Emma's Resolve

Emma’s Resolve

To Choose Her Life

By

David Oconner

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PUBLISHED BY:

David Oconner at Smashwords

Copyright © 2015 by David Oconner

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

About the Author

Chapter 1

Emma was a lonely little girl. She lived in a big castle (called a schloss in her country) and had many servants - but they were not really her servants. They served her father, the Freiherr von Walther, when he was at home, and looked after her as a sort of secondary duty. After all, they had to see that Father’s farms produced food and that his villages were prosperous and orderly. As far as Emma could tell, nobody really cared about her.

Emma’s mother had died when she was born, something that often happened in the 1600’s in the little states collectively called ‘the Germanies’. Father had not remarried, for he was a knight in the service of the Count of Anhalt-Darmstadt, who was always fighting wars. Von Walther very seldom came home, and, when he did, his brusque words and loud voice scared young Emma and made her cry. Usually it was Uncle Gregor, Father’s younger brother, who came home to get supplies and check on the estate.

Uncle Gregor was nice. He actually talked to her, and, when she was a skinny six-year-old, he arranged for the Calvinist minister’s sister, Fraulein Peske, to visit and teach her to read. Only Father’s seneschal (estate manager) could read, and he had no time for Emma. Uncle Gregor himself taught her to ride a small pony, and he actually seemed to enjoy her company.

Fraulein Peske, like her minister brother, was only concerned about duty. She taught Emma how to read the Bible and write a polite letter, plus how to keep estate accounts. These are the proper duties of a lady, she said, along with plain spinning and sewing. You must learn enough of what the servants do to make sure they are doing it properly.

Emma never bothered to ask if a lady could do anything because it was fun or because she enjoyed it. Grown-ups got mad if you asked about things like that. Reading was the key to knowledge, she decided. The castle had a good library, and nobody much cared where she went if she wasn’t in the way.

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Chapter 2

It wasn’t until Emma was eight that Uncle Gregor got back to the castle. This time he had been wounded, and the whole staff worked to make him comfortable. Even Emma got to help, and then he asked her to stay and talk to him.

How are you doing, Emma girl? Uncle Gregor asked, looking her over. You’ve grown mighty big, and the servants say they can always find you in the library.

Yes, Uncle Gregor, Emma climbed onto the foot of his bed, I’ve learned a lot. Now I know why Father has to be off fighting all the time; he owes duty to the Count of Anhalt-Darmstadt for giving him this land.

Uncle Gregor sighed. I had hoped our seneschal would have explained all that to you, but I suppose he hasn’t the time. Nobody wants to tell a pretty little girl like you about the ugliness of war. - As a matter of fact, while I am here, I must to find your father some more recruits. Our enemy Count Anhalt-Zerbst has now captured the formerly independent city of Oberhausen, and we must drive him out.

What would happen if you don’t drive him out? Emma regarded him somberly. I’ve read the history of our past wars, but nobody will tell me what happens if we don’t win this time.

You mustn’t expect servants to answer questions like that, Gregor shook his head. They could be punished if anyone found out they spoke of such things. – Yes, I know you need an answer, and I will give you one. If we do not drive the Count of Anhalt-Zerbst out of Oberhausen, he will have a strong base and an even stronger army to fight us. If he should win, we would have to swear loyalty to him and become Lutherans or leave our land.

Emma had read the many nasty pamphlets about both Lutherans and Catholics in the library, so now she got angry. That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard of! An earthly ruler cannot tell you what to believe in your heart.

Gregor sighed and propped his arm on a pillow so he could sit up. It is law in the Germanies – ‘cuius regio, eius religio’ – that means whoever rules decides the religion of everybody on his land. The Duke of Anhalt-Zerbst is a Lutheran. What he really wants is just to control our land, but outlawing Calvinism would make that easier. Many of our faithful people would rather leave.

So Father has to fight, and I have no family because of some stupid rules somebody made, Emma stormed. She began to cry, causing her uncle to struggle with the bedclothes so he could sit up and comfort her.

Now, now, Ellie, Gregor reassured, one arm around her. I know it seems stupid and harsh. Life can be stupid and harsh sometimes. It is a burden we all must bear.

Finally having a shoulder to cry on, Emma sobbed even harder. "Men get to decide everything, and they reprove women for even asking questions. – Will anybody ever care about me