The talking and discussing masked a familiar sound until it was already near to Matthias. It was the sound of combat boots. Not a rare sound in itself on Bruchsal. The pattern in the steps, the determination which could be derived just from the sound of how this approaching person walked, was known well by everyone on Bruchsal. Matthias too would remember it.
"Hey, you bastard. Think you can sneak in without anyone noticing? You're the third who tried that in maybe a month or two, three." Only Freya Eistochter would of course greet a friend who was gone for so long like this. "Guess what? The others, Fuchs and Klugmann, didn't fool me either and neither will you, Zillich."
Freya takes a seat opposite to Matthias and gives him her usual angry stare. "So what the hell are you doing here like that and where the hell were you?! I could've used you here the past few years.
