Author's Note: Frankly speaking I had a lot of difficulty writing this one. I must have edited this chapter at least half a dozen times. When I first finished this chapter it had about five thousand words.. now it has over seven thousand. I guess the lengthy Author's notes at the start and ending piled on the word count as well, though. Whoops :( Nevertheless, I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter. Writing this one was almost a nightmare for me (arghhhh), because I have no idea how a typical school dance goes (never attended one), so I just kinda just made this up. Oh well.
Anyway, I'll be taking some time to reply to some guest reviews... first of all, to "KK": I always thought that Pendragon would be somewhere in Colorado or something (my knowledge of the geography of the USA is probably terrible, since I've never been there), but nonetheless, yes, I must admit that I failed to take the time zone difference of Area 11 and Pendragon into account. Sorry about that. Still, I hope that everything was fine for you nonetheless.
Oh and to my guest reviewer "Guest Person", thank you for your encouraging words. Don't worry, you didn't sound pushy/disrespectful at all. You raised an excellent question about Rolo as well. In case anyone else is wondering when would Rolo appear (I did list him as one of the major characters after all), he would make his first appearance in chapter 12. His role will not be minor, in fact I think he would be quite significant as a side character/secondary protagonist. I daresay that I feel he's more suited to the role of a major character than Jeremiah. All I can say is that I have big plans for him, although his involvement is only limited to half of the story (I intend to have around 25-26 chapters in total).
Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass or any of its characters. The only thing I own is a potato. And of course, the non-canon stuff.
Chapter 9
The Ashford Spring Dance
Shirley preened in her bedroom mirror for the umpteenth time. Her table was a cluttered mess of makeup items – eyeliners, lipsticks and bottles of nail polish. She observed her reflection in the mirror once again, placing her slim hands on her hips. Despite the amount of cosmetics she had, the auburn-haired adolescent opted to only apply minimal amounts of it, for she felt that she would look way too unnatural to Lelouch if she chose to put on heavy makeup. She did apply some nude nail polish, though; just enough to lend her nails a glossy appearance.
Shirley twirled on her feet and hummed a slow tune, cocking her head to the side as she scrutinized her reflection again, and made to straighten the folds in her dress. She was clad in a modest forest green dress, its hem falling just an inch above her knees, and she wore a set of mint green low-heels on her feet. A simple peridot necklace adorned her lithe neck and freshwater pearl earrings dangled slightly from her ears. Her orange hair was done in a sleek ponytail and her arms were bare, with the exception of a moderately inexpensive silver bracelet. Shirley let out a sigh as she continued studying herself in the mirror, trying to determine whether she looked good enough. Shirley wasn't particularly vain, compared to most girls, but she wanted to look the best for Lelouch and she wondered whether her appearance would be well enough for him.
As though thinking about Lelouch would cause him to appear, the sound of light knocking on her dormitory door reached her ears. Shirley's eyes flickered nervously to the simple wooden door. She recalled that Lelouch had whispered to her as he walked past her yesterday that he would be picking her up from her room. It was rather strange of him, for he has not spoken to her since the auction.
The sound of knocking repeated again. "Go ahead, Shirley. You'll be fine," Sophie, her roommate of three years, assured her. Sophie was finished with grooming herself almost an hour ago and she was sitting on her bed, patiently watching Shirley fret over her appearance. She knew how important this dance was to Shirley and would most likely behave similarly if she was in her shoes.
Shirley gave Sophie a smile of appreciation before inhaling deeply and crossing the room. Her hand hovered over the doorknob hesitantly for a moment. Shirley clutched the knob, twisted it and pulled the door open, revealing Lelouch. Shirley met his expressionless look and winced inwardly, as she had hoped that Lelouch would at least be warm to her during the dance. However, a twitch of Lelouch's facial muscles betrayed his stony expression, and it looked like he was about to grin for an instant, but it was gone in the next spilt-second. An uncomfortable silence ensued as the prince continued staring at his dance partner wordlessly, until Shirley decided that it was enough and broke the stillness.
"Hi, Lulu," Shirley greeted Lelouch. He was dressed in a white collared shirt with black buttons, complete with a black bowtie and a grey blazer. He wore matching grey formal pants and polished black leather shoes. In Shirley's eyes, he looked absolutely dashing – the very image of striking. If only he showed more emotion…
"Good evening, Miss Fenette," Lelouch replied stiffly. In the background, Sophie frowned at Lelouch's tense posture and choice of words, and Shirley felt her heart plummet a little at his display of unfriendliness. Lelouch felt a small pang as her disappointment showed on her face, and he decided to allow himself to loosen up a little. He extended his hand towards Shirley, his lips tugging up into a small smile. "Shall we proceed to the dance?"
"Sure," Shirley returned the smile, a tiny spark of happiness beginning to dance wildly in her heart as Lelouch finally broke his emotionless face. She grasped his outstretched hand gently and Lelouch lightly tugged her forward, much to her delight, and they started their journey to the courtyard, where the dance will be held. A part of her mind screamed at her to tell Lelouch her feelings now, but she quieted it down. "Now isn't the right time. It will be too sudden," Shirley reminded herself as Lelouch whisked her off to the courtyard. As they reached the venue, Shirley could see the heads of many girls turning to look at Lelouch. Light muttering broke out as they spotted him, which evolved into jealous glares sent towards Shirley's direction the instant they noticed that he was holding hands with her.
"Shall we start?" Lelouch cleared his throat awkwardly, causing Shirley to start a little as she was examining the barely recognizable courtyard. The evening sun bathed it in a friendly yellow-orange glow and the flowers were blooming in the lush bushes arranged neatly around the area. Numerous round tables with white tablecloths and cushioned seats were placed in a circular formation, and a row of refreshments were displayed in a corner. Ballroom music played loudly, but not near deafening, through a vintage gramophone and there was a wide, round open space in the middle of it all to dance. The grass was freshly mowed and there were already several students dancing.
"Wait!" Shirley called out nervously before Lelouch pulled her into the dancing area. He raised his eyebrows quizzically at her, puzzled at her hesitation. "I'm sorry for making you dance with me, Lulu. I hope you won't feel that you are being compelled to do so," Shirley whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Ah," Lelouch studied Shirley, who was fighting not to break eye contact with him. "Does she feel insecure…?" Lelouch thought as she continued to look into his eyes, her mouth drawn into a thin line as she uneasily waited for his response. He could see the trepidation and sincerity in her green orbs. His face broke into a grin, perhaps the first genuine smile he had given her since he began distancing himself from his friends. "I would rather dance with you than a complete stranger, Shirley. Don't worry so much."
Shirley blinked, and then slowly began to beam at him. "Thanks, Lulu," she managed to express herself. Lelouch nodded and brought her to the dancing area. They settled in a close hold, Shirley raising her right hand, which was still grasping Lelouch's left one. His other hand rested on her left shoulder blade and her left hand mirrored the movement. The music's tempo was slightly fast, and they started moving to the beat. Shirley tried not to think of Lelouch's hand on her shoulder as they moved around the courtyard, or how Lelouch seemed to be a natural at dancing, which made her feel ungainly compared to him.
Shirley could not help but compare how normal Lelouch was right now to how he was acting since several months ago. There was little trace of coolness in this current version of him and he seemed much more like himself. She wondered what caused him to adopt a frosty attitude towards his friends, including her, and what made him lose that stance right now. Shirley could not figure it out for the life of her. Instead, she opted to stare into his amethyst eyes. His gaze seemed to pull her in inexorably, and Shirley lost track of the time as they danced across the courtyard. His eyes were so easy to be lost in…
As the minutes ticked by, Lelouch felt increasingly tempted to shed the cool exterior he had built up around him since months ago. He was astonished by such, for he was never this inclined to do so around his other friends. The prince studied his dance partner, ever conscious of the softness of her hand clasped around his, and pondered the question of why she of all people had such an effect on him. The sunset glow shone across her features, and he found her even more striking than usual. Oh, he was definitely aware of her attractiveness and the obvious fact that she was a girl, but there was something about this moment that seemed to make her so much more noticeable…
The moment was ruined when Milly, clad in a flowing light blue dress with a low V-neckline, picked up a microphone and jested, "Why are so many of you students just standing around? Look at the thousand-dollar couple! They are doing quite well, don't you think? Don't be afraid and enter the dancing area!"
"Prez!" Shirley snapped her enraptured gaze away from Lelouch, flushing from a mix of embarrassment and indignation as she felt the intensity of many pairs of eyes on her and Lelouch. "Why aren't you dancing with Rivalz?" she countered, trying to focus on her dance so that she wouldn't trip while conversing with the curvaceous blonde at the same time.
"We're entering soon, just you wait!" Milly shouted back gleefully as she continued to watch her friend dancing with Lelouch with a slightly wistful look on her face. She sighed a little before she spotted Gino all but dragging Kallen along with him. Kallen kept on a face of stubborn sullenness while Gino looked positively energized. The former was wearing a dress similar to Shirley's, except that hers was light pink, and the Knight was in a navy blue suit and brown leather shoes. Milly desperately tried not to laugh as she witnessed Gino's fumbling attempts in trying to get Kallen into a close hold, and when he finally succeeded in doing so, their difference in height made it look near ludicrous, since Kallen was only of average height while Gino towered over Milly, who was already taller than Kallen by a significant margin. The pair started to dance – or rather, Gino tried to steer Kallen around, who was exacting petty retribution on the aristocrat by treading on his toes as they moved around the dance floor. The blonde knight winced more than once, but he persisted in his efforts. Even Kallen herself had to grudgingly commend Gino for his patience in her mind, for she did not doubt that the Knight would have extremely sore feet by the time the night was over.
As more students joined the designated area, Shirley was finding it harder to dance with Lelouch due to press of bodies around her. She nearly stumbled more than once as she collided with other students occasionally. Her discomfort must have shown as Lelouch mutely broke the close hold and led her by the hand, trying to find an unoccupied table for them to take a break.
In the end, they only managed to find a table with only two occupants, who didn't mind, for they were none other than Suzaku and his dance partner, a slight girl with dark hair. Suzaku was tapping his feet lightly to the music, clearly enjoying the scene before him. His dark green eyes gleamed with mirth as he observed Kallen 'dancing' with Gino, the former seemingly more enthusiastic about stepping on her partner's feet than actually dancing with him. The second he spotted Shirley and Lelouch making their way towards him, the honorary Britannian leapt to his feet. "Hello, you two. Enjoying the dance?"
"Hello, Suzaku. And yes, I was," Shirley gasped, slightly out of breath since they had to fight their way through the crowd. Lelouch was hardly better. He looked worn out and was panting a little. "We're taking a break. There are too many people right now." Both Lelouch and Shirley flopped limply on the cushioned chairs with a small exhale.
"Oh. Let's go," Suzaku suddenly grabbed his dance partner's wrist and gently tugged her to her feet. She made a slight sound of protest before they disappeared into the growing mass of people. Shirley realized that Suzaku most likely did that to give her and Lelouch some time to themselves, and she thanked him silently in her mind. The pair watched as the dance continued, and Milly finally entered the area with Rivalz, whose face was lit up with elation. She wondered if Lelouch felt as joyful as Rivalz when he was dancing with her, and wished if it were so, no matter how silly it sounded.
"I'm going to get some refreshments. Would you like something to drink?" Lelouch asked abruptly, startling Shirley out of her reverie as the lanky dark-haired teenager got to his feet.
"Um… maybe some fruit punch or something. Thanks!" Shirley replied, and Lelouch walked over to the refreshments table and fetching two plastic cups filled with punch. He passed her a cup, his fingers casually touching against hers before he returned to his seat. Thirsty and a little tired after the activity, Shirley sipped her drink, the cool and sweet liquid soothing to her parched throat. Lelouch did the same, although he downed the cup's contents in one huge swig.
The lively music, combined with the scent of freshly mowed grass and blooming flowers, the orange illumination from the setting sun and the invigoration from the refreshing drink lulled both of them into relaxed states. Shirley sneaked a glance at Lelouch, who was once again smiling in the indolent and complacent manner which was reminiscent of the time where she almost admitted her feelings for him in the concert hall nearly a year ago. However, she could tell that there was something different this time. There seemed to be an aura of wistfulness around him, and she wondered if it was because they were graduating from Ashford soon.
Shirley paused for a bit, and then she quietly slid her hand into Lelouch's, her supple fingers filling the gaps between his before gripping his hand softly. Lelouch made no visible reaction to her action, which was slightly disconcerting yet encouraging to her. "At least he didn't jerk his hand away," she thought to herself. Lelouch truly bore no vestiges of unfriendliness anymore. "Thank you, Lulu. You made me happy today" Shirley said softly.
"What did I do?" Lelouch asked her, a look of befuddlement on his face.
"You came back," Shirley replied simply. Lelouch raised an eyebrow at her. "You weren't being yourself lately. But now you're back. Thank you." The willowy girl hesitated briefly, and her cheeks turned red before adding. "I've missed you."
Lelouch did not answer. His heart leapt at her response – as though it was yearning to respond to her, much to his confusion, and he grasped her hand tightly. Heartened by his lack of negative reaction, she slowly leaned her head towards his shoulder and rested it against it. This time, Lelouch blinked and looked over at Shirley, but made no comment. How long they had spent time in that position, Shirley did not know, but it felt like eternity to her. "That was tantamount to a semi-confession and he hasn't shown any hints of rejection. It's time," Shirley took a deep breath before shifting in her seat and raising her head from his shoulder. "Lulu," Shirley spoke, still holding his hand. "Do you still remember back then in the concert hall? I told you I had something important to tell you."
"I remember," Lelouch returned slowly, with uncertainty in his voice. He knew what was coming, and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear it. He was uncomfortably aware that the rational voice in his head was compelling him to reject it.
"And you asked me whether it could wait, and I agreed, right?" Shirley pressed on, buoyed by his reply. Lelouch inclined his head without speaking a word. "I think I've waited long enough. It's time," she whispered, her grip tightening around Lelouch's hand, and he clutched her hand in return.
"Lulu… I… The truth is…" Shirley tried to get the words out of her mouth, but like her previous attempt, she was stuttering. Shirley shook her head slightly to steady her thoughts. "The truth is… I like you, Lulu. I really like you… a lot," she finished and she crossed her fingers behind her back as she tried to measure Lelouch's reaction. There was no surprise or shock evident on his expression. Were her feelings that obvious over the past few years? Lelouch kept his silence and Shirley could feel her apprehension rising. "Lulu?" she asked hopefully, trying to get an answer from him.
"Shirley…" Lelouch closed his eyes and he involuntarily squeezed her hand, causing her to wince slightly. He had dreaded but also anticipated this moment for months ever since he agreed to return to Britannia, for their feelings would only be hurt in the long run if he reciprocated her emotions. "Just tell her that you can't accept her as anything more than a friend. Reject her," his rational part of his mind urged him. However, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't get those words out and instead gave a different reply. "I… can't give an answer right now. I'll tell you when the dance ends, alright?" He wanted to give himself any bit of time more to consider a different response. A pang shot through him as he witnessed Shirley becoming teary-eyed and he realized his words could have been interpreted as he did not want to be with her, but he was being polite in his rejection. "Shirley…" He did not know what else to say.
"It's okay, Lulu," Shirley sniffed miserably as she brushed at her eyes in an attempt to get rid of her tears. "After the dance, then," she gave him a sad smile, which was still alluring even in sorrow. Lelouch hated himself at that time as a tear rolled down her cheek. He wished that he could wipe it off her face, but once again the chains of his mind restrained his heart, and he did not do it.
"Let's continue," Lelouch said feebly as he stood up and Shirley, whose hand was still wrapped in his, followed suit. He led her to the dancing area, which was considerably less crowded now after nearly an hour. The music track playing was now a slower piece. "Perfect for waltzing," Lelouch thought as they settled into a close hold again. Thought then turned into action as Lelouch decided on doing so, leading Shirley's movements in a slow waltz. "She must have learnt dancing when she was younger", Lelouch realized as she followed Lelouch's moves almost perfectly. She seemed so different from the bumbling girl who couldn't even cook a simple bowl of pasta.
Shirley's eyes were downcast as they danced quietly around the circular area. Lelouch could feel his guilt increasing as he examined the normally cheerful girl looking incredibly despondent. He could sense his other emotions building up, fighting to break free of the grip of his logic-driven mind, his heart screaming at him to accept Shirley's feelings. He knew he had undoubtedly, somehow, fallen for her, but he could not simply abandon his intention to steer clear of romantic relationships, despite how much he yearned to do so. As though Shirley could sense his worried gaze, she looked up into his concerned eyes and beamed reassuringly, despite herself.
At that moment, Lelouch could feel himself going breathless, his heart thumping wildly in his chest as he was once more entranced by Shirley's lustrous smile. He remembered why he loved her smile so much. It was so alluring and bright... Instantly, all his bottled up feelings surged towards the boiling point. Self-reproach. Affection. Angst. For one of the rare moments in his life, Lelouch wanted to push all of his analytical, well-thought out plans and logic to give in to his whirlpool of rising emotions.
Suddenly, Lelouch realized that the music track was over, and he found himself bending over Shirley, who was leaning backwards against his arm. Time seemed to pause for them both, as they exchanged stares, wondering what was on each other's mind. "Shirley," Lelouch breathed into her ear tenderly, causing her to shiver from a mix of excitement and nervousness. His mind was still warring with his heart, the latter slowly and surprisingly getting an upper hand for the first time in years. The auburn-haired teenager searched for any trace of emotion on Lelouch's face. It seemed to be getting nearer to her. Too near.
An overwhelming outpouring of endearment for the girl before him finally overridden Lelouch's mind, and without a second thought, he kissed Shirley. His lips met hers, and her peridot green eyes growing extremely wide in stupefaction. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was slightly heavy. Slowly but surely, Shirley's eyes began to close too as she finally melted into his arms. The prince could feel Shirley's arms wrapping around his torso as she returned the kiss passionately. He could smell her lemon and lavender scented hair, which was almost intoxicating to him, but he concentrated on blocking everything out. He did not want this kiss – this moment of weakness on his part, to end.
They finally broke apart after what felt like eternity to them. Shirley was gradually getting aware of more noises in the background – scandalized whispering, shocked mutterings, loud whooping and exuberant cheering. It then hit her that she and Lelouch more or less kissed in the view of the entire school and she blushed furiously and attempted not to look at her schoolmates. Lelouch smirked as he noticed Shirley's flustered state. "Shirley," Lelouch called softly. Shirley blinked and looked up into his twin amethyst orbs. "Do you know my answer now?" Lelouch asked affectionately, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. A slow smile began spreading on Shirley's face as she nodded in understanding; her face now a shade of burning crimson. Her eyes were starting to be filled with tears again, but they were tears of joy – and Shirley made no effort in drying them as Lelouch led her out of the dance area.
As she walked away from the courtyard entirely, she could witness the reaction of her friends and Lelouch's fans. Gino was clapping exaggeratedly, his face spilt in a silly grin while Kallen and Suzaku were beaming at her. Rivalz gave her the thumbs up while Milly seized the microphone and began rambling about how Shirley finally made her move after two years of liking Lelouch. Miya and the rest of Lelouch's fan club looked beyond outraged, a crumpled plastic cup of overflowing fruit punch clenched tightly in the former's shaking fist. Shirley paid them no mind as Lelouch once more whisked her away, the soft touch of each other's lips still in their minds. Perhaps today was a good day after all.
Within minutes, Shirley and Lelouch reached the doors of Lelouch's home. There was a momentary pause as they exchanged grins, still holding hands with each other. "It has been a long day, Shirley. Goodnight," Lelouch said softly. He hesitated for a moment, and then he reached upwards to caress Shirley's cheek. The lithe swimmer felt like her dreams came true – as a matter of fact, they had. Still smiling, Lelouch opened the door to his home and released her hands. He was about to step in when Shirley called out. "Goodnight, Lulu. And um…" her voice trailed away and Lelouch shot her a puzzled look. "Um… I love you, Lulu," she said bashfully, her cheeks coloring as she fought to look Lelouch in the eye.
A warm sensation began spreading throughout Lelouch's body. "Love you too, Shirley," he whispered softly, but loud enough for her to hear. Shirley returned the smile as she closed the distance between them slowly and this time, Lelouch knew what she wanted. They shared another kiss, although it was a brief one. "I'll see you tomorrow," Lelouch assured and gave her hand a small squeeze. Shirley nodded and turned around before walking away. Lelouch allowed himself to indulge in watching her back slowly disappearing from his view before he sighed, his heart aching a little, and entered his home, only to find Jeremiah staring at him bemusedly, his muscular arms folded tightly across his chest.
"That was… an interesting display, Your Highness," Jeremiah commented neutrally. Lelouch rolled his eyes as he removed his blazer and bowtie. "I thought you mentioned that you were avoiding having relationships with anyone on Ashford, because you would be returning to Britannia in a few months' time."
"What you've just witnessed… wasn't part of the plan," Lelouch said lamely in a low voice. He glanced around the room. "It's highly likely that we'll be a couple now. I can't tell her we can't be together after we've admitted our feelings."
"So why did you, Your Highness?" Jeremiah questioned, his brows furrowing.
"I acted on my emotions. I couldn't resist her. I can't believe that I just threw my rationality out of the window though," Lelouch admitted, brushing his fringe aside. "Now I may regret it since, like you said, I'll be going back to the homeland soon."
"It's not unnatural for men around your age to act like that, Your Highness."
"I know that," Lelouch snapped in annoyance. "But I'm supposed to be better than them. And now I have deal with this as well before I return."
"Well, why not bring her back to Britannia with you? The National Britannian Ball is only days away from your graduation from Ashford after all, and you need a dance partner. She seems like a good one."
"Are you suggesting that I ask her to go to the homeland with me?" Lelouch asked slowly, frowning as he did so. He did not want to leave Shirley behind, and that the only solution was for her to go with him, but he had some uncertainties about the idea of bringing her with him to Britannia.
"Yes, Your Highness," Jeremiah shrugged nonchalantly. "It would be a good opportunity for you two to see whether you are in love or it is just typical puppy romance after all. If you two could live with each other for an extended period of time… well, nothing beats staying together to test how you two will fit into each other's everyday life."
"You may have a point, but Shirley returning with me to Britannia… there might be some issues. I would be exposing her to the life of a Britannian royal, and that isn't exactly all sunshine and rainbows."
"Oh, there will definitely be some nobles who would have their feathers ruffled by seeing a commoner with you. But I doubt you'll give a damn about them, after spending two years around you. You're quite leery of the Britannian aristocracy in general," Jeremiah countered, grinning at his liege. "Besides, if you truly want to be together with her, it is inevitable that she has to learn that you're a prince. Why not sooner than later? As for security… the Sword of Akasha is gone, and you and I know that we'll protect her to the best of our abilities. What other problems can there be?"
Lelouch contemplated Jeremiah's decision, turning the idea over and over in his mind. While the emotional part of him immediately screamed at him to take up the suggestion, the analytical bit of his mind insisted on taking his time to mull over the wisdom of the plan. "Thank you for your suggestion, Margrave Gottwald. I'll consider it. Now if you excuse me, I need to see Nunnally," Lelouch abruptly crossed the living room of his home, passing the nobleman wordlessly as he bustled towards his little sister's room.
Lelouch found Nunnally still awake, her small hands folding an origami crane. Numerous origami figures rested on her bedroom's table. She looked up the instant her door was opened, and upon recognizing her older brother, her face spilt into a wide smile. "Big brother! You're back!" Nunnally scooted over to him and hugged his midriff.
"Hello, Nunnally," Lelouch grinned as he stroked Nunnally's sandy brown hair. They spent a minute or two of comfortable silence in that position before Nunnally could detect that the prince had something to tell her. The princess looked up at her brother questioningly as she disengaged reluctantly from him. "Nunnally… can I ask you about what do your opinion of Shirley?" His question did not seem to catch her off guard for she showed no sign of surprise. Instead, she appeared to be in deep thought the instant he voiced his question.
"Hmm… Shirley? She seems to be a sweet and caring person. She can be quite clumsy and shy, but I believe she's very nice and I have no problems about getting along with her," Nunnally said slowly, observing Lelouch, who looked more relieved as the words spilled out of her. "Big brother… I've actually heard the conversation between you and Jeremiah outside."
"You did?" Lelouch furrowed his brows together, patiently waiting for his sister to elaborate.
"Well… none of you bothered to keep your voices down…"
"Okay, so you did. What about it?" Lelouch chuckled.
"I think Jeremiah brings up a good point. Don't let a good girl like Shirley fall from your grasp. You love her, don't you?"
Lelouch paused for a moment. "I think I do. Wait, there is no 'think', yes, I do love her." Lelouch exhaled a little as he mulled over his emotions. "There's no denying it. She has become a part of my life. I'd hate if she were gone…"
"Then go for it, big brother. You should have just gone on, regardless of my opinion. I'm content as long as you are happy."
"Nunnally…" Lelouch's voice broke a little. His expression softened as he stared at her, a strong emotion overwhelming him.
"Yes, big brother?"
"I'm sorry that I have to leave you behind," Lelouch called out tenderly and he knelt down before reaching out, grasping his sister's hands gently. "I'll entrust you to Sayoko while I'm gone. I'll retrieve you once I've confirmed that the Emperor has given me the document containing my conditions and his signature. We can still keep in touch over the computer." While he was slowly beginning to grow less resentful of his father, he still did not trust his word that easily. It was for the best if he ensured that the Emperor kept his promise again.
"Big brother…" Nunnally did not know whether to cry or smile, and instead settled for another embrace with her beloved sibling. She hated to be apart from Lelouch, but she decided against trying to persuade her brother to let her go with him, for she knew he would not be at ease if she did so. "I understand. Please don't take too long before you come and get me, alright?"
"I promise you that it won't take long, Nunnally. I promise."
Three months later, The Holy Britannian Empire, somewhere in Pendragon…
Ex-duke Calares turned over in his cot for what seemed to be the twentieth time that night. The damn thing was nowhere as comfortable as his deluxe king-sized bed in his luxurious mansion, but he supposed that he would never experience such opulence again, ever since he was arrested and thrown into prison by Cornelia li Britannia, the second princess, and Schneizel el Britannia, the second prince and prime minister of Britannia. Right now he was merely a dead man walking, awaiting for his execution. He doubted that it would be painless, for the Emperor appeared to abhor them greatly. Calares supposed he couldn't fault him, after all, the Sword of Akasha was more than a nuisance to him throughout his rule, even if they did not kill his wife. He thought he had covered his tracks well about his involvement in the Sword of Akasha's activities, but either he thought wrong or the Emperor's children were much more capable than he estimated.
Calares was a well-built man with reddish-brown short ear and moustache. He was slightly tall and often had a stern expression. Unlike most of the Sword of Akasha members, he was a capable military commander and led several expeditions against Britannia's enemies. He took pride in his competence and was often scornful of his lazier comrades. However, apparently that was not even near enough to excuse him for his so-called crimes, and Calares cursed the heavens for the series of misfortunes that befell the Sword of Akasha. Not only their leaders have been executed, but the most experienced members – the cream of the crop, had either fallen in the assassination attempt of Lelouch vi Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia or captured by the Emperor's children. Damn that Margrave Gottwald and his accurate intuitions, for he prevented the success of their assault on the Aries Villa. And now, whatever remained of the once glorious organization was being hunted down like dogs, the proud nobles fleeing before the wrath of the Emperor and his children. The end of the Sword of Akasha was near.
The thunderous sound of explosions and gunfire rudely interrupted Calares's forlorn thoughts and he immediately sat up. Never would he imagine that he would hear such sounds in the prison, with the exception of the execution area, which was thankfully a good distance away from his cell. Shouts and screams of panic echoed wildly and he shivered as he attempted to shut out the near deafening noises. A trio of prison guards along his cell's corridor yelled among themselves as they gathered their weapons – a mixed collection of submachine guns and rifles and they marched cautiously towards the commotion.
"What's going on?" Calares demanded loudly of them. They did not even deign to reply him as they sped past his cell. Calares huffed in annoyance, staring at the dark grey walls of the prison, and then the blood chilling sound of agonized screams and gunfire, with the sound of heavy bodies dropping on the floor, met his ears. The ex-duke winced and tried to cover his ears to no avail.
Just when Calares thought his eardrums would burst, the cacophony ceased. There was a growing sound of leather boots clacking firmly on the prison's stone floor and Calares discerned that there was someone approaching him. Calares did not have to wait long, for he suddenly found himself face to face with a tall man in regal garb. The ex-duke was not short, but this man towered over him easily. He sought to look at the individual's face for any hope of recognition, but he had a mask, which was pure white with a gold circle along where the face should be, and its top was adorned with a series of spikes, forming a crown of sorts. There was a smudge of blood on his mask, which the mysterious man wiped away casually with his dark gloved hands. His clothing and cape was pure white as well, with gold trims and he carried himself confidently as though the world was centered on him. Polished gold and silver pauldrons weighed on his shoulders, although the figure showed no sign of bearing their heavy weight. A symbol of a golden greatsword pointing towards the sky, complete with seven golden stars forming a semi-circle around its hilt, was adorned on his cape. Behind him were a dozen men, wearing dark plain uniforms and carrying military-grade rifles as they marched silently behind the masked figure. He radiated a strong aura of majesty and raw power. Calares could feel the mysterious masked man's gaze on him and he felt puny, almost unworthy of the attention that he was bestowing him. He was baffled – he used to be a duke, the highest rank a Britannian noble can get, for crying out loud! How could someone make him feel so small?
"Ex-Duke Calares," the masked man spoke. His voice was distorted, perhaps by design of his mask or electronic means. Calares could not even place if it sounded male or female. "You were arrested under the charges of being a member of the Sword of Akasha and supplying the organization with funds and weaponry, were you not?"
"Yes, I was," Calares answered. For some reason he could not bring himself to lie to this magnificent being. "Are you the executioner? Have you come to kill me?" He dared himself to ask.
"Executioner?" Calares's question seemed to only amuse the masked man as he threw back his head and guffawed heartily. Calares merely blinked in confusion. "Oh, no. Ex-duke Calares, I have not come to take your life away. In fact, I have come to give you a chance of being… reborn." The mysterious individual finished dramatically.
"Who are you?" Calares stared at the subject of his awe and perplexity. If this was a member of the Sword of Akasha, surely he would have noticed him before! A man carrying such an atmosphere of magnetism and charisma would have been easily noticeable.
"I am the new leader of the Sword of Akasha. I have come to free all of you under these false claims of treason," the masked man announced in a booming voice which carried across the prison. Many inmates started peeking out of their rust and grime encrusted bars excitedly. "You may call me Infinity, for soon my power would be limitless and beyond!" He said haughtily. "I beseech of you, ex-duke Calares, to join me in my quest to resurrect the Sword of Akasha!"
"I would like to, Infinity, but even if I did, I am no longer an aristocrat and I would never reclaim my nobility," Calares pointed out, heaving a heavy sigh. His heart yearned for revenge, but he knew that even if satisfied his desires, nothing but an empty life would await him.
"You are mistaken, Calares," Infinity pointed out. Calares raised his eyebrows questioningly at the masked man. "For I do not merely seek to reestablish the Sword, but I also wish to overthrow the very Emperor of Britannia!" The ex-duke's eyes widened, his eyes fixated on Infinity in wonder and incredulity. "I promise I will reinstate each and every single one of you, who were unjustly stripped of your titles and thrown into this forsaken place!"
Cheers erupted among the inmates, many of them watching the masked individual eagerly. "But first, I seek your aid and cooperation as fighters and soldiers so that we can realize our dream!" The ruckus died down a little and muttering broke out, for many of them were nobles who had little experience in fighting. Some of them served the military before, but most of them were clueless about soldiering, partly because they found it distasteful. Calares ignored the distressed mumbling, for he was one of the former and had nothing but disdain for the latter.
"What's better? To struggle, to fight for your dreams or to rot in your cells, awaiting execution like a man without dignity?" Infinity challenged, sensing the doubt and skepticism rising among his potential troops. The mutinous murmuring ceased and Infinity smiled under his mask. "That's better. Not to worry, all of you will be provided with more than adequate training and equipment. Now, ex-duke Calares, will you accept my offer?" He turned towards the ex-nobleman.
"You speak the truth, Infinity," Calares agreed as he rose from his cot. The new leader of the Sword of Akasha then produced a key from one of the corpses of the now dead prison guards, which he used to unlock Calares's cell. The ex-duke stepped out and stood beside Infinity. "I pledge myself to you, Infinity. May the Sword of Akasha flourish."
"Indeed," Infinity laughed triumphantly, rubbing his hands together exuberantly as he stalked across the prison corridor, releasing more prisoners from their captivity, all of whom scampered eagerly beside him. "Now, let's allow the whole world to know, shall we? Let them know that the Sword of Akasha has returned."
Author's Note: And here's the big problem - Lelouch isn't aware of this when he returns. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Honestly I don't think I did the romance bit very well (sadface), in fact I think the pairing was a tad too rushed (but I think it's necessary for the story to progress). In my defense I never really appreciated works of romance to begin with (Ironic, here I am writing this!). Or maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. Nonetheless I really hoped that I did the pair some justice :/
Anyway, if there are any Kallen x Gino fans somehow reading this fic, I have to say that it's not that I dislike the pairing. Honestly I think they're fine and might even work out, but I thought Kallen's reaction to him would be natural since, well, they just met and she still is somewhat leery of Britannians at this point. I pretty much threw in Kallen stepping on his toes just for humor's sake.
Honestly I initially wanted to show the Sword of Akasha's (SoA for short) return only when Lelouch is reunited with his extended family in Britannia, but I felt that it would be too 'out of the blue' and showing their ressurection here would add a better ending note to this (hooray?)
In case anyone was wondering, yes, Infinity (cheesy name alert!) is meant to be an 'opposite' of Zero. Even his name is the opposite of Zero (Infinity vs Zero/Nothingness). In my opinion, he's fairly easy to picture in your mind. Just think of someone in a Zero costume (albeit taller and wider), except that its colour is white instead of black/dark blue, a bunch of spikes forming a crown on the top of the mask and heavy plate shoulder armor on his shoulders, plus the symbol of the SoA on the cape (The great sword and seven stars).
I chose white because white represents purity, in a way, so it symbolizes the SoA's misguided beliefs of purity of blood. The colour gold is associated with grandeur and confidence. Truthfully I think the idea is rather cheesy, but it's crucial that he is masked and I couldn't think of a better way to represent him.
Do let me know what you guys think about this, nonetheless. Frankly speaking, I think this part of the story is the most delicate part, since it serves as a bridge between the more light-hearted chapters in Ashford and the more dramatic ones later one.
Important Note: I'm heading to Tokyo and Osaka from the 5th of April till the 14th. I've just realized I've uploaded nine chapters in six weeks and I'm starting to feel fatigued. This will be a good break for me, I guess. Sadly, I would not be posting any chapters during my trip to Japan. The tentative date for the 10th chapter's release would be around the last week of April, maybe sooner if I can write fast (and well) enough.