Re: Blood and Iron

The world had entered a delicate state. On the one hand, fires continued to burn long after those who had initiated them were reduced to ashes. The Great War was over, but the wounds created during its chaos and destruction still bled deeply—vast as oceans of the sanguine substance spilled across multiple continents.

Imperialism had entered a difficult territory, as if the German Reich's open declaration of seizing Anglo-French colonies in Mittelafrika—just to begin a long and stable process of decolonization—had been napalm added to already all-consuming flames.

Britain's empire burned, and their army, now returned home from the likes of Ypres and Flanders, began being redeployed to put down local rebellions that spanned the entirety of their colonies. From Ireland to what remained of British Africa, and east toward the Raj and the lands still held in the Pacific, a time had come for the locals to overthrow their British masters. And it was a gruesome, bitter affair.

At the same time, France—still struggling to stabilize in the fallout of the war and mourning the millions of their own men who had been uselessly sent to their deaths—tried to save their remaining claims abroad.

But it was a doomed battle. The men who had survived the war against the Central Powers and returned home intact—rather than flee as deserters—had no desire to take up arms in another distant land under a tarnished and blighted banner, one that now represented defeat, betrayal, and incompetence.

No, these soldiers began to protest, then riot when force was applied against them, and ultimately rebel. Marxists, reactionaries, and opportunists of all kinds now fought in the streets of Paris and every major French city, as well as in the countryside, turning their anger, hatred, and grief against one another rather than the enemy to the east who had so dominantly shattered their arrogant worldview.

The colonies and the forces still remaining there? They were left to fend for themselves and similarly entered a state of violence and chaos on a scale of destruction few in history would care to record.

Italy was relatively stable, having lost only a few hundred thousand men compared to the millions of their allies. They surrendered almost immediately after realizing they could not withstand the tide of German steel that came crashing over the Alps.

Whereas Austro-Hungary was embroiled in a collapse of brutal proportions, one that was the making of their own decades-long failures. So then you might ask, what remained of the other two major world powers located within the Western world?

Germany prospered and flourished, having perfectly mitigated the dangers associated with a generation of young men returning from war with both psychological and substance-related problems. Preparations had been made long in advance for this inevitability, and the German merchant navy now dominated global trade. Not only this, but Germany began expanding its industry and wealth eastward toward their Russian allies.

Bruno had changed things forever in this world when he ventured into Russia in 1905 to decimate the communist leadership, forever preventing its spread within the nation and saving both the House of Romanov and the Russian Empire in the process.

However, lessons were taught, and Russia began putting far greater effort into industrialization and modernization over the next decade, becoming the second greatest land-based military power in the world by the time the Great War began in 1914.

The war itself was far less disastrous for the Russian Empire than it had been in Bruno's previous life, no doubt due to all that he had done to change this new timeline. As a result, they not only saw the overwhelming majority of their young men return to a stable and prosperous Russia…

But on the home front, the fires of industry were greater than ever—approaching full-scale industrialization on a scale greater or equal to that of the German Reich. This naturally fostered greater trade between Germany and Russia and brought all kinds of investment into the region.

Not to mention the secret deals made between Bruno and the houses of Hohenzollern and Romanov, which would see his oldest daughters marry the future Kaiser and Tsar—forever acting as the glue between the two realms.

Because of this, Russia was in a prosperous state, and currently, Bruno was in Saint Petersburg with his family, along with the Kaiser and his family, to help foster a major diplomatic effort.

The three families sat at the same table in the Tsar's luxurious Winter Palace. Bruno, Wilhelm, and Nicholas shared toasts of victory—and toward the notion of their houses joining together through marriage in future generations.

As for Bruno, he silently nudged the Kaiser to speak to the Tsar about what they had been discussing privately ever since the matter with the Werwolf Brigade had been fully disclosed. Finally, Wilhelm caught on after a subtle but forceful gesture via Bruno's eyes.

"Oh, right… Nicholas, there was a matter that our mutual friend here and I wanted to discuss with you. Considering the future of our houses and realms that we have all agreed upon, as well as the current state of mutual trade, investment, and development, I wanted to ask if you had any desire to take this relationship a step further in the right direction?"

The revolution of 1905 in this life had forced Nicholas to evolve, both as a man and most certainly as a ruler. He had become quite educated in court politics, history, economics, and, of course, matters of trade and diplomacy over the years.

As a result, he was slightly confused by what the Kaiser was hinting at—that is, until Bruno made it abundantly clear, while their families continued a far more civil and peaceful discussion in the background about the upcoming Olympics being held in Berlin the following year.

"What His Majesty means is that we wish to open up a pact of mutual research and development. Not only in scientific matters but also in terms of future military weaponry.

With the way things are going, and the Roman concrete foundation upon which our current alliance has now been built, the Kaiser and I would like to offer a greater gesture—one that would ensure our militaries train together in joint exercises, while our engineers and scientists share research and development, and our factories produce the same equipment.

Whether naval, air, or land-based weaponry, we believe we could vastly outpace the rest of the world in terms of technological advancement and sheer volume of output if we worked together for the sake of a safer and more stable world.

From the North Sea to the Baltic, to the Mediterranean and the Pacific, our alliance would hold absolute hegemony if this pact was made feasible. And it could be done so with a single stroke of the pen on both of your parts.

There are naturally certain risks involved with such a grand and visionary gesture, but… the benefits proposed to our three houses far outweigh them. So long as we trust one another to have the best interests of our houses in mind—and future generations of our families to do the same—then I see no reason why this can't be a lasting and prosperous agreement.

So what do you say? Will you make this wager with us?"

Utter silence lingered between the three men for a very long time. The only sound that could be heard was the jovial laughter of their families in the background as these three men of prestige and power drank their wine silently and gracefully.

Perhaps it was the scene before them—their families getting along so well, and the sight of both of Bruno's daughters being bashful and endearing toward their future husbands—that compelled the Tsar to agree to such a massive gamble.

One that either had the ability to see both of their nations ruined in the most brutal war in human history… or guarantee the birth of a new and better world, where their realms and houses would last for the next thousand years.

Either way, Nicholas had a grave look in his eyes as he placed down his gilded chalice and agreed to sign whatever treaty of mutual cooperation the three of them could draft together.

"There are indeed many risks involved with what you propose. But if carefully thought out by the three of us—and by men we trust—I don't see why we cannot make something not only feasible, but also brilliant.

I have said it before, and I will say it again, my friend. My greatest regret in life is that you were not born Russian. But I am glad to see that you have enough mind to ensure that we will never be enemies.

So let us break bread instead, and be merry. That is the wisest course of action I can possibly think of at this very moment, given the circumstances we now find ourselves in."

With this agreement stated verbally, history had forever been changed—and the sisters of fate were left reeling from the impact of the blow they had just received, seemingly coming out of nowhere.