"I'm hungry. Go get me some food."
"Where am I supposed to get food?"
"We're in a forest."
"And?"
"I'm sure you can forage around for something."
"Why does that sound like an insult?"
"Because you take everything personally."
"I'm really starting to think you are an emissary from Hell."
That remark made C.C. laugh. They had left the last town a few hours ago. But C.C. was very demanding and wanted to stop every 30 minutes. Lelouch knew it was exactly thirty minutes because each time he counted precisely and made account of the sun's position.
At this rest stop, Suzaku spotted a river close by and decided to go fishing. Rolo and Nunnally were taking a nap so Lelouch opted to stay and watch them. C.C. didn't look like someone he could trust with his siblings alone.
Lelouch look through the pictures he brought with them. He wanted to have some identification, in case anyone recognized this woman. As he went through the plans mentally again, he concluded the first thing would be to find out the name of the empress.
"Suzaku's been gone for a while."
Lelouch turned his head to the only visible obstacle in his strategies. "He can take care of himself. He's probably helping out some injured animal."
"He's a friendly one. You hardly see that anymore."
Minutes later, the twins woke up and asked where Suzaku was. Lelouch stood from his spot under a tree.
"It's been too long. I'll get him and we can move on."
Lelouch ventured into the brush and before long came to a shallow river. It would only come up to his knees. Suzaku was nowhere to be found. Lelouch investigated the area. There wasn't a sign of a struggle, and Lelouch knew Suzaku could fight.
'If anyone came, he must've gone willingly.'
He searched around for anything that would tell him where his friend went. A glance at the ground, and he caught sight of something in the dirt. Tiny drops of blood. Not enough to caue any damage, but something happened.
"Lelouch", a voice called from the leaves.
C.C. stepped out looking bored. Lelouch glared at her.
"And where are my siblings?"
"Still there, with the horses."
"I actually feel that they're safer without you."
"Where's Suzaku?", C.C. asked without sounding like she wanted to know.
"He's gone, and I have no idea where he is."
Suddenly a loud masculine scream was heard.
"Suzaku!", Lelouch ran into the direction that it came from, not caring if C.C. followed.
- - -
"Rolo, they've been gone for too long. You don't think something happened, do you?"
"It'll be alright Nunnally. This is Lelouch and Suzaku. Even with that girl, they'll be fine."
"But. . ."
"Even if something happened, Lelouch wouldn't want us to get involved."
- - -
Lelouch kept looking around until he found a peculiar looking place.
"A lone house in the middle of the forest. It's the only place I haven't looked, excluding the rest of the forest."
No other visible options, Lelouch decided to check it out. It seemed plain. Made of wood and probably only holding a few necessary rooms. But why would someone be out here, and all alone.
Before he could even knock to see if someone was there, he heard a feline hiss. Then a female voice apparently chastisized it saying, "Behave Arthur!" Lelouch knocked and to his surprise the door was answered by a man.
He grinned before saying, "You must be Lelouch, Suzaku told us about you."
While being shockd that the man knew him, he covered it by asking, "Then Suzaku is here, correct?"
"Yes, come on in."
As the stranger led Lelouch inside he introduced himself as Jeremiah. Lelouch was led into what looked like a kitchen. It had a stove and an oven, and a table where apparently they ate at.
This was where Lelouch found Suzaku with a bandaged hand. A woman stood at the stove monitering a pot. Lelouch immediately went over to his friend.
"What happened?", he asked eyeing the bandages.
"Oh, well, I was fishing when I met Arthur", Suzaku explained while scratching a black cat's ears. "But then he bit me and that's how I met Jeremiah. He helped me with my hand."
"That explains the blood I saw on the ground. But why did I hear a scream?", Lelouch asked.
"Hehe, Arthur bit me again on the leg."
"Its strange, Aruthur doesn't usually bite people. My name is Viletta", the woman said.
"Suzaku, we should get going", Lelouch said. Suzaku stood up to leave when suddenly Jeremiah blocked their way.
"Why don't you stay for a nice hot meal?"
"No thank you. We're travelling", Lelouch said.
"Just a little while longer please. The stew is almost ready", Viletta pleaded.
"We can't", Lelouch said firmly.
Viletta's face darkened. "Fine, we'll do this the hard way."
She turned to Suzaku who was the closest and twisted one of his arms behind his back and put a knife to his throat. Jeremiah grabbed the table cloth and tied Lelouch's arms behind his back.
"What's going on?", Suzaku questioned.
"We've been given orders to kill anyone associated with the name Lelouch", Jeremiah explained.
"But why?"
"It's no use asking questions Suzaku. They're just assassins. Paid to kill", Lelouch said.
"Just assassins? That's a little arrogant for someone tied up", Viletta sneered.
Before Lelouch could come up with a third escape plan, he was kocked roughly against the head and fell unconcious.
- - -
"You! Where's our brother?", Rolo asked when C.C. returned with neither Lelouch nor Suzaku.
"Something has happened", she hooked up the horses to the carriage. "Rolo, steer the carriage. I'll ride Lelouch's horse."
"What happened to Lelouch?!", Rolo asked more frantically this time.
"We're going to have to save him", C.C. said as if it was a boring chore.
"Save him?", Nunnally questioned.
She gave them was grin. "It'll be alright. I have a secret weapon."
The twins looked at her strangely before hopping on the carriage. They had no other options. Rolo took the reins and they set off.
- - -
"Ugh, where. . .where are we?", Suzaku groaned as he opened his eyes.
His head hurt and he could barely see. Soon he realized his sight was because it was dark where he was. He tried to move around but-
"Stop fidgeting!", a familiar voice yelled.
"Lelouch?"
"No its the other guy who was kidnapped with you."
"No need to be rude." Suzaku realized that he and Lelouch were tied back to back. "Where are we?", he asked.
Lelouch looked around. "It looks like a cave. There's a light down there", Lelouch nodded toward his left.
"But what are we doing here?", Suzaku muttered to himself.
"We brought you to some place where your bodies won't be found", Viletta said coming from the shadows.
Jeremiah appeared with an object that quickly go Lelouch thinking.
'A sword? Why not a dagger to make it quicker? Why didn't they kill us already? What-"
"I can't allow you to kill Lelouch", a nonchalant voice said.
C.C. came from the mouth of the cave. Viletta smirked and Jeremiah unsheathed his sword.
"It's foolish to think you can save them", Viletta said.
C.C. stayed silent. She gave no resistance as Viletta tied her up and sat her next to Lelouch.
"What the hell kind of plan is this?", Lelouch whispered.
"Who said I had a plan?", she said with a smug look on her face.
"We have our story. Now kill them", Viletta ordered.
"But the girl-", Jeremiah started.
"She chose to be here. She must have a death wish."
Lelouch brainstormed. 'This power I have requires me to look them in the eye. Will it work for them both, or will I have to do it separately? Well maybe I should-'
"Lelouch!", Suzaku yelled.
His thoughts distracted him and now Jeremiah was running toward him with his sword. Rolo yelled from the mouth of the cave, "Stop!!"
In just a few seconds an amazing thing happened. But Lelouch took no notice of these things. The only ones who noticed, were C.C. and Rolo. Jeremiah stopped in mid-step. C.C. took out a knife and cut herself, Suzaku and Lelouch loose.
They were frozen in their sitting positions. She moved Jeremiah so his sword was pointed at Viletta's leg. She quickly turned to Rolo.
"Hurry up and grab Suzaku."
She grabbed Lelouch and together they pulled them near the carriage outside the cave. They were half way out when a loud screech was heard. Viletta fell helpless on the ground. A few seconds of confusion and Jeremiah turned toward the escapees.
Lelouch and Suzaku unfroze and stood up. Suzaku ran toward Jeremiah and kicked the sword from his hands. He punched his gut and pinned Jeremiah to the ground. Lelouch stepped up.
"Good work Suzaku. I have a few questions to ask him. Show me his face", Lelouch said.
Suzaku pulled up Jeremiah's torso, wondering what Lelouch could possibly want to know.
"I want you to answer my questions truthfully", he ordered.
"I understand."
"Who commanded you to kill me?"
"We were ordered by the emperor, Charles di Britannia."
'The emperor? Something's going on.' "Why?"
"He wanted us to kill Lelouch, Rolo, Nunnally, and anyone associated with them."
"Why did he tell you that?", Lelouch asked.
"I don't know."
Lelouch finished his interrogation. "Release him Suzaku. I have all of my answers." He made his way to the mouth of the cave where Rolo, Nunnally, and C.C. waited with the horses.
Suzaku stood up and followed him. "Lelouch, how did you get him to tell the truth? More importantly, how do you know he was telling the truth?"
"Let's just say no one can lie to me. I'll explain later. Right now I need to ask Rolo a few questions."
- - -
They set up camp a few miles away when Lelouch thought they were alone. The group sat in a circle around a fire. Rolo and Nunnally sat on opposite sides of Lelouch. The eldest sibling turned to Rolo.
"What exactly happened?"
"What do you remember?", C.C. asked.
"I was asking my brother."
"Uh, u-um, I'm not sure what happened", Rolo stammered.
"I made a contract with Rolo", C.C. said.
"You what?!", Lelouch yelled.
"I need him to find my name."
"And me?"
"I'll need you as well"
"Is there anyone else you have a contract with?", Lelouch asked.
"Don't think of them as separate. Imagine it as a joint-contract. You're both working towards the same goal."
"Lelouch sighed as Rolo recounted the deal making."
Flashback
"Rolo, you want to save your brother right?", C.C. asked as they stood outside the cave.
Nunnally sat fidgeting on the carriage. Rolo stood next to C.C. with a determined look on his face.
"I do. I want to be able to save him."
C.C. grabbed his hand. "Then I shall give you the power to."
Rolo felt a strange sensation and heard C.C. speak again. "Now wait here. You'll know when to come in."
End Flashback
"I see", Lelouch said. He turned to his friend and sister. "Nunnally, Suzaku, right now Rolo and I have a contract with C.C. that will allow us to reach our goal more quickly than I expected."
"That's good news. I really want to find our mother", Nunnally said happily.
"What exactly did she give you?", Suzaku asked.
"Geass, known to some as the power of kings. It manifests itself differently in each person. As it turns out Lelouch has the power of absolute control, and Rolo has the ability to suspend time", C.C. explained.
"Now that we have that settled. Let's get to sleep, we've had along day."
Nunnally wrapped her arms around Lelouch. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried, because you were acting strangely."
"Everything's fine Nunnally", he assured her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I know I said someone would recognize Mary in this one, but it sorta dragged on. I swear it'll be in the next chapter which should be up sometim this week!