Pendragon - 2010

Cornelia walked briskly down the corridor clenching a lavender folder as if her life depended on it. Anyone who knew her and knew what she had been through in the last few months would have bet an arm and a leg that her life indeed did depend on it. However said people, who were actually few in number, may have thought they were hallucinating upon seeing the slight curl on her lips. Almost as if she was daring herself to smile. Almost.

And Cornelia knew she had every reason to. This was the second time she was making this appeal. The first time had been nothing more than an outburst in court without any sound reasoning to back her up. Now however she was prepared with four months worth of research. Of course to play it safe she had decided to check with the newly appointed prime minister. Which was exactly why she was heading to Schneizel's office right now.

She threw the doors open without knocking as usual. It was only after a young man left the room while simultaneously stumbling and bowing to her did she embrace a grin.

"I've got it. With this there is no reason to keep Lelouch or Nunnally in that infernal land." When her triumphant declaration was met with only silence she decided to try a different approach.

"I've extensively covered all the laws and have been able to counteract all the courts arguments against bringing them back as well as thought about sound arguments against any anticipated topics. I just need you to look throu-" she stopped upon seeing the look on Schneizel's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked with dread filling her. Schneizel proceeded to fidget with his fingers before slowly folding them and placing them in front of him on his desk in a very diplomatic fashion. It wasn't going to be good news.

"It's about Lelouch and Nunnally… the messenger just now was sent from the emperor to inform us that they… well we can't exactly save them anymore."

"What? What do you mean?" All colour had drained from her face.

"It seems the Japanese did not take too well to the recent Sakuradite conference when Britannia sort of demanded or you could say threatened them for a lower price. They decided to take it out on the two political hostages they had which happened to be…"

"…Lelouch and Nunnally…" Cornelia whispered.

A still silence had filled the room. It was almost as if neither occupant was breathing. Then the princess slowly picked up the folder and started walking towards the door.

"Cornelia, orders have already been given to forego the planned conference and invade Japan. Although the vi Britannia's were never regarded highly among nobles, no one is going to tolerate the fact that Britannian blood was spilt by mere animals. Knightmare squads are being deployed as we speak."

She had stopped walking to hear him out but had not turned around to face him.

"I see." The words were not more than a whisper. "Don't tell Euphie. I want to break the news to her myself." And with that she left.

Area Eleven - 2011

Lelouch remembered the first time he pulled the trigger of a gun. It had been a little over a year ago yet it seemed just like yesterday.

When Japan had been invaded, he, Nunnally and Suzaku had just happened to be away from the Kururugi Shrine. In fact they had been in the perfect position to actually see it being bombed. It wasn't a coincidence though. There was a reason they had been trying to run away and it wasn't one he wanted to think about right now.

After days of trekking through the forest and finally reaching a small town, their fatigue was rewarded by the news that Britannia had been victorious in the war. Nevertheless the children, despite Lelouch and Nunnally's Britannian heritage, were welcomed with open arms.

It was only when they decided to leave the town and make their way to Tokyo that they realized they were being followed. By a lone Britannian.

It was during Lelouch's turn to carry Nunnally when the man attacked. Suzaku had intercepted him but the eleven year old had not been able to do much against what was revealed to be a skillfully trained soldier and was thus tossed aside.

Putting Nunnally down, Lelouch had tried to engage him but his attempt was all but effective. A simple shove and the sound of a gun cocking was enough to make him stop in his tracks. It was then that he realized that the man was after them, to kill them.

He remembered trembling with his feet rooted to the spot, unable to move. In that split second he had prayed to the gods that he had never believed in. It could have been an answer to his prayers, fate or even a coincidence, but it was at that moment that Suzaku had jumped onto the man from behind. This was followed by an unmanly yelp and the sound of metal clattering onto the dirt path.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lelouch had picked up the gun and fired. It was only after he had helped Suzaku toss the body into the wild overgrown grass that he realized what he had done. He did not dare touch Nunnally with his hands and left her to Suzaku for the rest of the day. The other boy and his sister did not object nor did they question him. Lelouch had killed someone for the first time that day. It wouldn't be the last time.

Finding shelter in the Tokyo ghettoes would have been easy if they didn't need to keep on moving to avoid what they had started to call the Assassins. They were highly trained soldiers with only one intent. To kill the vi Britannia siblings. And they soon realised why.

Japan, now called Area eleven, was invaded in retaliation to the deaths of Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia. If the two siblings were miraculously alive then there was no way the Britannians could justify the attack. This of course was Suzaku's logic. Lelouch on the other did not believe that the Emperor needed to justify his actions at all and just wanted them dead. However both did agree on the fact that going to the Britannian authorities would be the most foolish course of action.

The Assassins, however, kept coming. There were never more than four in a group and sometimes there was only one person. However each time they came, they were stronger. But so were Lelouch and Suzaku.

Upon finding a new safe house, they would immediately set up a few traps and mark out ways to make a quick exit. They had started being able to indentify said Assassins based on their behavior and actions and were now able to attack them first. Lelouch would think of a plan and Suzaku would put it into action. This would sometimes involve revealing their target as a Britinnian in the middle of the ghettoes – something the Japanese did not really take well to. Other times meant killing the Assassins with the guns and ammunition they had scavenged from previous Assassins. Killing had become a weekly thing in both their lives.

Other than the frequent attacks, they had been able to live peacefully even finding a few happy moments here and there. That was until today.

The Assassin had attacked them in their latest safe house – something none of them had expected. Usually the boys would conduct their death traps away from the safe house and thus away from Nunnally. But now both of them lay vulnerable on the ground with a gun in their direction. Lelouch wanted to shout to his sister to run even though he knew she couldn't but any attempt to do so was cut off by a single gun shot. And the Assassin fell to the floor.

Behind him on the ground was Nunnally with her hands clutching a gun and her eyes wide open.

Lelouch remembered the first time he pulled the trigger of a gun. He had taken a life. He had snatched it away in the blink of an eye in order to protect himself. He had promised himself that he would never feel so weak again. He would never let the fear of death affect him so much. He had lost his naivety the day his mother died. But his innocence had been lost the day he first fired a gun. And he had never wanted it to happen to Nunnally.

A/N

Hey so this is my first code geass story which I've wanted to write for a while. I'll explain what I'm aiming for with this story in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.