Stays and Paints Your Face for Me

Td03 and Lukina

This story came to fruition from the small possibility of Lelouch still having a thread of affection towards Britannia after his and Nunnally's banishment. It is a challenge I posted in my profile that Lukina has taken upon and we co-authored it.

~ if the king doesn't lead ~

Giant doors to intimidate. A long walk to his Highness in front of nobles who often find that they have nothing better to do but witness. Kneeling at the bottom of the throne's stairs just to confirm that his Highness is… high.

"Hail your Majesty." Lelouch spoke, trying not to let anger or boredom seep through his tone. What an unnecessary greeting requirement for his Highness' self-inflated, hyper-masculine ego."My mother, the empress," because no one cares about his mother, but they'd care for her reputation, "is dead. I—"

"Old news." Charles – with his exotic purple eyes, a white beard, and bushy brows – boomed, hushing every whisper in the room. Were it not for his Renaissance-style curls, the 62 years old man would look like someone who should have been holding a stone tablet in his hands. Lelouch always disliked how he seemed 50 years older than his mother. "What of it."

Lelouch had predicted a dismissive response but – no interrogation? Cutting his son off? Old? News?

"It's important." He almost uttered 'is it not important?' which would have been fatal and would earn him a blunt no.

"You sought an audience with the emperor of Britannia simply to inform me of that?" Maybe a simple no would be better than that insulting insinuation. Charles' expressions were so miniscule that if Lelouch didn't note the rise and fall of his chest he'd think his father had been replaced by a humanoid robot. "Send the next one in. I have no time for these childish games."

I wish I have the strength to disembowel your lily-livered belly— "How could the greatest man in this world not protect his own Empress?!"

Charles' face finally thundered and he boomed, "You dare imply I am WEAK? My own son!"

"You don't even visit your injured daughter from a terrorist shooting that happened in your very turf!"

"I," Charles should have blown up again but instead, he collected his nerves and fashioned his answer as a declaration, "have no use for that weakling."

"Must be the effect of having more than one hundred wives." Lelouch bit out, igniting whispers throughout the room. "Should the heir apparent be crippled, you'd throw your own blood to the sharks in the sea? With such a… flimsy security I denounce my claim to the throne!"

There had only been one heir presumptive who gave up their claim to the throne and that was only to abdicate his decision for a third marriage which was scandalous during his reign – obviously not a problem today with Charles zi Britannia's romantic lifestyle.

"You are dead. You have always been dead to me. Dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you are wearing, a comfortable home, the food you are eating and your very life? All of those I have given to you! In short, you are nothing to me because you have never existed! Yet you dare to speak such foolishness to me? Lelouch, you are dead, therefore you are not entitled to any rights. I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan. As prince and princess you will serve well as bargaining tools."

If the one person who knew Lelouch's sneakiest side best – second only to Nunnally – was in this conference, Schneizel would have noticed the satisfied gleam in Lelouch's equally exotic purple eyes.

~ how can he expect ~

"I denounce my claim to the throne!"

Although these two sentences were meant to be hidden from public, people in the capital already knew about them. The news that a nine year old boy would speak up against the Emperor and even condemn his birth right so openly had spread like a wildfire. After three days the whole palace spoke about it and four more days later the whole city had no more important topic. Everyone was startled and appalled by the prince's behaviour. Everyone except Schneizel.

Much to his regret he wasn't present when the incident occurred, but he had already waited for something like this since Marianne had died and Nunnally wasn't in critical condition anymore.

While for his Majesty, strength was more important than the wellbeing of even his own children, Lelouch loved his now weak sister more than anything in this world. It was predictable that he would go against his father, after all he never before showed fear. So why should have been afraid back then? Just because it was the Emperor he was talking to? Lelouch was not intimidated so easily.

It too, had been foreseeable, that he would not back down. Of course he would rather give up his heritage than sacrifice his sister. She was all he had left.

Although, Schneizel didn't expect his father to be so unobservant.

Did the Emperor not see the potential in the boy? Why send someone as clever, dedicated and strong as Lelouch into a country that may soon be attacked? In a few years he could be just as good as Schneizel – outclassing Odysseus by lengths. Was it really that much of a shock to the Emperor that he could not see the advantages? Did it really offend his pride so much, that a child had the guts to not back down? That was far less than the second prince had expected of the ruler of Britannia and he was not going to let this happen without at least getting some advantages from it.

For that reason he had prepared a special gift for his younger brother. Unfortunately he had to leave for a conference a day before Lelouch departed. Of course he could have given him the farewell gift beforehand but the chance of the clever boy solving the puzzle while he was still in Pendragon was far too high. If that would happen, Schneizel may lose the very first phase of his plan, and thus everything he had worked for so far. A risk he was not willing to take.

"I have everything prepared as you wished, my prince. Do you really want me to give it to your brother rather than do it yourself? He will be quite disappointed."

Kanon stood in the open door, the prepared gift in his hands. As usual he was polite but insistent and willing to help Schneizel even if it may mean questioning his orders to make him rethink them.

"Yes, I do. Trust me, it won't take him long to see the necessity in this and forgive me. He is highly intelligent and knows the sensibility of politics quite well despite his age. Give it to him with my best regards and do your best to smooth his rage towards his family." Then he smirked slyly. "Although I doubt he would listen to you, there is the possibility he will remember it in due course."

Schneizel took the computer he had been working on till now, stowing it into the suitcase standing next to him. Most of his luggage had already been brought to the plane by some of the servants and the suitcase was immediately taken by Kanon who put it in a wrapped up box for Lelouch onto a cupboard near the door.

"I have to be on my way now. Please take care of the matters here as long as I am in Area 9." As Schneizel's assistant, Kanon had complete authority over all of the Prime Minister's subordinates, representing the Second Prince as long as he is absent. "Please have an eye on Earl Apslund. As you may know better than me, he sometimes tends to be a little… expensive if he is not kept in his place. His results may be exceptional, but we need the money elsewhere too."

It was the first time Kanon would take over his business in the capital and it was obvious he did not feel comfortable with this position. His nervous hands playing with the handle of the suitcase had not slipped Schneizel's attention and the fact that Kanon stared to the ground much more often than he normally did was a clear indication of his uneasiness. Kanon may be great in judging people but he was no leader. Still Schneizel was sure that he would grow with the challenge meeting the prince's expectations. Just as he always did.

When they arrived at the airport, Schneizel departed with just a nod. Kanon knew exactly what to do, there was no need for further instructions and he was not a man for verbose farewells.

Relaxed he settled into the comfortable chair smiling to himself about what may come. His father had made a mistake and he knew exactly how to use it to his own benefits. Maybe he would even come one step closer to his ultimate goal.

~ his subordinates to follow ~

Lelouch knew his father was distant but not this heartless. If he only wanted strong heirs why not invest in one or two sons, why chance finding a gem amongst hundreds by marrying so many women? He should have just straight up told his future partner that he wasn't going to love them and he only wanted to perpetuate his intellect so he needed a woman to donate his sperm.

Two nurses—one's collar doing a piss poor job at hiding bite marks, stupid horny pilot (because they only have one male in the small plane, not even a bodyguard) better not get distracted—were rolling Nunna's stretcher. Not a Hydraulic Stretcher Trolly with two separate hydraulic pump and adjustable back and leg section panel for Trendelenburg or Anti-T position that were reserved for high class persons but a simple gurney made of canvas suspended between two tubular aluminium frame meant for military due to its light weight and portability.

Lelouch continued to triple-check his things, knowing the polite stewardess would get the hint soon enough and leave him. He had never felt more isolated throughout his life. Despite his intelligence setting him apart from his peers, his half-Britannian half-French blood making his family distasteful to most Britannians, and whatever else they perceive as oddities or flaws in him, Lelouch had find his life here to be quite happy.

The only goodbye he received was from a chef. He didn't care that Remy was a chef but he still thought he'd get a farewell, be it directly or indirectly, from Euphie or Schneizel or Corny… maybe from that baboon Clo too.

Clo is just playing it safe, cutting off from me. Corny hates politics so much she's probably dealing with this situation as a tactical retreat and kept Euphie away from any prying eyes. Schneizel—the only reason he was the only one hadn't been infected with Nunna's penchant for nicknames is because his name can't be butchered—has a conference scheduled back to back so he wouldn't have time but he could make time, his eyes prickled and Lelouch blinked to wipe off any traces of teary eyes. Bucket of crabs.

"Your highness," ha, bitter remains of formality never felt more real, "there is someone outside who wishes to talk to you in person," the stewardess—mid-twenties, clean uniform, blonde, demure, all in all standard—spoke.

…could that be Father by any chance? Not incomprehensible, but considering—oh. The stewardess moved slightly, and Lelouch could see the just outside the small plane. It was only Kanon, Schneizel's concomitant. Hmm. Should he go out and leave Nunna to the protection of a weak stewardess and a pilot who can't keep his hands to himself, or let Earl Maldini in, having advantage over everyone with his strength and height?

Obviously, Lelouch was going to confront him.

"Greetings, your Highness," Kanon said.

"Hello, Earl Maldini," Lelouch tilted his head. "I recall offending you the last time we met. I withdraw that last statement."

Seems that his attempt at lightening the situation succeeded. Kanon's eyes held a bit of a humor. "That's probably the closest I'll get to an apology from you, isn't it?" He said. "I wasn't too offended that I would hold a grudge, your Highness. Let's—"

"Put it behind, yes, and stop calling me your Highness." Lelouch stared at him.

"Well… Lelouch?"

"Fine. Kanon."

A small chortle made the man's hand automatically clamp around his mouth before he could laugh freely.

Good, Lelouch thought. Hopefully, that'll avert any ill will he might have gotten from the snakes around here. It's a stretch, but technically, Lelouch is a traitor to Britannia.

"Ah, in any case, Prince Schneizel sent me to give you a little present to make your time in Japan a little more comfortable. Your big brother honestly regrets he cannot be here in person and is looking forward seeing you when you visit the motherland. He said he would miss the games of chess with you and hopes you will find a formidable opponent so your next matches may even be more challenging for him." Kanon put the wrapped up item on the boy's hands.

Lelouch blinked. He wasn't sure what to feel with his big brother's certainty that he'll be having chess matches with him again. Lelouch never entertained the notion to even stay in Britannia after going through with his mother's funeral and Nunna's recovery alone. Sad and nostalgic should be appropriate. Unfortunately, he doesn't have Nunna's alien-like ability to cry on demand, so 'shock' will have to do.

"I hope your sister is getting better soon," the earl told him with a friendly but somewhat sorrowful smile.

Huh. The Nunnally angle. Lelouch's acting must have worked very well. Nice to know. And brownie points for Kanon.

"I appreciate it," unless it's a bomb or a very nasty prank, in which I will knit myself a fashionable sweater out of your entrails. He brought it closer to his face to inspect it, but really, he's just listening whether there would be a tick tock tick tock. Luckily, it's lacking a timer's sound. This is my cue to ask a question or say thank you. "You may go," Lelouch said. He waited for the man to leave the area before immediately checking on Nunnally.

She looked like she was having seizures.

Additionals:

Renounce means to give up or relinquish or declare your ending support. Denounce means to condemn openly, accuse publicly, or formally end a treaty.

In the Trendelenburg position, the body is laid supine, or flat on the back with the feet higher than the head by 15-30 degrees. The reverse Trendelenburg position similarly has the body flat, but the head is 15-30 degrees higher than the feet.

"Bucket of Crabs theory. Crabs trying to get out will pull down the crabs that get ahead in their efforts to get out. Tear down everybody else to make yourself feel good. No wonder most kids are just keeping their heads down and waiting for graduation. And pulling stupid stunts for absolutely no reason."