I groaned. I knew I would have to get up… even if I didn't want to. A meeting with Voltaire was in order for today. And not to mention I'd received a spanking from Fritz last night. Who knows how long I'm going to have to sit?
I rolled out of bed and went to my bathroom. I rubbed the back of my neck as I looked at the tub. I took my shirt off as I turned on the water. I took off my pants and folded my clothes and placed them in my wardrobe. As I passed the mirror I remembered what I had been punished with. A crop.
I walked back over to the mirror and turned around. Almost purple. I flinched. Note to self: Never go against His Majesty again. I should do my best to behave today also. I walked back to my bathroom and turned off the water. Luckily I had used cold water. I got in on my hands and knees and slowly sat down.
I took a bath before dressing myself in my most inappropriate clothes. If I can't disrespect Voltaire then I'll just use my image. I smirked. I'm awesome. I walked down the stairs and jumped when one of Fritz' servants spoke to me.
"You're not going to meet Voltaire dressed like that are you?" I ignored him and moved on. I went to the dining room to have some breakfast. I ate some of it but soon I was just moving it around on my plate.
"What's wrong mon ami?" I looked around to see France and Spain.
"I got in trouble with Fritz last night. Now I have to attend a meeting with Voltaire. And I have to behave, meaning no disrespect or anything. I just want to go back to bed and sleep today away." I replied. I stuffed a piece of food in my mouth.
"Well what if we attend too?" Spain asked. "I don't have much to do today anyway."
"Nor I." I perked up a bit.
"Really?" They nodded and I smiled. "Thanks guys."
"My pleasure."
"So when is this meeting?"
"I don't know." I smirked. "Never asked."
"Then why don't we go out and play?" I smirked and quickly stood up. I headed for the door. Spain smiled. "I knew that would cheer you up!"
I rolled up snow into a ball before throwing it at France. He shrieked and then chuckled. "Not my hair, please, mon ami." I fell over as a big snowball hit me square in the chest. Spain had been the culprit. I smirked and soon we were throwing snowballs all over the place.
"Okay! Time to find a place to hide to hit others instead of friendly fire." France said, shaking his head fast. His hair blew and snow fell out. We'd all been hit by snow pretty good. Especially me. I nodded.
"It'll be perfect training for war." I whispered. I led the way to a perfect hiding place. Only a genius would be able to find us. We waited for people to come. We took turns making ammunition and keeping guard.
Finally when we had three piles of twenty snowballs we got our first victim. Abelard, my caretaker. Even though I'm an adult now. He was busy cleaning and dusting. "Everything must be perfect for the meeting. I hope Gilbert shows up this time. It's not polite to-" I picked up a snowball, and they picked up snowballs too.
"One… two… three!" I whispered. We threw snowballs, one after the other. He screamed and we watched him run away. I grinned. "Perfect!" We made more as Spain kept guard. He beamed.
"Ooh. Perfect target amigos!" He whispered. I looked over the hedge to see Prince Frederick George the First. I beamed. Perfect! I grabbed a snowball and we pelted him with three before he got upset.
"Hey! Whoever you are! You better stop! I can have you thrown in jail!" We pelted him with more snowballs and he walked off, fuming. I snickered. Our next target was probably better. It was one of the servants. She was singing as she worked. I pelted her with a snowball and Spain and France joined me. She ran off, looking upset.
"Oh my." Francis said, frowning. I bumped him with my elbow. I made more snowballs before our next victim came into sight. It was the Queen of Prussia! I grinned. Her name was Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern. Long name, I don't know where she came from but I knew she wasn't Austrian. Fritz called her Elisa if he ever spoke about her, which was rare. Even to her face he didn't really use her name. Only in front of his son did he do that. I was curious why until I learned that the marriage had been forced by Austria. I would also have disliked her. No Austrian, or Austria, will tell me what I have to do!
I quickly picked up two snowballs and pelted her. Spain threw two and France threw one. She shrieked. I grinned and threw more. She ran. I cheered, Antonio covered my mouth. I started making new snowballs. Our next victim was too much to pass up on, even more so than the Queen. Voltaire! I readied my aim but it dropped on my own head when I heard Fritz.
"Gilbert. Have you three been throwing snowballs?"
"Quick, he's getting away!" Spain picked up a snowball and prepared to throw it but it fell on him when Fritz threw his own snowball. I smiled.
"Attack." Francis said, beginning to throw snowballs at Fritz. I picked up a snowball and readied to throw it at Voltaire but I got hit straight in the back. I yelped at the cold and my snowball fell to the ground, breaking up. I quickly grabbed two more as Spain and France pelted Fritz with snowballs. I threw mine at Voltaire but too late. He'd already gone inside. I frowned and kicked the ground.
"Damn it!" I got hit with a snowball from Antonio. "Friendly fire!" I called and we all got into the snowball fight. Soon we were out of snowballs and Fritz stopped us from making more.
"Gilbert, go change clothes. Then come down and sit in front of the fire to get warm. We'll have some hot chocolate then." I nodded and headed up to do as I was told. I came down dressed in my army clothes. Another inappropriate way to be dressed.
I went downstairs and saw France and Spain talking to each other. They had also changed into another set of clothes they had apparently brought. I walked up to them. "How long did you expect to stay here?"
"Two days. Today and the ball. I have my Princess coming with her caretaker. Louis and Maria aren't coming because their having some problems with the people of the kingdom. Their thinking a marriage with Prussia will keep them back on track."
"You know I could just come over and squash all resistance."
"What does Fritz have to say about that?" Spain asked.
"He's king. If his… people of the kingdom… were to be getting rebellious then he'd have me squash all resistance too."
"What about you Antonio?" Francis asked.
"Me? I'm here for two days as well. I knew you needed me."
"Did you bring your bull? And Josefa Carmela?" I couldn't really remember her name.
"Not really but don't worry amigo! I'm sure I'll get her to come. She seems to love Prince Frederick." I nodded.
"I know she probably does. I wonder who Fritz might be thinking about. You know, for the Prince?" I looked around at the sound of someone coming in. It was Fritz. I smiled at him. He gave one look at my outfit before pointing back up the stairs.
"Go change your clothes to something more fit for a meeting." I frowned.
"But Fritz!" I whined. He raised a brow.
"Now Gilbert."
"But Fritz! I like these clothes! I'm very comfortable in these clothes!"
"I won't ask again, Gilbert." I gave him my best pleading look but he didn't budge. I frowned, sighing. I headed back to my room and changed into something 'proper'. When I headed back I was met with Fritz. His arms were crossed. When he saw me his lips formed a smile. He put his hand on my head. I smiled. "Thank you Gilbert."
"… Your welcome Your Majesty Fritz." I beamed at him.
"We have a meeting to get to." I frowned as he turned around. I followed him, dragging my feet as I went. Fritz waited in the doorway and he motioned me forward. I went in sat between Spain and France. Fritz sat in his usual place. The head of the table. Voltaire smiled at me and it took a lot of effort to smile back.
"How are you Gilbert?"
"Awesome."
"That's good to hear. What have you been doing lately?"
"Being awesome."
"What was it that Frederick said about yesterday and your friends?"
"Fun… I mean it was a horrible decision and I won't be doing it again." I looked cautiously at Fritz. He nodded his head, giving me a smile.
"Well I think it was fun. I've not seen my mon ami in a long time, considering it's Gilbert. Did you know, monsieur Voltaire, that Gilbert and Roderich used to battle all the time and Gilbert always won? I know, his skills are legendary."
"Si, si amigo! In my opinion, no sane man would dare battle Gilbert. Not without dirty tricks to play."
"I don't fall for tricks!" I defended.
"Then the King of Prussia came and taught Gilbert how to play dirty tricks of his own!" Francis added.
"Fritz doesn't play dirty tricks!" I defended my King.
"That's why I would like to entice Gilbert on my side when I go into war."
"Non! Gilbert will be on my side!"
"No, mine."
"Non!"
"Francis, Antonio, please." Voltaire said. "Let us move on."
"Oui. What are you wanting to talk about?" I was leaning back in my chair as every time Voltaire tried to talk to me, either Antonio or Francis would say something to someone. Either about me or about something else. And it didn't matter if it were Fritz or Voltaire.
At some point the meeting had clearly ended. They had stood up and Voltaire had said something to Francis that made him laugh. Fritz and Voltaire had had a good talk. Voltaire wished Fritz a good day and he headed off. Fritz watched him leave.
"Frederick!" Called the Queen. I turned around to look at her.
"Yes my Queen?" I asked.
"Frederick!" Fritz turned around.
"Yes?"
"There's someone out in the garden throwing snowballs at passersby."
"It was Gilbert and his friends. We took care of it. Gilbert, come." I looked at the Queen and gave her a smile before running off to catch up with Fritz. Francis and Antonio followed us. We reached Fritz' office and I slowed down, remembering the meeting. "Gilbert, come in. You two, if you don't mind, please leave so we can have some privacy." I looked at my friends.
"Go practice archery or fencing. That would be useful." They headed off.
"Come see us when you're done amigo!" Spain called. I nodded.
"Yeah!" I went into his office and he closed the door. I saw him sit in his chair and he motioned me to sit. "What is it Your Majesty Fritz?" I asked, curious. He was smiling at me, no hints of anger or anything.
"Nothing you're in trouble for. Just informing you about the possibilities of my son's future wife. I'm thinking either Sicily or England. If we had ties with Sicily we could possibly keep Sicily to ourselves longer. If we made ties with England, we would be partnering the best military force with the second best military force, not to mention their vast armies of the sea. I've pinpointed the perfect princess from England and Sicily as well." I smiled.
"That's great! But won't partnering with England kind of ruin our friendship with the French? They hate each other, almost as much as Austria and I hate each other."
"The second greatest and noblest pleasure which men can have in this world is to shake off old prejudices, Gilbert."
"You know you can't say that to Louis, he'll still be kind of mad. Everyone will know we're trying to make a power grab. Which is the way everyone does it but-"
"What may come will come. You were right, admittedly, to greet Maria to Frederick. That girl is in line to inherent Sicily. But you still went against me in doing so. Not to mention you also introduced him to Princess Louise of France."
"So what is your decision?"
"I am going to be throwing three balls in the next three weeks. Whomever I decide on will be his future wife. Are we clear Gilbert?" I nodded.
"Yes Your Majesty." I affirmed him. Then I smirked. "You are the King of Prussia after all." Then something hit me. "What has the Queen thought? Does she have any picks?"
"She wants my son to marry the daughter of Louis to teach him the way of the Versailles Palace."
"So you mean how to be fancy?" I asked, smiling at my King. He nodded.
"And to keep her quiet I have just decided on inviting the French to a ball as well. That will please her and you."
"Kill two worms with one bird." I replied. YES! I'm getting my way! Yay! I'm going to go say thanks to God. "So for a whole month we'll be partying?" He shook his head.
"This is no ordinary party. This party is for politics. You are still expected to behave at these balls." When am I ever not expected to behave? "This also constitutes as another excuse to get Voltaire back at the Prussian Palace." I groaned.
"Why do you like him so much?"
"Not now, Gilbert. Go find your friends. I need to begin my writing." I frowned. I don't want to leave his side.
"Do I have to, Your Majesty?" I asked, pleading he'd say no.
"Yes. Since we'll be having so many balls in such short notice, I'll be a very busy man now." I stood up out of my chair.
"I love you Fritz." He smiled at me.
"And I love you Gilbert." I headed out the door, sighing. I wish I could play with my King like I used to when I was a kid. Maybe being an adult isn't so grand. I headed toward the sound of my friends sparring.
"Gilbert! What's got you down now?"
"Four balls in four weeks. Also my King doesn't want to play with me." I replied.
"Well you can play with us. I brought my friend. He's always ready for bull wrestling." I chuckled. Could be fun. Antonio had clearly changed outfits again. He was wearing his bull outfit but France had changed into more comfortable clothes. I was still in formal clothes.
After a quick change of comfortable clothes for myself, we were running around Spain's bull as it charged at us with it's head down. Every time it caught one of us it would throw us over head and then stand over us, mooing it's decided victory. We've been playing this for three rounds now and the round isn't over unless one of us gets caught.
I was under the bull when I heard one of the servants call. "Dinner's ready boys!" Then she gasped at the sight of me. Antonio quickly whistled and it came running to him, jumping over me.
"You should see what other games we play in Spain, muchacha." I smiled.
"Does your boss approve of you playing them?"
"He doesn't mind. It's the girls who mind." I scoffed at him.
"My Prince always wants in on what I'm doing!"
"Aren't you three coming?" She asked. Oh yeah!
"… Do we have to come or can we continue playing?"
"You have to." Prince Henry replied. I glared but got up anyway.