Danil studied his notes with focus. He was about to reach for his cup of coffee when he heard the doorbell. He slid out of his chair, walked down the stairs, and looked at the peephole. Seeing the person behind the door. He opened it and grinned.

“I’d be. You’re so early.”

Karl walked in and embraced his blood-brother vigorously. “Did you hear about the assembly?”

“Oh, I heard, brother,” said Danil. He took Karl to his apartment. It has two separate rooms, in addition to the kitchen area that served as a dining room as well. Karl sat on the stool next to the center of Danil’s bed. Dani sat on his desk.

“Did you get the package?”

“I did. Are you sure that you really don’t want them?”

“I’m sure.”

Karl lowered his head. Danil folded his arms. He took one of the books.

“The old man really is meticulous.”

“They died well.”

“It’s like them. To die protecting a child… was she happy, brother?”

“I made sure of it.”

“Good. So, you are a physician now, brother?”

“That I am. I have ultimately decided to be one. I’m not as good as you, obviously. But I can treat minor ones. And that I have this,” Karl took out a pocket book. It was the old man’s medicine book to which he refers to.

“Wow, I haven’t seen that since ages,” Danil inspected the pocket book. “So many tiny words that it makes you wonder how he got this printed. He uses that miniature printing press of his. I wonder how he got the words so perfectly.”

“It’s one of a kind.”

Karl took the pocket book. It was also the only thing that Karl refused to hand over to Danil. He didn’t have a good memory so he thought of keeping this. The rest were mostly the drafts that Danil was making use of.

“Old man used to say how I’m too dull to become a doctor. Hoped that I could at least be a lesser physician.”

“Do you resent me?”

Karl eyed him oddly. “Why would I when he speaks the truth? I know what my limits are and I am good at them. You, brother, are good at what you do. Besides, I think that with you around. I think father’s research will be better.”

“You think too much of me.”

Danil scratched his head. His brother has been quite supportive that he thought once that he was quite envious and had many reasons to trip him. But whose brother would go to war for his sake?

Karl remained seated. He looked around his apartment. Then he squinted at the pictures that Danil had taken of himself. “That reminds me. Did you get the camera as well?”

“I did. It is a wonderful invention, my brother. I like that you can fit it in your bag. It is actually helpful to me since it will allow me to record my studies.”

Karl pointed at the portrait. “This is part of your studies?”

It was clear that other than self-portrait. There was also a woman standing next to Danil. She wore a prairie dress and a white hat that looked good on her. She wore a jacket and had her hair tied into a braid.

“She’s Clara Ravel. I met her. She is working as a doctor and we’ve been speaking since then.”

“So you are courting her.”

Karl wondered what happened with Marybeth, but from the looks of it. It was something that Danil didn't want to talk about. His eyes told Karl clearly.

Danil shrugged. “I am. She is a bright woman. And it is a joy to speak with that I cannot help but find myself attracted to her. She knows medicine. And she intends to work with me in the future when we graduate. Oh, she is coming today in hopes to review the manuals.”

Karl smirked. “Been busy eh. I’m glad that you are not abandoning yourself.”

“I could say the same. What about you, brother? Anyone you fancy these days?”

Karl shook his head. “Unfortunately, I’m too busy with my duties now.”

“Excuses, brother.”

Karl raised his fist. Danil held his hands up in surrender. Then the doorbell rang which made Danil stand up and adjust his appearance in the room. The dumb fool rushed downstairs. Karl took a book and studied the contents of it. Then he took a peek outside of the apartment and saw kids kicking on a rubber ball in the courtyard.

He heard two pairs of footsteps. Danil led a tomboyish girl with black hair and blue pleated dress to his apartment. Clara Ravel spotted Karl. Her eyebrows raised and her mind quickly concluded.

“Good morning, Doctor Von Alden.”

“Hello Ms. Ravel. My brother is fond of you it seems,” he grinned.

Clara hid her blush. She folded her arms. “That seems to be the case. Danil is a gentleman and has been taking care of me.”

“Good. If he does treat you rudely. I’ll make sure to deal with him.”

Clara eyed Danil then back to Karl with a nod. “Sure, he is quite a charmer, I say. Is he always like this?”

Karl found her way of speaking rather relaxing. She sat on the table located near the entrance of the door. She sat on it like it was her usual place.

“Well, not usually. He charms nurses.”

“Oh?”

Clara eyed Danil. Danil stared at his brother as if hoping for mercy. Karl glanced at the street and then back to Danil, politely ignoring his brother’s cry for help. Clara saw Danil and smiled brightly. The smile could freeze a river. It seems that Ms. Ravel is fond of Danil as Dani is fond of her. But Karl thought that some way or another his charmer of a brother always has this kind of relationship with women. Then again he was also influenced by their legion of aunties who are quite willing to dictate them what a good woman is.

Karl almost wanted to laugh at his predicament, but didn’t dare to curse himself by making a fool of his brother in front of the woman he fancied.

“So why are you here, Doctor?”

“I will be making a speech at the assembly here. They want me to speak with the medical community in a theater to show what happened in the war.”

“Oh,” Clara looked grim, “do they even know what they are doing?”

“I hope so. Some of them should have experience doing field medical work. You participated in battle, Ms. Ravel?”

“Only as a bluebird. I didn’t dare to go that far in the frontlines. Still, to think you would speak in front of them. I wouldn’t be so bold.”

“It’s for the permit and license. I believe that if I don’t speak in front of them. They would not approve of my permit.”

“That’s nasty,” Danil said with scorn.

“It is what it is. Besides, I agreed because I want to tell them what I saw. Do you remember our brothers who returned to war?”

“I do,” Dani said solemnly. “They stare a thousand yard away. Some cannot handle the new life that they have. The rest fell out of touch with their family. Some decided that they are not fit for this life. The rest went back to fighting, serving the guard. There are only a few who are able to adjust. If anything I’m pleasantly surprised how we are doing well. Both of us.”

“I saw my share of the war. It’s a shame that they cannot understand our brothers and sisters.”

Karl nodded. The shell-shocked veterans spend years fighting in shelled wastelands and fighting in the mud. They saw their brothers and friends drowning in mud. Killed by bullets and artillery shells. Some even died because of the awful state of the places they were hiding. The unlucky ones got their limbs mangled by bombs.

There was no beauty in it. No heroics that made others feel like they were fighting for something. Nonetheless, he still thought of the comrades who he pulled out of danger. The brothers who bled to death. The brothers who said to him, begging, to end their pain. He did not have much thought of the war other than a few passing images. But the memories of his brothers. The comrades he fought with were like clear images that he could not forget.

And now those same soldiers who fought in the war had left their minds in the field. Barely able to function after the war. What can they do after spending so many slow days in the war?

Perhaps it's because of this that Karl wanted to speak with the assembly. He wanted to tell them what he saw and why he wanted to become a doctor. The landscape he saw during his trip here made him realize that.

“Anyway, Clara, would you mind if we dine with my brother?”

Clara looked hesitant. Karl saw it and smiled. “Brother, how could you say such a thing? Get out of this room, and surely you must have time, right? Besides, I’ll be visiting a friend.”

Karl thought of his songbird friend. 

He wondered if she was getting roles.