Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II

[ejpsan]

While I tend to agree that this is a bonehead move on the part of Daddy Kaiser, this is not going to get out to the public because who is going to spread the story?
Ben knows the discretion is the better part of keeping his relationship with Kiki going is not going to tell anyone who might spill the beans.
His parents especially his mother Nadine knows better then to disclose anything that might bring attention to them from their backyard neighbor.
The security team that brought Ben before the Kaiser did it in a.way that the public didn't see and they were picked because of their unassailable loyalty to the Imperial Family so they are not going to blab anything about it and I am going to presume that this was an off the books operationally.

What the real problem is that Ben is still seeing the relationship with Kiki through Middle Class glasses and has no true idea what it is for Kiki to be a Princess.
In order for Kiki to function through out the day she needs a team of people to do things for her like having a social secretary just to say no to all the requests that is being made on her time so that she go to medical school, Kiki needs something like a Gentleman's Gentleman to act like a butler, lady's maid, housekeeper, and cook so that she is not running around taking time off her studies in order to get the day to day stuff done.
Ben needs to see what life is really like for Kiki in order for him to understand what he is really getting in to it he wants a life with Kiki.

 

[Rinasoir]

God forbid parents actually be reasonable and trusting of their children. I've never gotten the whole "Dad with a shotgun" trope, I mean if a parent doesn't trust their adult children to make their own decisions when it comes to relationships, that says a lot more about the parent-child relationship than it does anything else.

 

[sonofpegasus]

I do not think it is Kiki's reaction that the Kaiser needs to fear in this situation for when Charlotte finds out what he has done, Oh Oh!!! the sticky brown stuff will be all over the air movement device.

 

[matzeskatze]

And now I imagine both Kaiser and Ben in a Man Cave, talking about the future of aircraft when suddenly Kiki and Co. enter to talk to Daddy...
Because despite all precaution she too is pregnant...

End, Ben and Lou Jr. the Arctic Explorers

 

[Dan]

I'm wondering how long Louis will keep a straight face for? It seems like the kind of stunt he would pull, expecting everyone to laugh along afterwards and feel shocked when no one does. Especially Charlotte.
If this is a serious move, it's very much out of character, unless it's simply a shock move to get a feel for Ben's character?
With Freddie and Suga expecting, Louis is likely wondering when Ben will pop the question.
The only other outcome of this is to keep Ben responsive to Kiki's wishes, in which case this is likely the wrong way about it.

 

[Sir Omega]

God forbid parents actually be reasonable and trusting of their children. I've never gotten the whole "Dad with a shotgun" trope, I mean if a parent doesn't trust their adult children to make their own decisions when it comes to relationships, that says a lot more about the parent-child relationship than it does anything else.

-shrug- People tend to do stupid shit. Young people in particular. While there are lines better not to cross, letting your kid do dumb stuff without you trying to prevent it even if "it's their own choice" it's a callous thing to do.

 

[Rinasoir]

-shrug- People tend to do stupid shit. Young people in particular. While there are lines not to cross, letting your kid do dumb stuff without you trying to prevent it even if "it's their own choice" it's a callous thing to do.

You say callous, I say mature. If we are talking about actual children, it is a different matter, but Kiki is in her early - mid 20's, she is an adult and capable of her own choices. If she fucks up, let her, it's a good teaching aid.

 

[Darth_Kiryan]

I'm wondering how long Louis will keep a straight face for? It seems like the kind of stunt he would pull, expecting everyone to laugh along afterwards and feel shocked when no one does. Especially Charlotte.
If this is a serious move, it's very much out of character, unless it's simply a shock move to get a feel for Ben's character?
With Freddie and Suga expecting, Louis is likely wondering when Ben will pop the question.
The only other outcome of this is to keep Ben responsive to Kiki's wishes, in which case this is likely the wrong way about it.

Well, Louis obviously planned this as some sort of "intimidation/joke" that has backfired somewhat because of what Ben said about Kiki saying to him "we have no future together"......I mean Louis' reaction there was pretty much akin to a 'What the Fuck?!?!'

I mean, for better or worse Kiki is obviously in love with Ben, but the problem is that being a royal Princess, she is probably expecting that she will be married off to another noble somewhere, and not a commoner, regardless of his status as a war hero - the other German royal/noble families are probably expecting Louis at best to come down hard on Kiki because she is a royal princess. Se is still expected to do her duty - its what the nobles are expecting. And by the looks of it, it is what Kiki is in a way expecting.

Both of Emperor Louis' wives were/are nobles.
So is Freddy's wife, Suga, even if she is a foreigner, she is still a noble.
Michale is expected to marry the English princess.
So its not unexpected that Kiki would be think she still has to marry a noble.

Its also like the discussion that Manfred von Richtohfen had with his wife Kate when she said its similar to how they met each other. There are similarities yes, but but there is a significant degree of difference. He was for better or worse a local baron, whereas Kiki is the Princess Royal. Their positions of nobility are not the same, so he could probably get away with it far more easily. Kiki cannot, unless Louis makes it known. The Emperor has pretty much remained aloof and disinterested in his daughters relationship with Ben, so he actually needs to make a statement about this sometime, especially to Kiki's face that he does not actually ave a problem with it. It will piss he other nobles of Germany off, might give the financier some ammo, but still it ensures that Kiki can fall in love with whoever she wants.

 

[A. Morgan]

I'm wondering how long Louis will keep a straight face for? It seems like the kind of stunt he would pull, expecting everyone to laugh along afterwards and feel shocked when no one does. Especially Charlotte.
If this is a serious move, it's very much out of character, unless it's simply a shock move to get a feel for Ben's character?
With Freddie and Suga expecting, Louis is likely wondering when Ben will pop the question.
The only other outcome of this is to keep Ben responsive to Kiki's wishes, in which case this is likely the wrong way about it.

Well I suppose Freddie gets it from somewhere .....

 

[weasel_airlift]

God forbid parents actually be reasonable and trusting of their children. I've never gotten the whole "Dad with a shotgun" trope, I mean if a parent doesn't trust their adult children to make their own decisions when it comes to relationships, that says a lot more about the parent-child relationship than it does anything else.

I believe that it is simply the traditional purview of fathers to give their daughter's suitors a hard time, regardless of their age.

Poor Ben.

Yes, this is an instance where it would be best to come clean. Yes, I'm interested in marriage, but Kiki said she can't marry a commoner, and if I ever brought it up again, she'd sic her pet kat on me.

 

[Swooper]

While I tend to agree that this is a bonehead move on the part of Daddy Kaiser, this is not going to get out to the public because who is going to spread the story?
Ben knows the discretion is the better part of keeping his relationship with Kiki going is not going to tell anyone who might spill the beans.
His parents especially his mother Nadine knows better then to disclose anything that might bring attention to them from their backyard neighbor.
The security team that brought Ben before the Kaiser did it in a.way that the public didn't see and they were picked because of their unassailable loyalty to the Imperial Family so they are not going to blab anything about it and I am going to presume that this was an off the books operationally.

I strongly (but respectfully) disagree, ejpsan, with a lot of the above. You ask, "who is going to spread the story?" The news media, of course! While Ben may not/probably wouldn't say anything, his parents sure as heck would be raising Hell before the kidnappers were a block away!! P-M makes no indication that the bully-boys introduced themselves &/or told the parents that it was a matter between the Kaiser & Ben, so they should keep quiet. So, all the parents know is that 2 bully-boys broke into their home and kidnapped their son, an officer in the Luftwaffe. I'd expect the parents to call the police ASAP, followed by their call to Ben's Luftwaffe Commanding Officer, thus bringing on a military investigation and possible major kerfuffle between the German Officer Corps and the Kaiser.

There is no indication that Nadine or anyone else in the household knew that the criminal kidnapping of their son was done at the Kaiser's behest or whether or not Kat was, or could become, involved. The parents would have no idea or reason to believe that sounding the alarm could get Kat involved or cause a shitstorm for the Kaiser. So... Ben's kidnapping -> call to police & Luftwaffe by parents -> immediate & bigtime police & military response -> canvassing the neighborhood & finding witnesses -> many pages of police reports going to State Prosecutors -> inevitable discovery by news media (leaks by a "trusted source," anyone?) -> big uproar by citizens and Reichstag -> "Boom!!!" as Monarchy implodes.

Also, P-M states the kidnapping takes place mid-day. That means the odds of there being witnesses are significantly greater than 0. If Kat had had anything to do with the abduction, she sure as heck would not have done the deed in broad daylight or left living witnesses. Ben would simply have vanished while on a trip to the corner market or while out jogging. One cannot say that the public didn't see the abduction done by goons in the middle of the day. Take my word, witnesses turn up in the strangest of places, for the strangest of reasons.

What the real problem is that Ben is still seeing the relationship with Kiki through Middle Class glasses and has no true idea what it is for Kiki to be a Princess.
In order for Kiki to function through out the day she needs a team of people to do things for her like having a social secretary just to say no to all the requests that is being made on her time so that she go to medical school, Kiki needs something like a Gentleman's Gentleman to act like a butler, lady's maid, housekeeper, and cook so that she is not running around taking time off her studies in order to get the day to day stuff done.
Ben needs to see what life is really like for Kiki in order for him to understand what he is really getting in to it he wants a life with Kiki.

The problem isn't Ben's. It's Daddy-O's.

As I see it, ejpsan, Ben has been around Kiki for many years at this point, and likely has a better grasp of what it means to date Kiki than you give him credit for [Have you dated any Princesses? I haven't, but imagine it would have it's own set of unique difficulties]. He's seen up close & firsthand what sort of life Kiki has lead and is trying to make for herself, a life independent of the Monarchy, and obviously both Ben & Kiki are getting something out of their relationship.

As far as her "needs a team of people...." Kiki has been doing just hunky-dory operating on her own, without an entourage. Maybe as a wealthy University student she might hire a housekeeper/cook person (only 1), but her stubbornly independent streak would probably put the kibosh on that - recall that she had no entourage while staying on the barge and definitely didn't have an entourage (call her military team-mates an "entourage" and one most likely would collect a fine set of lumps and bruises) while on active duty!! Remember, she's smart, disciplined, extremely able & is more-than-capable of taking care of herself by herself - just as millions of other university students do for themselves every day worldwide. Here in the States, some med students even carry a part-time job as well as spending 12 hours a day in class or study group. While the Kaiser might want more people around her to insure her safety, Kiki won't have it. She's much too independent and intent on making her own way on her merit alone, screw the "privileged royal birth" malarkey.

 

[Peabody-Martini]

Chapter One Thousand Five Hundred Ninety-Eight


21st October 1963

Mitte, Berlin

The door flew open taking a good chunk of the doorframe with it and it sounded like the doorknob had embedded itself in the wall. Kiki stepped through the door with two of Louis’ bodyguards standing behind her, clearly at a loss for how to handle this situation. She was livid and had taken that out on the door. While she always had known how to make an entrance, one of the things that the military had clearly taught her was how to go about doing in the noisiest way possible.

Louis was aware that his daughter had a temper, but he had very seldom seen it once Kiki had stopped being a toddler. Today was obviously different.

“You do know that it was unlocked” Louis said hardly looking up from the page that he was proofreading with a red pencil.

“You have some nerve” Kiki hissed at him.

“This is about me finally trying to rein in a daughter who I get to learn from many different people is out of control in several different ways?” Louis asked in reply as he put down the papers, “Including the Board of the Hohenzollern Trust, people who can make both our lives miserable if they so choose. How do you think they will react to you kicking in that door?”

“Speaking of needing to be reined in” Kiki said, “They question every single thing I do.”

Louis looked tired as he looked across his desk at Kiki.

“Does 1917 mean anything to you?” He asked, “The Board of Trusties was created by your grandfather with the express purpose of preventing the public perception that an out of control autocracy exists in this country.”

“I bought shares in a corporation in what seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity” Kiki replied, “And I used money that I had been authorized to spend.”

“It is about public perception. Not to put too fine a point on it, everyone expected you to spend that money on frivolous things” Louis said, “The spending of money on something like that without having them in the loop surprised them. And having to head off questions about your personal morality because you are having an affair with Benjamin Hirsch on top of it?”

“You didn’t need to have him dragged in here though” Kiki said.

“My instructions were just to bring him in” Louis said, “The people I sent were a touch overenthusiastic.”

“That is one of the biggest understatements I have ever heard” Kiki said, “Do you have any idea of the sort of promises I had to make to Nadine to keep her quiet about this mess?”

“I’m sure you will manage” Louis replied, “I’m more worried about what you’ve been telling that boy. Never talking about the future, how impossible you two are as a couple? That has got to be the most absurd melodrama I’ve ever heard.”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“Yes and no” Louis replied, “The whole matter is complicated, but it sounds to me as if you are making excuses in this instance. Do you actually love Benjamin or are you just playing games?”

Kiki was about to answer that question when possibly the worst person on Earth walked through the door, just as Louis was starting to get through to her.

“Did you really give Kiki’s squeeze the full psychopathic protective father routine Poppa?” Rea asked, he watched as Kiki threw herself into a chair to sulk, probably completely shutting everything out in the process. The presence of Rea was pouring petrol on a fire that was already burning out of control.

“Now is not a great time Marie” Louis said.

“Is that what I get to look forward to if I ever meet the right man?” Rea asked, “Because I always thought that you were more forward thinking than that?”

“I was trying to this situation back under control” Louis said, “It just didn’t play out the way I intended. You, Victoria and Kristina will all have men in your life that I will need to be understandable with.”

Ria reacted to that as if there was something in that which she found hilarious.

“That’s never going to happen with Vicky” Ria said.

The expression on Kiki’s face changed back to anger. “Don’t you dare” She said to Rea who just looked smug about whatever was happening here.

“It is not as if it’s a great horrible secret” Rea asked, “Vicky is a… umph!”

Louis had never seen anything like it before. Kiki was on her feet instantly and she attacked Rea. The two of them landed them in front of desk with a crash. Kiki may have been trained by the KSK, but she didn’t actually want to hurt her sister, Rea had no such compunctions. The bodyguards pried the two of them apart and were coming off somewhat worse for the wear in the process.

“You have no right to do that to Vicky!” Kiki spat at Rea as she tried to pry her arm out of the grip of a man from the First Foot.

“ENOUGH!” Louis shouted, “No more sneaking around, no more secrets, no more drama! I am sick and tired of this!”

Kiki and Rea were staring at him and it occurred to Louis just how seldom he had raised his voice with his girls. Both of them were staring at him in shock. One of Kiki’s eyes was swelling shut and Rea’s nose was bleeding.

That was when Louis noticed that Charlotte and Victoria were staring at them through the doorway. Completely aghast.

 

[Dragoon]

Well, that escalated quickly. And Marie was way out of place for that, even as a quip. Outing herself to her father should have fallen solely to Victoria. Sure, Louis doesn't seem the type to get angry over that, and the whole Ben thing shows that he did not expect Ben's answers and realised he needed to have some words with Kiki in the future. Note how Ben wasn't saddled with the love question on screen.

 

[Rinasoir]

Rea, have fun at the Convent this summer, say hi to your Russian relatives while you are there.

 

[A. Morgan]

Completely aghast .... somewhat of an understatement there. Or not if your family filled with lunatics like mine,that shite goes down all the time

 

[ejpsan]

Next time on All the Kaiser's Children...

We must remember that the marriage of Louis Ferdinand and Kira was arraigned and there could some interest in Princess Kristina for some different Crown Princes at this time like Constantine of Grecce, Vittorio Emanuele of Italy, Simeon II of Bulgaria which I doubt would go over well with Kiki.
Right now Kiki is very focused on becoming a doctor and getting in to a long term relationship is just not in her and the fact that by this time getting married for dynastic reasons is no longer a requirement for things like peace treaties, trade agreements and other things.

 

[eriel_ramos]

You say callous, I say mature. If we are talking about actual children, it is a different matter, but Kiki is in her early - mid 20's, she is an adult and capable of her own choices. If she fucks up, let her, it's a good teaching aid.

As a father with two adult children, the problem with mistakes as a teaching aid is that sometimes the lessons are terminal, such as an abusive partner and your child having battered spouse syndrome.

I will GLADLY be cut off from all contact by my LIVE child than be free to visit their grave whenever I want.

 

[Dan]

While the extent of the injuries may be a little beyond normal, this is pretty much normal life right there.

Although if Vicky is good at reading situations, she might be advised to speak to Charlotte about a specific matter and work between them how to break it to Louis.
Louis also needs to back Kiki over the board of trustees on the shares thing, (and sneak a few in for himself via the trust). If it's money she can spend how she likes, (frivolously as it were), then "throwing away" the money on Sony shares really shouldn't be an issue. Of course, when the shares leap in value there will be tax implications, but that will be a positive story - Princess Kristina makes a smart investment thanks to her sound German education, and secondly, Princess Kristina is paying the same taxes as regular Germans on her private income because she is not above the law, and in doing so, shows her devotion to Germany isn't just by birth, but in her service and integrity.

And Marie is likely to be sent to Coventry by at least Kiki and Vicky if she does blab out of spite. Probably Louis Jr, maybe Freddy and to a minor extent Charlotte too.

 

[eriel_ramos]

.
Ben needs to see what life is really like for Kiki in order for him to understand what he is really getting in to it he wants a life with Kiki.

The problem is that, in order for Ben to see what life is really like for Kiki, SHE has to let him in.

 

[ferdi254]

That is surely gonna be interesting.

Happy new year to all of you.