HnH 2: Part VII: Chapter 3 - 4
Nov. 30th, 2009 11:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caithionHabsburg no Houken, Book 2
Part VII - Daybreak on the Elbe
Chapter 3 - Eternal Refusal
Hohenfriedeberg is a crushing defeat for the Austrians: 9,000 killed and wounded, 5,000 prisoners. The Prussians lost 5,000. All of the Special Brigade have been killed. Franz Stefan and Therese find Eduard's name on the list of dead. Therese orders special compensation sent to the families of all of the men in the suicide brigade... except Eduard. The treasury of the Holy Roman Empire will not pay for a Jew. Aloud, she tells her staff that Franz Stefan will see to Eduard's portion personally.
Franz, meanwhile, is hunting for reports of any soldier who may have seen Eduard's last moments.
"[...] I want to know how he seemed. I want to walk the places he walked, kiss the earth where he fell, pray for his soul's peace. He didn't have a moment's rest while he lived."
(Franz. T_T Therese, you ****.)
Chapter 4 - The Last Request
Of course Eduard isn't really dead. Actually, he's in a hospital tent in the Prussian army camp, under Friedrich's care. But the doctors tell Friedrich Eduard has no will to live. He won't eat.
Friedrich, despite his own wounds, gets dressed and goes to see Eduard.
"Eduard. The answer you gave me -- I but it on a black-haired Prussian soldier who had died. Right about now Austria is giving you funeral rights. Do you understand, Eduard? You're free of them. Get better quickly. You'll return with me to Berlin."
The slow look Eduard gives him is devoid of life. This isn't the Eduard her knew. Friedrich repeats himself: "Come with me to Berlin."
Of course, the situation then sends Eduard into a fit of laughter.
Some days later, Eduard is woken by a young man who says he has come with a message from a dying Hungrian soldier, delivered just after the battle. Eduard recognizes Batthyány from the boy's description. Batthyány's last act was to hand over a report given to him by Khevenhüller before the battle. The report contains strategy and tactics for the future, as well as the past. Eduard must see it delivered to Franz Stefan.
Finally given a purpose, Eduard waits several days, eating heartily and sleeping well. Then he escapes the Prussians in the night and begins walking through Silesia towards Austria. At last he collapses.
(Heart-breaking echoes of when Franz Stefan saved Eduard. Oh, Friedrich. He spends most of the chapter agonizing over what might have happened if he met Eduard before Franz did. Before Eugene did.)
Part VII - Daybreak on the Elbe
Chapter 3 - Eternal Refusal
Hohenfriedeberg is a crushing defeat for the Austrians: 9,000 killed and wounded, 5,000 prisoners. The Prussians lost 5,000. All of the Special Brigade have been killed. Franz Stefan and Therese find Eduard's name on the list of dead. Therese orders special compensation sent to the families of all of the men in the suicide brigade... except Eduard. The treasury of the Holy Roman Empire will not pay for a Jew. Aloud, she tells her staff that Franz Stefan will see to Eduard's portion personally.
Franz, meanwhile, is hunting for reports of any soldier who may have seen Eduard's last moments.
"[...] I want to know how he seemed. I want to walk the places he walked, kiss the earth where he fell, pray for his soul's peace. He didn't have a moment's rest while he lived."
(Franz. T_T Therese, you ****.)
Chapter 4 - The Last Request
Of course Eduard isn't really dead. Actually, he's in a hospital tent in the Prussian army camp, under Friedrich's care. But the doctors tell Friedrich Eduard has no will to live. He won't eat.
Friedrich, despite his own wounds, gets dressed and goes to see Eduard.
"Eduard. The answer you gave me -- I but it on a black-haired Prussian soldier who had died. Right about now Austria is giving you funeral rights. Do you understand, Eduard? You're free of them. Get better quickly. You'll return with me to Berlin."
The slow look Eduard gives him is devoid of life. This isn't the Eduard her knew. Friedrich repeats himself: "Come with me to Berlin."
Of course, the situation then sends Eduard into a fit of laughter.
Some days later, Eduard is woken by a young man who says he has come with a message from a dying Hungrian soldier, delivered just after the battle. Eduard recognizes Batthyány from the boy's description. Batthyány's last act was to hand over a report given to him by Khevenhüller before the battle. The report contains strategy and tactics for the future, as well as the past. Eduard must see it delivered to Franz Stefan.
Finally given a purpose, Eduard waits several days, eating heartily and sleeping well. Then he escapes the Prussians in the night and begins walking through Silesia towards Austria. At last he collapses.
(Heart-breaking echoes of when Franz Stefan saved Eduard. Oh, Friedrich. He spends most of the chapter agonizing over what might have happened if he met Eduard before Franz did. Before Eugene did.)
