SECOND STANZA, VERSE II
Few people alive today remember the Dual Monarchy, and its grip on the western reaches of the continent. Brittany, Aquitaine, and Vasconia, now independent polities, were once subjects of a kingdom united with England called Occitania. For the most part, the southern lords of Occitania were loyal—owing to the fact that they were of English descent—to London.
Only Brittany managed to avoid the cultural purges of the Black Reign. Her loyalty and strength during the feud with France afforded her immunity from the horrors of that manmade plague. She even played a vital role in administering the replacement policy: Spread the disease, burn the village, rebuild, repopulate.
But in the following centuries, her power grew to be far too much to be held by chains of vassalage. In an attempt to quell the rising tide, Henry VIII imprisoned the last heir of the duchy. An enraged Anne flew into a bout of threats and violence. "So long as my son remains in that tyrant's hands, no Englishmen will be safe in our lands! Neither trade nor transport shall occur! I will block every English port until he is returned safe!" Henry saw this as an act of treason, thus beginning the Channel War.
Francis had returned to a state of chaos. Along the coast, nationalism was at a fever pitch. Goods were being thrown into the ocean, and entire garrisons imprisoned. Further inland, villages were torn asunder as brother accused brother of supporting, friend turning against friend. Was such betrayal worth it?
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Elegy for Francis, Duke of Dukes | An Alternate History
Historical FictionIn the midst of a changing world, a dying man recounts the life of his closest friend. Inspired by OPB's Basque CK3 series on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OneProudBavarian). New Chapters Daily at 6:00 PM EST Word Count: 7,105
