Interlude 6-B: By Red Lantern's Glare
I'm so nervous. Of all the things that could have happened this week, I never expected Princess Euphemia to invite me for tea.
Granted, I'm not crushing on her like I was, some time ago. But she is so beautiful, so kind, so...pure.
Lelouch was right, though. Seeing the news about her battling corruption in Area 11 on TV really made it a reality for me.
It's not that I'm not good enough for her. It's that she's in a world far more treacherous and dangerous than that of a high school student.
Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the view, though.
I show my identification card to the security officer at the visitor's entrance. "Nina Einstein, Ashford Academy, here by invitation of Sub Viceroy Princess Euphemia Li Britannia," I say handing my written invitation to the man in a suit and shades.
To even get here, I'd had to be patted down, walk through a scanner, and be sniffed at by dogs. Her sister the Viceroy is really taking security seriously.
The man hands my invitation back and gestures for me to follow.
The palace is opulent, almost decadent. I've heard that Prince Clovis did the interior design, but this is...
Milly said to try not to stare too much. It's hard not to, though I note some of the decorations and wall hangings appear to have been removed lately. Probably Her Highness Princess Cornelia's doing. She's strikingly beautiful, but it's a harsh beauty, befitting a military woman.
I fidget, bunching up my skirt as I walk on the plush carpet towards whichever part of the Viceroy's Palace Princess Euphemia is sequestered in.
We enter a door with two guardsmen outside after a long elevator ride.
"The Princess will see you shortly. Please wait here." With that, the security person walks away, and I'm left to my own devices.
This part of the palace is different somehow. Less decadent, more tasteful. Either Clovis didn't do it himself, or else he was imitating someone else's style. I think I like it. More baroque, perhaps in imitation of Versailles?
He really should have done the rest of the Palace like this. I pull out a microfiber cloth from my glasses case and start cleaning my glasses.
What should I talk about with Princess Euphemia?
I scrunch up my nose as I wander around, idly cleaning my glasses as I ponder my options.
I sigh as I put my glasses back on. How did Lelouch put it?
"Fuck em," I sigh out with a smile. I'll just try to be nice and have a civil conversation with her.
As I look up, I let out an involuntary gasp.
This...this...this is breathtaking.
I've seen some of Prince Clovis' artworks in books and online, but these are incredible.
It's true what they say. Art has to be seen with your own eyes to do it justice.
There's such a variety, though. Clay, plaster, wax, oil paintings... Marble sculpture is probably the only thing that Clovis didn't do himself.
I stifle a giggle at the ridiculous image that provokes in my thoughts. A brawny, shirtless Clovis, chipping away at a block of marble with a hammer and chisel.
That kind of look is more to Milly or Lelouch's tastes, anyway.
I look up at the chandelier, noting the intricate crystals and gold-inlays set into it. The refractions put everything into a lovely soft light with a warm glow.
Something towards the end of the hall catches my eye.
I look up...
And suddenly I'm feeling like I just stepped into a lion's den.
The picture in front of me is subtle and tasteful. It's a depiction of three people in a garden pavilion, an older woman I think in her thirties, who's presumably the mother, and two children who are likely hers. The woman has a ghost of a smirk on her lips, long black hair, her brow hidden by a lady's party hat.
But she isn't why I froze.
Standing next to her, is a boy dressed in a child's version of a prince's uniform, complete with a half-cape on his back.
He might be vaguely familiar to some... but to me? There can be no doubt. Those piercing violet eyes are unmistakable.
This child is Lelouch. And the little girl seated on the woman's lap is a very young Nunnally, her legs clearly undamaged.
What's going on? Why does Prince Clovis have Lulu and Nunna as subjects of a painting?
"It's probably his best work," a soft feminine voice whispers from beside me.
"Kyaa!" I let out an involuntary squeak as Princess Euphemia is suddenly looking at the portrait right beside me.
She puts a hand over her mouth in surprise, "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you."
I fidget with my skirt, red-faced at my shameful display.
"N-no. It was my fault for spacing out. Please forgive me, Your Highness," I say with a curtsy.
She giggles at that. "None of that, please. I get enough formality being around the military officers here. Please, call me Euphie," she says extending a hand.
I gape in open surprise. And bonelessly return the handshake.
Why does she remind me of Nunnally in a vague way, though...?
"Your High— err...Euphie, who are these people in the painting? I don't see a title card anywhere. Just a date of completion."
She sighs deeply and shakes her head.
"Of course you wouldn't know them. There's so few pictures of them available to the public."
She first points to the woman in the hat.
"She would be more well known, if only to military and Knightmare Frame connoisseurs. She was, and still is, despised by most of the nobility, sadly."
I know I shouldn't ask, but I have to know. I have to find out who this painting is about, even if something deep inside me tells to be wary.
"But who was she? And who are her children, since I assume she's the mother."
"Marianne vi Britannia, neé Lamperouge, Empress Consort of Britannia, and former Knight of the Round. Ranked at Knight of Two before her marriage to my father, Emperor Charles zi Britannia, and subsequent retirement. Along with her children, 11th Prince Lelouch, and 5th Princess Nunnally."
I let out a sharp breath, looking at the picture as it hits me. Lelouch and Nunnally aren't simply exiled high nobility. They're IMPERIAL ROYALTY! More than that, they're the children of one of Britannia's greatest warriors.
I turn to see the princess with her head bowed.
"What happened to the children? I heard that the empress died in a terrorist attack, but the history books don't mention her children."
"They were murdered by the treacherous Elevens in a foolish attempt to intimidate the Empire," a fierce soprano voice growls out on the other side of the room.
We both turn around in surprise, not having realized someone had joined us.
"Sub-Viceroy, who is your guest?"
I hastily curtsy, "Nina Einstein of Ashford Academy, Your Highness. I met Her Highness Euphemia at Lake Kawaguchi."
Cornelia raises an eyebrow, "You were one of the hostages?"
I nod timidly. I'm definitely not telling her about my xenophobic episode.
"Yes, Your Highness. Her Highness Euphemia was very brave when she stood up to protect us."
The Viceroy humphs at my statement. I guess she's used to flattery.
"I would have preferred she kept her head down."
Euphie glares at her sister, "Viceroy, that was uncalled for. Miss Einstein is here as my guest. There's no need to belittle her."
Cornelia purses her lips and sighs. "Of course. Forgive me, I've had a very trying day."
"Could you tell me about the vi Britannia children? I wasn't able to find out anything when I tried to look them up."
Her gaze softens a tad hearing that. "You looked up Lelouch and Nunnally? Why?"
I scratch my cheek nervously, "Well, I...was curious about why there was so little information about them. All I can find is that they disappeared after the Second Pacific War. There were no pictures I could find."
She raises an eyebrow, "Euphemia, is that correct?"
Euphie nods sadly, "I had a great deal of trouble trying to find any pictures of them available to the general public. They never publicly debuted, and Lady Marianne didn't like being photographed in public, from what you said."
Cornelia lowers her shoulders and lets out a mournful sigh, "No, that's true. Lady Marianne had me smash reporters' cameras on several occasions. And the children were almost always at Imperial villas or other places not normally open to the public."
She moves to stand beside us, looking up at the portrait with a melancholy expression.
"I've never liked this country, not since the war took them from me. But I've never regretted being with them as they grew up. They would have been fine examples for Britannia," she says, raising her hand in a salute.
I salute with her, "I'm sure they never forgot you, Your Highness."
She quirks her lip in a half smile. "It does my heart good to see them not forgotten. What do you want to know about them?"
"What were they like when they were young?"
She barks out a laugh, "Ha! That takes me to my glory days as Captain of Lady Marianne's Guard. Nunnally used to run everywhere, making mischief and running us all ragged." She smirks at her sister, "As I recall, you joined in with her quite frequently."
That gives her younger sibling to a cherry-red blush. "Sister Cornelia!"
She chuckles to herself, "This one and Nunnally used to argue about who would marry Lelouch when he was older. It was quite amusing."
I gape at that statement. "Your Highness, aren't they siblings?"
Cornelia shrugs at my aghast face, "Nunnally would have no doubt grown out of the idea, eventually. And Lady Marianne wouldn't have allowed it to begin with."
She smirks at her embarrassed sister, "Half-siblings, though? That's not unusual in royal families. Her Ladyship considered you and Millicent Ashford to be the top two contenders for an engagement in the future, Euphemia."
This is such juicy gossip. I really hope General Cornelia doesn't decide to visit Ashford. Lelouch would freak and possibly blame me for it.
I'm not going to betray my friend.
"What of the Prince? What was he like?"
Cornelia sighs deeply and rubs her forehead.
"Kind, intelligent, inquisitive. He had the potential to be great, no matter what he did. My brother was a genius from an early age. Only Schneizel could beat him regularly in chess."
She lets out a chuckle as she closes her eyes, "His biggest flaw was that he hated exercise and took every step to avoid it. I called him a big brain perched on twigs once." She shakes her head, lost in memories of bygone ages, "Those were better days."
Euphemia tries to get her blush under control, "Viceroy, we'll be taking our leave now. I'll see you at dinner."
Cornelia nods, "Of course, Sub-Viceroy. And...Einstein, was it?"
I flinch at the commanding tone she directs at me. "Y-y-yes, Your Highness?" I squeak.
She extends a hand, "Thank you for asking about my siblings. A reminder of better times."
I nervously return her firm shake with a shaky smile, and then Princess Euphemia and I take our leave.
Euphie sighs deeply once we're in the garden.
"I wish she wouldn't embarrass me so. She still treats me like such a baby sometimes."
"Isn't that what siblings do?" I ask questioningly.
She rubs her forehead, "Usually they're not so ridiculously overprotective. Anyway, let's sit down and have tea."
The garden on the roof of the palace and indeed, the tasteful section of the palace too, were apparently modeled after the Aries Villa that used to belong to the vi Britannia family.
Clovis must have truly missed them. I still don't know why Lelouch and Nunnally don't want to return, though. Cornelia said they were killed by the Ele—no, by the Japanese. But that doesn't make sense.
"Nina, what do you think?"
I turn to meet Euphie's expectant gaze.
"Umm...I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. The beauty of the gardens distracted me," I say shyly. Oh great. Brilliant move, Einstein. She's never going to belie—
"It really is beautiful, isn't it?" the princess sighs.
"Your Highness, please repeat the question. I'm sorry for not listening."
"What do you think of Suzaku Kururugi?"
...What. "Huh? My classmate? Do you know him?"
Euphie nods, "I helped spearhead clearing his name and dismissing the spurious charges surrounding Clovis's death. I also arranged for him to attend Ashford."
She leans forward, "Tell me, is he fitting in? I want to know how he's doing."
I fidget. Should I lie? No. I should tell her the truth. Well, except for the name of his boyfriend. Lelouch would have a heart attack if that got out.
"He's...doing okay, I guess. He was being harassed a lot at first for..." I trail off.
She sighs and leans back in her chair, "Being an Honorary Britannian?"
I nod, "And a lot of people still thought he had something to do with Prince Clovis's murder."
She stares incredulously at me, "Zero publicly took credit for it. He even exposed the true nature of Clovis's death. People STILL think Suzaku was involved?"
I put my glasses down and sink into my chair.
"I...used to be one of those people. I didn't see a person, only an Eleven waiting to stab us in the back," I murmur.
She gasps at the admission. If Lelouch and Milly hadn't talked to me, I might still think that.
"But my friends talked to me. They helped me see I was wrong. I'm still afraid. But I'm trying to be a better person."
She smiles softly, "Do you like Suzaku?"
I giggle at that thought. He has the wrong type of chromosome for me.
"No. He's not my type. Besides, his boyfriend is picky."
Wow, she looks like I killed her puppy...that's so adorable it should be illegal.
"Suzaku...is gay?" she asks with a heartbroken tone.
Oh my god. A Princess of the Empire is in love with a Number...stop that. He's a person, not an Eleven.
"Ummm..., I don't think so? I think he...dresses on both sides, if you understand what I mean," I say nervously.
She breathes a sigh of relief, "Oh thank god. I still have a chance."
She freezes after saying that, "Oops. Could I ask you not to tell my sister I said that?"
It's official. Lelouch's sister is as big a ditz as Shirley.
"I won't say anything. You have my word, Your Highness."
She clasps my hand with both of hers gently. "None of that here. You can call me Euphie like all my friends do," she whispers with a winning smile.
I hope I'm doing the right thing by not saying anything. Lelouch and Nunnally seem happy, not being part of the royal family anymore. I don't want to make their lives any more difficult.
And it's not like they're doing anything wrong, anyway. They just want to live in peace.
