The Familiar of Zero was written by Noboru Yamaguchi and published by Media Factory.
Code Geass was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and created by Sunrise.
I own neither, will not profit by these works, and will abide by the rules set before me, copyright held by them. I own only the creative bending of these worlds into a new project in an exercise of the imagination.
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Zero Over Zero
Stage Five
The Princess and the Emperor
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"Outta the way, please! Look out below!"
-Euphie
"You've investigated it a lot in the short time you've had it."
-C.C.
"Sloppy. Senile. Corrupt. Where is Zero?! I want the enemy of the Empire caught. Get Zero!"
-Cornelia li Britannia, second princess of the Britannian Imperial Family
"Well, funny thing about that, Your Highness. Suzaku and the late Princess Euphemia had met on accident, or so we had pieced together from what little they told us amongst other research. And I have to say, it was quite the surprise, really~!"
-Earl Lloyd Asplund, Knightmare Frame Specialist for the Royal Army of Britannia
"In the beginning, I didn't think we'd ever be friends. He was a Britannian prince and I was the son of the Prime Minister of Japan. While some might call me a little dense, I knew that our respective homelands didn't exactly get along. It was tough making peace with him, but it happened somehow. I think I have his sister to thank for that. Meeting him again after so long, it only seemed natural to still call him a friend."
-Kururugi Suzaku, Zero of the Black Knights
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It had been a day since Lelouch's return and Louise had somewhat forgiven him for his mischief, but at the current moment, she was frustrated once more. He left a note that told her he had gone out to town to collect a few things, no doubt with a small stash, and only a day before the exhibition for new familiars! And while she didn't feel for Count Mott in the slightest, he was a noble and the fool was a commoner. Any such altercation was unacceptable, so how exactly he got away with it she couldn't fathom. She would ask Siesta what had happened when she found her.
It was improper to wear jewelry to class, but she felt the bracelet underneath her sleeve, having decided to wear it anyway. Despite her less-than-glowing opinion of him and his beyond incredulous plots, she'd come to feel that he was reliable in at least some way. He hadn't gotten into too much trouble yet and he resolved his problems on his own terms too, somehow even convincing the ever selfish Guiche and that bastard Kirche to willingly go with him. Perhaps he'd gone to prepare for the talent show too. She mentioned it to him after all. The only thing she wished for was that he'd stop pestering nobility with his ideas. She'd be far more at ease then.
She looked around her room to review the other things he had brought. For himself some light steel armor and pistols with leather holders for them, taken with him on his "procuring of necessities" as he called it. He obtained the two pearl accessories, some supplies for her education, and other luxuries the Count was glad enough to part with, all to appease her, irritating in its own way. It was such an obvious apology gift, but she felt better despite her misgivings. Absolutely irritating.
Hearing a knock on the door, she turned to see the person in question return.
"So, what have you been up to?"
"It's for the talent show." Good, she thought. "It's something of a surprise, and I'm sure you'll be pleased with it."
"And how should I know if I'll be pleased or not if I don't know what it even is? You wouldn't be playing chess with anyone, would you?"
"No, I won't, and it wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you now, would it?"
That's what pissed her off the most. "What's with you?" Louise threw her arms up and raised her voice. "You never tell me about anything you're doing!"
Once she laid her eyes on her familiar again, she noticed that her little outburst actually made him hesitate.
She continued with an indoor voice, albeit no less stern. "We may have shared our pasts with one another, but you've told me nothing to do with the present. How can I trust you if I don't even know what you're up to? You're like a goddamn stranger!"
"You mean like a servant?"
"And what do you mean by that?"
"I feel like we're on the wrong page here. Louise, you and I have a master-servant relationship, do we not?"
"And? What about it?"
"Such a relationship requires that I be polite and productive, not personal, so why want anything beyond that?"
She felt like showing him the riding crop. "Did the other day mean nothing to you? You've only looked at me like a stranger ever since we've met, save for that day. You go off and do outrageous things without ever telling me. It's like you don't trust me and that's infuriating!"
He held his palm up to her face. She smacked it out of the way and had a sudden want to strangle him. Hard.
"You want to be my friend."
"And who want to be friends with an aloof idiot like you?"
He inhaled, exhaled, and walked to the windowsill to lean against its edge. "I see. I've neglected you for quite a while, haven't I?"
A huff. "I'll say. It's about time I finally got through to you."
And he laughed. "Is that so?"
"Yes it is, so what's so funny?"
"Nothing of importance, I assure you."
Her cheeks blew up. "What did we just talk about Lelouch?"
A knock on the door, however, interrupted her fuming train of thought. "Master Lelouch? It's me, Siesta. I've brought the things you've requested."
"Perfect timing." He picked up his bag and moved to the exit. "Then allow me to involve you in something else, Louise."
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Miss Longueville was reading the most recent report of the exhibition's preparations to Old Osmond, the headmaster of the Academy. Airhead though he seemed, she couldn't let her guard down around him, but for the wrong reasons. In reality, he was still skilled but was legitimately an old pervert who liked to peek up the skirts of secretaries like her with the sight of his damned mouse, Motsognir. It was no wonder that she had obtained the job so easily.
And speaking of the devil, the pest was at her feet. She stomped and made sure to only scare it and not hurt it, but knowing the cunning old fart she couldn't even if she tried. Looking up, the mouse was already at his shoulder, their whispers still loud enough to pick up. A sharp person she was and an angry one she'd be too, proceeding to thrash him with her papers. The fact that it didn't seem to phase him much only maddened her more.
Returning to her desk, she went over the days ahead. The country's princess was coming to this year's little talent show and thus the Academy's security had to be shifted around to accommodate. She was certain that they'd have to thin out their resources and leave vulnerabilities in usually tightly guarded areas. Still, she wanted to make sure with Professor Colbert that such would be the case. Success was in the preparation. After all…
A thief couldn't be too careful.
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A stroll outside quickly showed Lelouch the status of his competition. He assumed that the most impressive would be Lady Tabitha and her dragon, quite literally soaring above the rest of the competition, though he only saw her reading as usual. Then it was arguably Kirche and Flame with a well-controlled, intense display of fire. Others included Montmorency and her frog and Guiche who was simply posturing with Verdandi. They almost weren't worth the thought, much less of the rest of the participants.
Louise and Siesta followed him to a less crowded area, the latter carrying supplies necessary for his tests.
"Here we are. Siesta? Lay them out here."
As she was laying out the materials, Louise asked, "And what's all this for? I can't see much of an act with all of that random junk you have spread out there."
"Oh? There's aren't for me; I've already perfected my act. These are for you."
She spat out a derisive "Huh?!" when Siesta interrupted whatever she was going to say.
"Master Lelouch, everything's ready now. I've laid everything out as you've instructed."
"Very good." He then turned to Louise, still looking very much displeased by his earlier statement. Siesta still insists on calling me "Master Lelouch" no matter what I say otherwise. Reminds me of Sayoko a bit.
The little mage crossed her arms. "Care to explain, Lelouch?"
"Why certainly." He gestured to the items on the floor. "These objects will help me take an inventory of your magical abilities."
"You're not still on about that, are you darling?" Kirche had strolled up to them, her salamander following by her side. "You know she has no reputation for magic, don't you? So why waste your brilliant mind with little Louise here?"
Knowing that his partner was about to blow her top, he intervened with haste. "She summoned me, did she not?" That did the trick as all eyes were on him now, the attention of other practitioners drawn to the commotion as well. "And for the last time Kirche, have peace or nothing at all."
Unphased, she shrugged. "Whatever you say, sweetheart." She stepped away. "Looks like you've got your familiar's loyalty at least, Louise," she said, returning to her routine.
His lips bent slightly and he looked to see Louise also in a dour mood. "Perhaps she's right. I hate it though. Everything I do ends in an explosion that messes everything up."
"And that's exactly what we're going to utilize."
He saw the confusion on their faces. "Allow me to explain. I've been to enough of your classes to have a basic understanding of your magic and the explosions that result from them. They're absurdly loud, enough so to be heard across the academy from indoors. They tear larger objects into pieces and obliterate smaller objects into nothing. They're always accompanied by a massive amount of smoke-like debris and have a surprisingly non-lethal, concussive effect. Also, the longer the incantation or the stronger you feel, the greater its strength."
She was getting testy again, but her reactions now were far better than her brittle temper before. It was time to move on. "There's just a few things I'd like to confirm."
She grumbled but didn't protest. He and Siesta began to set up the perimeter. They hammered stakes into the ground at intervals from where they stood. This resulted in a large grid measured by meters.
Eventually, a good portion of the field was covered. "Good. This will be our testing ground. Now then." He picked up some thin posts and thrust them into the ground, each with a different item fastened to it. "Louise, aim for the closest one with your explosion."
Silence.
"You want to become stronger, don't you?"
"Fine." She raised her wand and brought it down just as quickly, shouting, "Explosion!" and a deafening crash came immediately. The wooden target was no more. Splinters and chunks could be seen flying into the air and the former Emperor instructed her to do the same to the next nearest victim.
Interesting. One word and detonation occurs almost instantly. Travel time between targets is indistinguishable. Accuracy starts to deteriorate at mid-range targets, but the blast is consistent and the smoke is still effective. Now for something else.
He tossed a cabbage at her. "Louise, think fast!"
She turned mid-casting and shot her wand at the projectile. Smoke obscured his view but he could hear a yelp and a thud loud and clear.
Reaction time is abysmal. She also seems to aim at an area rather than- His thoughts were interrupted with an impact to the head. He surmised that she had thrown the vegetable.
"What the hell was that for!? That scared me, you idiot!" A vehement pout. Not the worst.
"I apologize and I promise I won't attempt it again." He brushed the grass off of his pants as Siesta cleared out the debris. His face hurt a bit, but he'd let it slide this time. "Let's move on. The furthest target if you will, Louise, and with power too."
A huff and she turned away from him towards the last target, a magic shield far away by the Academy's outer wall. It wasn't cheap, but he wouldn't tell her that, it being difficult to elaborate on the nuances of gambling for profit.
This time she chanted for much longer than usual, an unrecognizable chain of words spilling from her lips. Another flick and nothing happened.
"Is it dela-" and his words were cut off by a deafening roar. The blast had caught everyone off guard. Even the others minding their own business had covered their ears.
"Goodness, Louise," piped up Kirche, "now that's a bit much, even for you."
"Master Lelouch, look!"
At the maid's distress, they advanced as the dust cleared. He peered into the cloud and felt disbelief. And so he smiled.
"This is amazing," he said.
"No, this is horrible!" she said, "Just what am I supposed to do? I missed and now the Academy has a giant hole in it!"
Lelouch paid little attention to her anguished cries. His eyes were glued to the hole in the wall, large enough for a person to step through. It wasn't so bad, but it would take some explaining to do. Something along the lines of "Accidentally punching through an old, heavily enchanted wall while practicing magic with her familiar" should do it.
Louise, on the other hand, was still panicking. "LELLOOUUUUUUCH!"
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Henrietta snuck through the halls of the Academy. It was easy enough considering her time with Anges and the royal guard. Even now she was roaming about without their permission, much like her younger days with an old friend of hers.
She made sure not to disturb a soul as she swiftly paced up the stairs to where she knew the room was. It wasn't hard to figure out — she was the princess after all — and she had to see her friend after catching that familiar smile of hers in the crowd that surrounded the arrival.
She only hoped that it wasn't too late. It'd be rude to wake her up at such an hour, but really she couldn't wait. After a knock on the door, it opened to reveal a person she didn't recognize. Was she in the wrong tower? Or was this her lover?
"May I help you?"
She snapped back to reality and was about to answer him when she caught a glimpse of a familiar color.
Pink.
A rush of old memories came to her. Thinking of their days as playmates almost brought tears to her eyes and she couldn't help herself any longer.
"Louise Françoise!" She made sure to close the door behind her and dashed into the girl, hugging more tightly than she had in what felt like forever. "It's been far too long my friend."
"Your Highness?" Although she was happy to see Louise, it hurt a little that her best friend would call her by title rather than by name. She supposed it couldn't be helped. It had been years since they last saw each other and their lives were now leagues apart. "What are you doing here?"
She let Louise go but still sat close. "I'm here because I wanted to see a dear old friend of mine."
The girl tilted her head. "And who might that be?"
"She means you of course," said the young man, leaning against the wall with a pile of hay. She'd been so excited to have seen Louise that she forgot he was there.
"My apologies," she said, standing up to curtsy, "Henrietta de Tristain, and who might you be?"
He bowed likewise. "Lelouch Lamperouge, familiar to Louise de la Vallière, at your service."
"A pleasure, Lelouch de Lamperouge." That surprised her. Humans weren't usually summoned and Louise didn't jump to deny it, which could only mean that the rumors were true. "So, that makes you the infamous 'Familiar of Zero' that I've heard so much about?"
"Familiar of what?" Louise's face drained of color, much to Henrietta's confusion.
"Oh?" His face lit up and his lips curved. "Word travels quickly then."
Louise, however, lamented. "What did I do to deserve this? I thought that name only traveled around the Academy. Princess, whatever they're saying about us isn't true at all!"
Henrietta giggled. "You mean like the one where your familiar is a great intellectual that could beat the likes of the well-learned Count Mott?"
Another tilt, this one even more sideways than the last. "Count Mott? But he's nothing that special. What's the big deal about Lelouch beating him at a game?"
Another laugh bubbled up from her throat. She certainly missed the surprise and puzzlement that often graced Louise, especially when it came to more nuanced ideas. It was refreshing how straightforward she could be compared to the other girls in the court. "No, he's not that impressive, but losing to a mere familiar or servant is even less so. I assume he must've exaggerated his encounter with your companion here, but in any myth there lies some truth and I admit that even I was as curious as the rest of the palace."
"That is good to hear then, princess. It is my hope to help Louise in any way I can." He bowed once again. "I'll take a brief stroll so that you two can reminisce."
"Why thank you, fair familiar." Now it was time to talk. She held her old playmate's hands. "There is so much to catch up on yet so little time. May we speak for a while, Louise?"
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Lelouch waited outside with Derflinger looking over the sword's features. When he went into the city he spent a pretty penny to get it thoroughly cleaned. Lelouch would have done it himself but his arm strength was never the best, so he left it to a skilled craftsman to do the job. Such a task was more suited to Suzaku. The White Knight would probably have enjoyed it too.
"Admiring the work? Lemme tell ya, I felt like a king with all that scrub and polish."
"You're welcome, Derf."
"Likewise, partner."
To Lelouch's surprise, their relationship had become much smoother than he had predicted. The sword was to be silent around new people and those who didn't know about his intelligence, but otherwise was allowed to talk freely, terms he seemed to be at least okay with.
"Y'know, you'd think that that master of yours would've mentioned that the princess of the country liked her so much. I know those Vallières are pretty high up the ladder and all, but sneaking away just to meet her for a night? Sounds kinda romantic, don't cha think? Eh? Eh?"
"Never say that in Louise's presence, though I must say, it does remind me of another pinkette I knew." Lelouch too reflected on the past. Lloyd mentioned it once. Euphie certainly would've enjoyed a place like this. He then thought back to the sword's statement. "She probably attaches high importance to status, but I can personally attest to how that can interfere with any lasting friendship."
"Well, wouldn't you know, eavesdropping on two young girls!" But before he could tease anything more, the blade clapped itself back into hiding. He heard the door open next to him and saw the princess saying her goodbyes.
After shutting the door, she noticed him too. "Ah, I may have overstayed my welcome. If my captain, Anges, gets word of my disappearance, I won't be able to hear the end of her lecturing for a good week. This was all still very much worth it though, the most fun I've had in years."
In spite of the rush she was in, the Black Prince observed a bright smile plastered onto her face. "It must be stressful, being thrust into a position that was never of your choosing, pretending to be something, or rather, someone else."
She stared at him for a second and blinked a few times. "Why yes, you know that feeling?" She paused to think again. "Well, don't be too harsh on Louise. She may be severe at times, but she's a good person at heart."
"But of course she's no tyrant, just inexperienced," he said, waving her comment off, then making an Ashford smile and a slight bow. "In any case, I wish you a good night, Miss Henrietta, and may your trip back remain undetected."
She gave him a look again but laughed a little. "You're a strange one, aren't you? In any case, it was a pleasure to meet you and to see my dear Louise again. I trust that she will be in your care where I cannot. And promise me to do your best tomorrow."
"Without question." He gave a small nod and watched the young lady scurry down the hall and disappear down the stairs. To get past her guards she must've had either loyal individuals or a knack for sneaking past then, both useful for anyone, even more so for someone like her.
He chuckled to himself. I must be resigned to some degree. I haven't missed everyone nearly as much as I thought I would. I can only hope that they're all doing well without me, though C.C.'s words still give me reason to think. With that, he re-entered the room, nostalgia brewing in his heart.
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And now he stood by the sidelines of the exhibition stage, awaiting his turn to perform. He made sure that his image would be favorable, however, he didn't care much for the outcome. He knew they were already in the princess's good graces and that much was enough. To him, they had the grandest prize if not the competition's reward too.
Louise's foot tapped a nervous rhythm with the grass they stood on. "Dammit Lelouch, I still don't know exactly what you're going to do about this performance of yours. What kind of music are you even going to play in that getup?"
"Well since we're here, I'll show you what it is." From under a cape he bought off of Guiche — the same from their expedition along with the mask he now wore — he pulled out his weapon of choice. "It's inspired by a traditional instrument a family friend had shown to me a long time ago. It has some modifications, of course."
"You're going to play on a flute?" Louise seemed dissatisfied with the instrument. "We should've just gone with the display of swordsmanship."
He tried to reassure her with a calm smile. "I'll be the first to admit that it's not the most impressive tool to look at, but worry not Louise, it will suffice."
The air show happening above her appeared to distract her instead. "Do you really think you can beat her?"
"Why? Nervous? I'll be the one performing after all."
"How could you not be with that happening in front of you?"
He watched as Tabitha's dragon performed another loop. "Sylpheed may be impressive from a student's standpoint, and at a rather young age too, but I hear that such dragons are more common at the court. What I have, no one else here does."
"Right, a pale wooden stick with holes all over it."
His ears caught the call for his turn to act. "It appears to be my turn."
"You'd better not fail! Do you hear me, Lelouch? Don't mess this up!"
Glad that he wasn't standing right next to her anymore, the man once known as Zero made his way up the stairs to the stage. It was showtime and he was loath to disappoint.
With a steady pace, he moved center stage and knew all eyes were on him. He stood still, eyes closed, not even turning to face them. His audience inevitably began to murmur.
"Everyone!" With a flourish, he spun to survey them, his hand pointed to the heavens as his cape hung in the air, startling the crowd into silence. "I," he said, pausing for a moment, "am the Familiar of Zero!"
A few of the students snickered and he was sure he heard Louise groan, but the rest remained quiet, waiting for him to make his next move.
"As the familiar of Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, I thought tirelessly about our encounter here today." At that, he held out the flute for all to see. It's unimpressive form, as some confused stares verified, would work to his advantage in short time. "This flute, a mimicry of one from a far off land, exotic and unique, is what I will play for you today."
Their attention seized, he closed his eyes and focused. He felt the runes glow, took a deep breath, and played. A multitude of colors spewed forth from his lips and his mind began to wander.
The shakuhachi, a flute first used by a group of monks for meditation, only to later double as wooden maces for combat as more swordless ronin joined them. He had seen examples across Japan from traditional ensembles and relics in Tokyo to confiscated and clandestine weapons elsewhere, the latter aspect most significant to him now.
As was with his Geass, extensive testing was necessary. Any blade of war he held activated his abilities without fail. His theory that other weapons could qualify, guns in particular, proved true too. These observations and the contest gave rise to a few questions.
Was there an upper limit to how complicated the subject could be and did extra features fall under the same?
To test his theory he paid a number of craftsmen to make a variety of flutes. One was to make a flute into a mace, another with the inverse, so on and so forth until he had a multitude of similar items. None, however, let him play the flute as well as the one he held in his hands, made with the specific intent of being a weapon disguised. It was a shame shoddy or improvised weapons also lacked the proper requirements, if only for convenience.
While far from an actual shakuhachi, the idea remained the same. As an afterthought, a gun was far more complex than a sword or a flute. He'd have loved to get his hands on a Knightmare Frame, but that was wishful thinking at best, lest one was summoned out of thin air.
As the tune settled down, the crowd was still. He took a deep bow, but the people in from of him were as quiet as Tabitha herself. He looked up to them and saw that some seemed unsure of what they heard while others had their eyes closed for some time.
There was eventually applause nonetheless. He grinned and stepped off the stage. Louise's eyes were glued to him and she said in a near whisper, "What did you just play? It was… haunting."
"Nonsense. It's but a decent mimicry of a tune I'd heard from a place I visited in my world."
Louise scrunched her eyebrows but didn't argue. "And who taught you?"
He snorted like he possessed all the confidence in the world. "Experience, trial, error, and the like."
They then sat in their seats and awaited the award to be announced. After some deliberation, the bald Professor Colbert moved up to the center stage with the announcement.
"And the winner of this year's familiar exhibition is…" He fumbled the paper open and announced, "Tabitha he Snowy Wind and her familiar, Sylpheed!"
Cheers rang out as the short bookworm made her way up and Louise seemed defeated, but he was sure she wouldn't take it too hard. He hadn't embarrassed her after all and he thought he made a good impression as promised.
Regardless of the all, Lelouch looked on with approval. Henrietta. Though Louise is one of her true friends, possibly the only and best if I'm certain, she's not blindly biased in her favor. An admirable restraint she has, something even I must admit I cannot hold true to. That coupled with the fact that she's envious of even Louise's status as a duke's daughter speaks volumes.
The girl in question was on the wooden platform, crowning blue hair with bright gold. She had apparently asked for an encore as Tabitha and her dragon took flight once again, soaring in tight maneuvers. It was graceful and fearsome, to him at least.
"Wait, where is she going? Leaving that way wasn't a part of her routine."
Kirche's concern, with that of the rest of her peers, triggered an old instinct in Lelouch, one that told him that something was wrong. The demon's eyes followed the blue blur in the sky and traced a line to the other side of the Academy. Sensing an opportunity, the gears in his head whirred to life.
"Sir Gramont! Have you practiced what I taught you?"
The flamboyant boy was still lamenting over how the judges had glossed him over when his head snapped up. "Huh? Now? But it barely worked the last time!"
"It'll have to do." He swung to the Vallière. "Louise!"
"Y-yes?" His commander's tone made her stand up straight and stiff.
"It's time to welcome our new guest."
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Another crash between her golem's fist and the inner tower of the academy sent shockwaves into the air, her attack leaving no mark on the wall, much less on the vault inside.
"Damn. I thought this would do the trick." She cursed silently again when she saw a dragon soar by her perch and surveyed the area around her. She clicked her tongue when she saw three figures approaching. While she knew the others would be preoccupied with protecting the royal brat, there would always be outliers.
She saw that they were piggybacking on some bronze constructs, but the way the moved was bizarre. They were too fast and their legs remained in a firm crouch, kicking up dirt behind them as they advanced.
The pink one was panicked. Good. "Guiche, this is crazy! What the hell did you do to your valkyries?!"
The blonde fool was uncoordinated and confused. "Your familiar had me attach something called 'landspinners' to them. And don't hold onto me like that!" Pathetic.
And land spinners? The phrase was unfamiliar, but that pointed her thoughts to the one she was most concerned about. Leading them was Lelouch Lamperouge, cape discarded to the wind but still keeping the flimsy mask on his face.
Although her heists usually went without a trace, she'd have to make an exception this time. "Golem, crush them!"
At her command, the hulking behemoth of dirt reached down with a ball of earth, smashing the ground between the now split up group.
Dammit. They're more agile than I thought too. And on a grassy plain? The blonde's just a dot mage. I'll have to figure out just what they're using to achieve that.
Peering down, she could see their measly attacks did little to the regenerating legs of her construct. As she was about to issue another command, an explosion too close for comfort deafened her ears.
"Good, ready another one, we'll keep her distracted!"
"Curse those pesky kids," she spat. Following her nose, she was startled to see a massive chunk of her golem's shoulder gone. The smoke had cleared and yet it still needed time to refill magic into its gravel.
Impossible, my golem is at least as sturdy as the Academy itself. How did she…! And an idea popped into her head. Hearing the shouts below, so did a chance.
"Lelouch, I can't control them anymore!" The blonde's panic allowed her to send him tumbling to the ground with a wide swing of the arms, sending both boys tumbling. Hand open, she seized the one in black and raised him against the tower.
"Louise, wait!" he shouted, but it was too late. The little mage's next volley, more powerful than the last judging by her incantation time, ripped through the air and into blue brick and tan earth. The hand she held him in crumbled — he was saved by the blue dragon rider too, for better or worse — but her main objective was within her reach and there was no time to lose.
She directed the undamaged arm to barrel through the weakened wall. Stepping into the vault, she quickly spotted what she had come for and left a note in its place as always.
"Your treasure has been safely transferred into the hands of Fouquet."
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Louise sobbed. Lelouch knew as well as she did that it was unsightly, but she couldn't help herself, not even in front of Her Highness. Her sleeves did little to stem the flow of liquid salt
Her friend had tried consoling her but to no avail. "It's alright Louise. There's nothing you could have done about it."
"But there was!" she said with tears streaming down her flushed cheeks, "I even-"
"I must contradict you, Princess Henrietta."
Louise's eyes looked to Lelouch, confused as ever at his odd remarks. He planted himself in front of her and she stood up to meet him.
"Louise here could have done something about it, could have resolved the whole issue, in fact, but failed you. Her sorrow is justified and her actions deserve recognition." He leaned in slightly and spoke like he would tell a secret. "It's no good to have doubts, unless you believe in failure. Have more confidence in your friends, and in yourself too," and most quietly, "Henrietta."
The heiress of Tristain jumped back and a knight behind her laid a hand on the grip of her sword. "What did you just say to her highness? I'll have your head for harassing her."
"Lelouch, what do you think you're doing? You can't just whisper in the Princess's ear like that!" Anger was the best medicine to revive Louise's mood, or so Lelouch had learned over time, much like a certain redheaded knight he knew long ago.
"No, Anges, Louise, it's quite alright. Though odd, I know that Mr. Familiar here means well." Despite her words, the Royal shifted her sight, checking the reactions of those around her. When they didn't object, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her gestures where subtle, as expected of a keen noble, but Lelouch was sure of what he saw. "I must return to the palace immediately to make a report on all that has happened here. Take care, Louise, and you too."
She was nervous.
Seeing her run, the Henrietta now was a far cry from the one last night, the weight of cape and crown pulling her down in a rather familiar way, but far smaller in scope. While he knew that she lacked siblings on her back — though has an ill mother named Marianne of all things — and the people of her country actually loved her, that didn't mean that others refrained from grabbing for power or even the throne. She was gracious and kind, but hopefully prudent and practical as well.
His greatest observation, however, was that she was tired of it all, court, crown, and concealment.
"Louise, it's time to go. You can cry your eyes out further in your room if you wish."
"Shut up." More pouting, but no more crying, so he assumed that all would be well. He hoped the situation would turn around the same, possibilities floating through his head.
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Author's Notes:
Hello there again, Verrill here. Did you expect to see me so soon?
I remember the princess as being a sad figure throughout the series. Though I don't know much about what happens to her in season four, I do remember her trauma conga line in the seasons prior. First her dad, then kinda her mom, then Wales-sama, etc. Also action-wise I didn't see much of her either, a waste of potential, but it was Louise and Saito's story after all.
Of course, now I'm here.
And short author's note here today, but it's the content that counts, right? Also, I'm doing less rereading and canon-line-taking from the show to speed things up.
And so, as always, please support the official releases — new and old — review my work as you see fit, be welcome to ask what you wish, and thank you all for your time.
Otherwise, take care~