Part 129, Chapter 2199
Chapter Two Thousand One Hundred Ninety-Nine
27th January 1973
Plänterwald
Girls like Annette or Sophie presented a lot of challenges, not the least of which was that for a parent they were almost impossible punish. What was the worst you could do to them? They had already endured starvation and beatings. Compared to that, a week or two without television or a few hours confined to their bedrooms was nothing. It was particularly difficult with Sophie because she could be so fatalistic at times. She was expecting what she had to be taken away from her at any time by those in positions of authority. So, that meant that any move to do that by Katherine would just be negative reinforcement.
When Charlotte had spoken to Katherine on the phone, she had heard the frustration and worry in Katherine’s voice at Sophie having taken off on her bicycle in the face of a blizzard while not equipped for it. Charlotte had seen the clothes that Sophie had been wearing and it was a wonder that she hadn’t become a popsicle long before she had made it to the outer gates of the Winter Residence. That had been extremely reckless, but other than telling Sophie that it had been a foolish thing to have done, Kat was at a loss for exactly what to do about it.
If Louis were in town, Charlotte would get him to try to talk to Sophie, but he was in Spain getting the support of King Juan III for his so-far unnamed International support organization. Louis had fairly good track-record when it came to getting through to self-destructive adolescents. Though it was certainly debatable if that was something that his older children had ever really grown out of.
Friedrich clearly envied his younger siblings’ relative freedom in that regard. Michael seemed to want to revive the Knights of the Round Table. Kiki seemed to have settled into her life as an Attending Surgeon at the University Hospital in Tempelhof but was always volunteering to go out into the field. Louis Junior commanded a ship on the North Sea, something that was not for the faint of heart even when the Navy was not at war. Charlotte was surprised by Rea, who was playing a key role in shaping what Galicia-Ruthenia was in the process of becoming. Vicky’s life was just as strange as it had ever been. She was presently in negotiations with King Albrecht of Bavaria and her husband, Prince Franz, over whether or not they would attempt to have another child. It was an awkward situation to say the least, mostly because Vicky was holding all the cards this time. Charlotte was aware of how Vicky and Franz had entered into this arrangement to avoid scandal, any unreasonable demands by Albrecht would be inviting exactly that.
That circled back to Antonia and Annette. They had been friends with Sophie since they had all shared a room with Marie Alexandra von Mischner-Blackwood years earlier over a Summer Holiday spent at Hohenzollern Castle. Apparently, Sophie had borrowed some records and books from them and had decided that they needed to be returned immediately after Nella had asked about in earlier in the day. Apparently, weather had not been something that Sophie had cared too much about, having disregarded several warnings. Charlotte couldn’t believe Sophie’s hubris. On the other hand, Nella and Nan had been overjoyed to have Sophie and Sprocket as guests as they were spending the weekend by the fireplace in the game room.
Strait of Dover
The seas were high as SMS K24 “Grindwal” transited the English Channel. It was a trivial matter after the storm they had ridden out in the North Sea, the same storm that was dumping loads of snow on land. Louis Ferdinand Junior had almost delayed the departure of the Grindwal due to the storm, but by then the crew had been aware that he had received orders sending them to Cartagena on the Mediterranean Sea on a diplomatic mission. Any delays would have been met with outrage and Borchardt had told Louis that “Give the babies their bottle” was exactly what he should do in this case, just make sure that he battened down the hatches as it were, first.
Predictably, many of the Junior Enlisted had gotten seasick and Borchardt had hardly batted an eyelash as the Grindwal had been thrown around by the storm. Louis had been there years earlier, aboard the old Super Dreadnaught SMS Brandenburg. Being so ill that he had been unable to get out of his bunk while even a ship that size was tossed around as she had made the long journey in radio silence from Kiel to the Yellow Sea. It was part of the process of becoming a proper Sailor and getting your sea legs.
Today, the weather had cleared somewhat, and they were headed south at moderate speed. As expected, they were being shadowed by ships from the British Navy. Louis had seen them through his binoculars, three Destroyers. Radioing the respective Captains of those ships his regards had probably been borrowing trouble, but no more than encouraging the Radar Operators to practice getting a target lock on those ships. With the missile systems powered down and offline, it didn’t do more than set alarms off. They had certainly returned the favor.
Stepping out of the bridge, Louis scanned the horizon ahead. He would be absolutely shocked if the French Navy didn’t make an appearance soon.
“Will look at that, Sir” One of men said, pointing at the water towards the bow. Louis saw black and dark grey figures riding the bow wave of the ship and smiled. A pod of Pilot Whales, the Grindwal’s namesake, had joined them.
“That is what a good omen looks like” Louis replied to the Sailor who grinned back.
27th January 1973
Plänterwald
Girls like Annette or Sophie presented a lot of challenges, not the least of which was that for a parent they were almost impossible punish. What was the worst you could do to them? They had already endured starvation and beatings. Compared to that, a week or two without television or a few hours confined to their bedrooms was nothing. It was particularly difficult with Sophie because she could be so fatalistic at times. She was expecting what she had to be taken away from her at any time by those in positions of authority. So, that meant that any move to do that by Katherine would just be negative reinforcement.
When Charlotte had spoken to Katherine on the phone, she had heard the frustration and worry in Katherine’s voice at Sophie having taken off on her bicycle in the face of a blizzard while not equipped for it. Charlotte had seen the clothes that Sophie had been wearing and it was a wonder that she hadn’t become a popsicle long before she had made it to the outer gates of the Winter Residence. That had been extremely reckless, but other than telling Sophie that it had been a foolish thing to have done, Kat was at a loss for exactly what to do about it.
If Louis were in town, Charlotte would get him to try to talk to Sophie, but he was in Spain getting the support of King Juan III for his so-far unnamed International support organization. Louis had fairly good track-record when it came to getting through to self-destructive adolescents. Though it was certainly debatable if that was something that his older children had ever really grown out of.
Friedrich clearly envied his younger siblings’ relative freedom in that regard. Michael seemed to want to revive the Knights of the Round Table. Kiki seemed to have settled into her life as an Attending Surgeon at the University Hospital in Tempelhof but was always volunteering to go out into the field. Louis Junior commanded a ship on the North Sea, something that was not for the faint of heart even when the Navy was not at war. Charlotte was surprised by Rea, who was playing a key role in shaping what Galicia-Ruthenia was in the process of becoming. Vicky’s life was just as strange as it had ever been. She was presently in negotiations with King Albrecht of Bavaria and her husband, Prince Franz, over whether or not they would attempt to have another child. It was an awkward situation to say the least, mostly because Vicky was holding all the cards this time. Charlotte was aware of how Vicky and Franz had entered into this arrangement to avoid scandal, any unreasonable demands by Albrecht would be inviting exactly that.
That circled back to Antonia and Annette. They had been friends with Sophie since they had all shared a room with Marie Alexandra von Mischner-Blackwood years earlier over a Summer Holiday spent at Hohenzollern Castle. Apparently, Sophie had borrowed some records and books from them and had decided that they needed to be returned immediately after Nella had asked about in earlier in the day. Apparently, weather had not been something that Sophie had cared too much about, having disregarded several warnings. Charlotte couldn’t believe Sophie’s hubris. On the other hand, Nella and Nan had been overjoyed to have Sophie and Sprocket as guests as they were spending the weekend by the fireplace in the game room.
Strait of Dover
The seas were high as SMS K24 “Grindwal” transited the English Channel. It was a trivial matter after the storm they had ridden out in the North Sea, the same storm that was dumping loads of snow on land. Louis Ferdinand Junior had almost delayed the departure of the Grindwal due to the storm, but by then the crew had been aware that he had received orders sending them to Cartagena on the Mediterranean Sea on a diplomatic mission. Any delays would have been met with outrage and Borchardt had told Louis that “Give the babies their bottle” was exactly what he should do in this case, just make sure that he battened down the hatches as it were, first.
Predictably, many of the Junior Enlisted had gotten seasick and Borchardt had hardly batted an eyelash as the Grindwal had been thrown around by the storm. Louis had been there years earlier, aboard the old Super Dreadnaught SMS Brandenburg. Being so ill that he had been unable to get out of his bunk while even a ship that size was tossed around as she had made the long journey in radio silence from Kiel to the Yellow Sea. It was part of the process of becoming a proper Sailor and getting your sea legs.
Today, the weather had cleared somewhat, and they were headed south at moderate speed. As expected, they were being shadowed by ships from the British Navy. Louis had seen them through his binoculars, three Destroyers. Radioing the respective Captains of those ships his regards had probably been borrowing trouble, but no more than encouraging the Radar Operators to practice getting a target lock on those ships. With the missile systems powered down and offline, it didn’t do more than set alarms off. They had certainly returned the favor.
Stepping out of the bridge, Louis scanned the horizon ahead. He would be absolutely shocked if the French Navy didn’t make an appearance soon.
“Will look at that, Sir” One of men said, pointing at the water towards the bow. Louis saw black and dark grey figures riding the bow wave of the ship and smiled. A pod of Pilot Whales, the Grindwal’s namesake, had joined them.
“That is what a good omen looks like” Louis replied to the Sailor who grinned back.
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