Rome, 1290

His head hurt. The room was no longer spinning, but his mouth was dry and gritty as if he was still on campaign in Anatolia.

"This why I don't drink, usually", croaked the Chancellor of the Reich to himself.

The door to his bed chamber opened, letting in a blinding, to his eyes, stream of light. A figure stood in the door way.

"Leave me in peace," Matthias rasped, "If there are letters, dump them in the pile with the others."

The figure spoke with a familiar voice, "This is not a way for a Chancellor to be conducting himself. Did you learn nothing from me?"

Matthias snorted ruefully, "Ah. . .Elsebeth. I fear you catch me at a. . .poor moment."

The Queen sat on the edge of the bed and surveyed him with a critical eye. The years had been kinder to her than Matthias. The travails of two terms had left him prematurely grey, the unrelenting sun of many campaigns in Outremer had etched lines into his face, and the marks of war had left scars on his body.

Elsebeth gently moved a stray lock of hair from Matthias's face and spoke, "I have heard of your recent outbursts. It was so unlike you, I was concerned. You have ruled with subtlety and vision, until now, what has changed?"

Matthias closed his eyes and sighed, "I have sought to rebuild the Reich in my tenure. I have tried to rule impartially, mostly, and avoid the dramatics of the previous Chancellors. I thought I had succeeded, but. . ."

"But what? Matthias, you have done well. You were the youngest man to be elected Chancellor, much less for two terms. There has been little complaint from the Electors."

Matthias grimaced and sat up to look Elsebeth in the face. He swayed a bit but spoke in steady voice.

"This isn't about me, so much. Yes, the books are balanced, cities have been conquered, old enemies defeated, but there's something lacking. Lately, I've gotten the feeling that I haven't restored the Reich, but merely delayed the inevitable rot."

Elsebeth raised an eyebrow, "Rot? The Empire is more powerful than ever. There are no enemies that can match us. Even the Mongols, whose Empire stretches to Cathay, were defeated."

"No, you're right, but I'm not talking about external enemies. A rot from the inside. We have become complacent and decadent. The Electors seem resigned to squabble about family politics or points of order. Each House seems cut off from the other, turned inward on their own pet causes. Their seems to be no esprit de corps that marked, for example, the First Crusade. The Kaiser. . .the Kaiser provides no focus. He seems to be disinterested in ruling, leaving many tasks to me, the Prinz, or his wife."

Elsebeth smiled slyly, "And you object to this? An active Kaiser can have an interesting effect on the course of the Reich."

Matthias shook his head, "Yes, but the Kaiser should be the hub of the wheel, with the houses as the spokes, and the lords of the realm as the rim. Without any of these components, the wheel collapses, the wagon does not move forward. The Reich isn't moving forward. I studied the proceedings of the Diet before running for Chancellor. The dynamic tension between the Houses and the Kaiser, and the Diet and Chancellor that fueled our progress, that elevated us above the simple monarchies of our neighbors, now seems lacking."

Elsebeth pursed her lips, "The past often seems more ideal than the present Matthias. Memories and histories are kind to our ancestors. Nostalgia can be a trap."

Matthias frowned, "Perhaps. I worry though. I worry that for all I have done, all I have tried to do, it won't be enough. Siegfried will come along and take what I have done, what I have accomplished, and fritter it away. And the Electors, focused on their petty chimeras, won't lift a finger."

Elsebeth chuckled and patted the Chancellor's hand. "Ah, so it is not so much the great tide of history that worries you, but the fact that you will have to give up the power you have held for so long."

The Chancellor grunted and his eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps, but there's more to it than that. Empires rise and Empires fall. I'd rather my term be remembered as the start of a golden age, rather than the last glimmer of light before the darkness."

Elsebeth rose and moved to the door.

"Such grim thoughts for a young man. You do have a few years left in power. Try to enjoy them. And if this is the last glimmer the light, it should be savored, not wasted hung over in the dark."

The Queen paused before leaving the room, her face in profile in the light streaming in behind her.

"Of course, Matthias, this doesn't have to be your last term. A two thirds majority in the Diet would ensure that. Think about it."

She left him to his thoughts.