Tharra
02-08-2005, 21:14
OOC: i haven't posted for a while here, because I've been on vacation. But I figured this would be a good one to start things back up...
IC:
"Your Majesty!"
The words struck like a thunderbolt, roughly ripping the Emperor Josef III from his peaceful sleep. Soon, he would be wishing that was all he had to lament.
The Emperor's bedchamber, a large, dim room, most of its space being taken up by the great bed of state, was suddenly alight as the lights were turned on hastily by a valet. It was this scene of confusion that His Majesty awoke too.
"What in God's name? How dare you distrub-" but Emperor Josef was roughly cut off by the chamberlain.
"Majesty, there is little time. There's been a-a...sir, the Second Estate has seized power." He said, reffering to the tricameral parliament's second chamber, made up of elected nobles.
"What? That's impossible, its midnight, how in the nine hells can a legislative body convene at this hour, without my permission-" and then it hit him, for he realized the gravity of the situation. For the last few years, there had been rumors of an intended insurrection by the nobility. Ever since the Emperor had introduced laws that compelled them to pay taxes, however slight, on business aquisitions, earning their hatred.
"The situation is indeed grave." the voice of another was heard in the chamber. Startled, the awed pair looked up to see the face of the Captain of the Palace Guards, Felipe di Fellici.
"I trust you have not lost faith in us?" asked the uneasy Emperor, as he arose and assumed a fine velvet dressing gown.
"Naturally. But we are in a time of definate crisis you must understand. I have sent my guards to awaken the Empress and the rest of the Imperial Household. Already, the Imperial Guard has been summoned. We can definatly hold the palace, but I fear open conflict in the streets is unavoidable."
"What's going on?" Josef was visably annoyed now. He was not used to being in the dark on state matters, especially urgent ones.
"About an hour ago, a small group of nobles, from the ancient families, conspired and secretly were able to engeneer a meeting of the Second Estate. Almost mechanically, they declared you deposed and have even gained the loyalty of the mostly noble command of the army. Normally, such a coup would be impossible, but with the fact that most of the high positions of the military and state are filled by the nobility, it was realitively easy for the aristocrates to ally with their fellows. I fear that this has been long in coming, and but the execution of a long thought out intrigue."
"I see. Well then, what are our options? Nevermind the position, with what you've said, and what I know of those troublesome nobles, we may have to flee the city."
"I am sending letters to all foreign governments as we speak. If we are to maintain our position, and yours as absolute monarch, then we may be forced to flee to a neigboring nation, prefferably an ally."
And without further discussion, the group set to work. The Emperor quickly dressed and made his way to the throne room. There, he met up with the Empress and his three children, along with other members of the Imperial Family and some loyal aides and ladies in waiting.
The Imperial Party established, a group of armed guards, carrying ak 47's quickly moved in to surround them, as they made there way out of the palace and into the cars stationed outside.
The Great Flight had begun.
***
Meanwhile, across the city of Corva, at the House of the Estates, another group was preparing for war.
Lorenzo di Lucci, a tall, statuesque man, was sitting anxiously at his desk, in a small upstairs office. Surrounding him were a sore of others, all looking just as anxious. Afterall, pulling off a coup was no walk in the park.
"Lorenzo, you know as well as I do that we have spent over four years planning for this day! For God's sake, it cost us all a lot of gold to buy off the army officers and even our fellow nobles. Why, then, are you hesitating with implementing our intrigue? We've pulled off a coup already, and I will not see it fall because of your negligence! I will NOT be executed on your account."
The young noble just sat there, continuing to stare off aprehensively. When he finally spoke, however, his voice was steady and cold.
"Ferdinando, do you think me a fool? Perhaps if you ceased to feel self important, you'd realize that I am doing us all a favor. By allowing His Majesty to escape, I've secured his definate demise. Better to cut off the head of the snake, don't you think, then to waste your energy destroying its body?"
"I don't understand."
"Then your a fool, because I too have spent years plotting and intrigueing for this moment. I want to be sure of victory. Rest assured, His Majesty will be dealt with. We are already in control of the state, what does he matter anymore?"
There was a loud applause from the other ten or so nobles. Everything was going as planned.
***
Emperor Josef looked up, baffald by the sudden stop of the convoy of limosenes and armed guards. They had just succeded in smashing past the troops in the city below who had blocked their path. The gunshots had been mortifying. Why in the hell were they stopped so close to the fray?
As if in divine answer, gunshots and shouting outside heralded what was to come.
"Ambush!" Josef muttered. Why was this happening to him? Josef III of the house of Leigi. Emperor and Most Catholic Monarch of Tharra? Successor to over a thousand years of royal blood.
There was a sudden knock at the door. This and the extant silence led the Emperor to believe that indeed, the ambush had been but a soldier or two diserting the battle in the city below and following the convoy. Obviously Captian di Fellici was coming to assure him of victory.
However, the look on the captain's face told Josef that something was indeed wrong, as he stepped out of the car. Horror and absolute disgust sprang up in his gut, followed by sheer terror, as he gazed on the scene before him.
Blood covered the ground. There upon it lay six bodies, all dressed in finery. Four adult men, and three adult women...one of whom was...
"Bianca!" he moaned. So this was what it was, betrayal. Of course, it had made since all along, no wonder Captain di Fellici had been so eager to aide him, for in the end he hadn't been loyal at all. No, he had been but a hired assasin, along with his men, hired by those damned fools. How could they dare commit regicide, and move against the god given authority of a monarch.
"They had a choice...she had a choice." the captain whispered.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"We asked them to renounce their rights of succession to the throne. They declined, so we followed orders. You still have a chance-"
"No, because I won't abdicate. I refuese. Go ahead, make a martyr of me, and you'll all remember me-"
"No, Your Majesty, we will scorn and forget you." And with that, the captain lifted his revolver and fired.
Blood, royal blood, soaked the pallid snow. It had happened, the Night of the Long Knives, the night so long spoken of in secret, the night when a republic was formed and the nobility took power. Perhaps now, mused the captain, we can be free of the opressive yoke of kingship...
IC:
"Your Majesty!"
The words struck like a thunderbolt, roughly ripping the Emperor Josef III from his peaceful sleep. Soon, he would be wishing that was all he had to lament.
The Emperor's bedchamber, a large, dim room, most of its space being taken up by the great bed of state, was suddenly alight as the lights were turned on hastily by a valet. It was this scene of confusion that His Majesty awoke too.
"What in God's name? How dare you distrub-" but Emperor Josef was roughly cut off by the chamberlain.
"Majesty, there is little time. There's been a-a...sir, the Second Estate has seized power." He said, reffering to the tricameral parliament's second chamber, made up of elected nobles.
"What? That's impossible, its midnight, how in the nine hells can a legislative body convene at this hour, without my permission-" and then it hit him, for he realized the gravity of the situation. For the last few years, there had been rumors of an intended insurrection by the nobility. Ever since the Emperor had introduced laws that compelled them to pay taxes, however slight, on business aquisitions, earning their hatred.
"The situation is indeed grave." the voice of another was heard in the chamber. Startled, the awed pair looked up to see the face of the Captain of the Palace Guards, Felipe di Fellici.
"I trust you have not lost faith in us?" asked the uneasy Emperor, as he arose and assumed a fine velvet dressing gown.
"Naturally. But we are in a time of definate crisis you must understand. I have sent my guards to awaken the Empress and the rest of the Imperial Household. Already, the Imperial Guard has been summoned. We can definatly hold the palace, but I fear open conflict in the streets is unavoidable."
"What's going on?" Josef was visably annoyed now. He was not used to being in the dark on state matters, especially urgent ones.
"About an hour ago, a small group of nobles, from the ancient families, conspired and secretly were able to engeneer a meeting of the Second Estate. Almost mechanically, they declared you deposed and have even gained the loyalty of the mostly noble command of the army. Normally, such a coup would be impossible, but with the fact that most of the high positions of the military and state are filled by the nobility, it was realitively easy for the aristocrates to ally with their fellows. I fear that this has been long in coming, and but the execution of a long thought out intrigue."
"I see. Well then, what are our options? Nevermind the position, with what you've said, and what I know of those troublesome nobles, we may have to flee the city."
"I am sending letters to all foreign governments as we speak. If we are to maintain our position, and yours as absolute monarch, then we may be forced to flee to a neigboring nation, prefferably an ally."
And without further discussion, the group set to work. The Emperor quickly dressed and made his way to the throne room. There, he met up with the Empress and his three children, along with other members of the Imperial Family and some loyal aides and ladies in waiting.
The Imperial Party established, a group of armed guards, carrying ak 47's quickly moved in to surround them, as they made there way out of the palace and into the cars stationed outside.
The Great Flight had begun.
***
Meanwhile, across the city of Corva, at the House of the Estates, another group was preparing for war.
Lorenzo di Lucci, a tall, statuesque man, was sitting anxiously at his desk, in a small upstairs office. Surrounding him were a sore of others, all looking just as anxious. Afterall, pulling off a coup was no walk in the park.
"Lorenzo, you know as well as I do that we have spent over four years planning for this day! For God's sake, it cost us all a lot of gold to buy off the army officers and even our fellow nobles. Why, then, are you hesitating with implementing our intrigue? We've pulled off a coup already, and I will not see it fall because of your negligence! I will NOT be executed on your account."
The young noble just sat there, continuing to stare off aprehensively. When he finally spoke, however, his voice was steady and cold.
"Ferdinando, do you think me a fool? Perhaps if you ceased to feel self important, you'd realize that I am doing us all a favor. By allowing His Majesty to escape, I've secured his definate demise. Better to cut off the head of the snake, don't you think, then to waste your energy destroying its body?"
"I don't understand."
"Then your a fool, because I too have spent years plotting and intrigueing for this moment. I want to be sure of victory. Rest assured, His Majesty will be dealt with. We are already in control of the state, what does he matter anymore?"
There was a loud applause from the other ten or so nobles. Everything was going as planned.
***
Emperor Josef looked up, baffald by the sudden stop of the convoy of limosenes and armed guards. They had just succeded in smashing past the troops in the city below who had blocked their path. The gunshots had been mortifying. Why in the hell were they stopped so close to the fray?
As if in divine answer, gunshots and shouting outside heralded what was to come.
"Ambush!" Josef muttered. Why was this happening to him? Josef III of the house of Leigi. Emperor and Most Catholic Monarch of Tharra? Successor to over a thousand years of royal blood.
There was a sudden knock at the door. This and the extant silence led the Emperor to believe that indeed, the ambush had been but a soldier or two diserting the battle in the city below and following the convoy. Obviously Captian di Fellici was coming to assure him of victory.
However, the look on the captain's face told Josef that something was indeed wrong, as he stepped out of the car. Horror and absolute disgust sprang up in his gut, followed by sheer terror, as he gazed on the scene before him.
Blood covered the ground. There upon it lay six bodies, all dressed in finery. Four adult men, and three adult women...one of whom was...
"Bianca!" he moaned. So this was what it was, betrayal. Of course, it had made since all along, no wonder Captain di Fellici had been so eager to aide him, for in the end he hadn't been loyal at all. No, he had been but a hired assasin, along with his men, hired by those damned fools. How could they dare commit regicide, and move against the god given authority of a monarch.
"They had a choice...she had a choice." the captain whispered.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"We asked them to renounce their rights of succession to the throne. They declined, so we followed orders. You still have a chance-"
"No, because I won't abdicate. I refuese. Go ahead, make a martyr of me, and you'll all remember me-"
"No, Your Majesty, we will scorn and forget you." And with that, the captain lifted his revolver and fired.
Blood, royal blood, soaked the pallid snow. It had happened, the Night of the Long Knives, the night so long spoken of in secret, the night when a republic was formed and the nobility took power. Perhaps now, mused the captain, we can be free of the opressive yoke of kingship...