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Chapter Thirty-Two: Night whispers
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Guernsey Island – Private Estate of the Duchess of Aquitania
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27th July 1827
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- Why are we wasting our time with those fools?
Geoffrey's frustration made Jane laugh aloud. Whatever he was thinking these last ten days had been, in her opinion, an extraordinary success.
- You mock me, madame?
- I mock your impatience, monsieur, answered Jane. How is it that a man who's journeyed half the world at horseback, met thousands of people coming out of dozens of cultures…
He couldn't help but add…
- And killed half of them…
She hushed him with her finger on his lips.
- And learned two scores of languages is still incapable to see through those superficial differences to focus on what Mankind has in common?
- Probably because deep down, the only ones I do not hate or despise are with me in this bed…
That earned him a double frown coming from Maureen and Jane.
He lifted two placating hands.
- Sorry, bad choice of words… Of course, I love the kids and the grand kids and…
Here he stopped and a mischievous smile replaced his grimace.
- Most of the in-law, but even they tend to get on my nerves more than they should. When all is said and told and if you follow Pinel's classification, I'm a profoundly a-social psychopath who had his whole life been on the brink of becoming a sociopath.
He shook his head.
- I just don't understand what makes those people tick!
Jane cuddled herself a little deeper between Maureen and Geoffrey.
- Ambition is their first motivator and since we are the main obstacle to said ambition, they tend to hate us. So, you can add Hatred to the lot. Which brings the third element into the pot: frustration!
Maureen winked at her husband.
- Ambition and frustration, you clearly share those with them, husband… What about hate?
He took a few seconds to think about the question.
- Apart from my father and brother, I really never hated anybody… I despised a lot of people in my life, that's for sure, but hating them? You don't hate the pawns on the chessboard. You use them, that's all…
He smiled back at Maureen.
- The deep core d'Arcy is an arrogant loner who never ever looked at the other primates surrounding him without spite. Would I encounter somebody like me, I would hate him on the spot…
- They all do, said Jane. Not one of those arrogant roosters who doesn't wish you'd died twenty years ago! But for most of them it isn't really personal. They would have hated anyone who had stopped what they consider to be their legacy to become the world's leader.
Maureen let her head lie on Jane shoulder and sighed.
- From time to time I even see hatred in Napoleon's eyes…
Jane nodded. She had seen it too.
- That's because, from time to time, Napoleon fathoms that without Geoffrey he would just have been a historical Legend that would have flashed through the Hall of Fame's sky before disappearing after only a decade or two. He would have been the Modern Days' Alexander! Admired and hated at the same time but also at the center of every ambitious ruler's attention.
She pointed towards the guest house where all the rulers of the world were gathered.
- Those petty and sometimes foolish men who hate each other's guts would have flocked together to hunt him down first and then erase his legacy from history. Like Alexander's companions did for their Boss and his heritage. Normal petty rulers hate exceptional men who remind them of their own pettiness.
Geoffrey snuggled over Jane's arm and began to kiss her shoulder.
She stopped him with a kiss of her own.
- And what would have been my role here? Has my own arrogance overcast his?
- That's for sure, admitted Jane. But, in my opinion, and even if it seems trivial, it was your blood's legacy that was what stopped them. Even if you never really pointed at it, the fact that your ancestor had been a member of one of the first Royal Medieval Dynasties made them hesitate. Your virile antagonism to Napoleon made them wonder why a scion of one of the oldest aristocratic families would very willingly put himself under the authority of a man whose obscure lineage was known to only a few Italians.
- There had been other scions of great families who have followed obscure rulers before…
- Because those men's only strength and advantage was their name, said Maureen. You, at the time you were called back to Paris, had proven that you were as good…
- Better…
- …As Napoleon and that you were a lot more dangerous than any living man who called himself an aristocrat…
Maureen looked at her husband.
- You know that the first time I've heard about you was when some Irish freedom fighters in our camp described the fight in Cairo where you saved Napoleon's life. At the time I thought that it had been embellished by the story tellers. But it still stroked us as a story out of thousand and one nights. Imagine my surprise when the man I believed to be a sugarcoated propaganda picture appeared before my eyes just after his sword has beheaded the last man who was raping me…
She shot him a loving glance.
- I still have the shirt you gave me to cover me…
- I still remember my anger when I stumbled over those pigs, answered d'Arcy. How officers could stoop so low as to do that… I still can't understand it and I was a killer in Chinese employ! I won't say that I didn't come to kill most of them, but it was when I saw what they were doing to you that I decided that none of them would survive. I'm not proud of what I did that night since most of the poor kids I slaughtered had had no choice but to follow their English Masters' orders but, even after those years, I don't regret what I have done that night…
- That night made you Ireland's most admired Hero. That night Cuchulainn lost his pole position in every Irish maiden's heart. A sad day for the Irish Gods but a great day for Ireland on multiple levels.
She took Jane's hand and brought it to her lips.
- Geoffrey's action and heroics strengthened our fighters' resolution to go on fighting but it was you, by accepting to include me in your family, by accepting to share your husband with me, that gave us, as a people, the greatness to recognize that amongst the English lived honorable people with whom one could not only cohabit but share and prosper.
She felt a tear run around her cheek.
- I'm so proud of you two. Not only did you offer me new reasons to live and try to come back to normality, but you gave my people the opportunity to outdo themselves and to show to the world that Ireland has brought to life an exceptional brood who could forgive, forget and forgo everything that had happened to them for the last two centuries. And even if I'm sure that the fact that the King who proposed was the son of the two most admired people in Ireland did play a huge role, I like to believe that my people would have been able to see beyond the appearances and lift themselves into a new unknown kind of good people even without William.
Geoffrey looked at Jane and wiggled with his brows. His eyes were as wet as those of his wives and he knew that if he didn't want to cry, he needed to lessen the emotions around him.
- Did we really enter the realm of sainthood without even noticing it?
- If Maureen says so it must be true, answered Jane with a wistful smile. I didn't notice it either, but you probably remember that when we are in Ireland the atmosphere is so very different.
- That's because it is, after India, the second place on Earth where you are worshiped, said Maureen. My people love you and weren't they all good Catholics you would have churches there dedicated to you… It is probably a coincidence and it has probably more to do with France's military intervention at the end of last century but from the seventy-two new Churches that have been created in Ireland fifty-one are dedicated to Sainte Joan of Arc.
- I'm not worshiped in India, protested Jane.
- Same in Ireland, answered Maureen. They barely remember that you exist…
- One must recognize, said Geoffrey, that each time we journeyed there, it was impressive…
- William was there too, protested Jane who didn't like at all to be associated with any type of worship. It's normal that they gather to honor their King.
- And his parents…
- I always want to not go, insisted jane. It's William who insists.
- I would insist too, said Maureen. When we three are in the procession half of Ireland is there to honor him. Twice as much as when he goes alone.
- It was winter and rainy, protested Jane who had seen the footage of William's last trip to Ireland.
- It's always rainy in Ireland, said Geoffrey while smiling at Maureen's frown.
- Could we, please, stop this embarrassing topic? I'm not worshipped anywhere. Any other affirmation would be preposterous.
- Indeed, said Geoffrey, let's change topic. You were about to explain us why I had singlehandedly saved Napoleon's reign and dynasty.
- With no help of you, of course, insisted Maureen.
- Of course, with no help of me, said Jane. What could I have done to strengthen his Reign?
- What about curing his wife's injury and offering him the blessing of an heir and the hope of a real dynasty? Having Josephine at his side has stabilized him in no small manner. She listens to you and he listens to her and because of that a lot of bad political decision are avoided…
- You do as if I would be playing a major role in France's policy.
Geoffrey forced her to look at him.
- Because you are! Josephine loves you and you are the only one of her friends with whom she knows she is safe. All the others are too dependent on their good standing with her to be considered safe advisors. You? You are one of the richest women on Earth, you are happily married with the best husband stock available in the whole of Europe…
Here, he was hit by both his wives whose frowns were belied by their laughing eyes…
- And, because of that, not interested in having a tryst with Napoleon who, must I remind it to you had no problem being unfaithful. Add to that that you take huge precautions to act like you imagine a perfect queen mother should act. All this makes you the safest friend she has.
Maureen couldn't help but add her pinch of salt.
- And if you add to that the fact that you are true to you word, compassionate and sinfully honest, there is really no risk having you giving fake or twisted advice.
- Sinfully honest? What's that for an association?
- The only honest one, said Geoffrey who agreed with Maureen. Your honesty and your inability to lie on even tiny topics makes you the most feared woman in England.
- Feared?
- Let me explain! Nobody's able to compare to you when it comes to being honest! After five minutes of talk with you even a normally honest person -which is no common happenstance, normal persons are, in my experience, dishonest- understands that what she and you call honesty is not at all similar. For normal people being honest means not being dishonest.
- Same for me…
- No, not at all. You would never lie even if it could be considered a white lie that would be uttered for the good of a person. You just are unable to not say the truth without immediately blushing or even stuttering.
- I no longer do that very often, protested Jane while blushing which earned her a double hug.
- Indeed, agreed Maureen, but that's because you no longer try to sugarcoat what you have to say. That's called experience, you know? You have, finally, fathomed that you are in the rare position where you can be yourself and that the others' opinions are only of importance to themselves.
- I do consider the opinions of others…
- Not when those opinions include a judgement of what you are, love, said Geoffrey. What people think of you, even family members or loved ones, is no longer of any importance for you. You accept those opinions as genuine, but you no longer give them any weight when it comes to judge yourself! You have freed yourself from the curse of the strangers' look. And that makes you an exceedingly rare occurrence and gives you a power over all those others who still live to please those around them.
He smiled at his, once more blushing, wife.
- So, yes you are an important person also in France. A lot of the social openings the Consuls had launch these last years have been induced by Josephine who had listen to what you had to say about the situation in Great Britain.
He made a face.
- We all know that Napoleon can be a greedy little dwarf who has the empathy of an anvil. His natural response to problems -especially social problems- is to send the gendarmerie -or even the army if the police is not sufficient- to convince the rebels. The fact that William, in Great Britain, Ireland and Scotland never has any roaming masses on the street, has pushed Napoleon to ask how he did it and Josephine is the one to ask the right questions and to bring back the answers.
Once more he shook his head.
- Whatever his bad temper, Napoleon is a very smart man who can overcome his first reaction when said reaction hasn't been witnessed by outsiders. He is very adamant to always do what he has said he would do. Hence the problem with outsider who are witnessing his outbursts. Josephine, me, you, Berthier, his mother and a few of his most trusted older Marshals have his trust and are not considered outsiders by him. He knows that what he said first will never be known outside of those very few. And he is a lot more open today to sane arguments than a few years ago. As long as he doesn't believe that changing his mind will make him lose face, he'll listen and make smarter decisions.
Once more he pulled his wife towards him and kissed her smiling lips.
- A lot of the social reforms France has launched these last years had not been simply copied by him while looking over William's shoulder. They came in existence thanks to Josephine's questions to you. Your answers and your insights in the 'why' it worked had given a lot more to Europe's working class than you will ever imagine.
He couldn't help but snicker.
- And that's why Charles made Josephine the gift of the "Libellule" at the same time that he gifted Napoleon with the "Vespa"… Giving Napoleon a new high-tech toy was a good RP stunt for the Company but what he really wanted was that Josephine had the means to come and see you whenever she wanted on a daily basis. He knows that you convincing her to change a policy amounts to convincing Napoleon… And Charles loves it when his workers are happy, satisfied and rich enough to become consuming citizens.
- He didn't do it out of greed, protested Jane.
- I never pretended that, love! Charles is a smart businessman who had no problem remembering the situation ten years ago when Europe's workers were nothing more than indentured slaves to the plant owners. France was a mess and always at the brink of a servile rebellion. It changed because of you and your visit to Manchester's Plants with Josephine, you remember?
- Of course I do, but that visit had nothing special. It was scheduled and since Josephine came that day I took her with me. I did no convincing at all that day.
- I beg to differ, love, you did the very best possible convincing available. She quite liked the way you -and her by the way- were greeted by the workers and their families and couldn't help but compare it to the sullen and hostile looks she and Napoleon had gotten when they were visiting Saint Etienne's weapons factories. And she looked upon the reasons of such a difference, made a file out of it and informed her husband about what he could do to improve the situation. And Napoleon who knows that his wife is a lot more socially gifted than him, listened. It took six years -and in passing a few mummified idiots- but today's France is a way better place for workers and servants than it had been in the past.
- And that happened, said Maureen, because our workers' wives loved and celebrated us when we visited them.
- So, yes you are Grand Great Britain's most efficient asset when it comes to convince Napoleon to be reasonable and compassionate. And since he listens to me in military and colonial matters, we both cover around eighty percent of his interests…
- What are the twenty percent you don't cover, asked Maureen.
- More or less everything that has a financial aspect. Napoleon knows that money is important and his youth as an impoverished lesser aristocrat who couldn't afford to buy his officer's patent by himself has burned a deep bloody mark on his soul. Having more money today than yesterday and hoarding as much as possible are real emotional problems for him. It's probably as severe in him as my relationship with my father was for me. With the difference that William's acceptance of me made wonders to assuage that fear in me. Napoleon's fear can only be alleviated by hoarding more and he's very busy doing just that.
Jane looked at her husband with surprise in her eyes.
- Josephine says that he is no longer as pathologically greedy as in the past. He no longer steals whatever pleases him.
- He's indeed a lot more reasonable when it comes to officially rob his fellow human beings. At least while performing his First Consul gig. But believe me when I say that he has found other, more deviant, ways to cover that part of his cravings.
He shook his head while looking at Maureen.
- And no, I won't explain what he does. It is his secret and the fact that I know about it is only due to the fact that some friends of us have really no consideration for other people's minds' secrecy and spy whenever an occasion occurs…
How many times must I repeat that it has nothing to do with spying, came immediately Fluffy's mind voice while she didn't deem to open her eyes. How many times do we need to explain that we hear thoughts and that it is really difficult not to hear thoughts that are broadcasted with no precaution at all! We are the victims of very loud and disrespectful neighbors, here. Not the other way around!
Jane looked at the big black form mimicking a sleeping cat.
Or course, you are, dear… But it becomes spying the moment you blabber about it to other people!
We are very aware that our family has lots of enemies and we refuse to make the mistake to believe that they will stop plotting against us just because age has rendered them better Human Beings. We know better and when we listen to something that we believe of interest to the family, we inform Betty, Lionel and, almost as often, your husband…
Not using our knowledge to protect the family, said Speedy's voice, just because it is frowned upon in some Human cultures would be foolish. We, as superior Beings from behind the Veil, are clearly above any petty Human cultural bias.
In other words, said Maureen. You will go on doing the listening thing whenever it suits you.
As an answer she got a very satisfied feedback.
It is always a pleasure to work with smart people, approved Fluffy. It avoids us to waste our time explaining for the umpteenth time the same things.
Maureen shook her head and looked at Jane and Geoffrey.
- Aren't we lucky to have them considering us as family?
- We are indeed, answered Jane. Otherwise, we would have been in more dire situations a lot of times in the past. God was good the day he opened the veil to let Betty befriend Fluffy.
Maureen and Geoffrey exchange a long knowing glance. They weren't sure about the God part, but for the rest Jane was right. They had been lucky.
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Guernsey Island – Consular Embassy Guests rooms
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27th July 1827
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- That was satisfying, whispered Josephine. I like it when you are angry and need to let some steam escape.
Napoleon turned around and smiled at his wife.
Thanks to the upgrade they both were a lot healthier than they had been even when they first met. And he knew that he was, thanks to both his new astounding stamina and quite a lot of wifely advice, a lot better lover than before.
- Sorry about that, love. I know I wasn't quite as considerate as I should have…
- I never was a sissy, you know it quite well, love, and a little rough is always better than indifference. And you are a better lover than before…
- You taught me well, said he with a smile. And I don't even begrudge the source of your knowledge.
Josephine couldn't help but laugh out aloud.
- He would have taught you himself, had you asked, you know it…
- I would have died of shame, hissed her husband. Just to know how you got your own knowledge does make me cringe…
- Jane is a wonderful teacher when it comes to school a woman in what she needs to know to be successful.
- Jane d'Arcy is a master manipulator of the worst sort, grumbled he. Look at what she did to us these last days?
- You mean making you, the First Consul of France, the applauded spokesman of Earth's underdogs?
That stopped Napoleon in his tracks…
One could indeed see the whole sequence as just that.
He frowned at his wife.
- You believe that was her goal?
- No, her goal was to get you to accept the lower orbits' demilitarization. Because she hates the idea of having launchers threatening her and her family in orbit. But she had half a dozen different ways to get that. But only one of them was designed to give you the image of the good guy…
She snickered.
- Well, the image of the bad guy who's forgetting his own interests to stand up against the other bad guy who was about to force his way upon everybody else.
- William wanted the DMZ as much as them…
- You and I know it, but most of the others didn't! For them he was the one who had the means to threaten the rest of the world into submission. They projected their own pettiness on him and for them it was crystal clear that he wanted to show them that he was the Master of the Sky. Why else would he have launched the tests with impacts all over the world? To see the rods' efficiency, the Islandic plateau would have been enough. The fact that his twelve rods were sent all over the world could only be explained by a desire to send out a message. Wherever you are and whatever you have to fend me off, I'm still able to hit you anywhere I want!
- Which was what he wanted…
- Which was what dear d'Arcy wanted, rectified Josephine. Our dear Prince is a master in a lot of things, delivering efficient and believable threats is only one of them. And, from what Jane said to me, if the Royal Space Force was indeed under order to make the tests, William had just asked for a technical test run. The final choice of the targets came from General Richard Fitzwilliam, current Space Force First Lord.
- Richard has never been a warmonger… He's an administrator and a good manager. He likes having new toys and using them. But…
- There are rumors, interrupted Josephine, that the night before the tests said First Lord has spent quite a few hours with a mysterious visitor nobody had seen arriving or leaving.
- Which is clearly one of d'Arcy's best-known abilities, grumbled Napoleon.
He closed his eyes and took a long breath.
- I was of the impression that General Fitzwilliam didn't like d'Arcy…
- Not liking him -and, in my opinion, that's not quite the truth- is not the same as refusing to see him as the amazing military commander he is. And you know better than anyone else around here how d'Arcy can be a master in seducing people into accepting his advice.
Remembering his first encounter with d'Arcy was easy and was on the point when it came to be reminded of d'Arcy's seductive possibilities. The fact that those advises did launch his career couldn't be forgotten.
Josephine shook her head, guessing her husband's thoughts.
- You would have succeeded even without him, love, you are the most political animal I've met in my whole life.
- Not d'Arcy?
- No, d'Arcy is a predator who sees his fellow Human Beings as preys. He's the least political aristocrat around. Without Jane he would have ended like Genghis Khan or Tamerlane. The political animal in that couple is Jane and she's too compassionate to be really efficient in the power mongering game.
She shook her head.
- Without d'Arcy you would have made mistakes that would have cost you a few more enemies. Remember that, without d'Arcy, you would never had guessed that you were the Czar's idol? Knowing that Alexander was an admirer, and a fanboy -and you acknowledging him- changed the course of the war in Europe. Having Russia at our side has, you know it like me, leveled quite a lot of obstacles.
- Having Great Britain as an ally was, in my opinion, the main changing factor.
- Of course, it was, but with d'Arcy's son on the throne there was never a real risk to see the Brits fight against you. Alexander's support, on the other side, would have boasted Prussia and Austria into a lot more dangerous Alliance. Russia, you said it yourself, had better generals and Field Marshals than the rest of your enemies.
- Mine are better…
- I know and they know it but the whole campaign would have been more difficult. It could even have happened that you would, somewhere along the path, been beaten.
She stopped his protest.
- Please don't forget that without Jane and the upgrade you would still be plagued by your various diseases and the lingering abscess in your gut would give you hell. And what your surgeon was giving you, even if it helped to ease the pain, was also slowly poisoning you… That poison would have, Madame Bennet is sure of it, sooner or later, impacted your mind. Do you really believe that you would have been aware of your slow mental decay?
She smiled at him.
- You are not the most reasonable man in the world and I'm quite sure that even if you still would have smarter than most people, it wouldn't have been enough to be the military genius you were and still are. And you would never have accepted to let another take command of your campaigns.
He opened his mouth to protest but finally let it be.
He was not a reasonable man and he was known for his arrogance and inability to accept criticism. Josephine was right, he wouldn't have accepted the reality of his mental decay. He would have insisted to stay at the helm and…
- You are probably right but these last days have deprived France of weapons we should have in our arsenal.
- Jane thinks that those weapons are too dangerous to be even envisioned. Nobody wants to see high velocity rods raining from the sky on our cities. Better for everybody to have them outlawed. And, for all the participants you have been the man who has fought to get that result. France has lost a weapon in his arsenal, but the world has seen a new, more humane, facet of the First Consul of France. A lot of rulers were there in person and they have seen how efficient and stubborn you can be when you fight for something you believe worth a fight.
She smiled at his barely visible pride. He was frustrated to have been forced to fight for the DM lower orbit, but he had enjoyed the whole circus. He had enjoyed being the one in the front, the one followed and supported by everybody but Russia -who had remained neutral since the wife and the ruler had visibly antagonistic interests.
- It did go well… said he finally. When one forgets that I would have preferred to lose. We are the only other who would have had the technology to get a few of those amazing launchers in orbit.
- Those orbital launchers are an ugly threat every sane Human Being wanted banned from our skies. There are already too many horrible weapon systems at everybody's disposal! We really didn't want those rods added to the play.
- It still was a fight I would have loved to lose…
- And by winning it you became more than just the First Consul for France. You became the man who fought and won against Britain's attempt to get a technological hegemony in Space. Space is Mankind's common ground and yesterday you've built the first step into the right direction.
- I don't want a DMZ in space…
- And for someone who believes that you've still been amazingly credible. They all know why you fought that fight, but your arguments were sane and your commitment commendable. You would have made a great actor…
- I would have preferred being a great possessor of my own range of orbital rod launchers, grumbled Napoleon.
- You'll just have to speed up the construction of the French Space Station and place a few launchers on it. Even if it will be placed in high orbit it still will give you a very persuasive argument while dealing with the small Nations. They won't have the means to stop a rod coming from above for quite a long time and considering the speed with which the weapon technology is evolving, the day they'll be able to intercept an incoming rod, we will have other, more efficient means. And meanwhile you've increased your reputation with those same Nations…
- I don't give a…
She stopped his incoming word-flow.
- Don't say it, you would be wrong. It is important for Alexandre, love. Having our people love him and Lexi is an excellent thing but we want the rest of the world to consider them as peace loving rulers. For you, it is too late!
She couldn't help but smile at his surprised look.
- Whatever you'll ever do, you are branded as a cold-blooded conqueror. But that's you! France is still one of the most admired land in the world and your successes brought her to unreached heights. There is still the possibility to build another more peaceful image. And your fight today got you a lot of consideration. They will never love you but they acknowledged your fighting spirit and your commitment to your common cause.
Once more she smiled at his face. He was clearly doubtful…
- You can't deny that considering your links with the Darcy Clan the smart power coveting decision should have been to bet on said links to barter with Great Britain a place in low orbit.
- Some of them would probably have followed that path, but that just shows that they don't know William d'Arcy.
- A lot of them still believe that it is d'Arcy who pulls the strings in the background of the British crown, said Josephine with a smile. Being smart is clearly not a condition to become a ruler!
- Till the present generation of rulers, bloodlines have always been enough to climb onto a throne, said Napoleon. And as The Principate has amply shown blood is a weak replacement for skill. Today, we are luckier, there are quite a lot of unorthodox and efficient rulers in place. Even Selim who's the eldest of us all has fought to stay in power and shown that he is a worthy Sultan.
He smirked.
- Most of the others are just crowned fools…
- Crowned fools who consider you as their Champion.
- It won't last…
- Why not? They all know that you are a very dangerous opponent, but the way you have been true to your word with Great Britain and Russia has also proven that you are a man of confidence and that one can rely on your promises. Not the worst blend for a ruler, wouldn't you agree?
- I do… But I doubt that they will ever overcome their distrust towards me.
- And what about that, said Josephine. That's where the next generation comes into play. Alex and Lexi are your best weapon to win that PR war. You've conquered the lands and they'll conquer the hearts. The time of war of conquests is behind us…
- I wouldn't bet large sums on that…
- You never bet large sums, dear, you are too thrifty for that! But look at the current situation! Aside from the Big Five, the world has only a few independent countries left that could be conquered! I'm quite sure that the Counciliation Council's rules will stop any of the great Powers to launch a war to conquer a smaller neighbor.
Napoleon's face became immediately grim. He hated the Council and he hated the foundation it had been built upon.
- That was not why we created it. We have created a monster…
- Said monster is what makes the small countries relent.
She stopped the incoming outburst. The council had been d'Arcy's idea but in the end it had been Talleyrand's masterpiece and because of her husband's spite for said Talleyrand he was often very reluctant to look at the Council's real successes.
- Letting the small countries have observers and giving them the possibility to make justified and documented demands has given us quite a legitimacy we would never have had without that. It was perhaps Talleyrand's idea but it still was a good idea. The Council's decisions are accepted because of the protection it bestows on those which accept its rulings.
- It has been created to avoid armed conflicts between France and Great Britain, not at all for that purpose.
- And, with upgrading relations between us it has been able to outgrow that basic function, noted Josephine. Now it is the place where the world's problems are discussed and resolved under our guidance. The observers are, in theory, just silent bystanders, but we all know that they are far more. They are their Nations' voice and thanks to the Council members' diplomacy those voices are often listened to. The world has become a lot more peaceful place thanks to the Council.
- Peaceful is not my forte…
- You'll learn to deal with peace. We are no longer fighting for our position or our survival, we are here to stay and we are reinforcing our dynasty. By gathering followers, even reluctant and mistrustful ones, you are working for France and your successors' well-being. War, even if the warrior in you will always regret it, is no longer the best problem solver.
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Next chapter soon to come… A Chapter about Janet's struggles
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