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Doc just watched the interaction between mother and daughter. It was necessary and it seemed, for a moment anyway, that Gretel had found some life. For Doc, it was therapeutic. He remembered times back at Tombstone when Midori would put the children to bed. The smile he had then was the same on his face now.
Gretel eventually would fall asleep. It had been a long day, after all, and the emotional stress no doubt took a toll. Doc just turned to Hildagart as he motioned to take the girl to her bed, "May I?"
Hilda nodded. "Ja... you can..." She slowly let go of Gretel's hand and motioned to her to go to Doc. "Vat... Vat..." Gretel said stuttering after the t again. "Vat..." She held out her hand for someone to grab. "Go with him... mien Gretel..." Hilda said trying to get her daughter to move to Doc.
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Doc stayed on a knee, staying at her level and being as kind as he could. He wasn't singing anymore but kept a low hum of what he was singing.
"It is OK, Gretel," he said softly as he held his arms open a bit, "I will not hurt you. I am here to help."
When she held her hand out, he took it softly. "There you go, Gretel," he said softly with a light smile. He caressed the small hand in his own showing concern, care and love. "Do not be afraid."
Gretel looked at Doc before she slowly held out her other little hand. "Vat... Vat..." She repeated to him before she yawned again. "Vat... V..vat..." She used her free hand to rub her eyes before her knees started to sag a little. "I think... we should put her to bed... und talk about... me for a bit..." Hilda said. "We can continue with Gretel in die morning..."
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"Agreed," he said as her sag caused her to slip. Doc caught her and found her in his possession. He snickered and held her as she rubbed her eyes. He gave a look and smile to Hildagart, "Show me the way."
He just stroked her back and her hair. She was precious and he instantly took to her. He spoke softly to her the whole time. Hildagart was right as Gretel was asleep before they reached the bed. His father's instinct led him to kiss her forehead. Once she was settled, they returned to the living room where Doc gave a smile to Hildagart,
"I'm not sure what I did but she responded quite well I think. Now, perhaps we could have a drink and I could work with my other patient a bit.....you."
Hilda nodded. "Ja could do with a stiff drink..." She called for a maid. "So... what do you want Herr Doktor?" Hilda asked while they waited for the maid. "Well... er..." She sighs. "Die only feeling I can feel when someone mentions Liberty is... pure rage... and anger... und... I... can't help but..." She sighs again. "Become... violent..." She looks at Doc with a worried look. "A..am... I... becoming... in...insane?"
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He thought a moment. "You'll laugh but I've never tried your Schnapps. I've heard its minty but relaxing so I'll try some....your choice of flavor."
As he waited, he addressed her questions. "Being that your husband was lost to your enemy, I can understand why you feel rage," he explained, "I suppose that would be a natural feeling. Insanity? No. Sadly, it's innocents that end up the ones who suffer in war, a war that is usually between governments. More than once I've had to go to sights of orbital bombardment to identify the dead, most of which were civilians. When I tell the families what happened to their loved ones? Well, I think you get the idea. There is too much hatred in Sirius but I'm not here to lecture on politics."
He looked at her for a moment, "Your rage is understandable but at some point, you will need to learn to control it if you can't get past it. This war will end one day and you will have to at least deal with people from Liberty. Remember, your children feed from you. Do you want them to hate? Something tells me that you don't."
Hilda nodded as the maid places a bottle of apple flavored Schnapps and two glasses down. "Ja... I guess... you are right..." She filled both glasses. "But what... if I never get over my hatred of Libertonians..." She sighs. "When you grew up on Stuttgart... you dislike them enough for taking our planet away from us... piece by piece... farm by farm..." She downs her Schnapps. "I... think mien two sons... already hate Liberty... for taking their Vater... let alone their unborn sister... und... what happened to Gretel..." She sighs again before she wipes a tear away. "I... just want... justice for... what die Libertonians... did..." She looked deeply into Doc's eyes. "If I cannot get justice... I think mien rage will... take... me over..." She sighs before she speaks again. "Careful with die Schnapps it is very strong..."
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He accepted the glass and sipped it, tasting it in every corner of his mouth, letting it soak into his tongue before swallowing it. He gave a smile of approval, "Pretty good stuff. Doesn't hit you too hard......tasty yet......relaxing. You choose well, Miss."
He studied the contents a bit as he spoke into the glass, "Some of what I will say is by no means intended to offend. It might even upset you but they are things that need to be heard, to be dealt with."
He held his glass in both hands on his lap as he spoke, "Hatred is a powerful enemy.....a demon.....something that if allowed to dwell within, it will consume you...consume your very well being. Is that what you want? Is that what you want for your kids?"
He took another sip of the Schnapps, "Unioners, Red Hessians, Bunschuh...they all fuel off of hate and to a degree, despair. Do you want your children to end up as one of them? I mean, what if one day you were commanding your ship and your two sons approached in say, Hessian tagged ships. What would you do? That's a scenario that seems unlikely now but it's hypothetical."
"Hate Liberty forever?" he asked, "How do Rheinlanders feel about Kusari now after their 80 years war? It would seem, based on the amount of Kusari traders I've seen passing that people have maybe not forgotten, but forgiven."
He leaned forward a bit, "It may take some time but you too will need to forgive one day. Would your husband want his family living in hate? But, before you make peace with anyone else, you must at first make peace with yourself."
Hilda listened to Doc nodding until he mentioned about her sons. "I would... er... I would... do... oh... Gott..." Her head fell. "I... would have to... do mien duty but..." She sighs. "I wouldn't... I couldn't... they are mien own flesh and blood... I can't..." She looks back at Doc. "I don't want that to happen..." Tears flow slowly down her face. "I... I..." She goes slightly red in the face. "I DON'T WANT TO... I DON'T WANT TO!" She falls on her knees and cries even more. "I DON'T WANT TO KILL THEM!"