Author Notes:
Bloody Hell, I think I wrote something quite dark with these RM chapters, especially the most recent one on Patr-eon. I won't spoil it much, but it's something that is as unhistorical as it could be, and quite up there in terms of 'Holy F, WTF, did that just happen?" moments in this particular fiction of mine. So, you have been warned well in advance if you haven't read the build-up to London or is just about to read it.
I am honestly drained from writing that mad chapter, and not because it's an exciting chap, but a chapter full of character negativities coming to full bloom. Without further ado, proceed at your own risk.
Peace, everyone.
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Not great. Not terrible.
That's the conclusion King George VI has come to after a grueling discussion with the Count of Farbanti. Despite the open-air nature of their venue, the Erusean King still found the atmosphere stifling back then, as if it were moments away from boiling over into a nationwide mess.
The meeting occurred after both sides, the Crown and the people, came into contact with the full force of their authority in full view. The Crown, with a display of protective Royal Guards, and the citizens of Erusea, with an overwhelming quantity advantage. Both factions convened for a sit-down in a hastily cleared public square, adjacent to a dilapidated church. And while King George VI felt that he had been quite courteous to a supposedly lowly Count, the Count of Farbanti couldn't be any more dismissive in his first words.
"I salute the Mantle, not the Man."
Given the Count's complex relationship with the Erusean royal family and his marriage bond to the deceased she-who-shall-not-be-named, King George VI couldn't find it in himself to fault the Count for his disrespect. It wasn't like the turmoil happening in Erusea allowed the King the opportunity anyway, as one wrong move could trigger an early and unfortunate collapse of the Kingdom's order. Should that be the case, the potential sequelae would be unimaginable, especially to the civilian populace of Erusea. Yet, there were still people who didn't get the memo. Although Churchill and his hardliner band were put into confinement, there were others still who, while not necessarily being on the same boat as the disgraced Erusean Prime Minister, would see an immense loss of interest should the Crown concede to people's demand. This particular group, comprising nobles and tycoons who made good money and influence during the period leading to the current war and during it, came to the public discussion with a mighty retinue of their own. Because nobles were a part of this third faction, they arrived with nearly all of the bodyguards and private armies as allowed by Erusean laws. This means that they, too, came bearing arms. Even more critical was that a few members of this faction of capitalists had seats in the Erusean Kingdom's Parliament. The firepower and influence the profiteers brought to the table forcefully changed the tense public discussion into something akin to a three-way standoff between the Crown, the people, and the profiteers. Understandably, given the natures of the three groups involved in the talk, little to no headway was made. The cessation of the war was something everyone could agree on. Yet, it was the crucial matter of whether it should be ended that was left undecided.
The people demanded immediate actions, if not a complete and total surrender of the Kingdom, having lost faith in their own government after suffering from repeated losses and taxing wartime initiatives. The faction behind the Count of Farbanti has a largely understandable motive. After all, a majority of them were the people being wrung dry to fuel the construction of the very Fleet that was sunk with little to no fanfare in the Erusean Channel.
The capitalists, however, sought to buy time through a series of roundabout diplomacy, petitioning other worldly powers to force the Reich to the table. Since the Erusean Kingdom was and still is a global spanning icon with all of its colonies and cultural influence, sufficient lobbying should be able to cause other nations to pressure the Reich into an actual peace negotiation. A peace negotiation would still be better than a total surrender. The latter meant losing everything and being subjected to the whim of their new ruler. Whereas the former would allow the Erusean kingdom to retain its sovereignty, letting it haggle with the Reich for a suitable concession. The peer pressure from the entire world should prevent the Reich from making too harsh a demand, right? And while the idea reasoning was laughable to anyone in the know, it's easy to see why the Erusean capitalists favored this idea more than what the civilians suggested. Some hope in keeping their personal power and coffers intact was still better than none, and they would gladly jump upon it like a moth into flame.
However, it should be noted that the proposal, which the capitalists were so vehement about being implemented by the Crown, was actually their last resort. After all, these tycoons and shadowy influencers would sooner vacate themselves from the Kingdom of Erusea with all of their gold had they been allowed to do so. The swift naval blockade enforced upon the Erusean Kingdom prevented many from making themselves scarce. Only a few powerful families managed to escape via a few civilian airlines. Yet, that method meant abandoning most of their riches, and the airlines were grounded when the Belkans tightened the aerial corridors just shortly after the three-way discussion took place.
From a cursory glance, the Crown should react positively to the economic magnates' suggestion. It's an idea that would give the Erusean Kingdom precious time on the political stage, after all. And time could be spent on subtle, yet meaningful political maneuverings. Nonetheless, being the one in the hot seat, King George VI knew better than anyone to outright agree to what the capitalists said. Time was something the very lifeblood, the common people of Erusea, was unable to afford. Listening to the capitalists would only secure the interests of the state and the magnates, but it would do little to give the starving people enough bread to last. The Months of Demons, the Cataclysm, the subsequent costly war... All of these events completely derailed the critical civilian industries, with the most critical food sector being hit the hardest.
Farmers being constrained in the limited confines of the city walls meant little food could be produced. The Cataclysm burned through Erusea's food reserve like a raging wildfire, meaning that there wouldn't be any emergency supplies left to stave off any bout of famine. The war only further exacerbated the issue as precious Erusean Pounds were used to buy armaments and trained soldiers instead of importing food. Not even the colonies could save the Erusean Kingdom when even they themselves were hit just as hard. With no money and rations left, the only way to prevent the coming famine would be to pry open the vaults of the magnates and secure funds to buy food from elsewhere. Yet, the naval blockade on Erusea existed for a reason, and Erusea lacked the naval firepower to even step out of the harbors, much less go halfway across the world.
So, understandably, King George VI and, by extension, the Crown, gradually found themselves to be more partial to the struggle of the people, represented by the Count of Farbanti. But it wasn't like the capitalists' ideas weren't deserving of proper consideration. So, King George VI tried and played a gamble, playing matchmaker between the economic powerhouses of Erusea and their more lowly peers. Just as he had decided when he set out on this discussion, he threw Churchill and his cohort under the bus, painting them as the ultimate evil that led the Crown, the Parliament, and the people into the cesspool. King George VI managed to get the two other factions hooked on the idea of using the Erusean hardliners as scapegoats, something that could be used to lessen the animosity of the Reich. The common people would be happy to see the warmongers punished and flogged, with their assets confiscated for the betterment of the people. And then there were the capitalists who looked further and salivated at the newly emptied seats of power when Churchill was gone.
Utilizing the rare moment of harmony between the two factions, King George VI then pitched the idea of the magnate being the proactive and generous party, aiding the Crown in getting the Reich to sit at a negotiation table and to find a way to lessen the people's burden. While the King didn't explicitly confirm that he would surrender the entire Kingdom, he cunningly didn't promise that he wouldn't either. Yet, the majority of the capitalists saw the King's offer as an absolute win, blinded by the possibility of their rise into greatness should they manage to wrest the entire Kingdom of Erusea back from the vile clutch of the Belkans. The common people, not as sophisticated in their thinking as the movers and shakers of their nation, felt nothing but relief and hope due to King George VI showing them a path forward.
However, not all people reacted positively to the King's notion. Some old foxes pondered their own visions instead. A few of them were greedy, wanting to get more power out of the process by undermining the others. Some sought the treacherous future where they could even replace the ineffective and decaying royal family, having borne witness to how they were manipulated by Churchill and had only come out of his shadow. Then there were others, like the Count of Farbanti, who went even further and committed to the purest, agonizing desire of dismantling the Kingdom of Erusia as a whole. To this very specific group, the talk of today wasn't about securing the future for the people of Erusea at all. It was nothing more than the cementing of Erusea's monument of destruction.
When the three factions parted ways with a promise to convene for a second time the day after, no one noticed just how tensed the trigger fingers on some of the soldiers were.
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King George VI thinks that yesterday ended on a good enough note. While there were clearly moments where things could have erupted, the King likes to think that he had successfully defused them quite well, thus leading to an ending where everyone walked out alive and is now open for gentlemanly discussion. Honestly, King George VI feels like he deserved a pat on the back with how he's spent all of his brain cells, but then he realizes the reasons why he landed in that mess, and all of the pride instantly evaporates. Instead, he feels like punching his past self for falling into Churchill's promises and his own naive vision. If not for that, Erusea would be left standing proudly, perhaps a bit battered, but nowhere near the edge of destruction like now.
But that's enough moping and what-ifs. Today, the Crown will once again join the three-way discussion, and the King hopes that, through today's meeting, an appropriate plan of action can be found and implemented immediately. The Belkans can lose patience any day now, and Erusea is not at all equipped to handle a naval invasion. King George VI hopes that Polania will be able to stall the Reich, but given what his nation experienced, it's a forlorn hope. Any desirable outcome must be brought about by the King's actions, and those must be determined today.
When King George VI comes to the same venue as yesterday, he is pleasantly surprised to see that the other parties have just arrived as well, even though the King has made it a point to come early. In a way, it could be seen that they're all impatient and wish to find a resolution swiftly. King George VI nods to himself at the thought before making his way to the center of the open-air venue, where, just like yesterday, stands the same hastily prepared table and chairs. He sees the Count of Farbanti and his retinue approaching from the other end of the square, while the group of capitalists also comes walking while chatting among themselves in hushed tones. Around the square are spectators, and Royal Guards stand in a circle. King George VI idly notes how there's almost no vantage point to be seen, with all of them situated on or near ground level. The rare places that are higher up are already occupied by the London military garrison and police force. For all intents and purposes, the security of the venue is assured for all participants.
BANG
So why is it that the King of Erusea can hear something akin to that of a gunshot?
BANGBANGBANG
Why are there multiple gunshots, even?