Tyranny of Steel

Days had passed since Berengar first returned from the Kingdom of Bohemia with its former Princess in tow. Though the girl found a friend in Henrietta, she could not help but notice the intense glares that she received from Berengar ’s harem every time she came into eye contact with them.

Because of this, she had grown frightened and stayed primarily within her quarters; though Berengar wanted to help, he found himself buried under paperwork that had amassed itself while in his absence. On top of that, he was confident any involvement with the girl ’s matters was sure to invoke the ire of the women who surrounded him, and as such, he opted to give Veronika some space for the time being.

While Veronika was slowly adapting to her new life in Kufstein, Linde had begun to investigate her background; due to the extensive network of Austrian Spies established within Bohemia during its civil war, she was quickly able to gather all kinds of information about the young Princess ’s personal life. Berengar ’s suspicions were confirmed; the girl was mistreated by her family and locked away from the public eye to ensure that the superstitious peasants did not try to murder the poor girl.

Though Linde felt pity for Veronika, she did not yet accept her existence within the royal palace. As such, the veteran spymaster made sure every action the Bohemian Princess took was closely watched. After all, Veronika was an unknown variable, and Linde feared those most of all.

As for Adela, she spent this time supporting her husband in any way she could, primarily by bringing him his meals while he worked day and night to overcome the seemingly insurmountable degree of paperwork that he was forced to contend with. If there was one thing Berengar despised most in this world, it was paperwork.

Honoria had opted to laze about within the confines of the royal palace; she and her crew were currently enjoying the era of peace Austria found itself in. Unless they wanted to break faith with the Austrian Crown and take up piracy, there was not much work to be had.

However, they had made a fortune during the war with the Empire, and as such, the women who made up Honoria ’s crew were more than happy to spend some of that wealth on themselves and enjoy the moment of peace in luxury.

After nearly a week had passed, Berengar emerged from his study with bags under his eyes. He was beyond exhausted; after spending almost every waking hour going through various documents, Berengar had finally finished his paperwork. In doing so, he made his way to the bath, where he would wash away the sweat and grime that had accumulated on his body over the past few days.