Re: Blood and Iron

Chapter 85: Letters from the Front



Having found out that the Royal Family of Bavaria had been the ones responsible for her mother's death. Heidi decided to ultimately drop the matter entirely. Though this information could be used to discredit the von Wittelsbach household and even suppress their autonomy, which they displayed as a result of the unification of the German Empire.

Heidi was ultimately not political. Nor was her loyalty directly to the Kaiser. Rather, her husband and her family came before any allegiance she may have to the German Reich. And it was out of fear of what the von Wittelsbachs would do to her husband and children if she dared press this matter that ultimately forced the woman to settle this matter entirely.

She knew now that her father, who she had held accountable for her mother's death for years, and hated as a result, was innocent. She also knew that the man's proposal of marriage between herself and Bruno had been an act to protect her.

And if these things were indeed correct, as she had seen evidence to support, then her father's actions in stalking Bruno when he was a young boy were done with her protection in mind. Had Bruno displayed such exceptional skills early on, skill that had the ability to change the very foundation of the German Reich, then the von Wittelsbach could have seen him as a threat.

Endangering not only himself, but Heidi, who he was engaged to. Heidi wanted to speak with her father to hear these words from the man personally. But to reach out to him now, after she had maintained her distance for years, would only cause further problems for herself and her family.

Even though her mother's death had been sudden and shocking, she could now let the matter go, knowing the truth, and find closure in the knowledge that her father was not the murderer. Because of this, Heidi spent her time at home, looking after her children, while exchanging letters with her husband who was safely in Saint Petersburg, monitoring his army's anti- guerilla operations from afar.

Life with Bruno away from home was something that Hedi never actually enjoyed all that much. Sure, she had her children to take care of, and since they were too young to go off to school, they were home constantly. But there was always a deep sense of anxiety within the woman whenever Bruno was away from her side for more than twenty-four hours.

Besides the fact that Bruno could actually get himself killed in Russia, there was also another dreadful idea that nagged in the back of Heidi's mind. What is some damn Russian strumpet tried to tempt her man? The very idea of such a thing made her want to do unspeakable things.

And though she didn't realize it, she would often vent these suppressed crazed thoughts unconsciously by cutting up the meat she was preparing for dinner a little too enthusiastically. Luckily for her, her children were too busy playing around the house to notice such abnormal behavior from their mother.

And while Heidi was cutting up strips of pork for tonight's dinner, the mail arrived, with a bundle of letters falling through the slot in the door. Naturally because she was cooking, Heidi didn't immediately realize this, until one of the kids ran by the door and noticed the pile of mail sitting about.

Eva was the one who alerted the woman to the mail delivery as she rushed into the kitchen with the stack of letters in her hands.

"Mommy, the mail has come!"

The delivery of the mail was the highlight of Heidi's day whenever Bruno was away. It was honestly like a lottery, there was a chance that there would be some news from her husband. If there was, she would be happy for a week straight, assuming something bad didn't happen to her or her loved ones.

If not, the woman would grow sullen for an equal amount of time. Today, however, there was indeed a letter from Bruno. It was addressed to his wife and contained the general details of his recent activities in Russia.

"Dear Heidi,

I must say this last week has been rather chaotic on my end. The plan to turn the rank and file of the Bolshevik Party and the Red Army has worked far more wondrously than I had imagined it to. Left and right, we are receiving reports about the potential whereabouts of Bolshevik Leaders, and the ongoing plots of the Red Army to act with hostility to our troops.

Needless to say, the Okhrana is incredibly overworked at the moment verifying what reports are actionable, and what are false. However, I have apprehended another leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, a despicable little rat by the name of Maxim Litvinov.

He is currently in the custody of the Okhrana where I have no doubt his interrogation will be a matter of such cruelty that it would be inappropriate for me to discuss with my beloved. Just know that these roaches are about to be exterminated once and for all. I suspect by the year's end at the latest, I will be back in your arms.

However, I should remind you not to get too excited over the prospect, as those vermin who remain are quite cunning. And have evaded my attempts to capture them thus far. So, do forgive me if I must stay here in this barren and inhospitable backwater for a bit longer than previously stated.

You and the children are the ones who keep me going in these troubling times. The evil that these vile Bolsheviks commit in the name of their anti-human doctrine is truly despicable. And knowing that I can come home to you all and experience the love and warmth you all have to offer, is enough to get me through the day.

I will write to you when I am next able and please express my love for our children.

-yours forever,

Generalleutnant Bruno von Zehntner."

Eva obviously could tell the message contained some degree of good news, because the moment her mother's sky-blue eyes finished scanning the document, she broke out into a warm smile, clutching the letter to her chest as if it were Bruno himself.

It wasn't until Eva spoke up that Heidi realized she was still in the kitchen.

"Mommy, is daddy coming home soon?"

Unfortunately, it would be another half a year before Bruno returned home, or if God kept him further yet, perhaps even a year. Because of this, Heidi did not make any comment on the specifics of how long Bruno would be gone, or the estimation he had given her.

Rather, she knelt down and petted the girl's silky golden hair while assuring her that her father was doing everything he could do to return to them all as quickly as possible. "Your father is working very hard in Russia. He is doing everything he can to return to us as soon as possible. I know you miss your father, but try to be patient for me, my little angel. It will still be some time before he returns. And as your father and I have instructed you, patience is a virtue!"

Eva and Elsa were both of the opinion that the sooner their father returned, the better. Not just because they missed him dearly, but because they hated to see their mother's forlorn gaze as she stared out the window every morning during those weeks she did not receive a letter from the man.

As if she was a seafarer's wife waiting for the day her husband finally returned to her after being lost at sea for God knows how long. It was a rather dreadful thing for a child to witness, and because of this, Eva was simply thankful that their father's letter had arrived on time this

week.

Ultimately, Eva would nod and respond to her mother's concerns by promising to be a good girl and wait patiently for her father's return.

"Don't worry mommy, I'll be patient! I'll wait for daddy's return like a good girl!"

This comment caused Heidi to hug her oldest daughter and dote on her much in the way her father usually did. Despite the fact that the woman could be a taskmaster to her girls, especially while their father was away at war. There were moments of gentleness and warmth mixed between the discipline which she provided them.

Thus, it was not like her "reign of tyranny" was all that the two girls felt while their father was risking his life to rid the world of one of the greatest evils humanity had ever conjured throughout its entire history as a civilized species.

Ultimately, the letter which Bruno had written to his wife would serve as the source of her happiness for the duration of the week. While Bruno himself continued to work towards finding the remaining Bolshevik leaders who had until now escaped from the net he had cast

for them.

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