Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

Early morning on the seventh day of Case Yellow. Even without the sunlight, Arras is still brightly lit and is a hub of activities. Illuminated by the lights coming from the VTOls and vehicles coming in and out of the city, Arras displays scars of a recently fought battle. A battle in which the Reich ousted the combined Eruseans and Loyalists garrison to gain control of the city. Unlike Cambrais, Arras was much easier to subsume, owing to the complete lack of any armor units stationed in and around the city. Whether this was a result of overall incompetence or a general lack of capable fighting units remains to be seen. However, it's safe to say that my military won't make the mistake of leaving this critical staging area undefended.

Arras is important, both for the Allied forces and for the Reich. The city is not just a logistical hub for the Allies but also a vital stepping stone in the bid to encircle the Northern Allied Armies. Holding Arras means we have the leverage we need to deploy our Corps and Divisions both North and South of the city. If the enemy Generals are any bit competent, then they will understand this and prepare for an immediate counterattack. Even if their forces ultimately turn out to be lacking in potency, it's still prudent to prepare in advance. This is why the Belkan Army Pioneers are fortifying Arras, with the Air Force constantly airlifting materials from FOB Warehouse. They are responsible for making sure that the defenses of Arras will be airtight, all the while the other units are busy handling the aftermath of the city's seizure.

As for me...

It's way past bedtime, for once, and Daria has already ended her shift. Yet, I am still here, sitting above a clean and structurally sound portion of Arras' walls. Next to me is a foldable table with a thermo and two glass tumblers fished out of a restaurant. Panning my gaze, I see the sprawling city of Arras, dotted with buildings of all shapes and sizes, some rundown or burning while others stand defiantly albeit battered. In between the buildings and on the scarred city streets are columns of soldiers and vehicles moving in an orderly manner. Some units move to clean the streets of the bodies and sort out the capture equipment. Others work to ensure the Prisoners of War ain't thinking about trying any funny business. From my vantage point up high, I zoom in on a group of POWs being loaded onto a truck, one of them decides to dawdle and gaze stupidly at the VTOLs overhead. A stout-looking Belkan Grenadier, a dwarf, kicks the young Erusean soldier in the butt for sticking around.

"Oy! Quit standing over there and being a muppet, eh!?" The dwarf says while urging the young POW ahead with his shotgun. "I ain't no time for you bubbling fool to waste, eh! I want to end my shift and grab some chow, you know!"

Even from up here, I can still hear the dwarfs' version of an Erusean accent. Some dwarfs fit in the modern dialect just fine, but others are hellbent on sticking to their traditional way of speaking. Honestly, it's a very dwarfish thing of them to do, and people tend to look at them fondly.

"Hey! Cool it off, you twat! I am just taking a breather here!" The Erusean POW retorts. "We're tired, and we demand you treat us with civility!"

The dwarf chambers his shotgun with a resounding 'kachunk' before saying. "This is my civility, muppet! Now get on them trucks or we'll both miss the chow!"

Suffice to say, the POWs are rightfully scared and respect the dwarf with a shotgun and an axe on his back.

Directing my gaze elsewhere, I take a look at the Osprey the POW was checking out. Turn out, that Osprey is hoisting a C-RAM up on the city walls and behind some armored barricades installed by the Pioneers. The Osprey sure kicks up a lot of gust and dust in doing so, however. Fortunately, I had the mind to pick out a section of the walls far away from the hustle-bustle.

A rustle of wings can be heard before a pair of arms wrapped me from behind. I smile and greet.

"Welcome back, Bryn. I trust that the other Witches are tucked into their new quarters?"

Bryn, my beloved Valkyrie, nuzzles her chin on my head. The previous days were too serious and stressful, making us bury our feelings on the field. Now that we're in a more private setting and that she is once again taking my side as my adjutant, Bryn can now act more affectionate with me. "They've accepted their new lodging happily, Yuki. They asked me to pass on their thanks to you."

I nod. "Then I will gladly accept their gratefulness. Your girls have performed admirably thus far, and they will no doubt continue the trend under your command."

"You flatter us, Yuki." Bryn replies. I can just about feel her smiling behind me.

I then grab the thermo and pour the content inside into the tumblers, not coffee or alcohol, of course. It's just some high-quality tea to soothe the mind and body.

"You should sit with me. Relax after such a long flight."

Bryn smiles before hoisting me up and taking my seat. She then lowers me onto her lap. Her actions took but three seconds to complete. "Truthfully, Yuki, the flight was comfortable and wasn't long. One may even say that the journey here was calming without needing to constantly be on the lookout."

Bryn then picks up a tumbler and so do I. We then clink our glasses together, with Bryn saying. "Though I won't say no to a chance at relaxing with you."

My Valkyrie then looks up to the sky above. "Unfortunately, we can't really see the stars with this Fog of War."

I nod, looking up too. "Stargazing would have been romantic with our prime position on this wall. Alas, I doubt that we will have the chance to do so unless we go back to the rearline."

We then drink from our tumblers, idly gazing at the smoky dark sky. Despite the seemingly dull nature of the sight, it does have its own attractiveness that draws you in. For once, you know and can imagine the beautiful stars beyond. Yet, such a beauty is hidden and covered by the ugliness of mankind. The neat part is, I am a major contributor to that very ugliness.

After a brief period of peaceful nothing, Bryn speaks up. "I will take the Night Witches to familiarize ourselves with the lay of the land the coming evening. The upcoming few days require utmost attentiveness and vigilance from us so we must prepare ourselves."

I nod. "You won't hear anything else from me, my dear. Just remember to keep yourself and your unit safe, then return to me."

Bryn smiles affirmatively before nuzzling my nape. Understandably, she has had her sexual needs pent up these past few days so she is quite touchy of me right now. Sadly, the both of us will have to make do with a loving glance, or a kiss here and there.

"The Eruseans have moved. In fact, they seem to invest much more than we expected." I say as Bryn's hands roam slowly all over my front. "It appears that the Loyalist Prime Minister once again became a wild card that to aid our cause... Ultimately. The Erusean Kingdom already shipped some units by the Channel and is reinforcing Dunkirk. If left unattended, the EEF will swell in number and firepower in a couple of days."

Bryn hums knowingly before leaning in for a gentle kiss. "Yet, isn't that our plan? To deprive their mainland of defenders?"

I smile, gazing into Bryn's sapphire blue eyes. "The more bodies they send to Dunkirk, the easier it will become for our future invasion. London will fall when the majority of its Army are either dead, missing, or made POWs. Interestingly, in an attempt to stall for time and prevent us from encircling them, the Allied forces are staging counterattacks. The Loyalist Reservists are making a break for Abbeville and Montcornet. Here in the North, the EEF and whatever Loyalist Regular Armies still standing are moving simultaneously against Arras and Cambrais. Yet, from what SIGINT and our spies have gathered, the attacks on Arras and Cambrais are uncoordinated with none of the forces even knowing of each other's existence. Interesting how that works, right?"

"It is." Bryn admits. "But not as interesting as the lady in my embrace."

I chuckle. "That is such a classic, yet corny line, love."

"Indeed, but I only speak the truth." Bryn kisses me once more while pulling my waist closer to hers. "Unlike the rest of our family, I can't bring you back to my bed without repercussions. I dislike every second of not doing so..."

"Me too, Bryn... Me too..." I sigh hotly. "We better take a break after Case Yellow is concluded."

"That is but the only course of action. You, me, everyone... Despite the momentous offer of yet another epic war, I find myself similarly pulled to life with our family." Bryn comments.

"Don't tell me that you want to retire from the war now, my dear." I jest.

"No, more like I will help end it faster so that we will get the life we all deserve." Bryn replies with conviction. "To accomplish plan V2, I can and will stomach anything the world throws at me for the future belongs to us."

My lips curl up in a happy and proud smile. "That's my Valkyrie. Words have it that, other than Erusea, Polania is also moving in the background. In a week or two, they won't be able to stay still and will play perfectly into our trap."

"And the Reds?"

"The Rusviets are borderline bloodthirsty by now. They will happily join the fray alongside us, but they will not be as clean if the trend continues." I answer. "Regardless, they will fulfill their purpose accordingly, knowingly or not."

"It seems that the world still moves on nicely despite my time zoning into a small slice of it." Bryn comments.

"Quite so, love. Being in the thick of it has both pros and cons."

"I don't regret taking those cons though if it means I will fight by your side in a literal manner." Bryn adds.

I chuckle before kissing her for a few seconds. "The upcoming Allied counterattack against Arras... It won't be much of a fight, but it will be a spectacle with three Divisions at least. There's no telling just how many the Allied can bring to bear, however. Their miscommunication means we can't reliably extrapolate who will join in or stay out of the ultimate attack."

Bryn smiles meaningfully while pushing my back to rest against her well-endowed asset. "In a way, this can be counted as us suffering from success. When our jammers work so well that the enemy defaulted into unpredictable chaos to deal with us."

"We can't have it any other way though. Besides, they can only struggle so much. Still, it doesn't mean that we can't err on the side of caution. It will only be a matter of time before the Eruseans start trying to attack our home." I add.

"We will be ready. You, will be ready. No one will be able to get away with infringing upon the Reich Marshal's turf." Bryn says with a smile, earning a giggle from me.

"Damn right, that is." I then look at her. "Though you can't really bed-bed me, do you want to lie down with me? Come morning, you will have to go back to your adjutant mode, so we may as well snuggle as long as we can."

"Who am I to say no to my love?" Bryn chuckles before carrying me down the walls like a Princess.

Of course, we aren't really alone, as Erika and the rest of her team are around now to keep me guarded. Other than sparing me an exasperated glance and a knowing smile, Erika and her unit escort us back to my private quarter, a hotel room with all the required amenities.

When dawn comes, it will be us going back to the grind.