Chapter 3

"Lelouch Lamperouge."

The viscount's eyes are glued to the letter in his hands that he misses the way the young man tips his chin up and grabs the lapels of his coat.

"What an interesting name."

"Mother gave it to me."

"Expected from an interesting woman."

Lelouch's eyes narrow at his words but chooses to bite his tongue from commenting something disrespectful. Be respectful, his mother had said before he left. Be patient. Be a good boy for once.

His eyes find the large portrait hanging behind the viscount's chair. It is a painting of a younger viscount and a woman who Lelouch assumes to be his wife. She had long wavy brown hair that reached her waist. Her skin was like milk and her eyes were honey. And a subtle smile rested on her lips as if she was thinking of something hilarious. Meanwhile, the young viscount whose hair was brown in the painting unlike the white nest he had right now, was looking all dignified and serious as he stared intensely at whoever was looking. Lelouch cannot help but compare him to the man sitting infront of him. The man who is supposed to be his father.

Or so what his mother said.

But as he stares longer at the man, he is becoming more convinced that the only similarity they share is their amethyst eyes. All of Lelouch's facial features clearly come from his mother. And one would say, even his amethyst eyes.

"Marianne Lamperouge, I remember her. A beautiful woman with big dreams. I think that was what attracted me when I met her. She talked about getting out of the brothel and pursuing her dream of being an actress. She explained everything to me in a very detailed way when my own life lacked direction. But… this simple letter and a photograph do not really prove that you are my son."

That's what Lelouch thinks, too. The bravado he had shown Luciano last night was all for show. At the very beginning, he was already skeptical. He would not put it past his mother to write a fake letter addressed to any nobleman telling him that Lelouch was their son if it will bring her wealth and jewelry. So why did he agree to do this?

Simple. Just like what he told Luciano, Marianne Lamperouge could be very insistent and demanding if she didn't get what she wanted. He is not up to hear her endless whines and complaints that could potentially drive him crazy. After all, he really has little to lose if this fails. Perhaps, a little bit of dignity. But when you are borne to a former prostitute like him, dignity is something that was already taken away before it was given. And Lelouch is used to live with the crumbs of dignity and respect scattered on the ground. He never picked them up.

But most importantly, as cliché as it sounds, he wants to bring a genuine smile to his mother's face. For once, he wants her to be proud of him. For once, he wants her to look at him as if he is a son she cherishes and loves truly. Not a reminder of her shameful past.

"That's all I have with me," Lelouch answers plainly. He shifts on his feet as he gets tired of standing. His mother should be proud with the restrain he is exerting right now. He badly wants to plop on the couch by the window and cross his legs.

"Hmmm… But why now? Why only now does she tell me about you? She could have gone here as soon as you were born. Why wait all these years? And why is she not here to directly address this?"

"I don't want to say this and mother told me not to mention about it either." Putting his hand over his forehead, Lelouch releases a dramatic sigh. "Mother is ill right now. She hasn't been able to get out of bed for weeks and…" He peeks at the viscount, checking for his reaction. The older man remains stoic but watchful. "… the truth is, she feels that she doesn't have much time left and her only wish before she," he chokes, "b-before she passes is that to see her family become complete." Retrieving his handkerchief from his pocket, he wipes his false tears. "And I want to fulfill her last wish."

Silence settles between them after his little act and Lelouch wonders if he had overdone it. When he was just a boy, he watched his mother act some plays in their tiny living room and she indeed had a talent for it. Just no opportunity.

Lelouch lets the viscount assess him with those critical violet eyes. He stands straighter, hands on his sides. In that little moment of examination, he feels the authority and intellect radiating from the man before him. Something tangible yet invisible. Something that makes him exhilarated and nervous at the same time. And Lelouch thinks, perhaps, he wants to be someone like him someday. Someone who has the ability to say a thousand words in a single stare. Someone who exudes power and intimidation just by sitting there silently.

Perhaps, in that brief time, an aspiration to be a nobleman starts to bloom within him.

"Well, then." The viscount folds the letter and puts it back to the envelope. "Since there is no other means to validate your connection to me, you must prove to me that you are my son and that you deserve a part of the inheritance. Prove to me that you deserve to be called a 'Britannia'."

"How will I do that?"

The viscount smirks and it looks so out of place on his face. Yet, Lelouch recognizes that smirk. He sees it when he looks at his reflection.

"That is for you to figure out. Now, let us discuss the terms of your living here."

He is bored.

He has been staring at the ceiling of his new room for hours, though, he would admit that this is a hundred times better than his room in his mother's house. The white bedsheets are exquisitely smooth. The bed and the pillows are so soft he had a crazy idea of them being stuffed with feathers. A huge window overlooks the garden which is in full bloom despite the cloudy weather. Lelouch sighs. It is the first thing that he couldn't believe when he arrived here. Back in their town, the sun was shining so bright that it left no corner dark and cold. But here… it is raining… during summer. And from the looks of it, it seems like it had been raining for days.

Ugh, he needs something to distract him from this dead atmosphere. He could roam around the mansion and inspect every room, but he was too tired from the long travel and got more exhausted from his conversation with the viscount.

But he is restless. His body itches to do something ridiculous - like riding a wild horse into the sunset without holding onto it. Or eating the spiciest meal the cook could serve. Closing his eyes, he tries to sleep the itch off but his efforts are futile. Then he realizes it. What his body craves. His eyes spring open and he immediately he gets up and leaves his room. Luckily, he finds a servant and asks him to get Lelouch a bottle of the finest wine in the mansion. The servant looks at him suspiciously before following his orders and a few minutes later, an opened bottle of the most aromatic wine he ever had is in Lelouch's hand as he walks mindlessly in the mansion.

The servants seem to be avoiding him which is fine by the man. He assumes that the viscount had oriented them of his presence what with the proper yet rather cold treatment that some of them had given him. Well, it doesn't matter. They're not the ones who he has to impress.

He is about to go up the grand staircase when he hears giggles coming from the first floor. Listening intently, his search leads him to the second living room where he finds two small figures sitting on the floor and laughing with each other.

"Well, who do we have here?"

At the sound of his voice, the twins stop playing and looks at him. The girl's eyes travel to the bottle in his hand and she moves closer to the boy.

"Hello, mister. How may I help you?" the boy asks politely as he stands infront of the girl.

Lelouch cocks his head and notices that there is someone missing. "Where is your nanny?"

"Miss Milly is in the kitchen preparing our snacks." Again with that polite tone.

"But she is coming back soon!" This comes from the girl.

"Hmm…" Calmly, he enters the room and makes himself comfortable on a chair. Crossing his legs, he takes a healthy swig of the wine before wiping his lips with the sleeve of his coat.

"Excuse me, mister. But I don't think that it is good to drink that in the afternoon," the girl says.

He glares at her. "And I don't think that it is your business what I should and shouldn't drink," he hisses. The twins cower before him. Sighing, Lelouch tries to talk to them in a calmer voice. "Sorry about that." He tips the bottle towards their direction. "As an apology, I'll let you take a sip?"

"But that's bad!"

"That's not for children!"

Noisy, whiny children. Lelouch rolls his eyes. "One sip wouldn't hurt you. And it will help you become an adult faster."

The boy shakes his head vehemently. "Miss Ceci told us that we could not drink that until we are as big as papa."

"Well, Miss Ceci is wrong."

"Miss Ceci is always right. She knows everything," the girl protests.

"Really? Well, does she know about me?" Oh, good grief, he is having fun taunting these children.

"O-Of course, she does." But their voices are weak and unsure.

Lelouch smirks at them. Pointing at the boy, he asks, "What's your name?"

"My name is Rolo vi Britannia, mister."

"And you?"

"My name is Nunnally vi Britannia."

Then he points at himself. "I am Lelouch Lamperouge. It is nice to meet you, now we are friends."

"Friends?" Nunnally's eyebrows furrow and Lelouch sees her strong resemblance with her mother. "But you are too big to be our friend."

"Did Miss Ceci teach you that as well?"

"No. But our friends, Leon and Anya are seven years old, too," answers Rolo.

Deliberately, he puts his hand over his chest and acts as if he is hurt. Head lowered, Lelouch matches this with a dejected tone of his voice. "How cruel. I… I just wanted to be friends with you. I don't know anyone in the mansion and I had hoped that we can get along together. But I guess I was wrong."

He peeks at them through his lashes and finds the twins anxious and contemplating. So for the final act he adds, "I wonder if Miss Ceci will be delighted to know that you've broken my fragile heart."

It amazes him how that simple statement greatly affected their behavior. Now, he is intrigue about who their Miss Ceci is. Another nanny? A teacher? Having an influence as strong as she has to this children proves that she might be someone of importance. Perhaps, the viscount's new lover? Hmmm. Lelouch hopes that it isn't the case for it means that there is another person that he needs to impress.

"We're sorry. We can be friends. Please do not tell her!" Rolo says.

"Please, Mister Lamperouge. We don't want her to be angry at us," Nunnally pleads.

Tapping his chin with the mouth of the bottle, Lelouch pretends that he is considering their appeals. The children look like they are about to cry and even he is not that cruel to make them weep so he answers, "Well then, I'll accept your apology if you agree to play a game with me."

"Play a game?"

He nods. Gesturing for them to come closer, Lelouch leans in as if he'll tell them a secret. "Let's play 'Hide and Seek'. I will be the 'it' and whoever I find first will take a sip of this wine." Before the children could react, he starts counting to ten sending them scampering out of the living room.

The nanny, Milly, finally arrives a few minutes later with a tray in her hands. A confused expression takes over her face when she didn't find the young masters where she had left them but instead, a man who is casually lounging on the couch with a bottle of wine in hand greets her.

"Are you looking for the twins?" Lelouch asks lazily.

The nanny nods. He admits, he finds her pretty. "By any chance, do you know where they are, mister?"

Lelouch points vaguely at the direction of the door. "They're playing 'Hide and Seek'. It's been quite some time since they are hiding, though."

Immediately, the nanny leaves the room to find her wards. Lelouch puts his feet up on the low center table and seriously thinks of how he can get his hands to this wine again.

She tends to dotes on everyone who are close to her heart. The twins, the shopkeepers, Milly (though she shows her affection in a subtle way so as to avoid the older woman's teasing). And now, she tries her hardest to shower her younger sister with affection during the little time that they have together.

"I'll cook dinner tonight," Ceci says as she secures Shirley's hair with a ribbon after braiding it. Fixing the ginger's fringe, Ceci stares at the mirror and marvels at the delicate beauty of her sister.

"You will cook?" Shirley laughs good-naturedly. "Oh please, spare me the wraths of Hell."

Ceci cannot help but glare, though it is rather short-lived. "Mr. Darlton has been teaching me to cook dishes during our free time and he had noted that my sense of taste had improved."

"Mr. Darlton, the head cook of the mansion?"

Ceci gives her a smug look on the mirror. "The one and only."

"Hmmm… Then I must try whatever it is you're going to prepare. Receiving such high regards from the best cook in the city is something that can't be swept under the rug."

"You won't regret it. Sit tight."

As Ceci goes to her luggage, she catches a glance of the grey sky outside of her room. Drizzle still comes occasionally but at least, the heavy rains have stopped pouring. She wonders how the twins are doing right now. The gloomy weather had put them in a sullen mood, or as sullen as their youthful energy would allow them. After all, they had been looking forward to summer since winter. Talks of running in the garden, outdoor playdates, summer outings, and horseback riding filled the cold corners of the mansion with giddy enthusiasm and high expectations. As a result, their slump had started to affect their studies. The contained energy in their small bodies is trying hard to be unleashed through various forms of distracted behavior stealing their focus on the task at hand.

And horseback riding...

The viscount had stood firm with his first decision to only let his children ride horses after reaching the age of ten when she talked to him yesterday. She can easily imagine their sad expressions when she delivers the unpleasant news.

Opening her luggage, she retrieves something wrapped in brown paper and gives it to Shirley.

Immediately, the latter opens her gift with childish excitement that quickly reminds Ceci of the twins.

"Oh, dear! This is so beautiful!"

Shirley stands up and holds the yellow dress infront of her. It is made of the softest fabric which reaches a few inches below her knees. The white frilly collar gives an air of youth, as well as the palm-size red ribbon resting in the middle. The fitted waist would show off the lady's small stomach but the Aline skirt would convey a sense of conservative femininity.

"Happy birthday, Shirley."

"I deeply love it, Ceci! Thank you, thank you. Oh dear, this is truly lovely... But didn't it cost you much?"

Ceci shakes her head. "I made it."

At this, Shirley runs her hand over the fabric as if she could feel the hours of sewing her sister dedicated to it. "Of course you did. I'll wear it later at dinner. Really, thank you."

"It's nothing compared to the responsibilities I left with you in managing the shop." Ceci shakes her head. "You should be spending your time with ladies your age, going to the park, taking suitors." Shirley blushes. "But you're stuck with keeping the business alive."

"Uncle Jeremiah and the others help me a lot. And being in the shop isn't that bad. Though, it does bore me when it is a slow day for business... Say, Ceci," utters Shirley, suddenly serious. She folds the dress neatly and places it on top of Ceci's bed. Going to her sister, she holds the older woman's hand and gazes into her eyes. "You lied earlier. You did talk to the viscount before you left, correct?"

For a moment, the greenhaired woman just stares at her sister. At this distance, Shirley's light freckles are visible. Her sister hated them when they were young but Ceci thought they made her look more adorable.

She nods. "I did." A sigh. "I tried to convince him to resume purchasing the household's cutlery from the shop, but..."Just thinking about the viscount's kind face as he denied her proposal kindly makes her want to laugh. What a tricky person. How can he be so gentle and cruel at the same time? It made her angrier. It made her feel more helpless about the situation. But she wouldn't back out. Their family and ancestors had been a slave to the Britannias for a long time now and Ceci wouldn't allow another of their blood succumb to a fate similar to hers. Not her future children. And especially, not Shirley's future children. They will live a life they chose for themselves and not one that was decided by debt and contract.

But how can she pay their debt if the business is slowly failing? She had observed how dead the shop is earlier. How almost all of the displays were full but dusty. She hoped that it was just because of the rain that people weren't able to visit the shop but the staff's faces sealed her suspicion.

And one of their biggest customer was the viscount. Isn't it ironic, Ceci thinks, that she was supposed to use his money to pay for her family's contract? But she can't even do that now.

"... but he's a stubborn man... Though, you should not worry yourself with that matter."

For a moment, it seems like Shirley wouldn't let the subject go and Ceci stands there already thinking of the excuses she could make, but thankfully, the former pats her hand and smiles. Then all of a sudden, Shirley reaches behind her head and removes the pin that was holding Ceci's hair up. Her emerald tresses fall around her like waters of the stream and the surprising act leaves her wide-eyed for a while. This is sort of a tradition always done by the younger sister whenever she is home. Shirley would always do it in a whim catching her off guard. Once she did it while Ceci was trimming the plants and she almost gave herself an uneven haircut.

"How are the twins doing?"

At the mention of her beloved wards, Ceci's face instantly lights up. "They are doing well. They are becoming wittier and cleverer as they grow. Nunnally has a wide imagination. Yesterday, we played as fairies that eat flowers while Rolo was the gardener. It was a bit of a chaos but it helped lift their moods. This endless rain has been a cause of agitation for them. They have been looking forward to this season since winter yet, days had passed without them stepping a foot out of the mansion."

"Well, I better pray for the sky to clear soon. I wouldn't want them to turn into lonely children deprived of their simple happiness."

Moments like this make Ceci wistful and guilty. Moments that remind her that Shirley was left to play alone while she learned every nook and corner of the Britannian household and tradition when they were children. They were almost strangers to each other back then with only their parents as their similarity. They were awkward, careful, and wary with each other's presence but as the older one, Ceci tried to understand why her little sister would stare at her with suspicion in her green eyes.

So she promised to herself that she would do everything necessary to not let their future children experience what they had felt. She wouldn't let them be deprived of their simple happiness.

"Thank you," she smiles. "But as much as I adore the twins, these days are to be spent with you. We're going to celebrate your 21st birthday for three days and you'll introduce me to your handsome suitors."

"I don't have any!" protests Shirley.

Ceci raises an eyebrow at her flustered appearance. Ah, but this is one of the few things that never changes between them. One of those that made them closer – how their first real conversation as sisters started. With her sister's transparent mood that is as bright as the sunshine and with her subtle ways of invoking certain feelings to the poor lady like a low magnitude earthquake.

And this is one of the things that Ceci hopes to stay with them forever.

Mister Lamperouge makes them feel uncomfortable.

Sometimes, he looks at them like they did something wrong. Sometimes, he looks angry and dangerous. Sometimes, he is lazy and messy. But most of the time, he looks at them like toys that he likes to play with.

The twins do not understand a man like him. They do not understand how his violet eyes that are similar to their father's could be sharp and cruel. They do not understand how his smooth deep voice could say words that are not gentlemanly and impolite. Nunnally and Rolo do not understand the games he wanted them to play, like the 'Hide and Seek' he started two days ago. They waited and waited for what felt like centuries for him to find them, but instead, it was Miss Milly who caught them. They'd never been more relieved than what they felt that time.

They cannot also comprehend why Mister Lamperouge would always interrupt their study time to say things that make Miss Milly bite her lower lip and her eyes scary. It's been days since he had arrived in the mansion and the twins wanted to tell their papa about this, but papa told them that Mister Lamperouge is a special guest who lives with them now, and they should treat him like he is family. Why papa said that, they do not know. Sometimes, they do not understand papa, too.

But perhaps, Miss Ceci will. She is the best after all. And… And she is supposed to return today! She would know what to do. And certainly, she could teach Mister Lamperouge good manners, too.

With that in mind, the twins patiently wait by the window for a certain carriage to arrive all the while happy with the fact that the sun finally shows itself outside.

So, the sun is actually out now, huh?

"Thank you, Michael."

Ceci steps out of the carriage, luggage in hand. As soon as her feet touch the even ground, her eyes land on a lone dark figure standing by the side of the mansion. Odd, how someone could look like a shadow under the glaring sun. Trudging forward, her eyes narrow as she tries to make out who the person could be. However, they widen as soon as she sees that he is smoking. It is a man unfamiliar to her. A man with deep raven hair clad in black clothes from head to toe. Who is he? A guest? A new servant of the house? She examines his appearance silently and concludes that despite his disheveled appearance, there is something in him that exudes a dirty kind of elegance.

He hasn't noticed her, too busy watching the smoke vanish in the air. When she is a few feet away from him, she stops and clears her throat. Finally, the man glances at her with those piercing amethyst eyes and she offhandedly notes that he is handsome. Too handsome if she will be honest but that is not the issue at hand.

"Good day, mister. I don't mean to disrespect but smoking is prohibited here. I am sorry but you have to throw your cigarette away."

The man just stares at her.

And continues to stare at her.

She tilts her head in confusion. Perhaps, he is a foreigner? She tries to speak in French but there is still no respond. She tries Russian yet he remains speechless.

Now, she is worried. Taking a step forward, she asks, "Mister, are you alright? Is there something wrong?"

Finally, the man gets out of his stupor and shakes his head as if he had just woke up from a dream. But before he could utter a word, two excited voices interrupt him from speaking.

"Miss Ceci, welcome back!"

The twins curtsy and bow infront of her before clinging to her red dress.

Patting their heads gently, Ceci greets, "Hello Nunnally, Rolo, I hope you've been good children while I was away."

"We are," they answer in unison.

"So you are the famous 'Miss Ceci'."

Ceci turns around to the sound of the deep voice and is surprised to know that it is from the man. It doesn't escape her notice how the twins' grip on her skirt tightens and how they hide behind her arms.

"Pardon?" she calmly asks.

The cigarette is back in his mouth and a mischievous smile is plastered on his lips. A wolf, Ceci thinks. A dangerous and tricky wolf.

But instead of answering her properly, the man removes his imaginary hat and says, "It's nice to finally meet you… Miss Ceci."