A/N 19/12/2019: Just a few adjustments and spelling grammar fixes, hopefully, should read better now.

Chapter 5 Operation Deliverance: After Action Report Part II: Recuperation

40 years after the Great War

Londinium

Before the outbreak of the Great War, the Dutchy of Letzenbourg was used by both the Francois Republic and the Empire as a convenient go-between for financial matters. This meant the small country amassed an impressive amount of wealth and political leverage. 4 years before the War, Grand Duke Ferdinand fell ill, and his son Ludwig was made regent. The Empire had long been seeking assimilation, however, so began putting pressure on their ally to change the line of succession to exclude the Ludwig in favour of his younger brother, the son of the duke's second wife Imperial princess Hermine, Prince Wilhelm Viktor Von Hozollern.

March 3rd Unified Year 1925

Rhine Front

Second Lieutenant Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov yawned as the train rocked rhythmically along the tracks towards the western command centre. As with the rest of the battalion, the earlier combat high had worn off leaving them weary and fatigued despite the overall satisfaction of a successful mission.

Once stowing her and the major's equipment on the train, she had initially headed to the front passenger car. Despite it being only for the higher ranks, they usually allowed adjutants to ride up there too and she knew her commander would be craving her caffeine fix by now. She was both surprised and disappointed to find the Letzenbourg captain guarding the door, militantly enforcing the captain or higher policy of the passenger cabin.

Dejected she headed back to the boxcar the battalion had been assigned and found herself a comfortable spot with the other junior officers who were not granted the honour of the more comfortable accommodation. Despite the cramped conditions, it didn't seem too uncomfortable, but then again, they all felt tired enough that they wouldn't have complained if it were. She was joined by the company commanders Weiss, Neumann and Koenig as well as a few others and the group shared some drinks and rations appropriated from somewhere. Soon a cheerful comradery filled the air as the soldiers began swapping stories of their exploits during the latest action.

"The Major is going to have my ass for letting those mages through" she heard her superior Matheus Wiess complain.

"Ah, come on! We all know you have a secret stash of Ildoan coffee and Waldstätte chocolate for when you upset her," laughed the 4th company commander Rhiner Neumann, the joker of the group.

"That can only work so many times," Wiess chuckled back in return. "Besides, do you know how much that stuff costs? It almost bankrupted me after Dacia," he finished eliciting laughter from the nearby officers.

She smiled, Wiess would be forgiven, she knew. The major was strict, but she would know that Wiess wouldn't have allowed the enemy past him if he could have prevented it. Their commander was just proud and hated the idea of any force getting the better of her regiment, even if only briefly. Equally, they were proud of her, true she could be scary sometimes, but she had made them and moulded them into a little family. They were the best and Major Tanya Von Degurechaff demanded perfection. They could confidently say that what the Major demanded they could deliver, at least most of the time.

Inevitably the conversation moved on to their allies and the objective of their mission. They all agreed that although capable, the Letzenbourg troops couldn't hold a candle to their own battalion. Their bravery was beyond question though, especially that of their commander the prince, it took a lot of guts to charge straight in like that without any hesitation.

"What did you make of our VIP?" Asked Rhiner, "I didn't get to see much of him since I was busy guarding your asses."

"Gotta admit I was surprised," started Koenig, "I kind of expected him to be a spoilt rich kid, but I caught a glimpse of his dog fight with those mages seems he's got some skills."

"Another child mage prodigy then? Sounds like the Major has competition' Rhiner laughed.

"I don't know, he was exhausted by the end, the Major is on another level to the rest of us mere mortals." Weiss observed, "What about you Visha? What did you make of him? You were closest," he questioned using her nickname.

"He seemed kind, he was offering the enemy the chance to run the whole time. It seemed like he genuinely wished we didn't have to fight" she replied thoughtfully, "not in a cowardly way," she added quickly "he just sounded sad that we had to do it."

"We can all relate to that," Weiss observed as the group nodded solemnly in agreement "not everyone can be as thick-skinned as the Major."

"That's another thing" she smiled leaning in conspiratorially, "I think he might be sweet on her." She related the exchange in no man's land, where the young prince had become flustered at the prospect of being helped back by the major and the Letzenbourg captain's remarks about how he 'idolised her'.

The group stared at her aghast for a moment before breaking into laughter.

"Wow, he really is brave!" Rhiner joked.

xxxxx

Western Command some hours later

Tanya knocked on the door of General Von Hans's office and waited to be summoned, after a few moments she was called and she strode in confidently. The general had appropriated a large château towards the centre of the western theatre, several kilometres back from the front lines. He had chosen one of the larger, grander rooms for his office with a commanding view over the extravagant gardens. The room was luxuriously decorated with antique but comfortable furnishings and ornaments that were probably worth enough to fund the tiny orphanage she had been raised in for generations.

She felt a pang of jealousy for a moment, this was this world's equivalent of the big corner office the executives had in her previous life. The very thing he'd been on the fast track towards before the incident on the platform. No matter, she thought one day soon I'll have a safe comfortable post like this.

The prince and already arrived she noticed, he and the general began rising from the comfortable sofas they had been sitting at as Tanya approached snapping a professional salute. Both returned the gesture, the prince with a sly smile on his face. It had only been a few hours since his injuries had been revealed, but it seemed his ability to deceive was unaffected, either that or some more painkillers had been found for him. The Prince, like her, had changed out of a flight suit and into a proper uniform upon returning to the western headquarters and Tanya regarded him critically.

Now he was cleaned and dressed properly he looked like the model soldier, by which she meant he looked like a toy soldier, complete as always with his precious sword. In proper military boots he was still shorter than her, but only barely. His uniform was black with red and silver trim and had obviously been tailored to fit perfectly around his slender frame. The military doctors had once remarked her own small stature was due to malnourishment in her early life. She wondered what the reason for his tiny size was. True he was a year younger than her and puberty happened later for boys, but she had already observed children around the same age overgrowing her, much to her annoyance. Surely a spoilt kid like him wouldn't have to worry about malnourishment, maybe he was naturally just a shrimp.

The general ushered them over to his desk to hear her official report and she began confidently describing the operation, pausing only to answer questions from the General or when the prince interjected, usually some exaggerated flattery about her tactical acumen and bravery. In her previous life, she had mastered giving presentations, the skill had carried over well in her new life, for the most part anyway, and she could confidently complete her report without needing to give it too much thought. She let her mind wander, thinking back to the exchange between her and the prince on the return trip.

Xxxxx

March 3rd Unified Year 1925

Rhine Front some hours earlier

"I suppose you want that explanation now?" the prince asked impassively as Tanya entered the small passenger cabin.

"If I could finish with your wounds, sir," the serous maid cut in. Tanya expected the prince to object but he apologised quietly and allowed her to continue her work. It was an unusual show of submission for him, especially towards a serving girl.

"You really aren't in a fit state to be entertaining a young lady," she added reproachfully as the prince winced and then apologised once again. She wasn't quite sure why a maid would be so proficient at medicine, but she decided not to question it. After all, it was hardly the most unusual thing that surrounded the prince.

She took a seat and waited for the servant to finish, trying to ignore the 'entertaining young ladies' comment. Soon after the lookalike female captain bought an assortment of cakes and poured her some coffee which she accepted gladly. Of course, it wasn't as good as the coffee made by her adjutant, but it felt like aeons since her last cup and she wasn't about to pass up the caffeinated beverage for anything. The captain also offered her the latest copy of the Londinium times to read while she waited, as usual, it is biased against the Vaterland, but it was an interesting look into their rival's point of view and mindset.

Once bandaged, the maid helped the prince back into a flight uniform and sat him down before injecting him with some sort of painkiller.

"This will help with the pain, I will be having words with Captain Hausmann you shouldn't take pervitin again," she chastised glaring through her spectacles.

"Thank you, Christina I understand, that will be all," the prince answered squirming slightly under her gaze and avoiding eye contact.

"I apologise for not introducing myself earlier Major Degurachaff, as you are aware there were more pressing matters at the time," the woman said turning and bowing to Tanya. "I am Christina Zerbst, Prince Wilhelm's governess."

She heard the prince make a small choking noise and realised the reason for the prince's sudden bout of cooperative behaviour. He'd actually called for his nanny to come and collect him, Tanya fought to keep the amusement from her face. This situation was getting more ridiculous, exactly who had thought a colonel needed a babysitter?

"Please keep an eye on his highness and call myself or my sister if you need anything," the maid added before bowing again and exiting the room. Tanya turned back to the prince and took a moment to enjoy the look of embarrassment on his face as he avoided looking at her, being careful to keep her face neutral just in case.

The room was quiet for a moment, the prince leaned over and picked up his sword, laying it across his lap squeezing the handle tightly. Tanya couldn't help but wonder why the boy was so fixated on this sword, it was unnerving. From what she'd learned of the prince, however, that could be deliberate.

"Why did you join the military Major?" he asked eventually, studying her intensely. Tanya raised an eyebrow suspiciously, wondering where this conversation was going, she had expected answers not questions.

"I have no other path!" she stated, echoing the words she had said so long ago in her enrolment interview.

"Really?" He replied thoughtfully before a strange smile crept up his face, "I had the chance to read the reports and essays you wrote at the war college, they're impressive, it's surprising you didn't get given a job in planning in Berlun."

Tanya felt a sting of annoyance, that had been the plan she thought. Unfortunately, one of those aforementioned reports had somehow given General Zettour the idea that she wanted to run a front-line special forces unit.

"Central command feels my talents are better utilised elsewhere," she replied diplomatically, keeping her voice and expression neutral.

"A shame" he sighed, "I seem to have the opposite problem, I want, no, NEED to be on the front lines" he continued, a familiar bloodlust entering his emerald eyes.

"For some reason, they'd prefer me to be at the rear, I had to use almost all my influence to keep myself out here" he complained with a shrug.

Of course, they want you in the rear! You shouldn't be here in the first place! Your royalty! Tanya thought to herself irritably. Did he not understand the propaganda field day their enemies would have if something happened to him? It was the entire reason they were here, the entire reason she'd had to risk her neck behind enemy lines.

"But maybe we can change things," he said grinning at her. "I think together we can both get what we want."

Tanya considered the prince's words, he was offering some sort of alliance it seemed. It was true he had influence, it was possible he could help her into a comfortable position in the rear and as an added bonus she would gain connections into the imperial court too, maybe she could become a politician she smiled inwardly. Still, better find out more details first, she still didn't trust him.

"How do we do that exactly?" She asked slowly eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Oh General, I couldn't possibly accept that position, Lady Von Degurechaff is far more qualified, I've learned so much from her! It's like having a big sister!" The prince said mockingly in his innocent façade before breaking out into a laugh that left him clutching his damaged torso.

"I'll get myself attached to your battalion as an observer," he began explaining "don't worry I won't step on your toes. Meanwhile, I can introduce you to certain people and use some influence to boost your position."

It sounded too good to be true, it would be win-win for both of them, she had seen him in battle he clearly relished it. It must be his reason for wanting front line duties she reasoned, she supposed war maniacs must come from all walks of life. The plan was far from perfect however, he had been shot down, if anything that would encourage the brass to pull the VIP away from the front. And there was something else that didn't feel right, wait, what had he said before?

"You were shot down, they won't like that" she began holding his gaze. He waved dismissively assuring her he could persuade the generals against redeploying him.

"You said it was by an ally," she finished eyes narrowing in suspicion once again.

"And I said I didn't expect it, but that's not quite true," he said with a smug smile. "I ordered it."

Authors Note

This was another difficult chapter to write but I do feel like I've more or less got everyone where they need to be….ish. Hey ho tho, finally some revelations! Still more to come though.

Originally these 5 chapters were only supposed to take up 2-3 in my head, so I don't really feel like I've got the plot going yet. Overall though I'm glad what I have got has ended up longer.

I've started adding a bit more from other POV's in, you'll have to let me know how they work. The plan is that eventually the prince will have a bit of POV but Tanya needs to find out some stuff first

I toyed with taking out the prince's nanny, but I wanted to embarrass him a bit and give Tanya the odd barb for him for later, so I left it in.

Hopefully, after the next chapter, enough exposition will be done with so things will get going again.

I hope you enjoyed reading and please leave feedback if you want…or don't it's up to you.