"What the bloody hell was that?" the archduke suddenly shouted as the bomb bounced off the car. Then suddenly the bomb exploded and it rolled under another car which was beside the archduke's car. After a few seconds the detonator was activated and it exploded, wounding twenty people. The archduke became pretty nervous.
"Shit, shit! Another stunt like that, then I would never reach Sarajevo alive" the archduke said, with a groom look in his face. The aura of nervousness was in the air.
"Sir, why are you going to do in Sarajevo anyway?" John asked.
"Well, my uncle Franz Josef wanted me to go to Bosnia to attend to some military drills, and after that me and my wife will go on tour in Sarajevo." The archduke answered.
"Ah, so are you even alerted that such things might happen to you?" asked John.
"Well, actually there already was. When me and Sophie here were on the train, some people were already talking about the plots and attempts to kill me. Why, even the Serbians warned me, and told me to take utmost care of myself. " the archduke answered, as he placed his head between his legs.
"Come on Franz, don't be like that, stay happy for these people" John said, as he looked at the people who were watching the archduke's motorcade.
"Why should I?" the archduke replied.
"For soon, it will be you who will be ruling them. Now raise your hand and wave" John said, as he pulled the archduke's hand to wave at the crowd.
"Panie, spójrz policja przeciągając Cabrinovic od rzeki Miljacka (Sir, look the police are dragging Cabrinovic from the river Miljacka)" said Leopold, the driver as he pointed at the two policemen who were dragging a man from the water. The man was quickly beaten by the crowd.
"Co powinniśmy zrobić, proszę pana? (What should we do sir?)" asked Leopold.
"Pospiesz się do tego człowieka, teraz! (Hurry towards that man, now!)" the archduke said, as he pointed his cane at the crowd who was beating up Cabrinovic.
When the car stopped in front of the frenzied crowd, everyone stopped. The archduke went down, and as he did this everyone bowed down.
"Kim jesteś? (Who are you?)" the archduke asked.
"Bądź ostrożny! On może cię zastrzelić. (Be careful! He might shoot you.)" Sophie shouted from the car.
"Odpowiedz na moje pytanie. Kim jesteś i dlaczego tu jesteś? (Answer my question. Who are you, and why are you here?)" the archduke asked.
"Panie, proszę wrócić do samochodu. To nie jest bezpieczne. (Sir, please get back to the car. It is not safe)" the two policemen answered.
"Jestem w pełni dorosły człowiek, i mogę o siebie zadbać. Teraz z powrotem do Ciebie Cabrinovic, kim jesteś i dlaczego tu jesteś? (I am a fully grown man, and I can take care of myself. Now back to you Cabrinovic, who are you and why are you here?)" the archduke said to the police and after that he looks at Cabrinovic.
"Jestem członkiem grupy serbskich Dłoni Czarny. Moje motywy? Wkrótce zobaczyć (I am a member of the Serbian group, the Black Hand. My motives? You will soon see)" with that Cabrinovic vomited again and again.
"Co się dzieje? (What is going on?)" the policemen asked the archduke.
"Cóż, wydaje się, że połknął cyjanek pigułki z potencją bardzo niskie, więc dlatego jest tylko spowodowane nudności. A ponieważ cyjanek pigułki go nie zabił, próbował się utopić. Ale niewiele on wie, że Miljaka jest tylko dwadzieścia centymetrów głębokości. Zabierz go i zamknij go! Upewnij się, że zapłaci za zranienie dwadzieścia osób (Well, he seems to have swallowed a cyanide pill with a really low potency so that's why it only caused nausea. And since the cyanide pill didn't kill him, he tried to drown himself. But little does he know that the Miljaka is only twenty centimeters deep. Take him away and lock him up! Make sure he pays for hurting twenty people)" the archduke said. With that he climbed up back to the car and waved again towards the people.
"You know John, there are times that you must always focus on the better good, and not just yourself. But I cannot focus as long as I am not back in the palace. Sarajevo looks chaotic." said the archduke.
"Sir, Madam będziemy teraz jechać do ratusza (Sir, Madam we will now be going to the town hall)" Leopold said.
"Więc pospiesz się teraz Leopold, nie mamy całego dnia. Poza tym nigdy nie wiadomo, kiedy zagrożenie dla mojego życia wydaje. Może wszyscy się w szoku! (Well hurry now Leopold, we do not have all day. Besides we may never know when a threat to my life would appear. We might all get shocked!)" the archduke said.
"Teraz uspokój się moja droga. Nikt nie chce cię zabić (Now, calm down my dear. No one would want to kill you)" Sophie said, as he comforted her wife.
"Tak? Wyjaśnij czarną rękę (Yeah? Explain the black hand)" the archduke said, looking really stressed out about what happened. "Dwadzieścia osób ranny tylko ze względu na mnie. Czy rozumiesz to uczucie? (Twenty people got hurt just because of me. Do you understand that feeling?!)"
"dobrze, jeśli byli na śmierć, przynajmniej masz zamiar umrzeć ze mną obok ciebie. Nigdy cię nie opuszczę. Kocham cię (Well, if you were to die, at least your going to die with me beside you. I will never leave you. I love you)" Sophie said, as she hugged the archduke, and kissed him on the forehead.
John was quietly thinking at the corner. As he looked at Sophie and Franz, he couldn't help but think of Victoria. Her beautiful swaying hair in the wind. Her eyes, sparkling because of the sun. Such beauty, such grace. If only you were here in my arms again. Do not worry my love, I will find you or die trying. He whispered into himself.
After a few moments, the car has stopped and they have reached their destination.
"Panie chodź na dół (Sir come on down)" Leopold said, as he reached for the hand of the archduke.
"Nie dzięki Leopold, jestem silnym mężczyzną, a twoja pomoc nie jest wymagane przez mnie, ale dziękuję jakikolwiek (No thanks Leopold, I am a strong man, and your assistance is not required by me but thank you anyways)" the archduke said, as he went down his car. He looked more stress than ever. John approached him.
"What's wrong Sir Ferdinand?" John asked the archduke as they were sitting on the chair infront of the mayor.
"Well, I couldn't help but think of what will happen when I die" the archduke said.
"The mayor's speech is starting sir. Let us listen" John said, as he saw the mayor talking on the stage. Suddenly he looked at the archduke who was very silent and his attention was wandering when suddenly, the archduke shouted "Mr. Mayor, I came here on a visit and I get bombs thrown at me. It is outrageous." He said.
"What did you say?" the mayor asked, as he looked at the archduke.
Duchess Sophie quickly whispered into the archduke's ear. The archduke whispered and said suddenly:
"Now, you may speak" John said. He then took a seat.
After the speech, John, the archduke and Sohpie went back to the road and headed once again to Sarajevo."
End of Chapter 22
