Alexander and Elizabeth went their separate ways, as they always did.
She went to the palace, and he visited Ben at the Nova mansion.
Alexander arrived via carriage, taking off his gloves as he stepped out.
Ben was waiting for him outside the gates, arms crossed.
Antoinette stood behind him, her stomach noticeably rounder.
"Alex…" Ben stepped forward, his pathfinder robes blowing gently around his feet. "…we need to talk. Now."
Alexander paused, pocketing his gloves.
"You don't sound happy to see me."
Ben took another step forward.
"No, not really. I'm glad to see you're okay but I hate the way you've been acting. Lady Louise told me everything. And I need to know."
He paused, glancing back at Antoinette, she nodded in approval.
"What happened to you? Who hurt you?"
Alexander's smile froze, his fists closing tight.
He chuckled, stepping back.
"You're right, I've been… too much."
Ben's expression softened.
"You have, but I'm sure it's just the stress. Come on, we're getting to the bottom of this."
Alexander followed quietly behind him.
He glanced over at Antoinette as he walked by, the woman had drained.
It must've been difficult playing the role of both lieutenant and mother…
Ben had Alexander join him in an empty room in the back, closing the door and standing in front of it.
Alexander removed his coat and took a seat on the bed.
The duo sat in silence for a moment.
Alexander twiddled his thumbs in his lap.
"So…" he began, "I see you've been busy with your superior."
He smiled at Ben.
"I'm happy for you, honestly. After everything we've been through it's good to see you starting over."
Ben averted his gaze as he chewed his bottom lip.
"Thank you, but… I've heard about you too. The Elena island incident, you've secured a big win for the Fallen Kingdom."
He met Alexander's gaze.
"And I know it came at a great cost, so… you have my sympathy."
Alexander nodded.
"Thank you."
Ben stepped forward joining Alexander on the bed.
"Don't thank me yet, because I've heard some bad stuff about you, Alex."
Alexander sighed.
"Let me guess, Louise was butthurt and cried to you about my behavior?"
He chuckled, "Look, she had it coming for a long time."
Ben frowned.
"How can you say that? I saw the way you looked at her, before you and her highness became official."
He leaned forward.
"Even afterwards, I saw how guilty you looked."
Alexander pointed a finger at Ben.
"And it was a mistake. The guilt was nothing but a weakness she exploited because she lost. Besides, Elizabeth's way better."
"I won't judge either, it's not my place." Ben replied, "But I think you should respect Lady Louise. After all she's done for us?"
"For you."
Alexander corrected.
"I went back to our kingdom, ruined as it is they need help. You decided to stay here, and I don't blame you for that. Just like you shouldn't blame me for my choice."
"I don't." Ben replied, "But you've changed. I want to know, why you did what you did. Was it the shell shock? From your first battle?"
"Shell shock?" He repeated, his expression visibly disgusted. "No, no, no… Ben I was enlightened on Elena island."
He stood, softly laughing.
"I finally understood now, I can be who I was meant to be."
He began to pace.
"You should be happy for me, for our kingdom! We'll finally have a chance against our enemies. The western empire, Sparsia…"
Ben stayed seated, watching Alexander pace.
"But that doesn't explain how you treated your friends at the academy. If you're so enlightened, why are you pushing away those who care for you?"
Alexander paused, gritting his teeth.
"Care? Those people abandoned me! Ignored me for two years! Not ONCE did they send a letter!"
He stepped up to Ben.
"And every time I came to take my exams they ignored me! Now I start barking and everyone wants me to put the muzzle back on? You're the only person who treated me the same, who sent letters. Don't tell me you're taking their side."
Ben looked down at his feet.
"I get that, but you can't blame this all on them."
His voice was low.
"You shelved Lady Louise for her highness. You broke your captain's arm, and you told your friends off. I think it's perfectly reasonable to avoid you from their perspective."
"Don't you dare say that! You're supposed to take my side! You were my pathfinder before this. You served me!"
Ben looked up.
"I don't serve the man standing in front of me. I never did. The Alexander I served was broken, scared, and troubled. But he was also intelligent, kind, and hard-working. You? You're just broken… I think you should be evaluated–"
"Evaluated?!" Alexander's voice cracked as he snarled. "Why do you think there is something wrong with me?! There's nothing wrong!"
He grabbed Ben by the collar, his grip tightening as he leaned closer.
"I came here to see my ONE FRIEND! To congratulate you in person on your CHILD! To chat about old times…"
Alexander's eyes moistened as his grip loosened.
A tear rolled down his cheek he touched a hand to his face.
He laughed softly as he felt the warm tear.
"Damnit, look what you did, Ben."
He stepped back, closing his eyes as he turned his face to the ceiling.
"I almost… I almost let my feelings get the best of me. I still have a long way to go."
He opened his eyes, wiping his tears before fixing his uniform with a pull.
"Thank you for the conversation, Ben… it was nice seeing you again."
He picked up his coat, draping it over his arm.
Ben stood up, blocking his path.
"Alex, wait." He reached for his shoulder, "I'm still your friend. I… I was being stupid, selfish."
Alexander met his gaze.
"You are, but so am I. People change, sometimes those changes make us incompatible."
He brushed Ben's hand aside.
"I love you, Ben. But the path I'm walking, it's a lonesome journey."
He stepped towards the door.
"Congratulations on your child, again."
He sighed, reaching for the knob.
"I won't visit after this..."
He stepped out, where he was greeted by Antoinette and Louise standing by the door.
He ignored them both, walking towards the exit.
The two women then turned their attention to the room.
Ben sat on his knees, face in his hands.
"No… no, no, no…"
Antoinette rushed into the room to comfort him.
Louise turned her attention towards Alexander.
She had hoped Ben could talk some sense into him.
But she feared she may have ruined his last, true friendship.
"You're a coward!" She called, "and you'll die like a coward!"
Alexander wordlessly exited.
— — —
The carriage ride to the palace was a somber one.
Alexander, despite his cold exit, felt a tinge of sadness.
"It had to be done."
He whispered to himself.
"If he wasn't with me, he's against me. They all are, they don't understand what it takes. What needs to be done…"
War ruined his life, and the enemy soldiers didn't show an ounce of empathy.
They were monsters.
And they'll only respect other monsters.
The Fallen kingdom will rise again, and he will be its monster.
Alexander felt a smirk crack his expression.
"There we go… much better."
— — —
Meanwhile, in the palace, Queen Charlotte sat with both her daughter and top generals.
And sitting between them was Alexander's exam.
"So," Queen Charlotte leaned forward, "what do you think?"
The three generals exchanged wordless glances.
The first to speak was the oldest, most experienced general.
Field Marshal Davout.
He was old. But his eyes were still sharp as knives.
He served from the Amburian civil war to the colonial incursions and the war against the Western Empire.
Along with several smaller conflicts.
"Well…" he began, his tone cautious.
"If you're asking about the effectiveness of his actions, he'd get a stellar grade. If you ask about morality… at best, he'd be a war criminal."
The other two generals nodded in agreement,
Charlotte leaned forward. "But they would work? He would win battles?"
"Yes, he would win… the boy understands logistics and speed wins wars. He has an advanced understanding of strategy and tactics. Intelligence is something he's big on, almost to an obsessive degree."
Charlotte smiled.
"Then?"
Davout sighed, tapping a finger on the table.
"He'd win battles, not wars. His fatal flaw is his understanding of manpower. He acts as if every soldier under his command is a dedicated rifleman."
He leaned forward.
"When asked about support units, he puts them right on the line of fire with everyone else. When it comes to defense he sallies out, and while his strategies are sound, the message is clear. He's all about offense. If you give him a regiment, every man in that regiment will be on the front line. Meaning if his lines are ever broken for any reason…"
Charlotte's smile faded, as she finished his sentence.
"… they'd meet no resistance."
Field Marshal Davout nodded.
"He's a glass cannon, a master tactician with no respect for strategy."
Charlotte let out a long breath.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door.
"Your majesty, Commander Alexander is here."
"Speak of the devil…" Davout mused.