Hofburg Palace, Vienna
March 23rd, 1836
The report arrived just before noon.
The officer who carried it moved at a controlled pace, escorted through the palace as any other dispatch would be. The paper itself was sealed, marked with the insignia of the southern command.
Inside the council chamber, the atmosphere had already been strained long before the report arrived. Maps still covered the central table, though they no longer showed a stable line. Markers had been moved repeatedly over the past two days, each adjustment pushing them further inward.
Closer to Austria.
Closer to Vienna.
Archduke Louis stood at the table, reviewing the last confirmed positions. Metternich remained near the window, hands behind his back, his posture unchanged despite the steady flow of unfavorable reports. Count Kolowrat stood beside the door when the officer entered.
He did not need to ask what it was.
He took the dispatch, broke the seal, and read.
For a moment, he did not speak.
