The soft, strained creak of a door swinging open, announced the arrival of Friedrich, Heinrich and Maria into the brightly lit confines of Albert's study.
A large wooden desk, with the image of a falcon carved into it occupied the left section of the room, directly facing a circular oriel window.
Three chairs sat on both sides of the desk, with two directly facing the window, and the other, a high back chair standing with its back against it.
On the room's right section, was a wooden cupboard about the height of an average man. Its stained glass, displayed its content; stacks upon stacks of folded up ledgers.
Two wooden shelves filled with books, flanked the left side of the cupboard, completing the room's modest decor.
Walking to the high back chair, Friedrich slowly sat down, while gesturing to the other two seats. "Please."
"You know this was one of the thing's he was most proud of in this room?" Heinrich mumbled, fingers running horizontally across the books on the shelf.
Exhaling softly, he moved toward the last of the chairs, and sat down.
"So about what happened at the port that day," Friedrich said after a beat of silence. "My memories of it aren't exactly clear."
"Please tell us everything you remember of that day." Heinrich interrupted, his voice firm. "And leave nothing out."
"Alright." Friedrich murmured, with a curt nod. Taking a breath to recollect himself, he began, "I remember Father inspecting the salt shipment. He looked... happy. Sounded... happy."
Whoa! Where did that come from? Friedrich thought, while the weight of his words settled in the room. Looks like i am Friedrich after all. And not just Damian with Friedrich's memories.
Tapping his hand against the desk's surface, he exhaled slowly, and continued, "Then the horns happened. It was heavy and unlike anything I've every heard."
"At first we thought it was just another merchant ship. And for a brief moment, it was just that. Another merchant ship."
"What happened next," he murmured, his voice low, "even I find it hard to describe."
After a moment of silence, he muttered, "It's strange... the things you forget and remember as life slips from you. The port was too quiet, for a trade day, almost empty. And the city guards... I've been turning it over in my mind. I didn't see a single one."
"Maybe the port was almost empty because it was early in the morning and I'm reading too much into it," He whispered the words under his breath, eyes staring vacantly at the door.
Turning to the side, he looked directly at Heinrich, and said, "What do you think Uncle Heinrich? You know the Elbe better than I do at the least. Does that sound right to you?"
The moment he dropped the question, his eyes zeroed in on Heinrich's expression keenly observing the changes on it.
Catching the subtle hints in Friedrich's words, Heinrich thought, This child. Is he trying to see if I know something about his family's death or if I suspect the same thing as him?
"No it does not," he said, a heavy look on his face. Clearing his throat, he went on, "In fact, I had my own reservations while reading Karl's letter. Pirates are bold, yes. But they're also rats. They scavenge and they steal. This... this was a slaughter in a locked pantry."
"I see." Friedrich murmured, his hands once again tapping a slow rhythm against the desk's surface.
A taut silence stretched across the length of the room, turning the mood heavy and somber.
From the side, Maria looked at Heinrich then Friedrich, the incredulity in her eyes deepening at how fast the conversation veered off course.
"My God, you two." She said with a chuckle, her voice tinged with slight exasperation. "What's with the war of words?"
"My apologise Aunt Maria." Friedrich said, a sheepish smile on his face. "But ever since waking up, memories of that day has continuously haunted me. I had to make sure I knew who I could trust."
Scratching his head awkwardly, he turned to Heinrich, and said, "I'm sure you understand, Uncle Heinrich."
"Of course." Heinrich smiled, waving his hands dismissively.
A more comfortable silence settled over the study, the initial tension easing.
Soon, they picked up where they left in their conversation drifting from the heavy topic of the attack to more mundane concerns.
Heinrich asked about the specifics of Friedrich's recovery, while Maria fretted over the state of the empty house.
"And what about lunch?" Maria asked, her tone filled with a maternal concern. "Did you get a proper meal after you left the church?"
"No, Aunt Maria." Friedrich replied, shaking his head. "I came home straight after leaving." Seeing the sliver of pity in Maria's eyes, he added, "I did eat breakfast though."
"And what would you do about lunch?" Maria asked again, her tone gentle but persistent.
Friedrich offered a faint, weary smile. "I'm grateful for your care Aunt Maria, really am. But you don't have to worry too much about me. I'll manage something."
"Except I worry, Friedrich," Maria replied, her brows furrowing into a frown. "And it's not just about today's lunch. What about tomorrow's breakfast and the days that follow."
"Friedrich, I understand your wanting to be strong. But there's no one here to..." Her voice trailed off, not completing the sentence.
"You can't be alone in this big house. There's no one to cook for you, to help you... It is not good for the body, especially one that is still recovering." Her gaze trailed toward the dirt stained gauze peeking out from the collar of his top.
"You know what?" she said, her face breaking into a smile. "Why don't you come stay with us until things are..."
The sound of Heinrich's chair abruptly scuffling against the floor, interrupted her, as his posture immediately stiffening.
"Absolutely not Maria," he countered in a low but firm voice. His expression which had been neutral folded into a frown. "We are not doing that."
Maria slowly turned toward Heinrich, her expression one of hurt. "How can you say that, Heinrich? He's Marta's son! He is the only surviving son of your good friend!"
Her voice cracked slightly. "How can you bear to abandon him to this empty house."
"Do not twist my words Maria," Heinrich retorted, a look of resolve in his eyes. "I am not abandoning him. And I never will. Not as long as I live."
"But we must be cautious in our dealings." He emphasized, his eyes glancing meaningfully at Friedrich. "Like we've already established, the circumstances surrounding his family's death is deeply suspicious. If there is even an off-chance that it was a deliberate act, and not mere pirate brutality, then we cannot have Friedrich live with us."
Seeing Maria gaze which was still unconvinced, he added, "If the people behind this killed an entire port, even a relatively empty one just to get to Albert, then bringing Friedrich into our home would not protect him."
With a soft sigh, Heinrich's gaze trailed out the window, and he murmured, "Instead we'd be painting a massive target on our entire family's back."
At the mention of her family, Maria's eyes shifted, the full scope of the threat finally registering with her.
Squeezing her hands, Heinrich took a deep breath, and turned to Friedrich, his eyes filled with a complex mix of apology and grim practicality. "I have my own children to think of, Friedrich. I'm sure you understand."
Meeting Heinrich's gaze, Friedrich saw the cold practicality of a man whose duty was first and foremost to his family. A very admirable quality.
"Uncle Heinrich is right, Aunt Maria," Friedrich said, his voice calm and measured. "Your concern means more to me than I can say."
"Still," He added after a split second of silence, a determined smile on his face. "Even if you both had agreed, I'd have still declined the offer."
Gesturing to the room, he said, "This... is... my home. And I would rather die a second time than leave it."
Heinrich slowly turned to Friedrich, his expression turning to one of surprise and approval. Truly a chip off the old Albert.
Letting out a deep sonorous laugh, he said, "Wonderfully said Friedrich. Wonderfully said."
After brief round of light conversation, Heinrich suggested, "I think it's time we rejoined the children. What do you think, Herr Friedrich"
Friedrich stood up, his lips slowly curling into a smile from Heinrich's friendly jab. "Of course, Herr Heinrich."
Getting to the door, he opened it, and said, "Shall we."
As he crossed the door's threshold, Heinrich suddenly stopped. "Oh... and a word of advice from merchant to fellow merchant. You must always... always be cautious."
His voice lowered to melancholic note, as he added, "Like my father used to say, a good hunter knows when to play dead to make his prey think itself the predator."