AN: Welcome back! This update is a little late because I was greatly unsatisfied with what I had first written and had to revise and edit the living mess out of this chapter. It's a bit short so sorry about length this chapter. Hopefully it's better and so in the meantime, I hope you enjoy. :)
P.S. Sorry for any mistakes I may have missed.
Chapter 11: The Lonely Knight
The interior design of the home is without a doubt eye-catchingly beautiful. For the most part it was neat and clean with the exception of a few toys that lingered on the floor from room-to-room whom he assumed belonged to his sadly estranged daughter. As the green witch assisted him through the house he couldn't help but feel anxious. He refused to look at the walls where pictures frames were hanged and although he should've, he just didn't trust himself to not freak out before he actually had the chance to see the proclaimed 'Leloucia' C.C. was taking him too.
Suzaku couldn't control the pounding heart in his chest that matched barbarous cries of a thunder storm. Staring at the back of the woman who walked in front of him, he pondered if she was going to set him up or perhaps attempt to assassinate him. But that's not her… she might've helped do evil in the past, but she never came off to him as a woman who would assassinate someone for no clear cut reason. So is she being honest with him? Is Leloucia really alive? And if she is… then why-
"Wait right here." C.C. instructed. They stopped a few feet away from the staircase and doing as he was instructed he waited in his seemingly tight spot. The witch walked away, closer up ahead until she met the foot of the staircase. "Leloucia!"
"What?" A woman's voice came out faint from upstairs, making Suzaku's nerves heighten that raised his anxiety tenfold. It's like as if he could feel an imaginary hand firmly wrap around his throat, trying to constrict all this airways.
"Euphie brought home another friend, you might want to come down and look."
"Again? Is it another rabbit?" The woman's voice became clearer and very much recognizable. Every cell in his body demanded him to take off because his gut is screaming that he won't like what he's about to see. The louder and closer the woman's light footsteps became as she descended down the steps, the more dazed and confused he felt.
"It's a lot more problematic than a rabbit Leloucia." C.C. stepped away from the foot of the stairs only to walk back to the Japanese man.
When she finally came into view, Suzaku's heart stopped for the worse. His eyes wide like a deer in headlights, eight years that has dauntingly passed hadn't affected her beauty not one bit. She looked the same as she did all those years ago so there must be a whole lot more than he's understanding. But what he does know is that the woman he is gawking at is indeed the same woman he once called his wife.
"Honestly," She fidgeted with the watch on her wrist. "What am I going to do with-" Leloucia's heart dropped to her stomach before plummeting onto the floor. Her eyes matched the man's emeralds who stared right back at her. Quickly glancing over to C.C. who just shrugged her shoulders which internally irked her, she looked back at the man whom she never thought she would see again. "What the hell is going on? Why is Suzaku here out of all places?! How did he find us?" Her mind in a panic, her heart matching the speed.
"Leloucia-" The broken man took a few steps closer to her where she stood at the foot of the steps. "You-" his mind becoming a haze, fuzzy, lightheaded not far from following. The agonizing sharp pain on his side made itself known once more as his hand instinctively gripped onto the fresh gashed wound. Contorting a frown onto his already stressed features, his jaw clenched harder and teeth grit trying to hold back the pain.
"Suzaku." she whispered.
"You've been alive this-" Suzaku's eyes rolled back then his vision turned black. He could feel his body momentarily limp like a wet noodle before heavily crashing onto the ground. High pitched rings rang in his ears as his mind chased in recalling back to her amethyst eyes before everything turned into nothing. He completely lost consciousness of the word around him.
"Suzaku!" The former empress ran to his side where he drop onto the ground with worry clearly written on her expression. "What's wrong with him?" Leloucia asked in a panic then quickly caught sight of the torn side of his shirt. Hastily with whatever strength she has, she took off the article of clothing exposing his now bare torso. Her eyes immediately landed on the well-bandaged spot where the white cloth had turned considerably red as he started to bleed through and out. "C.C. why-"
"I don't know what exactly happened to him, but on the news there was an attack on Zero and his subjects earlier. I assume they either personally inflicted that on him or perhaps he was impaled in the crash."
"Are you saying that people are after Zero right now?" Leloucia's eyes filled with anger. "Why did you bring him here C.C.? Do you know how much danger we'll be in if they find him? Friend or Foe nobody-"
"I didn't bring him here, Euphie did."
"Euphie?"
"Yes, I didn't stutter. Now are we going to continue arguing about why he's here while he bleeds out, or are we going to help?"
The conflicted woman looked down to her former lover, his expression is still worn that of pain and her hands were becoming dirtied with his blood as she attempted to stop the bleeding by pressing down on his wound. Her mind racing a thousand miles in figuring out the best solution to their gigantic problem. Gritting her teeth, she cursed to herself in a whisper. In the end nothing good can come out of this for her. "C.C., go get Jeremiah and have Sayoko or Anya bring a medical kit."
"Okay." C.C. took off leaving the two former lovers in the living room all on their own.
"Dammit Euphie." She said lowly. Why in the world would she bring him here? After countless of times of telling her that they are always at risk of being in danger, wouldn't she understand that Zero of all people would put them right in the front of the line in getting caught? They're lucky that Suzaku isn't exactly a foe, but he's definitely not a friend anymore. Who knows how much he's changed during their eight years apart and now that he has seen her…
"He's right in here." C.C. informed as she directed Jeremiah and Anya to the injured man.
"How did Suzaku find his way here?" Anya monotonically asked while pulling out a few bandages.
"Euphie brought him here." C.C. said, leaving both Jeremiah and Anya in a small shock before they simultaneously turned to looked at the angry mother.
"What do you want us to do with him?" Jeremiah gently pushed Leloucia's hands off of Suzaku. Ripping off the bandage gave his wound the freedom to spit out more blood that was now starting to stain the carpeted floor. "Do you want to keep him here or lightly fix him and bring him to the hospital?"
"If he's brought the hospital than his identity as Zero will be revealed and they'll start asking question. And if the missing Knight turns out to be alive, then they might look into it and find something that will lead back here… exposing all of us… especially Euphie." She looked down to her then husband whose life depended on her next decision. "Leave him here. We'll think of something later."
"Understand- Anya grab a few towels and bring them upstairs. C.C. I need you to bring some hot water upstairs aslo if you would please." Jeremiah sternly instructed. Grabbing the unconscious man, he lifted him up off the ground bridal style and carried him up the stairs. Leloucia followed close behind to help open the guest bedroom door. Anya came in shortly after and as fast as she could placed a few towels over the bed's comforter so that Suzaku wouldn't bleed into the mattress. "Leloucia, there's a bright flashlight downstairs in one of the kitchen drawers, can you bring it up?"
The said woman watched Jeremiah place the injured man over the towels, his white button up shirt and hands were now also stained with blood. Snapping back to reality, she did as told and came back shortly with the flashlight and handed it over to Anya before taking her leave in saying that she doesn't want to see him go through this.
Once Anya knew for certain that Leloucia was out of hearing-
"Jeremiah-"
"I know Anya… but right now we have to focus on stopping the bleeding."
When C.C. came in shortly a moment after with a small tub of hot water, Jeremiah directed her to set it out on the bedside table as he pulled a nearby chair that was already in the room closer to the side of the bed. Taking out a few needles, scissors, and gauze, he set them aside so he could begin the procedure of cleaning and stitching Suzaku's wound. "It's a lot deeper than I had realized. I'm surprised that he didn't bleed out already."
"Do you think someone did this to him?" C.C. asked curiously.
"It's hard to say so I can't exactly answer that. He might've gotten it when he crash in the fields or something." Jeremiah wiped clean of the area so he could clearly see what he's working with. Even though it's bright outside and the light of the room was already on, C.C. still hovered over Jeremiah's shoulder with the flashlight, giving more light directly over the wound. "I haven't done this in a while so I hope I didn't lose my touch."
"Ooohhh scary." Anya mocked, handing the working man a sutures. "Leloucia might be mad that he's here, but I bet she's going to fall into tears if he dies."
"I'm not going to let him die. His wound isn't that drastic."
"Drastic enough."
"Anya, you're not helping." Jeremiah lightly scolded. He then took a peek at Suzaku's resting face before looking back to his wound. "Don't worry Suzaku, you are in safe hands now."
#
"Suzaku…" Leloucia carefully ran her fingers over the blood stained carpet, doing all that she can to remove the blood. But failed to put all her efforts into it faithfully since her focus has been wavering and often wandered back to the injured man upstairs. She can't help but feel extreme worry for him.
Earlier when she was sitting around, it only made the wait more frustratingly agonizing. It reminded her of the hate the felt of being helpless and not being able to do anything about it. Yes, of course she's furious that Suzaku, with the help of Euphie, found his way here so suddenly and honestly she wants nothing more than for him to leave. But she can't do that. Not because of the 'rational excuse' she gave Jeremiah, but because she wants him to stay. Seeing him again had her heart pounding erratically as the old feelings she thought were buried deep down inside her easily resurfaced.
No matter what happens after today that will wash into tomorrow… all of their lives will be changed. And it all depends on how she and Suzaku handle things. Though whatever happens to her… she wants Euphie to have the good of the outcome.
Jeremiah's heavy footsteps along with multiple of others pulled the worried Leloucia out of her thoughts and raised from the ground.
"He's going to be okay. I managed to close the wound and stopped the bleeding, but he's going to be unconscious for a little while since he lost a lot of blood. It should take a few days or perhaps a couple of weeks for his wound to fully heal."
"He has to go tonight, we risk everything if he stays-"
"Shut up Leloucia!" Everybody's attention turned to C.C. who loudly commanded. Anger clearly written all over her face as she carelessly dropped the bloodied towels onto the ground. "All you ever think about is you. You, you, you, you, you! How stupid have you become over the years? I'm so sick and tired of your paranoia. Euphie brought him here because she wanted to, she told him who she is and obviously there must have been something that had caught his attention for him to even take the time to come here. He probably still holds onto small faith that he might see you again."
Leloucia's face matched that of the green witch.
"C.C. you need to-"
"Not now Jeremiah, Leloucia needs to hear this." The raging witch walked over to the stubborn Leloucia. "Suzaku came all this way to see you and now you want to cast him away? Do you know how much trouble you have caused him? Can you even imagine what he must've went through after the Zero Requiem? Or what about Euphie? How do you think must've felt when he flatly denied her right in front of me and Sayoko because he trusted you? Suzaku may have been dumb in blindly believing everything you've told him, but that doesn't make up for the kind of monster you became in stealing away everything he could've had."
"Don't try to guilt trip me C.C.!" Leloucia can feel her blood boiling in anger, although she knows what the green-haired beauty is saying is very much the ugly truth. "I did what I had to do and that's final. Do you think it was easy for me to lie to my husband and hide the entire existence of Euphie? I hated it, I know that I became a horrid person for doing that to him, but I set aside my personal feelings and his for the benefit of the damn world! I live with the thoughts of what our lives could have been, but it's too late to turn back the hands of time isn't it? So don't you dare come to me and tell me things I already know."
"If you know then you should also know that you owe him an explanation." A deep scowl washed C.C. features. The greatest urge to strike her companion almost overtook her, but she has to keep in mind to not let her feelings get in the way. Something that she lost touch of from the effect of living with everyone like a 'normal' family. "Your wish has been granted and the world is still heading towards the dream you had for your sister. Suzaku coming here is a funny way fate wants to test you.. the least you can do is explain to him about everything while he's here. What happens afterwards depends on him… he deserves it Leloucia and you know it."
Feeling lost for words the raven-haired woman just sighed and looked at the conflicted expressions of her companions that has faithfully stayed by her side throughout the years.
Accepting defeat, "You're right C.C. I do owe it to him, but he cannot stay. You all understand that right?" She looked around to see Jeremiah and Anya nod their heads. Her eyes connected with C.C.'s until she too gave a nod and confirmed that she does understand why.
Because in this household Euphie's safety is absolutely top priority. Even if ironically she's the one who caused all this mess.
Sweet little Euphie...
Leloucia knows what it's like to be denied by her father, but will never fully understand the hurt that Euphie felt going through that since she held her father so high and hoped so loudly to meet him. She should've known that Euphie was going to act out on impulse one day and take actions in her own hands to find him. First lying to her husband and then her daughter? Leloucia knows she doesn't deserve the happiness she obtained in doing so and since fate had decided to set out this game for them to play. She is willing to play it if it means correcting all of the troubles she has caused over the years.
#
When Suzaku awakened a few hours later he was immediately hit with the wall of sharp pain. His head pounded profusely causing him shut his eyes tightly as his face scrunched in uncomfortable pain. Waiting until it subsided a couple of minutes later, his emeralds opened up to meet the white ceiling. Through his dazed mind he knows for a fact that he isn't in his room. "Where am…" and like an ocean wave, the image of Leloucia standing by the staircase washed his memory. clearing his foggy mind. "I saw her..."
Turning his head slightly to look out the window to get an idea of what time it was. The sun outside was currently kissing the horizon, giving the few orange trees that he would see an ethereal glow from the way the sun painted dark orange and yellows that mixed into what's left of the blue sky from earlier. Not wanting to lay down any longer, Suzaku sat up slowly doing all that he could to push past the dull pain on his side. "Ah.. Damn." His face scrunched again, this time holding onto his side.
"Don't be in a rush to sit up. The stitches will come undone, reopen your wound, and it'll take longer for you to heal."
Surprised to hear another voice he briskly turned his head to other side of the room where a young woman with raven-hair stood in the corner. Now that he sees her for a second time, he now knows for a fact that the person whom he is looking at is indeed Leloucia. A very much young woman who hasn't aged a single bit just as he thought. "So I really didn't imagine her looking so young.." Besides the little subtle differences she hasn't changed at all.
"Leloucia…" his face quickly turned from that of pain into intense glare of anger.
Not trying to falter under his intimidating stare, Leloucia took one hard gulp and held her mask of stoic as she continued to look into his fiery emerald eyes. "Suzaku."
"What the hell are you doing alive? I thought I killed you."
"Well obviously you didn't."
"Yeah, I can see that Sherlock. I really didn't want to believe it, but now that I'm looking right into the eyes of the Demon Empress who lies to benefit only herself... I'm starting to regret ever coming here. I was better off thinking that you were dead than seeing you here now."
Taken aback by his cruel words, "Then why the hell did you come here huh? If you were better off assuming that I was dead then why-"
"Because I couldn't live with the idea of that girl," he pointed at the door, "being my daughter and not knowing the truth. I didn't want to believe her at first but she looks so much like you Leloucia. So much that I had to second guess at who I was looking at. Her story didn't match what I knew and lived through, but I asked her to take me here because I still held onto that hope of possibly seeing you again. But now that I have... I really wish I didn't. You disgust me."
Her heart took a whole jab brutally. Not once would she ever imagined hearing him say something so mean. She deserved it… but she will not let him get away so easily. Clenching her fist, "Suzaku I don't care how you feel right now, but I did what I had to do."
"Oh did you now?!"
"Yes and I would do it again if I have to!" she raised her voice scarily then stepped closer to him. "You don't understand. Did you think it was easy for me to lie to you like that? You and I had already agreed to do the Zero Requiem before we gotten married. But when I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't get rid of it... not when it's our baby Suzaku. That's why I sent you away because I knew if you found out that I was pregnant then you would drop everything and take matter into your own hands and everything that we've done up until that point wouldn't have mattered. All of our efforts would become nothing."
"That wasn't your decision to make!" Suzaku roared, sitting up straighter trying to show his dominance despite how Leloucia towered over him by default.
"It was! I had to choose and I chose the world. All the hell and deaths I caused in trying to fix it was not going to be flushed down the toilet and I refused to lose the golden opportunity because you want do it your way."
"That's the problem with you. You assume you know people but you really don't. If you had just let me in on your plan than maybe I would have seen things differently.. But you didn't. You had so many opportunities to come clean and for that I was a complete fool for trusting you and loving you all the more. I loved you and I wanted to believe that out of everyone, the lying would stop with me." His jaw clenched and eyes darkened out of pure range, "But I was wrong.. Wasn't I?"
"Apparently so... I did what was best for my daughter."
"She's my daughter too Leloucia! How dare you hide her from me, how dare you rob the life we could of had together with her, or the opportunity for me to rise to my feet after I thought I killed you. If you think that was easy for me to do then you're dead wrong. I can't even believe that the eight years while I drowned myself in alcohol and became less than nothing, you were living a luxurious and happy life with our little girl. You got to see her grow up while I missed everything. Having a family was something that I always wanted with you… so how dare you stand before me and try to tell me you did what was best for her because that girl doesn't even know the truth about us."
Guilt hit her hard… if she thought C.C.'s words cut her deep then Suzaku's burn scorched her. Hearing the ugly truth from a friend is one thing, but hearing it from the victim was another. His anger had her body trembling in fear. She started off this argument feeling confident, but now all on the inside she cringed in fear. The anger he posses towards her is almost like the one he carried when she killed Euphemia… though this one she is witnessing has tenfold from that.
Leloucia continued to stare into his eyes before closing her own. Listening to her thundering heart that beats to the sound of the unknown. Taking a breath after taking a moment to decide that she and Suzaku were getting nowhere if they keep fighting like cats and dogs, "Suzaku… I don't expect you to fully understand or believe me. I did what I thought was best." she daringly stepped a little closer to him. "I know what I did to you was wrong and unforgivable… I've known from the start and I live with that guilt every day… especially when I look at our little girl."
Suzaku's face lightened and he watched his ex-wife cautiously sit on the edge of the bed, close but far enough from him. She continued, "She reminds me so much of you and she continues to grow and be like you every single day. I wanted a happy life with you more than anything, but that wasn't an option to take. I'm so sorry Suzaku… I'm sorry that I had lied and deceived you. I don't know what great pain you went through and I may never know. You may never forgive me but you have to know that I'm deeply sorry."
Feeling all the boiling rage inside dissipate. He naturally wanted to believe her, but because she has wronged him for so long and stole his entire future… he can't forgive her. She going to have to try a lot harder than a few apologetic words to get on his good side again… if ever.
"I want you to leave Leloucia… I need some time to be alone."
"I understand." Standing from the bed, her eyes connected with his much calmer ones before bowing deeply in apology and respect- then she walked out of the room. Softly shutting the door with a small click.
Waiting a couple of minutes until he was certain he was alone.
A sad smile crossed his lips, tears quickly swam then fell freely from his eyes. "I didn't kill her… I didn't." he choked out. His heart started thumping a little hard against his chest, a sudden wave of relief eased a bit of his lingering anger, then suddenly, he started laughing to himself. "She's alive… Leloucia really is alive."
Flopping back onto his back pulling into his mental shell. He lazily draped an arm that covered his eyes when realization hit him that he wasn't going to stop crying anytime soon. Although the air of his room still carried the intense argument that had just gone down, it didn't affect him in way since the heavy burdened he's carried for eight years of the entire Zero Requiem has been finally lifted off his shoulders.
That day will no longer be the darkest day of his life, but a nightmare that has haunted him for a really long time. Probably will continue to haunt him a while longer, although he doesn't care because it's not there to stay with him forever... not anymore.
"Leloucia…"
AN: I don't feel bad XD Leloucia got chewed out twice in one day. Now, I will be busy the next few weeks (in case you don't know) and that means updates for my stories are going to be slower. I decided to stay on schedule with this one because it will be nearing it's end in the next few chapters. So I will give a date as usual, but it might be a little late and carry out into the next day. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this chapter somewhat. Feel free to let me know what you think, comment, ask questions, review, etc. Until next chapter!
P.S.S. Next Update will be on 4/08/17
(In case you want another reminder of the next update, it will also also be posted on my profile/bio)
Thank you for the new favorites and followers! It really brings me joy.
Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, it really means a lot! urapooper, Titanfire999, Shiranai Atsune, KuroAlice, WinnieChuChu.
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