Summary:

It's been 10 whole years since Lelouch had sacrificed himself. Most of the world curses him for demon he was while few know the truth. But even fewer know that he has a daughter.

CH - 1

The once mighty Holy Brittanian Empire, which during the reign of 99th Emperor, Lelouch vi Brittania, or more commonly known as Demon Emperor, had reached its peak in covering the entirety of the world under it's rule.

On atb. 2018, the masked vigilante knight named Zero killed Demon Emperor and freed the world from his tyranny. Very few knew the truth of the matter, whether they were accomplices in it or they realized sometime during or after his death, but certainly everyone agreed his death brought about a era of peace.

Nations which had all been terrorised by Brittania focused their hatred on Demon Emperor and when the object of hatred is same, its easier to forget each others differences and get along.

Nunnally vi Brittania ascended to throne of Brittania as its 100th Empress and became the face of the new era of peace and prosperity. Further supported by the fact Zero serves the empress helped her gain lot of favors and influence.

While the time and world progressed smoothly in peace, there was another great secret none, except the direct subordinates of Lelouch knew.

"I have already told her about it Jeremiah."

A woman with dazzling green hair, bright and vibrant as a new blade of grass, unfastened and loose, spreading beautifully behind her back said. Her golden orbs, the honey colored eyes showed her conviction behind her words. She of course was none other than CC. Lelouch's most trusted comrade, friend, lover and mother of his child.

"Is that so," said a man with teal hair. "I understand. I will look after her with my life."

The man's eyes were orange and his right eye covered with a metallic eye patch of same color. This man, Jeremiah, was once humiliated, lost his honour for which he still is mocked upon but he had finally sworn his allegiance to Lelouch.

"You are leaving but why?"

A little farther was Anya standing and watching the scene. CC had just told them she would be leaving her 10 year old daughter to their care but she hasn't spoken a word as to why.

"I too wish to know Anya, but if Lady CC doesn't tell us, its no use asking her either."

Sayoko who had been quiet so far finally spoke up. Sayoko was little worried about CC's sudden leave but she doesn't suspect CC for anything. If anything, her master Lelouch trusted her most afterall. When Lelouch died, their daughter was yet to be even born so the little never came to know about who her father was or of her relation to Lelouch. As curious as she is, she had asked without a doubt why she didn't have a father, to which CC would conclusively answer "Because he's dead".

After having raised her for 10 years since Lelouch's death, here in the safe house left by Lelouch, CC would be leaving for something suddenly.

Sayoko had questions but she chose against it, believing that the reasons will be revealed in due time.

She turned her attention the picture frame standing on the table with everyone depicted, including her master's daughter Ciel in it.

She still would just awe how much Ciel would reminded her of Lelouch. Her short raven black hair that she inherited from Lelouch and her beautiful honey colored eyes from CC come together beautifully creating a gentle but ever curious picture, perfectly depicting her nature. She was however full of mischief. Maybe that's normal for kids or maybe that's from her mother CC, she doesn't quite know well.

Nevertheless, Sayoko had once vowed to protect the young mistress Ciel and she would follow through it. This time for sure she will protect, this time she won't fail like she did with her father Lelouch. That also goes for Jeremiah who, in absence of a father-like figure, assumed one for her. Perhaps he feels guilty that it was his fault for not stopping Lelouch's plan, that it was because of him she couldn't be with her true biological father.

"I understand."

Anya said after a long pause, her dissatisfaction portrayed nakedly.

CC relaxed her face, effectively ignoring Anya's dissatisfaction, and sat down on the couch looking at the crackling of fire in the fireplace. Today was Ciel's 10th birthday; just some moments ago they had been celebrating heavily until Ciel was tired and retired back to her room. Ciel's birthday was on 18th December and so it was no wonder that atmosphere was chilly. Here, in Brittanian countryside, the usual winter climate is cloudy and very chilly. While not a common occurrence, snow does fall for better or worse. Their safe house was a small manor of old Brittanian style house located here in the country side, around 15 minutes away from nearest town if by some car and half an hour on foot. CC has both little knowledge and interest regarding it's previous owner but from what she guesses, it was one of the confiscated property of rebel nobles either persecuted during Lelouch's or Charles' rule. What mattered to her was it was distant enough and comfortable.

The room was dimly lit by the passionate fire burning on the fireplace, giving out a flaxen glow to everything around it. The electricity is not a issue here but they were turned off in favour of this aesthetic look, which is this beautiful atmosphere in this room that otherwise would have been ruined by bright fluorescent electrical lights. Some might disagree with the choice of lighting but CC cared too little of that. She afterall was never the most thoughtful person.

She returned her gaze to the gathering in front her. Jeremiah was seated in the 3 seater couch opposite to her while Anya and Sayoko stood behind him wordlessly.

CC was still undecided whether or not to say her reasons for living. In this 10 years, she had seen enough to know these three were loyal to Lelouch even now but something in her prevented from relying on them. It was perhaps her will to remain independent and detach herself from humanity. She had already brilliantly failed at this by falling in love with Lelouch and birthing his child but would she ever consider that a mistake? No, never ever would she dare to say such a thing. Her love for Lelouch was unexpected, gradual and sneaky and their daughter, Ciel, was her greatest treasure.

But even so, should she tell them? Not yet, she concluded, she will inform them later. In first place she herself was unsure if it her journey would have any meaning at all. But it couldn't be helped, she couldn't resist herself from trying once, even if chances are ridiculously low, for sake of her longing heart she has to give it a try, a try to revive Lelouch.

"I will be leaving tomorrow morning." CC said, staring up to look at the unadorned old waffered ceiling. "I don't know how long it will take but...I expect a year or two in the least."

"We will take care of Ciel-sama in that time then."

CC nodded small. She still feels bad to leave Ciel like this but she couldn't just drag her 10 year old daughter in such a uncertain journey. Ciel is now attending the local school in here, it's a bit far but they have a car to take care of that. CC wants little Ciel to have a good education and normal life, unlike CC and Lelouch who were embroiled in war; that's also one of the reasons she decided she had to leave her behind.

"I don't want mother to leave. Let me come too!"

CC remembers when Ciel said that with a face that was threatening to spill up desperately held back tears anytime.

'She's trying to act strong' The thought of how both father and daughter try to act tough front of others elicited a internal chuckle from CC.

"Please let me come too!" Ciel pleaded with all her effort.

CC almost was about to reconsider leaving faced with such face but she gathered up her now diminished resolve.

"Sorry dear, you can't." She said with utmost caring tone. "But don't worry I will be back soon and anyways Uncle Jeremiah, Sayoko-nee and Anya-nee will stay behind so you won't be lonely."

"But I want mother to stay!"

Ciel was not a stubborn child by nature but as of this moment, her determination rivalled CC's. She clenched her tiny fists tight to suppress the violent waves of emotions she had yet to recognise. When CC noticed it, she bended over matching Ciel's line of sight, gently grasping her clenched fists into hers and caressing.

"I will be back soon, don't worry." CC assured Ciel, prompting her to relax the fists.

"…Really?"

"Yes."

"…Promise?" Ciel grasped her mother's gentle hands into her own.

"Promise." CC smiled gently.

Her smile was very rare; Ciel knew that very well. While motherly, CC's lack of interest had no remedy—other than a steamy pepperonis—but you can't get them easily here. In her long lifetime, she had seen most of what was there to see and she doesn't know when along the way she had forgotten to smile. But all that had changed because that man—Lelouch—had brought out more emotions from her than what she had felt collectively in what might be a thousand or so years. It should have been no wonder that Ciel, her daughter, had same strange talent, or perhaps she was becoming more human? Having a family and having someone to love would make one human, wouldn't it? CC doesn't know truly but she felt a gentle warmth wrap her heart at the thought she was able to have a family—something she wouldn't have even imagined before.

Ciel relaxes her body, letting out breath she hadn't realized she held. Her small body felt powerless as a wave of melancholic peace washed over her being, she stumbled on air, falling limply on her mother's arms; embraced by her warmth.

"Be good girl okay?" CC said, patting Ciel's small messy head. "Listen to Jeremiah and others okay?"

Ciel replied with a muffled "un" as she hugged her mother, enjoying the feel that would soon be lost.

"You don't need to hold back tears you know?" CC could find a reason as to why a Lelouch would hold them back but not why Ciel would do so. A child should cry when they want and shout when they want, that is what being a child is afterall—not being bounded by social constraints.

Ciel hesitated but her emotions failed her. As if she had been waiting for CC to say that, she spilled out her tears, crying hard and loud all while CC patted her back to calm her down. That night Ciel slept well.

•oOoOo•

The next day after her birthday, when Ciel had woken up, CC had already left. It was not as if CC left early but rather Ciel slept too well after having vented out her emotions that she woke up late.

Ciel descended down the old and slightly creaky stairs, heading towards the dining room after her usual morning ritual that included brushing while viewing the beautiful greenery outside. The everyday morning scene was painted before her, minus CC this time however. There was Sayoko in the kitchen preparing breakfast, Anya seated and in her usual seat burried in her phone and Jeremiah…where is he?

"Good morning Ciel-chan." Anya greeted having just realized the world outside existed, peeking up from her phone momentarily only to return back at it again.

"Good morning" replied Ciel seating herself. Her seat is opposite of Anya's and near her mother. Normally Jeremiah sits at the end of table mostly reading a newspaper. That seat was now empty alongside her mother's.

"Where's uncle?"

"He's at the farm. You missed him since you woke up late."

Sayoko answered while she served the party platters with bread and bacon. Sometimes soup accompanies the menu too but not today it seems.

"Sayoko-nee isn't going too?" Ciel asked, slicing slicing the bread in weird shapes.

"He doesn't want me there." Sayoko sighed in resignation, prompting the Anya who had trailed off in some other world to eat.

"Uncle's been like that ever since you two married, hasn't he?"

"Yes I suppose." Sayoko answered with a wry smile.

The memories of Jeremiah and Sayoko's wedding that Ciel had were as clear as day, as if they had just occurred yesterday. It wasn't a flamboyant one like she saw in the TV with hundreds of people participating or the groom dancing—not Jeremiah and Sayoko did dance, a waltz. It wasn't a flamboyant one that she thought how all weddings were but a happy little humble wedding. Ciel had wondered then why no one else other than her own family had joined the wedding, certainly there weren't any neighbors in reasonable distance but there must have been someone else too right? Despite the confusion about it, she was just 7 years old then, such a child had too many other things on mind than to wonder about such things.

Ever since they got married, Jeremiah would always try to keep Sayoko away from work with one excuse or another, which mostly fall flat though and Sayoko would join nonetheless. This time however, Sayoko didn't do so. Was it because if she left for the farm, only one to be left in the house with her would be Anya? In other circumstances, it would have been CC who stayed behind, primarily because she had to make sure Ciel didn't do something stupid and also because her plain lack of interest. The thought that absence of CC were already showing noticeable changes saddened Ciel.

'No.' She thought to herself. 'I have to be strong. I should not think about sad things.'

She resolved herself, repeating the words like a mantra. After breakfast, Ciel decided to visit the farm for a change of mind. If it wasn't close by, Sayoko wouldn't have let her walk all by herself but thankfully it was. Whoever built this farm—her grandparents most probably, she assumes, she was grateful to them for having built the farm close.

The cloudy grey winter sky stretched long and wide in all directions till her eyes couldn't make out anything anymore. The sun was barely visible through the clouds. It had snowed a bit last night, she hadn't noticed that until she saw the slight snow residues along the dirt path. It also makes sense why the weather was a degree colder than usual. Even the scant warmth of winter sun shining through the cover of clouds was enough to warm her up a bit. Other than that, she was already wearing her usual light, slightly worn-out yellow cardigan over her white top, and her favourite light grey knit woolen muffler her mother had gifted on her 9th birthday. Her lower half was mostly the same everyday—one of the many cute skirts Anya had bought her.

It wasn't more than 5 minutes of leisurely paced walk till the farm came into her view. The farm was filled with lots of orange trees planted at equal intervals in grid-like pattern. The farm was within the land they owned and it owned majority of the area, dwarfing the total area their house covers by 2.5 times. She wondered how such a vast land with a manor, though fairly small, was owned by them but all she got for an answer was that it's what her father had left behind after which asking any further questions were pointless.

This farm was her mind's sanctuary many times in her life. From the window of her room on the second floor, looking straight ahead would reveal the vast expansive scenery of the orange farm. There's nothing notable about the orange farm but probably that's why it helps her calm down.

Walking at a relaxed pace, she found a blue pickup truck parked beside one of the trees. Climbed on it's back side was Jeremiah, inspecting the oranges. Ciel had heard that the oranges grown here are pretty well sought out in the nearby town for their quality. It makes sense to her because their relaxed lifestyle was primarily maintained through this farm's yield. Sometimes her mother and Sayoko would also work part-time in the town to earn some extra money. CC was even once hired as a teacher in a primary school but expectedly she resigned soon enough claiming the kids there were too annoying. Anya doesn't work at town but she does help out in farm and with the house chores.

"Hmm? Ciel? You need something?"

Jeremiah asked noticing Ciel. He plucked a healthy looking orange after inspecting it, and puts it in the crate on the truck. 'Its probably a product to be sold.' she thought.

"Not really."

"Is that so? Here for a stroll then?"

Ciel did come here for a stroll, in order to relax her mind, but that task has been already completed and now she would feel bad to leave as just she came. She answered "yes" while searching for a topic to talk about.

"Did Uncle know my father too?" Ciel asked flatly, not expecting much of an answer.

Jeremiah stopped inspecting and relaxed his posture, leaning against the truck. The answer was a simple one—Yes. Of course he did. He was his knight afterall.

"Of course."

Jeremiah answered joyously. A feeling of pride settling in.

Ciel of course knew this even if she didn't ask it. They were all living together so it should have been obvious but she discounting here would be rude so she continued.

"What kind of person was he?" She asked.

"My lord was noblest and greatest of all men."

It took few seconds before Ciel's brain could register that she actually received an proper answer. She undoubtedly was shocked. She hadn't expected Jeremiah to say this much, or rather anything at all. It's not as if she had asked this to anyone first time, she had asked CC about it afterall. The conversation would then have ended with a vague reply something like"A great man." or "A respected man." but this time Jeremiah said something what Ciel counts as a proper answer.

One piece of information that was most intriguing of all was that Jeremiah called her father 'My lord'. What could he mean by lord? Was he a noble? No that's probably impossible Ciel assumes. If her father was a noble, her mother must be so—which Ciel was quite sure she wasn't. Not being able to comprehend anything at all despite having actually received a proper reply, she resorted to the simplest method of understanding the meaning behind those words; just asking it:

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked.

Jeremiah cursed his tongue. Why? Why did he tell more than required. He should have answered with something vague and common and proceeded to close the topic, even if his heart ached to spill out truth, even if he wanted to tell her, Ciel, how great of a man her father was, he couldn't, he mustn't. Jeremiah thought to back and arrived at a approximate answer; It must have been because of yesterday.

When CC had declared she would be leaving Ciel to their care, he vowed to himself he won't let himself fail again. Jeremiah had failed to protect the ones entrusted to him twice; first is Marianne's assassination because of which he later went on to form the Purist faction and once again when he failed to protect Lelouch. The wounds by two successive failures carved deep into core of his heart. Lelouch certainly had all this planned as his grand plan of Zero Requiem but the fact that Jeremiah wasn't able to offer any alternative way, any solution than that His Majesty dying for the world was something Jeremiah took to his heart, to remind his utter incompetence.

It has been 10 whole years since Lelouch's death but even to this day, Jeremiah remembers it as clear as day when Lelouch summoned him to his throne room. When he entered entered the large hall, filled with lush tapestries and pristine white marble architecture, he found all of the fellow cooperators in their plan—CC, Suzaku, Lloyd and Cecile gathered. They were all kneeled in front of Lelouch, excluding Suzaku that stood by his side and CC who sat on Empress's throne, her body curled up. Jeremiah followed the suit and kneeled beside everyone.

"As planned, the hatred of the entire world is focused on me." Lelouch began.

"All that's left is to get rid of me and end this cycle of hatred. I will die, will be killed, in 3 days from now. I will carry on with my plan with or without you. Will you stand by my side as a accomplice or be in prison?"

Lelouch asked sternly. His eyes were fierce and unwavering. The fierceness matched that when he was Zero.

Jeremiah gulped. He wanted to shout out that he doesn't want Lelouch dead. He hates every bit of this plan where Lelouch must die. He isn't a genius and doesn't think he can come up with any plan that Lelouch hadn't already thought of but yet he doesn't want to lose that flicker of hope in his heart. But he knew couldn't say it. He knew that Lelouch would follow through Zero Requiem nevertheless.

He couldn't let His Lord's resolve and preparations go to waste for his own selfish wish. He felt a pang of pain in his heart, probably fate carving the words of failure in his heart. But he shall swallow his pride and his desire and follow through Lelouch's plan by his side. He shall prove his loyalty for Lelouch wouldn't waver under any circumstance, for he is Jeremiah Gottwald, a man loyal to the teeth.

"I will follow through your wish by your side, Your Majesty." Jeremiah answered decisively.

Others followed after him shortly, as if they had been waiting for someone to answer first.

And then that fateful day, the day when he saw Suzaku, masked as Zero piercing the sword through Lelouch's heart. His failure had been carved into stone. A stone that kept weighing

down on his heart for rest of his life.

'I failed.'

He said to himself. For the second time, he had failed to protect his Lord and not only that but he was forced to watch as people spat over his grave, curse his name and then again mingle with those very same people, putting up a fake smile as if he was ok with all of it.

"Nothing much. Don't mind it"

Jeremiah answered snapping back to reality. Ciel was obviously unsatisfied but he hoped she would soon forget about it. Ciel answered "I see" smally and returned the way she came.

Jeremiah gazed up on the sky. The clouds had shifted, leaving the pale soft blur on the cerulean sky that was the winter sun. He failed to receive it's warmth because his skin was metallic but that was least of his worries.

"My Lord, please return."

He murmured wistfully. He knew well how foolish of him it was to ask for the impossible but he couldn't help it. He turned his attention to the oranges and resumed their inspection.

But unbeknownst to him, CC was already working on to revive Lelouch.

"If I can access C's World through the Gate in a temple, I might be able to reconstruct and revive Lelouch."

She said to herself, looking down on a map of the world, with red dots plotting certain locations.

"Don't worry Lelouch. You will be back soon."

•oOoOo•

《ーーA/Nーー》

Well... how was it?

Probably terrible and full of mistakes?

I am really sorry if that's so; feel free to review whatever you feel.

This my first fanfic so I hope you would be gentle tho...

I will update next chapter if people seem to like it〜

Until then, have a good day!