Chapter 13: In the Shadows, Blood and Power Dwell

Alternate Chapter Title: Layers of Paint

Dedicated to Suzaku: It has come to my attention that your father failed to teach you the subtle art of revenge. As you're my best friend, this is unacceptable.

1) Never get caught. Revenge is pointless if it leads to your own fall.

2) Revenge should always fit the crime. If your enemy doesn't know why they're being targeted, it is pointless and a waste of time.

3) Always scope out your target. Know thy enemy and all that.

4) Insure that you have an alibi. Because there is a good chance they will suspect you, you want to make sure that you have an airtight alibi.

5) Stage a distraction. Distractions are amazing and should be as loud and flamboyant as possible so everyone will be entranced while you execute your secondary objective. Bonus points if this doubles as your alibi.

6) Never be where your enemy thinks you are. This is the easiest way to get caught which goes against Rule 1.

7) If you get caught, make sure you have someone to blame it on.

8) Revenge planning comes second to Nunnally and best friends.

9) Patience is key. Your enemy may be more powerful and have a sword, but if you wait, they'll eventually lower their guard and give you the opportunity to strike.

10) If all else fails, break into their room. Nothing is more terrifying than knowing a stranger managed to enter and exit your room effortlessly. Repeated incidents increase the chance of getting caught but will also heighten their paranoia and may lead to a mental breakdown.

—Revenge: An Idiot's Guide by Lelouch vi Britannia (2010)

Glenshire Woods, Near Fort Necessity, Pennsylvania

Lelouch cried out in relief as they found the supply station filled with rations. They hadn't been too late. The moon hung high in the sky as they started a small fire to unthaw their frozen bodies. The rations, while dry, tasted decadent and filled their stomachs with a gentle warmth. Lelouch leaned against a tree and watched in amusement as Alex skewered the hard brick like rations and attempted to roast them over the open flames. Burnt rations didn't taste any different compared to their rehydrated attempt.

The fire flared upwards and the rations burst into flames. Alex let out a small yelp as he jumped backwards to safety. Henry chuckled and rolled over in his sleeping bag, intent on catching up on some sleep. Their brief break was almost peaceful and despite his burning muscles, Lelouch felt relaxed. His squad mates were interesting and while they lacked that easy camaraderie that Rick had forced upon him, there was still something endearing about them. Even Roy.

In the back of the shed, Roy diligently took inventory. He was almost allergic to the concept of rest and unable to stay still. Roy stepped back outside, pulling his jacket tight as the wind howled and a few snowflakes began to drift down. "We'll need shelter from the storm."

Edgar yawned and let a snowflake settle on his outstretched hand. "Only got two days to back to the base. No idea how long it will take for the weather to clear."

Frowning, Roy unrolled the map. "How bad will the storm be? The base is about a twelve hours march from here. If we wait, we'll be dealing with fresh snow when the storm finally relents."

Edgar shook his head. "We're not going to make it in time. I reckon we've got maybe six hours, eight if we're lucky, before the full brunt of the storm hits. If we wait here, at least we have some shelter, else we'll potentially be trying to build a shelter in the middle of a blizzard."

"Only problem," Frederick interrupted, "is that we don't know if it will be a blizzard. Could just stay like this. It's not like the Drill Sergeant gave us the weather forecast."

Roy leaned against a tree and stared at his squadron sitting around the fire. "Fine. What does everyone else think?"

Henry groaned from inside his sleeping bag. "I vote for sleep. What happened to this not being a democracy anyway?"

Roy scowled and then exhaled. His breath condensed in the air. "If we're not careful, we might die. I'm the leader, but that means I'm responsible for your well being. I'm not going to put your life into danger, at least not without talking first." He paused. "I'm still making the final call."

Lelouch took a bite of his ration and squeezed his eyes shut as the bitter taste flooded his senses. "We're not going to die. Although I don't know if the Drill Sergeant will save us from frostbite."

"Snow storm Lelouch?" Edgar looked at him incredulously. "Faith isn't going to save you."

"Not faith," said Lelouch.

Roy glared at him. "Toothpick! Why the hell wouldn't we die? Nobody even knows we're here."

Had none of them noticed the cameras? There was absolutely no privacy. "Since the Drill Sergeant could be watching us right now, I think death is unlikely."

Everyone blinked at him and Lelouch pointed to a tall tree and something reflecting the light of the fire.

"By the might of the Empire, couldn't you have said something before Lelouch!" Roy walked forward and grabbed Lelouch's collar. "We've been worried sick and you've kept this all to yourself."

The other looked at him with various degrees of annoyance.

"My apologies. I thought that your superior skill and situational awareness meant that you had already noticed them. It's not like they're hidden well." Their current surveillance was crude, but effective. It was nothing like noble homes where the cameras were hidden out of sight and small microphones recorded conversations.

Roy punched him in the stomach. "You bastard!"

Frederick leaped forward and pulled Roy back. "Calm down you idiot. And both of you stop pushing each other's buttons! We need to get back in one group. So if we're probably not going to die, lets go. I want to sleep in my own bunk, not on the ice cold ground."

Under the glares of his squadron, Lelouch stood up and began to help pack everything up. How was he supposed to know they hadn't noticed? It was obvious. The cameras even reflected the light. Roy brushed past him and began to furiously pack the rations.

Alex tapped his shoulder. "They really didn't notice? It's sort of obvious."

"Apparently," Lelouch murmured. At least someone in his squadron had common sense. If only it was someone who could actually read.

Viceroy's Palace, Tokyo, Area 11

Inside the lavishly decorated room, Reuben observed the paintings with interest. Prince Clovis was indeed a skilled artist and within the paintings, Reuben could see the influence of various renowned artists. From French to Chinese, Clovis cared little for the supposed superiority of Britannia, at least in the realm of art. It gave Reuben hope, even as he listened to Margrave Donovan prattle to Prince Clovis in an attempt to direct more resources to his own lands and the prince nodding along. The manipulation was obvious. but Prince Clovis, only eighteen and heavily sheltered by Empress Gabrielle, was completely unaware.

Margrave Donovan shot him a sly smile, before his face eased into an impassive mask and continued, "The Purist Faction will undoubtedly help you in this endeavor. It's within our best interest to insure your glorious success. Margrave Greenford is a talented lord and has been running his lands at a great profit for years. I'm sure he would be willing to lend his advice and perhaps a Lawrence. They would definitely spice up these drab walls"

"It would be rather exquisite. Lawrence has some truly stunning portraits, but alas, I find myself captured more by the modern styles. Impressionists are so imaginative, wouldn't you agree? And the colors… no my paintings are by no means drab."

Looking rather sour, Margrave Donovan returned to the topic at hand. "Very well. If you insist your highness. Perhaps I will be… convinced. But you must agree at least that building a hotel will one help Area 11 and such funds should be a priority. I will of course pay back the crown myself within the next five years."

Reuben forced himself to smile. "Prince Clovis. Our goal is to integrate the Numbers within the Empire. While many of the Numbers in Tokyo are working in Margrave Donovan's mines, there are others that have no job opportunities. Hungry people become desperate and desperate people, are impossible to predict. A hotel or whatever pleasure Margrave Donovan imagines, does not help the economy or our limited infrastructure."

"You exaggerate Margrave Ashford," scoffed Margrave Donovan, "The Numbers are our inferiors. There is no need to waste resources on them. They're incapable of contributing to society meaningfully.":

Frowning Prince Clovis took a moment to collect his own thoughts. "Your mines, Margrave Donovan, are run by the Kyoto House and are becoming quite profitable. If we afford them special privilege, why can't we afford it to others? Surely there are those who will earn a place in Britannia."

Margrave Donovan's smile dropped and his eyes hardened. "Please Prince Clovis, I beg you to reconsider. Wasting such resources will only lead to trouble."

Seeing Prince Clovis's hands twitch, in what Reuben was beginning to understand as the precursor to an outburst, Reuben cut in. "Why don't we take a break? It seems like we will not accomplish much today, and I don't know about Margrave Donovan, but I have a mountain of paperwork to sort through."

Prince Clovis nodded eagerly. "Yes, you are dismissed. Although Reuben, I have a message from my older brother for you. He is interested in your little school."

Margrave Donovan scowled at Prince Clovis's familiarity, but bowed and left the room. The door closed behind him with a resounding thud and finally granted the other two peace and quiet. Reuben shared a small smile with Prince Clovis as they relaxed and sank down in their seat. Prince Clovis eagerly pulled out two wine glasses and an ornate jug.

"A drink?" he asked.

Reuben lifted his hand. "A little. I do have a lot of paperwork to do and being drunk, will perhaps make it less painful, but also means I have to do it all again."

Chuckling, Prince Clovis poured the drink. "I never imagined there to be so much paperwork. No wonder Odysseus and Schneizel have so many assistants and even then, they barely have any time. It annoys Guinevere when they miss her parties, but really, I don't know if I can make it to the one next month. There's just so much to do and father is counting on me."

Reuben accepted the glass and took a small sip. "Amen. My own assistant, Sarah, she barely has any time although I admit to dumping most of running the school on her. All my research has been put on hold. I barely have enough time to grab dinner or even speak with my granddaughter. So what did Prince Schneizel want to say?"

"Ah right. He's suddenly enamored with your school and heard you don't have enough teachers. He is offering to loan a couple of his researchers to help teach. He also convinced an Earl to teach history and found an appropriate history textbook." Prince Clovis walked to the side of the room to the cabinet. "I have it here somewhere... Ah, there it is. Quite a good book."

Reuben accepted the history textbook and stared at the author, Lance Gale, with contempt. He knew of the man for his rather, liberal, interpretation of history. The Gale family diligently served in the Empire, but Reuben found they tended to lose a few brain cells in the process. Talking to Ryan Gale, Lance's nephew, had been an exercise of extreme frustration. The boy was intelligent, but stifled his curiosity by never even considering that Britannia could be wrong. A blind follower and aggravatingly useless as a result.

Unfortunately, when the Prime Minister offered a gift, it was foolish to refuse. "Thank you your highness."

"It's just us two here, Clovis please."

"Thank you Clovis, but please, do not accept such gifts concerning my school from your elder brother without consulting me first."

"You don't like it?"

Reuben winced. "Prince Schneizel is the Prime Minister and probably the future Emperor. I cannot refuse Clovis, regardless of my own thoughts on the matter."

"I thought Odysseus was the heir?" he asked, biting his lip. "But you do not like it? Why Reuben? I shudder to think I forced you into something you do not want."

Gabrielle had not done her son a favor by sheltering him. Reuben looked out the window at the crane slowly lifting up a steel beam to help finish the palace. Tokyo was bustling with construction and the immigration list was long. His school would succeed considering how many families were settling in Tokyo. But the type of school he left as his legacy, was still to be decided. The Purist Faction were already moving against him in an attempt to settle their natural order of things. And now, Prince Shneizel was staking a claim.

"Prince Odysseus has made it quite clear that he intends to abdicate to Prince Schneizel when the time comes. Even though he hasn't said it, everyone knows Clovis. The Emperor, as much as I hope for him to have a glorious long life, is growing old. In ten to twenty years, if he follows tradition, he will abdicate and choose one of his children to inherit, most likely Prince Odysseus, since the Emperor favors him." Reuben paused and held out the textbook. "This is just a ploy from Prince Schneizel to help secure his own claim."

"Oh," Clovis whispered and he gulped down the remaining wine, before pouring himself another serving. "I shudder to think our father falling ill. But how does a textbook help him? I thought it was just a nice gesture."

"The Gale family may be commoners, but they are one of the largest publishers in the country and make the majority of their money, selling textbooks to the military. This," he held up the text, "is just propaganda and at times, blatantly false. I want my students to think critically, not follow the Empire blindly. How will we ever innovate if we don't question what we have?"

"I don't understand."

"Your mother sent you the E.U. so you could learn art. The author believes that to be pointless because Britannian art is inherently superior and no other nation can ever compete. If it were up to him, you and I would be tried for treason for buying foreign art."

Clovis's face fell. "That can't be. Why would brother do that? Surely this is just a misunderstanding."

He stared at the young man in pity. "Just next time, don't accept gifts on my behalf."

"Are others using me as well? You?" asked Clovis, his voice cracking as he stared forlornly into the empty wine glass.

"This is what it means to be an adult Prince Clovis. This is the price we pay for our privilege. I have made enemies by deciding to not jostle for a position near the throne, instead, it happened to me by pure chance. I want to innovate, discover new things, and protect those close to me. But Margrave Dolton and Margrave Greenford have their own designs on the throne, and you're a potential route there."

Clovis twirled the glass in his hand and glanced outside. "So you are manipulating me."

Reuben froze, but did not dispute it.

"Of course," Clovis continued, "you are perhaps the only one whose goals align closest to my own. But do you think you can stay out of the upcoming game?"

A game. To be so young and innocent. The Emblem of Blood had never been a game. It had been a time where marble floors were bathed in blood. Reuben could remember all too clearly, the numerous friends who fell in the silent night or on the battlefield. And now with knightmares and more lethal weapons, the next so called game, could spell the end of Britannia. Charles, the Emperor, had stood victorious with Reuben's help and surely had taken steps to prevent another conflict of such a massive scale. But the number of children the Emperor fathered did not inspire confidence in Reuben.

Swallowing, he said, "It's not a game Prince Clovis. You may be too young to remember the horrors, but death is never a game and it is death who wins such struggles and walks within our homes, uninvited, at night. Of course, nothing is decided yet and perhaps the Emperor will choose another heir who proves themselves. But if you partake in this foolish competition of blood, know that you will lose everything."

"But I can?" There was an annoying amount of hope in Clovis's voice as if he hadn't heard a thing Reuben had said. "I have a chance to prove myself and step out of my siblings shadows."

Harshly, Reuben warned, "Then you're a fool. Prince Schneizel expects the throne and will not allow anyone to stand in his way. He may appear genial, but he has planned for every contingency. He will win, regardless of the Emperor's decision... Thank you for this meeting, but unless there is another urgent matter, I have work to do."

Prince Clovis stayed silent and Reuben bowed, leaving the room. Hopefully, the boy wouldn't do anything foolish. Clovis may have a talent for art, but in the upcoming challenge, that meant nothing. Cold calculating brilliance, passionate followers, and a reputation of winning would be needed. Anything else, would be insufficient.

Reuben entered his office and picked up a small letter, from Milly, on top of the copious amount of paperwork: a budget request. Considering his inability to make time for his granddaughter, it was the least he could do. Signing it quickly, he pulled out the list of applicants for his school that Sarah had prepared. Slowly, he perused their background checks, trying to sort their risk assessment. Nunnally would not get hurt because he became lazy and let a skilled spy slip through his fingers.

Glenshire Woods, Near Fort Necessity, Pennsylvania

The faint glow of dawn began to illuminate the snow. Lelouch looked up at the sky and the darkening clouds. They had made good headway and the weather, for now, seemed to be favoring them. Another seven hours of marching and they would finally arrive at the base. Lelouch could hardly wait. The prospect of a warm shower called to him.

On the sled, Lelouch sat up and blinked. He was exhausted, but his own shift would start soon. Nothing was worse than being roused from slumber and thrown directly into a march. It led to stupid mistakes, like walking into a tree. Besides him, Alex stood up and swapped with Roy. The young boy struggled under the weight of the sled, but continued to move forward.

Roy lay down next to Frederick and then rolled over to stare at Lelouch. "I don't understand you."

Wincing, Lelouch said, "Sorry?"

"Why are you even here? You did some math on the first day to figure out where we are. You can obviously read and you even know some laws. Although you obviously can't keep your mouth shut."

"Didn't you think I was an idiot?" Lelouch asked, completely confused at the sudden change in behavior.

"Yes, because only an idiot makes the Drill Sergeant mad. Idiots who can't keep their mouth shut, die. You're an idiot for not getting a different job. I bet you know lots more than you let on, but instead, you are here. So why?"

Wondering if he had misjudged the youth, Lelouch looked back up at the sky and the small snowflakes dancing towards the ground. "The military pays."

Roy snorted. "Now you're bullshitting me. I bet you could easily convince someone to take you on as an accountant. Or a legal assistant. In a year or two, you'll be making more than you'll ever make in the army."

"Maybe I'll get promoted. You seem to know quite a bit as well. No one else seems suspicious."

"Roy Fadiman, remember?"

Lelouch stared at him in confusion.

Glaring at Lelouch, he asked, "The shampoo?"

The Drill Sergeant did indeed call him Shampoo for some reason, but what did that have to do with anything? Lelouch raised his eyebrows.

"Seriously? You have absolutely no bloody idea? Fadiman Shampoo? We also make cosmetics and stuff. No? This isn't ringing any bells?"

"Why would I know that? I just grabbed the cheapest one I could find." Lelouch shrugged.

Roy massaged his temples. "I take it back. You're an absolute irredeemable idiot. Fadiman and Jenkins is one of the richest companies in the Homeland. And you don't recognize our name."

Lelouch shrugged again. "If you're so rich, why don't you buy a noble title? Then you can train as an officer. Bet they don't do any of this."

"Because that isn't part of the brand. The Fadimans always serve in the Britannian army to show our loyalty. We're part of the commoners. If we become nobles, we lose that connection and start back at the bottom." Roy glared at him. "So why are you really here?"

Lelouch would be lucky to keep the facade going for another month at this rate. Apparently, there were just too many things to catch up on, that even living with commoners for half-a-year would not teach him. When it had been just regular commoners, without much wealth or power, they would have never questioned him. But those who interacted with nobles, such as Roy's family, saw the signs of wealth he was unable to hide.

"I had a disagreement with my family. My... father is very staunchly in support of the Empire. He would never consent to me joining another career. At least this way, he will leave me and my sister alone."

Sporting a satisfied smile, Roy nodded. "Don't worry, I won't insult your family. I know what some of them can do to keep their secrets. Sucks for you though."

Somehow, Roy had understood something else. What, Lelouch wasn't quite sure. But at least Roy was backing off and no longer pressing him for dangerous answer. In a way, Roy was right, Lelouch's family would do anything to keep secrets. Unfortunately for Roy, he had no idea how true that was.

Ashford Academy, Area 11

Nunnally, tapping her cane along the ground before, walked ahead of Allie. Everything was slowly coming together for the plan. It was difficult thinking ahead and trying to determine an appropriate form of retaliation. Lelouch was skilled, but she didn't dare to ask for his help in her letters to him. He would worry unnecessarily.

Nunnally stopped. "Allie, do you see room 279?"

"Yea," Allie replied and she gently grabbed Nunnally's arm and led her a few steps forward. "It's right here. So what's the plan? We're not going to get in trouble are we? She is still a noble."

Nunnally frowned as she considered the flaw in her "do as Lelouch does" approach. Nobody ever dared to retaliate against him, except their mother and Cornelia, because of their status as royalty. This time, Nunnally would not have that kind of protection. Turning to Allie, she hesitantly began, "You're not going to like this next part."

"Why?"

"Well, Lady Ashford wants us to join her student council. We're going to plan a party."

Silence.

Nunnally fidgeted. How she wished she could see what Allie was thinking. Being blind made it sometimes so hard to tell, especially when people didn't move. She listened to her best friend's breathing which continued calmly.

A sigh. "Nunnally, I thought we went over this. Nobles can't be trusted. Besides, how is this going to help?"

Nunnally beamed. Allie was willing to listen. "We need a distraction and if we're planning a party, we have an alibi. Also, it should be easier to find a way around the cameras. Then we break into her room."

"What?" hissed Allie. "Are you insane. We can't break into a noble's room, even if she's a spoiled brat and deserves it. My sister will kill me if I get arrested, or worse, expelled."

"Hey," Nunnally defended herself. "We'll just paint her books black or something. It's what Lelouch would do. And that's why we need an alibi, so we don't get into trouble."

"Your brother would never do anything like this. I don't think he can even hurt a fly."

Nunnally listened in disbelief. They had met each other? Lelouch was amazing and sweet and absolutely terrifyingly intelligent with a vicious streak a mile wide. There was absolutely no way that Allie hadn't picked up on it.

"Will you quit staring me at like that Nunnally."

Slowly, "It's Lelouch."

"Yeah," Allie replied, amused, "Lelouch can't exchange a light bulb without help from Rick. Hell, Rick annoys him all the time, and the worst Lelouch has ever done is glare at him. It's sort of cute. Like a kitten."

Gaping, Nunnally tried to find an example of how her brother was most assuredly not a harmless kitten. To her horror, he had acted like a perfect angel for their entire stay in Cornwallis County. She groaned, nobody would ever believe her. It wasn't fair that Lelouch was so... capable at lying. She was just fumbling around in the dark and spilling all of her secrets to Allie.

"You'll see someday," Nunnally promised, darkly. Perhaps it would years, but Lelouch was incapable of mediocrity. Someday, probably sooner than later, he would prove himself deadly. Not harmless like a kitten, but more like a tiger. Then she would laugh at all their surprised questions.

"Right." Allie didn't sound like she believed her at all. "So I'm joining a student council, need to hang around a noble, and am breaking into a room and possibly getting arrested or expelled. Anything else?"

That covered it? "Technically I'm doing the breaking in. Unless you know how to pick locks. And we're planning a party. So you'll come to the meeting this afternoon?"

"Why do you? Nevermind." Allie groaned. "If I wasn't so angry with Sally, I'd never agree to this. But I'm not gonna act all friendly with Lady Ashford. She's a noble. Got it?"

"Of course." One step at a time.

Alstreim Manor, Britannia

Marianne absolutely loathed Anya's mother, Lady Alstreim. The woman constantly ordered her around and watched her with eagle eyes to insure that Marianne couldn't find time to grab the phone again and call her husband, Charles. Part of her regretted not getting to know Anya before for she had no idea how to act like her. The world could not know about Geass and if someone suspected Anya was possessed, it wouldn't end well.

"What has gotten into you Anya? You know you have piano lessons at two. Move it," Lady Alstreim shouted and squeezed her shoulder to shove her out of the room.

The long winding staircase down to the ballroom mocked her. Marianne absolutely loathed stairs. Her eyes scanned the side, searching for the elevator.

"Don't dawdle girl." Lady Alstreim pulled her down the first few steps. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you? You're completely hopeless. You have the manners of a country bumpkin. And are completely incapable of holding a conversation. Hmph. Not going to say anything are you? Typical."

Right. Anya had usable legs. Marianne took a step and enjoyed the feeling of mobility. How long had it been since she didn't have to plan out her route to avoid every single step within the palace? Legs were amazing. A childish smile stretched across her face and not caring for secrecy, she eagerly took another step down the stairs. Her legs were strong and stable, relying on Anya's own muscle memories.

She hopped down the next step. She could jump!

Picking up the hem of her dress, Marianne swiftly descended the stairs and burst into a run on the landing. Perhaps it wasn't too bad being stuck in Anya's body, creepiness aside. She twirled and her dress rose around her, forming an envy worthy hoop.

Scandalously, "Anya! Behave yourself. What will the tutor think?"

That woman grated on her nerves. But Marianne wouldn't let that woman ruin her fun. Perhaps she could practice her swordsmanship again? Fighting from a wheelchair just wasn't the same. Or climb a mountain? Go on a hike? The possibilities were endless.

The tutor, a severe looking woman with her hair tied up in a tight bun, strode into the room. She watched Marianne for a moment, a soft smile on her lips. Patiently, she said, "Come on Anya. I believe your mother wants us to continue your lessons."

Marianne stilled and nodded. Lady Alstreim humphed at the top of the stairs and turned away. Frowning, Marianne considered her options. It was tempting to explore her new found mobility, but this was Anya's body. Marianne would find a way to turn off her Geass and then Anya's life would once again be in her own hands. It would be rude to get the young girl in trouble. She hadn't done anything.

Subdued, Marianne walked after the tutor and sat down at the piano. The tutor spread out the music notes and settled down on the stool besides her. Marianne pursed her lips as the music notes mocked her. It seemed Anya would suddenly forget how to play.

Her finger settled on a key and it rang shrilly. Marianne cringed. Music was not her forte.

The doorbell rang, saving her from any further embarrassment. In the foyer, she could hear massive doors opening and loud footsteps as people entered the house. Her heart pounded and she stood up to run towards the connecting door. She had to see if it was Charles's men.

Anya's mother hurried over. "Stay out of the way unless I call you. No need for you to embarrass this family any further."

"Announcing Lady Alstreim," called out the butler. The door closed behind Lady Alstreim.

Marianne pushed herself against the door frame and peered through the keyhole. The collected men wore suits, but none were in a position that would allow Marianne to see Charles's crest, if these were his men.

"Good evening gentlemen," said Lady Alstreim.

A man stepped forward and Marianne could see his boots snapping together. Military. "Thank you for accommodating us my lady. Is your daughter around?"

They were from Charles. Soon, she would be out of this mess.

"What business do you have with her? She should be beneath the Empire's notice," Lady Alstreim said condescendingly.

"I'm not supposed to say, but Empress Marianne suffered an unknown injury. We just need to take your daughter in for a brief interview. It may be that these attacks are connected."

"The French? Of course the E.U. would be behind this. But I doubt my daughter can help. She is a bit slow on the uptake."

Marianne pursed her lips. They would be having words once she got back to her own body. How could anyone treat their child like that? Lady Alstreim still had her daughter, but she was casually throwing the relationship aside. How Marianne wished that she could return to Nunnally and Lelouch. They were precious to her and she would give anything to have that relationship back. That woman spat on it.

"We're just covering all the bases my lady. Would you fetch your daughter please?"

The door cracked open and Marianne stumbled backwards. It shut behind her. The woman glared at her and snatched her thin wrist. The sharp nails pressed into her skin. She hissed, "Be polite. They're from the Emperor. Understood?"

"Of course."

Lady Alstreim looked down at her dress. "You're a mess. If you're going to waste the Emperor's time, you can at least look nice while doing it." She pulled on her arm harsly and began physically dragging her up the stairs. "Don't dally. Whatever am I going to do with you Anya."

Inside of Anya's room, the woman withdrew a hideously pink dress that Marianne would never let Nunnally wear, and pulled it over her head. Marianne squeezed her eyes shut as the fabric snagged her ears. The strings around her waist tightened and she gasped as Lady Alstreim suddenly secured the bodice. Then, before she could even voice, her complaint, her hair was secured on her head with painful tugs and whisked back downstairs.

She felt like a doll. A very fancy doll, but still a doll.

With a small shove, Marianne stumbled into the room and dipped her head politely to the men. The woman's hand settled on her shoulder with a strong and threatening grip. Marianne hated her.

The man stared at her impassively. "Let us depart. Thank you for your understanding Lady Alstreim."

The woman's eyes bore into her back as Marianne walked to the limousine and settled in the back. The man sat across from her, while his companions, settled in next to her.

"The Emperor wishes to speak with you himself. You will be on your best behavior," he said.

Marianne resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He was her husband and they were going to have words once they resolved the stupid Geass thing. If he dared to send her to the E.U. again with a boring peace talk mission, she was going to strangle him. She had other skills, mainly on the battlefield, and she wanted to see her children. If only she could spend time with them, they would surely understand and forgive her. At least Nunnally would. She responded to the letters even if her replies were curt. Lelouch was truly the problem.

But firstly, before anything, she was going to yell at Charles for his stupid little stunt. The man across from her was a professional. He would have never spilled information on accident. No. Charles had told him to do so and fan the rumor mill. He was sending an apology letter to Nunnally and Lelouch. They should not hear about her coma from the gossip rags. It didn't matter that the E.U. would bend over backwards to avoid blame. Their children should not fear for her life. That was her job.

Ashford Academy, Area 11

Nunnally waited impatiently in the soft comfortable couch for Allie to arrive. Besides her Milly nervously shuffled the papers.

"Your friend is going to be okay with this? Right?" Milly asked and slid her chair backwards. "She's your best friend and I don't want to make you choose. We're all going to be good friends right? Grandpa is always so busy now."

Nunnally clenched her hands together. "Allie will come around. How can anyone not like you? You're amazing."

"I hope so. I want some friends as well. How's Lelouch doing?"

"He says he is doing fine and that people exaggerate how hard the army is. But mail is slow. I can't wait until Lelouch saved enough money to visit us."

Milly laughed. "That would be awesome. We should do something special then. As a birthday party for the two of you. And have you heard from your mother?"

Her mother wrote letters regularly, although the frequency had slowly dwindled in the past month. "Still busy in the E.U. I think father is going to declare war again soon. Probably in the Philippines, but it's complicated. It depends on what China is going to do."

"Not again. We barely just conquered Japan and now we're going again? Ridiculous. Your brother isn't going to get caught up right?"

Nunnally frowned. Her brother was no in the army as a simple foot soldier. He would be in the middle of the action and a small pit formed in her stomach. What if Lelouch died? There were so many risks on the battlefield. Would he even be able to march into another country? Especially after what he had seen in Japan.

"I hope not. But war hasn't been declared yet. So he has some time to avoid getting called to the front lines."

"Hey," Milly whispered and set her hand on Nunnally's shoulder. "I bet Lelouch has a plan. He always has a plan and if he doesn't, he will make one. Nothing will happen to your brother. He wouldn't allow it, not after he promised to be there for your birthday."

Nunnally nodded and brushed the tears out of her eyes. The door swung open.

"Nunnally you're crying!" Allie shouted and stomped forward, drawing Nunnally into a hug. Softly, she whispered into Nunnally's ear, "She didn't do anything, did she?"

"Oh my," Milly whispered, her voice tinged with amusement, "you've got quite a protective friend there."

Nunnally grabbed Allie's hands. "Allie, I'm fine. Was just worried for Lelouch."

"You sure? It's not because of..."

Milly laughed. "I like her Nunnally. I'm keeping her."

"What?" Allie croaked and withdrew from Nunnally. "You're not keeping anyone. Nunnally, she can't keep me, can she?"

Nunnally leaned back and finished drying her tears as Milly teased Allie and tore through her defenses. Nobody could resist the unique Milly charm, even Allie. A soft smile formed on her face.

"So Allie, what's the deal with Sally?" Milly asked.

Nunnally froze.

Allie laughed nervously. "She's just a bit mean."

"To Nunnally and you? You're both part of the student council, so she can't mess with you anymore."

Nunnally lifted her hands. "It's nothing like that Milly. We're fine. We've got it under control."

Sighing, Milly said, "Fine. Keep it tight to your chest then. But if anyone bothers you because you're blind Nunnally, they'll have to deal with me. Grandpa was very clear."

Allie snorted and quietly said, "Tell that to Ms. Abequa."

"I see," Milly replied, trailing off into silence.

Nunnally stilled.

"Very well, let's plan our toga party!"

Relaxing, Nunnally grabbed the packet of braille papers and began to assist in planning. Everything was perfectly alright and going to plan. Lelouch would be proud.

Worldbuilding Thoughts:

-Lelouch's birthday is December 5 :) Happy Birthday Lelouch.

-The Emblem of Blood overlapped with the end of the European/Japanese conflict. Due to war in mainland Europe and East, Iceland and Greenland petitioned to join Britannia. Britannia accepted and this resulted in Area 2 expanding to contain Canada, Alaska, Iceland, and Greenland...

-In real life, Switzerland gained a lot of influence due to being a neutral treaty ground where various parties could negotiate and because of the money. Since Napoleon threw off all of European's history, this dynamic didn't evolve. Instead, with a more powerful China, Australia became the only neutral country and the banking center of the world. This sort of solves my, why is Australia not conquered problem.

Author's Note:

Thank you x1tears1X on FFN for your help with this chapter. If anyone else wants to beta, just ask? :)

Site alert: Currently, PM notifications are down. If you want to read my reply to your review, you will need to log in and check manually on the site. I'm really sorry that this is happening and I hope it will be fixed soon. :(

Next update is Wednesday.