Lelouch smiled warmly as Euphy ran towards him. He was within the li Britannia palace, having been called by Cornelia. He knew that she wanted him to see Euphy. If she wanted to speak to him, she would have just come to Aries Villa but because of the dangers, she avoided having Euphy travel to his home. He was a man with a bullseye target on his back and the people didn't seem to care who they hit.
"Lulu," Euphy engulfed him in a warm hug. "I have missed you, brother!" She said happily.
Lelouch hugged her, wrapping his warms around her. His hands were firm; perhaps it was the training that Cornelia had forced him to do under the tutorship of Jeremiah. It was at moments like this that Lelouch really missed seeing Nunnally. He hadn't felt her, held her since he last saw her at the hospital with the doctors telling him that she could not walk again because of the damage caused by the hail of bullets. Maybe he felt a little envious that Cornelia had her little sister.
"Euphy," Lelouch said in a warm tone. "You've been growing well," he said.
Euphy separated from Lelouch and stared at him with her hands folded across her chest. "You are not that older than me, Lulu," she said. "I should be saying you have grown from the weak boy who could get manhandled by both Nunnally and I," she said.
Lelouch frowned slightly at the mention of his younger sister. But he put it away quickly before responding. "It could not be helped then… there were two of you," he said.
"Just admit that you were as fragile as a girl, Lelouch," Cornelia said appearing from the passages. She had a smile on her lips. She turned towards the man standing behind her younger brother. "Jeremiah," she acknowledged his presence.
"Princess Cornelia," Jeremiah responded with a small bow.
"That was the past," Lelouch said, walking past Euphy. He stopped just in front of Cornelia and offered her smile. "It surprises me given your fearsome reputation that you have no battle scars, but look as beautiful as you do, sister," he said with a charming smile.
"Where is my compliment, Lelouch?" Euphy asked before Cornelia could say anything.
Lelouch smiled as he turned to face her. "I love you, Euphy; need I continue to complement you more? Besides, if your brother continues to complement you, you won't appreciate complements from other boys."
Euphy stared. "What about Cornelia?"
"She isn't grown, isn't she?"
"I'm not a child, either!"
Cornelia cleared her throat. "You'll continue this talk with Lelouch after I am done with him," she said to Euphy before sending a warning look at Lelouch. "I don't want to hear you talk about boys in front of Euphy. She has better things to worry about," she said. "I really should not have introduced you to Nonette, and it does appear that some of Earl Bradford's tendencies are rubbing of you… you are also not learning from Schneizel, are you?" She asked with a stern look on her face.
Lelouch sighed. Yes, Schneizel did have some rumors about him when it came to the company of women, and according to Odysseus, he was never satisfied with just one. Lelouch had never seen it and it wasn't what just anyone would know. The Prime Minister did have an 'pure' image.
"You know better than that, sister," Lelouch said in a flat tone.
Cornelia stared for a moment. According to Jeremiah, Lelouch still showed no interest in women despite often finding himself in the company of many. He knew how to handle himself around women. No doubt the lack of interest was because he had better things to worry about and the charming smiles offered were only for appearances. The Second Princess shook her head and led Lelouch towards a large sitting room. She offered the Prince tea before sitting across him with a slightly miserable look on her face.
"I spoke to the emperor," Cornelia said with barely restraint anger. "He refused and told me never to speak of it again if I don't want the same to happen to Euphy."
Lelouch sank deeply. He had been hoping something would click, something would work. Schneizel had attempted it not once but twice and the emperor refused. The man would not permit him to go to Area 11 to see Nunnally. He was told he could not do so. He was only able to send her letters that were sneaked through the maid that Ruben had hired for Nunnally. But Lelouch wanted to see his younger sister. He wanted to be before her. But Charles zi Britannia would not permit it.
That cursed bastard. It wasn't enough that he did nothing when his mother was killed, but he took Nunnally away from him. Everything was taken by that man. Lelouch had never known so much hatred. He was indeed going to kill Charles zi Britannia one day but as long as Nunnally remained under the protection of people who reported directly to the man, he could not do anything.
"Don't be thinking about doing anything stupid, Lelouch!"
Cornelia's cold voice snapped Lelouch out of his thoughts. It took a couple of moments for him to find his voice. "I'm not thinking about doing anything stupid," he said in a bitter tone. "Last time I was stopped I ended up getting what felt like a death sentence. I really cannot afford to put a foot wrong here," he said miserably.
Cornelia stared at him for a moment before speaking in a sad tone. "I'm really sorry, Lelouch. I thought maybe if could talk to him, he would listen. But he doesn't want to and even ended up threatening me instead," she sounded pissed off about that.
"Thank you for trying, Cornelia," Lelouch meant those words. There has been no one who has looked after him without any hidden intentions as much as Cornelia has. She has always been there, well, at least when the emperor deemed his survival trial to be over and successful. "Are you going back?"
Cornelia nodded. "But after a week," she said. "There are a couple of things that I have to handle," she said. "How are you though, Lelouch? There have been no threats, no?"
Lelouch shook his head. "It has so far been safe," he said. "But considering that I might make my appearance to the world stage soon, it might take become dangerous once more."
Cornelia fell silent, she was seething silently. She could not figure out who was behind the threats to Lelouch's life. She had a feeling that Schneizel knew but would not do anything about the people behind it. If Cornelia knew, she would hang them herself, only after she had made them experience pain and beg for her to end their miserable lives – she would not even care if the person was a respected noble. An attack on a Britannian prince was an attack on the throne.
"Just one of these days, Lelouch," she started in a slow hardened tone, "We will make those responsible pay."
Lelouch smiled. He agreed with Cornelia when it came to this. They did have their disagreements every now and then and sometimes with his night activities. "Indeed, sister," he said.
"But for now, we must think about increasing security at Aries Villa," Cornelia said. "If you are going to make a public appearance, I must be there with you to let everyone know that when they mess with you, they also threaten me. Schneizel is busy trying to play politics…" she frowned at the last words.
"Image does mean something to him, and especially to his role," Lelouch commented. "But perhaps you should also stay away for a little while, Cornelia. You have to think about Euphy as well. I would not forgive myself if Euphy was put in danger because of my association with you and your preference to defend me."
Cornelia frowned at this. "I know, but I still cannot abandon you, Lelouch. I failed to protect your mother, Nunnally; I will not fail you as well. How will I even look at Euphy if I allow something to happen to you?"
"I have Jeremiah with me," Lelouch reminded his elder sister. "Besides, you will not be abandoning me but just keeping things quiet. Schneizel does the same. He works through other people. You mustn't do anything that will also affect you in military. We know that the nobles have much influence within the military, it would be safe not to displease some people."
"You sound like you have given up, Lelouch," Cornelia said with a stare.
Lelouch smiled. "It is simply a matter of knowing which battle to fight and when to fight it."
15 Minutes Later
Lelouch stared through window of his limousine, looking at the beautiful streets of Pendragon. It was peace he could never experience and enjoy, not when there was a race to the throne of Britannia, not when he was still vi Britannia. He could not escape this life. He could not live any other way except living as a Prince of Britannia. The alternative was dying. But he could not die now. Not when Nunnally was still shackled by the chains of Charles not when that bastard was still alive. Lelouch would fight to create a peaceful world, and then he would bring back his sister. He needed her, he had surely missed her.
He glanced at the silent Jeremiah for a moment before staring back at the window once more. "It appears that we must still wait to visit Area 11, Jeremiah," he said in a measured tone.
Jeremiah could feel the anger there and he understood. The emperor had once told Lelouch that Nunnally was dead after he took her from the hospital. But since then, he hasn't been able to see her because the man put a wall in between. "How long, my Lord?"
Lelouch shook his head. "I do not know, Jeremiah. I do not know," The Prince said. "But at least now it is safer this way," he said.
"Her Highness is much safer this way," Jeremiah said with a nod. But there was the problem that Lelouch could not see her. It was a bitter experience but there was nothing they could do. Not when it was the Emperor who stood in the way.
"Yes," Lelouch said. "Perhaps I must still do something of noteworthy for the emperor to hear my request." Lelouch had no desire to stand before the man. He didn't know if he would be able to hold himself from attacking the man. "We still lack many answers regarding things that surround us," he said. "We still don't know about my mother's assassination."
"But we know that Prince Schneizel was ordered to remove her body and the she was meeting someone she trusted…" Jeremiah said.
Lelouch had thought about it. He had been truly shocked when he learned that his mother had dismissed Cornelia and the guards at the palace. It had become apparent that she was meeting someone she knew. "But I have asked myself this question, Jeremiah. It may be indeed true that she was meeting someone she trusted, by why dismiss everyone?"
Jeremiah adopted a thoughtful look on his face. There was only one answer but Jeremiah did not want to accept it because it would raise more questions he could not answer. "Do you think that she was meeting someone she didn't want even Cornelia to see or know?"
Lelouch nodded. "It leaves many questions but considering the circumstances and how the emperor was quick to move things despite not doing anything against the perpetrators, I believe that my mother was meeting someone she did not want anyone to see her with," he said.
"Who could it be?"
Lelouch shook his head. "I doubt anyone has the answers, even Schneizel. If he had them, he would have told me about it." He said. "The emperor has the answers. He knows what happened. He might have been even behind it but I still fail to understand the reason why," he said.
Of course, it didn't mean he didn't suspect Charles. If anything, Lelouch hated the man for the indifference he showed to the death of his mother, his failure to protect her even though he was the emperor. And the kind of cruel life the man forced him to live when he took him through that survival test. He only had Jeremiah with him then. But he had survived and came out of it stronger. Of course, with renewed hatred for Charles zi Britannia.
"We will find something eventually," Lelouch added. "Cornelia's rise in military will certainly help things. With her in military, I can be afforded some security. Even the most stupid of the nobles would know that she is a valuable member of the military and killing her is not so easy. That aside, she can be quite unforgiving."
Jeremiah smiled at this. "Indeed," he said. "Princess Cornelia is not known for her mercy. Regardless of who it is, she goes after them with everything. Sometimes I wonder if she even considers the consequences," he said.
"She does not," Lelouch said with a shake of his head. It was no wonder she could not play politics. "Cor-"
Bam!
There was no screech of car tires swerving. There was just the sound of a collision when another car rammed into Lelouch's car from the left. It hit right across the center in speed, forcing the Lelouch's car to flip over before slamming into a nearby building. The streets were quickly filled with people.
Jeremiah felt like his head was spinning. He his body was in pain. He knew they had been hit. He knew this was a dangerous situation. He blinked once and realized that his face was plastered on shattered glass. He could hear the sound of people's voices. He forced his body to move, despite the pain. His was even bloodied, but he did not care. He looked around, in panic.
He had been hurled out of the car because he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt. Someone attempted to help him stand, but he shook it off and rushed towards the car.
The flipped car was inside a restaurant. Jeremiah did not notice anything else. He knelt down on the shattered glasses without care and forced open the door. He sighed in relief seeing that his master was still alive, sitting upside down in the car, held by the seatbelt. He was still bleeding through. Some of the glass must have hit him.
"My Lord," Jeremiah said in a hushed tone.
Lelouch had experienced pain before. In the incident were their car was hit by a missile, he had suffered heavily, broken bones, heavy bleeding. This was nothing. He could afford to smile bitterly. "It seems we have received another warning, Jeremiah. This one is rather nasty. But at least our friends did not wish to kill us."
"It appears so, my Lord," Jeremiah said before pulling Lelouch out of the car. The prince gave him his cell phone and Jeremiah quickly made a call.
"Are you okay?" Someone asked Lelouch, who was sitting down, blood dripping on his forehead.
Lelouch turned to the woman and nearly asked if he looked fine. But he bit his tongue and held himself from saying anything. Before he could respond, the police had arrived. He ignored what they were saying to him and only listened when Jeremiah spoke to him, he too ignoring the police.
"My Lord, the men have a car ready around three blocks from here."
"We are talking to…"
The policeman stopped talking when Jeremiah helped Lelouch stand up. The eleventh prince faced the man and then spoke, his right hand pointing at the man. "Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to drive me to a safe place."
There was silence. Lelouch could hear the whispers from the people around. Did he just say vi Britannia? Isn't he supposed to be dead? That's a Britannian Prince?! And then fear started to crawl as the people started to move away from the scene. If a Britannian Prince was caught up in this situation, it was going to be trouble and no one wanted to be responsible or caught in the crossfire.
"Yes Your Highness!" The policeman saluted after going through a state of shock.
Lelouch and Jeremiah were already hiding themselves, going towards the car. They entered quickly and Jeremiah took out his gun, just in case the man tried something. You could not even trust the police. "Take us three blocks from here," Jeremiah ordered.
"Yes," the police offer said before speeding away.
Jeremiah turned to Lelouch to check him for a moment. "Are fine, my Lord?"
"You should be concerned about yourself, Jeremiah," Lelouch said staring at the man. He really looked worse for wear. It was even surprising that he was still standing despite his bloody appearance.
"Your safety comes first!"
"You are no good to me if you dead," Lelouch said in a hardened tone.
Jeremiah had nothing more to say. The car drove them towards their chosen location. And upon arrival, another two cars were waiting and four armed men stepped out before rushing towards the police car.
They did not speak to the man driving it but simply opened the doors. "Your Highness," one of them said helping Lelouch out of the car.
Jeremiah was no longer conscious by then. He was carried to the car and without even saying anything to the police man, they drove off in speed. Lelouch had his own doctor and all the medical facilities he would need in Aries Villa. When it became obvious that he was surrounded by enemies, he had decided he could not even trust a royal hospital. Or even the medical facility in the Imperial Palace.
This was going to cause a problem though but Britannia would keep the information from spreading. It would just be dismissed as an accident. The empire's special services were good at things like that all those who heard him talk would be visited and told not to say a word to anyone. In the end of the day, it would not even be in the news. None of the dangerous situations that have fallen on him have made it to the news. That was just how some people were good at controlling information. The nobles would know though. Some of them would even send him letters wishing a speedy recovery.
Elizabeth was waiting for them with an expressionless mask on her face. Jeremiah was taken away for his treatment while Lelouch also went to get stitched and checked.
Lelouch could be accused of being paranoid, but he no longer believed in accidents, not when it had to do with him. There was always something planned. Convenience no longer existed. There were just people out there who just wanted to get rid him of him, people who wanted him to stay away from business and just hide in Aries Villa without doing anything. It wouldn't even surprise Lelouch if one of his siblings was involved. They didn't like him after all.
This had been a warning. No, perhaps a message. Yes, people were telling him that they could get to him. They could kill him if they wanted. It was a message he had received with a bit of some broken bones. But Lelouch would treasure it. He was seriously considering creating a list of the messages he has received .
Still, this was getting ridiculous. There was no time for comfort, was there?
"Master Lelouch!" Elizabeth was standing in front of him within his study.
Lelouch hadn't sensed her presence. Not when she walked in. He shook his head. He had truly been lost in thoughts. At least they had not been dark. Well, not yet anyway. "How is Jeremiah?" He asked with concern.
"Alive," Elizabeth said. "He should make a recovery in a couple of days but there was no lasting damage."
Lelouch sighed in relief. "That is at least some good news," he said in thought.
"Your body suffered some trauma from the impact, you should also rest, Your Highness," Elizabeth advised. "Princess Cornelia and the Crown Prince are coming to see you. They should be here within 10 minutes…" she paused and looked at him with concern. "Should I withdraw your appearance at Duke Francis's party on Thursday?"
Lelouch shook his head. "No, we'll still go," he said. "I'll just have to keep myself in bed for a full rest."
"That is what I recommend," Elizabeth said before stepping out of the study.
When his half-siblings finally arrived. Cornelia sat on his left while Odysseus sat on his right side. The former looked like she wanted to go on a killing spree while the latter stared at him with concern. That was all he could do, wasn't it? The useless Prince could do nothing except offer empty words. Perhaps they were words from the heart but they changed nothing, they fixed nothing. But it was nevertheless good to know that the man was a kind hearted man. Just an indecisive Crown Prince. But still kind.
Cornelia was the first to speak. "I'm taking over the investigation!" she announced. "And I will find the miserable bastard who did this. We will torture him but we will not kill him. The day you finally make your debut, I will broadcast his execution for the world to see what happens to those who come after you!"
Lelouch had expected nothing less from his elder sister. She could be as brutal and merciless as a savage. He nearly smiled despite the situation. "That would be fitting," he said. He knew he no longer had a say in anything and if she was here, Guilford was probably at the scene, doing what needed to be done.
The last time he had seen torture was when his guards had apprehended the man who tried to sneak into the palace. They had brutalized him, seeking information but he never revealed. In the end, his mind could no longer take the pain and he just gave up. The body was alive but the mind was dead. They had ended up shooting him dead without getting any answers.
Odysseus grimaced just picturing the scene Cornelia was painting. "An attack on royalty cannot be forgiven but wouldn't that be taking things too far?"
Lelouch snorted. Guinevere wouldn't agree with those words. She was not a violent person but she would certainly demand violence against someone who dared tried to bring shame to the royal family. You did not insult the Britannian royal family and get away with it. "Nothing is excessive when dealing with people like this," Lelouch said in a cold tone.
Cornelia agreed with him. "I agree with Lelouch. You are far too kind hearted, brother," she said in a stern tone. "This isn't the first incident. If we don't take firm hand, nothing will change," she said with her fists clenched.
Odysseus appeared to think before sighing. "Perhaps you are right," he said. "I do worry about you, Lelouch. This is becoming a serious matter. We should really bring it to the attention of father. You are most likely to lose your life if this continues."
What was the emperor going to do? Lelouch thought of that bastard coldly. It wasn't like he didn't know. He was the one who invited the vultures on this hunt for his life. He was probably enjoying himself watching him fight with everything just to survive.
Cornelia stared at the Crown Prince, for a moment wondering if he really believed that the emperor would decide to have this investigated by his people. Was he forgetting that the man hadn't even allowed an investigation to be carried out when Lelouch's mother was murdered? She had begged for him, but he had refused and said there was no need. When she realized he was serious, she shook her head.
"I will do this," she said in a tone of finality. "But you are indeed right. Things are dangerous. At this stage, it is no longer safe for Lelouch to travel without an escort."
Lelouch rested his head on the palm of his right hand before fixing Cornelia a stare. "You want me to drive around with knightmare frames surrounding me?"
"If it keeps you safe, then so be it. I wouldn't have a problem if you could even stop using a car and use a knightmare," Cornelia said with indifference.
"Now that would be too much," Odysseus said with a shake of his head. "I can provide for resources to have more armed guards guard you as you travel."
"And you have to do the knighting ceremony and have Jeremiah as your knight. I think two knights will do given your situation," Cornelia said. She really seemed to be giving it much of a thought.
"In that case, why don't we speak to Schneizel to request father to have one of the Knights of Rounds protect you until we are able to solve things?" Odysseus suggested.
"Why don't you make the request?"
"Schneizel understands father better," Odysseus was quick to say. "What do you think though? With a knight of Round, who would dare attack you? Attacking a Knight of Round is an attack on the emperor."
"And an attack on a Prince of Britannia is an attack of Britannia," Cornelia stressed those words in a slow tone. "But I'll have to agree with you. And if approved, you don't have a say, Lelouch. I have left you to do things on your own, and Schneizel had said he would handle it but I can no longer step away."
While Lelouch frowned, Odysseus nodded. "That would be best," he said. "I am glad you are fine Lelouch," he said with a smile. "If there is anything, please let me know." He said while standing up.
"Thank you brother," Lelouch said with a smile. Once the Crown Prince disappeared, the smiled slipped away.
"I'm really worried, Lelouch," Cornelia said in a quiet tone. "I am worried for you. We were just talking about your safety and this happens. I even have to postpone my departure to the battlefield now. I cannot leave until this issue has been rested."
"I worry as well, sister," Lelouch said in a deep tone, filled with various emotions. "When the car rolled, I wondered if this was the day. Sometimes I just wonder when this nightmare will end. But I still have to live on, for Nunnally."
Cornelia was silent, jaws clenched. "We will get through this, Lelouch. I promise you this much," she said firmly. "In the meantime, you are not to leave the house."
Lelouch faced his sister with a raised eye brow. "Are you serious?"
"Do I look like I am joking to you?" Cornelia asked rhetorically. "I am not going to take chances. You have to stay here for your own safety."
"I can't do that," Lelouch said with a shake of his head.
"I have no problems in giving your guards orders to shoot you if you try to leave. And if you try that, I am taking you to my home," Cornelia said in a stern tone.
"I have a party to attend on Thursday. It is Duke Francis' palace. It will be good to make an appearance. If you are so concerned, you can be my date for the night. I won't be going anywhere after then."
Cornelia stared for a long moment before relenting. "Fine," she said. "Just promise me you won't be going out until I'm done with the investigation and if there is something important you need to attend, you'll let me know so that I can prepare proper arrangements…"
"Thank you sister," Lelouch said. He then smiled. "I'm surprised that you'd accept going to a party. Such things have never been your cup of tea," he said.
"It's your safety here," Cornelia said in a hardened tone.
Lelouch shook his head. But did not say anything else to Cornelia. He just fell silent. Absorbed in his thoughts. He was cut off from it when Cornelia suddenly stood up. She turned to him causing him to stand up before being embraced, tightly. He grimaced.
"You know I was in an accident, Cornelia," he said.
"If you can sit here then you are fine," Cornelia said carelessly. "I'm going back to the crime scene. We do need to make sure everything stays silent…"
Lelouch smiled. "I'm sure someone has already beaten you to that," he said before settling down. Cornelia just looked at him curiously before stepping out of the study.
A game of death, huh? It was indeed a brutal race – the race to the throne that is. But Lelouch was in it. There was no running away from it. There was no escaping. He was going to face it head on and those who have seen it fit to attack him will pay. They would be crushed. He would destroy them. It may not today or tomorrow, but one day, he was going to crush them. And there would be no mercy.
Thursday
Jeremiah had no lasting wounds. They would have to thank that their cars were made of sterner materials. He was still not fit for service though. It was disappointing that he would have to do without his trusted subordinate. Last time around, he had been the one who spent much time in bed, with the man looking after him like a man possessed. Even now, Jeremiah would surely insist on being around him instead of healing. The wounds had yet to fully close, he did need that rest. At least Lelouch didn't have to worry about anything he had no matches lined up.
"My Lord," Jeremiah said as he walked towards Lelouch – who was sitting in the gardens, a small table and chair prepared for him. He had a couple books on the small table.
Lelouch waited until the man settled down on the lawn. He did appear to be in pain. But that was why the doctor had said he should not be moving and should stay in bed. "I'll need to have you strapped in bed to keep you from moving," the prince said while staring at Jeremiah.
"That would be cruel," Jeremiah said. "I just can never be ease at times like this. The enemy is large, and we are few."
Lelouch could understand that. But he was comfortable here. Aries Villa would never be breached again. If he was going to get shot, it would be from one of his people and someone he trusted. "We are secure here and I don't have any plans to go out. My sister has seen it fit to order me to stay indoors."
Jeremiah smiled at this. It wasn't the first time the Princess made such a request. It was usually just best to follow through when she spoke. "Then I assume she is handling the investigation," he said.
Lelouch nodded. "It didn't take long for her to get here and inform me she would be taking care of everything. If she had it her way, she would no doubt just have me stay indoors and only move when there are knightmare frames to guard me…"
"That would make things difficult," Jeremiah said. "Any luck?"
"The person who hit us was found alive. Cornelia made sure he was patched up before taking him in one of her holdings cells. She has been busy with him but still nothing. The man was poor, nothing in his bank account, no wife, no children. Nothing," Lelouch said with a shake of his head. "But it does appear that he didn't know he was after a Britannian Prince."
Jeremiah frowned. "No doubt if he had family, Princess Cornelia would have hunted them down," he said.
"Indeed," Lelouch said. "I will probably see him on tomorrow…"
"Will he still be alive?"
Lelouch thought about for a moment before shaking his head. "Unlikely but one has to hope. I want to question him myself. I will have to send Cornelia a message before she takes things too far." He would be able to get the answers that Cornelia would not get. Perhaps she was not asking the right questions.
"Will she even allow it?"
"I'll have to force the issue if she refuses," Lelouch said in a firm tone. "I'll be with her tonight at Duke Francis' palace." Jeremiah raised a curious eyebrow in question. "She would not allow me to go unless I have adequate protection. I suggested if she is around, then that would be protection enough," he said.
"But would this not make her marked as well?"
"That is a possibility," Lelouch said. "But it is very slim. Cornelia's lack of consequences for her actions and her merciless behaviour makes her even more dangerous. She is not bound by anything like certain people. She doesn't care how she is perceived, if she achieves her goal; then she will have no regrets."
"You mean she wouldn't have a problem charging into someone's house with her Gloucester and destroy everything," Jeremiah said. He smiled at the thought. If something was done to someone she loved, Cornelia would do anything.
Later That Night
Lelouch put on a smile, seeing that his sister was dressed in her usual clothing. What did he expect though? Did he think that Cornelia would put on a dress and some make up and then tie her hair? Lelouch chuckled at the thought. Certainly, it would be a day that Lelouch starts believing that Cornelia has found love.
"You are laughing," Cornelia said with a stare.
Lelouch was dressed in black and white royal attire. He looked like a Prince today. He usually dressed like a commoner, a normal person. "I was just picturing you in a dress," he said with a smile on his lips.
"Why would I put on a dress?"
"To look feminine," Lelouch said a shrug. "You are always the general, whether home or in military. At least that changes slightly when you are with Euphy. But orders are still given and they must still be obeyed. If you are giving them while in a dress, it would certainly change your whole outlook."
Cornelia stared at Lelouch for a moment before shaking her head. "Just get in the car," she ordered before getting in herself, her loyal knight Guilford standing beside her.
Lelouch acknowledged the knight's presence before stepping into the limousine. Once inside, Guilford also entered and sat with them. Lelouch turned towards the window, just thinking about how the night was going to go. The upper class would have surely heard about what happened to him and given Duke Francis' influence, it was likely that many of the upper class would be there, but so would Schneizel. It was however a given that it would not reach the news – At least not until he does make his debut to the world stage.
"Our friend is still alive, I hope," Lelouch said to Cornelia without looking at her.
"Yes," Cornelia said with a nod of her head.
"Good," Lelouch said. "I will be seeing him tomorrow. I want to have a couple of words with him."
Cornelia frowned. "I don't think that is a good idea," she said.
Lelouch faced her with an expressionless mask on his face. "Please tell me why it isn't a good idea, Cornelia?"
The Second Princess' frown deepened before she explained. "Because we don't know if it is safe for you to go out on your own. Besides, the man isn't in a good condition. I don't think you should see him. Not until we have cleaned him up a little."
Lelouch wanted to ask what Cornelia had been doing to the man but he did not. He turned to Guilford. "You would be willing to fetch me and take me to where the man is being kept, no? With your presence, it should take away the 'unsafe' issue." He then faced Cornelia once more. "You are still treating me like a child, Cornelia. I am not Euphy. I have seen the gruesome image of my mother's bloody corpse, my car has been hit by a missile, you still think you can shield me from a bit of blood?"
"He does have a point, Princess," Guilford said.
Cornelia shot the man a glare before her eyes fell over to Lelouch once more. When he did not look like he was going to back down, she relented. "Fine," she said. "I will make arrangements."
A smile was Lelouch's response to his sister. They drove around silently until they reached the Duke's palace. The parking lot had a couple of limousines parked; you could even spot three armed knightmare frames standing guard. When Lelouch saw Schneizel limousine, he smiled. His brother hadn't said anything to him since the incident. He had figured the man was waiting for this chance.
After stepping out of the car, Lelouch held out his right hand. Cornelia stared at him. He smiled. "You are my date for the night, sister," he reminded her.
Cornelia sighed before taking Lelouch's hand. As they started to walk side by side, Guilford following from behind, she spoke. "I think I am going to regret agreeing to this," she said.
"It should be fine," Lelouch said. "You know I behave my best when in front of people."
"You seemed to have picked that up from Schneizel," Cornelia said with a frown.
A guard welcomed them and led them through the gold passages of the palace. It was indeed a display of wealth from the man. They were taken to a large hall that was filled with many nobles. Lelouch realized; they were all politicians; People from the House of Lords and supporters to the race to the throne. He was in a presence of wolves who wanted to skin him. With his sister beside him, Lelouch plastered a smile while Cornelia did not hide her frown.
"Princess Cornelia," an elderly man greeted the two upon entering the hall. "Prince Lelouch… it is good to see you in good health after that unfortunate incident."
"It was nothing," Lelouch responded with a smile.
"It does appear so," the man said. "Well, do enjoy your night."
"We shall," Lelouch said calmly before stepping away with Cornelia. They walked towards the bar and settled down, instead of mingling with people. The princess made sure that Lelouch was not drinking any wine but water. Lelouch had thought of grabbing a glass of red wine just to amuse himself with her reaction. He didn't do so. They just sat on the stools while chatting for a couple of minutes. There were a handful of people who held up some conversations with them.
Lelouch was called up to speak to the man of the house. Cornelia didn't want to let him go alone but Lelouch had to force the issue a bit. The Duke was sitting by a corner in the hall; there were two single couches and a small coffee table with a chessboard atop of it. When Lelouch settled down, he realized that one had a better view of almost everything that was happening within the hall. He had yet to see Schneizel even now.
"Duke Francis," the Eleventh Prince finally greeted the man, while staring at the chessboard.
"Your Highness," the Duke responded. "Shall we? I have heard that you have beaten everyone you have played against," he said.
"Not quite true," Lelouch said before glancing at the duke. The man was in his early forties, short black hair and a cleanly cut beard, black eyes with a rich look about his clothing.
"Ah yes; there is him," the duke said without stating the obvious.
Lelouch stared at the move the duke made. He moved his pawn to clear the field a bit. "Yes," he said with a small grunt. "I was surprised to see your invitation. This is your daughter's 20th birthday, is it not?"
The duke nodded but did not offer words in response with his eyes staring at the chessboard. After a minute, he finally spoke. "Yes," he said. "I heard you came across an unfortunate incident two days ago."
Lelouch wondered if this man had something to do with it. Hell, he wouldn't even be surprised if Schneizel had known but did nothing to stop it knowing that it would push him towards his cold embrace. "Unfortunate, yes," Lelouch said after a couple of moments.
"Not your first, is it?"
Lelouch shook his head. "No," he said. "Admittedly, I am not the beloved prince of Britannia. There does appear to be many who would rather see me dead than continue to breathe," he said calmly. He had no problem in saying this to this man. He knew the conversation was going to lead to this path.
The duke did not respond to Lelouch. They played the game in silence. Not for a second did Lelouch spare the man a glance. He did note the man was glancing at him every now and then when he took a piece. The duke was a good player, but he was not Schneizel. When the game was about to draw to a close, the duke finally spoke.
"In this world, you cannot survive without allies," he started in a measured tone.
"I have become aware of this," Lelouch said. Even a pawn needed to be defended by another pawn. If he moved his king without placing other pieces to protect it, he would lose. It didn't matter if it was the queen, horse or a pawn. As long as the job was done perfectly, then there were no worries.
"Then this makes things easier… I don't even like beating around the bushes anyway," the duke said in a mildly serious tone. "I am willing to offer you my support. With me in your corner, the threats to your life will no longer be as casual and bold."
Lelouch glanced at the man for a moment. Those black eyes were staring at him without emotion. He could not read anything from the man. "For what price?"
"Everything has a price, yes," the duke said with a nod. "To be quite frank, you cannot pay the price, but it cannot be denied that you are still royalty and your intelligence is quite something. Prince Schneizel speaks highly of you and I have been watching you since the death of Empress Marianne. Your movements have been calculated and you know how to survive the difficult conditions. This is why I have come to a decision that, if you only marry my daughter, things will be well for both of us."
Surprised, but Lelouch did not show that. He schooled his expression without revealing anything but he was honestly shocked by this request. No, it didn't sound like a request. There was still no way that the duke was going to offer him anything without him agreeing to marry his daughter. The man had said it himself, he could not afford the price but his status as a prince could speak for him – this was perhaps the only thing the man was looking for. There must have been an arrangement that he made with Schneizel.
"That is something to think about," Lelouch said.
"It is simple numbers," the duke said in a flat tone. "You outweigh the positives and negatives before making a decision… I'll take into consideration that you have your own plans and need to move things a bit, but I don't like to wait for long. My daughter isn't getting younger and we don't know what will happen tomorrow. The emperor might just decide to marry you off to someone else…"
"If the emperor has such thoughts, an agreement to marry your daughter would be irrelevant to him," Lelouch said leaning against the couch.
For the first time, the duke smiled. "You are indeed right about that," he said. "We don't have to worry about that. But I do expect to hear from you soon," he said.
Lelouch simply nodded and sat in silence for a couple of moments. The reason he didn't want to stand was because the people were dancing. How much time had he spent with the duke? If Schneizel was going to hide all night, he might as well just disappear from here. Business for the day had been concluded. He could speak to the Prime Minister on another day.
The eleventh saw that Cornelia was still sitting with Guilford, and decided to go to her. He weaved past a handful of people but was stopped when a black haired woman stopped in front of him. Her hair was long, reaching over her shoulders; she was dressed in a dark blue dress, a diamond necklace the only piece of jewellery she wore. She had a nice figure, and her beauty was easily noticeable. You did not meet a finer woman than this. With just her eyes, Lelouch assumed she was Duke's Francis' daughter.
"May I have the dance, Your Highness?" the woman asked him in a calm tone, a warm smile on her lips.
She was certainly not like the man he had just been sitting with. Then again, this could all be just a mask. Nobles had mastered the art of wearing masks long ago. Lelouch glanced at Cornelia for a moment before nodding. "Of course," he said holding out his right hand.
"Catherine, daughter of the Lord of this palace," Catherine introduced herself after shook Lelouch's gentle hand.
The eleventh prince wrapped his hands around her, and started moving slowly. "Lelouch vi Britannia," he introduced himself.
They danced in silence for a couple of minutes before Catherine spoke. "I'm sure my father has already told you about his plans for us," she said.
"I was just talking to him about it," Lelouch said. He wondered though, could the duke be behind that incident? He had discovered that it was not an attempt to kill him but to warn him, to scare him. It could have been an attempt to get him to think that he would need more allies, and powerful allies. "Why is a beautiful lady such as yourself still single though?"
"Father said anyone who isn't a duke is not worthy to marry me, and I believe so. You cannot aim lower," Catherine responded in a superior tone, her tongue clicking through the words smoothly as if it came naturally.
Lelouch tilted his head to the side, smiling. "If that is the case, am I not aiming lower?"
"Lower? Your mother was a commoner, and you are not the most famous prince. I would have preferred someone else, but you are not bad looking, and you don't look stupid. I can live with you," Catherine responded in that superior tone of hers.
Lelouch did not lose his smile. He was not going to like this woman. Before he could respond, Cornelia was upon them. The Second Princess insisted on dancing with him to break him away from that woman. A firm hand on her waist, and being pulled closer, almost like he was manhandling her, Cornelia stared at Lelouch with a raised brow. He certainly was not holding on her like she was his elder sister. She was just like another woman. She frowned. He was perhaps a little too close for comfort.
Lelouch had an amused look on his face. He had done this purposefully just to see the look on Cornelia's face – it had been worth it. "Uncomfortable, sister?" He asked.
"You're making me uncomfortable," Cornelia responded in a flat tone.
"Just relax and don't be tense. I won't be rough with you." Lelouch said in an amused tone. When Cornelia glared at him, he laughed. "Don't be so stiff sister. You must sometimes learn to enjoy life a bit. We go through so many difficult challenges, if we don't allow ourselves to experience happiness; we will lose ourselves to the world we live in."
"I am your sister," Cornelia reminded Lelouch.
"Half-sister," Lelouch corrected. "But then so what? We are just dancing, Cornelia… unless you are thinking of something I don't even know…"
Cornelia stopped moving and removed herself from Lelouch. "I'm taking you home," she said.
"The night has lost its flavour and it doesn't appear like I will see our brother," Lelouch said after a couple of moments. "Yes, let us return home."
The Following Day
Cornelia was standing beside a wall, hands folded across her chest; she had an expressionless mask on her face while Guilford looked a little uncomfortable. It made Lelouch curious and concerned that something may have happened to his suspect. He really hoped that his sister had been able to contain herself. "Please tell me that he is alive," he said with narrowed eyes.
The second princess didn't look at him immediately. She seemed to be struggling with her thoughts. After a couple of moments, she finally looked at him and spoke. "No," she said, eyes staring into Lelouch's. "Are you sure you want to see him?" She asked in a heavy tone.
"I am here," Lelouch said firmly.
"He isn't in the best of conditions," Cornelia said before nodding to Guilford. The knight took out a key and then walked towards the door in front of him before unlocking it. He opened it but did not get inside. "We had to keep him in such a place because there was a possibility that he might get killed."
That would not have been shocking. It has happened before. Nobles had their fingers everywhere and when a suspect was caught and had some incriminating information, they did not waste time removing that person. Lelouch didn't comment on this, he just stepped towards the confined cell. The moment he walked in, he was hit by a heavy smell. The small space was a bloody. A man was hanging upside down, nails digging deep into his ankles; they were the things that held him from falling down. The man was a bloody figure; he could not even make out the man's face. You could see deep wounds from the man's exposed flesh.
Lelouch turned towards the door where Cornelia stood, hands still folded across her chest, the same look still masking her emotions. "You did this?" He asked.
"I tried to get someone else to do it for her but she insisted on doing it herself," Guilford responded, his displeasure apparent.
Lelouch stared at Cornelia. "Cornelia, I had always known you were merciless and brutal, but this…" he shook his head.
"You disapprove?"
"You are a princess, Cornelia." Lelouch stressed the words. "Euphy will be quite shocked when she learns her loving elder sister can do such things," he said with shake of his head. He quickly spoke before Cornelia could rebuke him for bringing up Euphy in such a situation. "Is he still alive?"
"Barely," Cornelia said a bit darkly.
"Can he talk?"
"No," Cornelia said with a frown on her lips. "I was trying to get him to say everything before you came, and when he wouldn't give me answers that I could use, I became frustrated and ended up crushing his throat," she said.
"By that you mean he gave you answers," Lelouch said.
"Yes," Cornelia said. "He said he was paid by someone masked to drive into your limousine. He seemed shocked to learn that you were a prince, but aside from that, he was just an addict who wanted some money to get his drugs," she stated.
"Did he name the place, height of the person?" Lelouch shook his head. "No, if he is an addict, we can't trust anything he said. We'll have to observe the camera's to see where the car came from and try to see if he was seen with anyone within the city."
Cornelia frowned deeply. "We tried that," she said with frustrations. "But apparently, the surveillance system was being maintained that day," she said.
Lelouch stared for a moment before chuckling. It was a hollow laugh. "So, we are dealing with someone with those kind of connections… that narrows down the list," he added with mild sarcasm. He then whipped out his gun and before Cornelia could stop him, he had already released a bullet, aimed at the man's head. "He was useless anyway," he said.
Cornelia stared at him for a moment. "I didn't think you had it in you," she said.
Lelouch shrugged. "I have been dealing with many issues, sister. When you have experienced near death, nothing much really shocks you," he said. "I'm going to see Schneizel. Perhaps he has something better to say," he said.
An Hour Later
Lelouch found Schneizel sitting with Kanon within the chamber the imperials and sometimes knights of Rounds held their meetings. Lelouch had never attended the meetings – despite being invited by Schneizel many times and it was his right to attend. There had never been the need to be in a company of people who had nothing better to say. It was just going to be insults flying through the walls and threats being made. Lelouch could decide to attend and amuse himself by giving sharp responses to the idiots that were some of his half-siblings.
He settled gracefully and rested his head on the palm on his right hand. There were many things to consider in this life. Perhaps the recent incident made him aware that some people would not be against using dangerous means just to draw him closer to them. But these people thought he was stupid. Lelouch was not. He could also play the game of kings. And he could play it well. If some people wanted to play tag with him, he would be forced to tag them in.
"The incident worrying you?" Schneizel asked, in a careful tone, after seeing Lelouch's thoughtful gaze.
The Prince shook his head. "It no longer concerns me," he said. "I was thinking of how I should work around it. People may think I am completely harmless, but I am not. I bite. I just don't want to waste my moves…"
Schneizel smiled. While surprised that Lelouch seemed to have worked out things and did not look bothered by anything, he was not concerned and he did not show his surprise. "If you don't bite, you can't really survive this world."
"So it seems," Lelouch said with a slight nod of his head. He did not expect Schneizel to ask him how he had come to answers and who was exactly the person he suspected. "Duke Francis made an interesting offer…"
Schneizel nodded. "I know," he said. "I spoke to him about it and he gave me a message to try to convince you to accept his gesture. He was trying with me, but I also have my own issues, so I could not accept," he said while studying Lelouch's expression. There was nothing to read. His brother had not even changed his posture. He has truly learned the art of masking his emotions when he wanted.
"There will be time to play around, Schneizel but not now," Lelouch said in a hardened tone. "I take offence when a mere noble thinks he can strong arm me into doing something. I do not bow to anyone and I will not bow to the Duke."
Schneizel put on an amused look. "That statement is false, brother," he said in a light tone. "I'm certain father will not be pleased to hear you say something like that."
Lelouch did not share Schneizel's amusement. "You knew about this already. I suspect it is something you worked out with him. But I want to know the details. If you don't give me the details, I will not accept it. And I am not without resources and connections to cause trouble for those who think they can outsmart me."
Lelouch was very serious, Schneizel realized. It would have been interesting if this was part of a game. Still, he could not hide. Not when he could tell the Duke that his offer was rejected. "We indeed did work something out," the Second Prince said. "He wants to elevate his family's status and the only way for that to happen is to marry into the royal family. I assured him your future would be great and he bought into it."
"Is that all?"
"The man is greedy and only thinks about benefitting himself and his family. If you give him what he wants, he'll sell you anything. But he is not a fool and certainly not without influence. Because of his deep connections within Pendragon, I thought having him as an ally would be great for you and it would help avoid certain incidents."
Lelouch stared at the Second Prince for a long minute. "I really have no intentions of marrying anyone at this time."
Schneizel smiled. "Who said you really have to marry her?" He asked.
Lelouch stared for a moment before smiling. "You want me to agree to marry the Duke's daughter but continue to postpone things until after things have become safer for me to move and refuse to marry her…"
"I didn't say that," Schneizel responded with a smile. "But there is that chance. Once you ascend, you will surely become powerful enough to take some risky moves and be able to handle things. Or maybe you could also fall in love…"
Lelouch snorted at the thought. "There is no chance of that happening," he said. "But you do have a good point."
"So, you are going to do this?"
"I'll consider things and set up a meeting with the Duke. I have learned how to go through annoying conversations, so I should be able to talk to Catherine with a smile. But of course, if she insults me, she'll have to learn her place," he said, smiling. There might be something up with Schneizel. But Lelouch was going to play his game. He was not going to be used. "Clovis called you regarding the Ashfords. I'm no fool to believe that it was something you didn't know, given the obvious connections with Lord Bradford. What did you say to him?"
Schneizel didn't offer an immediate response. He had certainly not expected Lelouch to be this aggressive. He expected a gentle touch, but it was not disappointing. Lelouch was showing him that he was very much at the top of his game and would not simply be bossed around by anyone. "I told him that I knew and it was nothing serious," he said before smiling. "He did offer an interesting possibility of you working with him in Area 11…"
"For him," Lelouch stressed the words. "At this point, I have no desire to start my journey like that."
Aries Villa
Lelouch had only arrived at home, but before he could even sit down, Elizabeth was in his presence, an urgent look on her face. He frowned seeing this. He had just returned from something disappointing and an interesting conversation with Schneizel, he didn't need anything now. "What?"
"His Majesty summons you," she said.
Lelouch's frown deepened. Of all things that could have happened, the emperor had to call him? The man had not said anything to him over these past years and he decides he wants to speak to him? Lelouch contemplated ignoring the summons but he knew it would not be good – not when that cold hearted bastard had Nunnally. He would have to make preparations for her escape from the man's clutches. He still did think that he was being called for his entrance to the grand chessboard. He was going to be another one of Charles' children who would be doing service to the empire.
"Now?"
"Yes; now," Elizabeth said with a small nod. "The message said he was waiting for you," she added.
End of chapter
There is a reviewer who expressed concern that Lelouch always starts 'low.' To that I say, if he has everything, what else would be there to write about? This story isn't about someone who has everything; it is about someone who has nothing, trying to survive in a dangerous world.
The Omnipresent Sage