January 8th, 1897, HarttVillage, Malden County.
It was early morning in Hartt Village, a quiet farming settlement in the heartlands of the kingdom. Despite the cold winds and frozen fields, people rose before sunrise to tend to their farms—this time of year, that meant caring for livestock.
Johhan, the only son of an ordinary family, was awakened by his mother's gentle voice.
"Wake up, dear. Your sister's already up. Go downstairs and have breakfast before feeding the cows, okay?"
Planting a kiss on her son's forehead, Marceline left the room. Fully awake now, Johhan made his bed and went downstairs. His sister was already at the table, eating greedily—a breakfast of oatmeal, beef stew with vegetables, and fresh bread. His father sat nearby, smoking and reading the morning newspaper, while his mother worked by the sink.
Putting the paper down, his father, Hugo, glanced at him.
"Hurry up and eat, son. I'll be out for a while, so I need you and your sister to take care of the animals today. I'll probably be back before evening."
Johhan quickly sat down and started eating. "Where are you going, Father? I thought we were fixing the tractor today."
Without looking up from the paper, Hugo replied, "There's a meeting. I'm going with old man Perkins to Rheinhardt."
"Rheinhardt?" Marceline interrupted. "I thought the meeting was supposed to be held in the next town?"
"It was, but it seems to be an emergency. Otherwise, there'd be no reason to move it. I don't know the details yet—I'll tell you once it's done."
The family continued eating, chatting idly. Half an hour later, Hugo dressed for travel with his wife's help and packed a small sling bag.
"Take care of the house while I'm gone, son. Help your mother as much as you can. And Nica—don't laze around just because I'm not home, alright? Help your brother outside."
Nica sighed dramatically. "Yesss, faaaather."
"Please be careful, Father," Johhan added.
Marceline handed her husband a folded note. "Since you're going to the city, buy the supplies on this list. We're running short."
Hugo smiled. "Alright. I'll be back soon."
Putting on his winter coat, fur boots, and hood, Hugo stepped outside and began walking down the main path.
Once their father was gone, Johhan turned to his sister. "Come on, let's get to work."
"Brooother, pleeease… I don't want to," Nica groaned.
Rolling his eyes, Johhan gently pinched her cheeks. "Don't be such a baby. You're almost of age. And Father will be mad if he finds out you slacked off again."
Realizing she couldn't win, Nica pouted. "Fine, but I'm not cleaning cow dung!"
"Alright," he chuckled. "Then gather the eggs from the chickens and bring me the bucket so I can milk the cows."
"Okay!" she said brightly and skipped off toward the barn, happy with her light assignment.
As she disappeared, Johhan glanced toward the horizon. For some reason, the winter felt colder this year. Shaking off the thought, he went on with his chores.
Across Hartt Village, similar scenes unfolded—men leaving home for meetings, wives managing the farms, and families carrying on as usual.
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The day passed quietly. By late afternoon, the sun began to sink behind the frost-tipped hills. Johhan and Marceline finished tending the animals, making sure they were fed and warm.
"Ma! Brother! Father's back!" Nica shouted suddenly.
On the snowy path, Hugo appeared, carrying bags filled with fresh fruit and spices.
"Welcome home, dear," Marceline greeted him with a kiss, taking his coat. "I'll make tea. Johhan, help me prepare dinner."
Hugo slumped into his chair, gazing at the ceiling.
Johhan, noticing his father's distant look, asked, "So… what did you talk about at the meeting, Father?"
Hugo patted his son's shoulder. "Nothing important. I'll tell you later. Go on and help your mother."
Realizing his father wasn't in the mood to talk, Johhan obeyed. Dinner was warm and lively, the kind of night that made the cold outside seem far away.
Later, Marceline tucked Nica into bed, while Johhan, exhausted, had already fallen asleep.
Outside, Hugo sat alone on the balcony, staring up at the cloudy sky. Not a single star was visible.
Behind him came soft footsteps. "Still awake?" Marceline asked.
He turned slightly. "You should sleep, dear."
"You know I can't sleep when you're not beside me," she murmured, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "Something's bothering you. Is it the meeting?"
The winter wind howled between them. After a long pause, Hugo sighed.
"Yes… Have you heard? The Prussians attacked our western border. They say it was bad—our troops were caught off guard. Worse still, Olga has joined the war."
Marceline's embrace tightened as Hugo continued quietly, "They're calling up men for service. Not just from the towns—the villages too. It's a royal decree, so I can't refuse. Every household must send at least one volunteer."
Marceline closed her eyes. She had feared this. Her father had been conscripted during the civil war and never returned—only his uniform and medal came home.
"I have a week before I leave," Hugo said softly. "I'll spend time with the kids, and tomorrow I'll go to the bank, just in case I d—"
"Please," Marceline whispered, pressing a hand to his lips. "Don't say that."
She turned him to face her, tears welling in her eyes. "Promise me you'll come back. No matter what happens—survive, Hugo. Survive and come home to us."
Hugo held her tightly, the cold wind swirling around them. In that moment, words weren't needed. Only silence—and the quiet ache of two hearts bracing for the storm to come.
A/N: Hi guys :^