Winter Challenge Day 29
Title: The Things I Do For Love
Characters: Prussia, Germany, Austria, Hungary
Challenge: Holiday Winter Challenge - 31 Fics in 31 Days (Departure)
Rating: OT
Summary: Gilbert Beilschmidt does something extraordinary for his old love, Elizabeta…
Author’s note: Thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me. As a Jew, this was a difficult write for me, especially reaching WWII era German military ranks (which are confusing to say the least) and comparing beautiful fanart of Prussia in a stylized uniform from that era to pictures of real Nazis in an effort to figure out his rank. ^^; Since I couldn’t, I just had his adjunct (I couldn’t figure out what to call him since I think his rank/title would be based on Gilbert’s.) address him as “Kommadant Beilschmidt.” I also like to think that for one brief moment in time, Gilbert Beilschmidt was a righteous man, even if he was motivated by love for a woman he couldn’t have.
Warnings: This is a human AU.
Word Count: 603
“These are you papers,” Gilbert Beilschmidt said as he handed them to his old girlfriend and still love of his life, Elizabeta Héderváry, who was standing there with her Jewish husband. “Don’t fuck this up, Roderich, or all of us are dead. I’ve risked my life getting you them and…” He rubbed tiredly between his eyes, looking much older than his thirty years.
Roderich Edelstein looked at the papers his wife was holding. “Beilschmidt?”
“Yes, as of now, you’re my cousin, and if they find out you’re a Jew, Gott help us all.” Gilbert tugged on the jacket of his SS uniform.
Elizabeta spoke softly to her husband, before turning to he old boyfriend. “We’ll be careful.”
“Good.” Gilbert nodded. As he turned to go, he stuck his hand in his pocket. Turing back, he said as he looked at the paper he pulled out of his pocket, “Here, it’s table of arrival and departure times for the train, be there tomorrow and be on time.” He frowned. “Oh hell!” he swore as his adjunct hurried over to them.
“Kommadant Beilschmidt!”
“Yes?”
“Excuse me, but you told me to let you know when your brother was here. He’s waiting in your office.”
Gilbert nodded. “Tell him I’ll be right with him.” His adjunct saluted, which Gilbert returned.
Roderich, after a few minutes, joined in, getting as faint smile from Gilbert. “For the good of the Fatherland.”
“My cousin and his wife… and uh, don’t tell my brother, they’re here. We haven’t seen each other in a while and I want to surprise him.”
“Very well, sir.”
They watched him go.
The silence stretched between the three of them like a living thing, Gilbert being the first to break it. “Come, let’s go ‘surprise’ Ludwig and then I want you both to go home to my house and get your Ärsche ready to be on that train tomorrow. When you go, don’t look back, understood?” He looked sadly at Elizabeta as he held her gaze.
“Understood,” she replied. “Danke, liebschen,” she said softly.
Gilbert’s gaze briefly softened, before he turned and led them to his office. His brother was very surprised to see Gilbert’s old girlfriend and her husband. Luckily for all involved, he kept his mouth shut concerning the arrival of his “cousins” as he knew his older brother would explain later, although, it did trouble him.
Twenty minutes later, the brothers Beilschmidt unexpectedly wound up putting them on a train departing for Austria. As they said their goodbyes, Gilbert explained that once they boarded the train, they were to make their way by any route possible to Switzerland. “And for Gott’s sake, don’t get caught.”
“Danke, Gilbert,” Roderich said.
Gilbert nodded. He smiled when Elizabeta leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He stood next to his brother and watched them board the train. He had the feeling it was going to be the last time he saw them, but as long as his Elizabeta was safe, he would deal with just having her memory. Smiling as the train left the station; Gilbert put a hand on Ludwig’s shoulder. “Come, Brüder, let’s go…”
Ludwig nodded. He could wait for as much as an explanation if his brother was prepared to give. All he knew was that he was once in love with the woman he was now claiming as their cousin, the man he could not remember meeting before. “Shall we go to the local Biergarten or the officer’s club?”
“Biergarten…”
“Then Biergarten it is,” Ludwig said as they left the train station and headed back out into the crowded streets…
Characters: Prussia, Germany, Austria, Hungary
Challenge: Holiday Winter Challenge - 31 Fics in 31 Days (Departure)
Rating: OT
Summary: Gilbert Beilschmidt does something extraordinary for his old love, Elizabeta…
Author’s note: Thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me. As a Jew, this was a difficult write for me, especially reaching WWII era German military ranks (which are confusing to say the least) and comparing beautiful fanart of Prussia in a stylized uniform from that era to pictures of real Nazis in an effort to figure out his rank. ^^; Since I couldn’t, I just had his adjunct (I couldn’t figure out what to call him since I think his rank/title would be based on Gilbert’s.) address him as “Kommadant Beilschmidt.” I also like to think that for one brief moment in time, Gilbert Beilschmidt was a righteous man, even if he was motivated by love for a woman he couldn’t have.
Warnings: This is a human AU.
Word Count: 603
“These are you papers,” Gilbert Beilschmidt said as he handed them to his old girlfriend and still love of his life, Elizabeta Héderváry, who was standing there with her Jewish husband. “Don’t fuck this up, Roderich, or all of us are dead. I’ve risked my life getting you them and…” He rubbed tiredly between his eyes, looking much older than his thirty years.
Roderich Edelstein looked at the papers his wife was holding. “Beilschmidt?”
“Yes, as of now, you’re my cousin, and if they find out you’re a Jew, Gott help us all.” Gilbert tugged on the jacket of his SS uniform.
Elizabeta spoke softly to her husband, before turning to he old boyfriend. “We’ll be careful.”
“Good.” Gilbert nodded. As he turned to go, he stuck his hand in his pocket. Turing back, he said as he looked at the paper he pulled out of his pocket, “Here, it’s table of arrival and departure times for the train, be there tomorrow and be on time.” He frowned. “Oh hell!” he swore as his adjunct hurried over to them.
“Kommadant Beilschmidt!”
“Yes?”
“Excuse me, but you told me to let you know when your brother was here. He’s waiting in your office.”
Gilbert nodded. “Tell him I’ll be right with him.” His adjunct saluted, which Gilbert returned.
Roderich, after a few minutes, joined in, getting as faint smile from Gilbert. “For the good of the Fatherland.”
“My cousin and his wife… and uh, don’t tell my brother, they’re here. We haven’t seen each other in a while and I want to surprise him.”
“Very well, sir.”
They watched him go.
The silence stretched between the three of them like a living thing, Gilbert being the first to break it. “Come, let’s go ‘surprise’ Ludwig and then I want you both to go home to my house and get your Ärsche ready to be on that train tomorrow. When you go, don’t look back, understood?” He looked sadly at Elizabeta as he held her gaze.
“Understood,” she replied. “Danke, liebschen,” she said softly.
Gilbert’s gaze briefly softened, before he turned and led them to his office. His brother was very surprised to see Gilbert’s old girlfriend and her husband. Luckily for all involved, he kept his mouth shut concerning the arrival of his “cousins” as he knew his older brother would explain later, although, it did trouble him.
Twenty minutes later, the brothers Beilschmidt unexpectedly wound up putting them on a train departing for Austria. As they said their goodbyes, Gilbert explained that once they boarded the train, they were to make their way by any route possible to Switzerland. “And for Gott’s sake, don’t get caught.”
“Danke, Gilbert,” Roderich said.
Gilbert nodded. He smiled when Elizabeta leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He stood next to his brother and watched them board the train. He had the feeling it was going to be the last time he saw them, but as long as his Elizabeta was safe, he would deal with just having her memory. Smiling as the train left the station; Gilbert put a hand on Ludwig’s shoulder. “Come, Brüder, let’s go…”
Ludwig nodded. He could wait for as much as an explanation if his brother was prepared to give. All he knew was that he was once in love with the woman he was now claiming as their cousin, the man he could not remember meeting before. “Shall we go to the local Biergarten or the officer’s club?”
“Biergarten…”
“Then Biergarten it is,” Ludwig said as they left the train station and headed back out into the crowded streets…