Towards German Unity (Part 4)
Title: Towards German Unity
Author: jemsquash
Beta: aoi_aka
Genre: Histroical Romance
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Genderbends, history references.
Chapter Summary: The Austro-Prussian war is over, Prussia a clear winner. But Luise is less than impressed with what still has to happen.
Part 4
23 August 1866, Prague
When Luise had become the Confederation of the Rhine she had been a sobbing toddler, banished to the nursery while France presided over the treaty that gave him full control over all the bits of her that didn’t belong directly to Austria, Prussia, Denmark or Sweden.
She remembered Austria’s grip tighten on her arm as France on horseback came into view, filling the courtyard with his leaving entourage of soldiers and nobles and servants. She remembered being picked up and handed to France, the feel of his beard as he kissed her cheek and called her mon petit chou. She remembered how Denmark looked away and Sweden stared at the floor, how Austria had already left and how Prussia met France’s smile with a glare that promised sweet revenge.
She remembered being handed over to a governess who would escort her to Paris and a nursery similar to the one she had had in Vienna. Apart from the language, she found her new home identical to the old one.
A month later the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved and for a moment she felt stronger, more powerful and vast than she could have ever imagined. Her governess could not work out why she spent the rest of the day sobbing.
When the Sixth Coalition dissolved the Confederation of Rhine, Luise had been a young girl in her bedroom slipping into a coma that lasted twenty months.
She remembered the feverish pain/pleasure as German fought German, the dizziness that grew stronger as each country signed for the dissolving of her, of her people’s voices growing fainter until one last voice called for “Liberation and natural growth of a Nation,” before darkness fell and she knew nothing more.
Later she learnt that she had spent most of her coma under Switzerland’s care, with Verni threatening and shooting at any Nation that tried to make off with her before the Congress of Vienna had finished and ownership of her had been officialised. Verni claimed she did it only as leverage in having her neutrality guaranteed.
When the German Confederation was finally set up and made official by Austria, Prussia, Russia and England; she had woken up in Austria’s house, one of his many tenants.
She remembered waking up, head stuffed with treaties and agreements that she had had never agreed to, yet had to obey. Of her skin feeling too loose and her people too far away.
A decade later Prussia handed her an innocent piece of paper and she had an overwhelming urge to agree to the Zollverein without reading it, just because it was the first document she had ever been asked to read and sign. The strength she got from that trade agreement grew and grew till she finally had the power to stand up for herself and leave for Frankfurt and the revolutions.
When Luise had tried to become the Erfurt Union she had been in Prussia’s arms, missing the meeting where Austria and Russia reduced her back to the German Confederation.
She remembered the enticing ache, beyond what Prussia was doing to her body, as her people seemed to become clearer and stronger to her than ever before. She remembered the feeling, as if a door had slammed on her fingers, when Austria abruptly stopped both her physical and political foray.
When Luise changed from the German Confederation to the North German Confederation, she was at the treaty signing next to Prussia with her own officials and politicians.
She stood happily and proudly, staring straight at a battered Austria and a fuming Hungary while her southern states faded away from her but her northern states for the first time, were under her control, and hers alone.
She did not faint from the overwhelming feeling until she was sure the Austrian officials were all out of sight.
When she came to she was in a train carriage, lying on a bench across from Prussia who was looking over some documents. Looking over him she saw that the rest of the carriage was filled with crates and boxes.
“Awake already, my Northern German Confederation?” said Gilbert, putting down the papers next to him.
Luise said the first thing on her mind. “I’m getting quite sick of all the name changes. Which line are we on?” Trains were something that had become very dear to her heart. They were so powerful, yet so versatile. She had spent the few months of the Austro-Prussian war working with the army’s quartermasters, organising supply lines via the railways. She had almost been sorry when Austria accepted the surrender terms so quickly and she had to leave her post to join the delegation to Prague.
“The Dresden line, we changed over a few hours ago.” Gilbert produced a flask from under his seat and knelt next to Luise to help her sit up and drink it. “We’re heading for Berlin. And don’t get used to the name, I think you’re pretty close to making your nickname official Reich.”
Luise coughed in surprise, both from the strong whiskey and from Gilbert’s words. “But I thought you would be the Empire, or both of us. Not just me.”
“It’s a technicality really. My people are German but your people aren’t Prussian.” Gilbert sat down next to Luise and put an arm around her shoulders. “It will mean a great deal to your people and my people know not to mind.” He kissed her ear then at her shudder proceeded to lick and nip at it till Luise nudged him away with her shoulder.
“Where are we going?”
“We’re headed for Berlin. I seem to remember offering to show you my room in the palace.” Gilbert pulled at her sleeve till it slipped down then began nibbling on the rest of her shoulder.
“Gilbert I’ve been in a coma for days…”
“Two weeks. Fast recovery. When I went from Duchy to Kingdom I was out for a month.” Wet kisses to her neck were slowly becoming sucking bites that were going to leave marks.
“Can’t you wait till we get home?” Despite her words Luise bent her neck for better access and let him pull her onto his lap. Home sounded nice.
“Let me think.” Gilbert stopped and looked at her. “No.” He gave her a forceful kiss which she accepted, letting him invade her mouth and twine their tongues together. Teeth clacked together as Gilbert nipped and sucked till her lips were back to his favourite kiss reddened state.
“Gilbert,” Luise sighed as he undid the front of her dress. “I’m dirty and sweaty. Wouldn’t this be nicer if I was clean and fresh.” A fault on the tracks bumped them back against the bench. “And stationary. Call me old fashioned but I want my first time with my husband to be in a bed.”
“Fiancé,” Gilbert corrected absentmindedly, as her breasts came into his view. Her sudden steel grip on his hair forced his eyes back up to her face.
“What was that?” Hissed Luise, tired, filthy and angry.
“We’re not fully merged yet. My king isn’t actually your king yet.” Said Gilbert calmly, trying to pull her closer to his chest.
“That’s because your king turned down my proposal seventeen years ago!” Luise almost screamed in frustration. “Why aren’t we unified? What more does your stupid king-“ Luise stopped abruptly realizing something. Gilbert let himself have one more eyeful of her breasts. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to see them for a while. “It’s that Prime Minister Bismarck isn’t it.” Luise got off of Gilbert’s lap and glared at him while buttoning her dress front. “What else does he want?”
Gilbert sighed, “The southern states. All of them, save Austria.”
Luise was incapable of speech for a moment, the sheer amount of nerve it took to dream of uniting with Baden or Bavaria, let alone both of them and all of the other small but rich states. “Their princes would never allow it. That’s why they stopped the Erfurt Union.”
“But you said it yourself.” Gilbert took her hands in his. “That was seventeen years ago. Things have changed.” He smiled his evil smile. “I beat Austria, he’s lost Venice, he’s not all powerful anymore. Those princes are cautious, not stupid. We’re the stronger power, the better option. Otto thinks it will only take one more war to unify us all, together.” He tried to guide her back to his lap but Luise would not go.
“Fine.” Luise pulled her hands from Gilbert’s and looked around for an exit. “Then I’ll see you after this one more war.” She turned and made her unsteady way to the carriage exit.
Gilbert pouted to himself once she was gone and hoped Otto von Bismark could goad someone into fighting them, fast.
Meanwhile…
From the small bundle of white material a soft pink hand reached out to touch the shiny object that was Switzerland’s gun. Vreni looked at the tiny nation in disgust and re-holstered her weapon. It was typical really. A new German nation gets created and its personification has to materialise in the only part of it that lay between Switzerland and Austria. Just what she needed: more German nations.
Said personification of the Southern German States reached out towards a passing butterfly. It floated just out of reach of its waving hands, making the child giggle. Vreni was not fooled by its adorableness. Roderich used to pick wild flowers and put them in her hair, but he had turned into a land hungry extravagant empire. Just like all her other neighbours. Even little Luise’s people had been around trying to talk her German speaking citizens into rebelling. Switzerland now distrusted all nations equally.
It would be days before Roderich made his limping way home and could actually sense the new nation’s presence and send someone to get it. The sensible thing to do would be to turn it in at the nearest Austrian embassy.
The child’s hand got a grip on Vreni’s leg, and grinning madly used that grip to pull itself up to its feet and look up at her. The German state had the same green eyes as Switzerland and the same straw coloured hair. Then it let go of her leg and fell down. It giggled some more about that.
Vreni sighed and lifted the child up on to her hip briskly. She had been on her way to the Italies wedding, free Italian food being free Italian food. She could hand the child in later when it suited her schedule.
Switzerland left Liechtenstein territory without looking back.
Chapter 4