After War Is Over

Chapter 2

You slept for most of the morning, only waking up when a soldier barged in to deliver a meal. He all but threw it on the table, quickly shutting the door before you could even sit up.

With bleary eyes, you got up and sat at the table, eating the meat and potatoes slowly, as well as the weirdly strong tasting white vegetable. Were you being poisoned? Did it go bad? Surely this was just served because of scarce rations? Were you given what wasn't wanted? It was barely tolerable!

The rest of your boring day passed with the deck of cards. You played solitaire more times than you could count, eventually resorting to solo 21 and even just building card houses to pass the time. Dinner was given to you in a similar rude way, more meat and potatoes– and that nasty vegetable!

A knock at the door pulled you out of your thoughts – a first since the soldiers seemed to really enjoy just barging in. You looked to the door, and once you saw they weren't just going to walk in, you quickly swallowed, "C-come in...?"

Doctor Maxis poked his head in, giving you a polite smile as he walked in. "Hallo, I came over to check on you, und ask for your audience again. Doctor Richtofen would like to see you."

He wanted to see you again? You nodded, following him out into the trenches, this time being allowed to walk mostly side by side. You found your way to the medical tent, once against getting stared at by soldiers and other medics until you were in the privacy of the makeshift room.

You couldn't explain the excitement you felt as you saw him again, and how it grew as you saw how much better he looked. He still laid in his cot, which was expected after an abdominal injury, but he was reading a newspaper and sipping on coffee, a welcomed sight when you knew how bad off he originally was.

When you and Ludvig caught his attention, he gave you a small smile, putting the paper down to give you his full attention. „Hallo, fraulein."

"Hallo" You tried your best to mimic his accent - ah, you hope he didn't think you were mocking him.

His smile got brighter, hearing you copy him. It was so simple, but it seemed to mean something to him. „War das Abendessen in Ordnung?"

"Was dinner okay?" Ludvig seamlessly translated.

"Yeah, it was... fine." You answer, trying to hide your displeasure, a t least you got food. Beggars can't be choosers or whatever. Still, you had to ask about the mysterious side. "But what was the uhm, the vegetable that was served?" You phrased your question tactfully. When Richtofen was told your question, he laughed as he answered. Ludvig directly translating back and forth through the conversation.

"That was sauerkraut, fermented cabbage."

"Is it... supposed to taste that way?"

Richtofen laughed again, finding humour that you didn't seem to like it. He... looked good like that – smiling.

"Ja, I suppose it's an acquired taste."

"How are you feeling?" You ask after you stopped laughing, yourself, walking up to his bedside. He had a button up on, but the last few buttons were undone for monitoring and bandage changing purposes. The bandages were clean, which meant no more bleeding, a good sign.

"I feel much better, the stitches hurt from time to time, but with enough morphine anything is tolerable." Richtofen pressed lightly on his bandages, giving you a demonstration that he was definitely on some strong pain meds. As much as you wanted to scold him for doing that, but you knew damn well he as a doctor himself knew not to do that.

"Any sign of internal bleeding? With his injury being from shrapnel, it's been my biggest concern." You aimed the question to Doctor Maxis.

"Nein, no signs, thankfully. We monitored him all night and he's been steadily improving. Tomorrow, however, we start rehabilitation, sitting up with assistance and whatnot. " He tells you.