Chapter 22
"My ward, the Princess Helena Kurcewiczówna, put it quite succinctly, proving that even a woman unversed in politics can grasp a situation we have all overlooked for too long," said Jeremi. "She said that the king of the time guarantees rights to land-owning Cossacks, greedy magnates steal their lands, beat their men if they protest, and the crown expresses sympathy and does nothing. There is an uprising, which is put down viciously, and the Cossacks continue to resent. I believe that you need someone on the spot to mediate and judge in this matter, and to ensure the rights of the Cossacks. They do not choose their szlachta in the way Poles and Lithuanians do, but that too should be respected and guaranteed. I think that Red Ruthenia should be part of the Commonwealth fully, with as much autonomy as Lithuania, and Grand Duke of Red Ruthenia a part of the king's title in return for two hetmani as in the crown lands and Lithuanian lands, and the rights of the Cossack landowners enshrined in law and guaranteed by a strong man as Grand Hetman."
"And you want to be Grand Hetman."
"I'd settle for Field Hetman under Bohdan Chmielnicki," said Jeremi. "I don't like him, but he has his people's wellbeing at heart, and to be honest, I'm a soldier not a politician. And I think it would sit better with the Cossacks in any case."
"And you say you're not a politician? You're right. It would. Of course, one has to convince the Sejm. And I can't see Potocki sitting still for it."
"One reason I was hoping to duel him was to leave him hors de combat over a Sejm meeting," said Jeremi."
"Is that the new euphemism for dead?" asked the king.
"No, I'd be satisfied with blood. I'm a realist, I know he's of use to you. I also wish to put in a word for Lubomirski to hold rank. It's a quid pro quo. As to the rest? Well, I intend to do a lot of entertaining and see how persuasive I can be."
"It may not have been done before, but in theory it only takes one to veto," said the king.
"And Potocki is eager for a Cossack uprising to seize more lands," said Jeremi. "An ambitious man, and one who has only one further place to rise."
"No, don't start placing suggestions that he is likely to rebel," said Władysław. "Transparent, Jeremi, transparent."
"And my own belief in his ambition doubtless fuelled by my personal dislike of him, as much as of Radziwiłl," said Jeremi. "My apologies, my liege."
It was easy to apologise for a suggestion made that the king would not swallow; the comment could not be taken back, after all, and the words might work on the king's mind if Potocki did anything questionable.
.
.
.
"Did you drop that thought on him to itch away and fester in his head?" asked Jurko, when they were back home.
"My son! Not so much the simple Cossack you portray," said Jeremi, delighted.
"I don't know if I could do it, but I wasn't born yesterday, and I can observe," said Jurko. "I watch and learn at the feet of a master."
Jeremi chuckled.
"And I did borrow the simple soldier idea from you playing games with Lubomirski," he said. "But it would be better if Chmielnicki were Grand Hetman. The Cossacks would accept it. And I become the iron fist to smash Potocki... or any other greedy men."
"He'll overreach himself at some point," said Jurko. "Especially if we goad him enough. And if you don't get to duel him, I'll put Hungarian pepper in his drawers before the Sejm meeting. He'll think he has the pox, or at the least, crabs."
"My son! That could be risky!"
Jurko laughed, and his dimples popped in and out in mischief.
"Why, father, I am just a young officer, and I will carry on me a note saying 'I left this note in your bedchamber to prove I fulfilled a bet' and if caught, I will be slightly tipsy, and claim to have been cost thirty złoty for having failed in my quest."
"It might even work," said Jeremi. "Hungarian pepper? It tastes hot, but what does it do..."
"Using the peppers themselves, and rubbing the juice in, it then takes half an hour for the body heat to warm it up and soak it into the skin," said Jurko. "And then it feels as if all the imps in hell have pitchforks in your cods."
"Couldn't happen to a nicer person," said Jeremi. "But swear to me you will be careful."
"If need be, I'll eat the peppers," said Jurko. "I'm sufficiently used to it that I can do so, and I'll spend a couple of days on the necessary later. In fact, if I have it wrapped with some cheese, I'll claim it was a snack, and if made to eat it, the cheese would help. I owe that bastard for Pawlo's life, and two wounds and Michał being frightened," he added, his face darkening.
"Yesss," hissed Jeremi. "And he will pay. Oh yes, he will pay. It may take time, but he will learn that he does not insult one of us with impunity."
Jurko might have felt sorry for Potocki, had he not seen the stark terror in Michał's eyes, that he had had to leave to Helena to cuddle away, for being in charge.
.
.
.
Michał climbed on Jurko's lap when he discovered that his brother was back.
"Did the king like the idea of ships?" he asked.
"He did," said Jurko. "He was very cross about that horrid man frightening you."
"Can I sleep with you in your bed, here, not in the nursery?" asked Michał.
"Of course you may," said Jurko. "Your first battle is always a bit of a shock, and I'm sorry I was not there for you last night."
"Pan Jan cuddled me," said Michał. "I like Pan Jan. But you're my brother. Was that my first battle?"
"Well, someone tried to kill you and you fought back, so I'd say it qualifies," said Jurko. "I was terrified, my first time. And I was a much bigger boy than you."
"Like Ihor," said Michał.
"Exactly," said Jurko. "Where's Róża?"
"She and Helena are 'sploring," said Michał. "I showed them around a bit, but you came back. Does your arm hurt?"
"A bit," said Jurko. "It's getting better, though."
"You could tell me a story."
"So I could," said Jurko, dredging his memory for a good folk tale.
He did not have to speak long, as Michał fell asleep, having had a bad night the night before. And Jurko gave up the unequal struggle with fatigue and fell asleep too. And there Jeremi found them, his older son sprawled in a chair with one foot up on a footstool, and his younger son sprawled over him like a kitten. Jeremi fetched a light quilt to throw over them; Jurko was still pale with shock and blood loss, and it was cool in the palace, as it was designed to be.
.
.
.
"I am not sure I like Michał being so ambitious to be martial," said Gryzelda. "He is delicate..."
"Jurij won't let him over-extend himself," said Jeremi. "And he will need to serve his country as a szlachcic must, one day. Better that he be well-prepared, and gently exercised to it, that he be strong enough to become a towarzysz in due course. Thrown into military training from nothing might well make him ill, with the delicate streak he has. But he is doing marvellously with Jurij, and he is better behaved as well."
"Jeremi, I know he is better behaved, but being addressed in military manner disturbs me."
"It's a novelty, and when he is used to obedience, he will obey without having to be called 'towarzysz' and given orders to report. Which would you prefer, that Jurij teaches him good discipline gently, with small fatigues as discipline – he had him polishing harness for cheeking you the other day – or that I should find that I need to thrash him?"
"He... I don't want him thrashed."
"I've come close a few times. Now? I am learning to love him, as Jurij encourages him to take an interest in what will be his heritage. I am sorry, my dear Gryzelda, but I find our son tolerable enough now to spend time with him. Jurij has wrought great changes. He is learning to be a boy, not a spoilt milksop. I know you have been concerned for his health, but he is blooming with good health for exercising more. The sabre drill in the mornings makes him breathe more easily."
"Jurij is wonderful with him, I do admit, and Helena too."
"Well, there you are. Jurij is an excellent son to us."
"He's scarcely younger than I am; I cannot really treat him as a son. But I am happy for him to call me stepmama. And I have written to my father that I welcome your natural son in our household."
"Thank you; I appreciate that," said Jeremi.
.
.
.
Helena woke the sleeping brothers with a kiss, on Michał's forehead, and on Jurko's lips, escaping with a giggle as his lips tried to cling.
"It's nearly time to eat," said Helena. "And I thought you'd both like to freshen up first. And I seriously suggest you both go straight to bed after eating."
"I hate to admit it, but you are right," said Jurko. "I feel as weak as a kitten. Still, we've given the king the idea of a new navy. Now that he's more or less approved it, we need to send to Holland. I'd love to go, but I don't know enough."
"And Papa needs you to talk to Chmielnicki anyway," said Helena.
"That too," said Jurko. "Hungry, Michał?"
"I could eat a whole bear," said Michał.
.
.
.
"Lord Potocki, you are going to be listening to harsh words from Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki, and you are going to swallow them whole, bow, and apologise to him," said the king who had received a corroborative report including the depositions of several hussars.
"Sire, why should I? What have I done to apologise for?"
"You men attacked the train wherein his wife and her ladies were travelling, led by his natural son, and one of your men threatened to shoot or dismember his younger son," said the king, coldly.
"Preposterous! Whoever his natural son may be, he is lying," said Potocki.
"No, he is not. I also had a report from Lubomirski on the incident. Jurij Wiśniowiecki managed to capture a patrol of winged hussars without killing any of them. He was wounded himself, as was one of his comrades who rode in front of the pistol ball meant for six-year-old Michał Wiśniowiecki. And one of his men was killed. You may be second only to me in the realm, but there is no room for that sort of behaviour. Your officer and one of his men were way out of line. I do not like that your men seem to take your position as an indication that they are above the law. I also like Jurij Wiśniowiecki a great deal more than I like your son, who is much the same age. Jurij is a modest lad who does not push himself forward or assume airs for being his father's son; rather he wears his position with the kind of unconscious grace. However, that is beside the point. Your man was at fault, and you will accept responsibility for his action, and apologise. If you do not, I might not prevent Jeremi from forcing a duel on you. And I am fairly certain he would win."
"He's a jumped-up arrogant Cossack..."
"He is a nobleman of my realm and I know enough to be well aware that he outshone you in the Pawluk uprising and you deliberately suppressed his participation in your reports. I don't know if you were involved in blocking me from marrying his sister, Anna, and it does not prevent me accepting your competence as a hetman, but let us just say I want this campaign against him to be finished. If you veto anything he brings up in the Sejm, I will assume it is out of spite and I will reveal how much you suppressed of that campaign, and I will declare it as your spite in a campaign which blocked my marriage. Indeed, I am wondering whether the attack on Lady Gryzelda and her ladies and Jeremi's sons was ordered by you and was deliberate."
Potocki went ashen.
"Sire, it was not," he said. "I don't like him. I considere him bumptious, and headstrong, using his own tactics and not listening to older, wiser heads."
"And you were embarrassed when his bold plans won," said the king. "His older son is much the same; dashing, a bit reckless, brilliant, charismatic, bold, proud and single-minded in battle. Make the apology very good, Mikołaj, and make sure it cannot be faulted, and make it in public. I shudder to think what would happen to my poor kingdom if Jeremi called odpowiedź on you. It would tear Poland apart. And your record to date gives him reason."
"Very well, sire, I will apologise to him in public."
.
.
.
"Father, what history lies between you and Mikołaj Potocki?" asked Jurko at dinner.
"Many things, my son," said Jeremi. "I can't prove he was one of those who blocked my sister's marriage to the king, when I was about your age - the Sejm opposed it; but I suspect him and Radziwiłł, because it might have given me too much power. A few years later I was fighting under Potocki against a Cossack uprising, and every innovation of mine, he claimed as his own, and wrote me out of reports. He became Field Hetman on my innovations, and his rise to fame was on my victories. He also blocked the war with the Turks, which is why the king was amused by your casuistry about rescue missions. You told Michał I should treat my peasants as I treat my troops, and you are correct. I have been too harsh. But my treatment of my peasants and my distrust of the Cossacks is as nothing to the way he grinds down his peasantry, and the Cossacks living on his lands. I think I am not wrong in saying that he is an evil man. I suspect him of covertly supporting the Koniekpolscy in various of my land disputes, and though I hold title as Wojewoda of Ruthenia, with powerful men to oppose me, the position has few teeth. I need something to offer the Cossacks, and the right to bring force to bear on those who steal land as my land has been stolen."
"We will break him," said Jurko.