Shadows over the Republics
The morning sun fell pale over the rolling veld of the Orange Free State. Pieter van der Merwe, his coat dusted from the long ride, arrived at the small administrative building where he and a handful of burghers gathered to discuss the latest troubling news. Koen, ever alert, leaned against the wall, his eyes scanning the distant horizon as if expecting trouble to emerge from the flatlands. “Pieter,” Koen said, voice low, “have you heard from our scouts near the border with Natal?” Pieter shook his head, frowning. “Nothing new, but the rumors grow louder. The British are meddling again. Not with war this time, but with laws, orders, taxes—anything to undermine our councils. They seem to think the ZAR and our Free State are children in need of guidance.” A murmur of agreement rose from t
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