A Royal Beginning [Book 1 of The English Lion]

LVII

As April, and May waxes and wanes, June approaches, giving the quartet a very much needed rest when summer hits in mid-June. After they got back to London, Isabelle and Colette told Alexander and Hugo that they both need to get back to Paris, as both girls miss their home terribly. Alexander and Hugo understood, and after a very long goodbye, both girls began their journey back to Paris.

It was the last Friday of June, and Alexander was in his grandfather's private office, just sitting there on the chair, sketching out a dress that he had envisioned. George glanced up to Alexander from his desk.

"What are you doing, Alex?" He asked as he read through his papers.

"Oh, just drawing something," Alexander replied quietly.

"Don't mind me seeing it?"

Alexander nodded and gave it to his grandfather. There was a wedding dress in the middle, surrounded by intricate designs of laces and flower designs on different parts of the dress, as well as a bouquet, which is coloured in watercolour, as well as neat blocked notes. George looked at his grandson then back to the drawing.

"So, this wedding dress. Who is intended for?" George asked, curiosity peaked, but deep down, he knows who the wedding dress was intended for.

"Isabelle," Alexander mumbled, before clearing his throat and repeated Isabelle's name louder. George looked at Alexander, raising an eyebrow, as if asking his grandson "Oh?"

"I know that Isabelle and I are quite young but considering the threat of Germany under Hitler is rising, who knows what will happen. War could start today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. Ever since Hitler came to power last year, Regius Obligatus has been on a warpath, as you have known back in December. Who knows how long war will last? By doing this, planning beforehand, it would reduce the stress in terms of wedding planning after the war," Alexander continued, reasoning with his grandfather.

"I cannot deny with that logic, Alex. But, let me tell you something," George told Alexander, who nodded, "This was a couple of months ago, after Valentine's Day when Antoine and I talked to one another on the telephone. Another Anglo-Franco alliance will be in place soon after Cabinet and Parliament have ratified it. This is because people have observed your relationship with Isabelle, and sometime in the future, one of you would ask the monarch - whether that would be me or Antoine - for the other's hand in marriage."

Alexander just stared at him, poker-faced, before looking angry.

"Well. I am not in love with Isabelle, Grandpapa!" Alexander exclaimed angrily, "I'm just looking out for her, that's all!"

George raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so?" He asked his eldest grandchild.

"Yes! Besides, I have Hitler to worry about!" Alexander continued, snatching his sketchbook back from his grandfather, and stormed out, looking annoyed, scowling under his breath.

"So, it is true then... He is in love with Isabelle," George mumbled under his breath.

The next day, what Alexander told his grandfather about having to deal with Hitler is true. The moment the Night of the Long Knives had begun, Regius Obligatus in Germany immediately notified the Headquarters in London and the other branches. Agents immediately began finding Alexander, Hugo, Douglas and Emily, who were all coincidentally in Alexander's office in Kensington Palace. When they heard it, the four looked at one another.

"Hitler's purging the SA. Dictator or not, so we must continue to be vigilant," Alexander said then look at the agents.

"Tell Regius Obligatus to continue observing Hitler, but this time, add Stalin and Mussolini into the mix of those belonging to the top priority of Regius Obligatus's watch list. Oh, and tomorrow come back with the total death count of the purge," Alexander continued. The agents nodded, left, and closed the door behind them.

It was several moments later, where Alexander continued down his path of logic: "It is vital to see Hitler's motives to why killing that certain number of people, and if he would kill again, in cold blood."

"So basically, his killing patterns, if there are any," Hugo said, and Alexander nodded.