Re: Blood and Iron - Chapter 878: Common Vagrants
Chapter 878: Common Vagrants
The streets of Constantinople were alive and healthy even as the sun began to set over the Mediterranean.
It took Bruno a while, but eventually he was able to get away from his daughter- and son-in-law. Taking Heidi out with him on the streets of the ancient city.
It was such a different place than when he had been there nearly thirty years prior. The city had modernized in many ways, and yet kept the core of what made it ancient all the same.
Greek citizens walked the streets, crosses hanging from their necks, as they went about their evenings. Some patrons stopped by bars; some families sat at restaurants. And others walked peacefully through the thin veil of snow, which somehow managed to make the place more beautiful.
Heidi couldn’t help but stop at every little venue that caught her eye. Buying trinkets off the street vendors as if she were a royal princess, and instead just some commoner who had left her home country for the first time.
Bruno paid all the same; the lord knew he had the space to accommodate such purchases. And frankly, if he was being honest he enjoyed seeing the woman get excited over small things.
After walking through the city where nobody even recognized them, and without an extensive security detail that was omnipresent. The Grand Princes and Princess Consort of Tyrol returned to the palace.
Despite having left through the gates earlier, they were actually stopped at the entrance by the guards. Bruno immediately recognized that sometime during their departure the shift had changed, and these new young men didn’t recognize them.
Bruno of course, stepped forward to intervene, trying his best to prevent the palace guards from escalating.
“I’m sure you just weren’t informed of our arrival. Go ahead and radio your superior, let them know that Bruno von Zehntner and his wife are at the gates requesting re-entry into the palace.”
One of the young guards scoffed and rolled his eyes, the idea that the Queen Consort’s mother and father had strolled the streets like common vagrants was absurd. He quickly pointed back to the street.
“If I wasted my superior’s time with some common riffraff claiming to be the Grand Prince and Princess Consort of Tyrol, he would have me cleaning the latrines for three weeks! Get lost, I won’t ask politely a second time.”
Bruno frowned, looking over his shoulder to see that Heidi was clearly struggling to control her graceful façade.
It was a rare thing for Heidi to become so aggrieved, and when it did occur, it was not a pretty sight to behold.
Bruno quickly put his foot down so to speak.
“And if you refuse to verify my identity, this matter will be handled above your authority. I can promise you that the outcome will not be favorable for you.”
The guard’s brow furrowed as he heard these words. He took one step towards Bruno and was about to get physical when he suddenly felt a hand grasp his shoulder from behind. Firmly planting him in place with its powerful grip.
A taller and older man gazed down at the Palace Guard with a look of utter rage on his face.
“Go ahead and give me one good reason I shouldn’t have you sitting before a tribunal begging for your life after making the Liberator of this city and his wife stand outside in the snow, when they should be inside these gates enjoying their vacation with their daughter and grandchildren…..”
The haughty palace guard immediately felt his spine grow cold as he looked over and just now noticed the distinctive mensur scar beneath Bruno’s left eye, as well as regal features hidden behind the weathering of age.
“No… But… Why?”
The man quickly stammered nonsense when the older man shoved him out of the way.
“Get lost, you worthless fool!”
After throwing away the man who had blocked Bruno and Heidi’s entry, the older man formally bowed before the couple.
“Apologies…. Some of these boys take their protection of the King a bit too seriously. To the point where they allow that duty to blind them to what is standing right before them. Please come in, you have waited out in the cold long enough….”
Bruno nodded his head in silent thanks for the aid before grabbing his wife’s gloved hand and dragging her into the Palace grounds. It was only after they were past the barrier that he looked back at the older man and made a comment that nobody was expecting.
“That medal, the bronze cross with the Chri Rho embedded in its center. You were at the Liberation of Constantinople weren’t you?”
The other palace guards stiffened on the spot as they looked over at their superior, who proudly performed a salute in front of Bruno.
“That I was… And the battle before it… It was the greatest honor to serve beneath your operational command. Enjoy your stay, your highness….”
Bruno allowed himself a smile and another nod before continuing inside the palace with his wife.
After he was gone, the palace guard officer recovered from his nostalgia and quickly shot his wayward subordinate a nasty glare.
“You’re lucky that man isn’t petty… If I were him I’d have you stripped of your rank, your position, and any honors you’ve been granted by his majesty before dishonorably discharging your worthless ass!”
The man didn’t even bother to defend himself; he simply stared at his own feet and the snow accumulating around them. He was all too aware of his folly and utterly refused to dig himself deeper into the hole than he already in.
That night Bruno would tell the story around the dinner table of how Heidi and he had been mistaken as vagrants at the gates, laughing about the situation and commenting on how old age and retirement had changed people’s perception of him.
And despite his laughter, the King of Greece did not take this news so lightly.
