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The Diet of Royal Hungary

Penulis: Mao Alexandros
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2021-06-13 20:40:23

Hadrian looked at the windows as they set forth for Pressburg, the capital of Hungary. The last he went there was his coronation as King of Hungary. He bit his finger, he hoped he was not being too rash about this. His heart was pounding in his chest – not because of the thought of being rash, but because of the thought of the children who were brought to Vienna. Those men intend to sell the children for a hefty price, but where does the money go? What do they need the money for?

‘This is getting complicated,’ he murmured and massaged his temple again. Remembering the children that he saw in the pub and the children that drowned in the river on their way to Vienna. Hadrian had seen the report in a Hungarian newspaper, a few days back. ‘So that was the news about…’ he murmured again as Catherine looked at him.

He looked out again and noted that the people are staring at him with cold eyes. With escorts like Albert and several footmen, everyone knew who was passing by. Could something has happened that he was not aware of? Going out just brought more questions than answers. He clicked his tongue as he goes deeper into his thoughts. Just as when he was about to drown, he felt a warm hand over his. He looked over and saw Catherine’s face looking worriedly at him.

‘Hadrian.’ she called. ‘Is everything alright?’

‘Cathy,’ he breathed. He just realized that he had been holding his breath for a while. He heaved. He did not know what to say to her. He just looked at her and mustered strength to speak. ‘I'm sorry, I was just thinking.'

‘It's that bad, huh?’ Catherine said again, guessing that something bad has happened. ‘Is that why you are rushing to Pressburg?’

Hadrian looked away. He could not really lie to Catherine. Not when his face tells the whole story. He thought of an explanation that excluded his going out of the palace.

‘I heard a report that children from Hungary were being brought to Vienna for sale.’ He answered.

‘Children for sale? How terrible!’ Catherine cried, flinging her hand to her mouth. ‘But why?’

‘That is what I intend to find out.’ Hadrian answered. From the moment he entered the pub, he knew that the traffickers have someone protecting them from above. He fell deep into his thoughts again. He did not want to point fingers at anyone, but there was one person that left an impression on him since his coronation as King of Hungary.

‘Géza Farkas.’ He said out loud. The said man was the only one against his coronation and was not present at the occasion.  The man was a member of the upper house of the Hungarian Diet. Since his coronation, he was sure that if something were to happen in Hungary, Géza would be a part of it. ‘I have no evidence in hand yet, but I must be sure.’ He said again and opened the curtain of the carriage.

‘Albert.’ He called and almost immediately, Albert on his horse came to him. ‘Do a check on Magnate Géza Farkas.’

‘Right away, Your Majesty.’ Albert answered and rode ahead of the procession. Catherine looked on as Hadrian issued his order to Albert, but she feared that he is stressing himself too much and an attack seems imminent. His subjects must not know that their King is ill or the morale of the people and the trust they have on their leader would crumble.

But an attack did not occur.

Instead, Hadrian heaved a sigh as he looked out the window, still deep in his thoughts. Catherine sighed inwardly in relief. She looked over again and saw Hadrian biting his finger. A sign that he is indeed stressed. She could not help but worry about him, she had wanted him to rest but she knows he will do his job no matter what; rest will come after he has done. She sighed, she needed him to rest and despite knowing that he will be stubborn enough not to listen to her, she had to tell him.

‘Hadrian, you should rest before we get there.’ She urged. ‘You’re tried.’

Hadrian looked at her. He did feel tired and stressed, both physically and mentally. If he were to be honest, he would fall asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. He shook his head. For the children…he needs to see this case through, there is no excuse for him to sit down and wait for reports. As the highest in command of the Empire, he must work. He shook his head, if he does not feel well then, he cannot decide what is best for the Empire. He did not like the idea of resting in the middle of an issue, but he must listen to his subordinates.

‘Alright. I will rest a bit.’ Hadrian answered. Catherine's eyes widened; it is the first she is heard Hadrian agree about resting. She smiled and prayed that his illness would be healed.

Hadrian leaned back and closed his eyes to sleep, and in about several seconds he was sound asleep. Anton, who was silent in the whole exchange put a shawl over his master. He could not explain the rage Hadrian felt when he returned from the streets of Vienna, and he had failed to inquire Albert about what happened. He looked at Catherine and he was sure that she felt it too. Luckily, she was one of the few people that Hadrian listens to. He was relieved that his master allowed Catherine to come along, otherwise he had come up with endless excuses to keep working.

‘Thank you, Your Highness.’ Anton said, looking at Catherine with a serene smile. Catherine looked at him in return and smiled back. She immediately knew what Anton meant. She looked away and at the window as the carriage passes by the cities and towns, eventually crossing the gate into Hungary. Almost immediately, Catherine has taken in the scenes that pass by. Hungary seemed more down to earth than Austria is, she marveled at the simple buildings that line the road, a stark contrast to those of Vienna.

‘Your Highness?’ Anton called.

‘I never thought Pressburg would be so beautiful.’ She remarked, not taking her eyes off the sights. And Anton agreed, nodding his head slightly. Both he and Hadrian thought so as well. He looked out the window and voiced out his agreement.

‘Yes, Your Highness. Hungary is indeed beautiful.’ He said, Anton closed his eyes and remembered his childhood days in the streets of Pressburg.

‘How I wish we would have more time to look around!’ Catherine cried, making Anton look at her.

Much of the Austrian Imperial family disliked Hungary altogether, and so did the Hungarians for Austrians. But the late Emperor Franz, Hadrian’s father, was well-loved by the Hungarians for he granted its territorial rights, a separate parliament and more rights to its citizens. For several decades before Emperor Franz, Hungary has served as an income-generating territory for the Empire’s territorial ambitions but in those years, the Kingdom did not benefit from its economic growth as the magnates took the income as their own. Fortunately, Emperor Franz called out the magnates and sacked those who were found guilty, giving their lands to those who were most worthy of it. However, with the death of the late Emperor, news of the same event started to be heard in the Royal Court Chancellery of Hungary in Austria which Hadrian had presided. The magnates have returned and imposed heavy taxes on the people and when questioned by the public, the pointed their fingers at the Imperial Family in Vienna.

Clearly, the officials of Hungary think lowly of Hadrian as he never appeared before them. They had hoped that Josef would inherit the throne since, like his father, he is loved by the people; a fact that the Duchess Alexia frowned upon. And since Hadrian never met the people of Hungary, they assumed that he, like his ancestors, have a disdain for Hungary. The plummeting popularity rate of Hadrian in Hungary is an opportunity Duchess Alexia has grabbed, despite not liking the idea and made the Hungarians believe that Hadrian imposed the high taxation for the war effort against Germany. While the Austrians would believe that it was a lie, it is the complete opposite for Hungary. They readily believed the ruse and brought their complaints up to the Diet, wherein the magnates and representatives saw as a chance to revolt against Austria.

‘Maybe His Majesty has finally caught wind of the ruse?’ Anton thought, still trying to figure out what made Hadrian go on a trip to meet the magnates of Hungary.

Inside the Diet, the magnates are talking amongst themselves, speculating as to why the emperor called for a session when it is scheduled the following year.

‘What can a youngster like him do? All he does is make trouble!’ A magnate said to another.

‘Indeed,’ another agreed. ‘I have heard that he caused troubles for the last King.’

‘That troublemaker is up to no good, I tell you! Clearly, he didn't know that the session is supposed to be held next year!’

‘He will just milk our country just like his grandfather did, he will just wage wars with our neighbors.’

‘Do you really think that?’ A man asked, his face covered with his hat. ‘What made you think the King would do that?’

‘We have several evidences that point to him.’ Another magnate said. ‘That young King is no good! We shouldn't have let him take the crown of St. Stephen!’

‘Now, now…that would begrudge the late King Franz. We all know how much he loved his son despite the mischief.’

‘Mischief? What has the King done to cause such statement?’ the man with the hat inquired again.

The magnates looked at him and inspected him closely. He was a young man of around twenties, and he was, as far as they could see, dressed in a black cloak and a white shirt underneath. They do not recognize him, and from his accent he is not Hungarian, either. Immediately, they went on the defensive.

‘Did the King send you? Are you, his emissary?’ a magnate asked.

‘I was asking you first.’ The man said which sent flares on the magnates.

‘How dare you speak to us like that?! We govern this country; you are powerless before us!’

‘Wrong.’ The man said and stood up removing his cloak and hat revealing his formal uniform and emblems on his chest tell the magnates one thing, but the Herald-at-Arms tapped his rod on the floor twice and announced a name they dreaded to hear.

‘Presenting, His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Josef Hadrian, Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary!’ the pageantry followed behind Hadrian with the crown of St. Stephen carried by a nobleman following him. The Herald-at-Arms tapped his rod again, to the surprise of the people present.

‘Presenting, Her Royal Highness, Princess Catherine Dagmar of Denmark!’ Catherine entered behind the crown of Hungary, revealing to the magnates of her position as the fiancée of their monarch.

‘Y-Your Majesty...’ the old magnate called. Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise complete with their gaping mouths. Obviously to them, their King is never expected to arrive unannounced, and this move proved that Hadrian is an unorthodox King. They could not believe they were caught red-handed in talking behind the King’s back, and the deed can be judged as treason and is punishable by death. They gulped, the young King clearly heard every word they said and hoped against hope that the King will not put them to death. Some were trembling, some were preparing themselves for the King’s verdict and some were ready to flee.

The magnates stood silently bowing as Hadrian passed in front of them. Hadrian took his place in the front and stood before the throne. He looked them in the eye one by one, as if scrutinizing them as the guards took their places around the hall.

In their eyes, he could see their doubt in him and their doubt about his ability to rule both Hungary and Austria effectively. Hadrian shut his eyes and breathed in quietly.

‘My lords may be seated.’ Hadrian said as the magnates took to their seats. ‘You must be wondering why we’re opening the Diet this early, my lords.’

‘It is very early to be precise, Your Majesty.’ The Speaker said, not trying to hold back his chuckle.

Anton was appalled by their attitude towards his young master. It has never been heard of that a nobleman answered back to his monarch in any country, it further resolved him to advise Hadrian to either sack the Speaker or charge him with treason. But as he looked at Hadrian, he was even surprised. The young Emperor has a smirk on his face, as if he is expecting the man to do such a thing.

‘Indeed, it is as you say, my lord.’ Hadrian said in a loud and clear voice. ‘But an issue has come to my attention. I have had my men investigate the case, and I saw it fit that I should take action, myself.’

The Speaker’s eyes widened. Their suspicions were right. Hadrian was on to them or to one of them. He stole a glance at his colleagues, and his colleagues with him. Hadrian saw this action and his smirk widened; he is getting close to cornering them.

‘Therefore, I have called to open this session and lay out my plans for this country, which must be enacted upon with immediate haste.’ Hadrian added, his voice becoming stern by the minute and not taking his eyes off the magnates. He sat on the throne as a nobleman gave him a piece of paper.

‘It shall be so that my government in Hungary shall continue to enjoy the rights placed upon it by the late Emperor Franz. Therefore, I make no changes to the Compliance the late Emperor had laid out.’ He began, surprising the magnates. ‘And so, it is of utmost importance that my government shall impose education available for all the children of the country, and as a country ruled also by the Emperor of Austria, I call on the ministry of both countries in charge to see to it that it shall be done so.

‘The people of Hungary shall reap what it sowed! And it must be shown as is! Furthermore, it has come to my attention of the disappearance of Hungarian youths in the villages, I order this House to immediately put a stop to this act.’ Hadrian paused and threw a sharp glance at Géza Farkas.

‘My government shall enforce and protect the rights of the Protestants, Jews, Muslims and other ethnic minority living in the country. They shall not be persecuted, harassed and be stripped of their properties be it private or collectively. They shall have the right to worship according to their beliefs and have their places of worship stand on lands that are legally owned or donated to them. They shall have the same rights as full citizens of Hungary. No one shall be obliged to convert to any faith and anyone who is found doing so shall therefore have criminal liability.

‘Both the Lower and Upper House shall be obliged to report to the Imperial Capital – at the office of the emperor every week.’ He continued. ‘Failure of compliance shall be met with just punishment. It is of the interest of the country to build more schools and train more teachers to be deployed in the farthest reaches of the country. With this, I make this statement: there will be no war effort taxation on the country of Hungary.’

The magnates’ eyes widened and were on the verge of standing up in surprise. The luxurious lives the magnates of the Upper House are thus, coming to an end with Hadrian’s speech. Not only that, but they also surely will not be able to hide anything from Hadrian since he had known such activities after having visited the country only once. The looked again as their King proceeded to speak in their native language fluently and without looking at the piece of paper he has in his hands.

‘Én vagyok Magyarország királya. Az Orszag ügyei az én terhem. Szent István koronájának földjei az én felelősségem. Az elmémben és a szívemben lévő emberekkel kívánok uralkodni. Aki megfenyegeti Birodalmam népét, megfizeti az árát! Én vagyok Ausztria császára; Én vagyok Magyarország apostoli királya! És ez az én álláspontom!’

(Translation from Hungarian: I am the King of Hungary. The affairs of the country are my burden. The Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen are my responsibility. I intend to rule with the people in my mind and in my heart. Anyone who threatens the people of my Empire shall pay the price! I am the Emperor of Austria; I am the Apostolic King of Hungary! And this is my stand!)

By this time, their jaws are left hanging. Many are wondering who their King is and how had he come to speak their language fluidly and without signs of struggle. Moreover, were they wrong in doubting the King of his abilities? Were they wrong that the King did not care about the country at all? Could he be a King that rules with a heart and not a fist, like his father before him? Questions after questions raced through their minds.

Anton, standing at the side with Catherine, looked proudly at his master. Little did these magnates know that even before being sent to Laxenburg Hadrian busied himself in studying the Hungarian language, and studied fervently about the country, reading books after books of Hungarian literature and history. To him, his master looked bigger than he ever thought he was. Standing tall before the lords of the land, Hadrian took his ground and made it his own.

‘This is just the beginning.’ Anton thought. ‘His Majesty is just preparing himself for something bigger.’

‘I order this Diet to do so as stated.’ Hadrian continued. ‘I, the King of Hungary, shall oversee the matters personally!’

Anton sighed. He knew Hadrian would say that. And it is the magnates’ turn to be appalled. They were used to just taking orders from the King and nothing more, but this time, the King is taking charge of the laws he wished to be passed which makes it harder for them to refute the said laws. Indeed, this King is no ordinary King. He intends to rule his Kingdom closely and will not settle for less. Contrary to what Duchess Alexia has said to them about Hadrian, he is a formidable foe, and he is far from weak. His voice, his stance and his aura tell them that Duchess Alexia was wrong in her description of Hadrian, he is the kind one would not want to make enemies of.

True to his word, Hadrian presided upon the session of the Upper House which lasted until late at night, not leaving until every issue has been answered. Thankfully, the magnates obliged to Hadrian's orders in exchange for the promises he made on his speech.

‘Anton, let us go back to Vienna.’ Hadrian said, tiredness evident in his voice; and it did not escape Anton's notice. He silently obliged and helped Catherine ride the carriage as he turned and saw a man staring at their direction. He narrowed his eyes but failed to see the likeness of the man, and when the person in question noticed Anton staring at him, he silently and casually left after adjusting his hat, further covering his face from Anton’s view.

‘His Majesty has left,’ the man said to a lady in the dark corner of the street. ‘Be sure to do your job, or we won't get paid.’

‘Come on,’ the lady said. ‘You're talking to the great Marie here.’ She said smugly but the man was far from impressed.

‘Just do as you're ordered.’ He said again and left.

Bab terkait

  • Caesar Incognito   The Assassination Attempt

    The lady rode a carriage following the King's entourage and left immediately while a man on a horse follows them closely. On the way back to Vienna, Hadrian was deep in thought, thinking about whether the magnates will do as he ordered them to do given that he retained the laws his father gave them. For the first time in his rule, he is worried. He breathed deeply and leaned back. He has no choice but to trust his subordinates. 'Then I have to put my faith in them.' Hadrian said to himself, but Anton and Catherine heard him. Suddenly, they heard a shout of a man outside and a gallop of a horse. Immediately, Anton knew it was an emergency. 'Your Majesty, do not go out!' Anton shouted as Hadrian covered Catherine and Anton covered for Hadrian in turn, but before the soldiers could get into position, they heard struggles and cries from a woman. 'I admire your nerve,' Albert said, pointing the tip of his sword at the woman's neck. 'But no. I canno

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-13
  • Caesar Incognito   The Sky Above Poszony

    ‘My lady, our contact has been captured by the emperor’s men.’ Alexia’s butler said to her while she is in the study, reading a book. She was not pleased to hear it, but what she wanted to know is the emperor’s condition and did not answer to let him finish what he is going to say. ‘His Majesty is currently recuperating in Hofburg Palace.’ ‘So, he’s still alive?’ she asked herself. ‘Why couldn’t they just kill him and be done with it?’ ‘My lady?’ the butler questioned, looking at her curiously. ‘It was nothing. I was just talking to myself.’ Alexia answered, still looking at the book. ‘It seems I have to take a more drastic measure.’ She murmured and wrote a note and handed it to her butler. ‘Make sure “he” gets this letter. And do not let anyone catch you.’ She said strictly stressing the last sentence. Catherine sat silently beside Hadrian, holding his hand as he sleeps. He broke into fever not long after they arrived at the palace. She was relieved

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-14
  • Caesar Incognito   The Emerald Pendant

    Days after the assassination attempt on Hadrian, the young Emperor was indeed kept busy at the desk, filling in and signing countless of documents that have piled on top of each other in a span of only a day as his butler and his brother oversees the final preparations for his visit throughout the whole realm. He was growing tired and sleepy when his hands stopped working as he read a single ream of paper. What he read seemed to have pleased him his lips curved to a gentle smile.“Expansion of the Educational System in Hungary”He felt euphoric, like he wanted to jump for joy over that single law. But he knows it is too early to be

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-17
  • Caesar Incognito   Styria

    Hadrian sat in the desk inside the study which he borrowed from a mayor in a town of Styria, Count Mikhail von Stubenberg. He scratched his head in exasperation as he continued to read and sign paper after paper. Anton stood nearby and watched as his master work to the point of exhaustion, Hadrian looked outside and saw that the sun is still high up in the sky, he looked at Anton who was looking at the opposite direction and silently laid his pen down to sneak out.He was already tired from training with his own regiment, the 4th Galician Uhlans, and he kept himself awake throughout the whole journey from Vienna to Graz, Styria.‘Your Majesty.’ Anton called, not even bothering to look at the young Emperor. Hadrian flinched and sat back on his chair. ‘I know what you’re trying to do. A lot must be done and was left when you suddenly left for Pressburg.’‘Already, I’m missing the point of this excursion of mine.

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-19
  • Caesar Incognito   Carinthia

    In Carinthia, Alexia's husband, Duke Friedrich went out of his mansion to inspect the mercenaries that his wife hired.‘Are we really going to overthrow the Emperor?’ he asked his wife, standing beside him smiling satisfied at the sight.‘There is no other way to the throne.’ She answered. ‘Only this.’‘And what about his siblings and Albert?’ he asked again referring to Josef and Marianna since Austria allowed women to inherit the throne.‘That will be up to me. We will free Edmond and our line will be restored.’‘We must not forget that the army that Hadrian commands is a formidable one.’ Friedrich said again to which Alexia replied with a scoff. She may have failed to kill off Hadrian, but she is determined to finish what she has started in one fell swoop. Indeed, the Imperial Army is strong, but they have not seen battle in decades and this, to her, is their advantage. She

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-20
  • Caesar Incognito   Onward, Always Onward

    Hadrian woke up at the sound of thebreaking pot and cups. Anton looked at his master and they stared at each other for a while. Hadrian realized what Anton was holding and immediately thought up excuses in his mind to keep Anton from prying further. To no avail.‘Your Majesty, what is this?’ Anton asked and Hadrian looked away, infuriated at his own carelessness. ‘Emperor Franz was murdered?’‘Anton,’ the young man said, standing up from his chair.‘It is something I’m still investigating. I do not plan to make it known to anyone yet.’

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-23
  • Caesar Incognito   The Battle for Carinthia

    Hadrian drew his sword and fought along with his men in the front of the battle. He breathed; this was different from what he trained for. He trained with his soldiers for a time like this. And it all came down to this one moment. 'As I thought,' he thought. 'A real battle is indeed different.' He looked ahead as both sides clashed. He clashed with the Alexia's men. His drawn sword glimmered and blurred as he swung it to his adversaries. He felt as if time has slowed, men are shouting on all sides at once and pointing their muskets and swords at the men opposite their sides. As his sword descended, time sped up and everything was going too fast for him to keep up. He kept pushing forward and he found himself in the middle surrounded by his guards.

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-26
  • Caesar Incognito   A Peaceful Day

    Catherine looked unbelievably at her grandfather, she thought her grandparents have already accepted her engagement with Hadrian, but what she heard is different. ‘This not what was agreed!’ she not raising her voice, but the aggravation in her voice is evident. ‘Emperor Josef Hadrian is my betrothed, is he not?’ ‘I have retracted my stance on that matter, Catherine.’ King Henrik answered, looking at her strictly. His voice stern and unmoving. His wife, Queen Agnetha, looked at him and then at her granddaughter. She briefly shook her head and looked down sadly.

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-06-30

Bab terbaru

  • Caesar Incognito   The Price of Victory

    Hadrian fired a shot at Musaf Pasha and the serasker just stared at the young emperor. He screamed from the top of his lungs and charged at Hadrian once again only to fall short, toppling over dead on the ground. With the death of the serasker, the Ottomans sounded the retreat.Hadrian panicked and tried to keep Albert awake.‘Hadrian!’ Josef cried, running to them. ‘What happened to Albert?’‘He was shot!’ Hadrian answered holding Albert close.‘Don’t you dare die, Albert!’ Hadrian cried. ‘I forbid it!’ Albert breathed deeply, feeling his breath leaving him by the second, he tried to speak but he could not even groan. Josef looked around for someone to help them, and he saw a soldier tending to the wounded.‘You! Bring a stretcher! Quick!’ he ordered. The soldier immediately followed his command and carried Albert back to their camp.~~In Vienna, the Ottomans prepare to sack the city upon hearing that the serasker has been killed during the battle at Kahlenberg. But they were stoppe

  • Caesar Incognito   The Battle of Kahlenberg

    Hadrian ordered his men to halt on the other side of the hill and he and his commanders went up and looked at the other side.This is the first he had laid eyes on the force of the Ottomans. Their numbers exceed his expectation, he breathed in and gathered his wits. He promised his people victory, and he is determined to deliver. He looked over his shoulder and saw Albert, sitting on his horse and looking seriously at the other side, Hadrian remembered Albert’s joke.‘You still have to marry Princess Catherine.’ Hadrian recalled. His face flushed beet red as soon as the memory came. This made Albert look at him.‘What is the matter?’ Albert asked, taking his blush for another thing. ‘Jittery?’‘No, it’s not that.’ The young emperor answered, looking at the other side. ‘If…’‘Don't even begin, Hadrian.’ Albert interrupted him before he even finished what he was going to say, leaving Hadrian slightly gaping at him. ‘I know what you are going to tell me. And I am going to answer you with

  • Caesar Incognito   The March into Battle

    Albert jumped back in surprise, as everyone in the tent did and at the fact that none of them noticed her come in. The woman in question, donning a military uniform of an officer just chuckled at their surprised expressions. They are looking at Archduchess Ilse Mari Johanna von Habsburg, his younger sister and the commander of the Landwehr’s Twenty-second Infantry Division based in Graz. ‘My, my, what interesting faces.’ She told the group in front of her. ‘I could behold them for the rest of the day, but unfortunately, we all have a job to do.’ She glanced at Hadrian and her lips curved up in a smirk seeing how dumbfounded he is. ‘Don’t we, Your Majesty?’ ‘Ilse, how did you get here?’ Albert asked the woman who continued to snicker at them. ‘Just now, Your Highness.’ She answered formally, looking at her older brother. ‘I ordered my men to rush to Vienna as soon as we heard the news, but it turned out we were several days too late so we waited for what will happen next before we d

  • Caesar Incognito   Hidden Ally

    Géza Farkas rallied his soldiers to the grounds in front of the Upper Belvedere Palace, following the Turk’s suit back in Hofburg, he also met with the mercenaries he had hired from different countries. He looked content with their numbers and strength, and he feels confident that they would win side by side with the Ottoman forces. They have already received reports that soldiers from different nations are gathering in Count von Hofkirchen’s manor, and the one who must have called them out is most definitely Hadrian. He gritted his teeth after remembering how Musaf Pasha has scolded him for letting two of their hostage escape. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists angrily. ‘Prepare all our forces!’ he shouted. ‘We will move out after the Ottomans!’ the soldiers exchanged looks. It was clear to him that they were feeling perplexed about fighting the main army. ‘But my Lord, the main army is surely stronger than us.’ A soldier voiced out. ‘Are you a coward? Do you call yours

  • Caesar Incognito   Calm Before the Storm

    An Austrian messenger rode out to Vienna bearing a white flag, he was let in the city and allowed to meet with the serasker where he read the message he bore from Hadrian ‘Our emperor challenges you to meet in battle at the foot of Kahlenberg mountain where your countrymen were defeated more than a century ago.’ The messenger reads. ‘Let this decide the fate of Vienna.’ ‘Why should we accept your challenge?’ Musaf Pasha asked. ‘We already have Vienna.’ ‘Then we will siege you.’ the messenger answered calmly. ‘I am sure you know who have gathered to fight you.’ ‘If you siege us, then we will kill your people.’ ‘If you kill them, then you would be marching to your doom.’ the messenger answered and the serasker sat back, looking at him. ‘I am sure you know what I mean.’ The serasker groaned at him. His fist balling up tightly, wanting to strangle the man until his last breath. But one look from the men around him tells him they’re worried and with good reason. The city that th

  • Caesar Incognito   Familiar Faces

    Hadrian was taken to the dungeon in Hofburg, Hadrian looked around and saw the whole place littered with Ottoman soldiers, and none are Hungarian. He found this strange, it seemed to him like the Ottoman are going to take over the country. ‘This sounds like someone is betraying someone.’ Hadrian thought to himself. ‘Looks like these people are not going to honor their deal with the person they talked with in Austria, or so I think.’ They took him to a room and tied him to a chair. An officer came inside and looked carefully at him. He was lucky that the palace was full of Ottoman soldiers who does not know what he looks like. And he decided to pretend to be a commoner. And he started by glaring at the soldier. He kept his glare at any soldier that came in to ask him questions and he always answered the same thing: that he is an ordinary Viennese that wanted to take the invaders out of the city. This answer earned him a beating and another soldier took

  • Caesar Incognito   Into Hofburg

    Hadrian led Günter through Ottakring and into Neubau, everything is going according to Hadrian’s plan until they got into Burggasse. As he expected, the road is heavily guarded. He looked over at Günter who seemed fine but the tension in the air made them feel like they’ve been walking and running for hours. They needed to take a break. He looked around and saw a drinking fountain in the nearby alley and they silently slipped through. ‘We will take a break here.’ Hadrian said as Günter drank from the fountain. Hadrian heaved a sigh and sat down on the ground. While he could not afford to take a break, he must consider Günter who a commoner and is not a trained uniform personnel. ‘Francis,’ Günter called, making the young emperor look at him. ‘Are you not going to take a drink?’ Hadrian looked at the drinking fountain and thought that they might not get another chance to drink even after arriving to Wiedner and getting out of Vienna. He stopped and thought that only G

  • Caesar Incognito   Doubts and Certainties

    Five years earlier, Hadrian sat on his coffee table beside the gardens in Blauer Hof with a book in his hand. He carefully sipped the tea from his cup and cast his eyes left and right. His lips cracked a grin and stood up, casting off his coat and revealing his plain white shirt and brown vest. He wore his beret cap and scooted away from the gardens. At a distance, Albert glanced over and saw Hadrian sneaking out and shook his head. He instantly sighed heavily casting his head down in defeat and stress. ‘Good Lord. Not again! I swear if he gets into trouble again, God help me, I will tie him up in his chair!’ he sighed slapping himself in his forehead. ‘How long is he going to keep this up?’ he stood up laboriously and followed Hadrian into the town. Hadrian met a middle-aged man waiting for him at the corner of the market. Albert looked over and saw that the man was teaching Hadrian everything about the market. He scratched his head. Is he learning how to grocery shop this

  • Caesar Incognito   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

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