Chapter 20: The Plan
Suzaku awoke to the soft sound and feel of a woman's breathing on his cheek. As he slowly opened his eyes, it dawned on him that he was in the royal bedchamber, lying next to the empress herself among a sea of satin sheets and pillows, their clothes littering the floor, and the soft firelight the only thing illuminating the otherwise dark room. Glancing at the antique grandfather clock across the room, Suzaku saw that it was barely past five and that the sun would not rise for another hour or two so there was still time for him to sleep a little longer if he wished since he normally did not wake until seven or eight at the latest. Even so, the dark knight prefer to stay awake and spend his remaining time gazing at the peacefully sleeping face of his beloved since he knew he had to leave before the maids came to wake Nunnally and dress her for the day and under no circumstance could he allow himself to be found in the empress's bedchamber by them or the results could be quite scandalous.
"Mmm…Suzaku?"
Suzaku was snapped out of his thoughts by Nunnally's soft voice and looked down to find his love looking up at him with curious violet eyes, her long, flowing hair freed from their usual restraints and surrounding them like a sea of honey-colored silk. Her soft form was bare of all clothing with her flawless ivory skin warm against his as she gently ran a hand across the smooth, hard muscles of his chest. Suzaku groaned softly as he drew her closer. He wanted to remember every kiss, every sensation, every warm contact that their bare skins had experienced, every soft moan, every time her face had contorted into an expression of pure pleasure was still vibrant in his mind. It had been…utterly amazing…
Staring at her content face, he realized that he wanted it to be like this always. He wanted to only have to think about her and her well-being for the rest of his life. He wanted to be able to hold her like this whenever he wanted; it would simply be heaven to have her every night and wake up next to her everyday for the rest of his life.
"Nunnally…is this a dream?" he asked softly as he tried to answer his own question by tasting her sweet lips to reassure himself that it was not, that what they shared the night before really happened and was not wishful dreaming on his part. Nunnally giggled.
"Well, I don't know, Suzaku…" she giggled "All I know is that it feels wonderful and if this really is a dream, then I pray we never wake up…"
Suzaku laughed softly as he held his love tighter. "Me too… but unfortunately, all dreams, however pleasant, must come to an end; you know I have to be out of here before Sayako and the other maids come to dress you because I don't know how I will explain if I am found in your chambers" he said with a wink. Nunnally rested her head against his chest.
"I know…but we still have some time before the others come. Just stay with me a little longer, please?"
"Of course…I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Mmm…yes…" Nunnally answered softly and allowed her eyes to drift shut but not falling asleep. Like Suzaku, she too preferred to stay awake to enjoy the company of her love before he had to leave. Although she wanted to think only of the Knight by her side, the empress could not help but frown. Even though it was the last thing she wanted to talk about, Nunnally knew she would have to return to concentrating on the problem they still had at hand. There was something that she had been thinking about for some time that she wanted to bring up with her chief protector.
"Suzaku…I really hate to ruin the moment by bringing this up now but I've been thinking about this plan that I've been going about in my mind for some time since we came back from Japan."
"Plan?" Suzaku asked in confusion. "What do you mean, Nunnally?"
"Its about my stalker, the one that hasn't been caught yet. I know it is inevitable that he will come after me again but at least I want to make it easier for you and the other Knights to stop him. I believe I have thought of a way to bring him out into the open and quicker instead of simply waiting for him to come to me and not knowing when or how."
Suzaku frowned. "A way? You don't mean…"
She nodded. "Yes. I will have to make another public appearance. I believe the best time would be at Carline's state funeral; I am almost certain he will appear because this will be an opportunity far too great for him to miss."
The Knight found himself at a total loss for words. The empress herself was the last person he would ever expect to propose such a plan to draw out the mysterious assassin and risking her life in the process. His first impulse was to protest that he cannot allow it but he knew that even though she was his lover, Nunnally was still the empress and in the end, it would be her decision to make. Still, he tried his best to gently dissuade her of such a rash notion even though he himself knew it was probably the best option, however dangerous it was.
"Nunnally, I cannot recommend that. Putting yourself out in the open to draw out the assassin is far too dangerous. I beg you, please let us try to find another way to stop him without putting you at such a great risk…"
"Then what do you propose we do, Suzaku? We can't let this go on for much longer or who knows how many more lives it will cost. Yes, I know that what I propose is dangerous but at least we can be better prepared if he tries to attack me out in the open rather then waiting for him to come after me again with underhanded tactics like the poisoned dress and food. Not to mention the attack on Kallen in the forest as well. This time, it is I who am begging you not to fight me on this; even you have to admit it is the best and fastest way to end this ordeal. If you can think of a better plan, I would gladly go with it but I really doubt there is any other way."
Suzaku was silent. As much as he hated to admit it, his empress was right. He could think of no other way that wouldn't draw out their hunt for the assassin longer and risk more lives in the process. He wished there was something, anything he could say that would make her change her mind but looking into her eyes, he knew there was nothing; Nunnally's mind was set. In this, she was no different from her late brother. Sighing, Suzaku resigned himself to his defeat. "All right, Nunnally, you win. I will follow your plan but only on the condition that you allow me and the others to take every precaution to protect you and that includes increased security and weapons screening of every citizen at the state funeral."
"Yes, of course… please tell Sayako, Kallen and the others. I know they will protest but this is my order as your empress. However much they may not like it, I insist that we do this, and not just for my sake."
"I understand, Nunnally. The state funeral will be in three days and I must begin making preparations as soon as possible so I must take my leave of you…" Suzaku started to get up when he felt his love's hand close tightly around his wrist. Looking down, he found his empress looking at him sadly, as if she deeply regretted putting him in such a difficult position.
"I'm sorry, Suzaku…" she whispered. "I also wish there was another way but I cannot think of any. Please try to understand, I only want what's best for my people. I will try my best to stay alive and make this as easy for you and the others as I can."
Smiling, Suzaku leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his beloved's lips. "Its alright, Nunnally, you've nothing to apologize for. I know you wouldn't suggest this if you could think of a better way. The other Knights may be reluctant to go with your plan but they will if I order it; I only pray that they will not give me too much trouble, especially Sayako and Kallen since you are like a sister to them."
"I'm sure they will understand; just do what you can to make them feel more at ease while we prepare for the state funeral."
"Of course… Will there be anything else, Nunnally?"
"Yes… I want to see you again tonight…if you can…" There was a sadness in her eyes as she made this request. Suzaku knew that his empress also understood the danger of what she proposed and wanted to be with him as much as possible since there was a chance that they could both die in three days or at least one of them might.
Hugging her tightly, he buried his face in her soft hair before pressing his lips to her warm forehead. "Yes, I promise. Until tonight, my love…"
After holding him a moment more, Nunnally finally let her knight go, watching as he got dressed and quietly leave her chamber; Sayako and the other maids were due to arrive any minute so she also had to hurry and put her nightgown back on as well as straighten out the sheets on her bed and search the room for any telltale signs of her beloved's presence. While she knew that Sayako might look the other way, Nunnally wouldn't count on the other maids to do the same even if she was well-liked by them. No matter how good at heart they may be, people just loved juicy gossip and there was no need to add fuel to the fire so to speak; there were already enough rumors about the empress and her knight as it was.
No sooner did those thoughts cross her mind, Nunnally heard a loud knocking at her door.
"Good morning, Your Highness! Are you awake? Its time to get dressed!"
"Coming, Sayako!" the empress answered as she quickly smoothed out the creases in her nightgown and answered the door.
SSSSSS
"Nunnally, do you even know what you're suggesting? You're not serious about going through with this, are you?" Milly asked with wide-eyed concern as she passed the maple syrup to her friend from across the breakfast table while Sayako listened in silence as she sipped her morning tea.
"I'm afraid so" the empress answered as she poured the thick syrup over her waffles. Normally, she enjoyed their sweet taste but lately found everything she ate to be tasteless due to anticipation of her half-sister's upcoming state funeral which was to take place in three days. "I wish to end this as soon as possible so that there will be no more victims like Carline who died trying to protect me."
"I know you mean well, Nunnally, but surely there must be another way. You do know that what you're suggesting is really no different then painting a large target sign on your gown and inviting the assassin to come after you, don't you?"
"Well, I hate to break it to you, Milly, but that's exactly what it is. And no, there isn't another way; I've already went through every option I can think of. Any other way to draw out the killer will only prolong this ordeal and put more lives at risk and as empress, I cannot allow it."
Milly looked like she wanted to protest further but could not think of any words to say, at least not any that would convince her friend and empress not to go through with such a dangerous plan. In desperation, she looked to Sayako, as if seeking assistance from the older woman in deterring Nunnally from her train of thought.
Unfortunately, the chief maid quietly put down her cup of tea and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Milly, but I'm afraid I have to agree with Nunnally even though I don't like it any more then you do. As long as this assassin continues to come after her, more people will die. I'm sure you realize this as well since you've seen it with your own eyes; this killer doesn't have any qualms about hurting others to achieve his goal; if he did, Carline would still be with us and we wouldn't be having this conversation now."
Milly sighed as she put her head down and set her utensils aside, folding her hands on the table. She knew her friends were right and even though she still disagreed with Nunnally's plan, she knew she was still obligated to respect the empress's wishes and decisions and figured that if she could not talk her out of it, she should at least offer to be of as much assistance as she could.
"I see… I understand. If you're sure that this is really what you want to do then I will do everything I can to help you; you have only to name it."
Sayako smiled. "Thank you for your support, Milly. There is something you can help us with. While Suzaku and the other Knights arrange for tighter security, you can assist me in screening the funeral procession from the sidelines as you did when he and Kallen were hunting the assassin at your home. It might be a bit more difficult this time with the masses of people attending but I'm sure we can still pull it off if we work together."
"Yes, that would be very helpful." Nunnally agreed. "You can also be Sayako's second set of eyes and ears by keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Suzaku and the other Knights will also be using communications devices like the ones we used at your mansion. That's all we will need on your part; the rest is up to them and I have complete faith in all of our Knights, not just Suzaku."
"So do I, Nunnally…" Milly said "So do I… As soon as Sayako is ready, I will assist her in the preparations." She turned to the chief maid who smiled.
"Thank you for understanding, Milly. I'm sorry we've put you in such a difficult position but we are very grateful for everything you've done. Hopefully, this plan will work and that the assassin will be stopped."
"You're welcome; it is my privilege and honor to protect and serve my empress…and my friend…"
SSSSSS
"And that is the plan" Suzaku announced to his subordinates as he leaned forward and placed both hands on the large table of the Knights' meeting room. "In three days, the empress will be making a speech at Princess Carline's funeral service at Pendragon Square and that is where we will await the assassin's return. Since he can attack from anywhere, it is vital that we split up and watch over the procession from each corner of the square and I expect all of you to contact me at the first sign of trouble."
"It sounds like a good plan" Kallen agreed even though she disliked the idea of Nunnally using herself as the bait "But are you certain the assassin will even show up? Don't you think he's smart enough to know this is a trap?"
"I'm fairly certain he will show up even if he knows that" Anya answered. "From what Suzaku has told us, knowing that he, you, and Sayako were with Nunnally at Milly's home didn't deter him from coming after her. If he is that determined to kill Her Highness, no trap will, I'm afraid."
"But surely he knows his escape will be impossible, especially if we are all present along with the tightened security at Pendragon Square" Gino protested. "Do any of you really believe he'd go so far as to sacrifice himself for his goal?"
"I don't know" Suzaku answered. "There is no way of knowing what goes on in the mind of a mad, obsessive man. All I know is that this is the fastest way to end this ordeal and not just for Nunnally's sake, but also for that of the other palace residents as well as our own. If he attacks out in the open, it will be much easier for us to stop him then if he went after the empress again with underhanded tactics like that palace servant months ago."
Jeremiah, who had been listening in silence the whole time, finally spoke. Taking his leader by the shoulders, he gazed long and hard into Suzaku's face as if searching for any signs of doubt or hesitation "My lord…Suzaku" he began gently "I know it is not my place to question you or the empress but are you both certain you want to go through with this plan?"
"I'd be lying if I said yes" Suzaku admitted. "But this is what Her Highness has decided and even though I don't like it any more then you do, I have to agree with her that this is likely the best option."
"And I take it you've already tried everything you could to talk her out of it?"
Suzaku grinned sheepishly at his friend. "Would we be having this conversation if I had managed that?"
Jeremiah could not help but laugh. It was the first time any of them had done so in months since this whole thing started. "I suppose you're right. The empress grows more like her late brother everyday. I commend her for her bravery and for putting the well being of her people before her own but she must also understand that she's no good to them or Britannia if she's dead."
"Yes, I know… and I'm sure she does too. But that's what we're here for; it is the sworn duty of the Knights to protect Britannia and her empress. I know that none of you are comfortable with this plan, I'm not either, but I am grateful to all of you for going along with me, not just as your leader, but also as your friend. Rest assured that we will take every precaution to protect Nunnally and make sure she gets out of this alive."
"That's good" Kallen said "But what of the assassin himself? What should we do with him once he is stopped? Do you suggest imprisonment or confinement at a mental institution like the palace servant?"
"He is too dangerous for either" Suzaku answered. "Unlike the palace servant, I can sense that he is in the right mind and knows exactly what he is doing. I do not want to take the risk of him escaping and becoming a danger to the empress again. I know for certain that nothing short of death will stop him for good. So all of you must aim to kill and that is an order."
"Of course, my lord" Gino answered. "If this is what you and the empress have decided then we will follow you and do everything in our power to make this mission a success."
"Thank you…all of you. I myself will stay by Nunnally's side and if for whatever reason he manages to get past any of you, he will have to go through me as well before he can lay a hand on Her Highness though I would die myself before I let that happen."
Anya smiled, a rarity in itself before saying "I know you would, Suzaku; any of us would give our lives for her. Now that we are all in agreement, all that's left to do is prepare for Princess Carline's state funeral. Will there be anything else, my lord?"
"No, that will be all. We still have three days and that is more then enough time to make the preparations and arrange for tighter security. Lord Asplund informed me that he will provide the necessary communications devices for us to screen the procession and stay in contact. No matter how slight, I expect any and all of you to let me know immediately if you see any sign of trouble; do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, my lord" the Knights answered in unison.
"Good. This meeting is adjourned; you are all dismissed."
A/N: Hi everyone, I'm back :) Again, sorry for the wait, I've been wanting to get this chapter down sooner but my work has been hectic and kept me busy. The good news is that we are getting near the climax of our story which will be in the next chapter. I'll be working my hardest on it to make it as exciting as possible for all you actions fans plus squeeze in a few more Suzaku/Nunnally moments for the romance fans ;)