Chapter 12: A Royal Wedding
Fire will never spread unless the fireplace was fuelled.
-Anonymous
Part 28: Three Pronged Attack
The day was dark, black like a fog of smoke screening across the skies. Thunderclaps reverberated near and far, urging strong winds and ocean storms to hit Penglaidao. Lelouch put on his mask and passed a message to the department leaders, "Ougi, Tohdoh, Diethard, Lady Kaguya, report to the Grand Hall at once. We must discuss our projections for the future."
"Lelouch, what are we going to do when a storm hits? I mean, we are stuck on this island with nothing to do," C.C. asked.
"Nothing to fear, my sentiments tell me otherwise, we must use this time to plan an assault on the Empire," Lelouch returned, "Then…"
"Oh shoot!" C.C. interrupted his little spiel.
"What is it?" Lelouch asked.
"The cheese on my pizza ruined my Qipao," C.C. exclaimed as she wiped it off with tissue. She thought, "It is black anyways so the stain won't show."
"We must leave for our conference," Lelouch said.
"I will follow your lead," C.C. said.
Lelouch and C.C. walked out into the hallway at the same time Kaguya exited her room with a letter in her hand. She wore a stole over her one piece gown and an ornate necklace around her neck that dropped to her heart.
"Lady Kaguya, you received a letter from the post?" Lelouch asked behind his mask.
Kaguya stared at the master and looked at her left hand. She fidgeted and said, "Why yes Master Zero, the empress of China invited me to attend her wedding. Kaguya paused for a brief moment and asked, "Aren't you invited as well?"
"No, I never received any invitations or notifications from the Chinese Federation," replied the masked hero.
"That is strange; a man of your honour who helped the Chinese Federation reclaim lost land must be included on their hit list. Maybe your invitation will arrive later today, I just received mine," Kaguya said with a cheery smile.
"How old is the empress?" Lelouch asked.
"I am one year her senior," replied the thirteen year old girl.
"The groom is going to wed at age twelve, how old is her husband?" the now infamous Zero was baffled.
"It doesn't say, but I guarantee it will be a handsome nobleman or a prince," Lady Kaguya replied. She turned around and skipped like a little girl.
"It isn't normal for people to marry at age twelve in this day and age," Lelouch whispered to C.C. through his mask.
"You are seventeen and you still worry about our premature relationship. Now I know you are just a prudish fool," C.C. replied.
"Quit fussing over that matter and focus on my premise," Lelouch retorted.
Lelouch, C.C, Kaguya, Diethard, Tohdoh and Ougi were sitting around a large table in the Grand Hall, a finely decorated and formal meeting room where the coordinators visit every three or four days. Lelouch began with an opening remark, "Good work capturing Area 12 from the Empire! Now we possess two independent states of Britannia. From now on, we must target the enemy not at their arms but at the heart."
"Well said, master Zero but do we have the resources to invade Pendragon?" Diethard questioned.
"Truthfully speaking, we do not if the clash is straight between armies. The Britannian military is a force of great proportions compared to even the Chinese Federation. Any head on attempts will result in suicide."
"Then how should we approach this magnificent siege you have in mind? We cannot repeat our successful strategy another time, it will be too predictable," Tohdoh pointed out.
"You are right; we cannot use the same strategy in all our battles, no matter how subtle it is. The Britannians probably installed scenario protocols into their management programs by now," Lelouch noted, "That is why I propose a new tactic. This tactic is a series of three stages."
"Three? What are they?" Diethard said as he straightened his back towards this remark.
"The first stage will be a series of migratory guerrilla tactics in long distances. For example, we can invade Lima and Seattle simultaneously. We know the Britannian Empire standardizes their technology worldwide, hence we can obtain a lot of new weaponry this way," Lelouch explained.
"Increasing our stockpiles with enemy weapons will be advantageous but can we guarantee success?" Ougi said.
"We can never guarantee success Ougi, we must experiment with new methods of warfare such that the successful ones can be further examined and perfected," Diethard countered.
"Diethard is right; we can only measure a tactic's success by trying. So far the first stage is still developed under theory and we must test it by putting it into practice," Lelouch said.
"What is the second stage?" Lady Kaguya inquired.
"The second stage is to get assistance from the Chinese Federation. You, lady Kaguya, will be in charge of getting the empress to engage in our campaign," Lelouch said.
"I will do what is told master Zero," the young lady replied with a smile.
"Then what is left is the third stage. In theory, the first stage disperses Imperial troops across the globe to places away from the North American continent. The second force can act as a lever to lift our problems as the union between two troops can greatly inflict a blow to Britannian armies in the Pacific. The Third stage will be a march towards Pendragon, besieging the capital with full force."
So far, it sounds promising," Diethard said, "But how long will we have to wait until the third stage is ready?"
"We must be patient and evaluate every outcome. Many factors can affect our stances against the Empire and our chance of success. This includes time, terrain, weather, relations and much more," Lelouch replied.
"Then perhaps we should start off by having two invasions planned out before next week," C.C. suggested.
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Lelouch said, "Tohdoh, plan two series of training for the troops; Diethard, search everything, we have to be aware of in Canberra, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Lima and Santiago."
"Yes master Zero," the two replied with their hands placed on their chest and elbows bent. Ougi joined Tohdoh and Diethard out of the conference room.
"C.C., Kaguya, follow me," Lelouch ordered behind his mask.
"As you wish master Zero," the two responded obsequiously. They followed him out of the room and stepped into the elevator for the ground level. Lelouch and the women behind him walked across a red carpet to the building's main gates. The streets were flooded with unfiltered rainwater. Two ladies stood by the gates and bowed to their master as he stepped foot out of the building. The storm created a two centimetre thick sea on the carless roads. Lelouch walked out into the open and spread his hands as rain dripped down his mask and soaked his cape. He snapped his fingers and a servant ran out to join them from inside the building. It was like the servant had a microchip implanted in his brain to respond to every one of Lelouch's snaps. The servant opened the doors to Kaguya's limousine on both sides and said, "As you wish master Zero." The servant's eyes seemed hypnotic as rainwater flowed down his plain faces. Lady Kaguya and C.C. entered the limousine from two sides after Lelouch stepped in: C.C. on his left and Kaguya on his right.
"Take us to the embassy," Lelouch commanded the servant while snapping his fingers.
"As you wish master Zero," the servant replied. The servant entered the driver's seat and started the motor, slowly picking speed between a heaven and Earth of rain. The car approached a tall skyscraper that stood out in the storm. Flashes of lightning struck the tower's pinnacle like an electrolytic fluid. The awesome scene galvanized Lelouch behind his dark mask. It sparked fear in Kaguya's eyes as she covered her ears to the following thunder.
"You fear thunderstorms," C.C. asked Kaguya with a dull voice.
"They are intimidating," Kaguya responded honestly.
"Fear not as all of our questions will be answered soon," Lelouch spoke in a bold tone and absolutely ignoring the previous conversation.
"Master Zero, may I escort you your destination," the servant said as he stopped the limousine.
"It is fine, you stay her," Lelouch answered. The servant opened the backdoor on the right and bowed as Lady Kaguya, Lelouch and C.C. stepped out of the vehicle.
"Have a nice day master Zero, Lady Kaguya and miss C.C.," the servant said with a calm and obedient voice.
Lelouch stepped towards a reference directory and asked the desk worker a question, "May I meet with a high eunuch in the embassy? This is urgent matter."
"Wait one moment as I page the rooms," the desk worker replied.
The desk worker turned towards them on her swivel chair and said, "You may enter room 715."
Minutes later after the wait for an elevator, Lelouch, Kaguya and C.C. made their way to room 715. Lelouch knocked on the door and an automated voice reply played through what looked like a loudspeaker on the roof. Lelouch turned the doorknob and stepped in. He saw one man, wearing something resembling a white coif sitting on a glazed porcelain pedestal.
"Greetings, I am Tong Lun, high eunuch of the Chinese Federation who will be on duty on Penglaidao for the next three days. I take you are the legendary Zero everybody is talking about?"
"Yes and I have a list of very direct questions to ask you," Lelouch stated with a firm voice.
"Ah yes, do ask as I will answer them to the best of my ability," the eunuch exclaimed, "Please sit down. In China, guests deserve utmost respect."
Lelouch, Kaguya and C.C. took their seats on three of the four respective mats sitting on the wooden floor.
"I will make it brief. Is there a royal wedding this week," Lelouch fired his first question.
Kaguya looked surprised when this was the answer he wanted to obtain.
"I believe you could have asked Lady Kaguya on your right, she knew as an invitation was sent to her from the empress herself!" the eunuch returned.
"The wedding will be held in the Vermillion City three days from today," Kaguya replied as she stared at the floor.
"Will I attend this wedding," Lelouch fired his second question.
"No," Tong Lun replied.
"That is all," Lelouch returned as he cocked his head to get a good look at the eunuch.
"Then all is well," said the eunuch.
Lelouch stood up, bowed and turned his back to face the door.
"Wait!" the eunuch exclaimed.
Lelouch turned his head to reveal a fraction of his mask.
"You cannot leave this island on the day of the wedding, it is classified business," the eunuch said.
Lelouch turned around as he waved his cape and left the room. The three made it down to the first floor and marched to the front gates. The servant responded immediately to his arrival by opening the door. The three stepped into the limousine in an order identical to the journey to. Lelouch ordered the servant to drive them to a park and the servant did just that. When they arrived at the largest park situated on this artificial island, the servant tended to his master's command and opened the door. Lelouch stepped out and said, "Come out and enjoy the sublime gardens of a partly cloudy day."
"But it is raining," C.C. said in a dull voice. Her hair was soaked form constant exposure to the rain. Suddenly, the rainclouds dispersed and glided apart for a bit of sunshine to dive down on the evergreen trees in the park's interior. Lelouch seemed like a prophet or a divine controller of the weather and said, "I told you so. Now you two enjoy the scenery for a while together. Be sure to stay on the path!"
Kaguya and C.C. did what he said and stayed on the brick laid path through the park. Unlike most parks, this one in particular was dotted with many flowerbeds with a plethora of variety. They walked along the path and approached a narrow bend where a bench was situated. C.C. and Kaguya sat on a nearby bench with a distance of a about a foot between the two ladies, Kaguya spoke with a worried voice, "Why did master Zero tell us to walk as a pair down this road?"
"Who knows?" C.C. said with a shrug.
"Something doesn't feel right," Kaguya said with a woeful expression.
C.C. stared at the evening glory of sunlight piercing through thick, grey clouds and said, "He probably wanted us to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature as this island isn't natural at all. Don't you enjoy this clean air and the sweet fragrance of summer blooms?"
"I guess I do but master Zero has been acting quite odd lately. I figured, since you were the closest person to him so you would know more about him but…"
"But I am even more distant than you I presume."
"Well…"
"Don't worry and let us admire this lovely sky that Zero brought us to bare."
Kaguya joined C.C. as they gazed at a sky suppressed from a day of rain. Meanwhile, Lelouch walked with his servant in the opposite direction. He asked his servant to follow him down the dyke to a lower zone of the island. They jumped down to the artificial platform and walked to the outer edge.
"Look at that evening sunset after a day of storm, isn't it just a wondrous spectacle?" Lelouch asked his servant.
"I have to admit, it is extraordinary," the servant replied.
"Shao Huang."
"Master Zero, you called me by my name."
"This will be your final sunset."
"What do you mean master Zero?"
Lelouch pulled out a pistol and aimed at his servant's head. He removed his mask to reveal his face and activated his Geass, "I, Lelouch vi Britannia command you to answer my questions."
"Yes, as you wish master Zero," said the servant.
"Do you work for my enemies?"
"No."
"Do you follow orders from the high eunuchs?"
"Yes."
Lelouch pulled the triggered and fired three rounds into the servants' forehead, followed by a shot at the heart. The corpse fell off the island platform into the ocean. Lelouch blocked the servant's blood with his cape and threw it into the sea. Lelouch returned to the limousine and found C.C. with Kaguya beside it.
"C.C., you will drive us back to our tower," Lelouch ordered.
"As you wish," C.C. said with her hand placed on her chest.
"Where is our chauffeur?" Lady Kaguya asked.
"He begged to return back to China to visit his sick grandmother. The day cleared so he can make his way to those apartments over there," Lelouch pointed at a complex of high-rise skyscrapers, "I gave him what he wanted and freed his burdens."
Kaguya gawked at her master as she was dazed beyond words describable.
Lelouch opened the door and pulled Lady Kaguya into the limousine and said, "Don't you worry, C.C. is a safe driver." Nothing made sense to Kaguya as the words that passed through her crush's mouth sounded inconsistent to the day's course.
Part 31: Tianzi say "I do"
Three days have passed and Lelouch persuaded Lady Kaguya to bring him along. They landed in the interior of the Vermillion City via helicopter. Kaguya wore a beautiful purple dress with a jade pendant around her neck. She appeared taller with high-heels on her feet and a crystal tiara on her crown. Overall, Kaguya looked materially extravagantly as she descended her private helicopter down a stairway. Lelouch dressed in his usual Zero's guise but did not leave his seat on the helicopter. "What are you going to do here if you are not part of this wedding?" Kaguya asked, "My dear, the empress of China would love to meet you!"
"I will join you later Lady Kaguya. I must stay here in case something dangerous happens inside. Besides, they did not invite me to the ceremony," Lelouch replied behind his iconic mask.
"Then I will wait for you master Zero when I get in," Kaguya said with a wink and a blow kiss.
Lelouch waved goodbye and sat upright on his seat. The stairs retracted back into the helicopter, sealing the entrance in which Kaguya left off. Lelouch got out a walkie-talkie and transmitted a message, "I will help you sabotage this wedding." A second helicopter landed beside the one Zero was in.
"You have my trust Zero," said the voice on the other side.
The Vermillion City was a monumental work of architecture with its red walls and golden roofs that hung lanterns on this fine evening. At the centre of this palace complex, a grand ceremony took place; it was the empress' wedding. The banquet hall had a European appeal though, with many small tables located equidistant between each other, serving a variety of hors d'oeuvres.
"Mighty fine evening we are having Miss Ashford," said an aristocrat with baby-blue hair. He wore a brown coat with matching suit, trousers and shoes and a pair of thin rectangular spectacles. He was speaking to the one and only Milly Ashford of Ashford Academy. She wore a red evening gown that partially revealed the flesh of her chest and an elegant hairclip that bound her usual bangs into a matron's hairdo. This made her look a lot more mature.
Milly stuffed her face with a quiche and munched on it in a rather carefree manner.
"My love, you have to remember your manners. I know your mother isn't watching tonight but could you please show some more civility?" the aristocrat said.
Milly gulped down the quiche with some ice-cold water and said, "Sorry but this food is exquisite!"
"Ugh," the aristocrat groaned as he shook his head. If you were asking why Milly Ashford, the president of Ashford Academy's student council would be in such a high class event. The reason was because she was the fiancée of Earl Lloyd Asplund, a geeky noble who designs and manufactures state of the art machinery. He was the scientist who designed Suzaku's Knightmare Frame, the Lancelot.
"Well, I will get a refill of wine, now don't you go running off into trouble my love," the Earl said with a cheerful face. The truth was he had no interest in getting married. He would rather build another Knightmare Frame that he had recently designed since the Lancelot's disappearance, than get married to this average schoolgirl.
"Port sir?" a servant suggested to the Earl.
"Why thank you and that is Earl Lloyd Asplund to you," the Earl snapped with an awkward glare.
"Yes Sir Asplund," the servant apologized as he poured a glass of red wine into Earl Asplund's wine glass. He walked towards the main stage in the room and took a gentle sip of his beverage.
The lights dimmed in the room as a tall man with blonde hair, Prince Schneizel el Britannia, stood before the crowd and announced, "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we will not only witness the union of man and wife, but also the union of two great nations: China and Britannia!"
As a round of applause filled the room, the wedding couple walked on stage. The man was the thirty year old prince Odysseus eu Britannia, the first prince in line for the throne. His wife was the twelve year old puppet Empress of China.
"A toast to the marriage of my brother and her royal highness, Tianzi," Prince Schneizel declared, "A toast to the future of our world!" The audience continued with their applauding as the couple take their royal seats.
"Announcing the special guest of tonight, Lady Sumeragi Kaguya of the Sumeragi Conglomerate," a bearer announced.
Tianzi's face lit up as she heard her friend's safe arrival. The doors opened for the honoured guest as she stood beside the terrorist Zero and his knights Suzaku and Kallen.
"Zero?" the crowd gasped in dismay.
"Suzaku, you have joined the Black Knights?" Earl Asplund stated in shock as he dropped his empty wine glass, "WhaWhaWha…What!"
Kaguya, Zero and his cohorts marched through the entrance with flying colours and stopped before prince Schneizel on the stage.
"What do we have here? The infamous Zero," Prince Schneizel exclaimed.
"Yes that is right, I am here on behalf of Lady Sumeragi's security," Lelouch replied behind his mask. He thought, "So my brother Schneizel is the puppet master behind this arranged wedding! He was always superior to my oldest brother Odysseus when it comes to diplomacy."
"Then we will allow your stay," Prince Schneizel replied.
"Are you mad? He is a terrorist," one of the high eunuchs yelled from behind. They were beside the couple on stage.
"He is on a mission to protect his mistress, I cannot allow such a noble act to be deterred by our prejudice," Schneizel explained.
"Bububu… but still, terrorists are a threat to our empire! He is your sole enemy," another high eunuch said.
"Prince Schneizel," Lelouch said. Schneizel gaped at the demon's mask.
"How about we settle this matter with a game of chess," Lelouch continued.
"Chess? Well it would be my pleasure," Prince Schneizel returned with a delighted look.
"However, there is a twist to this proposal."
"Oh?"
"If I win, then this wedding is off," Lelouch declared his terms. He thought, "Schneizel is the only one who can beat me in chess, if he wants me to take off my mask when I lose, then I can use my Geass on everybody in this room. It is a win-win situation for me."
"Then if you lose, you will remove your mask and show the world your true identity," Schneizel said nobly.
"Perfect, as I expected," Lelouch thought internally.
"I will accept your side of the deal, Prince Schneizel," Lelouch replied on his honour.
Lelouch and Prince Schneizel sat on opposite sides of the table. Kallen and Suzaku stood guard beside him as Prince Schneizel made his first move.
"As expected from a formidable player," Lelouch said, "I counter with this!"
"You are truly the type who have a knack for the dramatic," Schneizel returned.
The game lasted for another hour as a crowd of people huddled to watch the two expert players fight in a battle of wits. They were engulfed in their close match.
"It seems my move will determine the fate of this game," Prince Schneizel remarked.
"Your king is trapped and cannot advance forward, it is a close checkmate," Lelouch responded with a confident voice.
"Then checkmate it is," Schneizel said, gambling away the fate of the evening.
"Is he mad? If Zero wins, the wedding will be over!" the crowd discussed this matter very seriously.
"Then checkmate it is and this wedding will not proceed," Lelouch said.
"Seize the terrorists!" Prince Schneizel ordered immediately after he lost.
"What? This is very dishonourable of you," exclaimed Lelouch.
"Either or, I have the win-win advantage because of my power!"
"Damn! That Schneizel is crafty as expected! He morphed his title and power into a geographical advantage when it comes to actual warfare, no matter what he does, he has the high ground!" Lelouch interpreted his brother's tactics.
"Not so fast!" a voice echoed from outside as the entrance broke down.
"More terrorists?" the crowd panicked.
"No, it is Li Xingke," said one of the high eunuchs.
"Xingke are you out of your mind?" another eunuch asked.
"I will not let you corrupt officials sell off the honour of our land. Even though people are starving out there while this room is filled with delicacies! I will not permit the fall of the Chinese Federation through your selfish puppeteering, even if treason is the final solution!" cried Li Xingke, the tall Chinese man Lelouch and C.C. encountered from back at the embassy.
Li dashed into the ballroom and pulled out his sword. Many guards blocked his way with spears in their arms. Li shredded his way through my slaughtering all of the guards.
"I will not let the Chinese Federation be openly given to Britannia!" Li cried.
"Is this true?" Tianzi asked the eunuchs.
"Our society must advance further if we want our citizens to have a better life. Please understand our ways," said a high eunuch.
A couple of Chinese rebels who followed Li to the ballroom entered with guns and fired it at guards. They passed Kallen and Suzaku two fully loaded assault rifles. Kallen pointed the rifle at Prince Schneizel and said, "If you value your life over this stupid marriage, release my master at once!"
Prince Schneizel looked uneasy and surrendered to the red-haired girl's threat. Lelouch pulled out a long one shot pistol and directed the muzzle at Prince Odysseus. He pulled the trigger and fired it directly into his brother's head without remorse. Lelouch said, "Kallen, Suzaku, get the Empress and Kaguya at all costs. They must survive and you must survive as well!" Lelouch left the ballroom and headed through the door out into the open. He was surrounded by Imperial troops and unable to pass.
"I, Lelouch vi Britannia order you to obey my commands and execute the high eunuchs!" Lelouch commanded through a small opening he activated on his mask. The guards obeyed hypnotically and rushed through the broken entrance.
Li continued to fight until he reached the stage. He said with a deathly glare, "If you want your titles as Dukes of Britannia then receive them in hell!" With his bloody saber in his hand, Li cut through the heads of every high eunuch in one slash. Blood gushed out everywhere as the Empress stared in shock at the horrific slaughter. Suzaku said, "Li, don't you worry, the Empress will be safe in our hands."
"I am counting on the two of you and Zero on behalf of the Chinese Federation. No more will Britannia live to take our title as Chinese!" Li declared with his sword thrust high in the air, "People of China, revolt for our freedom, revolt for our title! Long live the Chinese Federation. Long live Zhong Hua!"
Lelouch made his way to Kaguya's helicopter and ordered the pilot, "Get this chopper started, we must leave at once, once they arrive."
