Time passed slowly in the office. While Suzaku lingered in the corner, Lelouch drowned himself in his paperwork. The sun was setting and Suzaku switched on the light. The clock on the wall ticked softly. Around 10 PM, Lelouch suddenly leaned up and looked over his shoulder. "What time was the fundraiser event again?"

Suzaku turned his head towards him. "Friday next week."

Lelouch grumbled discontentedly. "It's next week already?"

"Yes."

"And of course, the king is dumping this crap on me." Lelouch sighed. "Schneizel is in charge of representation in the media and yet the king sends me there. That's the fourth time in two years."

"You are also obliged to attend the Summer Night's Ball," Suzaku said.

"Great."

"Great?"

"Sarcasm," Lelouch muttered. He turned back to his desk in his armchair and sighed. As much as it annoyed him, the fundraiser event was important, because a year ago, Kanon had put down a considerable sum as a donation on Schneizel's behalf. Normally, no one would have lifted a finger, but his half-sister Euphemia, minister of the health sector, had championed the project and Cornelia had supported her, so it was necessary for at least one of the royal family members to make a representative appearance there to throw out even more money. If he was lucky, Euphemia herself would turn up, but from what he had heard, her health was once again low. About three years ago, she had contracted HIV, which was probably the best kept secret the royal family had ever carried. The public didn't know and if Cornelia had her way, they would only find out over her dead body, which was why she kept her little sister well under wraps. In the background and very quietly, Euphemia worked hard to keep the health system on its stable pillars. Honestly, if it weren't for Euphemia, Britannia wouldn't be considered the number one healthiest and safest country in the world.

Lelouch bit down on his pen at the thought of it all. It was probably the least he could do to represent Euphemia well at the event, should she not turn up, which she probably wouldn't. He didn't know the details, so he couldn't say whether Cornelia was exaggerating or not. How badly the princess was really affected by the virus, only the nurses and her team of private doctors knew.

"Let's go to sleep, Suzaku." Lelouch didn't want to think about it any further. The royal family was an example to its citizens, no one was allowed to know what problems the individual nobles had, because once the people felt that their government was weak and incompetent, the kingdom would have to face terrible consequences, the worst of which being civil war. Truly, the royals could oppress the people, but they couldn't kill them all.

The week dragged on, but the weekly schedule worked out. No more comments came from Schneizel, which Lelouch found more than pleasant. The media hadn't picked up on the little shootout at the palace, either. It had been a long time before the royal family had figured out how well to pay the employees to ensure that their mouths were kept shut about everything and anything that happened behind the palace walls. Everyone knew that heads would roll if they spoke to the press, but that hadn't been nearly enough for quite some years. Money made the world go round, so staff were paid almost thrice as much as workers with the same job outside the palace to maintain loyalty.

Lelouch had requested and received a list from the former Japanese lieutenants and generals, but it was impossible to figure out if there were still any soldiers out there who wanted to harm him. Apart from those Suzaku had killed, statistics showed that there were two hundred and thirty-six still alive, imprisoned. He doubted that all of them were vengeful, but he also understood the frustration and suffering felt by those who thought revenge was the only thing left for them after all. He was a very vindictive person himself and knew the feeling of wanting to hurt someone who, in his eyes, deserved it. However, since his own life was at stake here, he would have to continue to pay attention and stay on the case, willy-nilly. Suzaku had proven to be very useful, and given the fact that the fundraiser was coming up soon and he needed to take Suzaku with him, he had come up with a plan to get Suzaku up to speed. It was far from perfect, but everything Lelouch owned was perfect, so he had no choice but to make Suzaku conform to his ideas.

With this plan, he stormed into his knight's room on Sunday morning and placed a full, heavy box on his desk. "Wake up, Suzaku, we have some things to discuss."

Drowsy, Suzaku sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. When he looked to Lelouch, fatigue was clearly pulling at him. "I thought you said we were going to sleep in?"

"It's quarter to nine AM, you should be awake by now. And what is that?" Lelouch stepped over to the bed and pointed at Suzaku's nightgown. "Are you serious?"

"Eh ... ?"

"A cat on a T-shirt. Are you twelve?"

"Did you come here at the crack of dawn to insult me?" muttered Suzaku sleepily.

Tempting, but ... "No, it's about more important things." Lelouch nodded towards the closed box that took up almost half the desk. "I brought you a few things to make sure you won't embarrass me in public."

Suzaku got up from his bed and walked towards the desk. He peered inside the box. "And what is all this?"

Lelouch stood at Suzaku's side and took out a bottle of shampoo and a shower gel. "These are high quality, expensive products with the best smelling formula. I want you to use these hygiene products all the time. You will take a shower every day. Your teeth you will brush carefully for at least two minutes, I have also brought you dental floss." He set the products aside and reached into the box again to fish out a small beautiful casket. "Inside here is a men's perfume. You will use this daily. Furthermore, you will find skin care products that you use in the evening. And further down, there should be some packed clothes for leisure activities." Carefully, he set the casket down on the table. "All this," he continued, "is important for my reputation. You will be accompanying me to the fundraiser event, after all." That aside, the media were still keen on the son of the former Japanese president who had become part of Britannia. "As a reward, I have brought you something else. Something I think you'll appreciate more."

Suzaku had just been taking a closer look at the casket when he heard those words and gave Lelouch a curious look. Lelouch reached deep into the box and pulled out an oblong, wrapped object, which he thrust into Suzaku's free hand. "I certainly hope you know how to use it, else I'll take it away from you."

Somewhat suspiciously, Suzaku weighed the object in his hand, put the casket aside and unwrapped his 'gift'. It was, as he had almost suspected, a gun. A Glock 18, to be exact, brand new and with an additional solid shoulder holster which he could hide under his jacket and which still provided space for one or two more magazines. Suzaku's thumb slid over the hatching on the side of the barrel and down to the manually engraved Britannian crest in the centre of the black handle. Its dark barrel shone even in the darkened room.

"I know you can kill people without weapons," Lelouch said. "But you know as well as I do that the incident a few days ago won't be the last. I had written you off when you ran into a fight with a lousy 9mm, but you came back and without a scratch. I don't want another bloodbath in the corridor." Lelouch glanced briefly at the alarm clock on Suzaku's bedside table to read the time. "With that, I've addressed everything there is to address. I'll wait for you in my office. Bring tea." He gave Suzaku a teasing grin before leaving the room.

As soon as the door was pulled into its frame, Suzaku felt the emptiness of his room again. There was a certain heaviness that weighed on his shoulders, even if he didn't know exactly why it suddenly bothered him so much, but Suzaku shook this unease off. He put the pistol and accessories aside and was about to disappear into the bathroom when the casket caught his eye once more. Curious, he opened it and found an oblong container of transparent liquid, part thick glass and part silver. The sides were studded with shiny little stones. The removable head was made entirely of silver and had a large diamond sitting on it as an ornament. The brand "Chanel" was written in capital letters semi-transparently on the front. Admittedly, it did look expensive. He himself had never bothered with his appearance before and to start now was an alienating feeling. Still, unfortunately, it wasn't his choice.

When Suzaku entered the office with a tray of tea, Lelouch was already hard at work. He closed the door with his elbow and stepped forward to set the tray down on an empty spot amidst the chaos of papers. Lelouch was brought back to reality by the smell of the tea and carefully grasped the beautiful ceramic cup decorated with gold with one hand. "I have invited Cornelia to join us. We will have lunch with her."

"Understood."

"She is a pleasant, intelligent woman with a great conscience and sense of justice," Lelouch explained. He leaned back. "She will be the first to meet you. The fundraiser has a lot to do with her little sister Euphemia, who started the project in the first place and because of whom we have donated so much money. Euphemia doesn't often show her face in public, so Cornelia often stands in for her. That means we will find her at the event 89 per-cent of the time." Lelouch took a sip of his tea. "I know her well enough to know that either with or without my help, she will find out something about you. Perhaps she already has. Wouldn't put it past her. The last time I introduced her to someone, she already knew the person's CV by heart before she'd even seen them."

Suzaku nodded. "Are there any expectations you want me to meet?"

A dull clack sounded as Lelouch put his cup down again. "Not as long as you treat her with respect."

"Understood."

The two hours passed quickly. Soon, they were on their way to the dining hall in Lelouch's wing. Some servants were still scurrying around with silver trays. It wasn't 1 PM yet, so they still had a few minutes to make everything perfect.
Suzaku stepped into the hall after Lelouch and studied the impressively decorated dining table. Everything was arranged and set, covered with food pots. A maid was folding a napkin and laying it out neatly. Guards stood outside the door to keep watch. The presence of a visitor always caused some movement in the palace, Suzaku thought. Everything seemed dead and empty, as if no one was here, but when a stranger was invited, the whole atmosphere changed into something friendly, warm and beautiful. It was like lighting the fireplace on a stormy winter night.

Cornelia wasn't only punctual but over-punctual. A butler came immediately to announce her arrival. It wasn't long before the clack of high heels could be heard from the corridor. Suzaku and Lelouch waited in the dining hall until the double doors swung open and a guard bent to allow the princess to pass. She strutted in with an aura that dazzled even the gold of the doorframe: she was proud, graceful, unattainable and untouchable. She wore an expensive uniform jacket in a dark shade of red, beautiful white trousers and knee-high boots whose high heels caused that familiar clacking sound. Her hair was purple and harmonised beautifully with her pale skin and bright blue eyes. Her gaze didn't say much, it was unreadable and painted with the colours of arrogance.

"Lelouch, how neat." Cornelia's voice was as soft as the blossoms of a freshly awakened flower, clashing at first with her cold appearance, but as she continued to speak, her dark lipstick-painted lips forming a warm smile, it suited her perfectly. "I'm so happy to see you again."

"The pleasure is all mine."

It was the first time Suzaku had seen Lelouch smile in days. It seemed genuine, sincere and warm.

Cornelia held out a black-gloved hand, which Lelouch accepted without hesitation. One could say without a guilty conscience that gloves were part of the noble's style of dress, but Suzaku noticed the thickened material and the double stitching on the side of the gloves. It seemed important to the princess, especially since she held Lelouch's hand for only two seconds, and then she immediately turned to Suzaku. The moment her sea-blue eyes fell on him, he bowed. "Welcome, Your Highness. It is an honour to meet you."

"So you are Suzaku Kururugi. I've read a lot about you." She wasn't shy about looking at him closely and taking in the details about him. Something about her reminded him of the military; it must have been the gait or the pushed-back posture of her shoulders. "We shall see if you are of any use at all." With these words she turned away and strolled to the dining table to sit on the seat to the right of the master's chair. "Well then, what rarity have you got cooking again, Lelouch?" There was that warmth in her voice again, a warm which was only reserved for her half-brother.

Lelouch grinned at her comment, for he couldn't deny that he had a penchant for rare things. He sat on the master's seat and crossed his legs under the table. "Let yourself be surprised, sister dear."

"Alright, I'll believe you."

Suzaku was the last to sit down, next to Lelouch and in front of Cornelia. The servants immediately began to take the covers off the plates. The smell of the fine food filled the hall in seconds. A butler stood at Cornelia's side and described the dishes before them in words Suzaku had never heard before. The starter was a soup from Greece, the main course a concoction of various sea creatures from Spain and the dessert had sounded French. The food itself, however, was nothing special, at least not to Suzaku. Lelouch and Cornelia, on the other hand, seemed to be having a great time.

"Sea urchin and liver of a monkfish as a main course? I haven't eaten that before," Cornelia admitted. "I'm curious to see how it tastes. It always makes me happy when I can try something new with you. My cook is really just waiting for me to bring the recipes."

"It's just little things," Lelouch smiled contentedly, though the good mood didn't last. The corners of his mouth dropped as something seemed to distress him. "How is Euphemia? The fundraiser's in a week."

"Yes ... I know." A small spark of concern glittered in Cornelia's eyes. She took a sip of the wine before continuing, "It's not looking good lately. We're working on it."

"I see."

"I know you would like to have her with you," Cornelia continued. "But we're both busy right now."

Lelouch nodded. He understood perfectly what she was trying to tell him. Discretion was everything when it came to Euphemia's welfare. "Is she planning another summer svent this year?"

"Certainly," Cornelia nodded. "Euphie is currently putting together a team to be able to implement her idea. She wants to name this year's event after a fruit, but she doesn't know which one yet."

Lelouch smiled. "I look forward to hearing about it."

Cornelia sipped her wine glass again. Then she turned to Suzaku. "I have heard that you were educated at a military academy before the war. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Suzaku nodded.

"What troop were you in?"

Suzaku put the cutlery aside. "Squad six, led by Major Sergeant Commander Fuju."

Relaxed, the princess leaned back in the comfortable chair, but the sternness in her eyes did not reduce. "What is your soldier number?"

"One, four, zero, seven, two, two, seven, F-E-G."

"Position?"

"Specialist."

"So you've trained privates?"

"Yes, in close combat without weapons."

"Interesting. How long were you at this academy?"

"Seven years."

"Then answer me one more question." Almost threateningly, Cornelia now leaned forward again. She put her elbows on the tabletop and clasped her hands in front of her. "What happened at the Kashimi Military Academy before the war broke out?"

Now Lelouch couldn't help but frown. He had just drunk from his wine glass and now lowered it from his lips to turn his attention to Suzaku. Everyone knew the stories that were told about the academy and he was pretty sure they were true, but he didn't think Cornelia would be interested; after all, mistreatment of children wasn't exactly her speciality and in fact no one wanted to know about it.

Suzaku remained relaxed. It was obvious in his eyes that he knew exactly what Cornelia meant and that he didn't plan on telling her. Lelouch had to admit that he understood. If he himself had been the victim of years of abuse, he wouldn't want to talk about it either, especially since the question was unnecessary. What had happened to Suzaku in his childhood was, firstly, nobody's business, secondly, it was his right to keep it a secret if he had indeed been abused, and thirdly, it had absolutely nothing to do with the Royal Navy under Cornelia's command. Nevertheless, Lelouch didn't interfere. He knew Cornelia and he knew her well; she didn't actually ask unnecessary questions. She always got straight to the point and didn't waste her time. So, why was she so interested in the academy?

"I don't know what you are talking about, Your Highness," Suzaku replied at last.

"Oh, no?" Cornelia paused briefly before continuing. "Then tell me about your training."

"I am bound by an oath to my commander. Since he is alive, I am not allowed to answer any questions regarding training."

Lelouch was surprised by this general answer, even though he should have expected it. Suzaku was either stupid or brave enough to oppose Cornelia, and unfortunately, neither was good.

Cornelia clicked her tongue. "You are aware that you are a slave of the Britannian Empire?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Then you are also aware that you are obliged to answer my questions?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The answer hit Cornelia in a bad way. Her gaze tightened. She must have thought Suzaku was pulling her leg. "Are you trying my patience, soldier?"

"No, Your Highness."

For a moment there was silence again. The princess stared coldly at Suzaku, but he stood firm. She had to have realised that he wasn't going to talk, because a moment later, she leaned back against her chair and crossed her arms, irritated. "You're the two hundred and fiftieth soldier I've questioned and I'm not getting an answer, again. Perseverance you have shown, but that doesn't mean I won't find out."

"May I ask why this is so important to you?" Lelouch gently jumped into the conversation. He put down his glass and folded his hands on the table. "What is left of the academy will be dismantled in some time. I assume you've already gone through the documents that are there?"

"Yes," Cornelia nodded in frustration. "And I've already spoken to the lieutenants and the commanders themselves. They both deny it. But mistreatment of soldiers is something that should not be denied. It all seems clean, but I know there is proof." Her gaze slid from Lelouch to Suzaku. "And I will find it. I will not rest until I know exactly what happened at that academy."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. He still didn't understand why she was so obsessed with the subject. Nothing connected her to the academy. Of course, it was exemplary that she was committed to something like this, but even if she found something, the life sentences of the Japanese military forces wouldn't get any more or less than life either.

The door opened and a butler and maid came in to serve the main course. Seafood. Suzaku still seemed unaffected by the conversation and turned his attention to the servants. The food, however bland Suzaku found it, seemed to cheer Cornelia up. Her eyes shone with sympathy as she ate. "This is delicious. My compliments to your chef."

"Thank you very much," Lelouch smiled.

After the main course, dessert was finally served. Suzaku found a small plate in front of him on which sat a kind of chocolate mousse in the shape of a square. Vanilla sauce circled it and two half strawberries decorated the upper left corner.

Suzaku was the first to finish dessert and Lelouch noticed. He turned his head to him and said, "Suzaku, go and bring me the red folder that is in my office."

"Yes, Your Highness." Suzaku rose and immediately left the room. Once the doors fell close behind him, Cornelia reached for her wine glass and took a sip, then carefully placed it back on the tabletop. "Do you want to talk about something because you're sending him away?"

Lelouch leaned back, arms folded. "Why do you really care about the academy? I know you hate rumours."

The corners of Cornelia's mouth lifted a little. "Well, you're right."

"You can trust me," Lelouch vowed. "I will support you."

"If you want to support me, leave him to me. I'll make him talk."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes."

"I see. I'm sorry, but I can't let you have Suzaku. I could talk to him on your behalf. However, that might prove to be difficult, seeing how I don't even know what this is all about."

"The way I assess the situation, those soldiers are simply traumatised," Cornelia said. "You don't need to know what it's all about to break your lapdog. The academy did something to them to seal their lips, so we'll just have to do something even more horrible to them."

"You mustn't torture prisoners," Lelouch reminded her. "The media would find out immediately. The guards always like to blab for a certain amount of money, even in high security, and it will damage your reputation."

Cornelia laughed bitterly. "Incorrect. It would only damage the reputation of the royal family, nothing more."

"You know what I mean. The population will get suspicious otherwise. I have enough on my plate with Japan's integration."

"I know." Cornelia's gaze slid over to the picture windows. She seemed to be thinking about whether she could really trust Lelouch with it, but in the end she decided against it and he had to accept that for now. "All right, I understand. I'll see what I can do," he said finally, but that didn't mean he was on her side. Suzaku was simply within her grasp and it wouldn't be Cornelia if she didn't take every opportunity to get to her destination.

"Thank you." Warmth returned to Cornelia's face. She glanced at the double doors and put on a rarely seen smile. "I bet he'll be back in three minutes."

A grin spread across Lelouch's lips. He leaned back and crossed his slender arms. "I'll bet on two."

"Alright. What's the bet?"

At the other end of the wing, Suzaku entered Lelouch's office. The desk was, as usual, a mess in which only Lelouch could discern a system. Suzaku dug around in the sea of papers, folders and files until finally something red flashed out. When he took out the folder, however, he noticed that it had no weight to it at all, and indeed: it was empty.

Suzaku put everything back the way he had found it and left the office. He went back into the dining room and put the folder on a free spot on the table. Completely unexpectedly, both Lelouch and Cornelia glanced at the clock on the wall, and Lelouch immediately laughed out loud while Cornelia slammed a fist gently on the table. "Damn ..."

"See? I was right," Lelouch grinned and held out his hand.

"Just bask in your winnings. There will be a next time!" Cornelia pulled a wallet from her trousers and placed a considerable amount of money on Lelouch's hand.

"Always a pleasure, sister dear."

"Well then, I will take my leave." Cornelia rose from the chair and adjusted her uniform. "I still have appointments to attend to."

"Of course." Lelouch put the money on the table and also stood up to shake Cornelia's hand. "Thank you very much for your time."

"Gladly."

The farewell was short and painless. Their hands touched for two seconds, Lelouch called a guard to escort Cornelia out of the room, and the usual calm returned. The feeling of emptiness returned. The fireplace in the stormy winter night was turned off.

Suzaku looked over at the windows overlooking the garden, but a moment later he felt a pair of eyes at his back. He turned and met Lelouch's sharp gaze. "The rules are being extended," Lelouch said. "Even if Cornelia tries to blackmail you, I demand that you keep everything to yourself. You work for me, no one else. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

It had been obvious from the start, but Lelouch didn't trust anyone. It was no longer a mystery why his wing was completely empty. And even if Suzaku had no choice but to agree to the rule extension, it made no difference, because he had no intention of answering questions about the Kashimi Academy truthfully - neither to Cornelia nor to Lelouch.