Promises to Keep (Aka more dead Prussians)

[selenak]

I continue to blame Cahn and Mildred and various debates. Also my thing for dysfunctional siblings and their messed up relationships.

Promises To Keep (3595 words) by Selena
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 18th Century CE RPF, 18th Century CE Frederician RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia, Henry of Prussia & Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Henry of Prussia, August Wilhelm von Preußen | Augustus William of Prussia & Henry of Prussia, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Augustus William of Prussia, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Other(s)
Characters: Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen | Henry of Prussia (1726-1802), Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758), Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great, August Wilhelm von Preußen | Augustus William of Prussia (1722-1758), Friedrich Wilhelm I von Preußen | Frederick William I of Prussia
Additional Tags: Dysfunctional Family, Seven Years' War, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brother Feels, Survivor Guilt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Loyalty
Summary:

It's 1758, the Seven-Years-War rages, and the royal family of Prussia is tearing itself apart. Wilhelmine, Friedrich's favourite sister, wants to reconcile the feuding brothers. But Wilhelmine is dying…

Comments

[cahn]

I am very happy to accept blame and associated fics :D Thank you for writing this and catering to my own love of dysfunctional families and sibling relationships and twisted loyalty ties! I hadn't expected this at all; I'd thought you might write it for Yuletide next year :)

One thing I do wonder about -- you say in the fic he wanted revenge for AW; do you think that fratricide had crossed his mind consciously? (As more than a fantasy, that is, because I'm sure he had fantasies about it.) Or just that when he saw Fritz again it would have?

[selenak]

No, I don't think he seriously contemplated it. Not least because there was a war going on, and he had the concept of duty far too deeply drilled into him. (Even if your insufferable boss isn't your brother, one general murdering the supreme commander is really really bad for morale. And risks civil war. (While already engaged in a three front war.) Unless, of course, you do it secretly, and he just wasn't the type.

Otoh, what certainly crossed his mind in more realistic term was to either do what Ferdinand ended up doing - pretend to be really really sick and bank on the fact that post AW, Fritz wouldn't dare to call it a pretense, then sit out the remaining war and let Fritz see how he manages on his lonesome with his attack-only battle strategies. (Remember, as von Krockow put it re: their share of work: the King won the war, but only because the Prince saved the King.) As to whether he'd lost it (verbally or via at least a Punch) if Fritz had done something like the AW condolence letter not in writing, but in person, the first they met - we'll never know.

[cahn]

then sit out the remaining war and let Fritz see how he manages on his lonesome with his attack-only battle strategies

Now that would be a fascinating AU, not least because you pointed out that Heinrich was really unhappy about later being a gentleman of leisure (and relatedly because he must have known that he was a good commander and that he made a difference to the war) -- it would be punishing himself as much (or almost as much) as Fritz, especially if they then lost. I wonder if he could really have held out for very long... sort of like not writing to Fritz, you know? :)

As to whether he'd lost it (verbally or via at least a Punch) if Fritz had done something like the AW condolence letter not in writing, but in person, the first they met - we'll never know.

He would totally have at least punched him, I claim :) Hmm, that might in fact be the happiest AU, where he gets to actually have it out with Fritz -- at least, I can imagine that Fritz might permit it right after AW's death, whereas I can't imagine it in our best, or at least best-documented, of all possible worlds :P

[selenak]

I wonder if he could really have held out for very long... sort of like not writing to Fritz, you know? :)

Quite, and no, I don't think he'd have been able to keep it up, either. I might be misremembering, but I seem to recall he made a gesture in that direction once, when Fritz, "coming to his aid", took the supreme command for the troops in Saxony back, ordered Finck to battle against Finck's (and Heinrich's) expressed advice and wishes, and promptly blamed Finck for the ensuing defeat. Heinrich took his time in winter quarters then, pleading, yes, sickness, and tarrying with his return to the field. The spring of 1760 was also when Lehndorff visited him (twice), and putting all relevant dates together, you have to imagine the following then:

Heinrich: Dear Lehndorff, want to come visit me in my winter quarters?
Lehndorff: Well, one the one hand I'm a married man now, my wife is sick, and your ADC Henckel when passing through recently told me you're in a bad mood. On the other, I haven't seen you in two years, and who am I kidding, naturally I'll come and visit you!
Lehndorff: visits in March for two weeks, during which Heinrich tells him "many interesting things" he and even the Unplugged Editor refuse to elaborate on, then returns to sick wife.
Lehndorff: visits at the start of April again.
Lehndorff: returns to Magdeburg, collects wife, returns to Berlin in later April, declares himself to be v. unhappy that Heinrich, now returned to the field, can't come to Berlin as well. But then Heinrich does show up impromptu after all, and all's well in the world: When I least was expecting the joyful surprise, I was told my prince had arrived. At once, I hasten to him and am infinitely glad to see him again. His royal highness is surprised himself to have made it to Berlin after all. He is sad that no one of his family is here other than Prince Ferdinand, whose changed nature worries him. We talk a lot of the dear departed, the Prince of Prussia, for whom I still shed tears, and of the Queen Mother's death. All of this makes us very sad, and I remain with him till he falls asleep.

After which interlude Heinrich with renewed strength and self discipline goes forth fighting in a three front war and not starngling supporting his brother. I can only conclude hanging out with Lehndorff does wonders for one's mental and physical health.


He would totally have at least punched him, I claim :) Hmm, that might in fact be the happiest AU, where he gets to actually have it out with Fritz -- at least, I can imagine that Fritz might permit it right after AW's death,

If they were alone, maaaaaayyyybe. But the "alone" is crucial. If Heinrich had attacked Fritz in public, even if the "public" consisted just of two or three other people in the tent, he'd have been toast. And that's not particular to Fritz, or war time. I mean, these were the days when even turning your back on the monarch was perceived as an insult and a gesture of rebellion. But in the immediate aftermath of AW's death, and provided there were no witnesses, those are the only circumstances I can imagine Fritz would handwave it afterwards.