Recap: Roy knows Lelouch is a prince and now has to overcome the last hurdle—his wedding. Lelouch finally understands that his father may care.
Chapter 16: Bells
Jones: [laughter] It's the first day Lelouch appeared in public. Sure he had to attend a few family occasions before, but this was the first family event.
Lars: So you think this is when it all began? That early?
Jones: Yes. And I do have proof. A few days later, Schneizel was sent off to negotiate in Australia. And here, I thought for years, just like everyone else, that Odysseus was a fool. A nice one perhaps, but still, you know, an idiot. He accomplished very little in his life, but in death? He is a historical goldmine, and he kept records.
Lars: This is a family friendly show and that face is not appropriate my friend. [audience laughter] Now, in your book you challenge the very popular notion that Lelouch and Charles were the ultimate father and son team. That takes guts because interviews from the time paint a very close relationship. After all, his mother was Marianne, and we all know that love story.
Jones: But do we? First of all, every movie changes their ages to be a little more palatable.
Lars: So you don't think they were in love?
Jones: I have no evidence to prove or disprove that notion. Getting back on track though, I have to point out that all of those interviews were from people who barely ever interacted with Lelouch. They barely knew the man.
Lars: They are the best source of information we have. Anyone close to him took his secrets to the grave.
Jones: The problem is that we know Lelouch was incredibly brilliant. We see the results of his handiwork every day, and he had every reason to encourage this sort of rumor. If people thought you were close to the Emperor, they would seek you out as an intermediary which gave you an incredible political advantage. The truth is that Lelouch and his father barely ever interacted, especially early on. He barely spent any time with his mother either.
—Interview with Jones Johnson, writer of the Best-Seller: Behind the Lies of Lelouch vi Britannia
New York, Homeland
If Roy had to describe how he was feeling he would compare it to having walked through an enclosure of starving lions yet escaping without a scratch, but at the moment of his victory and freedom, mere feet from the door, a trapdoor had opened beneath him, and he was now freefalling to thunderous applause. Or to put it more succinctly, he felt like shit which was not the appropriate emotion for his wedding day.
The apartment was abuzz with activity, and Roy stepped away from Selena, having finally told her the truth. Just one thing on an endless list of things needed to be done. And a list which Lelouch vehemently disagreed on every point. Not that Lelouch had been very available. He had thrown himself headfirst into preparations to avoid any awkward conversations.
A hysterical chuckle escaped Selena. Her mouth had frozen into a permanent smile a while ago. "I'm sorry, Roy. Could you repeat that?"
Frederick, leaning against the wall, sighed. Roy desperately hoped that he had decided to lounge there of his own volition instead of Lelouch assigning him to guard Roy like some twisted human attack dog. No, he couldn't go there. If Roy fell into the trap of seeing Lelouch as what he expected royalty to be, their relationship would be destroyed.
"Yes, the kid hogging your kitchen is royalty," Frederick confirmed. "Your soon-to-be-husband hasn't gone insane. And yes, we work for Zero."
One—or rather two, although the second was a half-lie—life-shattering revelation at a time. Really though, Roy could understand why Lelouch was in a funk, but Frederick? What the hell had happened in Australia?
"Him, really?" she whispered-screeched. "But he is so—"
"Lelouch," Roy finished. "Has a tendency to insult his father, seems to forget that he should avoid bullets, is incredibly petty, and has various hobbies which happen to include philosophical discussions on the failures of the aristocracy."
Selena gave him a look, lips parting and mouthing her internal musings. Finally, she settled on, "How?"
Roy looked at Frederick. That he didn't have an answer for, and he mentally moved it up the list of various important questions to ask Lelouch once he finally cornered him again.
"The Emperor gave him a revolutionary pamphlet for Christmas which apparently Empress Marianne started celebrating as a tradition, so I really don't know what to think," Frederick said. "They're not exactly a functional family."
"Is this all some act of childish rebellion?" Selena asked.
Childish wasn't something Roy ascribed to Lelouch, but it was definitely a form of rebellion. The irony being that Lelouch put down rebellions; Roy was getting another headache.
"I understand this is a lot to take in," Roy said, heart heavy. He licked his lips. "If you... I won't hold it against you if you decide there is too much risk involved. You deserve to know what you're getting into."
"Getting into?" She laughed again, but her hands were trembling. "This... Your Highness!"
Lelouch frowned which frankly didn't help the situation at all. As she dropped to her knees, Roy glared.
"This really isn't necessary," Lelouch said, awkwardness radiating from him. "I just wanted to ask if we're bringing the cake or if someone is picking it up... I'm going to go."
Watching him retreat, Roy had to ask, "Doesn't he have to deal with this at... home?"
Frederick snorted. "He avoids social functions like the plague, and the ones he does attend are usually with more... important figures." Higher nobility. "The kneeling thing is pretty much exclusively for the Emperor in which case it's Lelouch on the ground."
"He kneels before the Emperor?" Selena asked, her voice having returned to a normal octave. "But they're... family."
No one would ever consider demanding anything more than basic respect from a family member. Perhaps it was because Roy's parents weren't nobles, but he couldn't imagine himself bending the knee to them. It was... wrong.
"Surprised me too," Frederick murmured. "At minimum, everyone is expected to bow. Even the other Empresses. For more formal occasions, they have to wait for the Emperor's permission. The entire affair makes it painfully obvious who has favor and who doesn't."
"And Lelouch?" Roy asked softly. On the opposite end of the room, Lelouch tried to coax Henry into eating something. Henry's weird behavior was at least normal. He was always strange weird after visiting his family.
"In public, a normal amount of time, but in private... I don't know. It's not like I'm usually in the room, but if Lelouch did something... Lelouch-like, then he will usually be massaging his knees when he thinks I'm not looking."
Given all the ways the Emperor could punish Lelouch, making him kneel for extended periods of time was rather benign. If only that was the worst he did.
Roy refocused on Selena and grabbed her hands. . "I'm sorry. I never wanted to deceive you."
She swallowed and rolled her shoulders back. "We're doing this although I guess this explains your parents' sudden magnanimity."
Relieved, he pulled her into a tender embrace and gently kissed her on the lips. They were going to be fine. The wedding was still on. And Roy could breathe a little easier.
"I need to go, Roy," she whispered. "My friends are waiting for me, and I have a wedding dress to get into."
He buried his head into her neck and ran his fingers through her silky smooth hair. "I could help you."
"It's bad luck to see the dress," she reprimanded, but her arm snaked around him.
Frederick cleared his throat, and Roy jumped backwards, blushing furiously. "It's rude to make a lady late."
Selena tucked her hair behind her ear and pecked him on the cheek before hurrying out, but not before casting one last distrustful look at Lelouch.
"Why is everyone on my case regarding manners? My manners are fine," Roy grumbled and slumped against the wall.
"They're really not," Frederick said.
"My tutors were ridiculously expensive."
"I distinctly remember you absolutely failing at basic etiquette in Basic. You couldn't balance a book on your head for even a minute."
Roy slumped even further. "Good posture is overrated."
"Which is why Lelouch can speed walk with a book on his head." Frederick snickered. "Now that you know, Lelouch is going to force you to join my lessons. I swear that nobles have nothing better to do than fill their head with this fluff."
"I don't need to know the fancy stuff. I'm happy staying far away from nobles."
Frederick gave him a strange look.
"You're not mad at me, are you?" Roy asked because Henry most definitely was. He had shown up mere hours after the attack, whatever family emergency clearly not taking precedence over a threat to Lelouch's life.
"I'm angry with Lelouch, not you," Frederick said and followed his gaze. "And Henry, I guess. He's just... too trigger happy. It has to be hard though. The Emperor always calls on him. I'm lucky enough that he seems to forget about my existence on most occasions. I only met him twice without Lelouch, and each time I could barely remember how to breathe. His presence is... stifling."
"What did he want?"
"A reminder that we are accountable for Lelouch's health." His hand brushed against his side.
Roy, too used to Lelouch hiding injuries, caught his hand and pulled him into the next room. "What happened?"
"It's nothing." Frederick swatted the probing hand away.
"Should I ask Lelouch?" he threatened, and Frederick wilted. "I'm so done with secrets."
"You can't tell Lelouch," Frederick hissed, arms crossed defensively. "I'm not angry enough to do that to him."
Roy searched his eyes but found only firm conviction. How was that in discovering the truth, he was now keeping secrets from Lelouch? He was done sticking his head into the sand. He couldn't protect Lelouch from the unknown. "I won't without your permission."
And immediately regretted that decision as Frederick lifted his shirt and revealed an angry scar on his side. A scar which matched Lelouch's own. That—
Frederick closed his eyes. "It could've been worse. Lelouch's got infected. I received appropriate medical care."
"He—" Roy struggled to find the appropriate words, drowning in overwhelming horror. "You have to tell Lelouch."
"So he can do what? Demand an audience with the Emperor to protest my treatment?" Pulling down his shirt, Frederick smiled sadly. "Nothing good would come out of it."
"But—"
"I messed up. Well, Henry did, but the Emperor likes him better." He ran a hand through his hair, grimacing. "That wasn't fair of me. At least my family isn't involved. Henry's sister... She's working on some dig-site directly under Imperial control. I guess that's why he is always so overzealous with Lelouch's protection."
"You really don't like Henry," Roy realized. There had always been a subtle current of tension between them. He had thought it to be mere jealousy; Lelouch always preferred Frederick's company.
"No, I don't. He's... different from back in Basic. When I figured it out—"
"How?" Seriously, how?
"All the pieces have been staring at you for ages. There was an article in one of Alex's gossip magazines speculating on why Lelouch hadn't presented himself for his birthday. I collected them immediately afterwards." Frederick looked away. "Then I asked Lelouch, and Henry pulled a gun on me. He would've killed me had Lelouch not interfered. Knowing the truth is an immediate death sentence."
"How many?" Roy whispered, the back of his neck prickling with the sudden need to know where Henry was.
"Eight that I know of. Lelouch hasn't realized."
"Selena..." Why hadn't Frederick stopped him?
"Lelouch authorized her to know when you began to talk about her seriously to be safe. It doesn't mean he likes her knowing."
Their hour long whisper argument in the corner of the kitchen had made that very clear, but Roy wasn't going to trap Selena in a marriage when she didn't know at least some of the stakes. The stakes were much higher than Lelouch's identity suggested. The Emperor didn't bother himself with the other royal children.
"Why won't you tell him?" Roy asked.
Frederick shrugged. "Henry and I have an agreement. Neither of us say anything on matters Lelouch cannot change unless he specifically asks. He has enough on his plate already. And Roy? You won't be telling him either. You may outrank me on the battlefield, but when it comes to Lelouch, the prince, I have seniority."
Roy glared. "Fine. Is there anything else I should know?"
Perhaps what schemes the Emperor had up his sleeve.
"Lelouch doesn't tell me things." Frederick chuckled darkly. "Get used to having endless questions without answers and being treated like a tool."
"Lelouch would never," Roy protested. Not when Lelouch knew how it felt.
"Would he?"
New York, Homeland
Ten minutes in, and Lelouch came to an unfortunate realization. Weddings were like balls—extremely uncomfortable. They both had way too many people, each fitted with their finest clothes and best smile. Military dress uniforms were common among the attendees, although the enlisted version was terribly bland… and itchy.
Among the nobles, the dress uniform often had numerous alterations, although Cornelia was the only one to famously discard the traditional design and replace it with something more modern. Commoners lacked that flexibility, thus they were all dressed in crisp black uniforms with red highlights which left no doubt as to which country they were in.
If there had been any more soldiers in attendance, the wedding could have been mistaken for a funeral.
Most familiar though were the judging gazes from the crowd. In court, he was the mysterious prince who refused to abide by their expectations. Here, he was Roy's mysterious friend whom he had chosen as his best man over anyone they knew. He was an outsider in their insular circle of wealth, and already, he could see their gazes turn dismissive as their eyes flicked from him to Roy.
Roy should have saved himself the trouble and chosen one of his childhood friends. Lelouch didn't even fully understand why his role was important—only that it was.
Music began and the doors opened, stalling any other thoughts as Selena and her father entered, followed by the bridesmaids. The room held its breath as they took in her light, flowing, blue dress with extensive pearly white lace on the fringe as if delicate morning clouds had taken residence. Her translucent sleeves extended seamlessly up to hug her neck—a style which Princess Guinevere had become partial to in the last few months. Selena's father, also in uniform, peeled away, and she ascended the steps, taking Roy's hands with a slight tremble.
For a moment, her eyes met his, and Lelouch kept his face perfectly blank. She ducked away, nonetheless, and her expression lost its natural earnestness, replaced with a rigid mockery of a smile. This was why he hadn't wanted Roy to tell her. She was terrified.
Nothing good would come of her knowing.
The officiator cleared his throat and legalese spilled from his lips. Roy nodded along occasionally, a sure sign that he wasn't paying attention. His distraction was rather disconcerting. Normally, he was the most focused of all of them.
The officiator paused, and Roy began to lean forward.
"Roy," Lelouch hissed.
He paused, and straightened as if he hadn't been about to prematurely kiss wife to be. The officiator glared before resuming.
"You may kiss the bride."
Lelouch watched in warm fondness as Roy finally leaned forward and sealed the deal to loud applause. Lelouch followed the couple as they exited the warm and humid room to the gardens where the staff—significantly supplemented by his father—had been busy setting up the tables and buffet.
A camera flashed. Stepping away to give Roy and Selena some room to accept the congratulations of their well-wishers and pose for a myriad of photos, Lelouch began to pick the confetti out of his hair and cursed whoever had thought it was a good idea to include glitter.
"Selena," her bridesmaid said.
"What?"
"When she was seven, we attended a friend's wedding, and she told me she wanted a glitter shower. Being the good friend I am, I obliged."
"You're absolutely evil," Lelouch said, unable to suppress his own grin.
"Rosa." She extended her hand. "I didn't expect Roy's friend to have a sense of humor."
Lelouch laughed and bowed, placing a chaste kiss on her hand. "Lelouch. A pleasure. Roy does have a sense of humor, buried far beneath his sense of duty."
Pulling back her hand, she raised an eyebrow, "You're a rather odd one. I'm surprised his parents are even tolerating you."
"I'm afraid that I don't know what you mean."
"It's quite simple. Roy should have chosen Lewis. He would have been the more political choice. Then again, I don't have too much room to talk. Selena should have chosen Ophelia instead of me."
The first guest, an elderly woman, finally finished congratulating Roy and Selena, teasing both of their parents, and laughing loudly at something Ruth, Roy's grandmother, had said. She stopped before the two and pulled Rosa into an enthusiastic hug. "I see you've been doing well for yourself. Do remember to send in your application before the end of the month. We can always use more bright minds." She turned to Lelouch. "And Roy's mysterious friend. Come here."
Lelouch froze as her arms wrapped around him and patted him on the back. What the hell? The next person thankfully refrained from assaulting him, appeased with a simple handshake. Except his wife once again greeted with a side hug. Desperately, Lelouch glanced at Roy, who was too enamored with Selena to notice but also preoccupied with his guests' unfathomable clinginess.
Snickering, Rosa said, "Relax. They're not going to bite just because you upstaged all their sons."
"I don't know them," Lelouch hissed as another woman greeted him way too warmly and with a soft touch on his back. The fake pleasantries made his skin crawl. "What is wrong with a handshake?"
Or bowing. Normal, polite bowing with no people invading his personal space and a potential knife slipped between his ribs. Or bugs. He was going to have to check his clothes—and be careful not to remove the tracker Henry had just placed, thinking he wouldn't notice.
"Oh my, you're so embarrassed." Giggling, Rosa threw an arm over his shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll protect you from the cheek pinching grandmas. I can't do anything about the bone crushing handshakes though." Cheek pinching? Lelouch firmly decided not to ask. "And here I thought you were some psychopath with Selena warning me off you. She really doesn't like you."
"Maybe this is all an act, carefully designed to make you lower your guard," Lelouch said dryly. At least Selena hadn't spilled his identity, although she clearly was willing to bend the rules to protect her friend. She was loyal to people which decreased the odds she would betray Roy.
"And what would you do to me?" Rosa whispered. Amusement tinged her voice, along with something else.
He was suddenly very much reminded of Kaguya, and there was only one way to disarm whatever embarrassing antics this would otherwise lead to. "Food taster. Do you want some chocolate?"
"I don't recognize them," she said, accepting the offering. "Sweets though. Smooth."
"I made them." At her surprised look, he shrugged. "It's relaxing. If you want something with more texture, I also made some appetizers, although I would have to get those."
"Do you always carry chocolate?"
"There wasn't enough room for anything else." The dress uniform very much lacked any ways to covertly stash items. Any attempt to further explain himself was cut off as he saw a very familiar officer uniform. "Oh, shit."
"Huh?" She followed his gaze. "A noble?"
"I can't believe Roy invited him," Lelouch mumbled, covering his face. Except of course, Roy had. He was polite in that way. Even going as far as to invite Pablo despite the potential scandal.
The crowd nervously parted before Gino, and he enthusiastically hugged a shocked Roy in congratulations, ignoring the gaping mouths around him. Then, he bowed exaggeratedly to Selena, loudly complimenting her beauty, and Lelouch was bitterly reminded that this idiot was his responsibility. Thankfully, Gino only politely greeted the couple's parents before stopping before Lelouch with a wide grin.
"I missed you!"
Lelouch staggered underneath the sudden onslaught of weight and croaked, "Can't breathe."
"Oh, is that chocolate?" Gino asked, suddenly releasing him and snatching the box out of Rosa's hands. "These should be criminal. I missed your cooking. Roy's great... but he doesn't cook. I'll pay you to cook."
Sighing, Lelouch straightened his uniform and ignored the blatantly curious looks from everyone. "That would be a bribe."
"So?"
"It's illegal..." At Gino's pouting look, Lelouch ran a hand through his hair. "If the ingredients were to be available, it would be terrible to waste them."
"Yes," Gino shouted and threw an arm over his shoulder, practically hanging off him as the guests behind him began to uneasily walk forward. As his presence prevented everyone else from invading his personal space, Lelouch refrained from removing him. "Roy kept making me do my paperwork. It was horrible."
"I think he suffered more having to decipher your handwriting," Lelouch said and nodded politely at the passing guests.
"No, you don't understand. He made me redo them. Again and again until he finally said it was passable."
Besides them, Rosa had her head respectfully lowered, but her eyes watched them attentively through her fringe.
"Well, if you can write passably, I see no reason why you shouldn't do your paperwork. It's rather embarrassing for someone of your standing to rely on others for such mundane tasks."
Gino's nose wrinkled. "Well, Roy finally accepted it, but I didn't do it properly."
"You could type your reports hanging from a tree upside down, and I wouldn't care as long as they're coherent and I can read them," Lelouch said. "And I know you had tutors in penmanship, so you really don't have an excuse.
"Oh," Gino murmured, massaging his left hand. "But it's still wrong... My aunt always said it was better to do it right than take shortcuts."
Lelouch narrowed his eyes. Everyone had a unique personal style. What mattered more was consistency and legibility, not form. "If shortcuts get you better results, you have my permission to employ them... Wait. Gino, are you left handed?"
"Yes... But I'm working on it. It just takes forever to do it properly."
"You have to be kidding me... I had to suffer through your atrocious handwriting because the Weinbergs hold to such outdated notions. You have two hands for a reason, and I happen to use both of them."
Gino flushed and finally withdrew, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess my aunt has some strange notions. She always insisted it belong to the devil... among other things. You sure it isn't a problem?"
"Trust me," Lelouch said, although he didn't deserve it. His father would, if anything, be amused that one of his core supporters held to such superstitions. "Nobody important cares."
"You're a Weinberg!" Rosa whispered harshly. Her eyes widened, and she straightened, instantly composing herself in a manner that would leave most court ladies jealous. "My apologies, my lord. I was unaware—"
"Ugh, please none of this 'my lord' stuff. I'm a commoner." Gino puffed out his chest proudly.
Lelouch rolled his eyes. "You're wearing an officer uniform. You know... Which only nobles wear?"
Gino deflated.
"I'm sorry, how do you know... Roy?" Rosa asked, completely baffled.
Before Gino could spill anything sensitive, Lelouch answered, "He half-ran away from home and decided to become a knightmare pilot. Used to walk around the entire camp, loudly declaring himself as a commoner until we took pity on him. Outside of a knightmare, he's utterly harmless."
"You completely ruined the story," Gino whined. "It was a tragic love affair. My heart was shattered, and I had no choice but to brave—"
"Your maid seduced you. She is quite lucky that your family just fired her instead of bringing her up on criminal charges considering you were, I'm sorry, are a minor. When you showed a smidgeon of talent for piloting, your family sponsored your knightmare and allowed you to continue your ridiculous charade so you wouldn't shame the family name. Am I missing something?"
"No... but that's so unromantic." Gino sighed and looked around the reception where people mingled between the tables. "Surely there's some other grand tale I can share... What about him? He looks trustworthy." The man in question pecked a woman on the cheek, and they walked hand in hand to their table. "Well, perhaps not. What about her?"
Lelouch raised his eyes in exasperation. "May I remind you that you are a noble?"
"So?" Gino asked.
"If you haven't noticed, everyone here is terrified of you. Your family is powerful enough to ruin anyone here, so they will agree with everything you say regardless of their personal feelings. Am I making myself clear, Sir Weinberg?"
"Yes, s—" Gino winced as Lelouch leveled a glare. "Crystal. I'll bother Frederick, I guess. Unless you changed your mind?" He waggled his eyebrows.
Hadn't Lelouch just made his position clear?
Gino shook his head in disappointment. "Clearly not."
Lelouch watched him leave, unsure whether he had missed something. Lately, he was having that feeling far too often for comfort. There were the general sighs from his friends after almost every public outing. Or his father who had called him dense of all things. Even Roy had taken to looking strangely disappointed, forcing Lelouch to review his parents' every action because Roy clearly thought he was missing something.
But the conclusion fit the data. Those who played an important role in the Empire had more leeway with his father.
Odysseus had the least public facing role, but he still had that privilege by keeping everyone else in line. His job was arguably the most important because his father barely remembered their names, so naturally, he was afforded the most leeway, even being allowed to contradict their father before family members. Guinevere was behind every social gathering and also discovering lucrative nuggets of information. Her lavish spending and insults to his mother were therefore often overlooked. The same held true for Schneizel who could engage in activity potentially construed treasonous without repercussions. More importantly, Cornelia's military victories allowed her to shelter Euphie from the public.
Lelouch had been too blinded by fear to see the similarities between himself and his successful sibling. He had never dared to think he could be something more in his father's eyes which had been a mistake. Had he known earlier, he could have used that information to his advantage. While he could change the status quo to his benefit—his heart raced at the thought—it would mean pushing back against his father.
A small possibility existed that Lelouch was wrong and had misread the situation entirely. In which case, pushing for more freedom would lead to swift repercussions.
Rosa leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's quite impressive talking to a noble like that."
"Not really. Gino misses a lot of subtleties. You have to talk to him like that for him to understand. Besides, he is too earnest to ever harm anyone of his own volition."
"Others would use the opportunity to leverage their connection to him." She sniffed. "My ex would have, but I guess that's part of why things didn't work."
"I'm sorry?"
"What about you? Anyone significant in your life?" she asked, her eyelashes fluttering although Lelouch wasn't sure what she was trying to accomplish. Kaguya only did it to appear naive and easily impressed, neither of which helped Rosa. She grabbed his arm. "Or will I have the honor of claiming your first dance?"
That was significant. First dances were more than polite gestures but suggested either close friends, allies, or partners. They barely knew each other, so none applied. Was the custom different among commoners? Lelouch was so confused.
"He has a fiancee," Alex interrupted.
"We're not engaged." Lelouch groaned, and caught Alex's hand drifting to his pocket.
"But you intend to be?" Rosa asked. Was that sadness in her voice?
"No," Lelouch said. "There's nothing between us. We're merely old friends."
Alex snorted. "I thought she asked you to marry her every time you met. That sounds like more than friends to me."
"You get way too much satisfaction in meddling with people's romantic lives," Lelouch said. "She only does it because she knows it annoys me. She's joking."
"You're still engaged." Alex grinned widely. "Or at least half-engaged."
"Half-engaged?" Rosa asked. "That is an interesting relationship at least."
"Politics," Lelouch explained. "She has an arrangement with my family. If one of my many family members decides that they want to marry her, she has to agree. I'm more of her... shield."
"And are you sure she wants nothing more?" Frowning, she added, "She sounds committed."
"There's too much bad blood on my side of the family for anything to ever come out of it," Lelouch dismissed. He and his sister had been false assurances of protection for the Japanese. Suzaku was dead because of him. And his Mother had personally executed many of Kaguya's relatives.
"Ah, Lelouch," Roy interrupted, Selena hanging on his arm and watching him with distrust. "It's time for brunch. And you look wonderful as well, Rosa."
Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief as she finally relinquished her hold on him. The moment she did, Selena swooped in and hurried her friend away. It was probably best to keep his distance from Rosa, if simply to calm her.
"Unfortunately, Alex," Roy said apologetically, "Lelouch is going to have to join me at the head table. Can you calm Henry down? He's kind of scaring everyone."
"Only you two could have walked right into a gun fight on your first day together." Alex shook his head. "I'll calm down our resident bloodhound."
New York, Homeland
Nothing had gone wrong yet which left Roy in a knot of nerves.
Of course, things weren't perfect. Henry had developed a sudden intensity that would make the most battle hardened soldiers hesitate. Where it came from, Roy had no idea, but he desperately wished Henry would stop glaring at every guest that came too close to Lelouch—which was almost everyone. He was also slightly jealous because inspiring fear with a look seemed like a useful skill, yet he hadn't been able to figure out how Henry did it.
When he tried, Selena said he looked constipated.
Then there was Gino... Roy hadn't thought he would actually come. Stupid, in hindsight. Gino never conformed to the expectations of a noble and remained devoted to attempting things the "commoner way."
The bigger problem was Selena and Lelouch. Or rather, Selena's maid of honor fawning over an oblivious Lelouch. It was only natural for Selena to want to keep her friends far from royalty and safe. Naturally, Rosa didn't listen, and Lelouch made matters worse by being... Lelouch and painfully oblivious.
"They keep hugging me," Lelouch said in disgust as Roy led him to the table.
And that was the other thing Roy had forgotten. Lelouch didn't mind people breaching his personal space when he knew them, but nearly everyone here was a stranger. "They're only being polite."
"What's wrong with bowing? Or even handshakes?" Lelouch whispered. "I could stab them. They could stab me!"
Roy pinched his nose. "Consider it a welcoming display of trust. Trust has to be given first."
"Gambling with your life on strangers is stupid," Lelouch said. "At least with handshakes, they're in view and most people would have to use their non-dominant hands."
Too many of Lelouch's mannerisms made sense when one considered unfounded paranoia. Roy shook his head and clasped his shoulder. "I thought you hated bowing."
"Kneeling, yes. Bowing is just common sense, even between equals," Lelouch mumbled, pulling out his chair. "It's a mild inconvenience to display respect."
"You don't have to bow to anyone," Roy said slowly, feeling that he was missing something. Bowing was an act of submission. Not bowing to a superior was perhaps disrespectful, but only because it meant refusing to acknowledge the power difference between them. Equals never bowed to each other, yet Lelouch had a strange habit of bowing to everyone, especially when apologizing.
"Except my father," Lelouch said, a pensive look crossing his face. "But I can with everyone else, which is why it's respectful."
"Let's just avoid bowing?" Roy pleaded. "You almost look like you're asking people out. Especially with the food thing. And the self-deprecating jokes. Or generally listening attentively."
"It's respectful. Eating food while someone is watching is rude. And making other people comfortable is basic hospitality."
"You were flirting with Rosa," Roy said slowly.
"I was being polite." Lelouch crossed his arms. "She was merely being friendly. The touching was weird though, but everyone did it."
Roy rested his forehead against the table despite knowing he was attracting everyone's attention. "You offered her chocolates... and the bow with the hand— I'm not accusing you. Simply informing you what it looks like to everyone else. Especially when you start cracking jokes to deflect attention."
Lelouch winced and his eyes widened. Groaning, he finally relaxed and buried his head in his hands. "That's what he meant. I'm not... dense."
"Yes, you are. You've been asked out on five separate occasions and misinterpreted their actions." Roy said. "Just... stick with Gino. At least he'll repel people."
"No wonder she was so angry," Lelouch mumbled, then he straightened, his eyes wide in panic. "She doesn't actually think I like her like that?"
"Who?"
"Kaguya," Lelouch answered. "She always corrected me when I was rude... I usually trade her sweets for some spices, and we keep each other entertained at festivities."
"Entertained how?" Roy asked warily.
"People watching." Lelouch smirked. "Or insulting others without them noticing. She also made up this poetry challenge."
"And her asking you to marry her is part of the game?" Roy asked, remembering what Alex had said and despairing.
"She only does it to annoy me," Lelouch dismissed. "I swear it's revenge for scaring her when I was ten."
"Right." Roy made a mental note to ask Frederick to keep a closer eye on her. Anyone who Lelouch willingly tolerated despite being annoying had to be especially skilled in some manner.
Kaguya wasn't a Britannian name although strangely familiar. Chinese, perhaps? Either she was incredibly politically useful or had the ability to keep pace with Lelouch in conversations. Or worse, both. Deliberately avoiding what it said about himself, Roy asked, "Are you ready for your speech?"
Lelouch merely smirked, and Roy was reminded that Alex had spent a significant amount of time near the table. Catching his arm, Lelouch shook his head. "It's a surprise. Relax."
The order filled Roy with horror.
At the family table, Selena's father, Dorian, stood and the surrounding tables slowly silenced in anticipation. "I would like to thank all of you for coming to this momentous occasion..."
Finishing, he sat down to thunderous applause, and Roy swallowed. His turn. Selena's cold hand grabbed his, and she squeezed it reassuringly. He nodded and took a deep breath, lifting his champagne glass.
"If you told me five years ago, I would be standing here with my beautiful, newly wed wife and best friend at my side, I would not have believed you. At the time, marriage was the last thing on my mind, so I must thank everyone who made this occasion possible because I certainly did the least amount of work. So on behalf of my wife and I, thank you, Dorian, for your kind words and being willing to work on such short notice. Your speech truly warmed my—our hearts."
He continued slowly and deliberately, thanking every necessary party, while all too aware that everyone's attention was waning, desperate for food.
"Which brings me to my best man, Lelouch. The one who was a life saver with seating arrangements, finding the best deal on bouquets, and is also responsible for my coffee addiction. The first time we met, I hated you on sight, an animosity which you soon returned. Despite our rough start, we found common ground in our sense of duty and responsibility. I can truthfully say I am a better person because of him. He helped me open my eyes to see beauty where common sense said there would be none, and the ugliness hidden beneath beautiful and elaborate facades. He also taught me the price of silence and the comradeship of sacrifice."
Roy turned to Lelouch, smiling softly. "For everything, thank you."
A slight red tinge betrayed Lelouch's embarrassment, but he merely nodded solemnly, and Roy finally sat down. The crowd applauded hesitantly, more confused by Roy's words than enlightened. They lacked the necessary context, and Roy could only hope that perhaps some of them would leave with a more open mind. His mother and grandmother narrowed their eyes, looking directly at him. They disapproved, but Roy couldn't bring himself to lie. There had been enough of those already.
He only wished he could have extended his gratitude to Pablo, who was watching from amongst the staff.
Selena steadied herself on his shoulder as she rose and delivered her own speech in perfect accordance with tradition and finished with a customary toast to Britannia. The sweet champagne burned on the way down. He hoped his parents wouldn't notice his momentary discomfort.
Chuckling nervously, Rosa stood and fidgeted under the gaze of the crowd. "Selena forgot to tell me there would be a speech. Probably because she knew I would run away at the prospect, and I have to say the underwear trick really isn't working. It's actually more terrifying because—" She paused as Selena reached over. "Right, cards. Um. I think we've heard enough thank yous. I guess we can thank the glorious weather. And um, right. Roy, you absolutely don't deserve Selena. If you ever do anything to hurt her, I'll break your kneecaps. Thank you?"
She sat down to amused laughter and buried her head in her hand as Selena whispered assurances.
With the audience distracted, Lelouch ducked beneath the table and reemerged with a large, paper filing box, and Roy was filled with a sudden dread. He knew Lelouch was excellent at delivering speeches despite their rare occurrence. But Roy had forgotten that Lelouch's best friend was Alex, and he had no doubt that he did not want to know the content of that box.
Oblivious to his internal begging, Lelouch set the box down with a loud thud, drawing the attention of the room. "I'm sure all of you are tired of speeches by now and would prefer to eat, so I will try to keep this brief before we see what feats an empty stomach is capable of accomplishing. As Roy is my friend, I will refrain from engaging in such a social experiment on his wedding day. Even if he is an utterly terrible friend who forgot to tell me I was his best man until I landed in New York. I heard that it is apparently my job to thoroughly embarrass him for your amusement. Again, Roy failed to mention that tidbit."
"Lelouch," Roy pleaded as the guests laughed at his expense. What had he unleashed on himself?
"Roy also forgot to tell you that the first time I met him, he resembled a peacock, especially when I told him his last name did not ring a bell. Actually, never mind. He still pouts when you tell him that nowadays. At times I doubt he is twenty-one instead of five. But while it is amusing to joke at his expense or share embarrassing stories such as the time a stray stole his boot and his incredibly poor pursuit"—Roy dared to hope—"I would be a poor friend to monopolize this opportunity. Roy is rather popular and unfortunately not everyone was able to be here, so Alex and I decided to share some congratulations from home."
No. Except Lelouch was opening a box revealing thousands of folded notes in bright colors. Roy had gravely underestimated his friends' ruthlessness. Defeated, he buried his head in his hands and ignored Selena's sympathetic pats.
"Don't worry. I said I would keep this brief. This is after all a civilian affair, so we should all leave with our limbs intact... and most of our sanity." The crowd chuckled in relief. "Outside a random few, I will leave Roy and Selena to pursue the collected wisdom within this box."
He reached into the box, his eyes squeezed shut, and then withdrew his arm with a grand flourish. "Let's see. Ah. 'Treat your wife better than your supplies, and your marriage might have a chance. As a thank you for the heads up, I replaced the coffee machine. Congratulations, Roy, on entering your second long term commitment and may marriage be slightly less tumultuous.'"
Roy lifted his head, glaring at Lelouch for his ridiculous theatrics. That hadn't been random. From the back, someone waved, and Roy nodded. It was a nice gesture to include Pablo... and he was going to shower him in gratitude for the coffee machine.
The amused chuckles dying down, Lelouch grabbed a new paper. "'I wish you had waited another two years. I had twenty solid pounds riding on you not having the balls. Love is clearly not the only thing I have underestimated you in. Hurry back and bring Lamperouge with you, or else I may misplace some matches.'"
Lelouch actually looked moderately worried at that statement before shrugging and grabbing the next one. He paused, his eyebrows drawn together. "Well, this is not appropriate for polite company." He reached into the box again. "I swear this is the last one and then we can get to more important things—mainly, food. May I recommend the souffle?" He unfolded the paper and cleared his throat. "'I had my doubts about you, and while watching you make an utter fool of yourself at the talent show helped, it was your hard work and dedication which truly won me over. That same attitude will help you in marriage. Selena, you are lucky to hold the heart of someone who commits themselves so earnestly and with such passion. Treasure it.' And the rest is again not appropriate for polite company.
"As for myself... Roy, thank you. While you may swear that I'm cursed, you still decided to stand besides me. Thank you. And Selena? You make Roy happy, and he trusts you, so I will defer to his judgement. I honestly wish you the best of luck. Now, without any further ado, food."
Tears in his eyes, Roy stood up and threw an arm around Lelouch as the staff began to deliver the food. Lelouch chuckled and twisted out of the grip, his eyes crinkling. Roy laughed and caught him in another headlock. "You always need to be so dramatic. Is that really—"
"Yes. I think I should have clarified the type of advice... Alex and Pablo helped me set it up."
Roy snorted. "Never change, Lelouch. Never change."
An hour later, his stomach uncomfortably full, Roy weaved through the tables, greeting each guest and playing the part of a good host. At last, he stopped in the back and enveloped Pablo in a warm hug where no one could see.
Pablo shook his head and stepped back, laughing. "You forgot to tell me you're a noble, Roy."
"I'm not," Roy mumbled, observing the colorful crowd and glittering ornaments.
"Servants, check. Showboating, check. An excessive amount of food, check."
"We're not nobles," Roy repeated. "We don't assassinate people."
Pablo hummed. "Yet they're not the only ones to kill. But like Britannia, it's people tend to be hypocritical. Still, congratulations. Especially on finally telling your parents, although I guess Lelouch told them the entire deal? They're keeping an exceptionally close eye on him but never approach."
"Yes, among some things," Roy answered, tracking his parents and wondering where his grandmother had disappeared to. To the right, Lelouch had wandered off to join Henry and Frederick. "Lelouch's family—"
"Is?"
Roy sagged, changing his mind. He couldn't be sure how Pablo would react. While Pablo was protective of Lelouch, Britannia had oppressed his people without any mercy. He might have turned against his family's wishes by joining the military, but he still dutifully sent the majority of his paycheck home. There was no way to know where his loyalty would fall, and if he did anything but follow Lelouch full heartedly, Henry would condemn him to death.
But there was a worse outcome. Much like Roy, Pablo despised Lelouch's parents. Unlike him, he had no ounce of patriotism cautioning restraint.
If he knew the truth, he would finally have the correct target for his rage. He was perfectly capable of preparing a coup with none the wiser to finally eliminate the threat to Lelouch. Admittedly, a tempting prospect, but one ultimately doomed for failure.
"He doesn't want you to know," Roy settled on.
"That's not worrisome at all. He's more relaxed though."
"No, he is—" The words died on Roy's tongue, as in the distance, Lelouch threw back his head and laughed.
"A shared burden is easier to carry. Although knowing him, he probably twisted himself into knots wondering how you would react." Pablo leaned against the pillar, becoming more serious. "Things are heating up in Area Six. It will be perhaps a month until Brit feelers catch up to it, but someone bought the Viceroy's security schedule last week."
"Well, shit." Their momentary peace was too good to last.
"Art's network is more focused on the Brit and foreigner side of things. Thankfully, he hasn't caught anything yet from the French side."
"A minor relief," Roy said. "The other divisions are moving to Area Fourteen and Fifteen though. We're going to be without backup."
"We might be following them," Pablo said seriously. "You did say Empress Marianne wanted to turn him into a conqueror."
Her own son. The Emperor would have no objections.
"Let's keep our attention focused on one problem at a time," Roy said weakly. "Thank you for coming even if I couldn't include you properly."
Pablo laughed. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything." He paused, squinting his eyes in befuddlement. "What is Lelouch doing?"
Following his gaze, Roy found Lelouch eating with sticks? The guests clamored around him in amazement, and Roy snorted as one teen's attempt to recreate the scene sent food flying through the air.
"Reckon Ban taught him? They were in the kitchen quite often together."
Ban... who was Japanese and once told a strange folktale of a princess from the moon… Kaguya.
Years ago, when they had been digging through the bombed wreckage of Truro, Lelouch had commented that it could be worse. That they could be clearing rotting corpses covered in maggots. And now, the final piece missing from the puzzle had fallen into place.
"Roy? Do I need to fetch a shovel or get Lelouch?"
"Lelouch was in Japan," Roy said instead. "He saw the invasion, and his parents have no excuse." Especially because they were the ones to orchestrate the entire thing. "I need a drink."
New York, Homeland
As the air began to cool, Lelouch finally managed to escape the constant inquiries of the eager guests and their relentless insistence on physical contact. His mind buzzed as he drafted a mental letter to Kaguya to be absolutely sure there was no misunderstanding between them. He should probably apologize to Leila as well. He hadn't intended to leave such an impression.
But then Leila would probably not believe him...
Tabling the issue, he made a quick detour to order Alex to empty his pockets—then his boots because his friend was far too conniving—and return all the liberated wallets and jewelry. Unrepentant, Alex had tried to argue otherwise, only conceding when Lelouch fixed him with a particularly stern glare.
As for Gino, he had abandoned Frederick for bothering Henry which gave Lelouch some much needed privacy. He didn't want the upcoming subject in any way to reach his father's ears.
"I expect to be invited when you marry," Pablo teased and put away his book. A leafy shroud hid him and the dumpster from the dance floor. "Perhaps the pretty bridesmaid?"
"You wouldn't want to come," Lelouch said, not dignifying the other suggestion with a response.
"See my gosling get married?" Pablo returned his glare with a shit-eating grin. "Of course I do."
"It wouldn't be anything like this. I probably won't have a choice." Especially with his father taking interest.
In the past, there had been brief discussions over his elder siblings' marriage proposals. Odysseus avoided them by being the Crown Prince, as his unwed status was a useful negotiating tool. Guinevere was eagerly pursuing her own match before their father decided to sacrifice her happiness for his ambition. It helped that the Greenford heir had wealth and influence to his name. Schneizel had spread rumors about his relationship with Kanon to preemptively ward off many offers and always managed to convince the remaining parties that they had better prospects elsewhere.
Clovis wasn't an appetizing match; he was too well known as a womanizing fool. If a woman ever held his attention for longer than a week, their father would probably have them married to save the budget.
That left Cornelia as the only other sibling with any influence... and now, himself.
"I'm still coming," Pablo said seriously.
"And then my parents would arrange a little accident. You're not." Lelouch sighed. "I need a favor."
"To defect and elope with the love of your life?"
"What? No. I need an MRI and PET scan."
Pablo leaned in, inspecting him worriedly. "You can check into the hospital any time. The army will even cover most of it for you."
"Not me," Lelouch whispered, instinctively scanning the crowd. "Henry. He's been... forgetting things. And his personality changes..."
"He's also a Brit, who can check in anytime."
"It needs to be discreet. Entirely off the books. I don't want anyone to know, not even Henry." Because a part of Lelouch knew that this couldn't get back to his father. Henry's so-called training was the likely culprit although Lelouch had no idea how.
"So your plan is to knock him out for a medical appointment?"
"Yes?"
"You can't do that." Pablo raised his hand. "Look, I know you're worried, but you can't force him. Talk to him. I doubt he wants to worry you, and there's no need to go somewhere sketchy when there are available channels."
Lelouch grit his teeth and inhaled sharply through his nose. "Fine, I won't knock him out." In the worst case, Lelouch could threaten to risk his own safety if Henry told. "But I can't do this officially. There would be trouble from other parties."
"You're being terribly vague." Pablo sighed. "How much trouble? OSI?" His voice pitched upwards. "Higher? Seriously? Worrying about you is expected. Even Roy. But Henry?"
"Can you do it or not?"
Pablo deflated. "Sure, kid. I'll see what I can—"
He paused abruptly, head turning, and Lelouch frowned as Ruth made her way toward them slowly, leaning exaggeratedly on her cane with one hand and the other holding a plate with a slice of cake. The Fadiman matriarch smiled at their attention as if to ward off any suspicion. Lelouch had no idea who she was trying to fool.
"What an unexpected surprise to run into you," she said. "I hope you're enjoying the festivities."
"They're interesting." Lelouch turned away slightly, projecting disinterest.
"I must commend you for your speech. I haven't seen my grandson so embarrassed in ages." She chuckled and passed her plate to Pablo. "You shouldn't be bothering the guests."
Lelouch stiffened. "Pablo is a guest." Which should have been obvious given his uniform.
Trying the cake, Pablo's eyebrows rose. Without a hint of hesitation, he used his fingers to finish the rest of the cake as Ruth looked on, aghast. "It's good. Bit too much sugar."
Ruth scrunched her nose. "Clean yourself up."
"Thank you fo' ze cake, ma'am," Pablo said unabashedly and wiped his hands on his uniform. As much as Lelouch didn't like it, if this was the game Pablo wanted to play, he wouldn't interfere. "Roy is very lucky, yes?"
"Make yourself useful," Ruth ordered. "The dishes need to be collected."
Pablo glanced at Lelouch, and at his subtle nod, smiled broadly and saluted. "Wid pleasure."
"Numbers," she said as he departed.
"Pablo is an old friend of both myself and Roy," Lelouch said.
"There is no need to pretend, Your Highness, although it is an interesting strategy. I for one would lack the patience to entertain simpletons."
"Pablo is a friend," Lelouch repeated.
She scoffed. "Your mother's hatred for the Numbers is well known. Keep up the charade if you must."
"What do you want?" Lelouch growled.
"An idle conversation? I was simply taking a little stroll to aid in digestion."
"Because you delight in the scent of garbage. Don't play me for a fool. You sought me out. So spit it out before my patience tires."
She straightened slightly, and her face became solemn, smoothing out various wrinkles. "I think it is more a matter of what I can do for you, Your Highness."
"Roy said no," Lelouch said. She was circumventing him to use him. "Perhaps you should talk to him instead."
"He is still young and thinking with his heart instead of his head. We could be of much assistance, especially with solving certain cash flow problems. Lord Ashford is a powerful player to have in your corner, but he lacks the appropriate manufacturing capacity. And while hair products are perhaps what we built our brand on, we have multiple other ventures which may interest you."
"Why?"
"You tied my grandson's future to yours. And as long as he avoids knighthood, the company will still fall to him. At which point, he would undoubtedly use our resources to aid you anyway. An earlier investment often pays greater returns."
"If your argument is so compelling, then present it to Roy. You and I have no business to conduct." Especially because she was the one who ousted him.
"You have a surprising amount of support and resources given your age, but it pales to your elder siblings. Princess Guinevere has nearly every high noble under her sway and more than enough evidence to blackmail them into compliance. Prince Schneizel is popular abroad and among lower nobility. If he secures Princess Cornelia's loyalty, then many here will also support him. Your mother's influence will at least help you oppose him there, but if Prince Schneizel's technological investments pay off, you will lose."
"The throne?" Lelouch smiled grimly. She wasn't trying to negotiate with Zero, but Prince Lelouch. "How fortunate that I have no interest in the bloody chair."
"Yet you have numerous victories to your name and a reputation that threatens Princess Cornelia's. Your first public endeavor was a success and silenced any who questioned your aptitude while also making it clear that unlike Cornelia, you are intelligent in politics as well. The Sumeragi heiress will give you a fortune when you finally make your move. Your lie would be much more convincing if you didn't have a younger sibling depending on you, especially if she's blind."
"You are remarkably well informed," Lelouch growled through the tight panic in his throat. "Especially for only just learning the truth."
"During Basic, Roy would always call home, and your name was rather frequent." She shrugged. "Lelouch isn't too uncommon, yet your name never showed up in any letters, and I haven't lived this long by not paying attention. What is missing is often far more informative than what is there. Especially with Imperial censors having a field day. I always felt foolish for suspecting until you walked in. So I will ask again, Your Highness. What can we do for you?"
Lelouch closed his eyes and cursed his mother's lack of subtlety. This had her and York's fingers all over it. Ruth though hadn't been the first person to uncover his secret. That honor went to a very different person, and he had never learned how. In hindsight, he should have investigated more.
"Did you ever confide in anyone?" Lelouch ordered.
"To have them laugh in my face? No."
Had the Count made the same connections? But she hadn't been in contact with anyone in the division. Lelouch had checked. That potential leak wasn't possible. Dumb luck was a possibility. If he had denied, she might have believed him. He clenched his trembling fists. Why hadn't he lied? He should have lied instead of sitting down and letting her prattle on.
"Your Highness?
He could feel her fingers running over his as she considered which one to cut off if he didn't comply. And then there had been the damn tea scalding his tongue. The black tea was a proper Britannian kind of high quality but still so bitter. The Kururugis always prepared either green tea or oolong tea. She had tainted that memory as well.
Lelouch refocused on his opponent and took a steadying breath. "You overstep your bounds, miss. Whatever meager information you have scrounged from rumors and idle gossip or inferred from my friendship with Roy has granted you an unfounded sense of security and a distorted image of my character. Even if I had the remotest interest in your proposal, this is an inappropriate setting for such discussion."
"Your Highness, I only wish to help."
"You outed my identity with a complete disregard for potential consequences. We do not know each other nor will we. If you have something to discuss, bring it to Roy. He understands my intentions well enough and your character to make appropriate judgements. But to be clear, I will not allow you to pressure him either."
She frowned and silently considered him. "Your actions tied Roy to your cause and left him no room to escape. Why go to the trouble and then turn us down? There is only one path forward with a chance of survival, and I will do what's best for my grandson and the company. The question is what will you do?"
"Your failure of imagination is not my problem, nor do I feel inclined to share my plans." Lelouch shifted the plants to look out onto the dance floor where Gino kept trying to coax an anxious Henry onto the dance floor. "I befriended Roy not because of his family but because of his personality. When funds ran low, I never even considered leveraging our friendship to make up the deficit. I am perfectly capable of acquiring funds through other means."
She stepped closer, too close. "Don't reject our aid because of pride."
"You are too brazen."
"You were the one who decided to value Roy that much." Her thin smile stretched across her face, then relaxed. "Do you really think you can steal my grandson without any consequences? That would be foolish. You will accept our assistance in making a bid for the throne."
If Lelouch hadn't been so out of it after the failed assassination, she would never have dared to act like this. His momentary weakness and lapse of judgement had brought this upon him.
Instead of answering, Lelouch gestured at the dance floor. "Over there is Henry. Officially, he is my guard, but he has various other valuable skills. Self-restraint isn't one of them. I wouldn't wish for him to get word of something untoward and mar this happy occasion."
She paled and wrinkles deepened in anger. "Roy would never condone an assassination, Your Highness."
"You sent your grandson off to war, and he left your sphere of influence to enter mine. I've trained him for five years, and the results speak for themselves. When I was in Australia, Roy managed all my duties as Zero... including assassinations. He is mine."
"I'm his family," she hissed. "You cannot claim to protect his happiness and threaten one of us."
"You're his grandmother," Lelouch corrected. His own were dead, and he had never felt their absence. He wasn't even sure if he would miss his parents when they died. Panic, yes. But, miss? Maybe when he was younger, he would have felt their absence keenly, especially his mother. Yet while it had been hard the first few months after the attempted assassination and adjusting to life in another country, he had been perfectly happy without them. Happier even.
Of course if Roy had a sibling that would be an entirely different matter. The thought of anyone even alluding to hurting Nunnally filled him with indecipherable, protective rage.
"You can't—"
"He didn't even choose you." Only the thought of his friends being hurt could muster comparable rage. "You are not necessary to his happiness."
"Are you willing to take that risk?" she asked coldly.
No. "Yes."
Not unless it became absolutely necessary. He wasn't his parents after all, but she didn't know that. She only saw the cursed similarities and extrapolated from there.
Lelouch leaned forward with a sharp smile. "It is not like Roy would know anyway. At your age, natural causes claim many lives."
"My apologies, Your Highness, for my forwardness," she ground out, "although the offer is still on the table."
Lelouch smirked. "I hear there is a local charity serving the Numbers. A donation may make me forget about this unfortunate conversation."
Without another word, he left to save Henry from Gino's clutches and then find Pablo. He was at least a much better conversationalist when he wasn't stringing Brits along. His hand drifted to his empty pocket, and Lelouch closed his eyes, counting to ten.
First, Alex.
Clothing Thoughts:
- Because of this chapter and some upcoming scenes, I have to figure out what people would wear which mostly led to frustration by the sheer inconsistency within the anime. The general blue soldier uniform changes cut and sleeve lengths multiple times. Anyone under Cornelia's command wears something in a completely different style. And then there are the cravats which are tucked in or not without any consistency.
- I'm lazy and lack artistic talents, so my mental image for the dress uniform is basically the US Marines Blue-White Dress and the Evening Dress Uniform. I considered ripping off the British Uniforms, but they generally had way too much red.
- The hanging golden cord dangling from Charles's left shoulder I think is an aiguillette. The only problem is that it's on the left shoulder when they're worn on that shoulder in the UK by officers of lower rank. A member of the royal family is supposed to wear it on the right. It's also worn on the right for the US Vice President. So either I'm misunderstanding something regarding which shoulder it's supposed to be worn or Charles is supposed to be wearing it on the right and the anime accidentally flipped it. If it's the latter that means I'm going to have to be switching shoulders for everyone. This is also a very minor detail and probably not worth the hour or two I spent trying to figure it out.
Author's Note:
Alternative Title: The Chapter Where Lelouch is Hit Upon
To be completely honest, this isn't my favorite chapter because it's mostly filler and I really like the next chapter. But people wanted a wedding, so you got one. Google now thinks I want to get married.
Thank you x1tears1X and SpadedAce18 on FFN and Dark for your help with betaing.
Chat with me on the discord: discord . gg / uSBegVj