RE: BLOOD AND IRON

Bruno stood before the Kaiser, and his fellow General August von Mackensen, they were the only three men left in the room, and as a result the atmosphere immediately went from tighter than a garrote wrapped around its victim’s neck, to complete and utter relief.

The Kaiser himself sighed heavily and shook his head as he explained the reason for the summons to Bruno in a far less formal manner.

“My apologies. I tried to stave off those vultures and their attempts to drag your reputation through the mud, but there are powers that be that even I must appease from time to time.

Luckily, you have made powerful friends who will stand by your side as these decrepit old fools seek to undo all the progress we have made together over the years. So, off the record, what is your actual involvement with the Werwolf Brigade?”

Bruno, who had never lied to the Kaiser, and answered all of his questions truthfully, albeit sometimes withholding the whole truth when it was of the utmost importance was quick to reveal that which he was asked of.

“I founded the group, funded their organization, training, and equipment, and suggested that Franz Joseph hire their services in order to deal with the many problems which are currently plaguing his lands.

I outlined specifically the price that would be associated with such a purchase, albeit told him that the final bill would be sent to him after the fees and costs that would result from employing a mercenary force like this.

He voluntarily entered the agreement willingly, and he is now dealing with the consequences of his own decisions. No matter whom he may seek to blame for the violence overtaking the Habsburg Empire he only has himself to blame.

The Balkans should have never been conquered by the Austrians, the dual-monarchy was a massive political mistake, and the Austro-Hungarian leadership’s decision to recklessly abandon the strict practices and guidelines we introduced when issuing pervatin were flagrantly ignored in pursuit of greater combat effects.

Everything that is happening within the Austro-Hungarian at this moment is entirely of his own making. I merely provided him with a solution to restore control to the lands directly beneath the authority of the Austrian Crown.

As for what the Werwolf Brigade has done after they entered Austria that is not my responsibility. Did I provide them access with the resources and equipment they needed to begin their aggression? Most certainly, am I responsible for the sins they have committed while deployed? Not at all!

You see these men are mercenaries, a business venture. I am merely their investor, but operational authority and the orders given on the battlefield lie solely to blame with the commanders of the Brigade….”

August von Mackensen and the Kaiser were stunned by Bruno’s shameless admission… This was not the first time he had unleashed a rabid hound onto the threats that he considered existing outside his jurisdiction of solving.

And the last time this had occurred the results required a major sacrifice to be made, one that was still deeply personal to Bruno. As a result, the Kaiser could not help but sigh and shake his head while voicing his own thoughts aloud.

“I can’t help but feel we have made this mistake before…”

Bruno knowing exactly what the man was talking about immediately tensed up, a subtle gesture but one that did not go unnoticed by the trained yet aging eyes of von Mackensen who was observing the man’s expressions which until now had remained as still as the dead.

Though the old German General did not say anything, simply silently noting that Bruno could still be unnerved in certain ways. Instead, Bruno tried to justify his actions and assure the Kaiser that the Werwolf Brigade would not end up like Erich had.

“With all due respect, your majesty, the world is entering a new and turbulent era. Though the Reich has won the great war, the events that follow in the coming years will be unpredictable and will surely be violent beyond measure.

We will need to utilize a force like the Werwolf Brigade for clandestine operations abroad that require a certain degree of deniability on the grand stage. A force of mercenaries with no official ties to the German Reich and its military structure, silently operating as your wolves to be unleashed upon your enemies wherever they may be hiding?

It’s the perfect solution to the diplomatic crisis that will no doubt be eying our borders soon enough…”

Both August von Mackensen and Wilhelm were utterly dumbfounded by Bruno’s response, and how he treated this organization he had created that had already caused so much bloodshed. The Kaiser, in particular was quick to point this out with a hesitant and wary tone in his voice.

“This wolf pack of yours… You do understand what they have done in Vienna, right? By your own estimates, the casualty rate of innocent civilians has been under exaggerated, and you are just okay with that?”

Bruno’s voice was as chilling as his ice-blue eyes as he nodded his head before responding to the moral outrage that the Kaiser was subtly hinting at without outright shouting at the man in front of him who he both deeply respected, but silently, and unconsciously dreaded on an almost instinctive level.

“Of course… With all due respect your majesty, these people weren’t innocent. No, they were a rot, an infestation of the Austrian heartland. If a limb grows gangrenous do you let it spread at the expense of the entire body? No! You must cut it off lest it will be the death of you!

You’re right to say that these culling are a great evil, only a monster would deny this. Unfortunately, in this world, such wickedness is often necessary. It is simply the way things are…”

August von Mackensen did not say a word. As a career soldier and general, he understood Bruno’s ruthlessly pragmatic sentiment, even if he wanted to disagree with the conclusion. As for the Kaiser, he remained silent for a very, very long time.

That is, until finally forcing his thoughts out into the ether, a moral quandary which he required an answer to before making a judgement that would affect the German Reich and the world at large for the foreseeable future.

“And what if history condemns us for this?”

Bruno’s words had suddenly become soft and firm, not as if he were an emotionless figure, but as if he had deeply reflected on the gravity of such a question, yet had the strength of will to press forward, nonetheless.

“I am afraid, your majesty that is simply not possible. Because I do not intend to create a history where that will be possible, history is what we make of it here and now, and at the end of the day my words will be written in its annals, not France’s, not Britain’s, and certainly not those of the Americans…

There is only one path forward. Serbia made sure of that when they had the Archduke of Austria and his wife shot in the streets of Sarajevo…. No… The only war forward is through…”

Though Bruno’s words had a staggering effect on any resistance, the Kaiser could muster, forcing him into subtle and solemn silence, it was ultimately von Mackensen who spoke up, his tone fierce, but not defiant. As if trying to test Bruno’s resolve, which, while sounding unshakeable may truly be crushed beneath the weight of destiny.

“And if that is not enough? If, despite everything, it is still our fate for the world to condemn us?”

Bruno’s expression had gone from weighing the cost of his actions versus the future benefits of doing so to a sudden and disdainful sneer. His voice for the first time in his life had twisted into a hate filled condemnation, not of any man in particular but the cosmic forces which were constantly challenging his mission in this new lease on life.

“Let me answer your question with another, that is, if you don’t mind… You have seen what our enemies portray me as, yes? If the soldiers are France are to be believed, then I am the personification of the angel of death himself.

Now, if we were to have a friendly wager to see who would win in a fight between Azrael and the sisters of fate, who would you personally place your bet on? Me, I’m not a gambling man, but if I were to engage in such a vice, I’d stake my life on the former….

You see your majesty, if the world which destiny has already dictated must come to pass intends to judge us so cruelly for doing what is necessary to ensure the safety and security of our realm, then I will simply walk up to the sisters of fate and put a bullet in each of their skulls myself….

Failure is not an option in this life, and if even the forces of Heaven were to conspire against us and everything we have worked so hard to achieve, then they would be considered an equally valid target for my army to march against.”

Utter silence remained for a very long time, as nobody knew how to respond to such a bold and outright insane take. Bruno wasn’t just declaring a war against the world, he was outright challenging destiny.

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