Chapter 209: The Coronation Day

August 23, 1527 AD

Augsburg, Kingdom of Swabia

Four months had passed since General Voss’s wild expedition first marched into the freezing Brenner Pass.

And more than six months had melted away since the conquest of Munich, the wealthy Bavarian city that was now securely ruled by General Richter, the Supreme Commander of the southern forces.

Inside the walls of Augsburg, King Konrad stood in front of a tall glass mirror inside the warmest room of his royal palace.

"Curse it all..." Konrad grumbled. He tried to adjust the leather belt that held his custom-forged Swabian revolver. "Who designed this stiff coat?"

"You look exactly like a King, Konrad," a soft, amused voice called out from the doorway.

Konrad stopped fighting his stiff collar and turned around. A smile instantly spread across his face.

Standing in the doorway was Queen Katarina. She was wearing a beautifully stitched silver-gray dress, and resting in her arms was a tiny, sleeping bundle wrapped in warm bear furs.

This was little Prince Karl. Konrad’s second son, born healthy and screaming just a few weeks ago.

"He is finally asleep?" Konrad whispered. He stepped carefully across the floor so his boots would not wake the baby.

"For now," Katarina chuckled softly, looking down at the tiny face of their son. "He has your loud mouth, Konrad. The royal nurses could not get him to stop crying all morning. He only stopped when he heard the artillery crews firing the practice blanks outside."

Konrad reached out and gently stroked his son’s soft cheek with his thumb. "Of course he likes the cannons! He is a true prince of the Swabian Kingdom!"

Eleanor smiled, looking up into her husband’s eyes. But her smile held a slight edge of nervousness...

She looked out the window at the cheering crowds gathering in the city square below.

"Is all of this really necessary today?" Eleanor asked quietly. "The parades, the new banners, the sprawling ceremony... everyone already knows you are the King. They already love you."

Though Katarina was entirely right about the loyalty of Augsburg, Konrad knew that ruling a single industrial city was vastly different from holding an entire kingdom together against the wrath of the Holy Roman Emperor.

"Our people know, Katarina," Konrad explained, wrapping a strong arm around his wife’s waist. "But the rest of the world does not. They all still look at us and see a bunch of dirty rebel machinists who just got lucky with some explosive black dirt."

Konrad stepped away from the window, his expression turning deadly serious. He grabbed his crown from the table.

"We need this coronation," Konrad said firmly, placing the crown onto his head. "The world must see that there is indeed an organized kingdom here. They need to see a unified government, structured laws, and a mighty power that everyone should genuinely fear. Even though everyone already knows we can crush them in a fight, it has to be official today."

The time for preparations was over. The booming sound of the royal trumpets echoed through the hallways of the palace, signaling that the crowds were ready.

Konrad held out his arm, and Katarina took it gracefully.

Together, with little Karl sleeping soundly in her arms, they walked out of the warm room and headed toward the sweeping stone balcony that overlooked the main square of Augsburg.

When Konrad stepped out into the morning sunlight, the response was deafening.

Tens of thousands of people were packed into the city square below.

Factory workers with black grease still stained on their hands, farmers from the outer fields, and thousands of disciplined Jaegers in their sharp charcoal uniforms all let out a roar of loyalty.

Konrad stood proudly at the edge of the balcony, looking down at his growing kingdom.

He waited a full minute for the cheering to die down. Then, he raised his hands.

"People of Swabia!"

"To celebrate the birth of my second son, Karl, I am enacting new laws!" Konrad declared loudly. "Starting tomorrow, the children of every factory worker and soldier will receive free daily grain from the royal stores! Furthermore, the tax on winter coal is hereby cut in half! No family in this kingdom will freeze without fire!"

A joyous cheer erupted from the lower classes.

Konrad smiled, knowing exactly how to win the devotion of the common people...

Keep them warm, keep their kids fed, and they will forge you the greatest weapons the world has ever seen.

"But we are not just a city anymore!" Konrad shouted, his voice rising to cut through the cheering.

He gestured to two of his elite guards standing on the balcony. "We are a recognized power! And every true power needs a face!"

The two guards grabbed a huge canvas roll hanging above the balcony and threw it open.

The crowd gasped. It was the new official banner of the Kingdom of Swabia.

The flag was a rich, charcoal-gray color.

Right in the center was an iron gear, with two detailed silver rifles crossed directly over it.

"This is our flag!" Konrad roared. "Under this banner, we will build a world where our children never have to fear the cold, the hunger, or the swords of weak emperors ever again!"

Konrad raised his hand one last time, preparing to dismiss the crowd and start the sweeping city-wide feast.

"Richter!" Katarina ordered the General standing nearby. "Go inside the keep and get Wilhelm. He is old enough to stand on this balcony and wave to his people."

Konrad let out a small breath of relief. "Yes. Richter, bring Wilhelm out here."

"At once, my Queen," General Richter bowed quickly, stepping back into the cool shadows of the hallway.

"And Richter!" Konrad called out, stopping the commander in his tracks. "Tell the guards to assemble the entire inner court in the Great Hall right now. Tell them I am going to honor them with ceremonial sabers today to celebrate the coronation."

"I understand, King Konrad," Richter nodded.

"Also..." Konrad’s eyes filled with seriousness. "Find Lord Ulrich. Tell him to get his skinny aristocratic rear into my private study the second I am done with this sword ceremony. Tell him it is a matter of life and death."

For the next five minutes, Konrad and Eleanor stood on the balcony, waving and smiling at the huge sea of charcoal-coated Jaegers and cheering citizens.

Afterward, the doors clicked open, and a tiny blur of fur and wool ran out onto the balcony.

"Papa!" a high-pitched, excited voice yelled.

It was Wilhelm.

The three-year-old prince was wearing a tiny, beautifully tailored charcoal wool coat that matched the uniforms of the Swabian army.

He had a small wooden saber strapped to his waist, and his bright blue eyes were wide with wonder as he looked at the immense crowd.

Konrad dropped to one knee, scooping his firstborn son up into his strong arms.

"Look at you, my little Jaeger! Are you ready to see your kingdom?"

Wilhelm giggled, grabbing a handful of Konrad’s thick collar.

Konrad stood up and lifted the three-year-old boy high into the air for the entire city to see.

"Prince Wilhelm!"

"Long live the Prince!"

"Wave to them, Wilhelm,"

Wilhelm waved his little saber at the crowd, giggling at the loud noise.

"People of Augsburg!" Konrad roared over the cheering.

"To properly celebrate this day, I must now retreat to the Great Hall. I will honor my most loyal commanders and court members! The feast will begin in the square shortly! Praise Swabia!"

With one final roar of approval from the city, Konrad, Katarina, and the children finally turned around and walked back into the safety of the royal palace...