172 Gossip

"Your Majesty, your niece has agreed to the wedding, it is due in less than two months. So it's probably time to finalize our contract." (MC)

"My congratulations Prince. Elisabeth is a really valuable woman, we always called her Greek because of her love of ancient culture... So we will be a family." (King Charles)

As far as I know, Elisabeth will not have a family in 10 years... and you will die last.

"Distant family, Your Majesty." (MC)

"Hahaha... Someday your tongue will be the cause of your fall. Well, let's not waste any time, how would you like to finalize our contract?" (King Charles)

"Trade agreements are an official document and it will be signed by Jerzy Ossolinski, a few well-chosen sentences that, unfortunately, we cannot conclude an alliance, but trade brings countries closer together... Ships are for me, we will write the appropriate document and I will buy them for the equivalent of 1 ducat each." (MC)

It was a safer solution, officially the ships will be mine and they will sail for me... if the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth would get them, our king could try something with the Swedes.

"Well, I'll let my secretary get everything ready. Now let's talk about your part of the deal." (King Charles)

"Prince Charles must recruit some French and Scots, only infantry. After my return to the country, he will send his people to recruit some hordes of the Nogaj Tatars..." (MC)

"Why not Crimean?" (King Charles)

"Because it is well known, at least in our part of Europe, that I have very good relations with the Crimean Khan, if suddenly several thousand Crimean tarars appeared near Prague, it would be obvious whose doing it... and the Nogai Tatars are not so obvious." (MC)

"Is there a difference between them?" (King Charles)

I was not surprised by this question from the King of England, Tatars are Tatars... just like I did not see any difference between Tutsi and Hutu.

"Let me put it this way, during difficult years, when there was little food, the Crimean Tatars attacked countries, robbed or traded... Nogai Tatars, they did the same, but also sometimes ate people." (MC)

The king called the secretary and ordered him to prepare both documents... the next day they were officially signed by Jerzy Ossolinski and me as auxiliary ambassador. We stayed in London for a few more days, long enough for me to say goodbye to Lady Clifford... and one of her maids.

It was the last time I was going to visit this city and this country... although Oliver Cromwell stayed in the Kingdom of England before he became powerful and influential, he would still be too small to do anything against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

"We've known each other for several years ... are you sure about this wedding?" (Jerzy Ossolinski)

"No, but it's already decided. Our country will be able to get richer for the next 10 years, it will be the perfect time to develop our army, infrastructure, resolve internal conflicts... and make sure that the King and the nobility do not screw up anything." (MC)

"Isn't that too ambitious?" (Jerzy Ossolinski)

Of course it was too ambitious and it could have gone wrong, as was everything in my country.

"Will you be my witness at the wedding?" (MC)

(Cardinal Armand Jean Richelieu / Rochefort POV)

"Your Excellency, we already have information about Prince Jazłowiecki. He is to marry the niece of Charles I, Elisabeth." (Rochefort)

"That's for sure?" (Cardinal Richelieu)

"There are rumors about it all over The Hague. Charles I also signed trade treaties with Poles. There are also rumors about an edict concerning Protestants issued by Jazłowiecki, but we do not know its contents." (Rochefort)

"It is a pity that I did not think about it earlier... to tie Prince Jazłowiecki with France through the wedding, it would be beneficial... damned English." (Cardinal Richelieu)

"Maybe it's not too late?" (Rochefort)

"What do you mean?" (Cardinal Richelieu)

"The brother of the Polish king remains under our arrest if he accidentally meets a French princess... one that we can control." (Rochefort)

"Knowing you, you already mean someone... let it out." (Cardinal Richelieu)

"Marie Louise Gonzaga, daughter of Charles I, Duke of Mantua, and Catherine of Guise. There were already plans to marry her to the Polish king before he married the Emperor's daughter." (Rochefort)

"Clever, but we have to do it slowly, the ambassador from the Kingdom of Spain has already arrived in Paris and is seeking at the king's court to release Jan Kazimierz from arrest... an ambassador from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth will also arrive in a few months... the king's brother is a much better prey than Jazłowiecki's." (Cardinal Richelieu)

"Your Excellency, any orders?" (Rochefort)

"Yes, keep an eye on this Jazłowiecki and try to find out if this wedding still hides something. We will move Jan Kazimierz to Paris and we will give him more freedom, and even some money to let him know our grace." (Cardinal Richelieu)

(End POV)

(Rotmistrz Czarniecki / Hussars POV)

"Silence !!! As you know, our Prince is getting married, armor and helmets are to shine, lances and banners are to be prepared as if you were going to war with a Muscovite... and most importantly, do not bring shame on me." (Rotmistrz Czarniecki)

"Is it true that the future wife of the prince rejected the advances of the king?" (Grabowski)

"Hahaha... saber from Jazłowiec, better than the Swedish rapier." (Czerwiński)

"I saw her when I was with the Prince in The Hague. Pretty, but as they say... looking at a smooth wife you will not satisfy your hunger." (Kalinowski)

"My grandfather always used to say... Do not pay a craftsman ahead of time, do not sell horses on credit, do not take a wife without a dowry." (Bielecki)

"It is true that she rejected the King's advances, and as for the dowry, our Prince does not need a dowry, he is rich enough... and stop gossiping like women on the market, it is an army, not an inn." (Rotmistrz Czarniecki)

(End POV)