Oman No More

The original story is already in my signature, the blue 'Oh Man'. The comment underneath is by Amric, look for it in that thread...no I am not implying anything.
...is the subliminal messenger working?

I have played 50 years (almost), never been this busy before in a GC, I'm exhausted! It's not a Victoria AAR, I'm still waiting for it, should be delivered at the end of this month or the next...

Don't worry about time travel...I am not.

Scaring Pigeons

Terrified pigeons fly up from a square. A loud crackle breaks the cold winter morning. Out of nowhere a small piece of paper shoots through the air, chasing the pigeons for a moment, then coming to a halt and gently glides towards the frozen ground.

Only the pigeons know what the note says, but for you, dear reader, I will reveal what was written on the small piece of paper.

Dear Bunny and Dennis,

we have found the Netherlands, it was hidden beneath another country, but they couldn't keep it hidden forever, could they?

Lots of love,
Your new postman

Of course this isn't much of use to the pigeons. Staring down from the buildings they only wonder what that sound was that scared them up onto the buildings in the first place. Another loud crackle chases them off yet again.

A huge case now appears, it too shoots through the air, hits one of the buildings and falls to the ground. Upon inpact the case bursts open, revealing its contents of Hawaiian shirts, art from the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and a selection of books and scrolls filled with strange writings.

The pigeons find their old places on top of the buildings surrounding the square. Agreeing with eachother that they can finally enjoy their peace and quiet.

Another loud crackle once again breaks the cold winter morning, the pigeons are just about to give up. A tanned man holding onto his spectacles for dear life flies through the sky. With a nice arch, a salto and a spin he lands head first into the Hawaiian shirts piling out of the huge case. The pigeons look behind them and reveal some signs depicting some numbers. One of them says that his landing wasn't perfect and that had cost him some points.

Dennis gets up, shivering in the cold winter morning. He rubs his knee and straightens his back. A loud crack is heard, this time it's Dennis' poor back, the pigeons are not impressed and stay right where they are.

Dennis turns his head away and covers his ears as a loud thundering crack rolls once more over the square. The pigeons are now seriously fed up, their ears will be ringing for years on end. They take a northern route, one of them apparently heard that there is a square where they will be fed daily. As they fly off whispers of the word 'Dam' can be heard.

The cute little black bunny gently floats to the ground as if she was carried by invisible hands.

"It's sure cold here," the cute little black bunny says.
"You want a Hawaiian shirt?" Dennis replies.

The cute little black bunny doesn't pay attention, she looks around the square, inspecting the buildings.

"I wonder where we are..." she says.

Don't insult the bunny!

"Let's go and find out where we are," the cute little black bunny tells Dennis, "just shove that case underneath that tree over there." She points towards a tree.
Dennis pulls the case towards the tree, trying to keep the shirts and other stuff within the badly battered case.
"Somehow this looks familiar, I can even read the sign over the door here. It sure is different from Arabic."

The cute little black bunny and Dennis make their way to what seems to be the largest and most lavishly adorned building.

"You sure we should knock on the door, it's still quite early," Dennis asks the cute little black bunny.

The cute little black bunny looks at Dennis, "I am not going to knock."
She reaches into her fur and pulls out a set of lock picks. Within minutes the doors are open and both our friends enter the stately house.

"Wow, look at this, everything looks so old, yet so new at the same time. They either are very careful with their stuff or it is brand new," Dennis remarks.

The two inspect the hallway.

"HALT!" A loud voice booms through the sleeping house.
"Who goes there?!"

"Oh stop it," the cute little black bunny replies, "it's hardly new or original. Just tell us where we are."

"You are in his majesty Jan's house, ruler of Brabant, proud vassal and brother in law of the king of Burgundy."

"Burgundy doesn't exist if I remember correctly," Dennis whispers to the cute little black bunny.

"Did you say Burgundy? Since when have they been in control?"

The guard looks surprised, "I am not entirely sure, I only started to work here yesterday. I got this job as a new year's gift."

"What were you before then?" the cute little black bunny asks.
"I had a job sweeping the streets, but the pigeons kept bullying me off the street."

"You'd be pleased to know that they left for good then," the cute little black bunny informs the guard.
"What you mean?"

Dennis and the cute little black bunny don't bother explaining things to the guard and walk towards the stairway.

"HALT! You can't go up there!" the guard yells.
"Sure we can," the cute little black bunny replies. "See? We already are in fact."

At the top of the stairs there are three doors, two on the either side of the stairway and a big double door right in front of them. The cute little black bunny opens the big doors without any hesitation and steps into the dark room. She feels the walls searching for a light switch, but can't find any.

"HALT! You can't go in there!" the guard yells again.
In the back of the room the cute little black bunny can hear someone snoring loudly. The snoring stops right after the guard yelled at the two friends.

"What's going on? English spies? French assassins?" the man asks.

"No, sir, it's just me and my friend the cute little black bunny," Dennis tries to reassure the man in the bed.

"A rabbit? Don't be daft, why would you be accompanied by a rabbit? I say you are assassins!"

Moments later Brabant has a new king, Jan IV. The previous ruler died mysteriously early in the morning of January 1st, 1419. There are plenty of legends and myths surrounding his death, but most of them include a huge black apparition taking the Brabant ruler to lands far far away.

Baby steps, baby steps...

Dennis and the cute little black bunny sit in the local chippie.

"Bunny, you really have to work on that temper of yours, it will get us in trouble sooner or later," Dennis
"I don't have a temper," the cute little black bunny says with her mouth full of chips.

"I'm just saying that we have to be careful, I don't think these people have ever heard of us, they don't know what you're capable of."
"I better make sure they will then," the cute little black bunny responds without even looking up. "I've sure missed this, don't you like yours Dennis?"

"It's ok, I'm just worried about our current situation. Though we do have a rich province in Brabant, so do our neighbours."

"Invade someone then? Dennis, surely I don't have to spell everything out, do I?"
"There is no need to get snappy, cute little black bunny."

The cute little black bunny gets up from her seat and wipes her mouth with a nice warm moist cloth. "That was nice, let's go."
Dennis stuffs his face with the rest of his meal, gets up and follows the cute little black bunny out the shop.
The owner looks at the two leaving his shop, but something keeps him from asking them to pay.

It's a short walk to Jan's stately house, the people of Brussels start fill the streets, wishing the people they encounter a happy and peaceful new year.
Dennis looks at the cute little black bunny and sees a wicked smile on her face, every time she hears the line.

They enter the house, climb the stairs and turn into the state room to the right.
Duke Jan IV is already reading documents and messages.

As Dennis and the cute little black bunny open the doors and enter the state room, the duke looks up. "Good, you're back, it seems everyone is at war at the moment. Worse still France has just invaded Artois, just a few miles south."

"Any news from Burgundy or England?" the cute little black bunny asks.
"No, why? You expect something?"
"Not really, maybe to invite us into their alliance."
"Give them some time, they might still want us to join, we are in an excellent position to help them."

The cute little black bunny walks over to the wall and rips a few leafs off the calendar. She stops when she reaches April. "Time sure flies when you're having a ripping good time."

"I was just sharpening my claws. I am done now," she inspects her nails and polishes them with her nail file. "Dennis, you stay here with Duke Jan, I won't be too long."
"And where exactly are you going?"
"Expansion of territory, say you have a coin?"

Dennis feels around in his pockets and hands the cute little black bunny a coin.
"Heads or tails, to determine our future."
"Tails," Dennis laughs and can't help but look at the cute little black bunny's fluffy tail.

The cute little black bunny raises her eyebrow and flips the coin. "Heads means Luxembourg, Tails is Cologne."

She snatches the coin from the air and puts it on top of her left paw covering it with her right.
Carefully she removes her hand and looks at what fate has brought her.
"Cologne it is then, won't be long; please keep the place tidy while I'm gone."