This is part one of a two part story of when Bob met Alejandro, one of his three boyfriends, during World War II.
In the year 1940, the world was at war again. After a small peacetime following the Great War, Germany broke her promise, and invaded Poland, annexing it for herself. A new power had arisen, and its name was Adolf Hitler. Nobody knew just how powerful he would become in the coming years, and most everyone thought that he would be quelled in a matter of time. But it wasn’t so.
On June 10th, 1940, the leader of the National Fascist party, Benito Mussolini, led my country into war, siding with Germany and becoming one of the Axis powers. And here I was, caught in the thick of it yet again. My country has a notorious history of sticking her nose in issues that aren’t any of her business. I was the General of the CSIR, which consisted of 60,900 men on horseback. We were to enter the Russian Campaign, and invade Ukraine. But upon entering, I realized that as a calvary division, our odds of winning were very, very low. Men were falling every which way, and so were our horses, unable to fend off the new technology that the Great War had ushered in. Technology was not on our side. After a good few months of this, I had decided that enough was enough. Mussolini wasn’t taking the hint that we couldn’t do this, and neither were our superiors.
So I did what I had never intended to do in the first place: desertion. Yes, I risked my life by doing this, but it was the only way. The other Axis powers held a definite advantage over us, specifically Germany. Making my way through the thickest snow I had ever come across, I had to make sure that none of my other comrades saw me leaving them behind. By luck, I happened across a body that was freshly dead…perhaps a sniper incident. Taking off my jacket, I wiped some of the dead man’s blood on it, making look like I had been attacked as well. The CSIR would indeed come looking for me a few days later, and find me gone, only to presume that I was mauled by a wild animal and eaten, or that I had gone missing in action, as many soldiers had in our day and age. It was freezing cold, and close to dusk when I left my coat stranded in the snow, with blood smeared all over it. I knew that I would have to give up my human cover at any moment just to keep warm. Clenching my teeth together, I felt my hands touch the ice cold ground, becoming hooves once more. And in a matter of seconds, I’d finally become the creature that many have pursued for centuries: a unicorn.
Assuming a human identity was never difficult. It was, at most, a little difficult to switch from walking on four legs to two legs, but it was something you got used to over the years. Continuing on, the sky became progressively darker as I went along. Up ahead was an expansive forest, and what seemed to be a small pathway, leading straight through. Deciding that this really was my only option for escape, I headed straight along the pathway, lighting my own way with my horn, and keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.
We unicorns are immortal, but not impervious to death. While we can live forever, we can also have our lives taken if we’re not careful. To have survived all the wars I’ve been in has taken a lot of meticulous planning, along with expertly hiding myself. Being around for more than six thousand years educates you quite a lot, especially when it comes to survival tactics.
Continuing on through the forest, my ears were constantly moving, open to hear any sound from the trees surrounding me. As the air grew colder, I shivered, hoping to find refuge in some cave or something. There was one goal in my mind, and I wasn’t going to abandon it anytime soon. The only way to get out of this mess was to join the Russian forces. But for that, I would have to head north towards Leningrad.
I was born quite a long time ago, far back during the beginnings of the very first human civilizations. Italy is the first and only home I have ever known. I was born in the city that would later become Florence. I went through most of my life never really knowing what I could do with the immortal life I was granted from birth. So then, I gave myself to the war effort. When small groups of people began to colonize Italy, and city-states began to form, I became a part of the armies that invaded other city-states for the sake of power. Human beings and the notion of power go hand in hand. Which is why, I suppose, we were fighting this ridiculous second World War.
Florence became a well-known and powerful city-state by the time of the mid-Renaissance. Art and money flourished through the city, and we were wealthy. I had become part of a powerful banking family: the Medici. I married the beautiful Maria Maddalena, and we had a few wonderful children. But unknown to most others in her family, I had never felt a strong attachment to my wife. Instead, I constantly found my gaze wandering to her brothers, and other men that I would see around Florence. However, I kept my promises that we had made to each other, and I remained by her side. Unfortunately, I was called off to war not too long after the birth of our youngest, to protect my new family and my country. I had to leave my dear Maria, and our children. To this day, I can still hear them crying, and I can feel their arms wrapped around my legs. My heart still cannot bear the weight of that guilt.
Again I found myself marching with the soldiers into battle, and I heard the screams of dying men being cut to pieces. All of this, just for the ability to have the upper hand on who ruled Italy. The victors would march home in high spirits, while the losers tended to their wounded and mortally wounded men. I eventually came home, only to find out that Maria had married another man, being that she simply could not wait. She needed our children to have some sort of father. I understood, and figured that it was for the better.
This pattern would continue for several thousands of years, and one would think that after going to war so many times, I would get sick of it. But it wasn’t so. As horrible as war was, it kept me busy, and I rose through the ranks rather quickly, bearing the reputation for the troops under my command having the highest survival rate. I taught them how to survive, how to properly dodge bayonets and bullets, and how to get through a bout of mustard gas. I taught them the battle tactics that were reinforced on me throughout the years, and they were exceptional troops.
Of course, we always had our fair share of casualties, but I am proud to say that any soldiers under my wing were phenomenal. As a high-ranking general, I was offered positions of higher power several times, but I always declined. If people began to notice my lack of aging, it would be a cause for alarm, and I certainly couldn’t have that.
Maintaining a human form for so long had taken its toll on me. I had forgotten how to be the unicorn that I was from birth. I wasn’t in tune with the sounds around me as I had been before. As I searched for a cave, I came upon a small home of sorts, out here in the middle of nowhere. My curiosity peaked, but I still kept my wits about me as I approached the home quietly and carefully. Peering inside, I could see a dimly lit room, with a few beds up against the eastern walls of the home, with the kitchen only a few steps away. There was an old woman at the stove, and at the small dining table sat several empty chairs, except for the one at the head of the table. In that chair sat a soldier who was hunched over his bowl of what I assumed was lentil soup, and he was taking his time in eating it. But perhaps the strangest thing was that his hair was a very unusual shade of white. As I was trying to figure out how that was even possible for a man of his age, I noticed that the woman had taken notice of me at the window.
Oh no.
“AAAHHH!” she screamed, as she pointed at the window. The soldier jumped up immediately, pulling out a small pistol. I ducked, and being that I was somewhat clumsier on four legs than two, I tripped over a pile of wood that was next to where I had been standing. As I tumbled, I heard the door fly open, and I froze in fear.
“Who’s out there?!” the soldier bellowed. I did what I thought was best, and I changed back into my human form, wrapping myself with the cloak and uniform I had just conjured up. I eventually stumbled from the side of the house into view of the soldier, who stood on the porch with the pistol angled straight at me.
“Please! Don’t shoot. I’m just looking for somewhere to stay.” I said, raising my hands in the air. The soldier lowered his pistol, and looked at me carefully, before motioning for me to come inside. Having no other choice, I pulled the cloak even tighter around my shoulders, and I stepped in, blinking my eyes a couple times to get used to the light, as it had been somewhat dark outside. The old woman who had spotted me at the window gave me a confused look, before turning back to the stove, stirring whatever it was that was in the iron pot. The soldier moved aside a few things on the table, before gesturing for me to sit down next to where he was sitting. I sat down, and as if on cue, the old woman gently set down a small bowl of soup in front of me, and she handed me a spoon.
“Grazie.” I said. The old woman kindly smiled and nodded, before returning back to the iron pot. Her eyes were clouded, leaving me to believe that she was beginning to slowly go blind. The soldier took another spoonful of soup, and slurped it up.
“Aren’t you going to have any?” he asked, motioning towards my bowl. I stared at it for a second, and nodded, as I picked up the spoon. It was warm, and very flavorful.
“Delicious.” I said, after a few spoonfuls. The white-haired young soldier leaned forward on his elbows, looking me straight in the eye.
“So. What’s your story?” he asked.
“Did you leave your army too?”
“I…did, yes. How did you know?” I asked.
“Well what else would a respectable general like you be doing out here?” he asked, jabbing a finger at the military badges on my chest. Now I understood. Those were a dead giveaway, and I hadn't even realized the mistake until he had pointed them out. I scrambled for a quick excuse, before he spoke again.
“I deserted my army too.” he said, looking down at the table with a forlorn expression. I raised a brow, and tried to figure out from which army he came from. By the looks of his uniform, not Italian.
“Germany.” he said, before I could answer my own question.
“The Führer would kill me if he knew, even if I am just a private.” I nodded slowly, taking another spoonful of soup. This man was supposed to be my enemy, but somehow, I didn’t see him as the faceless Germans we were trained to kill.
He seemed so…human.
“I left because it just wasn’t right. No one else saw it but me and a few others. Everybody else was convinced that what we were doing was good for Germany.”
His voice broke me out of my silent thoughts, and I looked up at him, a curious expression upon my face.
“What wasn’t right?” I asked.
“The Führer’s Final Plan.” he said.
“What is that?”
“I’d rather not discuss it.” the white-haired man said, as his expression fell into despair, and his gaze rested on the wooden planks of the tabletop. Understandable. There were things that Mussolini had done that I wished not to divulge with anyone.
“Why did you leave?” he asked, moving his gaze from the table back to me. I was a bit taken aback by his sudden change in tone.
“Italy will lose if Il Duce continues with his idiocy. I want no part of it.” I said. The white-haired man nodded slowly, pushing his empty soup bowl over to the side. I looked down and suddenly realized that my soup was gone too.
Did I really eat all of it? I thought.
“Well, now that we’ve gotten over that, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Bob. And you are?”
“Alejandro. Alejandro Rossi.” I said, reaching out to shake his hand.
“Pleasure to meet you, Alejandro.” Bob said, smiling. He turned to look for the old woman, who had moved from the kitchen to another part of the small house. I was curious as to how Bob ended up here without any trouble.
“Do you know the woman?” I asked.
“No. But she found me out there in the snow, and somehow, she dragged me in here to make sure I didn’t freeze to death out there. It was really nice of her to do.” he said. Suddenly, he smiled and started to snicker.
“But I do have to say, it was pretty funny seeing her scream like that when she saw you at the window. I wonder what was so scary about you…you don’t even look that scary!” he said, tilting his head like a small child.
I shrugged, even though I knew the real reason why she had been so frightened. I was curious to know what she was doing out here in the middle of nowhere. Was she just an isolated person? Or was she running away too? I bent my head a little closer to Bob, so that only he could hear me.
“Did she talk to you at all? Do you know why she’s here?” I asked. He shook his head slowly, as he looked back at the old woman, who was now changing the bed sheets.
“No. She just kind of keeps to herself, and she goes around the house to fix things up for the millionth time. I don’t know if her memory is going, or if she’s just bored. All I know is that she just kind of accepts that I’m here for however long I want to stay.” Bob said.
“That’s unusual. How long were you planning on staying?”
“Well for however long it takes for me to figure out what I want to do. I don’t really have a place to go home to. What about you? Were you trying to go back home too?” Bob asked.
“No. That’s where I’m running from. My plan is to go to Leningrad, to join the Russians. I have a feeling they will win this particular battle.” I said. Bob nodded in agreement.
“I remember my superiors mentioning something about our army heading to Leningrad. That might be a good idea.” he said.“Are you saying you’ll come with me?” I asked.
“Why not? It’s far better than staying here, even if the soup is delicious. ” Bob whispered, with a smile. I smiled back at him, and yawned, exhausted from my trek through the forest.
“We’ll head out first thing in the morning then. But first, I need to sleep and conserve some energy.” I said, as I stood up from my chair. Bob looked at me for a moment, and remained at the table, his hands clasped together, before looking out the window.
“I’ll stay here. I’m not tired.” he said. I shrugged, and went off to the small bed that the old woman had just made. She stepped aside to let me sit down on the bed, as I undid my boots. I fell asleep quickly, with my last sight being that of Bob’s white hair. Some time later, I felt myself being shaken vigorously. I opened my eyes, and blinked a few times to adjust them to the darkness. I had to hold back a yelp as I saw Bob’s face inches from mine, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.
He kept his hand over my mouth as he whispered. The old woman was nowhere to be found.
“Shhh. I’m not going to kill you. But I have to ask you…you’re not human, are you?” he asked.
I thought about my answer carefully. I wasn’t sure if that strange feeling I had about him was mutual, or if he was just being unusual. But the expression on his face looked like my answer was a matter of life or death. I slowly shook my head from side to side. He lifted his hand, and motioned for me to come with him outside. I couldn’t believe that I was agreeing to go along with him, being that I had been so soundly asleep, and it was in the early hours of morning. But I went, curious to know why he had to wake me up to ask me if I was human or not.We sat down on the wooden porch, gazing out towards the snow covering the forest floor. The trees loomed over us like menacing dark shadows, poised to attack us if we made the slightest movement. I turned towards Bob, who was still looking me over with a curious expression.
“Why did you ask if I was human or not?” I questioned. Bob looked around, as if to make sure no one else was watching. He then pointed to his hair.
“You don’t find my hair color unusual? Not a lot of people have white hair at a young age.” he said. “Well, I suppose it is a little strange, but there have been cases of it.” I said with a shrug. Bob narrowed his eyes at me.
“Don’t try and fake anything. I know you’re lying.” he said. I held my hands up in mock surrender, with a smirk.
“Fine, fine, you caught me. And I’m guessing you’re not human either, are you?” I asked, winking at him.
“Not in the slightest.” Bob said, with a smile. And before I could respond to him, I found myself looking at a unicorn with messy pink hair that stood before me, right in the spot where Bob had been sitting before. I was right about him.
“Come on, get on out of that human body and come walk with me. No animal would dare mess with us unicorns.” Bob said. I raised a brow, noticing a change in his voice. As a unicorn, he spoke with a strange dialect, almost a drawl. Nothing like the voice he spoke with as a human. Perhaps it was a glitch in his magic. I changed into my unicorn form once more, feeling exhilarated when my hooves touched the ground. It was a liberating experience. The two of us then began walking, and we continued to talk. We talked about how Bob was really from Eden, and how he had been busy exploring the human world again when the war started, so he was forced to join up to avoid being found out. He asked about my life, and I told him that although I had spent most of my life amongst humans, I too had to be very careful, and part of my becoming a general was to avoid suspicion.
We eventually reached what I concluded to be the edge of the deep forest, and we paused, thinking of what to do next. The sky above us was painted with the pastel colors of dawn, signaling the coming morning. I took a few moments to admire it, letting memories of early mornings in the vineyards wash over me.
"She was kind, but we can't stay there with her forever." Bob said, breaking my reverie.
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