A Trip to Budapesta (Meillur Only)

[Polonge]

Karola places down her glass of water and intertwined her fingers together.,

“Then don’t act too quickly. Wait a few months, take the appropriate amount of time to make peace with the past. And three or even six months, even up to a year if you must, after you have gone through your search for peace, perhaps then that is the time when you can no longer hesitate. For your nation’s sake and your own.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William nodded and said "Yes, but I may not have that long, I have no way knowing if tomorrow I might end up perishing in a fiery explosion, or at the hands of an assasins bullet"

He then said "It would seem I have to make one of those pragmatic choices"

[Polonge]

Karola tilted her head.

“Don’t you think that to be rather indecisive? You say you wish to take your time and are scared of going too fast, but then immediately switch and say you don’t want to take your time for fear of death.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William nodded and said "It is" he hen said "however it is not death itself that I fear, it is what would be the aftermath. I would not like to see New England turn into another Scotland."

He then said "and in that pretense, I must put aside my own personal wants for the better of my people and my country"

[Polonge]

Karola nodded her head. Yes, she’s heard it all before that king’s without an heir were in s danger position.

“Heirs, ever the goal and mission for anyone ever fortunate, or unfortunate enough to sit on a throne.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William nodded and said "I believe that often it is a bit of both, fortunate to have power and wealth, but also unfortunate in that they recieve what many people would likely consider a crippling responsibility, and also an inability to truely live life the same way most people can, a lot of things are dictated by what everyone else needs and wants, and little room is left for the monarchs wants"

He then said "However how horrible that misfortune becomes is up to the monarch, and I intend to make the best of it that I can"

[Polonge]

Karola nodded her head with a sly smile.

“Marrying a smart, talented, clever and beautiful woman from a royal house and starting a family with her hardly seems to be the greatest misfortune to befall a man. I an think of far worse ‘sacrifices’, trust me.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William smiled and said "Certainly from that point of view" he then said "However there are those who do not like to marry for such attributes alone" he then said "and I would consider myself among them, given the nature of my previous wife" he then said "It is not looks or capabilities alone which I would want from a wife"

[Polonge]

Karola crossed her fingers in her lap and sat back in her chair slightly annoyed by the King of New England’s statement. Her tone turned slightly harsh.

“Yes. Who wants intelligence or beauty when one can have dim witted and obedient. Perhaps Your Majesty, you should give up on creating a dynasty. After all, isn’t it Victoria of Galicia who is the rightful heir? And she has succeeded where you have repeatedly failed. She has many children to secure the throne. Perhaps you should give up your burden and name her and her children as your successor.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William frowned and said You say I have failed" he then said "however I have barely begun, and I may be successful yet" he then said "And the last time a Sherman was on the throne, the Emperator created his genocidal empire" he then said "And that time has past, if she had wished to take her place at the throne she would have done so, and i would have stepped down, but she has not, and I will not disturb her relatively happy life to place this burden upon her"

[Polonge]

Karola narrowed her eyes. She then stopped this swished the water around in her glass as she spoke.

“The last time New England had a king, it was taken over by a genocidal maniac. The last time New England had a king struggling to have his line continue, it was taken over by a genocidal maniac. Yet it seem it has come full circle. It would be foolish to assume that Sherman’s are the cause. Victoria has never struck me as the one to see a Crown as a burden. After all, she was born into that world, while you were not. Perhaps where you are burdened, she would flourish. Perhaps New England is in need of a Queen. In more ways than one.”

She punctuated her statement with a sip from her glass.

[Great New England Confederation]

William then said "and if things were different it would still have one"

William then said "This was something I had hoped I would never have had to think of again, however fate decided otherwise, and now here I am, seeking a third marriage that was not only unwanted, but that was feared." He then said "And you are correct, I am not born into this, however that also leaves me the perfect opportunity to learn, as well as to bring more practical lesssons to the table as well"

[Polonge]

Karola looked William up and down.

“Then what is it that you need. And does that outway what you want? From what I have heard you wish to wait, but you wish to move quickly. You feel you are suffering, yet that you wouldn’t dare stop. You say that you wouldn’t wish to marry someone you just met, yet you did so in your last marriage. You wish for heirs, for stability, but are you willing to take the necessary steps, honestly?”

[Great New England Confederation]

William said "I am willing to make any sacrifice if it means ensuring the stability and safety of my nation" he then said "Even if that means laying my own life down." He then said "And what I need is quite simple, a good queen" he then said "and one who could help me learn a thing here or there about being a royal"

[Polonge]

Karola clicked her tongue.

“You really shouldn’t describe marriage quite so much like sacrifice. It’s a bit rude.”

Karola leaned forward.

“Nonetheless I wish to help you. I was a Queen for over four years, and quite literally most of my sisters are queens. Who better thanI to fulfill the role that you most adamantly need?”

[Great New England Confederation]

William thought and then said "You would indeed be a sensible choice"

He then said "And then as such, I will offer my hand to you, if you would accept the offer" he felt himself grow slightly nervous at making such an important statement, knowing full well it could come to haunt him

[Polonge]

Karola was a bit surprised at William’s sudden bluntness. He seemed to get down to the issue very slowly and then suddenly all at once. She spoke calmly and with a small smile.

“I accept your offer of your hand in marriage.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William nodded, he then said "Then it would seem that we have a lot of planning to do"

He thought of places, however at the same time he knew that the planning might very well fall to her, so he prepared himself to hear her plans on the matter.

[Polonge]

Karola places her hands in her lap as she smiled.

“Is there any permission needed from a legislative of any other official body of authority in Nee England for the king to marry?”

[Great New England Confederation]

William chuckled and said "I am that authority" he then said "It isn't the Confederation anymore, the only person I need permission from to marry is myself and the person I am proposing to"

[Polonge]

Karola’s smile grew. That was what she had expected him to say.

“Then may I suggest we find cathedral. I see no reason to waste time, not when your kingdom needs an heir. We could be married within the hour, and an important step in the stabilization of your county completed.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William nodded and said "Then let's do it" He then said "And I believe you know where the closest one is better than I do"

[Polonge]

Karola promptly rising from her seat, smoothing her dress.

“Very well then, I believe Inner City Church is the closest one, just down the street. We can have one of the priests there officiate it.”

[Great New England Confederation]

William nodded and stood, he then said "Then I suppose that is where we will be headed" he then took a wallet out and left a sizeable tip, a habit he had developed during his early years. He then placed the wallet back in its hiding place in his uniform and said "I am ready when you are"

[Polonge]

Karola raised an eyebrow at William as he placed money on the table. She was perplexed at why he had done that. The concept of tips was an alien one to Polonge, so she wasn’t sure what he was doing, but decided to chop it up to a culture difference.

“Marvelous.”

As Karola left the restaurant, a town car pulled up ready for her and William. Karola spoke to one of the servants opening the door.

“Menj a Vagra-hoz, és vegyél ki egy gyűrűt. Valami nagy és fényes.”

The servant nodded and dashed off. Karola looked back to William with a smile as she slide into the car, patting the seat next to her.