THE RISE OF THE FOURTH REICH

The  sound of the howling wind graced the walls, blowing the trees, swaying in the ever steadily snowfall. As I looked out the window, I see men straying to their posts. They moved to their designated stations or walked the lines of our borders of the tall walls around. We claimed these mighty castles of our enemies. I looked away from the window to sit on the chair, the fire crackling in the fire pit. The couch across the room was long and wide enough to be called a small bed. There was a small round lump in the center. You can mistake it as a pillow at first glance, but upon a careful observation it slowly rose up and down. I got up and walked over to the pit and carefully grabbed a candlestick on a plate and lite the small flame. As I walked down the hall, with a limp in my step, I stopped to grab my cane to help me with my journey. Slowly stumbling down the hall, I saw the burgundy red walls and the tall ceiling was painted in a hazel brown eye colour, a spectacular colour scheme. Although the small flame lit the way, it was not strong enough to show the photos that are held by the frames to show what they reveal. Stopping to an open hall, the left side of the room bore no door or sliding door. I slowly made my way in the room, where the small candle was shining off the glass case, to see my own uniform. A light grey officer uniform was displayed in the case along with general clippings from past experiences such as medals and ribbons earned from the war, most importantly, the Grand Iron Cross with diamond oak leaves. I unlocked the case reaching for the right arm of the uniform held that once held the banner of the nation that I was born into. I once called this nation home and the Fatherland. I held the red arm banner of the swastika whispering as if it was a prayer to the new life I had adopted that changed when I stepped foot in here.

I left the room walking through the dark halls that seemed long and high to me. The last ruler that held this castle had compensated for his small stature, having a castle that was quite large and filled with hidden passages in some areas. The small candle that flickered in my grasp lit my way through the dark halls but the paintings on the wall were covered in darkness. My light was not strong enough to chase away the shadows that prevented me from clearly seeing. I looked towards the distant light that led to my study like a beacon in a sea of water.

“Commander?” opening the door to my personal library, I turned to see one of the generals emerging from the shadows. His jacket was one of a light blue uniform the golden clippings on his arm, the iron eagle above his heart. The cap on his head held the Fallschirmjäger eagle with wreaths around it, just above his chest was the silver wounded badge. Walking towards me with a limp in his step lifting his hand out to me, I could see the metal casings connecting to his leg allowing for him to walk, but is ageing was younger than me.

“Ja Herr Commandant what brings you to this night?” I asked to him. The light of my candle was the only source emitting from the dark halls.

“The reports came in, from the citizens and their needs; there isn't much to go around from the war this past year. We are still rebuilding the homes from our assault on this kingdom to over throw the tyrant; our guns had made a dent to the small villages.” His accent was strong yet firm under the ranking Commanders, walking into my study he came along with me.

“Take any homeless and give them a place to stay in the keep, for the cold nights and make sure they are well fed properly. I know this is a hard time for all of us, we need to keep the weak, the old and the young alive.” I said towards him. He saluted towards me clicking his boots together then spoke.

“Jahvol”, he turned walking into the shadows as they engulfed him. A large book stood open, as I made my way over to the large hard cover, taking a small match and lighting it from my candle. I lit the candles on the left side from my book near the edge of the counter. Flickering with my steady breaths placing the other on the right, taking a feather and ink well I smiled to myself of how such of advancements that we made, I’m using a medieval method to right my journal of my book. Dipping in the ink and letting some drip off into the cup from my tool, flipping to the pages of 1930 to a new year of 1934 placing the pen to write.

My name is Friedhelm Stein; I am nineteen years old, of the year of the rise of the third Reich. The Fuhrer a great man and the new hope of the great land that was, but she was in great despair. Until he came into power, taking the workless and homeless into a working power horse once again. The land that I had a hard time to live and earn pay was impossible! if it weren’t for him.  Germany would have been going into anarchy, thus creating a new empire of true industrialization and power, with the nation exploding with work and military entries I have joined in.

The door creaking open to reveal a pony or a unicorn, her fur was a dark grey shade and her hair the shade of the gloomy grey thunderclouds and a long strip of a light yellow with the shape of a thunderbolt reminding me of the stormy night that I first met her. Her first cutie mark was of a map with arrows placed out strategically, the second one was one of an iron cross with the crest of one of the Fuhrer’s political leaders. She walked in and a sheepish tone I could hear her say, “father?” She called out in my mother’s accent. I stood up from my desk and walked the distance to meet her. She heard me coming as I saw her stood on her hind legs reaching her front hooves up to me. I chuckled to myself as I lift her in my arms cradling her in my embrace.

“What are you doing up so late Gewitter?” I asked her then walked through the door. I knew she was tired as we walked through the doors out of my study, and into the hallway, the darkness was covering my vision then a light came before me. In a soft golden glow emitting from her horn I gently squeezed her holding my daughter close to me. My light and my hope she is all I have left and I will not lose her again.

“Father the last one to rule this kingdom had a big ego did he.” I chuckled softly to myself at her question, a good one that deserves an answer.

“Yes he quite did have a rather large ego”, I said, walking to my room with the heavy wooded oak doors engraved with the pride nation of the fatherland, the insignias of past old. Opening the doors to my room, lifting the covers, I placed her in my bed she looked up to me. Looking in her eyes, those eyes when I first saw her, was a dark gold in the dark but in the light it shone like rings. I lifted my hand rubbing her head but careful around her horn. She was gifted with great power and magic and a great commanders mind. I went behind her ear, she leaned into my hand but pulled away she looked back up to me again.

“Can you sing that song when I was small Father?” I smiled to her but got up, standing up I smiled down to her giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Not tonight my flower I have things to do” tucking her in bed I walked over to the door closing it leaving a crack to let the light shine in.

Outside, I turned when my leg gave me a sharp pain and my chest burned, but I never felt the ground but one holding me up in his arms. “You should take it easy with that leg of yours and that infection.” A thick accent sounded to my left.

Helping me up from my state, I looked over to a full black and smoke grey clad armored trooper “Mael Radec” I said, as we walked on but stopped. “You can return to your posts” I said out loud, with a trained ear you could hear the soft clanks and shuffling on the marble floor as I walked with the Colonel military field officer. “Was your stay exceptional I presume.” he chuckled as we walked side by side.

“You presume too much my friend; the troops you have trained were primitive, but effective on the battle field... But it was a waste of time.” I looked over to him as we both stopped.

“Yes, but it was my time that I wasted on them.” as I stared at the full clad Colonel Officer as he stood at attention.

“Of course it was” he said “but I must bid farewell” he walked into the shadows watching it engulfed him. Opening the doors to my study, walking through the doors, to see both of the candles flames dancing away without a care and with grace. As I sat down in the chair and lifting the feather once again looking to my book, flipping through the pages to a fresh blank page.