Sorry about the long time between updates! I've just gone through three of the most grueling weeks of my life, with testing, volleyball, and me getting sick. So, I haven't really had much time to write, and this is a shorter chapter. Still, I hope you enjoy the continuation of Of Queens and Emperors.
Chapter 11
"Thank you." Raynare whispered, her eyes still closed in a state of euphoria. To be in Lelouch's arms, to feel his heartbeat, to smell his cologne, to experience his warmth, to hear his voice whisper "I love you," was heaven. She knew of no other place she would rather be in at this moment, content to just enjoy the feeling of being intertwined with the man she loved and admired.
However, she knew that the moment could not last, as much as she wanted it to. The truth was, Lelouch wasn't, and likely would never be hers. He had told her that they were similar, but she knew that to be false.
Whereas Lelouch was beloved by so many, and destined for great things, she was hated, and nothing more than a mere follower, or a pawn in the game being played by those more powerful than her. She was nothing, meant nothing, and she knew it. The realization hurt, stabbing at her heart like a million daggers, but she did her best not to show the pain. Doing so would only elicit more scorn, and that was something she could not bear.
She would have to stay strong, and hold her chin up high, at least until she was alone. Then she could fall apart, like she wanted to do right now.
"I'm okay now." She added, patting Lelouch's chest softly and taking a step back, feeling his arms suddenly release at her gesture. As they did so, Raynare almost cried out at the sudden loss of warmth, but kept a straight face on before she nodded to Lelouch and turned away from him, not wanting him to see tears that were quickly forming in her eyes.
"Raynare…" He began, but she shook her head.
"It's fine. You don't have to pretend anymore." She replied quickly, her voice quivering slightly at the end, a detail not lost on Lelouch, who nodded in reply, understanding that she needed time alone.
"I guess I'll talk to you later, when all of this is over and I can go back to school." Lelouch offered, hoping that his words would console Raynare a bit in an attempt to alleviate the gnawing emptiness he felt in his own heart.
He felt like a monster, pretending to play the role that she had picked for him, and he was eager to do whatever it would take to get rid of the feeling of disgust that rose up within him as he did so.
"Yes. I can't wait." Raynare managed before she walked away looking exceptionally vulnerable, with her head hung low and lethargy in her gait.
As he watched her leave his sight and reenter the ballroom, Lelouch ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply, somewhat disappointed in himself. He knew that everything he was doing was serving the purpose of furthering his plans, but it just made him feel so devilish doing so. He was breaking her heart, and for what purpose? To build some order that he honestly did not have much stake in?
His confidence was shaken, that was for sure. For a long time, he had been certain that this was what he wanted, but now, he wasn't so sure. Did he really want to accomplish his goals with total disregard for those around him? Was that a goal even worth pursuing?
Before he could dwell on the topic any longer, he suddenly felt a powerful presence crop up near him, and instinctively turned around, to find himself facing the source of the aura. It was a handsome young man with black hair that was slightly messier than his own, dressed in a jacket that was reminiscent of a school uniform, but with a distinctive Chinese flair coloring the rest of his clothes.
"You are an interesting man, you know that?" The man stated with a relaxed air, completely in control of the situation.
"And who are you?" Lelouch replied, not eager to meet someone who posed such an immediate threat.
The man smiled charismatically, and took a small little bow, tilting his head so that he could look straight at Lelouch.
"My name is Cao Cao, descendent of the man of the same name, recorded in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms." He announced, reveling in the introduction.
"There's no need for you to introduce yourself. I already know you and your identity, Lelouch." He added, interrupting Lelouch before he could even open his mouth.
"I see. And for what purpose are you talking to me?" Lelouch asked, not to be interrupted again.
"I'm interested in you, and your abilities. I believe that I will make my intention to you clear soon enough. For now, just know that as a human, you are not as weak as you think you are. Also, know that you are not alone, and that there are other humans who are willing to support you, should you allow them to." Cao Cao said, as if he were intimating a detail that was still unknown to Lelouch.
It was at this moment that he noticed that Cao Cao wielded a large spear in his right hand, and instantly recoiled at the sight, acting purely on instinct.
"The True Longinus!" Kohryu growled, clearly knowledgably on the spear that the man possessed.
"Now now, don't be intimidated. I don't plan on using this, unless, of course, you give me good reason to." Cao Cao reassured, although Lelouch was still far from trusting the man.
Noticing that Lelouch still had not moved closer, Cao Cao sighed, "Really. I have no intention of removing a possible asset this early on. Trust me."
"What exactly do you want from me?" Lelouch asked, realizing that he was still not receiving any answers whatsoever.
"In due time. In due time." Cao Cao chided, almost as if he were speaking to a child, infuriating Lelouch. However, with his knowledge of the situation, he knew that it was likely that Cao Cao was far stronger than he, and so, he refrained from indulging his desires and attacking the man.
"Partner, we need to get away, now." Kohryu advised, and Lelouch nodded quickly before Cao Cao's eyes suddenly narrowed and he suddenly leaped into the air, reaching the roof of the castle, and dashing away, melting away into the dark night.
"Ah, Lelouch, what are you doing out on the balcony like this alone?" Sirzechs asked as he approached the teen from behind.
"Sirzechs!" Lelouch exclaimed, surprised by the Devil's sudden appearance.
"You've made quite the mess, haven't you?" Sirzechs chuckled, walking in front of Lelouch to rest up against the stone railing confining them to the balcony. His armor clinked slightly as he turned to face Lelouch, back leaning up against the stone, using it as a crutch of sorts to support his large body.
"I mean, I didn't really expect you to make such a scene back there." Sirzechs sighed with a hint of amusement and a glint in his eye.
"So, I assume that they're out for blood then?" Lelouch replied, remembering the glares he had received from the majority of assembled Devils. He supposed that coming in and interrupting a marriage between Purebloods wasn't the best entrance he could have made.
Sirzechs shrugged his shoulders, "Well, they're obviously not all pleased with the turn of events. They were expecting the creation of a new Phenex-Gremory dynasty, and instead, received a human interruption. A few of the more liberal ones are tolerating your presence, but I would say that for the most part, you are not starting off on the right foot."
"How about you?" Lelouch asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
"Oh, I am ecstatic with the way things turned out, especially with your Sacred Gear! To think that you possessed something so powerful is interesting news indeed." Sirzechs replied happily.
"That's good to know, I suppose." Lelouch said with a nod.
"Yes, and to have beaten Riser with it was also impressive, although I could tell that you didn't have much experience with that Sacred Gear." Sirzechs added.
"Well, I've only possessed it for all of an hour." Lelouch responded dryly.
To his surprise, Sirzech's mouth turned up into a smile as he heard those words, "Well then, I think this is the perfect time to inform you of my plan then."
"Plan?" Lelouch asked, slightly concerned for what Sirzech's thoughts would entail.
"Yes. We both know that your body is not going to be able to handle the kind of power that will be necessary to fight someone beyond Riser's caliber. If you are going to utilize your Sacred Gear to fight, you will have to be able to absorb far more strength than you did against Riser. And from the way your body rejected the energy, I know that you have nowhere near the required capacity to store quintessence that you will have to fight the more powerful beings in this world with. I want you to learn how to wield your Sacred Gear, and to reach your full potential as quickly as possible, and I have just the plan in mind to do that." Sirzechs said firmly.
"And what is your solution?" Lelouch questioned, knowing that Sirzechs had made valid points.
"I have a certain cousin, who would be perfect for teaching you those things. His name is Sairoarg Bael, the heir to the Bael Clan. He knows better than anyone what it takes to reach your potential, trust me. However, there is a catch." Sirzechs began.
Lelouch nodded, "I'm listening."
The crimson haired Devil cleared his throat, before continuing, "The catch is, I would like you to become a Devil and join his peerage."
"Become a Devil?" Lelouch asked, shocked by the suggestion.
"It's going to be the fastest way for you to really improve your abilities. As a human, there isn't really much that can be done in a short period of time, but as a Devil, the possibilities are endless." Sirzechs replied.
"I'm sorry, but that's something that I can't really consider right now. Please, let me think about it before I make a decision." Lelouch pleaded.
"I understand." Sirzechs replied in a calm tone.
"Just be warned, there is still much that you do not know about yet when it comes to this world. And if you don't take action soon, you could be in serious trouble." He added before he patted Lelouch on the shoulder and walked past him.
As he heard Sirzech's footsteps disappear, Lelouch shook his head once, doing his best to think of what had just happened to him. Two different people had just made two very different offers to him, each intriguing in their own way.
Sona looked to Rias, a small frown pursed on her face as she found herself alone with the crimson haired Devil, with most of the partygoers in the process of leaving.
"So, you intend to marry Lelouch as well?" Sona asked, gaining her attention.
Instantly, Rias' eyes widened and she vigorously shook her head, "What? I thought I already told you that I wanted no such thing!"
"Your reaction says otherwise." Sona replied in a flat tone, face completely emotionless.
"I don't like Lelouch in that way!" Rias quickly stammered.
"Then I guess you won't mind if I tell you to keep your distance from him then." Sona stated, a smile on her face as she saw Rias reluctantly nod.
Lelouch was hers, and she was not going to let Rias take him, even if they were friends.
He was the first man to see her for what she was, to see past the intelligence and icy demeanor she had put up to keep intruders out. She had bared her thoughts and dreams to him, something she had only ever thought about doing, and was never planning to actually do. But he had been there, willing to listen and understand, a trait severely lacking in most people she knew, including her own parents.
He was really the only one who understood her true thoughts and feelings, even more than Serafall, who, for all of her siscon tendencies, still didn't really understand her true feelings like Lelouch did. And to think that Rias was going to come in and steal that was unthinkable.
"Of course." Rias replied weakly, her voice quivering slightly.
"Good." Sona said triumphantly, confident in her victory over one of Lelouch's potential suitors.
In the corner of the ballroom, Shirley leaned up against a wall, absent mindedly sipping a drink that was bland, at least to her. She had abandoned Jeremiah a while ago, having decided that she wanted to be alone for a little while.
She was exhausted from the incessant thoughts that raced through her mind daily. All she wanted was some answers. Why couldn't she remember exactly what events composed her childhood anymore? They had been so clear once upon a time, but she found that they got blurrier and blurrier as time went on. And Lelouch. Why couldn't she take her mind off of him? Why was it that his name constantly came to her mind?
"Have you heard about the planned execution?"
Shirley's ears instantly perked up at the words that had come out of a noble's mouth. Her eyes quickly honed in on the Devil and she tuned out all sound besides the conversation said Devil was having with another noble.
"Yes, the Fallen Angels are trying to kill one of those Geass users, right?"
Shirley's eyes widened as she realized that they were possibly talking about her father.
"Yeah. I heard that Azazel's trying to improve on Sacred Gears by researching those guys."
"It's going to be at one of the Grigori strongholds, right?" The Devil asked, to which the other nodded.
"Yeah, I heard that they're ramping up security this time, since last time, the execution was interrupted." He replied.
Shirley had heard enough. Immediately, she placed a hand in front of her body and muttered the incantation that she normally used to summon magical circles with. Her thoughts would have to wait. Right now, her chance to save her father had appeared, and she wasn't going to waste it.
"I see that his offer has you thinking." A familiar voice spoke out, causing Lelouch to turn and face Cao Cao once more, although this time, the smile on the teen's face seemed more strained than before.
"It's intriguing." Lelouch admitted, although he was careful with his response, now that he knew that even Kohryu was frightened by the spear that he possessed.
Cao Cao sighed, shaking his head, "Well then, I suppose I have no choice but to be more persuasive."
"Cao Cao, we have the magic circle prepared." A bespeckled man with wild black hair said, appearing from behind Cao Cao.
"Good job Georg. Lelouch," Cao Cao began beckoning towards Lelouch, "Come along."
Tentatively, Lelouch stepped forward, as if some unknown force was propelling him to follow the man's orders. He really had no choice in the matter. Either he went along, or he would more than likely understand exactly why Kohryu was so scared of that True Longinus.
"Now then, we're here." Cao Cao said in a soft tone as the three of them stepped out of the magical circle into what seemed to be a castle of some sorts, along it was in a state of disrepair, with damp and dank walls that sagged heavily, giving the impression that they would collapse at any time.
"Where exactly is this?" Lelouch asked.
"A Grigori stronghold." Cao Cao replied, "I'm about to demonstrate the strength of humanity."
Clandestinely, he led the trio through several passages, without any sign of guards at all. They continued through the castle until they reached a heavy wooden door, where Cao Cao placed a hand on Lelouch's chest.
"Now, let me go through first." He ordered, and immediately, Georg placed his hands on Lelouch's shoulders and urged him to do what the man said with a small look.
"Since our identity is not fully known to the world, I'll have to make this quick." Cao Cao sighed, twirling his spear around once before he gripped it tightly and the tip of the metal peeled away to reveal a blindingly bright blade of light underneath. Instantly, Lelouch recoiled at the sight, the intense light immediately searing his eyes with their brightness.
Without a sound, Cao Cao pulled his arms backwards and stabbed forward, immediately obliterating the door in one strike. As he did so, Lelouch could see the splinters of the wooden door fly in every direction, immediately impaling several Fallen Angels who seemed to be already embroiled in a battle inside.
"Oh? Someone else is here?" Georg remarked from besides Lelouch, who also took notice of that fact.
"It's a human." Cao Cao said with a serious face before he disappeared, right before Lelouch's eyes.
"Where did he go?" Lelouch exclaimed, amazed by the sight.
"He didn't just disappear. He's merely moving at a speed that our eyes cannot comprehend. You see, he is the most trained Human that is alive today. His training and technique surpass anyone without the use of any sort of special natural talent. That is why he wants to recruit you. To be able to find someone with a natural talent like the one you possess would be a major boon for our faction." Georg explained to Lelouch, who returned his eyes to the battlefield in awe.
Now that he was looking with a closer eye, he found that he could indeed see Cao Cao, who was bobbing and weaving through the ranks of Fallen Angels, essentially vaporizing them as he slashed with the True Longinus.
At the same time, he could see another combatant, who was currently using fire based magic from the distinctive flames that were being given off. However, the fighter's identity was unknown to him, as he had his back to Lelouch. He took a closer look, seeing a familiar head of orange hair, before the figure turned around, revealing it to be none other than Shirley.
"Shirley!" Lelouch cried out, instinctively leaping out of Georg's grasp and firing off a quick succession of lightning bolts at two Fallen Angels intent on ambushing her. However, he had no time to reach her before he was set upon by several more enemies, all who viciously flapped their wings at him. However, before any of them could even make a move to attack, their faces all suddenly contorted into expressions of pain as they collapsed to the ground, each one sliced in half.
"I told you to let me go first." Cao Cao admonished, his spear's tip sealing up, swallowing the intense light of his blade.
"But Shirley!" Lelouch replied, unsure of why he had gone to save her so suddenly.
"She's fine." Cao Cao interrupted, pointing to the decimated ranks of Fallen Angels lying dead on the ground behind him.
"Lelouch, why are you here?" Shirley asked, extinguishing the flames that were covering her hands.
"I should ask you the same." Lelouch answered quickly.
"My father. He was being held in this stronghold." Shirley replied, turning towards a large stone cross at the rear of the room, to which an elderly figure was chained.
She quickly ran up to the cross, causing Lelouch and Cao Cao to quickly follow behind.
"Father!" She screamed as she reached the foot of the cross, creating an intense flame in each of her hands that she quickly flung at the metal rings restraining him, melting them immediately and sending him falling into her arms.
"Shirley?" Seiryu asked weakly, laying eyes on his daughter for the first time in months.
Shirley softly cradled the older man, taking in his features. He seemed much thinner than he last remembered him, with his normally vibrant face more pale and gaunt. His face was hammered with bruises, and his scar seemed to be freshly opened, with dried blood in specks all over his face. His hair was coarse and rough, the result of a lack of hygiene, and it reached farther down his body, ending at the upper half of his back.
"Father, are you okay?" Shirley asked desperately, gently stroking the face of Seiryu, who closed his eyes at her soft touch, intending to soak up the moment while it lasted. As he slowly opened up his worn and jaded eyes, his vision veered to Lelouch's figure.
"You found him." He whispered softly, weakly raising a hand to point at Lelouch.
"Yes, I did just as you told me to." Shirley replied, relishing the smile that came over her father's face.
"Good. You did well, for the responsibility I unfairly thrust upon you." Seiryu breathed.
"I'm ready. I'm ready to do what it takes to protect our order." Shirley said, gripping her father's thin hands.
"Shirley, I'm proud of you." Seiryu gasped before he seized Shirley's right arm with surprising speed and force, considering his condition. As he did so, a faint pink light emitted from the palm of his hand for a few seconds before it disappeared.
In horror, Shirley retracted her arm to glance at what her father had done to see that there was a Geass sigil burned into her forearm, proudly displayed for all to see.
"No, Father, you can't be serious!" Shirley screamed as Seiryu peacefully closed his eyes.
"You're ready Shirley. You always were." He whispered, before he took one final breath. His entire body immediately relaxed in Shirley's arms, falling limp as if he were a rag doll, and not one of the great Masters of the Geass Order.
"He's dead." Cao Cao noted, understanding the change that had gone over the man immediately.
"He transferred his code to me." Shirley whispered in shock, tightly gripping her arm where the Geass sigil was located. Her father, the man who had loved her, raised her, and saved her life more times than she could count was dead. In that moment, it felt as if her world was falling apart at the seams as she looked down at his sleeping face, and she realized that she would never see him smile, or laugh again.
"Why would he do that?" Lelouch asked, understanding that one could theoretically live forever as long as they possessed a code.
"They broke him." Shirley whispered once.
"They broke him!" She screamed, her eyes narrowing and turning almost lizard like while a powerful gust of wind blew both Lelouch and Cao Cao backwards.
"I command you to calm down!" Lelouch screamed, two sigils appearing in his eyes and the Geass immediately taking effect as Shirley reverted quickly back to her human appearance and took a deep breath.
"Shirley, you understand whose fault it was that your father died, don't you?" Cao Cao suddenly asked from besides Lelouch.
Shirley nodded, a blank look in her eyes, "The Fallen Angels did it."
"Then you understand what we should do is get revenge, right?" Cao Cao asked.
"Yes. We should get revenge." Shirley repeated to herself, a twisted smile coming to her face as she giggled once, then twice before she exploded into an outburst of laughter.
"Then please, come join me on my quest to prove man's superiority." Cao Cao offered, extending his arm.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Lelouch cried out, interrupting the exchange.
"I'm merely doing my job to recruit any potential members that I see value in." Cao Cao replied coolly.
"But her father just died! You're just taking advantage of her feelings!" Lelouch protested.
"You do the same thing." Georg interjected, causing Lelouch to pause.
"What did you say?" Lelouch asked once, to make sure that he had heard correctly.
"You take advantage of others' feelings as well. For leaders, it is the natural thing to do. Wouldn't you say that you've done the same to the Sitri heir, or the Gremory heir? You've known the effect that you have on them, and you used it to your advantage." Georg stated.
"Yes, but…" Lelouch attempted to find a way to justify his actions.
"Face it. You are just as manipulative as me, but that is why we would work so well together. Think about it! With you and me working together, there's nothing we can't accomplish if we want to!" Cao Cao laughed.
"I'm not like you." Lelouch replied coldly.
"Ah, but you are." Cao Cao retorted.
"Even if that's true, I cannot work with you." Lelouch snapped.
"Know that if you do this, you will make a powerful enemy." Cao Cao warned.
"I know the risk, and I'm willing to risk the odds." Lelouch replied.
"Very well then. I will allow you to leave here. I suppose I'll just have to be content with Shirley here as a recruit." Cao Cao sighed.
"Shirley, you don't have to do this!" Lelouch pleaded, but Shirley merely stared back at him with hollow amber eyes. There was no life, no trace of the old Shirley that had once existed. Instead, what remained was almost a robot. One devoid of life and purpose aside from revenge, which provided the sole flame that Lelouch could see a faint trace of. Besides that, her eyes said nothing of who had once resided inside.
They were eyes that would haunt Lelouch for nights to come.
So yeah, if you guys don't realize it yet, Shirley has now officially joined the Khaos Brigade. Also, Lelouch has been made an offer to become a Devil, or more specifically, Sairoarg's pawn. Honestly, I think that the relationship that could develop between Sairoarg, Lelouch, and Cao Cao could be very interesting, as they are (in my opinion) mirror images of each other. Cao Cao is like a Lelouch without any sort of inhibitions or a moral code, Lelouch has the ambition, leadership qualities, charisma, and drive that Sairoarg has, with the exception that he is more manipulative and uses his brains more than his brawn, and Sairoarg is like Cao Cao, as someone who is insanely driven and has trained himself to surpass his expected limitations, but is more wholesome.
I can understand if most of you guys expected Lelouch to become a king, but honestly, CrazySasori did a great job of convincing me that it really didn't make sense, so thank you. I mean, the political ramifications of such a move are just unimaginable and would have forced me to use some serious fridge logic to explain it if I hadn't gotten some advice from him.
Still though, I would appreciate any and all thoughts, either in a review or PM! Again, thank you for reading so far, and please, I hope you all continue to follow this story.