6 months after the execution, Victor returned home to Hannover.
He was welcomed with applause and cheers. His subjects had missed him, his kids had missed him, and his wife had missed him. They were all relieved to see him return healthy and as a liberator.
Zandar had begun to heal from yet another civil war. Field Marshal Wellesley and his advisors were already doing what needed to be done. Roads were reconstructed, homes were rebuilt. Lives were returning to normal. With Field Marshal Wellesley and his 11th Corps remaining in Roma, stability was coming back to Zandar.
Victor did not return to Bulgar alone; with him was Alphonse Visconte. He was to be imprisoned in a lavish cell in Hannover. This was decided at the Roma Trials. As for the cardinals who had escaped execution, they were imprisoned in the dungeons of Sinolla, under the watchful eye of General Valerius.
Victor's return was overwhelmingly positive, but there was one person who was not thrilled: Isabella. She was furious at Victor for not supporting her father during the civil war with the Pope. No matter the facts that she was told, she continued to harbour anger.
When Victor finally arrived at the palace, he was met with a warm embrace by his family. But behind his family was the furious scowl of Isabella. It was hard not to notice the daggers that she was shooting from her eyes.
Seeing this, Victor approached Isabella and spoke to her. "Hello Isabella, I am glad to see that you remain just as lovely as you did three years ago. Where is my grandson?"
Isabella did not change her look and replied with a sour attitude, "He is sleeping; I did not see it fit to disturb him."
Her response was blunt, but she was holding back her fury. Anton knew this would happen and tried to restrain her anger, but the question was for how long. The family retired to the dining room for a bountiful meal.
Victor could almost cry as he enjoyed a succulent meal. He had been on the sea for two months, and this meal was an absolute treat for him. There was nothing that could beat home-cooked food.
At dinner, the war became a hot topic of discussion. All of Victor's kids were teenagers and took an interest in the triumphs of their father. "What was the war like over there, father?" Clovis asked. Vincent and Victoria both looked at their father with genuine curiosity.
Victor half-heartedly smiled. "War is always the same, no matter where in the world you are. Unfortunately, this war could have been avoided. Both the Pope and Alphonse had a chance to change the continent for the better, but sadly, they dragged the country into another civil war."
That comment did not sit well with Isabella. "I am sure that my father would have had a chance to make the continent better if you hadn't betrayed him."
Everyone went quiet, looking to Victor, waiting for him to answer. Victor did not get angry, but sighed. "You might be right, Isabella, but when I gave him the chance to do the right thing, he chose war with the Pope. Our friendship is the only reason why he escaped execution."
"You power-hungry bastard! You betrayed him, and now you have the audacity to say that it was his fault. He was your ally. Why did you not support him? The Pope was in the wrong," Isabella passionately argued.
Victor nodded, "You are correct, Isabella. I was your father's ally, and I did not support him. The Pope did cause the civil war, but your father's inaction to quell his supporters contributed to it greatly."
"Matteo Vegni murdered his own father to support Alphonse. Do you think that was the right thing to do? Your uncle, Luca, allowed his army to loot and burn a city to send a message. Do you honestly believe that those actions were warranted? How could I support your father when he allowed those acts to go unpunished?"
Isabella could not argue that; she may have been stubborn, but she knew that Victor was somewhat right. She mourned the death of her brother, since Otto would never awake from his coma. She mourned the execution of her uncle, who she knew deserved it. There was no one to vent her anger to other than Victor.
To make Isabella feel better, Victor let her in on a secret. "Do you know why I insisted that your father be imprisoned here?" She shook her head, waiting for Victor to tell her the answer.
"I made sure to imprison him here so he could be close to the only family he has left. There was no threat of his supporters trying to free him in Zandar. I did it so he could see you and finally meet little Cedric."
Isabella perked up a bit when she heard his reasoning. "Do you mean to allow me to visit him?"
Victor nodded, "Of course, he is my friend after all, even if we fought against each other. I never intended for him to be isolated in a dark cell. We share a grandchild together; I would never condemn him to such a fate."
Isabella looked to be on the verge of tears. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am so, so sorry for my disrespect towards you. There are no excuses for my actions."
"There is no need to apologise, I can understand that you might harbour some harsh feelings towards me. I would be concerned if you didn't. Soon enough, I will arrange a time for you to visit your father. However, do not betray my kindness. He still remains a prisoner of war."
Victor was warning her, and she knew it. Isabella firmly nodded and continued to eat her meal. Everyone managed to relax and enjoy their meal. It was a nice change of pace for Victor to be with his family again. Three years of travel and war really took a toll physically and mentally on him.
Now that Victor was home, he could enjoy some peace and quiet.