Phoenix Rises

In 1795, Poland was partitioned for the third time in its history. This time, the nation-state of Poland was wiped off the map by the Black Eagle Nations (Austria, Russia, and Prussia). After this, the Poles had desired to reclaim the old glory as a nation-state.

Years later in the next century, the French Revolution rocked the entirety of Europe and France confronted foes from all corners of Europe. Only a few Nations were willing to flock by France's side, one of them being the defunct Nation of Poland.

The once-beautiful fields of France were reduced into barren wastes by the horrors of battle. Despite this, a lone man was trekking the path of war to Paris. That man was Feliks Lukasiewicz, the personification of the former Poland.

Suddenly, horse steps were heard on the ground and two French cavalrymen charged towards the Pole. In response, the Pole stopped his advances and waved a white flag at them.

"Je me rends," the Pole spoke in French, which had been the language of diplomacy then, "Je suis venu pour voir Francis Bonnefoy."

"Pologne, mon ami," cried another voice.

Joining his men, the personification for the French nation-state galloped on his horse towards the Pole traveller. As he met the Pole, he embraced the Pole in a hug to greet him.

"France, call me Feliks," Poland said, "I am no longer a Nation. My last partition like went bad. They decided to take away every last inch of my house."

"As your friend, I feel sorry for you," France said politely, "but what business you have here in France?"

"You are at war, and against practically the whole of Europe," Poland said, "don't tell me you intend to fight all of them yourself. You need, like, allies man!"

"So you are proposing an alliance with moi," France said, "but you aren't a Nation as you had said. How can you help?"

"Look at yourself on the map," Poland said, "you got Portugal and England to the west, and Austria, Prussia and Russia to your east. I can overstretch their forces with my people."

"You are correct indeed," France said, "I am being overstretched by the Coalition, but they are disunited. Pologne, what do you seek from moi?"

"Nothing much, only my own Nation again," Poland said, "I wanted to be a kingdom again, maybe with Liet again."

"Monsieur Lituanie," France said, "he's being held by Russia since your First Partition, oui. You deserve to reclaim your country, oui."

Poland only nodded in response.

"Very well, I shall help you regain your power," France said, "however; you will not be called Poland. Not until you regain every last ounce of your lands, only then you may be Poland again."

"For now, who am I?" asked the Pole.

"Your sole existence henceforth will be to claim all your regions again," France proclaimed, "I dub you the Duchy of Warsaw, after your vital regions!"

"I accept that name," Warsaw replied, "I think I'll like head back east and begin my fight."

"And I shall pierce into the heart of the Holy Roman Empire," France added, "that old order is out of style, so I shall replace them."

In the middle of the war, France had forcibly created the Duchy of Warsaw in Polish lands taken from Prussia.

Prussia sat nervously, looking at the man who used to be a friend. Though he was disturbed France's madness in the Revolution, but it could not denied of his power (that defeated Prussia) and Prussia kept quiet. Suddenly, a familiar Pole walked up to France's side.

"Poland..." Prussia hissed, "Now I get it. You're begging France to get your house back."

"Until I regain everything, I am just Warsaw," Warsaw replied.

"Correct, mon ami," France said, looking at Prussia again, "and you will give him what he wants."

"I am the most awesome Nation around, even taking Silesia for my own!" Prussia proclaimed, "What makes you think I will yield to you?"

"I won the battle, and you will listen to the victor," France said, "furthermore, you would never be able to take Silesia if not for my help."

"My boss already ceded those territories for you," Prussia pouted, "I'm only here to tell you that."

"Congratulations, Varsovie," France said, "you are now a Nation again, and for your new boss…"

Suddenly, another man came in. He had long blonde hair, similar to the Germanic ancestor called Germania.

"Saxony?" the Prussian exclaimed.

"Hello, Prussia…" Saxony spoke, "it's been a while…"

"His King has volunteered to be your new boss as the Duke of Warsaw," France explained, "easily said, both of you are in a personal union now. Make good friends now."

"My King is a German…but two German countries put me out of…" Warsaw yelled, "I won't tole…"

"Be grateful I found a king for you, instead of uniting you under my empire," France said, "though it would be lovely to have the Department of Warsaw under moi…"

"And I am not exactly willing to this myself…" Saxony remarked.

"But you all will be," France said, "don't you want your petit Lituanie back?"

"He's still with Russia… so I got no other choice," Warsaw said.

"And Saxony, be grateful that my boss has decided to protect your sorry little ass in the Rhine Confederation," France continued.

Years went by, and the Duchy of Warsaw made victories and reclaimed Krakow among others. However, Lithuania was still in Russia's hands. In due time, France would soon confront Russia on his home terrain to defeat him.

On the snowy plains, Warsaw and France were trekking along with their armies.

"Brr… Russia is indeed cold as they say," France remarked, "it would be wonderful to have someone to hug, non."

"France, let's just get going," Warsaw said, "I can't wait to be with Liet again."

"Ignoring me, he who has been helping you so far," France remarked.

"Like some help you had been, I still can't have some foreign dealings! What country doesn't have like foreign relations?" Warsaw cried, "I'm like your bitch, pouring my resources out to you."

"But things are horrid with the Peninsular War and I needed more resources there," France said, "be grateful I came to you instead to crush Russia who gave you hell."

"Fine, but I get Liet back after this," Warsaw said, "and I can become the Kingdom of Poland again, right?"

"Oui," replied the Frenchman, but he knew otherwise.

"France, we will not make claims until we get Russia on the table to negotiate," Napoleon told him, "I have second thoughts on giving Warsaw the lands he wanted…"

"But if I said no, he would revolt against me," France thought, "The deadliest foe is always the one closest to you."

Suddenly, the winds blew in again and France tried to protect himself from the Russian winter. From the shadows, an illusionary figure crossed via the veil of snow and silently attacked the French Army.

"Something's atta-…" cried an officer, but he was silenced by the mystery attacker.

"Is it Russia?" wondered France.

France quickly took out his rapier for battle, as did Warsaw with a musket. Suddenly, the mysterious attacker closed in on France, but the Frenchman blocked the attack.

Then, France saw the appearance of his attacker. It was a large bulky man, but he was no Russia. Instead, his face was pale white as ice and he wore ice blue military wear. His hair and moustache were snow-white, but in a creepy manner that gave even Prussia a run for his money.

The most frightening part would be that the man grabbed his rapier with his bare hands, and freezing water poured out like blood.

"Are you with the Russians?" France demanded.

"Я воплощение русской зимы," the man spoke faintly, similar to the howling wind.

Suddenly, Warsaw fired from his musket and the rounds hit the man at blank-point. As the bullets hit, the man just vanished and dispersed into a gust of blizzard.

"France, you like okay?" asked the Pole, "bet cha that's totally General Winter Russia's talking about. He like ravages Russia once a year, but he's allied with Russia at wartimes."

"Arg…let's keep moving," France said, "I won't let the weather get in the way of my destiny."

"But France, the Russian winter is especially cold and few had survived its terror," Warsaw cautioned.

"If you don't want Lituanie, fine with me," France said, "there will just be more for moi."

"You ain't seriously gonna take Liet, but look at your troops," Warsaw said, "Doesn't look like they will last this winter."

"This is my time, my era of glory!" France cried, "Nothing, not even the winter, can stop moi!"

The Napoleonic Wars ended with death of Napoleon in exile to St. Helena. Europe was amidst being restored back to order via the Congress of Vienna. As per war, the victors of the Coalition made the terms of the aftermath.

While it would be the Great Powers of England, Russia, Prussia and Austria to decide the new Europe, France managed to sneak onboard and joined in as a Great Power as well.

After the ending of another Vienna Congress meeting, France calmly walked out in the hallways. Halfway into the hallway, he met Warsaw again. No, he was called Poland again and it was agreed by everyone.

"Ah, Varsovie," France greeted, "no, we have decided that you will be Pologne again."

"Like shut up!" exclaimed the Pole, "I am like pissed off as it is!"

"But don't you hear, you can be the Kingdom of Poland again just as you wished," France claimed.

"Totally, under the Russian Tsar nonetheless," Poland said, "and you… you're still the fucking French Republic ruled by your own fucking French guys!"

"What can I say?" France said, "I got my powers of persuasion that the others can't resist. Call it a French charm, oui?"

"You like sold me to the Coalition just to save your pitiful ass!" Poland yelled.

"But you will be in the same house as Lituanie," France claimed.

"But it won't be the same again," Poland said, "give the Russians a decade or two and they will annex me as a province and no one…"

Suddenly, Poland was lifted up and carried by a hulking Russian man.

"Hello again France," Russia greeted, "same to you, Poland. I haven't seen you since the War."

"Russia… what do you want from me?" Poland hissed.

"Temper, temper," Russia said, "although Austria gets Krakow and Prussia gets Posen, I will win with having the majority of you to be one with me, da."

"Think I don't know your plans!" Poland cried, "You will try to make me your provinces!"

"Now if you are good, you will be rewarded with lots of rights, da," Russia explained, "however, being a naughty kid will only deserve punishment."

True enough, Poland did rebel against Russian rule several times that were suppressed and curtailed their autonomy. Eventually, Poland was entirely absorbed into the vast Russian Empire until the end of World War I.

Translations

Je me rends – I surrender

Je suis venu pour voir Francis Bonnefoy – I came to see Francis Bonnefoy

Pologne – Poland

Lituanie – Lithuania

Varsovie – Warsaw

Я воплощение русской зимы – I am the embodiment of the Russian winter