II. Prelude: Funeral and Ill News

Nunnally awoke to the sight of a vast, never ending field of white and blue roses.

Slowly rising up, she took it her surroundings. Not to far from her, she caught sight of a figure standing amidst the blue and white mass. Her long, lustrous raven hair flowing lightly with the breeze.

"Mother!"

Her mother stood straight, but started to walk away.

"Mother... mother! Where are you going?"

Lady Marianne turned around and just gave a motherly smile at her before walking in the opposite direction. Nunnally frowned, she chased after her. But no matter how hard she ran, the distance between her and her mother continued to grow farther and farther...

"Mother wait!" , still calling after her mother, far in the distance. Then everything became bright and light poured in, filling her vision with white.

--

"Mother!" Nunnally shouted, waking in a fit of shouts from her disillusion, or rather a dream. Her breath came in short staccato bursts as she took a long, calming intake of air to calm herself down. She took in her surroundings, finding herself inside her own bedroom, she sighed.

"Nunnally! Are you all right?"

Nunnally gave a startled cry before noticing her half-sister sitting nearby.

"Euphie... what are you doing here?"

"I'm worried about you—"

Nunnally blinked before noticing another's presence approaching them. Upon gazing upon Cornelia's solemn expression, the young princess gave a sigh, one of defeat and of sullenness.

"It... wasn't a dream, wasn't it? Mother is dead."

Little Euphemia frowned at seeing Nunnally's gloomy face. She shrugged to herself as she climbed onto the bed and wrapped her arm around the young princess. Nunnally turned around towards her as she gave her a bewildered look.

"Euphie... what are you doing?"

Euphie pulled away as she tilted her head at her. "You looked so sad. So I gave you a hug to make you feel better! Did Nunnally feel better?" chirped the pink-haired princess and Cornelia patted Euphie's head as any sister would. The elder of the two princesses smiled adoringly at both of them.

"How are you feeling now, Nunnally?"

Nunnally shook her head "I'm fine."

Nunnally glanced back at her. "What about my brother? Is he alright? Earlier I saw his legs had been bleeding—",Nunnally paused, Cornelia had placed a hand on her shoulders, stopping her inquiry. She grimaced.

"There's some... complications but Lelouch is alive. He's currently at the hospital at the moment. Do you want to visit him?" asked Cornelia, the dubiety in her words not lost on her. She found that she need not have asked for she knew the obvious answer.

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Nunally clenched her teeth, having to watch Lelouch lying helplessly on the bed, eyes, legs and large portions of body covered with bandaging, strange machines with wires snaking around numerous parts of his thin body, IV solutions and other liquids slowly dripping into long tubes. She was not even allowed to enter the intensive care unit where he was admitted to. She was only left with the choice to watch him from outside the glass enclosure that was like a bubble that shielded her brother from the outside world. She could not sit beside him now, could not offer comfort or do anything for her only brother, but only watch as he suffers and it pained her, this sight. Her emotions convulsing violently inside. Because again! She could do nothing! It enraged her. Her sheer uselessness!

Just like she could do nothing to save her mother and just watched her body lying on the floor, lifeless, cold and still.

Why should she be the only one left unhurt? Why did her family be struck with this cruel of a fate?

Nunnally jumped when a gloved hand grabbed gently landed on her shoulders. She looked up to see Schneizel smiling at her. She glanced behind, seeing her other siblings, Cornelia, Clovis, Euphie—and no one else, just them. Nunnally now a little more at ease after seeing her cared siblings arrive. She then redirected her attention back to her helpless brother, back towards Lelouch's ward. She felt her body tense again as she tried to push aside the sudden pain she felt growing deep down in her.

"Anything wrong, Nunnally?" the blonde prince asked.

Nunnally threw her sight to the ground, and blinked several times, leaking a stray tear escaping the confines of her eyes. The girl started covering her face with her arm causing everyone to look on concerned and prompted Euphie to peer beside her.

"Are you okay, Nunna—?" sounding more worried.

More tears started to flow, Nunnally started to cry openly. Unable to hold on to her raging emotions deep inside.

In a show of caringness, Schneizel leaned down on the same level as her, bringing his long slender arms up and pulled the grieving girl into a consoling embrace. He whispered into her ears "Shh… it's okay… everything will be fine… it's okay to cry…." He kept repeating the words, as if reciting a mantra to calm the crying princess.

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A moment passed before she regained her composure to speak again.

"What's wrong?"

Nunnally glanced towards her other brothers and Euphie before creeping nearer towards Cornelia. Whispering into her ears "He's not here—"

Cornelia blinked and straightened herself, the emphasis on the word 'he's ' led her to believe she was referring to none other that that man . She sighed after she realized what her little sister had meant and hit herself mentally. There was so little that she could do after all. Cornelia shrugged helplessly as she patted the little girl's head apologetically. She turned to look at Euphie as the little girl watched Lelouch from afar in concern through the glass windows. Cornelia smiled fondly when the little angel that was Euphie walked towards Nunnally to sooth her suffering.

At least in kindness, they could offer to this child in these moments of despair, and in times of trouble.

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Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. The small nondescript procession that was a part of the ceremony for her mother's funeral seemed to be taking too long, even for a funeral of this scale.

Dressed in her funeral finery, Nunnally proceeded along with the small entourage in a dead march through the streets, towards the Royal Cemetery; the sound of knelling bells heard in the distance, signaling the passing of a person. At least they had the decency to bury her mother there. For seeing this procession, one would presume it was that of a low ranking noble person or even a normal person, and not that of a royal, the most revered in Britannian society. There were no memorial service, no honor guards either on foot or a cavalcade to escort her mother to her final resting place! And even for the woman who has dazzled and awed all with her piloting skills, there were no knightmares to symbolize her former services to the country. No knightmares for the woman called 'The Flash'. There was nothing! Apart from being attended by a few nobles and royals, the funeral was, if put into words, woefully unworthy for an Empress of Britannia. To Nunnally, it was an insult to have her mother buried in this manner. That was however, the price to be paid for powerlessness, for being without power, she was not even unable to arrange her own mother's funeral and had little say in the mattey.

But now, she stood changed. It was the painful experience of death that spurred on her newfound revelation. She realized the true nature life in the palace, that it was no Shangri-la. That amidst the flower filled gardens and ornate decorations of the palaces, danger lurks behind false facades of pleasantries and friendliness. She realized it because that was the nature of the nobility. Each wanting to gain more political prowess than the other by any means necessary, and each had their own goals.

The Imperial Family were not excepted to this condition however, as each of her other sides of relatives, the families of her father's other wives were very competitive of each other. All had their own personal issues against each other and each with their own agendas. All were determined to outshine each other in order to gain the favor of the Emperor in the never ending pursuit of being named the next successor to the Britannian Throne or to at least have more influence in the court. To do that, they would do anything in their power to achieve their means.

She had paid some thought about it. Her mother's death; might have been because of the power struggle in this royal family. That would make a lot of sense. That would explain the reason as to how the assassins could have easily entered and attacked the Villa.

It angered her that the incident had been passed off as a terrorist attack. That was in the simplest of words, ridiculous! How could a mere terrorist group have entered the palace so easily? The palace area had more guards guarding it than a full fledged military facility of a considerable size. Moreover, these guards were the elites of the elite, each specifically chosen and each entrusted with the noble duty of protecting the Imperial Family. Before they could step a foot onto the palace, the entire arsenal would have been spent on them; leaving no one surviving. But the assassins that had killed his mother as well as the few unlucky nobles and servants that had crossed their way had managed to get in and out of the place without any scratch! There wasn't even any evidence left behind! It was very suspicious to not assume that there were no insiders involved in the incident. Why aren't any investigations being done? Why did everyone accepted the story on the terrorist attack so easily? Was it because his mother being just a commoner? That her life wasn't worth much? Just because of blood lines and one's lineage? Then how—

Nunnally came out of her thoughts when a hand rested atop her shoulder, she looked up over towards her half-brother Schneizel. He gestured towards her and she turned towards the sight before her. The casket had already been lowered into the ground and the vicar had been staring at her expectantly. It was then Nunnally remembered the two stalks of pristine white roses that she had been dangling onto all along the funeral.

It was that time already.

Nunnally took a long breath and then she hesitantly stepped forward and threw the two stalks of flowers below towards the casket. One represented her; the other one for Lelouch, who could not attend the funeral. She stepped back, letting the other few attendants do the same.

She felt Cornelia's presence behind her as she placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. She looked up to notice the sad look mirrored in all four of her closest siblings faces. Even Clovis seemed troubled at the ordeal. At least she still had someone to depend on, at least... she could depend on the ones that were with her now for support. At least... for now.

Until she could find her own strength...

Until she could find the ones behind it all….

Until she could wield power to exact justice for her mother and brother….

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"Nunnally... enough. Let's get home."

Nunnally blinked as she turned around towards Cornelia. This one half-sister of hers did appear very concerned for her, as well as Schneizel, Euphemia and Clovis. They all showed a great deal of care and worry over her.

This line of thought threatened to dampen her spirit and invoke unwanted thoughts, causing Nunnally to wonder about Cornelia's feelings over the rest of the royal family, and of herself and Lelouch's. As well as Schneizel, Euphie and Clovis' feelings respectively. Had they been sincere? Did they really cared—wait, why did she think this way! No! She would not give in to paranoia! Of course they care—!! She had lived and spent his childhood with them. They couldn't possibly have wanted to hurt them. But then, why would anybody wanted to hurt her mother?

Thinking about it, she never get to know more or spent time with his other step-mothers. Much because they had refused to acknowledge any other children of the Emperor other than their own. Could the culprit be amongst them? But then the list of suspects would be too big, counting in the nobles, the royal family and other possibilities, it would simply be too long. And she did not even have enough power to do anything about it.

Wait. There was someone with such power. But... why? Why did he do absolutely nothing?

"Nunnally?"

She snaped out of her deep thought, now realizing that she caught the worry of not only Cornelia but her half-brother Schneizel as well. The blonde price cast her a look of concern but Nunnally dismissed it. The man sighed as he ushered the little girl to follow him home.

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The sound of the phone ringing broke the stifling silence of the room, catching the princess' attention, who was currently gazing out into the heavens. Activating the speaker on the antique handset, she spoke slowly but coolly. "I asked not to be interrupted."

"I beg your pardon, Milady, but you wished to be informed the moment the hospital called..."

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Returning late after midnight after visiting her brother, Nunnally struggled to bring herself up the stairs to her room. In her current state, reduced to a woeful shade of what it once was, even she found the task of ascending the stairs problematic. And occasionally, while climbing the grand staircase of the now vacant Aries Villa, she would let out muffled sobs.

The reason for her mournful stature was none other than the shocking news regarding her brother. She originally felt relieved to discover that her brother was finally awake after months of induced sleep, imagine her dismay when the revelation downed upon her.

"Sister, why is the room so dark?"

He was blind!

"What are you talking about brother dear? The room is perfectly lit. It is nearing summer and the sun is shining brightly"

Not only that, he was crippled as well!

Now arriving at her room, she weakly pushed the wooden doors open, almost trembling forwards in the process. She walked to her bed, wambling unsteadily along the way.

'This can't be true! I cannot take this! Mother! Brother--!'

Collapsing unto the bed, the wall that she had been holding finally broke. The sobs become louder, shuddering her body with every impulse. Her body trembled, like a leaf dangling down from its branch in autumn. Her breathing erratic and loud, coming in stoccato gasps. What little comfort the soft velvet mattress offered, it was insufficient to ease her.

She remembered, her elder sister Cornelia and her younger sister arriving to see the scene. Never before had she seen such a sorrowful expression on both her sisters face, but alas, at the time, in her grieve, she was obliviuos to the fact.

When the pain deep inside became unbearable, she relented and let out the dam that had been holding back her tears. Streams of moisture raced down her cheeks, almost glittering in the moonlight and dampened the feathery pillows.

She recalled the doctor clarifying the blindness as mental trauma, which the only cure was time. Then, the doctor presented the x-ray slides showing the numerous fragments of lead and metal once encased within her brothers leg. And when asked of a remedy, the doctor, with a heavy heart, suggested amputation and prosthetics, to which the prince declined.

After lying in stasis for an insurmountable period, she finally regained her composure; evening her breathing, her body now ceased shaking, and lines of tears already dry. She rose, centering on the large glass windows of her room. She brought her sight up, setting her gaze to the briliant shining moon.

She wondered, everything that befell them, had it, in a way, been avoidable. Who could have prevented it? Who held absolute power within Britannia? With those thoughts, her expression hardened.

She had plans for tomorrow. She would find her answers.

Authors Note:

I think I'll be at best, be doing weekly updates to the story. However this can vary from time to time, depending on a

multitude of factors that will influence my progress of story.

Also, I prefer the usage of British English rather than that of other countries.

Next Chapter: Confrontation And Neglectance