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    Makedonios Ksanthopoulos Member Privateerkev's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stories thread - King of the Romans PBM

    Rome 1280

    Jan was sitting in his small room in Rome exhausted from trying to catch up on reports on Outremer. The Diet was pretty calm at the moment so Jan decided to take the opportunity to rest. So much had happened in the past few days and Jan was still in disbelief. King Salier had died in combat against the Mongols. Jan had almost died in that same battle but was able to make it to the King’s body and retrieve his box which contained the Crown of Thorns. Everyone knew the King favored Karl Zirn to be the successor. Ebelhard had taken over as Steward since Karl was sick and the Kaiser was away. Then all of a sudden, a messenger came into the Diet and proclaimed that the Kaiser had named Jan King of Outremer.

    King? Sure Jan had his ambitions. But they were for the long term. Ever since he had become politically active, he had planned on becoming King. It was where he felt he could do the most good. Before the King died, Jan had assumed that he would work his way up and become Salier’s heir. After Salier died, Jan had assumed that he would work his way up and become Karl’s heir. But now? Everyone seemed shocked and suspicious. Jan knew no one would believe him but he had not had contact with the Kaiser since the last Diet. This was entirely the Kaiser’s idea. Why the Kaiser picked him was entirely beyond him. He would like to think that it was because he proved himself to not only be capable, but unattached to house politics. But Jan was not that naive. Jan thought it was more likely that the Kaiser wanted to thumb his nose at those in power and he considered that Jan would be a patsy. Jan chuckled to himself. Everyone who has underestimated me so far has done so at their own risk, Jan thought to himself.

    But regardless of the Kaiser’s motives, Jan was King. And all that entailed was weighing heavily on Jan. First off, there was a war to run. The Mongols, Turks, and Egyptians all wanted territory in Outremer and they would all have to be fended off. The Holy City had to be protected. There could be no more embarrassments to give fuel to those that opposed what they were doing out there. Christianity had to be spread throughout the area. Four Crusader Counts had to be led. All capable men, some probably resented being passed over by someone who was younger, less politically experienced, or both. But salving bruised egos was not the King’s job. Political alliances with other houses had to be maintained. This was a part of the job that Jan had not anticipated. While Crusader Count, you just worry about what will be your next assignment. But as King, you have to worry about getting enough resources to fuel the whole venture.

    Something about houses had gotten Jan thinking. While Jan was ecstatic that he no longer had to suffer the inept leadership of Ansehelm, his views on houses had been changing as of late. Something in Duke Arnold’s speech had stirred him. Arnold was right. The houses were the ones that sent their nobles and money off to a far away land. Jan had been there in the Second Crusade when Duke Leopold fell. Jan almost lost his father in that same battle. Maybe trying to turn Outremer into a fifth house was the wrong answer to the right question. The right question being, how can we do good work and serve the Lord, thus earning ourselves salvation? If Outremer is to help save the soul of the Reich, should it really be split off from the houses that bled for it? Jan did not think so anymore.

    Jan was interrupted by Max knocking on his door. Max and Gunther had both become more paranoid for Jan’s safety since he became King.

    Max announced, “My King, a visitor for you.”

    Curious, Jan called out, “Let him in”.

    A man Jan recognized walked into the room. “My King, my name is Hermann and we have met once before. I was the one that gave you that letter warning you about Duke Arnold’s arrival in Outremer.”

    Jan looked puzzled. “I remember now. But how did you get that letter?”

    Hermann stated simply, “Because I worked for King Salier. He gave me that letter and ordered me to give it to you. He didn’t want you to know. But, he is gone now and you are King. I thought you should know. Also, with King Salier dead, there is not much for me to do now that his estate is settled and I could use some work.”

    Jan was far too deep in thought to consider Hermann’s offer of service and said dismissively, “While my personal staff is full at the moment, I am sure I can find something for you in Antioch. Thank you. Now, if you please, I would like to be alone now.”

    Hermann bowed, “Of course my King. Thank you and good day.”

    Even back then, the King was protecting me, Jan thought. I always wondered who warned me about the whereabouts of Duke Arnold. He had to have known that he might have been signing the Duke’s death warrant but he warned me anyways.

    With these latest thoughts, Jan sat back in his chair. Scenes of that previous battle played out in his head. Swarms of horsemen that came on like locusts. The body of the King lying on the ground surrounded by dozens of Mongol bodies. The box lying next to him.

    With this, Jan turned and looked at the box sitting on his desk. He walked over to the box, picked it up, and took it over to his bed which he sat on. He had glanced at the contents before but he had never really looked at it. He had assumed that he would just be a caretaker until Karl was confirmed as King. Only now did it really dawn on him that the Crown of Thorns was his as a badge of office. Jan opened the box, picked it up, and looked at it. It was a bramble of thorny twigs in a circle. It was light in his hand. Jan looked at it up close and thought he could see dried blood on it. It was then that the full realization of what he held dawned on him.

    This was worn by Jesus when he was killed…

    Suddenly emotions welled up in Jan. I am not worthy of this. This was worn by the son of our Lord. This sat upon his head as he suffered for my sins.

    Jan fell over onto the bed careful to keep the crown in his hands.

    He started reciting John 19 aloud in a murmur as visions pass by.

    Jan starts an argument with Duke Arnold in the Diet in order to impress his father. A fight follows and Jan’s first Teutonic Knight, Fredericus, is killed.

    "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.”

    Jan’s pride almost destroys him politically as he starts argument after argument with one powerful noble after another which threatens to suicide his own agenda. King Salier threatens to fire Jan if he can not control himself.

    “And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.”

    Jan’s envy at Ansehelm becoming Duke leads him to attempt to undermine him wherever possible. Relations between the two men sour to such an extent, that every young Franconian starts backing away from Jan.

    “Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.”

    Jan’s ambition for becoming King leads his every action. From what he tells fellow nobles. To what he brings up in the Diet. To what letters he writes. Being King becomes more important than anything. Than serving the Lord. Than serving the Kaiser, Than serving the Reich. Jan sees himself sending forward his loyal Crusader Counts to conquer the whole Middle East as Dukes and the Kaiser come bowing to him for his favor. Jan sits on a throne made of the bones of countless German sons that died to fulfill his vision for this part of the world.

    “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!"

    With this last, Jan falls off of the bed somehow keeping the crown in his hand. He sits up stunned by all he saw. He is sweating profusely and panting from the exertion. He finally starts to calm down. Funny how his whole adult life was about becoming King. Then he finally becomes King in a way that he had absolutely nothing to do with. And he finds that he is not sure if he wants it anymore. At least not for the same reasons that he used to.

    I can not go on living like this. Living with this guilt. It will consume me. Things do not have to be this way. The Lord sent his son to die for my sins. He sent his son because he loved me. This Crown is proof of that. Jesus died for my sins and I need to atone. I can only atone by living a life dedicated to the Lord. But that isn’t enough. I am finally in a position where I can really do good. Through Outremer, I can save the soul of the Reich. Living for Outremer is no longer enough. I need to live for the Reich. It is not enough to just try to save my own sorry soul. I need to help the whole Reich save theirs. And Outremer is the key. Outremer has always been the key. And I…

    I am going to turn that key.


    Jan just sat there blinking for a few minutes as all of this processed in his head. Then he looked at the Crown sitting in his hand. He placed it back in the box carefully. And then he got up and opened the door where Gunther and Max were standing guard. If they heard Jan earlier, they gave no sign.

    “Get ready to leave. We’re heading for the Outremer chambers. There is much work to do.”

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Hermann used with permission of GH
    Last edited by Privateerkev; 09-13-2007 at 05:03.


    Knight of the Order of St. John
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