Here's Chapter-8.

Hope you all like it.

Lelouch stormed into the Aries Imperial Palace with a face that clearly said 'don't you dare talk to me right now'. He spotted Leon standing outside Nunnally's room who greeted him with a bow.

"I know that you do not wish to talk about the meeting but how did it go?"

"It's kind of complicated. I don't want to talk about it now, I'm not in the mood. For now tell me how is Nunnally holding up? Was there any change in the results? "

"I'm afraid not. The doctors at our disposal weren't able to find out what is the problem. They say it is more of a mental block than a physical one."

"They can't do anything about it, can they?"

"I'm afraid not. But they say that Dr. Annette may know some solution. She is an expert in these matters and has done quite a lot of research in the subject of mental blocks."

"Then contact her immediately. We don't have much time."

"I'm afraid that is not possible."

"And why is that so?"

"She was the best doctor in the entire empire and hence she had been assigned with the troops accompanying Prince Schneizel. Not only that but the base camp she was staying at was recently bombed. It hasn't been conformed whether she is alive or not."

"What! When did this happen?"

"A few hours after Lady Marianne's assassination"

"As far as I know the war with the European Union was at a halt with a temporary ceasefire."

"Yes my Prince, it was and this bombing had occurred out of a sudden resulting in the cancellation of the peace treaty that was to be signed. Maybe the peace offering was just an attempt to trick us."

"Maybe", 'but why do I feel that there is something more to this, something that no one has noticed yet. The European Union was growing steadily weaker and its obvious that they would prefer a peace treaty for the time-being to gather forces and attack later, so why did they break the ceasefire? I wonder whether they were truly the ones who fired the bombs or are they being framed. If so, then why? Who could have fired these bombs? What could have been their motive? Did they want to obliterate the European Union by restarting the war? Or did they want to weaken Britannia's forces? Or maybe it was an attack to take out a particular person. I must look closer into this matter.'

"What's this doctor's name, again?"

"Dr. Annette, Annette Ashford"

"She belonged to the Ashford family!" '

No wonder I felt something was fishy. She was surely being targeted. Maybe she knew some kind of secret or maybe the entire Ashford family was suspected by my father that they would try and help me. That could explain their fall from the graces of the Emperor. But then how did father know that I would give up my right to succeed the thrown. No that isn't possible, even I didn't decide that I would do it, it was a decision that I made right then and there. No it isn't because of me, the fall of the Ashford family has some connection with mother's death, but what might that be?'

"Yes my prince. She was among the last surviving members of the Ashford family."

"How is that possible? What happened to the Ashford family?"

"It seems as if the people of their lands attacked them and it was huge massacre. No one from their mansion was left alive. It was burned to the ground. The only people who survived were those who were away."

"When did this happen and why wasn't I informed?"

"It happened on the night before Marianne's assassination."

'What! This isn't good! It seems as if someone is targeting mother with everything they have got. Nunnally and I aren't safe here anymore. I must arrange something so that both of us along with the castle staff and their families can safely escape without having anybody on our trail. I cannot lose anymore of my allies. I must do something and that too I must do it as quick as possible.'

"Leon get me all the details you can find out about the war with the European Union, this Dr. Annette as well as the Ashford family massacre and make sure no one other than you me or Daemon must know about this. In addition do try to contact Earl Asplund; it seems we will need a lot of his help. "

"Very well my Prince I shall arrange that immediately. Is there anything else you need me to attend to?"

"Oh yes as a matter of fact I do. I want you gather all the palace staff in the courtroom within three hours for I have some important matters to discuss with all of them. And make sure that no one-even the least important person in the palace-is left out. Furthermore I would like to have a private meeting in my chambers with you and Daemon to discuss certain matters with no one around not even the guards, no, no, no it would be much better if the entire wing is empty prior to the meeting . It would also be great if you can arrange all the information I asked for by then. That is all."

"That is a very long list of things I have to do", said Leon with chuckle and shake of his head "Well then I must get going if I have to complete all of this in time." Saying this Leon walked away. He had gone only a few steps away when Lelouch called him again.

"And Leon,"

With a barely audible groan Leon turned around to see what else the prince wanted to add on to his already long to do list. Though he admired Prince Lelouch very much and was forever loyal to him, the prince had a habit of always overburdening him with countless jobs.

"I know it's a lot of work I am asking of you but please Leon, you are the most capable person for this job. You and Daemon are the only two I can completely rely on so please bear with me for a bit longer. Daemon may be very intellectual in political matters and may know the best way to handle a particular situation but you are the one of the most resourceful people in the Empire, I know you can dig up any amount of information you want to at an alarmingly rate. So please help me. I ask of this favor not a prince-not that I am one any longer-but as a child who wants to protect the legacy of his dead mother."

Never had Leon seen Lelouch like this. Although Lelouch had a good heart, was considerate of other people's feelings, but like all other princes was cocky and always ordered people around, he had never in his entire life pleaded someone lower in status to him to help him. Leon had a feeling that the meeting with the Emperor had turned a new leaf in the life of the 10-year old prince and that the prince he had sworn to protect was no longer a naïve child. 'I see the arrogant little child who roamed the very halls of the Aries Palace a few days ago doting on his mother and sister has finally grown up to be the prodigy he was prophesised to become'. He could not have been more proud of his prince.

"Of course, my prince, I am forever at your service and no matter how many tasks you give me I hope that I can stand up to your expectations. Well then I must take your leave now for there is a certain prince that I have to impress." Lelouch chuckled at Leon's antics and entered Nunnally's room.

Leon too left to start up with his research but he couldn't help but think about the Prince's words from earlier. 'My, my Prince Lelouch sure has a way with words. In mere seconds he changed my perspective. The work that I felt that I was obliged to do has now become a work I want to do with all my heart. If I hadn't known better I could swear that I am being manipulated. But the way he said those words with appropriate feelings makes me hate myself to even think that sweet boy could manipulate me. Now I see how he would always get the cookies and ice-creams he wanted as a child from the kitchens, no wonder the cooks couldn't deny him what he wanted even though they knew that they would be scolded by Lady Marianne for it. With such a power over his words it wouldn't surprise me if he raises a strong loyal army with a few speeches.'

Nunnally was anxious about her brother's return. He was due to return about half an hour ago but there was no news of his return yet. She was worried about him from the morning itself but the session with the doctors had taken her mind off things. Now that she was finally alone her restlessness grew more and more. She had an intuition that maybe the meeting hadn't gone as it was planned by Lelouch and the events had taken a turn for the worst. At first she had thought that she was merely hyperventilating and becoming pessimistic but then as time passed she was sure something was wrong.

Now that she thought about it she knew it would be all her fault if the meeting didn't go as planned. She had ensured that Lord Daemon went with her brother to prevent him from committing any errors but she had forgotten that Lord Daemon had a knack of letting people learning from their mistakes. There was no doubt that he was very loyal but he was never one to interfere in a fight. It was sure that he would have given Lelouch plenty of advice before reaching the castle but there was no doubt that he wouldn't have entered the Emperor's courtroom with Lelouch. He would stay out, listen intently to what was going on inside and only when Lelouch would come out would he start his interrogation on what had occurred inside. Thinking of this Nunnally wondered if it would have been better if Leon had gone with Lelouch but then Leon was known to be as aggressive and rash as Lelouch and the two of them going together for such a crucial meeting would certainly have not been a good idea. Yes, whatever had happened had probably happened for the best.

Nunnally was pulled out of her musings when she heard the door of her room open. Firstly she thought that maybe it was Leon or one of the doctors coming to check up on her but then she noticed how tenderly the door was opened and closed, the soft footfalls as the said person approached her bed as if he/she were afraid that they might wake her up if she were sleeping, that is she realised that it was none other than her brother Lelouch. Only he was capable of such gentleness around her. She lay quietly on her bed and pretended to be asleep wondering what her brother would do.

Lelouch slowly approached Nunnally's bed. She seemed to be asleep, so Lelouch sat down by her beside and carefully held her hand in his. He stayed like that for some time, holding his reason to live and trying to give her all his strength while simultaneously he was lamenting for the pain she had to face because of selfish father. Only when he was certain that Nunnally was indeed asleep did he say two words and no more:

"I'm sorry!" and then Lelouch cried his heart out.

That ends Chapter-8.

How was it? I hope it was good.

Please do review and let me know.