently urging her to kiss him again.
      As Claudia leisurely made love to her, his mind could not turn off the fact that one or both of them might be dead by the end of the week, or even tomorrow.  It made his heart hurt that it would most likely be her, this young, enchantingly brilliant girl who loved the destroyed city of Capria beyond all measure and refused to leave it behind. 
       "I'll be back," Claudia promised between kisses along her neck and breasts.
       "No," Cattleya breathed holding him close, "Don't come back here, Mr. Hodgins."
        "And why not?" He asked.
        "I might stupidly fall in love with you, and you'd take advantage of that and convince me to leave."
        "Hmmmm."
        "Either that or you'd be wasting a huge amount time."
       "And how would that be?" Claudia asked.
       "I'll be dead." Cattleya replied.