Notes: This chapter is really, really unfair to Suzaku, but there are far worse fates, if you ask me.
Dream of the King
A Code Geass Fanfic by
Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Part 4: Nunnally vi Britannia
The Viceroy's harshest critic often targeted her blindness, stating that "if she cannot see two feet in front of her, then how can she be expected to see what Japan needs?" To which the Viceroy responded, "I am not blind because I have seen too little. I am blind because I have seen far more than any one person needs or deserves to. And if I can bear the sun's blinding light without flinching, then perhaps I can teach others to do the same."
"He's going to die there," Lelouch said dully, staring into the bathroom mirror.
"It would seem so," C.C. agreed calmly at his side, turning her head slightly as she brushed out her long, green hair. "It's strange. Perhaps he isn't immportal at all. Because of his Geass, he may be unconsciously slowing down time in the temple. That will surely destroy his heart. Eventually."
"And all he asked in return was to become my Knight?"
C.C. shook her head. "No, but I felt he deserved it. No one had done more to keep you alive, not even Kallen. Sometimes I wish I hadn't done it, though. It might have put positive stress on his heart, but he really can't afford any stress at this point. I don't want to think about what will happen if he does die. There will be nothing holding Marianne and the former Emperor prisoner any longer. With any luck, Rolo will have the foresight to destroy the Sword of Akasha before that can happen."
Lelouch gave her an odd look. "Why didn't you just kill them?"
"For you, and for Mari. She had a right to see her namesake, and you did choose to visit them, however infrequently." She paused, closing her eyes briefly. "I suppose I hoped that Mari would one day reach the point where she could let her grandmother go."
"You mean kill her."
C.C. opened her eyes to find that Lelouch was staring at her, a blank expression on his face. "Yes."
"Mari's Geass. What is it? Exactly."
"She didn't tell you?" C.C. asked, looking surprised.
He nodded. "I'm not really sure I understood her, though."
"The Power of Absolute Judgment. She can see into a person's heart, and know exactly what kind of person they are: their dreams, fears, desires. And if she finds reason to do so, she can crush their hearts. That's the simplest explanation."
"Why did you let her kill Tohdoh?" Lelouch asked.
"Do you remember the kind of man Tohdoh was? She didn't have to read his heart. I brought her into his cell, and he told her exactly why he wanted you dead. Mari listened to every word, thanked him for being honest, and killed him." C.C. reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. "She understood that it was the only way he'd stop seeking your death. He made certain of that."
His eyes narrowed. "That still doesn't explain why, C.C."
"Do you realize that you can't lie to a child who can read hearts, without them knowing it? When she first asked, I told Mari that her grandmother was dead. It was easier, better. But she knows the truth now, and prefers the lie. The only way she can sleep at night is to know, without a doubt, that we love her too much to ever abandon her. But it goes both ways, and she would do anything to keep us together, even kill your enemies herself. If you can't see that this is what Mari needs for her peace of mind, simply because she inherited our problems, then you aren't the man I married."
"So it's my fault my parents are insane, is it?"
She sighed and let her hand fall away. "No, your whole family is. Nunnally has to be adopted. You'll see her tomorrow, by the way."
"What's so special about tomorrow that she'd come here?" Lelouch asked.
"Kaguya already told her about the wedding. And Nunnally isn't coming here. You're going to Japan."
"Good morning, Japan! It's time for the Morning Meow with Artie and Nunna! So without further ado, let's start the day off right with a nice, big MEOOOOOOOOWWW!"
Suzaku couldn't help but smile as answering cries rang out all over the government complex, and indeed, all over the Citizens' Union of Japan. He was still amazed that Nunnally found time to do her radio show every morning, and that it had been so well-recieved, but then he'd seen far more unbelievable things in his lifetime. Although nothing quite topped Kaguya pouncing on a foreign dignitary for talking during Nunnally's daily meow.
Chuckling to himself, Suzaku finished sorting Nunnally's fan mail and was about to take it to her when the phone on his desk rang. With the ease of much practice, he picked up the phone and said, "Britannian Embassy, Office of the Viceroy, how may I direct your call?"
"You can tell me what you're wearing, stud muffin!"
He sighed patiently. "Good morning, Milly. Did you need something?"
"I thought you'd like to know that Lelouch is planning to visit today."
Suzaku frowned. "I don't remember him clearing that with me."
"Because C.C. probably cleared it with Nunnally," she replied. "Or maybe Kaguya did it. Anyway, he's coming, so get ready. And yes, I'm sure, because he left the kids with me. I'm watching Mari and Shinji play checkers."
"Who's winning?" Suzaku asked absently.
"Shinji, but only because he drooled on most of the pieces and Mari won't touch them now."
The doors burst open in that moment, admitting a grinning Kaguya with her arms spread wide. "Suzaku, my darling cousin!" she chirped, descending on him like a rather cute bird and kissing him soundly on the cheek.
"Never mind, I know who it was," Suzaku muttered, hanging up the phone.
"Is someone in trouble?" Kaguya asked innocently, batting her eyelashes at him.
Suzaku tried very hard not to groan. "Why do you insist on making my life difficult, Kaguya? Haven't I always been good to you?"
"It's because I have so much confidence in you that I place challenges in front of you! Aren't you always saying how much you want to improve?"
"Physically, Kaguya. How is putting up with Lelouch for a day going to help with that?"
She frowned at him. "Because if you don't, I'm going to punch you in the nose!"
Suzaku took a good look at Kaguya's adorable raised fists, and decided he should humor her by at least pretending that she could hurt him. "Well, I wouldn't want that."
"Oh, thank you, Susie-kun!" she sang, latching onto his neck.
He closed his eyes. "I've asked you several times never to call me that, I'm sure."
"But you're so cute when you eventually do whatever I want that I can't help it!"
Suzaku was still trying to pry her off of him when the intercom on his desk buzzed. "Hey, you two! It's almost time for the next episode of 'Kitty and her Dragon,' and Artie's telling me that neither of my stars is in costume!"
"Nunnally," Suzaku said wearily, "for the thousandth time: it's a radio show, no one can see us, and I don't WANT to be a dragon..."
"That's very rude to say to someone who used to be blind," Nunnally pointed out, putting just enough pout in her voice for Suzaku to wince.
"Yeah! And I LIKE our costumes!" Kaguya chimed in, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him. "Don't you WANT to be my dragon, Suzaku?"
"I'm going to get in trouble if I answer that, aren't I?"
"Only if you answer it WRONG."
Resigning himself to his fate, Suzaku closed his eyes as Kaguya stuffed a large, goofy-looking foam dragon's head over his own head. When she looked at him expectantly, he could only sigh and offer a pathetic, "Grrrr." Although he certainly managed a more realistic one when Kaguya put on her costume: a pair of easily detachable cat ears.
"A real dragon would probably eat a kitty, you know."
"That would only make her purr louder, Suzaku."
"WHAT?!" he cried, his face red.
"Nothing! Time to do the show!"
"Kaguya, what-"
"TIME TO DO THE SHOW!" Kaguya tugged him out of his chair and shoved him towards the door, humming loudly all the while.
Things had gotten very quiet, so Milly glanced up from her magazine. "Mari, why are you in your brother's crib?"
"I have to make sure he's really asleep," Mari said in a hushed voice.
"Why?"
"He's my baby brother," Mari replied, gently smoothing out Shinji's black hair.
"That's sweet, but can't you do that from right outside the crib?"
Mari shook her head. "No. He could be faking it."
"He's a baby. Why would he even bother? It makes no sense."
"Neither does drooling everywhere, but he does that."
Milly bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Well, leave him alone for a minute. Us girls need to have a little talk."
"Okay." Mari carefully climbed out of the crib, being sure not to kick Shinji on her way out. Taking one last glance at him, she went over to Milly and climbed into her lap. "You're not wearing the fancy dress today," she observed, picking at Milly's shorts.
"No, I'm not trying to impress anyone today." Which wasn't really true, as any man that saw Milly's legs would be impressed. But Milly wasn't about to admit that wearing a fancy dress around Shinji, after he'd been fed, had been a very bad idea. "I want to know how you feel about your father marrying again."
"I'm fine with it," Mari responded. "Both of the ladies are really nice, and I think I can finally get a little sister if I'm lucky."
"It doesn't bother you at all?" Milly asked carefully.
"I guess it would, if I didn't like them, or if they were mean or ugly. But they're not. Mommy says Daddy needs more wives to keep him busy. She can't play with him if she's doing all the things he normally does. This way he won't ever be lonely."
"Hmm. What would you say if I wanted to marry him?"
Mari gave her a long look. "Only if I get to be the flower girl. But you should probably wait until Kallen wants to get married, too. Then we can have another double wedding and save a bunch of money."
"Sounds like a plan. So do we have a deal, flower girl?" Milly asked, offering her hand. "You talk your Daddy into marrying me, and I'll make sure Kallen is on board with it."
"I don't know," Mari murmured. "She's pretty stubborn. I had to beg for a week before she'd let me ride with her in the Guren, and even then it was only for a minute."
"You let me worry about Kallen," Milly said confidently. "So, deal?"
"Deal!" Mari agreed, shaking her hand. "But, um, Shinji shouldn't be in the wedding. He might eat the flowers."
"Oh, stop it!" Kaguya finally snapped, causing Lelouch and Suzaku to stop glaring at each other and turn to her. "You both loved Euphemia, she loved you, and that's all you should care about!"
"But-" Suzaku began to argue.
"Has Lelouch really done anything that someone ELSE in this room hasn't done?"
Suzaku paled slightly and shut his mouth.
Lelouch thought that was something of a low blow (even if it did end the fighting), and was about to say so when the bright red "On the Air" sign above Nunnally's office door suddenly went dim.
Kaguya grabbed each of them by an ear and dragged them into the office, giving them a final shove before walking out and closing the door behind her.
"From the looks on your faces, I'm guessing Kaguya was right to make sure this room had thick walls," Nunnally said as she wheeled out from behind her desk.
Lelouch just stared, so unused to the sight of Nunnally looking right back at him that his mind went blank.
Suzaku glanced at him and quickly gave Lelouch a hard elbow to the ribs, which was both necessary and bit enthusiastic, all things considered.
"Nunnally, it's so good to..." Lelouch paused, gaped, and slowly pointed to the monstrous thing that looked as if it were slowly swallowing up his sister's lap. "What is THAT?!"
Suzaku shot him a confused glance. "You don't remember Arthur?"
Lelouch blinked. If Suzaku was to be believed, Arthur had nearly tripled in mass over the years, his huge, grey body pulsing with every slow breath that he took.
Smiling, Nunnally gently ran her hand along the sleeping cat's back, ending with a scratch behind his ears. "Say hello to Lelouch, Artie."
Arthur opened one eye, hissed in Lelouch's general direction, and went back to sleep.
Lelouch grunted. "Still mean as a snake, I see."
"Only around extremely stubborn boys," Nunnally countered. "Otherwise, he's perfectly sweet."
"So he won't go for my throat if I try to hug you?"
Nunnally thought about that for a moment. "Suzaku, could you take him?"
"Well, that's reassuring," Lelouch snorted.
Suzaku looked about as eager as Lelouch sounded, and even though it only took a few seconds for him to transfer Arthur from Nunnally's lap to her desk, he still came away with a shallow scratch on the back of his hand. "I got off lucky. He would've bitten me if he was wide awake."
"I could probably get you a mountain lion that was less vicious than him," Lelouch chuckled as he bent down to hug Nunnally and kiss her cheek.
Nunnally poked him in the chest. "You leave my cat alone, Lelouch. He's never scratched me or Kaguya."
"That still leaves everyone else that's ever been near him."
"Just for that, I'm bringing him to your wedding!"
Lelouch glared at her. "Nunnally, you're my sister and I love you, but you're awfully close to being uninvited."
"That wouldn't work," Suzaku pointed out. "She'd just show up as part of Kaguya's family instead of yours."
"They're not related."
"True," Nunnally admitted, "but Kaguya and Suzaku are, so I could go as his date. That makes me related on a technicality. Right, Suzaku?"
Suzaku muttered something unintelligible, his face very red.
Lelouch couldn't resist. "If that's how you feel, I could talk Kaguya into letting you two get married right before us. Mari would love it, and it would help a great deal if the UFN saw us getting along."
"B-But!" Suzaku sputtered in alarm. "We can't get married!"
"Of course you can," Lelouch replied with a smile. "I give you my blessing, and I'll even give Nunnally away, so there's no problem at all."
"You'd really do that, Lelouch?" Nunnally asked softly, her eyes watering.
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," he told her honestly. "Although, Suzaku would need to propose first..."
Both siblings looked at Suzaku expectantly, only to find that he was sweating like crazy and nervously eyeing the door.
"Well, Suzaku?" Lelouch asked, barely able to keep the laughter out of his tone. "We're waiting."
"Nunnally," Suzaku said pleadingly. "You don't really want to marry me, do you?"
"I suppose I don't have to," Nunnally murmured, tapping her chin, "but it's going to be very awkward to explain why we're sharing a bed unless we do get married first."
"But we aren't!" Suzaku cried, shooting a worried glance at Lelouch, who was taking it amazingly well.
"Not yet," Nunnally agreed, barely stifling a giggle in time.
"Nunnally!" he practically shrieked.
"Then again," Lelouch added, "if Suzaku doesn't want to marry you, Nunnally, we can't force him. But I would expect him to do the proper thing and say as much to your face."
Suzaku stared at him in horror. "What?!"
"Just tell me that you don't want to marry me, and we'll forget Lelouch ever brought it up," Nunnally said, doing an admirable job of keeping a straight face.
Suzaku glanced at each of them, unable to believe what he was hearing. He'd never had it in him to say something so hurtful to Nunnally, and they all knew it. There was just no way for him to get out of this and remain single, apparently.
He knew his fate was sealed when Nunnally tapped the intercom on her desk and said, "Kaguya, could you call C.C. and let her know that we'll be having three weddings instead of two?" The answering squeal of delight made all three of them wince.
Kallen was not in the habit of hiding from people, but Milly had been following her all day, and worse, she was dragging the kids along with her. Truthfully, Kallen wasn't sure which of the three she was more afraid of, but the possibility of having to deal with all of them at once ultimately drove her to hide in the one place that most sane people stayed far away from.
New Camelot was, despite the misleading name, perhaps one of the worst ideas Lelouch had ever come up during his reign. On paper, of course, uniting four of the greatest scientific minds of the day was a stroke of genius. What Lelouch had not taken into account, however, was that when put into the same room (or in this case, locked inside an underground research laboratory for weeks on end), these same four minds would instead produce an unheard of amount of childish pranks, namecalling, food fights, and sexual tension the likes of which the world had never known. All of this was a bit counterproductive in the long run, but there was no denying that Lloyd Asplund, Rakshata Chawla, Cecile Croomy, and Nina Einstein were among the smartest people alive... when they actually chose to act as such.
Unfortunately, they almost never did that, and Kallen was the only person left that could stand being in their combined presence for more than an hour. And even she spent most of the time locked inside the Guren with heavy metal music blaring from the inner speakers, as that was only slightly less grating. If not for the fact that the elite Knightmares were stored and repaired there between engagements, Kallen might very well have requested her own personal storage garage. At any rate, Nina seemed to enjoy her visits, and Kallen honestly felt sorry for her, being the youngest one on staff.
Lloyd and Rakshata were, of course, the main instigators. Despite actually once being friends, constant exposure to each other had revealed any hidden flaws and exploited them to an intolerable degree. Kallen was of the opinion that Lloyd was either secretly heterosexual, or fantastically so, because at various points it was implied that he'd bedded each of his comrades, although how he could stay among them without being driven to homosexuality or madness was a true mystery.
Cecile had grown tired of breaking up fights by the third week, and now only interrupted when Lloyd and Rakshata came to blows (and even that was less violent and more embarrassing than anything else). That was also when she'd stopped cooking for them, and by a large coincidence, when the food fights had, for the most part, ended.
Kallen had to wait for a break in the fighting to make a quick escape. She was starting to get hungry, and a grumbling stomach was comparable to death by indigestion in New Camelot, as Cecile had still not been told that her offers to cook left much to be desired.
"For the last time, this is MY design, and I'll thank you to keep your sticky fingers off of it!" Kallen heard Rakshata shout as she neared the door.
"Now, now, my Caramel Countess," Lloyd responded smoothly, "there's no need to take that tone with me. Why don't we just sit down and-"
"That had BETTER NOT be the plans for my new Knightmare on your work bench!"
"Why, I haven't the faintest idea how that happened! Nina, my dear, did you perhaps move the-"
"IT WAS YOU AND YOU KNOW IT, YOU PUDDING-BRAINED LITTLE THIEF!"
Wincing, Kallen quickly typed in the access code for the door, just as the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed loudly throughout the lab. She risked a glance over her shoulder to see Lloyd flying backwards over a table with a bright red handprint on his cheek.
The door slid open just in time to admit a grinning Mari. "MILLY, I FOUND KALLEN!" the girl shouted at the top of her lungs.
Kallen groaned and slumped against the wall as Milly charged in carrying Shinji in her arms. "Ah ha! Found you, my runaway bride-to-be! Get her legs, Mari!"
Mari instantly attached herself to Kallen's left leg, hanging on for all she was worth.
Kallen seriously considered how much trouble she might get in for striking the First Princess with witnesses around. "Milly, I am NOT getting married! Just let it go!"
"NO!" Milly snapped, getting right in her face. "I can't get married unless you do, too, so we are GOING to get married, whether you like it or not!"
"You can't make me!"
"Oh no?" Milly asked, smirking. "Are you sure about that, Kallen? I have my ways."
"I'd like to see you try-"
"Get her, Shin-Shin!"
Kallen paled as Shinji was shoved into her arms. He gurgled happily and made a spirited grab for her hair, which she just barely dodged. "Milly, no matter what you do, I won't give in!"
Milly crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head sadly. "You leave me no choice but to get rough on you, Kallen. Mari, give her... The Treatment."
Mari nodded and stared up at Kallen, twin Geass sigils flaring to life in her eyes. "Kallen, why won't you marry my Daddy? I know you love him a lot. I can see it in your heart."
"That's not the point!" Kallen insisted. "You don't get married just because you love someone!"
"I know. But you love Shinji the way Mama Sayo loves me. So you have every reason to get married."
"What's this?" Lloyd interrupted, popping up behind Kallen. "Is our bright and shiny Guren getting married?"
"I am NOT the Guren!" Kallen growled. "And I'm NOT getting married!"
"So you are bright and shiny?" Mari asked, scratching her head.
"What? NO! I-"
"Trust me, dear," Rakshata added, "only a fool would turn down a chance to marry the Emperor now. He'll probably forget that you're even married half of the time."
Kallen glared at her. "I don't want him to forget something like that!"
"But there isn't anything worth remembering right now, is there?" Cecile chimed in, quickly catching on to the little game.
"Of course there is! I've been with him since the start, and... and he should've married me FIRST!"
"So why don't you tell him that?" Nina asked innocently.
Kallen blushed. "Well... because... C.C. is-"
"Growing both bored and ancient waiting for you to admit even that much," C.C. sighed as she slipped into the lab. "All you had to do was ask."
"I... what?" Kallen whispered in disbelief.
"You and Milly are free to marry Lelouch exactly one month from the latest wedding, provided that you agree to watch the children while I take care of the arrangements."
Kallen was still stunned, but Milly was not. "Hey! How come Kaguya didn't have to watch them?!"
C.C. shook her head. "Chairwoman Kaguya is far too busy for such things, unless she happens to volunteer. If it should suddenly occur that the UFN couldn't function without you, then naturally, you would be exempt from babysitting as well."
"I'm Milly Ashford! MEN can't function without me!"
"Lelouch has managed just fine without you thus far," C.C. replied smugly. "No one knows that better than I."
It was well after midnight when Lelouch finally set foot in his bedroom again, and the sight that awaited him was not one he'd expected.
C.C. was on her side of the bed, clothed for once, and fast asleep.
Lelouch's side was occupied, and had he not recognized the smaller body and similar green hair, his failing memory would've been the least of his problems.
Moving as quietly as he could manage, Lelouch crept over to his side of the bed and tried to shift the extra body over without disturbing it too much.
Naturally, Mari's eyes snapped open the moment he touched her. "You're late," she noted, glancing at the clock on the nightstand.
"You're in my spot," he countered.
"It smells like you, and you weren't here," Mari replied, hugging his pillow tightly.
"Well, I'm going to need them both back."
"Trade?"
Lelouch blinked. "What do you want?"
Mari grinned up at him. "A little sister."
"Right now?"
"No. You'll do, for now."
Mari rolled over slightly, allowing Lelouch a decent portion of the bed. The moment he was in it, however, his portion shrunk as Mari snuggled up to his side.
"You owe me," she added, poking him in the ribs.
He chuckled. "I know, one sister to be delivered on demand."
"No, not for that. I got you two wives."
"I know, I was there."
"No, two OTHER wives. Today!" Mari beamed at him expectantly, but several moments passed without a reply.
"Are you mad at me?" Lelouch finally asked.
"What? No! You're supposed to be happy!"
"I am happy," Lelouch insisted. "I was happy with two kids and two wives." He paused, glancing over at C.C.'s supposedly sleeping form, and added a bit loudly, "I'll bet I was even happier with one kid and one wife, too."
"Shut up, the both of you," C.C. grumbled, although she sounded nowhere near as upset as she could have.
"Don't you even want to know who I picked out for you?" Mari whispered in his ear.
"Did your mother approve your choice?" Lelouch asked.
"Yeah."
"Then tell me in the morning."
"But it IS morning," Mari whined.
"Then tell me after we wake up."
"How can you sleep when you don't know who you're marrying?"
Lelouch stroked her hair lightly. "I trust my girls," he said simply. "But right now, I'd rather just sleep with them."
"But we can do that anytime we-"
"Marianne vi Britannia II," C.C. said sternly, "one more word and you'll be sleeping in your room."
Mari instantly fell silent, biting her lip. She stared helplessly at Lelouch, gesturing wildly at C.C. until he got the message.
"Mari wants to know if she can say two last words."
Sighing, C.C. rolled over to face them, her expression bordering on fury. "What?"
"Night, Mommy," Mari whispered, kissing her on the nose.
C.C. closed her eyes briefly, returning the kiss on Mari's forehead. "I have two words for you as well."
"Sweet dreams," Mari guessed.
"Sleep now."
Pouting, Mari shifted over so she could snuggle with Lelouch again.
"I'm sure she really meant the first one," he added, trying to reassure her.
"She did," Mari confirmed, smiling. "Mommy's a lot mushier about her feelings inside her heart. But don't tell her I told you."
"It'll be our secret," Lelouch agreed, despite the fact that he could feel C.C. glaring at him.
End of Part 4.
Next Chapter: Tianzi li Britannia
"Stop worrying, Ji-chan. Your dress looks perfect," Kaguya insisted, studying herself in the mirror. "Mine, on the other hand, makes me look fat."
"No, it doesn't!" Tianzi protested with more force than she meant to.
Kaguya glanced over her shoulder, smirking. "Well, I'm glad to hear you feel so strongly about it. Anyway, who would know more about my figure than you? You're the only one I show it to regularly."
Tianzi blushed bright red. "Kaguya, please. Someone could hear you!"
"And what if they do? We're the two most powerful women in the world, and we're less than an hour away from marrying the one person who might be able to do anything against us. I doubt he would, but this way it makes certain people less afraid of him."
There was a pair of soft clicks as the door to their changing room opened and shut, and Tianzi turned just in time to see a green blur vanish beneath her billowy wedding dress, two small hands clamping onto her ankles.
"Hide me!" a panicked voice whispered. "There are reporters crawling all over the place, and they keep taking my picture!"
Kaguya laughed softly as she reached down, gently tugging Mari out into the open. "You're a princess, dear. Naturally, they want to immortalize you on film, because you're so gorgeous."
"But all the flashes make my eye itchy," Mari complained, rubbing at her right eye, which did seem very red. It was only when she dropped her hand that Tianzi gasped.
"Oh, Kaguya, her eye is more than irritated! It's neon red!" Tianzi knelt down and gently grasped Mari's head, turning it this way and that. "She needs a doctor right away!"
"It's okay, Miss Tianzi," Mari disagreed, blinking rapidly. "My eye evolved again last night, and it's always sensitive to bright lights right after. But Uncle Susie let me borrow his shades for the wedding."
"Your eye... evolved? Again?" Tianzi asked, frowning. "What does that mean?"
"That I'll be okay by tomorrow," Mari replied, sounding surprisingly firm on the matter. "But thanks for worrying about me. I think you'll be a great Mommy, and you can practice on me anytime you want." She gave the startled Empress a big hug.
"Oh. Thank you, I guess," Tianzi murmured, returning the hug. "But are you sure you're okay, Mari?"
"Well... a little sister might help me feel better. Twins, if you could manage it."
Endnotes:
I decided whoever the current head of the Ashford family is (Milly's grandfather, maybe?) should have a ranking nearly equal to Lloyd. My reasoning is this: assuming the Ashfords never lost their status in the first place, they'd most likely be one of the leading producers of Knightmares, which is obviously a booming business. Lloyd himself was excited about possibly getting his hands on their designs, which tells you how major they were. Now, the Ashfords aren't going to command a special division of the military, but in restoring their nobility, Lelouch basically made it as if Milly had married Lloyd (which would've made her Countess Asplund, and perhaps Countess of Camelot in private). But since Milly isn't the active head of the family, she's just Lady Ashford now.
Rakshata is a countess now (mostly because she wouldn't tolerate Lloyd being over her, and as a thank you from Lelouch for her services).
C.C. is not entirely immune to Mari's Geass, although she can actively resist it. In other words, Mari can only read her heart if C.C. isn't aware of it, or if C.C. chooses to let her.
I had a thought. Suppose some lucky devil (like, oh, Suzaku) marries into royalty. Would he get his princess's Britannia name, or...? Eh, my head hurts. Must sleep now, will edit the list as needed later.
The Imperial Family So Far:
Lelouch vi Britannia, Emperor
C.C. (Cecelia) vi Britannia, Empress
Marianne vi Britannia II, 1st (Crown) Princess
Sayoko le Britannia, Imperial Consort and Head of Palace Security
Shinji le Britannia, 1st Prince
Kaguya la Britannia, Japanese Representative and U.F.N. Chairwoman
Tianzi (Jiang Lihua) li Britannia, Chinese Federation Empress
Milly su Britannia, Ashford Heiress
Kallen u Britannia, Emperor's Knight
Nunnally vi Britannia, C.U.J. Viceroy
Suzaku Kururugi, Viceroy's Knight and Head of Britannian Embassy Security Team
Rolo Lamperouge, Knight of Zero
