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Painting depicting the Battle of Worchester, date and painter unknown.

PROLOGUS
3rd September 1651
Worcester, England

Before the conquerors of the modern age, there was Atilla. Tamerlane. Genghis Khan. Cyrus. Alexander. Caesar. Yet, all of them are speaking about length, yet one man, one particular man had proven that impact, not only length, matters. Oliver Cromwell, a middle-class gentry-born nobleman, whom his entry to the parliament soon became one of England's most history-changing moment, as Cromwell rose into prominence, and became one of the men instrumental on toppling down the long-running English monarchy, with the initial cause being man's belief on god, soon turned into a full-scale wars between the parties in the British Isles, all of them having different agendas, with most of them mostly speaking for a independence, and breaking free from the nearly-long-lasting English dominance. Believing that this is a work of god, Cromwell had always based his actions, his moves, and even his war tactics-from the belief that god is in his side, and god, is the ultimate guide for the matter, as he believed that his trust on god will guide him into ushering England into a much better age, without the monarchy ruling over the common masses. Now, with the monarchs on their last reigns, Cromwell, alongside with Fleetwood and Deane-all bearing the flag of the parliament, is going to put an ultimate end on the English monarchy, as Charles II is facing a loss like he never had before, on which the outnumbering amount of troops that Cromwell commanded, combined with his brilliance, has overshadowed Charles II's moves, dooming him with failures, as each of his moves began to put him closer to the very same blades that ended his father's life. Fortuna, however, is never on Charles II's life, as Cromwell changed directions about his wants and needs on this battle. Its not only about capturing Worchester, but more than that. Initially, he wanted Charles II to be alive, but seeing how Fairfax's actions during Charles I's last days, Cromwell had something other in his mind. There are no orders to capture Charles II alive. No. It was a kill-on sight order(POD), and anyone who manages to do the deed, will be paid handsomely, a macabre prospect, as its basically a extra bonus pay, for killing England's biggest figure. From something that is a battle, eventually turned into a large-scale manhunt, as nearly everyone who is aware of the order-also had Charles II's dead body in their mind, as they're not only thinking about victories, but rather, also about the promised extra pay. A change of tactics is eventually made, as a swift death of Charles II is the only thing everyone had in mind right now.

With his armor off, Charles II tries to gallantly gathers any form of loyalists into his arms, where it found no single avail, with the cavalry charge led by Wentworth and Careless failing to met its objective(1), as Cromwell's army is easily forming a swarm against Charles II's force, and by such, there are no way out for him, and all that he can do now, is mounting a final attempt, or, dying as a martyr, possibly able to inspire others to carry on his torch, and taking down Cromwell's reign of terror that obiviously will born in the future, following his death. Knowing that a honourable death is a preferable option rather than following his father's footsteps, and possibly, with him dying, maybe James could follow his footsteps, and made better decisions that Charles never had the time to do so, yet, Charles knew, that this is the end of the monarchy, and its indeed James's job to carry on the torch, yet, not immidiately afterwards this final battle of his.

Mounting a final charge against Cromwell's forces, all that Charles II knew, that he will be reunited with his father, and this reunion is inevitable, and he knew, as the forces of Cromwell entered the city, what he will last see is either a shot piercing his body, or his body being ripped by a blade-something that Charles II saw as a better alternative than repeating what his father had.

It was no ordinary victory. The townsfolk now turned their sides and believed that the Parliamentarians is their true guardian. It was no ordinary victory. Its a massacre. Those who failed to escape, all met their ends, including Charles II, who died in the battle, with a unknown soldier being credited for the act, yet no prize is made due to no actual proof on one's act on taking Charles II's life. There, as a total victory is achieved(2), Cromwell realized that such victory, however, does not grant him any single control over the American colonies, with the Commonwealth's ground on the American continent being ridiculously small, not to mention that the parliament's ground on the colonies is limited to the New Englandiers, and by this, his only last final resort, in order to quell, and also in order to end any further chaos, is none other than agreeing on what they wanted, as a combined force of the colonies might be able to take out New England from the picture, and for New England itself, its clear and obivious that a concession might be given to them, given their loyalty to the parliament, where their loyalty itself were greater than the Old Dominions poses towards the royalty.

Painting depicting James II's flight to Virginia, date and painter unknown.
9th September 1651
Hague, Dutch Republic

As the news of James's death had made its way to his ears, all what the royalists could done is just simply crown James-as James the second, and the only thing they are able to do, is fleeing towards the American colonies, as the colonies were reportedly free from Cromwell's grasp, as they knew that not even the unconquered regions of Ireland and Scotland could shield them from Cromwell's wrath. Words of a invitation from Virginia made things even easier for James, and by thus, James, alongside with a considerable amount of fleeing royalists from the British Isles had boarded a ship towards Virginia, as a plan for a declaration of independence are made in the region, opening up a future theatre of war on the Americas, as a restoration on the British Isles might out of the question for now, a restoration on the colonies might spoke otherwise, and all was left for Cromwell, on where he will intervene, or not. And then, James II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland-all with his claim being placed in his name, left Hague on 9th September, 1651, sailing towards Virginia, knowing that the refuge on there will open up new possibilities for him, and such possibilties might grant him the promised day where his bloodline could return to the British Isles, someday.

On the other hand, despite the economic upheaval and downturns that the Commonwealth experienced, Cromwell continues with his plans to invade the now-disjointed Scots and Ireland, with them forming a alliance, as a last ditch effort to take out Oliver Cromwell once and for all, not knowing that Cromwell had secured a alliance(3) with the French Empire, on where the event somewhat further breaking the image of the French on the eyes of the Scots, as the so-called Auld Alliance of their past became a popular joke(4).

Placing a personal target of only two years on subjugating both Scotland and Ireland at the same time, Cromwell launches his moral crusade against those two states, believing that his work for god-is a righteous path for England, and beyond.

He was right, as his actions, eventually, will shape the world for days to come.

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The Protector's Instrument-A Timeline by TheTimeRanger
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(POD).The POD, i think, is self-explanatory, on how Cromwell aimed to prevent any further rift by just simply going on with a regicide, instead of risking a second Fairfax.
(1).Their objective to distract, and route Cromwell's army is ultimately failed, due to everyone lusting for the prize money.
(2).Self explanatory.
(3).With many colonies being the hefty fee for the decisive alliance.
(4).A literal joke, that made its way to theatres, and literatures of ITTL, even in ITTL's modern era.
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