Turn 4: Gathering allies

"They care."

It was hard to swallow. Nunnally held Lelouch's hand, her frown as deep as his.

"Yes. They truly care about us. Enough to challenge Father is given the chance."

Lelouch shuddered. Merely thinking about the man made him nervous. His sister understood. She was as fond of their genitor as he was. So long as he was in the picture, there would be no gentle world, not when Charles zi Britannia embodied everything that was wrong in the Empire.

Eventually, they would have to take him down. Both siblings had thus made a fortress of their mind, building defense after defense to prevent anyone with a mental power from altering it. Naturally, they had done it with the Emperor in mind.

"I still think it's a bad idea. Until now, our anonymity has always been our shield. I erased Clovis's memories after I was done searching his mind, and I admit that contacting Jeremiah Gottwald is a huge gambit. His loyalty to Mother is absolute, but Father has the power to rewrite memories and we are both mages, in a way. Nothing says there aren't others with a power like Father or who know how to use mana. I don't like it, Nunna."

To say her elder brother was paranoid was kind of an understatement. But it wasn't paranoia when there really was someone out to get you. Someone who had hurt you before and had every reason to do it again. Lelouch was mildly paranoid, but it was justified. Add to this his training as a spy/thief/assassin and her brother had a natural propensity for caution and planification. He had Plans A to Z for pretty much every situation, and Nunnally would be ungrateful to complain. Said plans had saved her many times, and it was only his skills at stealth that had kept them away from the Empire's hands.

So, much as she hated it, Lelouch had a point: revealing themselves to any of their siblings was pretty much a death sentence. Still…

"Lulu, we won't take down Father all by ourselves. We need allies. If what you saw in Gottwald's mind is true, he will make a valuable asset, and much as Clovis is incompetent in anything unrelated to arts, he still has power and influence. And, of course, there is Cornelia. According to what you saw, she searched for us right until the day she was recalled home, with Clovis picking the search where she left it. Cornelia is called the Goddess of Victory, and her troops are equally famous for their loyalty and their might. You are also a tactical genius. More than that, you are an assassin and a spy. Intelligence and covert operations are your specialty."

"Have me spy on Father's forces and maybe even sabotage them, then draw battle plans with Cornelia and bring the fight to Father… That's a plan. Not my primary one but it's noted. The biggest problem is that we're running on the assumption they will dare challenge Father."

"Not that much of an assumption given what you saw."

Lelouch hummed.

"Even with that, Father isn't without his own assets. He has his power, of course. Then there are the Knights of the Round. For all of Cornelia's might, Father's personal guard is a different league altogether… Though, if we're talking about my assassin's skills, I may be able to arrange a few *accidents* and remove the worst from the board. And, of course, let's not forget Schneizel. If he doesn't side with us, he will be bar none our worst opponent. Since he never takes the field, we won't be able to kill him in battle. We will have to sniff him out and neutralize him the subtle way. Not only that, he is smart. Smarter than me, by any measure, and it isn't something many people can boast. My one trump card against him is my training. For all his brain, Schneizel isn't a fighter. Catch him with his pants down – if such thing is ever possible – and he'll fold the moment a weapon is pointed at him. Worst comes to pass and he sides against us, I'll kill him in his sleep and good riddance."

Nunnally sighed. She hated that her brother possessed those skills. Espionage and theft were fine, but stealthily killing someone was not. However, given his very first victim had been the guard that had taken her hostage at the shrine, she could understand why he had them. It was necessary.

"A good thing this isn't our first plan."

Lelouch grimaced.

"It's pretty far down the list. For now, I like the one I have in mind: get a job in the government's bureaucracy, build a network of agents, then strangle the Empire with its red tape."

"Like a spider in the middle of its web, playing everyone against each other until your prey falls in your trap and you can finish it."

"Exactly. This is the safest plan and the one I am settling on for now."

"It will take time."

"I am patient."

"The situation may change."

"That's why it's only Plan A. In that particular context, I have plans all the way to Z."

Nunnally silently hated her Father, her half-brothers and sisters and the entirety of the Imperial Court for driving her brother paranoiac. She hated them even more for justifying said paranoia.

"If someone didn't know you, they'd say you're jumping at shadows."

"Nunna, please." Lelouch chuckled. "I am not jumping at shadows. I am the one jumping from them to kill you!"

On this, he tackled his sister and started tickling her. Nunnally answered in kind, the two siblings rolling on the carpet for a tickle fight. Goupil, their filigree familiar, joined the scuffle. The foxlike automaton yelped in delight as the pair extended their tickles to him.

–v–

Suzaku considered himself extremely lucky that the Resistance cell had welcomed him without too many questions. The white Knightmare Frame he had brought was certainly one of the reasons they hadn't been too regarding. Still, they let him join and gave him a place to stay. For the time being, he would stay hidden with them and do everything he could to remain out of the military's hands. After a stunt like that, he wouldn't even be court-martialed. It would be the firing squad without due process. So, he had everything to gain from staying with them.

C.C. watched the curly brunette from the shadows. Originally, she had considered going with the two hooded teens, but the boy was a Planeswalker, which massively complicated things. Code Bearers and Planeswalkers didn't mesh well, in no small part because a Planeswalker's Spark consumed any Code they were given. Not only that, giving a Geass to any latent Planeswalker systematically Ignited their Spark. She had seen it happen twice before. The first instance had even been her doing, as well as a complete accident. So, tagging with the hooded teens was out of question.

The curly brunette, Suzaku, was more interesting. He was a troubled, almost broken soul with a sort of martyr complex born from feelings of deep guilt, a bundle of negative emotions aimed exclusively toward himself. The one light in his heart was Princess Nunnally, his childhood friend with which he had been reunited in the ghetto. He was the reason he hung on, at least for now. The teen was in an emotional limbo. Whether he would give in to his darkness or reach for his light would depend of the events C.C. knew would soon unfold.

Because she knew from experience it was just the start. The wheels had been set in motion, and there was no stopping them. All the players could do, now, was influence their turning.

She glanced at the red-haired girl and frowned at the familiar sensation. A latent Spark?

The girl was Kallen Kozuki/Stadtfeld. A latent Planeswalker, uh? Knowing what it took for a Spark to ignite, she idly wondered what could cause her to ascend. With her lifestyle, it probably wouldn't be hard…

–v–

Bartley Asperius would never admit it, but he was scared. Not only had the primary subject of Project R disappeared, they were very likely in the hands of the Resistance, with all the formidable powers they possessed. If they decided to team up and get revenge, there would be little the Britannian forces could do to stop them. An unkillable, centuries-old immortal was a frightening opponent, especially when it held a grudge.

Even more worrisome was the murder of the Royal Guard, Prince Clovis's coma and the theft of the Lancelot. There were… rumors from the less legal circles, about a man known only as the Shadow Operative. A spy and thief for hire who also worked as an assassin if you were willing to pay the asking price. Rumor had it they had never failed a job. Information, items, men, none were beyond their reach.

Earl Asplund was still crying over the Lancelot's theft. If anyone asked Bartley, it was very likely the Shadow Operative's doing. It would be their style. And only an assassin as skilled as they were could have gotten the drop on the Royal Guard, especially with knives. The Operative never used guns.

This left Prince Clovis's coma. According to the scans, the Viceroy's brain wasn't damaged. It was, however, working at a pace equal to REM sleep and showed the symptoms of an extremely nasty migraine. They had already placed him under heavy painkillers in a secure room of the palace, Jeremiah Gottwald taking command in the meantime. The problem was: what had caused the Prince to fall to that? Because Clovis had never suffered from migraines before, nor did anyone else in the Imperial family, and this one was particularly brutal.

So many questions, and not an answer to them. Bartley briefly considered hiring the Operative to investigate. He squashed the thought. The Viceroy and his government had never used his services before. They had never needed to. No way they would start now. They would get answers through their own means. Britannia was the strongest country in the world. They didn't need the help of an underground agent to solve their problems.

–v–

Lelouch and Nunnally spent the day at Ashford, attending to their student occupations. After the events of yesterday, they needed the peace to unwind. As he walked to class, however, Lelouch felt a familiar brain pattern. Glancing around, he located it in the head of Kallen Stadtfeld, a red-haired girl who suffered from chronic illness and rarely attended classes… just like he and Nunnally did. As he peered into her mind, careful not to draw her attention, he came to a startling realization. The moment class was over was the moment he found a quiet spot to laugh his head off. Nunnally sensed it.

"Big Brother? What's so funny?"

Lelouch snickered.

"You know Kallen Stadtfeld, from my class? She was the Glasgow pilot from yesterday. She is of mixed blood and her Japanese name is Kozuki. She is also a member of the Shinjuku Resistance cell."

"Oh! And where does it get fun?"

"Simple: she is faking illness to justify her absences… just like we do. Same excuse, same goal, similar motives. This is such a coincidence it's hilarious!"

"Put it like that, I can understand! You want to befriend her?"

Lelouch took the time to think. Slowly, the pieces of a scheme gathered in his mind.

"I think I have the start of a plan. Suzaku and Kallen belong to the Shinjuku Resistance cell. Tonight, I will pay a visit to Jeremiah Gottwald. If it works as intended, I will have an agent among the Viceroy's staff. This means I'll have people in both sides of the conflict. Add to this the various people who owe the Shadow Operative favors and I'll have a pretty good network. What I'm not sure about is how to use them."

"Our goal is to build a gentler world. For this, Father has to go, as well as all the people like him. How can we use what we have to reach it?"

"Good question." Lelouch thought. "Japan's biggest issue is its instability. Terrorist attacks are frequent. Before anything can be achieved, the country needs to be pacified, by fair means or foul. Fair means would be better, careful diplomacy ending in a truce between both factions in order to save our forces against the true enemy."

"Britannia."

"Exactly. We are against an empire which controls half of the known world. Japan alone, even if the Britannian forces turn against the homeland, has no chance against its full might. This is what worries me a lot. Father is merciless. At the first sign of wide-scale insurgency, he'll crush us all."

Nunnally could sense the fear in her brother's thoughts. The idea of challenging their father in open conflict terrified him. Assassination was a different story. But waging war? Lelouch was silently terrified by the prospect and she understood. It made her nervous as well.

"One step at a time, Big Brother. Get Kallen and Sir Jeremiah on our side and see what they bring. Then we will adapt our plans."

"Thank you. Some days, you're better than I am at keeping your cool."

Nunnally giggled through their bond and shut it. Lelouch decided to find Kallen. The girl was eating lunch with other friends when a bee came to harass them. Lelouch watched the bug. He wasn't afraid of them. Bees were gentle creatures so long as they weren't provoked, and their sting was a suicide move that merely hurt healthy people. He let one land on his hand and wander around. Kallen, however, had decided to deal with the insect in a more permanent fashion. The teen sighed as the bee dropped dead.

"It wasn't going to sting, you know? Not unless you provoked it."

Kallen jumped from behind the bush and frowned. She knew Lelouch from reputation. Just like her, he was chronically ill and rarely attended class. And, indeed, as she looked at him, she could see he wasn't looking good. His skin was sickly pale and his eyes half-lidded and a dull purple, half-covered by matted black hair. He was scrawny, as if underfed, and his moves were slow and cautious. Indeed, Lelouch Lamperouge was an ill teenager with a frail health.

There was a bee on his hand. He let the insect fly away with a smile.

"Bees are cute. Their sting is lethal only to them and the honey they make is tasty while possessing potent medical properties. There is no reason to be afraid of them."

A bee came buzzing around them. Kallen let it land on her hand and, indeed, the bug didn't sting her. Lelouch smiled.

"There is something I wish to talk about. Would you please come with me?"

His voice was soft, almost whispering.

"Of course." Kallen shrugged.

Whatever he wanted, she could always entertain him. And, worst came to pass, she wasn't half as frail as she made herself to be. She followed him to the student council's clubhouse. Before they could talk, the student council gathered and Lelouch mentally smacked himself for not paying closer attention to their thoughts. Had he known, he would have picked another place.

"Milly, what is it about?"

"Grandfather's idea. Since Kallen is as ill as you are, she has your problem of keeping up with club activities, so we decided to introduce her to the council."

Right, because he was a member of the student council. His mentalism made intelligence-gathering easy, which allowed him to know what students – and notably those belonging to clubs – wanted and needed. For all his apparent illness, Lelouch always seemed to know everything about everyone. Milly had mostly recruited him on these grounds.

Nunnally, their maid Sayoko and little Goupil joined the group as platters of tasty snacks were placed on the table. Kallen stopped at the automaton.

"It is… adorable."

"Goupil is a gift from an acquaintance." Lelouch smiled. "Taking care of a real pet is a bit problematic because of my fragile health and Nunnally's blindness, so a friend of mine crafted it to keep us company."

It wasn't a complete lie. The filigree familiar had been crafted by Saheeli Rai as a thanks for his help during the Inventor's Fair. Indeed, in a world of aether-powered technology, creatures which fed on magic and ate through machines were an absolute bane. Unfortunately, Kaladesh bred few natural mages. Fortunately, Lelouch needed no artifact to use his magic. His shadow knives had taken five nests of gremlins which were threatening the Inventor's Fair, and he had been rewarded with a handsome sum for his efforts. Then, after bonding with Saheeli over coming from technologically-advanced Planes, she had given him Goupil, both as a thanks and as a gift between fellow Planeswalkers.

"Goupil is the council's mascot." Milly grinned. "I'm Milly, the council's president, and this is Rivalz, Shirley, Nina and Nunnally. Sayoko is Lelouch and Nunnally's maid. With their handicaps, they need her help at home."

They started eating and talking, right until Rivalz brought champagne and he and Shirley argued over drinking it. They were, after all, underage. Lelouch didn't care about the argument. He had drunk champagne and other alcohols before, albeit in small doses. In his line of work, he couldn't afford to get drunk. This said, when Rivalz started shaking the bottle around, he quickly perceived the threat and moved to get it. Too late. The cork popped and got him drenched to the bone. The teen sighed.

"Well done, Rivalz."

"Oops! Sorry, man."

Naturally, a shower was in order. Lelouch breathed as the warm water ran on his skin. The shadows' freshness brought him a feeling of safety, but the water's warmth brought him comfort. He felt Kallen before she actually knocked.

"I brought fresh clothes."

"Come in, the curtain is drawn."

Kallen entered and placed the clothes on a chair. Then she took a moment to watch the silhouette, slender and frail. If he wasn't so sickly, the teen could almost be cute in an effete way.

"Does it happen often?"

"It usually isn't so bad. Milly has a strange definition of fun and no filter. Her ideas can feel downright weird at times. The rest of us are mostly there to curtail them and make them more appropriate."

Kallen hummed.

"Speaking of, you wanted to discuss something when you brought me there."

"Oh. Right. We are alone and Milly is busy in another building." Lelouch grinned, shadows dancing between his fingers. "How is Suzaku doing?"

Kallen tensed.

"Who?"

"Suzaku. The boy who brought you that white Knightmare Frame. He is a friend. I hope your group gave him a friendly welcome, Kallen Kozuki."

Kallen reached for her pouch. A shadow dagger embedded itself in the vanity. The girl froze.

"Playing the ill girl card to cover for your Resistance activities. I admit, I was surprised when I realized we were using the same excuse for similar goals. It gave me a good laugh."

The girl turned in time to see Lelouch exit the shower and wrap a towel around his waist. His look was different, though. He no longer seemed sick at all. His skin was flushed from the heat but still paler than the norm, his purple eyes bright and narrow like that of a bird of prey and his raven hair gleamed under the light. He was slim, of course. But his built was that of a gymnast, lean muscles visible under the skin of his arms and legs. And, of course, there were the muscles of the chest. Kallen couldn't help but let her gaze linger.

He had abs. Abs. A set of white chocolate tablets on the stomach that disclosed the fact the slender teen was strong. Her brain screeched to a halt. Hot. Hot, hot, hot. Lelouch Lamperouge was an attractive man.

Lelouch couldn't help the amusement bubbling in him. He had clearly felt Kallen's train of thoughts derail upon seeing his true physique. The occurrence was exceptional, his mental defenses usually held high and kept tight. He had made an exception this time and shut his Perception Filter. The results were… admittedly unexpected. Given how people saw him most of times, not many found him beautiful.

Kallen suddenly noticed a patch of lighter skin on the left side of the stomach. A scar, almost star-shaped. It looked ugly.

"How did you get that?"

"A risky gambit. It paid off, but recovering from it wasn't pleasant."

How do you fight someone who can control hundreds of minions with their mind? You don't bother with the minions. You go straight for the commander. Lukka, the Renegade Bonder, had allied with an extremist faction of Kaladesh, the Naturalists, who wanted to eradicate the use of artifacts and return all aether to the world. The faction used their mastery of green mana and breeding of gremlins to achieve their goal. Faced with such a threat, Saheeli had called for help. Lelouch had answered along with Huatli the Warrior Poet, Ral Zarek and, naturally, Chandra Nalaar. While Saheeli, Ral and Chandra had taken on the Naturalists, Huatli had sent her dinosaurs after the gremlins and Lelouch had used his assassination skills to get rid of Lukka. Unfortunately, through his link with the creatures, the Bonder had seen him come at the last minute.

Even though Lelouch's sword had stabbed him above the heart, Lukka's hook-weapon had stabbed him through the stomach, the pair rolling away from each other. Before passing out, the teen had seen the Bonder Planeswalk away. As for himself, he had been found in-extremis by Huatli, who had provided him first-aid. It had allowed the trained healers to reach him and nurse him back to health. Naturally, Nunnally had been scared.

Kallen shook herself. Yes, the pale-skinned teen was gorgeous. Still, she needed to take her mind out of the gutter.

"You and I both fake illness to cover for illegal activities. You know what I do. What guarantee do I have that you won't tell my secret?"

"I wouldn't have sent Suzaku and that Knightmare Frame to you if I didn't trust you."

"Fair. Why did you help us? You're Britannian."

She looked away as Lelouch dressed. The teen took a moment to consider his words.

"Do you know the true name of Miura Anjin?"

"I…Wait, I used to. Give me a moment to remember…" The girl's eyes lit up. "William Adams. A British trader, but rumors have it he was also a ninja."

Lelouch smiled gently.

"I spent the war in a cavern on the slopes of Mt. Fuji, with my sister and a dozen refugees. They didn't care that we were Britannians, only that we were children. I have never worked for the Resistance before…" A shadow knife appeared in his hand. "But I have worked for individual Japanese. Not all Britannians like their home country."

Kallen closed her eyes.

"Fair enough. I trust you."

"This is all I ask."

–v–

Kallen's assistance was assured. Now, they needed to get Jeremiah Gottwald on their side. That night, Lelouch rode to the Britannian settlement and slipped in the shadows. When you could move between spots of darkness and fool the senses of passers-by, sneaking anywhere was ridiculously easy. It was close to midnight and the lord was asleep in his quarters. Lelouch entered without a sound and watched him sleep. Gently, he peered into his mind and frowned.

Jeremiah Gottwald had always been one of Marianne Lamperouge's most faithful devotees. Part of it was his hopeless crush on her. The woman, born a commoner, had soared through the ranks of military through sheer guile and might, earning the respect of countless people in the process, including his own. He loved her, and it didn't matter that she was one of the Emperor's wives. Instead, he transferred his affection to her children, Lelouch and Nunnally, loving them as if they were his own. The Emperor was rarely at the Aries Villa, so the two kids rarely had a father figure to look up to. When Jeremiah was there, they did.

Then her death had come. His greatest failure. He shouldn't have listened when Marianne told him and Cornelia to remove the guard, that night. It was stupid. Every member of the Royal Court had enemies, especially Mariane because of her commoner background. He should have stayed there. But he hadn't, and now, she was dead. Then Prince Lelouch went missing and Princess Nunnally was sent to Japan. He searched for the prince, in vain. And, when the war came, he searched for the princess as well. He found neither, and the failure haunted him. But there was still hope. Prime Minister Kururugi had outright said the princess was hiding, so she was still alive. But the question he'd asked Cornelia haunted him. It haunted everyone who cared for the Imperial siblings.

Can you protect them from your father?

Jeremiah couldn't, but fighting wasn't always the answer. When strength failed, guile often prevailed. He couldn't fight the Emperor, but he could outwit him. To stay hidden from their father for so long, the siblings had their own methods. If he found them, he would help them hide, using his high rank and influence to distract anyone who got too close. The pair would be safe, even if he had to pay said safety with his life. It was the depth of his loyalty. To protect the children of the woman he'd once loved, no price was too great.

Lelouch closed his eyes and released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Jeremiah's loyalty to the Lamperouges was absolute. No matter what he did, the man would support him. It was relieving, in a way. The people he could trust with absolute certainty on Earth were limited to Sayoko and Nunnally. His sister even knew he was a Planeswalker, something Sayoko didn't. He was pleasantly surprised to learn he could add Jeremiah to the list.

Jeremiah stirred. Something had roused him from his sleep, and he was somewhat grateful of it. He had been having nightmares since Clovis's accident and this one had begun to look ugly. To be drawn from it was a relief.

What was less was seeing the cloaked, hooded figure sitting cross-legged in a chair, with only the moonlight to outline their frame.

He reached for the dagger hidden under his pillow. The hooded figure took off his hood instead, then lowered his scarf. And Jeremiah froze. Because the face of the intruder, though clearly older, was one he could never forget.

Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire and the son of Emperor Charles zi Britannia and Fifth Imperial Consort Marianne vi Britannia.

The prince was no longer the child he remembered. He had grown, almost an adult, now. His resemblance with his mother was startling, from the black hair to the purple eyes and the pale skin. Jeremiah's heart missed a beat.

"My prince?"

"I am no longer royalty, Ser Jeremiah. You do not have to call me that. But it is indeed me."

The margrave didn't care that he was in his pajamas. His eyes filled with tears and he lunged to hug the teen. Lelouch reluctantly let him.

"My lord, you're alright! Where – Where have you been all this time?"

"Protecting Nunnally. Don't worry, she's safe."

Jeremiah reluctantly dried his tears.

"I figured. No one was able to find the princess since she disappeared. We guessed she was alright, but we couldn't figure where she hid. I am relieved to know both of you are safe."

"Safe is a big word." Lelouch frowned. "There is a reason we hide. The moment anyone in our family or the Britannian government finds us, they will send us back to Pendragon and this isn't something we can risk. I'm sure you can understand why."

"The Prime Minister's words." Jeremiah said bitterly. "So long as no one in the Court can protect you from the Emperor, they cannot find you. And yet, you revealed yourself to me. Your trust in me must be impressive."

Lelouch's grip tightened.

"There are only two people in which I have the utmost trust: Nunna and our maid. My hope is that I can add you to that list."

The margrave took a moment to digest the words. In the whole world, his prince trusted exactly two people. This wasn't much. At all. The teen was extremely distrustful.

"You can, my lord. I cannot protect you from your father, but I can keep you hidden and divert the Britannians' attention if they get too close. You just have to say the word."

Lelouch didn't need mind-reading to know he was being sincere.

"Ashford. Lord Jeremiah? One piece of advice: never look the Emperor in the eyes. Ever. You would lose your mind."

"Warning heeded, my lord. And Ashford?" The margrave chuckled. "We should have figured. They were Lady Marianne's most fervent supporters. No wonder you sought haven with them. If I may ask, where did you go after you vanished?"

Lelouch hesitated.

"I… met a man. An underground operative who took care of me. When I told him what kind of place I was coming from, he decided to teach me his trade so I'd have a chance of survival. Because, let's be honest: The Imperial Court is a viper's nest and I'm almost insulting the vipers. They don't bite without provocation."

Jeremiah did some thinking and agreed. To call the Imperial Court cutthroat was understating things.

"So, you were trained as a covert operative. No wonder you managed to infiltrate the palace. I get it your skills are the reason you and Lady Nunnally managed to stay hidden for so long."

"Yes. I regularly visited her in the Kururugi Shrine. My incursions used to drive Tohdoh crazy. They never managed to stop me."

The penny dropped.

"Wait, when the Prime Minister said Nunnally was with her shadow, he meant you!?"

"Yes. I was the Shadow of Kururugi Shrine. Now, I am the Shadow Operative. I believe you heard some of my feats."

Jeremiah snorted.

"I did. Earl Mansfield is still wondering how the plans of his brand-new yacht ended in Baron Shatner's hands, and I'm not going to forget the look on Marquess Locksley's face when her affair with Earl Montgomery was broadcasted on every screen of the villa during her birthday party!"

"Marquis Locksley paid me a good sum to humiliate his cheating wife. In a Court, reputation is everything. Take it away and a noble's power collapses like a house of cards."

Jeremiah gave the teen a once-over. His liege had grown in body, mind and skill. Gone was the lovely child with bright purple eyes. The prince was now a predator of the shadows, stalking his preys until they were vulnerable. Then he went for the kill. Inside, he was saddened. But life was harsh and his prince had to grow sharp to survive.

"Thank you for trusting me enough to reveal yourself, my lord. If you need anything from me, just say the word. I will obey you as I obeyed your late mother."

"I know, Ser Jeremiah. This is why I took the risk."

And it had paid off. As he vanished in the shadows, the teen was silently relieved the encounter had gone so well. It wasn't every day that his plans worked better than expected.

Jeremiah, meanwhile, slept tight. The prince and his sister were safe and sound, and his lord had grown into a clever young man with a set of skill that would be an absolute nightmare among the Imperial Court. Idly, the margrave wondered what would happen if Lelouch returned. The Emperor aside, he had the gut feeling either half of Pendragon's nobles would be dead within the week or his liege would be crowned Emperor.

Probably both.