Into the Invaded City

Hadrian rushed back to Austria without waiting for the rest of his entourage. He stood on a vantage point over-looking Vienna, wearing commoner’s clothing at the behest of Albert.

‘Have you gotten word from Lady Csilla yet?’ Hadrian asked Albert who is standing beside him.

‘Nothing yet.’ The Archduke answered. ‘I have sent the message to her two days ago. We should have received her reply already.’ Hadrian clenches his fists tightly. He wanted to go there and look for his siblings himself.

‘Josef, Marianna…’ he thought, sighing heavily and casting his eyes at the sky. ‘Please be safe.’ Albert looked at his cousin and then at the city below. From the information he received, Vienna was sieged two days earlier and it was staged by some of the Hungarian officials aided by the Ottoman Turks. They took the opportunity of Hadrian’s absence and attacked. Csilla has told him everything about Géza’s activities beforehand, but how this slipped from her grasp is beyond