Our story continues a few days later. U-556 returned to Iron Blood HQ with U-96, leaving U-73 to keep an eye out for Sirens. The man remained unconscious for this trip, though this might have been a good thing.
He was transferred to a great room where he would be watched until he awoke. This room naturally belongs to a Kansen, but I was told by both the heads of the Iron Blood and Azur Lane to keep it anonymous.
A lone Lady stood by the window of this giant room. Her outfit was a mostly white naval uniform though she held her cap in her hands as she stared out the window. Her blue eyes reflected the snowscape outside.
When the man awoke, this Kansen couldn't tell. The concept of time had been lost to her at least at the time of this story. She turned her head slightly to watch as he shifted and groaned in the enormous bed before finally sitting upright.
"Morning, Miss… Tirpitz?" the man said, shivering. She nodded in response as he huddled the sheets about him.
"Assuming it is morning," The man looked out the window. "Where am I, might I ask?"
"Iron Blood HQ," Tirpitz replied. She turned back to the window.
"You look… Nevermind." he stopped himself mid sentence, but she could easily guess what he would've said much to her annoyance.
"Like you care," she mumbled to herself, "Amerikanisch". She scowled at her reflection in the window.
After a moment she turned to face the man again, but was shocked to find him a couple meters from her. He was looking out the window as if empathizing with her.
"I may not be the person to help you, but, if my past is correct, you will find someone that will change you forever, Tirpitz." he spoke as if reminiscing a time long ago. "I believe you will even say 'The Lone Queen of the North is alone no longer.'" he turned his head toward her as if mirroring her.
Tirpitz looked stunned. Not knowing how to process this, she turned and began walking to a large wardrobe that sat opposite the bed.
"Adler Herz." she muttered disdainfully. Just then the door to the room opened.
"Tirpitz?" a young girl entered.
"Elbe, I hope you haven't wasted time getting here." Tirpitz glared at the girl. Elbe stuttered like a prop plane.
"Ye-ah, c-came s-straight here." her eyes shifted trying to look like she wasn't lying.
"Herr," Tirpitz shifted topics coldly. "You are being summoned by-" she hesitated as she opened the wardrobe. Within could be seen a male Naval uniform and a white dress. The rest was quite empty.
"-My Sister." she raised her hand to the white dress as if remembering something.
"You guys refer to her as Lord Bismarck correct?" He directed this more to Elbe who nodded eagerly. Tirpitz then grabbed the Naval uniform and closed the wardrobe. She then set the outfit upon the bed in such a clean fashion that, the man would be heard to say later, only a royal maid of the Royal Navy could best.
"Please change quickly, we mustn't keep her waiting." the man nodded to Tirpitz who left the room with Elbe. Once she closed the door, Tirpitz glared at Elbe who immediately ran out of her sight.