Stories thread - King of the Romans PBM

[FactionHeir]

Rome, 1262 AD

Betrayed!
Betrayed by those I thought I could trust the most!
Hans was furious. He paced up and down the backroom making rude gestures at imaginary individuals.
Steffen and Arnold were supposed to vote for me! They swore it!
...and yet they simply turned their backs on me for a few parcels of land and some alleged efforts to find a wife!
Hans exhaled, his face red in rage.
I had offered them the same and more! Steffen was to gain the holy grail in addition to lands in Italy and Spain and Arnold was to get a wife and support against his foes in Outremer as well as lands in Hungary...how could they accept his offer instead!
Hans struck his arm against the stone wall in anger, but felt felt no pain, no relief.
I should have known. The diet against me with only the Dukes with me, who feared for their houses abandoning them. The council did not even wait a few hours for me to make copies of the final evidence submission but decided to vote for Siegfried immediately.
Emperor Siegfried. Hans spat. I was supposed to become emperor! Not this upstart Franconian who had no hopes of greatness!
And when I presented my plight to the diet, I was called a liar, a corrupt briber! How dare they! All those witnesses were real and impartial. How could anyone prove that any witness was bribed or true? Why did they believe that traitor Dieter instead? What did he have that my witnesses did not?
Hans stopped in his steps and pondered.
Maybe some of the diet plotted with him? Sigismund and Ansehelm seemed to be the most outspoken then. I should investigate them for treason!
Hans walked over to the desk and sat, his arms stretched out before him.
Dieter couldn't have acted alone. Maybe Hugo knows more than he's willing to tell me. Since I cannot become emperor now, maybe I should take some...more drastic measures...
Hans began scribbling on some paper.
This is not over yet. I will not be defeated without a pyrrhic victory.


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South of Aleppo, 1264 AD
"Murdered?! What do you mean by murdered??" Hans bashed his fist against the strategic maps, sending the flags and figures into the air and onto the floor.
"Good lord, please calm! This messenger certainly is not part of it." Adalberth tried to soften Hans.
Hans inhaled deeply as he waited for the messenger to speak.
"Um...well...I..uh.." The messenger was unsure how to explain the turn of events.
"Be quick about it or I will be quick with my blade!" Hans was losing his temper.
"Right...I..the witness...the councilman..got...um...murdered.." Started the messenger once again.
"Yes you already told me that. I want to know more! More!" Hans was growing restless.
Regaining his composure, the messenger continued "It happened on his travels to..uh..Frankfurt..yes..he was resting at a council house when...someone broke in during the night and shot him."
Hans interrupted, with raised eyebrow "Shot you say? And you are certain?"
"Errr, why yes milord, he was...shot..with a pistol it seems. And uhh I heard some rumors on my way here that some other man was assaulted in broad daylight in Rome"
"This is just great! Someone kills my witness and then some other person is attacked in Rome! Come back when you know more about either of them. Best both! I want to know every detail and any other witnesses that saw what happened and who did it!" Hans immediately responded.
The messenger nodded slowly, unsure. "But milord, I am but a messen.."
A bag of florins hit the maps once more.
"Ahh...I will come back as soon as I can! Promise!" The messenger quickly picked up the florins, bowed and left, swiftfooted.
"Are you sure that was wise Hans? To tell him what you need to know and give him payment without knowing more about him?" Adalberth questioned.
"I can use any man in my services right now. I won't be picky. Besides, we got matters to attend to." Hans replied and started picking up the pieces that littered the floor.