Chapter 119: A Personal Request from the Kaiser
While Heidi was making every possible preparation for the family's vacation to Saint Petersburg, which was where the Tsar's Winter Palace was, which was the primary residence of the House of Romanov. Bruno had found himself back at work, where he immediately requested time off to attend the ball which the Tsar was throwing for some ceremonial reason or another.
Because of this, Bruno's request first went to the Chief of Staff, who passed it off to the Kaiser. And the result was an invitation to the Kaiser's palace. Because of this, Bruno was escorted out of the headquarters belonging to the Central Division of the German Army's high command, and was brought to the Kaiser's palace, which he had visited on three prior occasions in his life.
Once as a teenager where he defended his fiancée's honor against a prince who dared to sully her name. And twice when coming back from war as a way to personally debrief the Kaiser on what he had been up to.
Bruno would now be stepping foot into the home of the German Reich's foremost monarch to address his request for a temporary leave of absence. Why did the Kaiser wish to speak to Bruno personally about this matter?
Well, the man had few ideas, and because of this, he was on his best behavior when he finally stood in front of the Kaiser, saluting the Monarch as he waited for a response. Kaiser Wilhelm was in a rather jovial mood and immediately dismissed Bruno's need to stand during the ceremony.
"Oh, come now, Bruno. This is the fourth time I have invited you to my home. If I had you stand on every time you visited, it would be woefully inappropriate. Not to mention this isn't a formal meeting, or a matter of your duty to the fatherland. Rather, I asked you here for a personal request, and I assure you it is by no means mandatory to accept."
Bruno gave the Kaiser a glance that said he did not remotely trust that the man was actually making a personal request of him, and instead suspected it was indeed an order to be carried out, even if the man claimed otherwise.
The accusatory glance did not offend Wilhelm. Rather, it caused the man to break out into laughter and make a joke about Bruno's gesture.
"Yes, yes, I know all about your paranoid nature. Quite frankly, with how much you mistrust the world and those around you, I can't help but wonder how your wife puts up with you. Even so, I feel the need to ask now that this opportunity has befallen you.
I of course, have known for some time now that Nicholas granted you the status of nobility for your heroic actions during that dreadful business. And it is no doubt because of this that he wants to parade you around as the hero of Russia and its people.