03 Cat's in the Cradle

One year later - 1606

When I was just over a year, Rokosz (Rebellion) Zebrzydowskiego took place in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, my father took the side of King Sigismund III Vasa ... and I did not know how to assess my father's decision. Personally, I was not in favor of the rule of the Vasa dynasty. I wouldn't even trust them to take my dog ​​for a walk, let alone rule the country.

The king was a zealous Catholic, which caused tensions with Protestants and Orthodox Christians. He also wished to establish heredity to the throne, strengthen the royal power and reduce the privileges of the nobility. The component of these factors ultimately led the magnates and nobility to rise up against the King... and although I understood and supported these goals, I knew that his sons were fit only to sit on the toilet bowl, not on the throne.

In the end, the royalists won this little civil war, but the King couldn't carry out his reforms anyway... He won, and he still had to recognize the conditions of magnates and nobility. He couldn't even punish the rebels ... and such a man was king.

The only good thing about this was that my father had become one of the King's favorites. In his youth, he changed his faith from Calvinist to Catholic, and now he sided with the king during the rebellion ... The king, as a reward for faithful service, gave my father land and several villages in the Podole province. In my little world not much has changed ... actually only the cradle has changed to a bigger one. My day consists of a very busy schedule of sleeping, eating, sleeping, eating, and the occasional filling diapers with contents.

I also met my nemesis on whom I swore my revenge in the future ... her name was Sveta, she looked 14 or 15 years old, she was a servant and sometimes she had the privilege to look after me. I have to admit that she was attractive and her breasts had a big future, but she was only 14-15 years old ... I didn't like children.

"It seems to me that this child is looking at me strangely, maybe I would bring a priest to him? Maybe some evil spirit is sitting in him" (Sveta)

"You're talking nonsense. He's just like any other child. He's looking at you because he's curious." (Wet nurse)

"What can such a small child be curious about?" (Sveta)

"You talk too much. The room will not clean itself ... and child, you will understand when you become a mother." (Wet nurse)

Three years later - 1609

I am four years old and my birth has already changed the future, although I do not know to what extent yet. My mother died in childbirth, although she was supposed to live for many more years. Thanks to my presence, the Jazłowiecki family will survive and will not disappear into the darkness of history. I also changed my father's fate, he should have died two years ago, but he is still alive ... maybe the chaos theory is true and every time I pee there is a deluge in some country.

My carefree days also ended thanks to my father. He did not forget about my existence, even though I saw his secretary, Mr. Kowalski more often than him. When I turned four, he brought a Dominican monk to me and announced that from today the monk would teach me to write, read, Latin, German and the Bible.

I was as thrilled at the prospect of learning all of this as the Jews of free rail transport in the Third Reich. I could write and read, Latin did not attract me, and neither did the Bible ... as for German, I knew basic phrases like, Good morning "Guten Morgen", Stop "Halt", Do not shoot "Nicht schießen" or the Jews are in the barn "Die Juden sind in der Scheune", how could I forget "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles..." So I have mastered the basics.

Unfortunately, the decision was made and I couldn't do much about it, my father's word was final. The next few years I'll be alone with a monk ... I've read many novels where someone, after their death, ends up in another world, and they're surrounded by a group of attractive, ready-to-do women ... and I got a fucking old monk. The story of my life.

Since my father made sure that I developed intellectually, I decided to take care of my physical condition. When I was alone, I did push-ups, squats, sit-ups. I used the rope as a skipping rope and I ran a lot, as a four-year-old I didn't have a lot of strength, but I had a lot of energy... thanks to this, I was able to gradually build my condition every day.

"One, two, three ... more ... I can do ... four. Now a series of sit-ups and pull-ups." (MC)

I feel like Rocky when he trained before fighting Drago.

(Jazłowiecki / Kowalski POV)

"Lord, your son is getting older, I think it's time to think about some saber preceptor for him." (Secretary Kowalski)

"Yes, I thought about it, but Wilkomir is only four years old. He will start learning saber fighting only when he is seven." (Hieronim Jazłowiecki)

"I understand, but there is an opportunity. I heard that Jacek Dydyński is no longer at the service of the Stadnicki Devil. If this is true, then such an opportunity may not repeat itself. It is hard to find a better preceptor in the country." (Secretary Kowalski)

"Interesting. Have you heard anything else about this traitor?" (Hieronim Jazłowiecki)

"After Stadnicki changed sides and left the ranks of the rebels, he joined the king ..." (Secretary Kowalski)

"I know that! You're not telling me anything new." (Hieronim Jazłowiecki)

"Lord, you did not let me finish. Stadnicki declared a private war on Łukasz Opaliński, but he miscalculated and Opaliński captured Łańcut and Stadnicki's residence. Apparently, in retaliation, Stadnicki wants to capture Leżajsk." (Secretary Kowalski)

"This is very good news ... the sooner Stadnicki disappears from this world the better." (Hieronim Jazłowiecki)

(End POV)