Execution [Book 2 of The English Lion]

LIX. Max

It was the evening of the 17th of June when both Antony and I heard. The sinking of the liner RMS Lancastria off the coast of Saint Nazaire. It was used as a British troopship.

Antony and I were in Buckingham Palace's library when we heard it. We both glance at one another as there were moments of silence before either of us would speak up.

"That's bad..." I muttered.

"No... it's a bloody disaster, that's what it is!" Antony's voice was getting a tad bit loud, but it wasn't to the point that he's yelling. He would be standing and pacing around. I just watch him warily. The RMS's sinking is Britain's worst maritime disaster, no doubt that.

"We could have saved all of them but it's unexpected. If Alexander was here..." Antony's voice faltered at the mention of his brother. I knew he had a hard time getting over his death, like everyone else in the Royal Family. Antony and I would move on to other topics to talk about, spending the rest of the day not talking about the war because it is going downhill since the war had started.

The next day, word got around that General De Gaulle had formed the French government in exile. Hanging out with Alexander and Antony do have its perks. I keep thinking about this government in exile and somewhat about the consequences to it. There were fears to this, of course, and it was answered two days later when the French sought an armistice with the Italians. King Francois looks extremely older, if it is possible when we heard of the news. Everyone agreed that Alexander would have wanted to fight until the last man, yet, he would want to preserve the country, and to lose as little innocent lives as possible.

Everything is continuing to spiral as the war drags on day by day. After the French had seen an armistice with the Italians, the Franco-German armistice negotiations began the next day meanwhile the elements of two Italian armies crossed into France, beginning the Italian invasion of France. I mean... What type of armistice is this? Unlike the armistice that had ended the Great War, both sides stopped fighting which is very unlike the war we are in right now. There was an uproar from Antony, believing that the Italians should have stayed in Italy without marching off to war.  He just became Alexander for a brief moment when we are in the library with Isabelle, Elizabeth, Sophie and Philippe.

The situation in France just keeps getting worse. The group heard that the French battleship Lorraine has opened fire on the Italian port of Bardia in the Italian North Africa. Both Antony and I discussed that it was a last ditch attempt against the Italians. Which was somewhat proven when the French naval aircraft attacked Taranta and Livorno in mainland Italy. Both of us discussed that before heading off our separate ways, getting some sleep if we can after what happened in the last few days.