Great Engellex
Established Nation
THE ROSE AND THE FLEURS-DE-LYS
THE WISSEMANDIE PRELUDE
Dulwich, Empire of Great Engellex, June 2012This year, of twenty-twelve, was proving a most significant one in Montel history. One situation which seemed to possess the potential of being of importance to those of the Montel Successor States and Great Engellex was the Radilo Situation, a Montel colony within the West of the Himyari continent.
Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, the Comte de Toulouse, anticipated the future of Radilo with excitement when those of Mormant considered the far away territory that had been the jewel within the rather dull Montel Imperial Crown, and he often did ask himself, now that he possessed a notable position within the Court of Mormant, he was the First Officer of the Crown and Grand Chamberlain of Wissemandie, and the King of Wissemandie – though he was yet to be coronated – was the Queen-Empress’s brother, why he should not regain this territory for his new Sovereign and have his son and heir elevated to the highest office of that quite developed territory. His greatest rival for this endeavour was the Duc de Fontaine-Harcourt, the future King of Montelimar, whom originally had the most legitimate claim to succeed the sovereignty of that scrap of Himyari land; but Wissemandie with Great Engellex behind it, the Comte de Toulouse thought, had the best opportunity to claim that realm. George, the brother of Charlotte and King of Wissemandie, was not inclined to support his chief courtier in this endeavour. The Duc de Fontaine-Harcourt and Comes Burdagalensis, Valery Giscard Pompidou, the Premier Minister of Mormant, had been invited to submit candidates to lead the political recovery of the realm, which was a private arrangement between the Courts of the Engello-Montel Empire – a term only Charlotte and George used. In Dulwich the highest representatives at the Conferences agreed to cede the territory to Engellexic sovereignty with joint initiatives in administration, civil society and economy.
He was also uncertain what effect the highest Radiloean positions would have on the Comte de Toulouse. He would naturally become more influential in Mormant, and in Dulwich, George knew, the Engellexic Establishment would be watching affairs closely. Naturally he was eager for strong relations with Great Engellex and hoped to use this natural advantage to form a relationship between Mormant and Dulwich that would promote his kingdom in the Order of Precedence within the Engello-Montel Empire. His sister, the Queen-Empress, would dispatch her chief strategist, surprisingly this was the Duke of Nonsuch – the Whig Peer, to Mormant to issue advice to her younger brother. The advice was rather simple and not of the usual character of complicated intrigue; the Ministers of Mormant, including Valery Giscard Pompidou, shall receive economic and dynastic opportunity – a bribe – for electing a lowly peer with experience in civil service as the Wissemandien candidate. Charlotte knew her brother would resent tainting the first years of his reign with less democratic methods of rule, though, she was sure he understood the delicacy of restoring political stability within the Montel States where the peers of those realms scrambled to reassert themselves and their dynasties.
In Dulwich, George was still set-up within the apartments of Bartholomew House – where the Duc de Fontaine-Harcourt also was established, it was necessary still as government and royal properties had yet to be satisfactorily restored within Mormant and Valmy. The future stability of Wissemandie, and Montelimar, depended on the success of Charlotte’s brother, and their father, Prince Frederick of Schaumburg, held a great ball at Hountton House to celebrate his spectacular rise. While the balance of his sister’s, the Queen-Empress’s, power over the Engello-Montel lot was to be assured by his support as King of Wissemandie, Charlotte and Prince Frederick noticed, as George’s behaviour was under great observation – more so than before the war by far, that the young king could not resist the charms of Countess Holland, a young and frivolous beauty. Despite the condemnation in the eyes of his immediate family, the scoff of the Engellexic Court, and disdain from the Montel enclave, George continued to dance the evening away with the Engellexic rose and his infatuation became far deeper with every step.
There is nothing to be discussed, dismissed Prince Frederick. Charlotte has agreed that the Court shall ignore what took place this evening, and I – forbid you – to speak of it again, his father continued. George turned away from the window he was staring out of, I’m afraid that is not possible, he replied with a gentle defiance. Prince Frederick stumped out his cigar in frustration and sat forward, out of the swirling puff of smoke. Not possible? He barked, of course it is possible, you will do as you are instructed George. You – will – forget this evening’s embarrassment and you will stop acting like a – like a damned libertine. A sore accusation in the imperial metropolis; absolutely devastating if said publicly. A libertine? Prince Frederick rose to his feet, and, not wanting to escalate this argument anymore from fear of forcing his son to defy him, sought to reason with him. Of course she is attractive, we can all see that, if you desire her then take her to your bed; but you cannot marry her, he said sternly.
You need a wife who is strong, you will certainly need her strength, Prince Frederick reasoned. How could you possibly know what I need? George mocked. Frederick angled his standing and sharpened his posture as to make a statement to his son, there was a huge portrait of George’s late mother, Queen Georgiana, behind his father which made for quite an imposing display before his own eyes. I am talking about the needs of your new country; the needs of your sister’s empire; the needs of Europe. The success of everything depends on your marriage. George still wasn’t quite grasping the logic of his father’s argument, the Countess can learn. But Frederick was having none of it and dismissed his son’s efforts, besides, Countess Holland is Engellexic. It seemed an almost absurd thing for Prince Frederick to say in defence of his position, to deny an Engellexic lady the chance of being queen in favour of foreign blood? He questioned his father’s state of mind, again, not understanding how things are. The Council of State’s disposition was quite specific on this matter. You are to marry a Montel or Potenzan suitor. George went quiet, considering himself for a moment before asking, what if I refuse? His father smiled and told him he could not. Your Crown, the strength and power you now have is from Charlotte, it was your sister and she alone who has made you King. The young king took himself back to the window and asked what the point was, why give me power if I cannot exercise it?
You are not the King-Emperor of Great Engellex, George, you are a constitutional king of a realm that will, in the near future, be incorporated in to your sister’s empire. The point of making you king is to succeed that endeavour, Prince Frederick responded.