The art of ruling - Historical - Political » Places

         Sweden, Stockholm, the seventeenth of July 1688.

Karl XI pointed his blunt rapier at his friend Rutger Von Ascheberg, whom did the same at Karl. Both where skilled bladesmen and trained togheter almost every day. Karl began with jumping forward, trying to get a hit at Rutger's arm, yet failed and the thrust was parried, Rutger replied with making several thrusts, from the left, right, then left again. Karl parried them all. He replied by trying a thrust at Rutger's foot...

It all went very fast, Rutger struck down, pinning Karl's rapier to the floor. Then he grabbed Karl's wrist to pull him down. Karl spinned around when Rutger made the pull so that they now stood face to face. Karl grabbed Rutger's arm and kicked his legs so that Rutger lost his footing. Quick as a serpent his rapier was at Rutger's throat whom began to smile. They were both tired from having done several rounds Before this, aswell as a little bruised. Rutger started smiling, and Karl gave him a hand up and patted him on the back before leaving. Karl was not one for speaking too much, and he was heavy in thoughts.

Christian IV of Denmark was a false worm, who despite having betrothed his sister to Karl XI, had attacked Sweden in an attempt to regain Scania. Karl had managed to beat him back, yet Karl was interested in revenge. And Christian who loved sailing, was going to head out for a trip in the Baltic Sea, and with all that gunpowder on the ship something could happen during the night...

And after this horrible accident. Karl, who had a Danish Princess as a wife. Could sweep in and claim the crown for her. Which would put Sweden and Denmark in a union with his son Karl as an heir. And like that the threat of Denmark would be gone, well atleast Denmark as a state. He did not believe that the people of Denmark would easily accept this.

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Spain, Madrid

Marcus von Fersen smiled and nodded a greetings before he replied in excellent Spanish "I am just fine my lord, Madrid is truly alive today. I was sent to you on behalf of my sovereign King Karl XI von Wittelsbach, he has questions, and maybe ideas of Spanish and Swedish mutural interests. Do you have time to listen to them now, or do you want to listen to them later?"