The Papal Empire : A Mission AAR
Prologue
“But, Holy Father… You signed a truce!” the Roman ambassador to France was baffled at the words uttered by the Pope.
“I am the highest human authority in matters of faith, morality and Church governance. I am the leader of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Roman Catholic Church. I am the Bishop of Rome and head of state of this mighty Papal Empire. I, as all that I have described, am above the laws and treaties of mortal men.”
“Please, Your Holiness. I beg you! Reconsider this decision. The Duchy of Quebec is not alone. France
will go to war to protect it’s sovereignty, and we have received news that due to your belligerence, the Queen of Great Britain will also protect any country against further Papal Aggression.”
“That Calvinist French king could not fight a successful war if his entire empire depended on it! The only strength Britain might bring into the struggle is her fleet, but, being less than fifty ships of the line, I doubt the Fleet of the Channel will have any trouble.”
“I insist! The stability of the Empire will be shattered if you continue with these wa-"
“I have made a decision. I will not change my mind. Now, go and deliver the Declaration of War.”
- - -
Amsterdam, 1792.
As the doors to the throne room were toppled by revolutionaries, Queen Jacqueline could do nothing but hope
he would not be long.
Her children had been smuggled out of the country by Papal spies, and she had received letters from Rafaello telling her that he was days away from landing in Amsterdam with ten thousand men to quell the revolution.
She stood tall as Pierre, the leader of these rebels, approached her.
“You have no right to enter the royal palace this way! You should return from where you came from unless you…”
“QUIET!”
She felt powerless and afraid. He felt triumphant.
“You shall all regret this! When His Holiness learns of wha-”
Every single person in that room could not have predicted what had just happened. Queen Jacqueline, now clutching her bleeding throat, fell to the floor of that decorated hall, and died.
“I said quiet.” Pierre, now grinning, wiped the royal blood from his sword as he turned to the astonished crowd behind him. “Behold! The Monarchy is no more. We are all free people now!”
As he finished that sentence, cheering began in the throne room, and soon escaped to the over seven thousand soldiers occupying the city.
As the city burned and the Papal Fleet arrived, Jacqueline’s love could only wonder if he had been too late.
- - -
"A letter has arrived for you, Your Highness. It comes from Your Father, Rafaello."
"Thank you, Jaques." Jean said as he took the finely decorated paper.
As he slowly read the letter, he was glad that his father was writing to him. It had been months since he had received a letter from Rome. But, as he realized the content of this message, a single tear escaped his young eye and he turned to his loyal assistant.
"My father is coming for me, Jaques."
"Is that so, Your Highness?"
"Yes, I shall be king again."
- - -
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