179 175 Gdańsk

"Interesting, I will go to Warsaw and find out more about this arrest... oh, no casino problems so far, but money breeds jealousy. So if there are any problems in the future, you can try to open a floating casino on a barge somewhere." (MC)

"Will you stay in Gdańsk long? There are several traveling troupes in town, they have acrobats and jugglers, every day they perform in the evenings at the Artus Court." (Graf Ferber)

"Not more than a few days, tomorrow I will visit Jan Heweliusz, my wife is interested in the stars... and one more thing that I forgot. As you already know, all the interests of the English with the Ottomans are to be carried out by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, unfortunately you and I will not have a monopoly . However, I will give you a letter of recommendation to the Moldavian hospodar, it will make things easier." (MC)

I was not interested in such shows, and even if I wanted to show something to Elisabeth, women were not allowed to enter the Artus Court... and I did not like the decoration of this building, they were in poor taste... sculptures of the previous king Zygmunt III Waza and his son Władysław, abomination.

I said goodbye to Graf and returned to the rented inn. I immediately gave orders to my people to return to Jazłowiec. Czarniecki had to take care of the recruitment and this year's army training. I only left ten hussars as my bodyguards, also had to talk to Ossolinski, because he will probably have to go to Paris and negotiate with the French.

"My dear friend, I think you will have to leave the country again." (MC)

"We just got back, is something wrong?" (Jerzy Ossoliński)

"I learned from Graf Ferber that Jan Kazimierz was arrested in France, but I don't know the exact details." (MC)

"This is not good... and even very bad. What do they want?" (Jerzy Ossoliński)

"My name is not Esmeralda and I am not a gypsy, but I guess the French will want to stop any help from our side to the Habsburgs, that's fine, but the fact that they have our king's brother... the French spit in our face and we have to pretend that it's raining." (MC)

"Wilkomir, you want to do something about it, I can see it in your eyes..." (Jerzy Ossoliński)

"Of course I want to, but I won't do anything... sometimes you have to humble yourself and swallow the bitter medicine." (MC)

Unfortunately, I had no direct opportunity to deal with the French, I could quietly support the Spaniards, but that would mean strengthening the Habsburgs.

"Now we can't do anything about it, we have to go back to the capital and find out everything." (Jerzy Ossoliński)

"You must, I'm not going to France. I have more important things on my head than saving another Vasa's ass... now I'm going to sleep, good night Jerzy and put that beer away." (MC)

The next day, after breakfast, I took Elisabeth to Jan Heweliusz's house, although I did not reveal the purpose of my visit.

"Where are we going?" (Elisabeth)

"You'll see a bit of Gdańsk, and then we'll visit my friend." (MC)

Less than half an hour later we arrived at the place, and the door was opened by Jan Heweliusz himself. As soon as he saw me, he immediately invited us in. I introduced him to Elisabeth, he was very surprised that I got married.

"The things I ordered from you are ready?" (MC)

"A month ago I sent them to Warsaw, according to the instructions, the observatory was made in one of the palace towers." (Jan Heweliusz)

"What are you talking about?" (Elisabeth)

"Forgive us, we'll switch to German. Jan is an astronomer and designer of telescopes, periscopes and other sky and star observation devices. Before going to London, I asked him to set up an observatory in my palace in the capital." (MC)

"I did not know that you are interested in stars, does my husband still have some secrets that I do not know?" (Elisabeth)

Though her tone was playful, I couldn't get over the fact that Elisabeth was an intelligent woman and that I had more secrets than there were children who had visited Gary Glitter's bedroom... Jan came to my aid and pulled out old newspapers.

"Lady, believe me, the Prince has a lot of secrets... look at this, I don't know how he came up with such an idea, it's a secret." (Jan Heweliusz)

It was a drawing of a balloon and although I had already told Elisabeth about it, and even did an experiment with the lantern, it was the first time she saw the sketch. I did not know that this is how I opened the pandora's box. Elisabeth was interested in science, technology, history, Jan was a scientist, engineer and inventor... and I was the fifth wheel of the wagon. Only three hours later we managed to get back to the inn.

"There is also an observatory in Jazłowiec?" (Elisabeth)

"Unfortunately no, maybe I will be in the future, but now it's only in Warsaw... but you remember the edict I gave you, if you have any friends of Protestant scientists, painters, writers who would like to live in Poland, we can sponsor their works." (MC)

"I will write to my mother about it... Michał, I have been your wife for a few weeks, why... I don't know how to say it... our wedding night." (Elisabeth)

Elisabeth turned redder in her face than Mao's book.

"I just want it to take place in our house, not some random inn or ship cabin... I know you get nervous, but as they say, rush can be a bad adviser." (MC)

Honestly, I also hoped to solve this problem quickly, since the wedding I haven't had much opportunity to sleep with Galina... just a quick blowjob on the ship, or a quickie when everyone was busy, it was very stressful... but it's my fault that I wanted to be a gentleman.