Recap: Lelouch dropped in to wish Kaguya a happy birthday. Kallens learned that Lelouch is Zero. Nunnally has been on family bonding time with her mother.
Chapter 33: Duty and the Heart
Asset 22-22 failed to return from leave
Launched investigation
Current status unknown
Possible crossing with Empress Marianne?
—From Geass Order Logs
1821 Clovis St., Tokyo, Area Eleven
Standing in the middle of the foyer with the Emperor's assigned spy behind her, Leila observed Frederick dressed in plain clothes leaning against the wall. A dark disgusted scowl marred his face; he didn't seem to be inclined to move anytime soon. If he was here, then Prince Lelouch inevitably was as well. She hadn't prepared to meet him once again.
Her last visit to the Emperor hung in her mind. He had congratulated her on apologizing to his son with that mocking tone. Lady Everette pestered her endlessly about the prince as well, always seeking more insights into his character. Lord Oberstein at least had been more direct; she was to do everything to gain the confidence of Kaguya Sumeragi. Undoubtedly, the reasoning twisted back to Prince Lelouch.
Half a year ago, she had barely heard of him. Now, the political currents of Britannia swept around him, while she was desperately swimming to keep afloat as others used her as a pawn.
"How are you, Frederick?" she asked, pushing down her annoyance. To the side, her governess scowled at her conversing with her supposed lessers. It was strange that the Emperor had chosen someone so painfully traditionalist to be her minder; he certainly did not care. If he did, he would have reigned in his son long ago. "It's been a while since we had a chance to talk."
Frederick raised his chin, his eyes colder than ever before. "I have nothing to say to you, Lady Breisgau."
"Jeanne asked how you were doing," she tried. He had stood by his prince, content to let his liege kill family, but maybe she could get through to him. Prince Lelouch had used him as well. He couldn't possibly be happy about that. "She misses you. It was... nice talking to you."
"Spare me your lies, Breisgau," he spat.
"Lies?" Leila unclenched her fists. "What of the prince you follow? He used you as bait."
Frederick pushed off the wall and stood with the ready stance of a soldier. "You were the one who tried to use me first. You and Jeanne tried to blackmail me into treason. You put my family at risk for your ambitions. Do not talk to me about lies."
"We would have gotten them out. They were never in danger, but Jeanne was." She took a deep breath. "Your prince was willing to have her executed for a crime of no fault of her own. Our friendship wasn't fake although I can see how much you cared, considering you never shared anything about your previous relationship."
His shoulders trembled as they rose. "My boyfriend is not open to discussion, Breisgau."
"Well, your prince clearly thought otherwise. I guess he cannot mean that much if you are willing to forgive him for using his death as a tool."
Frederick stalked forwards. His breath assaulted her nose. "Like Lelouch is a tool to the Emperor, I am one to him. We are all tools. While it was perhaps crass for him to take advantage of his death like that, Lelouch will always use the appropriate tool for the job regardless of his personal feelings. At least he did it to protect me; you endangered myself and my family. Royals don't take even the rumor of disloyalty lightly, nor do they let traitors live for long. You do not get to claim the moral high ground, Breisgau."
"You're angry at me, but not him? How much more deluded can you Brits get? Everything is fine because His Highness said so?"
"What makes you think I can't be angry at both of you?" He laughed. "I despise you more though. You did all of this for greed and are now mad like a petulant child because it backfired. I'm thankful that Lelouch trusted me; he has a hard enough time with that. Let me be explicitly clear before you ever attempt such idiocy again, Breisgau—"
"Stop, calling me that," she spat.
"Breisgau," he emphasized and smirked. "I would rather die than betray him. We're not quite friends, but Edgar bled out to save him, and I refuse to let that sacrifice be in vain. Even if Lelouch acts like an idiot who cannot comprehend the value of his own life. Even if I were nothing but a tool to him. Even if my own family must suffer, I will always be loyal."
"You are nothing but a pawn to him. You will waste away in his service, a husk of a human being without any joy. If your boyfriend ever loved you, he would never want this."
"Don't! Talk about what you don't know." Frederick took a cautionary step backwards, his face quivering like a wolf moments from pouncing on its prey. His hands were clenched at his sides. "Edgar is not some name for you to throw around. I knew him better than anyone. We were always together. Do not presume to know what he would want; do not presume to know what brings me joy."
"It's not right! People have the right for self-determination, to choose. Just because you didn't have the fortune to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth does not mean you should be condemned to a life of servitude without self actualization."
"Oh, but your precious EU would? You would treat me as an individual with rights and feelings? I was a tool for your ambitions the moment you and Jeanne first set eyes on me! Where was my right to choose when you tied me to a chair! You pretended to help me to force my hand. When I refused, you threatened my family. So tell me, where was my supposed right to choose? Because if that's what you call a choice, I would rather not have it! At least Lelouch is not a hypocritical bastard!"
"Oh, that is rich. He basically put a gun to my head and ordered me to choose. He pretended for weeks on end to be my friend. He lied to you and purposefully set his other guard on you to spring the trap." She slammed a finger into his chest. "Tell me what he did it for? Because at least I acted with your best interests in mind and for an ideal. Britannia is rotten. Prince Lelouch did it to impress dear daddy because the golden spoon he was born with is clearly not enough."
"Best interest? How presumptuously noble of you." Frederick scoffed. "You think Lelouch's life has been easy? You don't know the first thing about being royalty. Or even Lelouch's life. A golden spoon? More like a poisoned spoon."
A stern voice from the doorway cut through their argument. "Please stop harassing my guard, Lady Breisgau."
Heart pounding, she stepped back and smoothed out the folds of her dress. In the doorway, Prince Lelouch stood, cold as ever since that fateful day. Strangely, he seemed less composed than she had ever seen him. Something about his hair not laying properly or the wrinkles in his normally pristine shirt or maybe it was the strange stains. His clothing was strangely informal, reminiscent of his time in Australia.
Next to him, Kaguya was in a similar state. Gold glittered from atop her hair and stray strands squared her face. Her makeup appeared disturbed as well, and her clothes were covered in scandalous wrinkles—
"Are you two sleeping together?" she squeaked before clasping a hand over her mouth. They were... Lord Oberstein claimed Kaguya was a spy for the JLF, yet she had laughed with the other nobles when they learned of the Eleven purge underway. Prince Lelouch corrupted her.
Prince Lelouch threw up his hands. "No! I can spend time with a woman without sleeping with her. Why do people keep assuming that?"
"Oh, is there someone else waging war for the affections of your heart?" Kaguya teased. She clasped a mocking hand over her own heart. "How cruel thee are my love and prince of my dark heart. Thee have no mercy and spurn my warm advances. Won't thee offer me a kiss?"
"A demon cannot earnestly offer its heart to the fair maiden. Thee will find thyself burdened with one unworthy as me."
Leila's eye twitched.
Spinning around and clasping her hands together in an angelic gesture, Kaguya inclined her head to Frederick. "Pray tell me, good knight. Who else shall I invite to our eventual bed?"
"Lelouch fell asleep on a girl," Frederick answered simply.
"Because you and Henry set us up!" Prince Lelouch hotly replied, a slight tinge of red to his cheek.
Mostly, Leila felt sorry for the girl. She remembered her own first encounter with Prince Clovis and the terror of being unable to refuse. The girl could hardly have woken him up and risked his displeasure.
"There was also that private conversation," Frederick teased. "Why, anything could have happened. You were without a chaperone."
"I asked her some questions," Prince Lelouch grumbled. His eyes passed over her and narrowed. "For your information, no. We did not have sex. I cannot even begin to imagine why you would draw such a conclusion."
"You two were alone without a chaperone," her governess spoke. Prince Lelouch hadn't been glaring at Leila, but at the woman who reported back to the Emperor.
"Frederick was here. It is hardly improper," Prince Lelouch countered. "Who I spent my private time with is hardly anyone's business, but if you must know, I am merely here to offer her celebratory birthday wishes. All three of us can vouch that nothing happened."
Kaguya winced at his glare. "He was the perfect gentleman and then made me lunch."
"Your guard is hardly a reputable source." Her governess sniffed. "A prince such as yourself should take measures to not besmirch a lady's reputation," she trailed off and scowled. "Even if she's an Eleven masquerading as one."
"Lelouch, please besmirch my honor," Kaguya whined. "I cannot bear it anymore. I feel empty. There is such deep longing. How ever can I prove my loyalty when unchallenged?"
Prince Lelouch buried his head in his hands.
Her governess bared her teeth. "What your tongue girl. As if a prince would ever dirty himself—"
"Leave," Prince Lelouch interrupted coldly. "You may wait outside."
"Nothing happened," Kaguya added, face serious. "We had an adequate chaperone. Sayoko?"
"Yes, mistress?"
Prince Lelouch flinched violently, and a knife thudded into the wall behind the maid. "You have to make her stop doing that."
"You do know it is mildly concerning that your first instinct at something startling you is to throw knives at it?" Kaguya hummed. "That is a bit of a safety concern."
"Did you know there was a sudden uptick of food poisoning when I was last at the Viceroy's Palace? You can complain about my knife habit once people stop trying to kill me." He rolled his eyes and held out his hand expectantly. The maid casually pulled the knife out of the wall and handed it to him, hilt first. He effortlessly twirled it over his fingers and glared at the governess. "Your concern about a chaperone has been noted, but as you can see, both of us have everything under control. Leave."
Her governess left reluctantly. While she was undoubtedly assigned to spy on her by the Emperor, she couldn't disobey a direct order from royalty.
"I did not know it was your birthday," Leila said quietly.
"It hardly matters," Kaguya dismissed. "You are early. We don't need to prepare for the party for at least another two hours. Will you come, Lelouch?"
"I was not invited."
"You hardly need an invitation." She waved them through the door. "If you're here, you may as well help in eating the gyoza."
He pursed his lips. "I would rather keep my visit quiet, lest my brother succumbs to paranoid delusions."
"Before he slaughters another ghetto?" Leila sniped, regretting it immediately.
"Among other things."
Kaguya clapped her hands together. "Lunch?"
"I'm not—" A sharp glare cut him off.
Prince Lelouch disappeared into the kitchen, his guard following with one last suspicious glare at her. Kaguya meanwhile led her into the sitting room and began to rearrange the furniture and pull the coffee table away from the couch. From the lower cabinet in the bookshelf, she retrieved various pillows which she scattered around the table.
"Sit," Kaguya invited her as she placed small ceramic dishes on the tables.
Confused, Leila rested on a cushion and examined the Eastern table setting. Kaguya had laughed with the other nobles at her people's plight, but here, she was engaging in a non-Britannian tradition while a prince of the realm was one door over.
"Are you allowed..."
Kaguya shrugged and passed out the chopsticks. "Lelouch won't tell."
Was she blind to the dangers because of her crush? Or did she have some leverage to force his silence? They were supposed to be enemies, and she was flouting her culture in his face. Britannia punished those who didn't assimilate fully, and Kaguya mingled with high society. She wouldn't be afforded any leeway.
Prince Lelouch and Frederick pushed open the door, their arms burdened with strange, round containers which were set on the table. The mysterious aroma made her mouth water.
Staring at the table, Frederick sighed. "I'm getting a fork. Will you require one as well, Lady Breisgau?"
"No, thank you."
The brief flicker of approval in their eyes gave her hope as she clumsily grabbed the chopsticks. She had tried to learn years ago upon hearing that the EU ambassador greatly insulted the Chinese by refusing to eat with them as he wasn't provided proper utensils. Her meager practice didn't prevent her from dropping the dumpling halfway to her plate.
Prince Lelouch meanwhile wielded the slim polished sticks with enviable ease. She had never seen him eat so readily a proper meal, only the pastries he had baked for her.
"Do you normally celebrate your birthdays together?" she asked slowly.
"No," Kaguya said. "Lelouch unfortunately likes to disappear off the face of the Earth. He is not a fan of birthdays." She leaned on his shoulders, her lips set in a teasing slant. "You do know you won't escape so easily this year. I have to pay you back."
"You can stay out of trouble," he grumbled. "I don't need anything."
"You're not getting out of your festivities that easily."
Frederick rolled his eyes. "Good luck. We've been trying for years to celebrate it to varying degrees of success. He orders us not to do anything."
"Because it's ridiculous," Lelouch grumbled. "The resources would be better spent elsewhere. It's a needless distraction."
Kaguya hummed. "And you would say the same for Nunnally?"
"It's not the same."
"Sure. I will be very upset if you reject my invitation. Insulted even. No shirking your duties this year."
"You will be turning eighteen, right?" Leila confirmed.
His face soured. "Yes. I'm getting a driver's license."
Kaguya burst into peals of laughter. "You don't need one."
"It's the principle of the matter."
"You're still not driving," Frederick cut in.
"I'm perfectly capable—"
"Aren't you supposed to have a chauffeur?" Leila asked. Why was his guard driving? "My governess won't allow me anywhere near the driver's seat."
"If I were to tell my parents I want to pilot a knightmare, there would be absolutely no trouble. But driving a car? The absolute horror."
Kaguya narrowed her eyes. "I'm inclined to trust Frederick's judgment. You'll be safer that way."
"No. He thinks it's hilarious. He doesn't have a license either."
Snorting, Kaguya turned to Leila. "You haven't been having any more trouble as of late?"
Prince Lelouch narrowed his eyes. "Trouble?"
Leila shook her head and lied through her teeth. "Nothing of concern. I want to return to my lands sometime soon, but Prince Clovis is incessant with his invites. My governess says it would be rude to turn him down." That and she had orders from the E.U. through Yoan and from Lord Oberstein through Lady Everette to integrate herself into high society. "I feel like I should be there... But honestly, I cannot aid the people by being there. I need allies for trade and business deals... and Prince Clovis's parties are convenient for networking."
"At least one thing they're good for," Prince Lelouch grumbled. Kaguya whacked him on the arm. They were much too casual with each other for simple friends. Kaguya refused to call it love, yet—
Leila averted her eyes and squashed the memories of his pleasant smiles in Australia. "My father left them in such a state. I have to fix it before I return home. I don't have any experience in this. I'm a soldier."
"You won't be," Prince Lelouch said coldly, but his eyes softened. "The E.U. will never allow you back into the military should you return. And even if you joined the civilian sector, you'll inevitably find an assassin at your back. I'm sorry, Breisgau."
"But—"
Kaguya reached across the table, covering her hand gently. "You'll find a way forward."
"Why?" Leila studied her reflection in her plate. "Why did you have to ruin everything? I want to see Jeanne again, my friends from the Academy. But you took all that and for what? A chance to embarrass the EU?"
"To bring the negotiations to an end so I could go home." Prince Lelouch met her gaze evenly. "I could have found another solution, admittedly, but you went after my guard."
Leila flinched. "And you went after Jeanne."
"As your older, illegitimate sister, she would've served the same purpose. You struck first, and I retaliated by giving you a choice. It was hardly personal."
Except, she wished it was. Grimacing, Leila readjusted her grip on the chopsticks. If it had been personal, then she could ascribe some meaning to his actions and his tender words and smiles. If it was personal, they would be connected as spiteful enemies. If it was personal, then it was about her, not her heritage, which was all that anyone cared about upon meeting her.
It had been personal for Leila. She had interpreted his mannerism as overturns of friendship or manipulation, or at least some investment on his part in their relationship. It was only when he was next to Kaguya that she realized how flat his previous interactions were. Her chest burned.
"I won't make the same mistake twice," she challenged with a slight smile. "I would challenge you to a game, but I suspect it will be quite a while before my affairs are in order for it to be worth your while."
His eyes narrowed and wandered to his guard. "You need assets. I can offer a loan. Of course should you return to the E.U., I expect it to be repaid in full immediately."
Not that he would be able to enforce it if she fled to the E.U., but he was right that she could never return. She was more useful to them as a spy or sabotager. Instead, he was offering her a way to save face and deflect suspicion when the time came and people asked why she hadn't left.
"And what do you want in return?" she asked warily.
"Hmm... Kaguya? Her estate is currently lacking in industry."
"Why should I invest money in setting up a factory," Kaguya dismissed.
"Diversification. No noble is going to sell to you on the mainland after all."
Kaguya sniffed. "I hate it when you're right, but I want something in return, Bresigau. Twenty year lease with no rent for the factory, and I want my pick of five additional lots which I'll buy thirty percent beneath the market value."
"Fifteen," Leila countered.
"This isn't a charity. It is nice to expand, but I have no urgent need."
Out of her depth, Leila scowled. "Twenty-five."
For a long minute, Kaguya said nothing, and she feared that she had pushed too far. Leila did need the deal unless she wanted to be perpetually under Everette's and Oberstein's thumb. "Very well. You have a deal." Kaguya laughed and squinted at Prince Lelouch. "But I'm doing a favor for you too—"
"You're the one benefiting from this, " Prince Lelouch hissed.
She shrugged. "You would save yourself so much trouble if you just agreed to marry me. Not that I believe for one second you're doing this for either of us out of the good of your heart. You're scheming, So..."
Crossing his arms, he asked, "What do you want?"
Leila leaned forward in anticipation.
"I'll be your date for your birthday party, and while you may pick the date, we'll be hosting a small gathering to celebrate with all your friends." Kaguya grinned unrepentantly, hiding her brilliant masterstroke. If Prince Lelouch had been given a commission, his friends were more likely to hint at his assignment than him. "A small price to pay, I do dare to say so myself."
He huffed. "You're being foolish. You're sixteen now. You can't stall forever."
"I dare say I can as long as the Emperor is entertained by my antics. He merely needs me to curry favor with the Chinese court... and well, that won't be an issue much longer. Not that it would be in the first place if you would just accept."
Rolling his eyes, he turned to Leila and hesitated, lips parsed. "If you want... I can arrange a comission for you. Clovis won't say no to a pretty face, especially with my recommendation."
It would be something she was actually skilled in but— "You cannot possibly trust me."
"I think you're intelligent enough to realize how detrimental a Chinese occupation of Area Eleven would be. The damage you can do is rather limited."
"Then what benefit do I bring?" she asked cautiously, besides ensuring that she would never be seen as anything more than a traitor in the E.U. She couldn't accept it.
Kaguya's brow furrowed. "What did happen in Shinjuku?"
"If it was not for Schneizel's interference, Clovis would have lost to a handful of half-competent terrorists. He surrounded himself with enabling fools, and if the Chinese invade, it will not be enough to save him."
"Not that it matters in the long run. Reinforcements will reclaim the Area easily enough," Kaguya murmured.
"Land is easily reclaimed; people are not."
There was his compassion which she had tried so hard to convince herself was a lie. She couldn't let the Chinese Federation grow stronger, not with rumors abound that they had discovered their own sakuradite reserve. The E.U. would be cut off and slowly strangled to death. Not to mention the thousands of civilians who would inevitably die.
"Your involvement could be kept quiet. A new name," he offered quietly. Next to him, Kaguya jerked her chin, asking if she should step in.
"No." She bit her lip, eyes focused on the expertly made dumpling. His intention wasn't to trap her within Britannia, but accepting those shackles freely would let her earn people's trust. "Like you said, going back is futile."
"Excellent." He stood, returning with a piece of paper and envelope. His pen glided swiftly across the paper,and he finished by blowing gently on the paper and sealing the letter with his personal crest. He held it across the table, but didn't let go as she grabbed it. "You will owe me, Leila. Two favors of my choosing."
And the trap shut when she was already committed to this plan. It changed nothing. The Emperor's surveillance left her with barely any breathing room. Until she proved herself, she would only ever be a tool. To his side, Kaguya appeared unfazed. A gentle smile lifted the edge of her lips. To stand with her was to stand with Prince Lelouch. Whether that meant standing with the JLF was yet to be determined. If she shunned her, then she would only be left with Lady Everette and Oberstein, both interested in the Prince as well.
"Within reason," Leila stipulated.
"It would be cruel to ask for something you cannot give."
She swallowed. Beggars couldn't be choosers. "I accept your conditions... Lelouch."
A flicker of a smile crossed his face, genuine this time. He chafed at formality. That hadn't been part of the act in Australia, rather formality was a necessary part of his mask within Britannia. Silently, she filed the tidbit away. He released the letter.
Had she just made a deal with the devil?
Lelouch leaned to Kaguya and whispered something before standing. "Enjoy the party, and good luck at the Sakuradite Conference, Kaguya."
Frederick lingered in the room, his eyes focused on her. "The Emperor isn't the only one who employs assassins, but Henry and I don't wait for orders."
When dealing with royalty and nobility, the price of betrayal was exorbitantly higher. He wouldn't retaliate in kind; he would annihilate her. Glancing at Kaguya pensively staring at the closed door, she winced. Even if she succeeded, she would find Kaguya's blade in her back before long.
If she were to betray him, she would have to eliminate not only him, but his guards and allies as well.
"He does like you," Kaguya said as she cleared the table, "or he wouldn't have offered you such a generous deal."
"I would hardly call it generous."
"Perhaps. But he wouldn't have gambled on you. Those favors are only worth something if you establish yourself as someone of importance. Don't renege on your deal. Lelouch takes his word seriously. He is a good ally to have."
"I won't," Leila assured. Her honor wouldn't allow it, even if this pushed him one step closer to the throne. At least, she was fairly sure that of all his siblings, he wouldn't order an indiscriminate slaughter. Her standards had truly fallen low. "We're more investments than tools, aren't we?"
"A happy ally won't act out of spite, defying all logic and common sense. Not that most nobles bother. They merely wrap you in the tightests chains, and you either free yourself through a bitter freedom or are broken to heel."
Had Kaguya been broken or was she biding her time while weakening her chains? She had laughed during the massacre, but here, she defied Britannian culture. What part was the ruse?
A hand brushed against her back. "You should've told him about Clovis."
"As long as he respects my boundaries, I can pay the price. It's hardly any different than the Malcals engaging me to their son."
Ashford Academy, Area Eleven
The sweet scent of polished wood mixed with the stench of sweat greeted Nunnally as she stepped back on the academy grounds. The world felt alive around her, so different from the sterile palace where the drop of a coin rang clearly through the halls. Only the footsteps of her newly assigned guard marred the opportunity.
"Nunnally!" Allie shrieked and her fingertips brushed over her dress before abruptly receding with a muffled squeak.
"Let her go," Nunnally snapped, a headache already forming.
"She attacked you."
"Nobody will believe you are an aide if you accost every friend of mine."
"My orders—"
"Are to protect me, not announce my presence with a trumpet. I can take care of people my age unless I signal otherwise."
"Yes, ma'am."
Allie huffed as she hit the ground and rustled with her clothes. Sadly, she asked, "I guess things are changing?"
"Yeah," Nunnally whispered. She needed to tell the others before she left to never return. Before she lost Allie and the social gap between them became insurmountable. Why hadn't she accepted the offer of knighthood? Nunnally needed her. Forcing a smile, she grabbed Allie's arm and rested her head on her shoulder. "My mother insists on inviting you all to my birthday."
A small shiver ran through Allie's shoulder. "Not just Milly?"
"Her grandfather is a Margrave. Whether I want any of them there or not is immaterial." Nunnally snorted. "I doubt most of them will show up though. Can't be seen tacitly supporting the commoner's brat after all. You know, it's so stupid. Nobody cares about the boys coming of age. It was only a minor scandal when Lelouch didn't show. They get a huge show if they get an official position. But no, if you're a girl, all anyone cares about is your debut."
"But you could wait, like Euphie. We could spend another year together."
Nunnally huffed as she let her friend lead the way. "That's because her mother arranged a marriage for her with some old rich Margrave. Cornelia must have called in a lot of favors to delay her debut. But that fell through now and people are already whispering that Euphie needs her sister's protection. She'll have a small party and then be debuting as well... And everyone here will know."
That her father was prioritizing Nunnally's birthday over Euphie's baffled her. Her birthday would be starting the season, and she would be swimming in the spotlight. She would be first, Euphie second in a deliberate slight. She had always imagined being at the end of the line, maybe before the earls if she was lucky. She wasn't worthy in Britannia's eyes.
Except her father had chosen her birthdate to begin the season this year. He had put her at the beginning of the line. In their scant few conversations and the shared meals her mother roped them into, she couldn't detect anything in his tone.
He didn't like her. She had accomplished nothing in his eyes, unlike Lelouch. His voice was always the same, commanding. It barely faltered around her mother. Unlike her mother, who always vibrated with tension and twirled through a dizzying array of emotions with ease, she couldn't read him at all,
Allie sighed. "And you couldn't stay after? Even if people knew?"
Her heart burned, but... "No. I won't be like Euphie, relying solely on the protection of my older sibling. I can't be of use here." And that was a life Allie didn't want. "So... What happened while I was out?"
Allie stiffened. "You didn't hear?"
"What?"
"Clovis ordered the Shinjuku ghetto purged. The Emperor countermanded it and now troops have quarantined the entire area. Nobody is allowed in or out." She paused, and Nunnally's fingers dug into her arm. "We haven't heard from Zachary at all... But, Shirley's new boyfriend, Andreas, showed us a way in."
A part of her screamed to go immediately. To find Suzaku and hold him tight so he could never leave. Even as a political tool for her family, he would surely be safer than now. Her mother was listening for once. If Nunnally broached the topic she could wrangle out concessions.
"We'll be attacked if we go," Nunnally finally said.
"Milly said that too, but Euphie has been really insistent. She keeps harassing Andreas about alternatives." She giggled. "He gave her a magic spell yesterday. He's nice... and I can see why Shirley likes him even if he's rather plain, but— I don't know. He feels off, and Shirley brought him in before consulting us. I don't think he's seen anything sensitive..."
"About that," Nunnally mumbled. "My mother caught wind of it. We need to back off. Once things settle down..."
Surprisingly, Allie slipped out of her grasp. "We can't! Nothing will change if we wait for people to calm down and forget. They care now. The streets are literally stained in blood, but nobody is talking about it. Clovis killed so many, and the media is completely barred from reporting a word. If we wait, he'll get away with it."
A sliver of panic wound around her chest. "You are doing something new."
"It's related technically. Clovis is still the target, and Milly is making sure we're careful when distributing the flyers. The journalism club has been posting articles to your blog as guests, but we made sure nothing can be traced to us."
Except they didn't know the ins and out of imperial censorship like Nunnally did. They hadn't spent hours listening to Lelouch discusscommon tactics and how he hunted down various groups, from corrupt nobles to terrorists... to citizens who reached too far. Maybe they were being careful—like a blind, careful bull in a china shop.
"He won't get away with this," Nunnally assured. Her mother's words rung in her ears, pushing back her anger. "But if we push too far, you will be the ones to get hurt."
"So you don't care about Zachary?"
"No!" Nunnally squeezed her eyes shut. "I want to help him. I do. With me as the Black King, we can provide resources and work from the shadows. We could even bribe our way into the ghettos once the military isn't crawling all over. You just don't know what they can do to you."
"We saw what happened to Mr. Cameron."
She clenched her fists as the aroma of blood wafted past her. "It could've been far, far worse."
"So you'll do nothing?"
"No." Nunnally sighed. They had already taken the next leap. "Let me make sure at least that you do it right."
Allie chuckled and bumped into her shoulder. "You'll figure it out. You always do. And I'm sure Zachary is fine. He's super strong."
"How do you know that?" Nunnally asked suspiciously.
"He taught us some self-defense. Of course Euphie spent the entire time staring at his butt."
Nunnally wrinkled her nose.
"Do you think your aide will spar with me? He's not sleeping in our room is he? Because—"
"I will," the guard interrupted.
"What's his name?" Allie whispered. "And he's most definitely not."
After a moment of consideration, Nunnally nodded. "I'll order him out. He doesn't have a name."
"Of course he does."
"He doesn't need one."
"I'm calling him Sebastian," Allie announced. "And he's sparring with me, but he better not eat my orange pancakes."
"You're terrible at cooking. How do you have pancakes?"
Allie missed a step. "Well... I invited my sister. The student council doesn't know yet, besides Milly of course. She's pissed at Diethard because he keeps sniping at her for having written for a gossip rag."
"He would change his tune if he knew Lelouch did as well," Nunnally joked weakly as she tried to grasp the situation. Things had moved too quickly in her absence. "It'll be nice to hear from her again."
"She's already been a big help setting up interviews. Diethard is too conspicuous. Everyone knows he works for Clovis, but Gwen has a media license and one of Diethards old friends gave her a letter of recommendation. I've been helping her collect all the data."
"As long as we're not targeting Clovis specifically," Nunnally stipulated. She had given her mother her word, even if she hadn't informed her of what Clovis had done. He would get his due soon enough. If not... Well, Nunnally would soon have other ways to attack him that would keep her friends safer.
"No. It's about the army. We've got at least three Purists implicated in bribery and coercion. People will be pissed when they hear, and the army will have to back off a little... which means it'll be safer to search for Zachary."
That— Nunnally grinned and threw herself at where the footstops had come to a pause. Laughing, Allie caught her. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so worried. She could still keep her promise to her mother, but chipping away at the Purists who kept Clovis in power was fair game. Besides, her mother wouldn't mind. She despised them as well.
"You won't tell them yet, right?" Allie asked quietly after going over everything she missed. A few things Nunnally would have to adjust, but she had done well in working as her hand. If only she hadn't turned down the offer of knighthood. "It will change everything."
"I have to tell them something." Nunnally snorted. "It's not like I can just plop them on a plane and then announce it as they enter Pendragon. I've told Nina already."
"Oh. Did she faint?"
"Don't be rude. She was very excited. It was nice."
"Can you wait until after our spa day? Milly has been looking forward to it for weeks, and she'll be pissed if everyone's out of it. You can have my ticket."
"We should do it together," Nunnally said, searching for her hand and relaxing into the warm touch. "One last day without any worries."
"I'd love to... but I can't. Shirley wanted to spend the day with her boyfriend, and I don't think she should be alone with him."
Nunnally stopped. A newcomer, an unknown, potentially dangerous. "He showed you how to get into the ghettos?"
Sighing, Allie pulled her down and the bench creaked as they settled on it. "I don't know. He does everything right. Shirley absolutely adores him, and we're all so happy for her... But something about him is just off. He doesn't mind me joining. I think he's almost glad. He's rather shy with affection but— I don't know."
"What did Rivalz say?"
"He's hovering even more around Milly after the hospital released him—"
"Hospital?"
"He got mugged... But he doesn't like Andreas either. It doesn't help that Andreas keeps teasing him about Milly, and she encourages him. Rivalz is probably jealous, yet... I just feel like there's something missing. I already pulled up his records and he's clean. He's perfectly normal and doesn't even blink when our conversations become more controversial. I'm probably being paranoid."
"You should trust your gut," Nunnally reassured. "When everything settles down, we can go to the spa together. Will you..."
"I'll be there." Allie grasped her hand. "You won't have to celebrate your birthday alone. I only wish I could join you afterwards."
For a moment, Nunnally opened her mouth to ask her to reconsider becoming her Knight of Honor. Why wasn't Nunnally good enough for her friend? "I do too."
"We can keep in touch online, right? And I guess you'll still be seeing Milly... and Nina?"
"Of course. The researchers at the Camelot Institute have had nothing but praise for Nina. She'll be attending publicly. I know Lelouch will insist on having the first dance but Nina agreed to the second. If any of you want to stay out of sight, I don't mind. It would be safer."
"I'll do it," Allie growled. "If Nina can do it—"
"It's not a competition!" Nunnally threw up her free hand before storming off, her guard's footsteps echoing her own. Inside, she collapsed against the cool stone wall. She wanted Allie as her knight. She was perfect for the role. But she refused, and now Nunnally should let her go, but Allie kept marching back into her life, saying all the right things except when Nina was involved.
Really, Nunnally couldn't understand her problem.
Shinjuku Ghetto, Area Eleven
As Kallen walked with the scattered soldiers to survey the damage to the ghettos, she watched Lamperouge with a snarl tugging on her lips. The streets reeked of the dead, and terrified eyes watched them from between boarded windows. This was why she had to fight Britannia no matter what, and to her right, walked the man responsible for Britannia's supremacy—Zero.
She had a knife strapped to her side. If she bided her time, she could walk up to him and slit his throat before anyone was wiser. While Sullivan was inhumanely fast, he wasn't here today, not yet cleared for combat for whatever reason. His other guard was probably watching, and her neck prickled at the invisible sniper scope aimed at her back.
She could kill him. The opportunity was here. She wouldn't live, but it was a small price to pay to eliminate Zero who so easily suppressed rebellions. It would spare Area Eleven from his usual treatment and give the resistance a fighting chance.
She merely needed the resolve, and if she swung fast and hard, she knew she could do it. She had to.
Her foot took an unconscious step towards him before she squeezed her eyes shut and refocused on the dilapidated buildings around her. When they landed in Japan, it would've been simple. Her life was an easy price to pay, but now the calculus had changed. He had her two brothers. They should've been safe, far from her dealings. Yet despite her purposeful coldness, Lamperouge had still dragged them out of the shadows. She wanted nothing more than to hug them, so grateful that they survived.
So could Kallen kill Lamperouge and condemn her siblings to an immediate death without any hope of escape? And if she didn't, could she submit to Lamperouge's every order to keep them safe?
But he was Zero. If Kaguya was here, she would order her to assassinate him. The world would rejoice. For all that they were helping the Japanese here, he was still here to cover up what happened.
"Do you want to stay back?" Lamperouge asked softly. "She is still your mother."
"No, sir." Kallen relaxed her hand which had slowly crept upwards to grab her knife.
Lamperouge nodded and scowled as they passed a downed knightmare—a corpse of a giant. A few hand signals and his decoy began barking orders for its removal. "It's sickening, isn't it?"
What would the loyal Stadtfeld heiress say? This was beyond what most Britannians were exposed to, but it wasn't an unusual occurrence. The invasion of Japan had been worse from what her mother had said. "I'm sure there was a reason..."
"No. There wasn't." Lamperouge shook his head. "Peel away the pleasantries of everyday life and this is Britannia. She builds cities of sweet smelling perfume to hide the corpses beneath."
One of the nearby soldiers coughed into his arm and then spat viciously. "I never thought I'd see again such... wickedness."
"It never went away, Private." Lamperouge broke from the group and picked up a handful of strewn items, returning them to the abandoned bag from which they must have spilled from.
"How can you bear it, sir?"
"Because I have no choice. One day, things will be different. We'll make it so."
"Yes, sir," the soldier said with renewed conviction.
Kallen turned from the sight of a child's corpse as other soldiers hurried over and draped a soiled blanket over the mutilated form. It would be so much easier if Lamperouge was like the villains of her children's tales, instead he shouldered great evil and carried with him treacherous hope. If Kallen wasn't careful, she would succumb as well.
"You make it sound so easy to change Britannia." Kallen rolled her eyes. "What can one man do?"
"Nothing. But what can a thousand men do?" he challenged. "Years ago, the division wasn't a place anyone could call home, but look at it now. You didn't believe such a place could exist within Britannia, yet it does."
Pursing her lips, she focused on her boots. They all believed in the foolish hope he was offering. If it was real, the JLF would cease to exist. If it was a lie, she should end it now before it entrapped more innocents.
Her hand brushed over her knife again. Sixteen short steps between them.
From one of the buildings, a short figure burst forth with an angry yell. Surprised, the first soldier failed to intercept them, and Kallen's eyes widened as she saw the knife in their hands. She moved forward like her duty demanded, hoping she obscured the sniper's sight. If they were targeting Lamperouge...
It solved her dilemma. She would just be too slow to intervene. Her siblings wouldn't be implicated in her treason. They could all live, and the greatest threat to JLF would be dead. Nobody would suspect a thing.
And the figure slipped past the next soldier, veering towards Lamperouge.
Her hands clamped around the child's wrists. The knife fell to the ground with a dull clutter, and well practiced motions guided her hands as she spun them around while her mind screamed. It had been the perfect opportunity, now lost.
"Let me go!" the girl screamed. "You're hurting me."
Kallen's grip tightened and she caught the other hand wielding a shard of broken glass. What was she doing?
She was betraying Kaguya. This was treason to Japan.
Lamperouge stalked forward and knelt before the teen struggling in her grasp, his face solemn. He had no reason to hesitate. Under the law, even a Britannian child would face death.
"Let her go, Stadtfeld," he whispered.
"She tried to kill you, sir," she hissed. What game was he playing at? "She needs to be punished."
"Was it? Or maybe she saw me snacking earlier. I can hardly fault someone for staving off hunger."
"No!" The girl twisted in her grasp. "You said you were friends! You lied! You planned this, didn't you! This is all your fault. You were scoping the place out, and then Brits tore everything up, and I haven't seen Sensei. I bet he found out what you were planning and tried to stop you, and you killed him!"
"Chino, right?" he asked.
She spat at him.
Gingerly, he wiped his cheek with his sleeve. "I had nothing to do with this." He held up his hand, stopping another soldier from approaching. "I swear."
"You're with them. You said you did paperwork."
His brow quirked. "I'll have you know, I have been wading through paperwork for the last week."
"Let me go!" Chino threw herself forward, and Kallen stumbled slightly trying to hold her back. "I'll kill you. Both of you."
Lamperouge sighed, massaging his temples. "Do you and your friends need anything? Food, supplies, medicine..."
"Why are you—"
"You have my word that if you and your friends go to the perimeter, you'll be treated well. If anything happens, just tell them you know Lelouch, and I'll be there. And keep quiet about your sensei. He needs to keep his head down, understood?"
"Chiba-sensei? He's going to beat your ass."
Kallen stifled a gasp. That was the name of one of her servants, Kaguya's spy. The one who immediately resigned with an ominous warning after Lamperouge visited.
"Yes, he's very good at that. He's welcome to once things calm down, but only after things return to normal. Go tell him that, okay?"
"You didn't hurt him? He stopped showing up after you visited. Ban said he was busy, but that was a lie!"
Lamperouge's eyes widened briefly before smoothing into a solemn expression. "I would never harm him. He is a very dear friend of mine... But he'll be in a lot of trouble if people find out we know each other, so you need to keep quiet." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of ration bars wrapped in silver foils. "Here. Take care of yourself."
Finally, Kallen let go hesitantly.
Rubbing her arms, Chino stood sullenly between them. "I don't— I just want to go home. they're going to come back and—"
"Hey," Lamperouge whispered, calmly clasping her hands around the rations. "You're going to be just fine, and if you ever get into trouble, ask for me. Okay?"
She nodded, her gaze drifting to the soldiers hanging back awkwardly. "They look weird."
"Don't be rude just because they're Numbers," he rebuked gently. "I couldn't ask for better people to watch my back. Most of them have been with me for years."
"They say it's a death sentence," Chino mumbled.
"Not here. Not anymore. We take care of our own."
As Chino picked up the knife, Kallen stiffened, but Lamperouge seemed completely at ease. Smirking, the girl strapped it to her side. "I could've killed you."
Lamperouge chuckled. "Don't do that again. Next time you won't be as lucky as to have Kallen save you."
"What?"
In answer, Lamperouge held up a finger, and a red dot flickered to life, dancing across her chest. "Take care of yourself. Your sensei wouldn't want you to get hurt trying to avenge him. He's rather stubborn about being the better person, unlike myself."
Chino swallowed nervously before sprinting away.
Silently, Kallen watched her disappear into the buildings. "She wasn't trying to steal... and even then, you should've at least arrested her."
"Britannia destroys their homes and restricts them from fruitful labor. I won't begrudge people for thievery, not when it's the only way to survive. I know what the law says, but it should only be used as a tool to enforce good. Here, it fails, and so I must move past it."
How could he be so much like Nunnally, yet be in the opposite position? He was enforcing the Emperor's will.
"She tried to kill you," Kallen snapped.
"But she didn't," he dismissed, walking off as she hurried after. "Keep the details of the conversation to yourself, Statdfeld."
"Who was he?" Kallen asked quietly. Chiba had said they were neighbors before the war, yet why would a noble allow his children to befriend a foreigner?
"He doesn't exist which is good for you because it stops such troublesome questions as to why he was working in your house."
"Yes, sir." She stopped. "He said you know Kaguya." And said if anyone could blow their cover, it would be him. Had he already known Lamperouge was Zero?
"How do you—" He groaned, running his hand down his face. "Of course. It's Japan. She knows everyone. Yes, we're acquainted. I've never met a more annoying person in my life."
"Because she's childish?" Kallen asked, remembering the mask she so often wore.
Lamperouge snorted. "You could say that." He stopped at the end of the street. "Do you want to go ahead to check for your mother... or wait here while they check?"
"I'll..." She licked her lips. She wasn't supposed to care. "I'll wait."
He nodded, and three soldiers slipped inside. Absently, she noticed that he had again left himself vulnerable to her, but the moment to assassinate him had already passed. She had intervened to save his life, prioritized her siblings over her duty, and betrayed Japan. And then he let the girl go.
"How do you choose between duty and the heart, sir?" she asked. How was she supposed to kill him? How was she supposed to serve Japan? Had she already fallen too far? Become lost in her role because one Britannian showed a speck of compassion? She had to remember he killed the butler without any mercy. Lamperouge was Zero, a monster in disguise.
"For trivial matters, why burden the heart?" He paused. "Duty isn't loyalty nor our oaths. Ultimately, duty is what you choose. It's who you are."
"So the heart," Kallen grumbled. Of course he would say that. Holding her siblings hostage wouldn't work if she prioritized duty over them.
"No. I can break my heart and move on. I have too. But I don't regret it, that's the important part. If I fail in my duty... Well, then I've betrayed myself and what's the point? I will live everyday with regret, agonizing over the past. I put my heart before duty before. Too many died because of it."
So she had failed and truly betrayed Japan. Zero would grind the Japanese resistance to dust, and Kallen had moved to save him. She couldn't even say she followed her heart. Her siblings would've been fine. No, she realized to her horror. It was because she liked him. The same hope he fostered, which drew the division in like moths to a flame, had ensnared her as well.
Before landing in Japan, before seeing him silently crack under the pressure of command, she would've let the to-be assassin slip through her fingers. Helped her even. Now, she didn't want him to die.
In crushing rebellions, he elevated the Numbers higher than she even imagined was possible. None of the other Areas had anywhere near a resistance group as robust and well connected as the JLF. For them, Lamperouge—Zero was their only hope to improve their circumstances. It was cruel. They would lose because of him; they could only gain concessions because of him.
His death wouldn't change a thing. Britannia would just continue, unrelenting as ever, unless she was burnt to the ground. That wasn't Kaguya's goal though. Hers was to steer the ship into a more amiable direction for Japan and change the Empire from within. Already her labor was paying dividends with expanded rights for the Numbers, but minimal gains was all it would culminate to without people like Zero at her side...
Zero had a division loyal only to him. He wasn't interested in Britannian supremacy. He, like his sister, walked on the edge of treason.
"If duty is more important, then why let her go?" Kallen asked. "She would've known of the terrorists which started this mess."
"We're here for humanitarian relief. A few minor terrorists that escaped Clovis's incompetent hands are hardly a concern."
"Really? Then why has Tamay—"
"Colonel Tamay."
"Then why has Colonel Tamay been interviewing the patients? You're obviously investigating, and Gino was hardly doing humanitarian aid before."
He huffed. "There's a difference between pursuing and taking precautions. And it's not exactly new. We fix roads after flooding, and if we pass by a town, it behooves us to help with repairs. Do you think the men would be happy if we only exploited the communities they came from? We listen and wait and when it becomes necessary, we act."
Fadiman's words from the plane echoed in her mind. "You don't care at all about terrorists."
Lamprouge opened his mouth and closed it again. "The word is overly broad. It sounds scarier than criminal or insurgent which most are... Their existence is beneficial."
"That is the type of statement which would be reported as an anonymous tip and end up with people being arrested by the OSI."
"From nosy busy bodies who create a mountain of paperwork," he grumbled. "If they were actually competent, they'd rely on evidence instead of hearsay. I'm merely stating the truth. The division succeeds. The Emperor is happy and we get more privileges. Without terrorists, our expertise wouldn't be needed, and everything would return to the old status quo."
"So you take your time."
"No?" He glared at her, and she wisely shut her mouth.
His philosophy was startlingly close to Kaguya's; the division used garbled versions of her hand signals. Was he one of her own agents? Had she not betrayed her by allowing him to live?
The door opened, and Kallen's breath caught in her throat as her mother stumbled outside. Her face brightened upon seeing her, even as she worriedly glanced at the soldiers surrounding them.
Kallen froze, caught between crippling relief—because she was alive!—and fear of her cover cracking. Stadtfeld wasn't supposed to care about her Japanese heritage.
A hand shoved her gently, and Lamperouge nodded at her mother. "Stop being stubborn."
Was it a test? Maybe if he saw that she didn't care, he would let her brothers go.
Her mother's face fell slightly, and Kallen swallowed. Could she live with hurting her mother like that? Could she rush forward and risk her being used against her?
Choking back a sob, she rushed forward and relished her mother's delighted look as she enveloped her in a hug. Would she regret this?
She inhaled shakily, tears burning in her eyes. Yes.
"Oh, Kallen. It's been too long. You've grown so much, " her mother whispered. "I heard you joined the army but—"
"I'm so sorry, kaasan."
"I was so worried. But you're alright. Have you heard from Nathan? And Oscar"
She hugged her tighter. "They're okay." In the corner of her eye, Lamperouge accepted a call. "They probably hate me."
"Nonsense."
"I kept pushing them away, but Naoto kept coming back. And—"
"Excuse me," Lamperouge interrupted. "We have to go. Your sons are alright, ma'am."
Her mother composed herself in an instance. If only Kallen had her talent. Leaning forward, her mother fixed him with a fierce, protective glare. "And who are you?"
"Lelouch Lamperouge, ma'am. You may join us if you wish, but your daughter and I need to leave. Orders, you understand."
Liar. And another hostage to use against her. The only one missing was her father, out of reach as a noble. Yet despite being the one to deliver the implicit threat, he seemed strangely rattled.
"Now, Stadtfeld," he ordered.
She tore herself away. Her mother would have to make her own decision, and Kallen wasn't sure for which she hoped. Within the division, she would be taken care of and safe. In the ghettos, she couldn't be used against her.
"What's happening?" she asked as a jeep hurtled to a stop before them and he pushed her inside. On the seat rested her flight suit. "I thought you wanted me to stay out of combat?"
The door slammed shut. "The situation has changed."
Her blood thrummed, and she traced the small delicate birds, unsure what she was supposed to do. Clothes rustled beside her, and she glimpsed a flash of skin out of the corner of her eye. "Don't take off your clothes here!"
He spared a moment to glare at her before finishing wriggling out of his shirt. "Get changed."
"I'm not—"
He slipped into the white dress shirt. "Your sense of decency can wait for when we're not dealing with a hostage crisis."
The car swerved violently, and she wondered if she could strangle him with the tie he was currently wrestling with.
Dramatically, he swung his hand over his eyes. His voice dripped with condescension. "Eyes closed. You have a minute."
Cheeks hot, she hurried to change into her pilot suit. Seconds after pulling up her zipper, the car lurched to a stop and not wasting a moment, Lamperouge sprung out. Sullivan rushed to his side, glaring at her distrustfully, and around her, various vehicles ground to a halt as boots on the ground established a perimeter.
"Get the reporters out of here," Lamperouge snapped.
"Yes, sir!" A soldier rushed off.
Turning away from the chaos, Kallen focused on the beautiful hotel blissfully standing in the center of Lake Kawaguchi. A faint plume of smoke rose from the bridge.
Worldbuilding Thoughts:
-It was always a little weird to me that people didn't recognize Euphie, especially because Cornelia would be extremely well known. I noticed that Lloyd said "she's been a student up until now and hasn't made her public debut yet" which was interesting if we interpret "debut" as what it means in the historical context of being put on the marriage market. I feel like Cornelia would shelter her sister from marriage prospects and as a successful general, she has the influence and power to get away with it.
-Britannian culture is rather contradictory at times by being modern in some areas while extremely traditional in others. Some of these values are contradictory, but that tends to be how cultures work, especially in systems such as Britannia which is often more concerned with maintaining the illusion of specific values.
Author's Note:
Hopefully we're on a more regular every other week schedule from here on out, especially with my first set of midterms done next week.
Thank you Dark, Jarod, and Nektry for your beta work. :)
And here's a funny poem from nektry as an alternative to some of Kaguya's dialogue lol
"Cruel art thou, my love.
Oh, my heart's dark possessor
strikes so brazenly.
Thy merciless menstruations
spark and set my core ablaze.
A heat of which will
spread and turn this vessel to
ash. Will you not bring
reprieve to thine crossed lover
by smothering Eros's
fire with thy silken lips."
Chat with me on the discord: discord . gg / uSBegVj