176 On The Way

Having dealt with all matters in Pomerania, we set off on our way to the capital, if the weather is good and the roads are not too muddy, we should reach Warsaw at the beginning of November.

"You will now be able to see a part of the country, although apart from a few villages and smaller towns it will not be anything interesting." (MC)

"And how far is Jazłowiec from the capital?" (Elisabeth)

"Less than 600 kilometers southeast, not far from the Moldovan border... but we will not go to Jazłowiec until next year in the spring, we will wait out the winter in Warsaw. I also need to find someone to publish the newspaper in my absence... are you riding a horse?" (MC)

"Yes, but I'm not good at it. My mother doesn't think it's good for the lady." (Elisabeth)

In Poland, probably all, or the vast majority of noblewomen rode horses, even one queen lost her child when she fell off her horse while hunting... a horse for a nobleman means freedom, it was a way of life.

"When we get to Warsaw, I will write a letter to Tarnów, so that they choose a well-trained and calm horse for you." (MC)

"Well, if you think it's necessary... I saw that in Gdańsk you wrote some things, are you writing a new book?" (Elisabeth)

"Haha... No, nothing like that." (MC)

I got a bundle of sheets from my bag and showed them to Elisabeth.

"These are newspaper articles, written in Polish, so I will translate it. This one is the basic division of states of matter. On the example of water, ice and water vapor. The physical state of water changes under the influence of temperature. Water, when it is cold, turns into..." (MC)

It was one of Elisabeth's positive and negative traits... when she found out about something scientific, it absorbed her right away, then it was harder to reach her than to an autistic child.

(King Władysław / Crown Court Marshal Stanisław Przyjemski POV)

"Your Majesty, I advise against doing this, the consequences can be unpredictable." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"I know, but the situation requires some decision to be made. Frederick William is seeking the Emperor to help him put pressure on the return of Prussia." (King Władysław)

"We have to refuse the emperor, Prussia was a vassal of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Our emissaries were attacked, the rights of the local population and our merchants were violated... the Emperor does not have the strength to engage in a conflict with us, and Brandenburg is devastated by wars." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"What would happen if I agreed to give up the Prussian lands in exchange for another Homage?" (King Władysław)

"Nothing at best, but unlikely... at worst, you would have to abdicate." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"Abdicate?" (King Władysław)

"Yes, Jakub Zadzik will certainly oppose the handing over of the Prussian lands, and Hetman Jazłowiecki will follow. Jazłowiecki will be followed by Prince Wiśniowiecki, Hetman Gosiewski, and Tomasz Zamoyski. I assume that also Hetman Potocki. It will not be like the Zebrzydowski Rebellion, three Hetmans will be against you... you will lose." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"I am the King and at the same time a hostage of the nobility... nobility who want more privileges for themselves. In every normal country, the King is the King, there are taxes, there is the army... and here the Seym and the nobility decide about everything." (King Władysław)

"Your Majesty, therefore I advise you to be careful. The Emperor is weakened and far away, the nobility, especially the magnates are strong and close. There is also the matter of your brother's arrest, you will need nobility in this matter." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"What do you mean?" (King Władysław)

"When Ossolinski returns from the diplomatic mission, we will send him to France for negotiations, if we have an alliance with England, we can put pressure on the French, if we do not have an alliance, we will have to rely on the nobility, especially on a person like Jazłowiecki. He has good relations with Pope and maybe we'll get something." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"You will not make it easier, Marshal. You know that my relations with Jazłowiecki are cold. Ossoliński is to persuade him to war with the Swedes and I do not know if he succeeded and now I have to ask him for help in freeing my brother?" (King Władysław)

"Maybe he won't refuse." (Stanisław Przyjemski)

"Maybe" (King Władysław)

(End POV)

"What are they doing? It's some magic?" (Elisabeth)

I looked out the window of the carriage and noticed that in the vicinity of the village we were passing, several fires were burning and people were wearing wooden masks.

"It's Dziady... how to say it... Forefathers' Eve." (MC)

"Forefathers' Eve?" (Elisabeth)

"In simple terms, it is the day of all saints or the day of the dead. However, Forefathers' Eve is a custom that dates back to pre-Christian times. Bonfires are divided into two types, those around the village are so that the souls of the dead can go to their homes and that the souls can warm up. Those that burn at the crossroads chase away evil spirits such as the striga, drowned woman or wąpierz." (MC)

"And those strange masks?" (Elisabeth)

"We call them kraboszki and they serve to scare away evil spirits and communicate with the souls of the dead." (MC)

"I thought that the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is a Christian country..." (Elisabeth)

"It is, since 966, when our Prince Mieszko was baptized... but no matter how much you convert people, culture and tradition cannot be completely erased, whether you like it or not, it flows in your blood and the church had to come to terms with it and adapt these customs to Christian traditions..." (MC)

The baptism of Mieszko was even funny... especially that he had to give up his seven wives and marry the Czech princess Dobrawa, and apparently she was not a beauty.

"... I have good news, we will be in Warsaw in two days." (MC)