Recap: Leila and Lelouch have both been plotting with Frederick caught in their midst. Nunnally made a deal with Brian, a gang lord, to gain information on Mr. Cameron's death, so she can make Clovis pay.
Chapter 8: The Board is Set
Tonight, United East Africa, our long time ally, will formally surrender as overseen by all other nations. While we have watched for years Britannia's relentless expansion, this occasion brings forth ever increasing uncertainty. Some political analysts warn that Britannia's ambitions will soon focus on us. The MEF is in a unique geographical position which allows us to control the majority of trade between the E.U. and Chinese Federation. As Britannia expanded into Southeast Asia then Southern Africa, our nation's importance grew. With the establishment of Area FIfteen, Britannia now controls the maritime silk road through the port of Djibouti. The silk road remains the only other major trade route outside of Britannia's dominion and is entirely under MEF control. Power has shifted from the French and Chinese to our hands. They cannot afford our displeasure.
To ensure its survival, the MEF must put aside pride and negotiate with all of our neighbors, which unfortunately now includes Britannia. The MEF does not have the military strength to fend off the E.U., China, or Britannia should they invade. Their might was built by cannibalizing their colonies. And make no mistake, while the E.U. formally declared the end of colonization after the First Pacific War for being undemocratic, they maintain the practice through less overt means. Resources continue to flow from Africa to the E.U. in an inequivalent exchange. Yet despite everything that United East Africa provided the E.U., they couldn't be bothered to come to their defense. Many have criticized the MEF for its almost isolationist policy, but we would be in a similar position of subservience without it.
The next few years will be a contest of diplomacy to buy time. We must use the upcoming period of economic prosperity to build an army which can withstand Britannia's power. Because while Britannia may make concessions and promises, our defeat will effectively neuter the Chinese Federation and the E.U. Both of our neighboring behemoths are self-serving and will not take proactive measures to protect us. Instead, they will wait for Britannia to obliterate our resistance, then brandish the flags of self-righteous saviors to invade.
—AIP: The Surrender of United East Africa and Our Future (May 10, 2017)
Ashford Academy, Area Eleven
As Nunnally had anticipated, Milly soon called for a clandestine student council meeting. Usually such events preceded an elaborate school-wide surprise event. On more somber occasions, they would deal with tragic news such as a terrorist attack and determine who among the student body was affected. Milly was always the first one to know, having access to early press releases through Lord Ashford.
So when Milly approached and discreetly informed her of a meeting with a waver in her voice, Nunnally knew it was the latter, mostly likely concerning Mr. Cameron. A few days ago, Brian had unexpectedly delivered the evidence, saying he trusted her to follow through on her word. Perhaps he understood the time sensitive nature of the task, but Nunnally couldn't help but be suspicious. People didn't do things out of the kindness of their heart.
"Relax," Allie whispered. "You'll convince them."
Nunnally shook her head. She hadn't even been able to see the evidence, relying on Allie to explain the security footage and the numerous witness accounts. Clovis's agent had been incredibly sloppy, but the evidence alone wouldn't be enough. To spur others into actions, she needed a patriotic reason.
"It's a conflict of interest," Nunnally said. "Euphie and I can be involved, but not as leaders. You'll need to do it."
"But this is your plan."
"You know what Lelouch does when groups make too much noise—and we'll be making lots of it? He finds the cracks in the foundation, takes a chisel, and hammers until it shatters. He digs up every secret and spins it so people lose faith. When my identity is revealed, they'll try to say it's a sibling quarrel which got out of hand—"
"It technically is. This is personal for you."
"—or that it's some convoluted scheme of mine for the throne." Nunnally scowled. "No. It'll be Lelouch's scheme because a blind girl can't possibly have orchestrated it."
Allie's hand brushed through her hair, silently asking for permission, then began partitioning it into chunks. "How is your brother doing? It's hard to imagine him doing... any of that."
"Like I said, he's no angel." Nunnally leaned into the gentle touch. "I think he feels guilty, but mostly he's been very bored and annoyed. Mother is meeting him at the banquet, which will be awkward since I passed the division's message along. Apparently, Mother has been quite nosy."
Allie giggled. "You'd think your mother has a better use for her time."
"You'd think. She'll be coming here afterwards... Is there a way you can be out of town? Maybe a last minute overnight hiking trip?"
"You don't have to worry. I met her before... Still can't believe that."
"She threatened Lelouch's friends again," Nunnally whispered. "And you're not... great at keeping your mouth shut."
"I'm hardly going to insult her, even if she does deserve it. I'm not suicidal." Allie's hands froze. "Sorry, poor choice of words."
"She'll try to get under your skin. She's very good at that."
The door opened and both of them fell silent. A slow pair of footsteps crossed the room to them resting on the couch.
Milly soft hands cradled hers. "Oh, good. You're already here. I'm so—"
"We already know," Nunnally said. "Mr. Cameron stopped answering his emails suddenly. We were supposed to meet to celebrate. Then... nothing."
"But the news said," Milly trailed off and withdrew with a soft understanding gasp. "Everything alright?"
"I will be if you have a surprise student council camping trip to cheer everyone up after such dismal news," Nunnally said, careful to keep her head still as Allie continued to braid her hair.
"Ignore her," Allie said, her gentle tugs becoming slightly harsher. "She's on edge because her mother is coming and thinks I can't behave."
"No wonder Gramps turned into a sour puss. He yelled at a coder for spending his unstructured time baking cakes," Milly said.
Nunnally winced. That was Lelouch's fault. The two of them had bonded over a love of baking and ridiculous encryptions.
A chair scraped across the floor, and Milly sighed. "I'll organize something."
"I'll be fine," Allie complained.
"Good thing, Ka—Oh. No wonder Grandpa insisted she join her father," Milly said. "Allie, I'm sure you'd be fine. But Nunnally's mother is the second scariest person in the world."
"Who's the first?"
"Her father," Milly said. "It's safer to stay away. Hell, even Lelouch is terrifying if you consider that nearly everyone is convinced he's as harmless as a guppy."
Allie finished braiding with a violent tug. "And what happens when Nunnally turns fourteen at the end of the year? Am I just going to be left behind?"
"Of course not," Nunnally protested. "You're my friend."
"Your mother cast aside her heritage when it was convenient," Allie accused.
Nunnally winced, unsure what to say. It was true. She knew nothing about her grandparents, or anything about her mother's youth. It was as if she was born as the Ganymede's test pilot.
"Your birthday will pass, and your parents will send you off to be useful." Quietly, Allie finished, "There's no room for me there. I'm not smart enough, nor politically important."
"Allie," Nunnally whispered. Thinking of a life without her friend was impossible.
Milly cleared her throat. "That's not actually true. About Em—Nunnally's mother. She had three older sisters and two younger brothers. When her cousin heard of the attack on the town, she begged Grandpa to help her. They were in contact because of her research." Milly fell silent, and Nunnally's chest tightened. "They found her hiding under a pile of clothes. The rest of her family had been made an example of for resisting the local lord."
"What were their names?" Nunnally asked desperately
"I don't know... Sorry. You were named after her cousin though."
"She always said it was after a movie director," Nunnally said bitterly. Another lie. Something had always felt amiss in the story. After all, who named their daughter after a man? Swallowing, Nunnally forced a smile. "Thank you, Milly."
Behind her, Allie had fallen silent. She had always been so critical of her mother, barely tempered by knowing who Nunnally was. Now, Allie said nothing, instead unraveling the braid and beginning anew.
The door opened, the chattering members of the student council pouring inside, abruptly falling silent upon realizing what type of meeting this was.
Shirley paced on the opposite end of the room, whispering incoherently. She never took bad news well, always bursting into tears. But she would also recover first and attempt to move forward. Her keen sense of justice would be of great use to push forward the plan.
Nina took a seat next to them, deadly silent except for her initial quiet hello. At the end of the meeting, she would withdraw further into her shell and sequester herself in the student labs. Unless the situation dealt with the Numbers, she rarely said anything in these meetings.
"Are you sending the internship application to the Camelot Engineering Corp?" Milly asked, in an usual attempt to include her in the group.
Sometimes, Nunnally thought that Nina was only there because Milly felt sorry for her.
"No. Who would sponsor me? I'm nothing," Nina whispered.
Nunnally's lip curled. If she only were to have some confidence, then she wouldn't be nothing. The only obstacles in her path were self-imposed.
"Come on, I told you I would. The word of the Ashford heiress has a lot of weight."
"But surely there are more qualified—"
"That's why there are applications," Nunnally snapped. Mr. Cameron had died for his dream, and this girl couldn't even take the smallest step. "Nobody is going to hand it to you on a silver platter. Do you want to do research?"
"Yes," she squeaked. "But—"
"Then fight for it, and stop whining. The world is scary. Assassins walk among us. Terrorists attack innocents minding their own business. Lords take what they wish and fear no repercussions. Either you accept that as an acceptable risk, or hide in your room and waste away until you're nothing but a living corpse," Nunnally said.
Rivalz whistled. "Damn that's harsh. Your brother alright?"
"Never been better."
"Man, I can't tell if that's sarcasm or not."
Allie sighed. "He's fine. She's just crabby because Kallen left, and Euphie won't shut up about her love life."
After viewing the evidence, Euphie had begun avoiding both of them and acting out. Instead of turning down dates, she began accepting each and every one, constantly pushing the boundary of what was acceptable. When Cornelia finally learned of Euphie's recent streak of exploration, she was going to throw a fit and storm into Ashford Academy to chastise every boy herself.
Nunnally couldn't understand such recklessness. Every person was a potential weakness to exploit. Friendships were risky enough, but romantic entanglements came with expectations. The second Euphie's mother learned, she would hound her daughter with more appropriate matches to protect her chastity. It was better to remain distant and leave everyone the illusion of time.
Arguing heatedly, Euphie and Warren entered the room. For once, it wasn't about their respective love lives, rather a debate on the merits of certain knightmare modifications. Warren was loudly arguing in favor for the Purists's model, while Euphie mercilessly tore them down, having adopted her sister's stance. Cornelia saw the commercialization of knightmares for private gain and political grandstanding as an affront. It was one of the few things she disagreed on with Nunnally's mother who defended their use as necessary for innovation.
"Where's Roland?" Milly asked as the door opened once more.
"He's on a supply run," Katherine answered. "He already left by the time you told me. I have a test to study for, so can we keep this short, for once, Madame President?"
Milly hummed suspiciously, and Nunnally shrugged. She had sent him off campus immediately when the meeting was called. While Roland was always exceptionally nice, his attitude toward death wouldn't help convince the others. It would do the opposite with him arguing that Mr. Cameron's death had been a necessity to maintain the order of the world. At times, he could rival their history book in spouting off propaganda, and Nunnally had made a few discrete inquiries to his home life as a result.
"A few weeks ago," Milly began, "we helped organize a student film and even had it aired at the Art Festival. Unfortunately, I have some grave news. Mr. Cameron committed... suicide a week ago. It'll be published in tomorrow's paper. Many among the student film club were overjoyed to work with him, and we should—"
Shirley burst into sobs.
"That can't be right," Rivalz shouted. "I saw the guy. He was so excited. He promised to get me in touch with one of his old cinematographers."
"There were no signs," Katherine whispered.
Confusion was an excellent tool. It helped sow the seeds of doubt, and with a little bit of encouragement... Nunnally elbowed Allie in the side.
"How are they sure?" Allie asked. "Maybe it was an angry fan."
"Yeah! There's no way he'd go back on a promise. He's Captain Britannia, for crying out loud," Rvialz shouted, angrily pacing the road. "The police should've looked better. My mom always hires a private investigator for the defendant. You should see some of the obvious stuff they find."
"Doesn't your father hire people to destroy evidence?" Katherine asked.
"Why do you think they divorced?" he answered. "But none of you can think he did that? Come on, Shirley. Back me up?"
"I don't know," she whispered. "What else could it be? There's no reason to lie."
"Unless whoever did it is very important," Allie said, and Nunnally wanted to cheer.
"A mystery?" Katherine clicked her pen. "Making a film was fun, but we could do some actual investigative work. Maybe it's a conspiracy. We could become famous."
For being such a quiet and studious girl, Katherine always had the wildest, fanatical dreams and goals. On some days, she wanted to be a secretary, working her way up the rank to the Viceroy's personal assistant. Other times, she had loudly speculated on her potential military achievements if she was an ace. The simulator scores had quickly dashed that dream.
"And then die yourself when you come too close to the truth?" Euphie asked bitterly. "We're students; what can we do?"
The room grew somber. It was all fun and games until death loomed over their heads.
"We still need to discuss how to break it to the student body," Milly said. "The film club will be heartbroken."
"We could make sure he isn't forgotten?" Allie suggested. "He was still Captain Britannia, a hero. Why shouldn't we honor him?"
"You're right," Shirley said. "We'll march right down to the knight police and demand that they do a better job."
It was almost too perfect. Mr. Cameron's infectious personality had enamored everyone and left a vibrant impression. His encouraging words had lifted their hearts. His promises tied students to his survival. So many grew up watching Captain Britannia on screen. He may have just been the actor, but those two images merged in their mind. And Captain Britannia? He would never resort to such a cowardly act.
His death was an injustice.
"Maybe it's for his money," Rivalz muttered. "If the state seizes his assets, a higher-up might fill their pockets. There was a case like that in late 2009. Never made it to court, but Mom was pissed because her clients' family lost everything. And Dad was frothing because it turned out to be some big-shot, so the case was handed to someone else."
"We have a duty to see the truth come to light," Allie said sagely.
"I remember the Emperor saying that," Warren added. "Something about the people must be vigilant for the weakling's lies and subterfuge. They'll try to trick us by making themselves look strong, and drag down the strong through envy, weakening all of Britannia." He paused. "You're right. It's our patriotic duty to ensure proper justice."
If people misinterpreted her father's grandiose speeches, Nunnally wasn't going to explain. They were supposed to inspire passion and loyalty, not make logical sense.
Nina squeaked and they fell silent. Carefully. she raised her voice. "We sho—We shouldn't be—be rash. If someone powerful... We could die next."
"Like anyone would dare to touch me," Milly scoffed. "My Grandpa has the ear of Empress Marianne. There'd be hell on Earth if they hurt a hair on my head. Or any of your heads too. Grandpa is very protective of his students."
"But Nina is right. We should be careful," Rivalz said. "We do everything by the books. All right and proper. Then they can't do anything." That was foolishly optimistic. "I'll ask my mom what she thinks. Tell her it's for Captain Britannia. Dad hates his movies, so she'll agree to piss him off."
"Everyone should come," Allie said. "Not just the film club, but every fan of his. It'll be a show of support."
The other student council members voiced their assent, and began discussing the technicalities of conducting their plan. Milly wasn't exactly supposed to leak the news to them early, but a few worried whispers of Mr. Cameron falling off the grid would set the stage and prime the student body. It was going to have to be an impromptu march, which meant that they needed as many people together as possible when the news broke at noon. A quick missive to the film club fixed that problem. They would be showing an old classic in the cafeteria when the news would break.
The thing about marches was that they needed a minimum size to be effective. A few people were an anomaly. A couple dozen, a disturbance. But a few hundred taking to the street? That was something which inspired curiosity and provided anonymity. There was no harm in joining a crowd.
Nunnally had her own role to play. Right now, their story merely had a faceless villain. She would provide them one. Her blog, which was thankfully still running because of Euphie's catastrophic blunder, had spent the last week peddling curious rumors of Clovis. To attack royalty and survive meant turning it into a defense of royalty. Clovis was the third prince, nigh untouchable. But in choosing to kill a successful commoner, paralyzed below the waist, he had left himself open to unfortunate parallels.
"Nunnally, we need to talk," Milly growled as the meeting ended with a promised camping trip.
She smiled innocently.
"Don't give me that look. You wanted this. Allie might've been talking for you, but it was your plan. So what the hell are you thinking? You know Prince Clovis is the most likely culprit."
"You could've shown them the proof," Euphie whispered.
"When did you even have the time?" Milly exclaimed. "I learned of it this morning."
"We found his body when it was still fresh." Nunnally shrugged. "I bribed someone for the evidence. It'll be leaked to the news soon. After all, there is no need to implicate myself."
"You're going after Prince Clovis," Milly said weakly, collapsing with a loud thump into a chair. "It won't work. They'll let us march up to the station, make some noise, pretend that we have freedom of speech, and then ask us to disperse. If we don't, we'll all be arrested. After tomorrow, it'll be over. People will forget."
"They won't," Nunnally said. "We're marching to make noise, so when the rumors start, people will listen."
"What rumors?" Milly asked.
"Oh, haven't you heard? Clovis is insanely jealous of Empress Marianne. Perhaps even enough to drive him to murder. Why else would he target a successful commoner who rose above his station. Like her, Mr. Cameron is even paralyzed below the waist due to a spinal injury."
"That's ridiculous," Euphie declared. "Nobody would ever believe that. Clovis has been one of her biggest fans since the beginning. He invites her to parties constantly."
"Or maybe he lusts after her. He does have an endless carousel of women in his bedchambers," Nunnally said dryly. "Same effect, really."
Euphie spluttered.
"Allie, talk some sense into her," Milly ordered. "We can't do this. This is the Viceroy."
"He deserves it," Allie said bitterly. "You didn't see it, Milly. They took away his dignity. And the smell? If Clovis wanted him dead, he could've had him mugged on the street. But no, he had to stage it. He made it personal."
"I should've protected him," Nunnally whispered. "I was so stupid."
"And you're okay with this, Euphie?" Milly asked.
"It was legal," Euphie mumbled. "Mr. Cameron didn't do anything wrong... Clovis is a painter! He used to come over and teach me to paint. The worst he ever did was drink too much and make a scene. But even you jumped to him being at fault. What am I not seeing?"
"Hey," Milly whispered, footsteps crossing the floor and clothes rustling. "He can be that as well."
"The worst part is"—Euphie hiccupped—"Nelly would've done the same thing. Just because we're royalty doesn't make it right. And it wasn't right. Nothing would've made it right. It was a civilian matter and should've been handled by the courts. But Clovis didn't because the film was legal. Everything was by the book. I asked Nelly what she would do if someone insulted her..."
"Only the strong have that right," Nunnally finished, having heard the same justifications before.
"Strength measured in security and sending assassins," Euphie said bitterly. "By that definition, I'm worthless. if that's what she believes, she can come and arrest me herself."
"I only want Clovis to apologize," Nunnally lied. "His family deserves to inherit his assets, which won't happen if it's ruled a suicide. Not with potential millions at stake."
Clovis would rather flip the chess board than acknowledge defeat. His reaction would undoubtedly fuel the simmering anger within the student body. Experiencing an injustice had the tendency to do that.
Milly groaned. Her footsteps receded, then returned, pacing the room. They waited in silence for her to come to her decision. Without her, they would struggle to succeed. Milly had access to the academy's security which was necessary to cover their tracks when the inevitable spies came snooping. Her position as the Ashford Heiress would also give her a degree of public immunity that neither Nunnally or Euphie's civilian identities had. They needed a spokesperson who couldn't be disappeared; she fit the bill.
The footsteps stopped before them.
"We'll need a name," Milly announced. "Any good story needs a name."
"Guardians of the Lotus," Nunnally offered. The flower which remained pristine despite the murky waters, forever untarnished.
"The Lotus Guardians," Milly said. "Short and sweet is better." The door opened. "And Nunnally? You owe me big time."
The door slammed shut; Nunnally had won the first round. Now, the ball was in Clovis's court.
Neutral District, Australia
A warm arm wrapped around Leila's waist, and she stepped away from the offending limb, shooting a glare at her fiance, Yoan. Around them, various foreign dignitaries mingled as they waited to be seated. The air was tense despite the easy smiles and regular peals of laughter. No one could forget what had brought them all together for the day: the formal total surrender of United East Africa, or as it would be known after the evening, Area Fifteen.
Huddled in the corner, the Chancellor and President of United East Africa quietly conversed with the dignitaries from their neighboring countries. Her fellow countrymen and the Chinese ignored them, assured in their power. They had no need to offer kind words. Leila's lip curled in disgust.
"Smile," Yoan hissed, stepping uncomfortably close. "It's bad enough you insisted on wearing your dress uniform. No need to be even more of a downer. The Malcal name is at stake."
"You're here as my guest," she snapped, clasping his hand before it could wander lower than appropriate. If Jeanne was here, she would be ripping the bastard a new one. But when Leila voiced her complaints, he always laughed, amused by her impudence. "The future of our country is at stake."
He sniffed. "Please. It's just a glorified business meeting. The terms are already set in stone." He waved his hand dismissively. "None of this matters. This is a networking opportunity, and you, my sugar-puff, are raining on our parade."
Thankfully for her sanity, General Smilas approached, his stern glare forcing Yoan to keep a respectful distance. He offered a small tight lipped smile, before turning to observe the arriving dignitaries giving their respects to the Australian king.
"Pathetic, isn't it. Britannia won the war, organized this banquet, and dictated the terms of the treaty. But instead of being wary, the Australians welcome this with open arms for being allowed the privilege of pretending they are the ones in control," General Smilas said. "Australian independence, what a farce."
"Anything I should do?" Leila asked, taken back by his open cynicism.
General Smilas shook his head, observing the Secretary of State's arrival. "Be on your toes, but we're here mostly for decoration. Much like the royal family. The real moves are being made by the politicians seeking to capitalize upon the changing landscape. Especially once the news spread. Undoubtedly, the Brits timed it this way."
"What news?" Yoan interrupted.
"And the vultures come to feast. Well, go on and run along. Britannia's oil production is down. Zero is in Venezuela."
A sickening gleam entered Yoan's eyes, and he vanished into the crowd. In his wake, people clustered together, heads bowed to anxiously whisper. By the end of the night, there would be hundreds of new trade deals as business grappled with sourcing oil from elsewhere. A few minutes later, the MEF dignitaries dispersed from their little corner with United East Africa to exploit the golden opportunity.
The guards, bearing the colors of each country, lined the walls and slowly rearranged themselves to better track their charges.
"That should give you some space until dinner begins," General Smilas said, and her heart warmed at his thoughtfulness.
"What actually happened?" she whispered. Zero's presence in Venezuela wasn't new. Their spies had reported his presence a while ago, along with Britannia's faltering oil production.
General Smilas pulled out a small black box which began to hum. "A tip from an old, trusted source claimed Britannia will announce their intent to import oil this evening. At least now, it won't be a total surprise, which will diminish Britannia's advantage." In the distance, Yoan leaned dangerously close to a Chinese woman. "I'd ask you to keep a leash on your fiance, but it'd be futile. You might be able to annul your engagement though if he sleeps with her."
"His previous infidelity didn't matter," she said bitterly.
"But she's a spy. The Russian oligarch did a little more than reveal our former Secretary of Defense's compromised nature. He won't name his contact, but they gave him a lengthy list of suspected Chinese agents. She's among them."
"How did they even get their hands on such information?"
"Someone who needed a business favor. Otherwise, they would have offered it to the government. Most likely, some ambitious Britannian lord." He sighed. "If you're going to play nice with His Highness, see if you can discover anything about Zero. All our spies in Venezuela just went dark." Her stomach sank. "It reeks of Zero's personal handiwork. Our Director of Intelligence is frothing. I expect he'll want to debrief us after this."
"I'll try, sir," she said. "But why do you think Prince Lelouch would know anything?"
"His mother conducts black-ops missions regularly, and there is a rumor that the Knights of the Round are deployed to assist Zero. Prince Schneizel is too skilled to accidentally let anything slip, and Princess Guinevere stays far away from military affairs. Actually, you might have a chance with Princess Cornelia." General Smilas, his forehead creased in thought, glanced at the entryway. The royals had yet to arrive. They would come fashionably late. "She might talk to you as a fellow woman in military dress. She would try to snap my head off though."
Leila chuckled. For once, her youth was an asset, ensuring she had no personal enemies in the crowd. With a nod, General Smilas departed, sinking into the nameless sea of people. Yoan could play the game of politics and business to elevate his family name, but she would help her country.
A small hush fell over the crowd as the door opened, and Princess Cornelia stormed inside, her knight on her heels. She barely observed the necessary social pleasantries before planting herself in the corner and crossing her arms, glaring at everyone. The United East Africa group dispersed, reconvening on the opposite side of the room, a stone pillar protecting them from her harsh gaze.
Leila frowned as Prince Clovis entered next. Princess Cornelia's early entrance could be excused by her love for military decorum, instead of social pleasantries. But Prince Clovis breathed social grace. He would never arrive before a lower ranking prince. So where was Prince Lelouch? Was he already present, having entered long before socially appropriate?
Next came Prince Schneizel, closely followed by Princess Guinevere. Their personal guards peeled away, Brittanian colors outnumbering all other nations' guards. Security was stringent, but Britannia had insisted on extra concessions for their royal family. Even the E.U. President, now quietly conversing with General Smilas, had been denied an additional security detail. As a result, his wife had feigned illness, and in her place, was a supposed distant cousin and special forces agent.
Slowly, Leila drifted through the crowd to the opposing doors. With Prince Schneizel, everyone important had arrived. Dinner would begin soon.
The Britannian near her gracefully dropped to his knee, and she spun around, her breath catching in her throat. Sitting regally in her wheelchair, Empress Marianne rolled in, pushed by her son. She hadn't been on the guest list. Princess Guinevere, despite her pinched expression, crossed the room and politely greeted her.
With a flick of Empress Marianne's hand, the Britannians straightened and returned to their previous conversations. The opposing doors finally opened; dinner had begun. Prince Lelouch stepped to the side respectfully, allowing his mother to guide her own wheelchair. She whispered something in his ear, and he looked at her in horror. Empress Marianne's subsequent laughter was surprisingly nice for someone nicknamed the Butcher.
To her surprise, Leila was seated across from Prince Lelouch. At her side, Yoan tried to engage the minor Chinese official, Li Xingke, between his unsubtle glares at the prince. Observing the young Japanese girl, Leila had the distinct impression that they had all been relegated to the kiddie portion of the table. Far up ahead, General Smilas and Prince Schneizel glared at each other, while Empress Marianne conversed with the Australian king. Below them, were the various nobles, politicians, and businessmen, who were nobody of note. Yes, this was the furthest down the table they could be seated without being too obvious about the insult.
"It's an honor to be seated so high up," Yoan whispered, finishing his amuse-bouche, completely unaware.
She gingerly bit into her own, a cherry-tomato stuffed with expensive cheese and artfully dribbled in vinaigrette. It was divine. Across from her, Prince Lelouch stared at his suspiciously. The girl—his date, part of her whispered viscously—leaned across, snatching it off his plate. Prince Lelouch didn't even protest.
"I'm afraid I don't know your name," Leila said, catching the girl's attention.
Her eyelashes fluttered. "Kaguya please, dear. We're all friends here, are we not? You are Leila, right?"
Prince Lelouch's expression contorted for a second, and he sighed. "Every single time, must we do this, Kaguya? The poor eavesdroppers."
"A worthy reason. Accept your upcoming loss like a graceful prince."
"My loss? You are bold. Victory was mine last time and you still owe me. A graceful loser, you are not. My ears still hurt from your loud protests."
Leila frowned at the unusual behavior and strange cadence to their speech. Each statement was preceded by a slight pause, and she felt there was a game afoot where she did not know the rules. Her eyes narrowed in displeasure. Prince Lelouch's behavior was markedly different in the strange girl's company, and their body language spoke of familiarity. Who was she?
"What brings you here, Kaguya?" Leila asked hesitantly as the salads arrived.
Tossing her hair back, Kaguya leaned forward. "A demon pleaded. My good heart hadn't the strength to refuse my dear."
Had the girl just called the prince a demon?
Next to her, Prince Lelouch groaned. "Stop calling me that. Not your dear or fiance. My heart is my own."
Kaguya rolled her eyes and patted his shoulder in mock sympathy. Turning to Leila, she said, "He protests too much. A fair lady has claimed his heart. What can I do?"
"Don't spread such falsehoods. Find another prince to wed and seduce to bed."
Leila glanced at Yoan, but having given up on trying to entreat the Xingke into a conversation, he was eagerly diving into his salad. After women, food was the easiest way to his heart. Unfortunately, his table manner left much to be desired. She would gain no insights into the bizarre conversation from him. Disgusted, she turned away and met Xingke's curious gaze. He, at least, seemed to know something.
"He lies. His sister, Nunnally is hoarding his heart so selfishly," Kaguya tutted. "Her conniving ways deny us untold pleasure. A most fearsome foe."
Prince Lelouch buried his head in his hands. "This is revenge, right? My joke was in poor taste, but this is excessive. My parents had their turn, already. Anything further is too cruel."
Setting down her silverware abruptly, Leila leaned back in her chair, trying to hide her grimace. Her stomach clenched painfully. Slowly, she sipped her water and tried not to think of why Kaguya seemed to know Prince Lelouch's sister. He rarely mentioned her, yet Kaguya had claimed they were close. And despite being Britannian, she was teasing him in a way that Leila had never dared to. She didn't owe the prince anything; Kaguya did, but it was Kaguya flouting social rules.
Xingke lifted his hand, finger splayed and brow furrowed. His gaze lingered on Kaguya, before asking in astonishment, "You're speaking in Haikus?"
"No, of course not," Prince Lelouch said, his tone saying the exact opposite.
Kaguya crowed in delight. "Yes, I win. Come on, pay up and don't be a sore loser again, Vi. Nothing pleases me more than the sweet taste of victory."
"I could've fixed it," he grumbled, but his hand reached inside his coat regardless and withdrew a small box which he passed to Kaguya. "As my lady doth requests. Your gluttony knows no bounds. Perhaps wait until after the desserts are served?"
She snorted. "Please. As if anything could compare to this." Gingerly, she withdrew a hand sized bun with crispy, rocklike patterns. Closing her eyes, she bit into it. "They never make it orange flavored. What did you put into it this time?"
Prince Lelouch shook his head and leaned out of the way as the waiters served the fish. "Anise seeds. And you're eating the last of it. You do know it's rude to eat outside food?"
"To your eternal despair. Otherwise, you'd never eat anything." Kaguya forlornly placed the remainder in the box. "You're missing your calling as a chef."
"And you as an actor. Didn't Prince what's-his-name ask you to perform as Juliet."
She shuddered. "Prince George. Really, Lelouch. Can't you be bothered to remember your siblings' names?"
"Remind me how many I have again?"
Next to them, Xingke paused, fork midway to his mouth, and stared.
"Of course, I was busy. The company doesn't run itself, and my schedule at times is so terribly unpredictable. It really conspires against my social calendar," Kaguya said.
The conversation died down, and Leia, her mouth suddenly dry, commented, "I heard Zero is in Venezuela."
"It's a conspiracy," Prince Lelouch mumbled.
Kaguya giggled. "Don't mind him. He always gets annoyed when people ask him about Zero. I don't think he's escaped a single ball without some noble accosting him."
"It keeps getting worse. First it was, 'Oh, I heard Prince Odysseus was talking to Zero. You wouldn't have by any chance seen him?' Then, 'Has your mother ever mentioned him?' Of course she has. She loves gossip. Now, even my siblings can't spend a day without theorizing. Surely, people have better things to do than discuss a fictitious commander." Prince Lelouch grimaced and set down his silverware, leaving his fish barely touched.
General Smilas was right. Prince Lelouch rarely ate. Even here where not eating would be scandalously rude, he toyed with his food, resembling a sparrow. When he did finally take a bite, he swallowed it quickly like a piece of bitter, but necessary medicine. Absently, he twirled the knife, skillfully, only setting it down when Kaguya gave him a pointed look.
"So Britannia keeps Zero's identity a secret even from the upper echelons of society," Xingke remarked.
"Trusting has never described my father," Prince Lelouch said dryly.
Yet, Leila realized with horrifying clarity, he could know. He had been in the army, despite how utterly ridiculous the thought of royalty enlisting was... and no one knew. The Emperor trusted his mother, and Prince Lelouch had arrived with her. Suddenly, General Smilas' paranoia didn't feel so far fetched anymore. She didn't think he was like his parents, but watching him reveal another side to Kaguya, she knew now that she had peeled back only one of his numerous layers. Yet, she still wanted to trust him.
"I find it curious you would invite Miss Sumeragi," Xingke said. "She is Japanese."
"Honorary Britannian," Kaguya corrected firmly. "Britannia has been most accommodating. Had my life gone as my father planned, I would be stuck at home and serving tea. My worth, defined only by my looks."
Her father was clearly of the same breed as Yoan, and Leila couldn't fault her for trying to find a place for her herself in the lion's den. What would Leila do to survive?
"Yet your people suffer while you sit in the lap of luxury," Xingke said without a hint of sympathy. "It merely took you selling out your father to secure your place in a new regime, forgetting loyalty and honor."
Kaguya shuddered, her hands turning white as she gripped the silverware. But she didn't say anything, merely bowed her head in tacit agreement. Leila needed more information to understand; she was flying blind, their personal histories hidden.
"Nothing to say? Are you a coward as well?" Xingke sneered.
Prince Lelouch reached out, covering her trembling hand. "Lord Xingke, please do remember who she is seated next to, and where we are. Unlike you, she does not have the pleasure of returning to an empress who will forgive her transgressions." Grabbing the pitcher, he refilled Kaguya's glass, then his own. "If you must know, the late Sumeragi already negotiated the engagement beforehand. In an unusual act of mercy, my father decided to honor the previous agreement due to Kaguya's display of loyalty."
"My duty now is to serve Britannia," Kaguya said softly, none of her earlier discomfort present. Withdrawing her hand, she began eating at a sedated pace. "I am ever so grateful."
"My apologies," Xingke said, inclining his head slightly. "I forget that not everyone is blessed with such a benevolent ruler."
Prince Lelouch's lips quirked at the slight against the Emperor, and he drew Xingke into a detailed political discussion concerning maritime trade, far above her head. Occasionally, Kaguya would chime in, her remarks seemingly childish, but Xingke would frown contemplatively, betraying her to be unexpectedly insightful. They lived in a world separate from Leila, where knowledge was power and lies, a necessity.
The first main course, roasted duck, arrived, and Leila happily took a bite to distract herself from her uneasy thoughts. She was out of her depth. During social occasions, she sequestered herself in the corner and avoided conversations. She had her classes at the academy in which she excelled. This game of words and slights had always felt unnecessary and contrived.
Even here, at a formal dinner, words carried dual meanings.
She couldn't wait to return home and to her classes to discuss the finer, but concrete, points of tactics or to dissect intelligence reports from Briannia and glean information regarding their troop movements. At least data she could trust; people, not so much. And coming to Australia had made her untrustworthy as well. Her and Jeanne's attempt to supplant Frederick's loyalty was proof that despite the friendly words between her and Prince Lelouch, they were still enemies.
Of course, he trusted the strange girl more. Their inside jokes spoke of a long history with another. Their casualness hinted at a mutual understanding. More importantly, they were on the same side.
Under the table, Yoan's hand settled on her knee. She glared at him, and he raised an eyebrow, daring her to make a scene. They both knew she couldn't afford to. Gritting her teeth, she distracted herself by looking up the table, where General Smilas and Prince Schneizel glared at another fiercely. Some of the staff had begun whispering that their apparent hatred masked their deep longing. General Smilas always scowled fiercely whenever he overheard the remarks.
At the head of the table, Empress Marianne talked animatedly in stark contrast to her subdued companions. She didn't look like a blood thirsty general that instilled paralyzing fear in anyone who knew they'd face her across the battlefield. Even dressed in finery, she acted... normal. More normal than the Australian king next to her, resembling a mouse, frozen in terror, before a cat. She was the most powerful person in the room; she could act as she pleased.
Kaguya laughed and leaned into the prince's personal space. "Will you—"
"Finish that sentence," Prince Lelouch growled, "and I will never cook for you again."
"—pass the salt?" Kaguya finished cheekily.
Prince Lelouch glowered and thrust the salt into her hands. With deliberate slowness, he withdrew a small packet and dumped half of its content on his steak, before turning to Xingke. "Chili?"
"Poisoned?" Xingke asked dryly and grimaced as he tasted his steak.
Kaguya snorted. "You'll be fine. His Highness has only ever poisoned his father."
"By accident," Prince Lelouch hissed. "They were for Nunnally and myself. I wasn't going to make them bland."
"I was referring to the Christmas cookies," Kaguya said. "Those were definitely your fault."
"Gingerbread cookies should have ginger." Prince Lelouch shook his head and took a bite of his newly seasoned steak. "My parents' tastes are terribly bland. No appreciation at all for proper seasoning."
Xingke set down his fork, gently sniffed the packet of spice, and looked at the prince who was finally eating. Shrugging, he dumped the remainder on his own steak. "If I die, I will come back and haunt you, Your Highness." Hesitantly, he took a bite and his eyes squeezed shut. Blearily, he turned to the prince. "This is what you consider well seasoned?" But he took another bite eagerly.
"No, it's better to season food while you're cooking, but it does in a pinch," Prince Lelouch said.
Curious, Leila leaned forward. "May I try?"
Kaguya chuckled. "Better not. Your French taste buds will be scorched."
"How does a Britannian come to enjoy spicy food?" Xingke asked. "And where did you find this?"
"I ground it myself." Prince Lelouch shrugged. "And Britannia isn't devoid of spice. There's this pepper in the south, malagueta." He pronounced the foreign word smoothly.
Shaking her head, Kaguya explained, "Like most of his quirks, it's his sister's fault and started with a dare."
Prince Lelouch glared at her but didn't deny the accusation. Once again, he wasn't acting as expected of a Britannian Prince. It was almost as if he was going out of his way to advertise his eccentricities... Leila frowned. Even him inviting Kaguya—whatever she was considered, Eleven, Japanese, or Honorary Britannian—added to that image. Around them, each delegate embraced their home nation, flashing traditional colors. In wearing her military uniform, Leia had done so as well. Prince Lelouch was the only one crossing cultural boundaries, but why?
Or maybe he really had developed a taste for spicy food in the army. The Britannian commoners didn't have the time to delicately prepare dishes, when flavor could be added by exceptionally hot spices.
"Will you be joining us on our flight?" Xingke asked. "The Empress is looking forward to your regular visit."
Kaguya leaned back. "No. I have some social obligations to attend to first. Which guard will accompany me this time, Your Highness?"
"Assistant." Prince Lelouch scowled. "Given that they've all managed to cause undue offense on your previous visits, I have no idea. Might I suggest keeping the next one before you're assigned an actual guard? They're much less pleasant."
"Not a fan of your own guards?" Leila teased tentatively. "Where is Henry anyway? He's always hovering over your shoulder."
Prince Lelouch smirked. "I'm a minor prince. I'm not supposed to have an additional security detail."
Henry had definitely slipped in, unallowed; Leila bit back a shudder.
Worldbuilding Thoughts:
-Akito has Leila's fiance's name as Ioan Malcal in English which is the Welsh form of John. It's also common in Romanian. Yoan is the translation of the Japanese version and also the French form of John. As the latter makes much more sense, I went with that. It does lead me to wonder why the anime has a tendency for the English version of the name to use Irish and Welsh variants.
-I assume Lloyd was responsible for getting Nina into the Camelot Engineering Corp in the anime. As the ASEEC was probably a subset of the group, there should be numerous other projects. If Schneizel's intention was to develop new weaponry exclusively for himself then he is probably recruiting broadly. And what better way to do that than with an intern program? (Everyone was also way too relaxed around Nina for it to be incredibly unusual for someone her age to be there.)
-I recently rewatched some episodes and was struck by how ridiculous episode 15 in season 2 is with a magical button that rises from the ground that everyone dramatically presses. Is it implying the World of C is basically a computer? How am I supposed to interpret this? Also, the way Charles hugs C.C. like he's gingerly sweeping her off her feet as he preps to take her code or something? Um…
Author's Note:
Many syllables were butchered in this chapter to form the haikus. And then I wrote two tankas because someone cried romance. More of a gimmick, but I hope it entertained at least some of you.
My dismal attempts at poetry aside, I'm excited to finally have reached the banquet. Originally, I wanted it to be one chapter, but as I try to keep my chapters under 10k that wasn't possible. Splitting the scenes naturally has resulted in these few chapters being slightly shorter than average. Compared to other fics… they're still long. I'd rather have chapters that flow smoothly and aid the pacing than stuff in scenes to round them out. :)
Anyway, quick shout out to all commenters and reviewers! I'm absolutely thrilled by the level of engagement I'm getting. Sequels tend to perform more poorly as people lose interest and drift away, but book 2 is definitely doing better on a chapter by chapter basis. So thank you!
Two Quick Questions:
Should I include Marrybell? There's potentially room for her, but I don't have access to her source material, and, as she isn't a common character in fanfics, I know very little about her character. I'm leaning towards no because my cast is already ridiculously large. For those of you who want to see her and like her, what makes her interesting to you?
Valentine's Day is approaching… As you may have guessed by me writing a gen fic, I'm not really into romance. But I'm willing to try my hand at it and write a one-shot for all of you. It would not be in the Excalibur verse (although you guys are free to write whatever you wish in it XD) but a stand alone.
What pairing and/or situation are you guys interested in? This is my gift to you for being awesome… Or I guess I could give you an extra update instead? Decisions…
Chat with me on the discord: discord . gg / uSBegVj
Thank you x1tears1X and Spaded Ace18 on FFN for your help with betaing.