Tyranny of Steel

Currently, King Berengar von Kufstein stood in his office. The man firmly clasped his hands behind his back as he stared out the window, gazing upon the sun setting over the Austrian Alps. For several moments there was silence, that is until the King finally spoke with a voice filled with authority and intimidation.

"So, you believe that you are ready to act as the Field Marshal over the Royal Guard?" 

A young man, even younger than Berengar himself, stood on the opposing side of the desk that stood between them. He gulped the saliva that pooled within his throat as he quickly nodded his head with a severe expression in his eyes. This man was none other than the King's cousin and Brother-in-law. 

"Yes, cous- erm, your majesty!"

It had been years since Berengar had last associated with Heimerich, other than in passing. A few years back, Heimerich's elder brother Gerhard assumed the position of Regent over what they then knew as the County of Steiermark.

The reason for this was simply because of Lothar's rebellion. However, rather than prove his competency as the heir to the County; his first act as regent was a poor attempt to dissolve the betrothal between his youngest sister Adela, and his cousin Berengar. 

When his father Otto got wind of this notion, he castigated the boy, and replaced him with his younger brother, Heimerich. Years had passed since then, and a fierce conflict between the two brothers had emerged as they fought for the succession of their father's position. 

In the eyes of their father, who was now not only a Duke but also the Chancellor of Austria, Gerhard had since redeemed himself. Despite this, Berengar was not fond of the man. After all this time, Heimerich had come groveling to his cousin, the King of Austria, for a position that would allow him to excel in the eyes of his father, and hopefully one day succeed him. 

However, despite this plea, Berengar was hesitant. He was not one known for tolerating nepotism. In fact, such an act was a criminal offense in Austria, thus he wanted proof of the young man's capabilities as a military leader. With this in mind, a cruel smile formed on Berengar's lips as he walked over to his desk and sat down. He read over the report on his younger cousin's accomplishments on the battlefield as an officer in the Royal Army. 

"It says here that you were awarded with a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for your heroism in battle. Having fought in the Iberian Campaign, and the War against the Eastern Coalition, your superiors speak highly of your abilities as not only a soldier, but also as a commander. You served with the Grenadier Guards. Is that correct?"

The young man nodded his head without hesitation before responding to his King's comments.

"That is correct, your Majesty."

Berengar smiled when he heard this enthusiasm. The Grenadier Guards was an infantry regiment renowned for extensive service record. Since the earliest of Berengar's campaigns, the Grenadiers Acted as both his personal guard, and has his shock troops.

<br/>Over time, they expanded into a dedicated regiment of the most battle hardened infantry. For a long time, it was considered a great honor to join their ranks.  However, nowadays, this specialized unit was just another form of infantry. With the invention of stick grenades, such weapons had become standard issue to all infantry units, and thus the Grenadiers lost that which made them unique. 

Despite this redundancy, Berengar wanted to pay homage to the Grenadier Guard's lineage as his original bodyguard. Thus, he selected an officer from this prestigious regiment's ranks as the Field Marshal in charge of his newly reformed Royal Guard. Interestingly enough, his cousin just so happened to be the man he was looking for. 

While Berengar was going over his cousin's file, he was carefully studying the man who was dressed in his full service uniform. After a while, the King placed down the dossier and sighed heavily before revealing the thoughts he had on the biggest issue at hand.

"I have some concerns about appointing you to such a lofty position. For starters, you are young, and though you have fought in two wars, there are plenty of officers more experienced than you. Though you have an outstanding reputation among your peers and superior officers alike, I fear some will see that your appointment to Field Marshal of the Royal Guard will be an act of nepotism on my part. 

It is because of this that I want you to prove yourself in a military exercise. I will not lie to you. The task I will appoint to you will be one that few men can succeed in. I will hold this excursion in Northern Lombardy, where you will be tasked with leading a brigade of Royal Guard conscripts against the Kingdom of Lombardy's defense forces. 

Your aim is simple: Invade Northern Lombardy with your brigade and seize control over a single county. After you and your men have established control over this county, I will dispatch my Jagdkommandos to act as rebels, where they will engage in guerrilla warfare against your forces. With your army of conscripts, it is your job to identify and eliminate these rebels without a single civilian casualty. 

If you can succeed in this endeavor, then you will not only prove to me, but to everyone else in the Kingdom of Austria, including your father that you are fit to lead the Royal Guard into battle against all of my enemies whether they be foreign or domestic. So what do you say? Are you up to the challenge?"

Heimerich struggled to cope with this task. What his cousin was asking of him was beyond most Field Commander's capabilities. Not only was he given a single infantry brigade of fresh recruits to fight a mock battle against the entire Kingdom of Lombardy's Defense Force, which numbered over 10,000 men, but he was also then supposed to fight against a guerrilla force composed of Austrian Jagdkommandos.

The Jagdkommandos were Austria's elite special forces. Not only were they experts at direct action, but they were also masters of covert operations and unconventional warfare. To fight against such elite soldiers with an army of conscripts fresh out of training was not something any sane individual would want to do. 

Despite the difficulty in the task set for him, Heimerich knew well why Berengar was imposing such restrictions. If he truly wanted to lead the Royal Guard as its Field Marshal, he would need to be a capable enough leader to overcome conventional armies, and guerilla rebels alike.

After all, the Royal Guard was being reformed into the King's personal militant force, and they would most likely be dealing with rebellions from within the realm at some point in the future.  With a heavy sigh, and careful consideration, the King's cousin nodded his head before responding with his answer.

"Very well. I will undertake this task, and after I have achieved total victory, I will expect you to honor your words and grant me with this position."

Berengar merely smiled as he heard his cousin's words. If the young man was truly such an exceptional leader to be successful in this nigh impossible task, then he was indeed worthy of leading his Royal Guard. Of course, if Heimerich failed, then Berengar would find someone more suited for the position. Either way, the crown was victorious in this scheme.

"I like your confidence. Prove to me you are the right man for the job, and I swear it will be yours. As you know, I always fulfill my promises."

Upon hearing the King's commitment to his terms, Heimerich sighed in relief before saluting his monarch.

"For King and Fatherland!"

In response to this action, Berengar raised from his seat and returned the man's salute.

"Hail victory!"

After saying this, the Grenadier Officer was dismissed from the Monarch's office, where he prepared himself for the mock invasion he would have to endure. As for Berengar, he dispatched news to the puppet King of Lombardy to alert him to this military excursion, giving him ample time to prepare for the Austrian Invasion. 

While rebellion occurred within the lands of Northern Germany, the South German Confederation was taking time to prepare for their inevitable conquest of the region. Whether the local population would view the Austrian invaders as saviors or ruthless conquerors entirely depended on Berengar's efforts of intrigue. 

Thus, much work had to be done, and there was little time to do it. However, Berengar was never one to shy away from a challenge, thus he quickly got to work drafting the necessary documents for the approval of his plans, both internally and abroad. The reach of the Austrian Crown knew no bounds in this feudal world, and he would not rest until those who were responsible for his sister's injury met justice. 

Though it may seem like Berengar was being merciful by not outright invading the North German States, his cruelty in response to his sister's injury would forever remain in the minds of monarchs throughout the western world. A permanent reminder of what happens when one targets the Royal Family of Austria.