Goliath

FORTY-FOUR

In a surprise announcement today, His Serene Highness Aleksandar of Hohenberg, putative heir to the empire of Austria-Hungary, renounced his claim to all the lands and titles of his father’s line, including the imperial throne itself. This extraordinary news has shaken his war-ravaged country, many of whose embattled citizens have quietly embraced the fugitive prince as a symbol of peace.

It is unclear whether Prince Aleksandar would have taken the throne in any case. His claim is based on a papal bull that has not been verified by the Vatican, and which is contested by the current emperor, Franz Joseph. Indeed, as Russian victories mount on the eastern front, it is unclear whether the Austro-Hungarian Empire will exist at all once the Great War is over.

In a declaration of lesser importance, Aleksandar also renounced his ties to the Tesla Foundation, which is raising money to repair the late inventor’s facility in Shoreham, New York. The prince’s relationship with the organization had been under strain since the announcement that it was he who shut down the weapon after Nikola Tesla’s death, fearing for the safety of nearby aircraft and the city of Berlin. According to his spokesman, Wildcount Ernst Volger, Aleksandar has taken a position with the Zoological Society of London, a scientific organization of royal patronage, best known for its upkeep of the London Zoo.

Rumors are flying as to why an heir to one of the great houses of Europe would trade his throne, lands, and titles for the post of zookeeper. But reached by this reporter while on his way to England via His Majesty’s Airship Leviathan, Aleksandar had only this for comment: “Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria, nube.”

The phrase is the Latin motto of the Hapsburgs and refers to the house’s tradition of gaining influence by alliance rather than conflict. It translates, “Let others wage war. You, lucky Austria, shall marry.” What it might mean in this context is unclear, though it suggests to this reporter that the young prince has found the comfort of new and powerful allies.