It is almost tradition, at this point, for the guards to come to my cell every year I've been here and remind me of my failings, Of what I've done to the Francois, the Albish, and the Rus. Heh, one time nearly 4 years ago, there was a Dacian guard, probably running around with a musket and flintlock, who "accidentally" dropped my food in front of the cell, just out of reach.
The anniversary of my stay in this prison is coming up in less than a week, according to the guards. Nearly ten years of my twenty-three years in this life have been spent in this rotting room in the middle of nowhere. Although this brings up the question of whether dying like Zettour and Rudersdorf or living like this is preferable.
The worst thing these guards have done to me is simply doing nothing. They've not given me anything to do besides stew in my own mind. Leaving me with oh so many questions and doubts about my life and actions. What if I had disregarded orders at Brest? What if I just left during the war? Surely Helvetica, Magna Rumelia, or even Ispagna would take me and my expertise.
The prison room itself was poor, reminiscent of old dungeon cells that were poorly refitted with modern amenities. The room was roughly 6' by 8', with precisely 153 cracks, knicks, and damages in the roof. The number never changed, no matter how many recounts there were. The only saving grace of this room was the sink and toilet. The latter spewed out cold but clean water, allowing me to at least marginally clean myself.
"Prisoner Tanya von Degurechaff," said the guard. It had been so many years since I had heard a voice calling my name that, for a moment, I thought he was referring to someone else.
"What's wrong?" I asked as I saw the mage opening the door to my cell. I hid my nervousness by putting my 2 hands under my back and standing up.
"I don't recall breaking any rules or regulations. So what do you need from me?
At least not recently. In the first couple years of my stay, some Albish who had relatives in Arene and the northern lands of Francois tried to barge in and kill me for some misguided quest for revenge. They didn't get past the cell door. Unfortunately, while the other guards didn't exactly punish me for self-defense, they started implementing other "precautions" around me.
The guard sneered and pointed his Semi-Automatic Rifle loaded with magic penetrating rounds at me, "You are leaving the prison, as such, you will be washed and taken to Londinium."
Huh? You don't leave a lifelong prison sentence, do you? Did the Russy finally invade? Am I being Operation Paperclipped? Or shot on a national stage to put down some Germanian unrest.
Please be the former. I hear Herr Von Braun was treated very well despite his former allegiance.
—--
I was moved to a house where I would shower. The house was near the prison owned by the warden and was where he lived with his wife and 2 kids, which led to a rather interesting situation.
We got to the house around lunchtime, leading me to eat with his family before taking a shower. The lunch wasn't anything special, but after 10 years of prison food, it was damn near the best food I'd ever eaten.
The meal was a simple fish with peas and carrots, but the sauce that was on the fish had a slight sweetness with it that was paired greatly with the Haddock, and the tea, for once, was actually hot, leading to me spitting the tea back in the cup making the wardens kids laugh while the warden just glared like every second I was there I was killing another guard.
After Lunch, I thanked the warden's wife. I was then led to the shower by the warden's wife and at least 2 guards.
The warden's wife told me how to operate the shower and which bottles to use before saying goodbye. All this sympathy out of nowhere brought suspicion. However, nothing happened. What would have happened in the last 10 years that I was locked up in that prison?
I came out of the shower and saw clothes carefully folded on a chair. It was totally black and looked military. Curious, I picked it up and looked. However, when I looked at the details, I was horrified.
The Nazi eagle... The Nazi swastika... A suit that looks like it belongs in the Hugo Boss catalog.
What?
.
.
.
What the fuck?
Being X is messing with me, isn't he?
"Being X?" I murmured under my breath, looking at the not frozen guard in the corner of my eye
The guard still glared at me. His gun, while not pointed at me, was still ready to fire.
Not getting any explanation there. But why would I need to dress in a Nazi uniform? They couldn't have conquered the isles, or I would've been killed or moved. This guy isn't happy with my being moved, judging by how paranoid he is. Perhaps best to cross that bridge when I get there.
"Excuse me, may I ask where you got this custom-made suit?" I said as I put it on. Fitting perfectly, surprising considering I've suffered from malnutrition since birth, and I am barely 150 cm tall. Of course, this suit would have been made specifically for me, but how did they get the measurements?
A guard grunted, "Less asking and more dressing. We leave in 5 minutes".
Worried, I put on the suit, finally seeing a cap hanging on a rack. I picked it up and looked at what I recognized as a pair of Sowilo runes emblazoned on the front.
What the...
Hell?
I take a deep breath to try and calm down and think clearly, but all I feel is nauseous.
I put it on and started to walk out of the bathroom, seeing 10 mages with semi-automatics, It took the Albish a bit longer to see the benefits of semi-autos since they liked the bolt-action, but these, from what I heard the guards say when they got them, L1A1 seemed to be a rather good gun.
I was escorted to a convoy of cars, which started moving when I entered. Finally, after what felt like an hour of uncomfortable travel, I fell asleep in the seat I had been placed into. Which was the most comfortable place I have had the pleasure of being in for nigh on 10 years.
Looking around, I noticed I was in the middle of Londinium. There were a lot of people. I got out of the car and was escorted to a building by the guards, anxious to finally know what was happening. I waited eagerly for the big doors to open in front of me, which, when they opened, led to a long corridor until I reached another door. When it opened, I saw a massive table with dozens of politicians surrounding it. I looked around until I saw something, rather, someone, that caught my attention.
There was a person that, no matter what, I would recognize her when I saw her, no matter how much time passed or how much she changed. She was dressed in a brown jacket, with a band on her right arm showing off the infamous swastika, black pants, and black shoes.
"Long time no see, ma'am," she said with a faint smile. I looked around at the guards guarding me as they were leaving or spreading out through the room, taking the initiative to advance toward Visha. I asked the question that had been on my mind since I was herded out of my cell.
"Viktoriya, what's going on?"
She smiled at me, getting out of her seat with a smile, and approached me, "We are negotiating your release."
Someone interrupted her, "Among other matters, my Kaiserin, we have not only come for her."
Her smile gone in an instant, she turned back and glared at the man, who appeared cowed by the reaction. Then, she looked back at me with a decidedly less natural smile.
I looked around at this surreal image, "Viktoriya, what's going on? What is this symbol?" I pointed to the swastika on my suit, "Why are you here?"
"Not right now, Tanya, I still have to do some negotiations," she said while taking my hand and moving me to where she was, "You Albish don't have any courtesy, do you? I need another seat for a hero of the Empire, or will you make her stand while we continue these negotiations?"
The man who Visha was speaking to made a sign to some soldiers, and moments later, they appeared with a chair like the ones that everyone else in the room was sitting on,
The room was tense, I could feel it, but I couldn't care less. I looked around and then noticed how Visha was looking at whom I assumed was the leader of the Albish delegation.
"As long as you don't intend to create a navy, we are willing to give Germania the right to remilitarization."
She smiled slightly, "You mean the Empire, right?"
He tossed, and everyone in the room looked at her and her delegation in hate filled glares.
"We are willing to give The Empire the right to remilitarization."
She smiled in a way I'd never seen her smile before. "So, in short," Said another man from the Albish side, "We will lift the restrictions except for the naval ones, and a pact of non-aggression between the Allied Kingdom, Francois, and Germania will take place."
With an evil smile, if I had to describe it, Visha laughed, "With whom are you signing that treaty? Germania does not exist. We officially are The Empire."
The Albish was angered at her response, "In the final treaty, Germania will be changed to The Empire."
She nodded. All the empire representatives around here just had smug faces as if they were enjoying this.
Nazis, huh? Empire reclamation and remilitarization, I definitely knew where this was going. Now my question is
Why do I have a SS suit?
AND WHY WAS VISHA THE Kaiserin?
I just sat there for several hours, listening to the politicians talk back and forth until something drew my attention.
"You will be able to have only 6 Battleship, as heavy ships"
Wait, Battleships? Why no Aircraft Carriers?
Visha was going to talk, but I spoke first, "Why not Aircraft Carriers? Battleships are usless. Wouldnt be better for us to have 6 Aircraft Carriers"
Everyone looked confused, as though what I said was stupid.
"Well, the aircraft carrier is a good ship but useless. The battleship is more useful."
Visha looked at me for a minute before speaking.
"No, no, I want the aircraft carrier."
"Huh?"
An audible sign of surprise was in the room. Someone stood up.
"Why don't we recess for a few hours? The Kaiserin and the Imperial delegation need time to discuss this."
The Albish affirmed and exited the room, leaving only imperials.
"What are you thinking, Kaiserin? Aircraft carriers have been proven useless in our navy during The Weltkrieg, while our battleships have seen rather extensive use against the Albish and Republican Navies."
Visha smiled back, "I know what the council thinks, I don't care, we will have Aircraft carriers"
He looked angry but remained silent for a moment before speaking again, "Is this for Degurrechaff? She mentioned it and then you just made the decision, do you have anything to say, Degurechaff?"
I looked at him, he was a tall blonde blue-eyed man, wearing something similar to my uniform, but brown.
I opened my mouth but I got interrupted.
"Tanya von Degurechaff has never been wrong, she predicted all the major events in the war the same day they happened or even before. She had even predicted how our borders were redrawn, if she says we need aircraft carriers, we are going to need them"
His anger seemed to have risen, but as I saw, it was a controlled one, as if he didn't want to anger Visha very much.
"She has been in prison for ten years, hell, she probably isn't even sane"
"Be careful on what you say about the hero of the Empire" an older man who had scars all over his face shouted, "You fucking young men now a days don't know the definition of respect! While you were crying in your fucking room, this "insane" girl fought and won battles for the Empire more times than you pissed your own bed"
Visha clicked with her tongue, and then stood up, "You will continue the negotiations, I want those carriers, and that the Allied Kingdom recognize us as the Empire"
She then took my hand, and led me from the room, taking me outside and walking toward a waiting Daimler-Benz convertible.
"Take us to the plane, I'm done with all the bickering here."
After saying that she unbuttoned her jacket, and started to stretch.
Seeing the lack of response I looked around, it looked like the entire vehicle was armored, I noticed how the glass between the driver and us was open until she got up to close it.
Crawling back towards me Visha suddenly had a sly grin on her face
Visha stared at me for a second and then lunged, I tried to struggle, however she hugged me tightly so that it was barely a wiggle.
"Do you know how long it's been?"
"Why are you hugging me? What happened? Why this suit? Why do they call you Kaiserin?"
"Not now, let me have this" She grabbed my neck and kissed me.
Huh?
"I'll explain everything on the plane, now let me enjoy what I've been dreaming about for 15 years."
I felt her lips crashing against mine again, as she used her hands to hold the sides of my head.
"Let go of me" I shouted, however she only took advantage of my shout to stick her tongue in me
When had she become so strong? Why was she kissing me?
Little by little I stopped struggling... for now it felt nice and warm, she redoubled her efforts when I stopped resisting, after a few minutes she stopped kissing me and separated from me, however she kept hugging me tightly.
"Why are you kissing me? Why are you acting like this? You weren't like this before!"
She looked me in the eyes and smiled, "Now you are no longer my boss, now I am yours, since we met I have liked you, and I only realized what I lost when Albion took you...
"And I'm no longer the Visha you once knew, nine years of politics have changed me, for the better."
What happened? Why is it like that? What happened?
"Politics?"
She shook her head, "Shut up, as I told you I'll explain in a place where the rats of the Grand Council don't have their noses in it."
At that moment I felt a light tug on my hair.
"By the way, would you like to go out with me?"
I was afraid... This was not the Visha I knew, what has happened in the last 10 years? What future awaits me? What if I say no? She is the Kaiserin... and the Nazis are in power.
Do I really have a decision to make? Do I have a choice?
I saw Visha frown slightly, "I don't hear an answer."
More intimidated than I had ever felt in my life, I tried to nod my head, however that didn't satisfy her.
"Say it outloud."
"Yes" I said quietly... which was answered with a laugh.
"15 years, of which 10 years you and I were split apart, it will never happen again, together we will live, and together we will take back the Empire."
The Empire…
"Those Albish bastards think that because they financed my party and pulled a couple favors to assist us in getting into power that I'll be their pawn."
She began to laugh maniacally, "You don't know how happy I am to have you by my side."
With that statement she started kissing me again, sticking her tongue in my mouth.
What has Being X gotten me into?
—--
Our airplane arrived at the Berun Airport.
I was in a compromised position, as I was sleeping with Visha wrapped around me. The flight was as boring as I thought, but Visha just made it interesting.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot, you will have to do a speech tomorrow, and in the evening, the citizens of the Empire are ecstatic on the return of the greatest hero of the Empire.
"How does everyone know about me? As far as I know, the military staff tried to delete all the information about me, even if they failed…"
"Oh, I took personal care about it, I wrote a book, called Our Fight, it is the most popular book in The Empire, in it is all our history in the military, from the start to the end, including our political visions, social structures, criticism to society"
Oh my shovel, why, fucking why Visha has to be Hitler 2.0?
"I see, so what should I say in my speech?"
She moved her hand from my head, "Whatever, as long as it has the same quality as always, like those good old times in the army, before the federation"
I got up from her embrace and waited for her to get up, the plane door opened and we got out, outside waiting for us were black uniformed guards in black, with SS insignias and cars, she went to the car and sat down, leaving room for me, I got into the car with her and started to look outside, it was dark because of the travel time.
"What... will be my job?"
"You will be the leader of my personal guard."
Shit... so I will lead the SS... mostly know for the Waffen SS who had a rather dark and very brutal history...
She will look for the same thing... and I will have to repeat it.
"I understand…"
"Also, I need you to be my right hand, my personal advisor, you always have been a sharp minded girl… I will need you"
I nodded my head, so she expected me to be the Himmler of her dictatorship.
Fuck.
I can't escape and really I don't want to escape, considering I was going to be imprisoned for life, no matter where I go…
So i just need to survive and make this dictatorship work somehow
Now?
"Where will I be residing?"
"In my house" she said without hesitation.
I froze and slowly said, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Yes" she responded a mite too quickly
Oh my shovel…