Russian Embassy, Vienna, Austrian Empire

The Russian delegation arrived at the Russian Embassy where they would stay for the duration of the visit. As one of the important allies of Austria decades ago, the Russian embassy is currently one of the largest embassies in Vienna. It can house thousands of personnel and visitors that can stay for days inside the embassy. The embassy is once a castle owned by some high-ranking Austrian nobles, then after some time, the ownership was transferred to the Habsburg and the Austrian Empire.

To show their sincerity of alliance and friendship to the Russian Empire, the Austrians had given this large property to the Russians to use as their embassy in the year 1826, years before the Russo-Prussian war of 1832. Even after the deterioration of the alliance between Austria and Russia, the embassy still remained under the ownership of the Russian Empire.

Right now, the Russian embassy is hosting an important person of the Russian Empire – Grand Prince Aleksandr IV Romanov.

“Count Artem Egorov, how is Austria faring these days?”

“Your Imperial Highness, the Austrians are experiencing a renaissance and their momentum is surging. It seems the imperial edict that Emperor Franz Joseph issued has given a positive change to the populace. It was a very well thought action and the timing could never be better.”

Grand Prince Aleksandr IV is talking to the Russian ambassador for the Austrian Empire. The Grand Prince needs to learn as much information about what is currently happening in Austria that can be useful in his negotiations tomorrow. And Count Artem Egorov, the Russian Ambassador staying in the Austrian Empire for a long time, is a suitable person to ask for details and information about the Austrians.

The more information the Russian Grand Prince can learn and gather, the more advantageous he is in the negotiations even if it is for an alliance. The Russian Empire has been always the one in a superior position in the alliance in the past, and it must continue in the present for the glory of the Tsar and the Russian Empire.

“Emperor Franz Joseph has successfully strengthened Austria in its economic and financial capacity so that it can undertake such massive militarization. If you look at it, he is really a great leader but for any foreign powers, this would be a challenge and threat even if he is an ally. How about the Austrian Crown Prince?”

“About the Austrian Crown Prince, a lot of people is saying that he is also a capable and a person well-versed in diplomacy and governance, he also has the military and a lot of powerful people in Austria backing him… But right now, there are rumors that he is in a relationship with a foreign girl from the far east. He has even brought the said girl to Vienna and is staying in one of his personal estates. You may able to use this information to our advantage, Your Imperial Highness.”

“That is very interesting. If ever he would pursue that relationship and make it official, it would become a bigger issue than the annulled engagement and rumored affair of the German Crown Prince. I have even heard that he has a close relationship with the French Princess.”

“I found it really amazing that there is still no opposition in the ranks of the Austrian nobles but I heard there are some discontent and grumbling but not to the level that they would protest against the Crown Prince.”

“It becomes more interesting how the Crown Prince managed to keep it under control. By the way, is it really true that there are French military training the Austrians?”

Grand Prince Aleksandr IV finds the relationship between the Austrian Crown Prince unconventional and fascinating. It seems that the Austrian Crown Prince is having an unconventional relationship with a foreign girl and there are still no strong

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness. There are even a lot of French officers and trainers that are in the Austrian military training the troops. In Bohemia, there were a lot of French military advisers sighted by the local populace in the region. They were not even trying to hide from the public eye.”

“So... it is possible already that the French and the Austrians have already negotiated a deal. How about the British?”

“There are still no massive movements and actions the British have undertaken with the Austrians. But there are meetings between diplomats of the Austrians and the British in the British Cagliari. The British head minister of Foreign Relations, Mark Bawell, had even gone here in Vienna a month ago. There might be a possible negotiation but I think it is still not finalized or finished.”

The Grand Prince finds the slow pace of the British puzzling. The British are known to be really fast in making deals and negotiating with other powers with their strong diplomatic and political leverage around the world. So it is strange that the British are taking their time in the negotiation and let the French overtake them in making deals with the Austrians.

The British had more to lose if they can’t make a deal and influence the region, especially that losing Austria means that the Balkans and the Danube will fall under the influence of the German Empire. That would be a political disaster for the British who is competing for world hegemony against the Germans.

“The British are plotting something. Baron Gerasim Aleksandrov, try to contact our men in London about what the British are doing in regard to the affairs in the Balkans. The British are taking their sweet time that it is already very suspicious.”

The Russian Grand Prince calls and orders one of the men standing on his side, Baron Gerasim Aleksandrov, to contact the men and agents in the Capital of the British Empire to know if the British are plotting something in the region. The Baron is one of the underlings of Count Nikolai Borisov and the one who is managing and leading the covert and espionage missions in the British Empire.

The Baron bows slightly to the Russian Grand Prince before he leaves the room to do the Grand Prince’s bidding. The Russian Grand Prince is satisfied that the Baron immediately went to do his orders and is hoping that he would receive some information about the British plans. The Grand Prince always sees the British as cunning and tricksters in their dealings. The Russians have also a dispute and a struggle in control and influence with the British in Central Asia, especially in the Kingdom of Afghanistan which is sandwiched between the Russian Empire and British India.

They might have a common enemy which is the Germans, but the Russians and British are also on guard with each other and there are even small skirmishes on the border between the two powers. It only proves that there is no such thing as a real ally or enemy. The enemy or ally can change anytime based on the needs and interests of nations and states.

“Count Egorov, how about the Ottomans? Are there any large movements in their borders?”

“Regarding the Ottomans Your Imperial Highness. There was a lot of request for help from the Slavic people in the Balkans Your Imperial Highness. There are massacres and killings of tens of thousands every day and it looks like the Ottoman Turks are planning to erase all non-Turks inside their borders. Even Arabs and Jews are not left untouched. Such barbarity needs to be stopped Your Imperial Highness.”

“I know that Count Egorov, even my father His Majesty the Tsar is furious of such uncivilized and barbarity that he almost starts a war with the Ottomans only to be stopped by his advisers and ministers. Even I feel the need of us intervene in the Balkans to protect our fellow Slavic people but Russia is not prepared except for manpower that can be used fighting and bleeding on the battlefield.”

The Grand Prince clenched his fist in anger and feelings of helplessness when he remembers the plight of the Slavic people in the Balkans. He feels that it is his duty to save the people but he also knows that Russia is still not ready for a direct confrontation against the Ottomans. The Germans are also lurking on their border if ever they would attack the Ottomans. The Germans are hoping that they could destroy the Russian empire completely so that it would not become a threat anymore.

Count Egorov realizes that the Russian Grand Prince is not in the mood anymore to continue the meeting. He asks for the Russian Grand Prince to end the meeting and to continue it if ever the Russian Grand Prince is not furious anymore. Grand Prince Aleksandr IV can only agree with the suggestion of the Count for his mood is sour already.

The Count then calls for servants to assist and led the Russian Grand Prince to where his room is located. The Russian Grand Prince then stood up to leave and follow the servants. He then looks outside the window as he trotted in the hallways of the embassy, seeing the bright sun above the city even though it is winter. He now pins his hope on his negotiation tomorrow with the Austrians to save the plight of the Slavic people in the Balkans. He is willing to fully support anyone who can help in the Balkans and the most possible one could be the Austrians who are on the collision course against the Ottomans. And tomorrow will be the day to know whether he can pin his hope on the Austrians or not.