Prepare to attack

Foreign Minister Barnoske approached Crown Prince Edel with a measure of caution, seeking his opinion on a delicate matter. "Your Royal Highness, how should we respond to Bulgaria's request?" he inquired, his expression fraught with concern.

Unperturbed by the gravity of the situation, Crown Prince Edel responded decisively. "Promise them," he said, "and inform them that we will dispatch the arms shipment within ten days."

Upon receiving the Crown Prince's instructions, Foreign Minister Barnoske promptly exited the room to send a telegram to Bulgaria, likely to a similarly anxious Bulgarian Foreign Minister Dilas Roch, who was awaiting a response.

With the foreign minister's departure, Edel summoned a palace guard. "Fetch General Preeshan for me," he commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard replied, before departing to locate the Chief of Staff.

Approximately thirty minutes later, General Preeshan, the Chief of Staff, arrived, making his way briskly to where Crown Prince Edel awaited. "You summoned me, Your Royal Highness?" he asked.

Edel, getting straight to the point, queried, "How have you executed the tasks I assigned?"

General Preeshan, well aware of the Crown Prince's expectations, promptly responded, "I have instructed the staff accordingly."

"Detail the plan for me," Edel commanded.

General Preeshan unfolded a map and began outlining the military strategy they had devised. "Your Royal Highness, as per the General Staff Headquarters' plan, we will mobilize twelve infantry divisions and one cavalry division of our Romanian forces. Additionally, we will deploy three regiments of 150mm heavy artillery and one regiment of 210mm heavy artillery. This force will be our primary offensive unit upon declaring war on Bulgaria. Domestically, the 1st Guards Division will remain to secure Bucharest, while on the border with Austria-Hungary and Russia, we will raise six temporary divisions from the militia for defense."

He continued, detailing the operational strategy, "We plan to organize the 3rd, 2nd, 10th, and 10th Cavalry Divisions into the First Army, which will serve as the spearhead of our assault. The 7th, 5th, 10th, and 2nd Guards Divisions will form the Second Army, positioned as the right flank of the First Army. The 1st, 4th, 8th, and 14th Divisions will comprise the Third Army on the left flank. The 17th Division will safeguard our supply lines. The First Army's initial objective will be to capture Targovishte, the Second Army will aim for Polski Trambesh, and the Third Army will advance towards Varna. Once these objectives are secured, all three armies will converge to seize Tarnovo, where we anticipate engaging the main Bulgarian forces. Our combined strength should swiftly secure victory."

General Preeshan added, "We have assigned the three 150mm artillery regiments to support each army, while the 210mm artillery regiment will accompany the headquarters. We have requisitioned nearly half a month's production of 1,100 Dongfeng trucks from Volkswagen, in addition to our own fleet of nearly 2,000 trucks, ensuring our logistical capabilities. Furthermore, we will deploy 24 aircraft from our aviation squadrons for reconnaissance and to monitor Bulgarian troop movements."

Pleased with the report, Edel inquired about naval operations. "What about our naval plans?"

"There are provisions for that as well," General Preeshan replied, sharing the naval strategy devised by Navy Secretary Lomodan. "Once the Third Army commences operations, the cruiser Dachila, under the flag command, accompanied by the cruiser Elizabeth, four Bogdan-class gunboats, and six Basnau-class torpedo boats, will support the capture of Varna. Subsequently, this fleet will blockade the Bulgarian port of Burgas to cut off any maritime retreat or reinforcement."

Satisfied with the comprehensive military strategy, Edel expressed his approval. "Well done. During the last Balkan War, Romania gained little. Now, with the ongoing dispute between Bulgaria and Serbia, we have a prime opportunity."

Puzzled, General Preeshan asked, "But Your Highness, why are we providing such substantial arms support to Bulgaria?"

Edel smiled, revealing his strategic foresight. "If Serbia and Bulgaria exhaust each other, how else could Romania assert its conditions?"

Understanding dawned on General Preeshan as Edel continued, "Moreover, our Romanian forces have undergone extensive reorganization. It's time to test their mettle. Bulgaria is known as the 'Prussia of the Balkans,' a worthy adversary. Surely, you don't believe our standing army would falter against a weary Bulgarian force?"

Confidently, General Preeshan responded, "Certainly not, Your Highness. The world will witness the prowess of the Romanian army. I dare say, against an army like Bulgaria's, we could manage a two-to-one fight without strain."

Romania's superior equipment, training, and morale were significant advantages, as noted in a report by the commander of the Twelfth Division, Fereit. Preeshan had reviewed the report, which detailed Bulgaria's military capabilities and concluded that against a well-equipped Romanian force, the outcome was predictable.

After General Preeshan's departure, Edel studied the map again, tracing a line from the small town of Svistov on the Danube, through Preslav, to the Black Sea, marking the Bulgarian territories of Dobrich, Ruse, Shumen, and Varna—an area totaling approximately 22,000 square kilometers.

"This will be my demand for joining the alliance," Edel muttered to himself, contemplating the geopolitical chessboard.

Edel had long harbored ambitions to secure advantages for Romania in the Balkan Wars. The dissolution of the Balkan League presented a golden opportunity. With the looming specter of World War I, Edel was keen for Europe's powers to recognize the might of the Romanian military. A strong showing could position Romania favorably, whether it chose neutrality or active participation in the war.

Bulgaria's failure to allocate 4,000 square kilometers of territory to Romania provided a perfect casus belli. Now, all that remained was for Edel to await the overtures of friendship from the concerned nations and to then articulate his demands.

As for the possibility that the overtures might not come, Edel was not worried. To ignore the burgeoning power of Romania would be folly for any Balkan state seeking to strengthen its position ahead of the inevitable conflict.

This time, the discussion was initiated by King Peter I of Serbia, who was joined by Crown Prince Alexander, Prime Minister Protic, Chief of Staff Putnik, and Foreign Minister Milanovic. Milanovic, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was the first to express his opinion.

"Your Majesty and esteemed colleagues, I personally believe that it would be highly advantageous to bring Romania into our alliance to collectively address the Bulgarian issue. Currently, Romania is the strongest nation in our Balkan region, excluding the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They share a considerable border with Bulgaria. If they were to join our alliance, we could effectively encircle Bulgaria on three sides, forcing them to fend for themselves."

Upon hearing Foreign Minister Milanovic's proposal, King Peter I and Prime Minister Protic both nodded in agreement, albeit subtly. Chief of Staff Putnik, however, felt there was an additional aspect to consider and decided to voice his thoughts.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, there is a significant factor we must consider," Putnik began, capturing the attention of the room. The king, recognizing the importance of Putnik's insights, gestured for him to continue.

"With permission, Your Majesty," Putnik proceeded, "Romania has been intensively preparing its military since 1905, investing no less than 20 million pounds into their 260,000-strong army. This level of investment is quite formidable."

The room fell silent as the magnitude of Romania's military expenditure sank in. To put it into perspective, the cost of the most advanced ultra-dreadnought battleship at the time was less than four hundred pounds. Romania's investment could fund the purchase of five such battleships. In terms of military spending, Romania ranked among the top three in Europe.

Prime Minister Protic, intrigued, asked, "What are you suggesting, Chief of Staff?"

Putnik replied with conviction, "If we attempt to align with Romania, given their military capabilities and the support they might require, our current alliance with Greece will not suffice to counter the power of Bulgaria if they align with others."

Crown Prince Alexander, concerned by this analysis, turned to the Prime Minister. "Your Excellency, why then have we not extended an invitation to Romania?"

Prime Minister Protic responded with a wry smile, "Your Highness, to entice Romania into an alliance, Bulgaria had to concede four thousand square kilometers of territory without Romania even deploying troops. Engaging Romania could prove costly. Furthermore, while Russia has expressed support for our territorial claims, Bulgaria has managed to secure backing from both Austria-Hungary and Germany."

The influence of the Russian ambassador to Serbia, Hartwig, was evident in Protic's reluctance. Ambassador Hartwig, a fervent advocate for a Greater Serbia, had promoted the vision of unifying Serbia with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro. His support was instrumental in the formation of the Balkan League and continued to bolster Serbia amid its disputes with Bulgaria. "The integration of Slavs into one nation is paramount for Russia in the Balkans," Hartwig had often declared, referring implicitly to Serbia.

Considering the potential cost of an alliance with Romania, and with the backing of Russia, Protic believed that Bulgaria would eventually recognize the reality of the situation.

After a moment of contemplation, King Peter I suggested, "Perhaps we should initiate contact first. We are merely speculating here; let's gather some concrete information."

Upon the king's suggestion, the Chief of Staff, the Prime Minister, and others concurred, "Your Majesty."

After the officials had left, King Peter I, alone now, couldn't suppress a cough. Crown Prince Alexander approached, offering his father a comforting pat on the back.

"It's nothing, Alexander—just the troubles of old age," said King Peter I reassuringly.

"But father, it's hard not to worry about you," the Crown Prince expressed his concern.

King Peter I looked at his son warmly. "Alexander, I am considering handing over the reins of Serbia to you next year."

Shocked, Alexander responded, "Father, are you sure I can handle it? You are still capable of ruling effectively."

King Peter I encouraged him, "You must believe in yourself. Look at Crown Prince Edel of Romania; he's younger than you and doing quite well. You need to have confidence."

The comparison with Edel, who had made significant strides in Romania, left Alexander thoughtful about his own potential.

Subsequently, Serbia dispatched a telegram to Romania proposing an alliance, which now lay in the hands of Crown Prince Edel. As Edel pondered over the telegram, Romanian Foreign Minister Barnosk inquired, "Your Highness, what are your thoughts?"

Edel responded, "Tell Serbia if they wish to discuss further, they should send someone of significance. We cannot negotiate properly over telegram."

"Very well, Your Majesty," Barnosk acknowledged, and conveyed this to Serbia.

Upon receiving Romania's response, Prime Minister Protic sensed an openness to dialogue. He immediately took the telegram to King Peter I, suggesting, "Your Majesty, I believe I should go to Romania personally to discuss this matter."

Surprised, the king asked, "Do you think that's necessary?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Protic affirmed, then explained, "Negotiating through intermediaries would require constant consultations back home, which could hinder the process. By going myself, I can make decisions on the spot. I also wish to understand Romania's recent developments firsthand."

After a moment's thought, King Peter I agreed, "Very well. What preparations are needed?"

Protic planned a discreet visit. "I will travel lightly, accompanied only by a few staff members."

With the king's blessing, Prime Minister Protic organized his affairs and, along with his selected staff, boarded a regular train bound for Romania, ready to shape the future of their region.