Broken Land

Johannes finishes the last stroke and replaces the quill in the ink. Finally done. He folds the yellow pages in three as neatly as possible. Johannes is very concerned about things being neat (much to the annoyance of his brother). He has a tendency to clean before the servants even hear about the mess; he doesn’t like asking too much of hem. His brother doesn’t either but that’s more of a pride thing. Johannes grabs a bar of wax from the top drawer of his desk. Unlike if brother, Johannes uses blue wax, the colour used by his grandmother. Johannes heats a bar of wax over his little candle. It takes a long time to soften the wax enough for his stamp. Johannes doesn’t mind, it’s early in the night (he thinks) and it’s worth the wait.

Johannes spreads the soft wax over the overlapping paper and pushes his stamp into the wax leaving an imprint, his personal imprint. When you look at the stamp, there is nothing that is related to his father’s stamp. Johannes has a wolf, as opposed to a stag (the family animal), holding a lily (a foreign flower). Johannes’s father and brother were surprise when Johannes ordered this stamp. His mother was all for it. Johannes’s father was a headstrong man though and he forbid Johannes to use the stamp for outside use.

Once the wax is dry, Johannes turns the letter over and scribbles Monika Seelenfrund on the front. Johannes stares at the name or, more accurately, the ink as it soaks in on the paper. Eventually, Johannes sets the latter on a stack of books off to the side. He grabs his candle and carries it to the windowsill. The stars are out and are lighting up the sky brighter than the previous night. Johannes climbs onto the windowsill and swings his legs out to the sloped roof outside.

“Rein, are you still out here?”

The young man several metres away from Johannes and his window lifts his head and glances in Johannes' direction.

“Johannes?”

“Yes brother.” Johannes makes his way across the roof and plants himself beside Rein. “Should you not be in bed?”

Rein doesn’t respond, he just stares at the sky, a habit he’s started. Without an answer, Johannes zones out, resting his head on Rein’s shoulder. This snaps Rein to acknowledge that Johannes is actually beside him.

“Shouldn’t you?”

Johannes pushes himself up with wide eyes. “I’m not tired.”

“Okay, Johannes. I’ll take your word for it.”

Johannes punches Rein, who starts laughing, in the upper shoulder. Johannes starts laughing. They feel like they can’t stop laughing.

“So,” Rein quiets his laughter, “why’d you come out?” I was coming to you in a minute.

“I was wondering if we could visit Mother tomorrow.” Rein doesn’t respond. “It’s been a while.”

Again Rein says nothing. Johannes lets go of his smile not noticing that Rein is still smiling.

“Sor–”

“Of course. Mother will be happy to see us.” Rein smiles at Johannes who brightens up again. Rein always found it easy to cheer his brother up.

“Thank you Rein.”

Rein returns his attention to the sky. He expects Johannes to leave. He hears a shuffle and assumes he does. However, Johannes only lies down beside Rein, watching the stars. Johannes notices that the moon keeps hiding itself, like it doesn’t want to be seen.

“Umm…Rein?”

Rein jurks his head towards Johannes who is lying comfortably beside him. I thought you went in. Johannes stares at Johannes hoping Johannes will acknowledge him even when Johannes’s eyes are closed. He doesn’t. Both Rein and Johannes sit waiting for the other to speak first. Johannes opens his eyes and finally realises that Rein is paying attention.

“What’s bothering you brother?” Johannes finally asks.

“The stars,” Rein responds without hesitation. Rein explains to Johannes the stars he has spent the better half of a year charting. Johannes has heard this all before so he zones out. Rein notices but continues talking.

“I have reason to believe man has changed the stars. I mean, the –”

“What?” Johannes sits right up, officially paying full attention to Rein.

“Man has changed the stars.” Rein says bluntly.

There’s a second pause. “Are you ill, Rein?” Johannes places his hand on Rein forehead, who promptly pushes it aside. “Men can’t change the stars.”

“But they changed over night.” Johannes notice the child in Johannes voice. “There are three stars missing.” Rein points to the sky, but with so many stars out, Johannes can’t find Rein 'missing stars'.

“You’re ill Brother.”

Rein gives Johannes a hard sideways glance. “I am not ill,” but upon seeing Johannes’s concerned face, he quickly adds: “I might be sleep deprived…might.”

They sit in silence too concerned to look back at the sky only at each other.

“Then retire. I’ll do the same.”

Johannes stands and cautiously makes it back to his own window.

“Oh Johannes.”

Johannes swings his legs into the frame, sitting, waiting for Rein to continue.

“Where is Marlene tonight?”

“Her room. Where else should she be?”

“Fetch her…but don’t wake her. Let her sleep with you tonight.” Rein stands then leans against the wall. Johannes suspects that Rein has no intention of going to bed. “I fear a dangerous night.”

“You’re ill. Go to sleep Rein.”

With that, Johannes enters his room leaving Rein alone.

I’m not ill. I know what I see and feel.

----------

Rein climbs through Johanness window. It’s smaller than his own, but that’s only because the bigger window has a 20-metre drop. How do you fit through here Johannes? Rein has a hard time squeezing through, especially with his sword slung over his back, but Rein isn’t going to take it off. He doesn’t want to risk it.

Eventually Rein makes it into the room. He doesn’t light the candle he spies beside him, he waits for his eyes to adjust. Slowly shapes begin to stand out from the black room. Rein sees the letter on Johannes’s desk. He picks it up and turns it over several times before returning it to the desk. Tomorrow Johannes. I promise. Rein spies Johanness bed and walks towards it, fearing the ever-creaking floor will wake Johannes.

Staring across the bed, Rein sees the figure of his brother and that of a small child. Marlene. Johannes has his arms wrapped around Marlene’s small body. He’s careful like she might break, but he holds her like she’ll get injured if he doesn’t.

“No matter what you say, you trust me.” Rein sits on the edge of Johannes’s bed. He touches his sibling’s skin gently, moving hair from Johannes’s face and tracing Marlene’s thin body. Rein can see their innocence in their sleep, how vulnerable they are. That’s why he came tonight.

Rein takes his sword off his back. “Thanks Johannes. You are a good brother.”