Ch. 11: The March NorthCh. 11: The March North
The sun was shining over Pennsylvania. The sky was blue. The air was warm. It was a beautiful day. A day of peace. A day of hope.
Ethan stood on a hill, watching as the Union army marched north. They were going home. They were going back to their families. They were going back to their lives.
Callie stood beside him, her eyes fixed on the soldiers. "They're going home," she said. "They're finally going home."
Ethan nodded. "Yes. They've earned it. They've fought hard. They've sacrificed a lot."
He turned to Callie. "What about us? What are we going to do now?"
Callie smiled. "We're going to Washington. We're going to see the President. We're going to help him rebuild America."
Ethan nodded. "Yes. That's what we need to do. We need to help rebuild America. We need to make it a better place."
They walked down the hill. They joined the soldiers. They marched north. They sang songs. They told stories. They laughed.
It was a long march. But it was a happy march. It was a march of hope.
Along the way, they passed through small towns and villages. The people came out to greet them. They cheered. They waved. They threw flowers.
Ethan smiled. He knew that the people were happy. He knew that they were grateful. He knew that they were looking forward to the future.
He turned to Callie. "Have you heard from Silas?"
Callie nodded. "He sent a message. He said that he's going back to Virginia. He said that he wants to help rebuild the South. He said that he wants to make sure that the South and the North can live in peace."
Ethan nodded. "Good. I'm glad. Silas is a good man. He's a true American."
They continued to march. They continued to sing. They continued to hope.
Finally, they reached Washington. The city was alive. The people were celebrating. The streets were filled with joy.
Ethan and Callie went to the White House. They were greeted by Lincoln. He was smiling. He was happy.
"Mr. Voss," Lincoln said. "Ms. O'Connor. Welcome back. I'm so glad to see you."
"Mr. President," Ethan said. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for giving me the chance to help."
Lincoln shook his hand. "No. Thank you. Thank you for helping me win the war. Thank you for helping me save America."
He turned to Callie. "Thank you, Ms. O'Connor. Thank you for your help. Thank you for your loyalty."
Callie smiled. "Thank you, Mr. President. It was my honor."
They went into the Oval Office. They sat down. They talked about the future. They talked about how to rebuild America. They talked about how to make sure that the South and the North could live in peace.
Ethan had a plan. A plan to rebuild America. A plan to make it a better place.
"We need to build railroads," Ethan said. "We need to build roads. We need to build bridges. We need to improve communication. We need to make sure that the South and the North are connected."
Lincoln nodded. "Yes. That's a good plan. We need to connect the South and the North. We need to make sure that they can trade. We need to make sure that they can communicate. We need to make sure that they can live in peace."
Ethan continued. "We need to help the South rebuild. We need to help them build schools. We need to help them build hospitals. We need to help them improve their economy. We need to make sure that the people of the South have a better life."
Lincoln nodded. "Yes. That's important. We need to help the South rebuild. We need to make sure that they feel like they are part of America. We need to make sure that they have a say in the future of America."
Ethan continued. "We need to improve the lives of all Americans. We need to build schools. We need to build hospitals. We need to improve working conditions. We need to make sure that everyone has a chance to succeed."
Lincoln nodded. "Yes. That's our goal. We need to make America a better place for everyone. We need to make sure that everyone has equal rights. We need to make sure that everyone has a chance to pursue their dreams."
They talked for hours. They talked about the future. They talked about the plan. They talked about how to make it happen.
Finally, Lincoln stood up. "I think that's enough for today. We have a lot of work to do. We need to start implementing the plan. We need to start rebuilding America."
Ethan and Callie stood up. "Yes, sir," they said.
They left the Oval Office. They walked out of the White House. They looked at the city. They looked at the future.
They knew that there was a lot of work to do. They knew that it was going to be difficult. But they also knew that it was going to be worth it.
They smiled. They felt a sense of purpose. They felt a sense of hope.
The March North had come to an end.
The work of rebuilding America had begun.
And the Voss Dynasty was about to grow.