The trio walked towards the training grounds.
Klaus turned towards the women with a sigh of resignation.
He knew for a fact these women hated everything about Alexander and this fort.
And they were going to make his life hell because of it.
"I understand these are less than ideal circumstances, but I want the best for all parties."
Captain Inés scoffed.
"Trying to save the hide of your incorrigible commander?"
She looked around the fortress.
"This place is laughable, how has it survived this long? And to think you trained soldiers here, in two months no less."
Klaus cleared his throat.
"Most of it has been paid with Her Highness's coin and personnel. To my understanding, the support core is supposed to supplement and eventually replace her role."
"So your commander had Her Highness handle the logistics so he could play general?"
She almost laughed.
"Some things never change, do they, Klaus?"
Klaus's jaw tightened as he stepped forward.
"With all due respect, we've managed just fine without you. I am certain we can continue to do so."
Inés matched his step.
"How? When her highness has paid for everything, and now that money is gone."
The air seemed to freeze.
"What are you…"
"Oh, you haven't heard? Princess Elizabeth has been cut off from the treasury. She's just as broke as your so-called commander."
Klaus's blood ran cold.
Suddenly it all made sense.
The nervous laughter from Elizabeth when Alexander brought up Fort expansion.
The hesitant looks of her personnel.
Even the slight worry in Hinata's eyes.
He turned on his heel, jogging towards the training grounds.
Alexander had to stop everything, now.
— — —
On the training grounds, Alexander stood to the side with Davout.
The two watched as marines struggled against each other in sparring or helped each other cross obstacles.
Hesitation was punished.
Slowing down was punished.
Fear was punished.
If it wasn't perfect, it was wrong.
And Wagner was in the center of it all.
"YOU WANNA SURVIVE? YOU HAVE TO KILL THE OTHER SORRY BASTARD FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE!"
He slammed a Marine in the dirt for failing a charge command.
The marine hollered in pain, his arm bent at an unnatural angle.
Wagner laughed, forcing the marine up and making him run to the infirmary.
Alexander looked up at Davout.
"Isn't it beautiful? By the time these men are deployed, they'll look a gun down the barrel and laugh."
Davout stroked his mustache, his eyes never leaving the training ground.
"Beautiful…" he mused.
"Forgive me for overstepping, I know this is your method of forging killers." He faced Alexander, "but this kind of training, requires an ample amount of supply, yes?"
Alexander nodded.
"Yes, but I know where you're going. These men eat a lot now, but it's only to build them up for training. The same training that'll allow them to eat less on the battlefield."
Davout nodded, his small never faltering.
"Oh, that's very innovative."
Alexander crossed his arms.
"Of course it is, I'm a genius."
Just then, Klaus appeared from the direction of the gates.
"Commander!"
He shouted, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"Commander, we have a problem…"
Alexander's eyes snapped towards Klaus.
Klaus stopped, saluting.
Alexander waved a hand.
"What's wrong? Is it something to do with the quartermaster?"
Klaus nodded, stepping closer.
"Sir, she's just informed me that her highness… She's been cut off from the royal treasury."
Alexander's cocky smile froze as he turned his gaze on the approaching captain and the pathfinders.
"She's bluffing."
He muttered, stepping towards Inés.
Elizabeth had told him the expansion was possible, that he didn't have to worry.
"You, why are you spouting lies?"
Inés matched his furious stride without a blink.
"What purpose would I have to lie when it can be so easily proven? Speak to her highness yourself."
Alexander gritted his teeth, before turning to Davout.
"You…"
Davout brought a hand to his chest, "Me?"
He smiled knowingly, his feigned innocence boiling Alexander's blood.
"…stay here, watch the training, and learn something."
He turned back to Klaus, "Take our guests and give them my office. Do not let them speak to anyone on base, not soldiers or contractors."
Klaus saluted, "Sir."
"And find Lieutenant Hans, I need him to count the supplies."
Alexander marched off, heading towards his carriage at the gates.
When Alexander was out of earshot, Davout and Inés chuckled.
"Oh, this is indeed fun."
— — —
Alexander stepped through Elizabeth's office with eyes of fire.
She jumped up from her desk, startled.
"M-my love!" She hid a piece of paper under her desk, forcing a smile. "How's expansion?"
Alexander pointed a finger at her.
"Did you lie to me?!"
Elizabeth walked around the desk with placating hands.
"My love, it's not as bad as it sounds."
She spoke slowly.
"I still make sufficient funds from other sources. I can… fund the corp, possibly."
Alexander frowned.
"Damnit, Elizabeth! You can't afford to pay for my expenses and your own. The factory, the ammo, the shipments, the contacts…"
Elizabeth stood in front of him.
"My love, I have enough money to pay for your soldiers and rations. I… we can make it work."
Alexander paused, gripping her shoulders.
He stared into her eyes, his expression hard.
"Elizabeth, if we don't start making money we're screwed. I can't deploy my soldiers if they can't reach the–"
He paused, before sighing deeply.
He was about to echo the same warning he heard a week ago.
"I've been had, your mother played me like a fiddle."
Elizabeth watched as Alexander backed into a wall, sliding down.
She rushed to his side, kneeling beside him.
"Don't fret, my love, please."
She reached her hands to his cheeks.
"I can fix this."
Alexander looked up, his eyes widening.
"Wait, the gold from Elena island? Do we still have that?"
Elizabeth hesitantly shook her head.
"Half went to repair the ships and hire seamen, the other… is paying for the fort expansion."
Alexander sighed.
"So that's how you paid for it."
Elizabeth tightened her grip on his cheeks.
"Please, listen to me, I can fix this. We don't need my mother, I will get you the money you need."
She pulled him into an embrace, his face against her chest.
"Focus on training your marines, you'll need them for my plan to work."
Alexander brought his hands around her waist.
"Elizabeth," he whispered, "if you're lying just tell–"
"I'm not."
She said firmly, cutting him off.
"It's us against the world, my love. And we will win. That's what you're about, right? Victory or death?"
Alexander looked up from Elizabeth's chest to meet her blazing gaze.
"Victory or death…" he repeated, all traces of panic leaving his body. "…tell me, how can we achieve victory?"
Elizabeth smiled, massaging his cheek with her thumb.
"We're going to turn the colonial marines into a superpower for hire." She said, helping him up. "Your primary customer will be the lords and businessmen of the Fallen Kingdom."
Alexander stood, holding Elizabeth by the waist.
So instead of one Fredrick, he'd have a council of them.
With Elizabeth as the CEO and him as the product.
Alexander frowned.
"I don't wanna fight under someone else's orders… I didn't even want Fredrick's help."
Elizabeth, wrapped her arms around his neck.
"My love, you're looking at this all wrong," her voice was a silky whisper.
"We won't be serving them, they'll pay us for the resources you secure. You're securing a product to be sold, not being the product yourself."
Alexander's scowl lessened, "So you'll essentially pay them with the assets Fredrick was hoping to secure on his own."
Elizabeth nodded.
"The same. But here's the thing, Fredrick was going to use those gains to curry favor anyway. We're just rearranging the existing plan."
Alexander couldn't help but chuckle, embracing her tightly.
"What would I do without you?"
Elizabeth giggled, burying her face in his chest.
"Probably still hunting forest bears."
Alexander massaged her back as he turned his attention towards her desk.
He raised a curious eyebrow.
"So that paper… what was that?"
Elizabeth looked up from his chest.
"It's a ledger, I'm liquidating all my assets to fund your support core. It should be enough to hire a hundred women and their supplies at least until your first mission."
Alexander's eyes widened.
"Elizabeth!"
He turned to her, gripping her arms.
"I didn't–"
He stopped himself, his grip loosening as his gaze softened.
"You… you really believe in me, don't you?"
He asked, his voice quiet and breathless.
Elizabeth stared up at him with a grin that was too wide for her face.
"I do… I'd sell my soul if it got you one extra bullet." She laughed, reaching to grab him.
"It's all worthless compared to you, my Alex."
Alexander stared at her.
Suddenly a lot of things made sense about Elizabeth, since the moment he met her.
She wasn't just nuts, she was bat shit insane.
But, she was his.
And he was hers.
He joined her in laughter.
"Those idiots think they've stopped us?! No no, they just made us stronger and more resilient than before!"
He cupped her cheeks.
"Elizabeth, keep this passion and I will give you the world…"
Elizabeth nodded eagerly.
"I will, I'll always believe in you, my love."
He kissed her deeply, eyes closed as their tongues danced.
Alexander wouldn't just prove Elizabeth right, he'd prove the world wrong.
If they wanted him to learn logistics and strategy, he'd do it.
But he'd do it his way.
He pushed Elizabeth to the floor, his lips traveling lower as they tangled limbs.
"My love…"
"Alex…"