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| ===Chapter 6 - ===
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| Two days had passed since the meeting with King Leopold before Pascal concluded his obligations in Nordkreuz. The Landgrave had done what he could to kick off the recovery efforts, and Kaede had spent much of this time helping him assess local talents whom they could entrust the daunting organizational task of rebuilding to. By the time they found themselves standing outside the city gates with the assembled Knights Phantom of the ''Ghost Riders'', the winter solstice was just three days away.
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| According to Trinitian history, the dragonlord Hyperion had been born on the 'day of the longest night' during year one of the Dragon Age -- the same year when the nomadic dragonkind made landfall upon this world. Twelve centuries later, this youthful draconic messiah would 'save the world from its sins' by sacrificing his own life to shut down the Abyssal Rift, gateway to the demonic realm where all the evils of the universe manifested in physical form.
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| It came as no surprise that the image of Hyperion casting the unnamed ritual known only as the ''True Cross'' would become the most pervasive symbol of the Trinitian Church, or that this historic birthday would mark the second holiest day of the year for its faithful.
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| A fresh cold front had arrived from the north, and amidst the light flurry of snow a galloping mass of phantom steeds and wagons rode out of the sun to the east. But as Kaede stared at the distant dawn, she pondered just how exactly did soldiers celebrate a white Christmas in wartime.
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| Well, half of her was wondering -- it helped to take her mind off things. The other half was too busy being distracted by a cramping stomach as she struggled not to double over in pain.
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| ''The Period of Christmas... God I hate you,'' she blasphemed in the safety of her own mind.
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| It was almost daunting to realize that roughly one-quarter of all women suffered through this on the jolliest week of the year.
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| "<u>Kaede did you take some tea before leaving?</u>"
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| The familiar, soothing voice over telepathy lead Kaede to turn about; her eyes soon met Ariadne's supportive smile just a few paces away.
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| The Duchess-to-be and now commander of the ''Ghost Riders'' stood next to another white pegasus. Her flowing pink hair and the burning-red fabrics of her open-front uniform skirt billowed in the lakeside breeze. Beneath her collar was a newly minted Knight's Cross and the rank insignias of a Major, as she had been promoted twice in a row for receiving proper Knight Phantom status.
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| "<u>No. I've only been drinking it before sleep,</u>" Kaede pressed a forearm rune containing one of the ''Telepathy'' spells to reply.
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| "<u>Have some with your meals this week as well. Parzifal had asked some of the female medics what they did to relieve menstrual cramps. They said that chamomile tea helps, especially with ginger, peppermint, or raspberry leaves added to it.</u>"
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| ''She could tell?''
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| The Samaran girl's eyes opened wide in response, eliciting a sympathetic nod from the noblewoman whose blessing of magic meant she was above the commoners' problem of monthly period pains.
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| "<u>It's been enough days since your last time. I took a guess since you looked like something physically upsetting was bothering you. I'm guessing you have a thirty-day cycle then?</u>"
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| Kaede couldn't respond. Given the importance of the female bodily rhythm, she ''really'' should have been tracking her cycle. But after the last time, she had almost forgotten entirely about it until this morning. Had her undergarments not come with self-cleaning enchantments, she would have made a mess in Pascal's bed.
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| ''Can't even keep up with the least time consuming of 'feminine routines','' she thought with a heavy sigh. ''So much for getting used to being a girl.''
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| "Assuming it stays consistent," Kaede muttered at last, remembering Parzifal's warning that many girls also had irregular cycles.
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| As informative the conversation was, it only focused her attention on the cramps and made them feel worse.
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| Thankfully for Kaede, the reason for their wait soon arrived as shadowy hoofed touched down upon the snowy ground.
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| "Welcome to Nordkreuz Sir," Pascal greeted as he lead the salute towards the highest ranking officer of the expedition.
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| Colonel Walther von Mackensen was a square-faced, stiff-jawed man who appeared to be in his early forties. His height must be nearing two meters (6'5"), for the colonel towered over his cavalrymen even as they remained on their mounts. A pair of neatly trimmed handlebar mustaches accentuated his stern countenance, and the piercing blue gaze beneath his chestnut hair felt as keen as any saber.
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| Apart from the black-on-burning-red uniform of the Knights Phantom, he also wore his iconic hat -- tall and made of black bearskin with the skulls and crossbones emblem. It was matched by every man in the ''Falcon Force'' company, which gave birth to the nickname their enemies knew best: the ''Death's Head''.
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| "Major von Moltewitz. Your Highness," the Colonel nodded to both Pascal and Sylviane, his expression showing not the least bit of change despite coming face-to-face with the royal princess he captured a decade ago.
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| ''Yesterday's enemies are today's allies... well, let's hope this 'tomorrow' never comes.''
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| "It is an honor to be working with your Sir, and I apologize for any offense the political arrangements might have caused," Pascal began in an uncharacteristic display of humility that really spoke for just how much he respected this man.
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| "That I am to take my orders from a mere Major?"
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| The Colonel's smile came out more like a sneer, despite his utter lack of malice.
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| "Your father would be proud of the work you have done, both in Skagen and here in Nordkreuz," von Mackensen spoke in a low bass that carried his own version of the aristocratic drawl. "So long as you continue to display qualities worthy of your blood and lineage, I do not mind taking orders from a junior. But make no mistake that I shall not hesitate to disregard a foolish order."
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| "I shall strive to meet your expectations," came Pascal's sincere reply.
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| It became obvious that this man respect two traits above all, although Kaede had to guess which one would win out in a contest between the two: ''competence or blood?''
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| The answer to that only grew more complicated as the old cavalrymen turned towards Ariadne:
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| "Major von Zimmer-''Manteuffel''," he uttered her second surname with clear, unmasked contempt. "Although we are both Phantom commanders, rank and seniority dictates that I shall be your direct superior and you shall follow my orders. Is that understood?"
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| ''No wonder Pascal had picked him during the 'Manteuffel Incident','' Kaede thought. ''He must consider 'treason' the eighth and ultimate sin.''
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| She certainly did not miss that von Mackensen proved as shrewd as he was belligerent. Within moments of their meeting, he had already laid the basis for undermining Pascal's command should the young Major fail to meet his standards. Given their difference in both rank and reputation, Kaede had little doubt whom the soldiers would obey.
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| Meanwhile, the noble lady herself managed -- just barely -- to swallow her own pride and anguish as she returned a perfect salute.
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| "Yes Sir!"
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| "Your Highness," the Colonel's penetrating gaze swept back to Sylviane once more. "Regardless of my appraisal of the Major, you have my word of honor that I shall see our objectives through. The ''Falcon Force'' is one of most esteemed units of Weichsel, and we shall fight to the last man to defend your honor."
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| The Princess scarcely had time to say "thank you" before her fiancé replied with beaming confidence:
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| "I would not worry about that. We shall make our enemies fight to the last man first."
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| <nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>
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