The mounted collumn rode slowly through the quiet streets of the once thriving economic metropolis situated on the Southern tip of Africa. At its very head, resplendid in uniforms ordered soley for the day was the victorious President of the Trasnvaal Republic, Paul Kruger, flanked by his greatest Generals, De la Rey and Botha.
The British had only days after recieving the order from the now deceaced Queen pulled out en masse from their last bastions in the Cape Colony. The massive troopships that had brought the soldiers from Portsmouth only months earlier now ferried a cargo of soldiers and fleeing British settlers back to England.
On several street corners Boer citizens of the city cheered on their liberators, while the British who had decided to remain glared sollemnly out of closed windows, pulling their children close as the Boer cavalry and infantry marched towards the city centre.
The narrow streets opened up to a wide plaza and in the centre sat the Houses of Parliament, the administrative centre of the British holdings in Southern Africa. Kruger could only smile and shake his head slowly, the huge buildings were a testament to the vast riches and importance of the colloney to the British Crown, now however they were his, finaly his people were free of the enemies he had faught for decades, first the Zulu hordes and now the British overlords, the Boers had won, his desperate gamble started all those years ago when he had met the German Kaiser in Berlin had payed off.
Kruger dismounted his massive war-horse, muffling a grunt of pain as two foot-soldiers raced to aid the aging leader in his decent, Kruger couldnt help but curse the failings of old age as he climbed the steps to the Parliament building.
The square was quickly filling with people, not only Boers but Indians, Hottentots and British, curiosity outweighing their initial trepidation for their new rulers. There was a near carnival atmosphere among the usualy serious Boer soldiers.
On que two huge flags unfurled from the roof of the building, one of the Transvaal and the other of the Oranje Republic, bringing raucus cheers from the ammased Boer soldiers. Kruger, now flanked by a mass of aids held up a hand for silence, clearing his thoat.
"My dear friends, today we see the fruits of our labors, we have defeated the unwarrented agression of the British and emerged from our struggle victorious!"
Another round of cheering interrupted the bearded leaders speech, obliging Kruger to once more raise a hand for silence.
"Today is a proud day for all of us, for today I have the privilage, nay the pleasure to announce the creation of a new and proud nation, the Union of South Africa!"
With that the entire crowd erupted in cheers, the soldier and civilian alike hugging eachother with abandon.
De la Rey, concieled in the crowd, felt a tear slide unbidden down his rugged cheek, so, he thaught, we have won.... but at what cost?
The Houses of Parliament of the newly proclaimed Union of South Africa