Re: Blood and Iron

Days passed, and soon too did the weeks that followed. Eventually, Bruno began returning to his normal self. He would never forget the cost of his arrogance, and the ultimate price that had been paid by Erich, one that may very well not have been needed.

And while the realization that he was entirely at fault for the death of his best friend after all may have been enough to break a lesser man, it only further tempered Bruno’s resolve to become the master of not only his fate, but the destiny of the world.

This was a tragic misstep, a mistake, as all men were prone to making. And perhaps the most costly mistake Bruno had ever made in his life. But, despite having the overwhelming advantage of future knowledge, and a high intellect to actively analyze and predict the effects of the butterfly effect in most cases.

At the end of the day, Bruno was still a mortal man, and this was a limitation he must accept if he were to move forward. It wasn’t that he was disregarding this grand tragedy as merely the result of his own mortality, rather a recognition of his own weakness that had led to this result. And a need for him to do better in the future to prevent such another disaster from befalling him and the people he loved.

As with all forms of grief, all one could do was take each day one step at a time. And in the end, after putting one foot in front of the other, Bruno was surprised how soon he was walking out that door, back to a normal life.

The pain would remain, maybe forever, or perhaps it would pass in time. Regardless, Bruno was not a man who had the luxury of shutting down and hiding in his office all day. There were things to do, and events to plan for, and if Erich were here to tell him words of wisdom, he would condemn Bruno for having wasted so much time already wallowing in grief.

This was ultimately the mentality that Bruno needed to more forward and forge ahead in life. Because at the end of the day, that was what life truly was, enduring pain, and evolving from it. A never-ending struggle that one would continue to fight until the day they died.

---

Soon enough Erwin’s wedding day arrived, to be held in the most beautiful and holy of Berlin’s many cathedrals. The guest list was massive and highly exclusive, with family, friends, and important figures that Bruno had established personal ties with over the years.

All of which came to see the eldest son of Bruno and Heidi married. The celebration itself was extremely traditional for German culture, and was an affair that Bruno would never forget in his life. When he witnessed his son kiss his beautiful bride, even Bruno had to admit he was holding back a single manly tear.

Heidi, of course, was a mess, crying in joy as she witnessed her eldest son on his wedding day, hugging and kissing the boy’s forehead the first chance she got while expressing her thoughts incoherently between her tears.

"My... Boy.... Beautiful... Boy... My beautiful boy is now a man!"