Nothing determined a man's value, worth more than his ability to think. In Britannia, it was worth more than just that; the ability to think meant survival. It was a jungle. Only the big cats survived but sometimes, even an insect could take down an elephant. Noble status indeed determined power and influence but it did not determine the ability to think; whether royalty or commoner, there were stupid people. It was okay for a commoner; it just meant a standard life, a standard job. But for the upper class, it meant being a puppet, a tool for those who knew how to pull the strings and when you no longer were useful, it meant death. The world was cruel like that.
But this was Britannia's principle; the strong survive. The weak were devoured. The emperor has said it: though shall not kill or steal were merely lies. Injustice brought up by weak people to protect themselves. But even if that was true, did it not mean that they at least had the minds to think and fool some people? At the same time, it was a stark reminder of just how limited a person was when you could think but had no actual power. Eventually, the strong would prevail. They would crush you.
Lelouch has been wriggling his way through challenges since the death of his mother. There were so many vultures out there; so many crows that cawed day and night at the guarded gates of Aries Villa. But he had survived. In this royal jungle, he was a commoner, yet a Prince. But he had not only survived the past years when some of his siblings – no Charles children – ended up meeting unfortunate ends to their miserable lives, he had thrived. It was not just about surviving. He had made things work for himself while keeping away from the public eye. But Pendragon knew him. Some of those snakes had bounty on his head. Some of them were watching him through a microscope. He had received a fair number of warnings: stay in the shadows for your own good.
But he was working in the shadows. He was lurking. He was the Black Prince of Britannia after all. And one day, he would strike. He would bite. The shadows were comfortable. A snake could slither through without being noticed, without making any noise and its venom, poisonous – one strike and it was checkmate.
Still, "I'm not quite the most loved person with the aristocracy, am I?" A seventeen year old Lelouch asked. His expression displayed some amusement, but the tone some bitterness.
He was talking to the Second Prince of Britannia. They were sitting within a quiet, lightly lit room, with a small round table and two large chairs which they occupied – it was just the two of them. And of course, a chessboard between them.
"Well, after the death of your mother, and the fall of the Ashford family, it was expected that nothing would become of you, you'd just whither away, perhaps meet some unfortunate end yourself," Schneizel responded casually, his eyes never leaving the pieces that were on a slow, purposeful dance before him. It was not on their accord, it was his tune.
Terrorists had been blamed for the death of his mother. Perhaps it looked that way, but Lelouch knew better. His arrogant and privileged self had determined this much and attempted to smack the truth from the emperor and why he had even allowed his mother to die. It was no terrorist work. No one had claimed the attack. When did terrorists even attack Pendragon? Thinking of it was just suicidal. But he had been stopped from demanding anything from the emperor. Cornelia had held him down while Schneizel kneeled and apologized to the emperor.
"Should they not blame you and Cornelia for saving my life?" Lelouch asked calmly. He had not realized it then, but he did now – Charles was a cold hearted bastard who did not care for his children. They were merely tools, pawns to his chessboard. He moved and dismissed them as he saw fit.
Schneizel merely smiled. "Perhaps, but you are the problem," he said. "But there is no question that you have worked for your good fortune. It doesn't surprise me, but many were surprised."
Schneizel had apologized and literally begged for mercy. Oh, the Emperor had been merciful. 'Lelouch, you are to remain in Aries Villa for a year, Schneizel and Cornelia will not offer you any support. If you survive, you will be called my son. For now, you are nothing. But survive, and I will acknowledge you as my son, as a heir to my throne!' The savages of the royal court had been gleeful when they heard those words. Lelouch had seen it as Cornelia dragged him away from the hall. They had thought whoever started the job would finish it. Some had attempted but Aries Villa stood still, he stood still.
Lelouch frowned for a split second after calculating a few moves. He was still not going to win this but he could push it. "I did nearly die, twice," Lelouch pointed out.
"We still thank Jeremiah for his loyalty and his services," Schneizel said honestly. "I would have lost a brother without him."
Lelouch wondered if Schneizel would have shed a tear. There can be no mistake about it. This person could smile and offer comforting words but he was cold hearted and manipulative to the core. "Indeed," he ended up saying with a nod of his head. "Has our beloved father decided when he shall deem me worthy of being a piece to his puzzle?" 'Beloved father' was said with mild sarcasm and contempt.
Schneizel glanced at Lelouch for a moment before responding. "Father's thoughts remain a mystery even to me," he said.
Lelouch snorted.
Schneizel smiled though. But he still did not respond to this. "Your good fortune has attracted some people's attention, Lelouch. Your association with certain people has come under scrutiny. It has become apparent that you haven't been quiet."
"What fortune are you talking about, brother?" Lelouch asked in a quiet tone. "I have nothing. I do have a few friends I play chess with and help with their businesses, but have nothing myself…"
"Those few friends have done so well that they reward you and speak highly of your intellect," Schneizel stressed the last word.
Britannian politics… it was indeed a survival of the fittest. When one was determined a threat, just being alive was a risk. Yes, for any member of the royal family, simply existing was a threat to someone who had ambitions for the throne. Everyone had the chance. Britannia's throne would not go to the Crown Prince, everyone knew that. The last man standing would take it. "So, I must not only be somewhere they can't see me, but I must also be stupid," Lelouch said with a shake of his head. "Those are rather strict conditions."
"Indeed," Schneizel said a sympathetically. "But with the friends you currently have, you should be fine. My ears are open and I hear that some people would be willing to support you… only if you are willing to step away from the shadows and play in the open."
"The general public does not yet know the face of Lelouch vi Britannia," Lelouch said. "Until I make my debut in the world stage, my cards will remain closely hidden." He paused and glanced at Schneizel for a moment. "You are not attempting to draw me out, are you? I have seen your hand in some plays I have been in."
"Surely, you are mistaken," Schneizel was quick to say, though with a smile on his lips that revealed nothing. "There are certain places that even I cannot reach. I'm just the Prime Minister but there are Lords on the House of Lords and members of the royal court as well as those with strings in the military."
"Perhaps," Lelouch said in thought. "But you became Prime Minister despite not being the Crown Prince and nobody will dare say anything against you in public. It is not a false statement to say aside from the emperor, you are the most powerful person in Britannia."
"You overstate my influence, brother," Schneizel said. He fell silent, studying the pieces. Victory was no longer a given in a game with Lelouch. They had drawn their past fifteen games and they were going to draw this one. It was a simple fact: He was failing to defeat Lelouch. "While I do not know father's thoughts, I believe that he made me Prime Minister so to balance the playing field. Odysseus already holds the status of Crown Prince, if he became Prime Minister, the playing field wouldn't be fair."
Odysseus? Lelouch scoffed thinking of their elder brother. "Understandably," he ended up saying. "But if the Crown Prince had at least 15% of your brain, he'd make his status much more influential since the royal family controls the empire."
Schneizel stared at the chessboard for a long moment before looking at Lelouch. "Draw?"
Lelouch nodded his head. "Yes," he said. "If people are displeased with my activities, can I expect threats to my life?"
"Yes," Schneizel said. "You should consider increasing security at Aries Villa and limit your movements within Pendragon. If you continue driving around to play your games, you might come across some unfortunate incident. We'd rather look for a way to avoid a problem than deal with it."
If Schneizel was talking to him, this was really a problem – a serious problem. A game of the throne, huh? Being born royalty was surely a curse. "I will keep that in mind," Lelouch said. "Anything else?"
"Don't leave the city before you make your debut to the public," Schneizel said, looking straight at Lelouch. "There is a chance that your plane might get shot down," he said.
It was not a problem. Lelouch has not got out of Pendragon since his mother died. He had always known it would be dangerous for him to move out. Paying a couple of terrorists to make him disappear would be easy for some people. "For how long must I be chained down?"
"I will try to ask father allocate you somewhere or let me allocate you somewhere you can useful. When that happens, you will be afforded better security and you can gain more support from those who are waiting to see just how brave you are." Schneizel said.
Not since the Emperor called him after he passed the survival test, has Lelouch stood before the emperor. He has only seen the man in the news making his beloved speeches. He never attended any meetings with the royal court. He still had no desire to meet that cursed bastard. After so many years, his anger towards Charles has not subsided; it has only grown to new heights. The murderers intent within him has become a hunger that would not be satisfied until Charles zi Britannia was dead, along with almost all of the Britannian nobles. No, for the nobles sweet revenge was to strip them of their status.
Warnings heard loud and clear from Schneizel, Lelouch had no more business with the Prime Minister, and he looked forward to another game of chess. He shook his head; would he ever win? Well, what would be the point of playing if he knew he was going lose? Well, Schneizel was unable to beat him; he could take comfort in that. Lelouch said nothing further to his brother before stepping away.
Jeremiah – his loyal and most trusted aide was waiting for him by the lack limousine that had no markings of royalty. After his mother was murdered, friends had been few. Cornelia hadn't even allowed Euphemia to come close until the coast was clear. But Jeremiah had been there. Even in the nights when some people attempted to get inside Aries Villa with bombs, Jeremiah had been there. It had been obvious; the man would die for him. Before he died, Jeremiah would be the first to kick the death bucket.
"Let us return home, Jeremiah," Lelouch said to Jeremiah.
The man opened the door for him and made a couple of calls just to see if the path to Aries Villa was clear. One day, when Lelouch had been from his gambling rounds, they had found a mad man with a missile in the middle of the road. They were fortunate to have survived. Since then, Jeremiah did not take any chances, whenever they travelled; he had agents ensure the road was secure before traveling. Very soon, he would need a knightmare escort, but they had shunned this because it would attract the attention they did not need.
Jeremiah settled down beside Lelouch and called for the chauffeur to move. "Good game?" He asked with a smile.
"Yes," Lelouch said. "If my brother was a bit obsessive about things, he would have us play every time just so he can finally end the draws."
"Why doesn't he? Doesn't it bother him that he cannot win anymore?"
"He will win eventually," Lelouch said calmly. "Schneizel only plays a game in which he is sure he is going to win. Admittedly, he does like interesting things, things that are more challenging. He can take the hard route even when there is a simpler one… but this is because he likes the challenge but at the same time knows he won't lose."
"So, the Prime Minister doesn't play a game he knows he will lose," Jeremiah said in thought. "No wonder his record is clean…"
"It will end eventually," Lelouch said confidently. "Nothing remains forever, just as we will not be in the shadows forever. We will eventually step out into the light and play the game of kings, Jeremiah, and we will win it." Those words left his lips with steel.
Jeremiah believed it. He did not doubt it. They had experienced many dark nights – Sometimes literally. The power to Aries Villa had been cut several times before Lelouch managed to get their energy source. "I cannot wait for that day, Your Highness. Those bastards who have marked you since your mother was murdered will regret the day they looked at you with contempt."
"They will Jeremiah, they will do so," Lelouch smiled. How many times has he had a conversation like this with Jeremiah? "Schneizel says there will be more threats from now on. We must increase our measures and keep the radios active for any noise."
"We are used to it already," Jeremiah said. "Though I do wish they'd stop…"
"As long as I am in line for the throne, it will not stop, it will not end. While they are quick to dismiss me as the child of a commoner and only living because of the emperor's grace, they understand that I am not stupid. And it makes them afraid. I have been alive for this long despite many even publicly stating that I should have just died and even giving me a rope to hang myself: they ask themselves, what do I have? How am I doing it?"
"Should we call our allies?"
Lelouch shook his head. "No, let us leave them out of it," he said. "We should handle this just fine. We have been able to do things ourselves. We need not burden our sponsors with things we can handle…" though, Lelouch would not call them sponsors, they all owed him favors for using his mind to their advantage.
"Understood," Jeremiah said. "Can I have the knightmare frames prepared once we get home? You haven't stepped in one over the past week. You cannot miss your training, Your Highness," the man said in a stern tone, almost like he was lecturing the eleventh prince.
"There has been too much work to do, Jeremiah," Lelouch said in a measured tone. "I've barely slept trying to put the pieces together. Very soon, our engagement with the outside world will be open and that will expose us to many things," he said. "But I guess you are right. I'll need to speak to Ruben when I get home. Afterwards, we can have the session."
"Physical conditioning first," Jeremiah said. "I have not seen you hit the gym in the past days. You know you'll need to be physically strong to survive. I fear the last incident in which we had to run while injured will not be the last," the man said in a bitter tone. That had happened the day their car was hit by a missile. They had been forced to run into the crowds to avoid the culprits from trying to finish them off.
Lelouch was silent for a moment before responding. "The fit survive, eh?" He had learned many survival tactics, because it has been one long journey so far. "I must thank Cornelia for recommending the training," he said. Because of the many hours he spent training his body, learning how to pilot a knightmare; he had a wealth of experience. His body did not look like it, but he had gained some physical strength and he certainly didn't look like he had yet to reach his eighteenth birthday. Cornelia had certainly been the mother, instructing him which foods to eat, even sometimes coming to oversee his piloting training sessions herself.
Military school had been a 'no'. They had assessed the situation and discovered that for him to go to military school, he would need five guards who would not sleep or blink. He could never be free.
Once they reached Aries Villa, Lelouch headed straight to his study. From the entrance, the walls on the left and straight ahead were fitted with book shelves. The shelves were where filled with books, arranged alphabetically according to subject. There were books in other languages as well. He had learned four other languages knowing that such knowledge would be useful in the future. There were three large single couches that were around a rectangular table with an open laptop atop of it and a couple of papers. Sitting on the center couch, Lelouch faced three screens mounted on the wall ahead of him.
He checked his time before digging out his phone from his pockets and then dialed for Ruben.
"Your Highness," Ruben started in a measured tone.
"Ruben," Lelouch acknowledged. "How is the development?"
"Almost there… with the second phase at least," Ruben responded. "Do you need them any time soon?"
"No," Lelouch said. "We just need to be prepared any time soon. I don't know when the emperor will wake up one day and decide that I need to go and make myself useful. Even if I have to play politics, I will need those for protection. Without military strength, my journey cannot advance."
"I understand," Ruben said.
"And the Ares?"
"The contractor is working slowly because he has another project of his own… but he is doing what he can, given the sensitivity of the matter," Ruben explained slightly.
Lelouch was silent for a couple of moments. "If there is anything they are lacking, let Earl Bradford know about this. I don't want things to spend years in the making. We need to finish things. We have already spent enough on research, it is time for development."
"Is there something wrong?" Ruben asked, a bit of concern in his tone.
"No," Lelouch said. "Anything from Nunnally?" He asked in a quiet tone. "The letter I wrote a couple of days ago should be delivered to you by tomorrow at least. Please ensure that it reaches her," he said.
"I will that, Your Highness," Ruben said.
With nothing else to say, Lelouch put his phone down after ending the call. He leaned on his couch and adopted a thoughtful look for a time he did not consider until Jeremiah knocked, smiling happily. "Preparations are ready, your Highness," he said.
Schneizel's Residence
It was unpleasant that the state of Britannia's politics had become so bloody and murderous. You normally reserved your most cruel tactics to enemies of the Empire, but these days, you had to use them even to people within the Empire. It was disappointing and truly nothing but the fruits of the emperor's principles. But what could he do about it? He was not Emperor, he was indeed Prime Minister but he could not change policy. The hardliners would surely a battle of death for this belief to remain in place, even though it did nothing but destabilize the world. As long as they fought like animals, there would be no peace, and no change.
Perhaps it had to do with some fortune and luck, but had things gone differently, things Lelouch would have been dead by now. Some people would have killed him. It was like the Emperor's challenge for Lelouch to survive without any help from him or his siblings had been an invitation for the aristocracy to try to kill him, to rid of the stain within the Imperial family.
"I wonder," Schneizel started in thought. Kanon was sitting across him, the chessboard still in place. He hadn't touched it since Lelouch left. "The nobles believe that birth determines superiority. But this is a false perception. Simply because you are born noble doesn't mean that you are superior. Lelouch's mother was a commoner, and yet, from young age, his Intellect has always been far above others. Do they feel that this is an insult to their beliefs?"
Not long ago, Kanon would not have found it believable that Lelouch had much intelligence that made Schneizel respect and fear him. But he had seen the black prince in action. The fact that he has not only survived this far and not just scraping through but still able to play his hands freely was something. "From what I have observed, none of the other princes can hold a candle to him in terms to Intelligence. Britannia doesn't reward failure. There are others better placed in line for the throne, if Lelouch outperforms those born before him, the emperor may most likely elevate his status from the 17th in line to throne."
"There is that danger," Schneizel said. "It must make some people nervous. Everyone is placing bets and the competition must be removed."
"Just like when the current emperor took the throne," Kanon said. "Are you going to be offering His Highness your help?"
"Of course," Schneizel said. "I will try to associate him with some of my backers. But given his status, no one will want to help him for free. There must be a price he is willing to pay or that I must pay."
Aries Villa
You could not live on your own in this world, not as a human. People needed each other. You may not care for the people you need, viewing them as nothing more than tools to help you succeed. But it did not change that you still needed them. One person could not do it all. Lelouch vi Britannia could not do it all on his own. Even Charles zi Britannia could not do it on his own. He demanded his children to do it for him and the Knight of One was always there, ready to offer his assistance to that cold hearted Majesty.
To survive; to scrape through the trials that had been set for him and to go through it all with his life intact and still hopeful for a better tomorrow, Lelouch had needed friends. There had been very few friends, but he still found a few and with them, he managed to survive and thrive in the darkness where he had been cast by the emperor.
"Schneizel informs me that our recent movements have been noticed by the other parties and they are not pleased," Lelouch said to a middle aged, blond haired noble who was sitting with him. This was his 'sponsor' an Earl and a man with connections to the First Princess and the Ashford Foundation.
Earl Bradford stared at the chessboard. He did like to come here every now and then to get a brain teaser. "Business connections forms part of nobilities power and influence. With business, comes money and in our class, money is power."
"But are we not allowed to enter the market?" Lelouch asked. It was difficult to expand. Especially when it came to weapons. Britannia was always at war, the nobles got rich of it. It was no wonder they were always pushing for a new conquest. They did not care about the lives lost in war; they only cared about filling their pockets with money.
"It means that they have to share," Bradford said in a calm tone. "We don't like sharing things we believe to be rightfully ours. That is why some end up killing the competition."
"Greed," Lelouch said.
"True," Bradford said with a small nod. "But the empire encourages us to plunder and take whatever we can. If you leave the door open, they will take everything."
"And leave you with nothing," Lelouch shook his head. "But we have only pitched for a small share in the supply of Sutherlands and that has always been your business."
"I only had a small share of the production," Bradford said. He then smiled. "But thanks to you, I have received big contracts that earn us too much money."
"You create your own wealth," Lelouch said. "But we can't say we have too much because we end up spending it on research and other developments."
"Without an investment, you can't really achieve anything. The Ashfords took risk with your mother and it earned them wealth," Bradford said.
Lelouch stared at the pieces before him. The Earl was getting better at the game. It was at least good that he was learning things. "But at end of the day, they nearly lost everything."
"And would have lost everything had things turned out bad for you," Bradford glanced at Lelouch for a moment.
Although he could feel the Earl's eyes, Lelouch did not look up. The reminder that it had been Cornelia and Schneizel's bold actions that afforded him a chance to live was no pleasant memory. Even to this day, Lelouch cursed his naivety to have thought Charles would actually care. "We must continue to thank the Prime Minister and Cornelia," he said. "With new threats on the way, are things secure for you?"
"Because of the new business I have attracted, I have also earned myself some friends in the House of Lords. The House is deeply divided, so anyone can find a friend," Bradford said. "My business association with Princess Guinevere also affords me some protection. She may shy away from politics, but it doesn't mean she is without influence."
"Well, she is the First Princess," Lelouch stressed those words. "At least for her, she doesn't get many enemies."
The Princesses were usually left alone by the vultures. After all, no princess was going to become the empress when a Prince still remained. They could become Governors and hold other positions but on the throne, the nobles wanted a man. He had a better chance of becoming emperor than Guinevere despite being just the Eleventh Prince. Then again, the order of birth meant nothing. The last man standing would become the Majesty and wear the crown of Britannia. Undoubtedly, it would be after much blood and sacrifice.
"Unlike you and the others," Bradford said.
"Clovis doesn't have that many of enemies and he is very close in the line of succession," Lelouch said. "I must find out his secrets," he said.
"Just become stupid and an ineffective ruler," Earl Bradford said with a small smile on his lips. "Everyone knows Prince Clovis isn't the brightest. Though hard to swallow, the only one who matches Prince Schneizel is you in terms of strategy."
Lelouch smiled with amusement. Despite his flair and being the Third Prince, Clovis has never been the brightest. It was almost pitiful. "Well, at least he can cling on his status as a Prince, he should not have to struggle for anything."
"But if the problem becomes worse for him and Area 11 becomes ungovernable, the emperor is going to recall him," Bradford said.
Lelouch could imagine that. Charles was quick to punish failure. If Clovis was hauled back to Pendragon, it would be humiliation. And something he could never easily escape from unless he is Schneizel. The Prime Minister was a master of tactics. He knew how to pull strings. He knew how to make himself look good. He could be accused of fathering a child with a number and instead of receiving condemnation from all corners; he could manage to get himself praised for being brave enough to challenge some policy.
"Surely, Clovis would return screaming and kicking," he amused himself with the thought. "Our problems remain large nevertheless," he said. "The race for the throne really does complicate things."
Well, there was the thought that although the EU has been standing strong, one day, Schneizel would get it to kneel and when that happens, Britannia would control 2/3rds of the world. The Chinese Federation would simply fall at that stage. The future emperor of Britannia had the potential to be the ruler of all humans on this planet. That kind of power would have anyone mad. It was attracting, especially to greedy nobles who were never satisfied with anything.
Lelouch hoped it did not become as bloody as the one that took Charles to the throne. He had heard that history and to cement his position, Charles had purged many noble families. Perhaps his many consorts had also been a way for him to gain support and control. While the hope was for something less bloody, he knew better. When it came to the emperor's children, some of them wouldn't even blink if one of them died. If he died, many of his half-siblings would throw parties to celebrate. Blood was not thicker than water. Power was thicker than blood.
"It would have been a bit better if our rules did not encourage savagery," Bradford said. "But because of our rules, there is no peaceful race even though the emperor shows no favoritism and gives all a chance to prove themselves."
"You really can't afford to do well with these people watching you," Lelouch said with a shake of his head. "But very soon, we will be forced into step into this path. It will become a lot more dangerous. But we will have to endure, survive and prosper even though everyone wants us to fail."
"Naturally," Bradford said. "If things don't end well, I may have to depart for Area 11 along the Ashfords. I would be hunted down and killed before they share everything I have, even my wife."
"There are no morals in Britannia," Lelouch said with a shake of his head. "We just have to play our cards right in both military and politics. I have no option to fail. I must succeed. I have not come this far to meet a pathetic end to my life. Regardless of what, I will succeed."
Bradford was silent for a moment. He wanted nothing more than that. He had a lot banked on Lelouch. He had risked everything by making his association with the Prince known once his business started flourishing. Of course he had earned some enemies, but he has been able to handle the dangers thus far. "But this means you'd have to finally accept the stringed help from Prince Schneizel."
Lelouch frowned at the thought. There was no avoiding certain issues. Cornelia was a military dog. She had little political influence. Schneizel was the one with the right connections. Odysseus was a useless meat. Lelouch didn't even know why the man continued to exist. He would need Schneizel but would still have to pay back the favor quickly. Even there was no favor to pay back, he would be playing Schneizel's game and that was dangerous – especially when the man did not play a game of chances.
"There is no way around it," Lelouch said. "I must admit that I do need his help. It becomes a whole new different game when I step into the world stage and the world knows there is Lelouch vi Britannia. Schneizel can offer me enough shield until I am able to stand on my own…" he said. "And checkmate."
Another loss, Bradford sighed tiredly. At least he was able to take some pieces this time around. Though, the Eleventh Prince seemed to savor strategies that would involve him sacrificing his pieces if he was going for something big. "Then we will have to be extra careful if the Second Prince is going to get involved."
Lelouch nodded. "I doubt he will do anything himself," he said in thought.
"Why?" Bradford asked curiously.
"Even Schneizel is not invisible," Lelouch said calmly. "He holds the second most powerful position within the empire, but there are still many forces that also pull the strings in the shadows. No one pulls his strings, but it doesn't mean that there are no people who make him consider his movements."
Area 11
Clovis had a deep frown on his lips. Things were not moving so well. He had been happy taking the role of such an important position within Area 11 after it was conquered. The Area had large deposits of Sakuradite after all. And yet, despite everything that he has achieved and done, the glowing reviews he has received from some people, it was apparent that Pendragon was not overly pleased with his leadership skills. Perhaps he had only received the job because he was the Third Prince. Either way, his father had trusted him with the job but some people did not say pleasant things about him.
He had never pretended to be as smart as Lelouch or Schneizel. With the latter, there was no competition; there was no helping the situation. With his younger brother, Clovis was not worried. As long as Lelouch stayed in the shadows, he didn't have to be concerned. But how long would it last? Schneizel has openly said it that he respected Lelouch for his genius and it was apparent that only the Eleventh Prince could compete with the Prime Minister when it came to mind games.
And that bothered Clovis. Lelouch has always been smarter. If stepped out of the shadows, he would no doubt make waves. Perhaps it was cold, but the part of him that treasured his status would rather have Lelouch stay in Aries Villa, unseen to the world. Perhaps he could make a play with the Emperor and ask for Lelouch to be his Sub-Viceroy when he makes his public debut. This would give him some level of control.
Clovis' eyes snapped towards the entrance to his office after hearing a knock. "Bartley, tell me you have some good news," he said without a smile, eyes looking tired.
"If you consider some vital information, then I have some good news," Bartley said as he walked towards the Prince. He did not sit in front of the desk, but remained standing after handing over the file he held.
Clovis looked at the file. He did not open it. But it was the Code R project. His baby project. "What information?"
"It does appear that the Ashfords indeed have connections with Earl Bradford. And they have not stopped with the development of Knightmare frames. They haven't produced anything, so we can only assume they have only been busy with research," Bartley explained in a light tone.
The Ashfords had been friends of the vi Britannia. Outwardly and within the public eye, Lelouch had no relationship with them. Clovis also knew something that was only known to the Imperial Family: Nunnally was living with the Ashfords. Of course, Lelouch had been barred from ever visiting by the Emperor but had entrusted them with Nunnally's safety.
"The Earl's connections with Lelouch are no secret," Clovis said with a frown. "My brother has been busy then and he is running projects like Schneizel…' his frown deepened at the thought. "When Lelouch starts attending meetings, I am going to be the laughing stock…" he said bitterly.
"Well, we have our project," Bartley pointed out.
"But that isn't anything we can go public with," Clovis was quick to say. "If only we could get rid of all terrorist activities within the Area, I wouldn't have a lot to answer for… and I could boast the success of the Area since I took charge."
"We can be proud that Terrorists cannot openly attack and you managed to make the Area governable. Remember that before you took over, the JLF was still strong and there other groupings who caused us problems. At least for now we can go the whole week without talking about terrorists…"
Clovis smiled at this. "That is indeed some good news," he said happily. "Shall we ask the Ashfords about their connections with Lelouch? My brother has not been permitted to have communication with his younger sister, if he has contact with the Ashfords, then he obviously talks to her."
"What are you suggesting, Your Highness?"
"Just thinking about options to protect myself," Clovis said. "I will do anything and sacrifice anything to remain a Prince of Britannia. My father doesn't waste time disowning those who disappoint him. If I am disowned, I lose everything. It will become the end of me."
It was a cold world that did not allow you to show weakness. But Information was vital and could be used in a good way to earn favours from others. Clovis had no intentions to blackmail Lelouch. His brother would never forgive him if he did that. Lelouch has had many enemies since he was born in this world, if he used those kind of tricks, the eleventh prince would not forgive him and they would surely become enemies. Cornelia would also be looking at him and while he did not want to admit it, if Schneizel had to choose between him and Lelouch, he would cho0se the black prince – just because of his mind.
"Then, should I set up a meeting with the head of the Ashford family?" Bartley asked.
Clovis nodded. "Yes," he said. He watched Bartley leave the office and then glanced at the Code R file for a moment. The public did not need to know this. But if he succeeded in recreating that woman's power, he would surely have an ace to play. Nothing would matter. If would not matter if Schneizel and Lelouch's were the smartest.
Thinking of the Prime Minister, Clovis decided to call him. He dialled the prime minister's numbers.
"Clovis, what I lovely surprise," it was the Prime Minister's smooth voice that answered the line.
"Are you at a place you can video call me?" Clovis said without commenting on Schneizel's greeting.
"Give me a couple of moments," Schneizel said before cutting off the line.
Clovis turned towards the large screen mounted on the wall facing his office desk. There was a large screen mounted there. He took the remote and handled it carefully for a few minutes until Schneizel hailed him. He answered the call and the face of the Prime Minister appeared. It was apparent, he was in a ship. "Going somewhere?"
"Yes; I have some business to handle," Schneizel said without getting into details. "You don't usually call me like this, Clovis. What is the matter?"
"Why is it that when I call you think there is something wrong?"
Schneizel smiled. "Well, you've never called to check on my health, brother," the Prime Minister said calmly. "But forgive my presumption."
Clovis was silent for a couple of moments before responding. "What is Lelouch's relationship with the Ashford Family?"
Schneizel studied Clovis for a couple of moments. "What has brought this on?" He asked.
"I'm just curious. Father has Nunnally attending their school even though they have been stripped of their noble status. While they have lost their status, it doesn't look like they have lost their wealth," Clovis explained in a measured tone. "Are you going to answer my question?"
"You wouldn't be asking this unless you had reason to suspect that Lelouch has something to do with their continued wealth," Schneizel said to Clovis. He smiled though. Clovis was working. Everyone was working for their own health.
"I am not sure, but there seems to be some connections between Earl Bradford and the Ashfords. What connects both is Lelouch," Clovis.
"The Earl is also Guinevere's business partner," Schneizel said. "He does some real estate, which Guinevere is very fond of… and likes to spend her money in those things… But our sister also no dealings with knightmare production…"
"Why are you not surprised?" Clovis asked.
"I knew," Schneizel said as if it was nothing serious. "In order to survive, Lelouch has had to work hard. You are enjoying the protection of military in your position as Viceroy, but Lelouch doesn't have any of that. You also have to remember that there have also been threats to his life, Clovis… serious threats."
"What does that have to do with the Ashfords?"
"It helps him survive and have something to bring with him when he enters the world stage," Schneizel said.
Clovis was silent for a moment. He should have expected for Schneizel to know about this. But if Schneizel knew, it meant that the Emperor likely knew about it. The thought was displeasing. "What are they doing?"
"I don't know," Schneizel said with a shake of his head. "I don't even have proof that Lelouch has connections with the Ashford family."
Clovis frowned. "But you said you knew…"
"Yes," Schneizel said but did not explain.
Clovis sighed. "Then this will perhaps make my request a little easier," he said.
"Ah, so there was something you wanted," Schneizel said, smiling.
Clovis thought of glaring at his brother but he held himself. Why else would he call Schneizel? "When Lelouch makes his debut, I want you to recommend to father that he be assigned here to work as my Sub-Viceroy. It will help with his growth and I will be able to teach him a couple of things about leadership."
Clovis sounded really confident that he could actually teach Lelouch something. He didn't think such a relationship would work. Lelouch would be against all of strategies planned by Clovis because they would not be up to standards. It would surely end with Lelouch ordering people to ignore Clovis' orders. The Viceroy could overrule that because he was of a higher status than Lelouch, but it would create an embarrassing moment. Yet, still, Schneizel said:
"I will try to speak to father when he is available," he said. "I think it would be a good start for him. He could also help you with terrorists."
Clovis smiled. "Thank you, brother," he said. He would not comment on his terrorist problem.
Aries Villa
Lelouch was sitting on the stairway by the entrance to the palace. Sometimes he just liked to sit at the place where his beloved mother was assassinated and Charles did nothing about it. They had blamed terrorists, but Lelouch knew better. This was the place that changed his life. Anya had been here, but although now a Knight of Round, it does seem that she no longer remembers who he was. As he recalled their last conversation, she did say that she doesn't have any memories, but she did have a picture of him at a young age.
He was sitting there, a book at hand. He was wearing a long black trench coat. He dressed like a commoner when sometimes going out a bit more private for other activities. He was still going out later on. Schneizel's message had been heard but he simply could not stop operations because of fear. Security measures would have to be taken, but he could not cower. He would not show those fools fear. He was not a coward.
Still though, he was careful not to mistake the stupidity with bravery.
Lelouch didn't close his book when he heard footsteps behind him – it was Jeremiah. The man was holding a hand gun and a cap. He handed both to Lelouch. The eleventh Prince of Britannia examined the gun for a moment before placing it inside his coat. "Do you think the emperor carries one around him?"
Jeremiah settled beside Lelouch; he too was dressed casually, and had a hat on his head. "Perhaps," he said. "But there would be need since he has plenty of guns to protect him."
"And I don't, isn't it?" Lelouch said with a smile on his lips. "But we will change this. We will change it very soon. Yet, I don't think a situation will come where I will have to forget it. You can never know when things become dangerous. The women that hang around us could as well surprise us by whipping out a gun in a comfortable situation."
"Which is why I have always recommended that you plan your meetings in places where you won't have to meet such company," a voice said from behind.
Lelouch glanced at the woman walking towards him. She was a beautiful blonde woman in her early twenties; her hair was long, and she wore glasses with clear blue eyes visible behind the lenses. She was holding a black briefcase. If not for Earl Bradford, he wouldn't have noticed her beauty. The Earl had him learn various things and notice things he would have otherwise seen as nothing. "It provides good cover, and yet the danger," Lelouch responded calmly. "Perhaps I have become used to the danger that it no longer bothers me."
"The same cannot be said for me," Jeremiah said. He had failed in his first job, but he would not fail this one. It didn't make it easy since his lord liked doing dangerous things. But so far, they have made it and he believed he could continue to make it.
Lelouch did not entertain Jeremiah. He closed his book and glanced down at the stairs while speaking to Elizabeth – the secretary of Aries Villa. "Are all preparations complete?" He asked.
She nodded, "Yes," she said. "But I have also been brought some interesting information from our sources?"
"Oh?" Lelouch looked curious. "What is it?"
"It is about the Second and Third Prince," Elizabeth started calmly, while watching Lelouch carefully. "Their movements, rather," she said.
Lelouch expected Schneizel to make moves but he did not expect anything from Clovis that he would find interesting. If Elizabeth was telling him then his brother was up to no good. Though with Clovis, it was probably something self-serving. The Prince helped no one unless he benefited. But because Nunnally was in Area 11, Lelouch could be concerned a bit. "What is Clovis doing?" he asked.
Elizabeth adjusted her glasses as she responded. "It appears that he has stumbled on some curious information regarding the Ashford and Earl Bradford."
"Stumbled?" Lelouch asked.
"It appears that someone fed general Bartley the information," Elizabeth said. "Prince Clovis appears set on asking questions about your involvement in things. By now, he probably suspects that you have something to do with their wealth and if he knows about their activities, he will be asking questions."
It was curious on who would leave that information out there. But Lelouch wasn't concerned by it now. Even if it did become public, he would weather the storm, and so would the Ashfords. He has been building sterner foundations that would not be easily shaken. But what was Clovis planning? His brother hadn't told him about it, and so, he was probably moving on his own. Lelouch shook his head. "If Clovis found out about this, he would have no doubt called Schneizel and whatever said, it should leave Clovis without any plans to do something stupid."
"Are you certain, my Lord?" Jeremiah asked with concern.
Lelouch nodded. "The worst thing Clovis can do as to find out that I indeed have contact with them. As long as Nunnally stays within the Emperor's grip, no one will make a move on her. Besides, even the nobles do not know of her location. The royal family has not said anything, but those who knew of her probably think she is dead," he said. "However, we still cannot leave Clovis unattended."
"Wouldn't talking to him raise suspicions?"
"If he has talked to Schneizel, then he probably knows already that we indeed have connections. We won't initiate contact until he has gone to the Ashfords," Lelouch asked with a smile. It would be a nice thing to call his brother and ask how the visit to the Ashford Academy was. "Then what is Schneizel doing?"
"It does appear that he indeed has connections with Cambodia," Elizabeth said in a serious tone. "But more specifically, the Toromo Institute."
Lelouch frowned. He had always known of Britannia's connections with Cambodia but the Toromo Institute was way too secretive to crack. They had no other information and what exactly it was that Schneizel did with them. Lelouch would find out eventually. But it did bother him that he could not discover anything about this. If he could know, then he would know Schneizel's plans.
"Britannia funds the institute, and it has been building Britannia's air defence systems. The High Command knows this and that is what it is supposed to do," Lelouch said in thought.
"But apparently, Prince Schneizel has been personally involved."
"Along with other research institutes," Lelouch said with a frown. "It is quite displeasing that my brother has many resources to throw around to any project he feels can produce some results. We have to crawl and scrape for every penny we get," there was a hint of bitterness in his tone.
"But we have worked well with Earl Bradford," Jeremiah was quick to say.
"Yes," Lelouch said. "But still not quite enough to compete with Schneizel. We truly have much work to do. You can leave the Toromo Institute for now. We have our own problems, and besides, his shadow will be looming over us when we make our debut…"
"His hand has been visible in quite many situations," Elizabeth reminded the Prince.
Lelouch shrugged. "I can choose to ignore those moments. Though, it does frustrate me that he seems to know many things and has his strings in many places. Well, he doesn't control everything and once I get my chance, I should manage things," he said while standing up.
"Please keep your activities short and in mind that you have to see Princess Cornelia at her home on Tuesday and you have to attend Duke Francis' party on Thursday. We don't want drama before such key meetings."
Lelouch stared at the woman before just shaking his head. "Let us go, Jeremiah," he said.
Elizabeth handed the briefcase she held to Jeremiah. The man took the briefcase and started walking down the stairs with Lelouch. They silently went into the driveway, where a black private car was waiting for them. As usual, the windows were tinted and the driver was ready. Both Jeremiah and Lelouch sat at the back.
"Camelot also does projects for Prince Schneizel… where does he even get the money?"
"He has many sponsors and he uses Britannia's resources. It is simple for him to create a research unit under Britannia's military but then have it report to him only, while using the Empire's resources. He is the Prime Minister, after all," Lelouch said before smiling. "But we must thank him for Camelot."
"Indeed," Jeremiah shared his master's smile. "Today's opponent?"
"A favour to Guinevere," Lelouch responded calmly.
Imperial Palace
VV wondered if Charles suspected him for what happened to Marianne. They had talked about it before, but there hadn't been any reaction from the emperor. Still, there had been some words said about the safety of Lelouch and Nunnally that made him question some things. It had felt like a warning to him. Well, he was not concerned about it anyway. As long as their plan was continuing to work, he would not complain. It has been years, but eventually they would be able to finish preparing their weapon.
"It is unfortunate that CC has left," VV said, but he was not that concerned because he knew that they eventually find her. Besides, they were still busy making preparations, she was not needed now.
"CC is in Area 11," Charles said to his brother. "As long as she has agreed to the plan, there shouldn't be reason for concern," he said.
"Perhaps," VV said. He looked thoughtful for a moment before asking. "I thought the only person you cared for was Marianne, Charles. But the amount of security you have placed for Nunnally makes me think you really do not wish for harm to fall upon her."
Charles narrowed his eyes a bit. "Nunnally is merely a tool to keep Lelouch under control," he said calmly. "If I permit something to happen to her, I won't be able to control Lelouch in the way I want," he added.
"But since no one outside of the royal family knows of Nunnally's status, it would be easy to make Lelouch forget about her," VV said.
Charles shrugged, a bit carelessly. "It is much more interesting when he is being forced to do it," he said.
VV shook his head. "I'm going back to the Directorate," he said.
Charles merely nodded and waited until VV was gone before settling down. He closed his eyes, waiting, counting the minutes. After a couple of minutes, Bismarck walked into the office. "He is gone, Your Majesty," the man said before stepping out.
"Well, that was close," Marianne said through Anya. "I think he just popped out of nowhere just to make things interesting," she paused for a moment before asking. "Why didn't you tell him about CC?"
"If I had told him that Clovis has her, he would have gone to look for her," Charles said calmly. "I want to see what Clovis will achieve in his experiments and how it will end. He seems to be a little paranoid about its secrecy," he said.
"CC refuses to speak to me these days," Marianne said. "Does Schneizel know?"
"Not about Geass or CC…" Charles said. "But he does know about one of the Thought Elevators. They just don't have the technology to study it. It also does appear that Clovis is keeping his experiments on CC to himself," he said. "Perhaps now is an interesting time to force Lelouch into the world."
So, this idea came to me while I was writing Half Prince and a Wish. I decided to make something of it. So, let me know what you think, and we'll see if this deserves more chapters.
The Omnipresent Sage