“Bitte, Sein Majestat! Bitte!”
“Bitte!”
“Bitte, Sein Majestat.”
To the Kaiser’s evident embarrassment each citizen, as he approached, stepped aside and gestured for him to proceed ahead. This was not what he had in mind when he suggested he should not be given special treatment by the election officers. But he did not dare offend any person who offered their place in line!
The German Emperor, dressed in a nondescript charcoal suit and beaver hat, held an elegant cane in his right hand. On his left he was locked arm in arm with the less plainly attired Kaiserin Victoria.
With them stood Prince Rensselaer on one side and a barrel-chested cavalry major on the other – the Kaiser’s only concession to his immediate security. Behind him paced a wiry leutnant, carrying a parasol to shade the royal couple from the August sun. He was a model of preoccupied nervousness. Other soldiers stood off in the background to each side of the long queue of Germans, watching with concern that didn’t seem to be yet warranted.
“It is a new day, Pietr,” Friedrich said. “Could you have imagined this, here in Prussia?!” The Kaiser was keenly proud of this accomplishment.
“A new day, indeed, Majesty.” Rensselaer allowed the tall, handsome Friedrich about three beats of cheerful exuberance. Then, with a hint of lilt in his voice, he quipped, “I wonder how the people in Gotha would have voted today.”
The Kaiser gave him a level look, while the Kaiserin tried to hide an amused grin with her gloved hand.
No reason, Rensselaer thought, for His Majesty to think himself overly clever for having constantly disregarded his ministers’ advice. Softening his criticism with a sheepish smile, he added, “It is truly a day to behold, Your Majesty. Besides the admiration of the German people, I do believe you have opened many eyes in the courts and ministries of power around the world.”
Victoria added, “Mother is very impressed with your leadership… As am I, of course, My Dear.” She patted his arm affectionately, and hugged closer to his sturdy frame.
More of the common people bowed to the Kaiser and Kaiserin, waving them ahead with genuine expressions of awe and gratitude. They both acknowledged each gesture with magnanimity, and stepped forward slowly along the line that stretched along the Unter den Linden.
One tall, plainly dressed man remained with his back to the Kaiser until just before he approached. He turned deliberately around, only to come face to face with the husky major, who… growled.
The man’s eyes went wide for a moment, then he recovered and fixed Friedrich with a glare of hatred and animosity. Rensselaer took note of a red cockade pinned to the bill of the man’s wool cap.
“You
dare disrespect the Kaiser?!” the major challenged.
“Herr Major,” Friedrich interrupted rapidly. “It is perfectly all right. There is no need for us to proceed ahead of everybody.”
“Ewald!” The defiant man flinched and cowered as his five-foot-three mother cuffed him three times, without any indication she was quite done with him. “How
dare you, you evil whelp!”
Rensselaer wasted no time in hurrying the entourage past the fighting couple, and things proceeded more as they had before.
Once they all reached the election tables, virtually everyone within sight of the Kaiser cheered as they took their ballot cards and stepped behind the screen to cast their vote. The Kaiser and Rensselaer both placed their cards in the box for the Konservative Partei… The Kaiserin Victoria cast hers for the Liberaldem.
AuthAAR's Note: In retrospect, it appears I did something wrong. I didn't know at the time, as I've never commanded a Constitutional Monarchy, or noted how it appeared on screen.
For whatever reason, I don't think Germany ever got to where I meant it to be. I granted universal suffrage, but what else would I have to do in order to make it into a Constitutional Monarchy, rather than a regular monarchy?
In any case, I got elections every five years or so.... And each party got their own percentages of the vote... It
appeared to be working properly!