Hohenfels – Chapter 42

Heinrich von Eisenberg-Launow, Housemaster of Eisengrund Hall, sat in his office, face buried in his hands. After a few moments of silent despair, he asked the obstinate Princess across the desk a singular question. “Why?”

Klara stared at the desk, her expression fluctuating between shame and rage.

“She insulted me,” she finally grumbled, not meeting his eyes.

“You knocked her out cold with a punch to her face. Should I count myself lucky that you did not stab her instead?”

Her silence told him all he needed to know.

“It was not even a duel, Klara. You simply assaulted a lady from the West with no martial training to speak of,” he sighed. “And that’s not all: You decided to unleash your aura, so everyone in the vicinity came to witness the aftermath.”

The Princess remained quiet, staring holes into the desk.

“There is a limit to how much I can let you damage your own reputation. If there is another incident of this magnitude, I will send you back to Castle Eisenberg.”

Her head snapped up. “No! I’ll– I can… I need to…”

“You don’t need to force yourself to stay here.”

“...” Once more, Klara’s eyes wandered down to the table, her face contorted with anger and desperation.

“Your father will understand. We’ll just find something else for you to do. I believe the third cavalry squadron is currently in need of a captain. We could–”

“You’re planning around me.”

Heinrich felt his heart sink. There was a tremble in her voice that he had never heard before. He could even see some unshed tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes when she looked up.

“I– I’ll do better,” she pleaded. “I’ll… Ugh…” Her words got stuck in her throat, and she quickly retreated out of the room.

The old man sank deeper into his chair, heaving a pained sigh.

The death of young Wolfgang had a severe impact on House Eisenberg. Albrecht became fiercely protective of his remaining children, to the point of coddling them. His wife was a mere shadow of her former self, sequestering herself away in her chambers. Their eldest daughter, Johanna, threw her entire being into preparations for the inevitable succession dispute with her universally disliked cousin.

But nobody had taken it worse than young Klara. She had adored her older brother, and his death turned the bright young girl into a bloodthirsty warmonger. Surprisingly, her rage had not turned against Wolfgang’s actual killers, but instead the factions she blamed for the failure of the campaign: The Emperor and the Western duchies, as well as Hohenfels.

In and of itself, that was not a problem – this particular sentiment was far from uncommon among Eisengrund’s nobility. But the young Princess was unable to keep her anger reined in.

Multiple advisors had cautioned Duke Albrecht, suggesting a… firmer approach to quell her increasingly dangerous antics. ‘She just needs time’, he had insisted. ‘Just a bit more time.’ When she demanded to enter the academy just like her older siblings had, Albrecht was delighted, thinking she would finally return to her former self once she got a chance to be away from the castle and the battlefields for a while.

Unfortunately, he had miscalculated. Heinrich was not looking forward to his reaction.

Another thing the old man was not looking forward to was dealing with the still-unconscious Young Lady Silberthal, who was currently being cared for in the dorm’s infirmary. He had decided against sending her over to Sonnenfeld Hall after meeting the Hallmaster – to say the old crook was disinterested in the girl’s fate would be an understatement. If anything, he seemed almost satisfied, even showing an evil little smirk.

She clearly was not well-liked in Sonnenfeld, and he quickly found out why after having someone look into her situation. The sad excuse for a Prince hated her with a passion, and now she had seemingly cast her lot with Lord Arnold von Hohenfels.

Heinrich’s thoughts grinded to a sudden halt as an idea appeared before his mind’s eye.

There was a way to solve this matter cleanly, saving Klara from total social ruin while simultaneously gaining a potential ally in the West.

He might have to overstep his authority a little, but Albrecht would certainly approve.

= = = = =

Katharina woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling, a pounding head, and a terribly painful stinging in her nose. As she watched the rays of the rising sun crawl through the clean, but austere room, she slowly pieced together the events that led her here. This had to be Eisengrund Hall’s infirmary, and she had been brought here for treatment after Klara punched her in the face.

She had messed up once more, going way too far and provoking the Princess into physically attacking her. But for some reason, she could not bring herself to feel even a shred of guilt.

It had been so… freeing. No cowering, no scraping and bowing, no swallowing her frustrations. She had not even realized just how tired she was of ducal scions pushing her about until Klara had stated outright what she had known to be true for her entire life: Nobody respected her and her talents in the slightest. Neither her former fiancé, nor Prince Ludwig, nor Princess Charlotte – not even Mother, who had written her off after she failed once at playing the subservient, demure, quiet young lady.

It was unfair.

But alas, such was life. And now, all of them were more justified than ever in looking down on her. She had lost her standing with Sonnenfeld, and perhaps even her family’s backing, to her own ill-considered machinations. Now, all she had left were her connections to the academy’s gossipmongers, and a vague alliance with a Prince who was currently embroiled in a bitter struggle against the collective West.

So, what now? Only one factor had changed, and that factor was Princess Klara. Katharina mentally crossed out all plans she had to get into the madwoman’s good graces. Where things went from here would be decided by the way Eisengrund handled the situation.

If they accepted the demand that was slowly coming together in her mind, Katharina would let the matter drop and simply avoid the Princess in the future, unwilling to get punched again.

If they didn’t… Well, there were options.

A particular painful sting interrupted her vengeful musings. She carefully touched her nose, only to find it firmly packed into a specialized bandage. Just how bad was the damage…? She had been out for the entire night, so it must have been rather severe.

Gingerly turning her head from side to side, she searched the room for any means of calling a servant, and found a small table bell on the nightstand next to her bed. Such a utensil would have been expertly crafted from fine metals and fit with ornate decorations over at Sonnenfeld Hall, but here, it was a simple, practical thing of polished iron.

She hit it lightly, flinching when the sharp sound rang throughout her maltreated skull. Moments later, a servant girl entered the room, diplomatically inquired about Katharina’s wellbeing, and immediately scurried off after being told to fetch a superior. After a few minutes, the door opened again, and a wrinkly old man entered.

He was dressed in comparatively simple civilian clothing, but his demeanor exuded strict, but friendly competence. She tentatively identified him as the Housemaster of the dorm, a cousin once removed of the current Duke of Eisengrund. Her suspicion was confirmed when he introduced himself with a bow that was just a little too deep for their respective standings and ages.

“Good morning, Lady Katharina. My name is Heinrich von Eisenberg-Launow, and I offer my deepest apologies on behalf of Princess Klara and House Eisenberg as a whole. Would you be willing to discuss the matter of restitution immediately, or would you prefer to recuperate beforehand?”

There it was, the ridiculous directness prevalent in the East. But he had made his preference clear, seemingly unwilling to let the issue fester. A very good sign, since it meant that he would be willing to offer more than he might otherwise. This was an opportunity she would not pass up on.

“Good morning, Lord Heinrich,” she replied politely, abandoning her attempt to raise herself up into a more dignified position after her head protested vehemently. “I am willing to accept the apology and forget about this incident, as long as Eisengrund agrees to a request of mine.”

If her words had any effect on the Housemaster, he did not show it. Instead, he gave her a polite nod. “Please, go on. We are ready to fulfill any request, as long as it remains within the bounds of reason.”

A rather vague restriction that allowed them an easy out should her demands exceed what they were prepared to offer. But that was fine.

“As a matter of fact, I have recently taken an interest in Eastern culture. Considering my House’s lack of connections in the region, I would require a means of accommodation should I decide to further my studies by visiting the East in person.”

She took a deep breath. ‘Composure is strength.’

“As such, I would request an estate in the northern parts of Marbach.”

Lord Heinrich blinked, then visibly winced after fully processing her words.

“That might be difficult,” he said slowly. “While we are on excellent terms with Marbach–” ‘a boldfaced lie,’ “–we can, at most, offer to facilitate territorial negotiations between House Silberthal and The Landgrave of Marbach.”

“Oh, nothing so grand,” Katharina smiled. “I don’t want land or titles. All I want is a modest place to call my own. A safe haven during my travels, if you will.”

“I see,” the old man mused with a sly smile, having caught on immediately. “A simple mansion, with a deed in your name, and your name alone. That… is possible. It shall be done.”

Katharina forced her expression to remain as neutral as possible, despite her heart jumping with joy. Even if she ended up disinherited and cast out by her family, she would have a refuge.

“That said…” Lord Heinrich continued, and her heart sank again. “In the spirit of reconciliation, I have an additional offer.”

An… additional offer? She allowed herself to relax again. That meant her estate in Marbach was safe.

“The good Baroness Borkow died of old age last year, may she rest in peace,” he said somberly. “She did not leave behind any heirs, and her lands fell back to the Duke, who already has his hands full.”

Katharina froze.

“It is a long journey from Silberthal to the East. Perhaps a more… secure holding might serve your ‘studies’ well.”

He was offering her a title.

She would be Baroness. Far from a lofty station, of course, particularly in the poor East. In theory, it was a huge step down. Such an offer might even be considered a severe insult to a member of Imperial high nobility.

But it would be a title of her own. Not one gained by marriage, nor the courtesy title reserved for unwed daughters. Not one she could lose by disinheritance. It would even remain hers alone if she, against all odds, managed to marry into a high House.

There was a downside to it, though – she would become a vassal of Duke Albrecht. That was, in fact, the reason why she had not asked for an estate in Eisengrund in the first place. Tying herself to a declining duchy was far from optimal.

It might also severely impact her relationship with Prince Arnold.

“I shall inform you once the matter regarding Marbach is done. As for the secondary offer, please take your time considering it,” the old man said with a kind smile. “Please, feel free to rest here for as long as you wish. I will send an attendant to fulfill any needs that may arise.”

Katharina somehow managed to respond with a polite farewell, before returning to her spiraling thoughts.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 

Dramatis Personae

Katharina von Silberthal:
Daughter of the Imperial Count of Silberthal.
Overwhelmed.

Heinrich von Eisenberg-Launow:
Housemaster of Eisengrund Hall. Hails from an old cadet branch of House Eisenberg.
Knows how to play the game.

Klara von Eisenberg:
Daughter of the Duke of Eisengrund.
Does not know how to play the game.