The Italian attempt to gain the Nordic Imperium as an ally was shown by Franco's eager pushing for the marriage of his daughter and the Nordic Emperor's heir. Yet even still the Nords were not to be relied upon. The mighty Russian bear could decide they didn't like this Italian-Nordic bond and that would be the end of that. Franco had pondered this for days and finally with joy he remembered that there was another great power that hated the Russians to boot!
The fire roared as the Foreign minister stepped into the drawing room. Franco didn't even look up at the man, instead he asked him, "How old is young Catherine?" The Foreign minister paused and said, "She is twenty my lord, her finance..." Franco cut him off and said, "Kill the man. Tell the now widowed Duchess that she is getting married." The Foreign minister swallowed nervously and said, "To whom my lord?" Franco stood and said, "An Englishman." He stood and waved to two of his many servants.
The two ran up and bowed to their liege lord, they held out the copy of the letter he had written. He handed it to the foreign minister who read it quickly,
To Queen Alexandria I,
Your Royal Highness Queen Alexandria, I hope that this letter finds you in good health. We would like to inquire about the possibility of a marriage between my niece Catherine Duchess of Sicily and the Prince of Wales, our two nations find Europe in a state of rapidly accelerating unrest. We both need friends in this trying time and a marriage of the two would do much to bring our two kingdoms together. I eagerly await your reply.
Your faithful servant,
King Franco Medici
The foreign minister nodded and said, "Very good sire." He bowed and walked out and Franco was left to brood on his own, his richly furnished drawing room seeming like a prison more and more to the King.