Sorry for not uploading last week, but two day tournaments kill me. On the bright side, we're now a top twenty team, so yay! Also, thanks for all the reviews! I received around twelve reviews for Chapter 10, and I really appreciate every one. In response to your review, oogle, I've already stated in a previous chapter that there not going to be any SuzakuxLelouch at all. It's been done to death and I'm really trying to write a different story than that. Beyond that, sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry that this chapter's really just more exposition, but still, that's important to the plot!

Chapter 11

"So, what are we going to do about this?" Zhao asked Lelouch as they lay intertwined, backs to the ground as they stared up at the stars together.

Lazily, Lelouch rolled her eyes up to look at Zhao's face and sighed, "I don't really see much of a way I can stay here."

Nodding, Zhao tightened his grip around her waist and bit his lip.

"Well, I suppose I could always come with you."

Lelouch sat up, eyes wide with surprise, "Really? But this is your home."

Zhao laughed and shook his head, "I haven't had a home since I was fourteen. As far as I'm concerned, my home is with you."

That little remark touched Lelouch in a way she never thought she could be touched. There was something about the fact that Zhao was willing to follow her that made her heart swell with joy.

Pulling him into a kiss, Lelouch whispered, "Thank you."

"Princess!" She suddenly flinched in response as she heard a voice call out her name. Slowly, she turned to see Jeremiah and Gino standing over her with disapproving looks on their faces.

"I'm sorry, but Prince Schneizel has already arranged transportation for us." Jeremiah said sternly, purposefully avoiding looking at the man who had his arms around the Princess.

"I see." She stammered, quickly moving out of Zhao's embrace.

"Come on." Gino said, extending a hand out to her and helping her to her feet, neglecting to do the same for Zhao, who stood up by himself.

"So you two know, Zhao will be returning with us as well." Lelouch announced, causing Jeremiah to open his mouth in response before closing it without saying a word.

"As you wish, Princess." He managed before he turned around and began walking off.

Following his lead, Gino let Lelouch pass in front of him before following behind.

Zhao watched the scene unfold silently, not wanting to provoke Jeremiah, who seemed to be irritated by his presence. He looked back at the graves of his family one last time, and smiled. For years, he had been constantly haunted by guilt from the death of his family, and he couldn't even bring himself to be in the same area as his old village.

But with Lelouch, everything had changed. With Lelouch, he felt strong where he had once been weak, and courage swelled up inside his chest. As she clutched him in her arms, crying, he had felt strangely relieved, as if he was shedding his past with every tear.

He was never going to forget his past, or his family, but to him, it was clear. His future lay with Lelouch. It felt…nice.

"Is this why I found the strength to see you?" He whispered to the grouping of rocks.

"Was I meant to go along with her? Is this my destiny?" He asked, searching for an answer.

"Zhao!" He turned and saw Lelouch waving at him from the top of a horse, moonlight lighting up her eyes like crystals.

He smiled. There was no doubt about it. He was going to go with her, destiny or not.

"I'll never forget you, but I have to move on and live in the present. My future is calling me."

"Well, I look forward to entering a new era of partnership with you." Schneizel said cordially as he picked up the pen lying on the table and made a show of looking over the treaty, although he already knew what it contained. To put it in simple terms, Britannia and the Chinese Federation were no longer at war, and instead, allies. In addition, a Britannian Consulate would be established in Luoyang, while a Chinese Consulate would be established in Pendragon, as a sign of goodwill.

Furthermore, Britannia recognized Empress Tianzi as the ruler of the Chinese Federation, and would only acknowledge her or Prime Minister Li Xingke as representatives of the Chinese Federation. Not outlined in the treaty was the trade of hostages over to Britannia, namely, Princess Lelouch.

"As do I." Li answered, with an immediate response of scribbling as reporters quickly wrote down what he had just said.

He took the pen and clicked it, checking to make sure there was ink. Taking one last look over, he quickly signed his name amid applause from the assembled press and delegates. He passed the paper over to Li, who went through a similar process before signing it himself amid even more applause.

Coughing slightly, Li smoothed out his suit and stood up from his seat. Next to him, Schneizel adjusted his collar as he stood up to shake Li Xingke's hand.

"All right, turn to the camera." He whispered and turned to the camera with a large smile on his face. Following his lead, Li did the same as he took Schneizel's outstretched hand and shook it long enough for the reporters to get their fill of pictures.

As they returned to their seats and the reporters were ushered out, Li smiled at Schneizel.

"Thank you. I really mean it when I say that you did more than I could ever repay."

Schneizel flashed a smile in response.

"Thank you as well. I think you'll find that working with me will be very beneficial for you and your Empress."

Li nodded and loosened his tie.

"After being a field general for so long, I'm not sure how long it'll take to get used to a desk job." He sighed, unbuttoning the first button of his dress shirt.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find that a desk job isn't as boring as you think it's going to be." Schneizel said in response.

"Schneizel." Suddenly, his heart stopped as heard a familiar voice. He turned to make sure he wasn't hallucinating as he saw her in a red Chinese Style dress and walking over to his side.

"Lelouch!" He said, standing up in his chair and wrapping her up in a hug. He took in her familiar scent and ran his fingers through her silky hair, confirming her actual presence.

"Are you all right?" He said, finally pulling away.

"I wasn't treated too poorly in the Chinese Federation." She responded with a faint smile as she said those words, remembering her time back there.

"Oh, and who is this?" Schneizel asked as he pulled away, suddenly noticing the new presence in her entourage. It was a tall black haired man dressed in a suit of silver armor who looked nothing Britannian. Beside him were Gino and Jeremiah at their usual posts, making the man stand out like a sore thumb.

"This is Zhao Yun. He was my protector back in Luoyang."

"Oh, is he now?" Schneizel said, inspecting the man, who was leering at him.

"Yes, but don't worry, I can guarantee his loyalty." She whispered to him, and he instantly understood why the man seemed so angry at him. Honestly, Lelouch was nothing but trouble when it came to men.

"What is Odysseus going to say?" He asked, making sure no one else heard him.

"I don't know. Maybe he'll never know."

Schneizel sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "We both know that's not happening. When he finds out, you know that you're going to have to make one choice or another."

"I…I know." She said, knowing that Schneizel was right.

"What's wrong? You had to have known that going in, right?"

"I did, but things might have changed along the way…" She trailed off and Schneizel rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me you got attached. Honestly, I thought you were better than that."

"I am! It's just, I don't know. Something's different with him." She pleaded.

"Okay. I trust you to know what you're doing." Schneizel relented, despite his feelings of unease.

As Lelouch nodded, he suddenly heard his phone begin ringing. Searching through his pockets, he found what he was looking for and quickly flipped it open.

"Yes, what is it Kanon?" He asked his faithful aide, who had stayed behind in Britannia for the time being to keep his office in order.

His eyes widened as Kanon informed him of the current situation, drawing a curious look from Lelouch. He slowly hung up and stared off with wide eyes.

"Schneizel, what happened?"

"Lelouch, the Emperor, he's…gone." Her eyes widened too at this revelation.

"What do you mean he's gone?"

"Just that, he disappeared along with Lady Marianne. According to Kanon, they're going to announce their deaths next week."

"Mother? She's gone too?" Lelouch asked frantically.

As Schneizel nodded his head, she felt her stomach drop. Her mother was gone, off the face of the earth. Suddenly feeling weak in the knees, she collapsed into Schneizel's arms, which held her steady. Immediately, her knights rushed over to help.

"What happened?" Jeremiah asked.

"Mother, she's…gone." Lelouch whispered.

"Wait, Lady Marianne is missing?" Jeremiah asked.

Schneizel nodded, "They're going to announce her death, along with the Emperor's next week."

Upon hearing this, Jeremiah fell to the ground as well, leaving it to Gino to help him up.

"What exactly is this going to mean about the throne then?" Gino asked in a serious tone, knowing that this was a serious situation.

"I suppose that it means that Odysseus should take the throne, but I know a few people who are going to be opposed to the idea. This won't end without blood."

"So, do you mean to say…"

"Yes." Schneizel interrupted Gino, "There's going to be a civil war."

"And so the Emblem of Blood repeats itself." Gino lamented.

At those words, Schneizel nodded grimly. The last time there had been a civil war, his father, the Emperor had barely come out on top, but not before much of the Empire's lands were taken in the confusion and countless people died. As few as twenty years ago, they were still reconquering landv that had been lost during the last civil war. Now, on the heels of war with the Chinese Federation, the effect on the economy was going to be horrendous, not to mention the possibility of an invasion by the EU.

"So what will our first move be?" Lelouch asked, slowly getting to her feet and taking a deep breath.

"We need to secure our own position first and discover where the lines are going to be drawn." Schneizel said to himself.

"Well, then we should get back to Pendragon as quickly as we can then, shouldn't we?" Lelouch asked.

Schneizel nodded, "I suppose so, although it might be dangerous, given that most of our siblings will have their sights set on either you or me."

"But we can't just leave behind Nunally and Euphie! I owe Mother at least that much." Lelouch retorted.

Schneizel sighed, "I suppose you're right about that. Besides, those two are sure to be among the first eliminated if they aren't rushed out. But how are we going to get them out? If the others know, and I'm sure they do, then they won't let us get to them."

"I'll go myself. I'll be able to get them out." Lelouch stated.

Schneizel shook his head, "Absolutely not. It's way too dangerous for you to go in alone."

"I won't be alone! I'll take my Knights. Don't worry, I can take care of myself." Lelouch retorted.

Schneizel stared at her face, full of conviction, and ran a hand through his hair. Even after being captured last time, she was already ready to place herself in danger. It was a bad idea to let her go, but at the same time, he knew that she would not take no for an answer.

"Okay. Go. I have a phone call to make anyways." He said, pulling out his phone and searching through for Lloyd's number.

Neil yawned as he walked into the lab clutching two cups of coffee.

"Neil! Why are you here so early?" Cecile asked as she noticed the man walk in and rub his face with his elbow.

"Lloyd wanted me to come in early and talk about some combat data." He replied, noticing Cecile rub her eyes as well.

"Here, got you a coffee too. I hope you don't take it black." He smiled and handed her his second cup before taking a sip himself.

As she received the cup, Cecile smiled in return and shook her head no.

"No, I'll be fine with whatever you got me." She took a sip and, to her surprise, it was exactly how she always ordered coffee on her own, a vanilla latte with extra milk.

"How did you know?" She asked, shocked.

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, Neil smiled coyly, "I might have heard you mention it once or twice."

Touched by that little comment, Cecile picked up the small tin containing her breakfast and offered it up to Neil in return.

"Here, I made some onigiri stuffed with orange."

Without hesitation, Neil snatched one up and took a large bite. As he chewed it up, his eyes widened and he choked a little bit.

Immediately, Cecile got up from her seat and patted him on back until he swallowed deeply, "Are you okay?"

"Fantastic!" Neil replied happily and Cecile beamed with pride at her successful experiment. In all honesty, she had half expected them to come out horribly, but if Neil's opinion had said anything, they had turned out better than expected.

"So, do you want another?" Cecile asked, taking one for herself.

"No!" Neil answered almost immediately, "Because, you know, Lloyd should have one. He probably didn't eat breakfast yet."

As if on cue, the door opened up and Lloyd strolled in, not at all his usual energetic self.

"Lloyd, are you okay?" Cecile asked, wondering why Lloyd was acting so strangely.

"Cecile, begin packing up the lab. We need to clear out immediately. Prince Schneizel has secured a new location for us in Area 12. The plane is waiting for us already, so hurry up." He stated. As he did, he took a long look at the lab he had worked in for the last few years. While he was not one to make emotional connections, leaving the place where he had worked, eaten, and practically lived in for the last few years left him feeling, well, empty.

"I suppose change is good." He whispered to himself as Cecile and Neil went about collecting important documents.

"Lloyd, what's going on? Why are we suddenly moving?" Cecile asked as she picked up a folder detailing the changes being made to the energy fillers.

"The Emperor and Empress are gone, and war is certain to break out. Prince Schneizel wants to keep us out of his siblings' hands." Lloyd said casually.

"Wait, the Emperor's gone?" Neil said with surprise clear on his face.

"Yes, now come along, leave the equipment behind. We'll have a fully loaded lab in Area 12. I've already loaded up the Lancelot, so come along." He said, ushering Cecile and Neil out, each carrying a box of documents. As he quickly followed behind, he couldn't help taking one last look.

"Goodbye." He whispered before he closed the door behind him.

Schneizel rubbed his forehead, trying in vain to assuage the headache that was assaulting him. Honestly, he had just managed to draft a peace with the Chinese Federation, and now this! He had always been planning to take over the throne, but he had always wanted to do it on his terms. And now, he didn't have a choice. Either he showed his full hand, or he was going to lose the throne, and possibly his life.

Guinevere was obviously going to oppose him. After all, she wanted the throne as badly as he or Lelouch did, and she had the means to do so, being the First Princess. Cornelia was going to be an interesting one. On one hand, she could try and seize more power by joining Guinevere in one of the inevitable alliances that was going to be formed, and on the other, she could join her favorite sister Euphemia. Clovis was hard to read. While he didn't seem like the plotting type, Schneizel knew more than anyone that when it came to the Royal Family, everyone had some plan up their sleeves. And then there was Odysseus. What was he going to do? He had a large enough base of support as the First Prince to take the throne for himself, but Schneizel also got the feeling that he didn't really want to be king. At least, not without Lelouch as his queen that is.

Then came the Knights of the Round. As the personal Knights of the now deceased Emperor, they were technically free to follow whoever they thought fit to be ruling. The only question was, who were they going to pick? It was hard to know where most of them stood currently, but Schneizel had a feeling that Luciano Bradley was not going to go along with the others. The man never really fit in with the other Knights of the Round, and Schneizel found it unlikely that he would continue to associate with them. Where Bismarck chose to lay his allegiance probably decided who Dorothea and Monica would fight for. And Anya Alstreim was impossible to read.

And what would the public think? Would they support the righteous heir to the throne? Or would they turn against Odysseus? There were too many factors to consider all at once.

"Prince, are you okay?" Kanon asked with a concerned tone.

Schneizel nodded his head in response, "I'll be fine. It's just a little headache."

"Don't worry, I have faith in you. And if all comes to fail, I'll still stand by you." Kanon reassured, placing his hand on top of Schneizel's.

"Thank you Kanon. And don't worry, if we really have the girl that we're looking for, I'll have found my hidden ace to play." Schneizel responded with a smile.

"Oh, so you are going to try and recruit her?" Kanon asked.

Schneizel nodded, "Yes, Li couldn't get me his man on the inside, but at least he got me the next best thing he could. She is supposedly an ace pilot from Area 11, and I plan to use that to my advantage, whether she comes willingly or not. And trust me, she will come willingly."

Odysseus tentatively stepped through the empty hallways of the Imperial Palace. While normally, he would be glad to see the place empty so that he could have his thoughts to himself, the current silence was eerie and unnerving. He reached one of the many offices stored within the Imperial Palace and ducked inside.

As he did, he took in the brightly lit room that was Guinevere's private office. Adorned with various paintings and covered in brightly colored plants, it looked every bit the office that he had expected of her. He strode over to her desk and took a seat in front, admiring the fine leather that he was sitting on.

Absentmindedly, he adjusted his cuffs, wondering exactly what it was that Guinevere needed to talk about so urgently. She had sent a messenger with the message that he should come home immediately, but so far, he had not seen any sign of her, and he was getting worried.

"Prince Odysseus."

Startled by the sudden voice, Odysseus took a moment to compose himself before standing and turning to face the Knight of Twelve.

"Monica Kruszewski." Odysseus greeted in response, "Do you know where my sister is?" He asked, glancing around at the empty room.

She shook her head, "Actually, that's why I'm here."

"Oh? Do you have some news for me?" Odysseus asked.

"Just come with me." She replied, "It's not safe for you here."

She turned and beckoned for his to follow. As he took a step, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"All, right, tell me what's going on." He demanded.

The blond shifted uncomfortably, and as she opened her mouth to reply, the door slammed open.

"Monica! Fancy meeting you here." Luciano Bradley said cordially, but the wicked smile on his face said otherwise.

"Luciano." She replied tersely, eyes quickly darting around, searching for danger and finding nothing more pressing than Luciano.

"You know, I have to say, I really love what the Empress has done with this room." He remarked, purposefully walking over to admire a painting. However, at the same time, Monica countered his movements, staying in between him and Odysseus.

"Hand him over." Luciano ordered, to which Monica shook her head.

"Wait, Empress?" Odysseus asked, confused at Luciano's words.

"Oh? So you haven't told him yet?" Luciano said before laughing as if it were the funniest thing in the world.

"He'll know soon enough." Monica snapped in response, clearly more serious than Luciano.

"Oh, don't tell me that you're going to fight for him. I mean, I get the whole loyalty thing, but really, I just don't see the sense in fighting for the losing side." Luciano said with a smirk.

Scowling in response, Monica shook her head, "I could ask you the same thing. Why are you fighting for that stuck up little princess? Is it because she is the only woman without enough sense to kick you to the curb where you belong?"

Immediately, Luciano's face contorted to an expression of anger.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me." Monica replied triumphantly.

"I'm the Knight of Ten, you bitch!" He growled.

"Oh yeah? Well call me crazy, but I don't think you're really that good." Monica replied, hand at her side, ready to draw her sword if necessary.

Noticing Monica's movement, Luciano took a deep breath and calmed himself, allowing his lips to curl upward once more. With a laugh, he stepped back over to the doorway.

"All right. I guess we'll see who's really the best on the battlefield." Luciano said with a smile.

"Get out of my way before I'm forced to cut you out of my way." Monica snapped, causing Luciano to hold up his hands in mock surrender.

"All right. All right." He took a look at the two for one more time before cackling wildly once more.

"I think I finally get why you chose not to join me. Trust me Monica, he's never going to feel the same way, no matter what you do."

"You don't know that. Look at Lady Marianne!" She replied angrily, a blush forming on her face.

"But you're not her, no matter how you look at it." Luciano mocked once more before disappearing out the door.

Giving a relieved sigh, Monica sheathed her sword.

"What did he mean by that?" Odysseus asked, but Monica cut him off.

"Nothing!" She replied quickly, turning her head away from him so that he wouldn't see her rosy cheeks. That Luciano was really a bastard sometimes.

"So, you are his accomplice, am I correct?" Schneizel asked the red haired girl tied to a chair in the middle of the room.

"What are you going to do to me if I say yes?" Kallen asked defiantly.

Schneizel smiled and laughed, unnerving her.

"You are a fiery one, aren't you? I only wish to make a deal." He replied, walking behind her and reaching down to undo the ropes binding her to the chair. As the ropes fell to the ground, Kallen rubbed her sore wrists warily, still not trusting the man.

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Because I have sources that tell me you are an exceptional pilot. One that we would be wise to acquire the services of."

"What do you need me for? Aren't your precious Knights of the Round good enough?"

Schneizel shook his head, "Unfortunately, not all of them are to be trusted. You see, when a civil war breaks out, everyone has to choose sides. It's just a matter of choosing the right one."

"Oh? And I assume you think your side is the right one?"

Schneizel smiled, "Not at all. My plans are not for everyone, but they are perfect for me. And, if you play this out correctly, they will be the perfect plans for you as well."

Yeah, I know that Monica wasn't a huge character in the anime, but that's why I wanted to use her! She didn't really get a chance to show much of her personality, but I think that makes her a perfect character for this story, since I can really mold her into whatever I need her to be. At this point, I see her as one of the main supporters for Odysseus' claim to the throne, for reasons that you guys can probably guess. Beyond that, I really think that since Suzaku and Gino are no longer Knights of the Round, someone has to step up as Luciano's rival, since he's fighting for Guinevere and her coalition. But I don't know, what do you guys think of having Monica in this story?

Also, I've sort of neglected Kallen lately, but right now, she's coming back in full force as a main supporter of Schneizel, so I hope you guys enjoy her return as well.

Beyond that, you guys already know my whole spiel about reviews, so I'll keep it simple. If you review, I'll try to get a new chapter out as fast as I can, simple as that. I really appreciate it whenever someone takes the time and effort to leave me their thoughts. I really try my best to listen to my readers and try and incorporate their suggestions if I can, so don't be afraid to share anything, even if you think it's crazy. I want you guys to enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it, and I understand that it's not a requirement to write a review, but I truly mean it when I say that every review I get brightens up my day. So if you can, I would really like to reach 100 reviews after this chapter. Feel free to leave your thoughts, either in a PM or a review!