The Wolf and the Lamb [Jonas]

[Heidi]

The world was soft, like the robes the nuns wore. Fabric tickled her cheek and hand, and the warmth was wholesome, not overwhelming like a fire's at night. It was dream-like to feel, to be aware of, and bliss had its veil cast over her. A vague ache in her neck and torso could be felt, but everything was so soft, it didn't matter.

For a long time, she floated between dream and reality, the experience unlike anything she felt before. However, she slowly became more aware, and with it, the grip of reality came back to ensnare her. Vague aches became stiffness and unwanted soreness, especially around her mid-torso, neck and the right side of her face. The smell of tobacco and alcohol was faint, but it was there, along with the smell of dust and general oldness. A cool breeze wafted in from some open window, and with it, faint birdsong. The darkness behind her eyelids lightened, as if something were shining down on them.

Her black eyes flickered open, slamming shut as soon as they did. It was too bright out, and it hurt the girl's eyes; she didn't need more pain. Her breathing turned a tad more shallow as she woke further, now awake enough to feel her hurting ribcage and throat. A glass of water would have been nice for the latter...

The memories slowly came back. She had been jumped without warning, whirling around to face her attackers as they snuck up behind her and scared her. In an attempt to drive them away, she had snapped at them, and pulled her slingshot to threaten them with. One of the boys had laughed, and as the girl's hand went to her pocket, another boy shrieked a warning. A rifle butt slammed into the side of her head, making it hurt a lot, and the rest was a blur. The only thing she could remember afterwards was having hands wrap around her throat, and then, a knee plowing into her stomach.

And then, a man's face came, and a name - Jonas.

Working up some spit in her mouth to moisten her tongue, Adelheid slowly breathed in and out to steady herself. Turning her head gently from side to the side, the world blurring slightly as a headache began to form, the young German wondered where she was. She managed to figure out that she was in a bed, and that it was sometime in the morning, but she didn't know anything else.

[Jonas Merhoff]

The sun's beams managed to poke their way through the window and bring warmth to the Hauptmann's cold exterior. With the sudden warming of his blood on his face, he awoke. His eyes flickered open, but the gleaming light from the sun illuminated the darkness around him too quickly. His eyes flashed shut and he buried his face in his right arm for a few seconds. Rubbing his eyeballs for a few seconds helped him in preparing himself for the second burst of light as his eyes were exposed to the light.

Glancing over to the bed, Adelheid was still sound asleep... her breathing bothered with intermittent pauses and chokes. Jonas wondered how much the girl was suffering as he pulled his weak, exhausted body from the chair. His eyes watched over her like an Eagle watching over it's prey for a few moments. His gaze turned to his jacket that was resting itself across the back of his chair. Sliding his right arm in a sleeve first, he managed to button it up and dress himself properly while in a state of lightheadedness. His fatigue and the blinding sun left him disoriented, but in sight and mind. His boots were tied laggardly, his trousers brushed down by his palms to remove any wrinkles or dirt, and his shirt straightened.

Collapsing backward, he landed in the comfort of the chair, which was pleasurable to his aching back... even though it caused the annoying pain in his back and spine. He found his face buried his right hand, his fingers running through his dusty blond hair, which was dark with gel. The seconds turned into minutes and Jonas began to run his fingers through his hair fixing it into place. His eyes were allured to his watch, and he groaned when he realized he wouldn't have time to get cleaned before breakfast.

Steadied breathing and the movement of sheets brought his eyes upward to Adelheid as she rolled over in the sheets, looking contempt for the time being. "Gutenmorgen, Adelheid." Jonas voice pierced through the silence like a sword through flesh as he rose from his chair. He looked refreshed, mentally and physically, for the day ahead but on the inside he felt dirty, exhausted, and confused. He was even a little confused about being confused. His mind was beating itself up... as well as his heart. He wondered why, for the first time in his life, he had a strange sense of passion for the young girl... as well as a protective instinct like that of a parent.

"Wir werden Frühstück mit den anderen deutschen Offizieren hier essen. Besser als alles, das Sie haben gehabt vor… besonders denen… Nicht-Nazin. Eifersüchtig von den Deutschen…" Jonas's train of thought was lost for a few seconds, but then he began to speak again. "Kümmern Sie nie sich. Wir… Deutsche… wir… Nazin suchen heraus nach einer. Eine gute Mahlzeit, zum anzulaufen der Tag. " Jonas spoke in a persuasive tone... he was embarrassed, because the child he had a sense of compassion for didn't seem to understand the Nazis as she should have been taught in school. It was shameful to be a German not proud of the Fuhrer.

Translations:

"Gutenmorgen, Adelheid."
- "Good morning, Adelheid."

"Wir werden Frühstück mit den anderen deutschen Offizieren hier essen. Besser als alles, das Sie haben gehabt vor… besonders denen… Nicht-Nazin. Eifersüchtig von den Deutschen…"
- "We will be eating breakfast with the other German officers here. Better than anything you have had before... especially those... Not-Nazis. Jealous of Germans... "

"Kümmern Sie nie sich. Wir… Deutsche… wir… Nazin suchen heraus nach einer. Eine gute Mahlzeit, zum anzulaufen der Tag. "
- "Never mind. We... Germans... we... Nazis look out for one each other. A good meal to start off the day. "

[Heidi]

OOC - Freaked out little kid in three, two, one...

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At first, Adelheid didn't register Herr Jonas. She squinted from the sunlight, looking curiously at the man, but as soon as she saw his Nazi uniform...there came a gulp. He...he was a Nazi...

"Gutenmorgen, Adelheid."

Slowly, the girl pulled the sheets closer to her, and inched back towards the wall. Her black eyes were like a rabbit's, the tiniest, hoarest squeak one could imagine coming out of her bruised throat. Herr Jonas's voice was cold, cutting the air like some icy knife, and Adelheid's heart beat faster. She was no fool; the Nazis did terrible, terrible things to women and children. The events that had taken place at Heiliges Peter's-Hafen a year or two earlier were enough of an example in her mind.

While the girl had inched back, the man had continued speaking. "Wir werden Frühstück mit den anderen deutschen Offizieren hier essen. Besser als alles, das Sie haben gehabt vor…besonders denen…Nicht-Nazin. Eifersüchtig von den Deutschen…" said he, sounding rather high-and-mighty as he did so. That wasn't true, though; most of the not-Nazis Adelheid had met hated the Germans. It made sense, though, seeing as how many Germans seemed to be Nazis. The man then finished with a somewhat awkward-sounding, "Kümmern Sie nie sich. Wir…Deutsche…wir…Nazin suchen heraus nach einer. Eine gute Mahlzeit, zum anzulaufen der Tag."

A hint of confusion broke out on Adelheid's face. Was he calling her a Nazi? Yes, her people happened to have a lot of Nazis, but there a lot of people who weren't Nazis, too. The nuns had been some of them. However, Adelheid thought it was a bad idea to say this, remembering how much of a temper the Nazis had, and merely shrank back beneath the covers.

Here she was, the lamb in the wolf's den. He could kill her, or he could do worse. Adelheid didn't have a chance.

[Jonas Merhoff]

Jonas chuckled lightly as Adelheid made herself smaller then she was, shrinking back in the bed trying to hide herself. She inched back in fear. Not in fear of the morning, but of Jonas. But Jonas denied such a thing, and his mind had been set on one thing... it wouldn't change. He was certain about this girl... if she didn't obey the Fuhrer today... tomorrow she would. "Oh gekommen auf Adelheid. Er ist nicht der früh. Es ist Zeit, jetzt aufzuwachen. Lassen Sie uns gehen essen Frühstück. "

His aged, scarred face formed a smile as he sniggered at the little girl who cowered under the sheets. What he didn't realize... was she feared him. But why would she fear him? Jonas followed a grand leader who was leading his nation to glory. Why would she be ashamed of her own people and turn her back on them. Such a thing enraged a man like Jonas... driving him to the point of murder. Cold...brutal... murder. Jonas's smile faded as he became serious.

He approached the bed and slipped the sheets from over her head to find her cowering on the far side of the bed. The Hauptmann found himself sitting on the edge of the bed opposite of Adelheid, his facial expression conveying the point that he was tired of this fooling around and impatient. "Adelheid, ist es Zeit zu essen. Gekommen, müssen Sie aufstehen. Sind Sie nicht froh, unter Ihren Leuten schließlich zurück zu sein? Zu eine deutsche Mahlzeit noch einmal essen?"

The "wolf" was growing rather frustrated with Adelheid, confused about her fear. He was not only confused about why she was fearful... but he was also confused about fear in general. It was not a common occurrence to a man who had been through abuse, war, and genocide. Participated in them to be more specific. His hand reached across the bed and stroked back her hair, trying to show to her that he was the same man as he was last night. He was the same man who had made her assaulter flee, scooped her up from the street, and brought her to safety. He just had another side... She had gotten a sense of comfort last night, and he figured repeating the act would achieve the same purpose this time around. Slowly, he withdraw his right hand and left it hanging there in the air between him and the girl. He gestured for the girl to take his hand, softly saying, "Kommen Addie. Alles ist gut. "

Translations:

"Oh gekommen auf Adelheid. Er ist nicht der früh. Es ist Zeit, jetzt aufzuwachen. Lassen Sie uns gehen essen Frühstück. "
- "Oh come on Adelheid. It is not that early. It is time to wake up now. Let us go eat breakfast. "

"Adelheid, ist es Zeit zu essen. Gekommen, müssen Sie aufstehen. Sind Sie nicht froh, unter Ihren Leuten schließlich zurück zu sein? Zu eine deutsche Mahlzeit noch einmal essen?"
- "Adelheid, it is time to eat. Come, you must get up. Are you not glad to finally be back amongst your people? To eat a German meal once again? "

"Kommen Addie. Alles ist gut. "
- "Come Addie. Everything is alright."

[Heidi]

Question after question went off in Adelheid's mind. A German meal? Amongst her own people? Nazis were German...but they weren't her people. They lied and stole, and killed and imprisoned. They were bossy, and if you didn't do something their way, you died. And to Adelheid, a meal was a meal; it didn't matter if the food was German or not. Such small details - if they could even be called that - had never been pointed out to her. The nuns had taught her not to be...picky, for lack of a better word.

Suddenly, Herr Jonas's hand reached for her, and he stroked her pitch-black hair. Adelheid stiffened at the sensation, and pulled away slightly. Why was he acting so nice? He was a Nazi, of the same people who had torn apart the orphanage, who had caused friction amongst the children and who had been a source of fear for Adelheid. And that name...Addie. Only Sister Kiel - and one time, Onkel Mac - had ever called her that. Indignation stirred within her, and suddenly, her tongue slipped.

"Ich bin nicht eine Nazi, Herr Jonas. Sie nahmen Heiliges Peter's-Hafen."

Would it be her death to say such? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, Adelheid scooted further away from Jonas, just in case he went to strike her. Being beaten by the Hitler's Youth boys wasn't the first time she had been attacked by someone; there had been the children at the orphanage, and after that, angry men and women on her travels. A certain angry farmer came to mind, one with a pipe in his hand...

Töten Sie mich nicht, thought the girl in terror. Bitte töten Sie mich nicht...

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Translations:

I am not a Nazi, Mister Jonas. They took away Saint Peter's Haven.

Don't kill me. Please don't kill me.

[Jonas Merhoff]

His eyes flickered shut and he took a deep intake of breath as Adelheid spoke those dreadful words... "Ich bin nicht eine Nazi, Herr Jonas. Sie nahmen Heiliges Peter's-Hafen.." She obviously thought he was going to hurt her, but Jonas wouldn't be able to bring himself to such a thing, his mind still haunted with the thoughts of his own beatings. Calmly, he lifted himself from the bed in civilized order and took a few paces across the room. He shook his head rather slowly as he reached the other side of the room, and then turned around to face the child.

"Töten Sie mich nicht, thought the girl in terror. Bitte töten Sie mich nicht." Disappointed, he shook his head and his began to speak in a quiet, peaceful tone. "Töten Sie Sie? Adelheid, warum würde ich Sie töten? Ich verstehe Sie. Sie sind ein Kind, angehoben weg von dem Vaterland, korrekt? Sie gerade nicht… verstehen die Nazin." Jonas paced back and forth in the room, trying to formulate in her mind what to say to her. He dug back through his memory, up to the day when he was about... in his late twenties. A veteran... on the streets. Wandering Berlin, he attended one of Hitler's speeches and was absolutely mesmerized with pride and hope.

Almost as if a light bulb suddenly appeared over his head, he quickly approached the bedside and crouched down beside it, his eyes as gentle as is mothers had once been to him. "Sie sehen, dass Adelheid… vor langer Zeit Deutschland im Großen Krieg gekämpft hatte. I, selbst, kämpften für unser prachtvolles Vaterland. Aber im Ende wurden wir besiegt. Nachher das… Deutschland war… schreckliches… gerade schreckliches. I' m froh Sie didn' t müssen in solch einen schimpflichen Zustand angehoben werden." Jonas paused his eyes wandering off, remembering how he had lived in the streets during that time... before he decided to join the Nazi Party and German Army.

"Deutschland… wurde…… ja eingeschüchtert durch den Rest der Welt eingeschüchtert. Wie Sie… und ich war einmal gewesen. Kam dann ein Führer. Ein leistungsfähiger Spracheverfasser nannte Hitler. Seine Ideen waren, Deutschland zum Ruhm wieder herzustellen. Und so wurden die Nazin gebildet. Wir sind gute Leute und wir tun dies für das gute von Deutschland, Adelheid." There was so much more to explain... but a little girl wouldn't be able to understand. He felt... idiotic talking about the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei in such a way. But it helped him try to make Adelheid realize what the Nazi party was about... and stretch the facts a little.

"Deutschland… wurde…… ja eingeschüchtert durch den Rest der Welt eingeschüchtert. Wie Sie… und ich war einmal gewesen. Kam dann ein Führer. Ein leistungsfähiger Spracheverfasser nannte Hitler. Seine Ideen waren, Deutschland zum Ruhm wieder herzustellen. Und so wurden die Nazin gebildet. Wir sind gute Leute und wir tun dies für das gute von Deutschland, Adelheid." Jonas scratched his head and sighed before he glanced at the floor, disappointed. "Hören Adelheid, ich sind traurig Sie fühlenschlechtes über die Nazin. Lassen Sie uns gerade es fürs Erste vergessen und gehen ein essenfrühstück, ja?"

Translations:

"Töten Sie Sie? Adelheid, warum würde ich Sie töten? Ich verstehe Sie. Sie sind ein Kind, angehoben weg von dem Vaterland, korrekt? Sie gerade nicht… verstehen die Nazin."
- "Kill you? Adelheid, why would I kill you? I understand you. You are a child, raised away from the Fatherland, correct? You just don't... understand the Nazis. "

"Sie sehen, dass Adelheid… vor langer Zeit Deutschland im Großen Krieg gekämpft hatte. I, selbst, kämpften für unser prachtvolles Vaterland. Aber im Ende wurden wir besiegt. Nachher das… Deutschland war… schreckliches… gerade schreckliches. I' m froh Sie didn' t müssen in solch einen schimpflichen Zustand angehoben werden."
- "You see Adelheid... a long time ago Germany had fought in the Great War. I, myself, fought for our glorious Fatherland. But in the end we were defeated. After that... Germany was... horrible... just horrible. I'm glad you didn't have to be raised in such a shameful state. "

"Deutschland… wurde…… ja eingeschüchtert durch den Rest der Welt eingeschüchtert. Wie Sie… und ich war einmal gewesen. Kam dann ein Führer. Ein leistungsfähiger Spracheverfasser nannte Hitler. Seine Ideen waren, Deutschland zum Ruhm wieder herzustellen. Und so wurden die Nazin gebildet. Wir sind gute Leute und wir tun dies für das gute von Deutschland, Adelheid."
- "Germany... was... bullied... yes bullied by the rest of the world. Like you... and I had once been. Then came a leader. A powerful speech writer named Hitler. His ideas were to restore Germany to glory. And so the Nazis were formed. We are good people and we are doing this for the good of Germany, Adelheid. "

"Deutschland… wurde…… ja eingeschüchtert durch den Rest der Welt eingeschüchtert. Wie Sie… und ich war einmal gewesen. Kam dann ein Führer. Ein leistungsfähiger Spracheverfasser nannte Hitler. Seine Ideen waren, Deutschland zum Ruhm wieder herzustellen. Und so wurden die Nazin gebildet. Wir sind gute Leute und wir tun dies für das gute von Deutschland, Adelheid."
- "We started peaceful and we did as he promised. But then the rest of the world grew... jealous. That's what bullying is all about... jealousy. And our old enemies decided they wouldn't allow it. We fought this 'bullying' though. It's just sometimes, because of this, a lot of what we do is misunderstood. "

"Hören Adelheid, ich sind traurig Sie fühlenschlechtes über die Nazin. Lassen Sie uns gerade es fürs Erste vergessen und gehen ein essenfrühstück, ja?"
- "Listen, Adelheid, I am sorry you feel bad about the Nazis. Let us just forget it for now and go an eat breakfast, yes? "

[Heidi]

OOC - She was thinking those last few sentences, Jonas. Your character wouldn't have heard them, except if he could read minds. I can make it work, though. Also, I'd prefer if we didn't make a seperate thread for the breakfast scene, just so we can milk some more CP out of this one.

++++++++++++++++


The wolf that was Herr Jonas lifted himself from the bed, his authoritarian manner of walk intimidating Adelheid further. He pivoted on his heel, turning and standing sharply, his posture so rigid and perfect, it was like someone had substituted his spine with an iron rod.

As soon as his blue eyes locked with Adelheid's, he spoke. He seemed to have heard her thoughts, and his tone was soothing, like a mother's to a child. For a moment, Adelheid's fear waned ever so slightly.

"Töten Sie Sie? Adelheid, warum würde ich Sie töten? Ich verstehe Sie. Sie sind ein Kind, angehoben weg von dem Vaterland, korrekt? Sie gerade nicht…verstehen die Nazin."

The Fatherland? What was "the Fatherland"? Was it a land made up entirely of fathers? Was Herr Jonas somehow hinting that he knew the girl was an orphan? And what did he mean by "not understanding the Nazis"? Adelheid understood them well enough. They were killers, and hated almost everybody. It was because of them that Adelheid's only home was now gone.

Herr Jonas's eyes glinted strangely, as if he had an idea. His boots thudded across the floor as he came back to the bed, crouching down to look Adelheid in the eye. An air of gentleness surrounded the man's eyes, but there was still a hardness behind them - a hunter's cunning. Adelheid felt suddenly afraid again...

"Sie sehen, dass Adelheid…vor langer Zeit Deutschland im Großen Krieg gekämpft hatte. I, selbst, kämpften für unser prachtvolles Vaterland. Aber im Ende wurden wir besiegt. Nachher das… Deutschland war…schreckliches…gerade schreckliches. I'm froh Sie didn't müssen in solch einen schimpflichen Zustand angehoben werden."

Curiosity broke through the fear. Adelheid tilted her head to the side, just like an intrigued puppy would, and slowly nodded. She had heard of the Great War; Sister Burr had had a brother who had fought in it. For some reason, she always sounded sad when she talked about him, and she never had said what had happened to him after the war. Herr Jonas's gaze wandered for a moment, and then, he spoke again.

"Deutschland…wurde…ja eingeschüchtert durch den Rest der Welt eingeschüchtert. Wie Sie…und ich war einmal gewesen. Kam dann ein Führer. Ein leistungsfähiger Spracheverfasser nannte Hitler. Seine Ideen waren, Deutschland zum Ruhm wieder herzustellen. Und so wurden die Nazin gebildet. Wir sind gute Leute und wir tun dies für das gute von Deutschland, Adelheid."

The serpent of temptation wrapped around Adelheid's heart. Germany had been bullied? Was that why the Nazis were acting the way they were? It was just like at the orphanage...when the mean boys and girls picked on Adelheid, she fought back...

White feathers glinted in the shine of the morning sun. Dark eyes suddenly bore into Adelheid's own from behind Herr Jonas. Rhys's stern, angry face came to her, and he shook his head vigourously, as if to say "nein".

Nein.

Dear Lord...what was Adelheid thinking?

Herr Jonas then said something else, but Adelheid wasn't paying attention, for she was too busy focusing on the air roughly a metre above Jonas's head. However, what she could only see was gone again, and gone was the temptation that the Nazi's words had brought. Instead, there was uncertainty and doubt, and more questions then Adelheid could answer.

"Hören Adelheid, ich sind traurig Sie fühlenschlechtes über die Nazin. Lassen Sie uns gerade es fürs Erste vergessen und gehen ein essenfrühstück, ja?"

But that was a question she could answer, and she did so with a nod and a simple, "...Ja." Slowly, the pulled the covers away from herself, and crawled hesitantly towards Herr Jonas.

The angel's warning, however, would remain in her mind for a long, long time.

[Jonas Merhoff]

"..Ja." The nervous little girl slid the covers away from her and lifted herself out of bed. Jonas, would had tasted triumph, felt it slip away. For a split second, he had her under the Nazi spell... but then something... some hidden force must have shook the little girl out of it. She hadn't even paid attention to his last words, but then again the little girl could only take so much. He had once more said too much for her to comprehend, no matter how he explained such things to her. So, he would have to save molding her into a Nazi for some other time. Or would he be able to? What would happen after breakfast? Would he have to take her home? Did she have a home?

Forcing himself up, Jonas towered over the small child as he eyed her cautiously, ensuring she was fit to walk. When he was satisfied, he led her to the door. His walk was casual at first, but once he stepped out into the hall with Adelheid at his side it swiftly changed to the same authoritative manner. He descended the steps into the lobby once more, as he had last night, and turned to the right before entering the dining room.

The enormous table which had been set about an hour before, was now being cleaned and taken apart. It could seat about 20 COs and NCOs from Jonas's division that were staying with him in the inn while they were stationed in this remote French town. But now all those men had come and gone, most likely preparing for their days task. One of the locals, who in fear had been forced to work for the Nazis while they occupied the town noticed. She motioned for a few others and they approached the table, which was more like 3 medium-sized tables that could be connected. They pulled away the table cloth and pulled apart the end tables as well as the chairs.

Jonas grinned to the girl at his side with his hand on her shoulder as he approached the table, moving to the right to lead her to her seat. Gripping the chair, he pulled it back and helped her up into it before pushing it back to it's previous position. Across from her, he sat in his own chair while the French people returned placing plates and eating utensils onto the table. One of the French girls working there who knew German, stepped forward friendly and gently. They all acted as if these were regular customers... like it was before the war. "Und was möchten Sie zwei heute essen? "

They had been both handed a menu, but Jonas swiftly handed it back already knowing what he wished for. "Ich habe das Bauernfruhstuck. Und für Sie Adelheid? Möglicherweise die Pfannkuchen oder der Strudel? " The young French girl nodded with a wide grin, memorizing his order without writing it down. Bauernfruhstuck. A nice, hearty meal that a farmer might have. Hence it's name, "German Farmer's Breakfast". Delicious to him, even as a child, but he was uncertain if a girl like Adelheid so untouched with her German roots would like it. So he suggested something sweet for her sweet tooth. He had had one as well as a child.

Translators:

"Und was möchten Sie zwei heute essen? "
- "And what would you two like to eat today? "

"Ich habe das Bauernfruhstuck. Und für Sie Adelheid? Möglicherweise die Pfannkuchen oder der Strudel? "
- "I will have the Bauernfruhstuck. And for you Adelheid? Maybe the pancakes or strudel? "

[Heidi]

Pfannkuchen. Strudel. The words were so foreign to her, yet the air smelt so delicious, and Adelheid wondered if the smells came from those named. Pancakes...they sounded a little odd, reminding Adelheid of the remnants of food stuck to the unwashed dishes after meals in the orphanage. The strudel, however, sounded interesting.

In her most polite tone, young Adelheid replied, "Ich möchte sehr den Strudel bitte, Sir des Herrn Jonas." The women by their table looked impressed with Adelheid's manners, smiling softly at the child.

"Ein was für nettes kleines Mädchen. Sie sollten auf sie, Sir sehr stolz sein."

Adelheid smiled back at the girl's retreating form, watching as said girl went into the kitchen, but then saw a hint of movement out of the corner of her black eye. The other Nazis in the room - she had avoided eye contact with them as she walked down the stairs - were throwing glances in her direction. They were whispering, and she could hear them, and she knew what they were saying.

"Was tut Herr Merhoff?"

"Wer ist das Kind?"

"Ich wusste nicht, dass er eine Tochter hatte."

"Betrachten Sie sie!"

"Sie ist nicht sogar ARISCH!"

"Schwarzes Haar, blaue Augen…das es wie die Tinte aussieht, die auf ihnen verschüttet wird."

"Schändlich."

"Wie traurig es ist, wird Herr Merhoff gezwungen, mit ihr fest zu sein."

"Ich denke, dass er sie im gestern Abend, nach irgendeiner Art des Vorfalls holte."

"NEIN! Wirklich?!"

Adelheid could feel herself becoming smaller. For some reason, it felt like the orphanage, all over again...hopefully, though, Herr Jonas wouldn't notice. He had been so nice to her, she'd hate to get him down now, even if he was a Nazi...


+++++++++++++++++

OOC - Hopefully, I haven't god-modded anything.

Translations:

I would very much like the strudel please, Mister Jonas sir.

What a nice little girl. You should be very proud of her, sir.

What is Herr Merhoff doing?

Who is the kid?

I did not know he had a daughter.

Look at her! She is not even ARYAN!

Black hair, black eyes...it looks like ink spilled on them.

Disgraceful.

How sad it is Herr Merhoff is forced to be stuck with her.

I think he brought her in last night, after some sort of incident.

NO! Really?!

[Jonas Merhoff]

Casually, Hauptmann Merhoff reclined in his seat, absorbing the rumors spread by the French workers and Nazis integrated in the French Inn. His brows raised in interest as he deciphered his native tongue with his ears. Bitterly he spat, "Arroganz. Ignorieren Sie sie Adelheid, sie sind die selben wie Tyranne. Sie verwirklichen nicht, welche Lügen von ihren Mündern spucken." His gaze was strong and unaffected by the senseless babbling and whispers. Before the moment faded away, Jonas seized it as an opportunity to teach Adelheid a valuable lesson. "Jedoch manchmal kann Arroganz durch eingeschüchtert worden für Furcht verwendet werden. Das ist, was wir Nazin tun. Die Verbündeten haben Sie unterrichtet, dass die Nazin… und die zu fürchten ist, warum Sie über sie verwirrt werden."

Jonas sighed though and realized he would have to admit to the truth as well. "Manchmal… ist diese Arroganz dreist und falsch durch einiges verwendet. Ich habe Angst, dass ist, was geschah mit Ihrem Haupt… Heiliges Peter' s-Hafen war es? Und… jene Jungen. Aber nicht alle Nazin sind wie die. Es ist, gerade was die, die uns hassen, möchten, dass Sie denken." Once again, Jonas felt as if he was getting somewhere with his teachings. But what he failed to realize was that...all Nazis were that. Their arrogance was brash and even cruel. But his conscious would not to admit to his demons and his leaders. That was enough for now though, he learned not to speak of it too much with Adelheid.

A good whiff of strudel traveled through the air and Jonas sniffing it, smiled in pleasure. The French women returned with a plate in each hand, moving towards Adelheid first. She let the plate down before Adelheid gently revealing a few strudels piled on the plate. They varied including a few different kinds which included Apple strudel, or Apfelstrudel and Topfenstrudel a strudel filled with some kind of sweet cheese. She placed a plate that contained a mixture potatoes and ham, bacon, with onions and bell pepper and some egg mixed in. A hearty, delicious meal, Jonas's favored breakfast. He grabbed his fork and knife and begin to divide the meal up. Digging his fork into a piece of ham that had been covered with ketchup, he raised it to his mouth and bit down into it.


Translations:

"Arroganz. Ignorieren Sie sie Adelheid, sie sind die selben wie Tyranne. Sie verwirklichen nicht, welche Lügen von ihren Mündern spucken."
- "Arrogance. Ignore them Adelheid, they're the same as bullies. They do not realize what lies are spewing from their mouths. "

"Jedoch manchmal kann Arroganz durch eingeschüchtert worden für Furcht verwendet werden. Das ist, was wir Nazin tun. Die Verbündeten haben Sie unterrichtet, dass die Nazin… und die zu fürchten ist, warum Sie über sie verwirrt werden."
- "However, sometimes arrogance can be used by the bullied for fear. That is what we Nazis do. The Allies have taught you to fear the Nazis... and that is why you are confused about them. "

"Manchmal… ist diese Arroganz dreist und falsch durch einiges verwendet. Ich habe Angst, dass ist, was geschah mit Ihrem Haupt… Heiliges Peter' s-Hafen war es? Und… jene Jungen. Aber nicht alle Nazin sind wie die. Es ist, gerade was die, die uns hassen, möchten, dass Sie denken."
"Sometimes... this arrogance is brash and used wrongly by some. I am afraid that is what happened with your home... Saint Peter's Haven was it? And... those boys. But not all Nazis are like that. It is just what those who hate us would like you to think. "

[Heidi]

Arroganz. It was a manifestation of pride, one of the seven deadly sins. Adelheid had never heard of it being used like a weapon before - but that made it all the more dangerous. And...arroganz had been the driving force behind the destruction of Saint Peter's Haven? It didn't sound right. No...it wasn't right at all.

Adelheid's mind flickered back to the divine warning earlier. The way the angel's face had looked...it was frightening, to say the least. It reminded Adelheid of Sister Burr, and how she acted when Hitler had begun to speak on the radio. She had told the children how wicked and bad he was, but they didn't listen. Some even snuck radios under their bunks to listen even more when the contraptions were banned, and after that, the orphanage had never been the same.

It had been too long since Adelheid had talked with the nuns, who had told her she was a very good girl, and that she must always be as good as she was. The good girl had nearly forgotten their words, had it not been for the angel who had scared some sense into her. She would have to be careful around the Nazis, oh yes she would.

Suddenly, there was a sweet smell in the air, and Adelheid's mouth began to water. She gasped in awe as the nice lady from before came over with a plate of something roughly oval-shaped, warm and steaming and looking quite tasty. As soon as it was placed down in front of her, Adelheid's wide eyes widened even more. It looked so...good...

"Vielen Dank, ma' morgens," the girl said happily, her head snapping up to look at the serving woman with a smile. The woman nodded, smiling herself, then hurried over to another table, where another soldier was waving her over. Adelheid picked up a strudel, sniffing it, licking her lips.

"So…ist dieses Strudel, Herr Jonas?"

+++++++++++++++++

Translations:

Arroganz - Arrogance

Thank you very much, ma'am.

So...this is strudel, Mister Jonas?

[Jonas Merhoff]

Studying the girl in her happy and natural polite manner, he pondered if she had been able to absorb and understand. Or was she ignoring him and shrugging it off? She wouldn't make it far in Nazi Germany. Jonas cut into his meal slowly and deliberately, to enjoy the taste as it all slid down his mouth. He could taste a bit of the egg and pepper mixed in with another chunk of ham he was chewing on. Then his mouth moved onto some of the bacon, before his ears and eyes adjusted to Adelheid, who was asking a question.

"So…ist dieses Strudel, Herr Jonas?" Jonas finished munching on the food in his mouth, swallowed, and then wiped his mouth with a napkin. He was nodding his head by then before he spoke up with his mouth clear of food. "Ja ja ist es. Warum mögen Sie es? Apfelstrudel ist mein Liebling. Nett und süß. " By now his mouth was watering with the sweet strudel he had enjoyed as a child...living on the streets. It was the first food he had received when he had become "free". A kind, elderly Austrian woman handed him a whole basket of strudels. Needless to say, Jonas had devoured them in only a few minutes.

Soothing his appetite, he began to lift some of the last remnants of his breakfast into his mouth. His stomach felt full, but he did not wish to waste food. He finished his second round of meat and a mixture of eggs, potatoes, and ketchup. "Adelheid…, wo Sie Phasen jetzt tun? Haben Sie ein Haus… eine Familie? " The Hauptmann asked awkwardly, considering the fact that the Nazi's might have destroyed wherever she lived. If they did... she wasn't pure. She turned her back on the Nazi party and wasn't pure. He shouldn't be sitting across a table from her then... feeding her breakfast. He would anyway... but he shouldn't.

Translations:

"Ja ja ist es. Warum mögen Sie es? Apfelstrudel ist mein Liebling. Nett und süß. "
- "Yes, yes it is. Why you like it? Apple strudel is my favorite. Nice and sweet. "

"Adelheid…, wo Sie Phasen jetzt tun? Haben Sie ein Haus… eine Familie? "
- "Adelheid... where do you live now? Do you have a home... a family? "

[Heidi]

Adelheid went to say something, but then realized she hadn't even tried the new food yet. Her teeth bit off the tiniest piece, just to see what it tasted like, and soon, the girl had eaten nearly a third of the sweet food. She swallowed, pausing for a minute, and licked her sugar-coated lips.

"Ja!" the child yipped happily. "Ich mag es! Ich mag es viel!"

Adelheid continued to devour the first strudel with gusto, her tastebuds savouring every flaky, apple-y bite. It was unlike anything she had ever eaten - it was even better then the chocolate Onkel Mac and Onkel Stephen had given her. She hoped that, after this delicious meal, she could have it again. The girl would be grateful to anyone who bought it for her.

As she was munching halfway through her next strudel, Herr Jonas asked, "Adelheid…wo Sie Phasen jetzt tun? Haben Sie ein Haus…eine Familie?" Adelheid paused in mid-bite, looking up, and quickly chewed and swallowed whatever was in her mouth. After licking her lips clean, she responded.

"…Nein, Herr Jonas. Die Nicht-Nazin ließen mich in einem Haus, mit zwei netten Leuten leben. Jedoch sagten sie, dass ich mit ihnen kommen musste und es Lose mittlere Soldaten gab, die waren, mich in Gefängnis einzusetzen, und ich lief weg. Sie sind…nicht sehr nett."

Suddenly, Adelheid felt like she was being watched. Sure enough, some of the nearby people - by now, she could tell they were Nazis for sure by their clothing - were peering closely at her, some scowling heatedly. Once more, the girl shrunk in her seat, not wanting to be noticed. The other soldiers did not seem to be very nice at all, too.


+++++++++++++++++


Translations:

I like it! I like it a lot!

...No, Mister Jonas. The Not-Nazis let me live in a home, with two nice people. However, they said I had to come with them, and there were lots of mean soldiers who were going to put me in jail, and I ran away. They are...not very nice.

[Jonas Merhoff]

Jonas's eyes shined brightly for a brief second as he watched the girl devour the strudel before her in pleasure. He toyed with his food with his fork before finally taking those last few bits to finish it all off. He had just asked a rather delicate, awkward question and picked away at his food as he waited for a response. He had obviously killed the mood and the girl's slight happiness, but then it occurred to Jonas that this girl would never be happy around him. He wasn't an adult figure... she was frightened and scared by him and his beliefs. His rough personality crippled his chances of having or being around children.

Adelheid's sweet, childish voice broke his train of thought as his head snapped up, intent on hearing what she had to say. A part of him, a part that had been buried for nearly 40 years was trying to break free, but he didn't allow it. It's cause strengthened and it's power intensified since the arrival of Adelheid, but it wasn't able to win it's uphill battle.

"…Nein, Herr Jonas. Die Nicht-Nazin ließen mich in einem Haus, mit zwei netten Leuten leben. Jedoch sagten sie, dass ich mit ihnen kommen musste und es Lose mittlere Soldaten gab, die waren, mich in Gefängnis einzusetzen, und ich lief weg. Sie sind…nicht sehr nett." By now, a lot of the room's inhabitants were shooting her dirty looks and it was obvious by the way she reacted to it. Jonas shot the people glares and immediately they focused back onto breakfast. "Ja gut ist das, warum…." Jonas started off on babbling onto the girl about the Nazis once more, but then for some strange reason stopped himself. "Sie… Sie denken die selben an die Nazin, tun Sie nicht? "

Jonas had no idea why he had let it slipped. But his voice wasn't angry or upset, it was more disappointed. For some reason it sounded like he was disappointed in himself... like... like he had done something wrong. He was actually asking, "You feel the same way about me, don't you?", but more broad. For some reason, this girl made him feel ashamed about himself and Nazism which he had never before in his life. He had never doubted Hitler until this second at the breakfast table. It was almost as if that inner part of Jonas had broken through the front lines and surrounded his... evil,crueler, crazy, violent, obedient side. Oh there were so many words to describe the beast that consumed him.

Translations:

"Ja gut ist das, warum…."
- "Yes, well that is why...."

"Sie… Sie denken die selben an die Nazin, tun Sie nicht? "
- "You... you think the same about the Nazis, don't you? "

[Heidi]

"Sie…Sie denken die selben an die Nazin, tun Sie nicht?"

There were no words to describe that awkward moment, that sudden quiet that surrounded two people when a hard question was asked. Obviously, the Nazi was of the smart kind, the ones that could figure out a person almost instantly. He and the one people called "Hitler" probably were the same; they could talk a person into doing something, because they just knew how to. Such thoughts sounded accusatory in Adelheid's head, and for a moment, the remnants of strudel in her mouth had lost all their sweetness.

Adelheid looked to her left, then to her right. No one was looking, but they were all listening. They hated her. Everyone seemed to hate her. The Not-Nazis had been nice at first, but then, they thought Adelheid was a bad girl, and tried to put her in jail. The Nazis thought anyone without blond hair and blue eyes was ugly, like those sitting not too far away from the girl and Herr Jonas. It didn't matter what Adelheid said; anything she did say would probably be hated. Who was to say Herr Jonas didn't even hate her now for what she had been saying?

So, she didn't say anything. Instead, she gave the tiniest nod, further shrunk in her chair, and nibbled at the half-eaten strudel. It suddenly felt like the orphanage again, when everyone was staring and pointing, and whispering things about her. If only she could dissapear, and nobody could find her...