Lelouch stared at the airship before him. No doubt, this was something that Lloyd had been busy with for Schneizel. But to think that his brother would bring out this toy at a time like this. Lelouch was not bitter. Not for the fact that his brother was literally showing him that he was a ep… no a couple of steps ahead of him. He had time to plan everything and develop things. But Lelouch would gain from Schneizel's work. He would gain from the technology Lloyd created for his own purposes. And it would earn him great fame. Still, for now, he could not even think about his grand dream – there was still much to do and to gain before he could step into the place where he could have his date with Charles.
Shaking his head, Lelouch marveled at the airship for a moment and then glanced at Schneizel. The Prime Minister was walking toward him with his trusted Earl, that flat smile on his lips. Lelouch had learned it. With Nonette hovering above him, it was becoming necessary. That woman knew how to press the sensitive buttons. It was no wonder that Cornelia feared her.
"This is a nice toy you brought out," Lelouch said to his brother.
"Avalon," Schneizel said with a smile. "A first of its kind to even use the Float System… thinking about it, perhaps I should not have given you Lloyd. The Lancelot, and this, Camelot really does some advanced work."
Lelouch rolled his eyes. "You didn't make a mistake, brother…"
Everything was well within plans. The fact that Schneizel allowed Lloyd to go meant that he no longer had use for the man. There was the Toromo Institute and many more other Lords and agencies that the Prime Minister supported. But it was all right. Lelouch was not going to creep himself out just thinking about what Schneizel had. He would think about what he could do.
"Clovis told you about the Lancelot then," Lelouch said.
"He couldn't give me anything in detail. You know our brother does not bother himself with technical details… unless it is painting," Schneizel said with a slight shake of his head.
"And women…. But the same can be said about you."
Schneizel smiled. "I'm not sure what you mean by that," He said. "Aren't you the one who seems to drift away from it at every turn? I have not heard of anything about a girl you like. You are at that age, and yet there is nothing."
Lelouch waved his right hand nonchalantly. "I have had better things to worry about."
"Don't we all?" Schneizel led them to the Avalon.
The interior was something else. Schneizel had bothered to show him the command room. It was a delicate place meant for just one person and that was Schneizel – to command operations at least. He could remain sitting and everyone could stand beside him. After that, they went to a more comfortable place. There were no windows… it was rather unusual, unlike the planes he flew. There were enough seats for four people. The comfort was for royalty. Lelouch settled on the left while Schneizel sat on the right. It was just the two of them.
"Our father wants me to marry someone as punishment for the Ashford plan." Lelouch suddenly said as the plane took the air.
"He told me."
"And you didn't say anything?"
"It was not my place," Schneizel said. "I figure you'd say something once you had calmed down. But he didn't say he wanted you to marry someone. He said engaged. Given your age, we may as well day betrothed to someone else."
"That is the same thing… you end up being married."
Schneizel smiled. "Not unless you play your cards right. And it depends on who. I have already told you this. You are just not willing to step out of your comfort zone because you have no clue on how to deal with women. You must evolve your thinking and start to learn new things and you will learn how to play things."
"You mean playing with people's emotions," Lelouch said. But he was still smiling at the thought. It was not like he could hide it from his brother. The Prince did the exact same thing anyway.
"I heard you are very close to your Knight… she is close, so keep her closer…"
Schneizel didn't add, but there was no need to add. Lelouch could finish for the man. "Like you and Kanon?"
Schneizel just smiled but didn't address this. "We will discuss more about your future wife when we return. For now, we must talk about establishing Euro Britannia. Being governor of the area would have been nice for you, but you still need to grow your military credentials."
"So we will keep what we already control over Russia," Lelouch said. "Who is going to control it?"
"We will see… there are some nobles who are rather ambitious… the Grand Dukes have some following and are very powerful. But of course, they would not dare do anything in the open. Putting them here would make it easy to expose them. When we take over a new area, noble families like to branch out. Those in support will move out, and they become separated. It becomes easier to deal with them in such a scenario."
"Those are your politics," Lelouch said with a slight shake of his head. "I really don't want to get deep. I want to get to the finishing over this and then see what happens. But I assume that this is going to be a little more complicated than our last meeting. We are not leaving without an agreement in place, are we?"
"Yes," Schneizel said. "And that is why we will take our time."
Lelouch closed his eyes for a moment. This was going to be a long journey. He hoped it would not be too consuming. But then again, politics was always about playing the other aside. It was always the message that sold. The one who was charismatic would always stand above all. Those without a presence would not win any hearts. They would not gain anything. The talks this time would surely be something else. But he would have to play his role.
"We want to keep half of Russia and Portugal… but we are willing to leave it as it is but not part of the EU. War in Africa will continue," Lelouch said after a couple of moments of silence.
"That is what we want," Schneizel said. "Of course, we would want to stop the fighting in Africa as well… because ultimately we want to stop all wars."
That was a dream. But at this present stage, Lelouch could not see it happening. As long as one remained to be a major power and others feel threatened, there would be battles. There would be wars. It was going to be a difficult to end the fights with the EU. It could be temporarily halted, but in the long run, when the EU has improved its Knightmares, it could try to engage in war. The only thing that stopped the Chinese Federation from fighting Britannia now was its lack of military strength. But if a united organization was to be created, there could be a chance for peace. Britannia would have to change. Charles had no interest in playing nice with other nations. Not with his ideology. Not with the current crop of nobles.
"That is a dream for the future," Schneizel said. "I have already started preparations for a way to stop all wars. Humans are needlessly fighting every day because they no longer fear death and destruction."
Lelouch eyed his brother for a moment. That sounded dangerous but he was not going to say. Whatever it was that Schneizel was planning, it was going to be huge. He would have to up his game if he was going to achieve something.
"What do we expect the EU to demand?"
"Portugal will be the first. They were unable to make any headways with the Country's leadership."
"If they fail, would they not try to have him killed and try to put someone they can trust?" Lelouch asked. Humans were willing to do anything. If it meant preserving their power and cutting off Britannia, the EU could do that. Even if it was not the larger part of the EU but some rogue elements. There were always some extremist in every grouping.
"I was afraid that such could happen if we had given it the 'normal' rights as other nations under Britannia. It could have led to a 'civil war' to what we call an terrorist attacks. It would not have been the ideal situation."
Lelouch could not disagree with that point. When it came to formulating strategic points, there was no one better than his brother.
"Britannia would have been forced to use more resources to quell this rebellion." The Holy Empire was not going to stand still and watch a nation it took being taken over. Even if it meant the whole army had to descend on Portugal, it would occur, just to save face and pride. If nothing could be salvaged, the savages could even decide that it was better to just destroy Portugal than allowing it to be reclaimed.
Holy Empire? Ridiculous. There was nothing pure about the Empire. He shook his head. Everyone had their definition of holy. The Japanese had their gods. Perhaps Britannia worshiped another different god. Of course, he had yet to be introduced to such a god. But the thought of a god was truly ludicrous.
"Yes, resources we cannot afford to waste at the moment. We already have enough battles to fight," Schneizel said. He glanced outside. It was going to take hours. He would even have time to sleep. Of course, when they get to Russia, they would sit and he would speak with the generals and then decide on what must be done. He glanced back at Lelouch and then continued speaking. "How are things with you and Cornelia? You seemed to be having issues."
"Sorted."
Schneizel would not ask what was the problem. But he could guess. It had something to do with Euphy going to Area 11. He heard about those arrangements. Euphy and Nunnally were the biggest weaknesses in Lelouch. He was apparently unwilling to discard anything. He hoped it would not lead to his downfall if a day came when he had to choose. But certainly such a day would also lead him to clash with Cornelia. But for him, that would not be a bad thing. A working relationship between Cornelia and Lelouch could put brakes on his plans. He just could not do anything to ruin the relationship. Or could he not? Lelouch trusted Cornelia. And would depend on her more than him – that was a problem. Schneizel shook his head; he was being a little greedy and possessive over Lelouch.
"That is good," he said. "She is the only other sibling you have who doesn't have ulterior motives."
Lelouch smiled before chuckling at the irony of such words. "Indeed," he said. "But it does seem that I perhaps can make some difference with Guinevere. She does not hate me for being born of a commoner. When I return, I should dine with her."
"I don't think it will go well. Her supporters are hardliners. While she might not share the same opinions as them, their support may be nothing compared to being seen as your ally."
That was all they were reduced to… allies. He was talking about a woman who was born of the same father as him. They might not even share the same mother, but they shared the same father. They were all Britannia. And yet, they were reduced to just being allies rather than siblings. This was a jungle Charles had created. It was always a fight amongst the big cats. But of course, not everyone was the same. People could not all be evil. There would be naïve idiots like the First Prince. Narcissist bastards like Clovis. Heartless and ruthless Princes like Schneizel and loving people like Euphemia. The Imperial family had it all.
Lelouch stood up. "I will see either way," he said. "I'm going to speak to my team before getting some sleep. I believe once we land, we will be very busy. We don't even know what may arise there…"
Schneizel nodded. "I will go to bridge to check things out before heading to my quarters as well," the Prime Minister said. But he did not get up from his chair – he remained rooted.
When Lelouch walked into the sitting room of the quarters he had been assigned, he found Villetta sitting alone, with a book at hand. He didn't mind her as he slouched on the sofa across her and then closed his eyes for a couple of moments. This was indeed going to be a mentally draining exercise. He really needed go finish this politics business and go back to the battle field. The war zone war was thrilling and he always felt that he was in control. There was no control that he exercised here. This was his brother's chessboard and he was just a man-sized queen allowed to roam around – within the constraints of his brother's will. Just a week and he would be done with it.
Just one miserable week.
The Eleventh Prince opened his eyes and found Villetta staring at him. "Jeremiah?"
"Bridge."
Lelouch suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, Jeremiah would be so concerned about the flight path that he would have a look at the bridge. Kanon was also there, it made the visit worthwhile. But upon learning that he was no longer with Schneizel, his Knight was going to rush back here to be with him. The man was overzealous in his duties. It was not a bad thing. But it was annoying at times. There were moments he felt breathless with Jeremiah tanking in all the air around him.
"Figures," he said. "Something you wish to tell me?"
Villetta nodded. "I received a message from Earl Lloyd. He said Prince Clovis sent him money that made him think of tearing down the Lancelot and just built it from scratch with new improvements. From what the Earl theorized, the money is not from Prince Clovis personally, but from the Government. He termed it as 'Advanced Knightmare Frame Research.' And said the Viceroy wants the money to be used to benefit Area 11."
Lelouch frowned deeply. His narcissistic brother was making a move. Who could have fed him such a scheme? Maybe he did think of it himself. Unlike the Mediocre Prince, Clovis was no entirely useless. He was just not a strategic thinker. No, someone must have hinted something and he must have realized he could use his position effectively to make him owe him without him having a word to it. It was a dangerous situation. But undeniably, the money was needed. It was needed badly. He would nevertheless have to 'thank' Clovis and that meant giving him a helping hand. The brother of his was going to claim credit for his work if he was not careful. The good thing was that he could manage Clovis – unlike with Schneizel.
His frown disappeared and was replaced by a smile.
"What else did the Earl say? I hope he is not going to play on his excitement."
Villetta shook her head. She felt a little relieved. They did need a budget. Even on their side, things were tight. On such trips, the Prime Minister took care of all costs but when it was personal business, the Prime Minister did not. And it was up to Lelouch to cover things. He had no other income from the Imperial Family. The Emperor didn't give cent. But Military did pay him, so were they. Lelouch also did pay them another salary. But still, the money she has had to work with was not at all making her happy.
"He said it will be diverted to complete the work on the Liberator and other frames. He could use technology from the Lancelot and Avalon to patch things up. But with financial muscle, they could push ahead with the schedule," Villetta said.
"That is good news. Tell him to go with that," Lelouch said. He had something less to worry about. But of course, this meant he would have to go to Area 11 the moment he leaves Russia. He needed to speak with Clovis and then quickly head to Northern Africa. While at Area 11, his men could be gathering there. But he would still miss the skills of Michael and James.
"I already did." Villetta said. When Lelouch raised an eye brow. She smiled. "I figured you'd say something like that. But not ignoring the fact that you must now worry about Prince Clovis' problems as he worries about yours."
"Indeed," Lelouch looked up, and then closed his eyes. "This is what happens when you have nothing. The stronger use the weak. But of course, some make the simple mistake of thinking that because you have money and influence all will listen to you and no one will manipulate you." He spoke in a flat tone, eyes still staring at the ceiling.
Villetta almost stared up, wondering what caught Lelouch's attention but she just looked at the small table between them before her gaze shifted back to him – he was now staring at her. She held the stare for a moment. She dared not think that Lelouch meant manipulating Prince Clovis. She knew what he thought about his Intelligence. Clovis would seethe if he learned just how little his brother thought of him. But then again, even the Third Prince probably gloated about his feeding of Lelouch because he had nothing – and no one was willing to help him. It was a pitiful life. And this was the life that looked rich and glamorous in the outside. Depending on who you were, you could enjoy the power that came with being royalty. Clovis did. But Lelouch did not. For him, it was a struggle. A survival. And this was her master.
"That is fundamentally Britannia's ideology," Villetta said quietly. She knew, Lelouch had no regard for those thoughts. Naturally, he could never openly say it. Lest he be accused of treason by his many opponents.
Lelouch shook his head. "Well, at least the Liberator will be finished quickly," he said in thought. And then smiled – a small smile. "It should change the landscape a little."
But it would still not be everything he needed. There was undoubtedly the need for more power. Military might gave him raw power that could open doors for him. But it would still not be enough without influence. Only those who speak and everyone obeys would be the ones who can make things happen – he currently didn't have that power. He was suspect to fall under the whims of other people try as he might to walk away from such control.
"It will be a step up nonetheless," Villetta said with a reassuring smile. She was as surprised as Lelouch's raised eye brow. Since when did she start encouraging the Prince?
Lelouch was amused but he didn't say anything to it. Political games and military games aside, there was another issue that was waiting for him in Area 11 – and that was with Milly. Lelouch couldn't think of how he was going to go about it. He could always have an excuse about not doing anything but knowing Milly, she was going to make him suffer for it and that was something he wanted to avoid if possible.
"Villetta," Lelouch started in a slow tone, his eyes firmly on the Knight. Lelouch then shook his head. "Never mind," he said.
Villetta raised a curious brow, head tilted slightly to the side as she tried to figure out what Lelouch wanted to say. She could only think of something with Milly or his sisters. But she didn't want to ask. In her silence, Lelouch stood up.
"I'm going to get some rest."
Villetta could only nod, accepting his words. It was not like she could say no. The outside was dark. The Avalon was travelling above sea levels in high speeds, heading towards Russia. There was no escort of Britannian Military aircrafts with them, or Knightmare Frames. the cavalry was already waiting for them at their destination. Anything could happen. But they were travelling with the Prime Minister- a safe journey was guaranteed. Lelouch could nap as if he was home – and there would be no need to sleep with a gun under the pillow, just in case.
Some minutes later, Jeremiah arrived. He first looked around, as if his Lord had suddenly turned invisible and he had to use other senses to detect his presence. The Noble frowned slightly and then sat across Villetta before asking.
"Has he already gone to rest?"
Villetta nodded her head and watched Jeremiah carefully. The man had no other ambitions except following his Lord. He'd take a bullet to the head for Lelouch to live. Then again, she'd also taken a bullet and would have died. It has earned her trust. To be trusted by Prince Lelouch was an expensive commodity. It was perhaps the greatest thing she gained from her near death. At this rate, there was much to gain, yet losses seemed like a near possibility as well. Possibilities were endless, but her Lord had one path – and there was no turning back on that path. She was trusted to do her work – and that she would with everything she had. Yet, she could still not be as selfless as Jeremiah. The man abandoned everything. She had not. Leaving the Purist Faction was the logical choice given its projected fall after its leader left. This had been a step up. Drawing closer to the Imperial Family – and now, she was travelling with the Prime Minister.
"You wanted to speak to him?"
Jeremiah shook his head. "The Prime Minister wishes to speak to you, alone." The Margrave said with narrowed eyes. He was honestly not sure what the man wanted but he trusted Villetta.
Villetta blinked – her expression displayed her surprise at the news. Her silence lasted for a minute before she responded in a slow and low tone – almost a whisper.
"About?"
Seeing Villetta's conflict, Jeremiah just shrugged nonchalantly. "He didn't say."
"Now?"
"Yes, now…"
Villetta was silent once more. She racked her brain, tossed thoughts inside and out trying to figure out what the Prime Minister wanted from her. Had she ever held a conversation with him aside from when he thanked her for saving his brother's life? He had been earnest then. No doubt. But from what Prince Lelouch had said about the man and what other people said, it made this a little difficult to swallow. She would be alone with the man. How could she handle herself in that meet?
"Where?"
Jeremiah put on an amused look. While he was not happy about it, Villetta's robotic responses were a laugh. Was she that frightened of meeting the Prime Minister? He was a lot more scared of dealing with Princess Cornelia than the PM. The Princess was a ruthless woman who'd make him suffer until he breathes his last breath.
"I'll walk you, Villetta. You need not worry too much though. I'm sure he just has some questions," Jeremiah said with a reassuring smile.
"It depends what questions he asks. He is the Prime Minister… you can't exactly tell him, no…"
Jeremiah shook his head. It was not going to go like that. Schneizel would not play such a card with Villetta. There were ways of getting information. Of course, if he was asked certain things his Lord wanted to keep secret, he would say he couldn't tell – even if he was being ordered to do so. He didn't take orders from the Prime Minister. The only one who commanded him was Lelouch – and maybe Princess Cornelia. But if those orders were something he disagreed with, he would not do it.
Villetta nervously sat across Prince Schneizel. The man had a smile on his lips. Honestly, he was a charming man who knew how to speak. Perhaps that was what made her nervous. There was also a chessboard between them, the Prince was staring at it. When his eyes met with hers, her heart danced. She wanted to look away. He was truly different from Lelouch. He was welcoming, seemingly warm and pleasant. Lelouch's eyes tended to be cold and his smile tended to twist ruthlessly when plotting things. But perhaps this was all a mask. Yes, it was. That begged the question, what was behind that mask?
"Nothing really," Schneizel suddenly said with a smile.
Villetta's body stiffened as she blinked with surprise. Why was it like he was reading her mind? Lelouch had this ability as well. But the Third Prince had no such. Perhaps it was because he was not concerned about what those lower than him were thinking but only worried about what was coming out of his mouth.
"Your Highness..?"
Schneizel merely smiled. But he didn't respond to this. "You are much closer to my brother, you must know the rules…"
Villetta stared down at the chessboard. She was familiar with it but playing with the Prime Minister? This was his mental challenge with her Lord. Yet, she could not turn him down, could she? The fact that he said she must know the rules just meant that he didn't expect much from her. After a moment, she nodded her head.
"Yes," she said.
"Then, let us begin," Schneizel said. And the game began. He smiled. At least she didn't start in the same fashion as his brother. "What is your relationship with my brother?"
If Villetta had something in her mouth, she would have spat it out. There was no doubt that there was a meaning behind that question. It had just came out of nowhere. She knew what the Prime Minister was asking, but she decided to play the ignorant part.
"I am just his Knight and assistant, Your Highness."
Schneizel continued smiling. He knew Villetta understood his words clearly. "My brother is not prone to act on his manly instincts. While it is a good thing, it is also not right in this situation. Perhaps to say self-control would not truly describe the whole situation. It is perhaps a lack of interest. I'd thought that given your closeness to him, there would be something but I am now given to understand that he sees you as nothing more than a knight… and not as a woman."
What was the Prince even saying? This was dangerous territory. Villetta really didn't want to entertain such thoughts in her head – lest she end up thinking wrong things that would never happen. Besides, Lelouch was just a boy. She paused at that and had to laugh. That was a bit of a stretch. In terms of age he was a boy but anyone who spent time around him knew he was anything but. Yet, Villetta didn't want the kind of thoughts Prince Schneizel was trying to plant in her.
"You don't have to be nervous, Villetta. I'm not going to ask you to do anything."
The reassuring smile. The soft tone. Those eyes that looked at her with amusement as if he could see her mental turmoil. Villetta believed the Prime Minister. She believed that he was not going to ask her to do anything.
"It is as you suspect…" she paused, looking at the board carefully. She then glanced at the Prime Minister with a curious look. "Why do you think it is not right?"
"While I do not agree with his plans with Milly Ashford, there is nothing I can do about it. However, His Majesty has other plans for my brother and to be able to work around it, he needs to be able to show interest. Perhaps he lacks interest because of his innocence," Schneizel smiled. "Do you think I am wrong? Experience teaches you to behave in a certain way. For a Prince, he must know how to handle himself when surrounded by women. He knows how to handle conversations but there are certain limits that he has."
Did Villetta think Lelouch was romantic? Hell no. He seemed to have troubles in dealing with any women who wanted him. She even wondered what any woman would want after speaking with him and he displays a blatant lack of interest. It could be seen as offensive but Lelouch was always thinking about something bigger and his plans. He didn't enjoy the finer things in life. That was a worry even Jeremiah expressed.
But what did she have to do with this? It was not like she was going to teach Lelouch anything. Unless the PM was hinting that she does so. She stared at him. His smile. he may not be asking, but he was hinting it. Her mouth became dry.
The Avalon had landed safely within Russia. The airstrip was crowded by Sutherlands. For Britannia, they were high-end machines for war. They were not the latest generation, but against the EU, they did the trick. Britannia had the resources and the technology to develop new Knightmares. It was not that the EU did not have its people. From what Lelouch has heard, there were some interesting things coming out of Madrid. Britannia just had to ensure that its Frames did not fall into the wrong hands or else they enemy would use them to develop its own frames.
Aside from the Knightmare frames on patrol, there were soldiers on foot, moving around, minding their own business. Looking around, Lelouch deduced the airstrip was used as the main maintenance location for all forces within this country. They didn't have to go far from here. But Moscow was not far from here. The meeting with the EU would not even be on this half controlled by Britannia but it would be along the borders they had created. It was a damn shame for those who were stuck in between. The people of Russia could only watch, hoping and praying – if they were religious – that things would not go badly. But everyone knew, if you did not embrace Britannia, you became a terrorist and would be dealt with.
This was a war torn world. A world ruled by the mighty power of Emperor Charles, and he was a spawn of the devil. Lelouch smiled; he was going to add to this chaos, for his dream, for his revenge and for Nunnally's happiness. But he really did not wish for his sister to see such a world. He wanted her to open her eyes to a beautiful world – a world that he would create for her.
"The weather here is truly different from Homeland," Schneizel said as he walked toward Lelouch along with his knights.
Weather? Since when did Schneizel talk about the weather? It was a much colder than what he was used to… "I'm sure the older generation born in England would not complain… if they are still alive…" thinking of this, it made Lelouch wonder how the campaign to reclaim their former home was going. It didn't seem to be an agenda for the Emperor. If it had been, Schneizel would have launched an all-out war already. The campaign belonged to some entitled nobles. And surely, they would still be pushing for it.
"Perhaps," Schneizel said before stopping beside Lelouch. "You're free to move about. We will speak to the EU in three days. But I would be careful if I were you. There are still some elements that are resistant to change."
Lelouch resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Schneizel's choice of words. "As in very area. But I would have thought that things would have been tied down already."
"Russia is a big country. They have taken priority in guarding the infrastructure that has not been destroyed before anything. There is much land to cover, and that would stretch resources if we decided to hunt down everyone. There will be focus once we stop worrying about the EU," Schneizel responded calmly. He watched Duke Baker walk towards them with a contingent of guards. The man always had to display his power for all to see. He smiled. But he was the kind of General Schneizel trusted. He didn't always follow orders, but he rarely disappointed. The man liked being left alone to do as he pleased.
"If things are still like that, then you are not the one giving precise orders on things are going here," Lelouch said in thought. He watched the Duke for a moment before continuing. "Who is in charge of this Area?"
"That would be me," Duke Baker responded calmly. He nodded at Schneizel in acknowledgement of his presence. "This area is still under Military control. When the dust has settled, a Viceroy will be selected and put in place of rebuilding and containing the EU across the shared borders."
Lelouch glanced at Schneizel – who was making a disappearance along with Kanon. It really did seem that his brother wanted him to deal with the Duke. Perhaps it had something to do with the man's daughter. His eyes returned to the Duke who motioned for him to follow. Lelouch did so. "If they select someone incompetent, things will go sound quickly as they are in Africa."
The Duke nodded. "But things have apparently settled. It seems Victor does have some fruits who don't want him to suffer. But of course, they are only holding down the fort. They will soon crumble."
It was truly difficult to say what the man thought about his brother's incompetence from his tone. He was just indifferent but he certainly didn't have a high opinion of Victor. Then again, he hasn't done anything aside from mudding his name with incompetence. He should have just stayed still like a good boy and play his cards like the First Prince. Odysseus did nothing. He delegated and had others do what he could not do. Others stayed away from trouble. But the hunt for glory was all too tempting for some to ignore.
"Forces from here will not reinforce?"
"No," the Duke shook his head. "I'm not sending my man there to their deaths. Even when you have a good Knightmare, if your commander is strategically dim, you will fail."
"Indeed," Lelouch agreed with the Duke. There were three military cars in front of them. Lelouch entered into one along with the Duke while Jeremiah and Villetta got into the car behind. They soon started to move. He didn't need to ask about where they were going.
"I hear you have been training to become a better Knightmare pilot. Is it your motto to always lead the lines as Princess Cornelia? I thought your flirtation with death would have taught you better."
"There is no loss in becoming a better Knightmare Pilot," Lelouch said with a shrug. He then eyed the Duke, smiling as Schneizel would. "But that is not your curiosity, is it? You really don't care whether I lead from the front lines or from the comfort of a safe zone – results are what you will respect. Of course, there must still be a way in which they are done – but as long as they establish intelligence, bravery and the desire for victory, you are happy."
The Duke's expression remained impassive as he responded without skipping a bit. "Knights of Rounds act on the orders of the Emperor. Did the Emperor assign her to you? There is always significance in such an act."
"Well, if she was assigned to me, she would have travelled with me, don't you think?" Lelouch said.
The Duke stared for a moment before nodding. "Perhaps," he said. "It raises questions, nevertheless."
"I'm sure it does," Lelouch said before looking outside. The road was fine. It seemed that they had protected this to make it easier for Knightmare frames to move around. "How do you find the situation, here, General? In your thoughts, can Britannia hold still without causing an international incident once the borders have been redrawn?"
"Do we care about what the International community says?"
Lelouch smiled. "Of course, we do, General. We may be the most dominant force in the world, but we do not control the world. The Areas we lead are haunted by terrorist attacks. What happens in Area 11 emboldens others to try, and makes them think Britannia can be defeated. If we cause incident, any agreement we have made with anyone becomes suspect because people start thinking we cannot be trusted. Then we have those we have promised plotting against us. If we are to woo the Chinese Federation without a fight, then an international incident would ruin all those plans."
The Duke thought about it for a moment before nodding. "It depends on who becomes the Viceroy but I am not leaving this place."
"By that, you won't be in charge of military operations. Are you staying around because there are many Britannians who have expressed interest in moving to this side, including a certain Grand Duke? I hear some have already started marking their places and have already plundered what belonged to the Russians."
There was a change in the General's expression, but it didn't last long. "I didn't think you knew about such whispers."
Lelouch shrugged. "It would be irresponsible for me to remain ignorant."
The Duke merely nodded but refused to confirm or deny what Lelouch had said.
They arrived at the city without any trouble. The outsides of the city looked like the ghettos in Area 11 and the Britannians just marched over without care. There were people, but nobody cared. Even when some families have already settled here from Homeland, they were only concerned about establishing their forts. Military was only worried about strengthening its grip on the area, they didn't care about the politics. This world was truly cruel and corrupt. What could be done about it? Did Schneizel have a plan changing it? The Emperor had his own plans, but nobody knew.
If he became Viceroy of this place, Lelouch would certainly clash with many people over his choice of leadership. He would never give the Russians a reason to fight. He would never be blatant about his discrimination – not that he had any. Whether a mere number, noble, or Britannian, it made no difference to Lelouch. What was important was whether one was loyal and useful or not.
Knightmare frames patrolled the streets, along with armed soldiers. There was no quietness here. Not with people waving guns everywhere. To numbers, Britannians were trigger happy. Make the wrong movement, and you would get shot without a moment of hesitation. Along the way, the Duke showed him an old building which he said used to house the City Council – he was using it for Military operations. The place was heavily guarded. But another that was guarded was the tower that they stopped by. It was a hotel, the man had said. He would be staying here. Nothing had been said about the Prime Minister. But Lelouch didn't ask.
There were people ready to welcome them. the Duke made a hasty disappearance along with the three cars. Lelouch paid them no mind as they were led inside the hotel. It was very quiet. Jeremiah had taken the step ahead, talking to the soldiers about security while Villetta watched all corners with a careful eye. But Lelouch was not worried. He didn't think Schneizel would send him to his death – not when there was much to do together. Perhaps when the plans are coming to fruition, could he start being careful about being poisoned. But this didn't mean he was going to be reckless.
The apartment they were given was at the 45th floor. It was furnished to imperial standards with a bit of Britannia in it. There was no Russian within it. The woman he saw moving around spoke his language. Lelouch just shook his head and settled down on the crimson couches within the lounge. He fell and leaned back, with his eyes closed.
Jeremiah checked the place out for a couple of moments while Villetta handed him his laptop.
"It looks safe," Jeremiah reported back. "We can pack our things," he said.
"I don't think there would have been traps laid," Villetta said in a measured tone. "The whole world is watching. Anything little is bound to be scrutinized and we cannot afford to make any mistakes on our part."
"Perhaps because everyone is watching, we should have eyes on our backs," Lelouch said in thought. His eyes were completely on the screen of his laptop. "There are some people who would not hesitate to show the whole of Britannia that we are weak and that us coming here was a mistake."
There was always that threat. Villetta groaned just thinking about it. There was the constant danger. But Lelouch didn't seem really worried about anything, did he?
Moscow: To think that this was once a glorious city that housed the Russian government, its capital city and the pride of the nation. War had turned it into a memory, a landscape weeping with destruction and despair. Tokyo had not been any different when Britannia laid siege to it. This was truly a testament that war was a horrible thing. To the victor – it was nothing. Buildings could be rebuilt. The loss of life was necessary for victory and from the opposition, well, it just reduced the number of possible terrorists. But those laying in corners, under rubbles, ragged and broken because of war, this was hell. There was nothing here but pain and misery. Perhaps it was because he had been at the receiving end of injustice to be able to look at things in such a way. None of his siblings would look at things any differently. And it was Cornelia who did this. She was a ruthless military general.
The morals and consequences were always an after thought. Cornelia never questioned much about the invasions. The moral battle that he fought – she did not. Lelouch shook his head as he watched the streets of Moscow from a skyscraper. Britannian forces were patrolling. The building was heavily guarded. It was safe, for him. Schneizel was not even here. He was somewhere surrounded by military officers and Knightmare frames.
Lelouch glanced behind through the corner of his eyes as he sensed footsteps. Both Jeremiah and Villetta were walking towards him. They flanked both his sides, standing by the balcony, overlooking the gloomy streets.
"Wouldn't it be good if I became the Viceroy of this place?" Lelouch asked quietly, while staring down the streets.
Of course, he would have to go through Schneizel first. While his brother has said that Europe was too big for both of them, if he considered that he would be serving under him and still within his area, he could perhaps agree to the idea. He had at first dismissed the idea and of course, if he seriously considered it, there would be challenges to the plans he has in motion. There was still Africa to think about and the situation wasn't getting any better, if General Baker was to be believed. It was the General's indifference that made things a little difficult to tell what was truly happening in the area.
Villetta raised an eye brow at this, staring at Lelouch. Being a subject a Viceroy would surely be something else but Lelouch has often said that he was not interested in politics. His area was military and he was only playing politics because his brother was forcing him to go on that route. Still, she would not be against the idea.
"What brought this idea on, my Lord?"
"I have come to realize that you cannot truly understand certain things without really experiencing them. And it is my dream to end the wars. With continuous fighting, there will never be peace," he paused, glancing at Jeremiah. "You don't think that we will continue to fight until death, do you?"
"At this stage, it is hard to see how the wars will end," Jeremiah admitted.
"What do you think Villetta?"
Villetta agreed with Jeremiah. She didn't see how things could end. People were always fighting and as long as there were many forces fighting for power, the fighting would continue. Of course, anything could still happen.
"Britannia and the EU are going to stop fighting but we all know that it is only for now because neither are willing to go into an all out war. Soon, you will be moving to get the Chinese Federation to ally with Britannia or it could just be another war. If we take over the Chinese Federation or make any advancement, the EU could attack. An attack could come from the Federation even," Villetta said, laying out the possibilities.
Lelouch sighed. Villetta made sense. "Then how does one go about ending the fighting?" For his dream. For Nunnally's dream world to be born, the fighting had to stop. His sister needed to see a civil world – not this world full of bloodshed and treachery.
I'm honestly struggling to get this done. But hopefully, I will still continue with it and write some more. I wish i could do my chapters a little quicker.
