August 8. Pendragon. Royal Palace.
Despite how much His Majesty can deny, there was one thing Lelouch shared with his father no matter what anyone would say. Neither were fond of parties or any not important gatherings. The Royal Palace was one of the most well-guarded places in the entire empire, a magnificent giant of a building that was meant to show the power of Britannia. Only a select number of nobles were allowed within the palace. However, with the death of Charles and the rise of Lelouch, everything changed. Now, the previous emperor's fortress of solitude was more open to outsiders, especially on this night.
Banquets were another way to show status and power, although the previous emperor preferred to show this by giving speeches before nobles and cameras. Since Emperor Lelouch's coronation, however, the young monarch was swamped with work and didn't have enough free time to spare it on throwing parties. So it was surprising to many when it was announced that His Majesty wanted to have an official banquet. Some suspected that His Majesty made it because he missed every celebration event after the end of the short Euro-Britannian war.
However, many became interested in who would be invited to such an event. After all, nobility was abolished and many of those who rebelled against Emperor Lelouch were either imprisoned or executed. Media was invited as well and while it wasn't something too strange on its own, His Majesty made sure to invite foreign journalists as well, mainly those from the Federation. This was something new but not unexpected. Among citizens of Britannia, it was a long-running rumour that Emperor Lelouch sought to improve relations with the UFN and the Black Knights.
Because of all these factors, this night was special for His Majesty and his followers. This event would show the changes and improvements that were made under Lelouch rule. Obviously, it meant that security was raised at the highest level. As had been expected, many guests were intimidated by the sheer amount of Knightmares and the assortment of armed forces outside the palace. Particularly towards the new flagship of the empire, Nemesis, as it floated above the palace. The White Legion was on guard duty today, proudly patrolling the palace outside. However, the Knight of The Round - the most prestigious and deadliest group of knights - were inside the building, ordered to protect the guests inside. The empire's most elite forces were performing their duty with the utmost responsibility...or at least Bishop prayed they did.
"Look at all those chickens, Arthur!" Laughed the Knight of Three Peter Thomson. He and his colleagues were standing outside the crowd of guests in the main hall. The event had only started but his majesty didn't appear yet. According to Lelouch, he was waiting for all-important guests to join before he would show face.
"Come on, Peter. These people aren't old nobles. At least try to show them some respect. Please." his friend Arthur Calhoun asked. The young knight of the round was nervous but he was sure he could go through this night without embarrassing himself, at least as long as Arthur wasn't talking with anyone. 'If I don't talk to anyone, I won't make a fool out of myself. Inhale, exhale. Just like Lord Bishop instructed.'
"Artur is right, Peter. At least try to act like a normal human being tonight." Cinder sighed. Like the two of them, she was in her standard Knight of The Round's uniform. While Cinder liked it, she would rather wear her favourite red dress this night, but alas, she had a duty. She would rather spend this night next to Lelouch but that was Bishop's duty. 'At least for the time being.'
"Nah, that's too boring. If they want my respect, they should earn it first. Until then they aren't any different from those fat nobles." Cinder chuckled at Peter's comment.
"Fair enough. Still, try to not start a scene, Peter. Many of the guests here are part of the new European government and media from UFN. We must show the best of the new Britannia."
"Ehh, it is the kid's concern, not mine. My main objective tonight is to get wasted and make sure no one would start shooting without me." Peter smirked as he discretely pointed down to his waist where a revolver was stowed away. "Bishop said if someone would start blasting tonight, he would prefer it if it was me hehe." Both Cinder and Arthur gave him an anxious look." Ah, don't worry children. Your awesome uncle Peter won't start shooting unless provoked...or bored."
Cinder massaged her nose before turning to Arthur.
"I will watch over the guests, you will make sure Peter behaves, at least until Lord Bishop arrives." He nodded and the Knight of Two made her way towards the crowd. The moment Cinder was far away from them, Peter quickly approached Arthur.
"At last, the lady with probably the biggest stick up her ass is away. Seriously, I don't envy the kid, fucking her must be a nightmare." He laughed but Arthur blushed.
"Peter, please. Let's not discuss Cinder and His Majesty's personal affairs."
"Come on, Arthur. That is always the hottest topic behind doors. Aren't you interested in learning who is sharing a bed with our boss?"
"No! Absolutely not! His Majesty's love life isn't my business. Can't we talk about anything else?" Peter smirked as his only eye sparkled with fire.
"In that case let's talk about YOUR love life." Arthur gulped. He looked for a strategic escape out of this situation but Peter was faster and grabbed his shoulder. "Not so fast, Arthur."
"I-I have nothing to talk about, Peter!"
"Exactly! Nothing! Your sex life is nonexistent!" The Fourth Knight of The Round winced. Ouch, no matter how true it was, it still hurt him. "Arthur, I know what it is like to spend your entire life without getting any."
"Wait, you do?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't expect Peter to be-
"Yeah, I see Bishop every day. I don't remember the last time he got laid and I have known him for 30 years! I don't want you to end like that old single bastard." Arthur stared at his friend with a deadpan expression before he spoke.
"Wasn't the Lord Bishop in love with His Majesty's mother?"
"That old hag? Arthur, it was more like an obsession. I tried to talk him out of it but old William was dead serious on getting that ass. Not that I blame him. Kid's mom had a nice rear, but she was crazy for that bastard Charles. William never had a chance with her but it didn't stop him, I always found it idiotic and irresponsible. But the man knew what he wanted. We even went to prison because of it." Peter sighed before he quickly pulled out a flask and took a sip. "Fucking simp."
"Ahh, I don't think it was only because of that."
"Well, that's how I remember it so it must be true. Don't try to change the topic. Tonight I will make sure you won't repeat William's fate, my friend." Peter looked at him with a serious expression. "Tonight you will get laid no matter what. Operation Code GetAss is starting now."
Cinder made her way towards the guests, pleased with what she was seeing. All of them showed their respect for her. Some bowed, others saluted. Of course, she played her role as the perfect knight and returned the respect, but hidden behind her pleasant face was cruel satisfaction. This was it! What she wanted since her life as a noble was destroyed. Respect, power, and status were now hers. However, now she had even bigger ambitions and desires. Of course, her main desire hasn't come yet but Cinder knew that Lelouch would arrive soon. Until then she will humour these people.
'Tonight I should be a perfect knight. Next time, I will be a perfect empress.' Cinder thought to herself as she kept up a pleasant smile. While Arthur was making sure Peter didn't start a fight, she spent time talking with the different guests. These people were a part of the new foundation of Lelouch's power and she needed to build a connection with them. Once she became Empress, Cinder would need to make sure that everything was going smoothly in His Britannia. Title and status would change, but her duty and responsibilities wouldn't.
As she was making her way to one group of people, someone suddenly called her. Cinder turned around and at first, was surprised by the sudden appearance of this person.
'Oh, it's her. I think this is our first meeting face to face.' Cinder thought as she stared at a Japanese woman in a green and yellow kimono. "Oh, Miss Shinozaki. What a surprise to see you here. I thought OSI usually prefers to stay away from the public eye."
Sayoko smiled but Cinder could feel that this woman was dangerous. Even since she heard that Lelouch's personal maid was an actual ninja, Cinder prayed it was an exaggeration. However, from the mission reports she received from D.S., Sayoko was currently their best assassin. This fact alone made this maid/ninja a dangerous individual, and Cinder could feel how Sayoko's gaze was piercing her. She was either testing or threatening her. 'I won't deny the fact that it is a little intimidating. But if she is after Lelouch's heart as well, this isn't a battle I can afford to lose.'
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Fall," Sayoko said as she slightly bowed. "Forgive me, I wish I could have reached you out before, but Master Lelouch had a lot of work for me to take care of."
"Oh, yes. I saw the reports." For someone with such a kind face, this Sayoko was quite a dangerous woman. Deadly and effective. A good combination in Cinder's mind but right now she was feeling like she was Sayoko's target. "I understand that everyone has their duties."
"Of course. In the future, I hope to spend more time with you." Sayoko smiled but her eyes were cold. "As Master Lelouch's guardian, I must make sure his inner circle is trustworthy."
"In that case, I'm sure there won't be any issue with me."
"I hope so." The two of them laughed but Cinder didn't stop feeling the pressure. "Anyway, there is also someone I wanted you to meet," Sayoko said as she turned to a new face Cinder hadn't seen before.
It was a man, somewhere in the early fifties. His hair was red but Cinder could see grey colour among it. Still, with these blue eyes, Cinder felt as if she had seen someone like him before.
"Lady Fall, let me introduce you to Lord James Stadtfeld," Sayoko said with a knowing smile while the man in question coughed.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady."
'Wait, Stadtfeld? But that's-' Cinder's eyes widened for a second before she turned to Sayoko whose head nodded just a fraction. A cruel smile appeared on Cinder's face. 'Oh, my. What an interesting turn of events. Perhaps we can get along without a hitch, Miss Sayoko.'
"The pleasure is mine, Lord Stadtfeld." Cinder said with a polite smile. "Still, I can't help but feel like I have heard about your family somewhere before." The false confusion etched on her face was good enough as James started to panic.
"Y-yes, after Area 11 - I mean Japan - was conquered, the Stadtfeld family was the first of the nobility to move there. I took part in the reforming of the economy after the invasion." James smiled but sweat started to form on his face. "Sadly, after the Black Rebellion, I, among a few other noble families, was accused of helping the Black Knights and spent the next year in prison. Although these accusations were false, and it is thanks to His Majesty that I was released."
'Being a father of the Black Knights' best Knightmare pilot was good enough reason for the old regime to imprison you.' Cinder thought but didn't say anything. James wasn't a fool and most likely knew what she was thinking. 'Still, for what reason did Sayoko introduce him to me? To see how I will act? To use him to get closer to his daughter? Ah well, I can use this opportunity.'
"During the war, his majesty realised how important Lord Stadtfeld would be for Britannia. It is useful to have someone who has experience in reforming the economy of another state after all." Sayoko said proudly while James waved away.
"Lady Sayoko, please. No need to call me a lord. The nobility of old is no more and I have been stripped of my title a long time ago. Just call me James. The same goes to you as well, lady Fall."
"So, His Majesty gave your position as-?"
"Oh right! At the moment I'm a member of the Ministry of National Economy. For the time being my main role is to be an advisor and help to reform the economy of the European states."
"Must be difficult." James waved away Cinder's inquiry.
"Well, yes, it is not easy. But I'm not alone and so far everything was going according to a 5-year plan. After all, it can't be harder than Japan… Apologies if this all sounds boring to you, Lady Fall."
"Not at all. In fact, I'm curious to learn more about your work. While I was in Europe I was busy with military affairs and didn't have time to learn more about other developments." An innocent smile appeared on her face. 'Hmm, this James person can be useful outside his connection to Kallen.' Despite her smile, her thoughts were far from innocent. "By the way, you said for the time being?"
"Yes, his majesty called for me to help him in the reconstruction of the former EU and I agreed. But after that is done, I'm not sure I will continue working as an advisor...I have family issues I have to take care of." It wasn't hard for either Cinder or Sayoko to guess what he was talking about. Sayoko was the first to speak in the silence that followed.
"Since His Majesty got rid of the number system, marriages between former numbers and Britannians were finally allowed. The old system prevented James and his loved one from having a normal life because of that." Sayoko sent James a forced smile. "I'm sure Ayano can't wait to finally see you again, James." Cinder raised an eyebrow as the man in the question nervously laughed.
"Of course, I can't wait to see her again but-ahh, there are many things I need to take care of first before I can see her again." Sayoko turned to Cinder and suddenly understood what the maid wanted.
'So this Ayano must be Kallen's mother but James is not too eager to see her. Huh, Sayoko wants me to arrange a date between the two of them? if so why not ask Lelouch. Wait. Since they are Kallen's parents, Lelouch might try to contact Kallen or she will try to interfere. Sayoko doesn't want them to meet? Hmm, in that case, we share a common interest.'
"It is always important to stay in contact with your significant other. I'm sure I can arrange a short trip to Japan for you. Don't worry about your work, I will find a temporary replacement." James looked like he wanted to argue with Cinder but stopped when Sayoko gave him a cold stare.
"James, we both know that Ayano would love to see her family. And I'm sure you would love to see her again." James looked down.
"Yes, you're right, Sayoko. In that case, Lady Fall, I would appreciate your help if it isn't troublesome for you." Cinder shook her head.
"Not at all. I would love to help you to reunite with this Ayano. I'm sure she is a lovely woman." A melancholic smile formed on his face.
"Indeed she is." He said with a sadness in his tone. They continued their talk for a short time before James excused himself and left the two ladies. Sayoko spoke first.
"Thank you. I have known him for a short time but James is a little timid. I raised this topic many times but he would always find an excuse to not see his wife." Cinder nodded.
"Yeah, I can see it." She came a little closer to Sayoko. "They are parents of Kallen," After the maid nodded, she continued. "You are doing it for her?"
"Not at all. I'm not eager to help that girl but her mother is a friend of mine. I just want Ayano to be happy. No one knows what might happen tomorrow. Of course, with her daughter being a member of Black Knights, it would be hard to solve this family issue. That's why I came to you." Sayoko eyed Cinder. "I heard what happened in Moscow. I had a suspicion you would like to get involved with Kallen's family."
'Hmm, I can see potential in all of this. Should Kallen and I fight again in the future, this might help me. Besides, should I help her parents reunite, I could shove it at Kallen's face,' A cruel smile formed as she thought about it. Imagining how Kallen would react when she heard how she, an enemy, made her parents happy again. 'Oh, that would be fun.'
"Lelouch doesn't know about it?"
"I hide nothing from Master Lelouch but I'm sure you understand how this might affect him. So, it will be better if you took care of it."
"Thanks for your faith in me." Cinder smiled.
Sayoko giggled. "Oh, it's nothing like that. More like a test. I want to see what kind of person you are. And how you will act towards the parents of your enemy. Besides," Sayoko closed the distance between them and whispered in her ear. "I heard about everything that happened in Moscow. And while I'm happy that Master Lelouch opened up to another person, I want to make sure it wasn't the wrong one."
The last part was cold enough to send shivers down her spine, but Cinder tried her best to not show any emotion. Despite how she felt inside, her face remained calm. However, she wouldn't stop thinking about this conversation for a long time.
'So this is how people feel when they are meeting their lover's parents. Can't say that I'm thrilled.'
Soon enough, as the night dragged on, the royal guard stepped in and announced the arrival of the Emperor.
Everyone quickly turned towards the main entrance as His Majesty made his way inside. Lelouch vi Britannia was accompanied by the First Knight of The Round. Lord Bishop was standing before His Majesty, his hand on the hilt of his sword as always. Behind him, the members of the Royal Guard closely followed the young monarch. The Royal Captain Jeremiah Gottwald was always near. However, the eyes of many guests quickly turned to two beautiful ladies who were standing next to Lelouch.
The unknown green-haired beauty who was still a mystery to the Britannian public was as usual by Lelouch's right side. Like before, tonight she was wearing the black dress that was reaching her legs, with eye-and-wing emblems and cut off at the shoulders, dipping down to reveal an ample amount of cleavage. On her head, she wore a simple golden diadem. However, the most notable thing was how she was tightly holding the Emperor's arm.
If there were rumours about her relationship with Lelouch before, they started to quickly fade away. Lelouch smiled, sure that C.C was getting the attention of the majority there. However, he was sure Leila wasn't ignored either.
The blue dress that Leila was wearing was tightly hugging her body, reaching all the way to her heels. Her back and cleavage were covered with transparent silk. She was admittedly a little embarrassed, as it was her first time wearing anything like this to an official event. Back in Europe, she always appeared in her military uniform. She couldn't imagine the reaction of W-0 once they saw the news. Still, she was standing next to Lelouch and couldn't afford to show any weakness. She was the face of a new Commonwealth and had a reputation to uphold. There was a rumour about her declining the Emperor's offer to become the new Prime Minister, and while nothing was made official, many among the Britannian government were happy that the position was still free.
Lelouch eyed all these who gathered here before speaking.
"First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming here this night. The fact that so many people gathered here is proof that I and my allies managed to make a change in Britannia. A lot of work was done in such a short time. Thanks to all of you, Britannia managed to abandon its old ways. We are moving towards a bright future. A future where the world is peaceful. A future where the likes of my father would never rise to power. A future where we're all can live in harmony." Lelouch stopped for a second as the guests started to cheer. He smiled before continuing. "However, tonight we are here to celebrate the progress that we already made. So as your Emperor, I command you to relax and enjoy this night."
The night continued on as the Emperor was soon surrounded by people who wanted to talk and meet Lelouch. The raven haired young man preferred to avoid the public until now, as many people wanted to learn more about the emperor. As for the two ladies by his side, C.C. decided to ignore them while Leila politely gave short answers to some of them. And far away from the group that surrounded the emperor, two scientists were talking.
"He talks about enjoying the night and yet I'm forced to wear these stupid clothes," Lloyd said as he fixed his collar again. Even someone like Lloyd had no choice but to obey the dress code. "It feels like I'm being strangled."
"Continue whining and I will strangle you, Lloyd," Cecile said with a happy smile. Like her boss, she had dressed accordingly. A beautiful and simple blue dress was more than enough. Lloyd suggested she wear the dress she had on when they were speaking with Zero but Cecile was extremely against it. She didn't want to imagine how embarrassing it would be to appear before the emperor in such clothes. "Remember what we talked about."
"Yeah, yeah. I won't point out how stupid this entire thing is and his majesty would increase our budget. But honestly, it is a waste of time to-" He didn't have a chance to finish as Cecile quickly stepped on his shoe with her heel. Lloyd wanted to scream, but the glare she sent his way made male scientist froze. "Ah-"
"You will act like an adult and I won't use violence to make you behave maturely," Cecile said with a forced smile. "Besides, the budget for our department is already high. We have enough."
Lloyd corrected his glasses before he spoke. "Enough for the time being. His Majesty spoke about new projects he wants us to build in the future. Why one of them is already-"
"Lord Asplund, please don't reveal national secrets so casually." Both of them turned to see the Knight of One, William Bishop, standing next to them with his hand on the sword. "Otherwise, I will have no choice but to act."
"Haha, I was joking, Lord Bishop. By the way, shouldn't you be near our dear Emperor?" Bishop glanced at his lord.
"His Majesty is currently enjoying a chat with some guests. If needed, Jeremiah is close enough to protect Master Lelouch. At the moment, I am more interested in looking after two troublesome individuals."
"Two?" Lloyd looked puzzled. "But Cecile is the sane one."
"Mhmm."
Bishop silently stared at the two of them before continuing. "Aren't even denying it, Christ. I was talking about you and-"
"Hey, Willy!" Shouted the Knight of Three as he made his way towards them. "Took you long enough. I was getting worried I would have only Arthur to talk with."
"You could have chatted with the guests, Lord Thomson." Cecile pointed out but Bishop objected with her.
"Too dangerous. God knows what Peter might try if left unsupervised. That reminds me, where is Cinder or Arthur? I hoped they would look after you."
"Cinder was talking to that ninja maid, while Arthur... Well…" Peter smirked before pointing at their fourth knight who was talking to one of the female guests. "Let's just say I helped our friend get some. Wink, wink."
"Isn't that Lady Liliana?" Cecile asked as she looked at two young knights. "I heard she joined the Glinda Knights and now serves under Princess Marrybell."
Arthur and Liliana were casually talking and judging from how the two would occasionally blush, the young knights were getting along pretty well.
Cecile chuckled. "Oh, my."
"Yup. Arthur is pretty good when he isn't worried about everything or gets too worked up. With my help, he might lose his v card pretty soon." Peter proudly stated while Bishop blinked.
"V-what? Nevermind. Peter, you didn't give young Arthur any wrong advice?" William knew his friend well enough and was afraid of what Peter might cause.
"Don't worry, Willy. I just told him what not to do." Bishop let out a sigh.
"Oh, that's good. I hope."
"Yeah, I just told him how you would act around a kid's mom and said to never repeat it." William coughed.
"You what- Peter! I was always a gentleman around Lady Marianne."
"Yeah, sure. The only reason she didn't have a restriction order on you was that you would ignore it anyway." Peter said before pulling out his flask. "Admit it, Willy. You weren't a ladies man. But hey we can change it tonight. Look around! There is plenty of fish in the sea, the fish you can pleasure yourself with." He said with a grin while his friend narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not surprised that you are single as well."
"Haha, very funny. At least cellmates loved me back in Alcatraz."
Lloyd and Cecile silently watched the two knights bicker until Lloyd decided to break it.
"Speaking about your time in that place, Lord Thomson. I was curious to hear some of the stories from Alcatraz prison. Like how you lost your eye." Peter massaged his missing eye.
"Huh, want to hear my best story? Well, get ready egghead, because this story is full of mystery, action, betrayal, love and hot mind-blowing se-"
"We were celebrating my promotion in Florida. You got drunk and started a fight in the pub. Barman tried to shoot you but missed. Then you smashed a bottle against your own face. Thankfully none of the shards got in your eye." Bishop said with a neutral tone as he remembered that night.
"Oh yeah...Did I win at least?" Peter asked with a hopeful voice.
"You burned down the pub. I had to carry you back to our barrack."
"But how did Lord Peter lose his eye?" Cecile asked with interest. Bishop was silent for a moment.
"On our way, Peter managed to take my handgun and was curious if it was loaded. He pointed it against his face and fired." William said. "I was fast enough to take it away before he shot the second time."
"Huh, in my head that story was more epic."
"That's because you're insane, my friend," Bishop said with a small smile. Peter smirked. "Hmm, I suppose it is good Arthur is enjoying this night as well. He is young and shouldn't be forbidden from experiencing love."
Lloyd smiled. "I say the same thing about Cecile." The woman in question turned to him with a confused look. "Come on, Cecile. This place is full of single men. That includes our dear emperor as well." He winked as her face turned red.
"Lloyd! That is not-his majesty is already-"
"Oh, Lady Croomy is interested in his majesty too?" Bishop asked with a surprised tone that quickly became excited. "How great! Master Lelouch is a ladies man! Wait here Lady Croomy! I will go and ask if his majesty is free and can dance with you."
William happily said before sprinting towards his master.
"Lord Bishop wait!"
Cecile went after him, her face heated from embarrassment. Lloyd and Peter silently stared as their friends left them behind.
While the older knights had their own shenanigans, the younger generation was enjoying their time.
Oldrin looked at her friends and new members of their little Order, Liliana and Marika. Two former members of the Valkyria squadron, the only two members who managed to survive the last battle for Tokyo. After the two were medically discharged, Marrybell immediately requested to add them to the Glinda Knights. Something that Leonhardt was extremely happy about.
All of them followed Marrybell to the banquet and dressed accordingly. Oldrin had an idea of what her princess was thinking tonight. While normally she would have tried to stop Marry from doing something taboo, tonight was a time to relax and enjoy themselves. So she would allow Marry to do as she pleased. Then again, a princess wouldn't get far, considering His Majesty's entourage.
'The green-haired advisor is always around his majesty, not to mention Lady Malcal as well. Tough luck, Marry.'
While Oldrin was feeling sorry for her charge's chances. her friends were focused on another love-related business. Albeit, this one was nowhere near as forbidden as Marry's.
"Never thought I would see the famous Reaper getting embarrassed," Tink said as they stared at the show before them. The Knight of Four was publicly flirting with Liliana, who was more than willing to flirt back. Both knights were red but didn't stop talking. The two blondes either didn't notice or didn't care about the looks they were receiving from others.
"Love in the air. Do nothing and all the ladies will be taken, Tink." Leo smugly stated. He and Marika were pretty much inseparable tonight.
"Don't act cool just because your girlfriend is here, Leo." Sokkia rolled his eyes." Don't worry, Tink. I'm sure you will find someone soon."
"Shame we can't say the same about you." Leo looked away with a grin but smacked by Marika.
"Don't be rude, Leo."
"Yeah! Not my fault guys can't see how awesome I am. But hey, now that the war is over I'm sure I will get a boyfriend. Right?" Sokkia happily asked but everyone silently looked away with a poker face, not wanting to hurt the poor maiden. "...Guys?"
Oldrin giggled at the silly scene before she decided to walk towards the open window and get some fresh air. Once she was alone, the knight of honour let out a deep sigh and looked down.
'I know Marry called me here so I could forget about Orpheus, but it isn't easy.' Learning about the fact that your long lost brother was alive isn't easy to take in. Even harder when it turns out he was an enemy and tried to kill your nation's leader. Oldrin didn't know how to feel about it, about him. When she learned about it, she thought it was some kind of mistake. But Marry wasn't joining, Oldrin was told about everything that happened with Orpheus. However, she felt like there was something that both OSI and her brother didn't mention. First her uncle and now this, she didn't know how to feel anymore.
'When he saw me he looked so shocked. Like he forgot he had a sister. He changed. After everything that happened, it is to be expected. But I feel like there is something else. I'm sure I wasn't told the entire story and Oz doesn't want to tell me either. Oz seemed scared by something, but by what?'
Doubt started to form in her mind. There was more to her brother's story but others kept it a secret from her. Oldrin understood that it was probably related to the assassination attempt or the Peace Mark but deep down she was worried about her brother. She didn't know what to think about him anymore, but she sure didn't want Orpheus to die. She lost him once and didn't want to repeat it. However, it didn't change the fact that Oz was her enemy. What should she do?
However, her thoughts were interrupted when Oldrin heard someone laugh.
"Feeling down, Zevon?" The Second Knight of The Round Table, Cinder Fall, said with a satisfied smirk as she walked towards her.
Oldrin froze before turning away, hoping the second knight would leave her alone. Lady Fall didn't like her and it was obvious. Oldrin didn't know the reason but she didn't want to be bullied by Cinder tonight. Marry wasn't here to help/protect her and Oldrin didn't want to provoke the second knight or give her the reaction she wanted. With that in mind, she thought about ignoring Cinder's provocation.
"Good evening, Lady Fall," Oldrin said with her best poker face while Cinder smirked.
"Come on, Oldrin. Lady Fall is for outsiders, friends can call me Cinder."
"Forgive me, but since when are we friends?" the blonde knight asked with narrowed eyes.
"Since forever, silly! We had become friends the moment I saw you. After all, His Majesty wanted me to get along with you and I was doing my best. Or..." Cinder's smile vanished, leaving only a cold stare. "Do you want to see how I treat those who aren't friends?"
Oldrin froze but instead of backing down, she pushed forward. She was already done with the situation with her brother and didn't have the patience to tolerate the second knight's insults/threats.
"Please, for the love of God, at least tonight don't try to torment or insult me. I'm not in the mood and tired of you-!" Oldrin stopped before she shouted. She glared at the ground and looked away. "I have a difficult situation and will appreciate it if you will leave me alone. Please."
Both knights were silent. Oldrin didn't bother to look at her companion, hoping she got the message. Cinder didn't say anything, Instead, she leaned against the window and stared at the night sky. The blonde knight returned to her brooding, thinking again about the situation with her brother. The second knight finally spoke with a knowing smile.
"Are you worried about your brother, Zevon?" Oldrin looked at her with confusion but sighed. Of course, Cinder would know, she is the knight of the round after all.
"...Is it so obvious?"
"Yup. I noticed it before when you were with your friends." She chuckled. "They look so happy and you look like your dog was killed. Heh...Pretty hard to believe. Your long lost brother is alive and well. This should be a dream but not everything is so easy."
"Oz- Orpheus is a member of the Peace Mark! We fought them, maybe even before! How many people did he kill? H-how many of his friends and comrades have I killed?" Oldrin almost screamed. "I thought he was dead all this time while he was trying to destroy Britannia, all these years we were on opposite sides and I didn't know any of it. What am I supposed to do now? He tried to kill the emperor. Should I treat him like a terrorist or like a brother? As if everything that happened up until doesn't matter anymore!? I don't know!"
Oldrin stared at the Cinder when she felt something wet on her face. She touched her eyes and found tears, the blonde knight quickly turned away. The last thing she needed right now was for the second knight to find another material to bully her with. However, instead of any insults from Cinder, Oldrin saw how black haired beauty gave her a handkerchief. Oldrin was confused but took it and quickly cleaned her face. There was an awkward silence between the two before Cinder spoke.
"Zevon, no, Oldrin. Tell me, do you know anything about the Blackwood family?" Cinder asked with a melancholic smile.
'Blackwood...wait, I remember when mom was alive she used to complain and grumble about their head.' Oldrin slowly nodded. "Yes, but only a little. I remember that mom wasn't fond of them."
"Heh, that's putting it lightly. Blackwood was an old noble family who specialized in the trade. The last head was at odds with Zevon's own. The two matriarchs couldn't stand each other and hated each other with such passion...something that was useful when Zevon's family head was assassinated." Oldrin remembered it, the day her uncle killed her mom. She was lucky Marry took her in.
"Salem Blackwood was the easy target and other enemies of her family used it as an opportunity to destroy and get rid of her and the entire clan… she was blamed for the crime your uncle did and was executed for it." Cinder stooped and glanced at her. "Did you know that Salem had a daughter? A little girl, the same age as you. She was forced to abandon her family legacy and become no one. Live in the shadows, in fear that the people who killed her mother will one day come for her too. She spent the next years trying her best to become someone, to gain power and have her revenge...Do you know what happened next?"
Oldrin had an idea where this was going. It wasn't hard to imagine who this little girl was. But she asked nonetheless.
"What?"
A feral, bloodthirsty smile formed on Cinder's face as she leaned closer. Her face was a few inches away from Oldrin's. Her amber eyes stared at her green.
"My Emperor made me a Knight of The Round. My first act as a knight was to find everyone who was related to the death of my mother. After that, I butchered them like animals. Only one family remained, the old foe of Blackwoods. Zevon, your family."
Oldrin froze, she thought about backing off but she couldn't. Cinder stare wouldn't allow her. However, instead of being scared, Oldrin clenched her fists.
"And so what? The one responsible for it is my uncle, not me or my brother. I have nothing to do with your mother's death or your fate...I'm sorry for what my uncle did but I'm not the one who did any of this, Cinder." The Knight of Two remained silent. Oldrin started to feel dread, did she say something wrong? But then the Emperor's White Queen laughed.
"Hehe, His Majesty said the same thing and I agreed with him. You can't imagine how much I wanted to hurt you, to break you! But, the logical part of me said that it would be useless. Your uncle is my target, not you. And he will pay for it, maybe even with your help. As a knight of Britannia, you will protect the crown against him too. Don't feel bad about the situation with your brother." Cinder smirked. "I hope this helped you. My feelings were screaming to hurt you and yet I listened to reason. Why should I kill you and waste a good opportunity to use you against a Wizard? It will be logical to have you as 'friend' then enemy."
"Why? How learning about your past can help me to solve my family issue?" Cinder groaned.
"I expected too much...Because, dear Oldrin. Despite how I felt, I didn't act on my feelings and instead followed logic. So why should you be bothered by your emotions and turmoil about your brother? Follow your logic, if you have any. Your brother is alive and well. He might be behind bars but I know that his majesty won't execute him. Your family member is alive after all these years. Not everyone is as lucky as you." Cinder looked at the window." I would give up everything if it meant my mother was alive and with me. Oldrin, who cares about the stuff your brother did? Just be happy he is with you again."
Oldrin didn't know what to say. She didn't expect Cinder Fall, the same knight who had an issue with openly threatening her, to say this.
"I-I don't know what to say, Cinder."
"Don't bother. After all, friends always help each other when needed. We are… friends, right?" she said and placed her hand on Oldrin's shoulder. "Since by being your friend, I have better chances to use you as a tool against your uncle and sacrifice if needed."
"And you're back to normal." Oldrin sighed. "I already started to hope you're actually a good person."
"Being good is boring." Cinder smirked before she walked away, but stopped and gave her final glance. "Enjoy the night, Oldrin, and don't think about your problems. You will worry about them tomorrow because I will remind you of them."
The second knight smirked while Oldrin just rolled her eyes. But deep down, the Glinda Knight was feeling better. Perhaps Cinder wasn't such a bitch after all.
Lelouch smiled as another person started speaking with him about another uninteresting subject.
This was getting tiresome. He knew he needed to spend some time with these people but constantly smiling and nodding at everything they say was getting annoying. A quick glance at Leila showed that she was in a similar situation but more people wanted to speak with her. C.C on another hand was completely free and was enjoying her pizza. Wait, where did she find it?
The White Emperor thought about anything that would solve his problem but soon his salvation had come in the form of music, indicating the beginning of the dance. The guests gave him space and Lelouch had a moment to collect his thoughts.
"Not liking speaking with your subjects, Lelouch? How cruel, these people would be so heartbroken to learn it." His witch giggled but her warlock just shook his head.
"It wouldn't be so bad if they had at least anything interesting to talk about. Most of them repeat the same thing and congratulate me." He sighed. "I thought only nobles were this bad. I just hope it is over." Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Who is it-" He stopped speaking the moment his eyes landed on the person behind him.
"Hello, brother. I was wondering if you would like to share a dance with me." His younger sister Marrybell asked with a slight blush on her face.
A pink shade formed on Lelouch's face as well as he looked at his younger sister. Marrybell was wearing a red dress that was nicely hugging her figure. Her shoulders and back naked. The lower part of her dress was made of silk, which allowed to see what was below the knees. Her slim legs were covered with white stockings. Instead of her usual ponytail, Marrybell let her hair down. She was smiling while Lelouch stared at her with wide-open eyes. Quickly coming back to his senses, the White Emperor coughed before answering.
"That would be my pleasure, my lady," Lelouch said as he took Marrybell into his arms.
Despite his dislike for such events, Lelouch never forgot the dancing lessons Marianne forced him to attend. At least something good that woman did for him. Royal siblings danced as people around them looked with delight at them.
"Finally we have a moment alone, brother," Marrybell said with a happy smile. "It was so long since we could talk like this."
"Well, we're still in the middle of the dance. But I'm glad you're here, Marry."
"As if I would miss such a night! You didn't celebrate our victory at all, Lelouch. After battling in Moscow I wanted to spend more time with you," She said with a pout. "But all this stupid work kept both of us busy." He let out a short laugh.
"At least now we're free for the time being and can enjoy this night together." Marrybell smiled softly as she placed her head on his chest.
"I would love nothing more than to spend more time with you like this, Lelouch...If only my knight was as happy as I am." She looked to the side.
"Oldrin Zevon is still upset about the situation with her brother?" She nodded.
"Much like myself when I learned of your survival, she was shocked but quickly became happy that her brother is still alive. Telling my friend the truth that he was a rebel and attempted to assassinate the Emperor was a heavy hit for poor Oldrin." Marry replied, eyes downcast.
"I'm sorry." It was expected. Lelouch decided it was better if Oldrin knew about her brother. Not to mention it might help to make Orpheus more open to the idea of joining him without the use of Geass.
"Don't be, none of it is your fault. But I wish I could help her. She didn't want to come here tonight, but others managed to convince her. She needs company right now. "Marrybell sighed. "Let's focus on happy thoughts tonight. We will deal with problems after celebrations."
"Of course, Marry. I gotta say, I don't remember you dancing so well."
Marrybell smirked. "Well, I wasn't a part of your little group back then. Unfortunately, we didn't spend much time together but I would love to change it, dear brother."
"My group?" Lelouch asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You, Clovis, Cornelia, Schneizel, Euphemia and-" She stopped. Both of them knew who she had in mind. "You were so close as children. Kind of hard to imagine how everything changed."
'I killed Clovis and Euphemia...Cornelia and Schneizel are my enemies. And Nunnally... They were a huge part of my childhood. And now they aren't with me anymore. Huh, I know that it is the path I had chosen, but I will miss the days when we were a real family.'
"We can't change the past but we can improve the future. I have you by my side, Marrybell. That's all I need." Lelouch said with a warm tone, making his sister melt in his embrace.
"Lelouch." Marrybell blushed as her heart started to bite faster. She had half mind to close the distance between their faces and claim her brother's lips, until-
"Y-y-your majesty, I would love to share a dance with you as well."
Both of them turned to see Cecile who was blushing from embarrassment, her eyes closed. Behind her, Bishop was standing at the side with thumbs up. The female scientist wanted to retreat but an enthusiastic knight of the round didn't give her any chance to escape. However, it was not too late. Cecile slowly opened her eyes and saw Lelouch's warm smile which made her feel at ease...until she noticed the glare that Princess Marrybell had which promised suffering in the future.
"If you do not mind, of course, Princess Marrybell." The princess in question looked as if she wanted to protest but decided against it.
With a pout, she said. "Ok but only one dance...And after that, I will continue!"
Lelouch laughed but promised to have another dance with her. Cecile awkwardly took the emperor's hand and both started to move. All the while Marrybell was feeling salty. Bishop on another hand was feeling great, he felt like he won another battle right now who started to think about it. 'While I'm not interested in pursuing romance myself, I see no problem helping others to experience love themselves...Hmm, perhaps I should give Arthur advice as well.'
While everyone was having fun inside the main hall, two individuals decided to enjoy the fresh air outside.
Two lovers of the emperor were standing outside on the balcony, enjoying the view of the night sky. C.C took a sip of wine before she glanced at her ally. She was still refusing to call D.S anything but that.
"Surprised you didn't come in a fancy dress." Despite the event, D.S was still wearing her casual clothes. The woman in question simply smiled.
"I thought about it at first but decided against it. Easier to avoid conversations. Everyone thinks I'm part of the stuff and avoids me."
"You don't want to chat with these people?"
"As head of OSI, I already knew pretty much everything I needed about them. Don't see the point of speaking with people. Besides, events like this are boring to me. I'm more surprised you managed to avoid all of it." C.C rolled her eyes.
"I know how to present myself to evade boring talks. But I had a few small chats. Leila is currently more interesting than I. The girl turned down Lelouch's offer to become his PM and people want to know why." The witch glanced at her future saviour. The blonde messiah of Europe was surrounded by guests who wouldn't stop asking her about everything. "Poor girl."
"Not going to save her?"
"Nope," C.C smirked before taking another sip. "Fresh breeze, good wine. All I'm missing is a slice of pizza right now to make this moment perfect."
"Hmm." D.S stared at the horizon. The green-haired witch looked at her before sighing.
"What's on your mind?"
"I was thinking about Zero Requiem." C.C froze. "Sorry, I know this is a heavy subject for you."
"It's fine. I just don't want to think about it more than necessary. I thought everything was going according to our plan. That Peace Mark spy is doing her part and we're doing ours." After their last talk in Berlin, both girls come up with an idea to fix their problems. However, it was harder to do without letting Lelouch learn about it.
"I just feel like not telling Lelouch about it will backfire. Maybe we should tell him about Zer-"
"No," C.C said with a cold tone. D.S said nothing, expecting this response. "Lelouch doesn't need to know something that would bring him only harm...but I can see why it would be better to inform him about everything else."
D.S.'s eyes widened. "You mean-?!"
"After the banquet, I will corner my warlock and tell him everything except that cursed Requiem. I will tell him about Nunnally and Schneizel." She looked at Dimensional Supervisor with a sympathetic look. "I know that keeping secrets from Lelouch - especially something this important - is a bad idea. But I don't want Lelouch to put himself in unnecessary trouble again. The moment he learns about Nunnally, things will change. But I don't want to tell him about Zero Requiem. At least not right now. Once we deal with Schneizel, I will tell him everything. But until then..."
"I get it, C.C. While things are different from that timeline, everything might change and follow that scenario. I don't want it either." D.S moved closer to C.C and placed her hand on the witch's shoulder. "In that case, after this event, we are telling him part of the truth."
C.C sighed before she looked down with a sorrowful expression on her face.
"I already hid the truth about his parents and the fact that Marianne was alive. But Lelouch never questioned me about it. He simply came up with a new plan and continued to move forward. He never brought it up."
"That's because he loves you, Cera." In normal circumstances, C.C would have been irritated by the fact someone was mentioning her name without the witch's permission. However, right now she was fine with it. "He trusts you."
"That's why keeping information from him makes me feel like a shit." D.S laughed.
"Well, you're doing a good job at it. I haven't noticed any difference." C.C rolled her eyes.
"Haha, speak like this and I won't Lelouch spend nights with you." A playful smirk appeared on D.S.'s face.
"What are you going to do? Occupy him by yourself? In that case, I with other girls could join in your fun too." C.C raised an eyebrow.
"Others?" D.S said nothing and just pointed behind her. Seconds later, two new faces joined them.
"C.C, here you are! Do you have any slightest idea what I went through?" Leila said with an irritated tone. "All these guests asked the same question about my refusal. They make it seem like I'm giving up on a cancer vaccine or something."
"To be fair, if I wasn't a knight of the round, I would have asked the same thing, Lady Leila." Cinder commented before she glanced at them. "Lady-"
"Stop with the Lady bullshit, Cindy. We are sleeping with the same man. At least call us by our names." C.C said with a monotone voice. Leila's face went red.
"Wait, what! I and Lelouch aren't like that yet-"
"Yet?" Cinder asked with narrowed eyes. Leila froze and looked away, her ears red from the heat. Cinder's left eye twitched. "And here I hoped I only had three girls to worry about."
"Don't see the issue." D.S started. "Look at us. We all knew about Lelouch's past, about his Geass." Cinder and Leila looked at each other. Both never spoke with each other about anything not related to work."
"And your point?"
"Neither of you had any issues with it and you accepted Lelouch without any issue. We all have feelings for him so why not share him? C.C is fine with it and I would welcome even more women in our group. Sharing is caring after all. All I want is to keep Lelouch happy, that doesn't mean we can't be happy as well. But then there is also Marry-" D.S thought about the incest loving sister while Cinder looked unimpressed.
"My mother always taught me to be the best. That includes love life as well. However, as long as I'm his main wife I don't have any problems."
C.C. laughed. "You can keep that title if you want, girl. It won't change the fact I'm Lelouch's partner and will always be closer than anyone else." The witch said with pride in her tone.
"Ah." All attention turned to Leila." I'm Lelouch's partner as well so that means-" C.C rolled her eyes.
"Not the same and never will be. You can argue about stuff like this, I don't really care. However," a sly smile formed on the witch's face. "Should you decide to join me and Lelouch in bed, be prepared. I'm not as gentle as my warlock."
"What do you mean?" Leila asked.
"Leila, you are still a maiden but I know how to easily change that. And you little knight, all bark and no bite, unless... hmm." An exciting idea popped up in C.C's head as she closed the distance and whispered into Cinder's ear. "Lelouch didn't tell me but I have a pretty good idea what you two did back then. What do you say we replay that moment but with me in charge?"
Both Cinder and Leila turned red, understanding what she meant. The blonde advisor was having an especially hard time. Still thinking about her thoughts on the aspect of starting a relationship with Lelouch. Cinder on another hand started to imagine what it would be like, only for strategic reasons! That's right if she wanted to be Lelouch number one, she needed to be the best in every area. That includes carnal desires as well. Beating the witch there will be a sweet victory. D.S on another hand was looking forward to such time. C.C didn't bother to listen to their responses as she left them behind and went after her warlock.
"We can work out a schedule." Offered D.S. Still, with a red face, Cinder nodded.
"T-that will be a good idea. I-I would prefer a bed instead of a garden next time I would be alone with him."
"Wait, what? What garden?" Leila asked with a confused look.
The witch made her way inside the main hall, the people were still dancing and it wasn't looking like a celebration would end soon. Green haired immortal didn't need to look around, her connection with Lelouch was enough to sense him. She continued to walk towards him. Soon the witch found her warlock. Lelouch just finished dancing and was talking to some of the governors. She paid them no mind, as she walked towards her man. C.C intervened in their conversation and took his hand.
"Now, my warlock, dance with me." She wasn't asking but demanding. Lelouch smirked while his subject looked astonished by her actions. However, their emperor obeyed his witch. Soon, the witch and warlock enjoyed comfort in each other's arms as the two started to dance.
"Hmm, you do know how to move, Lelouch. Not to mention actually hosting this event or bothering to show up."
"Surprised?"
"A little bit. We both know you would rather spend the entire night in the war room or gambling. But then again, you surprised me many times." Lelouch smiled.
"And I'm not going to stop doing that. I love nothing more to see the smile on your face. Or embarrassment." his partner let out a short laugh.
"Well, you would have to try harder than that if you want to see that. By the way, I had a word with you little fan club?"
Lelouch blinked. "Which one? I'm sure there is more than one."
C.C. sighed. "The one you're sleeping with. Or planning in case of Leila."
"Oh my. My witch is making new friends? I'm so proud."
Her response was to step on his foot. "Look who's talking. I haven't seen you in the company of anyone outside your little tin soldiers or these girls."
He froze but quickly tried to defend himself. "I have friends. I have Jeremiah, eh, Bishop."
C.C stared at him." Lelouch, you need to find more friends."
"Shut up witch." Lelouch rolled his eyes while she smirked." I will find friends after I deal with the empire's problems."
"Excuses, Lelouch, nothing but excuses. Speaking about problems." her expression turned serious." There is something I need to discuss with you. It is important, Lelouch."
He said nothing but from the look on his face, C.C could see that he was now concerned. If his witch called something important, then it was serious. They continued their dance until the white emperor spoke.
"Remember that night on Kamine island?" She nodded with a bitter expression.
"How can I forget it? Not the best night you and I had." C.C might have lost her chance to die that night but she gained something more important, someone.
"Well, there is one thing that I would always remember without any regret," Lelouch smirked when his witch asked what exactly he meant. "This."
C.C didn't have time to react when Lelouch leaned closer and captured her lips. The kiss wasn't hungry or lustful like their previous ones. Instead, it was a simple kiss and yet both of them were more than happy with it. Her eyes went wide, it wasn't their first kiss but Lelouch preferred to not do anything like this in public. Now, however, everyone was staring at them with wide eyes. Guests, Knights of The Round and others.
Marrybell looked like she wanted nothing more than to be in C.C.'s place. Knights of the round were mostly taken back by the sudden action of their emperor. Bishop looked like he would start crying from happiness at any moment and was stopped by Peter and Arthur. Cinder was feeling jealous and already started to plan how to get Lelouch to do the same with her. D.S was happily approving while Leila covered her eyes and yet couldn't help but pick at them. Lelouch's guardians, Jeremiah and Sayoko were both proudly nodding, approving of their master's action.
Then there were the guests. C.C didn't care about any of them but she found it quite funny how everyone froze and was staring at her and Lelouch. Pawns they might be, C.C enjoyed this type of attention. Her warlock was making bold moves and she loved it. Sadly, the kiss couldn't last forever and two of them withdrew with heavy breathing. Lelouch looked around. His followers were shocked by his deed. The white emperor preferred to avoid any confirmation of his love life in public until now. His witch was smiling. However, he knew how to make them even more shocked. He took her hand and started to lead her outside the hall. His witch looked supposed.
"Where are we going, Lelouch?" He smirked.
"Somewhere more private," He spoke loud enough for those close to hear him. Needless to say, the night became more interspersing as guests started to whisper and talk about what just happened.
Lelouch brought her to his office.
It was a huge room deep inside the palace, meant for the emperors to quietly think and have a calm place for themselves. It had a throne with a table before it and a huge screen above it. Behind the throne on the wall was placed a Britannian coat of arms. Charles made this room into his private library and while Lelouch would have liked to burn it just out of spite, the young emperor kept it mostly untouched. Because of his trip to Europe, Lelouch wasn't able to use this room often. As the young emperor took a seat, C.C looked around.
"Does the Demon Emperor want to have his way with this maiden right here and now?" She asked with a Chesire smile as she made her way towards him. C.C sat down on his lap, her arms tightly hugging her warlock. Lelouch smirked but stopped her.
"While that's a quite tempting offer, I have to decline for the time being. Instead, I'm more interested in what you wanted to tell me." His tone became serious. "C.C, what's wrong?"
She knew she promised to speak with him about Nunnally but now it felt harder. Sex would have been a preferable alternative but she knew that telling him after that would be even worse. C.C took a deep breath and prepared herself for a heavy talk.
"Lelouch, it is about Nu-"
However, before his witch could even say a word, someone knocked at their door. Both blinked, unsure who it was. His Scarlet Guard was standing outside, giving their master some privacy with his lady. Lelouch allowed to enter and the door opened, revealing Alfred. The concerned look on his way did little to calm them.
"Your majesty! We're receiving a call. It is your brother, Schneizel."
Lelouch's eyes went wide while C.C felt like something terrible was about to happen. She got up while Lelouch clenched his fist but said.
"Put him on. If Schneizel feels comfortable enough to call me so casually, he must have planned something. Put White Legion on high alert." Alfred nodded.
A moment later a face of the former Prime Minister appeared on TV before them. Cornelia was standing next to him. It appeared like they were standing in some garden, as Lelouch could see a vast field of flowers behind them. His older brother looked pleased, with his usual fake smile. Cornelia on another hand was just glaring at him. The white emperor's face became serious.
"Schneizel, Cornelia. What a surprise. Are you calling to congratulate me perhaps? Or just to chat?" he smirked when Cornelia got angry.
"You don't deserve anything after what you have done, Lelouch. You're a monster!" She didn't bother to hide venom in her voice. Yet, Lelouch smirk didn't fade away, making his older sister even more furious. Schneizel placed a hand on her shoulder before he addressed their young brother.
"Lelouch, we're calling you to reason with you. Brother, for the sake of everyone, we ask you to peacefully abdicate and return the throne to the rightful heir." Lelouch laughed.
"A rightful heir? And who that would be, dear brother? You or perhaps Cornelia? I would like to see you try to take Britannia from me." Neither of his siblings said anything. However, a new voice joined in.
"No, that would be me, big brother."
As a new young female voice spoke, the camera zoomed out, showing another face. Lelouch froze, his heart started to race faster, his eyes went wide. Dozens of feelings started to form inside him. His witch wasn't feeling better either. C.C clenched her fist. This shouldn't have happened! Not like this! Before them, in her wheelchair was a sitting little girl. The girl who was Lelouch reason to live and go on all this time. The girl who was believed to be dead after the last battle in Tokyo.
Nunnally vi Britannia was alive. Lelouch could only whisper.
"Nunnally..."
"Hello, big brother. I called you to announce my declaration of war. From now on we are enemies, Demon Emperor Lelouch."
#
#
#
#
And here is the new chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it! I wanted to write about the banquet for a long time. Since 2016 I think. Of course, since that time it went through multiple changes. One of my first ideas was to have some kind of James Bond situation with Miss X as the agent of Federation. In that scenario, the chapter was mostly the reaction of Black Knights to Lelouch and his knights of the round.
Many things happened in this chapter, but I'm sure many of you have questions or complaints about the last part with Nunnally. I know that some dislike and tired of this plotline. I share this opinion and that's why I will try to change it a little bit. The new knights of the round got their moments. I know that not everyone is happy with OCs taking significant roles, and while I understand that I feel like leaving them out won't be better. I thought about it many times, I think focusing on one OC while others will be secondary characters is the most optimal choice. But I will speak about it in future chapters.
Anyway, hoped you enjoyed the chapter! See you next time! :D
Editor: Kingpin Lunamaria.