193 Name

In the end, I gave up using the last princess of the Piast dynasty, introducing another unknown into the equation will not help to solve it... I decided to rely on luck and polish bureaucracy. King Władysław cannot declare war without the consent of the Seym, and it will be very difficult to obtain it... despite the death of my uncle Tomasz Zamoyski, I still had quite a strong influence in politics, and other thing was that the king was spending more than he was earning and did not have enough funds to enlist a private army.

A few days later, the information about the fall of Prague was confirmed, along with additional information. My brother-in-law, besieged city only for three days, Prague's inhabitants were not prepared for a defense and a long siege and quickly surrender... it was comforting, the city had not been conquered by the skill of my brother-in-law, but by the incompetence of the defense.

After receiving confirmation, Elisabeth wrote a letter to her mother, and I wrote a letter to Graf Ferber, to urgently send one of mine ships to The Hague, and if my mother-in-law was not there, then to sail to London. Captain and the ship were to remain entirely at her disposal until she arrived in Gdańsk.

(Father Jerzy I Rakoczy / son Jerzy II Rakoczy POV)

"Father, why did you send for me? What's troubling you?" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"The burden of the lordship and the uncertainty of the future..." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"I do not understand" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"Some time ago I got a letter from Prince Jazłowiecki. You should remember him, he negotiated with the Ottomans after the war... this is the one with the scar on his face." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"I know who you're talking about, it's hard to forget a face like that, and what does he want?" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"Perhaps you will call him father-in-law in the future..." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"WHAT?!" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"The letter I received contained a proposal for a marriage between you and his foster daughter, although I suspect she is his real daughter, but illegitimate... a bastard if you prefer." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"Are you considering this offer? You don't even know who this girl is? You yourself suspect she might be a bastard child." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"Yes... but I know who Jazłowiecki is... His wife is the niece of the King of England and the King of Denmark, his brother-in-law just conquer Bohemia... and Jazłowiecki himself is ördög, not a man." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"And you want to ally yourself and our land with this ördög?" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"Son, you must understand that we are in a difficult and delicate situation. From the south, Turks, Moldova, vassal of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the east, there is also the Empire, Bohemia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth... but it is the Turks that I fear the most." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"It will be like a wolf guarding the sheep... and our plans, what about the throne of Poland? There is still the Ottoman Empire, the peace conditions were that Transylvania and Wallachia would remain neutral, this marriage could provoke the Turks." (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"My son, when Władysław dies, we will submit your candidacy with Jazłowiecki as father-in-law, your chances will be better. Turks... I know, and as I said, I am afraid of them too, but I am willing to take the risk, we can gain a lot from it, especially the Polish throne." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"Since you've already thought through everything, what's the point of this conversation?" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"Because you will go to Jazłowiec to meet your future wife... and with her you will also get a dowry, and it's not a small one, for which you will be able to strengthen our army." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

"And you think he can be trusted?" (Jerzy II Rakoczy)

"Who? Prince Jazłowiecki? Trust... never, but he probably doesn't trust us either, and mutual distrust is a good foundation for a future alliance." (Jerzy I Rakoczy)

(End POV)

Ten days after the letters were sent, Wroński arrived in Warsaw with news from Rome and information about the mercenaries.

"The mercenaries are currently staying near Świdnica and are waiting for further orders." (Wroński)

A good place to organize an ambush, especially since no one will expect it there... often frequented trade route from Wrocław to Prague passed through this area.

"Did you have any problems in Rome?" (MC)

"No, but Piotr advised me to look for mercenaries further south, in Rome it would be too obvious." (Wroński)

Good advice, I will have to thank him for it, Rome is not Venice where masks ensured being anonymous in the crowd.

"Good, boy is thinking. He learned more than just pray." (MC)

"Yes, next year he will be a priest, not just a deacon... but further career will require gold." (Wroński)

Like everything in life, nothing is for free, but I was prepared for it... in politics it is like in anal sex, for everything to go smoothly you have to lubricate.

"So next year you will have to make another trip to Rome." (MC)

In the latest issue of Polish Mercury Ordinary, I published a short article written by Father Robak and his first prophecy, it was very easy to decipher, at least I thought... Three bees are the coat of arms of the Barberini family, three lilies are the coat of arms of the Pamfili family from which he originated, Pope Innocent X.

I also managed to come up with a name for my possible son to fit the prophecy, it was in two versions, one honoring my father... Władysław Hieronim Jazłowiecki Ostrogski Simmern, in the second version, I honored my wife's father... Władysław Fryderyk Jazłowiecki Ostrogski Simmern.

Now everything depends on Elisabeth, if she gives birth to a daughter, my whole idea will fail.