House Habsburg, winter of 1519-1520
DISCLAIMER: My AAR’s will contain some parts of the Wheel of Time novels by Robert Jordan. Be they happenings in the book, things that are likely to happen in one of the next books, or things that likely have happened, or things that could have happened. As such, I would advice anyone who is in the process of reading the series to be aware that I might be giving away some plotlines.
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Seventh Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Alps. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
Born among the snowy peaks and icy dales that made up most of the Alps, the cold wind blew east and north across the numerous passes in the Alps, filled with the organised busyness that were the camps of the Habsburg army. The wind sent a chill down the spine of every man outside.
But the wind blew further still, north and east, slowly losing some of its freezing cold, until it reached Vienna, Seat of the governor of Austria. Georg, on the way to a meeting with his lords, Karl, or Carlos, Ruler of all of House Habsburg, and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and Ferdinand, who ruled Austria in the name of his brother. They had demanded his secrecy, and thus he was forced to walk the way from his camp to the palace, even so, he hid deep in his cloak, wondering to himself if it was just the secrecy, or that the wind had more of an effect to him than he was willing to admit. Suddenly, the wind seemed to gain strength, and became even colder. Ducking even deeper into his cloak, it seemed the wind settled into him, became part of him, or woke a part of him he had never known.
Chuckling, he continued his way to the palace, eventually reaching it, and entered through a little used backdoor. He made his way to a room that was used only for secretive councils like these, knocked softly, and after a knock on the door from the other side, he waited a few seconds, then slowly entered the room, bowing as he entered, ”my lords”.
“You have received our orders?” Emperor Karl was never a man of formality in those secretive meetings, “Are they secret, are they safe?”
“Certainly, milord,” less formal, but that didn’t mean Georg would not be punished if he did not show proper respect.
“Excellent, although I am afraid there has been a change of plans.”
”A change, milord? “
”Withdraw as many men as you can from the borders, without leaving them too vulnerable, it seems the Turk is up to something,” Ferdinand nodded, a nod of not liking, but agreeing that it was all that could be done.
”I will see to it at once, milord.”
”One more thing, the Turks seem to have an army larger than ever, and will likely outnumber us 6 to 1 or worse.”
”May we shelter safe beneath the Light, in the Creator’s hand” Georg muttered. ”Sorry, what did you say?”
”Nothing, my lord.” Yet, at the same time, he thought to himself - what was that, where did that come from- but he didn’t know, as a matter of fact, he had no idea at all.
” with your, permission, my lords, I will carry out your orders at once,” Bowing, and moving backwards, he reached the door, slowly opened it, looked both ways before stepping out, and made his way out of the palace, and back towards the camp.
That night, sleep wouldn’t come to Georg, and his mind wandered back to the incident of that day, speaking words he would never have used. -My apologies, those words were mine-
Never before Georg had been so fast out of bed, trembling, but his sword was steady in his hand.”Who’s there?” Georg demanded.
-Trickster, gambler, son of battles… Toy... I have been named many names, I had a real name too, but it is of no importance-
”Where are you, why are you here?”
-I was hoping you could tell me the first, to the second, I am here to help you, you have an important role in the Pattern, you have seen many a battle, and will see many more, but I know more battles than you would even believe have been fought-
”Pattern, what pattern?” Georg was almost crying, -what curse of Satan has caught me-
-Don’t ever speak that name, it draws the attention of the Dark One-
-What name? And why do you know what I think? How do you know I have fought many a battle, or that I am important?-
-Shai’tan, thinking it is barely safe, but NEVER speak it out. Your questions, I wouldn’t know, but the Pattern has strange ways to guide people to ensure that the Wheel continues to turn-
-Pattern, Wheel ?-
-What strange Age did I end up in that doesn’t know the Pattern or the Wheel? The Pattern and the Wheel ARE this world. The wheel moves it, make things happen, and everything has its influence on the Pattern-
-Nonsense! The Lord created the world in 6 days, and he sent his Son to save us. But leave me now! I must be rested if I am to save Austria from the vile Turks-
-Turks? What are they like? People that look like animals?-
-They don’t look like animals, no, but they fight like beasts, their army is formidable, their cavalry seldom, if ever, beaten, and there seems to be no end to them-
-I have seen enough battles where superior cavalry was beaten by determined infantry, do not worry. The Light willing, and with my help, you will win this-
”What do you think, my brother, will we be able to stop the Turk?”
”Whether or not we are able, it does not matter, we simply must,” Ferdinand paused, and shivered, ”And then there is the French, ever pushing into Italy, they must be stopped as well. And if that was not enough, the Empire crumbles with the preaching of these heretics, just now that the Empire needs unity the most.”
”The situation is indeed dire, my brother, but I am convinced that the Doge of Venice will help us, and Zygmunt will not stand by idly when the Turk comes”
”I can but hope you are right, and pray for the strength to survive the onslaught that will be upon us soon.”
DISCLAIMER: My AAR’s will contain some parts of the Wheel of Time novels by Robert Jordan. Be they happenings in the book, things that are likely to happen in one of the next books, or things that likely have happened, or things that could have happened. As such, I would advice anyone who is in the process of reading the series to be aware that I might be giving away some plotlines.
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Seventh Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Alps. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
Born among the snowy peaks and icy dales that made up most of the Alps, the cold wind blew east and north across the numerous passes in the Alps, filled with the organised busyness that were the camps of the Habsburg army. The wind sent a chill down the spine of every man outside.
But the wind blew further still, north and east, slowly losing some of its freezing cold, until it reached Vienna, Seat of the governor of Austria. Georg, on the way to a meeting with his lords, Karl, or Carlos, Ruler of all of House Habsburg, and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and Ferdinand, who ruled Austria in the name of his brother. They had demanded his secrecy, and thus he was forced to walk the way from his camp to the palace, even so, he hid deep in his cloak, wondering to himself if it was just the secrecy, or that the wind had more of an effect to him than he was willing to admit. Suddenly, the wind seemed to gain strength, and became even colder. Ducking even deeper into his cloak, it seemed the wind settled into him, became part of him, or woke a part of him he had never known.
Chuckling, he continued his way to the palace, eventually reaching it, and entered through a little used backdoor. He made his way to a room that was used only for secretive councils like these, knocked softly, and after a knock on the door from the other side, he waited a few seconds, then slowly entered the room, bowing as he entered, ”my lords”.
“You have received our orders?” Emperor Karl was never a man of formality in those secretive meetings, “Are they secret, are they safe?”
“Certainly, milord,” less formal, but that didn’t mean Georg would not be punished if he did not show proper respect.
“Excellent, although I am afraid there has been a change of plans.”
”A change, milord? “
”Withdraw as many men as you can from the borders, without leaving them too vulnerable, it seems the Turk is up to something,” Ferdinand nodded, a nod of not liking, but agreeing that it was all that could be done.
”I will see to it at once, milord.”
”One more thing, the Turks seem to have an army larger than ever, and will likely outnumber us 6 to 1 or worse.”
”May we shelter safe beneath the Light, in the Creator’s hand” Georg muttered. ”Sorry, what did you say?”
”Nothing, my lord.” Yet, at the same time, he thought to himself - what was that, where did that come from- but he didn’t know, as a matter of fact, he had no idea at all.
” with your, permission, my lords, I will carry out your orders at once,” Bowing, and moving backwards, he reached the door, slowly opened it, looked both ways before stepping out, and made his way out of the palace, and back towards the camp.
That night, sleep wouldn’t come to Georg, and his mind wandered back to the incident of that day, speaking words he would never have used. -My apologies, those words were mine-
Never before Georg had been so fast out of bed, trembling, but his sword was steady in his hand.”Who’s there?” Georg demanded.
-Trickster, gambler, son of battles… Toy... I have been named many names, I had a real name too, but it is of no importance-
”Where are you, why are you here?”
-I was hoping you could tell me the first, to the second, I am here to help you, you have an important role in the Pattern, you have seen many a battle, and will see many more, but I know more battles than you would even believe have been fought-
”Pattern, what pattern?” Georg was almost crying, -what curse of Satan has caught me-
-Don’t ever speak that name, it draws the attention of the Dark One-
-What name? And why do you know what I think? How do you know I have fought many a battle, or that I am important?-
-Shai’tan, thinking it is barely safe, but NEVER speak it out. Your questions, I wouldn’t know, but the Pattern has strange ways to guide people to ensure that the Wheel continues to turn-
-Pattern, Wheel ?-
-What strange Age did I end up in that doesn’t know the Pattern or the Wheel? The Pattern and the Wheel ARE this world. The wheel moves it, make things happen, and everything has its influence on the Pattern-
-Nonsense! The Lord created the world in 6 days, and he sent his Son to save us. But leave me now! I must be rested if I am to save Austria from the vile Turks-
-Turks? What are they like? People that look like animals?-
-They don’t look like animals, no, but they fight like beasts, their army is formidable, their cavalry seldom, if ever, beaten, and there seems to be no end to them-
-I have seen enough battles where superior cavalry was beaten by determined infantry, do not worry. The Light willing, and with my help, you will win this-
”What do you think, my brother, will we be able to stop the Turk?”
”Whether or not we are able, it does not matter, we simply must,” Ferdinand paused, and shivered, ”And then there is the French, ever pushing into Italy, they must be stopped as well. And if that was not enough, the Empire crumbles with the preaching of these heretics, just now that the Empire needs unity the most.”
”The situation is indeed dire, my brother, but I am convinced that the Doge of Venice will help us, and Zygmunt will not stand by idly when the Turk comes”
”I can but hope you are right, and pray for the strength to survive the onslaught that will be upon us soon.”
