182 Allies
Women can be petty, but it's in their nature, nothing will change that, and fighting it... is like trying to stop a dog from licking its ball. Elisabeth wasn't happy with this exchange. Of course, she knew my past, I told her a lot of things before we got married... which doesn't mean she likes to be reminded of it.
"My Queen, thank you for your kind words, but the truth is that I am a much better hunter than a soldier. Apparently, the Merecki County has great hunting grounds and the king himself likes to hunt there." (MC)
The smile on the queen's face seemed less cheerful... well, whoever fights with the sword dies by the sword. Soon after, the Queen decided she needed to talk to the other guests and left us alone.
"Now you know why I don't like banquets and parties... and why I try to know as much as possible about others." (MC)
Elisabeth just smiled and nodded her head.
"Have you ever seen animal fights?" (MC)
"Is this something like a Spanish Corrida?" (Elisabeth)
Corrida was already known in Europe, it was said to be one of King Filp IV's favorite pastimes, he even fought in the arena... but our animal fights were far from that. It will be easier to show than to explain, so I took my wife to the courtyard where a special arena was built. I asked one of the servants what animals would fight next.
"The next fight will be between a bear and four dogs... maybe we'll make a bet? I'll let you choose." (MC)
"What do you want to bet?" (Elisabeth)
"If you win, I will fulfill your wish, if I win, you will fulfill mine." (MC)
Of course, I wasn't going to lose, I just had to make sure that the side that chose Elisabeth lost... My wife bet on dogs, so the bear had to win. I ordered the servants to bring the animal keeper to me, and when he appeared, I handed him a pouch with ducats.
"Bear must win, break the ribs of all dogs, but do it so that there is no trace." (MC)
It was customary for such shows to not have any money bets, it was watched for entertainment, so I was not afraid that if it came out, someone would be pissed at me.
Several minutes later a fight took place... although it is hard to call it a fight, the dogs were simply torn to pieces, they did not put up much resistance. Elisabeth accepted the loss with style and a smile on her face, did not try to protest or repeat the bet again.
"So what is your wish, my dear husband?" (Elisabeth)
"You'll find out when we get home... in our bedroom." (MC)
The next morning I was awakened by a knock on the bedroom door... Elisabeth was asleep against my chest, she was tired after the banquet and fulfilling wishes, so I tried not to wake her up by getting up from bed. I opened the door and Wroński was waiting behind it.
"Lord, we just got a message that your uncle... Tomasz Zamoyski died this morning." (Wroński)
Fuck, I lost an influential ally, I expected him to die sooner or later... we will all die someday. However, it was a painful loss... especially since my list of close associates has not increased recently.
There was Graf Ferber, but he had influence only in Pomerania, Hetman Potocki and Gosiewski had military influence, Prince Wiśniowiecki, he was only organizing himself in the East and he was not very useful. Patriarch Mohyła, he controlled Orthodoxy to a large extent... and Tomasz Zamoyski was my man in Warsaw. I lost my eyes and ears... in the capital... Fuck.
"I see... Find out where and when the funeral will be." (MC)
Maybe Zamoyski is dead, but that doesn't mean I can't gain anything from it ... Gryzelda is Wiśniowiecki's wife and it doesn't matter, but there is also Jan, who will inherit everything from his father. Now he is 11 years old... and it's a good age to mold him like a wax figure, so much easier that he has just lost his father.
I went back to bed, Elisabeth continued to sleep soundly... I looked at her naked body.
"There is still hope for you, my dear wife. Even a nun can be made a whore." (MC)
In the afternoon I ordered the servants to dig a few small bags of soil from the garden and bring them to my office... Everyone knows that I was in the Ottoman Empire and these bags would be a perfect gift for the last goodbye of the deceased... As soil from the area where the tomb of Jesus Christ was located.
(Patriarch Piotr Mohyła / Bishop Sylwester Kossów)
"Now you know why I am trying to introduce the liturgy in Polish, despite the resistance of some priests." (Patriarch Mohyła)
"This Jazłowiecki... what kind of man is he? Can you trust him?" (Bishop Kossów)
"I do not know, so far what he promised he kept, he gave money to rebuild the temple in Kiev, he gave us holy icons which he saved from destruction during the war with Moscow, and he helped my brother drive the Turks out of Moldova." (Patriarch Mohyła)
"So this article is true?Orthodoxy on a par with Catholicism, something amazing and wonderful." (Bishop Kossów)
"I think so, but Jazłowiecki is only a Hetman. Orthodoxy has an ally in him, but unfortunately he does not make policy... Everything depends on the Seym and even the king has no such influence." (Patriarch Mohyła)
"Can we help him somehow? Make things easier." (Bishop Kossów)
"We can try to stop the Cossacks from revolting because it will definitely worsen our relationship with the crown... and we can look for people who would support the idea of Hetman Jazłowiecki." (Patriarch Mohyła)
(End POV)