A/N: Thanks for clicking on the first chapter of King's Disposition. I hope you enjoy the story. This is, of course, a story about Lelouch if he had remained connected to Britannia. I won't change the plot so much to the point where I'm just borrowing characters, but don't expect the events in the canon to happen in the same exact way here. Lelouch will have a different outlook on things, and a different situation so his judgment will be relatively different.
This story was inspired by Allora Gale's Dauntless, Cal Reflector's Lelouch of Britannia, LunaticChaos' Prince or Zero?, and 's A King Without a Crown. If you haven't read any of those, then I suggest you do. They're absolutely frickin' amazing.
DISCLAIMER: If I could, I would, but I can't, so I shant.
Some notes: I play a fair amount of chess which is why you will see chess terms. I will try to explain them as best as I can before each chapter.
A5, D4, E3, F6...etc. These are specific locations on the chessboard if it was to be divided into grids. From white's perspective, horizontally starts from A and goes to H left to right, and vertically, goes from 1 to 8 bottom to the top.
Check – A move that threatens the enemy King. Normal check means it can be blocked or escaped from. Otherwise, it is a checkmate.
Checkmate – Indicates game over. When one King is being threatened by a piece (check) and is unable to escape check.
Stalemate – Indicates game over. When one player is no longer able to move any of his pieces without breaking the rules of chess.
Sharp – Games or moves are considered "sharp" when they are in a sense, risky. These moves/games are usually non-intuitive, but incredibly powerful. Wrong moves/mistakes will be very costly.
Sac – Short for "sacrifice". Giving up one piece to gain an overall advantage.
That should be it for most of the chess terms. If there are any questions, feel free to leave them in the reviews. If you don't like the chess jargon, then please let me know and I'll keep it to a minimum. Without further ado, I present to thee...
King's Disposition
Chapter 1: Queen Sac
Aries Villa
Tap...tap...tap...The smooth wooden pieces were aligned in their respective positions before a pale hand picked up a pawn and placed it back down two squares in front. Black responded in kind. White Pawn to E4, Black Pawn to C5.
"Really, Lelouch?" Schneizel smirked as he moved his knight to F3. "Another Sicilian?"
"Quiet Schneizel. It's the best response." Black Pawn advance to D6.
"Which is exactly why it is so predictable." White Pawn to D4. "Take it."
"I will." Lelouch captured the white pawn before gesturing for Schneizel to continue. "Now recapture."
"See, this game far too predictable. Both of us know exactly how this game is going to turn out." As the White Knight claimed his pawn, Lelouch moved own knight forward to F6.
"Is that so? Tell me, brother, what do we both know?" Lelouch eyed his brother's next move: an advancement of his other knight to C3. 'And now comes the critical moment.' Black pawn to G6.
"Ah, an interesting variation. You've been studying, haven't you?" Schneizel picked up his dark square bishop. "But you haven't been studying as much as I have. We both know I'm still going to win." Bishop to E3.
Lelouch let out a sigh as he leaned back on his chair. Schneizel was going to best him again. 'And there goes game 17.' He was banking on the fact that he and Schneizel had never played this variation before, and that the Second Prince would be caught off guard. Apparently not. And against an opponent of such high caliber, Lelouch knew he was going to lose. As his hand moved to tip over his King in resignation.
"0 – 17, and you win ag-"
Lelouch's finger was about to knock his King over before Schneizel's hand grasped his wrist. He looked up in confusion. Wasn't Schneizel going to take the win? "What are you doing?"
The second prince merely looked amused. "Over so soon, Lelouch? Only a few moves in and you've already given up?"
"I know when I've lost..."
"Keep playing. It's more fun that way, and who knows? I might even make a mistake."
And make a mistake he did. Or did he? Lelouch didn't know but thirty minutes later he took Schneizel's Queen.
"See, Lelouch! I told you this game would be more entertaining. That's the first time you've ever taken my Queen." Despite the loss of one of his most powerful pieces, Schneizel's grin only grew wider.
"Why are you smiling? You just lost your queen!"
"And? Just because I lost a Queen doesn't mean I'm going to lose the game."
"And how do you plan on winning without your strongest piece on the board?"
"Strongest piece? What do you mean without my strongest piece?"
"Able to move in any direction and for as far as she wants. What other piece could be stronger than that?" As if to prove his point, Lelouch moved his Queen.
"That is true, the Queen is versatile, but she's very vulnerable and very valuable. You would never trade a Queen for a Bishop... " Schneizel's placed his bishop in position to attack the queen. Wanting to protect his most powerful piece, Lelouch repositioned. "...or a Rook." Slowly, Lelouch's own Queen was backed into a corner.
"But the strongest piece is not the one that can take the most pieces before dying, but the one that can take the most pieces without dying. My strongest pieces are right here." Knight advance, Black Queen captured. "Checkmate."
'What! The knights! He sacrificed his Queen on purpose to give his knights an opportunity!'
"You tricked me."
"No, I did not. If you thought a bit further, you could have sacrificed your Queen here..." Schneizel repositioned the board and instead of repositioning the queen, let it be taken by the rook. "And used your bishop to force me into a check. From there, a few proper moves and I might have lost, but of course, you were too hung up on protecting your Queen that you forgot the other pieces can do just as much damage. Losing a Queen isn't the same as losing the game. Keep moving forward, and who knows. Perhaps you might even win."
The two prince's turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps. They turned to see the Fifth Empress standing in the doorway.
"Boys, would you like something to drink? You've been playing that game for almost an hour." Marianne Vi Britannia strode into the room with Nunally following quickly behind her. Two servants entered with trays of drinks, varying from milk to orange juice to soda to water. While the two princes picked out their drinks, Nunally proceeded to entertain herself with the chess pieces.
"What's this one?" She held up Lelouch's Queen.
"That's the Queen. It's the stronge-" Lelouch caught himself before glancing briefly at Schneizel. The older prince was holding back a chuckle. "It's a very strong piece."
The princess placed the Queen back onto the board and looked around before asking her brother a question he could not answer. "Then which one's the best?"
"..." Lelouch looked once more towards Schneizel, hoping his brother would have some greater insight. The second prince merely shrugged.
"Personally, I think it's the knight. Lelouch?"
"We'll have to figure it out, won't we?" The eleventh prince picked up his fallen King and set him back where he belonged.
Lelouch vi Britannia vs. Schneizel el Britannia
Game 17
"Historians now look back on this and call it one of the most important turning points in history. More crucial than Germany's failed assault on the Soviet Union. More influential than Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent revolution. More earth-shattering than Charles "the Hammer" Martel's successful defense against the Islamic invasion. We could even go so far back as to say this single game of chess was more important and deciding than Leonidas' defense at Thermopylae which led to the Athenian victory at Marathon."
"Really? I never thought a simple game of chess would be more influential in the world order than the defense of Western civilization."
"Ha. Of course, not every historian believes this, but most of them will agree with me."
"And why is this?"
"Because the young prince had learned a lesson he would never forget."
-Britannian Broadcasting System, 24 July, 2104. "Interview with Professor of History Winston Scott at the University of Pendragon on the life and influence of Lelouch vi Britannia."
It was a sad day, the day that Marianne vi Britannia died. Despite the death of an Empress, Britannia paid little respects. There was no funeral. There were no moments of silence. Perhaps the only one to share in Lelouch's desolation was heaven itself, shedding tears of rain on the Empire, and blocking the sun which never sets. The prince could only sit in the back of his vehicle, a sleek black car, and stare at the distorted image of himself through the mirror and rain as the city of Pendragon flew across his sight. He prayed for Nunnally, an innocent little girl who was still recovering from he coma. She had awoken only days before, and cried to her brother that she couldn't see. She didn't deserve anything. None of them did, but having royal blood in their veins made them targets. Fanatics and rebels saw regicide as an answer to the "tyrannic rule" of Charles zi Britannia, making the vi Britannians enemies of the people. And with Marianne being a commoner, the vi Britannians were enemies of the royals as well. So there he sat, with a dead mother and an disabled sister, with many enemies and no allies, on his way to the Imperial Palace to meet the one man who would make or break his future.
"Your Highness, we have arrived." Lelouch's driver opened his door and allowed Lelouch to step under an open umbrella. "His Majesty is expecting you."
"Of course." The two walked along the palace's walkways until they reached the palace entrance. "Thank you, you are dismissed."
"Yes, sire." Lelouch turned to enter. "But, your highness."
Lelouch turned his head to look behind him. "Yes?" The man bowed.
"If I may say, it was an honor working under Empress Marianne vi Britannia. May she rest in peace."
Lelouch only nodded before adding his own whisper. 'May she rest in peace.'
The noise in the grand hall dimmed as Lelouch stepped into view, black cape trailing behind him. Several nobles began to snicker, only to silence themselves upon receiving Lelouch's glare. His face wrinkled in disgust at the men who would grovel at the feet of his father and kiss his shadow as if it were a gift from god. These men who looked only after their own. He knew why they were here: to watch. His situation was made into a drama for these aristocrats to enjoy. His plight would be the source of their entertainment. He was to be made a spectacle. 'If they came to hear me beg, they will be severely disappointed.'
Lelouch walked across the red carpet, looking down, and grimaced with each step, his face twitching at the memory of his deceased mother. 'So much blood.' It wasn't long before he came to the foot of his father's throne. Lelouch did not look up as he knelt, for if he was to look up now, Lelouch would lose himself in unbridled fury. Where was this man when his mother died? Where was this man when Marianne was murdered? Where was her funeral? There were many questions Lelouch wanted to ask, but restrained himself as his eyes bore a hole through the blood-red carpet.
"Your Majesty." Lelouch gritted through his teeth as he held his spot. One mistake. One reason. Only a single failure on Lelouch's part would get him a one-way ticket to his mother, and he couldn't die yet. Nunnally was still in the hospital. 'Do it for her.' Time seemed to pass so slowly as Lelouch awaited his father's acknowledgment.
"Rise, Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire." Lelouch let go of the breath he was holding, and rose to his feet, still avoiding any eye contact. The floor was a much better option than the emperor. "Now, why have you requested this audience with me."
'You know why I requested this audience!' Lelouch locked his jaw in anger, as he could feel the emperor's smile as he said those words. 'He's toying with me, but I have to play his game.'
"I have requested in audience in order to speak of...current events."
"Hm, do tell. Which events do you speak of?" Several snickers reverberated through the enormous hall, but the emperor thought nothing of it. Lelouch could feel the man's smirk grow wider.
"I speak of the assassination of my m-... of Marianne vi Britannia."
"Ah, the death of an Empress. Truly a tragedy, is it not? She was my favorite too." At the sound of the last sentence, Lelouch's head snapped up and stared furiously into Charles, whose smirk only grew wider and wider until it took a maniacal grin. "Now please, speak your mind."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed as he stared at his father. Why was the old man smiling? What was there to smile about? Lelouch took a brief moment to calm himself before he spoke, restraining his resentment towards his father. He didn't need to burn the only bridge he had left.
"Revenge." He breathed heavily as he vented his anger.
The emperor's grin dropped as his face furrowed into a frown, showing his distaste. Lelouch's response was evidently not what Charles had been expecting.
"Revenge? What does a boy like you know about revenge? Cease your foolishness." Lelouch clenched his fists at the blatant disregard, his voice, rising as he was no longer able to restrain himself. Was his father so heartless as to not even seek revenge for one of his own wives? Perhaps he was, afterall, Charles zi Britannia was ruler of the Holy Britannian Empire, and compassion was something nonexistent in the royal line.
"I am not being foolish! I'm simply doing what you haven't!" Several gasps ran across the room as silence pervaded the hall. Charles narrowed his eyes at the disrespectful youth. The boy's words were an indirect accusation, and the emperor didn't take accusations lightly. Lelouch would either prove himself worthy of absolution, or disgrace himself.
"Then tell me, what can you do? How will you seek revenge?" Charles' spat out, coldly, his eyes locked onto Lelouch's. What was it that he saw? Hidden behind furious resentment was something that Charles was even surprised to see: resolve. Lelouch was hell-bent on punishing those who had wronged him.
"I am a prince of the empire, and I will obliterate anyone who dares to stop me! I will find them, and I will end them." Lelouch's voice rose until his voice echoed and resonated through the room. His breathing was heavy as he stared intently at his father. Charles' knuckles turned white as he gripped his golden throne; never before had another raised his voice against him. Lelouch would pay for this transgression, that much was certain, but Charles could see the determination in the boy. Crushing his spirit before making good use of that determination would be a waste.
"Very well." The emperor relaxed into his throne, his grip on his throne relaxing. He waved a hand and two servants immediately knelt at his feet. "Set up a game of chess right here."
"At once." As the two servants left the hall, Lelouch narrowed his eyes.
"What are you trying to play at?"
"Me? I am playing at nothing. Schneizel, however, shall play you in a game of chess. Prove your worth by playing your brother. You did say you would obliterate anyone who stood in your way, did you not? Schneizel, come." From the side, Schneizel strode along the red carpet until he too knelt in front of the emperor.
"Yes, your Highness." As the two servants entered with a table, chairs and a chess board, Schneizel rose and looked at Lelouch eye to eye. Lelouch had never won against Schneizel before. The second prince's tactical prowess was venerated throughout the empire, earning him the title of the White Prince. That, and the fact that he was twice Lelouch's age, made defeating him a nigh impossible feat. 'Prove your worth...prove your worth...prove your worth. I may not be able to defeat him, but all I need to do is prove my worth.'
As Lelouch mentally repeated his father's orders, Schneizel picked up the first piece and made his move: white pawn advance, black pawn reponse. From the first few moves, it seemed like another standard game, and those always ended in Schneizel's favor. Lelouch had to make a change, another variation, but Schneizel was a master tactician; he could interpret any move, and any play, and form the perfect counter. His style of play was a reflection of his character: deceitful, full of traps and baits. Each move that seemed like a waste of a turn would have increasingly stronger impacts further in the games. He never directly attacked, only threatened until there was nowhere left to run before unleashing the full force of his army.
However, Lelouch was determined to create some variation in the game. Schneizel was accustomed to the formulaic classical styles, full of openings and responses. Lelouch might as well have been replaced by a book; a book Schneizel had studied before. No, playing like a book would only serve to weaken his image as Schneizel would stomp out the rest of Lelouch's army. Instead, he took a step towards his own style of play: the style that would set himself above his brother. Black King advance.
"A king so wide in the open, Lelouch? Have you given up so quickly?" Schneizel moved his knight. "Check."
"No, merely seeing how shallow you truly are." Lelouch mentally chuckled at the plan that was unfolding in his head. Black King advances again.
"By running your King into my pieces? Hardly a sound strategy." White Bishop moves. "Check. You know, at this rate, you're going to lose."
"Not as soon as you'd think, brother." Black Rook block. "Shall we trade?"
Bishop takes Rook, King takes Bishop. Knight moves. Check. Black King advances once more.
"What are you doing Lelouch?" White Queen moves to check Lelouch's King. "Check again. You're out of space to run."
"You're right. Then, I suppose it's time to stop running." Bishop blocks the Queen. "Shall we trade once more?"
"Bishop for a Queen? You must be mad. Why trade, when I can continue my assault?" White Rook advance. "Check."
"I was hoping you would do that." Lelouch smiled as he picked up his own Knight and blocked the attack of the Rook. "Check, and this game is over."
Indeed it was. Only one more move, and the game would end. White King is forced to advance. Black Queen moves to check. White knight captures Queen. Game over.
"As you see, Schneizel, I am in quite the bind. I can't move without breaking any of the rules of chess, so I suppose this game will have to end as a draw." Lelouch extended his hand out while Schneizel only stared at the board in shock. Of course, the white prince had still yet to lose a single game, but to bring the game to a stalemate was not what he had been expecting. With his lead, he should have easily defeated Lelouch, but the King's sporadic advancements had clouded his judgment. He had focused too much on capturing the King, so much so, that he had missed the stalemate that was waiting to happen. Lelouch wasn't playing to win as Schneizel had expected; the young prince was playing for a draw. The second prince looked up, only to see a smile plastered on Lelouch's face. A stalemate against a man of Schneizel's caliber was unheard of, and if the likewise stunned faces of the aristocracy were any indication, Lelouch had proven himself. Reluctantly, Schneizel shook his brother's hand.
"Brother, where did you learn to play like that?" Schenzeil sat back in his chair, still contemplating the circumstances surrounding the draw: an aggressive King that had backed himself into a corner, but protected on every side, either by Lelouch's pieces, or Schneizel's.
"Schneizel...do you remember what Nunnally asked a few years back? What the strongest piece was?"
"But of course. My choice was always and will always be the Knight. Able to attack and remain untouched, there are no other pieces that can move like the Knight."
"True, and fitting for a man like you, but I have found my own answer, and that answer is the King."
"The King?" Schneizel's eyebrows rose in interest. He had not anticipated such an answer. Queen, obviously. Rook, maybe. Bishop, perhaps. Knight most likely, and with some uncertainty, the pawn, but never the King. Most valuable, yes, but strongest? What could the King do? Schneizel was curious and wanted to find out.
"Yes, the King. The King is the most important piece on the board, for if he falls, then the game is lost. The opponent will sacrifice any piece if it meant capturing the King, however this is also his greatest strength. The King is not without his guards," Lelouch pointed to his Rook, Bishop and Knight, "and as you blindly charge at the vulnerable King, you fail to see the wall that has been formed around him. The King protects his pieces as much as his pieces protect him. He is not a fragile glass sculpture that needs to be hidden in the corner of the board. He is a soldier who battles alongside his men, for if the King does not lead, how does he expect his subordinates to follow?"
Schneizel sat in silence as he ingested Lelouch's wisdom. 'How does a ten-year old boy think like that?' His thoughts were broken by a thunderous sound.
Clap...clap...clap... The silence in the room was lifted by the single clap of the emperor as he stared at his two sons. Following their emperor, the many others who were watching the match began to clap as well, not to congratulate Lelouch, but to not be disrespectful towards their emperor.
"I see my blood runs strong. You've done well, Lelouch. State your request."
"I want a full investigation with all of Britannia's resources. Find the assassins and kill them."
"Denied."
"What!" Lelouch stood up angrily. "I proved myself worthy! What more do you want!"
"Sit. Down." The overwhelming authority of Charles' words forced the boy back into his chair. "You may have proven yourself, but Britannia does not have the resources to waste on an investigation such as this. We have more pressing matters to attend to: Japan. They are sitting on an inconceivable amount of Sakuradite, and we must claim it for our own, so I shall propose a deal. The vi Britannians shall assist the empire in acquiring the Sakuradite mines under Japan, and in turn, I shall give you your investigation. Is this fair?"
'Japan...a suitable trade.' "Of course, your Highness. I accept. When do I leave?"
"You? Leave? Don't be foolish. You will not go anywhere. However, I am told that your sister has regained consciousness. She will leave in a month." Lelouch sat in his chair, stunned. His father had used his handicapped sister as leverage, but he would rather sacrifice himself than let his sister be used as a piece in the political game.
"Your Majesty, please. Leave Nunnally out of this. I shall go in her stead."
"You? Then who shall lead the investigation?"
"I shall, after we have acquired the Sakuradite. I am willing to wait." From the smile that was slowly creeping onto the emperor's face, Lelouch deduced this scenario was the one the his father wanted.
"And your sister?"
"Allow her to remain here in Pendragon." At Lelouch's request, Charles' mind began working like clockwork; steady and methodical. If the girl was left here at Pendragon, she would be perfect leverage against Lelouch, if the boy ever showed such disrespect again. She could even be used as a symbol of Britannia's generosity, and fortitude. Even a disabled princess could be strong. Yes...perhaps it would work. Lelouch either knowingly or unknowingly dug himself into his own trap.
"...Very well. You leave in one week."
Imperial Palace – West Corridor
"I'm surprised. I thought you would run in screaming for our father to do something, not formally request an audience." Schneizel sat opposite to Lelouch in a small room in the corner of the palace. Not many people knew of the place, and the two would often sit there to play chess. This time, however, the set remained untouched, the wooden pieces standing in their initial positions. "But even so, you weren't most respectful towards him. You'd better watch yourself."
"I know, it was my mistake. I was actually going to stride in the day after mother died, and I was going to come here and demand revenge." Lelouch looked down at his hands, and recalled his moment of anger and grief. "But then I remembered your words."
"Mine?"
"Yes, yours. 'Losing a Queen isn't the same as losing the game. Keep moving forward, and who knows. Perhaps you might even win.' If I ran up to father and demanded a response, I would've been setting myself up for slaughter, and I'm not ready to give in just yet."
"Ha. So you've learned. You may have tied me once, but never again."
"I don't expect to. I intend to win." The two shared a laugh before a serene silence descended. Out of all of his siblings, Lelouch could only speak to Schneizel amiably. Most of his other brothers and sisters were out to stab him in the back.
"What about Nunnally?" Schneizel broke the silence.
"What about her?"
"She is to remain here in Pendragon, with all of her enemies, and without her brother. She is disabled, and unable to fend for herself. Do you truly believe it is wise to do such a thing?"
"In all honesty, no. I fear her life will be in danger, or worse, be used as a political tool. However, I can do nothing better."
"Then what is your plan? Let her be eaten by a pack of wolves?"
"No...I shall ask Euphy. She and Nunnally are close and often played together in the villa. Perhaps she can keep her safe."
"A sound decision. But if she refuses? Will you take Nunnally to Japan?"
"Absolutely not. Japan is a war waiting to happen. She'll be safer here." Schneizel let out a sigh. Sometimes, he forgot how young Lelouch was. His intelligence and maturity seemed too old and experienced for a ten year old boy, but Lelouch's age did nothing to help him understand the complexity of politics. Britannian aristocracy was just as much a battle, perhaps even more so, yet Lelouch seemed to think otherwise.
"I hope for your sake, that you are right." Schneizel stood up and walked towards the door. "Be careful Lelouch. As long as you are a benefit to the empire, the emperor will keep you, but the instant you show signs of weakness, he'll destroy you."
"...Then I suppose I'll have to stay in his good graces."
"Good evening, gentlemen. I have with me today, Magnus Carlsen, one of the greatest chess players of all time, who is also now entering his ninety-sixth year. Happy birthday Magnus."
"Thank you, Mr. Kasparov."
"Now we're here to talk Schneizel el Britannia."
"Yes. He was an amazing chess player, capable of defeating all of his opponents in chess."
"Do you think you could have given him a run for his money?"
"Haha. You are too funny, Mr. Kasparov. Nobody was able to defeat him in chess. Not even I could match his genius."
"So you say, but his final score at the time of his death was 47,953 wins – 1 loss – 214 draws. Incredible. Absolutely incredible. However, the 1 loss seems to give away from his undefeated status. Who beat him?"
"That loss was by his brother and second greatest player in the world, Lelouch vi Britannia, but even then, the score between the two was around 53 wins – 1 loss – 214 draws in Schneizel's favor."
"And the draws were also by his brother, huh?"
"Yes. Interestingly, after the first draw, Schneizel never beat Lelouch again, but neither could Lelouch defeat Schneizel. The first draw ever played was in the midst of the emperor, and the opening Lelouch developed is now called the King's Disposition, vi Britannian variation. Incredibly aggressive and powerful, but also incredibly sharp. A wrong move would cost you the game."
"And what about that one loss?"
"Ah, now that is a game of the century. Both players at their primes."
"What was it called?"
"Schneizel's Folly."
-The Chess Channel: From Beginner to Grandmaster. "Holiday Special: Interview with Magnus Carlsen on Schneizel el Britannia – the King of Chess." November 30, 2141.
A/N: And that's all folks. For Chapter 1, at least. I hope you've liked it. Yes, the idea of the "interview" is from Cal Reflector's Lelouch of Britannia. I thought it worked so well, especially with the story, that I absolutely had to use it. Forgive me Cal, but your ideas were too good of an opportunity to just give up. Leave a comment/review below and let me know what you think.
Extra: A cookie to whoever can name opening Lelouch played (which variation), and the name of Schneizel's response. Don't google it! Or do, I wouldn't know.