Chapter 4 ‘Adalheid decides to do nothing.’
‘What do you mean mother ? I think it is clear what our duty is, we need to inform emperor Heinrich of this conspiracy.’
‘All we have is the word of count Ekbert, my son. We don’t have any proof of this conspiracy, it could be a false rumour. Planted by count Ekbert to discredit us.’
‘Why would he do that ? There is no need for him to do that, I am sure that the emperor will be very pleased when he hears about this from me, and maybe in his gratitude reward me.’
‘And don’t you think it is strange that Ekbert himself doesn’t want this reward ?’
‘No, we are from a noble and influential family, the emperor will much sooner believe us then count Ekbert.’
‘Don’t be such a fool, Otto. Ekbert’s family is just as noble and high-ranking as us and maybe even more. I don’t think the von Franken have forgotten what my brother Conrad had tried to do.’
‘That is so long ago and don’t forget that I am married to a princes from Hungary.’
‘Yes, of course I know that. And the way your wife is spending our money it looks like she thinks she is married to a king herself.’
‘Don’t be so harsh on Adelaida, it is not easy for her.’
‘She is a spoiled little brat.’
‘You are talking about my wife, mother ! I don’t like it when you insult her like that.’
‘Yes I am your mother and if I can call your wife what ever I want, but let’s get back to the business shall we. There is only one option for us and that is to do nothing.’
‘Nothing ? We can’t do nothing, that wouldn’t be right.’
‘Listen Otto, you know what will happen when you go to emperor Heinrich ? He will call duke Godfried and ask him if what you have told him is true and then Godfried of course will deny it and at the same time remind Heinrich of the fact that your uncle Conrad was a real rebel who had tried to murder his father.’
‘So, my father has always stayed loyal to his liege and I, myself have never done something wrong. I can’t be held responsible for the deeds of my uncle.’
‘Stop living in a dream, Otto. You have no idea how the politics work in the empire. A lot of people envy us for all kinds of reasons, for example you being married to that Árpád girl. And if they can discredit us then they will do it. The best thing is to do nothing and just see what happens.’
‘But mother !’
‘No, Otto ! You may think that you can play being the count, but it is still I who decide what we do. I will talk this over with chancellor Bertha and your father, Hendrikus. I am sure they will agree with me.’
‘He is not my father, mother ! He is just my stepfather.’
‘No you are being childish, Otto. Now go see where your brother Gebhard is.’
Otto left his mother’s quarters in a very angry mood, he was mad at his mother and his other councillors but most of all he was mad at himself. His mother still treated him like a child but that was because he let her do that, it was time that he started to take matters into his own hands.
As it turned out, Adalheid had been right, chancellor Bertha and marshal Hendrikus agreed with her, that doing nothing was in this case the best thing. And when the summer passed without any sign of a rebellion, Otto saw that the story Ekbert had told him might indeed just have been story to discredit him. But the relationship between Adalheid and Otto had changed, he didn’t spent as much time with her as he used and instead of that started to look for new friends and advisors.
