PENULTIMATE STANZA, VERSE III
Revolution has a tendency to spread like wildfire, burning everything in its all-cleansing flame. First England, next the Netherlands. Eventually the Celtic Union would be forged from its fervor. With the bulk of Spanish and Italian forces away across the Channel, it appeared that the time was right to declare independence from western overlords. Thus the Western Spring began in earnest.
Brussels was the capital of the new independent government. There, parliament was convened by the people and consisted of some three hundred landowners from local districts. Districts often fell along historical and cultural lines, which led to messy bureaucracy and inefficient governance.
It started as rioting. Some mental affliction tore through Dutch and Flemish ranks, driving them to pick up arms and create a place for themselves in the sun. Like locusts upon the shores of the Nile, they swarmed fortresses across the low countries. Where five men were killed by cannonfire, six took their place. They cried chants and insults directed at the enemy at all times during their relentless onslaught, such as "Free Forever More!" or "Liberty and Spain are incompatible!".
Meanwhile, Atwood's revolution was off to a stunning start. With minimal effort he managed to convince the king of Scotland that his government was the true one to which the northern kingdom's alliance was tied. This action by proxy pulled Brittany-Normandy into the war as well, which proved to be a problem. Many of Francis's own kind were fighting against him.
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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
