And the rest, is Johann

Chapter 2. In vino veritas (I)

"Happy birthday, Anna." She had thought that their hotel in Vienna would be in that district, so she had followed Johann without much thought, as he had taken care of that trip like he always did. His hand left the pocket of his blazer to show her a set of keys, at the same time as he took one of her hands to place them.

"Sorry... what?" She looked at them, it seemed from an apartment. "What is this...?"

She perfectly knew that today was their birthday, but after days of inner deliberation, she had decided not to even mention it. It wasn't such a big deal, they had to be born a certain day of the year, but... it felt strange. She had celebrated her birthday every time, even in those times of chase, a reminder for herself that she had survived yet another year.

Was a day of mourning for Johann? Nothing at all? To remember he shared that special day with someone who remembered nothing about him?

His eyes upon her seemed to devour her surprise, her discomfort, her. Then they simply turned to his right, towards a villa that seemed a miniature of the Schönbrunn Palace, there, beyond its gates, gardens.

"I once promised you I would put the world at your feet." And offer her an entire palace that might cost... she didn't want to know.

Her eyes alternated Johann and the villa, and then back to Johann again.

"Have you... bought me... that mansion...?"

He slowly smirked, dangerously proud of himself.

"No. But I could do that if you want it." And he dared to seem surprised at her astonishment. "For now I've rented it. For a few days."

In no way, they had that much money. But he stood, calm and confident, as always, while his smile turned yet wider following his own amusement and her astonishment.

She looked back at the mansion. She could definitely spend the rest of her life in a place like that. She had to consider it.

"We can't buy that... can you even pay it?" she frowned at him, annoyed that he could be mocking when she dared to dream, of becoming a princess, even if it was just for a few days.

"With some savings, I have just recovered." He shrugged, so childishly.

Now it made sense, all the hours he had spent on the phone, talking German, English, French and she even heard some Russian. During hours. She had no idea what he was doing but didn't dare to ask yet, as the fragments on the conversation she had understood referred always to financial matters. In addition, he didn't mind talking right in front of her. It was his way to say 'trust me' -like the usual.

"You have just rented a mansion... and you are even planning on buying it." She left the luggage on the ground, around her, to approach and hug him, knowing he didn't care one bit about those displays of affection. Yet he was polite enough to hug her back. "Thank you. It's so beautiful." She even dared to kiss him on the cheek.

"It's just an alternative hotel suite, with more rooms." She had definitely talked too much about the Austrian palace for him to consider buying a miniature of it.

"Of course not! I've always wanted to know what it's like to become Sissi!" She grabbed the luggage again, heading towards the pretentious gates. "Let's see how I can compete with this... what can I give you?" She turned around with a cheerful smile, knowing there simple was no good gift for him. Whatever he wanted, he achieved it on his own.

And he simply wanted nothing from her... of her.

"According to my current identity I was born on the 1st of September, so there's nothing you have to worry about." And she had answered with a childish protest if his eyes hadn't ordered her to shut up.