Kapitel 11: Plans
Both Yuri and Erik were present inside a spacious study room.
Erik was currently looking at an old framed photograph of his childhood. It was one where both he himself and Yuri´s mother were seen together with their parents.
"Such unforgiving times we live in...", said Erik with a sorrowful voice.
He then went to his desk and sat down. A solemn smile with utter bitterness surfaced on his face.
"And here I hoped that my sister could become some sort of mother figure to my own daughter..."
Yuri was actually surprised by those words and Erik seemed to have noticed that. He pointed at another photograph that was also at the same place where he had looked at before.
So Yuri went over and looked at it and saw a wedding picture of his uncle and a beautiful young woman with raven hair.
"She passed away on the day my daughter was born..."
"..." Yuri could not say anything. As a matter of fact, he was a little bit agitated. He now knew that without a mother figure it would be somewhat harder for his sister to adapt here. Yuri had somehow the same thoughts as this man but both were struck by unforgiving fate.
This man probably had it even worse since he found out about the death of his sister now as well.
"What are your plans from here onward? I read a few letters from my sister about you and I can already see that you are holding up rather calmly. What worries me is that look in your eyes." Erik was not beating around the bush anymore and came straight at him.
That let Yuri raise both his eyebrows and he looked at the man.
Sighing a little he looked towards the window and could now see Anastasia and Emma sitting under a gazebo that was in the inner flower garden.
Emma was placing a small violet flower behind Anastasia´s ear and the little girl did the same with a small white flower behind Emma´s ear.
"Looks like those two seem to enjoy themselves." Erik had a soft smile now.
"I am going to join the military...", said Yuri now.
"What!?" Erik opened his eyes further. "You are going to leave your sister to go on a path of revenge!?" He was clearly angry now.
"That is my decision to make, uncle...I really wished it would have been different and mother would be here...But I can't just accept what happened.", said Yuri and looked at him now. "Father said that people like us don't get to hide. It would be a cowards way out."
Erik frowned. "You are not the Emperor, child. You have no obligation to die for that country full of snakes..."
Yuri only stared at him when he heard that. "Maybe...But I will still avenge my mother. I will make those bastards pay one way or another."
"...Fine, suit yourself. So I can assume those soldiers are here for that purpose? I can't remember the royal guards ever wearing those uniforms and weird tag."
Yes, his men wore shoulder pads that showed their origin being a mercenary group or volunteer tag used by participants not from the same country. That is for now until they actually join up the regular military as soon as he manages a few things.
It was actually laughable how countries can just send in a certain amount of soldiers into a war that they were not part of without any repercussions later. They even win something when it goes well.
But at the same time, they tend to talk mercenary work down as if it was cancer in the military world. All the while, of course, struggling to recruit professional soldiers.
Yuri knew, there was little to no difference between a hired gun or one that was conscripted. Army and Mercenary work is still just systematic murder. One is backed up by a country and the other by cold cash - nothing more.
"Just make sure that, wherever you go, that you dont die. And you better prepare a good excuse for your little sister. I am not going to be that fool. So I warn you that you don't just disappear..."
Yuri had to actually chuckle now. "Making you the bad evil uncle that let her big brother just walk into his death like that? I am actually tempted now."
"Don't you dare. I for one want to have a good relationship with my niece."
Yuri now smiled. "That´s good...At least I can trust you now."
But even though he said that Yuri already had his 5 agents spread around Franken to build up a network and ordered another 5 of his soldiers to keep an eye on his sister at all given times. If anything fishy was up they had the permission to act.
So he was only left with 40 men. Well, them and the 2 child soldiers.
"I get the feeling you will still keep an eye on me." Erik sighed. "But I guess it is a good thing to have professional protection that I don't have to pay?"
Yuri only smiled silently. ´This sly fox is actually smarter than I thought.´
"Well, currently there are new elections going on so you will have to wait how they end up. Who knows, maybe you will be even conscripted without volunteering. The Centre movement is rather powerful these past years because of the constant looming of a war. And they plan to extend conscription."
"Really? They would even conscript underaged children? How come we scratch the barrel right from the get-go?"
"That was only a joke...Well...I guess there are no laws forbidding children into the army...Hell, I think there is not even an age restriction for that matter since you want to volunteer into the army...Normally there is a restriction of minimum age being 16 to be conscripted." Erik actually frowned deeply now after realizing it himself.
"Anyway, you should get used to our country in the time being. Your use of our language is splendid by the way. There is nearly no accent. Was it my sister that taught you?"
"Yes and a few other people." Yuri was referring to his support unit that had very skilled interpreters of about 30 different languages. Even if he didn't learn it, he could understand it sooner or later with the help of translators.
What was to note was that their language skills were actually transformed into the equivalent of this world. The English here was different as well as Russian and German. But they still had very common similarities.
"Good, if you need anything you can mostly find me in this study. That is if I am home. I may be naive but I hope you could change your mind with that plan of yours if you find peace. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy your stay here."
"Thank you, uncle." Yuri bowed again and then left the study. A maid came over to him after seeing him come out and immediately showed him his room.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein