Chapter Text
After all that happened, four years have passed. After the end of the war, that dark time in Violet's life was buried. With the help of Claudia and even Captain Dietfried Bougainvillea, her past as an army weapon was hidden, highlighting now only her impeccable work in the CH postal services company. Only those closest to her knew all about her struggles at Major Gilbert's side and her beginnings at Captain Dietfried's side.
Life in Leiden was a quiet one, constantly evolving and adapting more and more to what was new. Although the nascent implementation of telephony was in its infancy, it was not a service for everyone. Only the wealthiest could afford it and the main public offices in the region. However, the postal service was still in demand, so they would still have work as Auto Memory dolls for quite a while.
Although the peaceful atmosphere of the city was the prevailing one, crimes and fights were not lacking. Concern had begun to grow among the families of Leiden, especially the wealthier ones. A series of robberies of the most important families had destabilized the order and they still had no clues, no suspects.
To the ignorance of the population, a trio of foreign men are responsible, coming from a country south of Telesis, who have successfully hidden during these days, posing as brothers. Two of them were impersonating military men and the third was pretending to be a teacher.
Fortunately, they had committed their misdeeds without any problem, and were even beginning to be known by the neighbors, gaining a fictitious but acceptable reputation in the community. They were known as the Colleen brothers.
Liam, Bernard and Paul had made considerable profits, hiding their loot in a hideout on the outskirts of the city as soon as they perpetrated their crime, which they traded on the black market. So far they had had no problems, and were even preparing for their next job.
Violet's growing fame as one of the best Auto Memory Dolls, makes even that group know about her. One of them proposes to kidnap her and ransom her from the Evergarden family and even her boss: Claudia Hodgins. What he doesn't tell the others is his real motive, he had become obsessed with her.
Ever since he heard about Violet Evergarden and saw her for the first time, he was taken with that face, she seemed like a sweet woman. He wanted to have a chance, but with the lifestyle they were leading, he couldn't aspire to much. He just wanted to get her no matter what, he would see what he would do with her later.
His supposed brothers were not very convinced, but they decided to investigate a little more about her, her daily activities, the places she frequented, her acquaintances. In a few days they gathered the necessary information and realized how valuable she was to that company, especially to Claudia, who cared for her almost like a daughter.
They also learned that Violet was not a very sociable woman, she did not go out to many places, most of the time she went from home to work. Some time ago she stopped staying at the CH facility and returned to the Evergarden home.
Mr. Patrick had passed away and his wife Tiffany had been left alone in that big house. On one occasion she had a small accident when she fell off a ladder, injuring her leg, and Violet began to stay more often to keep her company, until one day she moved in for good.
Violet had taken a liking to the lady and thanked her for the care she had given her, since she met her a few years ago. Tiffany saw her as one of her family, she was happy to share that last name with the young woman.
Violet was somewhat predictable, her habits and routines did not vary throughout the week. Occasionally she would go out of town for some work throughout Leidenschaftlich; she would sometimes go to a small flower shop, especially when she wanted to get flowers to take to the Major's grave, to give to Mrs. Bougainvillea or for herself.
Cattleya, Iris and Erica once told her how nice it was to give or receive flowers, or just buy some to decorate the home and enjoy their scent and beauty.
After enough research, they decided to do both jobs. Liam and Bernard would be in charge of the next house and Paul would be in charge of getting Violet. It seemed to them such a fragile and delicate woman would be no problem for one man and they were no wimps either.
Early that morning they decide to carry out the plan. Paul requests the services of the doll, while his 2 brothers go to investigate the next family to be robbed.
She used to be one of the most sought after, so he didn't expect to see her so quickly. Violet received that assignment and willing as always, she was ready to accept it. That same afternoon she walked to that place.
...
A tired green-eyed captain was in a bar in the city, having a drink after work on a Friday night. It was the only relaxing thing for him at that moment. He was alone, although deep inside he wasn't too keen on solitude, especially in recent years.
He wasn't a young party boy, he just crammed in work and memories to keep himself busy and not feel empty, that was his day to day life. After the end of the war and the loss of his beloved brother, nothing was ever the same in his life, or joyful. They had peace, but at the cost of the lives of many.
Without realizing it, CH's red-haired man arrives and sees him. He sits down next to him at the bar and greets him.
- What's up, Dietfried?
He exchanges a few words almost out of obligation with Claudia. At this point it wasn't as if Hodgins hated him, but neither were they the most endearing of colleagues or friends. They recognized each other and just put up with each other.
The worried frown on the newcomer's face, did not go unnoticed by Dietfried. Claudia did not at any time comment to him about it and he did not ask either. He wasn't interested enough to intrude.
- See you later, Captain Bougainvillea. - The named one responds in kind, nearing the end of his last drink of the evening.
The song that was playing in the background ended and at that moment when the sound fades away and the brief pause before the next song begins, Dietfried hears two men talking at a table behind him. Apparently, from their attire, it was a pair of policemen relaxing after work just like him.
Although he is not the type to give importance to other people's business, he paid a little attention to the conversation. Apparently, about some robberies of wealthy people in the area. Nothing out of the ordinary, according to Dietfried.
A new song began to play.
- ... What do you think about this morning's case. Even if it's not our area, it's interesting. Steven mentioned something to me earlier.
- Well, yes, it is. It's a pity that girl is missing.
- Yeah. She hasn't been seen since yesterday afternoon. It must be a risky job for those women to be an Auto Memory Doll. You don't know what kind of person requests her service.
Dietfried couldn't help his interest. The alcohol in the bodies of those policemen made them more impertinent to talk about that subject so quietly, even though there was no one else in that area besides them.
To his mind came immediately she, Violet. Although with the lethality that he knew characterized her, it seemed unlikely that anyone would do anything to her. He knew that by using some trickery it might not be impossible to harm or subdue her. After all, she was not immortal and had been out of commission for years. Perhaps she had grown a little rusty in her sedentary employment behind a typewriter.
- That news doesn't take long to spread, after all she is the most sought after girl in CH. So beautiful... It's a pity. It will most likely be in the papers tomorrow.
- That Violet girl... A few weeks ago she was at the station to do some work for the boss and now she's missing. I hope she's found safe.
The captain's eyes widened in astonishment at hearing that name, his hunch was not unfounded after all. The men changed the subject, but Dietfried kept it in the back of his mind. Violet gone, his wild ideas had ceased to be. Now he understood Claudia's downcast countenance.
Dietfried got up from his seat and left for the Bougainvillea mansion. For the past couple of years he had been staying there more frequently, just for his mother. Her health lately wasn't the best, being the only thing she had left he was more attentive to her.
He knew the strong connection that had begun to brew long ago between his mother and Violet, so he thought it would distress her when she found out what happened with the doll.
It's not as if they were the most cordial of friends now, but at present they both had a mutual respect for each other. Those days of forcing himself to hate her to find a culprit for his brother's death and resentment over the death of his men at her hands, were behind him.
He knew that Violet lost even her arms for Gilbert, coming close to death and now she was only striving to live, as the Major asked her to do before he died. Besides he was not the only one who lost in that war, many lost family and friends. It was a common occurrence in times of conflict.
And as Dietfried himself told him years ago as she left his home, the day she first saw his mother, Violet was just living, one day at a time. She was learning to be an ordinary person and to express more freely those emotions she came to feel, but not to acknowledge.
Although a large part of her humanity seemed to have disappeared only to act like an automaton at someone's command several years ago, today the girl was different. It had not been an easy road for Violet, however, even though she still maintained that almost expressionless face, one could notice the change in both her physique and her way of being.
What she could not express in words, she reflected with his gaze. She still retained the typical mannerisms of her years as part of the military force, acting with an air of elegance, precision and calm.
Such aspects about Violet had been picked up by Dietfried, on some of the visits to the Bougainvillea mansion they had come to coincide.
Although Dietfried's hatred for her had once defined him, he couldn't help but think now with some empathy about what happened to her.
Did she fight? Did she fight back?.... It wasn't fair that after her brother died for her, she let some idiot easily disappear her.
- Maybe the perpetrator isn't an idiot after all.
He thought about the possibility that it was some enemy from the past seeking revenge. Dietfried had the urge to go back to the bar and get more information out of those guys, but they were probably already more than drunk.
He returned to his home a bit obfuscated by the alcohol. His mother was asleep. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of tea. After enjoying it in his room, he took a shower and got dressed, tomorrow he would tell his mother what had happened.
He would try to sleep, although sleep would not be very pleasant that night.
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