EL GRAN CISMA

Palacio Nacional, Madrid

Hood, Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, Barham, Cairo and Belfast were on a routine visit to the Unión Ibérica where strategic gains where to be made after the fall of the Iris Orthodoxy and the declaration of war of the Sardegnian Empire. Their last Western ally happened to have the strategic ports of Ceuta and Cadìz close by. They couldn't afford to lose Gibraltar.

In the tearoom, Hood sipped calmly the unflavored tea. Hours earlier, she had inflicted huge losses to the Vichia Dominion at Mers-el-Kébir. She didn't want to repeat the same action that had soured the Royal Navy's reputation around the globe. This time, Queen Elizabeth made it her mission to meet the Iberian fleet in a cordial matter.

The battleship Espana and Jaime I entered the room followed by Alfonso XIII, Reina Victoria Eugenia and the heavy cruisers Baleares and Canarias and the light cruiser Afonso de Albuquerque and Bartolomeu Dias. Hood put down the teacup and presented herself in the utmost royal way. Her overly politeness was to alleviate any hostile doubt they would harbor against her.

The smiling Espana them to relax like they were in their own home. She reiterated her will to be friendly toward the Royal Navy. This sentiment was shared by her sister Jaime I. Alfonso XIII stayed on the fence. As for Reina Victoria Eugenia, she remained loyal to Alfonso who pressured her construction and service against the Sirens during the Great War.

Espana had her garrison cap with the symbol of the Armada Ibérica fleet on it: A crown sits atop an anchor with a fish spiraling around the shank. Her loosen hair of a mulberry purple did not reached her elbows.

"I hope our informal alliance hasn't been broken," said Queen Elizabeth.

"Now, with the fall of the Iris Orthodoxy and their violent separation, we can't lie and say we will sit for the remainder of the war. I just hoped we can get something in exchange for our support. Sirens and Ironbloods submarines have been lurking around these water. My concerns are the cruisers Deutschland and Admiral Scheer who were spotted last night in the Bay of Biscay. I have dispatched some light cruisers to Bilbao as screen. Let's hope nothing happen on this front."

"It wouldn't make sense if they attack you now," commented Hood. "I'm pretty sure they want to settle this diplomatically after the complete failure that was the Iris Orthodoxy campaign for us. This would be their bargaining asset, but I hope you don't fall to the bait that easily."

Alfonso XIII intervened venomously, "And you say you can defend us against the Sirens when you are all alone now! When you have destroyed your own friends! You have no right to speak to us about loyalty."

"Common Alfonso!" said Espana. "As the flagship, we agreed to be courteous with our Royal Navy friends in a vote."

"Sorry that I am intrusive, but this girl gets on my nerve."

Hood didn't flinch. She kept her undaunted smile. Alfonso was about to unsheathe the rapier of Reina Victoria Eugenia when Eugenia herself blocked her hands and asked her to show manners to the guest. Eugenia's expressionless gaze highlighted her yellow irises to which she couldn't refuse. Alfonso grudgingly accepted.

"Sorry for this little interruption," expressed Jaime I, "but we can get back to the manners at hand."

"Thank you, Jaime," said Espana. "In the end, it still concerns Ceuta and the Azores?"

"Bingo!" said the Queen. "Right now, Sardignian, Ironblood and Sirens submarines are wreaking havoc on our supply lines to the Eagle Union. Your immediate cooperation or your neutrality would be greatly appreciated to our strategic positions."

"And we are glad to help!" insisted Espana. "Unfortunately, if we give you the control already, we are going to have problems with our neighbors, the Vichya Dominion whose intentions are clear. They will collaborate with Ironblood and the Sirens who have their eyes set on us in the west and the Österreich Kingdom and the Hellenic Republic in the east of the Mediterranean. As the pivot point in the survival of Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria and the Atlantic, we promise our support in the next days!"

"And please, don't pull a sneaky on us like the Sardignians did," commented Warspite.

The Queen intervened with a flustered attitude, "That was unnecessary Warspite!"

"Take back these words! We are loyal to the core!" vociferated Alfonso whose thick eyebrows were about to take life.

"Alfonso! Alfonso! You must understand their situation. It is grim and without our help, we might lose the freedom we acquired years earlier."

"Freedom!? You are quite the one to talk about that. The right to express one self's opinions doesn't make you or me free!"

"Keep these discussions out of the room," indicated the emotionless Reina Victoria Eugenia.

"It is quite unstable around here," noted Barham. "The Sardignians seemed to show a more united front."

"Hehe," said Jaime I with an uncertain smile. "Alfonso and Espana are the cute friends who always battle for who's right."

"That's not true!" they shouted in unison.

Their discussion ended with a friendly conversation where Alfonso decided to stay out of it. She hated Espana's chill attitude in times of war. She hated even more that this sister of her seemed to believe the Queen blindly. If their country was to be ruined by their blind sister, she had to intervene, but she didn't know how.

Eugenia's gaze looked at the older generation battleship with curiosity in her eyes. Alfonso's every face movement revealed her malicious intents. Around the room, the atmosphere was cheerful and calm, but the shy and expressionless Eugenia saw through the façade and it made her worried.

In both cases, Eugenia knew that, even with their modernization, it would be impossible to resist either the Sirens or the Azur Lane without proper help. When their allegiance would be called for, two responses would be given. An event out of everyone's control would unfold. An event she felt like had already happened would happen again amongst them. It would tear them apart like paper. A split that would further damage their unhealed wounds. A battle between Espana's hope in Azur Lane and Alfonso's damaged ego and pride. A scission so great it would disrupt the balance in the Mediterranean and play a major role in the ongoing war.

Eugenia just doesn't know how to speak her mind. She was both indebted to Alfonso's decision and the will of the Royal Navy to finish her during the Great War. She was lost.

Disclaimer:

1) I will release one new chapter every Sunday until finished.

2) Iberian Union = Portuguese Navy + Spanish Navy

3) If you are an artist by any chance, I would be please to see what you come up with for Iberian designs :)

4) Thank you for reading!

5) Update August 1, 2020 : corrected some mistakes and story inconsistencies for this chapter