Throne Room,
Pendragon Imperial Palace, Britannia.
15 days after Marianne's murder
1:30 p.m.
"Announcing Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, seventeenth heir to the Royal Britannian Imperial Throne!"
The walls echoing with each footstep, Lelouch made his way towards his father, careful to look as regal and as imposing as possible, at least for a young boy. With such a matter as the supposed assassination of Empress Marianne, the nobles, wearing extravagant clothes paid for by the sweat of those in low places, could not help but gossip.
"I heard Empress Marianne was killed inside the Britannian Palace."
"There's no way terrorists could've gotten in there."
"Which means the real assassins must have been-"
"SHH! Beware my friend, you'll regret it if anyone hears that kind of talk."
Lelouch, unbeknownst to the nobility, could hear every single word, but his step remained unaltered. Finally, he stood, face to face with the man whom he sought with which to speak, the most powerful man in the world, Charles zi Britannia, his father. Lelouch spoke up first.
"Hail your majesty, my mother, the empress, is dead."
As the Emperor Charles opened his mouth, a peculiar voice came out instead.
"Lelouch? Big Brother are you okay?
"Wha-what your majesty?" Lelouch was confounded by this witchery.
"Lelouch wake up! Wake up Big Brother!"
Room 13
Pendragon City Hospital, Britannia.
30 days after Marianne's murder
7:12 a.m.
Lelouch woke with shock. He had been sitting in Nunnally's hospital, recalling the events of his visit to see his father few days ago. He hardly believed he was dreaming. It had all seemed so real to him until the Emperor started talking like Nunnally.
"Oh, hey there Nunnally, you're finally awake."
Wow, did I really say that when she just woke me up?
"When I woke up, I heard you making noises like you were struggling with something. I tried calling your name, but you didn't answer. I thought you were having a nightmare Big Brother."
Lelouch, felt unsteady, thinking of his 'nightmare'.
"Yes, it was a nightmare, just that, but enough about me, you're the one in the hospital after all. How are you feeling Nunnally? Is anything hurting? do you need me to get you something? I can-"
"Lelouch, all I want is for you to be with me."
"Of course, Nunnally." Silence followed this, which led Lelouch into deep thought.
I will never leave you alone in this world ever again Nunnally. I will always be with you from now to the end, forever.
Then Lelouch remembered what his father had said to him that day.
"You are dead, you have always been dead to me, dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you wear, a comfortable home, the food you eat at your very life? All of those I have given to you! In short you are nothing to me because you have never existed! Yet you dare speak such foolishness to me! Lelouch, you are dead, therefore you are not entitled to any rights. I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan, as prince and princess you will do well as bargaining tools."
No
I will not let you use Nunnally for your own personal gain, you monster.
Nunnally, we will escape.
Aries Villa
Pendragon Imperial Palace, Britannia
40 Days after Marianne's murder
8:46 a.m.
Lelouch, for most of his remaining time at the Aries Villa, remained in his room, stuck in remorse and anguish. Only meals were suffice enough to get him to move. Even then he wouldn't speak to anyone. He didn't see Nunnally anymore because she was moved to a different room because of her handicap. Lelouch, finally getting enough emotional strength to move, got up from his lavish king-sized bed and took a walk to the grand library of the villa, where he would often drown himself in book-reading. As Lelouch arrived, he was amazed at the size of the library, despite how many times he's seen it. He waded between the colossal bookcases, each carrying an unknown number of stories, biographies, and poems. There were so many books, it would be hard for a normal person to remember where each book lay specifically, but Lelouch was no normal boy, he was a genius, even at such a young age as he was. Finally, he found the book he was looking for, a chess book, My System by Aron Nimzowitch, to be specific. He shifted through the pages at a speed only a genius could muster.
Maybe some chess study would help me get my mind of all of this.
Unfortunately for Lelouch, that was not the case, as he ended up realizing he could remember what had been said on the last paragraph. In an annoyed rage, he launched the book across the room. Due to his sub-par physique, the book only landed on the table across from him. Distraught with both his physique and the greater situation, he sighed, noticing a certain girl with short blond hair with blues eyes wearing a bright green dress, staring at him behind a bookcase.
"Hello, Milly."
Milly darted behind the bookcase, seemingly afraid of Lelouch like he was a monster.
I am not a monster, but I was fathered by one.
"Milly, I can still see you."
Milly finally came out from behind the bookcase and sat down beside Lelouch.
"Hello, Lelouch."
Lelouch didn't respond, instead looked down in despair.
"I heard what happened to Nunnally..." Lelouch started to feel a surge of anger. Not toward Milly, but towards fate, for being so cruel.
"Of course you did, all of the entire nation heard what happened." Lelouch didn't realize the rise of his voice and the spite within it.
"I...I am sorry."
"Why are you sorry? It wasn't YOUR fault!" Lelouch was only getting angrier.
"Lelouch I..."
"What do you want Milly? Huh? Spit it out!"
Lelouch quickly realized his mistake, as he witnessed Milly start crying, and then run away.
Lelouch simply stood there perplexed, when finally the gentleman inside him pushed him into chasing after her.
"Milly! Milly wait!" Lelouch tried to catch up, but as stated before, his physique was not up to the challenge, and Lelouch was soon caught in a fit of coughing, signaling his body would not continue without rest. Lelouch cursed his weak muscles and tried his best to hurry after Milly before she got away for good.
I will NOT lose someone else I care about just because my body collapses beneath me!
Lelouch took a good look down each of the converging hallways converging on him.
I don't see her anywhere.
Lelouch tried to listen for a sound of her.
All I can hear is that damn tuba from that damn count Victor!
Lelouch tried to start running again, but each attempt only ended in failure, so he just slowed down to a limp. He limped around for a while but didn't find much, eventually stumbling on to the carpeted floor. Lelouch was prepared to give up when he noticed a door leading to the outside was slightly opened. He stood up like a real man and rushed to the door, the bright light of the sun blinding him after being stuck inside for so long.
Milly? Milly where are you?
Even with his legs begging him to stop, he would not halt, for when a woman is at stake, a gentleman needs no further prodding.
She has to be around here somewhere!
Lelouch ran around in circles, figuratively and literally.
"Milly? Milly?" Lelouch kept repeating the girls name over and over, until he felt sure he had gone insane. When Lelouch had almost given up hope again, he noticed a head of blonde hair in the garden. Certain it was Milly, he burst into a sprint.
"MILLY!"
He had almost made it, just a few more steps and he would be with her.
Milly
When had stopped, he was finally together with Milly, in same spot during the fire drill 40 days before.
"Milly..."
The last thing Lelouch saw was a single tear fall down Milly's face.
Then he fainted.
Then he awoke.
"Lelouch, are you ok?"
Milly's face was all he could see in his cloudy vision. Cloudy as it was, Lelouch could pick out every little detail.
"Ugh," was all Lelouch could say. Milly giggled at this and wiped something off Lelouch's face.
Lelouch felt embarrassed as he realized he had fallen face-first into a pool of mud, smearing his entire body.
"Milly, I'm sorry." Milly only smiled at this and continued wiping mud of little Lelouch's face.
"Milly, I have something to tell you." Lelouch stated out bluntly.
"What is it Lelouch?"
"You need to promise not to tell anyone." Lelouch was conflicted. His mind said no, his heart said yes.
"I promise Lelouch."
"Nunnally and I are going to escape,"
"Wha-WHAT? You can't be serious Lelouch!"
"I am."
"But why? How are you going to escape the palace?
"I don't know." Lelouch's heart sank when he faced the truth.
A voice from behind the bushes interrupted, a deep voice, a voice Lelouch instantly recognized
"So you want to escape do you?
Finally, Jeremiah Gottwald, member of the Royal Guard, stood in front of two children with the idea of freedom. Lelouch could barely speak.
"Hi there, Mr. Gottwald." Milly responded skittishly.
"Good evening, Ms. Ashford, I do believe that Lelouch just told you that He was going to escape from Britannia, am I correct?"
"Yes, yes you are."
"As I thought," Jeremiah faced Lelouch. Lelouch felt as if Jeremiah would imprison him for such treason. Instead, Jeremiah kneeled on the ground, ignoring the mud.
"Your majesty, I support whatever decision you choose to make. Your wish is my command."
Lelouch was a bit confused at first and so could only ask the obvious question.
"What do you mean Jeremiah? I have given up my claim to the throne!"
"It does not matter to me, your majesty. My loyalty was to Lady Marianne, but now that she is dead, my loyalty falls to you, young prince."
Lelouch looked into his eyes and saw that this man's loyalty was pure and he would never betray his liege.
"Jeremiah, can you find a way out of this prison."
Jeremiah chuckled at the idea of the palace as a prison, but he nodded and agreed with it, at least somewhat.
Jeremiah did not respond with words, though, as he was contemplating the best way for them to reach freedom. Milly, though, had a question herself.
"Lelouch, have you asked Nunnally about what she wants?"
It hit him. He hadn't asked Nunnally her opinion, what she wanted, how she felt.
"No. I haven't." Milly was shocked.
"Lelouch! She might not want to escape! She might want to go to Japan!"
"I'll ask her okay! Jeez."
"I have an idea," Jeremiah chimed in, "There's a plane, the Pandora, in the Pendragon International Airport, set to arrive and leave for the French Republic in two days. This day is the same day that you leave for Japan. If you can sneak on to that plane without being caught you might be free."
Lelouch didn't believe it would be that easy.
"It can't be that simple." Milly stated.
You took the words right out of my mouth.
"Of course, but that is the general idea. I need time to conjure the rest of the plan."
"Why the French Republic though? Wouldn't it be easier to fly to the British Isles, the original homeland of Britannia?" Lelouch put in his own question.
"The people on the British Isles hate us, believing us to be tyrants. They think that we sodden the name of Britannia. That's why the British airlines stopped the Britannia-Britain flights once this political friction sparked up. The French are still providing flights due to the high percentage of French ancestry in Britannia, a lot of which comes from the original French colonists that landed in Quebec and Louisiana. Most of the Midwest and Northeast of North Britannia is of French descent. Actually, most Britannians aren't of British descent. Most are French, German, or Spanish."
"The nobles are all British, though."
"That is exactly right, your majesty."
Lelouch opened the mahogany door to Nunnally's room and peeked inside. Nunnally was inside, reading a book in Braille.
"Nunnally? It's me, Lelouch."
Nunnally turned her head in Lelouch's direction, even though she can't see. Lelouch just believed it was out of respect.
"Hello Big Brother." Nunnally's voice wasn't as pleasant and carefree as it used to be. It was more solemn and serious.
"How are you feeling, Nunnally?"
"I'm fine."
"What's that you have there?
"Oh, it's just a book written in Braille."
"Braille?"
"You don't know? It's the written language for people who can't see."
Oh, right.
"Nunnally, do you...really want to go to Japan?" Lelouch didn't really know how to put it any other way.
Nunnally didn't answer for a long while. When Lelouch was about to say something else, she finally responded.
"I don't know Lelouch, everything is just happening so quickly."
"I feel the same way, but I don't want to be used by that monster."
"What do you mean, Big Brother?" Lelouch was uncertain on how should he speak his next few sentences.
"Our father, Nunnally, is who I'm talking about. He doesn't care about us. He refused to visit you even when you needed support the most. He called you a weakling and now he wants to send us to Japan for his own personal gain. He's a monster, Nunnally."
Nunnally was a bit scared by the harshness of her brother's tone.
"Don't you think you are being a bit hard on him Big Brother? He has to appear leader-like in front of his subjects."
"A real leader would care for a wounded girl. He did not. A real leader would not call a wounded girl a weakling. He did."
"Where are you going with this, Lelouch?"
"I think we should escape, Nunnally."
To Lelouch's surprise, Nunnally did not respond immediately. She only looked away.
"Are you serious, Big Brother?"
"Yes, Nunnally. I believe it is the best for us. It is the only way for us to escape him." Nunnally contemplated her answer for a moment.
"I believe in you decision, Big Brother, but where would we go?"
"Jeremiah Gottwald, one of the new recruits on the guard, is forming a plan to get us out on a plane two days from now."
"Do you think it will work Big Brother?"
"I don't know, but he is our only hope."
Aries Villa
Pendragon Imperial Palace, Britannia
41 days after Marianne's death
6:10 p.m.
Lelouch sat on a stump in the farthest north corner of the gardens. He anxiously awaited the arrival of Jeremiah, for he contacted Lelouch earlier, saying he had a plan and to meet him at this spot. Lelouch was getting annoyed waiting for him. Bugs were crawling up his shirt and his sides were starting to hurt from slapping them to keep the insects off. Lelouch rejoiced in his head when Jeremiah arrived, lowering his head and putting his knees into a kneel.
"Your majesty, I apologize if I kept you waiting for too long. One of the new guards who I was partnered with accidentally shot himself while on duty, and I was responsible for filing paperwork. There was no way around it."
Lelouch shook his head.
"Your arrival time is fine, Jeremiah, but there is one other problem."
Jeremiah did not respond, instead keeping his head lowered and his knees kneeled, waiting for Lelouch to continue.
"Do not address me as 'Your majesty,' I have given up my claim to the throne, therefore you should only address me as 'sir.'"
"Yes sir, I understand."
"Now, explain to me the plan you have come up with."
Others would have called Lelouch's tone of voice harsh, commanding, or authoritative. Lelouch wasn't trying to sound grown-up, for he's seen what grown-ups do. He just didn't want to be a boy.
"Yes sir. As you know, you and your sister Nunnally will be heading to Pendragon International airport tomorrow, too take a plane for Japan. Officially, you aren't supposed to leave for another week, but this is just throw off terrorists. There is another plane, leaving early next morning for the French Republic. We have to get you and Nunnally away from the palace and onto that plane before it leaves."
"You need to tell me the how, Jeremiah."
"Yes sir, I understand. Tomorrow morning, at 3:00, I'll will escort you to the suburbs of Pendragon, which are not that far. From there, you must take a cab all the way to Pendragon International Airport."
"How will Nunnally and I get from our quarters to you without being caught?"
Jeremiah simply smiled.
"As a newly promoted Captain of the Guard, I have access to some information that allowed me to clear a route." Jeremiah handed Lelouch a map of Pendragon Imperial Palace, but this map had scribbling all over it. Lelouch stared at him in surprise.
"You're the new captain of the guard? Congratulations, Jeremiah. I'm sorry for not finding out till now."
"Do not apologize sir, I was only promoted yesterday and there was no need for you to know."
Lelouch simply nodded in understanding.
"I am having fake passports forged for you and Nunnally as we speak. Use them to get passed security and on to that plane." Lelouch was a bit concerned over the simplicity of the plan.
Fake passports? How could he get fake passports?
"How are you able to get forged passports? Wouldn't it be bad for someone to find out the Captain of the Guard had been arranging fake passports?"
Jeremiah kept his head lowered.
"As a margrave, I have many contacts, both in the noble world and the underworld. Do not worry, they are trustworthy."
Lelouch could not help but smile.
It amazes me as to how much this man has gone simply for loyalty.
"Jeremiah, your outstanding loyalty is almost unheard of. If I were emperor, you would be in a high office indeed." Lelouch cringed as he said, If I were emperor.
"Thank you, sir."
Lelouch noticed that Jeremiah had been in the same kneeled position for the entire time.
"You may stand Jeremiah, I apologize for keeping you in such a degrading position." Lelouch
"Think nothing of it your maje-I mean sir." Jeremiah stood and smiled at Lelouch.
Old habits die hard, I guess.
Lelouch had one last question.
"What about clothing? I can't go into the airport of the capital city of Britannia while looking like a prince."
"Ah, I thought that one through. That is why when you arrive at your room, you shall find a box full of clothing and what-not to dress yourselves in to look more commoner-like."
"Thank you for everything, Jeremiah." Jeremiah was the closest thing to a father Lelouch had ever known.
"Do not say that yet. It's not over."
Both of them smiled at each other, though Lelouch had to look up at the sun to face Jeremiah, so his smile did not last long. They finally parted ways after Jeremiah advised Lelouch that they should not see each other again tonight. Neither of them noticed the pair of sparkling blue eyes, spying on them through a window.
Lelouch meandered through the passageways and corridors towards his beautiful mahogany room when suddenly something, or someone, interrupted his peaceful walk.
"Hey Lelouch, I saw you talking with Jeremiah earlier. You were talking about your escape, weren't you?"
Lelouch did not turn around.
"Yes, we were. There's nothing you can say to stop me from leaving."
"I do not want to stop you. I only want to ask you something."
Lelouch turned around and asked what it was, careful not to have his voice like it was yesterday with Milly.
"I want to come with you."
Lelouch blinked a coupled a couple times, trying to put the information he just received together in his brain. Once he processed it all, his jaw dropped. Being a prince, he naturally calmed himself in record time and preceded to act normal.
"Milly, why would you want to come with Nunnally and me?"
Milly looked down, but it wasn't in shame.
"You and Nunnally are the best friends I've ever had, and I'm not going to let you run off to a foreign land all by yourselves. Both of you need some sort of support from a friend."
"I am the only support Nunnally needs." Lelouch realized his tone of voice was becoming like it was yesterday. Milly stood firm and her face did not change.
"What about you, Lelouch? You need support from a friend too." Lelouch found himself unable to argue with that.
"What about your family? Your father and grandfather?" Lelouch asked these questions even while slowly starting to believe she would not budge.
"I have plenty of brothers and sisters who can take the family heritage. Besides, the Ashford family is ruined."
Of course, the Ashford family had been my mother's best proponents. Likewise, my mother was the Ashford family's best proponent. If one left, the other would shrivel up and die.
Lelouch and Milly both tried to avoid each other's gaze. Lelouch knew Milly truly wanted to help. Milly knew Lelouch truly wanted her to be safe and not follow them to uncertainty.
Lelouch sighed, finally giving in to the lady's desire.
"I'll try and see if somehow Jeremiah can fit you into the plan, but no promises, okay?"
Milly gazed at Lelouch and smiled
"Ok."
Confound that Milly! Now I have to sprint to get to Jeremiah's office!
Indeed, Lelouch was almost out of breath and close to dying when he reached Jeremiah's office. He burst in, still gasping for any air, even the air of a dusty office.
"Lelouch, I thought I said we should not see each other."
"I know, but there is something I need to ask you urgently. Can you get another passport for Milly Ashford?" Lelouch braced for the worst.
"Sure," came Jeremiah's almost immediate reply, "They don't take too long to make and as a noble, they practically cost nothing."
Lelouch felt as if he'd been slapped.
"Though you will have to pick it up on your way to the airport because your passports are already in your room." Jeremiah continued.
"Yeah sure, whatever. Thanks." Lelouch closed the door to the office and slid down against it to the ground.
That was easy.
Lelouch approached his bed. Today had probably been the most tiring day of his, mostly carefree, life as a prince. He opened the cardboard container placed on his bed, finding commoner's clothes inside along with some baby toys inside. Lelouch guessed it was to make Nunnally's wheelchair look like a baby carriage and put the toys aside. At the bottom, Lelouch found a book and note which read, 'Use this to catch up on your European history.' Lelouch held the book in front of his face. The Magnificent History of the European Union was its name. Lelouch stared at it, wondering about the great stories of generals and scientists and statesman that filled these pages. He was tempted to dive headfirst into said stories, but it was late, and he needed all the sleep he could get. Lelouch jumped as high as his weak legs could allow and landed on his bed. Lelouch closed his eyes and dreamed.
Tomorrow I will leave this accursed place.
Wow, talk about coincidence. Lelouch ended this chapter needing sleep and noticing it was late, and I stopped typing this chapter needing sleep and noticing it was late, (My parents think I'm asleep right now.) Anyways, this chapter, if you noticed, was alot longer than the last chapter. I felt as if the first chapter was a bit short. Tell me if you think later chapters should be as long as the first chapter, this chapter, or even longer than this chapter. Oh, by the way, please don't be too hard on me in the reviews. This is my first fanfic and I'm 13(14 in a month) so I'm not even in high school yet. Wow, that wasn't a very good excuse was it?
RandomNumbers523156: I did use some information from the Code Geass wiki that supposedly comes from pre-release information of the Akito the Exiled. The presence of the Revolutionary Calendar is one of them. Thanks for the 'keep going!' I'm gonna need that motivation when school starts tomorrow and I get really busy.
l3largus: Sorry Bro, I don't think I'm going to make those supernatural powers into anything. They were kinda just gimmicks I used for the first chapter. I do think that I'm going to be doing Milly/Lelouch, since that is were my story seems to be developing. Also there is just the fact that I think they are the best considering Milly and Lelouch have known each other since childhood.
firelordzuko:Oh mah gawd. Is this the real firelordzuko? the one who made The First Servant? Dude, you are like my fanfiction idol. The First Servant is an amazing story. Do not stop it. Anyways, to your questions. At first, I kinda did want to have geass in it at first, but later on when I actually sat down and thought, I didn't see a way Lelouch could feasibly get it and use it effectively with what I have planned for him. About the European history, I'm either going to devote half of the next chapter or the entire chapter after that for some short stories of European history. About Revolutionary Calendar, see my answer to random , I'm also a Napoleon L'Empereur!
Grayface/Anonymous/AreyouFrench:Nope I'm not French, but I do have a very large respect for French history and culture. Though I was born in Louisiana! Oh, also, I think you made a typo in your review. Could you please retype it. I would love to hear from as many of you as possible.
+1 internetz to whoever can tell me which game I got the idea of the name Pandora as an aircraft from.
ps. Do you guys think I should change the title? I feel like its throwing people off that the name is in French so that they think the story is in French. I also don't want to throw off French people that come here thinking it's in French and seeing it's in English and going Sacrebleu!
God that was long for an afternote.
