Execution [Book 2 of The English Lion]

XXXIV

Over the next three days after Monday, 9th of October 1939, six events must have to be taken note of. On the 10th, the last of Poland's military surrenders to the Germans, the leaders of the German Navy suggests that there was a need to occupy Norway, and Prime Minister Chamberlain declines Hitler's offer of peace. Alexander's reflection at the end of the day was that Germany would only expand despite one nation had surrendered to the German military might so far, the need to occupy Norway would allow some extra time for the build-up of the British military (and would have to bring in the need of conscription if it is mandatory to do so, based on the course of the war. Yet, he thinks that conscription needs to happen sooner than later), and Chamberlain's decline was a firm step to ensure the end of Hitler and Nazi Germany as Britain would never surrender nor step down to the tyranny. On the 11th, an estimation of 158,000 British troops is now in France. No comments from Alexander there. To him, it surely wasn't enough to stop the imminent German invasion but it'll make do. On the 12th, Adolf Eichmann started deporting Jews from both Austria and Czechoslovakia into Poland and the French Premier Édouard Daladier had declined Hitler's offer of peace. Alexander was - to say the least - angered at the Jews' deportation when he talked to both Hugo and James later that night in his suite after the day had ended. But, to keep up this... charade of being a loyal servant to Nazi Germany, Alexander has to prove his worth to the high ranking generals and members of the Nazi German government. Sure, there were doubts about him from the generals and members of the government, but to Hitler, he was a valuable asset. Hitler had completely trusted Alexander from the very beginning when he came to meet the Fuhrer just over a week ago. No doubt there. Hitler values Alexander's input, as the whole world seems to think that the Prince of Wales is dead, and the fact that he's working for Nazi Germany that seems like a cruel twist of fate for Great Britain, as who else would be the best candidate to be the bringer of doom in Britain's demise?

Meanwhile, this was going on, Isabelle was trying to cope by throwing herself into work, helping the British people with a lot of things, from getting her hands dirty by actually going out on the streets to help with rationing and all that (with Elizabeth by her side, as well as Alexander's pets) to making weekly announcements via radios about comfort and that they will get through the war. It was what Alexander would've wanted, now that he's gone. He would've wanted Isabelle to get out and do things, help the people and establish a relationship with them and whatnot. It's not a good idea for her to be bogged down by grief when he died. That same concept doesn't apply to him in regards to Isabelle's death.

Alexander might have not talked about Isabelle since the 3rd, but Hugo and James can tell that he terribly misses her. He would fly back to London before going back to Berlin at a moment's notice. It was the 12th, quite late in the evening after the fact that Hugo, James and him had discussed the day's events, alongside the next moves for both Absconditus Custos and Regius Obligatus (which includes more than just observations. It's now more of interventions and what not in governments worldwide). Alexander was sipping his glass of Scotch as he stared out of the window, becoming more distant by the minute.

Hugo and James glanced at one another, as silence reigned the room. One of them needs to bring Alexander out of this trance of distance and bring him back to reality. Fast.

Hugo cleared his throat to no avail.

"Alexander. You there, buddy?" He asked worried. Again, no avail.

"Alexander," Hugo said again, this time with a firmer tone in his voice.

"I heard you the first time, Frenchie. No need to repeat it. Especially not that in that tone," Alexander replied, criticising his old friend as he turned to him, sipping his glass of Scotch.

"What do you need from me?" Alexander continued, slightly angered.

"Are you alright?" James asked. Alexander stared at him, then to Hugo, then out of the window.

"No. You both knew the answer to that," Alexander replied bluntly, "You both know exactly what's bothering me. Am I right?"

James and Hugo glanced at one another, then both looked at Alexander.

"Yes. We know that you're regretting a hell lot of things, one of them being the ability of not telling Isabelle and fear the risk of getting her involved," Hugo replied.

"That goes the same for a number of other people. It's better off to let them think that I'm dead than alive and being a double agent. But, it sucks. I can't really stop thinking about Isabelle," Alexander stated as he sets down his empty glass on the window sill, "Every minute, every hour, every bloody day. It's just exhausting with all this stuff going on. It's so goddamn painful."

"We get it, it's-" James started when Alexander immediately cuts him off.

"No. You don't get it. Neither of you has the love of your life. Neither of your relationships with the love of your life is painful. It's painful to be physically away from her, as well as emotionally and mentally. It's bloody exhausting to bury the thoughts until you come across something that reminds you of her. Then everything you tried to bury just claws its way out the damn coffin that you buried it in deep down and you just..." Alexander instant replies and looks out of the window, frustrated with himself.

"This is taking a toll on me. The toll of being away from her was known when I started to plan this six years ago..." Alexander continued quietly, "It's not the physical toll but the mental toll."

"But, why did you go anyways?" James asked, curious. Hugo knows the reason why.

"I didn't trust anybody to carry the whole damn operation out. Besides, I just couldn't sit back and let people carry out the operations that I've planned. You could interpret it differently and the whole damn Inner War was lost. Which means our losing chances are even greater than before. The lives of Britain depends on who's doing this and the people leading the British government," Alexander replied.

"So you take on the responsibility itself to go, even if it hurts you and many others. In the end, you live or die trying to protect Great Britain," James stated, "It is the only way to get out of the Palace and to actually serve the people."

"Yes. Even if I stayed behind... I still pose a danger for the people of Britain and my family. If I died... the threat somehow decreased slightly. I will gladly give my life for Britain in the line of duty," Alexander muttered quietly before looking at the two of them, "Don't you both have somewhere to go? I have an early start tomorrow and both of you do too."

Hugo and James groaned before standing, bowed curtly and left.