Swiss Arms

Swiss Arms

Chapter 121

-VB-

Hans von Fluelaberg

Why was it that just when I found myself busy that events spiraled in such a way that I got even busier than before?

I should be busy preparing to tear up the Duchy of Upper Bavaria. Instead, I kept getting requests, news, and events that took my attention away, one after another. Was that how God reminded people like me that nothing went as planned? He didn't need to remind me of that. I went from playing Hermitcraft IRL to playing Crusader Kings.

In the letter that dad sent me, he first assured me that he arrived home with most of the supplies intact. My rangers also made sure no one bothered me, and even used my name a few times to keep grubby hands off of the foodstuff meant for my hometown.

Good.

He went on to talk about the situation on the ground, and how … well … my hometown might have suffered a lot more deaths if my foodstuff didn't arrive in time. As it was, Erstfeld was hanging on by a thread whereas other villages had … disappeared.

Yeah.

So it was a close call, and my dad made a voyage most people of the era wouldn't ever make. That alone put him in the top 1% of well-traveled people even though he had only traveled five hundred kilometers at the furthest from home in his entire life.

Yeah, apparently, he went to the Low Countries before? He talked about how the villages and towns of the Compact looked more Dutch in our wealth than they did with the local Romansch, Italian, or German.

I guessed that meant my efforts to bring up our local prosperity was that much of a success.

And the reason why he brought it up was because the the Uri Canton really wanted some allies because the imperial vogt of Uri was an asshole. Worse, he was a Habsburg, so he brought in more trouble than a regular asshole. It didn't help that imperial vogts in other areas that were allied to Uri Canton kept close ties with each other to profit off of the people.

And the letter ended with Uri Canton's representatives asking to treat with me. Or at the very least "could you meet with the imperial vogts here and do something about them for your dear old dad? You're indirectly related to the emperor, which is what more than most could say about themselves."

Yeah.

Trouble was heading my way.

I paused my ruminations and decided to look into the situation in what would become Central Switzerland. Specifically, I would spend some extra free time to look at the related trade reports for anything involving the undeclared Forest Cantons and their current nominal ally, Zurich. Maybe even gather rumors about how peddlers and merchants were treated in those locations.

But as for the request, I didn't see a reason why not.

I began to pen a letter to my dad.

I told him that I would like to meet with the representatives of Uri, if only to see what they want. I also asked him if he and the rest of the family wanted to move to my barony, if only so that I can help shore up any issues they might have and, when push came to shove, I was a very powerful fighter and lord. Oh, and I will meet with the Uri representatives this late fall, if they could. Any earlier and I might be away from my barony.

Once I sealed up the letter in an envelope with wax with my three mountain engraved ring, I called up a servant to have my letter sent through the "special couriers," who would cost me more (around 2 silver groschens or 20 silver pfennigs) but use a horse to travel to and fro to make sure they deliver the letter to the right person as quickly as they can.

I sniffed once I sent the letter.

… Yeah, it was about time I finished the job.

I stood up and headed over to where I assumed Isabella would be this early morning.

I had some loving to show before I left for the Upper Bavaria.

-VB-

Leon of Fluelaberg

The Mine Manager

It was another day and another morning. Like always, he got up, kissed his wife in a show of affection not usual around here or back home, ate with her, and left home to get to work.

But on the way, he found himself stuck in a traffic of people in the main street of Fluelaberg.

"What's going on?" he asked someone next to him.

The man, a dye factory worker of foreign descent, shrugged. "I think the big lord is making an announcement. Or someone working for him is."

"Really?" he hummed.

After that, he followed the flow of the crowd toward the front of the baron's stone manor-fort and waited outside.

Soon… the baron walked out of the front doors and right up to the open gate.

He cleared his throat.

"My people!"

Everyone stilled and quieted down, focusing intently on the legendary man who's done so much in so short of a time.

"I am sure that you have heard about the troubles to the northeast. Of a land ruled by a petty tyrant."

Leon had. He didn't know the exact details, but there were a lot of people grumbling and gnashing their teeth whenever the Duke of Upper Bavaria (or something) was brought up. How their lives have been ruined by the greed of a single ruler. In that regard, Leon was very happy with the baron.

"I will tell you right now that he was also the one who sent bandits to our lands in the years past! The current duke schemed and backstabbed his own brother to grab a hold of his throne! And today, he now seeks to ruin us in another scheme just like he ruined his people for his petty greed!" the baron shouted with fervor. And soon, a man walked up to stand beside the baron.

Leon stilled.

Wait…

His eyes widened.

The old duke of Bavaria. The one who the baron kept as his "guest." The guy who walked around and needed a minder so that he didn't start fights with the people.

"You all know who this is. He is the former Duke of Upper Bavaria, Rudolf von Wittelsbach," the baron reintroduced the man with a full beard and long lush and voluminous hair (Leon wished he had hair like that). "And we have discovered that his action, while deplorable on its own, was a result of him being tricked by his own younger brother, the current duke!"

People whispered.

Wait.

So the bastard who actually attacked them … was tricked into attacking them?!

The former duke grumbled from where he stood.

"Yes, that is what happened," he said just loud enough for the people to hear him. "And with the recent crisis of currencies my brother has caused… I have asked the baron for his help in restoring me to my rightful place as the duke of Upper Bavaria."

"And I accepted. To enact justice against the man who sent bandits our way! To enact justice against the petty noble who stripped his own people of their wealth!"

Everyone focused on their baron again.

"So ready your arms, men! We move to strike down the lawbreaking and trickster lord of Upper Bavaria!"

And to Leon's surprise, more than a few people in the crowd roared in response to the baron's call to arms.

"You'll find glory and pay!"

And then Leon was shouting along with them.

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