Records: Ricardian Age of Majority

## **The Backlog**

Of all the *Incidence of Incidents*, one of the strangest was stand next to Richard of Bordeaux. Born 1367, on the Day of the Epiphany, he was only now reaching his technical, chronological age of majority. At 14, under normal circumstances, he would *now*be recognized as an adult. Life as a target, though: *that ages people*. A 14 year old king, a warrior, an actual-magic magician that now carried the mantle of Merlin. Confusing him for 44, or 140, was forgivable.

Of course, there was supernatural help: he'd physically matured twice as fast as normal humans. His genetics had been combed, filtered and enhanced. With the capacity to do the same, he'd passed on the enhancement to others in his circle, including the selective maturing. His older brother, his cousin Henry, his betrothed Anne and others.

By the time his birthday arrived, there were points of politics that needed the numbers on the paper to pass the magical threshold. It wasn't unusual for royalty to be shoved through ceremonies early, to take their vows before they knew what they meant, to bend the rules for all sorts of expedient reasons. That wouldn't do, here. Rick did not need that asterisk next why *he* could do something. That was part of living up to the Magna Carta.

### **The Celebration of Prague**

The Ricardian Crown already straddled two kingdoms and a Commonwealth. He had arrived in Prague half a year ago, calmed the countryside, retired Jobst from his noble position and built native Regiments in both Prague and Brandenburg.

With Rick right behind her, Anne held court with authority. Destined to marry, for the time, she had been Queen suo jure and acting regent. She had become a master of the game of politics herself, and had groomed the Bohemian nobility to adopt the Magna Carta. Her presense had grown to the point that when Rick wasn't personally in the court, she was the default authority.

Prague, as sophisticated as Paris, celebrated Rick's birthday with grand pageantry. He didn't disappoint the crowds, personally performing magic that wowed the crowds, and spoke like a silver-tongued native. Duke Charles VI from Paris was onhand (an adoptive brother), his actual older brother King Edward of Scotland was present, the Crown Prince of Iberia was present, Queen Joann of Italy was present, King Rupert of Germany was present (as were half the prince-electors).

### **Aquitaine + Bohemia**

Now of legal age, a week after the birthday celebration, Anne and Rick were wed in Prague in a massive ceremony and celebration. It was the kind of fairytale wedding, with actual magic, that would set the standard for imaginations for time immemorial. For a moment, just barely a moment, there was a flash of joy in Rick's eyes: a point where the weight of the world wasn't weighing upon him.

Richard was a progressive – *by centuries* – but there was still cultural momentum that had to be observed and respected even as guiding it to an illuminated position. As this was 1381, as of "I do," he technically assumed the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Margravate of Brandenburg (in the neighboring Kingdom of Germany).

A week later, Bohemia held its coronation for the new king – with the extant queen by his side. Just as he became king of Bohemia, Anne became queen of Aquitaine, Arelat and the Commonwealth of the Magna Carta.

### **A Family Affair**

Anne's mother, 34-year old Elizabeth of Pomerania, had been through the ringer. Not one of her sons (previously destined for greatness) survived, several of her step-sons had died, and her older husband Charles IV had brought the downfall of the Empire. Her daughter... was married to the guy who'd been the driving force behind that downfall. It was mixed emotions.

However, as mother of the Queen of Bohemia, Aquitaine and the Commonwealth, Elizabeth was invited to remain in Bohemia. Elizabeth eventually became the beloved Regent of Bohemia on absence of the Royal couple.

## **Transeuropean Politics**

With Aquitaine, Arelat and now the Bohemian kingdoms under a single crown, Rick couldn't avoid the *Ricardian Empire* description. Indeed, there was power and persuasion to Imperial mandates, but it created dissonance with the *Commonwealth,* which was trying *hard* to avoid the empire label.

The CMC was perceived not just as Plantagenet-led, but *Ricardian*-led. There was Ricardian influence, obviously, and Ricardian weight to the mandates, but there was a process to it. That was the point of the Commonwealth. The finer points, however, were lost on most observers. It was a long way from Citizen through noble, to royal, to Commonwealth – where kings were merely senators.

### **The Influence in Germany**

Rick had a team in Brandenburg as soon as Anne made her intentions known. There was definitely a difference, from day one on, but months later, the official transfer was understated; practically a non-event.

Germany itself was still coming to grasp with the myriad of Bishoprics that were now in private hands. The great majority had gone to locals: either someone native that was elevated to a baronial or count equivalent, or a neighbor that annexed the lands. The major exception was the Prince-Bishoprics: the voting members of the former Holy Roman Empire, which were now controlled by the *Noble Plantagenet*. Granted, it was three separate dukes, but they were in close enough council that it was widely considered the Plantagenet Bloc.

For the last six months now, there had been an official RANP presence in Germany, as well as the German Order of Merlin and so on.

The Ricardian presence, though, that was the Next Level. His influence on the Plantagenet bloc was obvious, but his appearance in the German Diet didn't disappoint. There was all kinds of rumors, innuendo, fear, loathing, threats, and beyond before his arrival, but the presence of the Magus carried the kind of authority needed to support the process of peace.

King Rupert kept lines of communication open and moving...