Tyranny of Steel

Months had passed since the Reich's war with the Catholic world began. The result was a complete and total victory. Germany had defeated the armies of its enemies, and now its own forces swarmed across Christendom to remove the old nobility from power and install their puppets on the thrones of the European Kingdoms.

The Duchy of Burgundy was no exception. During their initial invasion of the low countries, the people greeted the German soldiers as liberators. However, the foolish nobles clung to their ancient ways, and in their hubris had beheaded a German messenger. The result was a complete and total purging of the Burgundian nobility throughout the lowlands.

Castle after castle, city after city, the Germans marched through the lowlands and obliterated the noble families who had once held absolute authority over the entire region. By the time they made their way into the heartland of the Burgundian State, the enemy had willingly surrendered, in fear that they might suffer the same treatment as those in their northern territories.

The German General who was tasked with leading his army into Burgundy sat at a table in the Castle that once belonged to the Duke of Burgundy. After Marcel's death in Naples, his young nephew had ascended to the ducal throne. Naturally, as a man who had a penchant for cross-dressing boys, Marcel had left behind no heirs to succeed him.

As a result, a child of nine years of age was the current acting Duke of Burgundy, though his reign had not lasted long before the German army forced their way into his home and demanded his abdication. This boy's name was Bernard, and he was currently in a discussion with the German General to quietly abandon his birthright.

Lieutenant General Willehelm Krieger sat across from the boy and his regent with a stern expression on his face. It had been many years since he led a small company of men to put down brigands within the borders of the Duchy of Austria.

As Austria rose in prominence to a mighty Kingdom which now dominated a vast Empire, so too did this officer. He was now the commanding officer of the First Corps of the Imperial German Army and was the man tasked with negotiating the Burgundian surrender.

"Bernard de Burgundy, it is in your best interest to willingly abdicate your throne. The war is over, your army is defeated, and now the Duchy of Burgundy acts as a natural border between the Reich and the Kingdom of France. Naturally, we can't have a small child such as yourself to fulfill such an important role. No, someone who the Kaiser trusts will be appointed in charge of this realm.

I will not state my demands again, abdicate your throne, and profess whoever the Kaiser chooses to be your successor as the legitimate Duke of Burgundy. If you do so, we will allow you to retire to the countryside to live out the rest of your days in peace and prosperity."

The young boy looked up at his regent, which was his mother, with a pleading gaze. In truth, he wanted nothing to do with the throne. Though the previous Duke had never outright abused the boy, Marcel had been grooming his nephew to take Aubry's place as his future lover, going so far as to dress the young child up in girl's clothing. Naturally Bernard felt deeply uncomfortable even associating with the title Duke of Burgundy.

Though his mother was aware of the previous duke's proclivities. She had ignored Marcel's scandalous actions in return for appropriate compensation. It took one look at the woman and her unyielding expression for the German General to understand her wicked character. The woman was quick to reject Willehelm's kindness, as she desired the power and authority that came with her son being Duke.

"We have no intentions of abdicating the throne-"

Before she could continue her defiant speech, Willehelm raised one finger and shushed the woman. She was about to scream at him when she felt the butt of a rifle smack against the back of her head. It wasn't a heavy enough strike to knock her out, but it stung like hell. Upon seeing his mother being treated so roughly, the boy remained silent. The German General noticed this and began to speak with Bernard directly.

"Bernard, I'm not talking to your mother. I don't give a damn about her opinion. I need YOUR answer. Will you abdicate your throne and retire to the countryside? If your mother is a problem, I can even arrange for you to be adopted by a loving German couple who are looking to have a family. You can live a happy and prosperous life in the Reich if you so choose. You just have to say the word."

The boy was about to accept the offer when his mother recovered from the attack and screamed at him.

"Bernard, if you dare to abdicate your throne, I will never forgive you!"

The woman lashed out at her son when she saw the hesitation in his eyes. However, she was quickly restrained by the German soldiers. Willehelm felt a bit of pity for the boy before pointing out his mother's actions were far from nurturing.

"Boy, you may be too young to understand, but that is not how your mother is supposed to act. She doesn't care about you, she only cares about the power and authority that comes with the position you have inherited. If you want to grow up in a healthy environment, I suggest you take some time to consider my offer. Ask yourself this: what is it that you want in life?"

Willehelm did not enjoy putting such an important decision on the shoulders of a young boy, but he had no choice. This child was the current Duke of Burgundy, and his bitch of a mother was willing to risk his life just to cling onto some tiny semblance of power and authority.

Bernard gazed upon his mother's hateful expression as she was bound and gagged by the German soldiers, before shaking his head. In truth, he had always known that his mother did not have his best interests at heart. He even feared her. However, he just never wanted to admit it. Now that he was given a choice for a better life, he would be a fool not to take it. With tears in his eyes, the boy gritted his teeth before nodding his head in acceptance of the General's plan.

"I, Bernard de Burgundy, first of my name hereby abdicate my ducal throne, and grant dominion over my family's lands to Kaiser Berengar von Kufstein."

Willehelm wished he could smile upon hearing such words, but it was too pitiful of a situation for him to find any enjoyment in it. He sighed heavily, before pulling out a treaty, where the boy hastily signed away the rights to the Duchy of Burgundy. After doing so, he gazed at his mother's hate-filled expression one last time before asking Willehelm the question on his mind.

"Can you promise me a good family? Far away from the likes of my uncle, or my mother?"

Willehelm looked at the hopeful expression in the boy's eyes before nodding his head. He had a bitter smile on his face as he reflected on the whole situation.

"My cousin is incapable of having children due to an accident, but he and his wife desire a son of their own. They are good people, from an honest background. I am sure they would be happy to adopt you as their son..."

Bernard's tears dried up as he heard this and quickly accepted the German General's officer with a kind smile on his face.

"Thank you!"

After signing over the Duchy of Burgundy to the German Empire, Bernard was led out of his family's castle, and united with a loving family within the boundaries of the Reich. The boy had no siblings to speak of, and his mother was thrown into a labor camp after being convicted of child abuse.

As a result of this conflict, the Duchy of Burgundy was split into two. The Reich officially annexed the regions with a German Majority, and what little remained became a small client state acting as a border realm between the Kingdom of France and the German Empire.