Reformation •» Brandenburg / Prussia (Countryhumans) »•

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•'¯'•» 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝒹𝑔𝑒 - 𝐵𝓇𝒶𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓃𝒷𝓊𝓇𝑔 »•'¯'•

He was presented with two choices.

Breakfast, or breakfast with the Holy Roman Empire.

The servant stood bowed in front of the door to his guest room, meals already scribbled half of the scroll of parchment hanging from the servant's hand... desperately awaiting an answer from Brandenburg.

If it'd do help to his friends or allies...

"I'll accompany His Imperial Majesty, he'll be disappointed from the lack of countries," Brandenburg told the servant before shutting the door closed. He would he fine with any stewed meat as long as it pleased his stomach.

Brandenburg dressed. Buttoning up his uniform and swinging his mahogany cloak neatly around his shoulders - normally, he'd have his maids help him, but the seems to be a lack in staff around this area of the Holy Roman Empire's court. His hunting apparel still laid stationarily in his parked stable - he'll have to ask one of his men to pack that up for him later.

It seemed, while his mind that night had been focused on tiring out itself with thoughts, it was those same thoughts he had no choice but to reimagine a dream about as well.

Ah, why was exactly he here? Who was he for?

He made his voyage down the spiral staircases to the rather empty dining hall. There they were, His Imperial Majesty sat in his gilded gesso chair, his prized son - Austria, Saxony-P-L and Hanover. Embarrassingly empty, and lacking of his usual guests. Each of them wore a different expression on their face.

"Ah! The Margravate of Brandenburg!" The Holy Roman Empire called, signalling Brandenburg closer.

The HRE was always strangely positive, Austria adorned an obvious look of frustration, Saxony with a frown and Hanover with a small smirk splitting the horse's hooves from the ends of its legs.

Brandenburg sat beside Hanover - who was cheerful, but not to the exact extent of 'HRE's cheerfulness.

"Now, I would've personally told all our fellow European neighbours myself, but I've decided they can prepare privately for today's competition," the Holy Roman Empire said before sipping his wine. A plate was set in front of Brandenburg, the food fresh from the heat.

They all continued their small feast in silence. Usually, HRE would've been filling up the hall with some sort of sound - indeed he eventually did.

"Fantastic!" the HRE asserted, settling his utensils down and tossing his napkin to the maid standing beside. "I'll be off and early now, states! Need to see how the preparations are holding up... Habsburg, please speed up the digestion."

Ah, that name. Austria wasn't too officially 'Austria' was he? The Habsburg Monarchy.

And that empire left. So much for the "breakfast with HRE" little event... Austria didn't seem to keen to be there, he didn't even take a glance at his dear father when he left.

"Saxony."

Everyone instinctively glanced up, though Austria eyes glared directly at the other. Ah - trouble? Well, there's always some sort of trouble within the peace. Inescapable.

A sense of panic brushes through Saxony, but Austria's expression relaxes - he leans back on his seat, neatly settling his utensils down.

"Those Protestants out?" Austria asked, dabbing the sides of his mouth with a napkin. Alas! If Bohemia was here, she would be glaring daggers at him.

Austria was always more confident with the HRE not breathing down his neck - he liked to speak for his father, not with him.

After all, it would be a little humourous Austria's attempts at portraying some sort of threatening stance to the other nations while his father still laid ambiguously to his side... Saxony took two glances up before setting his own utensils down.

"Mostly," he sighed.

Brandenburg looked across at Saxony, remembering his conversations with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - it felt a little invasive knowing the true underlying thoughts of the other...

And regarding the hunt this afternoon, last time the HRE's organised something - which was in fact in Wusterhausen, someone fell into the trap and bled to death. Fun.

They all eventually deserted the dining hall. Brandenburg and Hanover sauntered off together.

"It's crumbling. I can feel it! I'll become a kingdom," Hanover suddenly piped with a humourous tone.

"It?" Brandenburg raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, that ghastly Holy Roman Empire, oh how terrible!" he sighed, hand on his forehead. "...would've been my life long wish."

They broke off to their own rooms... gathering up the rest of their things before making their way down to the entrance of HRE's court.

"Sir, shall I carry your items for you?" the servant asks. Brandenburg nods as his equipment is loaded onto horseback. He gave his animal a small scratch on her neck before mounting the brown horse astride. Some greater ranked nations noticeably came in their extra fancy carriages, though Brandenburg liked to think horseback was a lot more efficient in terms of speed... After all, this was supposed to be for a hunt, not?

He and his men made their short voyage to the Holy Roman Empire's place of meet. The gates were already open with some nation's camps and tents already prepared and set up. So he wasn't as early as he thought to be...

The Holy Roman Empire was the impressively striking figure who mounted his fully bard horse, standing stationary near the raised platform. When he is dressed ornately, one seems to forget he was once that cowering and probably crumbling empire that liked expensive parties.

Unlike yesterday's midnight celebration, the HRE also adorned strings of gilded chains and decor on his black wings - now spread boldly and broadly. Efficient and reliable? Not really. Decorative and magnificent? Definitely.

It was one of the Holy Roman Empire's preferences. He may have not been too great at hunting, but he was a man of 'fashion'.

"There you make your entrance, Brandenburg..." the Holy Roman Empire greeted, lifting himself off his white horse and feet flat on the ground. "my son is not here yet, is that boy still eating away? Ah, but the rest are here. Most of the rest. Set up your camp and we'll begin in the afternoon - and hopefully, we plan to last at least two successful days."

Brandenburg picked out a spot beside a to-be-known nation. There are two that are required to set up. One for him, and one for his guards and other servants. He assisted in the assembling of the tents which were a nice dark red colour scheme - similar to which of his cloak. The crates of equipment were dragged underneath either awning. Brandenburg had custody of the particular one that held all the weaponry.

I never plan ahead with these sort of competitions, but others can get quite competitive...

Brandenburg rested himself on his makeshift desk - staring down at the magnified map of the forest. There was to be a new rule in place for noting down where traps are made so they can be removed after the competition. The borders were expanded to parts of the mountain and fields, so larger variety, but Brandenburg knew the place well. Where you'd most likely find the largest animals... and that was - well - the forest.

He will simply have to start planning with his guards...

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1220 words