Chapter 488: The Proposal
Time had a way of flying by without one truly realizing the scope of its passing. It had already been close to three years since Bruno had managed to alter the course of history and bring an end to the Great War.
In addition to this, his expert political maneuvering following the interwar fallout, especially in the Balkans also was beginning to age like fine wine. The Habsburgs had perfectly integrated into the German Reich, and in doing so, became the unofficial second pillar of the Nation.
It was because of this that Bruno had his eyes on the House of Habsburg, in particular one of its daughters, in blood at least, as the fiancee for his second son Josef. Though the boy was not even yet ten years of age, the woman Bruno had in mind was rapidly approaching adulthood, and he needed to seal this agreement quickly.
Bruno’s children spanned a noticeable age gap. Early in his marriage to Heidi, before the demands of his military career consumed him entirely, they had three children in quick succession: Eva, Erwin, and Elsa.
It wasn’t until around 1910 that a second wave of children began arriving, more methodically timed between deployments and political upheaval. Josef, Heinrich, and Wilhelm were the eldest of this younger group, three sons who would follow Erwin in the line of succession.
Finally, during the years leading up to and throughout the Great War, two more daughters were born: Anna and Erika. The youngest of the entire brood, Erika, was now only about four years old.
It was because of this large and well-positioned family that Bruno’s next plan was so bold. Frankly speaking, he had been waiting for Franz Joseph to kick the bucket before proposing it. Only now, after giving the House of Habsburg proper time to mourn, did Bruno arrange a quiet meeting with its new head, Archduke Karl.
Bruno had for the first time since the funeral travelled from Innsbruck to Vienna, a trip that by train was far less tiresome than the one from Berlin. And upon arriving he met with the new Archduke of Austria in the Hofburg.
Particularly in the same office where Bruno had once struck the deal that sealed the fate of his family. However, Karl was already proving to be far more receptive than his late uncle. And for good reason.
He understood what Franz Joseph could not: that Bruno’s offer, however heavy-handed, had saved Austria from complete ruin. The Archduchy had been absorbed into the Reich, and the Habsburgs had lost their sovereign imperial status. But compared to the chaos engulfing Hungary and the Balkans, it had been a soft landing.