Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II

Rural Silesia

The wisent seemed to be happy to not have to dig through the snow to get to the fodder that was being laid out for them. They were part of the Graf’s long-term project of restoring the lands that he owned to as pristine a condition as possible. He had convinced the Reichstag of Silesia to incorporate the forest bison into the State flag and giving the animals protected status. Ilse thought that they were fun to watch. Like the various types of deer that Graf kept careful track of, one could learn a lot about the seasons by watching them. Ilse had to remind herself that these were wild animals because they

Is it just me or is something missing here?
 
I find it significant that Czar Gregory gave the newborn Alexei a title that represents Siberia, it is a signal that the Czar is not feeling secure enough on the throne for him or his heirs.
Right now there may be among the populace proclaiming that the birth of a healthy son to "St. Sasha" to be a miracle and that Alexei is "The One True Czar" and Gregory will not like that.

I always find the way Graf von Richthofen and Ilse interact with each fascinating because when they first met they were very wary of each other and as time has gone by the Graf sees Ilse the daughter he always wanted, I see that scene as part of the instruction that Ilse is getting for the time when she takes over the running of the von Richthofen estates.
 
I always find the way Graf von Richthofen and Ilse interact with each fascinating because when they first met they were very wary of each other and as time has gone by the Graf sees Ilse the daughter he always wanted, I see that scene as part of the instruction that Ilse is getting for the time when she takes over the running of the von Richthofen estates.

Although Ilse and the Graf are close, particularly around their shared interests of nature and conservation, I reckon the Old Man's also quite proud of Helene. Not so much the two youngest daughters though.
 
“You all heard the story about what she told von Papen when he threatened to cut her off and what she has done since”

I believe that the Russian Sisters have identified the Financier as well as outing Mithras to Kiki.
Old Franz certainly has the skill set to finance Mithras, having done similar things in Mexico & the USA during Big Mistake Number One. And using funds embezzeled from the Hohenzollern Trust to finance an anti-Hohenzollern / Imperial Government terrorist organisation...
Does the Berlin Zoo have a slightly peckish tiger available?
 
No, I think this time we need a big court case where von Papen is accused of high treason, creation and financing of a terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder, embezzlement and tax evasion.
 
No, I think this time we need a big court case where von Papen is accused of high treason, creation and financing of a terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder, embezzlement and tax evasion.

Found not guilty on all but tax evasion.

The Capone approach.
 
In convoluted thinking time, this is my theory:
Franz von Papen sees the reign of Louis Ferdinand and his approach to the institution of the monarchy as disastrous to Germany.
He especially sees how the reforms started by Augustus Lang and endorsed by the Kaiser has made the Germany that he grew up in a distant memory that very few people today would want to go back to, but what do those people know.
Franz von Papen wants to discredit the Kaiser and his family by having them be self indulgent but Kiki just threw a spanner in to his plans.
von Papen is able to siphon money from the trusts by padding the bills and purchases and hiding the embezzlement by cooking the books.
The reason that he wanted Kiki to use the money from the trust in "frivolous" items because since it is most likely that the bill for such purchases are not made directly to the family but is handled by the trust itself and the family never sees the bill but gets a statement from the trust that hides the embezzlement .

Now for Kiki it is very much in character for her to want to live in the most unassuming way as possible because she was raised in her formative years at first with war time restrictions and post war austerity coupled with having Kat set an example of being economical in her own life.
Kiki finds that she is very uncomfortable with the thought of buying herself anything that is luxurious but has been shown to be very generous to her friends without hesitation.
The problem is that today with her resources and obligations it is very unreasonable for her to live like the way she does.
 
I think that’s a very good analysis of a complex situation. Royal frivolity would make a perfect platform to undermine it from within.

Those stock certificates could also help replinish the depleted coffers.
 
I think that the principle is still mostly intact but the income from interests and dividends has been embezzled and the dividends from the Sony stock is what the trust wants.
 
I'm still not sure why von Papen should be on the board of the Hohenzollern Trust.
He is a very trustworthy Conservative Gentleman from an Old Junker Family who would never do anything illegal or unethical and because of that he is the most logical person for the job.
 
I'm still not sure why von Papen should be on the board of the Hohenzollern Trust.

I'm pretty sure that Kiki has been asking that same question for a while now. And that her questions on the subject will be getting more... pointed... shall we say?

As for the Russian Sisters', it looks as if Kiki has just been granted access to a well established and efficient private intelligence network. More over, one that is capable of monitoring the mood on the street & of infiltrating high society.

You could also probably wager that someone as arrogant & reactionary as von Papen has never considered the possibility that any of his servants, especially the female ones, would be aware of his machinations. Or that any of his assorted underlings would be stupid enough to talk in the presence of those same. After all, they're just servants; practically furniture really. Right?
 
He is a very trustworthy Conservative Gentleman from an Old Junker Family who would never do anything illegal or unethical and because of that he is the most logical person for the job.
But the connection to the Hohenzollern Family is rather shaky...
Louis had a couple of Brothers and Cousins who would make a lot more sense than von Papen...
 
But the connection to the Hohenzollern Family is rather shaky...
Louis had a couple of Brothers and Cousins who would make a lot more sense than von Papen...

From what P-M has written about the Trust & how it was set up (by his father?), Louis may not have had a say in who is appointed as a Trustee. The intention appears to have been to stop the family from frittering away the principle of their holdings.
 
I'm pretty sure that Kiki has been asking that same question for a while now. And that her questions on the subject will be getting more... pointed... shall we say?

As for the Russian Sisters', it looks as if Kiki has just been granted access to a well established and efficient private intelligence network. More over, one that is capable of monitoring the mood on the street & of infiltrating high society.

You could also probably wager that someone as arrogant & reactionary as von Papen has never considered the possibility that any of his servants, especially the female ones, would be aware of his machinations. Or that any of his assorted underlings would be stupid enough to talk in the presence of those same. After all, they're just servants; practically furniture really. Right?
There is also the very real possibility that von Papen himself or an underling frequents gentlemen's clubs of a certain persuation and solicited the services of various ladies of negotiable affection, and inadvertently spilled the beans in the aftermath of rigorous stress-alleviation sessions.

On an unrelated note, how awesome would it be if the Russian Sisters had Ruska Roma-esque divisions that trains orphans (?) in wrestling and ballet, and paved the way of a second Joanna Wick (the first one is, of course, our favourite Tante Kat)?

Marc A
 
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On an unrelated note, how awesome would it be if the Russian Sisters had a Ruska Roma-esque divisions that trains orphans (?) in wrestling and ballet, and paved the way of a second Joanna Wick (the first one is, of course, our favourite Tante Kat).
Marc A

More like Black Widow II. Seeing as there is a (House of) Romanov already trained in such things.
 
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