Wine, candles and bureaucracy

CHAPTER 2

Wine, candles and bureaucracy

Lying down on his bed, Friedrich had his musket's bayonet. It was a model developed during the last few of the hundred wars, which unlike its predecessors that were only a ring with a large pointed piece of metal, like a sharp spike, this bayonet was more like a hunting knife, with a ring on the bottom of the grip that allowed it to be attached to the muzzle of the musket. Friedrich was examining the blade, he slipped his finger through the edge with enough strength to feel the sharpness without cutting himself, afterwards he swiftly felt the tip with a quick gentle tap. Everything was in order with his inspection; the bayonet was in optimal conditions. If he were to escape tonight, how far could he make it armed only with the bayonet? How many dangers could he think of? There were bandits that constantly crossed the border with the neighbouring country under the cover of the night, dangerous fauna, and the fact that he had to walk at least ten or eleven kilometres until reaching the woods of Fischersville, the previous frontier with Kashkestan, before the take of the territory where now the Royal Academy was located.

In the end, he pushed all these thoughts aside. He placed his bayonet back in its sheath and then put it in the drawer where he had his empty powder flask and the belt that carried it. It was eight minus twenty minutes and he still was in underwear. He took his black gala uniform that was hanged and grumpily started putting it on. First the jacket, he quickly buttoned it up, passing his finger through the texturized Royal Family's coat of arms that were engraved on every golden piece, after that he jumped into his pants and zipped them, so he could later adjust the belt in which he was carrying his dirk and white gloves. He picked from one of his drawers a box with a kepi inside, from which he replaced the cylindrical blue cover with a black one. Even though the kepi was part of the uniform, it wasn't used in the academy's daily life due to the heat of the desert and the fact that the cadets stayed mostly indoors. They only used it when they had to go outside the fortified walls or in special events where guests would come, to keep the prestigious image.

Friedrich got out of the dorms as stealthily as possible but trying to keep a natural appearance. He didn't want any of his mates on guard duty noticing him since that would bring too much attention, which Friedrich hated. Rumours would spread like fire. The lights of the dining room were lit, which was an unusual sight at that hour. The wide room with various tables had been re-arranged so that there would only be one table in the middle with two chairs facing each other, a white tablecloth, cutlery perfectly organized according to etiquette rules, a bottle of red wine centred with two glasses and two plates served with a fine cut of meat served with a salad. It was eight minus ten minutes, so her highness was still on her way there. Friedrich took the seat that was facing the wall, leaving the seat with a better view free out of courtesy. He placed his kepi on the bottom bars of his chair and placed the serviette on his lap. Maybe this wasn't going to be that bad and he was just overreacting, maybe the princess was a likeable person and they could both get to a mutual understanding. To Friedrich the word marriage had a lot of weight to it, maybe more than any other word, so he just limited himself to stop thinking about the topic until he was forced to face it directly.

The dining room's door opened once more and Friedrich turned to it. The sight of the girl was such that even someone as sceptical and inexpressive (as Friedrich was often described by his fellow cadets) was slightly open-mouthed with his eyes widened. He immediately noticed this reaction and he regained his composure. One of the stewards took her to her seat and held it for her. In Friedrich's eyes this was a diplomatic dinner where he was to discuss his terms of surrender and the conditions of his future, as much as he hated the fact that it meant swallowing his pride and making what was in everyone's best interest, but to hell everyone if he wasn't going to be happy. Certainly, with this arrangement he was part of he would have a much more successful career than any of his peers.

''Good evening'' Friedrich was the first one to talk, regardless of his discomfort and displeasure, he knew how to keep appearances and behave properly in a formal and elegant dinner, part of the training that the Royal Academy imposed upon him was to prepare him for situations like this.

The princess's eyes stare at him coldly, she checked him head to toe, taking note of every detail. Friedrich tried to ease up the tension with a light smile. His evaluation concluded and the princess just let out a sigh.

''Really? You are the best one around…? How disappointing.''

What the hell was that all about?! Despite not having any expectations, Friedrich felt a letdown and was insulted. It was at that moment that he realized that the negotiations were over from the moment he even thought that they existed, in the first place. He couldn't avoid frowning, and it wasn't like he cared at that point, anyway.

''Tell me about it, I was supposed to have dinner with my fiancée but, thinking it twice I think you wouldn't mind if I didn't show up at the altar, right?''

''I won't say that I'll lose any sleep if that happens.''

''Then, what am I doing here?'' The important question that Friedrich had been asking himself for a while.

''That… Claus took the decision, and father approved it, I know that I don't have a chance to oppose him.''

''Don't you care about your own life to the degree of letting someone else decide this kind of thing for you?'' In reality, Friedrich was mostly talking to himself rather than with the princess ''Of course, it doesn't surprise me coming from a spoiled squeaker that has never been in the necessity of doing any kind of effort.'' Friedrich shrugged pleased with his comment and proceeded to cut a piece of meat.

Upon the irreverence she had just heard, the princess threw a killer stare towards Friedrich, who couldn't take her seriously due to how adorable she looked doing that face, trying to be menacing. The princess noticed that. It wasn't the first time something like that has happened to her, in the end, she just let out a cute "bah!" to emphasize her dislike and furiously carved a piece of lettuce which she devoured with a single bite, without losing elegance though. The conversation was pretty much dead; the only sound that could be heard was the clings and clangs of the silverware touching the plates until both of them finished eating. Friedrich noticed that the meat on the princess's plate was pretty much intact.

''Aren't you going to finish that, your highness? Many Kashke kids would die to eat something as filling as that.''

''Don't say stupid nonsense, I don't want to get fat, and as far as I care, those savages can eat from the trash and be happy with it, I doubt that they'll care.''

Friedrich took the comment by drinking his glass in just one gulp, it was amazing, not only was he about to get married to a spoiled annoying brat, but she was also racist and egocentric, the full package. He had the impression of never meeting someone with a character that bad.

The stewards took the plates away; the evening was reaching its near end. Both of them stood from their seats and with a brief exchange said their goodbyes, going into their separate ways. Suddenly the princess stopped, turning to face Friedrich.

''Don't get any ideas, if it wasn't father's orders, not even in a million years I'd get close to someone as dull like you.'' She made a grimacing face indicating her repulsion; consequently, she turned back to her exit route.

Perhaps the princess was the worst person Friedrich had ever met to this day, but it was undeniable the fact that even with her flaws, she had a certain charm that resulted enigmatic, and it was beyond her physical beauty, but Friedrich was too proud to admit it even to himself. Right now the relationship was non-gratta, and even though he didn't necessarily hate her, Friedrich would search for a way out of this tangled situation. After that long night, travelling ten kilometres through the desert on foot didn't sound that bad. "I'll make the choices once I have them right in front of me" This was the first one, the opening movement; Friedrich was starting a new match in a complicated game, so he'd have to make the best out of each turn.