Episode 19- Sweet Polly Oliver! Part Two
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Naples, 8 June 1454
Young Prince Alberto de Valois was walking down the halls of the Royal Palace of Naples. He was about to have a meeting with his parents. His father approached him in the morning and said he want to have a talk with him. Alberto did not know the details but the whole thing sounded rather official. He was wandering what could possibly be a reason to this. He was hoping it was nothing serious.
What if they’ve found out about that one time at the university with drunken wheelbarrow racing…? No, that’s unlikely.
Alberto opened the door and entered the living room. His parents were sitting on the couch.
“Ah, Alberto, welcome. Please, take a sit.”
He sat on the chair in front of them.
“So, what is it you wanted to talk with me about?”
“Relax, you did nothing that would upset us. We just want to talk about your future.”
“Your father and I are worried that you still don’t have a wife, Alberto.”
Alberto sighed. He thought it was going to be something serious, instead it’s a ‘you should get married’ talk.
“Ah… you see… it’s not that I don’t want do get married…”
“Is that so? You haven’t found the right person yet?”
“No…., ugh…. I mean, yes….. Well, it’s complicated.”
“I see… I understand that you don’t want to take such an important decision in a hurry. Take me, for example…. I’m kidding, of course, though you have to understand that, as a member of a royal family, you are expected to follow certain rules.”
“We are connected by marriage with many prominent families in Europe. When they’ll find out that you’re unmarried, they might press charges against us.”
“Mom, dad, I’m sorry I disappointed you. I just didn’t think about those things that much until now.”
“Now, Alberto, you did not disappoint us. We don’t want to put any needless pressure on you and we certainly won’t force any kind of decision on you. We simply want you to be happy.”
Alberto relaxed a bit. He was glad that his parents were supportive of him, even if they were a little too interested in his personal lives sometimes.
“Thanks, dad. I promise I’ll think about it.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, there’s one more thing… Wheelbarrow racing? Really? Of all the crazy things you can do…”
“Oh, shucks…”
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Naples, 15 September 1454
Alberto was circling around the palace halls like a severely drunk bat. He wasn’t going anywhere in particular, the walking simply helped him think. There were many things occupying his mind right now, particularly about the conversation he had with his parents a while back. While he was pondering about that for a while now, he did not come to a satisfying conclusion.
“Hey, brother! What are you doing here?”
His train of thought was interrupted by a loud, high voice coming from behind him. The source of that voice was easily identifiable as Anastasia de Valois. She served as a model younger sister for Alberto, always pestering him about various things. She was a splitting image of her mother and would in no doubt become a prime wife material in a few years. Unfortunately, she seemed to inherit the more obnoxious traits of the family.
“How’s that a business of yours? Besides, I’m only here to take a walk.”
“You just happened to be walking past the council chamber, right? You’re going to pester don Bieleucci again?”
Alberto looked to his right- she was right. The rooms in the palace weren’t labeled, as its inhabitants were usually as literate as they were competent, but he went there often enough to know. The door to the Council Chamber, widened a couple of years ago to accommodate Louis in his ‘prime days’, were easily recognizable.
“*tsk* Well, maybe. Is that a problem for you? You’re not jealous, are you?”
Alberto’s teasing took an unsuspected turn as Anastasia’s face suddenly turned red.
“No I’m not! I’m just curious! Wait, what are you happy about all of the sudden?”
“Oh? Sorry, I just find it amusing that my sister has a crush on our chief diplomat.”
“Shut up! I don’t have a crush on him! Just because I think he’s cute doesn’t mean…”
At this point, Alberto did not bother to conceal his laughter.
“Ooooh…. That’s just great…. You know, you might want to grow a bit before you propose to him…”
“Jerk!” She kicked him in the leg before storming off.
Alberto massaged his shin and pondered on his situation. ‘Since I’m here I might as well go meet him.’ He sighed. ‘Great. I’m at it again. Wasn’t this the reason why I stopped coming to the library so often?’ He did not have much time to think about it, as he was already opening the door.
There was no council meeting planned for that day, so the hall was almost empty. Alberto had to really look around to find Oliver reading a book in the corner.
“Hey there! How’s it going?”
“Huh?... Oh, good morning, Alberto. I did not expect anybody to come here.”
“The Council’s not meeting today, right? Why are you here on your own?”
“It’s quiet here and I can focus on reading without anyone bothering me. Besides, I have to make a report for the King regarding the recent developments.”
“The Burgundian situation, I presume?”
“Indeed. The English seem to be in deep trouble.”
“That’s unfortunate. England would make a good ally against France. Now they’re in no shape to challenge them.”
“Yes, that’s why we are looking for allies. In fact, we have received an alliance offer from Bulgaria.”
“Bulgaria’s not exactly a top player.”
“They might prove useful nonetheless.”
“Whatever works for turning Naples into a world power, I suppose.”
“That won’t amount for much if Naples lacks an heir, though.”
Alberto glared at him.
“Et tu, Brute? Why do people keep bothering me about this?”
“Oh, they just want a new topic to gossip about. Besides, don’t you want to have a wife and family?”
“*sigh* You know, you can’t really blame me for lack of trying…”
“So, still no luck in finding the right one for you?”
“Yeah, pretty much…”
Alberto actually took his parents’ words to heart and started looking for an adequate wife for him. As an intelligent and quite handsome heir to a noble dynasty, he was not troubled by a lack of interest. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the candidates fell short of his expectations.
“You know, that Russian princess, Marina, looked good enough.”
“Yeah, she would be okay if she did not open her mouth…”
*sigh*
“You know, Alberto, I have a feeling that you’re not really interested in all of this…”
He sighed yet again. Oliver was partially right: he was mostly doing this to give himself some peace. He went to some meetings, talked with a few women for a while and evacuated. He could never find a common language with them. Sure, some of them were visually pleasing and would probably make good queens, but Alberto was looking for something more. He wanted a wife that would share his interests. Unfortunately, women with interests in classic literature were really hard to come by.
“You may be right… you know, there is a person I’d like to spend my life with, but unfortunately it’s impossible.”
He did not tell him the whole truth. He was still very unsure about his feelings and was very afraid that someone would find out.
“Is that so? Is it someone you know well?”
“Yes. It is a person very dear to me, but unfortunately we probably won’t be able to be together.”
“You know, you should never lose hope. Even if you don’t succeed, friendship is still a pretty nice thing.”
“Platonic love, huh?”
“Indeed.”
Oliver looked into Alberto’s eyes. They shared a long moment in silence.
“*ahem* You know, I really shouldn’t bother you this much when you have work to do.”
“It’s okay, I enjoy your company. But you’re free to go if you have some other matters to take care of.”
“Uh, yes, I remembered something. See you later!”
“Later.”
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Yet another year has passed and once again Naples was a calm spot in the middle of the storm that was European politics at the time. By the end of the year 1454, one thing was known for certain- Aragon was out of its mind.
The beginning of one war marked the end of another. In March of 1455, England made peace with France, ceding large swaths of their continental possessions.
This wasn’t the end of troubles for the English just yet, as they still were at war with Scotland.
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Naples, 24 April 1455
The council meeting was in order yet again. Over the years Alfonso has grown increasingly older and more tired, yet despite that, he always insisted on regular debriefings. That day, the topic was the recent war between Savoy and Genoa and the repercussions it could have on the balance of power.
The Genoese Republic was still high on their victory over Venice. Their victory over Savoy could bring them close to being the major player in Italy. This obviously caused some concerns.
“All right. Thank you all for coming as always. Before you leave, though, there’s one more thing that I’d like to mention.” Alfonso stood from his chair. “As you probably now, due to some…. Unfortunate events…. Our council was left undermanned for quite some time. I’ve tried to remedy this, for instance by hiring our dear Oliver, though we still need a good economical advisor. That’s why I’d like to introduce you to don Fabio Pierallini. “
The door to the council chamber opened and a tall, slender man entered the room. He seemed like the time of person who puts his work over proper eating (though he definitely didn’t forsake his looks). He stopped in the middle and took a deep bow.
“I am flattered that you chose me, my King. I am Fabio Pierallini, pleased to meet you. I hope we’ll work well together.”
Everyone gave a small round of applause for the newcomer. Oliver noticed that he was sitting with his legs crossed, so he changed his position to a more appropriate one.
“Great so see a new face! Mister Nibbles deems you a trustworthy fellow, I’m sure you’ll be worthy of his trust!”
Everyone else in the room rolled their eyes, while Fabio scratched his chin in a gesture of fascination.
“A hamster, huh? It’s not a common pet in this part of the world.”
“Aye, it is uncommon for a warrior to have such an unassuming companion. Most prefer war dogs or falcons, but I assure you that Mister Nibbles is smart and cunning like no other!”
“Hmm… perhaps it’s best if we leave this conversation for another time…”
“So, if no one has anything more to add, then I suggest we’ll end right here.”
Everyone stood up from their seats and left the council chamber. Oliver was heading back to his room, absorbed in his thoughts, when he met a sudden obstacle.
*THUD*
The force of the impact almost caused Oliver to fall down. Unfortunately, most of the force was absorbed by his head, which he was now experiencing.
“Ow! Mister Bieleucci, you should be careful where you’re going! You’ve scared Mister Nibbles!”
“Ouch… Sorry, don Alessandro. I should really pay more attention.”
“What’s wrong with you? You’ve been out of focus for a while now.”
“Huh… you know, there are some things that are bothering me, but it’s nothing major. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“You know, you’ll feel better if you talk about it with someone! I’m sure Mister Nibbles will think of something that’ll cheer you up.”
Oliver sighed. He sure was persistent. Although he wasn’t in the mood to spill his guts out to the first person that comes around, he didn’t like to be mean to Alessandro. In the end, he did not know if he just wanted to humor him or was he just so desperate for a talk.
“So, there is a ma…. person that I like very much, but I’m almost certain that we can’t be together.”
“Hmm… does he like you too?”
Oliver paused for a minute. He had always taken for granted that his feelings weren’t mutual, but now that he’s thinking about it, he’s not so sure anymore.
“Well, I don’t know. I suppose that it’s possible.”
Alessandro made a very serious expression on his face, something he thought was not possible. He held his hamster close to his ear, as if listening to it. Finally, he spoke:
“Listen, my short friend. It is imperative that you always keep on fighting, no matter how bad the odds are! A true warrior never gives up, and neither should you! That’s what Mister Nibbles says and he’s always right!”
“Okay, but how does military advice help me…”
“War and love are two very similar things. In both you push at your opponent until he surrenders. That’s what you should be doing!”
“Well…. thanks, don Chigi. I’ll think about it.”
Despite his initial skepticism, Alessandro’s words really made Oliver think about his situation. He was wondering about the chances of Alberto returning his feelings. Well, even if he did, there were so many factors that worked against them. Aside from the gender barrier, Alberto was a member of the royal family while he was a commoner. There was no chance in the world that this would work.
Though he also knew that there was one thing Alberto did not know about. Though he had even less idea on how he would react to that. There could be severe repercussions if anyone found out. He could lose his job, or even get cast out of the city. Despite that, he thought that he should at least be honest with him.
He needed to talk with him and soon.
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Naples, 27 May 1455
Alberto was storming up the stairs as fast as he could. He was holding a note from Oliver in his right hand. He wanted to meet him in his room. He did not give him any clue as to why, but the look on his face suggested that it was something serious.
Oliver was very subdued in the past couple of weeks. He was working alone in his room almost all the time. It almost seemed that he was avoiding him. As much as he was concerned by his behavior, it gave him plenty of time to think about his situation.
It was already pretty dark and he almost fell off the stairs twice. There were so many things he wanted to say…
He arrived at his door earlier than he anticipated. He knocked on the door a few times, his hands shaking severely. After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened.
“Oh, good evening, Alberto. Please, come in.”
Alberto looked around the room. It was lit by a single candle, so it was hard to see the details. He had been in Oliver’s room a couple of times and he was always amazed at how clean and tidy it was. It was unlike any man’s room he’s ever seen.
“So, why did you want to meet me here?”
“Oh, yes, I almost forgot. I have your book.”
He handed him the copy of “Dialogues” he borrowed a couple of months ago.
“Ah, thanks. I almost forgot about it.”
‘I hope you didn’t have any trouble with keeping it for so long.”
“Nah, it’s okay. I hope you enjoyed it.”
“Oh, I did. Thank you.”
A long silence filled the room, with both of them waiting for the other to start the conversation. The tension was rising to nearly unbearable levels.
“You know, I…”
“Alberto, I…”
They started talking almost immediately, causing them to backpedal in embarrassment.
“Alberto…. You might speak first, if you want.”
“All right, then…”
He took a deep breath. Oliver was looking at him with anticipation. ‘Please, don’t do that. You’re making this hard on me..’
“*ahem* You know, there is one thing I want to tell you. I’ve been thinking about my life recently, how I want to spend it. I realize that finding the right someone for you is very important. I’ve spent the past few months looking for a wife, but to no avail. Though, it was all pointless, because I knew for a very long time who I want.”
He stopped to take another deep breath.
“That person happens to be you, Oliver. I don’t know why that is. You’re just nice, friendly, helpful, full of positive energy. I can’t help but smile inside when I’m near you. It’s just…. Listen, I know that’s impossible for us to be together like this, heck, I’m almost certain that you think I’m some kind of weirdo. But you know, that’s the way life goes. I’ll just…. Forget about it if you want it…”
Oliver was listening to his speech with his mouth half- open. Slowly, the amazement on his face changed to a slight smile. At the end, he laughed in a deceptively girlish way.
“..W-What’s so funny about that?”
“Oh, sorry. I just realized how stupid we both are. You see, I have a confession for you as well. Two, in fact. You see, I really like you as well, Alberto de Valois.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but that doesn’t make things much easier for us…”
“Can you let me finish? I said I have something else to tell you. I really don’t know how you’ll react. You see, Oliver is not my real name.”
He reached to his mouth and with a quick move removed the mustache from his face. Then he reached back and pulled out his hair.
“My real name is Olivia Bieleucci. I’ve always loved books and going to the university was my biggest dream. Unfortunately, they would never let a woman in. That’s why I dressed as a man. With this disguise I had access to the best education in the world. I’ve never thought about starting a family so I was never really concerned about ‘coming out’. That is, until I found you.”
“I know that I’ve lied to you, but I didn’t know how would everyone react had they found out. Sorry for giving you the wrong impression of me.”
She stopped to take a look at Alberto, who had an expression that could be best described as ‘dumbfounded’.
“So… you’re trying to say… that you’re actually a girl?...”
“Indeed I am, Alberto.”
Alberto breathed a sigh of deep relief.
“Oh, thank God!”
He leaned forward and hugged her. His nostrils were filled by the scent of old books.
“Thank you, Alberto.” She looked at him with a big smile on her face.
“You’re welcome…. Say, why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
“You really want to know? It’s a little embarrassing.”
“Come on, tell me.”
“I thought that you won’t have some common bookworm like me as your wife.”
“*sigh* We were pretty dumb, weren’t we? I’m glad that it’s settled. I thought I was…. Never mind.”
“Do you know how will you tell your parents about this?”
“Not yet. Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“That’s good to hear….. hey, wait! What is your hand doing under my shirt?”
“Huh..? Oh, I’m sorry. I was just…. Making myself absolutely sure…”
“*sigh* Men these days…”
“What are you complaining of all of a sudden, Princess?”
“Princess? Do not skin a bear that’s still alive.”
“That sounded suspiciously like a challenge.”
“Maybe it was, Alberto…”
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Days went by and Alberto de Valois finally realized that like can be kind of good if you give it a chance. After the events of the past months, all of this adolescent angst and confusion, a change of pace was a welcome thing.
The situation in and outside of Naples was also returning to relative stability. Though not everyone was so lucky: in the beginning of 1456, the Byzantines annexed their long- term subject, the duchy of Serbia, which disappeared from the maps for the second time.
Some good news were coming from Greece: after a long streak of failures, the missionaries in Morea were finally successful, bringing the province back to the Catholic Church for the first time since NeverReallySinceItWasAlwaysOrthodoxUnlessYouCountThePreSchismChurchAsCatholicWhichIsVeryDebatable A.D.
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Naples, 2 June 1456
Alfonso de Valois was sitting in his office. He has just received a note about the success of the mission of Morea. This pleased him, as it made it possible to shift the attention elsewhere.
He was about to put the papers aside when he suddenly felt like someone was watching him.
“Congratulations on your conversion of Morea, King Alfonso.”
Alfonso looked around and saw a tall man dressed in black standing behind him.
“What the…. Wait, you’re one of those Contradiction brothers, aren’t you?”
“That’s ‘Paradoxian Brothers’.”
“Whatever. Anyway, what are you doing in my office?! I did not expect any visitors.”
“If you have complaints, send them to Johan, not me.”
“What Johan?”
“Never mind. I have a new request for you.”
He handed him an envelope. Alfonso opened it, but when he turned around, the guest was already gone.
‘Tsk. I guess I should see what’s inside this time…”
Alfonso scratched his beard. This was certainly an interesting development, though he needed more insight on the current diplomatic standing of Urbino. He needed to show this to his diplomat and hear his advice on the matter.
He went down the stairs and towards the council chamber, where Oliver was most likely to be. The council meeting was long over, but he was probably still there, studying maps or reading books. Maybe he could even find his son, who actually started to attend the meetings himself.
Alfonso pushed the door, stepped into the room, looked around and almost fell to the floor at the sight he had found. He was right on two of his suspicions:
Oliver was indeed in the room, as was Alberto. What they were doing, though, was quite far from reading books.
His son was making out with his chief diplomat.
They must’ve realize that they’re being watched, as they immediately looked his way. After a slow realization, they parted away, faces covered in red.
“Uhm, my King, what brings you here this late?”
“I wanted your advice on a certain matter, but it appears that I’ve come in an unfortunate time…”
“Look, Dad…. I can explain all of this…”
“I’m certain of that. But before that, may I at least take a seat?”
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Well, a week counts for ‘a few days’, right? I know, I am a horrible person.
I’m glad to announce that the Plot segment is officially over! Yay!
[Due to budget constraints, we were unable to get a fanfare for this part. You’ll have to substitute your own one.]
Next time: actual exciting things happening.
