Azur Lane: Kaiserin (Book 1)

Ch59: Family Drama (1)

Prinz Eugen's POV:

It happens suddenly. One minute, August's commanding our entire fleet and having everyone execute complex manoeuvres. The next, she's falling from the sky. I didn't see anything hit her. There weren't any explosions besides her own attack against Enterprise and yet...

Me: Au-

Roon: Aug-

Rossiya: Augu-

Ulrich: NO-

FDG: MY CHILD!!!!!

Faster than any lightning, louder than any thunder, Friedrich barrels through the enemy formation like a wrecking ball through freshly laid bricks in an effort to catch August before she hits the water. Completely ignorant of friend and foe alike, she carves a highway through our fleet and theirs but does ultimately succeed in arriving in time for August's body to fall into her waiting arms.

As she cradles her, the world seemingly pauses. On the side of the enemy, they've seemingly fished Enterprise out of the water but despite having the perfect opportunity to attack, they pause. We ourselves should take this opportunity to let loose and wipe them out but everyone on our side is equally as focused at the scene unfolding before us. The very world lies still with bated breath, not a slither of wind to be felt for miles on end.  

Bismark: Maintain-

FDG: MY CHILD!!!!!

Thunder claps and all at once the world goes dark. Black clouds roll in at breakneck speed, plunging the world into utter darkness. Girls begin panicking. Musical notes form in the darkness above, massive and visible for all to see. Piano Sonata No. 14 begins playing soon after. We all stand in silence, watching, waiting but when the starting notes of Saltatio Favillae begin playing, every living thing flees.

Allies and enemies alike scatter like rats from fire. Even I hurriedly remove myself from the equation as swiftly as my engine permits. All fighting ceases as it becomes a race against the clock to survive. 

Red lines of scorching flames appear in the blackened sky above us moving in a wavy pattern towards the epicentre of this madness, towards Friedrich. 

Rossiya: What's going on?

Roon: RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!

Roon, usually one not to back down from a fight, is the first to clear that safety mark. She must be travelling in excess of what should be possible but even as she reaches relative comfort, she doesn't attempt to slow down. The enemy's fleet at this point is nowhere to be seen but even if they were I can imagine they're equally in a hurry to get away from the incoming storm. No one wants to be near a furious-

Rossiya: It's clearing...

All: WHAT?

Looking up, sure enough, the clouds begin parting letting through some light. Seeing this, we all stop and turn back to see what's going on but only then do we realise we're rather far from where we had initially started off. Neither Friedrich nor August are anywhere in sight but as we continue searching in every direction we eventually find something. It is the coast of Iron Blood. We've reached land but where's our Empress?

<->

North Sea 
Iron Blood (FDG's POV:)

Why aren't you waking up? Come now. Don't leave things like this. I know I haven't been the best possible mother I could have been. I know that sometimes I may have acted as though I were the child in the equation but please...don't leave me.

Me: I should have gotten here sooner...I-

August: Mmmm...

Me: What's wrong? Mommy's got you! I'm right here! Just-

As I continue watching her every movement, trying to figure out what's wrong, I feel a thud against my hand. It's resting against her stomach and so at first I think it's being caused by her body attempting to tell me it requires sustenance but when another kick comes and then another I can't help the feeling that rises inside.

Pressing my face against her now bare stomach, I listen closely and sure enough, there are two distinctly different heartbeats. 

Me: Hello, little one. 

BOOOOOOOOOM

An explosion within my daughter almost deafens me. Pulling my head away sharply, I'm surprised to find that she's gone pale. Despite this and the explosion, I am certain I heard, however, there's no sign of damage to her externally. Apart from her ever-whitening skin, all physical signs indicate that she should be well. 

BOOOOOOM BOOOOOOM BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The explosions are getting louder. It's as though the Great War itself is being fought within her. I don't understand what is going on or how she even got pregnant but right now, all I can focus on is getting my daughter back to me first and foremost. My grandchild sounds healthy and strong but if those explosions are any indication, life inside my daughter might be more deadly than life without. I wonder if-

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

August: Mmmmm.