Franz Karl with Alana

Camilla quickly covers herself in fright and embarrassment. "Aww, the girl's all embarrassed. How cute" Alana teases.

"What are you both doing here?!" You demand as you, quicker than a running rabbit, put your clothes back on. "How did you even get here?!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Alana plays with a key between her fingers. "You're lovely wife here gave me a key."

Franz Karl adds, "And you two both so preoccupied with fucking that you didn't hear your door opening. Sad, really. I had expected more." He guiltily shifts his eyes to the side.

Alana goes over and pulls the sheets off Camilla. Franz Karl gives her a quick glance before glancing at you with a raised cocky smile. "Remind me again what happened to her belly heavy with child or is her maidservant doing that?"

"You told him!" Camilla screamed in anger. "You promised you wouldn't tell!"

"Camilla, what is going on?"

"Oh! Oh!” Alana raised her hand most genially, “let me answer that! Your beloved Queen here got careless. She and that maid of hers. They were in the garden. They thought they were alone and talked about how you planned to fool everyone by passing off that maid's bastard as your legitimate child and heir. Of course they weren't alone."

“Is this true?” You frown angrily at Camilla with disappointment mixed in.

"But you told him! Queen Alana, you gave us your word!"

Alana smiles mockingly at her, "And I did, dear girl. I fully intend to uphold my end of that bargain. I have never told a soul and I don't plan to tell anyone else. Franz Karl here knew straight from the horses mouth."

The older man smiled genuinely, "I was there with Queen Alana when you two carelessly talked about it. Or more rather when your maid started talking about it. Let this be a lesson to you both, dear girl. Now whatever bargain you made with Alana is none of my concern but you made no bargain with me. And before you contemplate on any plan to dispose of me, I have prepared contingencies for such an event. So it would be in your best interest to make sure I don't die."

Alana added, "And need I remind you I am a sister-in-law of the King of Asturias and the wife of the King of Frankia. If anything were to happen to me in your country..., well, I can only imagine my brother-in-law and my husband won't take to kindly to my **** under your care."

You sigh in defeat, "What do you want?"

"Three things, boy." says Franz Karl, "I am a man of ambition. Like you, like your father, like your mother, like your grandfathers and your ancestors. You do what I want and you can keep everything you have gain so far. Well most of it."

You frown angrily at the man and his conceitedness. "Oh don't look me at like that. We're practically family you and I." You don't notice Queen Alana knowingly smirking at his words. "I have grand plans, boy. Grand plans. You nearly ruined my plans. But I can forgive and forget and I offer to forget about your little planned deception if you do what I ask."

"Name it already!"

"Patience, young king. Impatience can be the undoing of men like us. Two: I want your full and unquestioned cooperation in the campaigns, the wars I intend to wage. You, your generals and your armies are mine to command. Your mother's influence on the Driton Royal Family. Your influence on King Francois’ son and future daughter-in-law. And of course, Franz Jacques' anti-spy network.

Three: I want you to relinquish Toscana from your country. Do not worry, I intend to let your child be ruler of Toscana after its mother. We can talk about this together with Duchess Eliza. I know away to make this deal so much sweeter for her."

"You forgot to mention the first thing you wanted." You say sternly.

"Perceptive, boy." Franz Karl chuckles. "But I believe I can save that for another day."

The air in the room is still quite tense. "Oh do lighten up, boy. You'll benefit greatly from this. I always find a way for my allies to gain something from my endeavors. I have already decided not to interfere with your attempts to unify the northern states into one realm."

"If I do all that, you swear not to say a word."

"Oh like I said, we're practically family. I want you to succeed, my boy. Please try not to look at this as one king blackmailing another but one king ensuring another king's cooperation. We can be good friends or at least allies. You do this for me and I swear this," Franz Karl's head nudges at Camilla, "will never got out. I will never tell. I'll even put in a good word for you with the northern states."

"My silence has already been obtained." Alana comments. “Isn’t that right, my dear Camilla?” Camilla could only nod in silence.

"So what do you say? Can I count on you?" Franz Karl takes a step forward. "Will you shake my hand?" He presents his hand forward. "Or will walk out that door and expose this little debacle?"

"Do I even have a choice?" You snarl.

"Of course you do!” Franz Karl joyfully exclaims You can always say no but you know quite well what will happen if you do. This is how the game is played, young King. Did you really think that you could go around and do as you pleased without facing and making any true hard choices."

"Give me your word and I will give you my cooperation."

"You have my word."

So you take his hand and shake it, "Then you have my cooperation."

"You won't regret this. Your power will raise and your lands will increase. You will be the greatest king the northern states will ever know. Don't betray me." The 'or else' had no reason to be said.

"I won't, your majesty." You **** yourself to say.

"Now then," he turns to Alana, "My Queen Alana, I believe you and I have something planned for today."

Alana's eyes widened with glee, "Oh you'll love it, your majesty." With that, the two left the room.

"My King, I..." Camilla looks like she's on the brink of crying. You wrap your arms comfortingly around her. "It's allright, my love. You need not apologize."

"Dorothye and I made a mess of things for you." She says sadly.