Execution [Book 2 of The English Lion]

XXV. Alexander

Monday, 2nd October 1939

I woke up at 4 AM and laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, debating whether or not I should get back to sleep. My mind is in Germany. My soul is in Germany. I want to kill Hitler with my bare hands but physically I'm here, in Regius Obligatus. For the past two weeks, I'm here in Regius Obligatus, not in Buckingham Palace because I need to concentrate and prepare for the Inner War. If I sleep and wake up every day for the past two weeks in Buckingham Palace, the stakes are much higher. She is there. She will give me a daily painful reminder before I leave for both Northwood Headquarters and Regius Obligatus's headquarters. Every night I go to sleep at Buckingham Palace, I'll wonder if I had done enough planning that day. I know that there is a lot of worry concerning my whereabouts. But this is necessary... If Hitler believes that I am in hiding, there is nothing for him to fear, is there?

Minutes turned into an hour as I lay there in the bed. I sat up tiredly, before getting off the bed and stretched. I decided to skip a leg day. It hardly matters anymore anyway. After going through my morning routine, I walked out - changed into my normal three-piece suit - before heading to the cafeteria. I made myself breakfast and coffee. Breakfast would contain the never tiring full English Breakfast, topped with haggis. Delicious.

As soon as I finished my breakfast, James walked up to me, looking apologetic. He glances to the person behind him: Isabelle. I immediately paled, looking pained.

"I'm sorry, sir, I tried but... she insisted," James hurriedly told me, sounding apologetic.

"I know. I'll take care of it," I muttered. James nodded before doing a curt bow and left. I walk up to Isabelle, with my hand running through my hair, looking guilty and despaired. Isabelle looked pained.

"I'm sorry, Isabelle... I should have told you instead of disappearing like that... If anybody knows where I am... Especially you, I hate to think what would've happened if Hitler knew..." I started before Isabelle pulled me into a kiss. I wrapped my arms around her as she gently pulled away. I rest my forehead on hers as I look at her. Isabelle rests her hands on my cheeks as she looks at me with a look I cannot decipher.

Was it anger?

Was it sadness?

...Disappointment?

It was a lingering moment before she got out of my arms and walked out of the cafeteria, walking to God knows where. I followed. Until I arrived at a decent-sized practice room that was placed between a mediocre sized concert hall and the music storage room. There was a turntable in the corner of the room, and a grand piano in the centre of the room. I awkwardly stood where I was after closing the door. I watch Isabelle as she takes out vinyl from its sleeve before putting it on the turntable as she puts the sleeve back into the small crate that stores all the vinyl. Isabelle turned the turntable on and it blares a familiar tune.

'Just give me a reason...' I thought as I stared warily at her. I sighed as she started singing. I noticed that she's crying. I started to sing my part moments later, as I stared at her, guilt coursing through my whole body. Soon, we would both sing to the song, as we stay in our respected areas of the room.

After the song had ended, we stared at one another. Isabelle was facing away from me. I walked up to her and hugged her from behind.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her, as she got out of my embrace and looked at me. She placed a hand on my cheek, sadly smiling.

"At least you found me," I whispered, as I touched her hand on my cheek.

"Indeed," she told me, "But you don't need to apologise, dear. It was just... the lack of communication."