Princess Elisenda crosses the border into the Duchy of Fenwick

After Princess Elisenda and her party left the palace they spent a couple of days journeying north, they stopped for a short spell to stretch their legs by investigating the old roman ruins at Karsdorf.

Then on they went till they reached the border town of Harrusbrücke . A small escort of Fenwick horse grenadiers prepares to lead the convoy on ...

Zomverre V Monrovia: Withdrawal Ordered ...

King Francis I of Monrovia has been discussing the situation of the army in Zomverre with his military advisors. Since the defeat at Pomeroy and the narrowly averted destruction of the army at Dornitz there had been much talk in court circles. The King was told of the current state of the army, supply problems, difficulties with communications and the poor weather. They also told him of the strength of opposition and the involvement of hired troops from the Duchy of Fenwick. None of the advisors would make a clear statement on the course of action to take next.

The King sat in his chair and thought for a while.. He then stood up and said:
King: Count Malpurgo Belladona
Count: Yes your majesty ?
King: Count, you will take control of the army in the field, you are now the Field Marshal, you will relieve Stricknein of his command. Bring the army back.
Count: Yes sire ...

Get them home !

King Francis spent a fretful evening worrying about the army; unable to sleep he donned his favourite suit of medieval armour and wandered the royal apartments ...

40mm: Saxe-Jarlsberg Dragoons

The Saxe-Jarlsberg dragoons (Prince August home casts) have been reformed and re-equipped for the upcoming campaign season, here they are on parade ...

they march past Count Pottensdorf ....

Princess Elisenda departs ...

After a late breakfast the Princes and her companions prepare to leave Wittenberg palace; the King and Queen have come to wish them a safe journey ...

The Princess will take the route north through the Duchy of Fenwick, avoiding Monrovia and then onwards to her next stop on her journey to France.

Princess Elisenda's last day at the Palace

After organising the packing of her things in the morning, in the afternoon she took a walk with her companions and some members of the court in the palace grounds so she could see the llamas..

In the evening she attended a musical soiree held in her honour, she enjoyed the company of the court and the attentions of many young men seeking a chance to dance with her later on ...

The evening continued late into the night with much dancing ...

Princess Elisenda goes for an unusual ride ....

The court inventor Georg Cantor has invited the King, court and local notables to a demonstration of his new invention. The King has given permission for the demonstration to take place in the palace grounds. As the invitees assembled they saw Cantor directing his men unloading a number of carts ...

They layout large reams of fabric and a large basket, then connect it via a long tube to some huge barrels (which contain the new gas Helion, recently discovered by Cantor). As the numbers of spectators increased they watched the fabric inflate and then after few minutes a large ball shape object floated off the ground, held by a tether.  A wave of consternation and fascination surged through the spectators ... "Your Majesty, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen a balloon for flying up into the sky" announced Cantor.

Everyone is astounded and amazed, Princess Elisenda turns to the Marquis and can only say "Truly Amazing ..."

Cantor then asks, would anyone like to go for a short flight. There is a short pause and the King steps forward - "Yes Cantor I will ascend to the heavens with you ..."; before she knew what she was doing Princess Elisenda ran forward and joins the King - exclaiming  "I'll go too !". They climbed aboard the balloon and Cantor let go the tether and up they went. They saw a nice view down one of the parkland driveways ...

They then ascended higher and higher....

While Cantor kept control of the balloon the King and Princess marvelled at the view to the north

and looked down on the parkland below ...

After a few minutes Cantor slowly let helion gas from the balloon and they descended slowly to the ground and landed with a slight bump. The ballon was a secured and the King and the Princess and those assembled returned to the palace and talked endlessly about the afternoon's events.

  

It would not suprise you to know that later on in the day in private the King was scolded by his wife for taking such a risk with his life in one of Cantor's flakey inventions; Princess Elisenda was also reprimanded for her impulisve behaviour by the Marquis, the Princess didn't care as she had such an exhiliarating experience.

Princess Elisenda attends a shooting party ...

Josep Antoni the Marquis of Rubí is invited to do some game shooting in the palace grounds. Princess Elisenda, Antoni Folc de Cardona the Archbishop of Valencia (still in a monks garb, I wonder why ?) and their manservant accompany the Marquis.

The participants blast away merrily at the game flying from the woodland (the beaters are being kept busy) ..

Princess Elisenda watches as the Marquis tries to pot some game, even the Archbishop is taking part (apparently he  used to go shooting with his father in his youth before taking holy orders).