The way back was a real nuisance, I did not foresee that two of my three sisters-in-law would have a problem with riding in the saddle, so in Wrocław I had to buy a carriage, which was also not easy. In the 17th century there were no Carriage Salons or Carriage Dealership, you didn't enter from the street and bought immediately if you had money. You had to order the carriage and wait for it to be made, luckily you could buy a used one... but I overpaid anyway so as not to waste time on stupid negotiations.
The second reason I decided to buy a carriage was Sophie, or rather her annoying behavior... I understand that her recent experiences may have been traumatic, the loss of her mother and brothers, seeing her sisters rap.ed... but it was terribly irritating that she would not leave me even for a moment... I don't really like my kids, and I still have to deal with someone else's brat... fuck no, I'm not from Unficef.
"Sophie, you will go in the carriage with your sisters, someone has to help them, they have had difficult times... and there is no other woman here with us. You do not need to be afraid, you will be safe." (MC)
"Michał..." (Sophie)
I stroked her head... Despite this, I tried to be nice to her, Sophie will also have to give up her inheritance in favor of Elisabeth and Władysław... if I had only added her to the list... but no, I wanted to be a good husband, fuck.
"I don't argue with you, I tell you what to do and you will do it... and you will do it for our good. In the event of an attack, I cannot fight with you sitting behind me." (MC)
The rest of our trip went smoothly, but it couldn't have been otherwise... no one knew about us, no one was looking for us, we looked as if some wealthy nobleman was traveling with his family and guards. Less than three weeks later, we were already in Warsaw, in the air you could already feel the coming winter... and the year 1641 was coming to an end, to think that I am already 36... I feel old.
Now the worst was waiting for me, that is, passing to my wife the information that most of her family is already knocking at the gates of heaven... I hope she will bear it well.
"Where's the Lady?" (MC)
"In the library, together with the children, Lord." (Maid)
"Prepare three guest rooms and baths, and something warm to eat. I think today Lady and her sisters will eat separately." (MC)
As the maid said, Elisabeth was in the library with the children to whom she read the fairy tales I once wrote. As soon as she saw me, she immediately rose from her chair.
"Do not get up." (MC)
"Are they dead?" (Elisabeth)
Her voice broke slightly as she asked the question.
"Your mother and brothers, yes. Louise, Henriette and Sophia are alive, but Louise and Henriette... they... are alive and well, but have been rap.ed." (MC)
There was no good way to convey this information... Elisabeth turned pale, but this time she did not pass out which was a good sign. Her eyes grew sad and tears filled them... I went to my wife, I kissed her head and hugged her... only then the dam broke and her tears flowed like a river.
"The most important thing is that your sisters are safe... go to them, help them as you can, and I will stay with the children... and I will tell you the rest later." (MC)
After a dozen or so minutes, Elisabeth calmed down and took my advice... Władysław and Anna were lying in their cradles and sleeping. I sat down in the armchair, picked up the book that Elisabeth was reading to them.
"Boring... I'd better tell you a story. It is a myth or legend from the Caucasus Mountains, the same mountains in which Jason found the golden fleece..." (MC)
I decided to tell them the Chechen legend about the gray she-wolf... it didn't matter what I told them, they both slept anyway, and even if they weren't asleep, a few-month-old baby wouldn't understand anything anyway, it was more for me than it was for them... I had to collect my thoughts... that helped me and one thing was for sure, Austria and the whole Empire must fall next.
I called the maid to take care of the children and went to the office to talk to Wroński... it turned out that there was some correspondence waiting for me there, letters from Ivan, Saddat, Moldavian hospodar, Jerzy Rakoczy and Graf Ferber... it seemed that the end of the year and next year will be busy... a few minutes later, Wroński appeared in my office.
"It's good that you are here, do you remember when I told you that you will have to go to Vienna?" (MC)
"Yes Lord, when am I supposed to leave?" (Wroński)
"Take your time... first you will rest for a few days. This time I will not give you letters. You will give Jankiel and Aram's family to start smuggling gunpowder, Greek fire and various poisons to Vienna." (MC)
"I understand Greek powder and fire, but poisons?" (Wroński)
"To poison the wells in the city, a man will not survive without water more than a few days... You can take Vienna by force, it is a pity to destroy the walls and buildings... but It will not be soon, I expect a war in two or three years." (MC)
I waited for one important event, or actually two... The release of our king's brother and the death of the queen... these two events will isolate the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the Habsburgs and bring us closer to France.