Vienna, Austrian Empire

The city of Music, Vienna, is filled with snow as it is approaching Christmas. A lot of people are riding trains and buses and coming into the city. It’s been a few weeks since the imperial edict of the emperor is issued that large industrial buildings and factories should be away from the city and should be in an industrial zone. The bad and dirty air and smog that fill the skies in a lot of industrial cities seem non-existent in Vienna. The city has slowly become more of a cultural and spiritual city than an industrial and developed city.

The people have arrived from those industries and factories to spend their Christmas in the city of Vienna. The people are lively and active even though it is a very cold Christmas. A lot of children in the snow play snowball fights or build a snowman. People enjoyed a higher level of living in this city compared to other European cities and major cities around the world. People here enjoy having more bountiful foods and gifts during Christmas and a lot of people are moving here for a lot of opportunities.

Even though the Austrian Empire is considered weak military and politically on the world stage, people moved and immigrated to the empire because it has more opportunities for work and career. The Austrian Empire for decades has focused on developing its economy and social living that which has become one of the highest in the world. And the addition of moving industrial cities away from the city centers makes them more livable. People and workers grumbled when their workplaces are move away from the city but after a few days, they realized the effects of a cleaner city. Even if it is a hassle to travel by train, the improved train lines and public transports make it easier to move from home to work and vice versa.

“Even in winter, the people here are lively and playing in the snow. I guess it might be because the winter in St. Petersburg is colder and harsher than here.”

A man in his late twenties is inside one of the vehicles in a convoy that is traveling in the streets of Vienna. The convoy is very long and the people of Vienna watch the convoy with great interest and curiosity. It was just a few days ago when this convoy procession of magnitude is making its way in the streets of Vienna and it is the Crown Prince of Austria, Archduke Karl Franz Justinian von Habsburg. So, who is this man who also has a large entourage of his own and just arrived in Vienna during Christmas?

“Your Imperial Highness, we are near the destination we’re going to stay in. We have already informed the Austrians that we have arrived and the meeting would be scheduled for tomorrow.”

“That’s good. The friendship between Russia and Austria needs to be mended in the face of the growing threat of the Germans. I’m sure it is Austria who is burdened the most with this development.”

“We just need to convince the Austrians that we can be the only ally that they can be trusted Your Imperial Highness. There are suspicious movements from the French and the British in regards to their dealings with the Austrians”

“It seems they are also trying to win the hearts of the Austrians.”

“Yes Your Imperial Highness, it is only the Austrians can compete with the economic and industrial power of the Germans if we only consider the European continent, and now that the Austrians are also developing militarily, its importance becomes more profound and significant in their eyes.”

“You just need to give the Austrians at least five to seven years and it would surely become a power that can rival other world powers. The current emperor had really paved the way for Austria to rise without becoming a great threat to other powers. He is a great and cunning emperor.”

The man traveling to Vienna is the Russian Empire’s Tsesarevich, Grand Prince Aleksandr IV Romanov. He is traveling to Austria to negotiate and revive the old alliance between Austria and Russia. After the disastrous defeat of both nations in the Russo-Prussian war of 1832, the relationship between Austria and Russia slowly grows apart. While Russia is still a world power even after such defeat, the Austrian Empire become more focused internally and economically. The Austrians also become more isolated in international affairs because the current Austrian emperor avoids being entangled in a major conflict.

But the actions the Austrian Empire is currently doing and implementing is a large shift in its stance on the world stage. With the growing threat of the Germans and Ottomans at the border, it was forced to make such radical and desperate measures to ensure its survival.

As such, the Russian Empire, spearheaded by Grand Prince Aleksandr IV, wants to reopen the previous alliance between the Russians and Austrians. The three major powers of Germany, Britain, and France even have a hard time defeating their countries’ alliance during the Russo-Prussian war of 1832, and he believes that having the alliance back would be stronger than before even against the rise of the German Empire. There are also a lot of Pro-Austrians in the Russian nobles and army ranks that he could be able to win their support when he becomes the tsar in the future. With the economic and industrial power of the Austrians together with the huge military and manpower of Russia, they could become a good alliance partner.

The Grand Prince is in high spirits thinking that the alliance would surely be successful. He is sent by his father to Austria to improve his standing and influence both inside and outside of Russia. For the Grand Prince, this task is easy and would surely come to fruition.

With his trusted adviser together with him, Count Nikolai Borisov, a noble in Kiev, Russian Empire, and also an intelligence officer and spy assigned in the Ottoman Empire. The Grand Prince is bringing Count Nikolai with him as someone who can help him advise and inform him of important details about the Ottoman Empire and its threat to the Austrian Empire.

The Count is just recalled from his mission in Constantinople to become a trusted aide and adviser for the Russian Grand Prince. A nobleman who hails from the border of Ottoman and Russia, his hatred against the Ottomans is very strong and he is also very loyal to the Romanov family.

“Your Imperial Highness, how about asking the hand of Archduchess Elisabeth Marie, the twin sister of the Crown Prince, to secure a political marriage and alliance with the Austrians.”

“Archduchess Elisabeth is a good choice to wed Count Nikolai but my father, His Imperial Majesty the Tsar, is planning to arrange my marriage with the British Princess Mary Victoria. He said that it is more advantageous to marry the British Princess than the Austrian Princess, for the Austrians would surely accept our alliance without even having a political marriage.”

“His Imperial Majesty the Tsar really said that Your Imperial Highness?”

“Yes, the talks with the British royal family are progressing already. Maybe next year the marriage would be finalized by both sides.”

“That’s good news Your Imperial Highness. You had stayed a bachelor for a very long time already. I think it is time for you to get married and have an heir. It would be a piece of great news for the Russian Empire.”

“How about you Count Nikolai? Is there any woman that you had fancy?”

“Nothing right now Your Imperial Highness. I had just returned from Constantinople and I have no time for such matters.”

“Hahaha… Don’t worry Count. I’ll find you someone and I will make sure you will like it. Maybe you can find your wife here in Austria. Hahaha”

The Grand Prince is having fun talking with the Count but is also serious about having his friend find a wife and settle in peace. Being in power means you have fewer true friends and persons you can trust. And the Count is one of the few persons that he can really trust and count on. He genuinely wished that his friend would also stop being a bachelor and get married to a girl he likes.

He knew that his friend’s life is very hard and dangerous, working as a spy and intelligence officer behind enemy lines. Anytime he can be captured and killed by the enemies if he is caught red-handed doing espionage or sabotage. His friend is always putting his life on the line for the Russian empire. He feels it is his duty and responsibility as his friend and liege to give Count Nikolai something that can make him happy and able to do his duty as a noble, to have an heir to continue his noble bloodline.

“Your Imperial Highness, we have arrived at the Russian Embassy in Austria. You can take your rest and prepare for the meeting tomorrow.”

Both of them immediately get out of the vehicle to proceed toward the embassy. Both are tired and weary from the long trip they had just gone through.

“Thank you Count. You need to rest also for I will need your advice and help tomorrow for the negotiation.”

“I will take obey, Your Imperial Highness. Wish you a good day of rest.”

Count Nikolai bows slightly to the Grand Prince and then walks toward the opposite direction of the embassy. Even if he is tired and weary, some things need to be done. He is going where the hideout of Russian spies and agents in Vienna to gather the information that could be useful in the negotiation.