What He Stands Up Against

The next day, as soon as he woke up Hadrian had to go to an early court session where he started discussing the welfare of the children being brought to the cities across Austria particularly the ones being sold off to become chimney sweeps, while some officials debated on the discussion, Hadrian proved his point, and more when they read his proposal on the new law. But the debate took them almost all day, and Hadrian wants to go on with the division of taxes which also took long before he got the approval of the court officials. And while he is walking around the palace to get some rest, Anton came to him to tell him that Baroness Brigitta von Westenholz came to the palace with Anya, his eyes widened and looked at the nearest clock. He nearly made his head hit the wall beside him and wanted to scream out that he wants to rest but he mentally subdued it.

‘Lead the way, Anton.’ Hadrian answered weakly.

‘Your Majesty, are you sure you’re alright? You look pale.’ Anton asked worriedly.

‘No, I’m alright.’ Hadrian answered looking at the clock again. ‘It’s already seven in the evening, and both came all the way here.’

‘They’re at the throne room, Your Majesty.’ Anton answered and led Hadrian as the former noted his master’s deep breaths while walking. Before they entered the room, Anton stopped before his master. ‘Your Majesty, you need to rest.’

‘No, they came all the way for an audience, Anton. Denying them would be rude.’

‘But you haven’t had a decent rest since this morning.’ Anton replied intending to stop Hadrian from walking in. ‘You’re at your limit Your Majesty.’ Hadrian looked confused, he thought that Anton expects him to deny the audience.

‘Just this moment, please? I promise I’ll rest after this.’ Hadrian pleaded smiling at his butler despite his brain screaming for rest. Anton sighed and gave up as he opened the door as the guard announced his arrival. The guests bowed as courtesy the old lady did not look at him, but Anya stared at him from the moment Hadrian walked in. He stood before them with a straight face and sat down on the throne. ‘You may stand up.’ He said as his guests stood up to look at him. Brigitta was clearly surprised when she recognized him.

‘Your Majesty, b-but you’re-’ Brigitta said shaking. ‘F-Francis?’

‘I suppose I owe a lot of explanation.’ Hadrian answered smiling scratching his chin and she saw Anton who is standing beside the young Emperor. ‘Anyway, may I ask the nature of this audience?’

‘I came as a grandmother, Your Majesty.’ Brigitta answered. ‘I came to ask personally as to why His Imperial Majesty asked the granddaughter of a mere Baroness such as myself to a party in the palace?’

‘Am I not allowed to, your Ladyship?’ Hadrian as he leaned his chin on his hand.

‘I mean, His Majesty must’ve had a lot of choices why my granddaughter?’ Brigitta asked worriedly. Hadrian paused and thought about the proposals he received the past month and the faces of those who proposed. His face twitched as he started sweating.

‘The one I want is not even here.’ Hadrian thought and scratched his chin. ‘Is that the reason why you came here, your Ladyship?’ Hadrian asked coming to his senses.

‘That, and another reason.’ Brigitta answered looking at Hadrian and Anton.

‘I see,’ Hadrian answered standing up. ‘This seems to be a long talk and it’s already late, why don’t you ladies join me for dinner?’

‘No, Your Majesty.’ Brigitta answered strictly. ‘All I came for is a straight answer and we’ll be off.’

‘I cannot allow two ladies who came all the way to Vienna go just with words,’ Hadrian urged, seeing they are not going to consider his generosity, he lowered his eyes. ‘At least let me pay you back for the kindness back at the farm.’

‘Which reminds me, Your Majesty.’ Brigitta answered looking at Hadrian referring to the time they promised back at the farm.

‘It just came to mind, your Ladyship.’ Hadrian answered smiling at both ladies as Brigitta smiled and motioned for him to lead the way. ‘Well, then this way please.’ Anton said leading the way as Hadrian walked with the women as Anton leads them.

‘Now, then Your Majesty, would be so kind to share the reason for your pretending as a peasant?’ Brigitta asked as the maids prepare their dinner.

‘I remember someone telling me of a lonely old lady, whose friends have gone on ahead of her…’ Hadrian smiled not looking at her. ‘He was constantly worried about her and talked to me about her. It so happened that the man before you now promised the old man that he would check up on her given the time.’

‘His Majesty promised Marco?’ Brigitta asked surprised. ‘Is that the reason why His Majesty did all that?’

‘Partially, your Ladyship.’ Hadrian answered taking a sip from his bowl of soup. ‘I entirely want to experience the pains and joys as a peasant.’

‘Experience?’

‘Well, when I was younger, I was never allowed to leave Blauer Hof palace leaving me clueless of whatever is happening outside that cage.’ Hadrian answered as Anya looked at him shocked.

‘Can I ask you a question, Your Majesty?’ Anya asked as Brigitta looked at her in a scolding manner.

‘It’s alright, what is it, Miss von Westenholz?’ Hadrian asked smiling kindly at both ladies.

‘What is the reason why you can’t leave Blauer Hof?’ Anya asked as Hadrian’s eyes widened, but he smiled and placed his spoon beside the bowl and stood up looking out the window.

‘You see, Miss von Westenholz.’ Hadrian answered not looking at them. ‘I am ill.’ Anton fidgeted as his master answered Anya honestly, he wanted to answer for him, but he knows Hadrian will not let him.

‘What do you mean by that?’ Brigitta asked shocked as much as Anya is.

‘I have been ill with an unknown disease for ten years, to hide that fact, Duchess Alexia sent me to Blauer Hof with my father’s consent. While my other siblings are here, I am alone at Laxenburg.’ The young Emperor answered as he opened the window letting the wind blow in. ‘Having red marks and bruises without reason; those are the signs, but no doctor can ever find out the cure for that disease. My relatives found me inept to inherit the throne, but my father was against it, and here I am now.’

‘Your Majesty, you’re…’ Anya replied as she looked at her grandmother who is experiencing the same signs.

‘I know I do not have that much time left, but this is the best I can do for now.’ Hadrian answered smiling at both Anya and Brigitta. ‘Now please, let us eat before it gets cold.’

‘To think that you’ve been enduring all this even now.’ Anya thought looking at Hadrian who sat down back on his chair. ‘Francis.’ After their conversation, Hadrian led both ladies to their carriage in front of Hofburg Palace.

‘It’s already late; I’ll have a guard go with you on your way.’ Hadrian said.

‘There’s no need for that, Your Majesty.’ Brigitta answered as she stepped to face the young Emperor. ‘Since you ascended the throne, Austria has been the safest country in Europe. Oh, my son, I wish you should’ve told me of your pains sooner.’ Hadrian’s eyes widened as she called him the way she did when he left her house.

‘I’m sorry, your Ladyship.’ Hadrian answered with melancholy imprinted in his face.

‘Oh, don’t you call me that, Your Majesty.’ Brigitta answered. ‘It’s alright for you to call me “mother”.’

‘If only you stop calling me “Your Majesty”.’ Hadrian answered back.

‘Alright, good night then my son.’ Brigitta answered as Hadrian’s eyes finally welled up and his lips quivered closing his eyes. ‘Is there something wrong?’

‘No, thank you, thank you so much, mother.’ Hadrian answered as he cried. As soon as his mother died, he was sent to Laxenburg, and he was not even allowed to mourn for her death. Brigitta held his face and embraced him.

‘Shush, shush, it’s going to be alright.’ Brigitta answered stroking his head. ‘It’s going to be alright, my son.’ They parted and Hadrian watched them as they go.

‘Your Majesty.’ Anton called as Hadrian fell on his knees and on the ground unconscious. ‘Your Majesty!’ he looked around and called the guards to help him carry the young Emperor to his room.

The doctor was summoned in a hurry to Hadrian’s room. Josef, Anton and the maids wait outside his room to hear what the doctor has to say. After a long wait, the doctor came out of the room and went to Josef.

‘It’s exhaustion.’ The doctor said. ‘He only needs complete rest for at least two days.’ Anton sighed relieved.

‘Alright, we’ll make sure he gets rest.’ Josef answered.

‘But Your Highness, you know His Majesty won’t let his work pass.’ Anton protested.

‘Don’t worry, Anton. I have an idea.’ Josef answered smiling at Hadrian’s butler.

The next morning, Hadrian woke up. He stretched his arms up as he sat up looking at the window. He curled up and leaned his forehead on his knees and remembered what happened the night before.

‘This is the worst sign yet.’ he thought. He turned to the side of his bed and landed his feet on the floor. He stopped as he saw Marianna smiling at him.

‘Marianna?’ he called as she ran to him knocking him down on his bed. ‘What? What’s going on?’ he asked as Marianna looked at him while she’s on his stomach.

‘Big brother and the doctor told me you can’t go out of bed.’ Marianna answered innocently staying on his stomach.

‘Big brother? Josef told you?’ Hadrian asked as Anton came in with a tray.

‘Good morning, Your Majesty.’ Anton said walking up to the siblings.

‘Can you explain what’s going on?’ Hadrian asked sitting up with his little sister not moving an inch.

‘You fainted last night,’ Anton answered. ‘And the doctor told us you need two days of rest.’

‘Two days? But I--’ Hadrian protested but Anton spoke before he could even finish what he was going to say.

‘We know you’d say that, so we asked Princess Marianna to help.’

‘And how is this help?’ Hadrian asked looking at his sister who is hugging him.

‘I love you, big brother.’ Marianna said innocently. ‘Marianna doesn’t want that to happen again, so I’ll stay here.’ Hadrian looked at her and Anton and sighed heavily.

‘Can you please tell me what exactly happened last night?’ Hadrian asked as Anton laid the tray containing the emperor’s breakfast and medicine in front of Hadrian and sat down on the chair beside his bed.

‘Well, Your Majesty.’ Anton began in a scolding manner. ‘You passed out after you saw Her Ladyship and her granddaughter off. Clearly this is because you did not listen to me and insisted on meeting them when you can cancel the said appointment. And you won’t have to go through that embarrassing talk about your past.’

‘It is not at all embarrassing, Anton.’ Hadrian butted in while Anton is still talking. ‘She simply wanted to know why I’m confined in Laxenburg, so I answered her honestly. Ignoring her question would be very rude indeed.’

‘Your Majesty.’ Anton murmured as Marianna looked at him.

‘I just told her the truth. Besides, would it make a difference if I lie?’ Hadrian asked smiling. ‘I bet it would be worse, if chose to do just that.’

‘Whatever reason it is, you must’ve never told them that, Your Majesty.’ Anton answered clearly not going to take any more of his master’s reasoning.

A while later, while Hadrian was reading a book in his coffee table beside the window, he heard one of the maids reasoning with someone and trying to tell that someone not to disturb him, Marianna stood up staring at the doors that they flung open, and a tall woman walked in wearing an elaborate red and white dress. Marianna gasped.

‘It’s the Witch!’ she exclaimed but Hadrian pulled his sister away from the approaching lady.

‘What do I owe this visit Lady Alexia?’ Hadrian asked politely holding back his sister.

‘I heard you fainted last night, Your Majesty so I came to visit.’ Alexia answered sarcastically. ‘It’s just been a few months since you ascended the throne and nothing much has changed in Austria, now this.’

‘Ah, change, is that the real reason why you’re here, Lady Alexia?’ Hadrian asked politely.

‘Brother has to rest!’ Marianna shouted but Hadrian covered her mouth.

‘You see, Lady Alexia, changing a country is not an easy feat for anybody, you have to think carefully before doing things otherwise your intentions, no matter how good they may be, might backfire. Josef is doing the work in my place, if you like you can check everything with him.’ Alexia closed her eyes and left the room while Marianna is sticking her tongue at her aunt.

Alexia went on to observe her nephew, Josef who took over Hadrian’s job. It appears as if he is having a hard time keeping up with the court sessions.

‘No wonder Hadrian collapsed.’ Josef thought while working on the law Hadrian debated about the day before. ‘Where did he get all these ideas? Most of the things that he worked on are about the people getting jobs, education, there is even a proposal on making an educational center and a public university in Vienna. Really, my brother is a piece of work.’

The day ended while Josef is still in the middle of a meeting with the aristocrats concerning the new law on the division of taxes in the Empire which left him worn out to the point of skipping dinner only to sleep the night off but was disturbed.

‘You’re rather enthusiastic, Josef.’ Alexia said walking to her nephew who is reviewing the past meetings on his table.

‘Ah, Lady Alexia I’m sorry I haven’t noticed you.’ Josef answered. ‘It was quite hard; I had no idea my brother’s going through so much.’

‘Then it won’t be long until he wears down.’ She answered making Josef look at her. ‘Consider this your training, Josef.’ she said and turned away.

‘Wait, are you still planning on doing that?’ Josef asked.

‘Why yes, is there any objection?’ she asked. ‘Remember, you’re the one who will benefit from this, Josef.’ She answered and walked away as he clenched his fists thinking twice about their plan. He thought about what his brother told him, and what his aunt has been telling him.

‘These people--’ he thought gritting his teeth. ‘They’re the kind of people my brother is standing up against.’ He thought looking out the window.

‘I’ll make sure they won’t get what they want.’ He said to himself.