The truck screeched to a stop in front of the Royal Palace.
The courtyard was a retrofitted military base, and artillery was lined up next to crates of rifles and ammunition.
Soldiers walked about with tired eyes and heavy equipment.
Karl was the first out of the truck, followed by Hinata and Elizabeth.
Alexander was the last one out, stretching.
Kael led the group through the courtyard and into the palace.
Where, for the first time soldiers were stationed in every corner.
Instead, regular staff such as butlers and maids milled about with their heads down.
Kael continued up to the third floor in the west wing, stopping at a large set of double doors.
"His highness is just beyond these doors, Your Highness."
He bowed, before stepping away.
Hinata sighed, pushing the doors open.
Fredrick sat inside, behind a mahogany desk with stacks of paper and maps.
Books littered the floor, and the walls were stacked high with nearly empty shelves.
And in the corner of the room, a young girl with pink eyes played silently.
Fredrick looked up from his stack of papers with dead eyes.
"Ah, Alexander, you made it…"
He stood up, dusting himself off and forcing a smile.
"…please, have a seat, and excuse the mess…"
He glanced at his sister, who awkwardly looked between Elizabeth and him.
"…and my sister."
Alexander and Elizabeth exchanged glances, before taking their offered seats. Hinata stood slightly by the door, a stoic guardian.
Fredrick placed a hand on his desk as he leaned forward. "I'm sure you're aware of Otto's death, it's not exactly hard to miss."
Alexander nodded.
"Yeah, what happened?"
Fredrick sat down with a huff.
"Two days ago he was found dead in his estate, with a slit throat. No signs of forced entry, but he definitely didn't kill himself. No one knows anything, but my father is convinced the empire is the culprit."
"And are they?"
Fredrick scoffed.
"Not a chance, it's more likely someone got tired of him acquiring 'donations' from the locals to feed our troops. They could've easily gotten enough money together to hire an assassin."
He shook his head.
"I told my father but he waved me off, and deployed even more soldiers to find a ghost."
Alexander leaned back in his seat, massaging his chin.
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing," Fredrick answered, "my pockets are empty and my influence is non-existent. But that's beside the point, you're here to discuss the colonial marines, right?"
Alexander nodded.
"If you're ready."
Fredrick reached into his desk to retrieve a map of the demon continent.
It was marked with black and red ink.
Alexander and Elizabeth leaned forward.
Fredrick pointed a finger at a small island off the coast.
"Elena Island, have you heard of it?"
Alexander shook his head.
"No, not really."
Fredrick nodded.
"Not surprising, it belongs to a band of Jafren pirates from the east. They've tried to harass our shipping in the past, but when Ambur did a show of force with a fleet triple their size, they left us alone."
Alexander glanced at Elizabeth, who smiled.
Fredrick chuckled.
"Ambur has helped us countless times. I say we pay them a favor, and take this island for ourselves. Not only does it serve as a springboard into the demon continent, but also an early warning if an attack comes from the east."
Alexander stared at the map, the small island was prime real estate.
It would allow for immediate resupply for any incursion into the demon continent.
And a place for troops to rest for long-term deployments.
The only real problem was getting the soldiers there, and the defenders…
"You said pirates inhabit this island? What kind, and how many?"
"We're dealing with the disciplined kind," Fredrick admitted.
"There's a reason Ambur, or any nation, has yet to dispatch them. More than 200 men armed with muskets and well-maintained cannons man the island. With a fleet of three 6th-rate frigates and a 3rd-rate capital ship."
Alexander's eyes went wide with disbelief.
"Are you fucking insane?!" He shouted, standing to his feet.
"You want me to assault a well-fortified position with a hundred men who know nothing but how to march in a line?!"
The room went quiet as Fredrick raised his hands in a placating gesture.
"Obviously you won't be attacking in the middle of the day, wide open to cannon fire. Just hear me out."
He pleaded.
Alexander frowned.
He studied combat and fought elite opponents.
But even he struggled with multiple opponents.
The mere notion of this… 'plan' is nothing more than a suicidal pipe dream!
Alexander shook his head.
"What? Are we going to attack at night?" He asked sarcastically, "Because that makes all the difference huh? When you're rolling a HUNDRED MEN DEEP in a DAMN WAR SHIP!"
Fredrick didn't flinch at Alexander's outburst, he simply waited until the echo faded.
Then, with a calm expression, he continued.
"Obviously you won't be engaging head-on, in fact the mission has two key objectives."
He raised two fingers, one after the other.
"Securing the island, and securing the ships. You won't attack in a warship because we won't engage in ship-to-ship combat. Instead, you'll row onto the island on a moonless night, secure the docks, and push onto the fortress."
He lowered his hand, leaning forward, "If everything goes well, the cannons shouldn't even fire."
"Shouldn't or won't?" Alexander countered.
"Shouldn't." Fredrick repeated, "If you secure the docks it's unlikely they'll fire on their own ships. Then you can either choose to draw them out of their fort, or…"
He glanced at Hinata.
"…attack head-on, with a D'élite at your disposal it should be relatively easy."
Alexander stared at Fredrick with a tight jaw.
Still, he had a point.
D'élites could solo entire platoons on the low end, but that was with swords.
Who knows how well she'd perform against guns?
And intel would be needed.
"Hinata is still just one woman, she can't be everywhere." Alexander replied, "And what about details on the island? The layout of the docks and fort?"
Fredrick smirked.
"I'm sure one of your Agents from the Royal Bureau of Affairs would be happy to assist."
He glanced at Elizabeth, who shook her head with a giggle.
"Ah, so that's your strategy, use my assets and lover to secure your island. And if we fail you lose nothing."
Fredrick shook his head.
"Certainly not, I'll supply your troops with uniforms and equipment from the armory. My father would kill me if I wasted indispensable equipment on a fruitless endeavor."
He leaned back.
"Besides, I need this to succeed, and I'm willing to do anything. The question is, are you?"
Alexander's fists were clenched at his sides, there were a million things he wanted to argue.
But he knew it would be an endless back and forth.
He let out a long breath.
"Fine, you want your island, you'll get it. I'm not afraid of a little bloodshed and a shitty plan."
The prince's grin widened as he reached out a hand.
"Ah, I knew you'd come around!"
Alexander held his gaze, unmoving.
"But if you think for a second that you have any say on how this mission unfolds, you're mistaken. Elizabeth I will plan the assault, you just make sure my men get their uniforms."
The prince lowered his hand, his grin faltering.
"I see, I'll be sure to do that. Feel free to take anything you need in the meantime, maps or otherwise."
Alexander scoffed, before turning to leave.
Elizabeth rose from her seat, dusting her dress.
"Well, it was nice talking, Prince Fredrick."
Fredrick's smile returned.
"Likewise."