The next two days I spent mainly in taverns and brothels ... one thing was for sure, I never slept with an ugly woman, but it happened that I woke up next to them, alcohol is the only substance in the world that makes every woman more beautiful.
The day of the audience came, I cleaned myself up, washed away the smell of cheap hookers and alcohol, I looked almost human now. In Jazłowiec, I tried to behave decently to avoid rumors, the lover on the side was not a problem, but the Lord who visits brothels is already a small scandal. Such charms of small towns, but Warsaw and over 100,000 residents and several thousand visitors every day is a different matter.
In the afternoon I went to the Royal Palace where I had another verbal skirmish with a group of guards and insignificant officials. I hated all this ceremonial and etiquette ... after several minutes I was led to the private quarters where the King received guests.
The king was sitting at a table with two men and they were talking about something. Then the court clerk who accompanied me announced my arrival. I went inside, I bowed low.
"Your Highness." (MC)
Now I had to wait for the King's answer ... what a waste of time.
"Greetings, Wilkomir. Forgive me to call you by your name, but your father was like my brother, so you are almost like my son." (Sigismund III Vasa)
Sure, my father supported you, you even liked him, but you didn't show up at your "brother's" funeral. Having a family like that, why do I need enemies ... suck up, pretend, lie ... repeat it to yourself.
"Father always spoke well of Your Majesty, it is an honor for me to meet you personally." (MC)
My mouth tasted worse than after leaving the brothel... and I wasn't sure how often this whore took a bath.
"Sit down and let me introduce you to the Grand Marshal of the Crown, Mikołaj Wolski and Vice Chancellor of the Crown Wacław Leszczyński." (Sigismund III Vasa)
I knew both of them from history, and although the vice-chancellor did not impress me, the marshal was a character with whom I wanted to get acquainted, in his estates of the mundane there were several manufactories that dealt with smelting metal ores, they were modern workshops for those times. Where, apart from smelting metals, metals were also processed with a large hammer driven by a water wheel.
"First we will talk about more urgent matters, the Grand Chancellor of the Crown received a letter from you regarding the actions of the Swedish among the Cossacks." (Sigismund III Vasa)
"All I knew I put in the list, the only thing I can add is that the Cossacks are not satisfied with the size of the register, and after the death of Hetman Sahajdaczny, relations with the Cossacks have become more tense." (MC)
"You know a lot about the Cossacks ..." (Sigismund III Vasa)
"Unfortunately not so much to prevent an uprising." (MC)
"The country cannot afford to enlarge the register, and secondly, they do not want to convert." (Sigismund III Vasa)
"Your Majesty, I do not know the state of the treasury, nor will I speak about their faith. However, from the south we are threatened by the Turks and Tatars, from the north by Swedes, from the east by Moscow. There are 80,000 Cossacks, we do not need another enemy. If the Catholic League loses, we will be threatened by the Protestant Union from the west." (MC)
"You see only enemies around you, but no allies? Austria, Spain, the Papal State?" (Sigismund III Vasa)
"The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth can only have two allies ... a strong army and a strong navy." (MC)
"And the countries I mentioned?" (Sigismund III Vasa)
"Spain will succumb to England or France. Austria is a colossus on clay feet, at the moment it does not even control its electors ... and the Papal State is only interested in its neighbors." (MC)
"Do you think the Swedes will attack? We signed the peace not so long ago, although it wasn't my way." (Sigismund III Vasa)
"Your Majesty, if our enemy speaks of peace, it means that his troops are already waiting at the border." (MC)
I didn't know if the King would take what I was saying seriously, but there was a chance that maybe something would get through to his empty head. Our conversation was listened to by the Marshal and the Vice-Chancellor, but they did not speak up, as if they wanted to judge me.
"Your Majesty, there is not much I can do, but if you agree, I can accept a thousand Cossacks for service, but I would like it to be officially ... I would need a letter to Ataman Koszowy and Cossack elders." (MC)
"I'll think about it. I read your books, but as far as I know, Hieronim didn't send you to study." (Sigismund III Vasa)
"No, I was home schooled. My father hired some Dominicans and other teachers to teach me Latin, writing, reading, math, Scripture, and several languages." (MC)
"Yes, I understand. I heard many things about you, you fought against the Swede in Livonia and you were wounded, you killed Stadnicki's sons, your lands prospered, and in 300 people you defeated 10,000 Tatars and killed Khan Temir. Many achievements for someone so young." (Sigismund III Vasa)
"It is not for me to judge, Your Majesty." (MC)
Sure, I achieved a lot, much more than the rest of the parasites you keep at your court ... Instead of dealing with the state, he only has a Swedish throne in his head, painting and building clocks ... you'd better do if you repaired the bridge.
"I called you to Warsaw to reward your successes. However, I must first consult with the Marshal and the Vice-Chancellor ... now you can leave. You will be summoned again to the palace tomorrow or the day after." (Sigismund III Vasa)
There was nothing left for me to do but say goodbye to everyone, I bowed low and my audience was over.