The Cuckoo Bird: Say The War Had Never Happened...

Hiatus Special - Part 5

Right my loves, we are on our final hiatus special. And we are jumping waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay forward in the rewrite. These two sections take place in book 2, and follow on from after Anna loses Reina. They are completely new additions and will change the story going forward. So I thought I would tease you with it.

Say the War Never Happened will return next week.

*This directly follows the small interaction Freddie and Keller have where Keller asks after Anna's welfare*

Anna's fingers glided across the keys, her mind numb to anything but the music.

Since reuniting with Elli, she'd found her passion for playing fully returned. Perhaps it was simply because Elli loved to listen to it so much and she wanted to please her. Really though, it soothed Anna too.

And today, it was a necessity.

Ernst was hosting some important presentation, so all of the sector leaders were present. They were filing into the room at this very moment. Keller included.

Her reverence to see him was not through fear this time. She simply didn't know how to react to him since Ilse's confession. How could she look into the eyes of a man she despised knowing that he had tried to save her?

This wasn't a simple case of him shielding her from being struck or stopping her from getting in trouble. He had put himself on the line to try and save her and her child. Ilse was likely right. He'd probably sussed that Reina was not Ernst's. And yet, he had kept that information to himself. Hadn't even thought to torture Anna with the knowledge that he knew and could use it against her. He had, for the first time in their relationship, protected her.

His humanity confused her.

Ernst's devotion to her was all for his own gratification. It was simpering and needy, and oh so easily manipulated. Keller's, on the other hand, didn't seem to come with a price attached to it. When he'd visited her in January, he had wanted to kiss her. Anna could feel the need radiate from him. Yet he'd held back. He'd apologised.

Mathias was a wholly different man to the monster she had first met.

The house finally fell silent as the door to the dining room closed and the noise of the men was blocked out. Anna's playing hushed again, her shoulders slumped in relief. Her thoughts drifted to Elli, and what they might do together tomorrow. A walk might be nice. It depended on how tired Elli was.

A door slammed.

Anna paused, listening for an explanation. There was a small silence, before quiet footsteps carried to her.

Keller hung in the doorway, his shoulders squared and his face soured. He looked every bit the bully he had when she had first arrived. Usually, this is when he would lunge for her. Or switch to the cocky, taunting tyrant she so loathed. But his face softened, his fists unclenching before they were shoved into his pockets.

Frozen, Anna continued only to stare. Somehow, all of the angst in the room had drained the moment he had relaxed.

'Don't stop playing on my account,' he said softly, taking a few more steps towards her.

The piano stool scraped as Anna sat away from the keys, her hands now obstinately in her lap. 'I didn't think you cared for music.'

'I don't hate it either.'

It fell quiet again, Ernst's presentation just audible through the thick walls.

Clearing her throat, Anna looked up at him again. 'Why aren't you in the meeting?'