Things would be fine, if you just did it my way.

[hammerofhell]

Hans scowled as he looked down at the various papers spread across the table before him. While Ali was quite busy with dealing with various aspects of the war that was building, he was--in-between keeping the children amused and handling various small tasks around the house--pursuing his own project

Comments

[vicioussweetie]

"I hope you don't mean me," Ali murmurs as she leans over his shoulder, one arm wrapping around his chest and the other putting down a cup of coffee, made just the way he likes it. There's then a kiss on the top of his head before her chin settles on his shoulder and she looks over the paper.

"What's all this?"

[hammerofhell]

"Thank-you," Hans says when she puts the coffee down. He really does appreciate the effort, especially since she can have none of her own. He smiles briefly. "I could never mean you, my love."

"This," he says, "is what we had spoken of previously. The farm." He growls. "Or it would be, if not for certain... troubles."

[vicioussweetie]

"What's wrong, liebling?" Ali slides into a chair next to him, giving the papers a closer look. "What's happened?"

[hammerofhell]

Hans pulls up one of the maps, indicating a medium sized tract of land on it with a pencil.

"If we are to make the kind of production we wish to, we will need this tract of land. Unfortunately, the owner refuses to sell or even lease it."

The Next Day

[hammerofhell]

And so, with the proper arrangements made (even if you were just going to turn him down, it would be unseemly to refuse a request of both a fellow baron and veteran), Ali and Hans go the next day to pay a call on Baron von Braum.

It was, fortunately, not a castle, but merely a country estate. Castles, Hans was beginning to recon, were becoming things of the past, even if they did make for nice, faintly fairy-tale-ish getaways for the children.

They were shown in by a servant, taking to the parlor where von Braum awaited them. He rose when they entered. "Back again, eh, von Hammer?" he said. "And with a vision of loveliness this time, I see."

"Indeed," Hans says. "This is my wife, Alison."

[vicioussweetie]

Ali smiles warmly to von Braum, waiting to be introduced before offering him her hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Freiherr. I hope the day finds you well?"

[hammerofhell]

The hand is taken and gently kissed, before von Braum nods. "The pleasure is all mine, I assure you," he says. "I am quite well, thank-you. May I offer you refreshments?"

[vicioussweetie]

"That's good. And refreshments would be lovely," she agrees, "thank you."

It might be a little rude, but she's going to sit herself down now. She assumes she'll be forgiven, considering.