AN: Time for another update! Not much to say here... Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, and to all readers of this story for your support. I can promise fun things coming up future chapters, and I may actually have to start making notes because it's getting complicated.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Code Geass... Though I do now own some Code Geass DVDs.
Lelouch had talked to Nunally for half an hour, fully explaining to her about the other two immortals, how he owed his life to Rolo, who had looked to him as an older brother after Lelouch's memory had been wiped by his father, and that Rolo now had no memory of his own past. He told her that EE, or 'William', as he'd asked to be called while here, was another code bearer, like himself, and like CC had been before, and that he hoped he would help him figure out what had happened to Rolo and Suzaku, that had made them immortal, even though Rolo had died.
He also filled her in on his past fifty years with CC, though there wasn't much to tell, especially on his part. Nunally seemed surprised that he hadn't married CC, though, he remembered, CC had rather given his sister the wrong impression right from the start. He mentally cursed CC and reminded himself to tell her off when he returned to hiding.
After that she left, taking Suzaku with her. She had a busy schedule, and now Zero was back he was expected to resume his self-appointed position as her bodyguard. Lelouch reorganized his disguise and also left.
He wandered through the palace casually; taking in how much had changed since he had ruled from here. It was a fabulous building really, and had stood for hundreds of years, and was no less functional in comfort as a palace, or as a military structure than it had been when it was built, though of course there had been many new additions over the years, some more well informed than others.
He made his way to the library; an impressive collection of rooms, an indicator of its expansion over time, that, within their walls contained almost the complete history of Britannia, and the Britannian royal family since long before they'd moved to rule the New World, and a great deal of other reference material too.
It was impressive that such a collection had survived so long, given Britannia's turbulent history. He considered the age of the library, and wondered if he himself would last so long, and if so, would his memories of the world correspond to what was written in the history books. But of course it wouldn't, it already didn't. He wasn't dead after all, and he doubted the accounts of his life up to his supposed 'death' were honest, most likely they served to blacken his name further.
He was surprised on entering the library and locating EE and Rolo, to find that they weren't alone. EE was engaged in conversation with a very familiar face.
He walked over, smiling to himself, casually taking a seat beside Rolo. "Well, well… if it isn't Mr. Orange. What a pleasant surprise."
The man looked over at him, momentary confusion shining in his eyes. It was as Suzaku had told him. Jeremiah's hair was greyer, his face more worn, but without a doubt he had not aged as much as he should have. Looking at Jeremiah, and spotting the pale face of Rolo beside him out of the corner of his eye, a possible idea started to form in his mind. But now was not the time, he'd have to make a point to discuss this with Jeremiah privately at a later time. Jeremiah's face snapped into recognition.
"Your Highness?" he asked.
"Not any more," said Lelouch, aware that EE was following this conversation with interest, and Lelouch wondered what had been under discussion before he'd arrived. He sighed, once again questioning his own reasoning when he selected this particular disguise. "You can call me… Miss Lamperouge, I suppose."
Jeremiah nodded, apparently smart enough not to comment on Lelouch's choice of identity for this visit. "I see Zero was successful in tracking you down, I had hoped that was the case when Her Majesty dismissed me this morning. Though I can't say I was expecting to see you like this… you look so much like Marianne."
Lelouch was careful to keep his frown internal at that comment. He was really starting to get annoyed with people comparing him to his mother. He had not been particularly fond of her the last time he seen her. Though he could hardly tell Jeremiah about that. He was a man very much driven by his loyalty, and though currently he was loyal to Lelouch and Nunally, said loyalty sprang from his devotion to their mother and the guilt he felt for not being able to prevent her death. It would be best to keep the fact that she hadn't truly died that day a secret.
"Are you staying in the capital for the celebrations?" Lelouch asked, enforcing a change of subject to something he felt more comfortable with.
"I will be, Nunally requested I stay. I feel she wants another pair of knowing eyes watching out for you during your stay. Of course, that will only last as long as the other nobles can tolerate me. I am not especially popular these days, and I have already been here longer than some of them would have wished. I may use my discretion and take my leave before the celebrations conclude."
"In that case," said Lelouch, smirking as the conditions were cleared, and his spur of the moment additional shopping plans were guaranteed success, "I expect you need a new something nice to wear for tomorrow's ball. And it just so happens I was about to take these two shopping. Would you like to join us?"
What he neglected to mention was that between the three of them they needed two entire wardrobes, and Lelouch himself had a lot he felt he needed to buy. What he really needed, more than Jeremiah's company, was an extra pair of hands to carry the shopping, so that he didn't have to. Especially since Nunally had been generous enough to gift him with a very special piece of plastic which carried almost unlimited funds, supposedly so that nobody would track his purchases, not that he had much money to his 'name' anyway. He could spend as much as he liked, 'within reason'… Nunally hadn't needed to tell him that; all his decisions were thoroughly thought out.
And so it happened that less than an hour later the four of them were in town, being towed around by Lelouch with various degrees of reluctance. He had made both EE and Rolo get measured for suits, insisting that they should at least look nice, even if they didn't stay at the dance for long. Lelouch did at least appreciate that it would be a daunting experience for Rolo. He had also made the pair of them get proper haircuts, because even though he claimed his own cutting skill to be good enough for everyday, it needed to be smartened up a bit. A considerable amount of more casual attire was also purchased for the pair of them, including better fitting shoes than those hurriedly picked up in Japan.
For himself, he had also increased his collection of female wear, collecting a few more bits and pieces more suitable for wearing round the palace. For the dance, he picked up an elegant emerald green ballgown, with a neckline just about as low as he could tolerate without exposing himself, but that required a couple of other small adjustments to fit him better, that he could manage himself back at the palace later on. He'd also picked up a matching pair of shoes, sensibly choose something that wasn't too pointed or tall… he'd already hurt his feet once wearing women's shoes and he didn't want Suzaku mocking him when he crippled himself trying to keep up his disguise by overdoing it.
All in all, by the time they went to collect the suits, they were all laden down with bags, including Jeremiah, who had gained very little for himself from this shopping spree.
Lelouch made sure Rolo and EE tried on their new suits before they left the store; no point having them if they didn't fit. He had to help Rolo with his, as the boy wasn't used to wearing something so complicated. Lelouch practically oozed with pride at the sight of his 'little brother' dressed so smartly, even if he did look a little terrified. Lelouch was confident that no one, not even those who might have briefly encountered Rolo fifty years before, would recognise him.
After that Lelouch led them to an upscale café for a refreshment break, and no one complained about being able to put their bags down for a bit before the walk back to the palace. As they were sitting drinking tea, someone approached from behind them.
"Jeremiah Gottwald?" queried a voice from behind Lelouch. Lelouch turned his head, looking up into a face he recognized from somewhere.
"Lady Euphemia?" queried Jeremiah after a couple of moments. "Why are you out in the city? I'm sure you're supposed to be in the palace with your mother and the rest of your family."
Lelouch realized where he'd seen her face before; her photo was in the files his sister had sent him. This was Euphemia, 'Mia', Cornelia's eldest daughter, and one of the contenders for the next ruler of Britannia. As Suzaku had said, she resembled neither her mother, nor her namesake, but her father, and, from seeing her, he guessed what Suzaku and the file hadn't mentioned, which was that her father must be Cornelia's former Knight; Gilbert Guilford. How… interesting.
"My mother has never scolded me for escaping my duties, or leaving the place I'm supposed to be staying for a self-motivated excursion, not even when I was a child. She says that Aunt Euphie used to do so occasionally, and you and I both know what my mother is like when it comes to Aunt Euphie. Besides, it's been a long time since my last visit to Pendragon, and it's a nice city. It's always good to see how the other half live, as it were; make sure our policies really are keeping people happy, rather than just listening to our advisors say they are."
"I did try to discourage her," assured the young woman standing behind Lelouch's niece. Lelouch assumed she was some sort of bodyguard from her stance, and the way her eyes moved around the room attentively. "But, you know, once Lady Euphemia makes up her mind to do something, she will carry it through, no matter what anyone says to the contrary."
"I've told you before… call me Mia, especially out here. Since I have to put up with you all the time, I shouldn't have to put up with such formalities all the time too. Anyway, Her Majesty springing this dance on us tomorrow, without notice, means there are a couple of things I need to get…" She paused for a moment, letting her eyes rove over Jeremiah's companions, as if realising the conversation had been rather one sided up until this point. "Mr. Gottwald, who are your friends?"
"Guests of Her Majesty, like yourself. This is Miss Lamperouge, a friend and a relative on Her Majesty's mother's side, and her younger brother, and his tutor." At this point Lelouch was glad he'd had the chance to share their cover story with him.
"Miss Lamperouge?" repeated 'Mia'. "I am afraid I do not know of your family beyond Her Majesty, and her mother."
"It seems that my side of the family fell out of favour and left the country after the Lady Marianne's unfortunate death," supplied Lelouch, backing up his cover. "I very much doubt any record of us continues to exist in this country, aside from the occasional contact from the Empress herself. I was not expecting that any of us would be invited to attend the celebrations, but I am honoured."
"The honour is mine, Miss Lamperouge, to meet a friend of the Empress. I see you have been shopping?"
"Indeed… Lady Euphemia isn't the only one Her Majesty has sprung this occasion upon."
"I knew it was to be a big occasion, but I wouldn't have thought Her Majesty would have arranged a dance because… well… it's not something she can participate in easily. So I arrived here without bringing anything suitable." She paused for a moment, as if in thought, then her eyes gleamed, in a manner the other three sat at the table recognised, even if Lelouch did not. "Miss Lamperouge… you strike me as a woman of taste…"
Lelouch said nothing… he could sense impending doom should he agreed, but there was no way he willingly going to deny having good taste.
EE instead filled the momentary gap in the conversation. "Oh, you can be assured that she has excellent taste; only this morning she outfitted both myself and her younger brother in the best suiting suits we have ever had the privilege to wear, so that we may attend the dance without appearing too shabby. Anything she says to the contrary is mere modesty."
Lelouch mentally cursed his fellow immortal, knowing that somehow, EE was getting revenge for the shopping spree he had forced upon him.
"In that case," continued Mia, eyes sparkling with the joy of a plan with near guaranteed success, "perhaps you could accompany me, and help me pick something out. My bodyguard here… she will be of no use after all, she only agrees with everything. I need help."
Lelouch hesitated, wanting to return to the palace, but also not wanting to offend this woman who had a chance of succeeding the throne. It would be a good opportunity to gain a better understanding of her after all. "Of course my Lady," he agreed, offering a fake smile, "If Jeremiah will escort my brother and his tutor back to the palace, it would be my pleasure to accompany you."
Perhaps this was Karma, punishing him for enforcing shopping on others.
AN: End of another chapter. What do you think of Mia, the first of Nunally's possible heirs to appear on screen? She's difficult to write, because she keeps turning into Euphie in my head, the annoying thing about sharing a name. And can anyone guess what Lulu wants to talk to Jeremiah about?
I will endeavour to start the celebrations next chapter, and to not keep you waiting too long.