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Those Berlin Nights


Sarah Tintagyl

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OOC: Sometime after Sarah's meeting in Berlin with Visari and the others...(Closed to me and Sargun)

IC:

Sarah had left the meeting at the Grosserplatz very late in the evening, but unfortunately she had downed about three or four shots of the strong vodka Visari had given her and after she had arrived back at the hotel, sleep was the last thing on her mind. Though the alcohol had begun to wear off, she wasn't really tired even at one o'clock in the morning. So after telling the Lillian guards to stop worrying about their Lady Protector roaming the Berlin streets in the middle of the night she changed out of her more formal clothes to a nice pair of jeans and a button down to head out into the city. If not to do anything, just to get some fresh air for once and to stop worrying about the matters of state. Taking out her contacts, caring not about the appearance of her eyes, she walked joyfully down the main avenues of Berlin and was extremely happy when she saw that on the weekends that the country and the city did not completely close down fast, instead there were a few cafes still opened with young and old couples funneling in and out of the doors. "That's exactly what I need right now." She said to herself laughing. "Caffeine."

Stepping into the store, no one recognized her and that was the biggest relief of all, and given her height and weight she was able to sink into the crowd of the cafe quite easily. Short and thin had bonuses every once in awhile. If her hair wasn't quite so blonde she would have been able to disappear fully. After getting her cup, she walked out too the outside table where the warm German air kissed her skin as she brought the hot liquid up to her mouth. It tasted perfect. Looking around at her surroundings, Sarah smiled. She had never thought she'd be in Berlin. The capital that she had tried to conquer in the Gebiv War and the people that had sent her into exodus. The world really was changing. Germany the center of the new age of peace, never she would have thought in a million years. But then she never imagined to be the leader of a country or a cult figure for pacifists around the world and someone who young girls and boys looked up to everyday. She laughed again to herself, grinning. The chances...God...help her. But she wasn't in a hurry and figured with the caffeine and the alcohol...she could be in this spot until morning.

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Evan Hiley had a thing against smoking. It began when his mother smoked while he was in her womb, something she never did to her other children. She also gave her other children such easy things, like second cars and free gifts all year long while he was stuck waiting for the short end of the stick every Christmas. That was when his life changed - when he realized that no matter what he did he'd always be second-best or pushed around. High school was just as bad, and it was that one fateful Christmas just ten days before he turned seventeen. He came to Berlin, to a cafe that a lot of people always seemed to go into. He came in and that was when he met (then-King of the Sarnungian Republic) Sargun. Best friends immediately, the two hit it off and both became insanely powerful.

Of course, the world knew him as Director Hiley, one of the most powerful men in the world. He was, effectively, the head of not only the largest company in the world, but also the largest country and one of the great militaries about to be unleashed on the world. He had, earlier in the day, signed an order initializing the high-speed production of their "Future Soldier" program and was very eager to get away from the stress of war in Asia. He was in Berlin to watch as the country who's economy he effectively owned had a large parade. He remembered the cafe, the way it changed his life. He remembered that this cafe effectively changed how the world war, and the thought stuck to his head.

Ah, Berlin..

Now, what really caught Evan's eye was the petite (to him and his 6'7" self) blonde that walked in, looking as single as ever and in need of a drink. 'Director Hiley, the most eligible bachelor in the world' was now interested in some phantom girl that probably didn't speak his language - but he liked a challenge. He kept his shades on and walked into the cafe, people not caring any attention to the outrageously tall, black-haired man that stuck out like a sore thumb. "I'd like something random, mate," he spoke to the counter without looking up. After a moment, he spotted the phantom girl again. She existed.

"Hm, you know her?" He muttered to the barista, who shrugged and took the next order. Evan squeezed his cup and thought of something. It might have been a little cheesy, but.. hey, it's one o clock in the morning in a foreign city and he's got nothing to lose, why not? He slowly made his way outside, the warm air settling comfortably around him. The 'random' drink he ordered tasted exactly like he remembered it. And his life was about to change, whether for the better or worse he cared not.

"Scusi," he muttered in an Italian accident, before ramming his knee into her chair and toppling over, his cup of random smashing into his face and his now random-splashed face slamming into the ground below him.

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"Oh God." Sarah leaped from her seat to avoid the coffee spilling all over her and then after seeing the man face plant into the streets below jumped down to grab his arms and lift him back up to his feet. "Are you okay." She brushed her hand across his face and flicked away the dirt from the street. A small crowd had gathered around to make sure the man was all right, but Sarah brushed them off as well so as not to attract too much attention. She didn't want the attention, lest someone realize who she was. As soon as the man was definitely coherent of his surrounds again she helped him to the chair at her table and laughed. "You took quite the spill there, are you sure you're okay." She said sitting down. "I'm Sarah, you are?" She said offering a soft hand towards the stranger and a beaming smile.

Edited by Sarah Tintagyl
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That fall hurt like hell, but it was worth it. His face stung like he was just attacked by a pack of bees and his temple hurt as if he was.. well, just attacked by a pack of bees. But it had to get worse to get better, and better it did. Her hands weren't as soft as a baby's bottom (really, what is?) but they were definitely the work of angels. Well, that's what those pick-up lines were supposed to say, but knew better than that. Evan let her brush off his face a little while longer (really, what do you expect?) before 'groggily' looking around. The strangers around him were definitely dispersing, and now her attention was focused solely on him. Somehow his sunglasses (he wears his sunglasses at night, people get freaked out by his eyes) had hidden his freak eyes and he was still seeing her through a dark shade of blue. He thanked the Lord.

"Yeah, I'm uh.." Evan sat down on the chair, blinking twice. "Fine is E--" He blinked again. "I'm fine. No, I'm Evan, and I'm fine. Like, you know, fine as in I just splashed hot coffee in my face and took a faceplant, but.." He grinned and took her hand, shaking it somewhat aggressively. He was a strong man. "Sarah? Like, u--" He cut himself short. Short, blonde, Sarah?

Damn.

Almost as if he was reading her mind - why else would she be alone? - he quickly coughed and nodded. "Thanks for that, Sarah. I'm Evan."

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She laughed and covered her mouth to keep from offending him. "Its nice to meet you Evan, truly a pleasure. I feel bad though that we were to meet under these conditions, you getting hurt and all. Are you sure you're all right?" He nodded and she leaned back. "And your coffee. Well no matter, I probably shouldn't be having any coffee right now anyways. I came out here to get some air to hopefully fall asleep, but the more caffine I take in, hell I'm going to be up all night."

She smiled pushing her coffee cup in front of the young man. "Please, you take it, its on me." Sarah looked back up towards his sunglasses. "So tell me Evan, what brings you out this time of night to Berlin. Tell me about yourself. I could use the conversation." She laughed, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

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Her laughter was like God itself tickling his ears.

"Well, uh.. I was visiting my mother. Great woman, always preferred me, perhaps it was my great charm, but she.. well, it's a long story, one you probably don't wanna hear." He supposed he wouldn't tell her that she was dead with cancer and buried here until much later. He smiled and looked straight into her eyes through the glasses, her face captivating him as the mouse to a cat. "I'm Evan, I help run a company. It's kinda big, everyone knows about it but I like to keep work and pleasure separate," he said, finally breaking eye contact and looking up at the blank sky. Eight seconds.

Those eight seconds were more than an eternity.

"I played gridiron football and I'm an entrant in the boxing Olympics that'll be held soon. I guess I'm a sports kinda guy," he said with a big grin. "Don't understand a word of what these Germans are saying, either, which ended up well for me," he said, holding his empty cup up. "Born and raised in New Orleans, dunno where someone like you could come from.."

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Sarah nodded, deeply enthralled in his story. "So you're a businessman Evan, no kidding. I come from a big corporate family too, well I guess did. Most of them have sort of gave up finance as a trade. But if you are afraid to talk to me about your mother I understand. My family isn't around much now either." She looked away, Sarah hated wearing her heart on her sleeve and her family's death was something that was extremely personal as well. "Well perhaps we are in the same boat, if you know what I mean. Life is a hard business, always has been, always will be. But if you're corporate I'm sure you already know that."

She said that in between his pause as he looked away from him. It was weird, Sarah normally didn't talk to people so quickly and in this kind of atmosphere. Actually now that she started thinking about this, this stranger was extremely smooth, he had fallen into her and automatically she had offered him conversation and her coffee without almost realizing she had done so. Sarah turned away for a moment and couldn't believe what had happened, she was being played! The Lady Protector of the Hanseatic Commonwealth was being played like some stupid teenager! But then he started talking again and she found herself listening. Well she could humor him, she after all was trying to get tired and the company would do her some good. He immediately started talking about athletics and she laughed. Truly it was like high school or college all over again. The artist and the athlete, she couldn't help but smile.

"Well you're quite the active person, nothing wrong with that. Though I can't say I'm extremely atheltic, I did a few sports when I was in college, but that was it. Swimming and fencing. The culture sports, it was kind of pathetic really. But my parents put so much more into academics anyways. University of Helsinki, tenth in my class." She laughed again. "And failed philosophy. But that's old news. But since you know the university, I'm sure you know where I'm from. Hanseatic Commonwealth, from Brisbane. Its a beautiful country, have you ever been?"

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"Failed philosophy? I didn't know there was another route," he laughed and listened. She was really drawing him in, he knew he could get too close. She was the Lady Protector of the Hanseatic Commonwealth and he was still trying to get in. He was Director Hiley of Artemis Global Security, the largest company in the world. He could get anybody. He was the greatest fisher, and she was the shimmering fish that caught his eye but not the biggest, not the best. She could always pull away.

But he wanted this one.

"I'm afraid I've never been to Brisbane," he said in a perfect Australian accent. "I prefer Darwin, much smaller." His eyes struggled to stay above her neck, but with the force of sheer will he kept it at eye level. Damnit. "I went to Sarnunga U, got eighth in my class. Real-time embedded digital signals, embedded systems, bunch of tech stuff. Helps a lot that you can pay off your college loans three months after you get out."

College? Stick to it..

Of course, that was when he saw the wedding ring. His mind ran through about fourteen very colorful curses involving the word 'balls' before he remembered that not only was she married, and the Lady Protector, but she was also falling for it. Either she was playing him or he was really good, and he didn't know which. It caught him off guard. "But, uh, um, I mean.. you know, I always preferred sports. I love technology, I love science, but there's little a better feeling than the power that runs through your veins when you see everyone cheering, chanting.. It's intoxicating. It's like a drug, like a.." He trailed off and sighed. "Then again, if I take too many hits to the head I lose both my business and my sports, so I have to travel from city to city, watching others enjoy life a lot more than I ever could." He almost sounded bitter before realizing what he was talking about.

"Then again, this is the second time I've come to this cafe, second time I met someone that could change the world."

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'Does he know?' She thought to herself and looked down at the ground, he must know, her image wasn't that hard to come by nowadays, Google had that problem on people and since the perfume had been released along with the various speeches and such hers was a common household name. He had to know who she was. She had a few options now, she could either tell him the truth or keep playing him.

"Well its good to hear that you are just a pure athlete, some universal knowledge goes a long way in the world today and technology especially. I'm assuming you work for the computer industry then? Of course tell me if I'm wrong." She laughed. "I try to hold myself as a terrific judge of character, but I'm afraid I've been kind of weak on that sector as of late. But as to the cheering and the exhilaration, I definitely agree with you. I love it as well, when people truly love who you are it helps your self-esteem to know end." That would help tickle his emotion.

"But change the world? Evan that's quite the statement. Who do you think I am that I could change the world?"

She wanted to see if that would reel him in.

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She knows I know.

"You're a highly-educated woman who can make her way through a city like Berlin after midnight and still manage to keep herself in one piece when a guy like me rolls along and nearly breaks his neck. Most people would probably tell me to watch myself and shuffle along, but you.. you pulled me up, you brushed me off and you sat me down like I mattered. Like a person, not just an inconvenience. It's a good thing, being a person," he laughed. "Sarah."

He took a breath.

"I want to show you something, something to make up for butting into your sugar-crash experience." He hoped she would go.

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She grinned as she placed her hand on her heart.

'Maybe he didn't know.'

"That was one of the sweetest things someone's ever said to me, thank you very much. But anything to help out my fellow person, you are a sweetheart after all, such a gentleman and chivalrous with a lady." She felt herself blushing, but she couldn't help herself. 'God what am I doing? But he's not a creep, he's not really hitting on me that bad.' She was hesitant to stand up with him, she was starting to hate herself inside, but he was a gentleman and it would be quite rude for her to completely turn the man down. She was in Berlin all alone and he was a friend. "Well I appreciate the offer, but..." She wanted to say no, but she couldn't, she felt just as bad. "Why not, its boring just sitting here now, you lead Evan. I'd be intrigued, where are we heading?"

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She hesitated. That nearly crushed his soul right there, but he persevered. She agreed, and he would make sure she didn't regret it. "I call it the most beautiful place in Berlin - never seen it at one thirty in the morning, though." Evan's grin was as wide as the sky above as he looked around - the streets had emptied only a little bit. He stood up and started jogging to a side street. "It's on the river!" He told her, hoping that she wouldn't get creeped out that he was going through a side street this late at night. "It might take a little bit, it's probably much more beautiful at dawn, but.."

He smiled back at Sarah and led her down the streets. "Is this your first time to Berlin?" He asked as he walked to his favorite place.

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He moved quick, extremely quick for her and she was jogging quickly in order to keep up with him and she could feel her youth, her real youth returning to her, they way she felt like when she was seventeen, eighteen years old and it felt amazing. "The river? What's down at the river?" She said, nearly panting from jogging with him. "But as to Berlin, no this is my first time here. It's almost like a taboo, I lived through the nuclear blast during the Gebiv War so it was kind of hard, even to think of coming here." Shaking her head from the negative thoughts she smiled back to him as he slowed his walk. "But its a beautiful city nevertheless, I really want to come back one day. My flight leaves tomorrow, but the night really is beautiful here."

As he slowed further she turned. "So what is it that you want to show me? What is the most beautiful spot in Berlin?"

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"You're new here? Cool, this is only my second time but.. everyone's gotta see this, even if you're only here once," he said, his heart skipping a beat when she said her flight left tomorrow. He couldn't waste time. "There isn't really a name for it, it's kinda a peaceful little place I discovered on accident my first time. Gave me more inspiration than just about anything," Evan said with a smile. "Come on, it's just up ahead." He turned a corner and his foot hit a pothole on the sidewalk, a strange occurrence. He quickly fixed himself, turned around and grabbed her around the waist and lifted her over it, giggling like a schoolboy. "There you go, come on," he said, putting her down and setting off at another jog.

They were near his spot, it was just a few blocks down closer to the river.

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Oh he thinks he's really smooth now, but it was working and she knew it, cause she could feel herself having fun and forgetting about everything in the world. The Hansa was distant now, the trials and tribulations of government and everything. Evan was showing her the time of her life and though she knew Larsa would kill her for it, she couldn't say no. After all, this was not the first time she had been hit on before and had technically honored their requests. World leaders had kissed her, sometimes depending on the situation the kiss could be quite more provocative, she couldn't help her demeanor, she was a naturally nice person which make her the perfect candidate to flirt with and even those pressures melted away. As he picked her up over the pothole, he held her tiny body just like old boyfriends used to.

As they came closer to the river, she was anxious to see what this really was and finally Evan stopped. Sarah stopped as well and put her hands up to her mouth. "So what is it that you want to show me?"

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"Right.. here."

He grabbed her arm and gently pulled her along the river until he finally squeezed through some big trees and both of them were standing on the side of a river. On this side, pink flowers bloomed vicariously, a bench littered with petals from the trees as if a storm had blown through. Evan grunted as he finally let out a big breath and let go of her arm.

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"It's not the most beautiful place in the world, but.. just ignore the other side of the river," he said sheepishly. Grinning like a high school boy again, he jumped across the grass and landed on the other side, then plopped himself down on the bench and looked up through the tree branches, finally seeing some stars. Pink petals floated as a small breeze gave it a rather romantic-looking scene, which he didn't exactly intend to have. "You have peace, you have beautiful flowers, beautiful stars," he looked back at her, "everything here is beautiful."

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She put her hands up to her mouth as Evan pulled her down to the bench, it really was beautiful and the pink petals, the Japanese Cherry Blossoms were easily her favorite trees, even so much that she had rows and rows of them planted at the Botanical Gardens in Brisbane it really was beautiful. Sarah turned to him and smiled. "I have to thank you for bringing me here Evan, for bringing a stranger to such a special spot for you is something truly amazing." She stuck out her hand. "I never for a million years would have imagined that I would come to Berlin to find so many friends. You really are a gentleman, I haven't been treated like this in a long time from a complete foreigner. If the world was filled with people like you we would be in a new age of peace."

A drift of clouds began to shuffle through the sky and a warm wind blew through the trees, a damp wind, it was going to rain soon. She took a deep breath and tasted the damp air, it was amazing, truly amazing and for a trip that she in a way dreaded it had been an amazing day. Looking back into the sky, Sarah's ruby eyes sparkled again for a moment as she turned back to Evan. "Thank you very much for bringing me here. I won't forget it."

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Evan smiled as he grabbed her hand, his thumb rubbing her palm for a moment before he let go. His hand was clenched and shaking somewhat, and his mouth almost permanently stuck in a smile. He took another heavy breath before taking his left hand and taking off his sunglasses. At the same time, a lightpost decided to flicker on above him, illuminating his face and giving his bright, yellow irises an almost natural look.

"I hope you won't," he replied back, looking down and slumping forward on the bench. "You're something.. you're something special, Sarah. We need more people like you - people like me, nah, I'm the kind of guy who gets angry at those who push other people around. I'd end up causing war for peace instead of peace over war. You.. you'd probably show the whole world what it would be like if we all just.." Evan chuckled.

"Agh, I'm.." He couldn't think of anything to say. It was like his life was over - he had shown her what he intended to have her see and now he didn't really know what to do. "Well, I.. I kinda got you to an isolated part of Berlin that you haven't been to before, I guess I should.. you know, walk you back to wherever you're staying," he said in a low voice.

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"The world is full of good people Evan, you know we live in a chaotic world, but deep down people want good, people are good. I sincerely doubt that people are anything but born good at heart. Everyone means well, but they get corrupted by various things in the world, things in the world that we give unnecessary importance too. Money, power, fame, they aren't needed and if you took those things away we would live in a much better world." Sarah sighed and looked into his eyes. "But listen to me being an idealist. I would be nice though, wouldn't it." She looked back up into the sky and smiled. "Yeah, its getting late, I probably should head back." She grabbed his hand as they got up off the bench. She could reward him for being a gentleman and a true citizen of the world, he desired peace as much as she did and it touched her that there were more people that thought this.

The walk back took some time, a good half hour and just as they arrived at the hotel, the sky began to release the water down to the ground as they stood outside the door way leading into the lobby. She stared back at him and smiled then before he could act, jumped into his arms and buried her face into his chest. "I really appreciate this Evan, you really made the night enjoyable. I haven't feel like this in a long time, so alive, so young again. I really feel like I was back in high school or college again and it was amazing. Perhaps, we'll meet again, if you ever come to Brisbane, maybe you'll see me again. I sort of put myself out there in the city, so maybe if the fates are kind we'll see each other soon. Have a good night and thank you for everything." She said releasing herself from his arms and smiling back up at his face. The twinkle hadn't left her eyes.

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Holding her hand felt like a sin to touch something so pure.

The half hour walking back to the hotel, holding her hand, felt like more than God's own lifespan. He had never really felt like this before, and he knew it wouldn't last - emotionally, he wasn't perfect. He knew he couldn't have her, he knew he shouldn't have her, that this was all a lie and that he couldn't do this if he really wanted to. But.. he had to. The intoxication, the eradication of memory. There was nothing more to it than him wanting her, needing her right then and there - but it wasn't like she was the first. No, this was just deeper than them all.

But could he climb out?

"I.." He was silent as she jumped into his arms and spoke to him, and when she released him and looked up his face was blank. "Y-y.." Evan had no idea what to do here - he had never really done something like this before. His instincts kicked in and he leaned his body forward, his heavy breath taking his energy. I need this. He couldn't need it, but he did. But he could have anyone, why her?

Evan's body was taller, more powerful, he could.. no!

His face, instants away from hers, pulled back and he took a breath. "Have a good night, Sarah," he said in the most pleasant voice he could muster, and he patted her leg. At the same moment, he slipped a card in with his number written on it. He doubted a call back but he knew he couldn't just leave it like this. Moments later, he was walking away from the hotel, his eyes brimming with tears.

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"Have a good night Evan." As she walked into the hotel she turned and watched him walk down the street. His steps seemed a bit slummed, he was sad and that touched her heart even more. But as much as she had thought he was romantic and a true gentleman, she looked down at her ring and smiled, she could only have one true love. "But my God," she laughed. "He was quite the romantic." As she turned, putting her hand into her pocket, she felt a little slip of paper that hadn't been there at the beginning of the evening, pulling it out she smiled and began to laugh. "Smooth Evan, very smooth." His number was written in bold numbers across the paper, they were calling out to her begging her for another meeting and perhaps, in the future she would give it to him. But how could they ever be under the same circumstances again? She the Lady Protector of the Hanseatic Commonwealth and he, a supervisor in some corporation, it would be a shocking phone call for sure.

Walking back up to the hotel room, it was already four in the morning and the Lillians were all asleep, Sarah walked in as silently as she could and took a nice warm shower to get rid of the sweat, dirt, and grime from running around Berlin in the early morning. After she was done and finished getting ready for bed, she crawled into the covers, alone in her personal suite. There sitting alone in the dark, she thought about the world again, it had been a tiring day and she was looking forward to getting back home and being able to stare across at Larsa instead of the emptiness that was in the room now. Love was a complicated thing and it had governed her life since she had become leader of the Hansa and it would only continue to get complicated. To be a world leader and love was harder than being a world leader and believe that peace could exist and she did both, but sometimes she wished she could escape. She closed her eyes with a smile on her face, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that Evan was thinking about her right now and she was sure that it wouldn't be the last time that he would think about her or see her. After all, it was a small world and people always seemed to be able to meet each other under the strangest circumstances. For Sarah, that was as normal as was waking up.

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