North America / Kingdom of Yorkania / Manhattan Royal Docks: May 21st, 1519.
It was an ugly morning for the world.
The sea was calm.
The sun was shining.
And several hundred dock workers were currently discovering that a five billion dollar ship still required men with hammers to stop it from leaking.
(Dock Worker's POV)
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
"MORE TAR." Said a dock worker loudly at the top of his lungs.
"WE USED THE FUCKING TAR." Said another man loudly from beneath the hull.
"THEN FIND MORE."
"BRILLIANT. SHALL I ASK THE SEA."
The first man closed his eyes.
Manhattan royal docks moved around them like an ant colony that had recently discovered taxes.
Carpenters carried beams.
Rope makers dragged coils across the stone.
Sailors inspected rigging.
Crown accountants stood beneath a covered platform with ledgers in their hands and expressions suggesting every nail personally offended the treasury.
And above all of them stood the le fay.
The largest royal ship yorkania had ever built.
Black timber covered its enormous hull while gold carvings curled along the sides like vines had become wealthy. Three towering masts rose over the harbor. Black, white and gold sails remained partially folded as workers crawled across the rigging.
At the bow stood a massive carved woman.
White serpent like hair.
A sword in one hand.
A crown in the other.
The figure stared toward the sea with an expression that looked considerably less impressed by mankind than the men who had carved her.
Five billion dollars.
That was what the le fay had cost to create.
Five.
Billion.
Dollars.
Enough money to feed several cities.
Build roads.
Repair castles.
Purchase enough grain to make a merchant experience religious awakening.
And apparently not enough to prevent one irritated carpenter from yelling about tar.
A younger dock worker stared upward with his mouth slightly open and said "Five billion."
The older man beside him continued hammering and said "Yes."
"Five billion dollars." Repeated the younger man with wide eyes.
"Yes." Said the older man with a sigh.
The young doc's worker had a flabbergasted look on his face as he said "For a ship."
The older dock worker stopped.
He slowly looked at him and said "If you say five billion one more time, I am going to throw you into the five billion dollar fucking water."
The young man closed his mouth.
Good.
Learning occurred everywhere.
A horn sounded from the upper dock.
*BWOOOOOM*
The workers straightened.
Galahad de' bronx walked down the stone pier in black armor with several royal guards behind him.
He looked up at the le fay.
The ship made most men appear small.
Galahad merely looked irritated that something had attempted it.
A dockmaster hurried forward and bowed.
"Your grace." Said the dockmaster quickly.
"Status." Asked galahad calmly.
"The le fay is provisioned. Fresh water loaded. Grain, dried meat, medical stores and reserve sailcloth are aboard. Cannons inspected twice. Powder separated beneath crown order. The royal chambers are prepared." Said the dockmaster quickly.
Galahad's eyes moved toward the hull and asked "Weapons."
"Four hundred and twelve cannons of varied size. Two hundred crossbows in reserve. Boarding weapons. Alchemical fire suppression. Three hundred royal marines and the personal guard assigned for the voyage." Said the dockmaster calmly.
Galahad nodded.
"Good." Said galahad calmly.
Percival appeared behind him holding three ledgers against his chest.
He looked exhausted.
The ship had not even left.
"Four hundred and twelve cannons." Said percival with narrowed eyes.
Galahad looked at him.
Percival looked toward the ship and adjusted his throat.
"The invitation said personal guards appropriate to station." Said percival carefully.
"Her majesty's station is difficult." Said galahad calmly.
Percival stared at him for a moment.
"That is one interpretation." Said percival calmly.
Merlin walked past both men carrying a wooden medical chest.
"No poison in the wine. No poison in the water. No poison in the medicine. No poison in the bedding." Said merlin calmly as he counted on his fingers.
Percival looked toward him and asked "You inspected the bedding for poison."
Merlin stopped and looked at him.
"Rome poisoned her once." Said merlin calmly.
Percival immediately nodded.
"Inspect the pillows." Said percival seriously.
"I already did, that is apart of the bedding." Said merlin before continuing toward the ship.
Galahad watched him go.
Percival adjusted his throat and said "The sovereignty meeting begins in eleven days."
"I know." Said galahad calmly.
"Charles of habsburg has confirmed attendance." Said percival carefully.
Galahad's face did not move.
Percival looked at him.
Galahad slowly turned his head.
Percival looked away.
Interesting clouds.
Very interesting clouds.
"The king of france has also confirmed." Said percival quickly.
No reaction.
"Henry tudor." Said Said percival quickly.
Nothing.
"Manuel of portugal." Said percival quickly.
Nothing.
Percival closed his mouth.
John's voice suddenly came from behind them.
"Rome has changed three sections of the assigned yokanian residence in six days."
Percival jumped.
"God's balls." Said percival Immediately while turning around.
John stood beneath a black cloak.
Galahad did not react.
John looked at him and said coldly "Two servants replaced. One kitchen worker dismissed. One guard rotated from the eastern entrance."
"Reason." Asked galahad.
"Officially." Said john coldly.
Galahad waited.
John's eyes narrowed as he said "Illness. Poor conduct. Scheduling."
Percival sighed and said "And unofficially."
"I do not believe in coincidence when priests possess keys." Said john coldly.
Galahad's jaw tightened.
"What about your shadows." Asked galahad calmly.
"Already moving." Said john with his back still turned.
"Her majesty is not to know unless there is something worth knowing." Said galahad calmly.
John looked at him.
"She already knows Rome is dangerous." Said galahad.
"She also knows charles will be there." Said john calmly with squinted eyes.
Silence.
Percival suddenly became very interested in his ledgers again.
Galahad stared at john.
John stared back.
Then disappeared into the workers.
Percival slowly rubbed his forehead.
"Wonderful." Said percival quietly.
"What." Asked galahad calmly.
"Nothing, your grace." Said percival quickly.
*BWOOOOOM*
Another harbor horn sounded.
The final supply wagons entered the royal dock.
The le fay towered over them.
Five billion dollars of timber, steel, cannon, rope, luxury, yorkanian pride and enough weaponry to make the phrase diplomatic voyage slightly dishonest.
Workers moved faster.
Rome waited.
…
Europe / Habsburg Netherlands / Brussels Palace: May 23rd, 1519.
It was an ugly afternoon for the world.
The rain struck the palace windows lightly, and charles of habsburg was discovering that patience became considerably more irritating once it received a date.
(Charles's POV)
The yorkanian seal remained unbroken.
Charles stared down at it.
Gattinara stood across the table with his hands folded behind his back.
"Open it." Said gattinara calmly.
Charles looked at him.
Gattinara's face remained serious.
"You have been staring for nearly a minute, your majesty." Said gattinara calmly.
"I was thinking." Said charles calmly.
"Of course." Said gattinara with dismissive eyes.
Wise men remained irritating.
Charles broke the seal.
*CRK*
He opened the letter.
Short.
Formal.
Yorkania had accepted the sovereignty meeting.
The queen mother would attend personally.
Charles read the final sentence once.
Then again.
Gattinara noticed.
Naturally.
"She is coming." Said gattinara calmly.
"Apparently." Said charles while placing the letter down.
Gattinara looked toward the paper and asked "After fifteen months of ignoring your marriage offer."
"She did not ignore it." Said charles calmly.
Gattinara raised one eyebrow.
Charles leaned back in his chair and said "She refused to answer it. There is a difference."
"Of course...a difference, your majesty." Said gattinara calmly.
Charles's eyes narrowed slightly.
Gattinara smiled.
Charles looked toward the rain.
Morgan the unmoved.
The last time he had seen her, yorkania was bleeding.
Now its roads were rebuilt.
Its schools had multiplied.
Its crown had survived rome.
And the woman he had offered marriage to had spent more than a year becoming harder to dismiss.
Good.
Charles stood and folded his hands behind his back.
"Prepare for rome." Said charles calmly.
Gattinara nodded and asked "And the marriage."
Charles looked back at the yorkanian seal.
"It remains where I placed it." Said charles calmly.
Gattinara's lips twitched.
"At her eye level." Said gattinara calmly.
Charles looked at him.
"Do not become irritating." Said charles calmly.
"Too late, your majesty." Said gattinara with a bow.
Charles looked toward the window again.
Somewhere beyond the sea, yorkania was preparing to move.
So was he.
…
North America / Kingdom of Yorkania / Manhattan Royal Docks: May 25th, 1519.
The harbor bells rang.
*DONG* *DONG* *DONG*
Ropes were released.
Workers shouted.
Sails opened above the le fay like enormous black and gold wings.
Galahad stood near the boarding bridge.
Percival carried enough documents to kill a smaller man if dropped correctly.
Merlin inspected a crate of wine for the third time.
John was nowhere visible.
Good.
The dockmaster raised his hand.
"CAST OFF." Said the dockmaster loudly at the top of his lungs.
The le fay moved.
Slowly at first.
Then the enormous ship began pulling away from manhattan.
Thousands watched from the harbor.
Dock workers.
Merchants.
Soldiers.
Children.
Widows.
Nobles.
Commoners.
The five billion dollar flagship turned toward the Atlantic.
Toward europe.
Toward rome.
Toward kings.
The harbor bell rang again.
*DONG*
And for the first time since the war of the bleeding roads, yorkania was not waiting for europe to cross the sea.
Yorkania was coming to them.
…
THE END…