Homelands
Chapter Thirty Two: The Prince and the King
Part 4
Prelude:
The more I think about King Vishly Kitensun the more I think he and I are alike. He took over a country that had been run by a well-loved man, but run secretly behind the scenes by a bunch of undeserving laymen. He took Prussia into a whole new direction and he did it through his sheer force of personality. He is a man that any governor should aspire to resemble. I forgive him for being a monarch, but he was also a man of vision and progress, something unfound in many monarchs. When I was Director of Security, I had a small portrait of Vishly on my desk to remind me each day of where I was supposed to take Prussia. Sometimes what is right and where people want to go are in two totally different directions, like the bottom of the sea and the moon. A good leader is able to tell his people "This is where we are headed, this is where I am taking us, this is what you want." Then he convinces them that A is bad, and that B and C are the same place. A great leader knows that telling his people anything is stupid. Sometimes it is best to let them think you are doing exactly what they want and that everything is turning out exactly as they planned... but in reality you are headed down your own road while they stand and admire the wild flowers that they claimed to have planted.
- Jazeps Valdissun, Prussian Head of State
February 1st, 1307
Vishly sat on his throne looking over the applicants for position of Chancellor, one of many positions left vacant since his return. In fact not a single member of his father's court member's had kept their jobs. Instead the positions were being filled by people of skill and loyalty and not just nobility. It was a major change from the normal, usually these positions would be stable, a son would inherit his father's cabinet as well as his lands. But Vishly would have none of it. He had worked many hours with these people and had endured their angst and hatred, but now they came to him as friends and as loyal servants and they were dismissed like a hungry dog on the street. There were no more noble spectators in the court room, no more whispers for favors in the King's ear, the golden age of Prussian Chivalry lie dying on the ground at the feet of King Vishly.
Guards stood at either side of the King as he finally stood to make his decision, "You, Ludis Teodorssun, you shall be Chancellor of Prussia," The King said. One man looked very relieved, the rest saddened, "The all of you are dismissed. Ludis, speak with the head maid about moving your family into the palace soon." All the men vacated the throne room, leaving Vishly to ponder his choices. A man entered and saluted Vishly with a bow and two fingers to his temple.
"Lord Vishly, you summoned me?" he asked.
"Ah, yes... Árás," Vishly said. Árás Kæstótis was the new Marshal of Prussia. He was the first Marshal to not be of noble birth, instead he was a proven tactician from the war in Scandinavia and had served in the defense of Ziemelængrád as well as the sacking of Stockholm. "I assume you've begun the orders I have made?"
"Yes, my lord. Troops have been called up are being stationed where you expect resistance to be greatest. They will be ready and awaiting your command by the 10th, as requested." Árás stood at attention, only his head moved as he spoke.
"Good. They must be ready to strike out, though I doubt that this will cause too much of an uproar," Vishly said, almost laughing.
"Sir. I know it is not my place, but why are you worried about an uprising within Prussia? Reports from the troops say that everything is rather calm and idyllic."
"Ah, but Master Árás, the weather changes quickly in the Baltic, sunny one day and raining the next. I am testing the waters of progress and to see how the nobles react to it, I doubt that your men will be needed, but if it is a drill, then we know how well your men perform, and we shall reward them justly."
Árás didn't completely understand but he nodded anyways, it wasn't his job to understand, it was his job to get the troops moving at the King's command. "Very good, sir. If we aren't called to action then I shall tell the men it was a drill, I am sure that there will be no questions."
"Thank you, Árás, you are dismissed."
"Thank you, sir." Árás bowed again and saluted with the two fingers to the temple as he turned to leave the room.
When he was alone again with only his guard, Vishly called Ziedás into the throne room. The two moved to a small table and sat down in lavish plush chairs while looking over a copy of the Æthelræchtæs. Taking a quill and ink Vishly scanned through it and marked a large black X through the passage that allowed nobles to call up troops of their own. "It is a start," Ziedás said. "But it might not be the right step..."
"This passage has not been used since the war with Rome, and that was the only time it was used at all since the document was written. I doubt it will be greatly missed," Vishly responded.
"That is what I mean, we are not doing enough."
"I disagree," Vishly said, putting the quill into the ink jar, "Illegalizing their arms gives us extra right to crush them if they do actually rebel. By painting the nobles to be power-hungry and willing to break any law to gain power over Prussia will likely earn the hearts of the merchant classes. Our power lies with them, darling. They see the nobles as a barrier to their own power as do I. A common enemy is a strong binder."
"But take something else... their right to divide their lands... lessen their ability to tax their vassals... something!"
Vishly smiled, but shook his head, "Ziedás, the biggest step is in actually changing this blasted thing. It has never been done, even correcting the grammar has been a pain in the past. We cannot just repeal it, we'll tear it apart, piece by piece and soon the whole thing will come crumbling down."
Ziedás look unhappy, "Fine... if that is all you are willing to do."
"My love, we have plenty of time. I've been King for hardly a week. Relax, enjoy the peace and quiet while we have it. Once I announce this we won't have much. We might have to set up shop in Mariengrád to confuse our enemies from finding us."
"You really enjoyed that place didn't you? Ever since we've returned you've done nothing but think up excuses to go back. This palace is so much larger, plus there is little way to move the capital now. It would only lead to confusion from foreigners and only net a small window of security," Ziedás said. She sat down behind Vishly and rubbed his shoulders.
He closed his eyes and nodded, "I guess... but I don't want my second visit to be on my death bed like every other King."
Memelgrád's port was one of the largest and most important in Europe. A image of the port dating from the XVIII Century.
Chapter Thirty Two: The Prince and the King
Part 4
Prelude:
The more I think about King Vishly Kitensun the more I think he and I are alike. He took over a country that had been run by a well-loved man, but run secretly behind the scenes by a bunch of undeserving laymen. He took Prussia into a whole new direction and he did it through his sheer force of personality. He is a man that any governor should aspire to resemble. I forgive him for being a monarch, but he was also a man of vision and progress, something unfound in many monarchs. When I was Director of Security, I had a small portrait of Vishly on my desk to remind me each day of where I was supposed to take Prussia. Sometimes what is right and where people want to go are in two totally different directions, like the bottom of the sea and the moon. A good leader is able to tell his people "This is where we are headed, this is where I am taking us, this is what you want." Then he convinces them that A is bad, and that B and C are the same place. A great leader knows that telling his people anything is stupid. Sometimes it is best to let them think you are doing exactly what they want and that everything is turning out exactly as they planned... but in reality you are headed down your own road while they stand and admire the wild flowers that they claimed to have planted.
- Jazeps Valdissun, Prussian Head of State
February 1st, 1307
Vishly sat on his throne looking over the applicants for position of Chancellor, one of many positions left vacant since his return. In fact not a single member of his father's court member's had kept their jobs. Instead the positions were being filled by people of skill and loyalty and not just nobility. It was a major change from the normal, usually these positions would be stable, a son would inherit his father's cabinet as well as his lands. But Vishly would have none of it. He had worked many hours with these people and had endured their angst and hatred, but now they came to him as friends and as loyal servants and they were dismissed like a hungry dog on the street. There were no more noble spectators in the court room, no more whispers for favors in the King's ear, the golden age of Prussian Chivalry lie dying on the ground at the feet of King Vishly.
Guards stood at either side of the King as he finally stood to make his decision, "You, Ludis Teodorssun, you shall be Chancellor of Prussia," The King said. One man looked very relieved, the rest saddened, "The all of you are dismissed. Ludis, speak with the head maid about moving your family into the palace soon." All the men vacated the throne room, leaving Vishly to ponder his choices. A man entered and saluted Vishly with a bow and two fingers to his temple.
"Lord Vishly, you summoned me?" he asked.
"Ah, yes... Árás," Vishly said. Árás Kæstótis was the new Marshal of Prussia. He was the first Marshal to not be of noble birth, instead he was a proven tactician from the war in Scandinavia and had served in the defense of Ziemelængrád as well as the sacking of Stockholm. "I assume you've begun the orders I have made?"
"Yes, my lord. Troops have been called up are being stationed where you expect resistance to be greatest. They will be ready and awaiting your command by the 10th, as requested." Árás stood at attention, only his head moved as he spoke.
"Good. They must be ready to strike out, though I doubt that this will cause too much of an uproar," Vishly said, almost laughing.
"Sir. I know it is not my place, but why are you worried about an uprising within Prussia? Reports from the troops say that everything is rather calm and idyllic."
"Ah, but Master Árás, the weather changes quickly in the Baltic, sunny one day and raining the next. I am testing the waters of progress and to see how the nobles react to it, I doubt that your men will be needed, but if it is a drill, then we know how well your men perform, and we shall reward them justly."
Árás didn't completely understand but he nodded anyways, it wasn't his job to understand, it was his job to get the troops moving at the King's command. "Very good, sir. If we aren't called to action then I shall tell the men it was a drill, I am sure that there will be no questions."
"Thank you, Árás, you are dismissed."
"Thank you, sir." Árás bowed again and saluted with the two fingers to the temple as he turned to leave the room.
When he was alone again with only his guard, Vishly called Ziedás into the throne room. The two moved to a small table and sat down in lavish plush chairs while looking over a copy of the Æthelræchtæs. Taking a quill and ink Vishly scanned through it and marked a large black X through the passage that allowed nobles to call up troops of their own. "It is a start," Ziedás said. "But it might not be the right step..."
"This passage has not been used since the war with Rome, and that was the only time it was used at all since the document was written. I doubt it will be greatly missed," Vishly responded.
"That is what I mean, we are not doing enough."
"I disagree," Vishly said, putting the quill into the ink jar, "Illegalizing their arms gives us extra right to crush them if they do actually rebel. By painting the nobles to be power-hungry and willing to break any law to gain power over Prussia will likely earn the hearts of the merchant classes. Our power lies with them, darling. They see the nobles as a barrier to their own power as do I. A common enemy is a strong binder."
"But take something else... their right to divide their lands... lessen their ability to tax their vassals... something!"
Vishly smiled, but shook his head, "Ziedás, the biggest step is in actually changing this blasted thing. It has never been done, even correcting the grammar has been a pain in the past. We cannot just repeal it, we'll tear it apart, piece by piece and soon the whole thing will come crumbling down."
Ziedás look unhappy, "Fine... if that is all you are willing to do."
"My love, we have plenty of time. I've been King for hardly a week. Relax, enjoy the peace and quiet while we have it. Once I announce this we won't have much. We might have to set up shop in Mariengrád to confuse our enemies from finding us."
"You really enjoyed that place didn't you? Ever since we've returned you've done nothing but think up excuses to go back. This palace is so much larger, plus there is little way to move the capital now. It would only lead to confusion from foreigners and only net a small window of security," Ziedás said. She sat down behind Vishly and rubbed his shoulders.
He closed his eyes and nodded, "I guess... but I don't want my second visit to be on my death bed like every other King."
Memelgrád's port was one of the largest and most important in Europe. A image of the port dating from the XVIII Century.
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