V&V Stories Thread

[phonicsmonkey]

Chapter Three: The Genoan Trap (authored by _Tristan_)

Part One

Guy d’Ollioules watched the approaching column of Lothar’s army from atop the northern gates of Genoa with some trepidation.

The news of Lothar’s clever deed under the walls of Milan was in everyone’s mouth and should have had Guy filled with unabashed pride. And pride he felt but it was tarnished by the news he’d had to impart to Lothar. Unbeknownst to his liege, Genoa was no longer a city gained to his cause, but a city under the command of his enemies, or at least, unwilling to take sides.

From the battlements, Guy could witness the clouds that rose on the horizon and as a man of many campaigns, he could tell that if ever those clouds reached Genoa, they would sooner break into a rain of arrows than in drops of water.

At long last, Lothar walked through the gates among the nonplussed sentinels in Genoan militia uniforms, with his men and baggage train in tow. The gate sergeant refused to acknowledge Lothar’s salute and quickly withdrew through a side door, from which quickly emerged a runner that left towards the town center.

Surprised, Lothar watched as the scene played out before his eyes. Then he spotted Guy coming down from the walls and dropped from his horse, clasping arms with his second and vassal.

“What’s all this ?” Lothar inquired.

Guy hesitated before answering. “Sad news, my Lord… The Kaiser has asserted authority over Genoa.”

“What ? How ? How can he do that while his nearest army is leagues from here ?” Lothar interjected as they started walking through the city streets to the palace that Lothar had requisitioned upon his conquest of the city.

“The Charter allows him to do it… However, the city council has not clearly chosen its side, knowing you’d probably be back soon. But they probably won’t fall behind you for fear of Imperial retaliation… Thus, if those clouds are what I think they are, Genoa may well become a trap.”

“Yes, Guy, you’re not mistaken… Prinz Leopold didn’t like me reaping the riches of Milan right from under his nose and he’s coming after us like a dark hound of Hell. All he has to do is surround the city and wait for the city council to gather enough courage to disarm us and deliver us to him or simply let him through the gates where his larger force will tear us apart.”

The two men walked in silence through streets cleared of their usual bustle. They both considered the gravity of the situation.

Having finally reached the palace, the Army of Provence settled in the courtyard and buildings around it. Lothar walked into his private office and served Guy and himself a large glass of wine. Sipping from it from the balcony, he watched the sea over the roofs of the lower city and the masts that rose above those roofs.

“Guy… You’ve fought with me through countless battles…You know I have no love for the Reich as it stands today but still I remain German to the core. I cannot and will not have Germans fight against German to satisfy my pride or that of the Prinz… I had hoped to gather enough strength that Heinrich would have had to parley with us but I think it will a dream, for now at least… We must run, Guy…”

“Run ? But… “

“Yes, flee… It is the only way to avoid spilling German blood…” Lothar walked back in and went to a side table where a map of northern Italy was spread. Pointing here and there, he went on “We can’t go west to Marseille, Leopold’s army could cut us off… Same goes for the east: if Leopold didn’t catch us, I’m sure those money-grubbing Venetians would give us a very warm welcome: atop a pyre. As to the north, it would be walking into the lion’s jaw. Only the south remains open to us...” Lothar said his gaze turning towards the distant sea.

Guy followed his lord’s gaze. “The sea ? But we do not own a fleet, my Lord.”

“Yes, but those coffers out there in the yard should easily buy us passage to Corsica or back to Marseille. See if you can arrange that and quickly: Leopold is hot on our trail… Also, send for the captains and a runner: I have orders to give.”

“Yes, my Lord, I’ll see what I can do.” Guy bowed and quickly withdrew.

Watching his second go, Lothar then turned to the window and walked back out on the balcony. Out of frustration, he then suddenly threw his glass to the cobbled street below… A dark red patch spread on the street, too much reminiscent of a blood stain.

[phonicsmonkey]

Chapter Three: The Genoan Trap

Part Two

It was almost nightfall when the Prinz' exhausted army crested the final rise and looked down upon the city of Genoa, wherein the traitor Lothar Zirn was hidden.

Agents among the Genoese had informed Leopold that the Count planned an escape by sea, so the army of Osterreich quickly circled the city and deployed between it and the port, in order to cut off the escape path and confound Zirn's efforts to flee.

In short order the camp was set and the Prinz rode out to the plain to observe the city as it prepared for bed. The setting sun behind him, he could see the torches being lit along the city wall and observed the gates being closed for the night.

Soon enough a delegation from the city council arrived at the Prinz' camp, eager to assure him of their loyalty to Kaiser, Reich and Prinz but equally unwilling to use what little garrison they had within the walls to forcibly eject the traitor.

The Prinz, sensitive to their plight, released them from that obligation, safe in the knowledge that with the final rat run blocked, Zirn would have to come to him.

Soon enough he would catch the Lion.

[phonicsmonkey]

Chapter Four: The Surrender (co-authored by _Tristan_ and phonicsmonkey)
Part One: The Exchange of Letters

Prinz Leopold,

I know your father the Kaiser and yourself consider me a traitor to the Reich for not having sworn the oath your father demanded of me.

Though traitor I may be, I am nonetheless honourable and never have I done anything that could put the Reich in danger. I may even say in my defense that a small part of your success against the Milanese may have come from the constant pressure I applied to their western and southern fronts.

I still cannot swear that oath as it is worded for I cannot serve a man I disrespect, I cannot swear to serve your father faithfully. This man has put the whole Reich and the whole German people at risk twice. Once in refusing to parly with Magnus von Saxony and those that sided with him, negotiating an honourable end to the rebellion. The death of my friend Magnus remains shouded in shadows but I cannot erase from my mind the idea that your father played a part in it.

The Kaiser failed the Reich a second time by leaving its helm while the ship was in the worst storm it had ever face, with waves striking it from all directions... How many German lives could have been saved, how many electors would still be among us if your father had deigned tp play his role of leadership rather than go gallivanting God knows where ?

And you'd expect me to swear an oath of allegiance to such a man ? This is something I cannot do.

Still, keeping true to my ideals, I cannot bear to have German blood shed by my fault.

Thus, I propose to surrender myself to you unconditionally. Or almost... I would have my men spared. They fought valiantly by my side, for the Reich, if not for the Kaiser and deserve a better fate than the execution, prison or slavery that would normally await them. Allow them safe passage to Marseille, it is the only condition I'll put to my surrender.

I stood defiant and I see now the errors of my conduct. I am prepared to pay for them.

May God have mercy on the Reich,


Lothar Zirn
Count-Elector of Provence

Count Zirn,

Firstly let me acknowledge your prowess in your war against our common foe the Milanese. Indeed your mighty efforts paved the road for my own invasion and it is a great shame that we have found ourselves adversaries. However, I place the responsibility for that squarely on your shoulders, your having ignored my explicit warning and proceeded to loot the city of Milan in clear defiance of my wishes.

As to my father, whatever his failures (and I do not dispute that he falls short of perfection as do we all), he is Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire and is deserving of the loyalty of his subjects and vassals. As his son and heir to the throne you would surely not expect me to believe any differently. A ruler of the Reich cannot tolerate disloyalty and it was specifically to avoid the civil strife we experienced in the past that the practice of swearing the Oath was implemented.

Still, these are esoteric arguments relative to the situation we find ourselves in.

I will accept your offer of surrender and treat you with the respect deserving of you as a noble of the Reich. You will deliver yourself into my personal custody immediately and bring with you the contents of your treasury, including the remains of the coin you looted from the Milanese capital.

Your men will be spared. They will each be given the option of either being disarmed, disbanded and sent home to their wives and children, or serving in my army under my command.

We will discuss your fate together in person when we are face to face.

Yours,

Prinz Leopold von Osterreich

Prinz Leopold,

Were you in your father's throne I would find the oath much more bearable to swear. Still I fear such an oath should not be sworn to a man but to a greater ideal... One should swear to serve the Reich or the German people, whoever leads it. For there are times when leaders are not worthy of their vassals' allegiance, while the people should always be served loyally.

Still, I agree with you that this is not the time to be discussing politics.

Let's to the matter at hand.

My whole treasury (including the loot from the Milanese bankers' vaults) will be surrendered to you at the same time I'll submit to your justice.

As to my men, they served me loyally through my campaigns and I fear they'll refuse to serve under your orders. In the same vein, I fear you'd be unable to trust them fully and more willing to sacrifice them than any other regiment of your force.

I do not know what fate will be dealt to my beloved city of Marseille nor who will become its master but I think it deserves to be properly defended, being so far from the main body of the Reich. Hence, I must insist upon your agreement to return every single one of my men to Marseille to help defend it.

I can pledge these men will not again rise against the Kaiser nor against the Reich but will fight its enemies as they did in the past.

This is the only condition to my surrender. Surely you can grant this small favour to your defeated enemy.

We will meet soon in person and you'll then be able to decide my fate.

Lothar Zirn,
Count-Elector of Provence

Count Zirn

Very well, if you would have it that way I shall allow your small force to return to Marseille.

Upon your surrender we will discuss your fate and the fate of your city. The fate of your men will flow directly from that.

Yours,

The Prinz

[phonicsmonkey]

Chapter Four: The Surrender (co-authored by _Tristan_ and phonicsmonkey)

Part Two: Into the Lion's Den

Lothar had read and re-read the last missive from the Prinz. There was nothing to it. He’d have to trust the man.

He stood upon the quay watching the ships slowing making headway out to sea leaving the Port of Genoa behind, carrying Guy and the men that had served under him back to Marseille.

Guy had begged to be allowed to come with Lothar but not knowing what fate might befell him, Lothar had chosen to go alone. In time, Guy would understand and maybe forgive him.

All available ships from Genoa had been commissioned by Lothar, thus effectively putting his men out of the Prinz’s reach. The fleet would remain in sight of the coast for a few days. Then, Guy had been left with instructions from Lothar on what to do.

The city council had provided him with wagons and guards for his treasury, waiting behind him upon the quay. Strong had been the temptation to have the coffers loaded onto the ships but honor had won over greed and they remained upon the quays.

Turning away from the departing ships, Lothar mounted his warhorse and with a signal to the Genoan captain of the guards, he set out towards the Prinz’ camp.

Though they had come to Genoa in a rush, force-marched by the Prinz’ will, the men had erected an orderly camp. As he approached, Lothar felt the alertness of the Prinz’s men and recognized it as the same willingness to serve a worthy master as that of his men. He knew then that had it come to a fight, both sides would certainly have taken heavy losses, leaving a gaping wound in the Reich’s southern flank.

An Austrian captain came up to Lothar, who signaled the wagons to a halt.

[phonicsmonkey]

Chapter Four: The Fate of Lothar Zirn (co-authored by _Tristan_ and phonicsmonkey)

Captain Wasserstein of the Ducal Guard of Osterreich swallowed and nervously approached the captured Lion of Provence. Seeing that Zirn was unarmed, he motioned for his men to surround the Count's horse. Another group of knights took possession of the oxcart and led it away to safety.

The horse bearing Lothar Zirn was led by the muzzle through the camp. Onlookers gathered and stared. The general feeling was one of relief that the battle had been avoided and their long and hard pursuit of the Count was finally over.

At the Prinz' tent, a black velvet affair with gold trim and bearing the Imperial double-eagle, Wasserstein halted the steed and Zirn dismounted.

Lothar proffered his wrists, expecting them to be bound, but the Captain shook his head and simply bade he enter the tent.

Inside he found the Prinz, seated in a comfortable chair and with a corresponding seat left empty beside him for the Count.

"Please," said the Prinz, "be seated."

Lothar took a seat and sat in silence, waiting for the Prinz to make the first move. Leopold brushed his blonde locks back from his face impatiently and fixed the Count with a firm gaze.

"So, what are we to do with you now? By rights I should have you executed for treason, but it does not sit well with me to slay a noble of the Reich, whatever his crimes. But I cannot simply let you go free to cause further trouble and continue to refuse allegiance to the Kaiser.

However, we are in need of good men and Provence is in need of defence from our enemies. With the settlement of the Milanese gold my own personal interests are now served.

I should be willing to let you go if I could be assured of your loyalty.

So I ask you one final time. Lothar Zirn, Count of Provence, will you swear the Imperial Oath and serve my father the Kaiser as a loyal subject?"

Lothar considered the Prinz' proposal, somewhat surprised by the leniency shown by the man who had vowed to see him dead in the aftermath of the fall of Milan.

"Prinz, you drive too hard a bargain... I was banned from the Diet for refusing to swear the oath to your father... I haven't changed my mind nor has he proven that I was any less wrong in thinking him unworthy of the title. I could swear that oath and plot in the background for your father's downfall but I value ideals of honor, truth and service to my country if not to its ruler. So, I would be willing to swear an oath to the Reich. I had my lawyers prepare a piece of legislation in that regard but my exile forbade I proposed it in the Diet."

Lothar's head hung low as he finished his tirade. In an almost inaudible murmur, he went on.

"So, I fear, my Lord, you'll have to make a martyr out of me... For believe me, if I were to die, I'm no so vain as to think I'd leave more than a footnote in history... But are you willing to take the risk I die an example, a beacon to guide those that would defy your father's rule... The Reich could very well be taken back to those years of Saxony's rebellion, of brothers fighting brothers, Duchies pitted against duchies... It could spell the end of the Reich... Something I do not wish..."

The Prinz waited a long moment before responding. The air between the two men seemed thick with tension.

"I will not slay you Lothar Zirn. You shall not be a martyr to dissidents and the dissaffected. Nay.

Instead I shall imprison you. You will return with me to Wien where you will spend the rest of your natural life in seclusion. You will be comfortable enough but you will have no contact or communication with the outside world. None shall speak with Lothar Zirn and after a time none shall speak of Lothar Zirn.

This shall be your punishment, until such a time that I feel I am able to trust you."

And with that Prinz Leopold left the tent, leaving the Count of Provence alone with his thoughts.