Belle and Bill were taking a nice walk outside the city gates. It was quite late and almost time for dinner, but both of them needed some air and they had a letter to deliver. They did like their time outside. Boris was so occupied with handling dead flesh and customers during the day, that the silent and alive nature outside made him feel as new. Belle was just happy to be away from her paperwork.
They were walking through the main road, towards a small side path that would lead to an old church. But Bill stopped before they reached that split in the road.
Belle wanted to ask why he just stood there, but she instantly understood what he was looking.
"Admiring the twilight are we, you always were the sentimental one" Belle said with a sad looking smile.
Bill nodded in silence while looking over the great fields of grain that were slowely moving in the wind while I'm the horizon the sun was slowely disappearing. He was always captivated by the beauty of this view.
"You know back when I joined the army, no even at the end when I got discharged, I thought that twilight meant somthing. All good things come to an end, but that is the same for all hardships, suffering and terror. An endless cycle, like night and day. It might happen that one night is longer than the other, but a day with some extra hours could also happen. The cycle doesn't break."
Bill took a deep breath and looked at how the last few rays of sunshine were hidden behind the horizon.
"Today a beautiful day ends, now a cold night found us, only to be swept away by the morning lights. I used to believe that this cycle is unbreakable, I really did. But how do we know that the sun will rise again, just because it always done that in the past. An eternal day sounds like an impossibility, but an infinite night sounds possible. What are we suposed to do than?"
Belle looked at her husband with somber eyes. She knew exactly what he was talking about, she was worrying about it herself.
"We hope my love, that's the only thing we can do. You already did your time in the army, it already cost you a leg. You did a good job there so now it's time to do some propper work as a dad. If we end in an infinite night than .... than we will be the sun for our kid."
Belle wasn't as poetic as her husband was, the only reason why she could follow his story was because she knew him the best.
"We knew that the war was still going, our little break was nice but we all knew it was not for long. We have done our part in the front line, now it's time for the next generation."
"I know, I know. But what can we do." Bill replied
"Keep the normal life going so that the young ones have somthing to protect and come back to." Belle than laughed. "Oh and changing some diapers for a little lad or lass".
A little smile sprang on the face of the hunk of a man. "That sounds like a good job for a couple of retired war heroes".
"Heroes you say, I think they called us barbarians back than." Belle replied while laughing and whipping away a tear.
After reminiscing about their past and walking towards their destination, they reached the church.
Clashing metal combined with tired grunting could be heard behind the church door.
Belle than had a mischievous smile on her face. Bill noticed and tried to stop her.
"Dear don't do that, she was the daughter of a ....."
It was to late. Belle slammed on the door while screaming. "Ey put some clothes on, will you. I might have washed you a few times while you were a little lad but I dont want to see how you have grown."
Bill held his right hand before his face while shaking his head in disapproval.
Belle on the other hand had the biggest grin you could imagine.
"Hey it has been five months now. I have seen that girl more than my own team. she knows I am kidding."
They both heard someone walk towards the door, if they had listend closely they could have heard someone curse.
The door opend and the first thing they saw was a sweating redrick. He did look a bit red, could have been from exhaustion or from embarrassment. Lamia was in the back sitting on one of the benches close to the altar. She had the same expression as always but somthing seemed a bit off.
" Ah good to see you Bill. Oh you to Belle, why did you come and visit us at this hour if I may ask. We were still in the middle of our spar."
Belle than pushed the young man aside and walked inside.
"Ah to teach you an important lesson ofcourse. You have to know this if you want to continue your spar with this young lady."
Bill than walked inside while still shaking his head. He was walking past redrick towards the benches.
"I am sorry lad, she is in her zone".
Belle than continued. "If you want to keep 'sparring' like this than you have to know this one little fact. You have to leave before the gospel. Otherwise you will be in big trouble."
Redrick than looked confused. "You are aware that this church doesn't have a choir to sing a gospel."
Belle almost cried from laughter. " Hahaha that's good lad, or no its bad, you should try harder."
She than tried to contain her laughter. "This is why I like you lad. You always amaze me."
Bill had greeted Lamia in the meantime and was sitting next to her. She looked a bit more red than normal.
'Ah its good that she got some colour again, she must be eating healthy'. Is what he thought.'
Redrick was still puzzled about what Belle meant, but he than decided to think about it later.
"Alright, alright. What is the real reason you are here?"
Belle who had calmed down a bit, replied " I wanted to look at how you two were doing, but it looks like you are doing pretty well. I also got an important letter for you Redrick."
Belle than took a formal letter from the government out of one of her pockets and handed it to Redrick.
"It's the government" redrick said while reading what was on the paper.
Belle than greeted Lamia and sat down next to her husband.
Redrick than sighed. "Well it's a new job I gues."
He turned and walked towards the bench were Lamia sat. He sat down on the other edge while looking up.
"Everyone between the age of 18 and 35 needs to enlist for the army. I have 6 months to prepare and head towards the capital."
Belle was suprised "Oh you are stationd in Bellum, they put you in high regard lad."
"I might be the reason for that. They asked me to be commander, wich I only accepted if they would put you in my ranks. They probably made you knight first class."
Redrick looked at Lamia for a bit "Well thanks for the promotion miss Serpentine. So its really happening our cease fire is ending."
"We all knew this would happen. Our little agreement with Orearion, Frontier and the Lowlands was a feeble one. It only took a few years for the Empire to find a loophole, now they are waiting for a good moment to atack. "
It was silent for a bit. Bill was thinking of a topic that would get an conversation going but his wife was faster.
"Well you still have 6 months left to do whatever you want. Oh wait you still have an agreement to ophold lad, are you able to finish it."
Lamia and redrick were actually almost ready for the last part of their deal. Since they found out about redricks gift everything became a easier and Lamia improved at an incredible rate. This was because of redricks gift.
Lamia never said what held her back during sparring. So Redrick thought of a way to force her with his gift. He asked her "Lamia would you like to be able to atack faster when I have an opening". Since it was something she actually wanted, It shouldn't have costed redrick a lot of will power. But it did and he almost fell asleep while asking.
It did fix the problem tho. Her atack speed increased significantly and Redrick gained a worthy rival because of it.
But he did notice some discomfort or pain in her eyes everytime she attacked. She could atack now but she was still suffering.
'And the mask remained'
"Well I think we are almost there. Or am I wrong miss Serpentine". Redrick said while turning his head towards the noble.
"I am feeling confident in my swordmanship, so it would be best to start moving towards the green valley dungeon."
Lamia than stood up and looked Redrick straight in the eyes.
"I have one little request before we head there. I would like to have a propper fight with you, no holding back so both of us can use our gifts. I would like Belle to be there as witness, if that would be okay with you".
Redrick was a bit suprised
'Is she feeling competitive now.'
Belle smiled. "I dont mind helping you two, as long as you beat him to pulp miss"
The young ma tried to ignore belle and replied. " Okay that would be interesting. I havent used my gift while fighting so that would be a good way to learn. When shall we do it?"
"Tomorrow morning" Belle yelled.
Bill looked at her with questions written on his face and his arms locked.
"You know that you have a meeting tomorrow morning right?"
Belle scratched the back of her head. "aaaahh yeah but I have two clients who need my help. Those new regulations can be explained to me on another day you know."
"Hey as long as you do your job properly" Bill said with a sigh.
"Like someone is going to take my job." Belle said with a smug face.
The four of them cooked some soup and talked for a few hours. Belle continued making fun of Redrick, Bill and Lamia had a few conversations about political problems and all of them would remember this as a night of joy and warmth.