Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 33: 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓬𝓸𝓷'𝓼 𝓝𝓮𝓼𝓽

January 03, 1973

Adirondack, 'Falcon's Nest', New York

As a brutal winter storm raged outside, my car pulled up to a secluded bunker in northern New York, nestled in the thick brush. Several guards were stationed outside the bunker, which was nicknamed the 'Falcon's Nest'. This was my headquarters that my subservient commanders were to converse and discuss strategy at. Unlike previous years, the troops had held their ground so far and I was desperate to begin the final offensive to finish this war once and for all. A guard jumped out of the car and opened the door. I stepped out and immediately wrapped my coat around myself tightly and felt my teeth naturally begin to chatter. My skin flushed red as my body struggled to keep warm. The guard led me down the path toward the Falcon's Nest as the wind sandblasted the ground, spewing snowy drift everywhere. My boots, which were not insulated for this type of weather crunched through the icy snow. When after what seemed like hours, we arrived at the door, the two guards saluted and opened the door and I rushed in. Several older men stood at a map and saluted as soon as I entered the fort.

"Your majesty!" One said, "Welcome to the Falcon's Nest,"

"Thank you, my it is cold out there!" I exclaimed as I shivered uncontrollably.

"Oh we know your majesty, we are glad you are here though, we have seen your strategic skills in action and I can say for myself and the others this war will go smoother with you in charge!"

"I am pleased to finally be in control of the war, and your name is?"

"Major Martin Sutherland, your majesty," He pointed to the man to his right, "Major Wilfred Monmouth, and to my left is Sergeant Boris Sergeyev, a military advisor from Russia,"

"Russia huh? How long have you been with us Sergeant Sergeyev?"

"Four months your majesty," Boris stated, his Russian accent making his voice almost unintelligible, "Prime Minister Preobrazhensky is considering sending military aid to your effort and sent me to inspect your troops and report back,"

I squinted slightly. I have never fully trusted the Russians, they could easily be trying to seize back the Siberian coast, which was purchased under John Charles IV in 1867. It was in exchange for arms for Russia's subjugation of Finland, and after the Great War... well, we were never on the best of terms. Boris clearly read the distrust in my eyes and cleared his throat.

"Your majesty, I can assure you that there is no ulterior motive behind my presence, or if there is, I have not been cleared of it,"

He spoke with respectable honesty and I believed him. I then turned my gaze to two men, one who was physically German with a thick Kaiser moustache wearing an army cap with the insignia of the Hanoverian Royal Army and a Italian man with a well trimmed goatee and youthful features. He wore the Royal Italian Marines uniform. How did I know that? When I was last in Italy, Vittorio brought me with him to inspect the troops and I got to know my second army.

"And you two?" I asked.

"General Giovanni Vitale, you might remember me, your majesty from my brother's coronation ball," The Italian spoke up.

Then I took in his facial features. Vittorio's brother Giovanni!

"Giovanni, I didn't know you were a military man?" I asked, surprised to see my brother in law.

"I've served for about four years, plus being related to the King himself gives me a high command,"

"Where did you serve Giovanni?"

"Eritrea, Tripolitania and I was stationed in Aosta in the case of Holy Roman incursion,"

I nodded and turned to the German, "You?"