Leon’s lips were straight lines as he perceived Anwen’s likeness from afar. He moved in the direction of Anwen and Stefan at an unhurried speed, as if it was too much for his body to even walk.
“Leon.” she exclaimed as much as her happiness to see her friend could be conveyed respectfully inside the cemetery. She reached out to touch his arm with her hands, but the boy shoved her away callously like she was an obstacle in his way. She would’ve dived straight to the ground if it weren’t for Stefan, who silently caught her.
“W-What gives?” Anwen frowned. “I only wanted to say hi.”
“I was taking a break,” Leon said apathetically. “I need to get back to work.”
“I…”
I can’t believe he’d push me like that.
“…I just wanted you to see that I’m okay.” Anwen pouted.
“Just let me get back to work. Please.” Leon said sternly, walking right past Anwen without looking at her. However, Stefan knew that this was Leon’s attempt at holding himself back. It was his way of begging to be left alone, and that moment, Leon didn’t care who or if his bitter method of eluding people hurt.
“Stefan,” Anwen asked, moving away from his hold. “What’s all that about? Why did he do that to me?”
He didn’t speak a word. Instead, he put a hand against her back and used it to guide her toward the grave Leon had just been standing over.
“I- I don’t get it,” Anwen said. “What’s gotten into him? Is he just stressed from having to do all this doctor stuff? I’ve never seen him act like this, although I guess it’s fair since this is the first time, he’s had to treat people during such a—
Stefan pointed a finger in front of her and nudged her so that her body was parallel to the gravestone.
“You took me here to see this?”
“This is why… we need to leave Leon alone…” Stefan whispered.
“Isabel Bernard,” Anwen read aloud the words engraved into the grey, intricately carved stone. “952 AFI to 1015 AFI. Should we lose each other in the shadows of the trees, I’ll wait for you…”
An uneasy smile spread across her face, turning her head to Stefan who stood just behind her.
“Stefan… why’s Mrs. Bernard’s name written on that stone?”
The boy remained silent. This wasn’t going to be easy anyway, and the one thing he wished for was it not to be any harder than it had to be.
“Hey now… her name isn’t supposed to be there,” Anwen continued, her gaze returning to the stone, in front of which laid fresh flowers that Leon had placed just minutes earlier. “It wasn’t even that long ago… she got mad at you and Leon because you said I was finally using my brain… you remember that, right? how long ago could that have been? I saw her not that long ago… so why is her name there?”
The longer her eyes were fixed on the words, the more it was like they were screaming at her, begging her to try and get it through her head that the only woman she had any memory of being close with lay not far under her. Stefan’s eyes fell, noticing that Anwen’s hands trembled as they rested at her sides.
“Say something, Stefan…” Anwen muttered. “Why is she there…?”
“I… I don’t know…” he breathed, speaking even though there was nothing for him to actually say.
Anwen collapsed to her knees, acknowledging whatever little of the truth her confused, weary mind could handle. Her hands clutched scatterings of dirt over the grave, struggling to stay still.
“If only I got to say goodbye…” she sniveled.
Her dam broke, and Isabel’s grave was showered with warm, salty drops of water, accompanied by the inseparable blubbering that would come with such agony, occasionally interrupted by decrees of denial and abnegation.
Stefan could do nothing but wrap his arm around her shoulders, the only thing he could do as she faced the reality before her. Below his mask, his lower lip bled, prompted by the continuous avoidance of releasing his own sorrows by biting it hard.
-
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“Tonight marks six nights since that day none of us had ever wished for,” the Anbieter said, standing atop a boulder in the forest north of Marius, being watched by about 300 of his Black Shield men and women. “It was a test for us all, to see how far our experience as brothers and sisters in arms could take us. Many a friend were lost that day, as well as family. But I would like to remind you all, that so, so many more lives could have been taken had we not set out and tried our hardest to save as much as Marius as we could! Tis but a step in the journey to reclaiming our homeland. We showed the Titanians that we are not just free, disposable labor for the Titanian mines, but warriors who do not back down despite the odds!”
A raucous show of clapping hands and ardent ovations ruptured from the audience. The Anbieter shortly after putting up a commanding, gloved hand in the air, which quickly silenced his crowd.
“However, our work in Marius is not over yet. We have finished our part in identifying and burying our fallen comrades as well as civilians. The mayor’s next steps are to continue restoring the buildings of the town. To that end, 75 of the combatants will remain in Marius and assist with that duty. On top of that, five of the medics will remain for the time being to help with the care of the injured. Jay will see to the selection of these personnel. Jay, anything you’d like to add?”
“Yes,” the southern second in-command said, stepping onto the makeshift podium while the Anbieter hopped off of it. “Although we normally conduct our neophyte comrade introductions in our base, due to the current circumstances, we’ll be doing ‘em out here, instead. Please be considerate to your new comrades as we present them to you. Vi, bring them up beside me.”
The sniper guided both to the ‘stage’ as they had been directed to. Gareth neither smiled nor appeared sorrowful as he stood at Jay’s left, while Anwen looked toward the ground in front of her as she moved in an effort to hide her expression of ambiguity to his right. The Anbieter passed two newly produced masks to Jay.
“Gareth and Anwen Koppel, I welcome you to the Black Shield! Give our new comrades a round of applause!”
-
Jay was among the last to leave after the ovation given for the Koppels’, which lasted no more than 10 seconds. In reality, most of the Black Shield members were rather indifferent to their admission, since so many of them would lose their lives in confrontations with the Angels. It served them well to keep their close bonds within the organization to a minimum.
To his immediate right, a figure rushed past him while walking, trying to subtly leave the area as fast as they could. Of course, this didn’t go unseen.
“Hey, Anwen!” he said, throwing a hand on her shoulder. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I… umm…” she stuttered, too taken aback from being found to look him right in the eye.
“Don’t be shy,” he smiled. “I might be one of your superiors, but that ain’t no reason we can’t have a laidback conversation, now, is it?”
“You’d like to talk to me?” she asked.
“Why not? I haven’t talked to another southerner in a really long time!”
“I’ve… never met another southerner before.” Anwen admitted.
“Mmm… I can tell. Ah well, it’s nice to see a familiar face after so long. Well, until we finally beat those Titanian roaches, it seems we’ll be the only ones of our people we’ll see, so let’s try being buddies, alright?”
A meaningful connection…. I’ve needed one for so long, is one finally coming to me instead of the other way around?
“A-Alright.” Anwen smiled shyly.
“See, you seem easy to get along with,” Jay said, before looking over his shoulder for a moment, Gareth’s slow, lumbering figure stepped over roots and fallen branches entering his vision briefly. “Unlike that one.”
“He’s like that with everyone… except Dr. Bernard I guess…” she shrugged.
And Mrs. Bernard, too.
“You know, the boss thought you guys wouldn’t make it back because of that,” Jay noted. “It seems that their differences in ideologies are quite different, but they both got the same goal. Ya think that’s why he came back?”
“I… I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be bad for you guys if Gareth never got the Utrium?” Anwen asked.
“We were gonna send a few guys out to get it with our crafts anyway,” Jay responded. “But our boss being the wise guy he is, used it as a test for him. Killed two birds with one stone with that move.”
“I see… I’m going to be honest, but, I don’t really know why Gareth is doing this. This whole crusade against the Angels, I mean. Maybe he was a slave like Stefan’s mother was.”
“Kallista Laine and Gareth are both tough nuts to crack, but it’s like comparing walnuts and chestnuts. Similar, but different.”
“So you’re saying Gareth wasn’t a slave?”
“I don’t know for sure,” he laughed. “Wasn’t like I was one. I just got caught up in the Angels’ mess… ah, rambling about some superficial topics… that ain’t like me at all. Why’re ya still holdin’ on to that, Anwen?”
“Huh?”
“That mask I gave ya… you’re one of us now, why don’t ya put it on?”
“I thought we didn’t have to put it on when we were on duty, or am I mistaken?” Anwen asked.
“You should try it on, adjust it so it fits ya well. Wouldn’t wanna do that during an emergency.”
“Oh, right. Of course.” Anwen said. She slipped the wooden and leather accessory over her head, adjusting a strap on the leather-back until her nose snuggly met the smooth wood of the mask’s front.
“It’s comfy,” she said with confidence. “Although, I might have to cut my hair a little shorter so that it doesn’t get in the way.”
“It’s not just comfy, ya know. It’s an item of honour, of respect. Once we assign you a position—wait, you are an engineer, right? Stefan told me that.”
“I am. Self taught.”
“Well, once we assign you some engineering duties, you’ll most likely have to go out and trade for supplies while wearing that. Who knows, ya might get some stuff for free because of it.”
“I like the idea of getting free stuff.” Anwen admitted.
“Ah, see. We’re more alike than I thought,” Jay said as the buildings and main street of Marius came into view. “Oh, by the way, your first day on duty starts tomorrow. You won’t have to go back to the base yet.”
“Can I spend the night at the place I was staying before?” Anwen asked.
“Of course! I’ll walk ya there, no problem.”
A weak smile appeared on Anwen’s face, allowing her to forget the weight of Mrs. Bernard’s loss for just a few, much-needed moments.