Title: For You
Rating: G
Theme: Sisterhood
Pairings/Characters: Euphemia and Cornelia
Spoilers/Warnings: None really. o.o Just for the outcome of the battle between Cornelia and the Black Knights in Season One.
Time Period: Night after the battle between the Black Knights and Princess Cornelia in the Narita Mountain Range. Season One.
Summary: After her defeat, Cornelia wants only to go home to the one still waiting on her.
Word Count: 3,216
Dedication: To Ivory, because if it wasn't for your words last night, I would not have woken up this morning with a smile on my lips and a skip to my steps. Your words will never go unappreciated.
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass. If I did, you'd no longer wonder how in the world it could be possible for this anime to get any more twisted than it already is! x3
A/N: I know! Dx You can all kill me now! I haven't updated in FOREVER. I have no real reason why. Life's been busy. =/ But that's not a good excuse. This, then, is both an apology fic to you all, and a sign that I've not died yet! Dx I still have tons of ideas for this series. It just takes me forever to write them. o-o Sadly… *Cough* Review and encourage me! Dx In fact, I'll happily take requests at this point! O= Doesn't THAT make you want to review? xD Ahh~ *Wipes away a tear* My shameless ploys~ 3
- - - - - - -
For a brief moment, light flooded into the hall, banishing the thick, sleepy presence of darkness before a silent figure stepped into its path, breaking the steady beam. In silence it shut the door behind itself, and the slow, heavy rustle of expensive fabric and the soft echo of heeled boots on the pristine tiled floor were the only sounds to disturb what dull depth of night the clearly lavish household of royalty had fallen into. Ornamental topiary, extravagant paintings and charismatic décor were all passed by with the same disinterest one would pay a mere butterfly lost amidst a field teeming with glorious, sunbathed flowers. Even one elaborate marble statue of elegant birds captured in the midst of beauteous flight, departing the earth in sweeps and taking to the heavens, weaving wordless poetry amidst the sky in their thrilling arcs and twists and very feat of flight—was passed by.
There was, however, a warm memory associated to such. For indeed, not all such garish furnishings were placed there merely to look pretty. As the story was recalled, in moments where more time was afforded them to dwell on such, it had been quite some many years before when Euphemia had been younger, just a dabbling child of a figure, and Cornelia none the greater in physique, if not personality. In those years, as children, somehow all the rigors and laws of Britannia had seemed mild and not easily concerning, swiftly cast aside at the end of lectures and training routines both, in light of an opportunity for play. Many times, unlike what was to be expected, the younger of the two sisters was the deciding factor in what games to play, what pastimes to take, where to venture off to in new and welcome an adventure. For the elder sister, it was easy to sit back and let Euphemia decide. Though the younger was strong-willed and even often mistaken in her calculations, she was ruled by her wistful, strong heart, and though the other might not have understood such at first, all things come eventually to light.
So it was, that on that particular day, the elder sibling had taken her sister to just such a meadow as was captured in the stonework of the statue in the entrance hall. And oh, what glorious a meadow it had been! Teeming with flowers that rose up so high as to wash up to their very waists, swaying around them as though an ocean, throwing up spores and petals alike, so that in the moment they two had burst free of their watchful guardians they were swallowed up in a sea of sunlit rainbows, showers of them bursting up and swirling upon the slightest eddies of air. And oh, though Cornelia had been lost in overwhelming a quietude of joy at the feeling of freedom that overcame her, such a meadow was ever as those her sister so loved and adored even to this day. And such it was, for it had been Euphemia that she'd ever had in mind when selecting that place, and looking back upon that moment, it had proven one of the greatest choices she had ever made, in war or beyond it.
It had taken them but a split second to bolt for the meadow, and soon the objective changed from escaping their avid watchdogs into a race of pure delight, nothing more than a happy, careless romp amidst the wildflowers. How Euphemia had laughed! Running amok with such senseless, purely jovial abandon! So much so, that she had run upon a hidden, nesting flock of birds without realizing it.
Cornelia had laughed so! Even as she ran to catch up to her younger sister, who had cried out and fallen back on her rump at the sudden uplifting of hundreds of earth-tinged avians she was laughing, calling out her sister's name and unable to hide her amusement. In a way, Cornelia had had the distinct impression that Euphie was almost nearly as shocked as the very birds she had frightened into taking flight. And it was with this hilarious thought that the older finally caught up to her sister, a bemused and somewhat sly grin upon her lips. Bending over and resting hands on thighs, the deep purple haired girl had gazed at the still dumbfounded sibling of hers, who could not pull her eyes away from the departing flock of birds, a blank and terribly cute expression frozen upon her face.
"Euphie," the older of the two sang in a low voice, trying to get the other's attention. "Staring at the birdies won't make them come back."
At first Euphemia didn't reply and Cornelia's grin faded rapidly into an expression of confusion, her elegantly arching eyebrows furrowing in mingled disappointment and puzzlement at her sister's silence. "Eu—," she began again, only to be startled as Euphemia suddenly gasped sharply and grabbed her sister's arms, pulling her down to the ground, even though it seemed as though she had only just then realized her sister was there!
"Sister!" she cried, pushing Cornelia instantly into a sitting position right beside her, before hugging her sister's arm and pointing eagerly up at the sky filled with the departing forms of countless warmly tinged birds, trailing off into the lightly flushing heavens, made pink and orange, purple and golden by the awe-striking sunset caught in the beginning of a heady yawn, arms spreading wide, finger-painting the heavens with its warm goodbye.
"Look!" Euphemia had gasped breathlessly, eyes shining with ecstasy. "Look at them, sister! Aren't they beautiful?"
But, Cornelia could only look, for a moment, with mild awe and curiosity at her sister, so gathered up in this moment that she had shed all fear and embraced her little accident with delight and adoration. True, with Euphemia it was always something else catching her fleeting attention, sending her into fits of joy, leaving her with yet another lovely and endearing impression, but time and time again, such little ditties and happenstances caught the elder sister off guard. To Euphemia, all the world was beautiful, and every mistake worthwhile. To Cornelia, mistakes were blemishes, meant to be ashamed of and recovered from. How odd then, that this strong-willed sister would fall so swiftly in love with her delicately bothersome and foolhardy dreamer of a sibling. And yet…
At last the older of the two turned her gaze upon the sight her sister was so caught up in, and—as she watched—all those thoughts of but moments before, and the sight of the avian exodus both, brought a smile to her face.
"It really is quite something," Cornelia admitted, wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders in an appreciative manner, an unspoken 'Thank you.' The younger of the two automatically leaned against her sister and hummed happily under her breath, in place of an answer, and for a long time—though never quite long enough with Euphemia's level of distractibility—they sat together in a warm, comfortable silence, watching the breathtaking sight fade away out of existence and sight.
"I want to never forget this!" Euphie had suddenly declared after another moment of content silence between the two, perking upright with a face of determination, and Cornelia had glanced at her sister with the return of her same confident, bemused grin as before.
"Well," the older of the two had said thoughtfully, glancing back after the departing flock of birds. "We can do that."
Now the representation of that memorable day in their childhood was displayed clearly in the stone sculpture that graced the extensive entrance hall to their home, greeting any and all who entered their large and luxurious mansion—though it was but a small portion of the expansive mass of buildings that constituted the royal Britannian empire's many homes. But it was to this one that they two had become attached, their home since forever, familiar and unchanging—if only for a time.
What had goaded Euphie on into choosing a sculpture for such a representation of that day still seemed unclear, when the elder of the two thought back on it. For one, a painting would have seemed far more suitable in capturing the magnificent colors displayed in that evening past. However, Euphemia had so set her heart on capturing that moment, and seemed so adamant that it be a real, tangible thing, that Cornelia could not refuse her sister the odd request. She had had to pull quite a few strings, but in matters of persuasion and achieving results the elder princess was well skilled, and soon permission had been granted her to commission such an expensive work of art. Cornelia herself had selected the deftest artisans of their unique talents and brought them before Euphemia, who explained in little detail her wishes.
They worked as a pair, the sisters two, with Euphemia dancing about the craftsmen, more giddy and praising than helpful in terms of details. Cornelia's watchful eye, however, kept them in check and on schedule as they fashioned the larger than life display based on the memories of the vivid and bubbly description her sister Euphemia had given them. There had been little room for mistakes, especially with Euphie stepping in every few moments to comment on this or that, but once it was completed at last, Euphie had gushed that it was exactly as she had remembered it from so many years ago. Indeed, it had taken them quite a long time to complete, but standing there with her sister brimming with excitement, Cornelia was awed at its completion. They stood in the midst of a memory, frozen in time, awash in blushing colors of sunset and fragrant majesty, with birds rising and spreading wings for flight all around them, flowers and petals of leaves caught upon thin, beautiful strains of wind, painted and just as finely designed—a masterpiece beyond any ever they had been given by their admirers and caretakers alike to be sure, especially there, standing in the midst of so picturesque an exodus, a whirlwind of purest delight.
But now such was passed by with only the slightest hint of acknowledgment, and that was only graced with such as the elegant figure made its way around the involved sculpture and headed towards the stairs. It took them slowly, as though feet were heavily laden, and though once perhaps—during harsh revelation of daylight—such would not be found, now its movements were weighted down with disappointment and much deliberation.
Moonlight and pale lamplight caught an elegant curl of deeply purpled a mane, but was lost to shadows as one of a set of heavy double doors was pushed open without a whisper. Slowly it was shut behind and then head lifted to settle on the bed crafted in the shape of a blooming flower, soft veils of blushing femininity draped in murmured elegance over and around the resting place of the younger princess, Euphemia.
For a moment, no movement was made, and the silent figure by the doors stood lost in what could be presumed to be only deep thought, perturbing and stilling. At last, however, it seemed to shed such and moved with a surprisingly gentle air nearer the resting princess, until at last it drew to the left side of the bed, gently standing with no concern for the delicate fabric of the veils pushing against a decisive sweep of its hair. Softly, after gazing down upon the gentle rise and fall of this tender figure of happiness to… more than anyone else, one person at least, hesitance left it and the shadowed visitor settled gently down upon the bed.
"Mmm… sister?"
Cornelia's hand withdrew, after having just moved to stroke away a stray lock of hair from her sister's face, and she looked down at her sibling with surprise.
"You're awake, Euphie?" the other prodded curiously, hand no more restrained and moving freely to complete its task from before. Euphemia moaned softly from sleepiness, the sound soon breaking into a yawn that made Cornelia blink steadily in an attempt to suppress a rejoinder.
"Mmhmm…" came the slow, sleepy response. Then a hand raised itself to rub at periwinkle eyes, one at a time, eyebrows furrowing and hand reaching for her older sister's. "I'm sorry, sister. I tried to stay awake, but I fell asleep before you could come back." The younger's voice was tinged with innocent regret, and slight shame.
It made Cornelia smile.
"Euphie, you silly bee," she crooned softly, squeezing the hand that had grasped hers. "I told you I did not know when I'd be back, did I not?" But watching how her sister still struggled to keep her eyes open, trying to make out the face of her elder sibling, Cornelia's countenance grew apologetic. However, before she could say anything, Euphemia was asking her the query she knew would come.
"How did th—th—," a great yawn cut off her words, though she regained her train of thought not long after its departure. "The battle… How did it go, sister?"
Cornelia grimaced slightly, smooth face creased with sudden distaste as she recalled the shameful defeat that had been dealt her by the masked man, Zero. To be so humiliated, forced into a corner and nearly captured by the Black Knights, intended to be used as nothing more than a bargaining chip with Britannia! It brought a cold light to her amethyst eyes, and thoughts again swept up in her mind of countermeasures that would be taken to revoke the smugness of his victory in the days ahead. But almost immediately a plaintive frown, coupled with a soft sound, from the pale-rose haired girl in her flowery nightgown interrupted her elder sibling's bitter thoughts.
For but a moment, Cornelia's gaze surfaced from the turbulent waters of her mind to gaze at her sibling, a faintly reproachful light still discernable in the thick night. But such fled as swiftly as it had come. A slow exhalation then, was conceded her sister, and Cornelia rose to her feet in elegance, defeat far from marring what was hers through birth alone. No kingdom or power outside her own stance, by this truth as all reveled in her strength, would ever to be able to mar such. She was, untouchable.
With deft, but slow and steadied movements, the elder unclasped her cloak as she went, motions whispering of no hesitance, but rather of weariness that comes with long a day, defeat playing only very minimal a portion in adding to the tiredness pleading with her strong heart.
"The battle went to Zero," came the words, dry and without concern—no longer desiring nor needing to contemplate on such for any longer. What was done, was done. It was not upon this night she would dedicate her momentary solace to thoughts of the ever and on-going war that raged within the extensive kingdom of Britannia. Nor would she give up any other night to Zero, to her bloodline, her kingdom or king. Her loyalty was not bought, nor easily perceived. She fought for no cause, did not back Britannia beyond the recognition that in its halls of grandeur she had been raised and cultured to one day succeed whatever thrones they placed before her.
Neither need, then, nor desire drove her movements, but only habit—only a pursuit and upholding of the lifestyle by which she had grown into a woman unlike many of the others that remained hidden behind poverty or ill-fitted traits. She had been born into the right family, in the right time, in the right place. And thusly, here she stood, and shed the mantle which she donned even still daily, and let fine cloth and expensive leather alike slide from shoulders and feet. Casually she draped such upon the curling arm and back of a lavish chair, until she was clothed in naught but the silk undershirt of soft pearl she wore beneath her usual clothes, and the deep cherry tights characteristic of her.
"Ah… sister," came the tentative voice from the bed, interrupting the silence, the reclining figure of Euphemia no more awake than she had been the moment she'd stirred under her sibling's surprisingly tender touch. "You're not upset are you?" Her words were strained with plaintiveness, like that of apologetic a pup, whining softly with ears flattened against soft furry head, hoping not to be chastised for its forwardness.
It was without inhibition that Cornelia let smile settle lips at such words, silently returning to her sister's bedside and sitting down, hand automatically reaching out in habit to finger the tresses of her sibling.
"Do not worry, Euphie," she coaxed reassuringly, suddenly more concerned over correcting her sister's emotions. There was nothing to be gained in mulling over what could not be fixed for the time being. And there was even less a reason to let such rise to the surface of one's thoughts to the point where it disturbed the fragile, easily swayed moods of her sister. "It doesn't matter right now," Cornelia continued warmly, pushing aside everything on her mind other than her sister.
And was that not all that there was ever to such? For the elder flower maiden, it was this paler blossom that rose above all other priorities. Naught could change that, nor ever would. To Britannia she pledged her blade, but to Euphemia she had and would ever devote her heart.
It was not long then, that the younger flower's eyes shuttered under the combination of lulling fingers and soothing voice, so that her body seemed to slowly sink further into the plush folds of the bed's encompassing warmth. Likened to the child she had ever been, it was within moments that her breathing deepened, Cornelia looking over her with tender, undying a gaze of love and soft-spoken affection. For her, she would give the world.
Suddenly, however, just when Cornelia had thought Euphemia to have finally slipped once more into the wholesome arms of sleep, the younger wrapped arms stoically around her sister's waist, pulling the elder down into the airy folds of blankets beyond the soft lace of translucent veils. A look of surprise garnished her bewildered face until the younger nuzzled her arm and sighed with a note of deep contentment.
It took but a moment before the mildly taken aback gaze diminished into a look of tenderness. Softly resting an arm around Euphemia's shoulders, another hand fingering the blankets closer, tugging them around her sister and self, Cornelia pushed aside thoughts of changing or returning to her own room.
Regardless the challenges of the days past, at least in such hours of fertile rest, let flowers lay their heads down together, and not stand great distances apart, the meadow that once brought them together replaced by brazen walls and hierarchies of the very kingdom within which they'd been cultured. Here at least, for some hours, they could push aside lineage and duty alike in favor of the smaller delights always most wonderful when shared with one another.
To you, my heart, for battles may come and go, defeat be as eminent as victory. Yet ever you are there, a comfort to me, regardless the way the tides have turned. Euphemia….
- - - - - - -
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this fic, my third written in the Code Geass series. To answer a few questions, I have watched through all of the first season, and am still somewhere in the middle of R2. Why I keep returning to season one to write these fics is because I feel there is still so much to go on. With so many characters and relationships plying for attention all at once, there's only so much time the actual series gives you to enjoy those relationships. So part of the reason I write fics like this, is to explore and explain the relationships that exist in Code Geass.
Later, I will probably write others that might seem completely out of the blue. But that's what makes this fun, doesn't it? –Smiles- I hope you all can just bear with me, for the time being. I hope this update helps to prove that I am not dead yet. My priorities, unfortunately, give me little time to devote to fanfiction. But we will see how things turn out.
As usual, I thank you all for reading, and am ever grateful for any and all reviews I do receive for my fics.