Bastian
Chapter 152 - Rotten Wound

✧Rotten Wound✧

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Odette stood at the hospital window and looked down into the hospitals backyard. She was due to be discharged and while she waited for the finalisation, she spied a young couple sat on a bench outside. It was the very same bench she had sat on during that despairing spring day when it felt like her whole world had collapsed.

   After a moment, the pair got back up. The woman had hurt her leg and the man was helping her hobble back to the hospital. It was nice to see a couple so in love like that.

   Even after the couple disappeared into the hospital, Odette continued to stare down at the vacant bench,  light’s gleam on the remaining snow stung her eyes. She was still staring when Dora arrived after met the messenger from the admiralty.

   “The Master says he is very sorry he can not accompany you personally home, but he has been caught up in some very important work. He instructions to escort you to the Ratz town house, when you’re ready ma’am.”

   Bastian had returned to work a few days ago. He always left before dawn, but would return in the evening. Odette was always asleep, but Dora had informed her that Bastian would always watch over her sleeping form. Maybe it was for the better, she could only guess at how awkward it might be to have to face each other in this crisis.

Would she want to go back to him? 

She didn’t know. 

Did she want to leave him? 

She was not sure of that either.

Now it seemed like it might be a good thing.  Whatever she chose, nothing will change anyway.

   Odette gingerly put on her coat. She was still not fully recovered, but the doctors said she could go home so long as she was careful not to over stimulate. It certainly felt like things could not get any worse.

   “I have a favour to ask you,” Odette said. Dora started as she was picking up Odette’s bag. She turned and gave Odette a look that made her heart sink to her stomach.

“Could you bring Meg to Ratz for me?”  A faint smile appeared on her lips, the first glimpse of human emotion she had shown since that incident. But this spectacle only added depth to the abyss of Dora’s heartbreak.

   “I’m sorry madam, but…” Dora struggled to find the words to explain to Odette that Margrethe had been missing since the day she was poisoned.

   It had been ten days and the dog was nowhere to be found. Bastian had released all the servants to scour the grounds for Margrethe, but there had been no sign of her. Bastian had given strict orders not to let Odette know, but it was going to be impossible to keep it from her now.

   “What’s going on?” Odette demanded, sadness already tingeing her voice.

   “I am sorry madam, but Margrethe has been missing since the incident. Do not fret, people are constantly out looking for her and its only a matter of time.” Dora knew it was a lie not even a child would fall for, but there was nothing else she could say.

   Dora was prepared to console Odette when she cried out in anguish, hold her when she fell to her knees and bare the brunt of what ever insult she threw out in her anger, but none of that came. Odette just stood in the middle of the hospital room and stared at Dora until the dense silence takes her breath away. 

   “Okay, lets go back to Ardenne,” Odette said, her voice was as cold and clear as today’s azure sky

   “B-But master said…”

   “I am going back for Margrethe, you can tell Bastian if you like.”

Odette’s firm words left no room for compromise. She calmly adjusted her attire, concealing her grief for her lost beloved dog. Finally, she lowered her hat’s hood ornament and departed, leaving Dora uncertain. The rhythm of her composed footsteps began to haunt the corridor.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Admiral Demel stood at the window as he smoked his cigar. Down on the main road leading into camp, officers were returning from combat swimming training out on the Prater River. Major Klauswitz leading the stragglers at the back of the group.

   Something has happened, it was clear. New rumours were already circulating and it didn’t seem like the usual nonsense, but it would be strange for anyone to remain aloof after such an incident.

   Bastian always maintained a reputation of being sincere in his duties and competent, but these days, the went too far. Although special consideration was afforded to him in light of recent events, he was still putting in the extra effort, he even gave the best time in today’s training, so he heard. Even putting in work with the family until late at night. His obsession had reached the brink of insanity.

   Still, Bastian was an ambitious person, he would have a talk with him, see if there was anything the Admiral could offer to help him along. The Emperor had gone through him to get Bastian on side with the marriage to Odette, and the Emperor was using him again, to help solve these troubled waters.

   Demel had just about finished his cigar by the time the runner came back with Major Klauswitz, who looked neatly dressed even after the intense fitness training he had just gone through.

   “I heard you were looking for me,” said Bastian.

   “Yes, come in, sit down,” Admiral Demel said and the pair sat.  The emperor, who had used him for marriage negotiations, turned to him once more to resolve this problems. Despite his displeasure, for Bastian’s future, Admiral Demel reluctantly embraced the role of the antagonist.

“I won’t take up too much of your time, Major, all I ask is that you stop being so stubborn. His majesty, the Emperor cares more about you than he does his own blood, so accept the royal decree before you make the situation worse for yourself. Can you not see that he is trying to open up a way out for you?”

   “I’m sorry, Admiral, but I think his majesty only has the reputation of the navy and its war heroes in his heart.

   “What does that matter? Is it not the same thing? Pretend for a moment that nothing you do will bring you victory. The Emperor is holding out a winning hand for you. It would be the same even if Lady Odette was not his daughter. I’m not saying you should accept his proposal right away, no doubt in doing so, the rumours would only get worse. Take a break from each other, tell the public you’re recuperating or something and once everything has died down, well. Marriage can not survive on love alone.” 

 A slight glimmer of sympathy crossed Admiral Demel’s expression as he gazed at Bastian. “Time alone doesn’t heal all wounds,” he said. “A rotten wound has to be cut out.” 

The final counsel, given along with a deep sigh, merged with sunlight’s dance.

Bastian stood firmly behind a wall of silence.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Bastian stood out the most in the conference room. There was tension so thick in the air, you could use it to strangle someone and that someone could have been any of them, as they watched Bastian go through the documents. No one dared speak, no one dared even breath too heavy. They all rolled their eyes to each other, willing, daring the other to be the first to speak.

   “How about you think over it again?” Thomas Muller finally spoke up

   Bastian froze in his examination of the paper work and fixed Thomas with a glare. Bastian reversed his decision.

   The plan to ruin his father was taking a dark turn and it felt like Bastian was not going to stop until Jeff Klauswitz was a penniless beggar. The point of the sword wasn’t just on him any more either, it was not also pointed at the Oswald’s, Theodora Klauswitz’s own family.

   “If you make even a single mistake with this…”

   “I don’t care about my reputation,” Bastian said bluntly.

   Bastian knew the world was talking about him, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care if they were right or wrong, or how close to the truth the rumours were any more. He was the Steel King, sat on his throne of blood and scrap metal.

   “All the matters is winning at any cost.” Bastian turned his attention back to the paperwork.

   The eyes of his mother and maternal grandfather were closed forever, but the blood price was still yet to be paid. Bastian planned to carry out this new mission with the utmost severity.

   The meeting rolled on well into the night. It was around the time they were covering the final agenda that a secretary came into the boardroom to deliver a message to Bastian.

   “There is a phone call from Tira Becker.”

   Bastian narrowed his eyes as he heard the girls name. Finding the Becker’s hadn’t been that difficult, but getting them to respond to his messages was a different matter and Bastian had to resort to extreme measures to get in touch with them.

   He had sent them messages and expected a reply, but nothing came. Bastian bluffed in saying that if they did not get back in touch with him soon, Mr Becker’s business might find itself in a spot of trouble. The response had been quick.

   Bastian picked up the phone in his office, “hello, Mrs Becker?”

-‘Please forgive me, Major Klauswitz, it wasn’t intentional. I tried to embroider, but my sister said I couldn’t and she asked me to keep her secret because she wanted to take responsibility for everything. So I did, you have to believe me.’ 

Tira rambled on in a frightened voice and Bastian felt sure she was crying. It seemed this phone call might take awhile.

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