One day, that's how long the trip was supposed to take, but thanks to the Kaiser's need to go along the coast looking at the scenery it took two days. And so early on the second day of their trip Lili awoke within Willy's arms to the sounds of the ships horn blowing.
Quickly doing her morning routine and getting dressed she and Willy then made their way to the ships deck where she finally caught her first glimpse of Germany. They were traveling along the river Elbe towards the city of Hamburg that at this time period had only a little over 300 thousand inhabitants living in it. And all around them on the river there were loads of big old sailing ships traveling up and down the river, and only a few other steam powered ships could be seen.
And all around the river there were fields upon fields of farmland, lots of small farm steads here and there and a few small towns or little villages to be seen around. Then as they came closer to the city Lili noticed many docks filled with activity. There were loads of old sailing ships docked all around, people ran around in a hurry unloading and loading cargo. Metallic cranes also helped with the moving of cargo while others used wheelbarrows, but most still seemed to use good old muscle power.
Passengers were departing from a big ocean liner called New York and on the docks a big crowd of people waited for their chance to board the ship. There were also a lot of horse carts that people used to transport things around and absolutely zero motor vehicles.
Far in the distance within the city she could see many chimneys spewing out the smokes of industry, and there were also a lot of high church towers to be seen within the city, of course in modern standards they were not really high at all, but they were nice looking nonetheless.
Overall the city was truly quite a nice sight, way less noisy, polluted and crowded compared to London. Of course it didn't have London's style, but she did like her cities to be a bit smaller and simpler like this. Although here she did notice that there were absolutely no motor vehicles here. Only horse carts were used and if it weren't for the steam ships, metal cranes on the docks, Rail lines and factories, then the city would have basically looked as if it were from the 17th hundreds, which she liked.
And then as they came to a stop they were greeted by a sizable military procession on the docks. Really tall men with deep blue uniforms, fancy top heavy hats, shining black leather boots stood at the ready. Some held flags of Prussia, some officers held sabres, while most had rifles with bayonets. There was even a little band which started playing music as they began disembarking the ship.
The Kaiser and Willy seemed quite excited, although she couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated. The men were like almost two meters tall, all were like giants and damn were there many pointy blades. She did try to find comfort in the closeness of Willy as they walked by them all, but this just earned more of the men's scary gazes.
The big scary men were looking at her probably wondering, just who the fuck is this little girl? And probably wondering also why it was that she was holding their crown Princes hand? Or well that's what she figured that they probably thought. However it wasn't really all her fault, for while she liked to hold Willy's hand, he also liked to hold hers, so it was his fault also.
Then they passed a small archway and came to a small opening where a precession of armoured cavalry men were waiting with two open air carriages. The Kaiser and Willy hopped in the first carriage with her going there to sit next to Willy. While Heinrich, Irene and little Waldemar went to the second carriage.
Their separation was sad but the brave Waldemar didn't cry and merely watched her go with a sorrowful expression on his little face. Then with their destination being the Hamburg central railway station they headed off.
The station wasn't far, but quite quickly they did gather quite a crowd of onlookers and Lili noticed something quite peculiar. For all around she could almost only see blonde haired people with light coloured eyes and fair skin. There was also some brown haired people with brown eyes or something close to it, but the great majority were blonde.
And this was quite odd to see for while she didn't expect to see any Asians or Africans in 19th century Germany, she most definitely didn't expect to see such a lack of diversity amongst the white people in Germany. London on the other hand had been so much more diverse. Sure there weren't other ethnicities really at all, but at least there were all sorts of different looking white people there. There the people had big varieties of all sorts of hair colours, eye colours, people had all sorts of noses, facial features and such, but not in Germany it seemed.
Well whatever the case the Kaiser and Willy seemed to be full of smiles as they waved to the crowd lightly, Which seemed to make the people within the crowd look quite happy. Some people even cheered happily to the Kaiser and pretty much all seemed pleased to see him returning to Germany safely. It truly did seem that the Kaiser was at least some what liked here, like a good dictator should be.
But then she noticed a small commotion in the crowd up ahead. There she could see a ragged looking young mother with one dirty looking little girl of the same age as she was. The girl was clinging onto her young mothers dress while crying her eyes out. While the mother seemed distressed over the little baby girl of maybe Waldemars age that was there within the young woman's arms. From what she could see the little baby girl seemed to be having trouble breathing.
The woman looked quite poor and dirty as did her children which seemingly caused many to look at the woman with disgust as she went around trying to ask for help. Using the force Lili focused in on the woman's words and that's when she heard her say.
"Please somebody help my daughter. She's not breathing well, please I just need a few Marks for the doctor, please could someone spare just a little."
In response men and women around merely scoffed at the dirty woman in disdain as one man harshly said.
"Stop the act girl. I've seen you around here before, begging and asking for help with those little dirty girls of yours. So stop the act already and go get a job for god's sake. You'll for sure not find any free money here. But if she's truly sick then you should go see the doctor who lives just down the street over there, he might be willing to help you for a certain price that is, but I'm sure you can afford it, hehehe."
In response the woman fell to her knees and cried out as she said.
"No please you gotta believe me. I'm not lying. When I woke up she was already like this, I swear to god I'm not lying. My baby daughter is really sick, please just a few marks."
The older girl hearing her mother's plee looked around at the crowd so pitifully with those blue tierful eyes of hers, but even still it seemed that no-one was willing to help the poor woman. Seeing it Lili felt so sad, her heart couldn't take such a pitiful sight. Normally in her past life she wouldn't have felt like so, she probably wouldn't have cared or even believed the woman's words for a single second, but now she was different and couldn't just help but feel sad.
They just seemed so pitiful that she couldn't just watch it anymore. She wanted to help, no she had to help. After all wasn't she supposed to help Germany stand the test of time and well here was going to be her first act in the long road of doing just that.
Was the woman faking it or not with her daughter Lili didn't know, but she sure as hell was going to find out. Then as she stood up her hand was suddenly grabbed by Willy who asked.
"Lili what are you doing, sit down. The woman's obviously lying. She probably specifically chose this moment in time to come beg for help in hopes of getting a big sum of money from our entourage. Don't be fooled, besides she's just a begger and doesn't deserve your help."
Willy's words made sense, but they also sounded quite offensive which she didn't like at all. So with force she pulled away her hand from his grip and seriously said.
"She might be a beggar, but she's a German beggar and your future subject, Prince."
This comment quickly got the attention of the Kaiser and a few of the Royal Guards riding close behind their carriage and in front of it. But Lili didn't care and then to everyone's shock she hopped over the little carriage door with great skill.
Seeing it Kaiser Wilhelm and Willy simultaneously yelled. "No you fool."
Even the crowd gasped in shock, but then again to everyones surprise Lili landed on the hard cobblestone street with a light roll. She took no damage and immediately dashed towards the section of the crowd where she had seen the poor woman begging.
Without stopping she ran and as she came close to the crowd they looked at her in shock and quickly made way for her creating a path to the poor woman and her children. And there she then saw the woman who now luckily did have a nice young decently dressed couple attending to the sick girl.
The young couple were lightly shaking the girl and calling out to her as they offered some water from a glass bottle to the girl, obviously not having any idea how to treat a child with breathing problems.
Moving closer to them they all then looked at her and she immediately took note of the seriousness of the situation. The little girl within the poor woman's arms was already turning slightly blue, seemed a bit feverish and wasn't breathing much at all. Her chest was moving up and down, but there seemed to be something within the child's airways that was blocking her from breathing properly.
The girl seemed to be about two or three years old with blonde hair and blue eyes full of tiers that looked to her pleadingly. Seeing it Lili could already guess what was going on and so she quickly commanded.
"Move you fools! Let me have a look at her."
Hearing this the young couple moved slightly aside giving room for Lili to come in close and inspect the young girl. The mother seemed confused as did the other girl who watched from the side, but none protested against her actions. It seemed that her fancy maid clothes and her riding within the royal carriage did give her some authority here.
Moving out of instinct Lili placed her hand upon the girls chest. Then she focused and made her deep blue eyes shine lightly as she used her magical vision to see within the girl.
The young mother seeing this gasped in shock and watched in silent wonder as did the other onlookers around. Then the bottom of Lilis hand that was facing the girl showed a faint glow as she immediately began to work her magic on the girl.
For within the girls lungs she could see a slight infection of some kind and within the girls throat was also a blockage, but not all of the blockage was healable by magic for there was something roundish stuck within there.
Nonetheless the young girls complexion quickly brightened before everyones eyes and even her blue eyes showed a lively glow within them. It only took some seconds but Lili quickly managed to push away the minor infections within the girl and then without asking she pulled the little girl from her mother's arms.
Placing the girls back against her chest Lili wrapped her arms quickly around the girl, put one hand into a fist and placed it somewhat above the girls belly button and below the ribcage and began to do the Heimlich maneuver to the onlookers horror.
No-one within the crowd or the young mother herself seemed to have any idea of what it was that Lili was doing exactly. But none acted and merely watched as Lilis movements held no hesitation and were so fast that it in itself made people feel that this well dressed young maid of the royal family surely must have known what it was that she was doing.
Sharply and quickly Lili thrust her hands inward and upward five times, then she released the girl and gave her three hard slaps on her back. And then before everyone's eyes a small rounded piece of chicken bone flew out of the girls mouth and the little girl finally managed to let out a few violent coughs.
Finally Lili breathed a big sigh of relief and patted the little girl on her back while saying. "There there, let it all out its ok."
Looking around she could see that the mother along with the entire crowd were in absolute shock. But as she thought of it she seemed to realise what it was and so she happily said.
"Oh that by the way is something called an Abdominal thrust. Remember it people for it is a good way to save someone from choking to death like this girl was about to do, hehehe."
Then the crowd suddenly parted and Willy emerged there dressed within that fine military uniform of his and with a distressed expression on his face as he offered her his hand and said.
"Come on Lili, your stalling the entire royal procession with your little stunt here."
Willy was right she should probably go, so she handed the little girl off to her mother and then took a hold of Willys hand. Although seeing the poor state of the young mother and her two girls Lili quickly pulled on Willys sleeve and said.
"Wilhelm wait, these people are seriously in need of help. Mmm, could you maybe give them a few marks to help them out at least?"
Stopping for a moment Willy merely looked to the poor family and then to Lili and said.
"I don't have any money with me Lili, besides you already helped them right, so you've done your part now so let's go."
Willy once again pulled on her hand, but she resisted and quickly said.
"No Willy. It's not enough, I merely helped them for now, but what about later. What happens when this happens again, then my actions here would have been for nothing."
Hearing this Willy quickly looked around at the crowd around them and then leaned in close to her and quietly said.
"You can't save them all Lili, just let them save themselves. After all you already gave them a chance to do so. Now their fate is within their own hands and gods. So come on already, let's go."
Shaking her head Lili then whispered to Willy and said.
"I know that, but, but please at least let me save these three. They are just three young girls without anything, I just can't leave them here, there's no way especially now that I have you here. You have the power to save them Willy. They could for instance come with us to Plön. I mean why not we have room on the train, right? And it's just three girls what harm could they be to you?"
Willy didn't seem to like this idea at all, but after taking a quick look around he submitted and said.
"Fine, but my father's not going to like this."
Hearing this Lili couldn't help but smile and thank Willy who just huffed at her and turned away. Seeing it Lili then looked at the stunned family of three and said.
"Come on let's go to the train station."
Immediately murmurs started amongst the crowd. The young mother with her little girl within her arms seemed unsure, but when Lili reached out her hand towards them the older girl who was actually a bit taller than Lili shyly stepped forward and took her hand.
Grabbing the hand Lili smiled towards the girl reassuringly and said.
"Its ok your safe with me, now let's go."
Then with Willy dragging Lili and the new girl along they made their way through the crowd and back to the open street when Willy seriously looked at Lili and said.
"They are not coming on the carriage. If she and her family wants to come then they'll have to walk to the train station themselves."
Letting go of Willys hand Lili immediately spoke back to the boy and said.
"Fine, but then I'm not coming on the carriage with you either. You can ride on it yourself."
Willy seemed a bit taken aback by her comment, but quickly hid his emotions and merely sneered at Lili and the girl disapprovingly and made his way to the carriage on his own.
This Lili couldn't understand. Sure the girls were quite dirty and not pretty looking at all, but still Willy had been so kind towards her so why wasn't he being like so towards these three. Well whatever the case, Lili didn't care she merely huffed back at the boy in displeasure.
Then as the girls mother along with the little one in her hands joined them she happily said.
"Come on let's go. Who needs a carriage ride anyway."
Pulling on the girls hand Lili then started walking alongside the royal entourage as the young woman hurried to her side and cautiously asked.
"Mmm, excuse me. Miss Lili was it? Mmm, I really appreciate your help miss, but why exactly are we going to the train station?"
While walking quickly Lili looked to the woman and merely said.
"Well you seem like your in need of some work and help. So you're coming with me and the Crown Prince to Plön where I'll be sure to give you work and a place to stay."
Hearing this the woman seemed to be in awe as she then asked.
"Really, but why? I'm just a single mother with two little girls. I'll be of no use to you miss. Please you don't need to help me and by the looks of it the Prince didn't like the idea anyway. Please I don't want you to get in trouble for this."
Hearing the woman's words Lili merely then said.
"Oh don't worry about it you all. Believe it or not, but I'm actually quite valuable to those royals because of some things that I know so they'll for sure let you come with me. And as for why do this, well I'm simply doing it because its the right thing to do and because I can do it. So don't even worry about it and just follow me."
Looking to her left Lili could see Willy already eyeing them with displeasure, while the Kaiser seemed a bit conflicted on the matter. It seemed neither of them really approved, but luckily they weren't stopping her. Even the crowds around the street seemed a bit confused by the sight of her, a little maid being followed by three dirty beggars.
Although the one whose hand she was holding didn't seem to mind as her eyes were fully on her as she said.
"Mmm, I'm Miaa Baumer by the way, I'm six years old. What about you Lili?"
Looking at the girl who stood slightly taller than her Lili couldn't almost believe it. How was this girl taller than her and yet she was the same age as her. Just why was everyone so much taller than she was? Damn God truly was not favouring her at all in the physical strength department in this life.
Oh damn now she really wanted to say that she was actually a lot younger than she was. Maybe pretending to be three to four years of age should do, but no surely she couldn't do that. She didn't want to lie and besides she sadly did already go and tell her real age to Willy already. So with some hesitation she begrudgingly then said.
"Mhh, well I'm Lili and yes its just Lili. Nobody has ever given me a family name you see and I'm not a part of any family. I'm just an orphan and six years old like you."
After saying this the three quickly seemed to warm up to her as if being able to relate to her, as the young mother then introduced herself and her younger daughter. Apparently she was Mathilda Baumer, age 19, while the little one was Mila Baumer, age 2.
Although as she heard this Lili couldn't help but feel that it was strange. If Mathilda was 19 and Miia 6, then wouldn't that mean that Mathilda was like an extremely young mother then.
So she looked at the young woman who was still in her teenage years and asked.
"Wait just how old were you when you had Miia? Are they really your daughters, I mean your still so young?"
To this Mathilda merely showed a bright smile as she happily said.
"Yes their both my lovely little girls and I was lucky enough to be blessed with Miia when I was only thirteen years of age. Back then I was always alone and miserable. Honestly I think its only thanks to her that I'm still here right now."
What the fuck, no way, Lili thought as she heard this. Mathilda must have had quite the childhood by the sound of things and just where and who was the father of these girls then. Well she probably shouldn't ask and honestly she didn't even want to know for it probably wasn't good, judging by the fact that Mathilda seemed quite eager to get away from this city.
And now Lili too felt like she really just wanted to get away from this city and all the prying eyes that were looking at them here. So after a while of walking they then finally got to the station where Willy sent for a guard to guide the girls to a back carriage as he dragged Lili along with him to the Royal carriage.
It seemed that Willy or the Kaiser would not let the three sit in the same carriage with her, but at least they were willing to take them along with them to Plön.
Plön that is being a city close to Denmark and close to the coast. It was also a city where Willy and his family apparently attended school. The Kaiser was going to merely accompany Lili and Willy there where he would then leave them in his wife's care and then leave for the capital Berlin to do some work, or something.
Well whatever the case Lili was merely happy that she was finally in Germany where her journey would now truly begin. Also helping the young family of three girls was also something that she now looked forward to, along with her future where she would for sure help a lot of people out.
After all she did need to redeem herself especially by helping women and children as that's who she had been quite bad to in her past life. Sure she killed loads of men, but oh she did so much worse things to the women. So to help the women and children of Germany was something that she really needed to do, starting off with this small family of three.