Aries Villa

Pendragon Imperial Palace, Britannia

42 days after Marianne's murder

12:49 a.m.


As Lelouch awoke, the sight of light in his room nearly gave him a heart attack. He couldn't believe he had overslept the day he would escape. Lelouch, suffering another near-heart attack, was suddenly ripped from the bed and placed on his feet. Trying to absorb his situation, Lelouch noticed that the room was only filled with light from the ceiling lights, not the sun. Jeremiah was also shaking him to and fro.

"Lelouch wake up!"

Lelouch attempted to push Jeremiah. Jeremiah stepped back a bit, not because of Lelouch's weak shove, but because Lelouch was finally awake.

"Master Lelouch, we have to go now. We do not have much time. Get your commoner clothes on, get Nunnally, and find me at the statue of Juno in 10 minutes. Do you understand?"

Lelouch, with the brain power of a drunken man due to sleep deprivation, could only nod.

"Good. Now hurry!" Jeremiah commanded as he rushed out of Lelouch's room and down the darkened hallway. Lelouch, still with the brain power of a intoxicated male, wondered how any man can simply get up when he wants to exactly. It never occurred to Lelouch that there was a pretty nifty invention called the alarm clock, which wasn't used in the palace because of a much older invention called maids.

Lelouch pushed Nunnally's wheelchair across the carpeted floors as hard as he could, despite his tendency for low endurance, with Milly close behind. Lelouch cursed his forgetting, as he and Nunnally had to take a detour to get Milly, costing them precious minutes. Once they were finally outside, and Lelouch was back in the present, they slipped through the shadows that were dancing underneath the trees and in-between the bushes. Lelouch would later comment that he hadn't really seen the gardens during twilight, and he regretted it. After successfully manipulating Nunnally's wheelchair around puddles and the like, the trio arrived at the statue of Juno, which perfectly captured the essence of the Roman god. Lo and behold, Jeremiah was waiting for them, exactly as planned, also wearing commoner clothes. Lelouch awaited the inevitable.

"You are late. We must move fast."

Before Lelouch could respond, Jeremiah trudged off in the direction of their escape vehicle. After another session of manipulating Nunnally around various garden obstacles, the crew found themselves inside a rusty white van driving down a back-alley road away from the palace. For most of the trip, no one spoke. In fact, no one moved at all, besides Jeremiah's driving and Lelouch fixing up Nunnally 's wheel chair to look like a baby stroller. Finally, Jeremiah broke the silence.

"Lelouch, I called my friends who made the false passports for you. Oh, speaking of passports, here you are, almost forgot. Anyway, I called my friends but they weren't, well, overjoyed, to say the least, to have to work over-night. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a solid answer out of them and so I have no idea as to whether or not they actually completed another passport." Milly seemed a bit disturbed by this statement, but she soon resumed to blankly staring out a window.

"So, Milly, Nunnally, and you, will have to, first, arrive at the supplier's hideout and ask politely, if he has Milly's papers. If they do, ask politely if you can have it. Politeness is your best advice, my supplier has some issues with anger management, and if gets into the 'danger zone,' find the passport and run." Lelouch did not respond, neither did Milly or Nunnally.

"Do you understand, Lelouch?" Lelouch kept his head down and offered a blatant 'yes' in return. Jeremiah lowered his head and sighed.

"All right, we're almost there."


Edison Rd.

Pendragon Capital City, Britannia

42 days after Marianne's murder

3:31 a.m.


As Jeremiah pulled the van over, Lelouch readied Nunnally's wheelchair as Milly squealed and jumped out of the van because of a half-dead cockroach she had awoken. The local neighborhood was one of low income, so an assortment of trash was located around the area, and the roads and buildings were old and in differing states of repair. A couple of small-to-medium-sized bags were being dragged out of the various compartments by Jeremiah, who almost immediately dropped them at Lelouch's feet. Jeremiah promptly pulled Lelouch over to the side and dropped his voice to a whisper, meanwhile pointing at the bags.

"Lelouch, in those bags are some emergency supplies such as regular medicine and food for when you are unable to buy. There is also a couple hundred Euro's located in the hand bag which is underneath all the clothes in the duffel bag."

Lelouch peeked around Jeremiah's baggy orange coat and smiled at the sight of Milly entertaining Nunnally with some girl-speak.

"Lelouch, the next few hours will determine the very course of your life. This is neither the time nor the place for idle-talk. You still have time to reconsider. If you regret this, and would like to return, now is the time."

Lelouch contemplated the pros and cons of his next decision. On one hand, He could keep his luxurious life as a prince, even if he had given up the throne. On the other, he and Nunnally would remain a slave to him, and they would be as expendable as any common foot soldier. Lelouch adjusted himself for another glance at the two girls. This time his glance was returned with a smile by Milly. Lelouch turned and faced Jeremiah, stood straight, looked him dead in the eye and gave his decision.

"Jeremiah, you have been my most loyal companion, even more loyal than my very own half-siblings, and I could not have asked for a better lieutenant, but I must go through with this, so I must bid you adieu. I thank you for your generosity and helpfulness. If I ever come back, by either capture or of my own free-will, you will be the first one I contact."

Lelouch stuck out his hand, and both men held a tight grip on each other's hand as they shook. Jeremiah fiddled around in the many pockets of his coat and handed Lelouch the two passports for Nunnally and himself. Lelouch and Jeremiah, the king and his advisor, stared at each other, signaling the final goodbye. Jeremiah saluted and opened the door to the rusty van.

Lelouch had instructed the foreign taxi driver to wait as he, Milly and Nunnally, exited the vehicle onto the side of the street. Lelouch told Milly to watch Nunnally and to scream if anything happened. They had gone a little ways, but they had not left the bad side of town. Lelouch hesitantly strolled down the musty alley Jeremiah had indicated and stopped in front of a rusty and smeared-upon garage door, which had graffiti that you could barely read, 'Slitherin'.

Lelouch knocked on the door a certain number of times and said the password given by Jeremiah. As the door opened, Lelouch was prepared for a terrible sight, but not for the horrible smell. Imagine, if you will, the scent of rotten eggs, dirty socks, and bad vinegar all mixed in one. Now incorporate that with a tall, unshaven man with casual-like clothes that looked vomited-upon standing in front of you.

"Ya? Waddya want?" Lelouch tried to breathe in as much as possible so he wouldn't have to breathe in that horrid scent ever again.

"Hello, I was here for the false passport asked for by Jeremiah." The man shushed him violently, then bent over and peered down the alley.

"Aiight, it's clear. You can com'in."

Many different metal apparatuses were laying, seemingly broken, around the walls of the garage. Opened paint cans were in piles everywhere, streaks of flamboyant paint all over.

Cockroaches went in and out of cracks in the walls as people do in a train station.

The whole sight was something new to Lelouch. He had never really been inside a slum building before.

"So you're 'ere for that extra passport, right boy?" The sole owner of this abode said. Lelouch analyzed his face. He had several scars and a glass eye, which didn't make Lelouch feel any better .

"Yes sir."

Don't aggravate him.

"Heh, sir, eh? So I'm a noble now, huh? That's amusing."

Well at least he didn't get mad.

Lelouch, interrupted mid-thought, witnessed the man slam his disfigured fist on a nearby table.

"I HATE NOBLES!"

Crap. Quick, think of something.

"I'm sorry. I hate nobles too, that's why I'm trying to escape."

Just keep it simple.

"Oh ya? You'z lucky you'z a pretty boy. They don't let folk like me around the airport cuz' I just a-ppar-rent-ly look funny!" The man noticed Lelouch seemed a bit distressed, so he offered his hand open-wide.

"Name's Jack."

Lelouch shook the hand, almost hesitantly. Lelouch kept thinking how one slipup and out he would go.

This, 'Jack', sat down on a torn swivel chair, gave a dirty grin and raised Milly's credentials.

"So, dis is your girlfriend, eh? Lelouch's eyes widened and his face turned to a strawberry.

"Sh-she's not my girlfriend! She's just a friend, yeah, a friend." Lelouch shied away from the man's face.

With both the shame and the smell, Lelouch wished to leave. Jack gave a smug grin.

" Hehe, whateva' kid. Here's your passport."

Lelouch snatched the papers from the man's dirty hand. Slipping it in his pocket, Lelouch noticed Jack with a peculiar, look on his face. What was this man thinking?

"Wait a minute, I think I's seen you before, kid."

Oh no, I have to leave. Now.

"Yes, I think I's seen you on the television the other day. Some'n 'bout Japan and a prince."

That peculiar look transformed into an evil grin. Jack jumped from the table and tried to snatch the boy. Lelouch evaded him with a close dodge. Quite a substantial feat considering his physique. The whole room was thrown into a hubbub as one chased the other like cat and mouse, with Lelouch knocking anything over to slow down Jack. Finally breaking out of that accursed hell-hole, Lelouch made a dash for the taxi waiting for him. Opening the side door, he was prepared to jump in as Jack grabbed him by the legs and pulled. To save him, Milly wrapped her hands around Lelouch's arms and pulled in reverse. Lelouch simply felt as if he was ripping in half. Lelouch seemed to be stuck in this agonizing position, with the taxi driver freaking out without doing a single thing. Lelouch screamed at the driver to go, and the driver stomped on the pedal. Jack, on the other hand, might have been able to over-power a little girl, but he could not stand up to thousands of horse-power. The yellow taxi burnt rubber and sped on-ward, forcing Jack to let go, momentum throwing him into a muddy puddle. Lelouch was left hyper-ventilating on top of the seat with his body feeling torn apart. He propped himself up, handing the false passport to Milly

His pulse rose as he eyed his own passport. Was he really going to leave the country? He had lived here all his life. He rarely stepped out of the imperial palace, let alone the capital city. And what would France be like? Could he even survive there? He was quite adept at the French language, but only because international diplomacy required it, so anything French, beyond language, was strictly monitored due to Britannian rivalry with the French. But Lelouch had no time to worry about details now, for he had to secure his little trio's spot on that plane.


Pendragon International Airport

Pendragon City, Britannia

42 days after Marianne's murder

4:26 a.m.


To say Lelouch had little experience in a crowded space like Pendragon International Airport at that time was, simply put, an understatement. Not even in the parties his father had taken him to could prepare him. Not only was the airport crowded, but all the major corridors were chaperoned by security guards and cameras, prodding Lelouch into a heightened sense of caution. Have we been discovered? If we were would there be more guards? Or is this already a lot of guards? Lelouch's frustration, like that of boiling teapot, almost drove him to the point of screaming. A reassuring glance at Nunnally calmed him down, if only a little, and the three of them trudged on. Finally approaching the security checkpoint, Lelouch gulped and motioned the Milly and Nunnally close to him.

Getting through the checkpoint was, to say the least, a battle. People were constantly shoving each other, trying to get further up the line. The security guards didn't seem to care to stop the violence in the line. Once Lelouch and the others were at the metal detector, He had to persuade Nunnally to act like a baby and Milly to stay quiet. The guard inspecting the pedestrians had taking a keen notice in Nunnally, but with one under-the-counter bribe, he diverted his attention elsewhere, and Lelouch, Milly, and Nunnally were through the checkpoint and almost free.

Gate C13 was an empty place. A few people sitting around here and there, but they were all generally quiet. It was not different for Lelouch and the rest. Each one of them sat quietly; Lelouch contemplated his plans for their future; Milly wondered about what would happen to them once they left; Nunnally mourned her mother.

"Gate C13, boarding has now begun." a blank female voice announced over an intercom. Lelouch grabbed Milly's hand and pulled her up, with neither one facing the other. Lelouch didn't seem to know why he couldn't face Milly.

"Passport please." Lelouch handed the lady behind the desk his passport. "You're a long way from home, little boy." She tilted her head a little bit and smiled. Lelouch answered her while trying to sound like a French boy who had come here for teaching purposes. He knew she wouldn't believe it. The French hated Britannia and wouldn't dare send children over here to study, but it would have to do. Beatrice, as her name tag read, handed the passport over to Lelouch and simply said, "Have a nice flight."

Sitting down and getting everything together for lift off was a bit of a hassle. Lelouch, due to his sub-par physicality, had to swallow his pride and ask Milly to his bags underneath his seat. It also took some time to pick up Nunnally and place her in a comfortable position in one of their seats and then fold up the wheelchair and rest it underneath the seat, considering the bags already tucked in there. But once everyone was comfortable and Lelouch had made sure they hadn't lost everything, the lift-off wasn't too bad. Nunnally was scared a little bit from the sudden lurch in her stomach, but she came back to Earth as the plane stabilized altitude. Withdrawn from the need to socialize, Lelouch pulled out the book he had received from Jeremiah yesterday, The Magnificent History of the European Union. He turned the cover to the first page. By Hugues Bellerose, it read. As Lelouch began analyzing the words on the first chapter, His eyes, inch by inch, slid downward, finally eclipsing his view of anything, bringing him to the phenomenon known as sleep.


Sorry for the really long wait till this upload. Schoolwork and Steam sales do not make a good combo for free time. Speaking of time, I'm writing this as I'm getting ready to act in the school play. Sadly I'm not the star, only a news anchorman. Back to the story, sorry for any errors or if it's too short, I needed to get this out or I would forget about this story entirely.

LordBan: Oops. Yeah that was by accident. Thanks for the head's up.

AcadianMan: Well my Father always told me that they call it Cajun, well, at least in Louisiana. I'm also not living in Louisiana, so I can't get a history class on that subject, but I do know that we came down from Acadia (now the Maritime provinces of Canada) after we refused to swear allegiance to the British Crown. And btw, you were wrong on both of those guesses. Here's a hint. It does not come from something made in the past 10 years and it isn't the Greek myth

Next chapter will be a collection of short stories depicting certain important events in European history, starting with our (not so much) friend, Napoleon Bonaparte!

P.S. If you were wondering, the play I'm in is called The Revenge of The Space Pandas. Google it.