Lelouch sat on his bed and thought about his options. What to do when C.C. woke up? First thing was to ask her about Mao. If he knew that, then he might be able pieces together his relationship with Tianzi.
The sun was beginning to rise. Lelouch realized he hadn't slept a wink. He felt his bed shift and looked over at C.C. She seemed to be waking up. Her face scrunched up and Lelouch moved closer to her.
Her mouth moved and Lelouch crouched in to hear her. As he listened, someone knocked on his door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Nunnally."
"Come in."
Nunnally walked through the door and went toward her brother.
"You didn't sleep all night, did you?"
"I'm fine Nunnally. What did you want?"
"I just wanted to check on C.C. Is she hurt?"
"No. I checked her for wounds, and she's fine."
"You care about her, don't you brother?"
"As much as anyone can care for someone as selfish as her", Lelouch said, avoiding the question.
Nunnally gave him a strange smile and started walking toward the door. Then she stopped short, turned around and walked back to Lelouch. She wrapped her arms tight around him.
"N-Nunnally?"
"It's been a long time since I've done this", Nunnally said.
Lelouch hugged her back. "I haven't been a very good brother, have I?"
"That's not true. You've just been busy."
"But still I feel like I've been neglecting you and Rolo. As soon as C.C. wakes up, I'll go check on him."
"I'm gonna go to Euphie's room. She wanted to take me to the Charity Ball tonight and wants me to pick out a dress", Nunnally said.
She left, leaving Lelouch alone with C.C. again. She shifted in the bed and slowly opened her eyes. She looked around at her surroundings.
"How do you feel?", Lelouch asked.
"Fine. Where am I?"
"In my room."
"How long have I been out?"
"All night."
"Hmm. You're in the palace. What do you plan to do now?"
"First I need to ask you something", Lelouch said.
"And what could that possibly be?"
"Who is Mao?"
- - -
Nunnally came to Euphemia's room, and the maids helped them find the perfect dress. Euphie also used this time to ask Nunnally a few things.
"Nunnally, do you think Suzaku's going to be mad at me?", Euphemia asked.
"Huh? Why?"
"I laughed at him yesterday."
"Oh don't worry about that", Nunnally said with a smile. "He might be embarassed, but Suzaku won't hold a grudge against you."
"But still, I-"
"Euphie, you shouldn't doubt Suzaku. Didn't you two tell each other that you were in love?", Nunnally asked.
"Well yes."
"Then you should be happy! Now then, let's find me a dress to wear."
"Right! Thank you Nuna."
- - -
"Mao? You've met him?", C.C. asked.
"Yes. And he seemed very attached to you. Would you mind explaining?", Lelouch asked.
"I made a contract with Mao."
"I guessed that."
"Let me finish! I made a contract with him. But it went wrong. He grew close to me, and ended up being dependent on me."
"Which resulted in his obsession."
"Yes. But there was someone whom he loved more than me", C.C. said.
"Tianzi."
C.C. looked at him with shock. "You know Tianzi?"
"Yes. But what I don't know is why Mao loves her so much. The girl is only 12 so-"
"Tianzi is really just a title. She is the daughter of the Chinese Emperor. So not many know her real name."
"Just like you", Lelouch said.
"No one knows my true name."
"What does Tianzi being the Chinese Emperor's daughter have to do with anything?"
"When I met Mao, he was 12 years old. He was homeless, and without parents. He told me his mother died. Mao knew his father, but could never see him."
Lelouch had a hunch where this was going. "Why not?"
"Mao is the Chinese Emperor's illegitimate son. Tianzi is his half-sister."
"Really, that makes things interesting. Does Tianzi know?"
"No. Her father had an affair with Mao's mother. But then he met his fiancee, and forgot about his lover. Love is funny that way isn't it?"
"I fail to see how being forgotten by someone you love is funny", Lelouch said.
"Anyway, when Mao first heard about Tianzi, he hated her. He felt like she was the reason the emperor left him and his mother."
"But he forgave her."
"Could you hold a grudge against her?"
"I guess not. So now instead of hating her, Mao adores her. This could come in handy."
"You intend to use Tianzi against him? How cruel", C.C. said without really meaning it.
"Only if I absolutely need to. But I don't see why I would need to encounter Mao again."
"You never know."
Lelouch got up to leave. "I'm going to check on Rolo."
- - -
Rolo opened his eyes and felt a small weight on his chest. He focused his eyes and found that same red bird from last night.
"Do you want more food?"
The bird tilted its head. Rolo sat up and the bird perched itself on on his desk. Rolo took a grape and gave it to the bird. It took it in its beak. The young prince opened the window and felt the slight breeze.
The red bird immediately flew away again.
"A bird's got it easy. They could fly away anytime they want. But I wonder, how did it get in. I'm sure I closed the window."
Rolo forgot those things and went to his closet to get dressed. While in there, he felt a breeze. He looked around for the source. At the very end were a few boxes filled with imported clothes from long ago.
He felt the wind again. He pulled the boxes away and found a door that was slightly open.
"What's this doing here?"
Rolo walked in to investigate. At that moment, Lelouch walked through his bedroom door. He was surprised to find it empty.
"Rolo? Rolo?"
- - - - - - -
Up next: Rolo finds someone, Euphie, Nunnally, and Cornelia go to the Charity ball, and Kaguya has a talk with Suzaku.
Yeah well, if you know me, you know I'm probably not gonna get ALL of that in next chapter. But I'll try!
