She is dancing on the moor
under the bright moonlight.
She is a beautiful shadow
cast by illusions of vastness.
So beautiful…
So mysterious…
He blinks a couple times, his Zero's helmet tucked safely in the nook of his elbow. He swallows and blinks again.
No, Suzaku isn't imagining this. He really is seeing her. Her shadow. Her long, slender figure dancing on the moor.
She turns to him and smiles.
Up on that moor,
the moonlight shines directly on her as though it were her spotlight,
her stage, as though she were a main character of a play.
(She is, he thinks, she has always been a princess. A graceful princess envied by many. Even the moon is jealous of her beauty)
(Even in death, she is still breathtakingly beautiful)
He blinks again. His soft, brown hair blows gently in the wind and he can see her waving at him in her usual, lovely way. He steps forward-
Her shadow gets smaller
because she's turned around.
Her laughter fills the air as she runs through the vast, silent moor.
"Wait!" he calls out, breaking into a sprint after her.
(No, he will not lose her again)
(He's chasing after an illusion but it doesn't matter because it's such a beautiful, beautiful, dazzling and mesmerizing illusion)
She keeps running
and her shrill laughter fills the cold air.
Her small feet carry her so fast
as if she were gliding on the wind.
"Come back, Euphie! Come back!"
His voice's becoming hoarse as he chases after her. His speed gradually slows down. His lungs threaten to burst and at last he stops, completely out of breath.
He doubles over with hands on knees. Tears stream down his face. His short hair's matted against his forehead.
Alas, she turns and faces him.
In the distance, he can see her long, long flowing pink hair glistened under the moonlight.
She smiles and reaches out her hand,
inviting him over.
(But he can't. He's, oh, so tired. He just wants to go back to the palace, to crawl into his bed and sleep)
He straightens up to look at his beautiful, breathtakingly, unbelievably, incomparably beautiful, beautiful princess. And slowly, he reaches out his hand.
"When you see a white rose, promise to think of me," she says over the wind.
"Think of me and I'll love you forevermore.
I'll be with you till the end of time.
In a white rose, you'll see my ghost,
so know I'll be by your side. Always."
"I promise," he whispers.
xxx
"Zero, can I ask you a question?"
(No you can't, he thinks, because every time someone says that, it just means the question is most likely impossible to answer)
"Of course, Your Highness," he answers through the mask.
Nunnally reaches out to touch his hand but he quickly withdraws. She looks hurt but he doesn't care. He knows what she's going to ask and he won't risk her knowing the truth.
"Where do you go at night, Zero?" she asks softly.
Suzaku suppresses the urge to sigh.
(Why does it matter where I go or what I do? As long as I fulfill this forsaken task, just leave me alone)
"I didn't think you'd realize I'm not in my room at night, Your Highness," he says.
"I-I…" Nunnally flusters for a second before regaining her composure, clears her throat and says, "I can't sleep at night, either. I keep seeing my brother's face. The blood… His tears… I can even clearly hear his last words…"
(Oh you poor thing. That man really damned us both, didn't he?)
"I saw you leaving one night," she continues, "but I was scared to follow. The next few nights, I've noticed the same thing."
Suzaku blinks behind the mask, awaiting what she says next. But she never says another word.
He likes to believe she wants him to take the initiative but he never will.
That shadow on the moor is his and his only. He won't share it with anyone.
Even if it's an illusion of a long forgotten ghost.
(Sorry, Nunnally. I love you but I love her more, too much. Your presence might make her disappear)
"I just take a stroll in the palace's garden, Your Highness," he answers.
And the topic is closed, never brought up again.
xxx
Her beauty never wavers
in spite of passing time.
Her long, slender figure is dancing on the moor tonight.
Her shrill laughter fills the air.
"Suzaku, Suzaku…"
His name is whispered amongst the wind.
He closes his eyes and smiles. He can smell her mesmerizing scent. He wants to hold her, oh, so much but she is so far away. Far away from his reach.
He follows her. She gets further away.
He breaks into a run. He won't lose her again-
Her high-pitched laughter fades into the distance
as she leads him on and on through the silent moor
with the jealous moon as the light guide.
When he's out of breath, he stops and stares after her running white figure.
She turns, smiles, reaches out her small hand and says,
"Think of me when you see a white rose,
and I'll be your ghost of a rose.
Forever and more. Never fading.
Because I love you so.
Even death cannot separate us. Never letting go.
So promise me, my love…"
"I promise." His words are once again carried amongst the wind, and her beautiful, beautiful laughter is her reply.
xxx
Nunnally quietly opens the door to Zero's quarters.
She knows he's out. He's out every night now and she knows that he isn't taking a stroll in the palace's garden like he said. She knows because she follows him and he doesn't stop at the gate to said garden. He goes past and beyond the palace's gate out into the wide, lonely moor. That's when she gets scared of following further.
Taking a deep breath, she wheels her chair into his room and stops short.
She's smelling a scent here. A familiar and nice, comforting scent. Fumbling for the light switch, she flips it on and freezes.
"Promise me that when you see a white rose,
you'll think of me and me only.
And I'll be with you forevermore,
not even death can stop our love
because I'll be your ghost of a rose.
Never letting go… Never fading…"
~fin~
disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.
inspired by Ghost of a Rose by Blackmore's Night. Thanks for reading! Reviews appreciated!