Chapter 7
Just two days before Clemont's capture, Lelouch and C.C. were carrying out their plan to gain entrance to the E.U. "I'm surprised they rebuilt Pendragon exactly as it was," Lelouch nostalgically remarked as he observed the towering, elegantly built structures of the Britannian capitol. "I never felt quite as at home in the castle as I did in the clubhouse, though…" He thought back to his days living at Ashford as a common schoolboy, skipping classes to gamble against nobles with Rivalz, going to student council meetings, attending Milly's strange school-wide events… and going under the name Lelouch Lamprouge.
"Now isn't the time for a nostalgia boner," C.C. remarked. Lelouch ignored her, as he was finding her unnecessary jokes quite irritating. However, at the same time, he found her childish humor comforting. It made him feel as if he wasn't about to kidnap the sister for whom he destroyed the world and created it anew. It made him feel like it was just another day in the clubhouse.
Imperial guards had been stationed all around the city due to the need for increased security after the F.L.E.I.J.A. incident. Despite all this fortification, Lelouch and C.C. both thought it was futile.
"Does Britannia really think that more police officers will help stop a weapon of mass destruction?" C.C. sighed.
"I was thinking the same thing… I wonder if it's something else, though," Lelouch said. "It could have something to do with the whole 'Zero's Fist' thing. Maybe they're afraid the rebels will try to cripple Europe's allies."
"I doubt it. They're such a small group that I doubt they'd even have the firepower to carry out a full-scale invasion."
"I wouldn't go assuming that," Lelouch replied. "What we saw in the news could just be a smaller faction of a larger group. It's smart of Britannia to be cautious. Nunnally must be worried sick about the citizens."
"That would be just like her."
The two walked toward the guard post stationed at the entrance to the city. The six guards operating it were sitting on the ground playing what appeared to be a game of Blackjack. Amidst their laughing and yelling, one guard turned his head to examine the visitors. He immediately alerted his colleagues and they all sprung to their feet and stood at attention. "Welcome back, Lord Zero!" one guard barked.
"Empress Nunnally vi Britannia has been eagerly awaiting your return," said another. "She'll be happy to see that you've arrived safely!"
The same guard who spotted the two piped up as well. He was noticeably smaller than the others, and spoke in a higher voice. Lelouch assumed that he was fresh out of the academy. "Your-" his voice cracked and he shook his head and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Y-your personal transport to the Imperial Palace has been prepared, m-my lord."
"I appreciate it, Private," Lelouch said to the guard in the nicest voice he could muster wearing such an intimidating voice-distorting mask.
Another guard, who was the tallest one in the group, put out his assault rifle in front of C.C. It was equipped with a bayonet, something Lelouch didn't know the Britannian armed forces used. "Wait a minute. Who are you and what's your business?"
"Point that bayonet down before I jam it down your throat, Private," Lelouch threatened. "She is a dear friend of mine, and I brought her here for personal business."
"O-of course, my lord. Please accept my apologies." The tall guard stood at attention once more with the rest of the group.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, the shorter guard suddenly let out a squeak. "Oh!" he yelped. He scurried like a mouse into the control booth and began pressing away at the buttons that lined the desk. The guards all made way and the giant golden gates slowly swung open. Lelouch and C.C. proceeded through the opening and were greeted by a carriage being pulled by two armored horses. The driver stepped out of the carriage and opened up the door for them.
"Right this way, my lord," the driver said with a warm smile on his face. The pair climbed into the carriage and took their seats. The carriage began moving toward the center of the city. It appeared to Lelouch that the citizens had been ordered not to drive on the main streets and obstruct Zero's path. Outside, crowds gathered on the sidewalks to watch Lord Zero's carriage roll by. People were smiling and cheering, clearly very happy to see their savior had returned.
"Master Zero! Master Zero!" they chanted. Lelouch looked out through the window and waved, and much to his surprise, a few teenage girls fainted.
C.C. had to hold back laughter. "Are they really swooning at the sight of a man whose face they've never even seen? Looks like you're a celebrity."
"Society chooses their heroes," Lelouch said. "Once enough people start cheering for them, everyone else joins in. If you look up 'mass stupidity' in a dictionary, that would be the definition."
"How cynical of you," C.C. remarked.
"Doesn't the truth sting?"
The carriage slowed to a stop and the driver once again opened the door for Zero and his companion. They were on the castle grounds, at the end of the path that led to the gate in front of the royal family's residence. Lelouch stepped out of the carriage and C.C. soon followed. He turned around and observed the grassy fields around him, and the massive pond where he spent so much of his childhood. He remembered the nights he would spend with his mother, Euphy, and Nunnally, lying on the grass, pointing out the various constellations. Sometimes he wished he could go back to the days prior to his banishment to Japan, when he was so close with his sisters, and when he would play chess with his older brothers. He even remembered Schneizel, his only brother whom he could never beat. But, he remembered the day when he finally called checkmate on the only man who could outsmart him.
Lelouch turned and walked through the gates, with C.C. at his heels. However, the guards stepped in front of C.C. and pushed her back. "Nobody enters the Imperial Family's house uninvited," the guards said. She was slightly frightened by their simultaneous speech.
"I invited her," Lelouch barked. "I'll tell you what I told the last guard who threatened her. Step aside or I'll take that rifle from you and jam the bayonet down your windpipe. Are we clear?"
The guards hesitated for a moment. "Yes, my lord," they said, this time slightly out of synch. They stepped out of C.C.'s path.
"Thanks," Lelouch said with a sly smile on his face, although nobody else could see it. The guards were too stunned to speak. The two started up yet another path, this time on their way to the front door of the Imperial Family's mansion. Lelouch took his first step onto the porch stairs, and was immediately greeted by swinging doors and a familiar face.
"Zero!" Nunnally gleefully shouted. The sight of his sister after the past two long years warmed his heart, and even brought tears to his eyes.
"Gre-" he attempted to speak, but it was obvious that he was choking up. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Greetings, my empress," Lelouch said again, this time using his usual commanding voice. "Has everything been alright in my absence?"
"Everything's been just fine, Zero! The guard you left with me is absolutely superb!" She gestured over to her right, and Lelouch was greeted with the typical emotionless facial expression from Anya Alstreim.
"I appreciate you looking after the empress in my absence, Lady Alstreim," Lelouch said, approaching her to shake her hand.
Lelouch and Anya shook hands and Anya looked down at her cell phone. "Recorded," she said in her usual monotonous voice. "As Knight of Five, it's my duty to defend the Imperial Family and all of the citizens of Britannia."
Anya was beginning to remind Lelouch of Suzaku. "You've done a fine job," he said to her. "But… could you please leave the empress and I alone for a moment? We need to speak in private. Is that alright, my lady?"
Lelouch had forgotten C.C. was there until she tugged on his arm. She leaned in and whispered, "What about me?"
Almost immediately after, Anya chimed in. "What about your friend?"
"She's not just my friend," Lelouch replied. "I've assigned her to be Nunnally's guardian when I'm away." C.C. shot him a dirty look.
"I thought that was my job," Anya replied, this time showing a bit of disappointment in her voice and facial expression.
"It was, but I realized that you still have your duties as a Knight of the Round. It would be unwise to hinder you from carrying out your job." Lelouch was impressed with himself at the speed at which he formed a response. "Please understand that-"
"That's fine, I suppose," Anya interrupted. "I'll be going now." She walked out the door without saying a word to Lelouch, Nunnally, or C.C., but as she was walking down the stairs outside Lelouch could have sworn he heard her mutter, "Recorded."
He turned back to Nunnally. "My lady, there's been-" C.C. cut him off, much to his annoyance.
"Zero's Fist has requested an audience. Purely diplomatic of course, and you will be heavily guarded." She looked over to Lelouch. "That's what you wanted to say, right? Unless there's something between you two that I don't know about."
"No, that's…" Lelouch looked down at his feet. "That's all. You have every right to decline the invitation-" Nunnally cut him off just as C.C. had moments before.
"I will go," she said in a firm, commanding voice. "If I don't, they may come to us. I can't risk that."
Lelouch let out an inaudible sigh. "As you wish. We will depart for the E.U. as soon as you're ready." He bowed to Nunnally and walked out of the mansion. C.C. bowed as well and started after him.
As the two were walking back down the path towards the house gate, Lelouch looked over to C.C. "You do realize the flaw in this plan, right?"
"That the rebels didn't really request an audience? That they will shoot on sight if a Britannian flag enters their field of vision?"
"So you did realize it?"
"Not until just now."