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Cerridwyn woke up the next morning to a loud, deep drone from a megaphone. She sat up, her back and shoulders creaking to her sluggish movements. Running a hand through her hair, she glanced at the clock and let her vision focus. 0400 hours. Pretty bloody early, even for a cadet in training. She swung her legs off the side of her bed- the cold morning air beginning to send chills up her arms. As she heaved herself up off the comforter, Ddraig stirred at the foot of the bed. Even though he was almost twice the size of a large dog, the beastie thought he could fit in the small warm area- even if his feet, tail, wings, and head were flopped over the sides of the bed.
He let out a deep, low groan rip from deep in his reptilian throat. Cerridwyn glanced over her shoulder at him as she changed into her uniform, speaking in clear Welsh, “Sorry, love. Cadwalader wants us up early today.” The mention of the Captain’s name earned a frustrated huff from the dragon. “Oh, now, don’t get all narked about it,” Cerridwyn chuckled, adjusting her epaulettes. “You’re not the poor soul having to wake up at four in the bloody morning, you lazy git.”
Ddraig opened one eye and gave his master an annoyed look, his pupil shrinking to a slit as he focused his vision on her. The Welshwoman gave a playful smile, before lightly shoving her pet. He didn’t budge, of course, the lazy bum must’ve been as heavy as four Cerris. “I’ll be back soon, then I’ll tell you what all the fuss is about.”
She stepped toward the door and her dragon closed his eye again, tucking his spiked forearms under his chest as he got comfortable again. Cerridwyn smiled before stepping out and hurrying towards the megaphone.
Captain Cadwalader stood, waiting for the four cadets to line up in front of him. Cerridwyn quickly took her place as the other three fell in next to her. “Alright, lads and lassie.” Cadwalader began, his eyes flickering between each of them as he spoke. “The Babylonian has brought some news for us. You won’t like it, I’m afraid.”
Cerridwyn felt her shoulders stiffen immediately, they wouldn’t like it? Did that mean that war had been declared, or one of the British Isles had been attacked? So many things could go wrong, and so few could be good. The Captain was silent for a long, drawn-out moment. Cerridwyn cleared her throat as she craned her neck upwards, trying to take in a full view of the W.A.G.B. Babylonian in front of them. It was at port on land, and it’s extremely long legs were fully extended for maintenance. The ship-machine’s head couldn’t even be seen- it was hidden by clouds its altitude was so great. “Sir,” she began, “what’s the news?”
For once, the Captain actually looked worried. He had always maintained the best neutral and blank expression that Cerridwyn had ever seen- but not now. Something must be horribly wrong.
His voice shook as he spoke, “Poland has been invaded by Germany. France and Britain have declared war on Germany as well.”
The three cadets all stood mouths agape. They stood dumbfounded for a few long seconds, their eyes the size of the Babylonian’s giant circular feet. “Wh-what?” Cerridwyn managed to choke out. It had finally happened. “What’s going to happen?” Cadwalader shrugged, trying to calm himself down, “People are suspecting Germany to form allies. We might be looking at the next World War.”
Another World War? Those words weren’t to be joked around with. The first World War had already caused so much trouble, but a second one? What was wrong with those crazy German Clankers, were the gears popping out of place in their bloody noggins? “Who in their right bloody mind would want to ally with those narked Clankers?” One of Cerridwyn’s fellow Welsh cadets piped up. His voice cracked with fear as he spoke Cerri’s thoughts, as if he knew that was a rhetorical question. “Some say the Italians, since they’ve been all bloody friendly lately,” the Captain replied. He paused for a long moment, and the four looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath before continuing.
“You cadets think I’ve trained you well?”
“Yes, sir!” Three of the four replied. Cerridwyn was too stunned to speak- she knew exactly where this was going.
“Then if Britain needs more soldiers,” the Captain spoke, slowly starting to sound brave and proud again, “you will need to fight alongside them.”
The three boys’ jaws dropped, and they started whispering excitedly to each other. Cerri, on the other hand, stood in disbelief. Did those boys actually know what this meant?
People would die, people have already died!
“Gwenhwyvach,” Cadwalader spoke, glancing at Cerridwyn. “Yes, sir..?”
“I need to speak with you,” he continued, already heading away from the giddy cadets. Cerridwyn followed silently, what was this bloody about? Bollocks, the Captain wasn’t about to say something sexist, would he?
“What is it, Captain?” Cerridwyn muttered, looking at her Captain worriedly. He kneeled down slightly, still tall enough to be closer to the girl’s face, but not insulting her height. He frowned sadly, scanning her eyes, “I’m sorry, Miss Gwenhwyvach. But your father…” He began, glancing away for a moment to let his words roll around in his mind. Her father? But he was safe with the British soldiers, since they hadn’t directly been attacked… Right..?
The Captain looked back, directly into Cerridwyn’s eyes. Her heart was thudding in her chest, she knew what he would say. She didn’t want to believe it though. He sighed.
“I’m sorry, Cerridwyn, your father has been killed by German forces.”
He let out a deep, low groan rip from deep in his reptilian throat. Cerridwyn glanced over her shoulder at him as she changed into her uniform, speaking in clear Welsh, “Sorry, love. Cadwalader wants us up early today.” The mention of the Captain’s name earned a frustrated huff from the dragon. “Oh, now, don’t get all narked about it,” Cerridwyn chuckled, adjusting her epaulettes. “You’re not the poor soul having to wake up at four in the bloody morning, you lazy git.”
Ddraig opened one eye and gave his master an annoyed look, his pupil shrinking to a slit as he focused his vision on her. The Welshwoman gave a playful smile, before lightly shoving her pet. He didn’t budge, of course, the lazy bum must’ve been as heavy as four Cerris. “I’ll be back soon, then I’ll tell you what all the fuss is about.”
She stepped toward the door and her dragon closed his eye again, tucking his spiked forearms under his chest as he got comfortable again. Cerridwyn smiled before stepping out and hurrying towards the megaphone.
Captain Cadwalader stood, waiting for the four cadets to line up in front of him. Cerridwyn quickly took her place as the other three fell in next to her. “Alright, lads and lassie.” Cadwalader began, his eyes flickering between each of them as he spoke. “The Babylonian has brought some news for us. You won’t like it, I’m afraid.”
Cerridwyn felt her shoulders stiffen immediately, they wouldn’t like it? Did that mean that war had been declared, or one of the British Isles had been attacked? So many things could go wrong, and so few could be good. The Captain was silent for a long, drawn-out moment. Cerridwyn cleared her throat as she craned her neck upwards, trying to take in a full view of the W.A.G.B. Babylonian in front of them. It was at port on land, and it’s extremely long legs were fully extended for maintenance. The ship-machine’s head couldn’t even be seen- it was hidden by clouds its altitude was so great. “Sir,” she began, “what’s the news?”
For once, the Captain actually looked worried. He had always maintained the best neutral and blank expression that Cerridwyn had ever seen- but not now. Something must be horribly wrong.
His voice shook as he spoke, “Poland has been invaded by Germany. France and Britain have declared war on Germany as well.”
The three cadets all stood mouths agape. They stood dumbfounded for a few long seconds, their eyes the size of the Babylonian’s giant circular feet. “Wh-what?” Cerridwyn managed to choke out. It had finally happened. “What’s going to happen?” Cadwalader shrugged, trying to calm himself down, “People are suspecting Germany to form allies. We might be looking at the next World War.”
Another World War? Those words weren’t to be joked around with. The first World War had already caused so much trouble, but a second one? What was wrong with those crazy German Clankers, were the gears popping out of place in their bloody noggins? “Who in their right bloody mind would want to ally with those narked Clankers?” One of Cerridwyn’s fellow Welsh cadets piped up. His voice cracked with fear as he spoke Cerri’s thoughts, as if he knew that was a rhetorical question. “Some say the Italians, since they’ve been all bloody friendly lately,” the Captain replied. He paused for a long moment, and the four looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath before continuing.
“You cadets think I’ve trained you well?”
“Yes, sir!” Three of the four replied. Cerridwyn was too stunned to speak- she knew exactly where this was going.
“Then if Britain needs more soldiers,” the Captain spoke, slowly starting to sound brave and proud again, “you will need to fight alongside them.”
The three boys’ jaws dropped, and they started whispering excitedly to each other. Cerri, on the other hand, stood in disbelief. Did those boys actually know what this meant?
People would die, people have already died!
“Gwenhwyvach,” Cadwalader spoke, glancing at Cerridwyn. “Yes, sir..?”
“I need to speak with you,” he continued, already heading away from the giddy cadets. Cerridwyn followed silently, what was this bloody about? Bollocks, the Captain wasn’t about to say something sexist, would he?
“What is it, Captain?” Cerridwyn muttered, looking at her Captain worriedly. He kneeled down slightly, still tall enough to be closer to the girl’s face, but not insulting her height. He frowned sadly, scanning her eyes, “I’m sorry, Miss Gwenhwyvach. But your father…” He began, glancing away for a moment to let his words roll around in his mind. Her father? But he was safe with the British soldiers, since they hadn’t directly been attacked… Right..?
The Captain looked back, directly into Cerridwyn’s eyes. Her heart was thudding in her chest, she knew what he would say. She didn’t want to believe it though. He sighed.
“I’m sorry, Cerridwyn, your father has been killed by German forces.”
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Sorry for the short chapter. I had Color Guard today and my wrist really hurt, and I also got home late. I wanted to go ahead and charge through this though. They'll be longer and better, I promise. But the next chapter'll be from someone else's point of view...
Also, if you haven't already guessed. The Leviathan series is alternate WWI, this'll be alternate WWII.
Characters, machines (e.g. W.A.G.B. Babylonian), and beasties (fabricated Y Ddraig Goch) © Me, ~DireTylo 2012
Concept, Clankers/Darwinists © Scott Westerfeld (2009-present)
Sorry for the short chapter. I had Color Guard today and my wrist really hurt, and I also got home late. I wanted to go ahead and charge through this though. They'll be longer and better, I promise. But the next chapter'll be from someone else's point of view...
Also, if you haven't already guessed. The Leviathan series is alternate WWI, this'll be alternate WWII.
Characters, machines (e.g. W.A.G.B. Babylonian), and beasties (fabricated Y Ddraig Goch) © Me, ~DireTylo 2012
Concept, Clankers/Darwinists © Scott Westerfeld (2009-present)
© 2012 - 2024 DireTylo
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love the dialect! Auschgezeichnet! (spelled that wrong lol but means excellent in german)