The shrieks and cries of shock were resounding.
The man who gave all chance of happiness, and the man who gave up his life.
The dark crusader, the defender of the weak.
Zero.
The tyrant of a forcibly taken throne.
The man I love.
The Black Prince and the Savior.
To many, this would seem like the perfect ending, the concluding showdown. But they don't know. They don't know anything.
The 99th Emperor... and the martyr.
The both of them stood there, unmoving, waiting for the perfect moment. Best friends, unknown to the watching people. Just waiting... And here I stand, just behind my love, him standing in a stance as if to protect me.
Yes, I must play my part. The unwilling bride of Emporer Lelouch Vi Brittania. The new bride of Zero. My mask does not falter. No, the facade of the terrified beauty behind a killer, herself a killer, all for her husband. Does not crack, even though her heart shatters into sharp, glittering little pieces. Her soul slowly twisted and pulled, agonizingly eaten from the inside, by the intense thought in the back of her mind that I, this woman, could do nothing to stop it. Would do nothing to stop it.
The crowd seems to take a collective breath, almost hopeful.
'Don't they realize?' I ask myself, in the long, drawn moment that I wish wouldn't end. For, if it ended, so did his life. A sharp laugh had to be fought. Of course they didn't. That the emperor himself was the true Zero, the only Zero.
His former Knights of Justice bound and shackled, watching the spectacle in apprehension. Oh, yes, they knew it was he who gave his entire future for the people who were crucifying him.
But it was all his plan, all his fault. But even now, in this moment of limbo, I cannot bring myself to blame him.
The Zero Requiem. The plan to turn the world's hatred to one, single person, one pinpoint. Him. And, once the people were oppressed, he'd die, taking the world's burning hate with him.
But, for what? What was it worth if he could not live happily in the new world he created? Why was he not able to enjoy the fruits of his labour, his suffering? All of these questions, and none of them will ever be answered.
His death will stop the execution of the Black Knights, and, hopefully, each and every painful beat of my heart. But, alas, I must live on in this agony that I wouldn't even call an existance. Oh, C.C, you thought you knew pain... You know nothing.
He doesn't deserve this. Not this fate, no, this doom. Was this the way he would be rewarded for creating a gentler world?
All of this twisted and distorted irony, the falsety he had no choice but to call life. He murdered his own family for this.... And now, this ironic requiem he has in existence will have to end. The Requiem, the one he created, nourished, and would be eventually destroyed by. Oh, Lelouch, I don't want you to die....
He had to lie. Lie his life, to his friends... And, to an extent, to me. He said he would always protect me, no matter what. Cliche, huh? But now, he couldn't. Not while he was holding the dagger that was slowly twisting in my chest.... Slowly, ever so slowly.... There is no protection for a Queen who needs protection from her King.
The chess game that he won, then lost, at the last minute...
The darkly clad figure carefully made a stance, a piercing stance. By the Sword of Akasha, Lelouch's sword, was how he was to die.
A whimper escaped me. No, no, I must be strong, for him. But a high wail issued from somewhere deep, somewhere that would never feel again. My defenses, so long known as the apathy of Zero's best assassin, were failing.
No, I have to do something. Stop this heartache. Have to save him. But... He would never forgive me if I did.
Lelouch, don't you understand that I love you too much to lose you? To just let you go like this?
The collective breath of the people seemed to be exhaled as Suzaku, seemingly emotionless behind the mask, struck.
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Seemingly, seemed, seem.... No, I won't allow this. Not here, not now.
How dare C.C trick me like this? Give me a Geass, then force her Code upon me?!? Now she'd age and die, and I'll be stuck, forever mourning the one -the only one- that I could ever love.
Everything was in slow motion to me. I am an assassin, and I am quicker and deadlier than anything on this earth. Just before the deadly edge reached his exposed chest, I made my move.
The darkness of my old Geass sung in my veins as I kissed the lips of the doomed. His arms wrapped around me, and my fury and suffering grew to greater heights as the constant safety I always felt occurred. But, a small, calm part of me was relieved. His reaction, I knew, meant that he would support whatever decision I made from this point on. Either way, he knew he was going to die, to sacrifice himself for the cause known only to me, him, and Kallen.
But I wouldn't allow it. In no way was I going to go through that torture for an eternity!
I was making a selfish choice, I knew this from the moment I acted. Wasn't I told, by my instructor, that there were no rewards or punishments in life, only cosequences? Well, none of mine were to my benefit. So, now, at the time I needed it the most, I did the first thing for not only myself, but the millionth for him.
The blade pierced my back, and the pain only made me more aware of the slender man I was holding so dearly, who was being pierced the same as I.
Ha, Suzaku, here is your consequence. You never wanted to hurt me, only to love me. I would have only been yours after his death, my heart dead with him. Now, this is your atonement. Now he will not die, and I will forever be out of your reach.
Lelouch's amethyst eyes glowed with the Geass I have forced into him, wide with surprise at the unexpected occurrance.
Yes, Lelouch, you will do what you do best; lie. You will fake your death, because I have willed it so...
And so have you. I know you don't want to die, especially after you recovered Nunnally...
For all intents and purposes, you will be dead. But so will I. And, after our bodies have been moved, we will still be alive... Blood covers our pure white clothing, and we fall, still enclosed in eachother's embrace...
But, in the end, we live, together, loving and healing, living and laughing, but no one will know.
Nobody will know that the former Emperor Lelouch vi Brittania and deceased Empress Zesaika Zachaire are alive, enjoying the world they have worked so hard for....
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I watched as the body tumbled forward, down the ramp, ignoring the little scenario I had playing in my head. Blood smeared on the floor, and his face was pale, the face of death.
Yes, I must do what he has asked of me. I run into the arms of Zero, burying my anguished face into his shoulder before it was revealed to the spectators surrounding us. Somthing snapped inside of me, and I felt myself grow numb. The only thing that registered in my senses was the feel of the cold hilt of the sword that was in the hands of the man that held me.
"Zesaika...." I heard, returning from my reverie. My head snapped up, and I turned to the dying man at the bottom of the ramp. Nunnally, her eyes yet again shut, was gripping and sobbing into his clothing. I had on yet another mask, one of disdain and understanding. I slowly knelt by him and held his hand, whispering, so no one else could hear, "I love you, forever...." He smiled slightly, blood dribbling down his chin. "I... love you... too..." he whispered back. And, as those eyes, those glorious violet eyes that I loved faded, he announced, "I... Create Worlds.... I..... Destroy Worlds....." HIs eyes shut, and Nunnally let out a piercing shriek.
I was smiling triumphantly as I stood straight and returned to Suzaku's waiting arms. But, on the inside, I was in the smame condition as Nunnally. I was shrieking and swearing and lashing out with my Geass. But, no, I was smiling as the one I thought I was truly destined for, was dead.