Chapter 46 : Execution.

December 9, 8:02 am

The sky above Weiswolf was cloudy and cold. A small crowd had gathered in the inner walls of the fortress, in a large courtyard located near a pond (once there stood a small grove, demolished by Lelouch at the time when he was emperor). Not far from it were 6 people, tied to poles planted for the occasion: Leila, Edward, Cecile, Sayoko, Harley, and Ashley. A few minutes away was the firing squad equipped with automatic rifles. Cornelia soon arrived, along with Esdeath, Yaeko and Lelouch. The empress gave the condemned a look full of hate, then turned to the crowd:

"Last night, the criminals present here brutally tortured my brother Lelouch and his girlfriend, CC."

At those words the green blushed, while Edward exclaimed:

"She is my girlfriend! And Lelouch took it away from me! "

"Shut up, you!" Esdeath rebuked him.

Cornelia ignored him and went on:

"It was here that Marianne vi Britannia, president of the United Federation of Nations, warned me of what was happening."

So she did the spy ... Bitch!

Ashley thought furiously.

"I arrived and arrested all those responsible. Now they will be executed! "

"Is absurd! Lelouch is a monster! He made us all slaves with the geass! And he will do it again! We can't trust him, he's a murderer!" Cecile exclaimed indignantly.

"Silence!" The Minister of Defense told her.

"I bet you're under his control, right? You, the empress ... even Yaeko!"

"Silence, I said!"

And if she was right?

Jeremiah wondered, worried.

Cornelia was now immune but Esdeath and Yaeko were not. They could be easily maneuvered by Lelouch.

Tony meanwhile watched the prisoners ready for execution: Ashley and her lover seemed bold, as if the prospect of an imminent death did not touch them at all; Cecile and Sayoko kept their eyes down, and their eyes were bright; Edward was furious; finally Leila, her woman, had tears in her eyes and stared at him in fear. She almost seemed to be sending him a silent request for help. He answered her, shaking his head slightly.

I'm sorry, I can't do anything.

He looked down.

Forgive me, please!

"We agreed that you would have saved at least those three!" Lelouch whispered, turning to his sister.

She paid no attention to him and exclaimed:

"Load!"

The soldiers obeyed.

I don't want to die ... I want to give birth to my baby, grow it with Tony!

Leila thought desperately.

"Are you scared, silly girl?" Harley teased.

The blonde did not answer, continuing to cry.

"You really are attached to life ..."

"To my and my baby!"

The pilot stared at her, completely stunned.

"You're pregnant?"

Leila nodded.

"Magnificent ... Now I will die with the remorse of having dragged a pregnant woman with me!"

"Aim!" Cornelia ordered.

"It's unfair, you can't kill them!" A boy with long black hair and purple eyes protested, approaching Cornelia.

"And who the hell are you?"

"Simon Mericourt, pilot in the service of Commander Ashley!"

"Get out of the way! I don't want pests in the middle of the feet!"

"Simon is right! It is Lelouch who should stand before the firing squad! He has enslaved humanity for years! "René Laurent exclaimed, a boy with short red hair and purple eyes.

"I've been there before, 12 years ago ... I'll never stay there again!"

"Bastard!"

He tried to hit him with a punch but Lelouch dodged him. At that point Esdeath unsheathed her gun and shot a red leg, making him scream in pain.

"If there is a coward who dares to challenge her majesty's authority to come forward!"

Those words surprised everyone present. Until yesterday Esdeath despised Cornelia, because of her despotic rule and her British origins. Now instead he defended it with a gun. Evidently the latest events had brought the two women closer together. awed, Simon backed away while Rene stared at the general with a look of pure hatred.

"I've already lost enough time. FIRE! "Cornelia shouted.

After a few moments a crackle of automatic weapons echoed in the air, followed by some screams of pain. Leila had closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. When she opened them again she realized with astonishment that she was unharmed.

But what ...

She looked to the left: all the others except Ashley and Harley had been hit.

Is it possible that they missed the target by failing?

She wondered, incredulous.

Looking ahead he saw that Cornelia had drawn her sword and was heading towards her.

Now I understand ... She wants to kill us with her own hands!

The purple-haired reached her, positioning herself behind her and cutting the ropes that held her tied. Then she also freed Harley and Ashley.

"What does that mean?" She asked, surprised.

"For today I save your life, because you are useful to us. But you will not save yourself at the next crime! "The sovereign replied, threatening.

Leila didn't believe her ears.

"Have we really been pardoned?"

"Exactly, Leila. Thanks to Lelouch for this. He was the one who convinced me to be lenient. "

The blonde turned to the person concerned, staring at him in surprise.

"Really you ..."

"Right now we need you. It is not the time to be dominated by resentment. "He said simply.

The blonde woman merely nods, still incredulous that she was spared. Suddenly she was reached by Tony, who embraced her.

"T-Tony ..."

He looked at her with eyes full of tears.

"For a moment I feared I lost you forever."

"Me too ... Both you and the child!"

At that point Leila burst into tears, embracing her beloved.

Meanwhile, Dr. Shirayuki was examining the other prisoners. Everyone seemed dead, but when she checked Cecile she exclaimed:

"She is still alive!"

Everyone turned in that direction.

"Soon, Asia! Come!"

The blonde joined her in a few seconds, while the wound slowly opened her eyes.

"Help ... Me ..." She begged her with a whisper.

"We have to extract the bullets before treating it, or they will remain inside her body!" Asia said.

"Agreed ... Kaname! Aki! Bring a stretcher right away! "

"Yes, ma'am!" The two nurses answered in chorus.

"One moment! That woman is a criminal, she must die! "Cornelia affirmed.

Shirayuki stared at her grimly.

"Your majesty, don't you think enough blood has been spilled already?"

"The doctor is right."

Although annoyed Cornelia nodded.

"Agree…."

That said, she sheathed her sword.

"I didn't make you so charitable to the next." CC stated, approaching Lelouch.

"I told you, part of the responsibility is mine." Her lover answered, looking down.

"True ... Now let's go back to our rooms."

"Agree."