The gardens of the Achilleon

Ares: memento mori

Montgomery never expected that occasion to be a funeral.

Captain Jacob Adelmann Mcoy had fallen in battle months prior, his family had spent months trying to get his body to Scottland for burial. It had taken months and cost a fortune but Jacob was finally home for burial.

The funeral was an awkward endeavour his mother being German and his father being Scottish, the crowd was clearly split in two. Captain Mcoy's wife stood crying as his casket was lowered into Scottish ground, her pregnant stomach an awful reminder of what this war can do to a family.

Montgomery didn't know the Captain... he was here in the name of his father, who after 9 days finally showed face at breakfast earlier today before disappearing once more... his father and Jacob Mcoy had studied together and were close friends before drifting apart...

Montgomery stood near the back, he looked around, to his left stood a man in British uniform just like him. To his right, German uniforms... he stood with his back straight but could sense the tension, everyone was ready for one of the other sides to just snap and pounce.

Montgomery cleared his throat as the Priest started to do his service in German, which he understood nothing of... the German man next to him shifted on his feet, further away from Montgomery... who couldn't blame him, he also felt slightly threatened as he looked on at the enemy uniforms in front and beside him.

He looked at the crowd of Germans... his peering eyes landed on a familiar face, he could recognize those piercing eyes even if he were blind... he could feel them freezing up his soul and twisting at his core. Images of the dream flashed through his head and it gave him a slight headache.

Eyes blue enough to freeze his mind.

Manfred von Richthofen

Montgomery sucked in a breath as he saw him and immediately looked back to the casket that was being covered in dirt... Jacob Mcoy's mother, a by now elderly woman cried into her husband's chest as his now widowed wife tried to stop her tears with a handkerchief.

He knew he couldn't keep his eyes there for long, Manfred was the magnet and Montgomery was the sorry piece of metal... his eyes travelled back to Manfred and now they locked gazes... Montgomery gave him a short downward nod, which Manfred returned before looking away to say something to the man beside him.

Something within Montgomery told him to do the same but as he glanced at the German guy standing to his right he immediately changed his mind.

He went back to staring out in front of him as the priest continued speaking in German as the church bells started ringing and family members layed flowers and wreaths upon the grave.

Montgomery had shared his condolences to the family... something he had to do in his father's name who was too busy to come to the funeral of an old friend... Montgomery left the graveyard, he didn't want to look at the crosses for too long. He hated to be reminded about his mortality in times like this.

Knowing that in just four days he'd be back out there flying through the air, cheating death... it excited him but it also scared him. As he left the graveyard he could see Manfred smoking outside. Montgomery gave him a soft nod... as he looked at his face the dream came back to him...

Come on Armstrong, pull yourself together.

Montgomery was funny like that, he had a dozen dead men to his name but the only thing actively haunting him was this red devil that worked its way into his life... nestled himself in his mind and core... Manfred smiled at him and it made Montgomery change his mind... just a short moment of hospitality changed his mind... he turned to Manfred and walked to him.

"Good day, Freiherr". He said in greeting. Since they both just attended a funeral, Montgomery refrained from asking how he was doing, since there is no right answer to that question after such an affair.

"Gutten tag, sir Armstrong". He had responded in a formal manner, Montgomery looked at him... "You knew sir McCoy, Freiherr?" He asked and Manfred nodded in response... "I've got quite a large family". He said explaining exactly how.

"Oh, about your family... I had a cousin of yours attend my brother's wedding, an Ingeborg?" Montgomery said and Manfred smiled softly... "oh, Ingeborg yes, I was so sad to find I wasn't invited, Montgomery". He said with a soft chuckle and Montgomery cracked a smile.

"Please forgive me, herr von Richthofen, I couldn't bribe my sister-in-law into inviting you... I'm truly sorry". Montgomery responded in the same slick joking matter Manfred had used.

"I guess I'll forgive you this once... how has your head been healing up?" Manfred asked and Montgomery smiled softly. "Oh it's been just fine, I barely even feel it anymore... How's your shoulder?" He asked Manfred, he remembered that when they crashed Manfred's shoulder looked like it was dislocated and he saw how his shoulder was snapped back into location.

"It's still a bit sore but it will be okay... nothing bad". He responded  Manfred took a drag from his cigarette... "do you care for a smoke, Montgomery?" He asked as he held up his opened pack of refined French cigarettes with the best Moroccan tobacco there is to find. Montgomery looked at him...

"Sure". He took a cigarette from the pack and Manfred lighted it for him, which Montgomery quietly thanked him for. He wasn't a big smoker, he never got the appeal of it, but if someone wanted to share a smoke with him he wasn't going to deny it...

He had the same sentiment with board games, he'd never buy a deck of cards himself but if on one particularly boring evening, his mother whipped out the cards he wouldn't exactly be opposed to it. Either.

"These are fine cigarettes you got, Manfred". Montgomery commented he could simply taste the difference in quality compared to whatever junk his squad mates smoked from time to time. "They're in my opinion the best... I have them imported from France". He said.

"Oh, still a Francophile I see? Are you sure you're fighting on the right side of the war,  freiherr?" Montgomery asked this question in a joking manner but he knew how it could come over and he was about to pardon himself but Manfred spoke before he could utter a word: "You know Montgomery... I've asked myself that question a few times now... and your, not my enemy... you're a friend, a friend I can trust... and-... I'm not too sure about what I stand for anymore...".