Tʜᴇ Pᴀᴛʜ Tᴏ Hɪɢʜɢᴀᴛᴇs

Kɪɴɢs Oғ A Fᴏʀᴇɪɢɴ Lᴀɴᴅ

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 29

"So tomorrow we'll use the map to identify key points that seem important, alright?"

Reich nodded, shuffling Salem in his arms before he pushed his cap away from his eyes.

The two of you had just arrived home. It seemed around dinner time, though it wasn't late enough for darkness to take over yet. Nor for the Empire to come careening down the steps and demanding to know where you had been.

An orange visage had descended over the horizon. A metallic backdrop to a clear sky only broken by an orchestra of clouds billowing past. There was a sweet nothing that came with this evening. As though you were as safe as the sun in its fiery grave. A world of hands with fingers of loose fists.

As the two of you climbed the steps to finally welcome yourselves home. You felt like asking if you could stay out here just a moment longer. The sky looked beautiful behind the domineering visage of the Germanic house. A cast of shadows pulled over it, a blanket to sheath itself from the sun's bloodstains.

But Reich was so excited by the prospect of tomorrow, he hopped up the steps in no time. Pushing himself towards the door as though something was chasing him. You smiled, following after at a more normal pace. Watching from a ways behind as he struggled the door open.

You brought your head up to catch one last glance at the towering building. So beautiful at this time. Its presence welcoming. The clouds above were pink, like splashes of watercolour against a blue-washed canvas. The edges doused in orange. This night would be perfect to go back onto the roof. It looked almost like an Autumn pallet of Van Gogh's Starry Night. A recoloured painting brought from the soul of Mother Nature.

Such a beauty.

And such a shame you were leaving it behind.

There was a world beyond walls. A world of man and beast, a test of time brought to fruition by a mind that was not confined. But that world was not yours to keep. Your solar system was this house. Your sun was a bed, and its gravity was pulling you towards it.

Reich turned his head to catch a glimpse of you, holding the door open wide for you to walk through.

You quickened your pace, then stepped into the building. Reich letting the door shut softly behind you.

You were excited by the prospect of getting back to bed. The evening had worn thin, despite its beauty outside. Once indoors all you wished was to shut your eyes and drift o-

Stop.

That's not right.

There shouldn't be...

One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine.

Nine men.

You didn't know what to do. No one noticed the door had opened, nor that you and Reich were standing behind them. Four of them had their backs turned, whilst Prussia, the Empire and his allies were facing you. But the new ones, the ones you didn't recognise, were standing directly in front of you.

The one on the far left wore a navy suit. Gold epaulettes sat on his shoulders with a tailcoat hanging behind his white pants.

The next one wore a red mantle with white lining coated in black spots. A purple crown embedded with every conceivable jewel lay upon his blue hair.

The next wore a navy suit with gold epaulettes upon his shoulders, just as the first had. You could make out a blue sash protruding from his side, that undoubtedly went over his chest. The ends of it tucked under a silver belt.