Rob lay down on his cot in their communal sleeping quarters, groaning. Jakob sat on his cot, removing parchment and a quill from his bag to write a letter to his wife. Schmidt was exhausted, but only realized after he sat down that his canteen was empty. He left the tent, walking through the dimly lit camp towards the dining tent.

“Barry!” a booming voice called from behind him. Despite Schmidt’s own stature being unusually small, Captain Humbert Bösch was a few centimeters shorter, though he carried himself as though he was the largest man in the room. “Barnabas Schmidt!” Bösch called after him, enunciating every syllable of his name.

“No, please God, anyone but him,” Schmidt muttered to himself.

“It’s amazing how we’ve been in the same company for nearly two years but we never see each other, isn’t it?” Bösch exclaimed. “It’s almost like you’re avoiding me!”

“I am avoiding you.”

Bösch clapped him on the back, pulling him into a hug that he wasn’t strong enough to escape. “Always a joker, you were, Barry! I can still remember all the amazing jokes you used to tell me when you were young… Those were the days, weren’t they!”

“Please, captain, don’t call me Barry.”

Bösch let him out of the hug. “Why, Barry’s an excellent nickname! You shouldn’t be ashamed of it, it really suits the man you’ve become, much better than stuffy old Barnabas!”

Other soldiers were beginning to stare. It was hard not to when Bösch was yelling every word. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t call me Barry, captain.”

“And there’s no need for you to call me captain! You can just call me Uncle Humbert like you used to! Maybe you can trick me into thinking we’re back in Rohrdorf, back in the good old days! Much better than Dijon, Rohrdorf was!”

Schmidt smiled awkwardly, turning to leave.

“Where are you going, Barry?”

He turned to face Bösch again. “It’s getting late, captain. I should get to sleep soon, there’s a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

“Oh, come on, it’s still only twilight! We haven’t caught up with each other in—”

“I’d really prefer to go.”

For a moment, Bösch’s face fell, and Schmidt felt a pang of guilt. Then, his face returned to his normal, cheery disposition. “Understandable,” he said, the first word that he spoke at a normal volume. “I’ll see you around camp, then, Barry.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you around…” Schmidt paused. “Uncle Humbert.”

“Yes?” Bösch stopped walking away, turning back towards him.

“Oh, uh, no, I just said I’ll see you around, Uncle Humbert.”

Bösch smiled softly. “You really have grown into a fine young man, Barry. Your mother and father would be proud.”

“I’m sure they’re the only ones that would be.”

“Sofia and I are proud of you too, boy.” With that, Bösch again turned to leave.

Schmidt stood for a few moments, watching the sky darken, the stars winking into existence staring back at him. He smiled to himself, then made his way back to his sleeping quarters. When he returned, Rob and Jakob were already asleep.

He sat on his cot for a moment, soft candlelight dancing across the fabric of the tent. He wasn’t tired anymore, so he pulled a piece of parchment and quill from his bag and began to write a letter.

Dear Sofia,

I’m sorry I haven’t written recently. The march to Dijon took nearly three weeks, and I barely had time to rest, let alone write. It would have only taken a week by horse, too, which is annoying. They told us why we wouldn't use horses before we left, but I don’t remember what it was. All I know is that it was the wrong decision, and that if I ever need to get back to Stuttgart, I’m riding a horse.

The town’s small, maybe even smaller than Rohrdorf if you can believe it, but it still has a wall. It’s strange; every French town we’ve passed on our way here has had a wall, no matter how tiny it is. Maybe they were worried about us invading, which would be understandable; we’re practically doing that now.

Though the official reason we’re here is to aid civilians while the rest of France falls into unrest, I know that it’s not the truth. We’re here to take over the territory for the Empire. Not that I have anything against expanding the Empire, but the least they could do is be open with us.

I’m glad that our company got assigned so far west. I want to learn more about what happened in Paris, since no one else seems interested in finding out the truth. I’ll spare you my explanations; I’ve been told that they sound like rants. Just know that there’s more to this than what’s on the surface.

If I’m right, then my only wish is that you stay safe. I’ve left everything I own to you, so don’t worry about how you’ll take care of yourself. Take that fiancé of yours and get somewhere far away. The world’s too big for you to spend your whole life in Rohrdorf.

I know what you’re thinking right now, something about how I still haven’t grown out of my suicidal phase, or that I shouldn’t be resigned to an early death. Well, I’m sorry, but it’s my duty as a soldier to die for the Empire. I’ll make sure to add a bit of flair to my death so that I live on in legend, though. Hopefully you don’t mind that.

With love,

Barry.