The Cult of Roon J'Taal. Jacob of Higher-Hattington's Annotated Memoirs

[Syt]

Originally posted by Valdemar
Very nice Sytass, do I have to call the mods to rate the next part PG 13 or something?

V

No, Vald, I am afraid there will no juicy bits in this AAR. Well, maybe later, when the kids are in bed.

[NOTE: I don't have kids - just making sure I'm not misunderstood... j/k]

[Kurek]

This AAR is cool, I cant wait to see where Jacob ends up next.

[Syt]

I remained in Cologne for a long time. Summer passed and autumn came. The war against Prussia was dragging out as von Dessau awaited fresh troops from King Frederik I. In the meantime, the Archbishop of Cologne ordered a raise of troops. Joseph Clemens was a man in his best years, as people like to call the age between forty and sixty. He was pious, as his rank indicated, and he was also politician enough to effectively rule his bishopric. Werner Brettschneider and he prepared the city for the inevitable confrontation with von Dessau's army. The walls were fortified where necessary, and the breastworks were inforced.

The Archbishop knew that the poorly trained troops that he'd be able to muster would be no match for the battle hardened Prussians who had been green themselves not long ago. My knowledge about the Prussians was much appreciated during those preparations. All hopes were put in the French and Spanish to come to aid before the city would fall. Certainly, Cologne could hold out for a year, provided that food was stocked and the military had enough powder, cannons, and cannonballs. But it would certainly be a straineous time.

I befriended the Brettschneiders. I made up stories about my adventures, how my family had been impovered by King Frederik ceding lands to Poland, and the likes. Johanna and I spent a lot of time together, often sharing the bed, hoping that our desires which were taking such control of us wouldn't discredit her father or herself too much. But from what we could tell, almost no one knew.

Who did know was her father with who I conversed often in the evenings. “Dear Baron von Huttingen”, he once said to me on a late October evening, spent in front of a fireplace with a bottle of Rhine wine. “I am well aware that men and women, when seperated from their dear ones are befallen by desires of the body.”

I blushed. What was I to say about it? I let the wine in my glass roll slowly.

“Johanna is promised to another man. And while he cannot be with her, I understand that she needs... distraction, I guess. My dear Baron, please take no offence. I know too well how difficult being seperated from the person you are married to can be.” His eyes wandered the portrait of his wife who had died some years ago, and the expression of guilt was saddening his face. “What I want to say is Baron, if it was someone lesser than you...” He paused again, thinking about what to say. “Please, don't raise hopes in her, and more importantly, don't set your hopes on anything, either. Just make sure that this remains out of the eyes of the public.”

And thus we spoke no more of the matter. I thought about talking to Johanna about this little conversation, but she had confessed earlier to me how much she loved her husband. And so I enjoyed what time we spent, and I miraculously achieved not losing my heart to her, something I would not be able to do with another married wife, some years later. But that is a different story.

In december news reached Cologne that the Prussian army was preparing to lay siege to the city and that they would march south from Kleve where they had been encamped for the past months. The Archbishop had assembled a shoddy army of 20,000 men, most of them had still tilled the soil on their farms some weeks ago. An old veteran of past wars was leading these troops, although everyone knew that all they could hope to achieve was to buy more time.

Not only were the Prussians more numerous when the battle, on a snowy field about fifty miles north of Cologne, commenced in mid january. Perhaps a day was won with the battle, but not more, as the hastily assembled troops of Cologne, such were the reports, faltered on the initial attack and the first skirmishes.

The news were taken surprisingly ligthtly in the city herself. The people had been prepared for this event long time ago, and those who feared a siege had already left. Daily, new reports of the Prussians moving towards Cologne reached us, but few reports of looting or pillaging arrived. Two or three days before the Prussians would commence going into siege at Cologne, Monsieur Lafayette returned, riding on a horse. Johanna laughed as I compared the looks to that of a squirrel riding on a cat.

Lafayette demanded an immediate audience with Werner Brettschneider during which I should be present, too. After the initial pleasantries had been exchanged – during the course of which the Frenchman had ignored me again – Lafayette pointed at me and demanded, “I want this false Baron bound and chained, for he is a traitor!”

Archbishop Joseph Clemens had used the time that was afforded him to bolster his city against a siege wisely. The battle of Brühl on January 27th was only a minor hinderance, but it also helped determine the actual strength of the Prussians. The city was well prepared – the stocks full, the soldiers in high spirits, the citizens steadfast. Suprisingly, my father does not mention the attempt of Cologne to sign a white peace with Prussia after this battle.

How the city was lost, nevertheless, will be discussed in the following writins, but I'd like to comment on my father's relationship with Johanna Brettschneider. It cannot be commended that he indulged himself into such an affair not only with a woman promised to another man, but also in the knowing of her father. As much as my father always was inclined to women in such a way that he sought romance with nigh all of them, I was disappointed in his character, for he and his mistress at Cologne involved themselves with each other for no other reasons but pleasure. There were no higher feelings behind it it seems, from both what her oldest son told me of what he had heard from his mother's tales, and from what my father writes about the whole affair. I must excuse myself to You readers for my father's inability to control his lesser instinct.

[J. Passepartout]

That kid has very low expectations, doesn't he?

[stnylan]

He is certainly a disillusioned believer. Growing up to find how fraudulent his hero was.

[Lord Durham]

I've just read this in one sitting, Sytass, and I think you have really hit your stride. This is a brilliant piece of work - doubly so because of the attention to detail and the opposing, and realistic, commentaries from both father and son.

This AAR deserves a loyal following, and is my choice for Weekly Showcase.

[Syt]

Thank you, everyone. I enjoy writing this AAR immensely, and I will continue in the fashion so far.

Special thanks to you, Bruce, for finding the time to read through it and making it the weekly showcase, I try to live up to these honours.

[Valdemar]

I can only second LD's praise, this is indeed a worthy selection for this weeks honor.

Having followed this from the beginning I can only say that I keep coming back

V

[Kurek]

*raises glass for a toast*

A Great AAR, carry on the good work.

[Secret Master]

I'm catching up on this wonderful piece of work you slipped under my radar. The use of the son's commentary on dad is a good device. I like it.

[Lord Durham]

Originally posted by Secret Master
The use of the son's commentary on dad is a good device. I like it.

Extremely effective device. *grrr* dammit, Sytass, I wish you still had time for the FC...

[Syt]

Thank you, everyone.

LD, if I had way more time at hands at the moment, I'd gladly join in on the FC again, but I would hate to withdraw again after some time because of an unexpected development.

But Armin's quartet is not quite dead yet.

[Syt]

I froze at Lafayette's words. Was this the end of me? Something inside me took control, I cannot actually point to what it was, but I started laughing, a hearty, bellowing laugh. The other three stared at me.

“What are you laughing at?” the Frenchman who so much resembled a rodent exclaimed, obvioiusly hurt that I did not only not seem to take any offence from his accusations, but that I additionally didn't appear to take him serious, either.

“You”, I responded, barely able to control my laughter that had sounded hysterical to me, but sincere to Johanna and Werner Brettschneider, or so it appeard as their faces brightened up. I continued, “I think with so bold an accusation you would be able to show us more proof of your words than just your obvious dislike of my person.”

“I, well, of course I do. For example, there is, nor ever has been, a Baron of Hochhuttingen. There is no such fiefdom in all of Prussia.” He smiled triumphantly.

“Dear Monsieur Lafayette, you do not think that I conduct my mission under my real name?” I tried thinking of a more believable place of origin, but the French envoy spoke first.

“Then pray tell us, Monsieur, what your real name is.”

“I am fraid I cannot answer you this question, even not in the private confines of this office, for I was instructed to reveal my true identity to no one.”

Johanna and her father smiled at me. Obviously, they were even more intrigued about me than they had been before. Werner Brettschneider later would confide in me that upon my arrival Lafayette had considered me a spy, and that he had tried to obtain information about me through his contacts in France. The mayor never believed me to be a spy or a traitor, or at least he claimed so.

Lafayette, however, was not convinced at all. “Then who was the person giving you your orders? As far as I am concerned, no one in all of France knows you, not to speak of your mission.”

“Monsieur, certain circles in France do know about me and my mission. Your inability to find out about either just proves to me that you are not as influential as you would like to think, and that some of your contacts might find it necessary to not give you all the information they possess.”

This enfuriated the little man to no end, but before he could even begin to speak to me, Werner Brettschneider intervened. “Monsieur Lafayette, I bear great respect towards your person and your mission from the French Royal Cort, but if all the proof you had promised me to produce before us consists of not knowing who Baron von Hochhuttingen is or who he owes his services to, then I am afraid I cannot comply with your wish to arrest him. Moreover, I have come to value him as a good friend, and so has my daughter. I suggest, and I am convinced I speak with the full authority of the Archbishop, that you either hold your allegations to yourself or we will be urged to request a more appropriate envoy from France.”

At that, Lafayette's face turned red and a vein on his forehead seemed to pucker visibly, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned on his heel and removed himself from the office without any formality. He left Cologne but a few hours later and we never heard of him again. Johanna laughed merrily, and I noticed sweat running from underneath my grey wig over my whitely powdered face and down my cheek. I quickly wiped my face, smearing the powder. Johanna laughed even more. Werner Brettschneider seemed content to have gotten rid of Lafayette and his malcontent schemes and opened a bottle of the fine Rhine Wine he kept in a closet of his office. I certainly felt the need for an alcoholic beverage. We would never again speak of my previous travels or missions, and that alleviated the necessity to come up with new stories to tell them almost every day I spent with them.

Two days after this incident the Prussian Army was at Cologne. After the initial rites of war – the commander of the army demanding surrender, the city denying it, and an exchange of fire without casualties – the Prussians began to prepare their siegeworks. I wondered why I had remained here, in the doomed city. I looked at Johanna as we stood on a tower and overlooked the Prussian preparations, and I realized that there had to be one more thing I felt I needed to do before I continued my travels. For the moment we prepared for long weeks of siege, with artillery barrages, feints, and a few attempts to storm the city.

During my research about my father's life, this is one of the passages that puzzled me most. It is clear that Lafayette hastily left Cologne upon my father's arrival; perhaps he thought he recognized some foul person he had heard about in him. But while my father was far from living the life of a saint, he was also not bent to live a life of great vileness. The answer, however, we will not know, for Monsieur Lafayette was ambushed and killed on his way to Paris with general belief accrediting his death to enemies he had made at court.

The question arises: why wrote my father this part of meeting Lafayette again? Did he make it up to add contents to his tale? Unlikely. He exaggerated now and then, used a few euphemisms, but he never made up a whole scene. I therefore think that his memory was not as good as he would have thought it to be. An explanation lending itself easily is that my father really thought he had met Lafayette twice. However, I think the whole dialogue with Lafayette occurred on their first meeting and that my father without thinking about it delayed part of it in his tale, probably because he was afraid all the time to be discovered as a liar.

The siege of Cologne was rather unspectacular. Few skirmishes occurred, a few notes were exchanged between the Archbishop and mayor inside the city, and Fürst Leopold von Dessau before the walls. I will not go into detail how the city fell, for my father narrates it later in this story, and since he played a vital role in these events, I will hold my comments until You, dear readers, have read that far.

[J. Passepartout]

Somehow I get the impression Lafayette is on to something you aren't telling us...

[Director]

A very enjoyable read, Sytass. I must second the observations of others - the comments and explanations from the son add a great deal to the quality of the work.

Are you familiar with George MacDonald Frasier's Flashman series? If you aren't, you should try one immediately - your Jacob may be a distant relation. (If only because no-one would claim a close relationship with Harry Flashman. )

The battle scene was indeed well done, and Jacob's flight - and plight - were entirely believable.

[Lord Durham]

Originally posted by Director

Are you familiar with George MacDonald Frasier's Flashman series? If you aren't, you should try one immediately - your Jacob may be a distant relation. (If only because no-one would claim a close relationship with Harry Flashman. )

The battle scene was indeed well done, and Jacob's flight - and plight - were entirely believable.

Ah, Flashman. That was also a movie with Malcolm McDowell, IIRC.

And I forgot to mention, the flight from battle sequence reminded me of The Red Badge of Courage.

[Syt]

J. Passeportout: I'm afraid we will meet Monsieur Lafayette not any more - Jacob and his son both agree that he is gone, although not how.

Director, I haven't read Flashman in any form. I'll be going to check out what they are about, though.

LD, I haven't read Red Badge of Courage, either, but I know about the book (once read a summary on it). I'm currently back at War and Peace, so it'll be some time till I get to read something else.

However, if it's also been turned into a movie with Malcolm MacDowell, I most certainly cannot skip it.

Writing on this story so far goes well; it is actually an interesting concept, because it makes me criticize my own writing (that of Jacob) and take apart the less believable bits and put them back in order through the son. However, I hope to expand on the son-father relationship through the gap of time.

Thanks for reading and commenting so far!

[Valdemar]

I'll agree to the Flashman reference, however that series get's real repetitive after a few books IMHO.

That has not happen to your story Sytass, I'm glad your troublesome days at work are over so we can get your quality writing back.

V

[Storey]

I continue to be impressed Sytass. I think this might be your best writing which is saying a lot. The style you've choosen works very well!

Joe

[Syt]

Hm, I checked for Flashman and the author's name on Amazon, and got 64 finds! None in German, though, and all around 12 €. Maybe I will check out a few issues once I get to it. I read some summaries, though, and I understand the reference.

Storey, thanks! Your praise is slightly emberrassing, for I am a lot less careful writing this story. Usually, I get home, write an installment (while thinking about he story during the day), read it over once or twice, and post it. The only major difference I see to my previous efforts is that I use speech and sentences which resemble more the way I speak/think. Maybe this is an important point to take note of for future efforts.