AN: Some of you may have noticed this has the same title as my last publication. I decided to delete and redo the whole story, I had about 8 chapters but I really wanted to destroy the structure of the story and start over. This is a better foundation for the story I want to tell. Anyways I hope you all enjoy. :)
Kallen woke from her bed suddenly. Clenching her head she cursed, the world seemed to spin around her. The images of her dream still lingered in her head: the memories of her visit to the Royal Palace in Pendragon more than a decade ago. It had been a ceremony for her father who was to be honored for his contributions to Britannia, Naoto had still been there with them. She remembered the great halls of the palace in Pendragon, princes in every corner, dukes every step of the way. Kallen remembered the mysterious and beautiful green haired woman that she had seen in the courtyard.
"She has pretty hair, who is she?" Kallen had asked. Her brother had shrugged at her question. "Probably one of the hundreds of daughters the Emperor has, or one of his dozens of wife."
The ceremony had been short, brief, performed by a young Prince Schneizel. Yet with knights in the halls and the heraldry of the empire decorating the walls it had been dripped with a degree of gravitas. "In my name, my name of Prince Schneizel el Britannia, I do decree, that the Stadfeld family will rule and govern the lands of Port Gwenyvere in the name of the Emperor, and your family shall inherit governorship of the city, until the end of time."
The young prince was more regal than any other man or woman in the room. When his father rose from his knees he was no longer just a small landowner, but a Duke of Britannia. The prince and her father had spoken after the ceremony. "Your business has supplied our army well, Duke, this reward has long been overdue."
Her father, now a duke responded cordially. Kallen had seen so much that day. The young regal prince Schneizel, the powerful young Princess Cornelia, she had even caught a glimpse of the emperor himself. Yet for whatever reason, when she woke from her memories all she remembered was the the woman with green hair that reached her waist.
"My lady," a maid said as she woke her. Kallen hated waking up: "Once we are done with you, you will wake up in a matter of seconds," her sergeant had told her in boot camp when she joined the military, yet that had not been the case. Kallen was 18, she had fought in countless battles, in two separate wars, and yet when the she rose from her slumber the weight of sleep seemed far too powerful for the Knight of Rounds.
While she drank her coffee she looked down at Tokyo Settlement: was her brother here, somewhere? When she finished drinking, her long day began, firstly, a meeting with the leader of the purist faction in Area 11.
"My lady, I understand your reluctance- "
"Reluctance?" Kallen, the newly appointed sub-viceroy of Area 11 snapped. Her red dress stretched out as she lifted herself from her seat to point at Shinjuku in the map. "If you attack Shinjuku unprovoked every single terrorist group will strike back, from Kyushu to Hokaido."
"Let them strike." Jeremiah Gottwald scoffed. "We will run them back to their caves and mountains the second they come out, and mayhaps we will cleanse Area 11 of it's filth once and for all, through Britannian steel."
"Oh? That easy? Then pray tell me Lord Gottwald: " Kallen began. "pray tell me why Britannia has been unable to crush these terrorist, perhaps you doubt our military might?"
"No my lady, only it's leadership." he said sharply, his orange eyes challenging her. But to this Kallen raised her tone.
"Careful now, you would criticize our Prince Clovis?"
Jeremiah blinked. "My apologies, I overspoke." Kallen smiled at her small victory. At 17 years old many people derided her position as sub-viceroy, even if she was a member of the Knights of Round. While Kallen had made a name for herself in Britannian circles as a ferocious warrior, in Area 11 the nobility and governing class did not respect her, mostly because they did not know her. And it was refreshing: Kallen hated being appeased.
"Our efforts will remain focused on finding the base of the Japanese Liberation Front and culling any of their efforts of expansion, that is final. Oh, and before you head back into your office, please give these documents to Diethard." Kallen said, pushing some papers to the front of the desk. Jeremiah bit his tongue, grabbed the papers and left. It had been amusing to turn Jeremiah into a delivery boy. She should avoid making enemies.
Prince Clovis was incompotent, as Jeremiah suggested. His cronies seemed focused on doing nothing but solely pleasing him. While Clovis eyed beautiful woman and threw lavish parties, the realm suffered, left for the crows to devour.
The industralists of Area 11 seemed even more unreliable but for different reasons. While Clovis and his clique were incompetent, the Kyoto House was far too competent. Their leader, Taizo Kirahara, seemed far too clever, his honesty far too farcical. Kirahara the Traitor they called him, yet Clovis had assured Kallen he was a man to be trusted. Ridiculous, how can you trust somebody they nickname 'The Traitor'? Kallen thought.
Interrupting her thoughts, in came a small blonde girl with green eyes wearing a purple suit. Liliana Vergamon, her squire. Only three years younger than Kallen but the girl had showed much potential serving under Princess Cornelia. The Vampire of Britania had wanted her for his Valkaryie Squad, but Kallen had snatched her first.
"Lord Gottwald was quite upset." Lilliana spoke.
"As he always is after he talks to me." Kallen found the purist a reckless individual, his suggestion of drawing out the resistance cells with unprovoked attacks wasn't entirely hopeless but Area 11 would suffer far too much, with too much risk. A part of Kallen wished she could just smash the terrorists and be done with it, but it was not so easy.
"So, how many this month, Lilliana?" the subviceroy asked her squire.
The blonde girl sighed. "729 deaths relating to terrorisim this month, 13 less than last month." Liliana had come to bring Kallen those grizzly numbers. The numbers had barely changed compared to Kallen's first month as sub-viceroy, but she hoped the next ones would see the effects of her actions. Area 11 was in state of war in all but name.
Car bombings, shootings in public places, constant threats of violence, kidnappings, assaults, civillians and militarymen dead all the same.
Kallen had proved resourceful serving under Cornelia and Schneizel in Africa and the Middle East. She had been given her own city to manage once, to curb any dissent. After two months the city had been pacified. "Schneizel says you have potential for governorship." the Emperor had said with his usual cold and distant voice.
She had been sent to help quell the rebellions of Area 11, to swerve Clovis into the right direction. She did not have to accept this task, but she chose to. Her mother-in-law had been upset when she heard. "That is a land of savages, you will be unsafe." she had practically screamed. It is a land that took your brother away, is what she did not say.
"729 deaths." Kallen muttered. She wondered if her brother was among that number. But wondering she stopped as her day resumed.
A meeting with the Minister of Media, Diethard, was quick and easy. Kallen had found the man queer. He was stern with his work, unflexible, but when it came to Kallen he seemed to want to bend. "I can ensure the prince's speech is broadcasted live at primetime." he said. "But I want something in return, an interview you with you."
Kallen shook her head, she enjoyed a luxury few people of her status did, privacy. Kallen's renown as a great knight was known to the public, she was a Knight of Twelve after all. But all they knew was her name. Kallen, at her father's suggestion had been very careful showing herself in public. They know the name, but not the face. Kallen had feared this privacy would go away as she became sub-viceroy, but the role did not need for her to go in front of cameras. That is the job of the viceroy. "No photos, no videos, and I can give you the interview."
When she and Diethard shook hands, another man came in: one that always put Kallen on edge. Almost immediately they had begun to argue.
"And you will not have it!" Kallen shouted, ending the dispute
For two weeks Kirahara the Traitor had been petitioning for a tax exemption for his own businesses. "We are Area 11's source of economic growth. Tax benefits would allow us to prosper even more, and allow us to expand the area's wealth." Kirahara had reasoned. The fool Clovis would have granted it if not for Kallen's protest. So Kirahara frequently visited her offices, in attempts to convince her.
The coffers of Area 11 were always empty: the economy was still recovering from the Britannian invasion. The Britannian noblemen that had taken over Eleven businesses had been very inefficient. Stadfeld Corporations, her father's own business had opened offices in Area 11, but even they could not match the wealth produced by the Six Houses of Kyoto in the region.
"The Six Houses are loyal to you and the empire, my lady." Kirahara gave a sincere smile. And hidden behind it are daggers, Kallen suspected. "It is a shame you will not grant us this concession." he said, lowering his gaze.
The only concession I would give you is to have you locked under house arrest, instead of in the palace's prison cells. Her busy morning winded down, her other meetings without problems. Kallen stretched in her chair, giving a large yawn. Lilliana had brought Kallen her second coffee without even asking. She is good and loyal, Kallen said eyeing the girl. Her blonde hair was beautiful, Kallen had been jealous of it, so long and soft, she was almost like a princess. She will be a fine warrior, and a fine woman too, I reckon.
"Thank you Lilliana." Kallen said.
"I will always serve, my lady." Liliana said with a smile and a small bow. As Kallen finished her drink trouble came. A familiar tall man with red hair entered the room, with broad shoulders and a scar across his lips.
"My lady," greeted Jaime, the second in command of her household guard. "I have urgent news."
After he had finished talking Kallen pondered. Prince Clovis was suddenly moving into Shinjuku, personally leading a small army. "Earl Lloyd said he suspects terrorists stole a weapon, a secret weapon." Jaime said. "It would explain why the prince is moving so aggressively, without even informing us."
Kallen did not say a word. Cooperation will be the key to success, your prowess in battle will be unmatched in Area 11, is what Prince Clovis had told Kallen a month ago when she began her sub-viceroyship. But it seemed whatever had been stolen was far too important, so important the prince would rather keep Kallen in the dark.
"Lilliana, cancel my appointment with Ashford Academy, it seems I will be missing my first day of class."
The Lancelot was not been ready when Kallen arrived, nor was Lilliana's Sutherland. "We're still finishing the retrofits." Cecile, the blue haired scientist second only to Earl Lloyd said in an abashed tone. Kallen could scarce believe it, she thought her infamous wroth was about to come out, but the Lancelot was prepared at the last second.
"The Lancelot is ready, now!" exclaimed Lloyd as the lights of the prototype Knightmare frame came on.
"My lady, let me go with you, I could use the older Glasgows!" Lilliana requested. Kallen smiled as she put her hand on Lilliana's shoulders. "You will ride with me to battle another day but right now I want you to watch from afar and learn, okay?"
Lilliana was a fine Knightmare pilot but she had never experienced battle, Kallen was not going to send out her squire in an unfamiliar Knightmare for her first time. The blonde girl frowned. "My lady, I have already learned, I have already watched, I want to fight for you."
"And fight for me you will, but make no mistake Lilliana, you have not learned enough, so watch." said the Knight of Rounds in a strict tone. Lilliana submitted with a bow and backed away. As Kallen embarked upon the white Knightmareframe and grimaced. Kallen's body always hurt when she finished driving this monstrous machine. It was probably the best Knightmareframe in the world but Kallen did not enjoy using it.
Behind her Lancelot followed two Sutherlands, two members of her personal guard. Her second in command, Jaime, and her third in command, a brash woman named Alexis. Her captain of the guard, that old man Arthur, Kallen had left behind in the Viceroy's Palace. "You must deal with the media, we cannot let this whole Shinjuku business get out of hand." Kallen instructed him. Kallen feared the backlash of the Elevens if the battle turned bloody, so she had two goals in her mind.
"I will aid Clovis and his forces, I will win the battle swiftly for His Highness." Kallen informed her two guards. "The two of you, I want you to tap into the radio communications of the prince's royal guard. They will be searching for whatever it is the terrorist stole."
"Yes my lady." said both Jaime and Alexis, the three of them parting ways. They were still far off Shinjuku, Kallen prayed her help would not be required. In her Knightmare's map she saw the Britannian forces enter Shinjuku. Urban warfare is a foolish man's fight. Princess Cornelia had once told Kallen, years ago as they besieged a city of the Middle Eastern Federation. If we go in there we will lose ten times their numbers, even with our Knightmares. It seemed Clovis was a foolish man.
Kallen fancied the thought of demanding control of the Britannian Army, but Prince Clovis had taken command in his mobile command center. She could have overruled that fat general Bartley, but no, not the prince, the true viceroy of Area 11. No, I will not even inform them I am coming. The prince was hiding something and she did not want to risk being sent away.
In the city of Shinjuku the battle began, the Knightmare frame and Britannian tanks swept through the city as best they could to the shock of the civillians. The terrorist groups emerged from the concrete, and with rockets and rifles they began to fight back.
"We have four, I repeat, four Sutherland sightings. They are not friendly, I repeat, they are not friendly. Terrorist units." she heard a unit call out. Kallen frowned at this, a chill running through her body. It was not a chill entirely of worry though, it was of excitement. Stop. She wanted to slap herself, she could not let her thrill for battle take a hold of her. Not yet. She was more worried about who they were fighting. Four Knightmares? And all of them Sutherland? Aside from the Japanese Liberation Front she did not know what other terrorist organization would have Knightmareframes, even less state-of-the-art Sutherlands.
Kallen cursed as she watched the battle in her map. It was taking a sour turn. Clovis is a bigger fool than I thought. She had been worried Britannia would shed pointless Eleven blood and the public reaction would be an outcry, but a far bigger problem seemed to be looming. We may lose the battle. The Britannians were being ambushed in the narrow streets, Knightmare frames taken out by mere rockets as they were trapped and surrounded.
Four whole Britannian units were wiped out as they walked into a terrorist trap, the ground under them collapsing, Britannian Knightmares went their way, to try to help, but they were then ambushed by terrorist Knightmare frames. When Kallen reached the battle she was anxious. We cannot lose. The humiliation of a defeat would be too much to bare for the stability of Area 11.
And so Kallen's Knightmare danced into battle. Her mind went blank, it always did in battle, especially in the Lancelot. From sector to sector Kallen went, leaving only death behind. She did not know how much time passed. She aided a number of pinned Britannian forces. She destroyed three enemy Sutherlands cutting through through them without a moment of hesitation.
At one point, four enemy Glasgows had tried to pin her down, but the Lancelot was far too quick and she overcame them in seconds. They keep trying to ambush me, these terrorists are far too clever. She looked over all the broken Glasgows, all the bodies of the dead men around her. They are far too well equipped as well, what is happening?
As the battle dragged on, less and less enemies showed up and Kallen's mindfulness slowly returned. She breathed heavily, her body aching from driving the Lancelot. I went too far. An hour had passed for Kallen, but it had felt like minutes. I can't let my bloodlust get like that again, maybe one day I won't be able to turn it off.
But the battle was not over yet. Kallen searched and searched for the terrorist but she found naught, next to a tunnel Kallen glanced at the map. The gunfire became rarer and rarer. I need fresh air. She exited her Knightmare and breathed, to breath the stench of gunsmoke and death. Smells Kallen was used to. She looked around from the top of the Lancelot, the street was empty, excluding the dead bodies. Soon the crows and vultures will arrive.
"Attention all forces, I Clovis, third prince of Britannia and royal viceroy of Area Eleven, hereby command you, all forces, are ordered to cease fire at once. You must also cease destruction of any buildings or property. All casualties, whether Britannian or Eleven, shall be treated equally and without prejudice. In the name of Clovis la Britannia, you are hereby ordered, cease fire at once. I shall allow no further fighting."
The message from Clovis was far too sudden, far too suspicious. Did you retrieve your secret weapon, Clovis? She looked around once more at the dead bodies, her face grew red and she felt her anger burstring through her chest. You won't allow any more fighting? You caused this, you and your secrets. The hypocrisy of the message drove her back to the Lancelot. I will confront him directly, damn the consequences. I will find out what he was hiding.
About to enter the cockpit Kallen froze, from the corner of her eyes a woman emerged from the tunnels. Her eyes were a large and golden, with green hair reaching to her waist. Kallen stared at her: she was bleeding, with what looked like a bullet wound in her head. I'm watching a dead person. A dead person from my dreams. It was the same woman she had seen in the courtyard of the Royal Palace a decade ago.
But the woman had retreated back into the tunnels, upon seeing the Knightmare frame. Kallen's body felt like it was floating as she pondered her next move. I must have imagined that, it is impossible, a voice reasoned in her head. She felt dizzy, dizzy from the battle, from driving the Lancelot, dizzy from seeing that woman. It was in my head. It must have been.
Kallen turned her Knightmare towards the mobile command center. She was going to have a conversation with her prince.
Before she made it to the mobile command center she was contacted by the members of her guards. It was Jaime and Alexis. "We found the prince's weapon, something is wrong, my lady." Jaime said. He was usually a cheerful man, to hear him with a grave voice was foreboding. Alexis had sent Kallen video of what they had found. A large gas canister, and it was open.
But that was not the worst of it. Next to it were twelve men, all member of the prince's royal guard. All of them were dead. "They…" Jaime could not finish the sentence. "...seem to have shot themselves, my lady." A chill ran through Kallen's whole body. What is happening? As she looked at the photo she did not doubt Jaime's words, they had placed their weapons under their mouths and sent themselves to an early grave. She ordered for Jaime and Alexis to retrieve the gas canister, and to receive the bodies of the royal guard.
When she exited her Lancelot, she met with General Bartley in front of the mobile command center, there must have been two dozen soldiers arround them, with tanks and Knightmare frames coming back from Shinjuku. The balding general smiled at Kallen. "Subviceroy, we must thank you, you turned the tide of battle-"
"Quiet." she commanded. The general's lips stopped moving as he frowned. Kallen wanted to choke the fat pig, but it was not the time, the images of the royal guardsmen dead and the empty gas cannister flashed in her mind.
"I mean no disrespect my lady, you truly won the battl-"
A large crack rang around the air. Kallen had slapped the general squarely in the cheek. "I said quiet!" she exclaimed. The soldiers around looked surprised, some tried to approach but a glare from Kallen kept them away. "I do not want another word Bartley, take me to the prince."
It is not my fault my rage grows everytime he opens his mouth. Kallen reasoned with herself. The general knew his place, even generals did not outrank the Knights of Rounds. As they entered the mobile command center, it was empty. "What is the meaning of this?" Kallen asked. "Why is there nobody inside?"
"The prince ordered us all out, I think the battle took a heavy toll on him, I believe he wished to be alone." Bartley said, wiping sweat with his handkerchief. The images of Clovis' dead royal guard flashed in her head. Kallen began to sprint, leaving the fat general behind.
"My lady, wait!"
When she entered the command room the lights were out. The windows shuttered. The room was cold. And Prince Clovis was dead.
AN: As some of the previous readers may have noticed, the Suzaku/Lelouch POV is gone. This is because I want to focus on Kallen for about 5-10 chapters and to develop this different but familair woman and some of the characters that surround her. Also I don't want you guys to know what Lelouch and Suzaku are up to. :)
