"What do we have here ?"
"Looks like game to me."
Just then one of the other guards heard the noise of a stone dropping. Lelouch's fear came true they had discovered Nunnallly.
"Another one."
"Don't you dare touch her." Lelouch screamed.
Then he saw behind the guards was the man indicating with his hands to keep his silence.
Suddenly he took out 5 of the guards but before he could get to the 6th
"Stop right there," the guard roared.
Pointing the gun at Nunnally. "Now now scarfy boy. Looks like you did a number on my buddies here. Why don't you show your face "the guard said with a sadistic grin.
"I will not show you my face. What do you think is she worth to me I just met her a couple days ago." raising his own commander sneered and he then screamed Dieee!"
"Bammm!"
The man shielded nunnally with his chest and was shoot just a little above his naval. Another gun roared meanwhile its bullet passing through the guards head. Lelouch held a gun from one of the dead bodies his eyes filled with despair. The prospect of losing nunnally overwhelmed him nunnally covered in blood reminded him of the day his mother died. The man getting up asked Lelouch if he was okay. He then walked towards the table and started treating his wound.
A couple of minutes later Nunnally asked her, "Who are you?" "just think of me as someone who is just going to protect you until you reach your destination little princess."
"how did-"she stopped dead in her tracks remembering that Lelouch had said "he doesn't know our true identities."
"At least tell me your name"
He smiled at her "Just call me big brother."'
The next morning they set out at dawn they walked for a couple of hours until they stopped for some rest. Lelouch sat beside a pile of rubble with a chess set he had found at the top of the rubble.
"Do you play?" the masked man asked
"I do." replied Lelouch
"Then why don't we have a quick game before we set out again.|
"Is this really the time to play chess?"
"Let me give you some incentive. If you win I will show you my face and tell you my real name. I will let you play white."
"But what if you win?" Lelouch asked.
"I get to keep my face hidden. Deal."
Lelouch was skeptical at first. After all the person had nothing to gain but he then agreed.
"Deal"
Lelouch started set up the board and then the match began
As soon as the masked man made his first.
'Amateur' Lelouch thought. The man did not have the patience to win in chess nor does he out thought into his moves .He just bet his identity on a game he is no good at. He will pay for looking down at me.
15 minutes later
"Checkmate" the masked man called
Lelouch sat gapping at the board.
"Lelouch you are better than I expected. But lesson no. 1 never underestimate your opponent. I actually made my moves quickly hoping that you would underestimate me."
The next few days went by uneventful every time they would stop Lelouch would challenge the man to a match. The matches turned into longer ones but still Lelouch was very far from victory the man reminded him of schnitzel. He couldn't understand their train of thoughts.
"Why do you help us?"
"What do you mean?"
"You don't know a thing about us. Yet you almost died to save my sister and by the looks of it you hate Britannia."
"Why would you help a citizen of Britannia?"
"Yes I do but that doesn't mean I hate every citizen of Britannia. People do not chose their lineage. Yet it doesn't doesn't matter to which nation you belong to your lineage or what you are is what you do that defines you."
"You didn't choose your father nor did I. This the answer to your second question."
"As for your first one I know what it is like to lose someone close. I come from a land long forgotten by this world. I was an orphan who was doing pretty well for one. I worked I earned and supported myself one day I found a girl in an alley starving tears flowing from her eyes. I took her in took care of her and found myself attached to her as you are to your sister.
Then my land descended in to turmoil death destruction spread everywhere. I decided to protect her no matter what happened. I then realized I was weak. I trained I rose among my people and when I gained power I had a feeling I could protect but I couldn't. I failed .I broke a promise. She lay dead bloody and I couldn't do anything about it. That is why I hide my face. I failed her. This repentance for failing her. I fell in to a pit of despair Lelouch left my homeland filled with sorrow and I wandered from place to place. Then I saw you in the warehouse. You reminded me of myself when I was young, how I tried to protect her and I wish to prevent yourself from falling into the same pit of despair I did. I felt like I saw a ray of light in the darkness. A way to atone for my sin." As he said this tears filled his eyes.
He then stammered "It is late Lelouch get some sleep I will keep watch."
Lelouch nodded and then went to get some sleep.