Back with a new update. Sorry for the delay, I had to get my Econ 101 and Organic Chem grades back up.
Chapter 8: The Rohan Plan and Its Implementation
Toulouse, January 23, 1621
Guy starred at the map pinned down to the table in the center of the dank room. Three provinces were all that remained of the great Huguenot Empire, the beacon of reform in a hostile world. Guy ran his hand through his hair, now mostly grey, not surprisingly. Guy wondered how his father had created this empire that he had ruined. He dropped his head and starred at the floor, barking a short, bitter laugh. Was that how he would be remembered in the history books, if at all? He could imagine some monk being generous and giving him a sentence and this failed experiment at reform five sentences. "Guy II, a man who wrought havoc upon whatever he did, causing the destruction of an empire that had once ruled half of France." Guy was torn from his thoughts by the creak of the door. Henri crossed over to Guy.
Henri: Guy, my comrade through so many hard times, do not look so down trodden, so near to breaking. Rejoice, for I have perfected it.
Guy: It? Not that damn "new world" strategy!
Henri: Oh, but look.
Henri crossed and put his finger on the small marker representing the small expeditionary force in the Magellanes.
Henri: 678 men, waiting our orders.
Henri turned to the Europe section of the map.
Henri: 9,800 men, 4,500 cavalry and 34 cannon, spoiling for revenge.
Henri allowed his finger to rest on Paris.
Guy: Are you crazy? We are but flies to France. We would not stand a chance!
Henri tapped London.
Henri: Never, ever underestimate the English hatred for the French. They are allied with Holland. We will wait and ally with them. No European power, not even the Austrians can fight alone, and us least of all. The Dutch and English will occupy the majority of the Armee du Roi, allowing us to conduct a campaign of "Shock and Awe". We storm the closest French provinces with massive infantry assaults. Secondly, we move the Expeditionary force up the Patagonian coast, taking Aisen and Talca, neither of which has a fort. Then we sue for peace, and assuming the Dutch don't get conquered, we will walk away with Talca and Aisen.
Guy: So? Talca and Aisen mean nothing to the French, the very reason why your plan will work!
Henri: Do you not see? Operation Lollipop was a step in the right direction, but not big enough. We must have an empire, outside of Europe if we want to win this war!
Guy: What war?
Henri: Guy, since the first moment of our independence, we have been locked in mortal kombat with the French, fighting for every second of survival. They believe we no longer represent a threat, such as we did 3 decades ago, but they are wrong. As the Orientals say: Be as a river. Flow and move to your advantages, flow away from your disadvantages. As to you earlier question, you must be willing to accept you place in God's plan. We are but motes in the Grand Design, but we must lead way. After the removal of France from southern South America, we move along the other coast. We will sweep over the lightly defended Spanish like a wave over a sand castle. But the Spanish will learn, so we cannot attack them forever. No, we must follow the gold. We'll conquer up to Rosario, then turn north, through the Andes, to the Inca! If we sweep over the Spanish like a wave, we will be like an ocean to the barbaric savages. By 1700, most, if not all of South America will fly the Huguenot flag.
Guy: But what of the communication gap? It will take a ship near half a year to reach the Americas from here.
Henri: you are right. I will need some one over there I can trust to be loyal and intelligent...
Guy: Not me! I hear things about the Magellanes. It is a barren wasteland!
Henri: You must. You are now the ruler of Western Huguenot Empire...Caesar. In all seriousness, Guy, I do need someone over there, and whom shall I sent? I trust you explicitly, and have no doubts on whether you will remain loyal. I will send advice, but you are now the governor, or "viceroy" of all Huguenot possessions in the Americas.
...
Nouvelle Toulouse, Magellanes, December 12, 1622.
The voyage had been rather unpleasant. The Huguenots, lacking any ports, had no navy, so Guy had paid a ship to take him to this forgotten corner of the Earth. Of course, the ship had stopped in several other ports on the way, and the whole journey had taken seven months. It was raining rather hard when Guy got off the boat. The Andes loomed menacingly in the background and the land was wreathed in a dismal fog.
Guy: Hello, which way to Governor's office?
Random Fisherman: Up on that hill.
Guy: Thank You.
***after a short, but rather unpleasant, walk to the governor's office, which was located on the...never mind, just read the AAR***
Guy walked up the wet stone steps of the governor’s office to find the two “vigilant” guardsmen huddled over a small fire in a metal bin; their muskets leaned against the wall. Guy swept into the dank fortification and was greeted by another guard leaning against the wall reading a novel called “The Humble Milk-maid and the Strong Stable Boy”. Guy marched past, his anger growing. If he had found such things at the palace in Toulouse the guard would have been dismissed. Apparently duty was forgotten in this far-flung land. Guy pushed through the door marked Governor’s Office, crossed the ante-chamber before the secretary even looked up and threw open the doors. The governor, startled, dropped his copy of “The Humble Milk-maid and the Strong Stable Boy”.
Governor: Excuse me, you can’t just bust in here! Guards!
The clamor of feet was heard as Guy whipped out the letter from Henri.
Guy: Governor, I am the personal representative of our Lord, Henri di Rohan.
He handed the letter to the governor.
Guy: You are urgently needed in the capital, and I have been sent as a replacement.
Governor: Finally, they see me worth!
Guy: Yes…worth…right, well, you’re needed as soon as possible, so I suggest you get the next ship headed for Bordeaux.
…
Aisen/Magellanes border, May 15, 1626
Guy looked back over his shoulder to see his 600 cavalry men waiting his signal. The letter from Henri had said that the war would begin in the European theater on the 1st of may, and so Guy found himself hoping and praying that everything had gone according to schedule, for if not, he was about to start the war himself. As he turned that prospect over in his head he came to realize that he didn’t care. The French had attacked mercilessly, killing thousands, forcing Guy’s lord into chains and humiliating him in front of all of the leaders of their damnable alliance. No more! Guy would take a macabre pleasure in killing every Frenchman, imagining him as that damn Louis! He no longer cared for the rights of these French, for they had not cared for the rights of any captured Huguenots. They had been rounded up and murdered. It was time for the French to taste their own medicine. Guy could only die happy when he saw Paris in flames, the heads of the royal family impaled upon stakes on the walls.
…
Next: Blood, Guts, Oh My!
