Conseil du Royaume

[_Tristan_]

Philippe looks sternly at his son Henri.

And pray tell me Henri, why should we even keep Frankfurt ? Why don't we apply the measure of your Edict and give back to the Reich this conquered city as well ? If you wish to make a clearly defined border with the Reich, surrender Frankfurt and you'll have the Rhine as a natural border with Metz our Easternmsot holding ? Or does keeping Frankfurt justify the need to keep Hamburg ?

And when I point to Guillaume's behaviour, it is not in his wrongdoings against the Scots that led to his excommunication, but rather to his refusal to see the benefits of handing back to us what rightly beonged to us from his own free will, forcing us to take it by force. Now, we're in the same position... Only I fear the new English King will be too vengeful or prideful to ask us to return his cities and castles to him.

So as good Christians, it is our duty to make the offer on the only condition that peace exists once again between our Royaumes. But if the English King cannot see reason, I will not stoop to make his people suffer under the rule of robber barons for his short-sightedness. So I say we either offer those provinces in good will against a peace or we keep them as a bulwark against any English invasion. You yourself called the English people "sore, shamed and beaten", there is no worse state in which to leave a nation... If we simply abandon their provinces and take away their gold, we'll be pouring oil on ambers... Sparking a fire that only our own extinctin will extinguish... I will not take responsibility for that... Will you ?

And you spoke of House Aquitaine and the blood spilt in the conquest of our Iberian holdings... I know full well the cost in lives of these conquests...

But what of the blood spilt in our fights in England ? What of the lives lost under my command ? What of your own Brother knight Bouchart, struck down by the English Prince ?
Don't you think these men deserve more than seeing the lands they've fought to conquer, handed down to lowly nobles squabbling among themselves, with no guarantee that their fights and their deaths have granted their Royaume any degree of safety ?

If only for these reasons, I'll stand against you on these matters... Your proposal is not judicious.

As to underestimate you, I don't know why you would think that.