Chapter 83: Steel and wood
As Charles' rage and fury came to a boiling point, he took out his sword and swung it at the wooden structure of the lower part of the bed in a fit of anger. This was a dangerous moment where Charles' emotions got the better of him, causing him to fail to think clearly. He would need to be careful not to allow his emotions to cloud his judgment, as this could lead to rash decisions that could prove disastrous.
The impact of the blow reverberated strongly throughout his arm, causing a feeling of pain and discomfort as hardwood and steel collided. This served as a reminder of his need to be cautious and careful with his temper, and it served as a stark reminder of how dangerous it could be to allow his emotions to overrule his rational mind, especially for people in positions of power like a king.
The anguish induced by the blow helped Charles unwind to some extent. He imbued the sword instilled in the bed with strenght causing it to detach from the wooden structure. With the awareness that his outburst had caused him to lose control, Charles carefully sheathed his sword in an attempt to regain control. He then took a long breath and attempted to calm himself down, understanding that he had gotten into a frenzy and let his emotions get the best of him.
Even though he had largely calmed down, the anger created by so much unpleasant news kept him unsettled. The news of Conradin's accomplishment, and the fact that such a little boy was accountable, severely shocked and infuriated Charles, adding salt to an already painful injury.
It heightened his feelings of embarrassment and rage, leaving him furious and frustrated that such a tiny youngster could cause him so much anguish and heartache. This was definitely a severe blow to Charles' pride and standing, and it would have left him enraged and craving vengeance.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door of his private room, accompanied by the words ''It is my Jean, your majesty, may I enter?'' Feeling the need for someone to converse with in order to make sense of what was going on, the king allowed him inside.
Jean slowly entered the room after being granted permission, and while there, he discovered his king seated on a bed with an erratic breath, which served as a hint to Jean of his liege's state of fury. Jean approached the room with caution, knowing that Charles was enraged and may be in a hazardous mood. He would have stepped carefully and avoided antagonizing Charles since he would be aware of the bad ramifications of doing so. He was aware of the importance and necessity of displaying respect and deference in such a delicate scenario.''I am still of the opinion, your highness, that this is the better way to go because they are certain to run out of gold, unlike us because we can rely on Florence's money to keep our army here. I am confident that Conradin will soon be forced to engage us on our terms, which will spell doom for him and his cause.''
Jean's statement clearly calmed Charles down since it let him see that his method was not wholly irrational. This would have helped to restore his peace of mind and alleviate some of his wrath and bitterness. Charles' inquiries, however, did not stop there, as he displayed the letter sent by Napoleone to him, continually asking for an outside opinion on the matter.
Before Jean had the chance to think about how to calm him down, Charles questioned him about a matter that had caused him distress in recent days: ''Count Jean, do you think that our tactics of waiting in Pisa are wrong? Should we actually actively engage the rebels in battle while we outnumber them?'' Charles asked while closing sight with the count.
Jean considered Charles' questions carefully and weighed the pros and cons of the situation before answering. He was aware that there were many considerations that needed to be taken into account when deciding on a course of action, and he would have been eager to provide Charles with the best advice possible. After a bit of thinking, he decided that he still remained on the idea he had since the start of the campaign.
''I am still of the opinion, your highness, that this is the better way to go because they are certain to run out of gold, unlike us because we can rely on Florence's money to keep our army here. I am confident that Conradin will soon be forced to engage us on our terms, which will spell doom for him and his cause.''
Jean's statement clearly calmed Charles down since it let him see that his method was not wholly irrational. This would have helped to restore his peace of mind and alleviate some of his wrath and bitterness. Charles' inquiries, however, did not stop there, as he displayed the letter sent by Napoleone to him, continually asking for an outside opinion on the matter.
As he read the letter, Jean saw why his king was so agitated: the communes saw Charles as an outsider and an opponent to their interests, and he kept that information in mind while he sought to think of a response.
He wanted to be straightforward and honest in his assessment of the situation. He would have done it with respect and care, knowing how crucial this was for the campaign's and Charles' reign's future.
''Your Majesty, from now on I will be direct and frank; what you did in Florence, I feel, was a mistake that could have been postponed until after the campaign. The other communes are aware of what you are doing and will now oppose you with all the might they can muster , for they see you as someone threatening their state of affairs.There is nothing we can do but accept this; we cannot prevent them from banding together to protect themselves, since any action you take to prevent this will be the final nail in the coffin and will severely undermine our campaign. As a result, with all of this in mind, I recommend that you do nothing and instead join the league yourself in order send a message of peace to our allies and wait for an opportunity to further divide northern Italy, AFTER we deal with Conrad and after consolidating our foundations in the kingdom you just conquered''
Jean's remark did little except reinforce what Charles already knew; he was already aware of the mistake he had made, which would be irrevocable. When Charles saw that Jean's statement had hit the nail on the head, he couldn't help but agree with him. He can't stop them from forming a defense alliance against him; all he can do now is damage the alliance indirectly from within.
He would be resolved not to make the same mistake again and would be eager to assure the success of his campaign and the achievement of his objectives. He would not let another setback derail him this time, as he was determined to see everything through to the end and emerge victorious.
''Thank you, Lord Jean, Charles said, acknowledging that the count has been once again useful . Jean was reassured by Charles's affirmation, feeling that he had done good work in providing the king with valuable and necessary advice. He was keen to ensure that his contributions were not overlooked, and he would have been determined to make sure that he did everything possible to facilitate the king's success and victory since his success is undeniably his own; after all, if Charles were to lose, Jean would lose everything too, his fief, riches and possibly even his life.
''I am always honored to be of help to your highness; please do not refrain if you need anything else.'' Jean said while bowing, prompting his king to dismiss him so that he could be alone once again and prepare to write a letter to Napoleone. Following Jean's suggestion,he wanted to make sure that he did not create any potential for further tension or conflict with Napoleone or any of the other communes.
* To Napoleone della Torre
May God bless you and your family. I have recently received your letter, and I must say that knowing what happened to the brave soldiers you sent to aid me made my heart weep. I swear in my name that I shall make Conrad pay for what he did to the faithful Christians fighting for the pope's cause . Regarding your second issue, I am more than happy to join this defensive league since I am sure that it will undeniably aid us in our effort against Conradin and any other man that will have the bad idea of entering northern Italy militarily. As for your third issue, I am sorry to communicate that I have no legal power to do what you say; however, in exchange for more support in the form of gold, I may be able to leave some castle doors open by mistake in the areas you have expressed interests and put your army as a force to make sure that such fortresses and towns remain under allied command.
With all of this, I must bid you goodbye. I hope that you will respond to me shortly and with a positive response since I am sure that this is just the start of a fruitful relationship between us.
Signed Rex Charles of Sicily*
A sigh escaped Charles as he finished writing the letter. He was sure that what he had done now was the best course of action on how to advance, the best road to take to receive as less backlashes as possible . Even though he knew that he did not need any more support in the form of men for his cause, he understood that more gold was always better than having less, and as such, his initial idea to refuse Napoleone's request soon was overturned in a positive one since he was not interested in owning the land he was giving out to the Milanese republic.
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