Chapter Eleven
September 12, 2017
Gino stared at the door to the large hangar, tipping his head to the side with the smirk. He had never understood why this building was there, it had always been avoided by most of the military forces. But the two newest knights had been visiting the place quite often, always returning to their hall sweaty and exhausted. That still only accounted for two of the three new knights, but not the third. The Eleven never even came down their hall, but that was probably the best. Still, if the pattern that the new knights followed was correct, the Eleven would be here.
He reached out, pushing the door open and walking in through the small hallway and out into the open space. Gino glanced to once side, raising his eyebrow at the two Knightmare Frames that were standing to one side. So those were the rumored float units, Gino tilted his head to the side as he stared at the bulky packs that were placed on the Knightmare's backs. He hoped that they would be improved quickly for the sake of the Knights of the Round, they looked fragile from where he was standing.
He turned his attention elsewhere, staring at the impressive white Knightmare on the opposite side of the hangar. Gino whistled under his breath, barely aware of the sound echoing in the hangar. He ran a hand through his hair, walking across the room to where the computers were, keeping an eye on the white Knightmare. There were a few lights flickering on the Frame to show that it was in use, Gino following the flashes of light for a moment before concentrating on climbing up the steps to the bank of computers.
A woman was sitting in the chair, bent over the screen. She didn't notice him approach, too busy staring at the numbers that were flashing on the screen. His eyebrows rose at the data that they were pulling from the Knightmare Frame. They were high numbers, even for a Knight of the Round. Personally, he could only pull numbers like that off on his best days. Only Bismarck could match those numbers, and only in his Galahad. "Impressive."
The woman jumped, turning around to look at him with a gasp. Gino watched as her eyes widened comically before she calmed down, placing a hand over her heart. "Sir Weinberg."
He gave her a wide smile before bowing. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize. I didn't hear you come in." She turned back to the computer, placing a hand against her headset to steady it before speaking. "We've got the data Lloyd wanted. You can come out now."
Gino didn't hear the answer from the other end, watching as the white Knightmare was shut down. He whistled again, leaning on the other chair and continuing to stare at the numbers that were on the screen, holding steady now. "That's the best I've seen."
"He's a…good pilot."
He heard the hesitation, tipping his head to the side before deciding to ignore it. "I hope he's slated for the Knights of the Round the next time someone retires. It would be insane to just keep him back."
"He's already a member." The response was whispered, Gino having to lean forward to hear it. He frowned when he saw that she looked frightened. Gino pushed away from the chair he was leaning on, glancing up at the Knightmare. Why would the technician be afraid of him finding out who was piloting the Knightmare? Or was he just that intimidating. Or it might be the randomness of his arrival.
Gino shrugged and leaned back against the railing, watching as the cockpit slid backwards, his mouth falling open as he watched the Eleven step out of the Knightmare and onto the scaffolding. He glanced back at the screen, running through the numbers again just to make sure. The Eleven had almost matched Bismarck's scores, just a few points under. Bismarck would have to look out if the Eleven decided to go for the Knight of One's space, he would have a fight on his hands.
"Miss. Cecile, did Lloyd say anything about the delay time? Because it seems to be getting longer. Or is that just-" The Eleven froze as he saw Gino, reaching out to grab onto the railing. Gino watched the Eleven frown at him before continuing to walk down the steps. "Is that just me?"
Cecile glanced back at Gino before shaking her head. "The delay is longer when the Lancelot is stationary, it should go back to normal when you pilot it."
The Eleven nodded, stopping by the consoles and staring over at Gino. He sighed, prepared to introduce himself when the Eleven tipped his head to the side before he smiled. "Sir Weinberg?"
"Y-yes." Gino didn't know why he stuttered over the word, probably because the Eleven knew his name or the nearly flawless accent that the Eleven spoke with. He had expected the thick accents that he had trouble understanding. Gino cleared his throat and smiled. "That would make you Sir Kururugi."
He caught the wince that Suzaku gave, not quite sure what to make of it. Gino hid his indecision with a smile and threw his arm around Suzaku to pull him close. He ignored the cut off shout of surprise, keeping him close. "I must say, you're an impressive pilot."
Suzaku looked down. "It's just a test run."
"Still impressive." Suzaku wasn't looking at him, still staring at the floor. Gino jostled him gently, offering a smile. "Come on, you're being recognized for your skill. We're happy to have you with us." Suzaku gave him a sideways glance, Gino just laughing. "Well, I am. The others would be if you actually came to talk to us."
"I'm going to have to turn down that invitation. I have other duties to attend to."
"Really?"
"Really. The emperor has personally requested my help in certain matters."
Suzaku still wasn't looking at him, Gino feeling his smile waver at that. He could understand why inviting Suzaku down to the common room would make the Eleven balk, he wouldn't be welcome there. But he was a Knight of the Round, it was his right, his nationality shouldn't stop him from doing that. Then again, if the emperor demanded that Suzaku stay with him, Gino couldn't argue with the order.
He removed his arm from Suzaku's shoulder, giving him a gentle slap on the back. "Don't forget about yourself, alright?"
Suzaku gave him a mumbled reply, ducking out of his hold and walking towards what Gino assumed was the locker room. He hummed to himself before leaning forward on the railing, watching Suzaku walk away. His attention was drawn away from Suzaku as Lelouch walked into the hangar, the emperor walking after him and shutting the door to the locker room. Gino chuckled and pushed away from the railing, surprised when he met Cecile's gaze.
"You know he can't."
"He can."
"Of course he can." Cecile waved her hand, Gino surprised at the glare that she gave him. "But he won't be welcome."
"He will. He's a Knight of the Round."
Cecile stared at him before rolling her eyes. "I understand what you're trying to do, but I don't think Suzaku will appreciate it. He'd prefer to lay low because of what he is."
"An Eleven?" Gino laughed. "People will forget about that."
He was surprised when she just rolled her eyes, about to ask her what she was trying to imply when he saw Suzaku and Lelouch leaving the locker room. Suzaku dutifully trailing behind Lelouch as the two of them made their way out of the hangar. Gino watched them for a moment before shaking his head, turning to look at Cecile with a smile. "So, when do I have to bring in the Tristan for a tune up?"
It was the most comfortable announcement he had given in a while. Usually he was tense during these, watching the faces in the audience and trying to anticipate what the rest of the empire was thinking as well as being aware of the people at his back. But Suzaku was there, Suzaku and Jeremiah, and he had never felt safer.
There was a signal from the person behind the camera, Lelouch watching his fingers move as the cameraman counted down the time until they would go live, quickly glancing over at Euphemia to be sure that she was ready. His sister gave him the faintest nod, Lelouch turning back to the camera just as the cameraman gave him the signal to go.
"People of Area 11, I take this time to present to you the new Viceroy of your Area." Lelouch saw the few people in the room looking nervous. The Britannians that remained here were probably worrying what this would mean. He knew that they had felt more comfortable with the emperor in Area 11, that it meant that they would get justice immediately. A viceroy was more likely to only move when it was in their interest. Lelouch narrowed his eyes, turning his attention back to the camera. He had been here for too long if they felt safer with him here. "I present Princess Euphemia li Britannia, Viceroy of Area 11."
He stepped to the side, watching as Euphemia stepped up to where he had stood, surprised at how well she held herself together. Perhaps he should have asked her to take this job sooner, then he could have moved his plans up. But rushing wouldn't have helped, he needed the time to garner the reputation that he needed to have this work as well as set up the contacts that he would need after his short reign was over. Then again, Euphemia probably needed the time to gain the reputation of the perfect princess that would play well off of his own reputation.
Lelouch took a step back, standing slightly closer to Suzaku as he watched his sister smile at the camera. "Citizens of Area 11, I thank you for your time and I am happy to have this position." Euphemia tilted her head to the side. "I hope to bring a new era of prosperity to Area 11 and that you will allow me to do so without too much trouble. All I want is a better world for everyone. And, as a show of my sincerity, I present Sir Suzaku Kururugi, the first Number who is also a Knight of the Round."
Lelouch's eyes widened at that, the announcement was not part of the plan. She was deviating from the plan. He had a moment of panic before he saw Euphemia glance back at him. She was doing this for him, taking the blame for the unpopular choice of making Suzaku a Knight of the Round. Euphemia was offering herself up as a champion for the Elevens, and putting herself directly in the line of fire. But it was far too soon for the move. It would win her the affection of the Elevens, but the Britannians would hate her.
And he would have to kill her.
He sucked in a quick breath at that thought, turning his head slightly to one side to try and get her to stop. If she continued like this, he would have to confront Euphemia about this, and that would lose them the truce that he was using to his advantage. He couldn't be in Area 11 and begin to cut out the corruption in Britannia.
Euphemia smiled at him before reaching out for Suzaku, the knight hesitating before taking her hand. Lelouch watched him go, fighting back the increasing panic. He had made the situation worse by allowing the two of them to work together, and Suzaku had to act that part. And that would put Suzaku in danger as well.
He refused to kill Suzaku.
Lelouch forced himself to remain still as Euphemia pulled Suzaku up to stand beside her, still holding onto his hand. Lelouch didn't have to act like he was angry at his sister, glaring at her back as she continued to smile at the camera, oblivious to his rage and Suzaku's discomfort. "His promotion is a symbol of the equality I hope to establish in Area 11, with Britannians and Japanese working together instead of fighting."
His mouth dropped open as Euphemia referred to the Elevens as Japanese, quickly snapping it shut again. He had to stop staring in shock and actually plan. The first thing would be to cut off the broadcast before Euphemia went much further. Lelouch glanced over at the camera crew, watching as they stared at him in surprise before scrambling to follow his silent order, Lelouch turning his attention back to Euphemia as she continued.
"As my first act as Viceroy, I will created a Special Administrative Zone, a place where the Elevens may call themselves Japanese again and have all the rights as a Britannian citizen without having to give up their Japanese heritage as they would with the Honorary Britannian system today. If we work together instead of fighting, I know that we can create a more peaceful world."
The light on the top of the camera flickered off, Euphemia tensing at that. She had probably planned on saying more, Lelouch breathing a sight of relief. It would have been dangerous if she had gone on, but it was dangerous enough that she had made that promise. Euphemia always kept her promises, and the Elevens were close to her heart after having watched them struggle up close instead of locked away in Pendragon.
He turned and walked away, quickly making his way through the corridors towards their private rooms. He wanted nothing more than to shout at Euphemia there, but he had to keep up appearances, that's all he had at this point. With Euphemia openly defying him, she was putting herself in the line of fire, which meant that he couldn't go back to Britannia, not without showing that he actually approved of her plan. And, worse, she had pulled Suzaku into it.
Lelouch had hoped that knighting Suzaku without any explanation would push the blame onto him for pulling an Eleven out of their proper space. He could deal easily with the rumors that would come for that move. The emperor was allowed to have his favorites, even if the common people didn't like his tastes. Lelouch's own mother had been a commoner that Charles zi Britannia and pulled up to the rank of knight because of her skills. The story that had gotten out at the time was that she was his mistress, which wasn't entirely a lie.
Now that Euphemia had pulled Suzaku up with her, it looked like she had been the one to convince Lelouch to knight him, something that he had wanted to avoid at all costs. Euphemia already had Sir Raleigh's attention, showing that she preferred someone else without an official break would split the Knights of the Round in two. Even worse, Suzaku was now a target for those that wouldn't agree with Euphemia's plans. They would aim for what they thought would hurt the most. Why run the risk of execution that came with murdering a princess when they could just kill an Eleven?
Lelouch ran a hand over his face, leaning against the wall by his study as he waited for the door to slide open. Then there was her idea for the Special Administrative Zone. It worked in theory, but that was about it. It wouldn't produce the stunning results that the people and Euphemia hoped for immediately, that would take years and even more bloodshed. After decades of being told that they had been evolved into the people that would survive, the Britannians wouldn't take so easily to the idea that they were, in fact, equal with the people that they had conquered. And the Japanese wouldn't take too kindly to the fact that they were being granted the small space by their captors. They would demand their entire country back.
He trudged into his study, collapsing onto the chair behind the desk, staring at the polished wood. He had told Euphemia that the Special Administrative Zone would be their last ditch attempt to get the JLF on their side. Apparently, she had taken his go ahead for approval, which was the last thing on his mind. With just a few words and her usual smile, Euphemia had managed to demolish the plans that they had been working so hard on. He couldn't go back to Britannia with this hanging over his head, it would be openly declaring his support for the idea.
Lelouch ran his hands over his face, shaking his head before straightening up. This just meant that he would have to carefully plan everything over the next few days, possibly maneuver Euphemia into a position where he could leave for Britannia. Although, now that the Special Administrated Zone was going through he would have to pretend to leave, send all but a few of the Knights of the Round back and keep one with him. Then Euphemia would be under his supervision and he could make sure that she wasn't used or hurt.
The door slid open, Lelouch looking up from the desk as Euphemia and Suzaku walked into the room. His sister was laughing and hanging onto Suzaku's arm, the look on Suzaku's face hinting that Euphemia had been clinging to him like that all the way here. Another complication invented by Euphemia.
He narrowed his eyes, Suzaku taking that moment to wiggle away from Euphemia and walk over to Lelouch's side. He followed Suzaku's movements, waiting until the knight was standing by him before speaking. "What was that?"
"Did I do alright?"
"Euphy," he rubbed his forehead, "what you did possibly made it worse. Probably made it worse."
"Made it worse?" Euphemia stared at him, her mouth dropping open. "I've done the right thing! The Japanese people will start to trust me now."
"And the Britannians will hate you for forcing this on them."
"They'll learn to deal with it. Like what you've been doing is any different."
"Euphemia." Lelouch stood up, leaning forward on the desk. "You've made two big mistakes. One, you've openly declared yourself my enemy. The people will be expecting me to act, which means that I can't leave you here, I have to act. Two, you've put yourself in the line of fire."
"You already said that."
"From the inside. You pulled Suzaku up with you, it implied that you were behind getting him knighted."
"I was."
"But I was trying to prevent that." Lelouch growled under his breath, trying to calm down. "I was trying to have it point to me, that I chose Suzaku for the knighthood because I liked the way he looked. But you turned the idea to you, which means that the Britannian people will hate you for what you've done. I was trying to save you that mark."
"You didn't need to. My reputation-"
"Couldn't handle it. Mine can." Lelouch sat back down in his chair, listening to Suzaku shift behind him. He held his breath for a moment, letting it out slowly. "Euphy, the Special Administrative Zone won't work, not the way you or the JLF will want it too, at least not in the time frame that you want. They will use you, Euphy."
"I'm prepared to take that risk. They saved your life, yours and Suzaku's. It's worth the risk." Euphemia turned around without bothering to wait for him to dismiss her, pausing by the door. She stared at him for a moment longer before averting her gaze to look at Suzaku. "Ten minutes, my room. I want to speak with the JLF."
Lelouch turned to glare at Suzaku, listening as the door slid open and then shut before standing up. Suzaku immediately looked over at him, Lelouch liking the way that Suzaku immediately shifted his full attention to him. He raised an eyebrow, watching as Suzaku dropped to a bow. "Your majesty."
"Don't do that."
"You don't trust me."
"Of course I do." Lelouch turned around, waving his hand in Suzaku's direction. "I wouldn't have allowed you to be promoted if I didn't. I wouldn't have kept you this close if I didn't. Even if you have your stupid reasons, I respect that." He cleared his throat. "You offered to give up your own life for mine."
"It's my duty."
"You could have handed me over."
Suzaku looked shocked, staring at him before quickly scrambling to his feet. "I wouldn't have, you're too important."
Lelouch grinned. "Is that a confession, Sir Kururugi?"
Suzaku blushed, looking down at the ground. "Y-you're mistaken, your highness. You're the emperor, you're far more important than another Eleven."
"Just another Eleven?" Lelouch shook his head and leaned back in his chair, enjoying the fact that Suzaku leaned a little further forward to stay close to him. "Hardly. I don't let just anyone close to me."
He reached up, watching as Suzaku jerked in surprise as Lelouch's fingers brushed over the underside of his chin. Suzaku hadn't realized that he was that close then, interesting. Lelouch took a firm hold on Suzaku's chin, pulling him closer. He heard Suzaku suck in a quick breath, the two of them meeting each other's gaze.
Suzaku was the one to initiate the kiss, unlike the other times. Suzaku was the one leaning forward and pushing his hands into Lelouch's hair. Lelouch leaned further back, allowing Suzaku to tilt his head and take control, slipping one hand into Suzaku's hair. He allowed his hand to slide down onto Suzaku's neck, vaguely remembering a spot there that Suzaku reacted wonderfully to, Lelouch almost willing to smirk at that thought.
To his disappointment, Suzaku pulled away quickly, smiling down at him before taking a step back. "Euphemia."
Lelouch slumped at the reminder, biting back a groan and letting his head fall into his hands. "Don't remind me."
"Hey." Suzaku gently touched his cheek, Lelouch fighting back the urge to slap Suzaku's hand away. They could only touch when Lelouch allowed Suzaku to kiss him, or Lelouch needed the stability that Suzaku offered. It wasn't up to the knight to decide those times. That still didn't make the fact that Suzaku's hand felt good against his cheek any less important. Lelouch sighed and let himself lean into the touch, watching as Suzaku smiled. "You'll work this out."
"You trust me that much?"
Suzaku hesitated, dropping his gaze to stare at the ground. Lelouch sighed and went to stand up, stopped when Suzaku exerted a little pressure on his cheek. He tensed as Suzaku's thumb moved over his lips, only relaxing when Suzaku stood up and stepped back. "I do, Lelouch."
He turned and walked out of the study, leaving Lelouch staring after him. It was a few moments after Suzaku's departure that Lelouch managed to collect himself, a fond smile crossing his face. Despite everything, they trusted each other, and the blame for that probably rested on Narita. That didn't matter in the end, that was one person's loyalty that he was sure of, because it was loyalty to him instead of the country.
Lelouch leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. So he had one ally in this; he wasn't willing to count or leave out Euphemia, she was too naïve to realize what she was really doing. That left him trying to plan around what she had just announced and relying on Suzaku to tell him exactly with Euphemia was doing. For the meantime, allowing the Special Administrative Zone to exist wouldn't be too bad, not when he spun it for his advantage; the JLF were too weak to protect the Japanese, so he would do it on his own. Or he could be just buying himself time to spring a trap. Either way would work, and the JLF wouldn't know what to do.
He smiled to himself, shaking his head. That's what he had to do, keep Cornelia worrying about what would happen to Euphemia, he would even pretend to put Nunnally in the line of fire if he had to, if he was sure that the security around her would hold. Euphemia already had a Knight of the Round attached to her, Raleigh would keep her safe no matter what; his loyalty to the empire ensured that. Cornelia would react predictably, trying to ensure that the two were kept safe. That would give Lelouch plenty of time to set up a trap that would work to eliminate the rest of the JLF and figure out how to handle Euphemia's mistake.
Euphemia tried her best not to frown as Suzaku walked into her room, almost late for their appointment and with his hair still messed up. Usually she would have just attributed to his usually messy style, but the way that it stuck up in the back hinted at someone running their hands through it, probably Lelouch. Euphemia looked away and shoved her jealousy away. After all, she had been the one that had suggested that Lelouch involve himself with someone, just to keep himself sane.
And she had Raleigh, the Knight of the Round more than enough to keep her attention, especially since Suzaku had been knighted. Euphemia attributed his sudden attentiveness to the fear that she might decide that he no longer satisfied her or that he felt threatened by the younger knight. Either way, he spent nearly every night in her room now and Euphemia constantly reminded herself of why she had chosen him for a relationship. Raleigh was a thoughtful and caring man with a sense of humor that he only showed to her and the few people that he could call his friends. It was the reason that she had stuck with him for so long, even though they had both made it clear that they weren't bound to each other alone.
It was nearly enough for her to consider to ask Lelouch what he thought of the match. He couldn't say no on political grounds, he had promised her that she would never be used like that. There weren't many reasons that she could think of that he would deny that marriage on compatibility alone either, he had seen them getting on amiably enough to this point. If anything, Lelouch might be hesitant because she was his sister.
She smiled and looked back up at the screen, her bad mood slightly lifted. She shouldn't be jealous of Lelouch, just happy. He had finally found someone to relax around that wasn't a member of their family. She could allow herself to be annoyed at him for his reaction, but not over Suzaku. The knight was a moot point anyway, she was happy with Raleigh, more than happy.
Euphemia managed to keep the smile on her face as General Katase appeared on the screen, pretending that nothing was wrong. She was getting good at this, pretending to be happy and perfectly innocent all the time. "General."
"Princess." He didn't bow, Katase shaking his head and breathing out slowly. "I must say, things have been moving more quickly than scheduled."
"And I apologize. But I can't do anything about it. What excuse am I to give my brother to wait?" Euphemia sighed. "Things have been moving quickly, but not too quickly, I hope."
"No, we are fully prepared for what must come next. Although, I will admit, I was wanting a bit more time to recover and begin to plan for what the emperor has up his sleeve."
"Which is why I brought the Special Administrative Zone project forward; I plan to distract him with that until you feel ready enough." It wasn't quite a lie, Euphemia really wanted the Special Administrative Zone work and felt that it was the right choice to introduce it first instead of wrangling with the Britannians for the policies that she wanted. But it would the serve the purpose of a distraction, Lelouch would have to plan his movements carefully from this point because he couldn't approve of the Zone in public. "But I do hope that it will work."
"And you will have our support for it." Katase smiled at her, the first genuine smile that she had seen from the man. "Some of our own members will be placed in the Special Administrative Zone for the protection of the Japanese people."
"And as spies."
"Yes, but not on you, you have proved yourself trustworthy many times over." Katase glanced back at where Suzaku was standing, Euphemia forcing herself not to turn around and look at the knight. "Now it's our turn."
Euphemia nodded, folding her hands in her lap. "I have considered the ideas you have for the governing of Japan when you are freed, and I am still planning on how to work them into my own policies. The laws will be easy enough, but rebuilding the government itself might have to wait until we earn our freedom."
"We?"
"I have written up a speech for my abdication of the throne of Britannia, for my own protection of course. With only the three of us left, I am the next in line. I plan to use it if my brother pushes for my death. Without my status, I can slip into the native populace and I am sure that I will have help with that."
"Consider it done." Katase hesitated for a moment before chuckling. "Does this mean that you may intend to marry a Japanese citizen?"
Euphemia bit her lip, thinking over the question. Lelouch had promised her that he wouldn't use her for political gain, but if she put herself in the situation. Then again, it would be a bad idea while she was viceroy with Britannia still stable. "I'm afraid I can't answer, because it would depend on the situation."
"Situation?"
"That's the final sacrifice that I would be willing to offer, and can only be used once. It's better to use that wisely."
"Of course."
"Now, can I depend on you to show up on the day that the Special Administrative Zone opens?" Katase nodded after a moment of hesitation, Euphemia clearing her throat. "And I'll have to stress that you come with only a small group of people and without Knightmares. I'll arrange things to keep you and your people safe, but I can't have it looking like a threat."
"Understandable."
Euphemia opened her mouth to respond when there was a knock on the door. She stared at the door, her eyes wide before she turned back to the screen. "I have to go, we'll continue this conversation at a later time."
Katase nodded and turned off his end of the connection. Euphemia motioned for Suzaku to do the same, quickly walking over to the door. She watched the knight out of the corner of her eye, waiting until he had backed away from the screen before opening the door, putting on her smile as she saw that Raleigh was standing there.
The Knight of Five glanced down at her with a smile, leaning on the doorframe as Euphemia laughed. "Albert, I wasn't expecting you."
"I wasn't expecting to be free either. Apparently, it was my Knightmare's turn to have the float unit attached to it." He shook his head, Euphemia hiding her laugh behind the palm of her hand. "And of course that will take all day with Earl Asplund being the way that he is. So, I suddenly find myself with a lot of free time. Would my lady want to go out to see the city, perhaps, or just stroll around the gardens? Princess Nunnally should be there by now and it is a beautiful-"
Raleigh cut himself off abruptly, Euphemia watching him as he straightened up. His eyes narrowed, Euphemia turned around to find the source of his anger, staring right at Suzaku. With Raleigh's sudden arrival and offer to spend time with her outside of the administrative building, she had forgotten about Suzaku. She hadn't even given him the time to hide, so he was stuck standing between the screen and the bed, frozen in place as Raleigh stared at him.
Only then did Euphemia realize how bad it looked. Suzaku with his wide eyed expression and messy hair and her hesitation in answering the door led to a very obvious conclusion. Thankfully, the bed was still immaculately made, which meant that she wouldn't have to worry about Raleigh jumping to that conclusion.
She was shoved aside as she remained frozen in her panic, Raleigh storming into her room. She reacted an instant later, reaching out to grab the Knight of Five's arm, clinging to him until he stopped just short of Suzaku. "He was just acting as a messenger for my brother! He said that the message was important and there couldn't be any chance of anyone overhearing it."
Raleigh hesitated long enough for Euphemia to slip her arm into his, smiling up at him. "Come on, you promised me a walk in the gardens."
For a moment, she was afraid that Raleigh wouldn't leave with her, surprised when he rested his hand over hers before walking out of the room. Euphemia only risked a single glance back at Suzaku before focusing her full attention on Raleigh. He must have noticed, because he tightened his grip on her hand for a moment before relaxing with a sigh. "You have to be carefully around the Elevens, Euphemia, they're not to be trusted."
"Raleigh…"
"I know that you want to believe in them, but it won't work. They simply don't know how to deal with us other than fight. It's sad, but true and I wish it could be another way." He reached up to push a piece of hair out of her eyes, Euphemia remaining still and allowing him to do it. "Until they settle down, stay away from them."
She could only nod, relieved when he smiled. Euphemia looked away afterwards, biting her lip. Raleigh only did mean the best for her, it wasn't his fault that those values had remained stuck in his head because of her father. It was strange how wonderful it felt to have someone care for her like that, even if he worries were completely unfounded when it came to Suzaku. Still, it was enough for her little fantasy of wedded bliss with Raleigh to come crashing down. She wouldn't be able to live with this man forever, and being viceroy wouldn't help them. She had to find a way to let him down gently, or push their little affair away for a while until she returned to Pendragon.
Maybe then she would have a solution for what she should do.
Cornelia stared at the screen, part of her aware of how much that she had tensed up, but she was more focused on the words that her little sister had just said. She had expected Lelouch to do something to Euphemia soon, because she wouldn't last long if he asked her how she had saved his life at Narita. But he had just given her the position of viceroy, which made it impossible to see what he was doing. Was he just mocking them or setting Euphy up for a fall? He couldn't just be doing it for no reason, that wasn't like Lelouch. But, until they found out that reason, they would have to be careful because Euphemia was in the perfect position to be blamed for anything that went wrong.
And then there was that Eleven knight. Cornelia had heard rumors about it, but the knighting of the new Knights of the Round hadn't been televised, it had been a private affair with the nobles of the realm. That sounded like Lelouch, giving his nobles a lesson, or it would have if the Eleven hadn't been involved. Lelouch wouldn't have allowed an Eleven to climb up so high in the ranks. And, to make it even stranger, it was the Eleven that had protected Lelouch on that day. Had he lied when he said that he was protecting Lelouch of his own free will? Or had he been there to help the princesses, a plant from one of the now defunct rebel groups?
Either way she wasn't sure if she could trust the knight either; which was something that she could focus on later, much to her relief. The main source of her worry was the Special Administrative Zone that Euphy had started to mention before the broadcast was cut off. The idea of such a place just baffled Cornelia from a planning stand point. It was a good theory, that giving the Elevens a place they could call their own would get them to settle down, but there was little chance that it would work in practice. All the effort that would have to go into it and all of the problems it would cause before it started to solve anything. It wouldn't solve anything with Lelouch in power.
It had to be a set up then.
But then Lelouch had looked shocked when Euphy had announced her plans, that was enough to convince Cornelia that it hadn't been planned out by Lelouch. Her brother would have held onto his mask of indifference if it was his plan or at least looked smug, not shocked. And the murderous look that Lelouch had shot Euphy when he had come to terms with what she had been saying had only been worse. Euphy was acting on her own in this, and Lelouch did not approve. That could only mean that Euphy had a limited amount of time before Lelouch decided she was more of a liability than an asset and disposed of her.
Cornelia turned away from the television that they all had been gathered around, ignoring the Elevens that were trying to get a fix on the signal after the broadcast had suddenly shut off. The announcement wouldn't run again, she knew that much, they weren't going to get any more information on the new idea that offered them freedom.
She walked out of the room and into the hall, surprised when the Guren's pilot followed her out. Cornelia pretended to ignore the young woman until they had found a deserted place in the hall, the young woman crossing her arms over her chest. "Running to report to your brother?"
"This is an unexpected development."
"Of course." The young woman laughed and leaned back against the wall, turning her head to watch the empty hallway. "Would it work?"
"No. Not the way they think it will." Cornelia watched as the young woman slumped, waiting for her to walk away, surprised when she stayed in place.
"Is there a way for it to work, somehow?"
"Possibly. I have my own ideas and Schneizel will. But Euphy thinks differently than the two of us."
"It doesn't matter what Euphemia thinks." The young woman glanced back at her. "It's what Lelouch thinks. How much will he let slide before he crushes us? Or is this just a trap for the JLF?"
"I…I don't know at this point."
"There's too much of that." The young woman sighed, tipping her head back against the wall. "I've thought about what you've said, and I agree." Cornelia stared openly, the young woman smiling. "The people in command here are hiding too much from us and they've been using us for too long."
"Is that a yes?"
"It's a temporary yes." The young woman walked away, Cornelia staring after her before retreating to her own room.
Calling Schneizel would have to wait for a while, until she had pretended to come up with a plan that the JLF could use. She had already spent too much time talking to him when she had flimsy excuses, the JLF leaders were getting noticeably jumpy about it. So, for about a day, she had to figure this out on her own.
Cornelia sat down on the cot that served as her bed, leaning back against the wall and staring at the ceiling. Because the Special Administrative Zone had come as a surprise to Lelouch, they couldn't quite predict what he would do. He would have to go along with the idea for a while, just because he had appointed Euphy as viceroy, the reasons for that Cornelia was still unclear about. Those reasons aside, Lelouch would let things happen but probably be arranging things behind the scenes. There were many ways that Euphy could meet with an accident while in the Tokyo Settlement, too many ways.
She shivered and slid down the wall, wrapping her arms around herself. What she wanted to do was gather together a group of pilots and shift to a position close to the Tokyo Settlement and wait for a chance to rescue her little sister, but that wouldn't happen. Katase was more than willing to let Euphy die in order to get his country back. Cornelia narrowed her eyes. As soon as Lelouch was out of the way she would make sure that Japan stayed under the control of Britannia. After all of the trouble that they had caused the empire, it was their just punishment.
Still, brooding over what she would do wouldn't help, neither would just sitting around. The fact of the matter was that she didn't have a squad of pilots to call her own, the Glaston Knights were wiped out and she had to depend on the young woman and her rebel group. At least she had that.
Cornelia took a deep breath and got her thoughts back in order. She had to keep a close eye on Euphy over the next few days however she could. Lelouch wouldn't act for a while, and then he could just shoot down the project before it was completely. But that would probably be violating the deal that Euphy and the JLF had set up, which would lead to the JLF demanding a plan that they could use to attack the Tokyo Settlement.
She straightened up at that, a smile crossing her face. If she planned out an attack first, maybe she could convince General Katase to allow her to speak to her sister and another deal would be worked out. Area 11 would get its freedom, at least for the time being, and Euphy could get herself and Nunnally out. Cornelia still wasn't sure if she could let Lelouch slip from her grasp again, especially after all that he had done. Even if that idea failed, their plan to attack the Tokyo Settlement could go off without a hitch and her specification to allow the princesses to escape without any harm, Nunnally and Euphy would willingly become their allies.
It all came down to a matter of being able to move before Lelouch did. Lelouch would have more red tape to go through, despite his status of emperor, so they would have the upper hand once again. And, as long as they had that, they could keep Lelouch off balance. If Lelouch was too busy trying to counter them, then it would be all too easy to defeat him.
Kallen sat on the top bunk in the corner, watching the small group of former Black Knights as they shifted nervously. She scanned the room, picking out people from other resistance groups, none of the original JLF members in the room. That was their saving grace, considering what they were thinking. If the JLF found out, then they would all be finished, marked and traitors and sent away. And Lelouch would probably have them killed on sight if they wandered too close to the cities. But this had to be done if they wanted to survive.
She straightened up as much as she could as the mumbling died down, careful to avoid the low ceiling as she watched the crowd gather closer to Ohgi, Kallen hesitant to slip from her place. It was a well known fact that she was the ace pilot of the Black Knights. If she showed visible support for this idea then it might convince people to join for the wrong reasons, or that's what Ohgi said. So she would just have to sit here while they decided what to do. But her mind was already made up. She would work with Cornelia as long as it suited them.
"If we do agree to this, what will happen if the rest find out about us?"
Ohgi didn't look surprised by the question, he and Kallen had spent nights talking about it. Kallen had tried to think of every scenario, but had quickly left that to Ohgi, she was much better at just acting. But, from the confidence that she could see on his face, he had come up with ideas.
He shifted in place, finally sitting down on a chair. "Then we'll have to take over the JLF. It might be the right time to do so."
"I agree."
Kallen smiled at the first voice of agreement, leaning forward as others piped up, trying to break the silence that had come with the announcement.
"They only started looking out for us now."
"We had the emperor, why did they let him go?"
Ohgi gestured for silence, Kallen leaning forward to be able to see him. "Right now it's more important to focus on the new viceroy and what she's offered us. What do you all think of the Special Administrative Zone?"
The room was quickly filled with shouts, the answers ranging from complete support to demands to kill the new viceroy. Ohgi had to gesture for silence again, Kallen narrowing her eyes as she watched him lean forward. It was a tough question to consider, whether they would take the small freedom allowed to them or continue to resist. The viceroy seemed to be sympathetic towards them, but that could change when she realized that her brother wouldn't support her at all. Then again, she should have known that before now. But that meant that she had been working against Lelouch for both the knighting of Suzaku Kururugi and to announce the Special Administrative Zone.
Ohgi cleared his throat, glancing at Kallen before focusing on the rest of the group. "For now, we're in line with what the JLF thinks about the Zone. You are all entitled to your separate opinions and now is not the time to discuss them. But we do need an official stance for if we need to break."
"That depends on how the Zone works." Kallen took the moment to speak up, watching as all the eyes turned to her. "Personally, I don't like the idea, but if Princess Euphemia can manage to get more from Britannia, I'm all for it. And if it fails," Kallen shrugged, "then we don't follow it down."
There were nods from around the room, Kallen holding Ohgi's gaze before allowing herself to fall sideways on the bed, watching as the people milled around, talking to each other. It wasn't much to agree on what to do about the Zone, but it was something; it was a start. If they could just keep agreeing, then they could probably have a chance, even if the JLF went under.
She frowned and turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. That just left the offer from Princess Cornelia. From her point of view of the offer sounded just like a guard for Princess Euphemia, which wouldn't be too bad. The princess had already showed that she was sympathetic to their cause, so it would be a worthy endeavor. With Euphemia away from danger, Kallen had a feeling that Cornelia wouldn't hesitate to order an all out attack. And maybe the effect of seeing Lelouch scrambling to fight against them would finally spur some of the other countries into action.
Kallen bit back a laugh at that thought. She was thinking like a rookie again. The other countries didn't care about what would happen to them, they only wanted Britannia to keep its attention away from them and Japan was proving to be a good distraction. They were on their own here, with the exception of the other Britannian prince hiding somewhere, the one that Cornelia was allowed to talk to. But Kallen highly doubted that he actually cared what happened to him. All of the Britannian royalty were the same, they were just using this war to try and snatch the throne back from Lelouch, they didn't actually care about the countries that they destroyed to do it. And Kallen couldn't be sure that they would just give Japan back to them so easily.
She frowned up at the ceiling, her head starting to ache. From that point of view, she couldn't see a way to win back Japan, it would just be tossed around. Or, it wouldn't be won back in her lifetime. Not unless they were able to force the hand of the next emperor or somehow convince Euphemia that letting them go would be a good idea. Kallen shut her eyes, draping one arm across her stomach and just listening to the plans that were being made.
Suzaku dutifully followed Lelouch out into the gardens, not sure why they were heading out here in the first place. Nunnally had long since gone to bed, and he hadn't seen Euphemia since Raleigh had dragged her away from him. He had spent the rest of his day trying to avoid the Knights of the Round as a whole and to keep from running into Raleigh again. Although he was sure that the story had circulated by now that he had been seen with the princess in her rooms, alone. And after she had pulled him up beside her specifically and had refused to let go of his hand, most of the public now thought that they had planned this out together.
He shook his head, nearly running into Lelouch as the emperor came to a stop. Suzaku mumbled an apology and took a step back. Lelouch shot him an amused smirk before going to sit on a nearby bench. Suzaku went to stand closer to the path, the bushes obstructing his view.
"No." He froze as Lelouch spoke, turning around to look at the emperor. Lelouch gestured to the seat beside him. Suzaku hesitated for a moment before moving to take a seat beside Lelouch. "No one will look for us here, we're safe enough."
"You don't know that."
"It's enough for now. It's hard to talk to you when you're guarding me. You don't pay attention."
"I have other things to worry about."
Lelouch chuckled. "I suppose I shouldn't complain."
"You shouldn't." Suzaku managed a quick smile before sobering again, waiting to hear what Lelouch would have to say. Lately he had been allowing himself to get distracted when around Lelouch, to the point where the both of them would end up getting nothing done. He had even resorted to hiding himself away with Lloyd and Cecile, loitering in the A.S.E.E.C hangar for as long as he could before heading back to the main building. Lloyd was overjoyed with the development, but Cecile had started to ask him if anything was wrong. She was probably wondering if he was allowing the Knights of the Round to beat him up, despite the fact that he made a point of avoiding the other Rounds.
Still, it gave him the time to help Lloyd on the time machine or assist Cecile with the upgrades to the Knightmare Frames. It meant that the Knightmare Frames were being completed faster and the time machine's repair was moving along nicely, although Suzaku hadn't quite been able to talk Lloyd out of adding things, like making the console read outs easier to navigate through. The bad part was that it kept him away from Lelouch's plotting sessions in his study, so Suzaku was suddenly out of the loop of information. And the only way to get that information was to talk to Lelouch alone, which would lead to them kissing. They had spent a good portion of the last hour sprawled on the couch in Lelouch's room, making out until Lelouch had declared at he wanted some air.
"Suzaku." He jumped as Lelouch spoke, turning to look at the emperor and inclining his head.
"Sorry."
"Distracted?" Lelouch smirked, Suzaku turning his head and blushing. His eyes widened as Lelouch reached out to grab his chin, gently encouraging Suzaku to look at him again. "Focus, Knight of Seven."
"Yes, your majesty."
"Better." Lelouch let go of him before sitting back on the bench, his back resting against the tree behind them. Suzaku shifted to sit sideways on the bench, crossing his legs. Lelouch gave him a single glance before closing his eyes. "About Euphy and her plan…"
Suzaku winced, looking down at the ground. Euphemia's future remained a big mystery to him. He had changed the future just enough that he didn't know what was going on. If he hadn't told Lelouch what the battle plan was at Narita, Lelouch wouldn't have gotten himself caught and nearly killed. Britannia had won at Narita, but barely. If Suzaku had remained silent, Lelouch would have just struggled up the mountain before capturing the JLF headquarters and wiping out the forces that remained behind. Before, where there would have only been a small force to beat, there was the entire strength of the JLF.
He ran a hand over his face. The way things were going, he didn't know how they could win the rest of their battles. All the ones that Lelouch should have found so easy would be against larger forces, and that was his fault alone.
And then that still left Euphemia. Suzaku supposed that it didn't matter what had happened to him in his unaltered time, especially since he had changed so much already. He might not be able to even depend on his own information about the battle arrangements. Still, if he worded his suggestions as suggestions instead of actual orders then Lelouch would be safe. As long as the order of the events remained the same and the world hated Lelouch and what he was doing, his future should have been mostly safe.
He looked up as Lelouch shifted, the emperor now looking at him. "The best plan of action would be to treat her as if she's just being a silly little girl. If I show the nobles that I think that this Special Administrative Zone won't work, then they will do their best to make sure that it doesn't work and the message will be sent to the people. Then, I can return to Pendragon to continue from there.
"While Euphy struggles with the nobles here, I'll be breaking up their support back in the homeland. The system is corrupt and outdated anyway, they have far too much power than I am comfortable with." Lelouch waved a hand dismissively, clearing his throat before plunging onward. "When the nobles realize that I am against them, they will throw their support behind the next most publically seen royal, the one that shows sympathy for those who are being abused. Euphy will get their support and her little project will flourish then. And, she'll have started passing laws that will help the Japanese people. By the time I'm finished, Japan will be essentially free and the next stage of my plan will begin."
Suzaku opened his mouth to ask about the next stage of Lelouch's plan only to have his stomach drop. Lelouch was talking about faking his own death. He tried to speak, feeling the words catch in his throat. He shook his head, clearing his throat to attempt to speak again. "What about Nunnally?"
"I'll take the time to find a safe place for her to be. I'll be joining her once Euphy is secure in her place." Lelouch gave him a sad smile. "Euphy will have Cornelia and Schneizel to help her, she's good at manipulating the two of them. And Nunnally will be able to come out of hiding and visit them in safety."
"And you'll be alone."
"Will I be?" Lelouch looked at him, Suzaku quickly turning his gaze away. "Are you wondering about your part in this?"
Suzaku nodded, glad to avoid the inevitable question. He didn't know how he was going to explain to Lelouch his plans without sounding insane or leaving it vague. Lelouch was too smart to fall for a stuttered lie, the only kind of excuse that Suzaku felt up to giving at the moment. He swallowed and focused back on Lelouch, relaxing when he realized that the emperor had closed his eyes again.
"As much as I'd prefer to have you come with me, it's best that you remain behind with Euphy, you'll be the only Knight of the Round remaining behind. It'll show that I don't trust you and go with the idea that Euphy was the one responsible for getting you knighted; the people will like it better."
"And you'll be in Britannia?"
"Officially."
Suzaku caught the smile that crossed Lelouch's face for a split second, shaking his head and finding himself mimicking the smile. "Unofficially?"
"I'll be here. Officially having left before the Zone even opens shows that I don't care that much about it and expect it to fail. For Euphy's sake, I'll remain a few days. After that it will be up to the two of you."
"You'll call, right?" Suzaku hated himself for sounding like a worried girlfriend, blushing at the thought. A chuckle from Lelouch told him that the emperor had caught him blushing, Suzaku glaring at Lelouch and shifting so he was staring forward instead of at Lelouch.
"Of course. Euphy and I need to keep in touch to be able to time everything perfectly." Lelouch leaned forward, coming into Suzaku's line of vision. "And after all of this is done-"
"I can't stay." Suzaku bit his lip, dropping his gaze to the ground, tightening his hold on the bench. "Beyond a year, I can't stay. I have to go…" He swallowed, feeling his arms tremble. "I'm sorry that I can't stay with Euphemia…but I just can't."
There was silence for a while, Suzaku finding himself holding his breath. Lelouch finally spoke, Suzaku nearly falling off the bench as he relaxed suddenly. "This is one of those things you can't tell me the reason behind, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"And I should question you more on it, because that seems to be your reason more often than not."
Suzaku glanced up at him, freezing in place as Lelouch stared down at him. He licked his lips, trying to calm his racing heart. "I'll tell you one day, before I go. I promise."
"I hold you to that." Lelouch went back to leaning against the tree, staring up at the sky. Suzaku turned his gaze to the sky as well, frowning when he realized that he couldn't see the stars because of the light from the rest of the city. Suzaku glanced back down at Lelouch, surprised to see that the emperor looked disappointed. "I was hoping that I could convince you to remain with Nunnally."
"Nunnally?"
Lelouch nodded. "She needs a knight when she goes to visit the capital."
"Nunnally needs a knight?" Suzaku raised an eyebrow before laughing. "I thought for sure that you would keep me with Euphemia."
"She already has Raleigh and she'll have the Knights of the Round as the empress. It would have been simple enough for me to have an order put out that would keep you with Nunnally as a favor to the empress."
"And spend the rest of my life stuck with you?"
"It wouldn't be that bad, would it?"
Suzaku felt the corner of his mouth twist up in a smile. "Maybe not. But I have a feeling that I would end up on the couch. There's a reason to decline."
"I could give you other reasons." Suzaku sat up abruptly, Lelouch looking as equally as surprised by the words that had come out of his mouth. The emperor looked disgusted for a moment before he turned away. "Or I could just order you to follow me after all of this."
"That's playing favorites."
"I'm allowed. I'm the emperor. Other Britannian emperors had favorites."
Suzaku chuckled, trying his best to make it sound like he wasn't nervous. The favorites of the Britannian emperors often became their lovers, or at least from what he could remember from history class. That was the last thing on his mind when concerning Lelouch, or that's what he struggled to remind himself. It was too risky, too dangerous and Lelouch was getting too close to him.
He leaned back, clearing his throat. "I-I don't think the public would approve. They're probably waiting for an heir from you."
"They're supposed to hate me." Lelouch moved closer, Suzaku rolling to the side to avoid him only to roll onto the ground.
He grunted as he hit the ground, getting a glimpse of the sky before it was blocked as Lelouch loomed over him. Suzaku thought about getting up for a moment before deciding that it was better just to lie on the ground. He turned his head so he could stare up at Lelouch, surprised when the emperor dropped into a crouch next to him. Lelouch stared at him for a moment before reaching out to push his fingers into Suzaku's hair, Suzaku finding himself leaning into the action, closing his eyes.
A sigh from Lelouch made him open his eyes, Suzaku blinking quickly when he realized what he had done. He glanced over at Lelouch, relaxing as the emperor smiled softly at him. "They expect Euphemia to have an heir, they just want me dead. That gives me a lot of freedom."
"Strange." Suzaku wasn't even sure if his response was the right one, he was too distracted by the sight of Lelouch shifting to straddle him, the emperor sprawling out over him the next moment. Suzaku hummed and tipped his head back, leaning into the fingers that were softly massaging his scalp.
"It wouldn't matter what they thought anyway. Schneizel had Kanon, the public knew about the two of them."
"He was his…aide…" The last word came out as a whine, Lelouch's fingers finding and stroking that one spot on his neck that made him go limp. Suzaku hummed happily, arching up into Lelouch as the spot was stroked again.
"So they said." Lelouch leaned forward to whisper in Suzaku's ear. "But no aide I've seen is that close to their master, nor do they spend every night in their lord's bedroom."
Suzaku went to speak, only to have the words dissolve into a whine. He went to reach for Lelouch only to have his hands pinned above his head. He glanced up at them before focusing on Lelouch again, realizing that he was breathing quickly. "L-Lelouch…"
"Hm?" Suzaku jumped as he felt Lelouch place a kiss on the corner of his jaw. "Yes, my knight?"
He tried to pull his hands free, moaning as Lelouch rubbed their cheeks together. Suzaku licked his lips, his eyes widening as Lelouch suddenly loomed over him. He opened his mouth to attempt to speak again when Lelouch leaned down. He pushed up eagerly into the kiss, reaching up as soon as Lelouch released his arms. One hand immediately buried itself in Lelouch's hair and the other went around Lelouch's waist, pulling the emperor closer.
Suzaku gasped at the friction that came from the tug, bucking his hips up into Lelouch and whining into the kiss. He gasped when Lelouch let him, clutching the emperor close. "Lelouch…"
"Mine, Sir Kururugi." Suzaku blinked, laying still as Lelouch pressed a possessive kiss to his lips, barely giving him time to respond. "Mine and no one else's."
Suzaku stared wide eyed up at Lelouch, his chest heaving as he panted for breath. He was not sure how to respond. It was giving Lelouch too much, too much for him to just walk back to the future. So Suzaku chose not to say anything, tilting his head back and allowing Lelouch to kiss him again and again.
Please read and review. Constructive criticism is welcome.