Part Two:

"The Knight's Companion"

Suzaku returned to his quarters to change. And Arthur was there waiting for him. The black cat sat proper next to a chair near the door, and meowed a hello.

And despite his poignant mood, he smiled, happy to see the cat.

He had first met Arthur a couple of months ago while walking with Euphie in the city.

He had just been released from interrogation after being accused of killing Prince Clovis, for which later Lelouch as Zero admitted to, and when returning back to headquarters - and catching Euphie, after she jumped from a third story window of a building, she never explained why she did such a thing, (he later surmised it might have had to do with a Princess fleeing her royal duties for doing something fun) - encountered the stray cat by chance, which he later named Arthur.

Arthur had liked Euphie immediately, most likely due to her good natured personality, but when he had crouched down and tried to pet the cat, Arthur opened his mouth and sunk his fangs deep into his index finger. And it wasn't the first time Arthur had bit him. He had lost track.

And when he crouched down to pet Arthur now, the cat sunk his teeth deep into the side of his right hand.

He cringed. But he was used to it, and the pain. And came to expect it. But as to the reason, he still couldn't figure the cat out. Arthur liked him, or he wouldn't stick around. He had done research on cats on the world wide web and learned biting was a sign of affection, also called love bites. If that was the case, then Arthur absolutely adored him. "Ouch! Arthur! Not again!"

Arthur slinked back, releasing his grip, and the animal seemed to look at him with apologetic eyes. Blood dripped from his hand, but he smiled regardless. He could never be angry at Arthur. It was just the way he was. "It's okay, Arthur. I'm not mad." Arthur seemed to smile.

The cat's gaze suddenly shifted, he observed. And Arthur became instantly fascinated with the book he was holding in his other hand. Arthur moved forward and sniffed the book. The cat's whiskers twitched inquisitively at first, but then he pulled back sharply, as if the smell from the leather cover repulsed him. It was an old looking book. And it must have cost a lot. Books like this were only found in libraries. The world now relied heavily on computers for information.

He stood up, and put the book on a glass top table near by. Arthur followed, and hopped up onto the table. And despite disliking the smell of the book, the cat sat next to it, twitching its tail.

"It's a gift from Gino," he said, answering a question, as if Arthur had asked one.

He went down an adjacent hallway, to the bedroom to change, leaving the book and Arthur alone. But he continued to talk to the cat. His voice was swallow, heard from down the hall, but he was sure Arthur could still hear him. Animals had keen hearing, he recalled.

"While it was nice that he remembered my birthday," he said, removing his Knights of the Round uniform, hanging it up, and dressing into gym wear. "I have to admit, it's the cruelest present I've ever gotten, considering the situation with Lelouch." A few seconds passed without him saying anything. Then he continued. "Gino invited me, well, let's just say, he insisted, I meet him in the gymnasium. But I don't quite get his motivation why. He's never asked me to work out with him before. So, I'll be leaving again. Try to entertain yourself until I get back. We'll do something together later."

Once dressed, he left his bedroom. But when he returned to the main living area, he halted in mid step, when he saw the book Gino had given him was ripped to shreds. He stared in disbelief at the complete disarray of the room. Pieces of paper were scattered everywhere. The only thing that was still intact was the leather binding, for which Arthur tried to chew but couldn't damage.

Arthur was still seated on the table. And he had a little scrap of paper still hanging from the left corner of his mouth.

"Arthur!" Suzaku scorned. "Why would you do such a thing? You've never done anything like this before."

The scrap of paper slipped from Arthur's mouth as the cat lowered his head, looking ashamed. Then he dropped down off the table and moved away. He gave Arthur a displeasing look, as the cat slinked away, taking refuge behind a cornered wall. But Arthur continued to observe him.

He spent the next couple of minutes retrieving the pieces of the book. But who knows what Arthur swallowed, he thought. If Gino ever finds out what happen, he'll be very upset. Just tell the truth if he asks, Arthur did it. Like that excuse I used in school when I was a kid. I told my teacher my father's dog chewed my homework. Come to think of it, the teacher never believed me and I got detection.

For the very first time, he was upset with Arthur. Gino obviously spent a lot of money on the book.

When he thought he had gathered all the pieces, he lay them in a pile on the table. Sitting down, he looked at them, and sighed. Putting the book together would be a hopeless cause. And even if he spent the time doing so, he could never put it out for display. In all regards, the book was beyond repair.

He turned, and saw Arthur still lurking behind the cornered wall. The cat looked up at him with eyes as sad as he had ever seen them. Arthur obviously knew he had done something wrong. It was then, Arthur moved slightly, and another scrap page of the book was revealed. Arthur had been sitting on it.

He retrieved it. He noticed it had black conscript writing on it. It said:

"With my compliments, Knight of Seven.

- Charles vi Britannia."

It was a dedication from the Emperor. The book hadn't been a gift from Gino after all. Come to think of it, Gino never said it was from him, he thought. And it was then that it suddenly dawned on him, and of the rationale behind such a cruel, natured gift. He had thought it unusual that Gino would be so unkind. In the short time he had known Gino, the Knight of Three wasn't like that.

With this book, Suzaku knew, the Emperor was sending him a message. And the Emperor was thanking him for bringing in Lelouch.

It also reminds me of just how much of a hypocrite I am. That in order to advance in life, I choose to turn him back on his own people and betray my best friend.

Lelouch had been fighting for a cause Suzaku secretly hoped would succeed. Lelouch was fighting to reestablish Japan, despite being a prince of Britannia. But he had given Lelouch to the Emperor to be trialed for his crimes. He had been too blinded by Euphie's death to see Lelouch's ideal cause.

But it's too late for regrets. What's been done can't be undone.

The anger of what Arthur did quickly melted away. And Suzaku turned, and smiled at his feline companion.

"Come here, Arthur," he said calmly. "I'm not mad, honest."

Arthur was hesitate, but then came out into the open.

Suzaku patted a leg, and Arthur jumped up on to his lap. And he was finally able to pet him on without being bitten.

It was almost, as if, by sixth sense, Arthur knew how much him disliked the book, and destroyed it for him, despite not knowing about the dedication or even opening it when he first got it. The title itself was enough to cause him despair. And after seeing it was, in fact, the Emperor who had given it to him, he hated it more.

Perhaps Arthur is much more perspective than I give him credit for, Suzaku thought.

"Good boy, Arthur," he said softly, smiling, stroking the cat on the head.

And Arthur purred contently.

To be continued…