An hour after breakfast, Napoleon and Talleyrand headed towards one of the staterooms in Sanssouci Palace. Just as they were about to reach the door, Napoleon had a realization.
"Wait," Napoleon muttered in a hushed tone.
Talleyrand, following closely behind, leaned in to hear better. "What's the matter, Your Majesty?"
Napoleon looked at Talleyrand, his expression serious. "I think it might be a mistake to negotiate with the Prussians now."
Talleyrand furrowed his brow, puzzled. "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
Napoleon explained, "The Poles are in open rebellion against both Prussia and Russia. If we strike a deal with the Prussians now, it might result in an independent Polish state carved only from Prussian territory. I want the Poles to regain their Russian lands as well."
Talleyrand's eyes widened as he grasped the significance of Napoleon's concern. He nodded in understanding.
"I see your point, Your Majesty. It would indeed be more advantageous to ensure that the Poles regain both Prussian and Russian territories.
Napoleon appreciated Talleyrand's quick grasp of the situation. "Exactly. We need to leverage our current position to ensure a favorable outcome for the Poles."
"So, would that mean you are not going to meet the royal family of the Kingdom of Prussia? They are just there beyond that door," Talleyrand said, his eyes pointing at the door.
"Well, I guess we can," Napoleon nodded thoughtfully.
With that, Napoleon proceeded to the door and opened it, revealing the grand stateroom. Inside, the Prussian royal family, including King Frederick William III, Queen Louise, their advisors, and a young girl.
"Thank you for waiting," Napoleon said, stepping forward. "First and foremost, my stay in the Sanssouci Palace is top-notch. Sublime, I'm glad that you modernized with electricity and indoor plumbing. If not for those renovations, I wouldn't stay here."
King Frederick William III, maintaining a regal composure, spoke, "I'm glad to hear that you had a comfortable stay here in my own palace."
Queen Louise, a graceful and dignified presence, offered a polite nod but said nothing. Her eyes, however, betrayed a hint of tension beneath her courteous facade.
"Shall we proceed to the negotiation now?" Frederick William III said, gesturing towards the ornate chairs arranged around a polished mahogany table in the center of the room.
Napoleon shook his head. "The negotiation will be delayed until we defeat the Russians."
Both the royal couple and their advisors exchanged confused glances at Napoleon's unexpected statement.
King Frederick William III, recovering from his initial surprise, cleared his throat and spoke.
"May I inquire about the reason for this decision, Napoleon?"
"You'll learn about it once we defeat the Russians," Napoleon simply answered. "I came here just to see the royal family. Now that I have seen you, I will now go and continue my campaign against the Russians."
As Napoleon turned to his heels and walked towards the door with Talleyrand, a voice belonging to a child sounded.
"You are the worst!"
Napoleon and Talleyrand halted in their tracks, surprised by the unexpected outburst. They turned to see the source of the voice—a young girl. She is about the same age as Aveline, defiantly glared at him.
Queen Louise, embarrassed and concerned, stood and grabbed the young girl.
"I apologize for the behavior of my daughter, Napoleon."
King Frederick William III also tried to appeal to Napoleon's understanding. "Please forgive the impertinence of youth. She is just a child."
"Why are you stopping me, mother, father?" Hilda, still held by her mother, continued to shoot defiant glances in Napoleon's direction. "You told me that Napoleon is a monster that rose from the mire. He killed our people, and destroyed our cities—why are you acting so differently now?"
"Stop!"
Napoleon, though taken aback by the girl's frankness, regarded her with curiosity. He walked forward and crouched down to her eye level.
Hilda's defiance wavered as she met Napoleon's gaze. She hesitated for a moment before asking. "What? Isn't what I said true?"
Napoleon paid little attention to her words, his gaze instead falling upon her appearance. She had a small frame, with a face that was more oval-shaped than not. Her hair was deep, jet-black, and her eyes, though unusual in color, were a shade of purple. Despite her young age, she possessed soft, gentle features that gave her a pleasant appearance.
She wore a white frilly dress befitting a young royal princess, and despite her bold words, there was an innocence about her that could not be denied.
He offered a faint smile and gently spoke to her. "You speak your mind, young one, and that is a trait to be admired. What's your name and how old are you mein Fr?ulein?"
"My name is Charlotte. Princess Charlotte of Prussia," she answered confidently and with a sharpness in her tone. "I'm eight years old."
"Charlotte, that's a beautiful name. You see, in war, people kill one another for their country. Do you know why Prussian soldiers were killed? Because France and Prussia are at war. And do you know who started it?"
"It's you!" Charlotte exclaimed.
Napoleon's smile remained gentle. "No, mein Fr?ulein, Prussia declared war on France first. And what my soldiers did to your country, Prussia will do as well. So, there is no one side that is entirely innocent in war."
Hearing that, Charlotte's defiant expression wavered completely, as if learning the real truth.
Napoleon continued. "Still, I admire your courage to speak to me. When you grow up, you'll become a fine lady."
Napoleon stood up and faced her parents. "I have taken a liking to your daughter, William, Frederick. Which leads me to want to propose something."
"What is it?" Frederick William III asked curiously.
"As you are aware, I have a son, Francis. He is the crown prince of the Empire of France. In the future, he would need to have his own empress. So, why don't my son Francis and your daughter Charlotte form an engagement? An arranged marriage would bring peace between our nations and ensure a prosperous future for both. It's a gesture of goodwill and reconciliation," Napoleon proposed.
Queen Louise and King Frederick William III exchanged surprised and somewhat alarmed glances at Napoleon's proposal. It was clear that such a proposition had not been anticipated, and they were taken aback by the suddenness of it.
"No, there's no way I would let my daughter marry a man with no noble lineage," Queen Louise retorted sharply.
"What do you mean no noble lineage?" Napoleon's brows narrowed. "I am the Emperor of France."
"That may be true, but you were not born a king or a noble," Queen Louise replied firmly. "Our family has a long and esteemed lineage, and we cannot simply arrange a marriage with someone from a different background, even if he is an emperor."
"So you have shown your true colors huh? Queen Louise. I heard rumors that you really hated me. Well, I can confirm that now. Unfortunately, I can't take no for an answer. Your approval will be part of the treaty we are going to sign in the future. You two must realize that I'm imposing peace and that I can break that peace if you don't agree to our terms."
After saying that, Napoleon glanced down at Charlotte, confusion etching her face.
Napoleon smiled warmly at her before turning around and leaving the room with Talleyrand.
Outside, Talleyrand spoke.
"Your Majesty, this goes against your plan. If you arrange a marriage between the Prussian King's daughter, that would look like you are in support of Prussia rather than Bavaria."
"No, this won't affect the plan at all. In fact, it would speed up the unification of the German states. As I said before, the Kingdom of Germany will be a federal state with individual states within it. Each king will have their own autonomy, and that they represent the diversity of the German people. So it doesn't really matter who marries who."
"Well, if I were to think about it, Maximilian is just our puppet to rule the Kingdom of Germany for us. He doesn't really have much of a say," Talleyrand remarked.
"Let's finish this war," Napoleon said.
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