Execution [Book 2 of The English Lion]

XLVIII. Philippe

February gave way to March, while the winter air slowly dies down a bit, as it stepped down from the world stage for the spring air to take its place. Flowers, trees, and all things Nature slowly return to life as the spring air makes itself known to the people.

I woke up at six, the usual time. I would go through my usual routine, before exiting the restroom fifteen minutes later. Considering it is quite early, I grabbed the book from the bookshelf and sat down in the chair at the coffee table before I started to read.

I'm currently staying in one of the guest rooms of Buckingham Palace, and I must say... it is quite decent. But I do miss home terribly, even though I can't visit home at the moment due to the war.

The silence continued for another fifteen minutes, until half-past six, where the silence was disrupted by a knock.

"Come in," I called out and a fellow Seditio member - or rather, the current Grand Master of Seditio - walked in. She closed the door behind him. I didn't know who it was until he cleared his throat and I glanced up.

Eva.

"Qu'est-ce que tu veux, Eva, [What do you want, Eva,]" I sneered as my attention went back to my book, ignoring him entirely.

"Vous devez vous dépêcher. Cela va trop lentement. Nous devons avoir été plus loin dans le plan pour faire tomber la monarchie maintenant si ce n'était pas pour vos actions idiotes, [You need to hurry the hell up. This is going too slow. We must have been further down the plan to bring down the monarchy by now if it wasn't for your idiotic actions,]" Eva stated hurriedly in a quiet voice.

I sighed, closing my book and setting it down onto the coffee table.

"Ce n'était pas de ma faute si le gosse anglais avait son cœur. Je ferai mon chemin dans le sien qui avait été rempli vide par sa mort. Quoi qu'il en soit, nous irons bien. Seditio ira bien. Seditio ne figure pas sur la liste de surveillance de Regius Obligatus. Je m'en suis assuré, [It wasn't my fault that the English brat had her heart. I will make my way into hers that had been filled empty by his death. Anyway, we will be fine. Seditio will be fine. Seditio is not on Regius Obligatus's watch list. I made sure of that,]" I rebutted angrilly.

Eva just looked at me, with a questioning look.

"N'oubliez pas que Seditio vous a soigné depuis que vous étiez jeune. Nous devons faire tomber la monarchie et y mettre fin. Si nous ne le faisons pas, la lutte pour la liberté contre l'oppression ne sera pour rien, [Remember that Seditio have groomed you since you were young. We must bring down the monarchy, and end it. If we don't, the fight for freedom against the oppression will be for nothing,]" She told me in a threatening tone. I held my ground as I stared at him, with a slight annoyance in my eyes.

"I suggest that you leave," I whispered threateningly. Eva stood and nodded curtly before leaving the room. But that got me thinking. I glance out at the window behind me, thinking.

'What if what he said is true?' The thought crossed my mind as I let out a sigh.

Isabelle would enter my room at half-past seven, stating that it was time for breakfast, and of course, I gave her a genuine smile. Breakfast is now a normal ordeal, considering everyone thinks Isabelle and I are friends, nothing beyond that. Yet, I really do hate to keep up these... pretentious acts as an agent for Seditio. Yet, you might think 'Why can't I quit?' Truthfully, I cannot. The Dukedom of Normandy had been... double-faced for years since the times when House Bourbon, House Bonaparte and other Royal Houses have their reigns over France. It has been ingrained in my DNA, my past, my present and my future. I will die for Seditio if needs be.

Anyway, after breakfast, with Adam's words still lingering in my mind from earlier this morning, Isabelle and I headed to the library, talking about our lives since the war had started, and how it had greatly affected us. It is interesting to see her view of things on the current events. Throughout the day, I start to implement the plan that Seditio had been trying for years: infiltrate the Royal Family, and to bring it down. By all means necessary. Seduction, assassination attempts (multiple failures, that is), and poisoning... You name it, we tried it all. Some, I would say, was successful.

"Philippe, are you alright?" Isabelle asked and I looked at her, confused.

"You were staring out into the distance," She continued, and yet, there was a tinge of guilt washes across her face. It reminded her of Alexander.

Which means... seduction is working. I inwardly sigh in the distance.

"What were you thinking?" Isabelle asked, bringing me back to the present as my mind lingered into the unknown.

"Well, a couple of things that really don't concern you at all," I replied. There was a twinge of anger that flashed across her face as I just reminded her of her dead fiancée. I inwardly smirked. Isabelle nodded, respecting the need for privacy.

The day ends, and a new day arises, a constant repetitive cycle that saw no end until one day, it stops as we lay on our deathbed, whether that would be the battlefield, whatever ground as we feel the blood rushing out of our wounds and injuries, or just the good old peaceful death. Everything is just the same, as nothing changes, including the fact that I accompany Isabelle on a couple of domestic Royal Engagements, with one goal in mind: to show the British people the need to keep calm and carry on, as well as other traits. The one thing that I really don't understand is the fact that why Isabelle still has this need to... be loyal to the people of Britain as well as France and Denmark, considering Alexander is dead. It is a bit surprising for Seditio, considering no one really expects her to still be loyal to him after Alexander has been dead for seven months.

Later that night, I reflected like every other night. The memories of Valentine's crossed my mind and I smiled in the dark. The second one I spent with Isabelle. It was just dinner at some fancy restaurant that I've planned with some music, of course. Yet, it wasn't like what Alexander would usually do for Isabelle. She looked disappointed in the lack of effort. But, who am I to blame? I just need to know the level of effort that Alexander put in for Valentine's, Isabelle's birthday and Christmas. Now... I put my focus on Isabelle's birthday, and I believe I have something that would surpass Alexander's presents for her before drifting off to sleep.