Chapter 362 An Order from Napoleon
Simultaneously, in the private quarters of Francis's lavish bedroom, his hand reached out to grasp the telephone, lifting it off its cradle with a sense of urgency. With swift, deliberate movements, he dialed a specific series of numbers, connecting him across borders to Germany. The telephone emitted a series of rings, each one resonating through the room, as he awaited the familiar voice of his wife, Charlotte, on the other end of the line.
As the rings continued, Francis felt a mix of anticipation and impatience. He tapped his foot on the floor, his fingers drumming against the telephone. He knew that the international call might take a while to connect, but every second felt longer than usual.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the ringing stopped, and he heard the soft click of the line connecting. "Hello?" came a voice from the other end, slightly crackling due to the long distance.
"Hi honey, it's me, Francis. I just got to the Palace of Versailles. How are you doing? I miss you so much."
"Francis!" Charlotte's voice brightened immediately, the crackling line doing nothing to hide her delight. "I've been waiting for your call. I miss you too. How's everything at the Palace?"
Francis couldn't help but smile, feeling a warm sense of comfort from hearing her voice. "It's all good here. How about you?"
"I'm doing well, just the usual routine here. But everything seems a bit dull without you around," Charlotte replied, her voice carrying a hint of melancholy. "When are you going to pick me up here in Sanssouci Palace."
"Soon, honey. I will pick you up there myself," Francis promised. "Oh my god, your voice is truly angelic. I can't wait to see you and hear you in person again."
"I can't wait either, Francis," Charlotte responded, her tone softening.
As they were having their wholesome conversation on the phone, a knock on the door interrupted them. Francis, slightly startled, asked for a moment before putting the phone down briefly to answer the door.
"Who's there?"
"It's me, Daphne."
Francis opened the door and in front of him stood Daphne.
"Why are you here?"
"Father has asked for your presence in his office. I don't know the details but it seemed serious to that point he won't share it with me," Daphne responded, her expression showing concern.
"Alright, I'll be there in a minute," Francis said, understanding the gravity of the situation when their father kept things even from Daphne.
He closed the door and quickly returned to the phone, picking up the receiver. "Charlotte, I'm really sorry, but I have to go. My father needs to see me for something urgent. Can we talk later?"
"Of course, Francis. It must be work-related. Just give me a call when you are free, okay? Take care," Charlotte replied.
"I will, don't worry. I love you," Francis assured her, trying to sound calm despite the uncertainty he was feeling.
"I love you too, Francis," Charlotte responded.
Francis hung up the phone. He took a moment to collect himself, his mind racing with thoughts about what his father could possibly want to discuss so urgently.
With a deep breath, Francis left his room and made his way to his father's office, his steps quick and purposeful. As he walked, he tried to prepare himself for the meeting, going over any possible issues that might have arisen and required his attention.
Upon reaching his father's office, Francis knocked on the door and waited for a response. "Come in," he heard his father's voice say from inside.
Opening the door, Francis stepped inside, his expression serious as he prepared to address whatever matter was at hand. "You wanted to see me, Father?" he asked, his tone respectful.
Napoleon looked up from the documents on his desk, his expression grave. "Yes, Francis, please have a seat. We need to talk."
Francis took a seat, maintaining his composed demeanor despite the swirling curiosity and concern inside him. Napoleon, with a deep sigh, leaned back in his chair and looked at Francis intently.
"Before we begin our discussion, we need to wait for someone else."
"Okay," Francis simply responded, his eyes lingering on his father as he tried to read his expressions and gauge the severity of the situation.
Napoleon seemed lost in thought for a moment before he finally spoke up again. "We are dealing with a national crisis here."
"National crisis?" Francis tilted his head to the side. "What kind? Is there some sort of a terrorist attack or are we at war? An armed conflict in one of our colonies?"
"You'll know soon as soon as he—"
Napoleon paused as Armand entered his office. "Your Imperial Majesty, the Minister of Interior."
Francis rose to his feet, facing the door as his uncle, Lucien Bonaparte, the Minister of Interior, walked into the room. He had a stern expression on his face, and it was clear that he was here on serious business.
"Thank you, Armand. You may leave us," Napoleon directed his aide, who promptly exited the room, leaving the family members alone.
"Lucien, thank you for coming on such short notice," Napoleon began, gesturing for his brother to take a seat.
"Of course, Napoleon. I came as soon as I heard. And hmm…I see that my nephew and the future Emperor of France is here as well."
"Good morning, uncle," Francis bowed his head slightly in respect as he greeted Lucien.
"Morning, Francis," Lucien nodded in return, taking the offered seat.
Napoleon wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "So, as I have told you over the telephone. There is an outbreak in France, in the regions of Provence and Languedoc. Basically southern France."
"Outbreak?" Francis exclaimed softly. Now knowing what's the matter.
"You already spoke to the Minister of Social Affairs and Health of France about this right? What did he tell you?" Lucien asked, ignoring the Crown Prince.
"He assured me that he'll contain the spread by quarantining the affected areas, and mobilizing medical resources to deal with the outbreak. You see, an outbreak is not a good word to hear."
"Well, in that case, we just have to be honest with it," Lucien suggested. "Tell the people nationwide that Southern France has an outbreak and the government is doing everything in its power to control and eliminate the threat. Transparency is key in these situations to avoid public panic and misinformation. In fact, it's worse than the people themselves discovering it from other sources before we have the chance to inform them," Lucien continued, emphasizing the importance of controlling the narrative and maintaining public trust.
"I agree," Napoleon nodded in agreement. "However, we need to make sure that we are not causing unnecessary panic. We need to reassure the public that we are taking every possible measure to contain the outbreak and protect the health of our citizens."
Francis, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up, "What exactly is the nature of this outbreak? Do we know how serious it is, or how it started?"
"We already know, it's an influenza virus," Napoleon revealed. "It's an airborne disease, and it's highly contagious. Francis, the reason I called you here is I want you to go there personally and oversee the situation. You'll work closely with the local authorities and health officials to ensure that everything is under control and that the necessary measures are being taken."
"Me? But it's dangerous. What if I caught the disease?"
"You won't unless you wear your personal protective equipment and follow the safety protocols strictly. Since I'm thinking of going public with this, we might as well send one of our own members of the Imperial Family as a way of showing our commitment and concern for the people affected," Napoleon explained, his gaze steady on Francis.
"Is that so?" Francis hummed thoughtfully before giving his decision. "Very well. I shall go to the affected regions and do my best to help manage the situation."
"Good."
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