Pendragon, October 25, 2008
It was early morning hours. That day was really beautiful, even though autumn came the weather was idyllic. It was cool and sunny, neither too cold nor too hot, in other words, there was a perfect balance between warm and cold.
From his bedroom window, Phobs di Britannia watched the gardens of Villa Aries. It is really beautiful. He thought, then sighed in sincere delight. It was something to admire, the leaves on the trees changed their colors to autumn and it did not seem that they would want to sleep on the ground, as if that was not enough, the sun was giving them a golden color.
All the plants in the gardens had a golden hue, thanks to the intense sun. It was just as if these weren't the gardens of the Aries Villa, but the Garden of Eden instead.
The elder, of the twins di Britannia, looked at the garden for about three more minutes, then remembered what was going to happen today. Today I, Dracord and Nunnally celebrate our birthday. It fortunately happened that the three of us were born on the same day of the year, october twenty-fifth.
Within the next thirty minutes, Phobos managed to shower and dressed as usual. He was dressed in a beautiful and extravagant sand-colored suit to match his hair perfectly, and black shoes with little heels to add some height and majesty to him.
After a moment he turned towards the large mirror and stood proudly in front of it. Although Phobos dressed elegantly and was always famous for his manners, he always looked like the image of Ares himself.
"This is going to be a good day." He said, then turned on his heel and headed for the door. It took him less than five minutes to reach the main hall of the villa, and training under the watchful eye of Sir Bismarck did his part in terms of physical fitness.
During those less than three minutes of walking, he thought a lot about the recent warming in Britanni's relationship with Japan. It was something Phobos himself honestly did not expect, what he expected was a massive invasion of this island nation under which there were real tones of sakuradite.
Father, for some reason decided not to attack the country, instead of this he began diplomatic talks, which were left to our brother and new Minister of Foreign Affairs, second prince of the empire, Schneizel el Britannia. After a short moment at Phobos's face a smile appeared, for a memory of event directly related with the latest political events. Even my dear little brother was surprised by this turn of events, and yet he is one of the smartest people I know. Anyway, it just once more shows me that I shouldn't deal with big politics or long-term strategies.
This was obvious obviousness to him, admittedly he was not an idiot, on the contrary, he was very intelligent and quick-witted, but on the other side he had no talent for planning long-term plans and strategies. This made him perfect for the commander, directly on the battlefield.
After that, he decided to relax a bit, finally decided to focus his thoughts on today and a birthday party in honor of the three, which was almost certainly already prepared by the Fifth Empress.
I am curious what exactly will happen. Empress Marianne is really difficult to read, I am even tempted to say that this woman is completely unpredictable. Sometimes I have the impression that my father must often get a huge headache with her.
"Happy birthday, big brother!" Suddenly there was a girlish scream all over the hall, a scream full of positive feelings.
Phobs turned in the direction from which the scream was coming, but did not have enough time to figure out who it was. Because this person quickly ran up to him and then threw himself on his neck. A extremely energetic girl, it can only be one person. Same person which I must always save, together with Lelouch.
"Nunnally ..." He said in a low voice and returned the hug, but he tried to be gentle with his younger stepsister as he didn't want to hurt her. "Happy birthday, little sister." He replied in a voice full of great tenderness.
"All the best." This time it was a gentle male voice. Phobos opened his eyes to see his younger twin brother with a sincere smile on his lips. Dracord was dressed impeccably as always, he wore an extravagant silver-colored suit that blended perfectly with his silvery hair, and he wore dark gray shoes with a small heel. "... Big brother, little sister, happy birthday to you." He added after a short while.
Nunnally and Phobos turned to face him and smiled back, then said at the same time. "For you too, brother." And they stared at each other for more or less tens of seconds.
"So we can start celebrating!" A woman's voice, full of immense energy, rang out across the hall. It could only be one person.
The three of them turned to the direction the voice had come from. They saw none other than the fifth empress of the empire, Marianne vi Britannia. The woman in question approached the three with quick and sure steps with a sincere smile on her lips.
"Happy birthday Phobos, Dracord, Nunnally." She said, and her tone hadn't lost an ounce of energy and kindness. After a while, bring Lelouch, Euphemia and Cornelia closer, and they also wish their siblings a happy birthday, wishes on that one and only magical day of the year, a day that - like any other - inevitably brings us closer to death and reminds us deeply.
The birthday party that day was mostly light-hearted, without unnecessary and sickening pathos. It was limited to ten people, and they were: Tenth Prince of the Dracord di Britannia empire, Ninth Prince of the Phobos di Britannia empire, Princess Nunnally vi Britannia, Seventeenth Prince of the Lelouch vi Britannia empire, Princess Euphemia li Britannia, Princess Cornelia li Britannia, Prince of the Empire of Clovis la Britannia, Fifth Empress Marianne vi Britannia, and Milly Ashford, along with his grandfather, Count of New Jork Ruben.
The atmosphere was extremely casual and casual. Usually, after a party taking place in elite circles, one would expect enormous pathos that would prevent any sincere and free conversation, in which case it would mean using carefully chosen words. Not to mention the formal welcome circus, bursting at the seams with lies and hypocrisy.
Fortunately, Empress Marianne was unusual to follow what was indicated by formal protocols or conventions generally accepted in noble circles. This is one thing everyone had to admit to the fifth empress, instead of navigating the world of pretty and sophisticated words, the empress was simply direct and downright honest to the pain. Empress Marianne repeatedly put some nobles - or other empresses - in a very uncomfortable position.
By imposing their own rules of the game on everyone around them, the Fifth Empress was always in perfect control of the situation and infuriated even the most persistent, even the emperor was no exception to this rule.
The seven siblings were incredibly close to each other, they really were a family that spent a lot of time together. Dracord was especially happy about it, with his epilepsy it gave him some psychological comfort, at least now it meant that he would almost always be there to help him if needed.
Besides, the silver-haired prince remembered the events not too long ago, the memory of the Emblem of Blood was still alive in Dracord's mind. Honestly, the memory of these inglorious events was the main reason the silver-haired prince enjoyed this reception, knowing that that time was over, at least for now.
Everyone was having a great time, the silver-haired young man saw his older twin brother while looking around. Phobos entertained Nunnally and Euphemia as usual, chased his two little sisters and kept them entertained. Dracord smiled at the sight, enjoyed every moment spent with his siblings, enjoyed the joy of his younger sisters.
You've always been a gentle man, brother. At that moment he smiled at a thought. It's really ironic that you were named after the Greek personification of fear and you are the epitome of sincere concern and brotherly love. The silvery-haired prince's joy continued for a few more minutes or so, then subsided, and in its place was concern.
Dracord's face suddenly saddened as images of what he most wanted to avoid were formed in his mind. Will we end up like our father's siblings? Suddenly a small tear left his right eye, a tear of sincere sorrow and concern for the future. Will we ultimately cheat and murder each other? And this only to gain the throne, and hence unquestionable power over a third of the world? His sadness was definitely deepening, second by second. Sir Bismarck had instilled in him honor, and the worst and contrary to honor act was - in his opinion - the murder of a member of his own family, especially on the base road. I will never do this out of respect for my former teacher and mentor. If I did something like the murder of a family member, then ...
"Is something wrong, Dracord?" Suddenly the fifth empress, who was sitting next to him, asked. In this way she took the tenth prince out of his pensive mood. Only then did the silver-haired prince realize that everyone was looking at him, alarmed by his sudden change of emotions.
Undoubtedly they were worried that he was about to have another epilepsy attack. Everyone here knew very well that Dracord suffers from this disease. When it was first said that the silver-haired prince suffered from epilepsy, many worried about him, especially Lelouch and Phobos. However, the tremendous anxiety disappeared when his symptoms turned out to be mild. One sign of his illness is just an occasional loss of consciousness. This unawareness took about ten seconds, and it had only happened three times in the last twelve months.
Dracord looked around, looked everyone straight in the eye, saw no hint of sincere feelings in any of them. I am among the people closest to me, it is obvious that I have nothing to fear or look for for falsehood and deception. He thought, then a smile appeared on his face again.
"Nothing relevant. You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine. " He declared, "Especially having wonderful people around you like you, all of you." His words, although undoubtedly soothing, did not convince everyone at once, but slowly everyone returned to the embrace of entertainment, as if forgetting what had just happened.
Clovis began a conversation with Cornelia about recent world events. Though the second princess had a soldier mentality and usually had no interest in politics - she really despised this display of hypocrisy - she realized that, as a princess of the empire, she would have to meddle in it from time to time. Clovis, in turn, had an obvious political talent, basically mastered all salon tricks to perfection and perfectly put on masks that hid his true face or emotions.
Phobos continued to play with his younger half sisters. Where do they get so much energy from. This question always puzzled Dracord, because whenever his older twin was playing with Euphemia and Nunnally, the three of them seemed to have an endless supply of energy.
In turn, Milly was busy with irritating and embarrassing Lelouch, she was extremely good at it, you can even say that the blonde Ashford girl has mastered the art of irritating and embarrassing people. This was perfectly demonstrated by the black prince's cheeks, which were red like a tomato.
They are almost like siblings, going out of their way to embarrass each other. Phobos thought in the course of his observations. They would fit perfectly together, I'm honestly curious if Milly will marry Lelouch. This was highly probable as it would have cemented the alliance between the vi Britannia line and the Ashford family. After this, the image of Lelouch and Milly at the wedding flashed into the mind of the silver-haired prince. The raven-haired prince in a white suit, with a grumpy face full of resignation, and the blonde-haired Ashford girl in a white wedding gown, with her usual mischievous smile on her face that stretches from ear to ear.
After a moment, Dracord noticed the Empress out of the corner of his eye, who was staring at him the whole time, also out of the corner of his eye. At one point, dark purple met light purple, and a pair of eyes began to judge each other. The Empress's gaze was as insightful as ever, sometimes even piercing the interlocutor right through, if the Fifth Empress wanted it, her gaze reminded Dracord of a certain girl who told him about his inheritance and strange "power".
The modest birthday party lasted until eight o'clock in the afternoon, everyone was having a good time together, time that didn't seem to have passed at all. When it was eight o'clock in the afternoon, it was time to unpack your gifts.
Nunnally - it is not hard to guess - she was genuinely excited, gifts from the family were always something that brought a sincere smile on her innocent girlish face. Phobos and Dracord were happy about it as well, however they weren't as excited as their little stepsister.
The gifts from the siblings were quite modest - by aristocratic standards - but neat, from Lelouch, each of the three received one, made of high-quality metal and perfectly decorated chess sets.
Euphemia gave them beautiful bouquets of flowers, Nunnaly received a bouquet of geraniums with red heart ornaments, Phobos received a bouquet of violets with ornaments resembling hound heads in sand color, and Dracord received a bouquet of tulips with ornaments in the shape of dragon heads and silvery.
Clovis in turn gave each of the three, after their own portrait, all of his authorship, of course, the most impressive of all was that the third prince did not need to be posed, he was certainly an extremely talented artist. The one Nunnally received presented her against a background of many red and white roses. The one who received Phobos portrayed him with a sword in his hand, among many warriors armed with white weapons. The one who received Dracord presented him proud against the rising sun and with an ornate rapier in his right hand.
Cornelia handed them some jewelry. Nunnally received a beautiful gold necklace with many rubies and a ring. Phobos received a gold watch and a signet ring with a golden hound head engraved on it. Dracord also received a watch, but his was not made of gold but silver, he also received a silver signet ring with a silvery dragon engraved on it, which was placed on a purple background.
Milly Ashford - along with her grandfather - gave all three of them a packet of the best chocolates available on the market, all straight from Switzerland.
The last person to give the three gifts was Empress Marianne. She was slowly approaching the trio celebrating their birthday today, and about a meter behind her was a 32-year-old guardsman carrying three packets neatly wrapped. He was a very tall and stout man, with a stern and ruthless look, icy blue eyes, and hair as black as tar, and maybe even more.
His name is Sir Brutus Strong, Viscount of Dallas, and was also once a man of extraordinary loyalty to the late Empress Rhalla, which was nothing unusual considering the fact that the Strong were loyal vassals of the Thargryn House.
In addition, this man became famous in the officer academy for his extreme ruthlessness towards cadets who were unable to meet the requirements that were placed on them, several even led to suicide, at least three other cadets died in mysterious circumstances and the heads of ten were literally crushed by him. during life and death duels. At the same time, Sir Brutus was quite a quiet and usually calm man, despite his menacing expression and brutality.
He served in the Area Sixth for a while, quickly became famous for his extreme ruthlessness towards anyone who stood in his way, or even bystanders, and there was even a rumor in local military structures that Sir Brutus had actually killed more civilians - who were not involved in terrorism - than actual terrorists.
However, ruthlessness and cruelty eventually paid off, and he quickly gained the rank of colonel and garrison commander in the city of Darwin, formerly Brasília, for his usually slow military career. Additionally, in less than two months, he managed to completely crush any subversive organization among the Sixes.
However, as soon as he learned about the death of his senior, the birth of the twins di Britannia and their entrustment to the care of Empress Marianne, he immediately gave up his position. Two days after the death of Rhalla di Britannia, he resigned from his post to be eligible for a seat in the guard of Fifth Empress.
He was not very well-liked among the Guard himself, probably mainly due to his "achievements" in the Area Sixth, and sometimes even the guards among themselves claimed that his knighting was nothing but a mockery of the institution of knighthood.
But no one had ever dared to say this to Sir Brutus in the face, perhaps Viscount of Dallas was usually calm, but it was clear that it was better not to make him angry. This fact became all too apparent the moment one of the more brazen maids told him in his face what she thought about him. Apparently, Sir Brutus first stripped the poor woman's teeth with one punch in the face, and then, using his own hands, crushed her head, thus ending the poor woman's life.
"Time for gifts from me!" Empress Marianne joyfully announced, after which she took the first package intended for her youngest child. "Nunnallu, I have two beautiful dresses for you, made to order by the best tailors in Pendragon." She added after a short while, then handed the package to her daughter.
Nunnally quickly unpacked the package, and found two boxes inside. She immediately opened the top one and saw a beautiful dress, a scarlet dress with numerous floral patterns. Then she opened the second box, in which she found a slightly similar one, with the difference that this one was turquoise. Needless to say, Nunnally was happy to have such beautiful gifts.
"Phobos, I have something special for you." Then she took another packet, this one was definitely wider than the one Nunnally had gotten. And the empress gave her protégé a gift. "For you, my dear, I have forged a special blade, it will serve you well when you come of age."
The sand-hair prince unpacked the package quite quickly, then his eyes saw the box, after opening it, he saw a mighty two-handed sword. The blade Phobos received was as great as it was beautiful, it had numerous golden patterns and ornaments, the head seemed to resemble a dog's head.
There was no doubt that he would be able to use the blade only when he grows up and gains muscle, but despite this he tried to lift the blade up, but it turned out to be quite a challenge for him, because the weight of the blade was undoubtedly high and it seemed that his plan was doomed in advance to failure. In the end, however, he managed to do it, unfortunately it was quite a short moment, after this short split second his muscles gave up and the sand-haired prince almost dropped his sword, luckily he managed to sheathe the sword.
"Thank you most kindly, mother." He replied, his tone respectful of the Empress, and then bowed to his foster mother. Both Phobos and Dracord had incredible respect for their foster mother, because this woman did a lot for them.
Empress Marianne educated them, and together with Sir Bismarck she taught them the basics of politics, strategy and struggle. Not to mention, they could always turn to her for advice. They both sincerely loved and admired her, and therefore showed her the utmost respect.
The Fifth Empress smiled gently and patted her foster son on the head.
"For you, Dracord, I've prepared a blade too." Then she handed him the last package. The silver-haired prince started unwrapping the gift fairly quickly. Finally - after opening the box - he saw a richly decorated rapier, the decorations were mostly made of high-quality silver, even a few diamonds with a purple tint were there.
"Nonette told me that the sword is quite difficult for you and you do not like it ..." The empress began, and the smile from her lips did not disappear, it only seemed to deepen. She has always been a joyful woman, you can even think that she was even carefree. "... So I figured the rapier would be the most suitable for you. Let this weapon serve you well when you grow up. "
Dracord looked gratefully into his mentor's eyes, then his gaze fell on the blade, the weapon undoubtedly well balanced. Incredibly engraved on the rapier certainly required an enormous amount of work and almost inhuman precision. The silvery-haired young man raised the blade with little difficulty, the glow of the weapon in his hand was magnificent, even intimidating.
After a short, but unnaturally intense and quiet moment - during which he admired his blade - he hid - with a neat and determined movement - the rapier into the beautifully decorated scabbard, then bowed to the withers and politely said, "Thank you so much, Your Highness.
The Empress, as soon as she heard his words, began to laugh, everyone turned towards her and stared at her, apparently no one expected such a reaction from her majesty.
"Sorry, Dracord." She started as soon as she mastered her laugh and grew serious. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just told you and Phobos many times that you can just call me your mother, you don't have to follow these silly formalities. " She finished, and her smile for which she was known once again adorned her face.
"Of course ..." replied Dracord a little hesitantly. "Mother." His words caused an immediate reaction from Nunnally who threw herself around his neck, full of absolute excitement.
"Does this mean that we are now full-fledged siblings and not just step-siblings?" She asked and her voice was filled with genuine happiness.
Everyone present began to laugh. Hearing the absolutely sincere words of the sand-haired girl, none of the people here could help but laugh. After a while Cornelia spoke in her beautiful and gentle voice, "I'm afraid not, unfortunately, Nunnally. It will never happen. " At her words, the youngest of the siblings cried, they were undeniably tears of sincere sorrow.
"Why?" She asked as more tears began to pour from her innocent eyes. Her sadness shared also with the others here. Even Sir Brutus felt a bit sad, though he tried not to show it.
After a moment, Nunnally walked over to Phobos and wrapped her arms around his waist. Literally feeling the sadness of his half-sister, the sand-haired prince returned the hug, no one at this point could deny the existence of an extremely strong emotional bond between the two.
It had come from nothing, for Phobos cared for Nunnally almost as much as her full-blooded brother, Lelouch.
Once, when the sand-hair princess began to fall from the tree, Phobos threw himself to the ground for Nunnally to fall safely, it cost him a few broken ribs, luckily Britanni's medicine was at an incredibly high level - compared to other eras - and broken ribs they weren't much of a problem as they were patched up quickly.
Another time, Nunnally decided to go for a swim during a trip to the seaside, but she was not at all prepared for it. Very soon the sand-haired princess began to drown, and it was probably only intervention by Phobos that saved her life.
"Why can't I be a full sibling with Brother Phobos and Dracord?" She asked again, with even more sadness than before. "Why are we only step siblings?"
The Empress walked over to her youngest child, hugged her from behind. Instantly, Nunnally stopped crying, influenced by her mother's possible feelings. Everyone here could see the beautiful bond between a loving mother and her own daughter.
"It's because Dracord and Phobos have a different mother." She replied to her daughter, then looked her straight in the eye. "However, even if you are not full-fledged siblings, you are still half-siblings, you have the same father's blood."
The answer did not completely eliminate Nunnally's grief, however, the negative feeling was significantly suppressed. The birthday party continued for another half an hour, after which the Fifth Empress ordered the children to get ready for bed. However, with a subtle and barely perceptible gesture, she ordered Dracord to follow her.
The silver-haired prince obediently followed the Fifth Empress into her office, and as he entered, he was instructed - by a gesture of the hand - to sit on one of the three armchairs in front of the massive desk. The empress herself opened the door for a moment to check if there was anyone in the corridor, and when she finished, she closed the door and turned the key, which was always in it, just in case. Then she sat down in her chair, located behind the desk.
Dracord chose an armchair for his seat, which was placed directly in front of the empress's massive desk. The silvery-haired young man sat back comfortably and allowed himself a nonchalant expression, knowing at the same time that he was safe for it.
"Has something happened, mother?" He asked, his voice as neutral and calm as possible. Both Marianne and Dracord looked straight into each other's eyes, and at the moment they had no secrets, that their minds had become one.
At the same time, Dracord felt strange at the moment when he called the Fifth Empress mother, it is true that she treated him and his twin brother as real sons, it is true that she cared for them no less than the blood of her own blood. ? Even so, Dracord still remembered clearly that Empress Marianne was not his mother, his mother was Rhalla di Britannia, once the fifth Empress of the Holy Britannian Empire and the last representative of the Thargryn family.
"Was the party successful in your opinion?" She asked calmly, in a slightly amused tone
-who was expected of her- and the playful smile constantly present on her lips.
Dracorda, however, was concerned about the content of his adoptive mother and mentor's words. Her question undoubtedly concerns our… Little confrontation. The silvery-haired youth still remembered how the empress's dark-violet eye confronted his light-purple one. It was a short but intense moment. Still Dracord's mind pondered that intense moment, at least indirectly.
I should answer that question the most ... directly and honestly, as much as possible. Although the Fifth Empress's relationship with the Britannnia brothers was overwhelmingly warm, she treated them almost as if she were her own children. Even so, Dracord was well aware of the fact that he had to be completely honest when talking to his foster mother.
"The reception was undoubtedly modest." He stated, no hint of resentment in his voice. "However, I had a lot of fun with Nunnally and Phobos and so did the rest. So I think it was a successful party."
The Empress did not change her expression and remained smiling. Even so, Dracord noticed her eyes literally piercing him. She's judging me. He thought, but he had no cause for concern, so he remained calm. He was staring straight into his foster mother's eyes.
"Still, I noticed your sadness along with the others, at one point." She said stoically. "Are you not satisfied with something?"
The silver-haired prince was surprised as soon as the Empress's words reached his brain. I expected it to be forgotten. He thought. I was actually counting on it. But he couldn't wait too long to answer. "No, by no means, mother." He replied as convincingly as he could.
"So what happened?" Once again, the fifth empress asked the question. Then she got up and walked quickly to the chair where Dracord was sitting. She knelt so that they were both on the same level. "I am your babysitter, basically your babysitter, my dear. It is my duty to take care of you and educate you properly, I will not be able to do this if you are not completely honest with me. "
Gloomy thoughts of a potential power struggle returned to the mind of the young prince, and sadness began to be the dominant feeling. Eventually, the eyes of the silvery-haired prince began to be wet, filling with tears very quickly. He looked down at the ground.
"I ..." He started, but it wasn't easy to finish. What else to think about the potential power struggle with your own family. What else is to express that concern to the other person. "I was sad because I remembered some infamous events in the history of Britannia, Mother."
"Blood Emblem?" She asked. Dracord looked again, straight into her eyes. It was enough to say the name that was given to the darkest event in the history of the Britannia empire.
"Yes." He replied, and the waterfall of tears continued to pour from his eyes, sadness was still an overwhelming feeling. "I'm afraid to be honest. I'm afraid I'll be forced to kill my relatives one day. I'm afraid it will be necessary for survival. I'm afraid we all end up like our father's siblings in a struggle for power over a third of the world. I'm afraid that someday I will have to disgrace myself with something as disgusting as the crime of fratricide, or at worst, parricide. "
His words and incredible honesty surprised the Fifth Empress, for a moment she did not know how to react to it. However, seeing his constantly present sadness, she decided to hug him, to show him parental concern. "It's okay." She said her voice was full of genuine concern.
"Nevertheless, you will grow up someday." She told him, then stepped back and looked him straight in the eye once more. "You may have to kill someday, it may be one of your half-siblings, and considering the number of offspring born of the loins of his height, it is highly probable." Her words deepened Dracord's sadness once again. For a few moments, at least, until the raven-haired empress spoke again.
"However, you can decide who will be your ally." Her words made the grief in Dracord's heart slowly fade away and diminish. The silver-haired prince understood their meaning immediately. "You have enough time to build positive relationships with those you care most about. So, if you plan everything right, you will most likely have to do something that will only bring you sadness and guilt. "
Dracord just nodded at her words. There is no doubt that my father's experience speaks through her words, after all, he had to commit many dishonorable crimes in order to be where he is now.
After a while, the empress - quite unexpectedly - kissed him on the forehead. The silver-haired prince was genuinely surprised, he undoubtedly did not expect what had just happened. A short moment was enough for Dracord's cheeks to appear light blushes.
"Everything is in your hands, Dracord." She told him. "You are the blacksmith of your fate, your future depends on you."
She is undoubtedly right, I am the person responsible for my own destiny. He thought, then smiled and nodded politely. After a while, however, he darkened, a question struck his mind. What if I have to commit some dishonorable act? The question was undoubtedly the fruit of his upbringing by Sir Bismarck, the first knight of Rounds was undoubtedly a true knight, an example of all virtue. It was Knight of One that instilled Dracord's honor and chivalry values.
"What if I have to do something dishonorable?" He asked. "What if your only option is deception or cold-blooded murder and not on the battlefield? What am I supposed to do in this situation? "Dracord actually knew the answer to that question, it was all too obvious to a man of this level of intelligence.
It is obvious that words like honor are just illusions that limit us and make it easier to manipulate our actions. He realized this two years ago when he started watching documentaries about the Great War, when he began reading stories from veterans, including veterans who had fought in other wars. Thanks to this, he realized that from an early age he had been lied to. It's obvious that honor is just a lie. An illusion that is a tool in the hands of those who can manipulate people.
The Empress looked him up and down for a few minutes, and the silence in the room was awkward to say the least. Dracord's adoptive mother seemed to be thinking about something, her expression all too clearly in her eyes and face. Perhaps she did not want to tell him the truth and did not realize that she knew the answer to this question perfectly well. Or maybe she was really wondering why she was asking her something to which she had an answer? Who knows that? The Empress seemed to be considering carefully the words that would be used to answer her adoptive son's question.
"Bismarck will be furious when he finds out I told you something like that, but that's too bad. I'll be honest and straightforward. " She began and her expression became deadly serious. This is probably the first time Dracord has seen her like this. Until now, his step-mother seemed to exude only a friendly atmosphere.
No. Dracord thought, a slight consternation seized him as he remembered that this was not the first time that Empress Marianne had become deadly serious in his presence. There were a few more such cases. When the Empress Anticlea raised her hand on Lelouch. Although it was a rather gloomy event at first, it ultimately made Dracord smile. Empress Marianne decided to use her KMF, it was enough to scare the first empress.
"Honor is made up of people who tried to feel better than others." She said, and her eyesight and expression did not lose its firmness. "It is nothing but an illusion and opium for the masses, just like ideas or religion. It is essentially a means of manipulating people to limit them. "
Dracord was not particularly surprised by her words. So all I was taught was just a lie? An illusion that was intended to facilitate the manipulation of my person? He knew the answer to these questions perfectly well, but nevertheless his expression immediately became full of sincere and immense sadness. I had a quiet hope that I was wrong, meanwhile I'm right. He looked down, the tears had stopped flowing, but his face still seemed almost depressed.
"So all I believed was a lie?" He asked with difficulty, and after quite a while. His eyes seemed to fill only despair and, in a way, disappointment as well.
The Fifth Empress did not hesitate to answer, on the contrary, the answer came quickly. "In a way, yes." That's what she said, without a shadow of a doubt or a sway. "Words such as honor or even virtue are nothing but lies. In the face of death or an impossible situation, they are worth nothing, they can even be harmful and make it difficult to make difficult, but necessary decisions."
Dracod was absolutely speechless. He couldn't logically deny it, it was simply not possible. The silver-haired prince felt his strength draining out of him, and no wonder. Because everything that has been instilled in him so far turned out to be only an illusion. An illusion that was intended to facilitate - or enable - control over him and his actions.
What if the Empress is trying to lie to me? The question passed through his mind, it seemed like a bolt from the blue. This question prompted the need to test the empress. So he looked straight into the eyes of his foster mother, he saw no lie or insincerity in them. On the contrary, her gaze - though cold and stern - was sincere.
This state of affairs brought Dracord to a simple conclusion. So, my whole life, my whole worldview, all that was important to me, is actually one big lie. He wanted to cry, but was unable to. In addition, a thought flashed through his mind. So I fell for some of the lousiest lies of this lousy and degenerate world.
He lowered his gaze once more to the ground, refusing to look straight into the eyes of his mentor, the woman who had just shown him how wrong he was.
"Forgive me, Dracord." She said unexpectedly. At least Dracord wasn't expecting these words. Why is she saying this to me? However, her words elicited a different response as well. This is probably the first time my foster mother has apologized to anyone. The Silver-Haired prince could hardly refrain from smiling.
Empress Marianne repeatedly provoked and insulted people, in particular, she loved to insult other empresses. Sometimes she did it with sensitivity and tact, sometimes directly and without puns. But she had never apologized to anyone — at least not to Dracord's knowledge — much less, never asked anyone to forgive her.
"Sorry I just finished your childhood." She continued, and then stood up as proudly as ever. And she surprised her foster son once again. She did it at the moment when a mischievous smile appeared on her serious - so far - face. The next words made Dracord laugh. "Although I suspect your childhood actually ended much earlier."
The silver-haired prince was looking at her, and she was looking at him. Violet met dark purple. A person looking at it from the side might get the impression that there is just a quiet clash between two personalities.
On the one hand, the silver-haired prince, young, energetic, brilliant, but also sane. On the other hand, the raven-haired empress, energetic, quick-tempered and reckless, yet intelligent.
However, these are only appearances, in fact, they both look straight in the eye for any sign of affection. It seems we are both unsure about our feelings. The look that the first empress gave him spoke all for itself. "You're right." Dracord started, his voice radiating arrogant confidence. "My innocence ended the moment I started watching documentaries about Great War."
His words made no impression on the Fifth Empress, her expression almost suggesting that she had expected such an answer. Seeing this, Dracord only smiled. It gets more and more interesting.
"Then." He continued on. "For the first time I was made aware of honor, I realized it was just an empty word and not worth a penny. Memories of many veterans, not only those who fought in the great war, be it on the side of the Central Powers or the Entente states. These memories left me in no doubt. It was the first time it opened my eyes."
"And what did you see, son?" The empress asked, she looked delighted now, undoubtedly due to the words of her adoptive son.
This is what you expect. Isn't it? It became clear that Dracord was meeting the expectations of his adoptive mother and mentor at the same time. You always wanted me to know the truth about this damned and decaying world. But why? It was a very good question, because all the actions of the Fifth Empress so far have been weird to say the least.
Nevertheless, the question asked by the Fifth Empress still had to be answered. "I saw the truth." He started, and the tone of his voice did not lose any of its arrogance. After all, Dracord was never happy with the truth he saw, but he nonetheless accepted it. The silver-haired young man had accepted this world and its rules long ago.
I will not change this world, I will not change the rules that govern it, nevertheless I can bend it to my advantage. I can save those I care about. I can control a certain part of this world. I can grow stronger by using the laws of this world. However, all this had one condition, such a world had one requirement. I just need to be able to adapt to the situation that has arisen.
It was all too obvious, because this was exactly what evolution was, constant changes aimed at adapting the organism to the situation and enabling it to survive. The mechanism that has shaped people over many hundreds of years has been crucial in this world. I have to constantly adapt, this will give me the final victory.
After a while he realized that he was thinking a little too much, his answer was clearly insufficient for the Fifth Empress. So he continued after a while. "I realized that in order to survive, I had to adapt to the situation all the time. I have to constantly evolve if I am to fulfill my dreams and desires. "
"What are your dreams?" The empress asked dispassionately. Still carefree smiling. However, a distinct puzzlement was starting to show on her face.
"Does it matter?" Dracord asked in response. I'm not going to reveal all the cards and plans I have for the future. These are not complete ideas yet, but it would be better if I kept them to myself.
The empress's eyes narrowed, then the expression on her face and eyes began to reveal unconcealed disappointment. "You don't really have any plans." She said after a short while. "You never really planned anything.
This is my chance. Dracord thought, seeing a chance to deceive the empress. Then his face began to express obvious surprise. "How do you know that?" He asked, his voice breaking, a deliberate attempt on the part of the silvery-haired prince. Everything only to reassure the empress in her conviction.
The conversation lasted a few more moments, the empress did not hide her disappointment. She criticized the lack of plans on the part of Dracord. At the same time, she made a few subtle suggestions, they all had one point in common, that was their loyalty to the emperor. The manipulation, though subtle, was quickly noticed by the silver-haired prince.
It was another chance for him to confirm the empress in her misconception. So at the end of the conversation he took advantage of it. He stood up with conviction and pride and then said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Mother." The empress amused, corrected it, then looked at the clock on the wall of her office. "Now go and get ready for sleep, otherwise tomorrow will be a difficult day for you."
Dracord obediently obeyed her command, while at the same time being pleased with himself and with the fact that he had managed to trick her. He was so pleased that he didn't even notice the cunning flash in her dark purple eyes.
Pendragon, April 18, 2009
"Come on, show me what you can do, Your Highness!" The young girl, wearing a special protective suit for fencing practice, screamed in a tone full of energy and strength. She was a beautiful teenager, with light green hair and fairly short hair, but long enough to be tied into two tiny braids. Moreover, she had blue and full of mischievous gleam eyes, a beautiful and smooth face, and the intense and dark red lipstick added a lot to her amazingly wonderful appearance.
She was standing with her training sword in her left hand, ready to begin her daily training with the prince. This woman was the prince's instructor in the field of fencing and the use of firearms.
A reply came fairly quickly from across the training room. "As you wish, Knight of Nine!" The silvery-haired youth, also dressed in protective gear, and destined to practice fencing, replied. It was none other than the Tenth Prince of Britanni, Dracord di Britannia.
This is how each daily training session began between the Ninth Knight of Round, Nonette Enneagram and the tenth prince, Dracord di Britannia. On the one hand, the Silver-haired Prince, with an arrogant smile on his lips. On the other hand, as cheerful as the dangerous Knight on Nine. Both emphasizing dexterity and cleverness.
Show me what you can do, Drac. Nonette thought, not hiding a wide grin from ear to ear on her beautiful face.
After a short while, Dracord started running briskly towards his teacher, eager to engage in combat. And so it happened, within three minutes there was a fierce skirmish between Dracord and Nonette.
The two exchanged many yews and thrusts during this time, light or heavy. The silver-haired prince, due to his physical weaknesses, made only quick thrusts, forcing the Knight of Nine to defend himself many times. One Nonette in response made mostly heavy thrusts and blows, knowing that each of them could end in her victory. As an instructor, Dracorda knew all too well about his low physical strength, however, she was well aware that the young prince made up for this defect with extraordinary dexterity.
It quickly became clear that the duel was fought between outstanding swordsmen, their dexterity and cunning were unheard of. The two tried to trap each other several times, however, it never brought the desired result, and the duel between the masters of dexterity continued.
Eventually, after that time, the fight was still not resolved. Dracord was already seriously tired, he was panting heavily, and a distinct grimace appeared on his face. Nonette, on the other hand, was in full strength. She seemed to be in top shape, and the sight of her ward's dissatisfaction made her smile wide.
"It looks like you are on the verge of your strength, Drac!" Knight of Nine commented, her voice full of undisguised malice, the smile on her face only confirming it. It was clear that her intention was to provoke the Silver-Haired Prince. I'am interesting what you will do, if you try to go on the defensive, or if you go into battle with the intention of defeating me.
There was a deafening silence for the next few seconds, the prince continued to gasp as sweat ran down his angular young face. Nonette watched him closely and drew conclusions. He is too tired to fight like he has done so far, it is obvious that he will try to defend himself. This thought made Knight of Nine even more cheerful. So I already won this fight, an enemy that cannot attack is not dangerous. Her last thoughts were the words of Kornela, from her days at the Pendragon Military Academy.
"Tiredness from fighting doesn't mean failure, Nott!" Dracord announced after a moment, then took a defensive fighting stance. This confirmed Knight of Nine's belief that she had already won.
Seeing this and hearing his announcement, Nonette attacked once again, making three quick thrusts, forcing Dracord on the defensive. But just as she was about to stab the Silver-Haired Prince's chest, something unexpected happened.
Dracord made a quick defensive move with his sword, then knocked the training sword out of Nonette's hand. The Knight of Nine training weapon landed a few meters away from them position.
Nonette looked at Dracord with undisguised shock, then her eyes fell on the weapon used during the training, and once again looked at her ward. How could this have happened? She thought, then another thought came to her mind. Was he planning it from the beginning? Knight of Nine looked the prince straight in the eye. However, she did not notice the same tired man, but instead saw a young man whose calm was downright stoic.
"Did you plan it from the beginning?" She asked and the smile returned to her face. After a while, she felt a surge of pride, directly related to her failure. It is obvious that its present form is, among others, my work. I have been teaching him for over a year, and now it has had the desired effect. The apprentice has finally surpassed the master.
Dracord smiled in response and said, "Yes, Nott." He replied, the smile did not disappear from his face, after a moment he stretched out into a hug. "It was a great fight, you are a worthy opponent, they call you the Second Flash Of Empire for a reason."
Knight of Nine smiled broadly and warmly. "Thanks, Drac." She answered quickly, then in a quick and unexpected movement she grabbed the hand of her protégé. "I'm really proud of you." Her words, however, had no noticeable effect on the Silver-Haired Prince. "You're definitely better than Cornelia when she was at the academy. Your speed and precision are amazing. " She praised after a short while. "You are close to the Knights of Round level. A few more years of training and reaching the right one and you will be able to compete with me, I have no doubt about that, you will undoubtedly be the best student at the Pendragon academy. "
After these words, Nonette's mind was filled with memories of the military academy, she and the Second Princess were the best graduates of their year. However, it was Nonette who was older and better, at least in terms of direct combat. But Cornelia was the better, at least in terms of tactics.
Dracord smiled warmly as soon as he heard her words. He nodded slightly in response. However, at the same time, he remembered that they still had a few more rounds to play. "We should go back to training, Nott." He stated Knight of Nine merely nodded her head in her reply.
Together they dueled thirteen more times, but Dracord was not as easy as before. In the course of these thirteen clashes, the Silver-Haired Prince's organism was weary. Besides, Nonette was much more careful now, using every little Dracord's mistake against him. After the thirteenth clash, Knight of Nine decided to spare the Tenth Prince embarrassment.
"Twelve to two." She announced the result, with a mocking smile on her lips and a mocking tone of voice. Dracord could only frown in annoyance, but he sincerely hoped he would do better this time than the last time, but it didn't, much to his growing annoyance. "Don't worry about Drac, in a few years the result may be much better for you."
After finishing training, they both took a cold shower to wash away the sweat that had been smelling foul from their bodies. Then they changed clothes and met again in front of the hall that they used for exercises.
She, dressed in a white Knights of Round uniform with a richly adorned light purple cape, and of course a leather pistol holster.
He, dressed in his typical silvery, extravagant suit with a high and dark purple collar, a scarf at the neck, and a dark purple cape, which was attached to the suit by epaulettes made of pure silver.
Without further ado, they nodded and then made their way to a pale gray armored Ford limo parked in a nearby parking lot. The chauffeur - a slender young man with short black hair named Adam Hefler - opened the door when he saw the two. And after ten minutes the two were on their way to Aries Villa. They had, of course, an escort, and it consisted of two light gray armored cars, each of them four men, all armed to the teeth with: pistols, submachine guns and grenades.
Such forethought was essential given some obvious fact. Namely, that Dracord was a member of the imperial family, with attacks on its members being daily bread throughout the history of Britanni, from its inception in 1813 to the present day. Interestingly, however, most of the attacks were not carried out by opponents of the imperial family, the main organizers were in the overwhelming majority of cases the princes and princesses of Britanni, they had basically only one goal, the throne of Britanni and power over a third of the world.
The limousine and escort started as soon as the Knight of Nine and the Tenth Prince took their seats. As Dracord and Nonette were seated comfortably in their places, they immediately began talking to each other. Their conversation was not about difficult matters such as politics. The main reason for this was Knight of Nine, and her lack of interest in politics. Although Nonette was aware of the most important events and many behind-the-scenes intrigues, she was not interested in participating in them, not even interested in learning about their most insignificant details.
So he and she decided to talk about training today. Dracord surprisingly no longer had a scowl on his face, until then he had managed to suppress his discontent, so the conversation between him and Knight of Nine was casual, even friendly. In fact, this was the relationship between them, even though Nonette was his instructor, they were good friends.
"I wish my body was so fragile." Dracord sighed, then looked down at his right hand and clenched it violently into a fist, it was clear that he meant his little physical endurance and little strength.
Besides mild epilepsy, your body has another drawback. Nonette quietly sighed seeing her student. A defect that made his life difficult many times, poor physical condition. A defect that is still a problem for him despite many years of exercising his body. Nevertheless, Knight of Nine remained optimistic about the possibility of, for example, eliminating this defect.
"Drac, you don't have to worry that much about this." She started, then put her hand on his right shoulder. "I am convinced that one day you will overcome this difficulty."
"If only it were that easy." The silver-haired prince commented acidly. His face darkened a bit, it became clear to Nonette that he was not satisfied with his progress, which he probably considered insufficient.
"Besides, you've made tremendous progress anyway." She continued, her tone intended to lift the young prince's spirits. "I sincerely believe that you can overcome your own limitations if you try, of course." After these words she slapped Dracord hard on the back, he smiled warmly in response.
Then the conversation turned to a different topic. the theme was the party that the first empress, Anticlea eu Britannia, organized in her villa. A party that was scheduled for tomorrow.
"Will you be there?" Dracord asked. Due to his position as prince of the empire, he himself was forced to attend parties, especially those related to state ceremonies or those organized by empresses, not to mention the imperial parties organized by the emperor himself.
Nonette nodded in response. "Indeed, I will be there." After a while, she began listing other Knights of Round that she believed would be present there. "I am convinced that Sir Michele Manfredi and Dame Dorothea Ernst will be present, Sir William Beauclerk will also be there, I am not sure about the others."
Dame Dorothea Ernst and Sir William Beauclerk, some of the empire's best commanders and tacticians. Knight of Two, Knight of Four, and Knight of Five. Dracord smiled at their names. These three are in good relationship with my sweet student, after all, he trained with them several times. I'm sure Dracord is happy about it.
"I'm curious ..." Dracord began, looking straight ahead. "Will the Crown Prince show up."
Nonette could hardly refrain from laughing as she and Dracord both realized the "skills" of the Crown Prince, and his dependence on the Duke of Schneizelai. If the Dear Prince graciously allows, the Clown Prince will surely appear. However, she didn't answer that brazenly and insultingly, instead the reply was as diplomatic as possible. "Well, if Prince Odysseus gets the Prime Minister's approval, he will definitely come."
Dracord literally started to roar with laughter as soon as he heard her diplomatic reply. Nonette looked at her charge with an indifferent expression on her face, she was well aware of what was the reason for his laughter. You laugh at the diplomatic and unlike me answer. Isn't it?
When the Silver-Haired Prince had his laughter under control and his expression became emotionally neutral, he replied, "To me, it sounds like: If Dear Prince graciously allows, the Clown Prince will certainly come." Then he looked straight in the eyes of his instructor and good friend. "Such a diplomatic response is unlike you. Rather, I expected your tongue to be sharp and steaming, as always. "
"I know how much you like your eldest brother, so I didn't mean to offend you." She replied, she knew perfectly well the opinion of the Silver-Haired Prince about the Crown Prince. Despite the fact that Clown Price is average in every way, you like him anyway. In fact, she is not surprised by this. Prince Odysseus always supported his younger siblings, and de facto replaced everyone else with his father's princess and princes. Besides, he was always sincerely polite, and never had his fingers in any kind of plot.
"Honesty has never offended me before." Dracord replied with an amused tone of voice. Then he looked away from her. "I am well aware that my eldest half-brother is the hopeless heir to the throne. He is weak, timid, without ambition and totally dependent on the Second Prince. To be honest, I wish he was in the position of the First Empress, if I had been, I would have hammered Odysseus into his head with a metal kitchen ladle. "
His words amused Nonette, it was close, and Knight of Nine would choke on her own saliva. She had always been amused by their candid talks, especially when Dracord's tongue was starting to get sharper.
They drove to the villa for about half an hour, mostly due to the enormous traffic jams on the road. In the meantime, they were still talking, this time about Knightmare Frames, or simply KMF. Both agreed that although it is still an underdeveloped invention, it still has enough potential to completely change the image of wars and throw away some military strategies.
They both spoke from their own experience, after all, Dracord had learned to fly from the Fifth Empress herself. Nonette has more than once tested the prototype KMF, designed by Lord Ashford and built by factories that are part of the Ashford Robotics concern.
Nonette and Dracord had no doubts that the Knightmare Frame would be as revolutionary as the Dreyse Needle Gun more than 150 years earlier. They had no doubts that it was the KMF that would mark a new era in military history.
I look forward to this new era. Nonette thought, pleased with upcoming future.
And this is New chapter. For all of you, who waiting for some action I have a good information. There will be two more chapters related to childhood of di Britannia twins. Next chapter, is great party, during which they will meet their first political allies. Most of them will be of course OC, but there will be also a few froom canon, I wonder did you guess who it is.
I'm pretty sure that those of you who had read ,,A Song of Ice and Fire" or watched ,,Game of Thrones" Immediately noticed that Sir Brutus Strong is strongly inspired by the Ser Gregor Clegane. I said more, Sir Brutus was originally supposed to be named Gregor, but I gave it up, mainly because it would be too obvious reference. I can tell you that there will be even more OC, inspired by characters from ,,A Song of Ice and Fire". But not only, I also want create a few inspired by characters from Polish literature.
Let me also boast to you, that... I started working on my own book, working title it ,,Skąpany w Szarości Szermierz"/,,Swordsman, Bathed in Gray". I know, for most of you irrelevan, so this is the first and last mention.
Thank you for reading story, follow of favourite. That's all for now, see you soon and Give Up To My Venom.
Or not yet.
Euphemia, Nunnally, Milly and Phobos should be ready. Nonette though, wehe she was getting out of the black limousine. Right before her, from car went out Dracord. Knight of Nine Could watch him with wide and sinister smile on face, without the possibility that the prince would know in time and will be able to escape from them. Even if he tries, it won't do anything. I'm ready to catch him, just in case. You can never be too careful. Nonette literaly she couldn't wait to see what they would do to Dracord, and they they want to make him more cute.
She and he, walked towards the villa for more or less one minute and four seconds, after that time, Phobos jumped out of nearby bushes and caught Dracord, who was expecting nothing. So Phobos threw rope to Knight of Nine.
Perfect timing. And Nonette she immediately joined to Phobos, and began helps him in bind of the Tenth Prince.
"I got you! Little brother." He announced with not hidden by anything, pride in his strong voice. Dracord was completely taken aback, and quickly began to struggle violently. However, unsuccessfully.
"What is all this supposed to mean?" He asked with desperation in the voice, but did not receive any reply. "Phobos! Nott! Answer at my question immediately!" His voice was getting more and more uneasy.
"Do not struggle, Your Highness." Nonette said with diabolical smile on his face. "We will make you much more charming. There is no need to fight with it."
Dracord was able to see her smile, and he literally froze. The terror was paralyzing, therefore he offered no resistance. Next Knight of Nine and Ninght Prince took him to the Aries Villa, straight to Nunnally's room, at first floor.
"You have finally come!" Said Nunnally, and her young tone of voice was full of excitement.
"Finally, we can make you sweet, big Brother!" Euphemia said, with a no less excited tone of voice than Nunnally.
"Fine, fine, fine!" A blonde girl said, and she clapped three times. It was of course Milly Ashford, lewd devil in the body of a girl. "I am sincerely pleased with your enthusiasm!" Afther that words he locekd and Dracord, with a an evil gleam in the eyes. "But now it's time to get work."
Dracor only looked nervously around the room, and quickly said Lelouch. The raven-haired Prince was tied with a rope to one of the chairs in Nunnally's room. But the Tenth Prince was dressed differently than usual. He was Dressed in a black dress, sleeveless. Not to even mention tha he was painted like a girl, he had a dark makeup and dark purple lipstick on the lips and wasn't happy about it.
"Dracord." Lelouch said with concern in his eyes and voice. "Run away."
But the Silver-Haired prince was not able to do whatever. After a short moment four ladies and one boy surrounded and frightened him. "It's time to make you cute." They said as one.
"No!" Dracord screamed and start to panic, he desperately tried to struggle when they tied him to a chair next to Lelouch's position. However, with no apparent effect. "Help! Help me!" He screamed and once again it didn't do anything.
And thats how the day has ended. With loss of male pride, by two princes.