The Provençal Pact

[Dirty Chai]

An emissary is sent from the receding war front in southern France near Bordeaux to Provence and to the Kingdom of Naples, unknown to most uninvolved.

The prospect of an alliance and an agreement are mentioned, and that his kin in Naples should meet with him at Avignon. It subtly mentions a dire danger from Aragon..

OOC: Gandalf, you know what to do.

[Gandalfus]

Louis picks up and studies the message carefully, before making his way to Avignon in secret, with a large royal retinue of men. He decides to dictate the terms himself to his relative.

[Dirty Chai]

They meet inside the old Papal Palace of Avignon, inside a tower room rarely used but well kept.

Charles greets his relative amiably, in Provençal, but not with the gregariousness he has shown in the recent past; this was an important meeting.

"Louis, your prestige precedes you, my cousin. Come, let us speak of the many enemies our great family faces."

[Gandalfus]

He raised an eyebrow.

Speak plainly, cousin. You know I am not one for idle pleasantries.

[Dirty Chai]

He smiles slightly and leans back on the seat.
"Joanna decided to adopt that Aragonese mut and now our family's kingdom is in peril.
Which one of your pissed her off enough to make her do such a thing?"
A pause and another smile.
"It does not matter now. We both need something, cousin. I want to shut out the Burgundians and you want to protect your inheritance; I think we can make an exchange."

[Gandalfus]

He looked around.

Burgundy is an ally of England, is it not?

[Dirty Chai]

Charles dismisses it as unimportant, waving it away.
France is weak. It's once great strength has been scattered and destroyed by factional squabbles and war.
I will beat out the Burgundians and unite the court factions; I will make France strong again.
He takes a sip of the wine sitting on the table between them.
"To do this, I need Provence and Anjou. In return, I can and will fight off the Aragonese pretender."

[Gandalfus]

He leaned back.

It is good that France is weak. I can exploit the situation to our families benefit, cousin.

[Dirty Chai]

Charles chuckles.

"Not when Alfonso and his kin in Castille are sailing around your shores."

[Gandalfus]

He waved his hand in annoyance.

They can be dealt with. Naples is rich.

[Dirty Chai]

"Yes, just like how money saved Manfred."
He said that last with strong sarcasm in his tone.

"If you fools down in Italy would rather be conquered than swallow your pride and stop fighting over your own throne, fine by me."

[Gandalfus]

So you want Provence, so I you can contribute a meagre amount of troops to my war? And you forget, Anjou is English.

[Dirty Chai]

"Don't fool me cousin. Anjou is, in name at least, controlled by a lesser peon of our family, and no matter how much loyalty he owes to an English or French throne, he is your vassal foremost. Order him to surrender to me."

[Gandalfus]

He smiles coldly

You are misinformed. I hold no jurisdiction over that county any longer.

[Dirty Chai]

He smiles slightly now, cooling off his anger.
"Of course; our family can never get along. Quite a shame really. Perhaps its because we breed like rabbits; we grow so annoyed with each other, confined into these small fiefdoms."
He chuckles at that.
"Do you want help or not?"

[Gandalfus]

He buckled.

I will see what I can do about Anjou. But Provence remains Neapolitian.

[Dirty Chai]

"No deal. Venaissin and Arles or no deal."

[Gandalfus]

How about Maine, then you can call yourself duke of Anjou.

[Dirty Chai]

Charles chuckles again, a puzzled look on his face this time.
"You just told me you do not control our homeland anymore, and now you offer me it?"

[Gandalfus]

He waved his hand in annoyance.

So you do not want it? Very well.