The Black Knight
Disclaimer: Euphemia: The following is non-profit, don't sue us please!
Cornelia: No, no! You must disclaim with strength and confidence!
Lucario Bradley (off screen): Don't sue us or we'll kill you!
Cornelia: Maybe there's a middle ground.
Turn 10 Lamperouge
Lelouch and Xingke followed the nurses as they rolled Rolo's gurney through the hallways. The Chinese airship's infirmary was as close as Lelouch would come to a hospital. The doctor began to feel Rolo's pulse.
"We'll know more by morning. Please leave us, gentlemen," the doctor informed, and Lelouch and Xingke fell behind, leaving the doctor. Lelouch removed his helmet.
"I can arrange for transportation back to the mansion-" Xingke was saying before Lelouch interrupted.
"I'll sleep here," Lelouch announced. When Xingke tried to argue, Lelouch added, "It's final."
"So will I," Kallen said. Lelouch looked at her and smiled. She smiled back. Xingke sighed and gestured for Lelouch to follow. The Chinese commander led Lelouch and Kallen to the apartments of the airship. They entered a living room with a large bent couch, effectively two that were joined at a corner. Lelouch laid down, setting his head on the corner where they joined. Kallen laid down on the other, sighing. Her head wound up touching Lelouch's, their hair mixing. Her proximity reminded Lelouch of when they'd been lovers.
"I wouldn't mind sharing a bed with you," he admitted, devilishly. He felt Kallen's head turn against his. Lelouch's hand went up to feel her hair.
"I didn't think we were that good as friends," Kallen said. Lelouch was at once reminded of the command he'd placed on her. He withdrew his hand, placing it on his chest. He frowned. "I mean, we can bunk up, if we need to. But we don't really know each other that well."
"You'd be surprised how well two people know each other," Lelouch said, somber. He placed a hand on his forehead, sighing. He saw Kallen's legs as she sat up. Damn her legs were great, Lelouch thought. He groaned and closed his eyes, covering them with his arm.
"What's wrong?" Kallen asked, sounding as if she thought Lelouch was insane.
"Just wishing I had the belt to a pink bathrobe," Lelouch muttered, then said aloud, "Nothing."
"You're a bit of a slut, aren't you?" Kallen asked, coy. Lelouch looked at her, amused and confused. She merely smirked. "I heard how long you were with Euphemia. You must have been really dirty needing such a long bath." Lelouch chuckled and looked back up.
"How do you like your uniform?" he asked.
"Fits like a glove," Kallen said. "Not sure if the headband works the way my hair is, though."
"Maybe you need to gel it up. Make it more like a mane," Lelouch suggested. He saw Kallen nod in the corner of his eye. "I wish Euphemia were here right now," he admitted.
"Of course you do...slut." Lelouch looked over at Kallen as she smiled teasingly. He smiled and sat up. Stretching, he undid his cloak, setting it over the arm of the couch, setting his helmet on the table in the center of the room. Kallen picked it up, looking at the inside of the helmet. She set it on, looking around the room with it. She pulled it off, then set it down again. "I think I might have gone a different way," Kallen admitted, staring at the visor.
"Oh yeah? Burgundy dress and stripper heels?" Lelouch said, reminding her of how they had met. Kallen rolled her eyes.
"Those were not stripper heels," she said, irritated.
"They were," Lelouch said, confirming.
"Fuck you," Kallen said angrily.
"I wish you would," Lelouch muttered.
"What did you say?"
"What?"
The two merely stared at each other, not saying anything else. Lelouch felt the tension rising. It might have been just him. He stood slowly, Kallen doing the same.
"I'm going to find something to eat," Lelouch said carefully. Kallen met his gaze.
"I'm going to find a shower," Kallen replied, equally carefully. They started to walk different ways, backing away as they faced each other. Finally Lelouch left the room, and Kallen headed into another part of the apartments, looking for a bathroom. Lelouch looked around and only found bathrooms.
On the other half of the apartments, Kallen kept finding small dining rooms with various windows to the kitchens. She leaned around the corner to see Lelouch doing the same.
"I found the kitchen," she told him.
"I found a bathroom," he told her.
The two began to walk towards each other, then began to circle, keeping their distance and their gazes on the others eyes. Then they continued to back up, not looking away from the other.
"We...could have...a one night thing..." Kallen suggested nervously.
"Food, shower," Lelouch replied. He pointed behind Kallen, who turned and headed for the bathrooms. Lelouch looked up at the sky, then down at his crotch. Now he needed a shower. He sighed and headed for the dining rooms. As he did, he headed for the bottles in the corner and uncorked a bottle of wine, then poured himself a large glass and downed it in one drink.
0.0.0
Lelouch was awakened by Xingke yanking the curtains of the room open, shooting morning sunlight into his eyes. He tried to sit up, when he noticed a body on top of him. And that neither his nor his bed mate were wearing clothes. He looked down and saw the crimson hair as it began to turn to look up at him with Kallen's eyes.
"What did I drink?" he asked, nervously as Kallen carefully climbed off of him.
"In general or all three bottles?" Xingke replied. Lelouch rolled over as Kallen began to pull on her uniform. Lelouch began to pull on his own, quickly.
"Should we talk about this?" Kallen asked, nervously.
"What happens in China, stays in China," Lelouch said, standing as he pulled on his shirt and jacket. He stood and turned to see Kallen pulling on her knee-high black stockings.
"And I did not put it on the internet," Xingke said. Lelouch stared at Xingke, trying to determine if the straight-faced warrior was joking or not. The corner of Xingke's mouth began to curl, and Lelouch realized the joke.
"I will kill you," Lelouch said, determined. Xingke chuckled and walked out of the room. Lelouch pulled on his socks, then boots, and followed him, leaving Kallen to pull on her own boots. "You might call Milly to pick you up," he said, before leaving.
0.0.0
Lelouch looked into the infirmary room. Rolo was hooked up to a heart-rate monitor. He glanced at Xingke, who looked at him straight-faced.
"He's got multiple heart defects. The doctors said it's as if they strengthened the heart so much that they ruined it," Xingke informed him. Lelouch absorbed this. They'd been trying to correct the defect of Rolo's Geass. For experimentation and mass-production. Rolo had an impressive power. The testers had focused on Rolo a lot more than Lelouch. Lelouch thought of the many young men he'd met in the dark. Lelouch was surprised if any of them were still alive. A mercy kill, to a gigantic scale, when he'd destroyed the institute.
"He's been asking for you, since he woke up." Lelouch nodded, and headed around the corner of the observation area, walking into the room. Rolo smiled when he saw Lelouch enter.
"How are you, Rolo?" Lelouch asked, walking to the side of the boy's bed.
"I feel fine until I move," Rolo told him. "Then my chest hurts."
"Don't worry about it," Lelouch said, placing a reassuring hand on Rolo's chest. Lelouch could feel Rolo's heart. Lelouch internally cursed. He could feel the heartbeat was off. It was very sporadic. A stutter. "Have they been treating you well?"
"I guess," Rolo said. "They gave me some vegetables. I didn't really like them. How long will I be here?" Lelouch frowned, looking down. "Lelouch?" Rolo asked, worried.
"You won't be here any longer than you have to be," Lelouch said, suddenly turning strong and reassuring. "I'll be back, Rolo, I promise." Lelouch turned and walked out of the room, stepping behind the wall next to the door so Rolo couldn't see him.
"He won't live long, will he?" Lelouch asked Xingke. Xingke frowned and shook his head, once. "Does he even have twenty-four hours?" Xingke frowned again. Lelouch leaned his head against the wall. It was like being in the Geass Institute again. He sighed and pulled out his cell phone, walking away.
0.0.0
Euphemia's phone rang on her desk. Euphemia wasn't there. She sat down in the main dining hall of the Imperial Palace. Charles zi Britannia sat at the top of the table as the breakfast was served, Schneizel and Guinevere at his side. Cornelia and Euphemia sat on the long side of the table beside Guinevere, Carine sitting on the other side of Euphemia. Nunnally sat across from Euphemia, being helped a maid as she ate.
"Now," Charles said. "With Odysseus gone, I have been judging which of you would be Prime Minister." he glanced at Schneizel.
"Oh father," Guinevere said, complaining. "Must it really be one of us? I so tire of hearing about this ruling fairly."
"Silence," Charles growled. "Guinevere you will be quiet. You are nothing but a marriage to strengthen our hold on the world. I have decided that Euphemia and Nunnally will be co-prime ministers." Euphemia looked up in surprise, and Nunnally angled her head similarly, though she couldn't see.
"Father," Schneizel said. "Surely I would be better suited-"
"Quiet," Charles said again. "My choice is made. The two are far better at ruling compassionately than you, Schneizel. It will create stronger support from the commons and numbers."
"Numbers?!" Guinevere said, angrily. "What are they to us? They just cheat and steal for their drug habits and prostitution." Euphemia glared at her oldest half-sister angrily as Cornelia just gave Guinevere a weary look of irritation. "We'd be better off enslaving and sterilizing all of them."
"Shut up!" Euphemia said, standing angrily. The two knights of the rounds present, Gino Weinburg and Anya Alstreim, reached for their swords in alarm, but were calmed by a single hand from Charles.
"Oh really, little pink princess?" Guinevere said, standing haughtily. "And what if I don't? I'm a true daughter of Charles zi Britannia, while you are from the fourth consort. Challenge me if you dare, little sister. I'll ruin you!" Cornelia suddenly stood, and Guinevere's confidence disappeared almost comically.
"Guinevere," the Emperor began, "you are nothing without my blessing. You forget who rules here. I have chosen Euphemia and Nunnally to rule my realm for me. You have done nothing but bed knights and embarrass our house. You will be respectful or you will be sent to a brothel to service whatever man will have you." Guinevere watched the Emperor fearfully as he spoke, sitting as he finished, head hung in shame. "Cornelia, Euphemia, sit down please. I know we have lost much, and it has not all made us stronger. The losses of Lelouch, Clovis, and Odysseus have caused much sorrow in the realm." Euphemia noted Schneizel briefly grit his teeth at the mention of Lelouch. Euphemia thought of what Lelouch was doing as her father continued to speak. "Nunnally, Euphemia, come next to me." Nunnally ran her chair over to Charles's side, and he set his hand on her leg. Euphemia took Charles's other outstretched hand. "You will obey these two as though they speak my words at all times. Is that understood." Cornelia smiled as she joined her siblings in replying in unison.
Charles stood and left the room, leaving the six adult Royal children to finish the breakfast.
"Congratulations, sisters!" Cornelia said happily. Then she met Guinevere's glare, who then repeated the statement out of fear of Cornelia.
"The emperor did choose the most interesting choice," Schneizel said, smiling again. "And perhaps even the best one." Nunnally was smiling widely as she rolled back to her place. Euphemia sat back down, taking a sip of her orange juice.
"We all know who he would've picked if they were all still alive," Carine said, from Euphemia's side. Schneizel's smile disappeared.
"Lelouch," Schneizel said, irritated. "The prodigal son. Yes, our father may have picked Lelouch to lead the country after Odysseus's repeated failure to live up to anything."
"Or perhaps my position," Cornelia said, adding more praise to Lelouch to Guinevere's and Schneizel's irritation.
"Prince of the low-born consort," Guinevere mumbled, only to be immediately slapped by Cornelia.
"Show some respect for the dead," Cornelia ordered.
"Stop fighting," Nunnally said. "We are supposed to be family."
"Supposed to be," Euphemia repeated, glumly. In the corner, Gino's eyes narrowed as he thought.
"How common a name is Lelouch?" Gino asked from the other end of the room. Cornelia and Euphemia looked at Gino at his question.
"Not that common," Cornelia said. "I think the lady Marianne made it up."
"I met a lady who was married to a Lelouch," Gino said, pondering.
"Hmm. Not as unique as we thought, apparently," Euphemia said, grinning.
"Hmph," Guinevere said, scooping a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Euphemia and Cornelia turned to glare at Guinevere, who looked around the table to see their glares, and Nunnally angling her face towards her. "I'm leaving," she announced, getting up to leave.
"Probably to whore herself out again," Cornelia muttered.
When Euphemia got to her room later, she noticed the missed call and picked up the phone, dialing.
0.0.0
Lelouch answered the phone in front of Rolo, smiling.
"Yes?"
'I got your call,' Euphemia said over the phone, concerned. 'Is everything all right?' Lelouch frowned. Rolo frowned at the same time.
"Not really. The boy isn't going to make it." There was silence on the other end as Rolo's eyes widened. Lelouch frowned as Rolo looked down, depressed.
'What can I do?' Euphemia asked, worriedly.
"You can come meet him. He needs a gentle face," Lelouch said. Rolo looked up at him, in confusion. Lelouch gave her the location and closed the phone after she told him she was on her way. He looked at Rolo with pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help you more," Lelouch said. Rolo's eyes narrowed. "It's my fault that you're dying." Rolo's eyes widened in shock.
"My friend whom you're named after. He had the same power as you. We were friends in the Geass Institute. When we were broken out, Rolo helped me escape. But I wasn't strong enough to do it on my own. He overused his ability to freeze people, and it killed him." Lelouch's eyes began to fill with tears. "If I had been stronger. He'd be alive. And when I saw you, I thought I could repay his sacrifice. And I'm still not strong enough." he suddenly threw his arms around Rolo, who merely watched him in shock.
"Lelouch," Rolo said, in surprise. "But you're Zero! You can defeat anything!" Lelouch let him go somewhat.
"No, I can't, Rolo. There are some things you can't fight. Rules of the world that we have to live by. I can use my Geass on you, command you to live, but you'll still die. It's not a matter of power. It's a matter of time." Rolo's eyes teared up and he began to cry silently. Lelouch turned at the bootsteps in the hall and saw C standing there. She walked right up to Rolo and stood by the opposite side from Lelouch. An idea occurred to him.
"Could you help him?" C looked at Lelouch at his question.
"I can't give my code to someone who's Geass I didn't give them," the witch said. Lelouch gritted his teeth.
"So there's nothing?" Lelouch asked, angrily. C glanced at Rolo, then back to Lelouch. She turned to Rolo, kneeling down. Rolo looked at her as his tears flowed down his face. She reached up, brushing one away.
"Dying's not that scary," C promised. "It's just like going to sleep. And when you wake up, you'll be with everyone. You'll all be together. It's not bad, and it's not good, but it's easy. And I'll come and talk with you all the time. And someday you'll see everyone again. They might be a little different, but you'll know who they are." Lelouch raised an eyebrow at C. The witch stood and smiled, barely, then walked away. Lelouch followed after her.
"I didn't know you believed in heaven," he said, mocking her. She whirled on him.
"It's not heaven. It's not hell. It just is. Heaven and hell are human concepts. You bring just what you take with you. Trust me, I've died enough times to know." Lelouch gave her a cold stare as a reply. "You of all people should know that death is inevitable." Lelouch gritted his teeth. He looked behind C to see Euphemia running over, guided by Xingke.
"I came as fast as I could," she told Lelouch. "Where is he?" Lelouch gestured behind him, and Euphemia walked past them.
"In another life you could have been, in another you can never be," C said, looking at Euphemia as she spoke to Rolo.
"You can see alternate futures?" he asked, mocking again.
"I can see the flows of time," the witch said. "Every river breaks into streams. In some you die, in some you live. Every stream she lives in your heart somewhere. Lelouch, I don't care what happens to me anymore. If you don't want to be like me, keep that one safe." C then turned and walked away. Lelouch understood all of what C said.
"Thank you, C," he said to her receding back. C stopped and looked over her shoulder, straight-faced, as Lelouch turned.
"You're welcome, warlock," he heard her say to his back. Lelouch returned to the infirmary room to see Euphemia fussing over Rolo, who was desperately trying to get her to stop. She'd be a fine mother, Lelouch thought as he watched Euphemia, and froze. A mother, but to his children? Lelouch wondered if he had that kind of future. He was stunned out of his inner monologue as the doctor entered, advising them that Rolo needed rest.
Euphemia and Lelouch stepped out of the room as the light's were turned down. Euphemia looked at him, worriedly, and Lelouch put an arm around her. He gently guided her to the apartments, sitting down with her on the couch. Euphemia watched him as they sat.
"I feel helpless," Lelouch said, angry. "I can't stand it." Euphemia leaned her head to the side, and cupped his cheek. Lelouch's hand grabbed hers, and he leaned into her hand. "I got more than a little drunk," Lelouch admitted sorrowfully. "I was a bit lonely. And I think I slept with Kallen."
"A lot of people make mistakes when they don't know what to do," Euphemia said, accepting. Lelouch smiled a small smile.
"I'll make it up to you if you want," he said, quietly. She smiled, tempted. He leaned in to kiss her, and she pulled back.
"Not with you sad like you are," Euphemia said. Lelouch frowned and leaned back.
"I guess you'll have to make me laugh then," Lelouch said, teasing.
"Father just skipped over Schneizel for the new Prime Minister," Euphemia said, smiling at the memory. Lelouch smirked, but didn't laugh. "And he skipped Guinevere." When Lelouch smiled, she added, "And he said that if Guinevere didn't stop complaining he'd send her to a brothel." Lelouch's eyes went wide and he gave out a short bark of laughter, with Euphemia joining in. Lelouch leaned his head against the couch, chuckling to himself. Euphemia leaned in, kissing him. His hand went around her waist, pulling her gently against him.
"Long," came a young voice, "who's your friend this time?" They both stopped to look and saw the Empress Tianzi and Xingke standing there watching them. Euphemia looked at Lelouch, who sighed and smiled.
"Sister Tianzi," Lelouch said, "This is my fiancee Euphemia." Euphemia leaned forward, offering her hand. Tianzi smiled and took it, turning it over and kissing the back of her hand.
"That's not how you do it," Xingke said to the little empress, frowning.
"That's how Long does it," Tianzi argued.
"Lelouch is a man, your highness," Xingke replied.
"Long always said I can do anything he can," Tianzi said, smiling proudly. Lelouch narrowed his eyes, awkwardly, and glanced at Euphemia's bemused expression.
"Although there are some things that I can do that you really shouldn't try," Lelouch said. Tianzi frowned, annoyed.
"Did she call you long?"
"It's because he's a dragon in human form!" Tianzi said, throwing her hands up in excitement. "In china, he devoured his enemies with fire while he fought alongside Li to free my country!" Euphemia looked slowly from Tianzi to Lelouch, smiling even wider. Lelouch sighed and met her gaze.
"I may have simplified or exaggerated Knightmare Frame combat when she was much younger. In my defense, she understood everything else I taught her," Lelouch said, defensively.
"Good thing, too," Xingke said. "Means you get to explain the sex thing." Euphemia shook her head, mortified, and leaned forward, sitting on the edge of her seat, taking Tianzi's hands in hers.
"Do you want to get something to eat while you tell me about Lelouch fighting like a dragon?" Euphemia asked sweetly, smiling. Tianzi smiled and nodding and led Euphemia by the hand. Lelouch smiled as they went, then turned a glare on Xingke.
"You are an evil man, you know that?' Xingke just met his gaze.
0.0.0
Lelouch was napping on the couch when he was startled awake by Euphemia sitting down on the couch. He let out a sigh of relief, then scooted back. Euphemia laid down next to him, her back to his chest. Lelouch wrapped an arm around her waist to prevent her falling off the couch, his face winding up in the back of her hair.
"Seeing you with Tianzi made me wonder about any children we have," Euphemia said. Lelouch froze. "How would we be? Would we be like our father? My mother wasn't the same as Marianne. I never saw her." Lelouch frowned, and he wrapped another arm around her, stroking Euphemia's arm as he thought.
"Seeing you with Rolo made me think of the same thing. I honestly never thought of it. I thought of you, but never of a child," Lelouch admitted. The two laid there for a few moments, not thinking.
"Maybe we should swear that we will love them unconditionally?" Euphemia said, looking over her shoulder at him, though she couldn't see anything.
"But if we needed to do that, what kind of parents does that make us?" Lelouch said. "Would we need an oath to do that? When I was helping Rolo out of the casino, I wasn't acting like my mother. I reminded myself of father."
"I barely knew mother. Yours practically raised me and Cornelia. I loved her more than I even knew my own. Eventually I loved you and Nunnally too." Euphemia put her hands around Lelouch's arms, holding him to her as well as she could. "So when I thought of what to do with Rolo, I thought of Marianne tucking me into bed with Cornelia when we were very young." Lelouch smiled at Euphemia's recollection.
"Whenever I think of her, I always think of when she would play with me and Nunnally. Later, when I learned of the kind of things she'd had to do as a Knight, it never destroyed that image. It only made her more incredible to me. She killed, just as I've done, and she was still the best parent I've known. How much will I take after her?"Euphemia wriggled and turned to face him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She looked up into his eyes, and he met hers, both of them looking at each other.
"I want to carry your children, Lelouch," she finally declared softly. "I don't care what kind of parents we are. I want them to be the most beautiful, kindest, smartest, and strongest Royal Children that ever existed. And if I can't have that, then at least they'll be ours." Lelouch stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, and she grabbed it, holding it to her.
"I love your damn poetry," he said, smiling. She smiled herself.
"I think I wrote your name in every book in that room," she said, giggling at the idea.
"Lelouch!" came Xingke's voice, causing them both to jump. "The boy is not long for this world. The empress is with him."
0.0.0
Lelouch and Euphemia ran into the room to Rolo's side. His heart-rate was jumping sporadically, and his eyes were blinking red. Lelouch realized with a horrible thought what was happening. Rolo's Geass froze his heart. As the body weakened, the Geass could overtake a person's will. Rolo's Geass was going runaway, and it was killing Rolo as it did.
"Lelouch! ...freezing...without wanting-" Rolo said, seeming to pause and restart.
"Rolo! Focus! Breathe." Rolo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Lelouch looked at Euphemia, who was watching with her hand over her mouth, crying silently.
Tianzi looked up at Xingke.
"What is happening?" the empress asked her protector.
"He can't remain in this world. He must go to live with his ancestors," Xingke said. Lelouch gritted his teeth.
"Rolo...I want to give you a gift I should've given the original. From now on, you are Rolo Lamperouge. You're my brother." Rolo's eyes opened in surprised joy. Lelouch smiled. Tianzi climbed onto the bed, placing a hand on Rolo's shoulder. She kissed his cheek, making Lelouch smile once again.
"I hope I meet you again someday, Rolo," Tianzi said, smiling. Rolo looked at her, smiled. The monitor beeped, and Rolo's face went slack. Lelouch's eyes widened. He backed up, absorbing the reality.
C watched through the glass as Rolo's spirit left his body.
"We all meet again, Rolo," she said quietly. "Right, Marianne?"
Lelouch backed up further, then with an angry cry he punched the window, shattering it. Euphemia stepped away as Lelouch walked out of the room, angrily throwing anything within reach. He stopped in front of C.
"I'm going to kill whoever did this to him," he told the witch. "This is my contract."
"Even if they're like me?" C asked, her voice straight. Lelouch's face became a mask of anger.
"Even then, I will find a way to make them pay."
0.0.0
Lelouch watched from across the cemetary as they laid Rolo in the ground. He saw Euphemia with her hand on Tianzi's shoulder. He saw Kallen and Milly place roses on the coffin. He saw Tohdoh perform a Buddhist chant to ensure no evil spirits desecrated the body. But he didn't approach. His hands in his pockets, he turned away as the funeral was ended. He had a few more graves to visit.
As he walked between the stones, he saw his target, a pair of tombstones that he had only heard were there. Another figure stood before them, hands in his pockets. As he got closer, he saw the Knight-Commander and continued.
Eventually Lelouch stood next to Jeremiah Gottwald, who was staring at the tombstones. The first read Marianne vi Britannia, the one next to it read his own name. Lelouch could only stare.
"Sometimes I come here," Jeremiah said, not looking at him. "When I need advice. Sometimes I come up with what I need to hear. Sometimes I don't. I don't know if it's the Lady Marianne, but I like to think her spirit watches over me sometimes."
Lelouch absorbed this information. C believed there was an afterlife. He supposed the witch would know best. He knelt down, placing his hand on the ground before his mother. He struggled to find the words to say.
"I love you, mother," he finally settled for. He looked at his own grave, then glanced at Jeremiah. "What did you decide?"
"I failed to protect my lady. Perhaps I can make amends helping her son," Gottwald said.
"I mean to destroy Britannia." Gottwald looked at Lelouch at the younger man's comment.
"For the people of Britannia?" Gottwald asked, curious.
"For the world. A better world." Gottwald nodded at Lelouch's answer.
"I can support that," Gottwald said. Lelouch looked at Gottwald.
"Your people. Can you speak for all of them?"
"No," Gottwald replied, turning back to Lelouch's grave. "But if all of them helped you, the game would be less interesting, wouldn't it?" Gottwald looked back at the prince to see his small smirk. Gottwald smiled and left, seeing the princess Euphemia standing some ways back, watching Lelouch. He nodded and continued on. Euphemia walked over in her black gown and coat. She stopped next to him, holding his hand with both of hers.
"Would you promise to be my wife," Lelouch said quietly, "in sickness and in health? To obey and support me, to have and to hold, til death does us part?"
"I do," Euphemia replied quietly. "Do you promise to be my wedded husband? To care for and protect me, in sickness and health, until death does us part?"
"I do," Lelouch answered. He turned to look into her eyes, his black scarf blowing in the wind. They leaned in and kissed, in front of Lelouch's mother. As they broke the kiss, Lelouch looked down sheepishly. "I'd give you a ring. Something in silver. To match how beautiful and pure you are." Euphemia smiled, flushed.
"I don't need rings or fancy weddings to be yours, Lelouch. I just need you." Lelouch smiled and looked back up into her eyes. Husband and wife, they walked away from his mother's grave, and his own, hand in hand.
0.0.0
Kallen was walking back to the mansion when she noticed a long-haired blonde boy standing in the road. Kallen narrowed her eyes trying to identify him, and the boy raised a hand, gesturing for her to come closer. He possessed purple eyes along with blonde hair.
"Hello, Kallen Kozuki. My name is V." the blonde boy offered his hand. Kallen reached up and took it, warily. Suddenly she felt her mind being rummaged through, and she felt memories of Lelouch flooding her mind. Her heart seemed to burst as emotion flooded back through her. She dropped to her knees, suddenly feeling the need to vomit at the barrage of thought. When she looked up, V was gone. She looked around and saw Lelouch and Euphemia walking down the road, Euphemia's hand in his arm. She inhaled, feeling her heart break. She turned away, unable to look.
0.0.0
Cornelia sat in the large command center. Around her many of Britannia's most powerful commanders sat around, reviewing data. The intelligence division had reported nothing new. Cornelia sighed in irritation. Then a thought hit her. Reverse the board.
"We need to stop hunting Zero," she declared standing. Instead of hunting Zero, set out a trap. But how could she draw out someone they knew almost nothing about? In his few appearances, he'd been quite enigmatic. He did seem to be quite interested in the royal children.
"Hmm," she said, stroking her chin in thought. "Well then, if Zero is so intent on the Royal Family, we will use me as bait." Guilford stood in alarm.
"My Princess," Guilford said in concern, "if this gambit fails, you may be killed!"
"It will not fail," Cornelia declared.