Special Thanks: fra3, luckless-is-me(can I just say, you always have like the most awesome comments of all time! Your reviews are always way appreciated, thanks a ton!) Kiiriya, NoName! (I don't know if you have a profile or not, but if you ever get one you should put that as your Penname, haha!) mslunarissa, SaiSuki 1329, elspethie (You be cool)
Questions: To Everyone Reading! So apparently my writings are as confusing as fuck…I am sorry for this. It's my bad so don't get down on yourself or anything if you didn't understand what was going down. So first chapter was the start, yes? Yes. I put the first part in there to add intrigue mostly. It's around the middle of the story that that starts to come around. It was like a sneak preview of what is to come. Then the real start is with the First Gift. Okay? Good now second common issue. Suzaku doesn't remember he's Japanese royalty. He remembers he lived in the castle but he was like three…not many people I know remember their pedigree when they were three. He doesn't even remember getting the gift…again, he was like three. Now how he ended up being tossed into some random homestead will be explained later, so don't sweat it. Okay, we good? Good!
Noname! You have no idea how excited I get to see's all your questions every week! But I'll get started. So yes, Lelouch lives with the rest of the royal family, but remember tallest room, highest tower, he's already apart from them so to speak, it's kind of symbolic, but yeah moving on. Hehe, I'm not telling you what Suzaku's curse is. That's for me to know and you to figure out as the story goes on. But as always you're asking the right questions! You have no idea how good that really is. I usually get questions like…So uhm yeah like when are they going to have sex and why do they fight all the time? …really you're doing awesome! Chapter two is like the second start so to speak. The start of chapter one was like the hook, it's kind of where they end up at about the half point in the story. But no Suzaku is not a Knight yet and Lancelot is well coming…very soon. And as always I revealed far too much plot so I'm stopping there.
Side Note: Okay, so you may have noticed that I changed the rating for this to T. I was going to change both this one and Amethyst King to T until I realized how much swearing and blood is in Amethyst King and I'm only to chapter like Seven (posted)—and Ten (not posted). But this one I thought why not? There isn't any real blood for a while and the sex doesn't come till after that so why not? There will be blood and sex eventually—I am begrudgingly warning you, seeing how I hate warnings—but not for a few more chapters so I figure let the kids read until there is. I will change the rating to M when the time comes but until then I figure I could try out the T rating.
Curse of Fayte
Chapter Three
Black Magic and Bright Smiles
1/4/2011 1:52 AM…so what if one to three in the mornings is my prime time for writing!
Lelouch perused through the books in search of nothing in particular. He'd wondered into the offhanded library that had as of late become his roost after dinner. The journal he tended to carry with him sat on a side table not far away. The idle quill next to it still wet with ink. His attentions had wondered though and as consequence his spidery fingers strode from book to book as he made his way along the row at a leisurely pace. He sighed silently his eyes moving from one title to another in a slow fashion. The dimly lit room around him caste severe shadows as he walked in front of the smoldering fire. Undaunted he pulled an unfamiliar title from the shelf and his fingers flipped it open to the first chapter.
"I hear you had quite the adventure this morning." He heard a flat b-line voice behind him.
A smile curled to one side of his mouth. Not looking away he answered. "Nothing of needed inquiry I assure you."
"Mhmm, and the new stable boy saved your life, huh?"
His face blanched a little as he looked up but refused to look behind him. "That's a matter of opinion."
"From a dragon no less, I wonder what that Earl Ashplund is really up too."
Lelouch looked defiantly back to his book. "I had the situation perfectly under control." He reaffirmed a little harsher.
"The servants are all really quite a buzz about the new kid, he's quite the talk of the castle," There was a little bit too much amusement in her voice as she pointed the next comments towards him. "You must know a little at least. I mean him saving your life and having been thrown to the ground underneath him and all."
Lelouch's brow plummeted. "It was a mere inconvenience of the situation."
"So tell me how good looking is he really? The servant maid swore he was an Adonis upon my inquiry. Of course you never know with those backwater maidens sometimes. Some of them swear a goat is a Eros sent from heaven above. "
Lelouch shot her a look of disdain over his shoulder before flashing his eyes back to his reading.
"Oh please, Lelouch, don't kid yourself, we both know by now you swing that way."
"I don't believe I know what you are referring too." Lelouch commented lightly as he flipped the page. "I can assure you I have no interest in animals of any kind."
A giggle came from somewhere in the witches direction but Lelouch refused to acknowledge it.
"Five page rule?" she asked after a long moment.
"Why bother with the whole book if I'm not interested from the very beginning?" Lelouch explained.
"Well I think it's a rather silly rule, myself." The toneless voice drawled. There was the rustle of clothing and a dull puffed sound of fabric being sat upon as Lelouch guess that the witch had plopped herself into the arm chair placed before the fireplace. "I mean really sometimes the first five pages are just a bunch of nonsense. Take the last Alchemical research book I read, the first five chapters were all rubbish anyway. Then I got to the heart of it and well—well it was still rubbish, didn't believe a word of it, but it was more interesting I have to admit. "
Lelouch gave a smirk into the pressed yellowing pages. "You're in a rather sharing mood this evening."
C.c. didn't acknowledge his statement instead opting to continue with her observations. "The end was quite good I will give it that. But the first was just so awfully boring."
"So I read the last five pages at times also…if five pages are required. Usually the last two or three will suffice." Lelouch chimed in.
"Well that just spoils the whole book then, doesn't it?"
Lelouch let the book close as he turned to face the witch. He casually leaned his back on the bookcase, and elegantly crossed his arms and ankles at the same time giving a smirk to the immortal twisting her apple green tresses around her delicate feminine fingers. She was, customary to her nature, sideways in the armchair. Her unnatural hair waterfalled over one edge and her feet gracefully dangled over the other. Perfectly content in the position her head leaned against one of the wings and with her cat like stare directed at the prince.
"Or it makes me interested to how such an ending was met." Lelouch said with a smooth tone.
"Hn." The witch snorted. "I think its cheating."
"It is no worse than fortune telling, is it not?" Lelouch countered. "And if I am not mistaken you yourself have participated in such folly many a time."
"Fortune telling is an art of the Divinations and like any other form of magic it has great power behind it."
Lelouch gave a chuckle. "But it is still considered cheating by your own afore mentioned comment, is it not?"
"On the contrary, Fortunetelling is a forewarning of the things that may or may not come, the human element is still very present in the art, which is why I've given the practice up."
Lelouch smiled again as he shook his head. "So you are saying since we still have our choices to change the future than it is unlike reading the end of a book first?"
"Correct." C.c. answered and gave a swift single nod. "Choices are the basis of actions and actions are what lead to a future."
"And fate where does that fit into your little scheme of things?"
C.c.'s eyes narrowed. "Fate is not something to be cheated, Lelouch."
Lelouch gave another chuckle, though this one heartier than the previous. "You speak as if fate is a person, C.c."
"Not a person, but a power, yes." Her expression stayed unchanged as she answered. "It is very deep magic and even the basis of most modern magic arts."
Lelouch eyebrows rose. "And of the dark arts?"
"You are treading on thin ice, Lelouch." C.c. informed him. "Black magic is not something that involves fate so much as it twists it."
"So as powerful as you say it can still be twisted to the desires of men?" He gave C.c. a very expectant look. "That doesn't sound very powerful to me, C.c."
"Even a king can be corrupted, can he not?" C.c. proposed back to him.
"Fate is not a person therefore is no king." Lelouch said, a sour expression leaked on to his face.
"And that is the basis to the dark arts which you speak."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "You mean against fate?"
C.c. gave a knowing slight smile. "Exactly."
Lelouch stood from his position and took a step forward. "You yourself said that black magic was twisting of fate though."
"And twisting is in its most primal state is defiance, is it not? You don't want things to go the way they are intended so you change the outcome. Rebellion in a conman sort of way."
Lelouch gave a smile. "Conning fate to bend to your will, that sounds a little too enticing C.c." Lelouch stopped, his eyes clouded with thought, before he went on. "I do have one question though. You said that fate is not obsolete so why try so hard to cheat it?"
"Not all fate is based off of choice. You yourself are a prince, was that of your choosing?"
Lelouch nodded slowly. "I see. Fate is the ability to control the uncontrollable."
"Don't brush this off, Lelouch. You should know, it's far more powerful than that." C.c. said severely.
His brow creased. "What do you mean?"
C.c. looked to the smoldering flames. "You have the gift of Beauty do you not?"
Lelouch nodded.
"And a gift from me."
Lelouch cocked his head. "The journal?"
"Don't play dumb." C.c. drawled. "You have known its potential since I taught you how to write in the thing." Her voice held a small amount of irritation with in it.
"Are you saying I already possess a piece of black magic, already?"
C.c. eyes were still on the fire. "Far more than you realize." Her voice in a conversation ending tone.
Lelouch only looked at her perplexed, knowing that he had received the allotted amount of answers from the witch for a whole week if not more; therefore further inquiry would just end in more confusion.
Suzaku sat the bowl of morning oatmeal slop down on the table top, before he gingerly hopped on the bench next to Rivalz. Rivalz just looked over at him with bags under his eyes and a spoon of his own oatmeal in his mouth. Suzaku gave a bright smile back and dug into his breakfast.
"Morning!" He offered.
He got a single grunt in acknowledgement. So he turned to the room around him. Low ceilings and tight quarters of a servants dining hall were his current surroundings. After eating a minute more he looked up to Rivalz again.
"Why are we eating with all the servants?" He asked.
The two were sat at one of the long servant tables in the servants dining hall on the south end of High Castle. The room was packed with the bodies of maids and foot man and butlers, all trying to get a good morning meal in before their day of labor started. Their specific spot was with the other stable hands, horsemen, blacksmiths and the like.
Rival looked like he was about to fall asleep then and there but answered anyway. "We're considered servants now my friend."
Suzaku gave a puzzled look. "But we're part of the military."
"Yeah, the Britannian Military, that makes you Britannian Property and you do whatever job they tell you they want you to do and right now you are a servant." Rivalz said with a big yawn.
Suzaku's brow furrowed but he happily ate on before another question came to mind. "So that prince from yesterday—"
"Prince Lelouch?" Rival said bored.
"Yeah that one!" Suzaku exclaimed. "So does he ride often?"
"Uhuh," Rivalz was playing with his food, slopping the oatmeal around with his spoon.
"Hmm," Suzaku hummed. "Does he ride every morning?"
"Uhuh," Slopp, slopppppp, sloop.
"Is it always the same mount or does he have another?" Suzaku asked popping in another spoonful.
"Nope, always Jarlath." Rivalz sighed.
Suzaku chewed slower now. Unsure of the next question he tried wording it as carefully as he could wrap his head around. "So what is he like eighteen?"
"Naw, he's nineteen."
"Ahha," Suzaku let out casually. "So he's probably getting married to some princess soon, right?"
"Nope, the Britannia family doesn't work like that." Rival asked still disinterested in anything but his spoon and the mush he was creating with it.
Suzaku gave him a look of confusion.
Rivals gave a deep sigh. "The king has around twenty brats, why would he require marriages out of all of them when really all that creates is more competition for the throne."
"Ohhh." Suzaku said. "I see." He looked down at his food. "So he's not betrothed?"
"Who?" Rivalz asked with a scrunched up face.
"Prince Lelouch."
"Oh, no." Rivalz said with a laugh. "Word is he's a bit of a prude."
Suzaku nodded. "So he'll probably be riding this morning right?"
"Uhm, yeah probably." Rivals nodded before he let his head hit the table with a muffled thud.
Suzaku gave another nod. He looked over to check the condition of his friend, but no blood so Suzaku figured he had to be fine. He might have a head ache but it looked as if he may have already have had that.
Rivals turned to look at him, his head still on the table. "Why do you care really?"
Suzaku just gave a smile. "I'm just curious."
"About Prince Lelouch?"
"Yeah."
Rival gave a confused look. "Why?"
Suzaku smiled again. "He's interesting, don't you think?"
"No." Rival answered shortly.
Suzaku gave a frown. "Yeah he is!"
"The guys a prick."
Suzaku let out a laugh.
"And you're a prick too! It is way too early in the morning to start smiling and laughing and eating!" Rivals said as he pointed his spoon at him.
"Oh come on, you don't really think that?" Suzaku said.
"Yeah. I do."
"Why?"
"Because you're always to freaking happy! It should be a damn sin!"
Suzaku gave a chuckle. "No, I mean why do you think Prince Lelouch is so awful?"
Rival s pushed himself up. "He is, man. I've been tending to him and his horse every morning for the past year and all he's ever said to me is 'halter!' or 'saddle!' The guy's a freaking neat freak, one scratch on anything and you'd think it was the end of the world. And he hates everybody! I mean it, ask anyone here," He gestured around the room with his spoon. "He's just mean and nasty and cruel!" he pointed the spoon directly at Suzaku. "I don't even think he knows my name."
"Hmmm, "Suzaku hummed again. He set his empty bowl down on the table and tosseed the spoon in it.
"Hmmm!'" Rival repeated, the spoon swinging wildly in the air again. "That's all you have to say? I mean it man he is a jerk."
Suzaku shrugged getting ups from the bench and grabbed his bowl as he went.
"Where are you going now?" Rivals asked.
Suzaku looked over his shoulder before he simply gave a happy smile and walked on. "I'm going to work." He called casually over his shoulder.
When Lelouch entered the stable yard he was met with the mangled and torn up mess that at one time he had known as the same said stable yard. Many things had been done along the lines of clean up such as, rock and debris had been cleared from the thatched roofs and shelters. The crater and many protruding rocks were still very visible though. As the prince looked up he was met with yet another surprise, the same new boy from the day earlier. Not tall exactly, but build like a rock. Solid and broad, he stood in military issue boots with a crooked smile in place under messy chocolate wave of curls.
"Good morning Your Highness!" He spoke first accompanied with a cheery smile. The other little servant/stable boy/idiot never spoke first and when he did it was usually stuttered stupidity. Lelouch wasn't sure if he liked the change or not. Change was never a good thing in his nineteen years of experience. He preferred change when it was change of his concoction.
Lelouch wasn't quite sure what to say. So he simply said nothing when he passed the boy his chin high as he continued to the stalls. He stopped as he reached the stall as an arm reached around him and unlatched the door and swung it open for him. Started Lelouch turned to be faced with a far too happy of a smile and bright green eyes shaded under the mess of warm chocolate.
"My Lord?" He asked.
"What are you doing?" Lelouch let out, confused. He eyed the servant with a good amount of suspicion clearly visible.
The boy looked to the stall door held open in his hand and back to him. "Holding the door for you, my Lord," He answered a tad unsure.
Lelouch looked to it before he nodded curtly and ventured into the stall where Jarlath stood. He stopped when he reached the animal. Affection sparked as it always did and his hand reached out to stroke lightly at Jarlath's forehead,
"Did you—" Lelouch trailed off as he observed the pristine condition of the stall.
"Changed his water this morning, and the straw and led him out in the eastern pastures last night. His nerves should be well under control by now." The boy finished after a moment with a smile.
Lelouch narrowed his gaze. "Don't interrupt me, stable boy." He spat the last words out like a rotten seed.
The brunette looked startled but nodded obediently. "Of course, my Lord, I didn't mean too."
"I'm sure you didn't." Lelouch answered short with his eyes accusingly narrow. "Now if you would please his hal—" Presented before him in outstretched tan hands was what he wanted. "—ter," he finished taking the item. He took it easily, but that didn't stop him from wanting to snap it away.
The boy nodded with satisfaction and went to retrieve the lead rope as well.
Lelouch slipped the halter on and turned ready to demand for the next item only to see the same tan hand click the lead rope in place. Lelouch looked up to see the same smile and the lead rope offered out to him. He lowered his brow and snatched the rope away from the stable boy. He proceeded to lead the horse out and away from the stalls. His arm stretched behind him he dragged Jarlath behind him as best he could as he charged his way to the tack sheds. His were eyes narrow and his focus forward.
He was, unfortunately, well aware of the stable boy that smiled as he strode nimbly behind him.
He swiftly tied Jarlath off with a jerk of the horses head and started to the shed only to find—him. He smiled as he ducked in and an arm thrust out a second later with the brush. Lelouch growled snatching at the item in the boys hand fiercely before he stomped back to his mount. He roughly brushed down the white back. Jarlath noticed with a irritated look back. He turned grumbling and mumbling as he stomped to the blanket rack.
He stopped. His blanket was gone. It was just gone! Lelouch felt like screaming. He stalked along the blanket rack tearing through the rows of thick and thin saddle blankets in search of his. The blanket he had made specifically for these morning rides with Jarlath! It was the same blanket he had used for the last year, and planned on using for the next year or longer. He'd had Jarlath's name stitched on to the underside back corner and everything! Point was that it was his very special and coveted blanket…and it was missing! He scanned through his memory quickly. Things had gotten hectic and he couldn't recall exactly where he had placed the blanket the day before. There was the dragon and the being crushed between the solid form of the new stable boy and the solid expanse of the ground and the stark raving mad man… but where was the blanket?
"There ya go!" He heard a cheery voice behind him.
Lelouch sent a razorblade of a glance over his shoulder to seize with rage. He spun as his jaw hit the floor. The stable boy petted with one hand at Jarlath's forehead—that stupid ever-grin still on his stupid face—and in his other hand looked to be a hand full of oats, which Jarlath ate at eagerly. The shocking part was that the blanket and saddle were both very securely placed on Jarlath's back, strapped and ready to go. His boots made the most menacing stark thuds as he strode to the spectacle.
"What, stable boy, do you think you are doing?" he growled out in a deep ripping voice.
Green eyes looked to him curiously. "Well, I was just feeding him some oats, my Lord—he seemed a little nervous so I just thought—"
"You just thought!" Lelouch screamed at him his hands fisting as he reached him. "What even is your name?" He hissed.
"Suzaku—" the stunned stable boy started.
"Well, Suzaku," the name tore out of his mouth like an insult. "How dare you think that you have any right to act with such insubordination!"
"I'm sorry I—"
"You what?" Lelouch continued to snarl. "Thought you could just handle the mount of a prince with such flippant care!"
"Sir—" the boys face had long fallen into disarray.
"I am Lelouch vi Britannia, if you have forgotten!" the violent violet glare only intensified as Lelouch's chest heaved and a few more vicious comments ripped their way out of his mouth. "You are nothing! Not even a simple pawn to me! How dare you disrespect me!"
"My Lord—" the boy tried to start again.
"Oh just shut up!" Lelouch cursed at him.
The boys mouth was already open to speak and stayed that way for a few seconds before he simply shut it and looked to the ground, resignation threaded into the hard frown on his face.
Lelouch still on edge quickly went back to his tasks going to retrieve the bridle from the tack shed. He returned a moment later with it and went to the halter. The stable boy stepped back quickly to give the prince plenty of room to do as he pleased. Lelouch jerked Jarlath's head down and reached up before his fingers stopped.
"This is a different halter." He commented. His eyes turned to the boy.
With his eyes to the ground Suzaku answered in a reserved voice. "I'm sorry, I broke the other halter on accident yesterday when—well when the dragon landed."
Lelouch faced the boy. "You broke the halter?" He asked in disbelief.
Green eyes narrowed as a frown deepened. "Yes, I was afraid if Jarlath was still tethered that close He could possibly hurt us or himself, so I ripped it off."
"Ah," Lelouch let out. He looked back over his shoulder at Jarlath. The proud mount observed the two with wide dark eyes and perked forward facing ears. Lelouch looked back to the stable boy.
He still looked as if Lelouch had forced a knife into his back. Lelouch gave a deep sigh in clear knowledge he was fully to blame for the situation. He set the bridle over a nearby rail before he looked to the stable boy again this time taking in the rigid soldierly stance said boy had taken.
"Remind me again what is your name?" Lelouch asked pinching the bridge of his nose as he simultaneously crossed his other arm over his chest.
The boy didn't look up as he answered in a quiet, lifeless, tone. "Suzaku Kururugi, your highness."
"Right, "Lelouch gave a nod. He let his arms down to swing behind himself to link. He looked to the ground also as he cleared his throat before speaking. "Yes, well, Thank you, Suzaku, for yesterday that is." He glanced up to be met with clear leafy green eyes. Eyes that now arrested him. They weren't just green—they were astonishingly green. They penetrated and shot through Lelouch. The irises were of the slightly lighter emerald that was so beautiful but even the pupils were just a darker more forest like tone of the same emerald. Lelouch could do nothing but stare into them. There was something so familiar about them. He felt he knew them intimately almost and yet—they unnerved him. Like a half remember dream he couldn't place what they were to him…simply that they held something for him.
"You're welcome," Suzaku said in the same quiet tone.
Lelouch gave a swift nod still watching those eyes. "Yes, well if you would please, I need a bridle on if I wish to have any control over the direction of my ride this morning." He said as elegantly as the prideful prince could manage.
"Yes, my Lord." Suzaku said eagerly as he as equally as eager stepped around the prince to tend to his orders.
Lelouch didn't turn as the boy hastened behind him. Looking to the side he caught another glance of deep forest eyes. And his own eyes flashed forward as he looked to the stone at his feet. When he had previously thought of green he had always thought of it as the unnatural sour apple green of C.c. The immortal had been his constant friend and as of yet in his life the only person he felt the need to please. But after…well, after seeing the boy's eyes, a whole new shade of green seemed to be dominating his thoughts at that moment. A deep forest green of Suzaku's pupils leaked into his thoughts over the mere brief glances he had seen of them.
"My Lord?" the same said stable boy asked.
Lelouch turned to him, holding himself as princely as possible to his subordinate. "Yes?"
The boy gave a bright smile. "Your mount, sir?" his tan callused hands cradled the dark stained leather reins loosely out to Lelouch.
Lelouch took them carefully in his pale long fingers as eloquent as he could manage. "Thank you, Suzaku." he said shortly, not willing himself to look at the boy, but merely let his violet eyes skirt around the young man.
"You are always more than welcome, my Lord." Suzaku said with the ever-grin back on his sun kissed face.
Lelouch simply looked to Jarlath and quickly looped the reins over his white head. He pulled himself into the saddle a second later and reined the beast to amble through the destroyed stable yard. As Jarlath settled into an easy lope through the castle gates Lelouch found himself still pondering deep green hues.
Suzaku watched prince ride thought the gates leaning against his pitchfork. The gated lope of Jarlath easily carried the slender prince from the stable yard and beyond with as much adieu as the Prince himself deserved. Suzaku loved it but reluctantly the prince disappeared from view and he turned to his work. The stables poor condition was in great need of some repairing. He figured the best he could do was try to lend a hand to the clean up and construction. He stopped though as he reached the smithy's small abode. He'd caught a glance at the gate to see—well, the stark raving mad man. He stood with an overly pleased smile on his face as he observed Suzaku, a hand at his hip.
"I've got employment for you stable boy!" the man called all too overjoyed by the sound of it.
Suzaku hesitated. He still remembered the dragon that had dropped like a meteor almost killing him and the prince. He faced the man though.
"What is it?" he asked. Curiosity had been too hard to ignore in this case.
A smirk spread on the man's face. "It's an opportunity to the upmost possibility for change."
Suzaku looked to the smithy's shop a moment longer. He'd had a lot of change in the past few days. He looked forward again in thought. So what really would more change be to him? His eyes forward he strode across the cobbled yard to the man.
Suzaku looked to the massive creature that lumbered over him with his mouth slack and eyes wide. When Earl Ashplund (a.k.a. stark raving mad man) had said all he had to do was tend to these stables and make it out he had almost laughed. He had ended up with just a ginger shrug, picked up his pitchfork, and was now face to face with a dragon.
This was change alright.
The massive black and gold beast leered down at him, with his pitchfork and all. The thing, was at least ten times bigger than the first dragon Suzaku had ever encountered. It was absolutely massive! A head probably as big as a single horse and body as dense and muscle packed as a bear. Thick back and front legs as equally muscular held the creature to stand. An arched thick neck held up a triangular shaped head with wide golden fanned, frilled flaps of scale was at either side of the powerful jaw. The wings were of the same color and texture as the flaps. Even folded, Suzaku could tell they were of the same golden flecked color. Horns dotted and clustered over the peak of his head and arch of his brows. They grew longer along the neck and looked razor sharp at the knuckles and elbows. The body and head were of the same black golden flecked color he had initially observed, but as he looked closer he could see that the limbs were all white. Still golden flicked, but the scales had switched primary color. Golden eyes gleamed down at him, as the thing let out a small almost keening roar down to Suzaku.
Suzaku knew he wouldn't run. He wanted to, but he knew he couldn't, and that he wouldn't. So he just stood there his wide yes up at the dragon, so big it would take a tall rafted barn to house it—and that might have even been a tight squeeze.
The creature looked curious more than anything else, Suzaku noticed as it peered down at him. It made a rather odd clicking sound with its tongue as it tilted its head at him.
"I'm here to clean your—stall—house—place." Suzaku said unsure if the beast could actually understand or not. It was most certainly better to be safe than sorry though, especially when sorry could be a synonym for eaten alive…all in one gulp.
The creature gave another curious shift of his head before it took a lumbering step forward. Suzaku fought the urge to scrambled twelve steps back and run out of the—well it wasn't a stable that was for sure. It was huge. Like a barn but a lot bigger. Rafters above, for only a half roof, which Suzaku could only guess was for easy flight access. There was a nest of sorts off in the only dark covered corners. A whole field of hay must have been cut just for this animal. Suzaku could clearly see the great bowl like shape the beast had created for itself.
His attention was abruptly brought back though, as another step was taken forward to him. A massive head was lowered to him, and golden eyes examined his closely as the creature moved ever closer. Suzaku didn't move. He wasn't sure if he could without getting skewered. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as the long neck extended and a head was presented at a very uncomfortable distance. Nostrils flared as the beast took in a whiff of his hair, like a gust of wind muffing, it a bit. Suzaku reminded himself to breath. The creature took another, more ginger, step forward followed by another as he curved around Suzaku. His nose very close he inspected him with great care not to touch.
After a minute, Suzaku was almost relaxed. Then he heard the cry of Ms. Cecile.
"You did what!"
The loud shout startled both him and the dragon. The dragon immediately went into alert mode. It crouched placing his chest low and ears forward. His eyes slanted towards the entrance as Suzaku spun to look there as well.
"You mean he's in there now!" Suzaku looked to the dragon a moment before back to the door.
"Alone! Lloyd that is the dumbest thing you have done thus far!"
Then she made her entrance. The wide tall doors slammed open as the dark haired woman stomped in, and straight to Suzaku. She grasped his arm, turned about, and hauled him with her out of there. The dragon straightened and watched the display with a cock of his head giving a puffed out snort. Suzaku next found himself in the open yard. Ms. Cecile released him a moment later and Suzaku looked to see Earl Ashplund again.
"You are lucky this boy is still alive!" Cecile said stern.
"Yes well after yesterday—"
"You are double lucky he's alive!" Cecile interrupted.
"Oh, Elrond isn't that big of a threat!" The earl reasoned.
"So you just thought, 'hey, I'll throw him in with Galahad! That should be jolly good fun!'" Cecile imitating the Earl down to everything from voice to over exaggerated hand movements.
"And he did absolutely splendid!" the Earl said with an excited smile. "I'm telling you, Cecile, he could be perfect. I mean just look at him! This is the second time he's come out alive—"
"Yes and there won't be a third!" Cecile concluded.
"But there was no conditioning, nothing! This boy is a walking miracle!"
"So we're going to just let him keep walking all the way back to High Castle!"
The Earl, apparently having forgone the fight, addressed Suzaku directly. "How would you like to be a knight, eh, boy?"
Suzaku gave a smile. He'd never really thought about it, but how could a promotion be a bad thing?
"No!" Cecile shouted. "Not on your life are you putting him against Lancelot!"
"Not against him, with him!" the Earl exclaimed.
Cecile gave him a perturbed look. "No. Out of the question, he's only what seventeen—" She looked over for conformation.
"Eighteen." Suzaku happily corrected.
"Thank you, He is only eighteen years old!"
"Perfect!" the Earl shouted raising his arms in the air. "It will be an easy adjustment then!"
"No." she said shortly.
The earl gave a moaned exaggerated sigh. "Can I at least ask the boy if he wants to try it out?"
"No," she said. "I'll ask him. Private Kururugi, would you like to endeavor in something that will most certainly kill you?"
Well that was something that was hard to say no to, now wasn't it?
"That does not count!" the Earl said before Suzaku even had a chance to answer.
"Well I'm not letting you ask him." Cecile said.
The Earl gave another groan. "Well, at least, let me give him a fair chance at it! I promise, I'll tell him all that is entailed. "
Cecile gave a scowl. "Fine. But I'll be watching you!"
Twenty minutes later Suzaku found himself seated on a wooden stool in what looked like Lloyd's x studio. The room was filled with schematics, formulas, and drawings of every kind. The theme was all the same though, Dragons. Ever kind Suzaku had ever imagined, had is own little shrine devoted to it somewhere in the room. It was all a mess and clutter of the stuff, a skeleton of one unfortunate one hung from the ceiling and books on the beasts dotted the floor. His eyes couldn't find a place to even rest on as he looked it all over. Soon they simply came to rest at the mug he'd had shoved into his hands by the Earl. Before him was the same mentioned bickering couple.
"May I start now?" The Earl asked impatiently.
"One moment," Cecile scolded. "Suzaku, would you like anything else?"
"No." Suzaku said for what he thought might have been the billionth time since climbing the stairs up to this room. "Really, Ms. Cecile, I'm quite fine."
"See the boy is fine, now may I please get started?"
"Alright, are you ready to start, Suzaku?" Cecile asked kindly.
"He's not six! For god's sake I'm going on!" the Earl said and whirled around to riffle through a nearby desk. He found what he wanted and quickly stepped back to Suzaku. "They are called Knightmares." In his hand, held in front of Suzaku, was a picture of a dragon alongside a human. "The only one you have met formally is Galahad, the great black dunderhead out there."
Suzaku looked up at him curiously.
"Don't let his size fool you, he's not too bright in the head as far as dragons go, but he does pack a punch I will admit that." Lloyd seated himself again. "But the point is that they're Dragons that can coexist with humans. And even be used as mounts."
"Like a horse?" Suzaku asked.
"No," Cecile said. "Nothing like a horse."
The Earl nodded. "It's more like a brother, so to speak." He slid his chair closer. "You see this?" he held up a small stone. It was of an amber golden color set in gold and silver, with a long silver chain attached.
"Yeah." Suzaku nodded awkwardly.
"This is an access key." Lloyd said his eyes alight with the subject.
"You mean to one of them?" Suzaku tried to connect the dots.
"Exactly! It's a bond! They have one and their Knight has one."
"Two halves to make a whole." Cecile added.
Suzaku nodded. "Okay, so if you have one of these stones than you can be one of their Knights."
Lloyd gave a rather nervous smile. "Well you see it's not quite that easy."
Suzaku looked on to him for an explanation.
"Knightmares are still dragons, mind you, they still have, you know, all the down sides…like a bad temper."
"So?" Suzaku asked still confused.
"So when a Knightmare is hatched they usually receive a Knight immediately." Miss Cecile explained. "That way a relationship can start to form from the very beginning."
"Oh," Suzaku breathed. "So they are like brothers."
"Exactly!" Lloyd hollered.
"Is that what you want me to do? To bond with a hatched Knightmare?" Suzaku asked.
Lloyds face cracked a nervous smile. "Kind of."
Cecile reached up and smacking the Earl on the side the head. "I told you not to lie to him!"
"Ow!" the Earl exclaimed and jumped away from the woman at his right. "I didn't lie to him! That would technically be the first step!"
"Lancelot is not a normal Knightmare!"
"Lancelot?" Suzaku said suddenly as he caught on. Lancelot was a Knightmare…a dragon. "You mean he's already hatched?"
"Lancelot," Lloyd said lovingly, "is the first seventh generation Knightmare."
"You mean he just hatched?" Suzaku said. The mad man wasn't making much sense to him.
Lloyd let out a boisterous laugh. "Of course not!"
Suzaku stared at him, his brow creased and mouth slightly ajar. "I'm not quite following."
Cecile gave a nervous laugh. "Well, you see, what we're trying to tell you, is that if you do accept our offer, you won't be put with a hatchling, Suzaku…" See gave an equally nervous smile. "You see Lancelot is the first of his kind, which is why we are calling him our seventh generation. He has something other dragons don't have."
"What is that?" Suzaku asked. He was trying very hard to comprehend what they were talking about.
"Sakuradite!" the Earl exclaimed, his eyes alighted at the statement. He leaned in close to Suzaku emphasis on each statement he spoke with his Cheshire cat smile. "Amazing stuff! He has it in his scales, I tell you! It was absolutely an ingenious fluke but it worked! Now would you like to meet him? He'll think you're charming I'm sure!"
"Lloyd!" Cecile cut in.
"Just trying to move things along, wench,"
Cecile gave a audible sigh before moving on. "Suzaku, you see he's not a normal dragon."
"Because he has the Sakuradite?" Suzaku said. He hated it when he was only given only little bits of a story at a time
"Yes, well, there's that, but also… He's already fully grown."
"It would seem no one was very interested in taking in the poor thing as a hatchling. He was rather volatile then I will admit—" Lloyd said as he looked rather bored at his nails.
"He was a fluke." Cecile interjected again. "Of sorts. You see he was supposed to have the Sakuradite, but he wasn't supposed to have it like he does. He was supposed to have it in his blood stream, to make him more malleable—"
"Only the whole darned thing went wrong and we ended up with what is probably my best work and no Knight willing to take him in as their own." Lloyd interjected this time. "So what do you say kid? You want to be a Knight of a Knightmare?"
"You're an Eleven though, so you wouldn't be made a Knight really." Cecile clarified.
Lloyd didn't' falter, though. "But you will for sure be closer to it than any other Eleven or possibly any other number out there!" He leaned down to Suzaku again his pale eyes locked in to Suzaku's own. "You'll be a the first of your kind, may possibly even get you're self set up for nobility in future years, so what do you say?
Suzaku only stared at him, unsure. "Well, I—" he stumbled out of his mouth.
"Would you like to meet him first, Suzaku?" Cecile asked with a sweet smile.
Suzaku let a slight smile pull at his mouth as well, before he gave a single shake of the head. "I've already decided." The smile widened. "I'll do it."
Lelouch returned to the stables sooner than usual. His excuse was that Jarlath had seemed a bit more incompliant than usual. Of course, Jarlath had been as happy as Lelouch was to start their gallop back to High Castle. Lelouch had a hunch their reasoning was somehow connected.
The courtyard upon their return was just as destroyed as it had been when he left. His eyes searched the cobbled yard for any sign of viridian eyes and a tanned broad physic. There wasn't a breath of that one individual anywhere. In fact, he noticed, there wasn't a breath of anyone in the stables. Lelouch observed more closely then as his hands pulled at the reins to slow Jarlath up just a bit. The horse brusquely obeyed and more his trot slowed to a careful walk and his ears pricked forward. Lelouch heard the low exhale and power full inhale, while simultaneously he felt the accompanied expansion of Jarlath's middle, as the mount tested the smell in the air. His walk slowed even more as they continued on.
Lelouch could feel the creeping fear start. The stable was quiet, but it was more than that. It was a stifling quiet. Before he had left, the place had been bustling with construction and morning chores. There was no way that it could all have come to a stop, and such an abrupt one at that, in such a short amount of time. Not only that if nothing else there was always the Smithy's shop. His gaze fleeted to the shabby but sturdy forge. Nothing.
Jarlath drew to a stop in the middle of the courtyard. Lelouch paused for a moment before he dismounted and soft leather boots padded on to the cobble stone court yard. He wasn't sure what action he should take next. He looped the reins over Jarlath's head to tug the mount along after him. His mind whirled as the only sound to fill the yard was that of the clicks from Jarlath's shoes. Lelouch narrowed his eyes and continued onward. Something was wrong that was for sure, but as long as he was out here he'd never find out what it was. His best bet would be to tether Jarlath somewhere and hurry into the castle.
He stopped abruptly as he saw a silhouette at the door of the tack shed. Lelouch felt a clench of fear take hold on to his throat, but at the same moment another emotion rose up. He narrowed his eyes at the broad build and sturdy disposition.
"Suzaku?" He asked. It was more of a stutter, but never mind that. There was also the point brought up in his head that it 'Suzaku' had been the first thing to come to mind…what did that really say about him?
At that moment, his question was answered as the silhouette stepped out into the light. Lelouch's eyes widened as he took a step back.
"What do you know of the Kururugi boy?" the strongly accented voice came from the broad soldier. Lelouch was quick to pick up on the armor and sword at his hip. "More importantly, where is that boy?"
Lelouch was frozen, only he wasn't sure if it was from fear or from shock. This was the first time he'd ever seen real Eleven armor.
Notes: 1. I hate how long it took to write this stupid chapter! I ran into plot problem after plot problem AFTER PLOT PROBLEM! And even now it feels sketchy at best. The point is that it connects point A to point B and now I'm done.
2. There was so much research that needed done on this! Lancelot has taken on a whole new dimension to me. It's a machine but now it's so much cooler! The Lancelot really is one of the coolest things about Code Geass, still can't top Suzaku as the most amazing thing ever, but still very cool. I never really appreciated it before but now…IT IS SO MUCH COOLER NOW! "Marching Ever Onward to Tomorrow."
3. Chapter Question! Okay, so I told you guys I got all excited over learning about Lancelot, but I it made me think , what is all your guys favorite thing or character in Code Geass? My answer, Suzaku. Why? Because he reminds me of just a boy. He's just like a rough and tough but amazingly sweet and cutely awkward boy. He has the most unique thought process; his mind works so much differently than my own. He's action driven and so god damned focused on his goals, and yet still sticks furiously to his standards. That has to be the most astounding thing about him. I will not lie to you guys, I'm the kind of person that if I had to I would break every social and morale rule to claw my way to the top any way I could. But Suzaku is such the opposite. He has such conviction to his standards. He's amazing. He's quite plainly fascinating to me.
4. And song for this chapter, or well what I listened to while trying to write part of it, Live In Vanilla—Boy Robot
~Review they make me pull funny happy faces!~