Chapter Text
Ravenglass, England 1942
Henry Samson was doing what he knew best, moving bales of hay. His sister, Anna was wrangling a loose chicken, who was outrunning her. He was in the process of moving two hay bales when a voice startled him. "Are you Mr. Samson?" It was a young man with a German accent, and a young woman stood next to him.
"Anna! Nazis!" Henry yelled, which caused Anna to abandon her futile chicken chase and run for the barn. "We don't have any money! We're just farmers!" Henry said quickly, then he noticed the two Germans share a confused look. "Are you not Virgil Samson? I wrote to him a month ago." The German man said.
Henry stood there for a second, dumbfounded. Why were these two looking for his father of all people? "He's in town. He won't be back until sunset." He said in a sharp tone. The man sighed, stepping over the fence and helping the woman with him over as well. "We're not Nazis. We're... refugees." The young man explained.
Henry looked him up and down, "how can I trust you?" He asks. The man dug in his coat pocket, then held out a letter. Henry took the paper, opening it, sure enough it was in his father's handwriting. "Henry!" His mother, Nell, shouted from the door. "Get back to work!" She howled in a way only she could.
"Mother! Can you come here?" Henry called back. He could feel her annoyance as she stomped over from the house. Nell looked the two newcomers over, "you two made it, we were starting to think you'd been... y'know." She said, ushering the two inside. Henry glanced at the barn, "not Nazis, sorry Anna!" He called, which caused Anna to chase him for rest of the day.
Ravenglass, England 1943
"Renate, careful." Henry said, grabbing hold of Renate by her waist so she didn't fall. Cleaning the loft was terrifying to Henry, he couldn't imagine how scary it must be to her. "I can do it, Henry." Renate says, pulling herself up. Her German accent had started to fade, and she was a good help around the farm.
Henry climbed up after her, surprised to see her already throwing hay down. "Hey, Renate?" Henry looked at her, which caused her to pause in her work. "Why'd you and Hagan leave Germany?" He asks. Renate looked at the hay, her body tensing. She threw more hay down, trying to stall before finally deciding to answer.
"Speaking out is a death sentence, my family spoke out, Hagan and I were the only ones who escaped." Renate explained. Henry reached over, pulling Renate against him. He could feel her start to cry, and he rubbed her back. "All I want is to go back to Germany!" She sobbed. Henry paused for a second, holding her closer.
He sighed, "I'll take you back to Germany as soon as the war ends." He promised. Renate looked up at him, rubbing her eyes. "You mean that?" She asked, and Henry nodded, holding her again. He'd make her dream come true, he just had to make her happy.