Author's Note: Hello, readers. I apologize for taking so long with this chapter. And thank you for all the positive feedback and encouraging reviews for the last chapter. The reason why I took so long for this one was that I had quite a busy schedule for the past few months, and whenever I managed to catch a break, honestly I find myself being unable to write much. I often end up turning to my other hobbies instead. The cycle then repeats... and so it goes.
Anyway, enough about me griping about my life. This chapter mainly focuses on Carine's fate after her capture, plus some Lelouch/Shirley and Rolo moments. As usual, I'm a little unsure of how it went despite checking it repeatedly, so once again, do let me know what you guys think of this chapter. I hope you will enjoy reading it.
Chapter 22
Incandescence
The steel door to the villa's control room was slammed open as Lelouch strode inside with vigor. He paused before a slight female figure, who was seated on an iron chair. She was blindfolded with a cloth the color of ebony, her legs were tied to those of the chair and her wrists were secured to its armrests. The prince's lip curled in disgust as Carine ne Britannia, fifth princess of the Holy Britannian Empire, struggled furiously against her bonds, her dark crimson hair swinging about, and let out a crestfallen groan when her efforts proved to be futile. A small assemblage of people - consisting of Jeremiah, Shirley, and Euphemia, behind the prince peered at the apprehended teenage royal as well. Both girls insisted that they attend Carine's interrogation, and Lelouch reluctantly permitted it, although he felt that he should usher them out if things ever get violent.
"I still can't believe it," Euphemia murmured at a barely audible volume. "I mean, I know there are members of the Sword of Akasha among us royalty, but still… family members killing each other..." She shuddered slightly, although she knew such a thing would eventually occur when the competition for the imperial throne began.
"Sister Euphemia?" Carine suddenly piped up. She immediately tried her best to adopt a more attentive posture despite her restraints. "Is that you? Please tell me that it's you!"
"Yes, it's me," the older princess softly replied. Lelouch snorted and shook his head.
"There has to be some sort of mistake. I was told that I'm under arrest for conspiring against our family, but I can assure you - that's not true! Could you please release me? I would be happy to help with whatever you need from me-"
"Perfect. That would be most welcome. I would prefer not to get my hands dirty while attempting to get you to spill all of your secrets," Lelouch interrupted sardonically, causing Carine to start.
"Is that you, Lelouch? Like I said earlier, you got the wrong person! I am innocent! I have no reason to be malicious towards you-"
"Shut up," the eleventh prince ordered harshly. He glanced towards Jeremiah. "Remove her blindfold, Margrave Gottwald." The noble obeyed, striding towards Carine. In a swift, inelegant motion, he roughly tore the cloth obscuring her eyes with one hand. She blinked her cerulean eyes rapidly, adjusting to the sudden light of the chamber. "Now you shall answer my questions honestly. Firstly, who are the other members of the Sword of Akasha?"
"No idea," Carine returned with a straight face, her expression not betraying her words so far. "I can't possibly know that. Like I said, I have no relations to them whatsoever."
Lelouch let out a long, drawn-out sigh and turned to address his companions. "Euphemia. Shirley. I have to ask you two to leave before this gets unsightly." He had hoped, perhaps somewhat naively, that he would not be required to utilize violent means to question his half-sister. However, it is apparent that such a distasteful yet effective method was required to be employed.
"No." The reply of both girls was quick and in unison. They gazed at Lelouch with adamant looks on their normally-gentle faces.
"Why not?"
"She belongs to the Sword of Akasha, doesn't she? I want to hear... I need to hear from those who murdered my father myself," Shirley insisted. She briefly made eye contact with Carine, who only tilted her head at her in mild befuddlement. It rankled her - how much more did Carine wanted to keep up the pretense of being guilt-free? The evidence that she was involved with the terrorists was damning.
"I want to witness the whole thing. I need to hear about this myself as a member of the royal family. Someday in the future, I might be required to do something as harsh but necessary as what you are going to do," Euphemia added sombrely. "Even though I pray that the day would never come."
"Don't say that I didn't warn you, then." Lelouch took a deep breath. "I give you one final chance, Carine. No matter how much you claim that your hands are clean, there is no way you can weasel out of this one. The proof is nothing but concrete. I will resort to any means I deem necessary to extract the truth from you." He stepped forward towards Carine and leaned forward. "Now, I'll ask you this, amiably, for the final time. Who are the other members of the Sword of Akasha?"
Carine stared at her elder half-brother mutely. There was something about his expression - a mask of deceiving calmness, that secretly terrified her. Her half-petrified mind worked as fast as it could. She was torn between the decision of keeping her silence or spilling the beans to Lelouch. A part of her desperately wanted to believe that the Sword of Akasha would rescue her. Infinity was a master strategist, wasn't he? Surely that enigmatic man would rescue her, a top ranking member of the terrorists and a royal princess to boot-
"Time's up," the intense, cool voice of the eleventh prince brought Carine out of her frantic contemplation. Jeremiah stepped forward, his expression devoid of any emotion. She hastily opened her mouth with the intention to plead with him to wait, but she never had the chance.
A sharp pain flooded Carine's senses as the cyborg backhanded her savagely across the jaw. She barely had time to register her agony before another heavy blow was delivered to her midsection, almost causing the chair, which was bolted to the ground, to fall over. "Owww!" The princess screamed, her hands rattling desperately against their bonds, trying to shield herself from further harm.
Both Shirley and Euphemia flinched slightly at the sudden sound of palm striking flesh. The latter looked a little ill but did not avert her gaze, while the former repressed any sort of sympathy she could feel for Carine. She could not find it in herself to pity those who were so blinded by hatred that they delighted in murdering innocents.
"That was just the tip of the iceberg," Lelouch coolly informed his prisoner, who was now gasping for breath. "Well? Willing to talk yet?"
Carine wheezed and took in a gulp of air. Could trying to keep her silence ultimately turn out to be a mistake? "Give me a mome-argghh!" Her words turned into a bloodcurdling howl mid-sentence as the Margrave not even allow her to complete her sentence before he drove a slim knife through her right hand, nailing it to the armrest. "Goddamnit…" She sobbed feebly and hung her head. Tears of unbearable pain started falling from her eyes while blood began trickling down the chair's armrest.
"I do not have a moment. The luxury of time is, unfortunately, something I do not possess right now."
"I-I'm trying to make a d-decision here!" Carine cried out at her half-brother, the cause of her excruciating agony.
"There is only one decision I will allow you to make. Until then, you can dream on about getting a reprieve, you degenerate!" Amethyst orbs were alight with wrath. Euphemia stared at Lelouch, her eyes as wide as saucers. She had never witnessed him in such a towering fury before. If she was frank with herself, it was quite a frightening sight to behold.
"I…" More tears dripped from Carine's eyes and she sniffed loudly. "But I can't… no… should I…?" Her voice was tinged with uncertainty and distress. The princess was starting to sound like she was on the verge of a massive breakdown.
"There are over two hundred nonvital areas in the human body which can be lacerated, excised, burned and mutilated without placing the individual in any immediate danger of death. If need be, I will exploit each and every single one of them to its utmost at my own leisure… unless you are finally willing to divulge the information we seek?" The prince's voice was quiet, but his tone was admonitory and turned her blood into ice.
"..." Carine looked despondent and haunted, her words becoming increasingly incoherent. "I… wait, please… I'll…" Lelouch's eyes narrowed dangerously and he let out a small sigh. If he was frank with himself, he was starting to feel distasteful of the relentless brutality. However, it was imperative to intimidate Carine into revealing everything she knew, and he had to do it fast. Lelouch started raising his hand to indicate to Jeremiah to resume tormenting Carine when her head snapped upwards in a panic. "Guinevere! Guinevere de Britannia! T-the first princess!"
Lelouch's hand halted in mid-gesture, and he fought the urge to allow himself to smile triumphantly. Finally, Carine caved in, and he was surprised that that brat lasted longer than he expected. "Not unexpected. And did not I asked for the other members? Members, as in plural. Or perhaps you need another reminder?"
"D-Duke Calares. Ex-duke, I mean. Grand Duke Ricardo - no, he's dead. Earl Boris Ross, Marquess Elizabeth Taylor. Twenty-third Prince Arestor al Britannia. Viscount Laurence Griffiths." Carine began exposing the names of the nobles and royals who were affiliated with the Sword of Akasha at a rapid pace. Lelouch recognized most of them and even knew some of them as acquaintances, whom he met during his childhood.
The dark haired teen nodded slowly. The conversation was being recorded and relayed to his own troops and the Emperor. They would be ready to move out to apprehend these named individuals at a moment's notice. He waited for Carine to finish rambling and frowned. "The leader. Who's in charge?"
"About that... I-I know not his identity."
"What?" Lelouch raised an eyebrow in skeptically. "You don't even know the person who leads you? Are you telling me that you wish to resume our little game earlier?"
"N-no! It's the truth! I don't know who he is! He calls himself Infinity and took over out of a sudden! That man wears a mask and never takes it off in our presence!"
"And you nobles and royals were willing to obey a man whose face you have never seen?"
"The Sword of Akasha was defunct… None of us really knew what to do with our numbers so low and the Emperor continuously hounding us," Carine admitted. "When he came out of nowhere and somehow miraculously brought the organization back to life… well, I can only speak for myself, but I thought I should observe him for a while. Even if I don't particularly fancy his style and reasoning."
"And most likely you were keeping an eye out for any openings for you to either surpass him or usurp his position. I'm inclined to think that the rest were thinking along those lines too."
"... Yes."
"Pathetic. Nothing but a gaggle of backstabbing rogues," Lelouch commented disdainfully. "So what does he want? I doubt he merely wishes to purify the bloodlines of the Britannian nobility and royalty. Judging from how he conceals his identity even from his own men, his endgame must be something much more mature and bigger than just that."
"He… has mentioned something about a key to a superweapon. That man claims that he would be able to bring his opponents to their knees, no matter how strong they are. And that the key… might be kept hidden by you, in the Aries Villa."
"Key?" Euphemia asked blankly, but Lelouch understood with dismay. He took a sharp intake of breath upon hearing his shackled half-sister's words. If what she said was true - there was only one thing this Infinity was looking for. The key of the Damocles, and that he was suspected of securing it. A million thoughts and questions came to his already taxed mind. Who was Infinity and was he the creator of the Damocles? If he thought that the key was in the villa, would he have already infiltrated the place somehow? He shouldn't have accepted Charles's request of safeguarding that blasted key. The prince pushed all of these aside. Firstly, he had to move the location of the key as soon as possible.
"Lulu?" Lelouch started and was brought out of his ruminations. He looked up at Shirley, who was staring intently at him. "Is anything the matter?"
"Not quite." Paranoia had a firm grip on the male royal now. One cannot truly be certain that there might be bugs in place if the villa is infiltrated. He gave an apologetic look to Shirley before turning his attention to Carine. "Where are your hideouts?" Perhaps with that knowledge, his men would be able to strike at the Sword of Akasha before anything happened.
"I-I am only aware that we have three. One of them is six kilometers southwest of the imperial palace. Our main base is somewhere north of my residence… about fifteen kilometers. The last one is underground. The entrance is located in the forest east of Marquess Elizabeth's villa. These three are the only ones I know of, I swear!"
"You heard her," Lelouch spoke aloud, addressing the numerous teams of knights listening to the conversation. "You know what to do." Carine glanced around nervously. He doubted that the Sword of Akasha indeed only had three bases. Even if they did, they may have somehow placed listening devices here and would be well on their way to escape already. Lelouch made a mental note to himself to check the villa for bugs again once the interrogation was complete. In fact, he had little to ask of Carine anymore, save-
"Lulu. May I ask her something if you are already done?" Shirley asked suddenly. Lelouch nodded slowly. She turned to face Carine, who wore an expression of wariness upon seeing her steely eyes.
There was a prolonged silence, most of which was spent by the two staring at each other.
"Why?" Shirley finally asked, her voice full of bitterness. "Why did you people kill my father?"
"What?" Carine frowned. She was puzzled - Infinity never saw the need for his other underlings to know that Joseph Fenette was murdered. "What do you mean by us- killing your father?"
"Don't act oblivious!" Shirley's voice grew shrill. "Who else would do such a thing?"
"I don't know. Couldn't it be a burglar or something-"
"His head was sent to us!" Shirley clenched her fists, and sparks of anger and barely buried grief was ignited within her. There was a familiar moisture around her eyes, and she knew she was beginning to cry again. "Who else has reason to do such a deed? My family doesn't have any enemies."
"Maybe it was someone from the Sword of A-Akasha," Carine bit down hard on her lower lip, trying to distract herself, perhaps futilely, from the excruciating pain of her impaled right hand. This time, she knew she was not at fault. "Some of us do act independently from time to time…"
"Who did it?!"
"I'm telling you, I have absolutely no idea. It was just my conjecture that one of them was involved."
Shirley furrowed her eyebrows, the fingernails of her hand biting deeply into her other forearm and drawing tiny beads of blood. She was so deeply overcome by disappointment over the lack of answers that she did not register the pain and the fact that she punctured her own skin.
"Shirley," Lelouch began uneasily, sensing her dissatisfaction and sorrow. He was worried that her emotional state might collapse again.
"I know," Shirley sighed. "I just wanted to know. It doesn't change anything." She forced herself to smile at her boyfriend, who was still eyeing her with concern. "I'm fine."
Lelouch placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently as a gesture of comfort. "How about you, Euphie? Any questions to ask our dear sister here?"
"N-no. Just that… oh, why, Carine? Why did you join them? They're murderers and terrorists."
"I can't explain, and you wouldn't understand if I did, Euphie," Carine grimaced. She would not expect the third princess, who always hung around Lelouch and Nunnally in the past to comprehend.
"Seems like a worm such as yourself can be right sometimes. You wouldn't understand her, Euphie. I'd advise you to not even try to." Lelouch chimed in, glaring at Carine.
"So… I've told you everything I know. Now what?" Carine asked weakly, trying not to look at the slim blade protruding from the middle of her palm.
"We wait. For the people whom you've mentioned to be apprehended." Lelouch's reply was succinct. He glanced at his watch. "We have plenty of time." Jeremiah stepped aside, leaving the four of them to stare mutely at each other for the next half an hour or so. Carine wondered what fate did her brother planned for her. Maybe, hopefully, he would set her free or at least spare her. After all, had she not been assisting them in identifying the other members of the Sword of Akasha?
"Yes. Understood, Darlton," Jeremiah murmured, utilizing the communications system built inside him. The cyborg shifted to regard his liege. "Your Highness. Darlton reports that all of the targets named by Princess Carine has been successfully captured. About five of them admitted to fraternizing with the terrorists. The rest are keeping tight-lipped about it. Additionally, all three venues pointed out as their bases have been seized."
"Any sign of that masked man she described? Their leader, someone named Infinity."
"None, Your Highness. The arrested nobles and royals are unable to give us his whereabouts."
Lelouch sighed. He was anticipating the ringleader to be snagged when he first devised this plan. Mayhaps it was too much to hope for. His amethyst orbs rested on Carine. "I suppose I should thank you at the very least for cooperating with us."
"I-I only did what was asked of me," Carine stammered. She flexed the fingers of her right hand in agitation. "So… what now? I assisted you, after all, right?"
"Yes, you did. And for that…" The startling sound of a firearm cocking filled the control room. Carine found herself staring down the barrel of a large caliber handgun. "I will release you from your pitiful existence."
"Wha-!? Wait! How could you- wasn't I helpful with your investigation?!" Carine shrieked hysterically. She fought against her bonds so furiously that she did not notice her hand starting to tear and bleed as her flesh jostled against the razor sharp blade. "You can't be serious, Lelouch!"
"Don't flatter yourself. You only helped because I made you do it. This is the end lowlifes such as you deserve. Nothing less."
"Lelouch, you… bastar-!" There was a series of deafening thunderclaps and followed by the clattering of half a dozen expended copper shells dropping on the metallic floor. Euphemia let out a muffled scream, which was easily drowned out by the gunshots. Shirley took a step back and fought the urge to throw up. Carine ceased talking, and it would be a marvel if she could utter a single sound. The entirety of her head above her lower jaw was in gory ruins, and the area behind her was splattered with not only crimson fluid but gray matter as well.
"Your Highness. Perhaps a little warning would be great next time," Jeremiah scrutinized the once-identifiable body of a sixteen-year-old Britannian princess. "There are other people watching."
Lelouch swallowed heavily and slowly lowered the magnum, his eardrums ringing from the deafening gunshots. The raging fire in his amethyst orbs started to die out. "Sorry. I got carried away." He glanced downwards at his clothes with a grimace. His white shirt was now stained with splatters of blood.
"Understandable, knowing what you had to go through because of people of her ilk."
The raven haired teen did not reply. Instead, he spun around to regard his other two companions and spoke in a low voice. "I apologize that you had to see that. It must have been jarring."
"Not at all," Shirley said faintly, although she was averting her gaze from the gruesome corpse.
Lelouch gave Shirley a knowing smile. She was not the sort who could stomach such grisly sights easily. Inadvertently, the remnants of his guilt returned to haunt him briefly, and there was another small pang of remorse, but he forcefully shoved it aside. His tactics have paid off, the terrorists were getting rounded up and their predicament could only get better. The prince glanced up at the ceiling and uttered. "After the many months of being pursued unjustly by them and the unnecessary deaths of innocents, it begins. The downfall of the Sword of Akasha. At long last…"
Six weeks later…
Gone was the scorching days of summer, which was prevalent several weeks ago. Now it was replaced with crisp, cool air, signaling the start of Autumn. Many days have passed since the fifth princess, Carine ne Britannia, was successfully arrested for under the charges of conspiring with terrorists against the royal family. Nearly every single individual named by Carine as a member of Sword of Akasha were tracked down and apprehended as well. These people were then extensively interrogated and made to give the names of the other terrorists who have yet to be identified and the locations of their bases before they were executed - and the cycle continued.
After things have calmed down, Lelouch estimated that the detained and killed terrorists made up about eighty-five percent of the Sword of Akasha's manpower. Among them were most of their major backers who provided them with military equipment and financial support. Furthermore, half a dozen of their bases were raided and destroyed, their military assets seized as well. Thus, the prince was confident that the organization, with a capable leader at its helm or otherwise, was teetering on the edge of collapse. If the imperial forces continued to keep up the pressure on them, the terrorists would soon cease to be.
With the Sword of Akasha ceasing to be an oppressive threat, the general atmosphere and mood of everyone in the villa were much more positive. The guards were less grim-faced and tense, although they still took their duties with utmost seriousness. The servants, too, were less grim-faced, as their place of work and accommodation was surely safer now. Even Shirley, who rarely smiled since her father's passing and still missed him dearly, made a near-complete return to her cheerful self. Despite that, she would never be the same as she was before then. In short, everyone was feeling considerably better and looking forward to future days. There was only one exception - Rolo.
To say that the thoughts in the young assassin's head were tumultuous would be a great understatement. Upon hearing that Carine ne Britannia was in the hands of Lelouch, he was at first shocked that a member of the Sword of Akasha was captured, then fretful that she may leak vital information. Rolo might be a mere spy, but he had the foresight that she would eventually reveal that they were after the Damocles key and swiftly removed all of the bugs he had placed in the villa to mask any attempts of infiltration.
He attempted to eavesdrop on Lelouch's interrogation of Carine, but the soldiers standing guard outside made it difficult to hear anything. The only thing he heard was a series of the all-too-familiar sounds of gunshots. Following that, he managed to get a glimpse of Lelouch exiting the room, his clothes stained with crimson fluid. With that, Rolo concluded that Carine was killed by him and that she spilled everything she knew, otherwise the prince wouldn't have gotten rid of her before then.
Currently, Rolo was pacing around the entire villa while he resolved to sort out his maelstrom of thoughts. The fact that now Lelouch obtained the information of other Sword of Akasha members and locations of their bases meant that Rolo's master, Infinity, could be in danger of being captured. If that happened, Rolo feared that Infinity may be coerced to reveal everything he knew as well, which included Rolo's mission and masquerade as a servant. And that would undoubtedly lead to his demise as well.
Rolo had considered pledging his allegiance to Lelouch and renouncing his past multiple times. However, he was uncertain about the wisdom of such a move. Didn't Lelouch ended the life of his half-sister for being associated with the Sword of Akasha? It may be a stretch to say that the eleventh prince committed sororicide, but wasn't she still part of his actual family? Rolo may not have had his family members around before, save his adoptive and abusive parents, but he always had the conception that a family should be close knit and loving towards each other. If Lelouch slew one of his flesh and blood for being a terrorist, what little hope of being pardoned would Rolo have when he was barely a friend in his eyes?
Furthermore, in the case that Rolo tried to reject his past and join Lelouch, he may have to disclose his previous involvements with the Sword of Akasha. The brown haired youth did not really care about most of his missions in the past, but there was one which bothered him deeply if he had to confess it to Lelouch. It was Joseph Fenette's murder. And if Shirley knew of that-
Rolo clenched his fist around his cell phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Shirley would no doubt despise him for killing her father. He brought the phone up to his eye level and watched the heart shaped locket attached to it swing about. The first and only person who showed him genuine kindness and goodwill would turn to hate him, and he could not begrudge her for that. Nor could he stand the thought of it. But what little choice did he have? He could only remain in Infinity's service, from whom he had not heard from in weeks and might be nabbed sooner or later, pledge allegiance to Lelouch and likely be forced to reveal his past in the process, which would more likely get himself executed, or escape to the outside world where he knows not a single soul. None of the three choices were appealing in the least, and the lack of a viable one was maddening.
"Damn it," Rolo murmured under his breath. It was just so frustrating. If only someone could give him advice… the last person who gave him some was none other than Shirley. However, he couldn't ask her for guidance in this matter for obvious reasons, which merely vexed him even more. With an exasperated growl, Rolo increased the speed of his walking. As he pondered for the umpteenth time about his situation, he found himself in the entrance leading towards the villa's gardens and paused. This was when he first contemplated killing Shirley for the sake of his mission, he recalled. Now he found it rather repulsive.
The assassin took a few steps deeper into the garden and his pinkish eyes laid themselves on a familiar, lithe figure seated atop a small hill surrounded by flowers. Rolo blinked twice and noted the individual's bright orange hair which billowed about in the strong autumn breeze. She had her back facing him and thus could not spot him at all. Behind her was another person, a tall male with smooth raven hair swept to one side, who was approaching her quietly. "It's them. Lelouch and Shirley," Rolo thought.
A burning, unending inquisitiveness took hold of Rolo and he reached towards his pocket. Within it was the eavesdropping devices with camouflaging capabilities which he once installed in the villa. Without much further thought, his hand retrieved one and activated it. He deftly configured it such that it was no longer linked to Infinity's electronic devices, but to his own cellphone instead. Rolo took careful aim - it should not be too far from them that hearing them would be a pain, nor too near that it may be noticed, then he lobbed it towards them in an overhead throw. The bug landed, with a soft thud, ten feet away from the pair, but the sound of it was easily muffled not only by the soft grass but the blowing wind as well. Temporarily, satisfied, Rolo retreated back into the hallway from where he came from. He drew his phone from his pocket, pressed it against his ear and began to listen…
Shirley gazed absent-mindedly at the setting globe of flame on the horizon, which bathed the Aries Villa with a glow the color of her hair. She was seated cross-legged on the grass-laden ground of the garden and clad in a simple, sleeveless white dress, its hem barely reaching the top of her knees. Her locks, which had finally grown back enough to somewhat resemble her previous appearance, was done up in the same style as she always had.
The barely audible sound of footsteps suddenly registered itself in Shirley's mind, and she turned her head to behold Lelouch. He wore nothing extravagant, just his usual black dark top paired with his jeans and maroon leather jacket. In Shirley's eyes, he looked nothing like a prince. There was a relaxed air around him, which reminded Shirley of his old self as Lelouch Lamperouge, skipper of classes and ace scorer of exams. He gave a small smile and simply sat next to her wordlessly.
The pair remained mum as the minutes ticked by, doing nothing but enjoying each other's presence and watching the sunset. How long did they just sat there in comfortable silence, Shirley did not know, nor she did not mind. They might have spent the entirety of whatever lasted of the day doing that until they fell asleep - that is until Lelouch decided to speak.
"You were thinking of how nice if it things remained this serene forever, were you not?" Lelouch asked confidently.
"Hmm?" Shirley blinked, not expecting the quietude to be broken in such an out-of-the-blue fashion. "Yeah. Yes, I was. How did you know, Lulu?"
"You had this wistful look in your eyes just now. I just coupled that with how well I knew you to make a logical guess."
"Is mind-reading one of your newfound powers now? You never cease to amaze," Shirley commented with a laugh. She briefly entertained the thought of challenging him, then decided to go ahead. "Alright. I ask you this. What was on my mind before that, then?"
Lelouch tilted his head and thought about it for a moment. "Seeing that you were so engrossed with looking at the horizon that you didn't notice my footsteps until the sound of them became rather obvious… You must be either reminiscing about something in the past or pondering about our future, seeing that we do not have any huge problems at the present."
"Not untrue."
The raven haired prince chuckled and laid himself down on the bed of grass. "So, tell me, Shirley. What were you thinking of?"
"I thought you were supposed to guess."
"So I did. I concluded that you were either thinking of the past or future. I can't be that precise in my speculations all the time. I'm not a mind-reader."
The slender female giggled slightly, a sound that was music to the prince's ears. He grinned sheepishly, hiding the fact that his previous words were a half truth. He did not know what Shirley was thinking of for certain, but he suspected and was afraid that it was her father, Joseph. Lelouch knew that it was unrealistic and foolish of him to expect Shirley not to brood over her deceased parent. However, he hoped she could put it behind her as soon as possible, although he sometimes wondered whether that was hypocritical of him. He was all too familiar with the pain of losing a parent, after all, and he took years to get over Marianne's equally violent passing.
"I was reminded of our times in the rooftop garden in Ashford Academy." The place was a frequent visit for Lelouch, where he spent time either idling about or reading books whenever he skived lessons. More than a few times, a slightly exasperated Shirley would meet him there after classes or sometimes in between them and tell him off for playing truant. As always, he would merely give another nonchalant shrug, and sometimes that led to banter or even romance, the latter only occurring when they started officially dating. "I miss those days, Lulu."
"So do I. Although I'm more curious as to why you're prompted to recall of them while in this garden. The differences between the one we had in school and here are enormous, don't you think?"
"In terms of size and variety, yes, but some things remain the same," Shirley gestured at the vast greenery surrounding them. "It's tranquil here. And quite idyllic… it reminds me of our carefree moments in the rooftop garden. We were so untroubled and joyful back then." Her voice suddenly adopted a more somber tone, and she sighed. "It's a pity. The scenery is ten times more beautiful than what we can get in the academy but I'll never be able to quite feel the same way here. There's something… irreplaceable at Ashford, but it's not here."
"Oh." The prince shifted around awkwardly.
Shirley's eyes widened and she hastily turned to face her boyfriend. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean that I regretted coming here or anything like that! I was just-"
Lelouch gently placed a finger on Shirley's lip, halting her in mid-talk. "I know." Her face was flushed, and he chortled, finding how quickly she got flustered adorable. "Still, I must address your concerns. It would be an impossibility for you to feel at peace here. Too many things have happened for that, and it's a fact that the Sword of Akasha is still lurking around. Fortunately for us, it's only a matter of time before they are wiped from existence. We would be able to seek justice for your father so that he may rest in peace."
"I'm glad to hear of that," Shirley replied with a small sigh. Soon, it would be entirely up to her to put her father's death behind her. "Whats happens next after that, Lulu?"
"The moment I've ensured that the Sword of Akasha has fallen, I'll retrieve Nunnally from Area Eleven and relieve Cornelia of her duty. It's been a long time since I saw my sister in the flesh. Far too long."
"Oh, of course," Shirley smiled. "It'll be nice to see Nunna again. I do miss having her around." She fondly recalled her interactions with Lelouch's younger sister, who on more than one occasion teased her about her feelings for him. Nevertheless, while it was embarrassing back then, it also enlivened her during their student days.
"So do I. And once she's by our side again… we'll all live together. The three of us. We'll be just like a family." Lelouch watched Shirley cautiously for her reaction. No doubt that the mention of a family would remind her of her estrangement
"A family... I-" There was a sudden rush of moisture in Shirley's eyes, and she blinked rapidly. "I'd like that." Her voice was almost quivering and barely audible. "I'd like that a lot, Lulu."
"Shirley," Lelouch's voice was equally quiet as hers. "I know a lot of things have happened, especially within your family. I'm sorry about it. It must feel terribly desolate to be isolated from them like that."
"It's… manageable." That was a half-truth. Shirley still had occasional moments where she would feel miserable and become teary-eyed over what her family was reduced to. If shy was alone, she would have gone to pieces a long time ago. "We're still together at least. And that's all that matters to me right now." She extended a slender hand and grasped Lelouch's, squeezing it affectionately.
The prince smiled and returned the squeeze. "I have no intention of changing that. When I said we were going to be like a family, that was a promise." His free hand reached into the interior of his leather jacket. "And now, it's time that I make good on that promise." Lelouch got down on one knee and produced a small leather box of a dark green color.
"Lulu," Shirley stared at the box nestled in Lelouch's palm with wide, unblinking eyes. "Is that what I think-"
"Yes," Lelouch affirmed, opening the case. Inside of it was a single, shimmering diamond ring with a glittering peridot in its center. The gem was a near flawless match with the color of Shirley's eyes. "We should already be conscious of this, but I'll say it anyway. We may be young, but nevertheless, I cannot imagine who else I'd want to spend my life with."
Shirley clapped her hands to her mouth, her eyes shining with tears. Her lithe frame trembled with emotion as Lelouch continued. "However, even without the Sword of Akasha, my life would likely be fraught with danger and tragedy. You already experienced it yourself firsthand - the pain of walking the same path as me. Many things could go wrong, and we may face more loss and devastation in the future. Now that we both are freshly aware of that, I, Lelouch vi Britannia, ask you, Shirley Joseph Fenette, this. Would you be willing to marry me?"
It was a picturesque scene - the rays of the setting sun casting a warm orange glow on the couple's faces. One appeared overwhelmed with a mix of joy and shock, with tears rolling down her cheeks, while the other was an almost perfect visage of conviction and barely concealed yearning. The lack of sound, save for the greenery swaying from the autumn breeze, only added more to the sentimental moment.
Alas, Shirley was the first who broke the silence. She sniffed slightly and wiped at her eyes. "You idiot." The redhead made a sound that was in between a titter and a sob. She shifted to kneel in front of Lelouch. "I already told you back then, didn't I, Lulu?" Green eyes met amethyst ones, and the prince, already feeling tense, found himself fervently praying for her acceptance.
In truth, Lelouch more or less expected Shirley to agree to his proposal, but he wanted to hear her declaration one last time. He wanted the reassurance that she would not leave him regardless of the treacherous path he would certainly walk. "You did. But I can't help it. I want to hear you say it again."
"Honestly," Shirley laughed, a sound that was like pleasant music to Lelouch's ears. "Fine, then. I promise I'd always stay with you with a smile, no matter how much it hurts me. Therefore, yes. Of course, I'd be willing to marry you, Lulu!" With that, she burst into tears once again and threw her arms around him tightly.
Lelouch returned the hug with enthusiasm, grinning from ear to ear as he did so. He did not expect her to turn him down, but nevertheless, it felt like an unbearable weight was lifted from his shoulders. He gently parted from Shirley's embrace and with slightly trembling fingers, he held out her left hand and placed the engagement ring on her ring finger. Just as the prince did so, a single drop of moisture fell on his hand, causing him to look up at Shirley, who was still teary-eyed. "You're crying again," Lelouch quietly commented. He reached up and wiped at the tear tracks which had formed on her cheeks.
"It's your fault, Lulu. This is just so… unbelievable," Shirley murmured. She stretched out her fingers, staring at the engagement ring, obviously still awestruck. "We're really getting married. We really are… Is this really not a dream?"
"Yes. This is real," Lelouch assured her. He pinched her cheeks lightly. "I'll take care of you for the rest of your life." There was a short pause, and he looked straight into her eyes. "I love you, Shirley."
"Lulu..." Shirley struggled to find the words to convey her emotions, so overcome by them was she. Instead, she settled for leaning towards Lelouch and closed her eyes. He took the hint quickly, and he moved closer to her before kissing her deeply. She responded in kind, savoring the taste of his lips. Her hands darted upwards, clinging to the royal like a drowning man to a lifeline. The prince inhaled deeply, the fragrance of her lemon-scented hair intoxicating him, sparking his desire for more. The intensity of their passions blossomed, and it was without a doubt that this night would be a long one for them indeed.
Rolo stared at the entwined figures in the horizon with unblinking pink eyes. For reasons unbeknownst to him, the rare but not unknown feeling of wistfulness filled him. The assassin fleetingly wondered whether it was because he wanted them as a family of sorts, then grimly brushed it aside. Whatever hopes he had for that route was now more or less firmly grounded into dust.
"Ring!" The jarring sound of a phone's generic, unchanged ringtone dispelled the quietude of the night, causing Rolo to jump. He cursed under his breath, as that was his cell phone, and swiftly glanced at the couple to see if he caught their attention. Thankfully, they appeared to be too engrossed to notice his presence, despite the constant ringing noise. Rolo retreated to the inside of the villa and after making sure that he was alone, he answered the call nervously. "Hello?"
"Agent Haliburton." The emotionless voice of Schneizel reached the younger man's ears. "I'm glad to hear that you're still operational."
"What's our current situation, master? I heard that many of the Sword of Akasha are hunted down."
"Thanks to that imbecile Carine, but nevermind that. Currently, I've managed to gather all those who managed to escape from the Lelouch's grasp. I had to use one of our secret bases unknown to the terrorists, so the chances that they know of this location are slim at worst."
"I see," Rolo murmured. "So what happens next? Do we abandon this mission or-"
"Do not be so quick to assume that we're incapable of carrying on, agent," Schneizel cut off his minion coolly. He was irate that his plans were on the verge of collapsing, and the last thing he needed was the people under him to start doubting him. "First of all, I require another report from you. I need you to tell me everything that has happened since the last one."
"Umm..." Rolo did not think that it was necessary to tell his master about every single thing. The previous report was a few months ago, and there were too many things he felt was too frivolous to bring it up.
"Everything, Haliburton," Infinity's voice brooked no arguments. "Everything."
"Right…" Rolo reluctantly nodded, although of course, Schneizel could not see his actions. Without further ado, he started to fill his master in. He told him about everything that has transpired since his last report - from Shirley's breakdown after her father's death, Lelouch's previous inner conflict about keeping her by his side, to Carine's capture and apparent execution. "... and finally, Prince Lelouch just proposed to Shirley today."
There was a pause, followed by a small sigh from the prime minister of Britannia. "Did she accept?"
"Yes." The assassin wondered why his master sounded peeved after hearing this trivial tidbit of information.
"Great." Schneizel frowned heavily. Under normal circumstances, he would find it unimportant. However, now with the Sword of Akasha on its last legs and the couple they sought to kill so very badly getting happily married and thus inducting another commoner into the Britannian royalty, was like a slap in the face for the terrorists. Knowing the proud and conservative nobles and royalty under his command, without an outlet to vent their frustrations, they would most likely blame him and assume that he is ineptitude for allowing things to happen this far. And if that happened, the remaining forces under his command would only dwindle, making his dream far less likely to become a reality. "I dare hope that there has been some progress in uncovering the Damocles key?"
"No, sir," Rolo admitted. "I have yet to find any clues regarding its location."
The second prince gritted his teeth in a rare display of suppressed anger. He intended to use the Damocles to bring an end to the senseless conflict around the globe, which he often witnessed during his numerous years of serving as a politician and Prime Minister. Through his eyes, this could only be accomplished by uniting the entire world. Surely his ambition of leading it towards a utopia free from war was a noble goal. Of course, sacrifices had to be made, blood had to be shed and unsavory means taken to achieve such a grand and perfect world.
So why was it that fate appeared to do its best to deter Schneizel from his quest to make the world a better place? First of all, the Damocles key was seized by Marianne just when the superweapon was ready to deploy. Secondly, when he manipulated Victor to attack Marianne's home, they were rebuffed in the face of Jeremiah and the other royal guards. Thirdly, when he finally managed to slip a spy inside the villa, the key was nowhere to be found after months of work. And now, the Sword of Akasha, which he was hoping to manipulate successfully to aid him in his endeavor, was on the edge of teetering once more. If he had to start from scratch, it would take far too long, and there are too many unknown factors for him to be confident in going back to square one.
Of course, Schneizel never expected it to be easy, but to continuously have staggering setbacks even before the Damocles was launched was ludicrous, to say the least. In fact, he was sorely tempted to throw a tantrum in unadulterated rage. With a massive effort, he forced down these useless emotions of frustration. It would be most unbecoming for him to brood and have a fit. Action needed to be taken. "Agent Haliburton. In the light of recent events, there's only one thing left for us to do for this mission. Can I count on you to provide the support I require?"
"I suppose I can't decline anyway, can I?" Rolo thought wryly. "Yes, sir. May I know what is our next move?"
"I have decided," Schneizel's tone was cool and calculated, and his blue eyes glimmered with conviction and deadliness. His next words would chill Rolo's blood to the bone. "We would storm the Aries Villa."
Author's Note: Aaand on that note, the chapter ends. I know it may seem like a cliffhanger to some, but frankly, there's no way to squeeze the battle in here. I can only promise that the entirety of it would take place in the next chapter.
Shoutout to user HalFF for helping me to proofread this chapter! Your aid is greatly appreciated.
Oh, and please do let me know your thoughts. I feel that Carine's execution, the proposal, Rolo's inner thoughts and Schneizel's statement are all interesting points in this chapter. In any case, reviews are most welcome. Till next time, cheers!