Tyranny of Steel

Khorijin stood at the bow of the SMS Linde and gazed upon the coast of the Crimean Peninsula. Where a small harbor and a sizeable settlement existed. Months ago, this city did not exist. Yet now it housed tens of thousands of her people. Though it was far from complete, more and more buildings were being finished every day.

In the months that followed Chagadai's defeat in Constantinople, Berengar had made use of his resources to rally the broken members of the Golden Horde and corral them into the Crimean peninsula. Where the Germans assisted with the construction and development of the region.

Outside of this city, whose architecture was eerily reminiscent of Russia's from Berengar's past life, were fertile fields, which made use of imported german fertilizer and mechanized tools which were drawn by beasts of burden. What was once a rather desolate area now contained a semi-modern settlement.

Though it would be some time before the region became self sufficient, a strong foundation had been built for Khorijin and her people. Something which brought a tear to the woman's dark eyes. It was only after staring at the developing city for several minutes in awe, did the young woman turn her head towards Berengar to speak her thoughts.

"Thank you... My people have never known a life beyond being nomads, and in half a year, you have helped us build a city of our own... I don't know how I can repay you..."

Berengar smiled as he heard this, before placing his arm around the woman's shoulder. Their relationship had always been one strictly of business, though after months of grappling with one another, the Turko-Mongol princess no longer feared physical contact between herself and the Kaiser. As Berengar brought the woman into his arms, he pointed with a free hand towards the settlement.

"I have only done what I have promised to do. Besides, most of what you see is still under our construction. This is just the beginning. Under our guidance, your people will be able to live here and prosper on your own within the next decade. For now, we will continue to build and show your people how to maintain what we have established. However, if you think this is great, wait until you see your palace."

This last statement only further added to Khorijin's shock, as she looked Berengar dead in the eye, and repeated his words back to him.

"My palace?"

Berengar simply nodded his head as he responded to the woman's question with full confidence.

"You are now a Queen, and a Queen deserves a proper palace. Come, I will take you to your new home and show you around."

Khorijin followed Berengar onto a boat, which ferried them from the SMS Linde to the shores of Crimea, where they proceeded to walk through the developing city's streets until they eventually entered the grounds which belonged to a small palace that was loosely modelled after the Russian Tsaritsyno Palace from Berengar's past life.

Berengar had spared no expense in the construction of Khorjin's palace. Tens of thousands of German workers, armed with the most modern equipment, had spent the last six months building a city from scratch.

With the extensive work experience of the German engineers, architects, and construction crews. They were able to design a city that had no rival outside of the fatherland. Naturally, they were able to build a sizeable estate that was fit for a minor queen.

Like the Royal Palace of Kufstein, Khorijin's home was embellished with the finest furnishings and internal details. Gold was around every corner, and the opulence was truly fit for a queen. Obviously, her home was considerably smaller than Berengar's, but it was nicer than any palace outside of Germany.

Khorijin gazed around at her new home with excitement. She could hardly believe such a wonderful palace was hers alone. So much so that she was quick to question Berengar for his generosity.

"This is my new home?"

A seductive smile emerged on Berengar's face as he closed the distance between himself and the woman before whispering something into her ear.

"Well, yours and our future children..."

Although Khorijin had agreed to carry Berengar's children, every time the subject was brought up in the past, she would distance herself from the man. However, after witnessing everything that Berengar had gifted to her, she could not help but feel attracted to him.

Upon seeing he had succeeded in his endeavors, Berengar smiled and grabbed hold of the woman's dainty hand, before whispering another phrase into her ears.

"Come, how about I show you the bedroom?"

Khorijin could only nod her head in agreement as she allowed herself to be whisked away by the man. Soon she found herself in an extravagant master bedroom, with a large and plushy mattress. There was a canopy around the bed to hide what the two monarchs were about to do from the outside world.

For the rest of the night, Berengar made love to Khorijin, and by the time the dawn rose on the next day, the woman was physically exhausted from the sheer volume of exercise she was put through. As for Berengar, he got up from the woman's bed and entered the kitchen, where he prepared a pot of coffee.

He sat down at the table with a German newspaper, and red its contents. The headline was not the least bit shocking to Berengar.

"The Third Prince of Saxony's cruel abuse is revealed!"</>

An entire article showing off the abuse the prince of saxony put his wives through, and the lengths he went to silence them. There were photos of the man's arrest, and a sub-article about King Dietger von Wittelsbach breaking off his daughter's engagement to the prince.

Linde had done an impeccable job, and now all that was left was for Berengar to return to the Reich and approach the Bavarian King about a proper engagement between Anne and Hans. Something Berengar knew the man would not reject.

The history between Austria and Bavaria was a complicated one. It was only a little over a decade ago that the Bavarians invaded Austria, eliminated the Habsburg line, and put most of the eastern portion of the duchy to the sword.

Naturally, the Austrians did not forget these crimes. However, the Bavarians had more than paid an appropriate amount in reparations, and made up for their past mistakes by aligning themselves with Austria during the unification war. After a decade of peace and prosperity, the wounds between the two kingdoms had begun to heal.

With the Austrian Prince marrying the Bavarian Princess, one might say it was truly the end of hostilities between the two realms, even if Bavaria had already been subservient to Austria for nearly a decade.

Much like his father, out of all of Hans' brides, only two of them would be capable of bearing children who had the right to inherit the throne, one of which was still open to legal interpretation. Princess Veronika Brezinova of Bohemia, and Princess Anne von Wittelsbach of Bavaria.

With Bohemia's Germanization in full effect, her offspring would just barely meet the qualifications to succeed Hans, should the boy become the next Kaiser, which was becoming ever more likely as the years passed.

While Berengar was dwelling on these thoughts, Khorijin emerged from the bath while dressed in nothing but a lavish silk robe. She surprised Berengar by approaching him from behind, and wrapping her arms around his neck before kissing him on the lips. After which, the Crimean Queen sat down in the man's lap, and asked him a question.

"So I guess this means I'm your woman now?"

Berengar simply nodded his head in response before giving Khorijin a fair warning.

"Now, until the day you die, you are mine, and mine alone. I'll have you know I'm a very jealous lover. Should you take another man into your bed, I will raise this Kingdom of yours to the ground, and place someone else upon its throne."

This remark only caused Khorijin to giggle as she grabbed hold of Berengar's mug and took a sip of his coffee, before responding to his threat with a flirtatious look on her pretty face.

"I'll keep that in mind... So what now?"

Berengar sighed and placed his paper upon the dining table before looking Khorijin square in the eye and declaring what needed to be said.

"Now I return to the Reich. I will come back here once a month to pay you a visit and help you manage your Kingdom's affairs. In the meantime, I have left a list of things you need to do as the new Queen of Crimea and the surrounding regions.

In time, I will help you build an army which will be capable of conquering your neighbors to the east. After all, it is not just this land that you inhabit that you and our children are destined to rule over. However, for the meantime, internal matters are more important.

You are a newly established Kingdom, and it will take some time to build a proper reputation and, more importantly, gain respect from the other world leaders. For now, you have the protection of the Reich, so should anyone try to bully you, give me a call, and I will set them straight."

Khorijin responded to this information by kissing the man one more time. She then held onto her belly, which was still filled with the man's seed, and nodded her head before accepting the terms of their relationship.

"In nine months, I will give birth to your son. I hope you will be with me on that day."

Berengar simply chuckled in response to this. After all, he had missed the births of almost all, if not all, his children. The likelihood of him being present for such an event was dreadfully low, still he did not outright say this and instead gave the woman hope.

"We will see..."

With this, the Crimean Khanate was officially established, and would become yet another puppet of the Reich.

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