There will be Anachronisms. MANY. DEAL WITH IT.

"Oh dear brother! I am so excited and can't wait to take to the seas like an ole timey sailor! I'm more than ready! I should replace one of my legs for a wooden peg and then I'll be like a real pirate!" Nunnally exclaimed at her amused older brother, who returned her enthusiasm with a bright smile and tighter hug while he cradled her on his lap. Lelouch Vi Britannia and his dear sister Nunnally were scheduled to cross the Atlantic from their current home in Britannia, all the way to the island of Japan, a journey slated for 3 months with one stop at an island in the Bahamas called Barbados where the ship was purported to acquire a shipment of Molasses and partake in general resupplying.

Lelouch was still seething at the fact that not only were him and his sister being sanctioned to a 2nd class ship but also because his opposition at the situation was met with dismissive condescension by anyone who lent an ear. They were booked onto a decently sized charter ketch with a crew of ~50 and guest capacity of another ~50, although Lelouch made sure that the latter was capped to a quarter of that number, and that a third of what was left was to be his own personal guards and company, all in all leaving room for maybe only one other family to accompany them on their arduously long journey. Lelouch had also demanded that said family be screened and required to be of aristocratic blue blood, same as his family. Granted, the ship was one of the more upscale of the fleet that his family owned, but it certainly wasn't the highest quality luxury liner at their disposal.

The elite Britannia family owned and operated a fleet of 37 ships through their commerce/shipping company, East Britannia Trading Co. and apparently, the two other charter ketch's that had the upscale luxury compartments were being solicited out at the moment, leaving Lelouch to just grit his spoiled teeth and resign himself to accept his fate.

"Nunnally, please don't be so crude when you talk of your handicap, it's not lady-like, besides" he teased his little sisters bangs a bit, "I don't think you can 'arrggghh mateyyy' very well" he snickered. Nunnally started laughing while mimicking her brother and cutely attempting to prove him wrong by repeatedly practicing "Argggh matteyyy, arrgghh mateeyy, heheh" but before she let herself get carried away into a fantasy of sea shanties and beautiful ocean scenery, she looked down at her brothers arms supporting her frame and sobered a bit at the reminder that she didn't have functioning legs and they would be on a boat of all things, for 3 months… it kind of terrified her a bit so even though she always tried her level best to be strong for and in front of her brother, she still found solace in her Lelouch whenever she was upset and needed consoling. Not that Lelouch minded, he would rather it be him than anyone else in the world, for him, it was the highest of any privilege bestowed.

Sensing his sisters tension, Lelouch shot her a concerned glance "What's the matter, Nunnally…? There won't really be any pirates…" He silently prayed that to remain true. His familys fleet was well equipped for threats and as such, that reputation made it so that their cargo was rarely if ever targeted. That didn't necessarily fully suppress the threat however.

"No, that's not really it, it's more that… uhm, I'll be safe from the rough seas, right Lelouch? You won't leave me alone to fall off the side and into a watery grave, right?" She said it with a hint of rising panic. Lelouch was taken aback at the starkly ominous scene his sweet Nunnally painted with her words. Internally though, he snickered because of course she could evoke that kind of imagery with her words, she was still, after all, his sister.

"Oh Nunally," He said in his most reassuring voice "my dear beautiful sister, I won't leave your side ever, not for one second and… you will be safe on the boat and everywhere else… always safe in my arms" He hugged her tighter and smiled at the reciprocity he received. It was all happy expectations after that.

"You know… you can leave me for a bit if you find a friend to spend some time with! I won't mind. I hope we come across some friendly people!" Nunallys eyes betrayed a hint of sadness as she cupped her brothers cheek.

Lelouch snorted at the comment

"We don't need any friends Nunnally, we have each other, and you're enough, no, you're more than enough for me and I hope the same reigns true for you…!" he asked, with true sincerity behind his pleading eyes.

"Oh Lelouch, don't look at me like that when I bring up the topic of you branching out to a life beyond only me, you have to remember how it makes ME feel to know that you've sacrificed so much for me, I just want you to be happy and it's not like finding friends would distract from me or make you love me any less" She stated very matter of factly. Lelouch smiled and with the same air of sincerity said, "You know, you have really grown up into a beautiful mature young woman and I find it harder and harder to say no to your arguments" Nunnally perked up at that.

"That's because they're well informed and grounded in reason and logic, Lelouch"

"haha, again my sweetest sister, I can't argue with that" He rolled his eyes and pushed his sisters wheelchair back towards their ostentatious house.

"I've travelled on the same ship Lelouch, stop saying it's beneath you, a ship is a ship and the accommodations on this one, while not the best to be found, are nothing to be scoffed at… however, if you're so inclined" and Schneizel gave Lelouch his most earnest look "I can arrange for a slavers or steed ship if you would rather prefer to be around your own type."

Oh, that crossed the line, after four consecutive losses at Chess to his older brother Schneizel, Lelouch was teetering on the brink of an insane outburst and Schneizel knew it and if there was one thing Schneizel couldn't resist, it was to illicit unadulterated vitriol from his dear younger brother. So it shouldn't have been such a shock that he likened Lelouch to slaves or cattle. Schneizel reveled in every angry glare, every word dripping with pure hatred, every frustrated tick in Lelouch's movements or voice, it made Schneizel feel alive… amongst other things.

He enjoyed torture immensely, especially with this younger brother, even their age difference, Lelouch a meager 17 and himself rounding 26 didn't bother him… he didn't care for any other of his siblings that were closer in age to him, he really didn't care about any of the other oh… what was it 30-40 siblings? Oh who cares, Schneizel had lost count long ago.

When Lelouch had turned 13, Schneizel found himself summoning his favorite little brother more often and for longer sessions, taking the boy under his wing and at the age of 16, into his bed, forcefully. It wasn't unheard of or even strange for incestuous relationships to exist within the upper echelons of their society, quite the opposite in fact they flourished in the aristocratic families, of which the Britannians were maybe 2nd or 3rd behind the royal family itself, many of whom his siblings had been married off to. In fact, even though it was 1886, sex was pretty rampant and mundane. After a brief renaissance and enlightenment period, many former taboos regarding sex such as adultery, polygamy, incest, paedophilia, and homosexuality were tossed aside, quite like all the effected relationships allowed to crumble alongside the new rules. So even though it wasn't strange for his brother to demand Lelouch to sleep with him, Lelouch still hated him. Hated him less for the act itself and more so from the moment his brother refused to take 'no' for an answer and therefore, for what the act represented, power. No man should wield that much power over another without recompense, of which Lelouch made it his sole responsibility to provide. And every time after that first time, in which he had cried the entire time, Lelouch hardened himself against everything and everyone, especially that sadist brother of his because in the end there really was nothing he could yet do to change his circumstances, no one who would care, and definitely no one he could or would approach, for fear of retaliation against his dear sister, Nunnally or, to a lesser extent, himself. It was for this exact reason that Schneizel showered Nunnally with the most expensive and luxurious of gifts, he spoiled her more than the entirety of his other siblings combined. Schneizel never admitted it, but Lelouch knew, he was smart enough to see through his brothers carefully maintained façade. It made Lelouch sick. Every time he thought of how Nunnally might be indebted to that sick fuck…

Everything about his brother made him have a visceral reaction of throwing up, but only in the privacy of his chambers, only safely away from any prying eyes, he wouldn't let his brother see the true extent of his hatred, so pure, the most pure thing Lelouch knew other than the staunchly opposing pure innocence of Nunnally. So, Lelouch endured, bid his time and… generously accepted every warm squeeze Nunnally gave him, every sweet smile she reserved just for him and every laugh at or with him and he internalized it used it as fuel, fuel to succeed, no, surpass his wretched family. He had another source of fuel though, a much darker one, one that was so compactly repressed that he likened it to coal turning into a diamond, shiny and pleasant on the outside, but really just condensed black hatred. But it didn't matter what source he drew from because in the end was the same goal and he was already well on his way of the first phase of his plan to get him and his sister safe while ensuring neither his brother or other family members could hurt Nunnally.

"Lelouch," Schneizel brought his attention back "you know how much I love it when you get angry, why would you still grant me that indulgence I wonder, hmm?" Schneizel was looking down at Lelouch while he forced his cock deeper into his little brothers mouth. Just as Lelouch was about to answer, his brother kept him from withdrawing by forcefully pushing his head back onto him and retorted "tut tut, after you finish Lelouch, you know how rude it is to speak with a full mouth"

So after a few more seconds, after Lelouch spat his brothers cum from his mouth onto his brothers polished shoes, he dutifully replied "Because dear brother, I have to provide you with some morsels here and there, lest you go out and rape children elsewhere and land yourself in jail" venom dripping from every word.

"Oh Lelouch" Schneizel chuckled "you honestly do it for my betterment? What a considerate brother I have been blessed with" His facetious tone apparent on every syllable. "Well, I'll take at least part of your answer as veritas and just hope against alllll odds that the latter will someday reign true" he replied as he zipped up and scraped his dirtied shoe against Lelouchs pant leg to clean it off.

In all honesty, that was only partially the truth, and Schniezel had hit it on the head. It's not as if Lelouch couldn't restrain his anger or over-zealous displays, but he learned early on that he had to give Schneizel bits and pieces so that his brother wouldn't become pent up and try something worse, on him or possibly Nunnally, although Lelouch had so far been successful in protecting her. And it wasn't even that he cared about his own well-being really. The only reason he kept himself from slitting his wrists and depriving his elder brother of his toy was because he had to ensure his sister a safe and happy life first. 'Although,' he thought, 'even if I did kill myself, Schneizel would probably just desecrate my body one more time before laughing at how weak I was.' Lelouch walked briskly to his chamber, no faster or slower than his usual cadence, as if to arouse no suspicion… and promptly threw up. Immediately following that, he started packing. He and his sister were leaving in three days.

"Hey Suzaku, I've got an important errand that requires some strength, can I count on you in about 30 minutes from now?" A blue haired, ash-eyed boy yelled while bounding off the ships ramp onto the somewhat crowded loading dock. He was clearly addressing another boy who worked on the same ship, a bright eyed young brunette with piercing emerald eyes named Suzaku Kururugi.

"Sure Rivalz, what's the errand, and do we get to go into town? I hope so, this port is soo boring, hardly any good food vendors!" Suzaku rolled his eyes in frustration while continuing to maintain a bright smile at his friend and shipmate.

"Yessir, we most certainly get to go THROUGH town at least, maybe we can stop on the way or after. We've gotta take the carriage and pick up a bunch of luggage from the rich hoity toity passengers that will be accompanying us this trip…!" Both Rivalz and Suzaku shared looks of misery mixed with a bit of stagnant hope. And finally Suzaku added words to clarify the looks "God, I just hope whoever these people are are even just a tiny fraction better than those spoiled ingrates we just dropped off" Suzakus comment was rewarded with a fervent nod of agreement from his best friend and with that, he left to go get ready to leave.

*Clop clop clop clop* "Where do you want to stop to eat? I was thinking we could go for some local fish and chips." Rivalz asked Suzaku.

"We're sailors, idiot, we eat fish every day, Rivalz! I am at a loss, honestly." Suzaku coupled his comment with a well deserved smack upside Rivalz head, in an attempt to literally knock some sense into the boy.

"Ha, oh yea, I guess that's true. Force of habit maybe? Stick to what you know?" Rivalz started just talking nonsense. Suzaku shot a look of genuine concern at his friend. Concern that was justified from the many encounters Rivalz had used his lack of common-sense so very adeptly enough to leave him and Suzaku in largely compromising situations. It struck Suzaku how well this boy could harness his naivety in life. Suzakus mind unconsciously, and unwelcomingly flashed images of them running while in their undergarments from a tavern with mugs flying at their heads and a Bengal Tiger at their heels, trying to devour their supple flesh. Still, he wouldn't trade his best friend, or their encounters for all the riches in the world… ok, well maybe Britania (or just Pendragon).

"Oh god, just stop with the clichés, please! If your earlier request was sincere, then may I suggest some Indian curry? I could go for some goat!" At the sound of Indian food, Rivalz's mouth started watering and he was almost immediately thankful for having a best friend more cultured than he was.

"That sounds… fucking delicious" Rivalz threw his arm around Suzaku in his regular gesture of camaraderie.

With that plan successfully fulfilled along with their stomachs, they happily reached a ridiculously huge mansion.

"Oh my God Rivalz… the size of this mansion scares me. The richer they are, the snobbier they're bound to be, right? Oh no, I don't know if I can handle another Mr. and Mrs. Perpetual stick up their butts, or their sick love child, what was his nickname again…?" Suzaku strained to remember the little shits face, which he had promptly repressed upon the familys departure.

"Goatse" Rivalz happily reminded Suzaku. The nickname was Rivalz's proposition and it had been unanimously agreed on by the crew. Rivalz took pride in it because it was rare for him to contribute something of such caliber, the nickname was highly regarded and used often.

Rivalz and Suzaku laughed at the utterance of the name again, but inwardly, both were hoping their suspicions regarding the wealth-to-asshole correlation to be skewed or for them to get stuck with the outliers.

The collective sigh the two released after meeting Nunnally could probably be heard across the vast ocean they were about to embark on. However, to a shrewd observer such as Suzaku, he knew there had to be at least one other person missing from their little tryst. The amount of luggage alone was telling but also, this wonderful girl couldn't possibly be travelling alone.

"It's so great to meet you!" Nunnally clamored "You are both about the age of my brother! I do so hope we all get along!"

"Oh, your brother?" Suzaku asked, hopeful yet still slightly resigned.

"Well, if he's anything like you, I'm sure we'll get along swimmingly" Suzaku was probing for his answer. Nunnally felt a lump form in her throat and she secretly hated and loved, but more hated at this point, how she was the only one who really truly understood the wonderful true nature of her brother.

"Well… please do remember, we are products of our upbringing" and Suzaku immediately recognized that vague comment to be a warning in disguise. However, what Nunnally really meant that she was the product of her brothers upbringing but her sense of propriety kept her from divulging personal information to practically strangers, so little tid bits was all she dropped.

"Right…" Suzaku answered just as another young man came up from behind, balking orders at them 'Yup, perfect, right on time, sirens of fate' he thought.

Lelouch stepped into the frame a bit late, he had been busy filtering through possible passengers for company on their trip, finally settling on highly reputable Ashford family, consisting of the mother, father, and young (around his own age actually) daughter, Marly or something, he recalled.

"Please step away from my little sister and do your job properly by securing those ropes better, if our luggage gets scuffed, I will personally deliver you to the 9th level of Dantes hell" It was at this point that Suzaku seriously considered adhering totally to his Japanese ethnicity and pretending to not understand any English but he couldn't just abandon Rivalz to deal with the prick, he wasn't a betraying scumbag, 'like some people,' he thought as he scowled at the obviously pampered asshole in front of him. Suzaku immediately felt that no amount of pretty could make this pretentious asshole tolerable. Still, it was his job but he sure as hell wasn't in the service industry either, and he silently thanked his job description as "rough deck hand," emphasis on "rough" so he just loosened the rope and whipped the luggage with it a few times before fastening it again, all the while sneaking scowls at the man who was glaring daggers, knives, and spears at him.

"Yessir" he finally said as both him and Rivalz mounted the front of their carriage, both sharing a wordless hopeless sigh as they trotted away.

"It was great meeting you Lady Nunnally," Suzaku turned around to address her "I hope we meet again on the ship sometime," he waved back at the girl, not entirely out of spite but mostly so because he could kind of sense a possessive and palpable love from the older male towards his younger sister. But he also did really mean it, Nunnally was a very sweet person and him and Rivalz took to her immediately and found some semblance of solace that hopefully she could keep her brother in check enough for their trip to not feel like it was 3 years instead of 3 months.

Still, he had a sinking feeling taking over him… "Here we go again Rivalz" Suzaku sighed at the other deck hand, who was beaming…? for some weird reason? But Suzaku didn't have the time, energy, or spirit to press the topic, so he just guided the carriage back in silent contemplation of what he would offer up as a nickname for the raven-haired spoiled ass, at the next crew meet.