A new oneshot coming from yours truly. A couple warnings, as is of course tradition: World War I AU, so war stuff, complete with some mild gore. Another thing: Male Weiss. That's because in WWI, women were not yet allowed to be soldiers.

This was written because of 101st anniversary of the start of the war (28th June) and the 100th anniversary of Italy entering the war (3rd May), which meant that my country was directly under attack. The places mentioned in the story are real-life places. The only fictional things are the characters.

Ruby could not have been happier as she was that day. She was finally married to her true love of quite a few years, Weiss Schnee, the young Corporal of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They got married in the small village of Vrsno in Slovenian Littoral where they lived for their whole lives, where they met and fell in love.

Everything was perfect that day, and the day after. The young Corporal would barely let her out of the bedroom, not like Ruby complained. She could get lost in his deep blue eyes and silky white hair and forget the world even existed. She did have to leave to make food for the two, though. And she did so in the nude. It wasn't like she should be ashamed of her body nor would she be thought of as crass as the only person seeing her like that would be her husband. It was also pretty warm since it was almost July.

Really, it felt like paradise for Ruby. Until Monday, 29th of June.

The newspaper boy threw the newspaper through the window of their small house. Weiss got up to pick it and after he did, he paled.

"What's wrong, sweetie?", Ruby inquired with the sweet voice that would usually get a beautiful smile out of the young man. Not that day, though.

He turned around to face Ruby and said, with fear in his eyes: "His Excellency, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated yesterday. By some Serbian nationalists."

That's when Ruby's fairytale started falling apart quickly.

A week later, Weiss got a letter saying he needed to get to the conscription centre. Ruby was not happy with that at all.

"Weiss. We've just gotten married."

"Ruby, do you think I want to go? It's most likely just to keep us on high alert anyway, you shouldn't worry."

"I know, but… The assassination and all…"

"Ruby. I'll be back soon. Probably in less than a week. Don't worry. I love you." He kissed her and hugged her close, then went to the conscription centre.

Ruby watched him leave and tears started welling in her eyes. She looked up at the sky. Please, Lord, don't make him go to war.

Weiss showed up at Ruby's door unexpectedly about two weeks afterwards. Ruby saw him coming from a long way away and she ran towards him. When she tried to hug him, she noticed the pained expression in his eyes. Oh, good Lord, please no.

"Ruby, I'm being sent to Galicia."

"Is there going to be a war? Please say it won't."

Weiss hugged her as strongly as he could, which was quite a lot, to be honest. He was a soldier after all. "Most likely there will be. The generals are already discussing the battle plans."

Ruby cried into his shoulder. "But… But… We were supposed to go on our honeymoon. And…" She shut up as she let her tears flow silently into his uniform.

"And what, Ruby?"

Ruby sniffled. "I might be carrying."

Weiss squeezed her tighter. "That is beautiful, love. Don't worry. I will come back. I promise I won't leave a child fatherless. But now I have to go pick up my stuff. We leave at dusk."

Ruby reluctantly let go and looked above, at the peak of the mighty mountain Krn. She then looked Weiss in the eye. "Go, then. But don't even think of leaving until I come back from Krn."

"Honey… What are you…"

"Just do as I said. Please."

Weiss' eyes fell. "Fine. But don't be too long, okay? I have to leave in a few hours."

"More than enough," Ruby smiled. "I'm not going to climb all the way up anyway." She kissed him and turned around, leaving towards the mighty mountain with a quick pace.

Soon enough, the road stopped being flat and started rising sharply. She bravely powered upwards, only her goal in her sights.

Not too long after starting the ascent, she saw it. The perfect specimen of the flower she was looking for. She was technically breaking the law as those flowers were not allowed to be picked, but for Weiss, it was worth it.

She picked the flower up and started her descent. It felt to her like forever, but she actually took less time to get down from the mountain than it took her to go up.

Coming to her house, she saw Weiss standing at the porch, a ball on his shoulder, looking sharp with his uniform. She hid the flower before he could see it and ran to him.

After crashing their lips together, she put the flower in his buttonhole. Weiss looked at it.

"Edelweiss…"

"I wanted to find a perfect one. It should protect you. I would make you a whole wreath, but I don't have the time since it's all happening so fast."

"Ruby, do you want to get yourself killed?" Weiss was scared of what his wife was insinuating.

"Of course not! But for you, I'm willing to risk it. I love you, never forget that."

Weiss hugged her again, making sure he didn't press Ruby's head into the flower. "I won't forget it. I love you too."

"C-Can I escort you to the centre?", Ruby asked sheepishly.

"Of course." He threw his free hand around her shoulder while she hugged his waist. "Let's go then."

Neither spoke until they were almost there. Ruby's usual bubbly attitude and meaningless chirping were nowhere to be found. She had a bad feeling about everything.

"How long do you think it will last?"

"I don't know. A few months at most, if our generals are to be believed."

"Please, write to me."

"I will, don't worry."

"I will be afraid without you."

"You're safe. Italy is our ally, they won't attack if it really comes to war."

That seemed to calm Ruby down, for she said nothing more. She squeezed Weiss tighter though.

After reaching the conscription centre, the two stared at each other's eyes for a few minutes. Ruby was brought from her daze after hearing a crass comment from one of Weiss' fellow soldiers though. Weiss quickly apologized and held Ruby tight as he kissed her fervently, much to the applause of the uncouth soldiers at the centre.

When their lips finally parted, Ruby still clung on Weiss. "Promise me you'll return alive and well."

"I have your Edelweiss. Nothing can happen to me, didn't you say so yourself?"

"Please, Weiss."

Weiss pulled Ruby away enough to look her in the eye. "I promise, Ruby. I wouldn't dare to leave you alone."

Ruby smiled as Weiss let go of her and started leaving. "Write to me!", she yelled after him with a courageous smile.

"I will!"

Ruby watched him enter the building before turning around and letting her smile falter. She felt sick again. I am carrying, I'm sure of that. Please, come back safely and quickly.

On the morning of the 29th of July, Ruby paled upon reading the headline in her newspaper.

War declared on Serbia!

She was happy to read that Russia hasn't declared yet. Weiss was still safe. Maybe this will be just a small conflict. Serbia will yield soon. It has to. They have pitiful army compared to ours. What was scaring her, though, was that Russia was reported to be mobilizing.

She managed to calm herself down, though. It's just flexing of the muscles, nothing more.

It was not until a few days later that she almost collapsed after reading the news of Germany declaring on Russia. Despite it being August, there was suddenly no warmth in the hot summer sun. She ran to her father's house crying. He said nothing, just held his daughter close until she stopped crying.

Two weeks later, the letter from Weiss arrived.

My beloved Ruby,

As you have most likely heard by now, we have declared war on Russia. I hope this war doesn't get any larger than it already is. I have to follow my general's plans, though, and not question them.

But everybody here is convinced we'll be home by Christmas. Every general seems so convinced in their prediction that they have already given us the date of the end of the war. I can only pray they're right.

How are things at home? Are you really carrying? I look forward to seeing our baby if you are.

Sincere love,

Weiss

She quickly replied. She was very sure she was carrying and the letter gave her hope. She was ecstatic that whole day. August sun started warming her up. They'll be home by Christmas. They will be. There is no other way.

17th August, 1914:

We have engaged the enemy for the first time. We took some casualties, but little compared to them. This should go smoothly. I can only hope it will be over soon.

23rd August, 1914:

A few skirmishes have been done, nothing too heavy. I have heard that the Russians got pushed back at Tannenberg. They sure seem weak. Ruby, my love, it looks like I'll be coming back to you soon. Can't wait to see our baby and your development. I'm beaming with pride right now.

13th September, 1914:

We lost. We got pushed back and suffered heavy casualties. This war has claimed my first friend. Rest in peace, Adolf. We're caught at Przemýsl. Italy still hasn't declared war on France. Germany however doesn't have much of a choice and has decided to withdraw some forces from the West to come help us. Hopefully they come here soon. I miss you, Ruby, and I'm scared. But I'm trying to forget my fear. The Fatherland will prevail in the end, I'm sure.

12th November, 1914:

It's not getting any better. We're losing ground and we're being besieged. Many people are dying on both sides. Winter is a dreadful foe too. People are already succumbing to frost, and it's only November. It doesn't look like we'll be home by Christmas.

The brass apparently realized that too. Now our mail is being heavily censored. We're not allowed to say practically anything.

24th December, 1914:

Well, the generals never said by which Christmas we'll be home. There is a truce announced for the Christmas time, though. And boy, am I glad. I could go a day or two without hearing the shells exploding and bullets shooting everywhere. I would miss the screams of wounded the least, though. Luckily, I have not been hit yet, somehow unbelievable with the hail of bullets that is coming through our safehouse every day and night. Merry Christmas, Ruby. I miss you so much. I hope the pregnancy isn't too hard on you. I wish I could ask you stuff through mail.

After the first letter, Ruby was eagerly awaiting the next one. She finally received a note from Galicia, but it was not a letter. All it said was 'I am healthy and all is well.' It was pre-printed, so it wasn't even the handwriting of her love. There was his signature, though. Ruby could do nothing but hope what the note said was true. She gently caressed her swollen belly as she went to sleep that night, crying and hoping nothing bad would happen.

When the note kept coming every month, though, Ruby broke. She knew something bad was happening, but she had no proof. Everybody in the village received notes like hers, too, but nobody knew what was exactly happening.

What was more concerning was the continuing push of the Russians into Galicia and West Prussia while Germany was still alone in the fight against the French and British, as Italy still hasn't declared war and maintained neutrality.

When she received the note again in early December, Ruby knew Weiss was not coming back for Christmas, and neither was anyone else, unless they were sent in coffins.

Ruby tried to occupy her mind by meeting her friends in the village, talking about anything but the war. Talking about how pregnancy affected her could only keep her mind off Weiss for a while, though. The longer he was away, the sadder Ruby became. Every day without Weiss was longer and more dreadful. And there was no respite, except an occasional coffin in one of the surrounding villages.

13th January, 1915:

Why won't Italy declare war on France already? We cannot win this war without more German help. They shouldn't risk leaving Western front undefended to help us here. The line hasn't shifted since mid-December. We're still under a heavy barrage of fire daily. We're losing men by the dozens. I have heard some soldiers got parts of their bodies torn away in grenade explosions. Those that haven't died from blood loss or operation, were sent home. Lucky bastards.

27th April, 1915:

The Italians are supposedly meeting the Entente to address their joining the war on the other side. The filthy, double-crossing bastards!

We are planning an offensive after waiting for almost half a year. Please, God, let it be a successful one.

26th May, 1915:

The offensive was a success! We suffered moderate casualties, but much less than the Russians! Hurrah! We pushed them back at least a hundred kilometres.

We have also learned that Italians can't be trusted. They joined the war on the side of the Entente, thus opening a new front, putting my Ruby and my child in danger! Ruby, leave. Take everything and everybody you can and leave!

The hills and mountains were ablaze. Ruby looked at the mighty natural formations with fear, holding her screaming baby, whom she named Herman, close.

The Italians were supposed to be our allies, weren't they?

She knew the best thing to do would be to leave to a place where the war wasn't happening. But she couldn't do that. Weiss' notes would keep coming to there, so she wouldn't be able to see them. Since they started coming, they were the only way of knowing Weiss was still alive. She decided she'd send him a letter with her new address.

The packing didn't take long, the main problem was being on the lookout for the Italian forces that were up to no good, according to some stories. Everyone knew Italians were womanizers, and since they were the army, there was no limit to what they could do to her. She didn't want that, she just wanted away from it all.

Her father decided to stay behind, saying he'd probably get conscripted soon. In the end, Ruby managed to arrange an escape to Ljubljana with one friend.

Once the two of them settled with a kindhearted family and getting a job as their cleaning ladies, she sent the letter to the front where she hoped Weiss would get it.

Not a full month after sending the letter, she received the note saying the same old message again. Luckily, Weiss was apparently still alive. That alone gave her hope that maybe someday they'd meet again, however far away that day might have been.

14th July, 1915:

The traitors attacked and took control of my hometown and the surrounding mountains. Not a surprise, considering our bright generals decided Hungarians would stand a chance fighting the Alpines in the mountains. Ruby, I hope you're safe in Ljubljana. I still can't send you more than the note, but know that I love you and that I hope the child is doing fine. I hope this nightmare ends soon.

16th August, 1915:

At least the Russians aren't putting up much of a fight anymore. We're pushing them more and more back into their land. We should stop soon, though. Winter is coming and it isn't going to be nice. Last winter we lost over 100 thousand men just from hypothermia and flu. It would be madness to advance into Russia in winter. I hope the generals know and realize that.

7th November, 1915:

I think this is going to be the second Christmas without Ruby. I miss her so much. I hope she and the baby are alright. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I never got to see my child.

I want to go home. There's nothing here but severed limbs and screams of agony and ceaseless fire and explosions. Some people have gone deaf from all the explosions. This is no place for people. Not even animals should ever be treated like this.

12th January, 1916:

We sent some of the troops back towards my home. They need them there. I was hoping our brigade would get picked too, sadly, I was not in luck.

I lose more and more colleagues every day. I got hit by a small shrapnel right in my left eye. Luckily it has lost almost all its power, else I might be blind. It's still going to leave a nasty scar, but at least I still see. Ruby, you don't know how not being with you is driving me insane. I miss your touch. I miss your smile. I miss your ceaseless blabbering. I miss your beautiful eyes. I miss everything about you. Why was I not smart enough to take your photo with me? At least I'd have something to look at to help me relax.

It's freezing cold here. I thought Galicia was bad, but Baranovichi is even worse. I have seen people's toes frozen solid. They have ripped them off just to save themselves the pain of frozen extremities. The line has not moved for a long time and yet the stench of death and decay is still just as present as it was on the day I had my colleague's liver thrown in my face. That liver was the largest part of his body we could find.

25th May, 1916:

Nothing has happened since August. Why are we still here? Why doesn't Russia just yield already?

20th July, 1916:

It seems the Russians still have some fight left in them. They sent us back 40 kilometres. Generals say the Russians lost more men than us, but who is even counting the dead at this point? There were so many people killed that they'd overlap if put next to each other in a line from where the line started to our current position, I'm sure of it.

30th August, 1916:

Now even Romania has entered the war against us. I'm scared I might never see Ruby again, let alone my child. Is Ruby even still waiting for me to return? I would not blame it on her if she ran away with someone.

Herman was one year old and he still never saw his father other than the picture. Ruby cried herself to sleep every night, fearing that the morning would bring about the news that Herman would never get to see his father. Every time she would receive a message, she'd quiver in fear until she saw it was the "good" note. However, the other news weren't as good: more enemies for Austro-Hungarian empire arose in the shape of Romania and half a million of fresh soldiers.

Herman started talking a bit. He soon realized that the beautiful young man on the photo Ruby had beside her bed all the time was father. Soon after, he learned the word "where" and kept asking the question while pointing at his photo, unknowingly making Ruby even sadder and made her cry even harder.

Everything in her life lost meaning but Herman. She cleaned the house of the family that took her in because she had to. The friend she arrived to Ljubljana with left after two months when she found a boyfriend, apparently giving up on the one that was still at the front.

On the rare moments of free time, she would go outside the house, looking at the sky and the horizon. There were no mountains on the horizon, just flat land. A mountain girl like she was couldn't even get the small joy of watching a mountain above her head. She couldn't climb a tall mountain just to pass the time like she used to while she was in Vrsno. Every time she looked at the sky and saw no mountains, she'd remember something a poet from Vrsno wrote. They called him 'The Nightingale of Gorica' when he was still alive.

Oh, the memory of golden days

drives me back to the mountains,

my heart is dying for them,

for I am the mountain son!

She never really learned the words. She memorized them the moment she read them. She was clinging to those words as if they were her lifeline. She felt them to be the last connection she had to her beloved mountains.

After reciting the poem for what was most likely the millionth time, she said a little prayer for Weiss. Not because she believed in God; she lost the faith after the second Christmas without Weiss. No, she did it purely out of habit. After the prayer, she would always break down and cry, sometimes even in the middle of the street. People walking by would look at her with an understanding expression. Everybody lost someone they knew or loved in the war. Some of them even tried to comfort her, but Ruby would barely hear them; nothing existed in her world except Herman and the void Weiss left behind.

She was losing more and more hope for his safe return every day. The fateful letter never came, though. Just the same old 'I am healthy and all is well.' as always.

17th December, 1916:

The Romanians are proving to be less of a formidable foe and more of a nuisance that managed to momentarily turn the tide of war in the Entente favour. By now, our forces have pushed them far back into their own land. The number of their soldiers was either grossly overestimated or maybe they are just incompetent soldiers.

Either way, I'm expecting them to admit their defeat very soon.

Meanwhile, the Russians aren't as bad as they seemed. When both our brass are somewhere else, we exchange goods between us. They want our cigarettes and we want their vodka. Sadly, some of our younger soldiers don't seem to know that drinking a lot of vodka impedes with their senses, which leads to a carnage the next day. The Russians are also wonderful at telling jokes. We laugh a lot when we talk together. It all changes when the generals return, though. And the next day we're shooting at each other again.

Why are we shooting at them? They are people like us, with families, dreams, hopes. They are our enemies, sure, but they are people still. Why must people shoot at other people?

I asked one of my fellow Corporals that question. He said "God wills it." What God wills for death of his sheep? How can I keep faith in such a God? If there is a God, why would he want millions of people dead?

28th February, 1917:

There are words of a revolution coming from the East. The Russians are fighting amongst themselves. Their attacks on our positions are weakened as parts of the army are sent towards Moscow.

The Romanians still won't yield. Our generals say that they lost over half their army by now, but they just don't want to quit.

How are you, Ruby? There have been no news from the front, except that it appears to be a stalemate. Is our child well? If only you knew how much I miss you both. I want to hold the two of you in my hands and never let go. Are you still waiting? Were two Christmases without me too much for you to stay faithful? I don't resent you if you ran away. Nor could I blame you.

5th March, 1917:

I am being sent to fight near Gorizia. I am leaving tomorrow to serve under General Borojević, together with our regiment.

Ruby, I'm coming near you. I am so sorry we will probably not meet, much as I wish to.

I am looking forward to moving away from this hellhole. No screams of the wounded, no explosions… Travel sure sounds like a wonderful thing. Who knows, I hold that little hope that in the time we reach our destination, the war will be over. At this point, I would like for nothing more than that.

25th March, 1917:

We passed Ljubljana on the way to Gorizia. I feel so bad for not sneaking away and trying to find Ruby, to see her, if only for a minute. Now we're here, waiting for the general to give orders and send us to fight the Italians.

The travel was the best part of this war. Now I already hear the explosions in the distance again.

Ruby heard that a regiment from the East was being sent past Ljubljana. She got the day off from the family she worked at to go and see. Unfortunately for her, the regiment was not going straight through the city, but rather around it, so that meant Ruby would have to be really lucky to spot her love. That of course didn't happen and she returned to her house crying.

Not too long after that day, she received a note of Weiss' good health. When she noticed that it was sent from Gorizia, she fainted and the family found her unconscious on the floor of their guest room.

"Ruby, wake up!", the patron of the house, a nice older man that went by the name Alojz screamed while gently slapping Ruby's face. His wife Marija brought a glass of water that she then sprayed on Ruby's face and that brought her back to life.

Alojz, happy that their employee was okay, asked with concern in his voice, "What happened, Ruby?"

Ruby checked the note she still held in her hand and started crying loudly. Alojz tried to read the note, fearing the worst, but he then recognized it as the "good" note. Ruby let go of it and the man checked all the note for a discrepancy or a clue as to why Ruby fainted because of that. He then noticed that the postage stamp was from Gorizia and not Baranovichi as it was for the whole time he took Ruby in.

"He went by here, didn't he?", his wife inquired. He just nodded. The older woman then lifted Ruby up and held her close, letting Ruby's tears flow freely down her expensive dress.

10th June, 1917:

The Italians are pushing us back. Another offensive ended with us losing some land to them. We have captured a lot and killed some, but they did very similarly to us in that regard.

I used to fear when I saw the bodies run towards my position in the trench. Now I just silently aim and shoot. If one of them is lucky enough to dodge my bullets, my bayonet impales him before he has a chance to shoot me. My face was red with blood so many times this last month. And the weather isn't helping.

15th September, 1917:

Another month of almost incessant battle. For nothing. 250 thousand more men lost either to death or captivity. For nothing. Another month of fruitless war. Another month of suffering. All for nothing. Our generals are preparing a counterattack, apparently the first Austrian attack on this front since the war started. Hard to guess how that will go.

Romanians are now pushing us back. This war will either never end or we will lose it.

On one hand, I wish I'd die. But on the other, I don't want to break the promise I've given to you, Ruby. I said I wouldn't dare and leave my child fatherless. Look at me keeping that promise.

I have lost hope. But I have to be strong. For Fatherland, for my home, for Ruby. For that tiny, tiny thread of hope i'll see her again.

10th November, 1917:

The offensive worked. The Italians were sent back to Piave river and suffered heavy losses, most of them due to captivity. I heard the Germans helped up North while general Borojević pushed on through Gorizia deep into Friuli. A great victory for Austria-Hungary, but not everything is as good as it sounds.

There is no food. I haven't eaten something that wasn't potato in over a month, if not more. The morale is low and is dipping still, though the Italian morale must be even lower. Nobody wants to continue this war, how can those in command not see that?

Apparently Russians had to stop helping the Romanians due to another revolution. This gives me hope that both Romania and Russia will soon surrender, thus freeing the soldiers there to concentrate on the West. Lord knows we need the manpower.

Ruby was freezing cold, holding Herman very close to her. She heard the news of a great victory at Kobarid and how the Italians surrendered almost without a fight. She also heard the news of the impending end to the Eastern front due to revolution in Russia. But in that moment, nothing mattered. What mattered to her the most was that Herman told her something that made her happy.

At the tender age of two and a half, he managed to say "Father's coming home" in his clumsy speech. He kept repeating that sentence almost like a mantra of some sort and after Ruby realized what the child was telling her, she joined in on the mantra.

She repeated it so many times she started believing it. And for a while, she believed it so much she was one of the happiest people in the world. But after night settled once again and Weiss didn't show up, her happiness was shattered. Holding Herman close, she recalled the beautiful moments of her time spent with Weiss, the times they held their hands together, their first kiss, their first ascent on Krn, their wedding and many more of them.

She believed in fairytales back then. What a stupid young girl I was. Now look at me, a cleaning lady to someone I never met before coming to here, so far away from my home, everything I held dear, so far away from my husband whom I love dearly, with a child that will most likely grow up fatherless because some bastard on the throne decided that little people should go to war for the big people's enjoyment.

From what Ruby heard, millions of people already died. Yet the war showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

It had moved away from Ruby's true home, though. And she was already planning on going there again very soon. As much as she feared she'd find the whole village in ruins, she simply had to go there. She already sent a letter to the front informing Weiss she'd be moving to Vrsno again by the time she was ready to go home again.

This Christmas, I'll be at home. Waiting.

10th March, 1918:

The Russians surrendered about a week ago, or so the top brass say. The Eastern front is done. Can we still snatch victory in this war? On the other hand, would it really be a victory? Millions of people already died. Can anything compensate for the lost? I don't even know if anyone I know hasn't lost a family member in this war. However you look at it, the extra troops should help us in the battle. Those fresh American soldiers on the Entente side are making me scared.

Ruby. I want to see you. I want to see our child. I want to feel the warmth of your love again. As much as I bitched about your incessant blabbering about nothing in particular, I miss that so much I can't even begin to explain. I can't stand more death. Blabbering about nothing would be a balm to my ears right now.

I cry all the time, silently of course. When I wake up, there doesn't pass a second I don't hear an anguished cry or a shot. I just want it all to end. Now.

20th May, 1918:

We haven't moved since November. The warm spring sun is drying us out, even with the river in immediate vicinity. Everybody knows that going for water down there is a suicide, though, so we're reduced to watching it while we wait for the carrier soldiers to bring water from the closest town.

It's agonizing to be so close to the water and not being able to drink it. People have legitimately went insane from it. I'm wondering if I'm going insane too. I'd like to think that these rare days I can write a diary are helping me stay sane.

It's either that or my drive to see you again, Ruby. I feel that the end of this war is near. I feel I'll be able to see you again soon. That is, if you still want to see me when it's all over. I sure hope you do. It's the only thing that keeps me going still.

27th June, 1918:

The Italians surprised us and made us retreat from the offensive we launched. We lost about 150 thousand people to either death or imprisonment. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but whoever betrayed the date of the attack deserved to die. Not to mention the person who thought that it would be wise to assault over the swollen part of the river. We got slaughtered like sheep. I was lucky enough to escape with my life with only a small bullet wound to my shoulder.

The Americans are coming to help them. We're doomed, I'm afraid. I am contemplating surrendering myself to Italians. It can't be worse than getting shot and dying that way.

23rd October, 1918:

The front has been silent lately. Too silent. I have a grave feeling that an attack is guaranteed within a week.

It's a little funny how all I wished for was a little peace and quiet, but now that there is silence, I am afraid. I pray I survive until this war ends. To whom do I pray, though? It's been a long time since I've prayed to the god that I was taught since birth was the right one. If he allowed a war of such scale, he couldn't be the right one. What kind of vengeful god wishes for something like this?

I already feel there will be little sleep tonight.

Weiss was walking towards home with head hung low. The early November weather was not warm by itself, but walking through the land that used to belong to your country until a few days ago reflected sharply on Weiss' mind.

We lost. The war is over and we lost.

Weiss was, however, eternally grateful to whichever god saved him from death. After Vittorio was taken, Austrian army chaotically retreated towards what was their home. They simply stopped fighting and ran, openly defying the brass. For most of them, the war was over and there was no way anyone would bring them back. Weiss was one of them. But after escaping, he was faced with a bigger challenge: returning to his home safely. Being in Austrian uniform in what was still Italy before the war didn't make that any easier though.

On more than one instance, he was cursed by the people living in the villages. He didn't understand a word of the language, but he knew what they were saying. On more than one occasion, he had rocks thrown at him, if not worse.

Then, one day, he came face to face with death when an Italian soldier suddenly jumped in front of him with a bayonet pointed right at Weiss' chest. Weiss immediately threw his unarmed hands in the air and knelt before the soldier. Weiss abandoned his rifle when he refused to obey general's orders.

That soldier knew German, though.

"I have you now, swine."

"Please, I surrender! Don't shoot! I'm unarmed!"

"General Badoglio told me to shoot any Austrian swine I find. Say goodbye to the world."

Weiss closed his eyes, accepting his fate, but the fatal shot never came.

"Lucky swine," the soldier said.

"I… Don't get it."

"Hear the bells?", the soldier pointed at the sky. "It's three in the afternoon."

"Why is that important?" To say Weiss was perplexed was putting it mildly.

"General Badoglio told me I can only shoot you swines until three in the afternoon today. I could still shoot you and nobody would know, but three years was enough, I guess." He then offered Weiss a hand that he reluctantly took and the soldier pulled him to his feet.

Weiss took a good look at the man. He was tall and didn't look too good. Weak enough for Weiss to overpower him, but the war was over and he was also armed.

He looked at his tag. N. Vasilias.

Soldier Vasilias spoke again. "Where do you live?"

Weiss looked at the ground. "Vrsno."

"Where is that?"

"Near Kobarid."

"If you mention that name once more, I will shoot you. So, under Krn?"

"Yes."

"Well, that means I would shoot a fellow countryman. I might even get hanged myself for it. I'm very glad I didn't shoot you, even if I could, swine."

"What do you mean, a fellow countryman?"

"Will you look at this one!", the soldier started laughing. "Isonzo Valley is Italian now. Don't you know that?"

I am Italian now? "Are you sure?"

"Those were the terms under which we entered the war in the first place. So now that we won, it's obviously ours, don't you think?"

"I… Guess."

"Well, off on your way, soldier! Viva Italia!" He gave him a salute which Weiss slowly returned, trying to mimic his movements. Then he restarted his journey towards his home, if he could still call it that.

Ruby, I'm sorry for everything. I failed the country. I failed myself. I failed you.

After two or three weeks of walking and barely eating anything, he finally saw the familiar sight of mighty Krn, albeit from a different side than usual. He kissed the ground where he stood before deciding that he needed to do something before returning home. He patted his long empty buttonhole where Ruby's gift to him was put before he left for Galicia and started walking towards the mountain.

Ruby was sitting at the porch of her house, watching Herman play with a truck that her father made for him out of wood just for him.

"I'm a big, strong truck and I'm bringing home father!"

Ruby couldn't help but smile at the happy child, even though she was completely heartbroken by the words.

The war is over. He still hasn't returned. He must be dead. There is no way he could be on the way for so long.

She resigned herself to her fate. She tried not to think of it, but she couldn't help herself. She wasn't sure she'd ever receive his coffin, and so she would be unable to give him a proper funeral.

Herman continued his playing and didn't notice a soldier in the distance, coming towards the house. Ruby, on the other hand, did. She didn't even know why her heart skipped a beat from seeing that soldier, but maybe it was the last glimmer of hope that Weiss was coming back.

The closer the soldier got, the smaller Ruby's hope was. From a distance she could see that the man wasn't cleanly shaven, but rather had a pretty bushy beard. He did wear Austrian uniform, though. And his size was right. And his beard was white.

She started crying, looking away from the soldier that was giving her false hope. There was no way it was him, she was sure. Herman noticed her crying and came up to her.

"What's wrong, mama?"

"Nothing, sweetie. Come on, let's go inside, I'll make us something to eat."

Herman happily followed her into the house as Ruby contemplated what to make. There was not much besides homemade bread and some broth that was left over from lunch. The war took a toll on everyone. The soldiers who returned home were malnourished, but so were their families. Four years of fighting and not much agriculture depleted the nation's reserves of food. And now that Vrsno was not even in the same country anymore, Ruby couldn't hope to get some food as a gift since she was a "foreigner".

She started scouring the kitchen while Herman played with his truck on the floor. She just found a small chunk of cheese she could put on bread, when she heard a sound coming from within the house.

She turned around, startled at the sudden noise, noticing Herman close to her and knowing it was not him. Oh my God, they are coming for me. Italian soldiers are coming for me. Please, no.

The noise repeated itself. A knock on the slowly approached the door. If it were soldiers, they'd just break in. Who is it?

She opened the door and she hitched her breath. It was a soldier, but the uniform was not Italian. It was so similar to his Ruby almost started crying then and there.

It seemed that the soldier couldn't bear to look at her as he asked one question.

"Does Ruby Schnee still live here?"

At those words, Ruby looked up at his face and saw that white beard she saw in the distance before. Her breath stopped at the buttonhole holding an Edelweiss very similar to the one she gave to Weiss before he left for the war. She couldn't believe it.

Ruby cupped his face with her hand and ran them all over the face, all the while looking into those familiar deep blue eyes, seeing the scar over one of the eyes but paid no mind to it and breathing short breaths. She was speechless.

"I did say I'll be home by Christmas, didn't I?"

Ruby managed a chuckle before her eyes gave out and let out a stream of tears as she buried herself into her husband's chest after more than four years. She started crying loudly and all Weiss could do was hold her while trying not to cry himself.

"There, there, don't be a dolt," Weiss stated in between small hiccoughs as he battled to keep down the tears and ultimately failing to do so.

"Herman!", Ruby cried out, "Herman, your father is home! Your father is finally home!"

Herman, who stayed behind to play with his toy truck, came to see what the commotion was about. He came to Ruby and looked at Weiss for a while, as if judging him. Weiss noticed Herman was very much like him. Same white hair, same deep blue eyes, same face.

"Father?", he asked innocently. He then looked at Ruby. "Father?"

"Yes! Yes! This is your father, Herman!"

"Father, up! Up!"

Weiss smiled at the antics and knelt to finally lift his son in his arms for the first time ever. And it filled him with such great power and happiness unlike anything he experienced before. This is my son. My legacy. I have to protect my and Ruby's legacy. It's my duty as a father.

"Herman," he whispered while holding his son tight, "I'll never go away like this again. I promise."

Ruby then realized they were still standing at the door. "Come in, come in! I'll make you something to eat."

Weiss happily obliged. I'm finally home again. It may be a different country than it was before, but it's my home.

As he sat down at the table, he remembered something he thought about on the way home.

"Sweetheart, do you know any English?"

"English? I barely speak German. Why?"

"I was thinking we could move somewhere."

"No. Let's not move. I love the mountains and I couldn't live without them. The two years in Ljubljana I was the saddest woman on the planet."

"We could move to somewhere that also has mountains. Since you know German, maybe Switzerland?"

"You've just returned to our home, Weiss. I have returned a year ago. Why would I want to move?"

"I don't know. Just a hunch it would be good."

Ruby came out of the kitchen with a plate of something that was made from whatever she could find. She set that plate and a spoon in front of her husband and sat next to him.

"Weiss. I don't want to move from here. Yes, Italians might not like us because we aren't them, but I will not give them the satisfaction and moving out. Not now that you returned. Now I am strong and I know nothing can harm me."

Weiss smiled at his wife and gently squeezed her hand. "That's the Ruby I know. Forget I ever said anything. I vow to protect you both. Today, tomorrow, every day of my life. Because you two make life worth living."

Thank you for reading what was most likely the hardest story for me to write. Reviews are welcome and see you next time!