Thank you: Invader Designia!! Also, I read your fan fiction and it is EPICALLY AWESOME!! EVERYONE GO READ IT OR I WILL USE MY GEASS OF FATEFUL DOOM AGAINST YOU! (Tis called "The Knight of Four) WAIT! READ AND REVIEW FOR ME FIRST!! -chases desperatly after everyone and drags them back- :D
The lily...a symbol of puritiy and innocence...the flower ordained by God...what is the price of a lily? What does it take to get that flawless beauty and innocence...that favoring of God? What does it take to have the pure white petals and sweet scent? What is the price of a lily?
Isabella stood at the foot of a red rose bush, her pale finger gliding over the silk petals of a rose and she didn't dare remove it off its roots. Her mind had been wandering for the past half hour, and she had vaugley noticed she had been spending most of time in the gardens, surrounded by the viberante roses, lillies and even lotus flowers grew in the lake near the back of the caslte. Isabella kept her rose pendant secure around her neck with Shirley's necklace as well, the flowers always reminding her of the perky red head.
"Shirley...what would you do?" Isabella asked and touched the Lotus necklace. "I feel so lost...Lelouch randomly disappears some days and I'm left wondering why I was even welcomed into the palace in the first place. I know he loves me, but...I don't know what's going on...I know he's planning his own death...that's it. I'm so confused."
Isabella sighed heavily, tears not coming this time, and heard a light whirring behind her.
"Hi Isabella," Nunnally's voice said and Isabella felt her body freeze.
How do I treat Nunnally now?
Isabella turned around and bowed deeply, her eyes remaining in the distant, longing expression.
"Hello, your Highness," she said and Nunnally shifted uncomfortably.
"I like it better when you call me Nunnally," the little girl told her softly and Isabella looked her in the eyes.
"Nunna-you're not blind anymore...how?!" Isabella approached her wheelchair, her violet eyes gazing up into the green.
"I think Nii-san used his Geass on me to heal my blindness."
"Lelouch..." Isabella was lost of words and Nunnally lowered her head.
"Eight years I've been blind, then I get my sight back and I see--murderers."
She wasn't trying to scold or critizie and Isabella knew it. She was only saying her point of view the way she had been raised to believe. Even so, Isabella thought it would have been better if Nunnally banished her from the palace.
"Nunnally--"
"You were aiding Zero in the war and you have a Geass too. You used it to kill didn't you? My brother was Zero...the murderer...now I don't know what he is. I thought you were going to help me though Isabella, I thought you would help me bring peace."
"Nunnally!" Isabella dropped to her knees and had her hands lightly on either side of the princess's face.
"Were you only trying to selfishly avenge your parents? Were you fighting merely because you wanted to take your anger out on someone?" Nunnally asked and Isabella was unable to keep her tears back.
"No," she held Nunnally's hands with hers and her head was on Nunnally's lap. "I was fighting because I wanted a world where you and Lelouch could live happily. You're right though, I wanted to avenge my parents...I wanted to make Shirley's killer pay for what he had done...and I fought for Scotty and Ami...all of them...they all died...then my goal had gotten to the point where I got Rolo killed...he died for my sake...trying to help me...C.C. gave me her immortality and she's gone as well...I've spilled so much blood in this war I deserve every ounce of pain I have gone through...I murdered my own brother! I got innocent people killed...you're right...I am a murderer..."
Nunnally took one of her hands out from Isabella's head and stroked her black hair.
"Forgive me, Nunnally..." Isabella begged and the princess felt a wave of compassion.
"We aren't finished yet, Isabella. I didn't want to break you like this and I'm sorry," she said and Isabella made herself stop crying. "However, I want you to join me."
Isabella raised her head and looked up into Nunnally's smiling face.
"I want you, Isabella Liberata, to join me in my own fight for freedom. I know it sounds like a wild fantasy, but I want to, little by little, give the Japanese back thier freedom without bloodshed," Nunnally said and held her delicate hand up.
"I will help you accomplish this," Isabella said and took her hand, making it a vow.
Three Days Later...
"Kallen," Isabella knocked on her friends door but there was no answer. "Kallen, come on, we have to go!"
There was still no answer and Isabella growled under her breath.
"I'll go on my own then," she snapped and turned on her heels, almost running into Lelouch. "Oh...your Majesty--"
"Kallen's not here, she left already," Lelouch cut her off, his voice heavy with emotion.
"I see, thank you," Isabella said and bowed. She started away, but Lelouch grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back into his arms.
"Forgive me, Isabella," he said, his forhead on her shoulder and Isabella felt her hands beginning to shake. "I have put you through so much...you've watched every single person you had loved die...I yanked you into this war...you're like this because of me."
"Don't say that, I wanted to fight with Zero."
Lelouch's arms tightened around her and she raised her hand to run her fingers through his hair.
"It all would have happened anyway...I would rather be there for the ones I love when they die rather than having to hear about it."
Lelouch let go of her and Isabella began walking away again.
"I have to meet the Council. I'll be back in a little while," she said quietly and Lelouch watched her walk down the stairs and disappear out the door.
At the Council Meeting...
"I don't care what he's planning, he has betrayed Japan!" Kallen raged and slammed her fist down on the table. Tamaki and Ohgi kept their hands folded over their mouths and Kallen felt her nails begin to puncuter the fragile skin in her palm.
"You know, I think Isabella would be the one able to explain what's on," Lloyd voiced from across the room and his assistant, Cecile nodded her head in agreement.
"She and Suzaku would both know since thier the ones that have known him since they were kids," she added and Lloyd pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"However when we spoke with Kururugi, he wasn't sure if even Isabella knew," he remined her and Cecile slicked a strand of dark blue behind her ear.
"I wouldn't find it surprising if Lelouch left Isabella out of the equation this time," Princess Cornelia said from the head of the table her blue eyes sharp.
"What makes you say that?" Tamaki demanded and she folded her hands on the table.
"Isabella is the one person Lelouch cares most about next to Nunnally. If he hasn't told Nunnally what he's up to, I'm doubting he's going to mutter a word about it to Isabella."
"As far as we all know he could be planning to really hurt her," Ohgi said and it was Tamaki's turn to slam his hands down on the table.
"Lelouch would never do that to her! Listen you, Lelouch and Isabella have more love for each other than anyone else I know--"
"How would you know this for sure? As Zero, Lelouch killed numerous people without a second thought and pulled her into all of this," Cornelia snapped, "he killed his own siblings!"
"I know he'd never do anything to Isabella. Kallen, you're one of thier best friends, you would know!" Tamaki cried desperatly and Kallen seated herself once again.
"I know Isabella would do anything to protect him, but I'm losing some faith in Lelouch," she admitted and the door slide open.
"I wouldn't make Isabella look like a flawless prescence if I were you though," V.V. partly sang as he entered the room and Tamaki drew out his gun, firing it and striking the boy through the heart.
"Don't you go and talk trash about my girl Isabella," he snarled and Ohgi was on his feet.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
"I am not going to sit here and put up with people talking shit about Isabella."
"What is she to you, Tamaki?" the merciless princess snapped and Tamaki slide his gun back into his gun pouch.
"She's my sister."
"How touching," V.V. said and stood up, blood seeping through his clothes but it didn't seem to affect him.
"What the--?!" Tamaki was bewildered and Kallen looked terrifyed and very grossed out.
"It's so touching what siblings would do for each other," V.V. continued and a smirk curled itself over his lips.
"So you're the one that assassinated Rolo?" Isabella's voice came from the shadows diagonal from the table.
"He killed my younger brother, what was I supposed to do?" V.V. taunted and Isabella stepped out into the dim light, her red Geass glowing.
"Charles was the very exsistance everyone that died in this war tied back to. He's responsible for thousands to millions of deaths, my best friends and family included," Isabella said coldly but quietly and took a step towards him. Her arms were crossed and everyone was dead silent, observing the two immortals.
"You have C.C.'s Code now, don't you, Miss Liberata?" V.V. continued on and Isabella stopped in her tracks, not intimidated by him, but to keep herself from lunging her body at him.
"Yes," she answered in an icy voice and V.V. cocked his eyebrows the dispicable smirk still curled on his lips.
"How many death are you responsible for? Let's see shall we..."
Isabella glared intensley at him as he paused.
"Michael Liberata, Scotty Young, Ami Kanagawa," Isabella's face burned, "your parents, C.C., Rolo Lamperouge and Shirley Fennette--"
Isabella pounced with one swift movment and her hands locked around V.V.'s neck. She knocked him to the floor, her eyes like ice daggers, and pounded his head numerous times against the marble floor.
"You-son-of-a-bitch-" Isabella snarled through each growl, "you-killed-Rolo-and-my-brother-murdered-my-parents-Shirely-and-Scotty. How-dare-you-accuse-me-of-being-the-one-that-spilled-thier-blood!" Isabella gave him one finally crash against the floor, this one being so hard blood trickled down his face.
"Isabella! Control yourself!" Tamaki cried and pried her off the other immortal.
"You killed my little brother, you killed Rolo!" Isabella screamed and it took Tamaki and Kallen's efforts to keep her back.
"He murdered my younger brother as well. I was merely avenging my family," V.V. said coolly and Isabella clenched her teeth together.
"You took him from me...you took my brother..."
"Ironic isn't it though...you don't hesitate to shoot your real brother but you defend a little murderer than was a mindless killer."
"Because the Empire used him as only a tool! HE WAS A TOOL! HE WAS USED HIS ENTIRE LIFE!" Isabella yelled and Cornelia rose to her feet.
"Isabella, you need to leave," she ordered and Isabella glowered.
"You son of a bitch."
"Isabella, go back to the palace," Cornelia ordered again and Isabella effortlessly freed herself from Tamaki's and Kallen's grasps.
"I'll make you pay for what you've done to Rolo," Isabella hissed and left before she was driven to strangle anyone else.
That Evening...
Isabella sat on her bed again, her elbows on her knees and head bowed. She wasn't sure of what she was going to do next...her life had just become something she took as it came. She had come to the point to where she woke up every morning, expecting someone to come and tell her Lelouch was gone. Isabella hardly saw him, only cathing glimpses of him in the garden with Nunnally or aimlessly walking around the long hallways and each time she saw him, she had to turn away from his sight. Isabella's mind was still processing the fact he was the Emperor of the empire he despised so much and even though she knew he was planning something, the whole truth was vauge to her.
Isabella reached under her bed and slid her scrapbook out onto the floor. Picking it up, Isabella flipped through the pages the colorful pictures of her early childhood up to her graduation smmiling at her. It seemed like an etermity ago she had been the carefree child running in the green pastures of Japan, Lelouch and Suzaku at her side without a care in the world. Eight years had passed but it felt more like eight hundred, the agony she had tried to push aside for so long lengthening each day she lived.
"I won't stop...I won't give up..." Isabella told herself, "I won't cry...I will keep pushing forward...I won't break to the point where I can't get up."
There was a light knock on the door and Isabella set her scrapbook aside to open the door.
"I need to talk with you," Lelouch said once she had opened the door and she let him in.
"I've given up on trying to pry answers from you," Isabella told him and clicked the door closed.
"This is the first time I've ever heard you say 'I give up'," Lelouch said and Isabella leaned against her door.
"This is the only time you'll hear me say it. I know I won't get any answers from you, so there is no point in asking."
"True."
"But I know that I'm going to lose you. What I can't figure out is why you'd kill yourself...let alone become emperor. Some days I think I know then the answer slips through my fingers like water. Everything is vauge, fogged...and it's driving me insane," she said and Lelouch sat down on her bed.
"Everything I've done up until now has been for Nunnally's sake as well as yours. However, it's become clear to me, I can't keep treating you both so special anymore..."
Isabella sat down behind him, her back leaning against his and her hand found his.
"I never wanted you to treat me special Lelouch. I just want you to have a world where you and Nunnally can live peacefully," she soothed and Lelouch leaned into her too. "You're the most important person in my life as well as Nunnally's. If something were to ever happen to you...what would Nunny do?"
Lelouch couldn't answer and Isabella slowly stood up to step in front of him.
"But no matter what else happens, Lelouch," she knelt down and rested his head on her chest, her hands stroking his hair, "I'm always and eternally on your side. I fight and live for you."
Lelouch raised his hands to her shoulders, his eyes closing and she kissed the top of his head.
"No matter what happens or who else comes into my life, I'll never be able to love anyone like I love you," Isabella told him and his fingers tightened on her shirt.
"You're immortal now. I don't want you to think you can only fall for one person."
"Immortality means nothing to me. Yes, it'll be useful now in war, but I took it merely because I wanted to help C.C. Lelouch, no man will be able to do what you have done for me," Isabella told him and kissed him again.
The only one I have ever truly loved...Lelouch...
They both had fallen asleep on Isabella's bed, Lelouch having one arm around her waist and the other tucked under his head. Isabella was snuggling close to him, her hands on his chest as he laid on his side.
Lelouch...I'll never love anyone the way I love you...
Am I making this too sappy? I was wondering that as I typed. Also, I wonder if Isabella cries too much...sometimes I feel like she does...then again she watches the ones she loves die right in front of her so it's not like she has a good reason. XD I hoped you liked it and if there is any last minute ideas you'd like to throw at me (preferrably Lelouch/Isabella moments...I am out of ideas for them except for like...two or three! D:) I will credit you for the ideas! Reviews please! :D NOW you can go read Invader Designia's fan fiction of epic awesomeness. XD LOL! And give her story many reivews or else!! -twitch-