Execution [Book 2 of The English Lion]

XLV. Alexander

Wednesday, 10th January 1940

Dear Diary,

The world stepped into 1940 with the future seeing no end to this war. When I heard about the Mechelen incident, I immediately sent out agents to neutral Belgium in order to capture the German pilot alongside the plans for Fall Gelb, or so I thought it was. I am still waiting for the news concerning that.

Meanwhile, I terribly miss Isabelle. Every muscle ache at the thought of her and I just keep feeling regret and guilt about my death and how it greatly affected her. To make matters worse... Isabelle and I were at odds with one another, in a heated argument prior to my death. To hear that she is now on talking terms with that bastard Philippe (who is part of Seditio, meaning The Revolution in Latin) seems like she is now ready to move on. But, I'm not quite so sure anymore if she really had moved on, or she is just covering up her pain.

Seditio is... a dangerous and influential group that stretches back to the times of Napoleon, and King Louis XIV. Seditio has this belief that their organisation is destined to bring down the monarchy of France, and that is both House Bonaparte and Bourbon. One wouldn't think this particular organisation would exist now, considering there were a few successful attempts. Like other secret organisations, the Illuminati and the Freemasons to name a few, they've gone underground, more dangerous after that final unsuccessful attempt.

So how is Philippe important to Seditio? He is one of the three members that have a high standing status in Seditio. By - I hate to say this, nevertheless, it is necessary - having Philippe close to Isabelle and the Royal Family, is a very bold, and risky move and one that if we, on our part, make a wrong move and alert Seditio that we are onto them, everything will be fallen apart as Philippe would just leave the country and create a new identity for himself. I have given Absconditus Custos the duty to track down the two other members, as well to observe their every move meanwhile Regius Obligatus would turn its focus elsewhere. Hugo and I had discussed this and had told James to keep tabs on Philippe and spare a small percentage of agents and resources to find the other two members.

-Alexander

Monday, 16th January 1940

Dear Diary,

Captured documents earlier today had revealed Hitler's plans for the invasion of Scandinavia and the postponement of the invasion of France and the Low Countries until the spring. Thank God. Well, it was partly my idea in regards to the postponement. With a few agents on the ground back in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, both Absconditus Custos and Regius Obligatus had managed to sneak out important copied documents from all departments in Hitler's government under my leadership while I am currently in the United States.

Talking about my 'little vacation' here in D.C., I have managed to finish the base of all the dresses, and the background for the paintings, and the beginning of the other layers of both the dresses and the paintings. I do have a strict sleeping schedule, so don't worry about myself getting the lack of sleep. Hugo had been checking on me, though. Guess that is a good thing. At least I am keeping my emotions in check when it comes to Isabelle. It really does suck because I couldn't spend Valentine's, her birthday Christmas and New Year's Eve with her. But, this is the first of many challenges ahead. More Christmases, New Year's Eves, Valentines' Day, and birthday parties that I will be celebrating alone without Isabelle and my family. A small price to pay for faking my death though and the duty to serve. A choice that I regret on those particular days, somehow I became more... remorse. It was like my fake death had taken a piece of me away and it's lying somewhere in a ditch of trenches belonging to the Great War. It wasn't pleasant when the taken piece seems to represent the final drops of whatever is left of my innocence and my youth.

-Alexander

Tuesday, 24th January 1940

Dear Diary,

I heard that Reinhard Heydrich had been appointed by Göring for the solution to the "Jewish Question". Interesting choice, I must say. But no matter, I have put him on the red list for Regius Obligatus and Absconditus Custos for extreme observation. I have sent Heydrich a list of possible solutions in order to help him, but of course, the possible solutions that I came up with weren't just my ideas, but also James and Hugo's. The possible solutions are very botched, and the types of solutions that wouldn't work. Hey, at least there would be fewer people doubting me now and my loyalty to the Fuhrer and the Third Reich.

-Alexander

Friday, 27th January 1940

Dear Diary,

Germany had made final plans for the invasion of both Denmark and Norway. What does this have to do with me? Denmark. I have made plans for the protection of the civilians, as there was no possible way that Regius Obligatus could evacuate them all. The orders of destroying all confidential papers in both the Danish and Norwegian branches had begun as well as the orders for half of the agent population in both branches to be distributed to other branches. It is crucial and important that the agents volunteering to stay behind to continue the process of observation and gain any crucial materials and pieces of information. As the Director-General of Regius Obligatus, I would rather risk a small number of agents rather than a great number of agents of Regius Obligatus, even though every single member of Regius Obligatus and Absconditus Custos understood the risks, considering they had shown their duty and loyalty to the Crown. All agents must not be captured, for there is a fear of the spread of information. Of course, I had foreseen this possibility, as there's a course that teaches all agents and members of both Regius Obligatus and Absconditus Custos to straight down lie and falsify data, among a number of other things.

Right, I must head off and try to squeeze in a decent number of sleeping hours in. My workaholic nature has set in again since the moment James, Hugo and I had arrived in D.C. just over two months ago in November.

-Alexander