The funeral was a sordid affair.
Empress Marianne was a well-loved figure. To the general public, she was an icon of grace and beauty. The epitome of the Britannian ideal; strength and prowess beyond any other. Her history was well known, and to the Britannians, she was considered the pride of the empire.
The Goddess of Flash.
Her reputation preceded her, and it was only expected that her funeral would be a grand affair. The list of people in attendance were almost too many to count. Every member of the Royal family currently in Britannia attended. They were there to show their respects for a fellow member of their prestigious family. Whether or not they truly cared for the late empress... that was up for debate.
The only person missing was the emperor himself. If anyone was surprised by the lack of his presence, they wisely kept their mouths closed.
Lelouch kept his head down, and his hands clenched by his side. If he looked up, the people in attendance would have been startled by his emotionless expression. A child grieving for his mother shouldn't look like that. They should be crying, distressed, and seeking comfort.
He sneered as one of the woman in attendance let out a loud sob. The sheer audacity in her action infuriated him. Especially when he remembered her looks of contempt whenever she gazed upon their family in the past. She was just another noble, looking after her image.
It was disgusting. The amount of fake sympathies, and heartless condolences. He wanted nothing more than to walk away.
"Brother?" A soft, quiet voice brought him back to earth.
He looked to his right, and immediately erased any signs of irritation from his face. His little sister was looking at him. The action pained him, considering that she had her eyes closed tight. She couldn't see him.
"Yes, Nunnally?" He reached out, and entwined his right hand with her own. She gripped his hand tightly, almost afraid that he would let go.
"Can we go home now?" She asked tentatively.
He shared a look with his elder sister, Cornelia, who was currently cradling the girl in her arms. The purple haired beauty shook her head lightly, with a look of sympathy. This entire affair was a pointless formality. A formality that was centered around the two.
"Sorry Nunnally... just a little while longer," he whispered, squeezing her hand for reassurance. His sister did not reply, but she held onto his hand tighter.
Euphemia took up his other arm, silently comforting him. She was teary eyed as she watched the procession. He took silent comfort in her actions, as she was a breath of fresh air in this false congregation. There were many eyes that roamed over to the small group of royals that stood a good distance away from the rest of the masses.
They were sympathetic eyes on the surface, but each one had a purpose and intent behind it. Of course, some of them might be genuinely sorry for the family who had lost their mother. But he was sure that the majority were secretly relieved at her death. Her influence had been far and wide, and now that she was gone... several opportunities had opened up.
Vultures.
But he would not show weakness. Never again. He looked up with a carefully blank expression, meeting each gaze that was sent his way.
Unflinching and cold.
They looked away.
※※※※※※※※※※
The familiar sight of the Aries Palace served to soothe his nerves. After the procession, he had expected the reception to be even worse. But the sheer... nerve, that his family had, as they gave him their sympathies was staggering. Behind their solemn expressions, and their voices of pity, was a feeling of victory. In their eyes, his family would never pose a challenge again.
It was only the fact that his sisters had been around him, that stayed his fury, when one of them had the gall to touch Nunnally. Thankfully, the stern glare from Cornelia quickly sent the lady reeling. They quietly made their way out after that event and into their car, as Nunnally had gotten sick of the voices laced with false pity.
He held the door open for his sister, before reaching in for Nunnally. His sister hugged him tightly, as he cradled her against him. She was light, much lighter than before. Back then, she used to always beg him for piggyback rides with her innocent eyes. He always caved, and despite how tired he became, her smile or laughter at the end always made up for it.
Her beautiful eyes were lost now.
Cornelia and Euphy got out of the car by the other door, and he waited for the two of them to fall around him before continuing to the front door. Jeremiah and Cornelia's guards formed a protective unit as they surrounded the royals. Even in his own home, one could never be too careful.
He ignored the gathered servants and maids by the foyer. He pointedly looked at his head butler, who nodded in return. The blond-haired servant left to prepare his study room, it wouldn't do to have it looking in disrepair.
"Nunnally," he called out softly. The petite girl in his arms stirred, and she turned her head around curiously. "Can you go with Euphy for a while?"
His little sister frowned in his arms. "But... you said you'd play with us," she said petulantly.
"I know, and I will." He kissed the top of her head lightly. "I just have a bit of business to take care of."
He gestured for Gottwald to take his sister. The bodyguard looked oddly nervous as he bent down to cradle the girl into his arms. She reluctantly released her hold on him.
"Cornelia, might I have a word with you in the study?" he asked. His purple haired sister blinked in confusion.
"Sure."
Looking towards Euphie, he gave his half-sister a warm smile. "Keep Nunnally company okay, Euphy?"
"Of course, Lulu." She beamed at him, heading to Nunnally's side. She lead Gottwald and Nunnally to the living room that opened up to the gardens. It had always been their favourite place to play... back when things were sane.
He led his eldest sister up the stairs, taking his time. Thoughts and plans continued to whirl around in his head. The funeral had done nothing to dampen his plotting, if anything, it served to inspire him. He would remember each and every one of their prideful faces.
He opened the door to his study, keeping it open for his sister. She seemed quite bewildered as she stepped inside. The room was pristine, and any sign of his messy research was hidden well. He gestured for her to sit, but she declined, instead, choosing to look over his collection of books.
Lelouch would not feel right sitting in the high-backed leather chair before his sister, so he settled for leaning against his desk. The room had been his sanctuary during these past few weeks. It was here that he reaffirmed his goals, and he had been spending an increasing amount of time here.
Nunnally had been cranky lately, not very surprising considering what had happened to her. She constantly refused the maids' help, only relenting when he was in the room with her, or when he took over. He had realized that she did not like when strangers were in the room; people whose sounds she did not recognize. It saddened him to know how scared she had become.
Shaking his head from more bitter thoughts, he turned his attention back to Cornelia. She was combing through one of his mother's books in slight interest. Seemingly content with waiting for him to speak.
"Cornelia," he said at last, catching her attention.
She had a slight frown on her expression. "I liked it better when you called me, 'big sister'."
He had to smile at that. Although Cornelia tended to dote on Euphemia and Nunnally the most, she seemed to have reserved a place in her heart for him. He was her favourite little brother.
"Sorry," he said simply, causing her to sigh.
"Don't be... I suppose all boys have to grow up." Her tone was wistful. He did not need to remind her how he had 'grown up'.
Gesturing for her to take a seat, she obliged him. He did not join her, content with staring outside of the window.
"Lelouch, " she called out, finally tired of the formalities. "What is it that you need?"
She was no stranger to his demands, since he had first called her a few weeks ago, asking for several details about highly classified subjects. They ranged from technological documents to information about fellow family members. Of course, she tried her best to grant him the access, as she felt that the boy had a right to investigate his own mother's' death. She had been appalled when the Emperor had called off the investigation, and had been ready to start her own. Instead, she allowed the boy to take the lead, if only for now.
"Gottwald told me."
Those three words caused her heart to drop. There was only one thing he could have been referring to. "What—"
"—Don't worry, you know that I trust you completely Cornelia," he interrupted her would-be protests. She blinked at his calm words. He was not reacting the way she had imagined.
"Out of everyone in this family of ours... you are probably the least likely suspect for my mother's death." He gave her a smile which she hesitantly returned.
There was a moment of silence as she took in his words. "Lelouch... I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "I don't blame you, I doubt you would have expected things to be this way."
"That's not it." Her expression turned grim. "You must want to know who gave me the orders then?"
"...Whoever ordered you to do it must have had considerable power," he mused. Cornelia's reach was far, and there were few that could order her around without consequence. "But no, you don't have to tell me".
She raised an eyebrow at that, her expression was one of confusion.
"I assume that you would not want to place your own family in danger, and I agree, I would never want anything to happen to you or Euphie."
She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted again.
"No matter, I will find out in the end." There was a glint in his eyes as he turned back towards the windows. "And no matter who it is..." He trailed off.
Cornelia remained silent. This was not how she expected the conversation to go at all. She was surprised at just how intuitive the boy in front of her was. His analysis would have been correct by any other means. Except, what happened that night was not a natural occurrence.
"That's not it." She cut into the silence. He turned back to her with a curious expression. Lelouch must have believed that she was going to reveal the name of whoever commanded her. "I... the person who ordered me to get rid of all of the guards that night..." She paused.
His eyes were as cold as steel. Though he refrained from giving her any sign that he was anxious, she knew that he was burning with anticipation.
"It was your mother, Lelouch."
All signs of emotion slipped away from his expression. Like a puppet with all of its strings cut, he stumbled back, almost crashing into a bookcase. His eyes were wide with shock, all of his previous composure lost.
He was at a lost for words. "...What?"
※※※※※※※※※※
Euphemia was a caring person by nature. Ever since she could remember, she had always wanted to help those around her. It had begun with her sister, who was often so tired, and had extended to those around her. She had even taken to helping her maids with the chores, at least until the flustered servants begged her to leave. Though she was young, she had already captured the hearts of those around her.
Yet, when she wanted to help the ones closest to her... she couldn't.
Nunnally was hurting immensely on the inside, and try as she might, she could not give her any sense of comfort. Her best friend had closed herself off to the world, and seemed to only open up for her brother.
Lelouch... he had always been her favourite. In every sense of the word, ever since the first time she saw him. He had awed her with his intelligence and maturity, so unlike any of her other siblings. But unlike the rest of her extended family, he did not posture or pretend. He was kind, so very kind, that by the time she had left the first play-date, she had been crying.
She loved him. Not like how she loved her mother and sisters, but an entirely separate emotion. Something she reserved for him.
But he was strong, where she was not. He wouldn't come to her for comfort, despite how much she wanted him to. It pained her to see the two siblings hurt, but there was nothing she could do for them. She resigned herself to doing what she could. She would support them with all she had.
"Nunnally," she whispered to her best friend. The girl did not answer, instead, choosing to continue to weave the flowers in her hand. It was a messy arrangement... a far cry from the beautiful wreaths that she could make before.
She had been silent the whole time, and would not respond to any of her words. Euphemia felt nothing but sadness. She would not blame Nunnally for her depressed state, as it was understandable, but she only wished to be able to help her.
They were seated around a glass table, on the back patio. The usual sight and scent of the famed Aries Garden had been a comfort to her. It was so unlike the victorian mansion that she called home. Now, without the smiling presence of Marianne, and the gentle nature of Lelouch, it felt empty. It must have been even worse for Nunnally, as the girl had frequently ran about in these gardens.
All three of them had run through these gardens before, and often became lost in their own world. Now, it would never be the same. She resigned herself to simply being there for her dear friend, knowing that despite her silence, the girl wanted her near.
"Here." She reached out with a hand, pushing a handful of flowers into Nunnally's reach. The girl nodded slightly in thanks, resuming her work. Euphie smiled, happy to see the girl give her a sign of life.
"What are you making?" She asked curiously, as the flowers continued to be added.
Nunnally paused in her weaving. Her hands lightly brushing through her work, as she tried to get a feel of the structure. "...A crown," she answered at last.
Euphie blinked in surprise. Though the two frequently weaved flowers together, most of their creations were more mundane. Usually bracelets or the occasional necklace that they forced onto Lelouch. A crown...
"That's... very nice Nunna." She smiled. Though it was unusual, she was happy that the girl was still willing to create new things. In the beginning, Nunnally didn't even want to get out of bed. Her words were something to the effect of: 'Why bother, when I can't see?'. It had hurt Lelouch deeply, but he had steadily managed to coax the girl out of bed.
Off to the side, guarding the two princesses with a sharp eye, was Jeremiah Gottwald. He had settled into his role of being the prince's personal bodyguard. In the beginning, he had been wary, as the expectations placed on himself was high. But as the days continued, he found comfort in his role. As the person he was guarding continued to surpass his perceived motions with every action.
Prince Lelouch was an incredible individual. That was his only thought when he watched the prince in action. It wasn't anything tangible that he could point towards, but the sheer confidence and infallibility that the boy carried himself with was absurd. No matter where he followed the prince, he noted how everyone, even the adults around him, seemed to subtly adjust themselves in his presence. Almost as if the boy demanded their respect.
Despite the lack of perceivable action, he knew that the prince was gearing up for something. They had been busy in the preceding weeks up to the funeral. Frequent visits to the Ashfords, meetings with Schneizel and Cornelia, and even the odd meeting or two with distinguished members of the scientific community. He did not pretend to know what his prince was planning, but he knew that it was something big.
He would be ready.
There was the sound of footsteps, and Jeremiah tensed himself slightly, but immediately relaxed as he saw the familiar figure of his charge. The prince gave him a short glance, before turning his gaze back to his two siblings.
His expression was ragged, and his impeccable posture seemed to have been forgotten for the moment. At seeing his two sisters however, he quickly straightened himself. It would not do to worry the two of them.
Nunnally perked up almost immediately as he stepped out onto the back patio. She seemed to be able to detect the sounds of his particular footsteps. He had to smile thinly at that, since it was incredibly sad in a way.
"Lulu!"
"Brother!"
The twin cries of happiness was a breath of fresh air for him. He walked up in between the two girls, letting them take an arm each. They seemed delighted in his presence, and were proceeding to serenade him with their own voices. He had to hide a chuckle as each of them tried to grab his attention, their voices steadily growing louder.
"Girls!" He shouted, smiling as they both quieted down. "One at a time, alright?"
They both pouted in unison, causing him to chuckle lightly. He grabbed another chair, and placed it in between them. Sitting down, he looked down at the mess of flowers with a raised eyebrow. Euphemia looked sheepish as he picked up one of her creations; a nicely chained flower bracelet.
"Flowers huh?" He looked wistfully at the bracelet in his hands. His two siblings had always loved to make them for him.
"This one looks good, Euphy," he praised, slipping on the bracelet experimentally. The pink-haired girl smiled in return.
Looking to his left, he saw that Nunnally had picked up her work again. "And what are you making, Nunnally?"
She made a noncommittal noise. "It's a secret."
He looked towards Euphy with a curious glance, receiving a helpless expression. It seemed that she did not know or would not be telling him. He did not mind, simply content with being in the presence of his two sisters.
After the revelation that Cornelia had dropped on him... he had been torn. All of his carefully crafted plans and ideas were thrown out of the window. It almost made his entire goal a lesson in futility. He would not give up however, as that was not in his nature. But the thought that the person behind her murder had been able to order his mother, the Empress, was staggering. He would be lying if he said that he was fearless of the possibilities.
"Lulu?"
He turned to face his pink-haired sister, noting her expression of wonder. "Yes?"
"Ah... uhm... you've been holding my hand," she answered with a light blush.
He looked down to see that he had taken one of her hands in his own, and had been caressing the top with his thumb. He blinked. No wonder his hands felt so soft.
"...Sorry," he said at last, almost reluctantly letting go of her hand. Euphemia took her hand back with a smile, cradling it to her chest.
"It's okay." She had been startled at first, but did not mind.
"Brother." Nunnally called from his left. "Look."
She was holding her flowery creation in her hand. The round shape of the flowery wreath was unfamiliar to him.
"Ah, it's... very nice, Nunnally." He was trying to hide his confusion.
His sister pouted in return, before motioning with her arms. "Come closer."
Not one to disobey his dearest little sister, he peeked his head closer to the girl, guessing that she might want to place it atop his head. She seemed to feel out with one hand, the appendage landing on his cheeks and giving his face a few experimental grabs. He tried not to move as the girl tentatively reached out with both of her hands this time. She set her creation on his head, smoothed his dark locks, and then retracted her hands.
"There." She said contently.
Lelouch felt confused as the wreath settled on his head. "It's... a crown?" he asked in a bewildered manner.
His sister simply smiled in answer. "Of course."
She then reached out in order to embrace him. He obliged without hesitation, and she contented in resting her head against his chest.
"My prince..." she murmured.
He suddenly understood. Behind him Euphie gave a gasp of surprise. "Nunnally..."
The two of them had always called him their prince, never a knight or a hero, and he in turn, called them his princesses. When they played in the gardens, they were no longer the royal children of Britannia. Instead, they were Prince Lulu, and the Princesses, Nunnally and Euphy.
A lifetime ago.
"No, silly... that's not how you refer to a princess," she chided into his chest.
He tightened his hold around her.
"...Of course, my dear Princess Nunnally," he whispered.
※※※※※※※※※※
A series of hasty knocks sounded from his door. Lelouch sunk back into his seat with a sigh. Rubbing at his tired eyes, he gave an errant glance towards the door. His train of thought had been broken, and there was little he could do about it.
"Come in," he said curtly.
The door opened swiftly, and his blond-haired butler promptly stepped inside. His usually impeccable form was in disarray, and his expression was one of slight panic. "My prince, Lord Ashford is on the phone..." He seemed to hesitate for a moment. "He seemed quite worked up, my prince."
Lelouch blinked, then gestured with his hands. "Well? Give me the phone."
"Of course."
His servant handed him the cordless phone in a smooth motion, and left in the same way. Lelouch paused before bringing the phone up to his ears, making sure the doors were closed.
"Ruben?" he asked, once his door had closed shut.
"Lelouch." The reply was breathless and relieved.
That worried him. "Are you alright?" he asked in concern.
"I- of course, but it's not good, Lelouch," Ruben replied in a hurried voice.
"What's going on?"
"They've made their move."
He took a sharp intake of breath. "This early?"
"Lelouch, they're outside of my house."
"What?" Lelouch sat up straighter in his seat. "Ruben, are you—is your family safe?"
"We're fine lelouch," he answered promptly. "It's more of a passive move."
He did not bother to hide his sigh of relief. "Good, tell me what's going on."
"Accusation of treason." Ruben revealed sharply. "They had the gall to involve the police... and the media." He said the last part with a grim tone.
"...Who was behind it?" Now that their enemies had made their move, he needed to know what method they were going to use.
"Callaghan, who else?" Ruben replied bitterly.
Lelouch scoffed. "Hmph, no wonder they involved the media, someone like him..."
The Callaghans were a wealthy family that were relatively new, compared to most of the other noble families. Their wealth was a result of a generation of smart investments and strong-arm tactics in the business sector. They had the money, but not the power that came with it. After all, to thrive in Britannia, one had to have a strong history... or a stronger connection.
He didn't know who was backing the outspoken purist member. But the fact that someone like him had the nerve to attack the Ashfords, of all people in a public setting, did not bode well. Though they were weakened, that did not mean they were helpless. The Ashfords were a proud lion, backed into a dark corner.
Their enemies should have been wary.
"What do they have on you?" he asked, after a moment of consideration. The local police did not have the power to go far with a charge of treason, and would have dismissed the case given enough time. Accusing a noble of treason would have gotten the person laughed at... if the situation were normal.
"Nothing," Ruben began. "At least, on the surface... but the weasel has accused us of supporting Britannian enemies with our technology." There was a pause from his end. "Knightmare Frames," he added in a low whisper.
Lelouch sighed heavily, sinking back into his seat. "It's quite obvious that they are trying to set you up."
"I expect nothing less from those purist dogs." Ruben scoffed. "Accusing us, of treason... why, back in my day, such words would have started a blood feud, and in fact—" He snarled.
"Ruben," he interrupted. "What are you going to do?"
Silence.
"Ruben..."
"Lelouch, you know that I would be more than willing to fight to the bitter end... if it were any other situation." His tone was filled with regret, his previous anger forgotten.
He understood what Ruben was saying. The man was not fighting for the honour of his family anymore. Most nobles would have given everything they had for their name and honour. Ruben Ashford was a man who put his loved ones first... and it was something he respected immensely.
"You're leaving then?" he asked.
"We have to—I have no other choice," he replied in a defeated voice. Remaining in Britannia while they continued to rack up false charges was not a smart move. He had no doubt that it would eventually reach the courts. In that environment, he had no chance. A conviction of treason merits a death sentence for the entire family.
Lelouch closed his eyes, thinking on the current situation. The accusation of treason would not carry the purists far, but the media... they were planning something. If public opinion could be swayed to their side, and he had no doubts what the public would feel about the illustrious Ashford's fall, then they had little chance of fighting this. Victory was out of the question.
Any rational person would have agreed with Ruben's choice to cut his losses. Then again, there was nobody quite like Lelouch.
He did not accept defeat.
"Give me a week," he said suddenly.
"Lelouch..."
"Fine, three days."
There was a pause from Ruben's end. A soft sigh was heard.
"I do not like to gamble, Lelouch."
Lelouch smirked. "Then you have never betted on me before."
※※※※※※※※※※
His eyes roamed over the bright computer screen with startling speed. The rate at which he was reading and absorbing the words were astounding. The particular document he was reading was a recently released scientific journal. The fact that a boy of his age was able to read at such a level, let alone comprehend it, was incredible.
Then again, Lelouch was not a regular boy.
To further cement that fact, the particular journal he was reading dealt with possible improvements to the refining process of Sakuradite. Currently, there was only one method of refining the precious mineral, and it was costly. The method was highly inefficient, but was considered to be optimal since it posed no risk of igniting the volatile mineral. Safety was paramount when dealing with a mineral that tended to blow up.
Currently, most of the usage of the mineral was in superconductors, and heavy machinery. He had no doubt that eventually, the mineral would be used to create an engine for the next generation of KMF frames. He knew that several of the leading minds in the military were already hard at work.
What he was interested in was the currently overlooked side of the mineral. Though its potential uses in superconductor technology was well known, not many had utilized the concept to its true potential. The ability to store an immense amount of energy and to release it almost instantaneously had potential.
Even as he finished the journal, and opened a new one, his mind continued to process the information at a whirlwind's pace. Plans, ideas, concepts. They all formed together in the back of his mind, for him to review at a later time.
He was someone who continued to astound others with his mind. Not because of his ingenuity, but because of just how knowledgeable he was. He was well versed in all fields of science, history, literature, and had constantly stumped his tutors by his ability to grasp their teachings and improve upon it.
A true genius.
Though he frequently drove his many tutors insane, it was not his fault. He was someone that, when given an interesting question or concept, will put his all into finding the answer. Beyond that, he was never driven enough to do something with his knowledge, content with simply learning. Applying it was something that was new to him, but he did not worry, his mind was his most powerful weapon.
The door to his room creaked open, before a head of sandy-brown hair peaked inside. Lelouch felt his heart stop as he saw the familiar sight of his sister. "Nunnally?!"
He rushed over to her, checking over her when he saw that she was alone. She must have wheeled herself over to his door. A considerable feat, when you took in the fact that she was blind and had to stumble along the doors. He wondered how she could have gotten into her wheelchair by herself in the first place.
"Why are you alone? You should have called for a servant... or me." He chastised. It was now that he regretted agreeing to dismiss the twenty-four hour care he had initially hired. His sister disliked the helplessness that the servants caused her to feel.
She was silent, simply reaching out with her arms. As his worry died down, he sighed, while taking his sister into his arms. It was his fault for letting her sleep alone. Though she had said she was fine, he had no doubt that she had been scared.
"It's alright," he whispered, taking her to his bed, where he set her down. He gently tucked her in, and kissed her on the forehead.
He made to move, when she grasped his hands. "...Read to me?" she whispered.
He smiled gently. "Of course."
Though a genius he might be, he was a brother first and foremost.
※※※※※※※※※※
He eyed the luxurious estate with a disinterested gaze. From the perfectly trimmed gardens, to the crystal clear water fountain, it was a sight that displayed its owner's wealth. To Lelouch, the sight was not the least bit impressive.
He was slightly annoyed that he had to walk the rest of the way up to the front doors. It was likely the owner had that feature in mind when he had commissioned the estate. What better way to show off your wealth, then to let your guests walk through it.
As he neared the front door, he noticed the harrowed looks on the gathered servants' faces. Finally, he spotted the head of the estate, a blond man with a short beard, who looked nervous at the foot of the door steps. The man seemed to widen his eyes as he took in the sight of Lelouch, and his bodyguard.
It was not everyday that you received a guest of the royal persuasion, especially when you were when you were only a noble of relatively low standing.
"Your Highness." The man gave a short bow, taking care to meet the proper formalities required of him.
"Lord Callaghan," he greeted. Jeremiah must have given the man a stern glare, for the man straightened up and hastily gestured for his servants.
"I must say, it is quite a pleasure to meet you—but ah, what am I saying, come, let us talk inside." He gestured for them to enter his home.
Lelouch followed without comment, mentally assessing the man before him. He held himself with pride, but did not have confidence in front of someone of higher rank. He did not treat his servants well, judging by their averted eyes and nervous movements. Most importantly, he prided himself in material things. Every inch of the lobby was decorated with elaborate furnishings that glittered in the light.
Weak, bigoted, arrogant.
Rupert Callaghan seemed to walk slower as they passed into the main foyer, hoping that his guest would be impressed by the gold statue of a lion in the center. Lelouch gave him a bored look, and the man picked up his pace.
Arriving before a pair of ornate double doors, he gave a brief look towards Gottwald. "Do wait outside, Gottwald."
He nodded, only a subtle glint of the eye indicating that he understood the deeper meaning.
"Shall we?" his host asked, gesturing for him to enter the office.
Lelouch entered without preamble, giving a quick scan of the room. Like the rest of the manor, it was filled with elaborate furnishings, some of which being more expensive than those in his own palace. Ignoring the various antiques and expensive paintings, he made directly for the desk.
His host hastily adjusted his walk, arriving at the seat of his desk. He must have been wanting to make small talk before getting into their business. Lelouch had little time in his schedule to be making nice with someone like him however.
"So," Callaghan began, after the two of them had sat down. "Would you like some tea, Your Highness?"
At his nod, the older man poured the prepared tea into two cups. He did not drink from his cup immediately, instead, choosing to observe the man in front of him. If his mood was any indication, he seemed to be completely oblivious about his true purpose.
"Lord Callaghan," he began, after taking a few sips of tea. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."
The man hastily shook his head. "No, no. It's quite an honour, Your Highness." His smile was wide, and fake. No doubt the man was slightly angered by having to adjust his schedule in order to meet up with a mere boy. No matter if the boy was royalty.
"In any case, I wish to thank you for your kind words at the funeral."
The man seemed to straighten up at his words. "No need to, my prince, Empress Marianne was much loved by us all. Her passing was... a tragedy."
Lelouch smiled thinly at his condolences, but merely chose to incline his head. "I also wish to congratulate you on your recent success."
"My prince?" The older man was confused.
"Your businesses have been thriving, Lord Callaghan."
He seemed to retain his confusion, but puffed up slightly at the compliment. "Thank you, Your Highness. It was a long road, but well deserved."
"Of course." He wondered how much of the man's success was a result of blackmailing and other underhanded tactics. "It is good to see another rising family in Britannia." He said aloud.
Callaghan inclined his head in a thankful gesture, his previous confusion abated. He seemed to be glad that a member of the royal family was giving him praise. Although Lelouch had little power to his name, he was still a member of the highest family in the country. It would be in Callaghan's best interests to make good with the boy.
"Now, I'd like to get to the main reason why I am here." He placed his cup of tea down. Staring the man opposing him in the eye, he revealed his intentions. "The Ashfords."
The mention of that particular family caused Callaghan's eyes to widen in shock. The man seemed to lose his composure for a split second before forcibly calming himself down. He tried to meet his eyes with a confident grin. "Whatever do you mean, Your Highness?" He asked cautiously.
"Quite simply, Lord Callaghan... your recent actions against the Ashfords have drawn my eye," Lelouch answered steadily
The man seemed to freeze in shock for a moment, before his face scrounge up into an ugly expression. "I don't see how that concerns you at all... my prince." He added the formality with a bitter tone.
Lelouch remained unflinching, as he stared into his eyes. "Your senseless vendetta against them... I want you to stop."
The man frowned deeply, almost sneering. "While I still do not understand what you are talking about, even if I had something to do with the Ashfords... it is certainly none of your concern, my prince."
"I do believe it is my concern, considering my interests... and it is why I'm here today." He steepled his hand, giving the man an appraising stare. "To give you a warning."
All sense of reservation seemed to vanish from the man's face. His face red as it strained to contain his fury. "Now listen here! I don't care who you think you are, or what you think you are capable of, but waltzing in here, in my own home, and threatening me?" His eyes narrowed. "You forget your place, boy."
Lelouch watched him rant with an uncaring expression, which only served to further the man's anger.
"You're just a little boy who lost his mother, and now thinks he can play the game with the grown ups." He stood up. "But in reality... you're nothing. You have no power, no influence, nothing! And as soon as the Ashfords fall, I'll crush you into obscurity—where those of commoner blood belong!"
He had to raise an eyebrow at his words. Callaghan had basically announced his intent to go after a member of the royal family. The man seemed to have realized that, as he calmed himself down, and most of his anger dissipated. He knew that he had made a mistake.
"Your Highness, I—"
He held up a hand, before standing up. There was no need to further prolong the encounter. He had done what he had come here for. He walked to the door without another word, but stopped as he opened the doors.
Turning back, he saw the pale look in the man's face. He was probably afraid that Lelouch would tell his immediate family. A trespass against a royal was not taken lightly.
"Have no fear, Callaghan. I will forgive you for your outburst," he said lightly, calming the man down slightly. "But know this..." His expression turned dark, and his eyes cold. "When I have stripped away all that you own; your name, your possessions, and your pride... remember the mercy that I have shown here today."
He left promptly, without a second glance. Back in the hallway, he caught up with a slightly out-of-breath Jeremiah. Seeing the firm nod from his bodyguard as he fell into step, they two of them made their way out of the manor.
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The Ashford accusation, as it came to be called, ended with a rather startling revelation. To the public, who had been keeping track of the situation as if it were a soap opera, the conclusion of the whole situation was much like what they had expected. They scoffed and shook their heads, all of them saying that they had never suspected the Ashfords in the first place.
The media continued to cover the whole fiasco, despite its conclusion early in the morning. Several of their reporters still gathered in front of the Callaghan estate, along with a multitude of curious onlookers. Even now, several government officials could be seen combing the estate, interviewing and questioning the staff.
To the public, this was a scene of justice; an enemy of Britannia taken down. To Lelouch, the scene was one of victory.
Absolute victory.
When someone involved the media as a way of attack, they had to take into consideration the double-edged sword it truly was. One moment they were on your side, taking in your story with a smile. But if a juicier and more outrageous story occurred, they would turn on you without a second thought.
And when the entirety of the Britannian people were against you... well, not even the most powerful of supporters would reach out to help. Lelouch had no doubt that all of Callaghan's support had quietly left, removing all traces of their involvement. They would have to reconsider their plans carefully after this. The Ashfords were not as vulnerable as they had thought. The only question remaining was if they knew that he himself was the one to be blamed.
...Reporting live in front of the Callaghan estate, with the conclusions of what appeared to be a government sanctioned raid. We have reports that seemed to have confirmed the presence of the SS. As you all know, the SS only involve themselves in cases that pose a direct threat to Britannia. Earlier in the week, Lord Rupert Callaghan accused the head of the Ashfords, Ruben Ashford of...
He tuned out the rest of the report. Involving the Secret Service was not something that anyone could do, not even a member of the royal family. The people with that kind of reach were those that were simply unreachable. Luckily, he had been able to obtain a favour from Schneizel, someone who had the right connections. His older brother had been curious, but obliged him regardless. He would need to repay that favour soon enough, as he did not like being in another's debt.
Setting Callaghan up for the fall was rather easy. Using the access granted by Cornelia, he had printed out several pages of highly confidential military information, primarily those that dealt with Knightmare Frames. Slipping those pages into Callaghan's hidden safe was done by Jeremiah. Upon finding the incriminating evidence, there would be little the man could say to save himself, especially as the man did not have the cleanest dealings with his business partners . It was even more futile considering how the man had been trying to set the Ashford's up the entire time.
This was more than just a victory for him and the Ashfords. It was a message. All those who had thought them to be weak were now reconsidering their opinions. The Ashford's had another ally, and he was incredibly capable. But he could not rely on the same tactics forever, as what he had done today was only possible because of the help of his trusted family.
In the future, he would crush his enemies by his own means. Without mercy, without hesitation. All in order to create a better world.
He turned off the news report, and made for his study.
There was work to do.
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A/N: Thanks for the feedback everyone. They are much appreciated, as I read every one.
Leading up to the main events in canon, Lelouch will be different, primarily in how much resources he has at his disposal. As he gathers allies and power, he will eventually come to control his very own faction.
To those who say that Lelouch is not smart enough to have done what he did in this chapter... well, considering just what he could do in Canon, without much preparation (That whole Poison Gas scenario was done in the spur of the moment), imagine what a driven!Lelouch is capable of with the proper resources at his disposal.
Anyways, please feel free to leave any suggestions/critiques/opinions. I welcome them all.