Maiden of the Forest
Author: Warangel88
Pairing: Implied C.C./Lelouch
Warnings/Spoilers: Slightly AU, Possible OOC
Author Notes: Inspired by a C.C. and Lelouch doujinshi Kai or something like that. C.C. was never friends nor does she know Lelouch's parents. Thanks Alex for betaing.
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass


Suzaku would often tell him and his little sister Nunally tales of the forest maiden.

It had become his favorite bedtime story, and he and Suzaku would often take turns telling the blind princess the tale of the beautiful forest maiden, who had long, silky locks the same color as the trees during the spring and summertime. Her kimono was a medium shade of blue that matched the color of the rivers and streams running through the forest, tied with a crimson obi.

Rumor had it that she was a witch; an immortal one, and that she could make any man, or woman for that matter, fall in love with her. Then they would realize that love was false, and she would escape before people could execute her.
She decided to escape into the forest and never leave the sanctuary of it, waiting for the day a man would truly love her for herself, not because of her power or because of her beauty.

Then he could save her from the eternal loneliness that had been bestowed upon her.

Nunnally always preferred happier endings, so he and Suzaku would usually make up some happy ending where a young, dark-haired prince entered the forest, and was somehow able to break the curse on the young maiden from the forest.

He would never have dreamt of meeting the forest maiden when he got lost in the forest, separated from his best friend and little sister.

She had been exactly what the legends described: a beautiful, lime-haired maiden, dressed in a blue kimono. She had been kneeling close to a river.

Despite the fact that he could only see the profile of her face, and the fact he was still a ten-year-old boy, he could tell that the forest maiden was extremely lonely.
Of course, he never dreamed that he would actually meet the forest maiden. He had always thought that she had been a mere myth, a bedtime story that he would tell his younger sister who loved fairytales with happy endings.

He must have made sound of some kind, because all of a sudden the forest maiden turned around to look at him, and his lavender eyes met her strange amber ones.

Of course, her beautiful, long, green locks were beyond natural, but he reminded himself that he had two half-sisters with pink hair; one a lighter shade, and the other one was a darker, almost purple color.

"What's your name, child?" she asked softly, cautiously walking over to him, almost as if she didn't want to scare him off.

"Lelouch," he answered hesitantly. She nodded, almost as if she were taking in the information that he was telling her. "And yours?"

"C.C." she answered, and he slightly wrinkled his nose. He noted the fact that she had only used her initials, which meant that she either wanted to keep her name a secret, or that it was a nickname from the time she spent outside of the forest.

"Are you lost Lelouch?" she asked, knowing how deep in the forest he was, and how confusing it might be if you didn't know your way around.
Lelouch nodded.

"I can show you the way out if you like," she said.

A small smile of gratitude crossed his lips as he walked beside the lime-haired maiden. "Are you the maiden of the forest?"

She blinked. She knew that there were many stories about her in the world outside of the forest -- probably bedtime stories. "And if I am?"

He shrugged his petite shoulders. "Just curious. The legend of the forest maiden is my younger sister's favorite bedtime story."

She nodded, but did not say anything. She didn't really know how much truth there was to the tale.

"So is it true that you're waiting for someone to save you from eternal loneliness?" he asked curiously.

"Hmm, maybe I am," she said softly. It must have been at least two hundred years since she last had contact with anyone. She might have seen a few travelers throughout the forest from time to time, even though she kind of made it a point to avoid them. She supposed that a few of them had caught a glimpse of her a few times, which probably sprouted rumors of the forest maiden.

"Why? Would you come back to the forest to liberate me when you're older?" she asked. He could hear the teasing in her soft voice, which caused a slight blush to rise to his cheeks.
He certainty wasn't naïve enough to not know that if anyone did liberate the forest maiden from her shackles of loneliness, it would most likely be a lover.

He could see the barren ground of the outside world, and noticed that the forest maiden was patiently waiting for him to leave.

"Would you come and liberate me Lelouch?"

His small lips curled into a soft smile, and somehow he got the feeling that he was the only one who can save the forest maiden from her shackles of loneliness.

Perhaps the maiden would one day get her happy ending, and he would be the one to give it to her.
-the end

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