A Royal Beginning [Book 1 of The English Lion]

XXIV. Douglas

Monday, 26th September 1927

Hugo, Emily and I were at the dining hall, being the first ones there out of the senior leadership team per usual. Alexander stumbled - more like having a slow walk - towards us, with a hot cup of coffee. He set it down, before sitting. There were black bags under his eyes.

"You need to sleep. You're no use to anybody, much less this country if you're half dead, Alexander," I remind him. Alexander just stared at his cup of coffee, ignoring whatever I just said. We all glance at one another before looking at Hugo.

"What?!" He muttered, slightly frustrated.

"Talk to him," Emily nudged, tilting her head towards Alexander.

"You're his best friend and confidant, you basically know more about him than both of us," I told Hugo, making a point. Hugo grumbled but complied.

"Alexander, what's wrong?" Hugo asked, before glaring at the two of us.

"I don't know..." Alexander mumbled before sipping his cup of coffee. Emily and I started to eat, just letting the two of them talk, but we do - to a certain extent – eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Care to elaborate?" Hugo asked.

"Probably because of Regius Obligatus and Isabelle. I can't deal with all of this," Alexander muttered before having an exasperated sigh. Emily and I glanced at one another, both of us had raised eyebrows.

'Isabelle...? Wait... That means... Something is going on between the two...' I thought. The moment I realized that I almost spilt my coffee, choking on it, masking the fact that I almost spilt the coffee. Emily looked at me and I looked at her, and her eyes widened before looking at Alexander, who was sipping his cup of coffee silently, not eating anything.

Emily stood up, getting him his plate of breakfast, leaving me to question Alexander.

"Alexander, how do you feel towards Isabelle?" I asked, and Hugo looked at me, like 'What the bloody hell are you doing?'

Alexander looked at me, with a tired look.

"I don't know, but I do know that I'm very protective of her. Anyone harms her, emotionally or physically, I'll strangle them with my bare hands, never mind using weapons," Alexander said fiercely for a moment, losing his exhausted composure before he returned to the usual exhausted 'I need caffeine, not sleep' composure. Hugo and I looked at one another as Emily came back, with the breakfast plate, alongside with utensils. She gave it to Alexander, who muttered thanks, and started to eat.

Emily looked at Hugo and me, ignoring both of us before we were yanked into reality when Alexander finished his plate and cup of coffee. He stood and we'd follow as he made his way to classes with his messenger bag.

Wednesday, 30th November 1927

For the past two months, the same routine that made up of school assignments, school projects, and Regius Obligatus meetings and paperwork, as everything seemed... normal. Except for the beginnings of the expansion plan to the Americas, of course.

We would be at Alexander's apartment later that evening, discussing what to talk about when we have the yearly meeting with the King. We were on the balcony, enjoying the fresh air where we were denied during the school day.

Alexander was sipping on his cup of tea, so did Hugo.

'Sophisticated Englishmen,' I thought, inwardly rolling my eyes.