This is a work of fiction that follows real historical events. This does not seek to promote anything about war and is just a what if kind of scenario. Any similarity between people, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Some aspects have been changed to form a better story.

I sit with Eugen against the hospital bed of the little blonde girl that we had captured during the encounter earlier. It has only been a couple of hours since then but the sun has already begun to rise against the background of the city. The theater still smolders with plumes of smoke rising above the skyline.

The Hospital is packed with people with injuries and burns ranging from mild to severe. Their moans of agony are the only thing keeping me awake despite the early hours of the day. Eugen has her arms crossed, clearly displaying her unhappiness.

"You've never captured anyone before? What makes her so different?" She avoids my gaze by looking away. "Is it because she's a Kansen?"

"Eugen, we've talked about this. She's vital information."

"What makes you think she'll give out anything willingly?"

"You're right. She might not. But the only other option is death."

"She may be prepared for that…"

"Then so be it." I say with a bit of fury in my voice. The night still weighs heavily on my mind.

I can't believe I was deceived so easily. Not only that, they were allowed to sneak up on us so effortlessly and could have killed us if it weren't for Eugen's quick thinking. I look at the white haired heavy cruiser who stands facing the opposite direction from me as I lean against the bed and check on the condition of the wound.

Kansen heal much faster than regular humans, something I didn't find out till just now. As soon as the bullet was removed, her wound began healing at a rapid pace. Her tissue is already being reformed and her stitches are no longer necessary. She is still unconscious.

Eugen is not happy with me.

It is against her entire nature to capture those who have wronged her. She wishes her dead, for both her sake and my own. However, now is not the time to be thinking about such childish things like revenge.

I look up to the face of the blonde Kansen and see her very pretty light blue eyes flutter closed. I stare at her as a nervous expression crosses her face.

"You're not very good at hiding your emotions…"

Eugen turns around with a burning fire in her eyes as she burns holes into the blonde Kansen.

The Kansen makes no response and quickly flutters her eyes back open with a serious expression on her face.

"What is your name?" I ask seriously.

The Kansen does not respond.

"Hey, pig. He asked you a question!" Eugen shoves one of her sharks into her face, eliciting a small 'Eep!' from the Kansen.

"L-light cruiser É-Émile Bertin…"

"Well, Émile Bertin. You have openly attacked an Iron Blood Officer and Kansen, ignited a civilian establishment, and cost dozens if not hundreds of lives. Normally this would be enough to have you executed. What do you have to say?"

The blonde says nothing for a while before the situation makes her talk.

"I would have rather died than become your pawn."

"Then you are already aware of your situation."

"Unfortunately."

"Enough of this!" Eugen brings out her main battery guns and points them directly at the light cruiser, "Tell us what you know, and I may make your death a painless one."

"Eugen…"

"Ah, the famed Prinz Eugen. This mission was really about you. If you want to blame someone, you can only look to yourself."

"Me? I highly doubt a couple of light cruisers thought they could take me out. Be honest, you were here for the commander!"

Émile Bertin doesn't say anything and refuses to look me in the eyes.

"Say it!" Eugen pushes her battery into the cheeks of the light cruiser.

"Okay! It was! But it wasn't a mission to kill him!" Eugen releases it from her cheek at the response.

"What do you mean?"

Émile Bertin shies away, she said something she probably shouldn't have. "Our only intention was to capture you by any means necessary. If that included wounding you, then so be it."

"What did you have to capture me for? Ransom? Iron Blood does not listen to terrorists."

"Terrorists?! You came into my country, killed my people, and burned my villages but you have the audacity to call me a terrorist."

"Regardless, that is war. You lost the war and signed a treaty."

Émile is about to speak up but she takes a look around the room and watches as people, both Iron and Libre, suffer from their burns. If she could hang her head, she would.

"Alright then, if not for ransom, then what else?"

Émile ponders if she should say what is on her mind. Another gun to the face tells her she has no other choice.

"Even the Iris Libre has heard about your great exploits in the Atlantic and the North Sea. A commander with that kind of prowess to make it through the English Channel unscathed is someone the Iris Libre desperately needs."

"Doesn't the Iris Libre have commanders of their own?"

"We had to cede them to Iron Blood once we fell. We are now with only a single commander."

"Then why not try and get the others to defect? It would be much easier than trying to get me instead, don't you think?"

"You're the only one with actual combat experience. Most of them have not seen combat experience outside of the small skirmishes between allies."

"Hmm. I understand. Thank you for your cooperation. I have more questions, but for now, rest."

"Commander!"

"Let it rest, Eugen. Come with me."

Eugen begrudgingly obliges as she stares daggers at the light cruiser. She closes the curtains after her. We walk past column after column of injured as more and more are being brought in. Eugen follows closely behind me.

"Commander…"

"I know how you feel, Eugen. Truly, I know. But you can't keep trying to kill the only source of information I have."

"I-I know…"

Eugen hangs her head and I hear a sniffle. I have never seen Prinz Eugen cry, but for once it is her that is experiencing some form of emotions. I turn around to face the beautiful white haired cruiser.

"Eugen…"

"I-It's just… You could have been killed, and it just hit me how lonely it would be without you." She sniffs and a single tear leaks from her eye. "I-I just… don't know what to do without you…"

I grab her chin and raise her head back up. It takes everything in my body not to kiss her quivering lips as I examine how beautiful she looks when she cries. I wipe a tear from her eye and touch our foreheads together, the bond surrounding us providing a shield to all those around. She stops sniffling as she grabs me into a deep hug, her entire body relaxing against mine. I stroke her hair as she releases all of her worries onto me in the form of a very very tight, bone crushing hug.

"I'm sorry, Eugen. I should have taken into account your feelings as well…"

"I-It's okay, commander. As long as you're alright…"

"I have you to thank, Prinz. If it weren't for you, I'd have a bullet in my head."

"I was just reacting, I don't even remember telling my arm to move."

"Still, you saved my life despite the obviously dangerous situation we were in. Even now you're trying to save my life by threatening the light cruiser."

"I don't know, commander. Something seems off about her…"

"I agree, she's fiercely loyal to her country. I doubt she would just give up such vital information so easily."

"It's not something we should worry about… for now. You look dead tired…"

"Yeah, it's been a long night… day… I'm not sure what time it is anymore."

"You shouldn't overwork yourself, commander…"

"Yeah, we should enjoy the rest of our time off…"

"Where to first?"

I debate that same question over in my head.

"Somewhere pretty…"

Danzig is a beautiful city in what was once separated by the Polish Corridor. Thanks to its occupation by Iron Blood long before the start of the war, the city had been saved from the fighting which occurred years earlier. Eugen and I had pulled into port a few days earlier in an effort to escape the paperwork back home. Eugen was happy to accompany me to the port and even volunteered for the sisters to come with us, however they wished to stay behind to protect the city of Kiel. I admire their strength and dedication wholeheartedly.

Prinz Eugen's hair dances in the wind as we walk around the city and admire the large and gothic type buildings. We point out small little things we find funny or pretty. Eugen giggles at every joke I make just as I blush at every tease. I wasn't sure what the atmosphere was doing to us, but it made us feel calm and relaxed, as if the war wasn't even happening.

We end up on top of a hill looking down upon the city and the port below, the hull of the Prinz Eugen floating silently in the water now a spec compared to the rest of the city. Eugen sighs.

"Thank you for taking me here, commander."

"I think we deserved as such."

"Yeah, but it's not everyday you get to enjoy a nice day like today ontop of a hill looking down upon the beauty of the world…"

"How poetic." I tease.

Eugen laughs and looks intently down upon her own ship.

"You know. Looking back at it, I think it all began with Operation Rheinübung."

"Yeah, who knew it would turn into such an incredible tale."

Eugen giggles.

"Not that silly, I meant something far more romantic…"

I blush and rapidly turn my head towards the blushing heavy cruiser. Her embarrassment and shock both on her face as she blushes at her own sentence.

"Eugen…"

"I-I know it's illegal… but my feelings for you… We've been through so much together. And I know it's cheating, using our time apart from the sisters to say this but… Commander… I-"

I silence the heavy cruiser by kissing her passionately on her teasing lips. Prinz Eugen's surprise is quickly stifled by her own attempts at kissing me back. We stand with the wind blowing our hair on top of the mountain, professing our silent feelings to each other as the world around us seems to remain still for a moment.

The tender touch of her lips is addictive as I take a deep breath and go in for another deep kiss. Eugen doesn't even have the chance to say anything before she is drowning in the kiss once again. I grab her by the waist and bring our bodies closer together so that we could feel the warmth between the two of us. Though she does not have a heartbeat, her Wisdom cube warms and warms until it is almost hot to the touch.

I break away only to take another breath and to give a chance for Prinz Eugen to collect herself.

"I've been meaning to do that for a long time…" I say, out of breath.

Eugen is too stunned to say anything. Instead, she snuggles into my chest and hides her embarrassment from me.

"Are you okay?"

"J-Just give me a second. T-This is your fault…"

I chuckle lightly and pet her hair which sends a chill of pleasure down her spine as she tries to keep her moan to herself. Eugen eventually pulls back with the straightest face she could muster, but all of her hard work is thrown out once she looks into my eyes. She tries to turn away but I force her to face me.

"I love you, Prinz Eugen…"

Prinz starts to tear up as she tries to say her own response.

"Ich Liebe dich… I love you so much, commander… If fate brought us together, then It has my thanks.. I look forward to our future together…"

"Of course, we'll have to keep this a secret…" I say a bit more seriously.

"I know… I'm just so happy I could scream to the world."

I take her joke as a challenge and let her go from my arms. I then turn towards the city and cup my hands together. "I LOVE YOU PRINZ EUGEN!"

Eugen blushes hard as I turn to face her with a smirk. Eugen, not one to be one upped, turns and cups her hands together as well.

"I LOVE YOU COMMANDER!"

Both of our professions bounce and echo across the valley and out towards the ocean where the birds respond to our shouts by taking flight. Eugen leans on my shoulder as she closes her eyes, a content look on her face as she finally got her feelings out.

I grab her shoulder and keep her close. My hope is that we may never be separated…

But Fate is not nearly that kind…

"So what now?" Eugen asks.

I silently watch the port some more before answering her.

"We continue what we've always done. But we can be a little more personal in private." I tease her by touching her nose.

"You're such a pervert commander~"

"Maybe, but you still fell for me." I smile.

"I sure did… Maybe I can finally understand how Bismarck felt all those years ago…"

"There's only one way to find out."

"I look forward to it~"

It is not long after that we have our call back into action after our long 9 month break. The situation on the Eastern front is becoming far more desperate as the army is pushed further and further back out of the Northern Parliament. Our job is to cruise through the Baltic and provide support for our troops who are continually being overwhelmed. Our task is not easy, but I know that together, we can do anything…

It's almost been an entire year since that day upon the hill. Life has not changed much. However the war has. I haven't heard from the sisters the entire time, a sinking feeling tells me that I may never again. The Eagle Union and the Royal Navy both have landed and are currently liberating the Iris Libre, our captive has been moved so many times that she has gotten used to the forceful jerking of locations.

Things are beginning to look desperate for Iron Blood and her allies. The Sardegna Empire collapsed and the Sakura Empire was continually losing to the Eagle Union. The Northern Parliament has also pushed the army back to Poland as the entire world begins to descend upon us. Everyone seems to think it is over except for the Führer and the Emperor who hold out hope that they may find a grounds for an equal terms treaty.

Eugen and I are a part of this group who sees the war is over. We are tired of fighting for so long and so are Prinz Eugen's barrels. However, nothing could prepare us for what was to come.

We sail through the Baltic seas on our way to provide fire support in the Gulf of Riga. However, radio transmissions with the surrounding fleet are constant. Such as the one we are having now.

"Prinz Eugen, be advised, this is the KMS Lützow reporting in. We have direct orders to join your flotilla named the Second Task Force-"

Before I can even hear the end of the message, Prinz Eugen rips the communicator from my hands.

"Lützow!? Is that you!? I thought you were lost forever!?" Eugen says, alarmed and surprised. I was unaware that Eugen knew any other Kansen other than the Sisters.

"I'm sorry Prinz, Lützow was sold to the Northern Parliament 4 years ago. Before the war. I am the commander of the ship once known as the KMS Deutschland."

"Oh… I'm sorry for the misunderstanding…" Prinz sounds severely disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Prinz. Could you hand the communicator back to your commander?"

"Oh, yes of course. Sorry…" She says sheepishly.

I take the communicator back and give Eugen a worried look, one that she shakes her head to. She seems to be alright. I'll have to ask later.

"Continue commander." I say.

"We also regret to inform you of the sinking of the KMS Scharnhorst. Both Gneisenau and Scharnhorst were onboard when she sank. Both have been pronounced dead. I'm sorry…"

I set down the communicator slowly, grabbing my forehead in an attempt not to cry. I take a shaky breath in and out. Eugen cups her hands to her face with a pained gasp.

"T-thank you, commander. We gladly accept your help…"

That is the end of the transmission.

I desperately try not to let the tears in my eyes fall, but I cannot help as I let out a pained gasp with a few tears. Much like Eugen's. Eugen caresses my head as I let out the tears I so desperately tried to hold back out onto the desk before me. I move my hand across my face in anguish. Thinking they were missing was one thing, but finding out that they were actually dead was like a punch to the heart.

Eugen comforts me as I cry my tears for the loss of the two sisters. I think it was the combination of everything that drove me to finally let them out. They didn't need to die.

"They didn't need to die…" I say through my tears.

"They're strong. We thought Scharnhorst was dead before, there's still a chance tha-"

"No… They're dead. Even Kansen aren't immune to explosions. Knowing them, they probably fought to their last breaths."

Eugen silently nods in agreement. Even she knew deep down that they were gone. Eugen rubs my shoulders as my eyes swell big and red.

"You're right. They didn't need to die…" Eugen responds, stifling her hatred.

Eugen still speeds along with the rest of the group as I mourn for my fallen friends even deep into the night. It's almost midnight by the time we arrive. Eugen has disappeared for a long time, while I did miss her, I enjoyed the time alone. It's almost at the exact stroke of midnight when she returns back to the bridge.

"Hey commander… are you okay?"

I slowly nod my head as I wipe whatever remaining tears I had. Eugen walks up to me and sits down on the desk, trying not to tease me but still giving me a bit of her body to ogle on accident. I'm not in the mood for either.

"I baked these for you. I hope they help a little…"

She hands me a box of chocolate before opening it for me and taking out a chocolate.

"Here commander, you need to eat. Even if it is unhealthy."

I reluctantly oblige and eat the delicious melting chocolate from her fingers. It's a flavour explosion in my mouth, as if it were hugging my tongue and telling me it was going to be alright. I almost cry again at the love put into the chocolate. Gneisenau would have loved these…

"Thank you, Prinz…"

"I'm here for you, commander. If you need to cry some more I'll always accept."

"Your kindness is truly touching, Prinz."

"I hate seeing you so broken commander… I wish there was something I could do."

"This chocolate is enough. I can feel the effort and love put into it."

Eugen slightly blushes and jumps off the desk. "The fleet will arrive in just under an hour. I suggest you get some sleep while you-"

I am already asleep on the desk before she can finish. Eugen smiles kindly. "Get some sleep, darling~" She kisses my forehead and leans down to watch me sleep, eventually getting some shut eye too.

…

An hour later, we wake up to the sounds of large caliber guns opening fire as if they were right next to us. We both jolt up and rush to the observation bridge where the night sky is illuminated by muzzle flashes from friendly ships. The city before us is ablaze with fires and even more muzzle flashes as Anti-Aircraft fire and gunfire tears through the city. This is the first time I have seen ground combat since I was assigned to Prinz Eugen many years ago.

Eugen puts on her jacket and hands me mine which I had been using as a pillow. It's wrinkled, but it still fits. I put it on with my medals and look out to the sky line. A desperate voice comes through the radio.

"Help! I repeat! We are Under attack! Enemy location is 30 degrees Northeast, elevation is 30ft above sea level! Help! I repeat!-" Before I can even tell her to do anything, Eugen has her guns turned and trained on the exact location detailed in the report.

"I'm ready when you are commander…"

I nod. "Let's make sure that Scharnhorst and Gneisenau are avenged… Feuer!"

Prinz Eugen's guns flash in the dead of night landing directly on the location of the report and sending debris high into the air. Almost as if she were channeling all of her rage into her reloading capabilities, Prinz Eugen fires another salvo what feels to be only a couple of seconds later. Then comes another round, striking something heavy on the ground as a massive plume of fire rises above the skyline.

Prinz Eugen's shells block out the stars with their volume and rock the ground successively. She fires more rounds than she has ever loaded in the short span it took for the battle to ensue and de-escalate. Even her Anti-Aircraft wants to get in on the action as they tear apart the planes attempting to provide air support for the invading Northern Parliament troops. The fighting lasts well into the morning with Eugen and I completely exhausted by the end of it. Eugen had fired so many rounds that she ran out of ammunition. When the last shell falls, we both let out a sigh of relief.

"We did it."

"Nicely done, darling~"

"Me? You did all the work. Literally." I say with a smile returning to my face.

"Still, you are a wonderful commander. And I am glad to see a small smile return to your face. Even if it may be for a moment."

Eugen gives me a quick kiss on the lips before trying to straighten out you jacket. She laughs at my sorry state.

"Very becoming of an officer of your ranking." She teases.

"It's been a long 24 hours. I could spend a little bit of time in the showers."

"Then you won't mind if I join you?"

"Of course you can." I say with a smirk.

…

For a world to be so full of sadness, there also must be a time for happiness. It isn't much, but my time with Eugen is something I hold and treasure with each moment. I never want to let go of the feeling within my heart, however, should it get out that the two of us are involved romantically, it could spell disaster for us.

Being at sea for all of this time has made it easy for us to keep it a secret, but I fear that it may not last much longer with the continual collapse of the army against the red wave. So much has happened in the past few months that I cannot even be swayed by even the worst or best of news. Everything is a victory, and everything is a loss.

We attempt to seize a fort by bombarding it endlessly, but fail to do so. This saves thousands of lives but also keeps us from saving even more of our own lives. We also successfully escorted convoys of troops away from the Finnish front, saving hundreds of thousands of lives, but also failing to stop the Northern Parliament from taking a good part of Finland. Finally came the day when Eugen and I decided on something important while we were refueling and re-arming to participate in several battles on the Eastern front.

We walk into the prison cell and come face to face with the blonde light cruiser which we had captured almost two years ago. She looks underfed but still healthy, or at least enough to walk.

"If it isn't my favorite Iron Blood pigs. What brings you to my humble abode?"

Without responding, I open her cell and step aside.

She sighs. "I guess it's finally time, huh? Just… make it quick please…"

"For your cooperation, Émile Bertin, you are free to go."

"S-seriously?" She says with the very first smile I've ever seen on her.

"You have provided valuable information on many subjects. You must be rewarded somehow. Just make sure we don't cross paths on the battlefield again." I say to the happy cruiser.

"Because if you do, I won't hesitate to sink you." Prinz Eugen says seriously.

"Yes, thank you. I mean. Yes! You have my gratitude. I hope we may meet again under better circumstances…" She rushes out of her cell without looking back. She jumps into the water and sails off, probably to her home in the Iris Libre.

"Yeah… you were right. That was the right thing to do." Eugen sighs reluctantly.

"If we didn't, she would have been killed or probably something worse…"

"I do not wish that on anyone… although~" Eugen licks her lips.

"I can't believe that's where your mind went." I roll my eyes teasingly.

"I can't help it~ Perhaps we can-"

"L-later! Geez, you don't have to say it out loud." She winks at my embarrassed face.

"Commander! A letter for you!" An officer rushes in with a letter in his hands, handing me the letter, saluting me, then rushing off with his bag of letters.

I am left standing, surprised by the sudden approach of the man. I open the letter after carefully checking it for poison. Inside is a letter from Naval HQ, detailing our next mission. I sigh loudly.

"I guess there is no time to waste, guess we should round up the rest of the fleet."

"Already? We didn't even get to have a drink yet…" Prinz says disappointedly.

"You have plenty of booze on the ship, do you really need more?" I ask with a chuckle.

"A girl gets thirsty, you know~" She winks seductively, causing me to blush deeply.

As we are making our way to the Prinz Eugen, another friend from the Second Fleet interrupts our walk by physically butting heads with Prinz Eugen.

The small but arrogant Kansen of the Deutschland class cruisers smiles as her ally and self declared rival doesn't even flinch. Her long hair and blue eyes accompanied by her shark-like teeth and her red stripe through her hair, similar to Eugen's, are only accompanied by her commander standing behind her, trying to stop her from attacking Eugen.

"Not bad, Prince! You didn't even move this time!"

"Deutschland. Could you not make such an unseemly display in front of my commander?" She says unfazed.

"You dare tell Queen Deutschland what to do? I will make you squeal like the pig you-"

"Deutschland! I'm so sorry about that commander!" Her commander admonishes Deustchland.

"Don't be. It's rather amusing."

"Amusing! Why you little-"

Her commander stops her once more before she could do anything even more rash.

"Hmmph. I'm going to have to punish you properly once we are alone, commander." I can't tell if what she said was a threat or a promise. I decide not to think about it that way and continue.

"Sorry, Lützow can be quite the handful."

"Lützow!? Hmmph! Maybe now I won't grant you the honor of being punished by me."

"Oh shoot, I made her mad. I'm really sorry commander, I promise she can be really sweet at the right times."

"Sweet?! You fiend!" She shouts as he tries to keep her away.

"It's quite alright, you both have proven yourself more than worthy on the field of combat."

"Hmmph, at least you acknowledge how lowly you are!"

"That's high praise coming from you, commander."

Two different reactions. I can't imagine how their relationship must be behind closed doors.

"We should get going. Did you get a letter?"

"Yup, we were on our way when Deutschland here saw her 'rival' heading back to her own ship. Sorry to keep you, we'll be on our way."

"It's no problem. I hope to see you giving it your all."

"We will! See you, commander!"

"Yeah! Let's give 'em hell!"

He waves back as he drags Deutschland by the hand, though she doesn't seem to mind. I smile at the thought of the two getting along so well despite being opposites. Eugen Smirks behind her red strand of hair.

"Well he seems nice."

"Not much I can say that hasn't already been said about his Kansen though."

Eugen snickers. "That might be fun~ Maybe I'd like to be on top tonight~"

"Last time you were on top you refused to pull it out." I complain.

"W-well it's your fault…" The two of us blush deeply on the port as we try to find anything else to talk about.

"I-I guess we should get going. Can't have the fleet waiting for us…"

"I-Indeed."

Prinz Eugen's engines roar to life as we board the ship and tear her from her moors. The once jubilant crowds now are silent when we leave. The war exhaustion among the people is at an all time high as they are not sure when they are going to be the next city to fall to the advancing armies. We may not have a safe port to return to when we return with the speed the Eagle Union is pushing through the Iris Libre. The Vichiya Dominion is almost freed already, it's only a matter of time before both Western and Eastern Fronts collide down on us.

The war is over, but the Führer refuses to acknowledge that.

So we fight on.

We fight for our friends, we fight for our families, and most importantly, we fight for our future.

Something we may not be guaranteed should we lose…

So we fight on...

Next Time: The Finale