Chapter One: Escape
"A ghost will rule the palace,
A home become a tomb!"
– Agamemnon, Aeschylus
Kaguya looked up at the sound of someone shuffling along the walkway. She frowned, setting down her book and reaching for the knife she kept at her table. She turned slowly in place, staring at the wall to track the shadow.
There hadn't been any trouble in Kasagi for a while, not since relations with Britannia had stabilized and the government in Kyoto had settled into place. Still, there were always desperate people. A mansion such as hers would attract people to it, and Kaguya was in no position to defend herself against a band of desperate people. With her father out visiting one of the neighboring towns and all of the servants in bed, she was all alone.
When the shadow stopped outside of the door, Kaguya got to her feet. Whoever was outside could see her as well as she could see him, so there was no need to try and be subtle about her movements. All she needed to do was keep her knife hidden. She slipped it up her sleeve, walking over to the door and resting her hand on it. Then, she waited to see what the intruder's next move would be. To her surprise, he sank to his knees and stayed there.
After a moment of hesitation, Kaguya pulled the door open. She dropped her knife as she saw the man kneeling there, taking a step back. "Suzaku."
Her cousin gave her a rueful smile. "Hello Kaguya. I'm sorry for disturbing you so late."
"No." She shook her head, reaching for his arm. The servants were asleep but she didn't want to risk them waking up and see her conversing with a strange man. Suzaku was her cousin, but he hadn't been seen in Nippon for years, not since Genbu Kururugi had sought out another country to get away from the plague that had carried off his wife. Most of the servants wouldn't recognize him, and there was her reputation to consider. "Come in."
He got to his feet, swaying slightly before stepping into the room. Kaguya guided him over to her desk, sitting down at it again. Suzaku arranged himself carefully on the floor, Kaguya watching his every move. Nothing seemed different about him since the last time he had visited, except that he looked more tired. She bit her lip, wishing that she had something in the room for him. "Are you hungry?"
"I already ate." He attempted to smile, but it came out as a grimace, Kaguya sympathizing with him. Considering Suzaku's diet now, she could understand why he felt disgusted. Even having been working under the conditions of whatever had happened to him, it was a lot to get used to in two years, especially since it had been against his will.
She glanced back to where she had dropped her knife, feeling guilty. "I didn't expect you to come back so soon. I thought you had found something to keep you busy."
"I did. But it turned out to be nothing. Nothing there but a few favors." Suzaku sat back with a sigh, shaking his head. "It's getting hard to find mages in Britannia. I keep having to go farther away."
"I'm not surprised. We're getting news nearly constantly about the purges that have been going on. I've seen the caravans passing the border myself." Kaguya shook her head, unable to imagine a country that would want to get rid of magic.
Everyone in Nippon had some sort of magic, whether they could work it or if the was expressed through a single action. Magic was as much a part of the people as it was the land. To try and separate the two was something that Kaguya would have never considered, it seemed too unnatural. Of course, the people of Britannia seemed to operate on knee jerk reactions, lashing out like a wounded animal out of fear at everything that didn't make sense and magic rarely made sense to the people that couldn't use it. But a lack of understanding was not reason enough to fear something so completely. Kaguya was sure that Britannia's actions would come back to haunt them in the future but, for now, it was just causing difficulties with her cousin's condition.
She bit her lip and swayed in place, trying to think of someone to send him to. Suzaku had told her every sorcerer and mage he had visited before, seeking out a way to fix what had happened to him. It seemed like he had tried everything, even the magic that Kaguya would have avoided. In the end, everything had just made him desperate.
Kaguya reached forward to take his hand, disappointed when the human contact didn't relax Suzaku. He just jumped and stared at her hand in surprise. She patted his hand, at a loss of what to do.
It seemed that she was losing bits of Suzaku every time he visited, Suzaku wearing down under the weight of the curse. She spent some of her nights worrying that Suzaku would just disappear one day and never return. She would never hear of him then, her own life moving forward.
Her father was discussing marriage prospects with the surrounding lords, although she was sure that he would eventually go to Kyoto to see if he could get her into a better position than the wife of a shrine guardian. Her connections with other countries through her father were sure to grant her a good station, possibly one far away from Britannia. But that would mean that she would lose Suzaku. He would just slip away from her, and she would never know the end of his story.
They hadn't been close when they were children, nor when Suzaku had risen to his position in Britannia, but she had become close to her cousin through these desperate midnight talks. He wasn't her confidante, but he was family and she had very little left. The same disease that had taken Suzaku's mother had ravaged her own family, taking away a baby brother and an older sister as well as her mother. Aunts, uncles, cousins, no one had been spared except for her and her father. She knew the pressure that she was under to rebuild the family name so she understood the great pressure that Suzaku felt to put things to right. Both of them were trapped by what the world had dealt them and were dealing the best way that they could, by talking to each other.
She gave his hand another pat, not surprised when he drew it away. "Listen, I'm going to be visiting Zhongguo in a few days, for a wedding. I'm friends with the empress."
"You will be in good company then."
"The best." Kaguya smiled, scooting closer. "But that's not all. There will be magicians in Zhongguo, ones that you would never have access to. I will speak to them about this curse. After all, I will be guarding a shrine when I am married, whether it is here or in Kyoto, they won't think anything of it. I'll bring you news."
That finally got him to relax. "Thank you, Kaguya."
"Anything for you, Suzaku." She looked down at the floor, taking a deep breath. "Because you didn't deserve this."
"Kaguya…"
"All you did was help him!" She glared at her cousin, not bothering to keep her voice down.
She tried to remind Suzaku that the curse was not his fault every time he came to her; it was the one thing that she couldn't understand about her cousin. Suzaku insisted on pushing the blame all on himself, an aspect of him that she did not remember from their childhood together. Back then, Suzaku had been an arrogant little boy, but still kind. But he had never easily taken the blame for things as he did now and Kaguya could never quite get the entire story. From what she had managed to pull from him, it involved his father and the son of Lord Charles vi Britannia.
She was about to reach out for him again when Suzaku spoke up quietly. "I was close to Pendragon recently."
"Suzaku!"
"I wasn't in danger. I just…I just had to see if she was alright." He finally looked up at her, swallowing harshly. "Lelouch was engaged to a lady from Pendragon and, from the few times she had visited, the two of them were close. I had to see if she was alright, for Lelouch's sake. She was already married, and had been since a month after Lady Marianne had been murdered. From what I heard, her father had encouraged her to marry so soon to keep their family from scandal. She couldn't even mourn him because of the accusation."
"Suzaku, that wasn't your fault."
"Have you seen the list of spells Lelouch was thought to have cast? I was on that list. I was…it was thought that he used magic on me to get me to agree with him. I should have been more careful. They weren't supposed to notice."
Kaguya stared at her cousin, watching Suzaku hunch over. She wanted to reach out to comfort him, but she was sure that he wouldn't allow himself the comfort. Instead, she folded her hands in her lap, watching her cousin fight to get back in control of herself. What he was talking about was far beyond what Kaguya knew about Suzaku's life in Britannia, but it was easy to guess.
She had seen a few portraits of Lelouch vi Britannia and she had even caught a glimpse of Lelouch when he had come to Kasagi to meet with diplomats from Kyoto and put a stop to the border war. Her own experience and the talk around the village added up to the picture of a very handsome man. But, more important, was Lelouch's charisma. It was the latter that would have swayed Suzaku, the solider that he was. And what torture would that be, half in love with his lord while knowing that Lelouch would probably marry happily into another noble family. Suzaku would have stayed at Avalon while Lelouch had stepped into his father's place, and he would have kept quiet. Kaguya couldn't imagine having the fortitude to exist in a similar situation.
Even then, what she had was only speculation. Suzaku had never said anything, she only had to go by the rumors that had spread from Avalon and the bits of information that Suzaku had let slip. Kaguya swallowed and scooted just a bit closer so there was just barely any space left between them. "You shouldn't regret it Suzaku. Love is a wonderful thing."
Suzaku looked up at her, staring at her in shock for a moment before jerking back. "You don't know what you are talking about. It's a curse."
Kaguya went to speak again, interrupted by a lonely howl. She turned to look at the door with a frown. There hadn't been any wolves around Kasagi for years; they had been hunted down to prevent them from eating the livestock that the villagers cared for. She was sure that packs wandered by the village, but they had never sounded so close. The excuse for her to leave and send out a party to search out the wolf was on her lips when she saw Suzaku stand up out of the corner of her eye. She snapped her mouth shut, watching as he cousin walked over to the door and slide it open.
He stood on the walkway outside, looking up at the moon that hung over the small garden that Kaguya cultivated by her room. Suzaku remained staring at the moon for a moment before looking out towards the forest. When he did turn to look back at her, she was surprised by the longing that she saw in her eyes.
She had been wrong in her estimation of her cousin. He wasn't just half in love with his lord, he had fallen completely, and she had missed it. No wonder he chastised himself for letting the others notice, although Kaguya was sure that he should have given himself more credit. He had managed to hide how much he adored Lelouch for this long, and he was only showing it while he was distressed. If casting a spell on Suzaku had been one of Lelouch's crimes, then it was only on that list because someone had sharper eyes than she did.
Kaguya stood up and walked over to where Suzaku was standing, touching his arm. She was relieved when he didn't move away. Sure that he wouldn't flinch from her, she leaned against him, slipping his hand into hers. Kaguya rested her head on his shoulder, staring up at the moon. She didn't know who had done this to Suzaku, but she was sure that it had been someone who had been jealous of him because they had effectively stripped everything that mattered to Suzaku from him; the position that had been what Suzaku had been using to prove his own worth to himself and Lelouch. "I understand. It's a curse."
Suzaku didn't say anything; he just continued staring out towards the forest. Kaguya closed her eyes, listening to the two of them breathing. If she concentrated hard enough, she could feel the strands of the spell that was wrapped around her cousin, all sickly yellow threads that caught around his neck and fingers. Barely there beneath it all was a single red thread, Kaguya following the sense of that thread out as far as she could before she pulled back. It went on far beyond what she could sense, and even then it wouldn't have done anything to help Suzaku, it would just confirm everything that he had lost.
They stood out on the walkway for a long while, Kaguya content with the silence and the warmth of her cousin next to her. She fell into a kind of trace, reaching out to tug on some of the strings of magic that came from the rest of the village and the wards around the mansion, practicing her own skill. She was jolted out of her trace when Suzaku carefully slid his arm from hers. He stepped out into the garden, only stopping when Kaguya grabbed at him. "Wait."
"I don't have much time, Kaguya. Sunrise is coming."
She knew better than to argue with him on that point, so she just let him go. "Be careful."
Suzaku turned around to smile at her, Kaguya only then realizing that his smiles never quite reached his eyes. "I always am."
He walked off into the darkness of the garden, Kaguya watching as he used the old tree to scale the wall. She didn't hear his landing, but she was sure that he would be alright. His horse was probably tethered out in the forest and he would ride on until sunrise. When the night fell again, Suzaku would continue his task to search out a way to reverse his curse. And, as always, he would do it without Lelouch.
Kaguya retreated into her room, pausing only to grab up her knife. She stared at it for a moment before settling it carefully down. She wouldn't be getting any sleep; her mind was still working over Suzaku's problem. The corner of her mouth twitched up in a sad smile. It was quite the romantic story, albeit a sad one. It was a story like the ones that the women talked about in the village, but they had never talked about how it hurt the ones that were involved.
She shook her head and leaned back on her hands, staring at the moon that was still visible over the gardens. It would be setting soon, leaving her to wait for the sunrise. For a moment, she wondered if Suzaku felt like she did, constantly waiting for sunrise. She shrugged, rolling onto her side and picking up her book again. While she was waiting, she could at least attempt to get through more research. Maybe there would be something that she could change or nudge into a new pattern, and maybe there wouldn't be. But she could at least try to help Suzaku, it was the least she could do for him.
He turned at a screech, pulling his horse to a stop. The stallion snorted by obeyed, standing quietly as he looked around him. The screech came again, this time from his right. He smiled and held out his right hand, the only hand with the heavy leather glove.
A black and brown bird dove from the sky, slowing itself before it hit his outstretched arms with steady flaps of its wings. The bird of prey landed elegantly on his arm, settling down as he pulled the loose straps of the bird's jesses into his hand. The bird didn't seem to care; it was giving its wings a quick check over before turning its attention to him. He laughed, lifting his other hand from his horse's reins to stroke the white and brown barred chest of the bird. "Good morning."
The bird just trilled at him, finishing with its wings and looking at him with golden eyes. He sighed and brought his arm back to a more natural position. He collected his reins back into his free hand and urged his horse forward, the stallion obeying. They still had a day's journey to cover to get to their destination, without including any drifting that they were prone to doing. He had a short errand to carry out before they could continue westward.
He sighed and lifted his hand so he could look the bird in the eyes. "Ready to go home."
The bird only stared at him, but he hadn't expected a response from it. He lowered his arm, content to hold the bird for a while yet.
Eventually he would have to put his bird on the perch on the back of his saddle or release it to fly ahead for food. Despite being a small eagle, the bird would still get heavy to hold on one arm as the day wore on and there was no guarantee that they would be left alone. He would need both hands to defend himself if something happened. Until then, he wanted to hold the bird, just for the illusion of closeness.
He looked back over the plains that he was traveling over, feeling his bird settle into a better position on his hand, the edge of one wing trailing over the glove. He swallowed and urged his horse into a trot, the gait easily covering ground over the rolling plains.
Dearest Nunnally,
I cannot believe it's been two years since the incident.
I know that you do not wish to talk about it but, as this letter will probably reach you on the anniversary of that horrible event, I felt as if I had to address it. I wish I could have been there for you on this day, like I had been the previous year, but matters in the capital prevented me from coming up north. Our uncle has taken it upon himself to make a special of the latest round of executions and I am expected to attend. I'm sure that it is an attempt to keep our family on the straight and narrow and I regret that your brother is being used as an example to all of us. I'm sure that Lelouch wouldn't have turned to such things if our uncle had been a bit more reasonable towards his brother's family. Maybe you would have been saved some sorrow.
As for things in Pendragon, they remain much the same. Cornelia has been happily married to Lord Guildford and transferred to his home east of the capital and, while I do miss her, she seems to be happier to be out where all the fighting is. I'm sure that Lord Guildford will allow her to do as she wishes; something that not even mother could convince her to do in Pendragon. Uncle's warning may be aimed toward her this year, because you know that uncle views Cornelia's passions as something brought on by magic. I can only hope that she chooses to ignore it.
I did as you asked me in your last letter and I checked up on Lady Fenette. She's Lady Lindon now, she and Peter Lindon were married a month after Lelouch was announced as the murderer of Marianne. I did speak with Shirley, and she said that she would have married your brother anyway, but her father had chosen to remain in the favor of the emperor, something that many families would have done. And, with what happened to Lelouch, it was better for her to marry. Becoming a widow at her age is not the best idea for women in the capital. I also talked to her about the chance of her visiting you, as you both talked of each other so fondly. Shirley thought that she may return to Avalon to visit you as soon as summer comes. She wants to escape the heat and the vapors of the city for her health as well as the health of her unborn child.
I myself am looking forward to another visit to Avalon. As soon as I am allowed to escape from Pendragon, I intend to make my way north, snow or not. You should not be left alone this time of year, no matter how strong you promise you are. They were your family and you deserve to be surrounded by some kind of family, especially for the winter celebrations. Mother has no plans, as usual. She just waits to be invited to parties or, perhaps, hopes to be invited to Cornelia's new home.
Either way, I will be left on my own as neither mother or father has made any plans for my own marriage. I suppose that they are waiting for some advantageous match from the nobles here or for one of the princes of Saksamaa to come of age. I'm not sure how much news gets up to Avalon or how fast it comes, but Britannia seems to be posed to go to war against Saksamaa and its allies. With no other royal princesses free and all of the Saksamaa heirs being male, I'm sure I'll be next in line. Carine is still far too young and too much like Cornelia for uncle's liking. So, maybe I'll be married by this time next year and far away. But I will do my best to visit when I can because you are the closest to me after Cornelia. I will always write to you, dearest Nunnally, no matter what happens.
Watch for me when the winter starts drawing in.
Fondly yours,
Euphemia
Euphy,
I'm glad to hear that Shirley is doing well and you were right to tell her to visit when she can. I'll wait her arrival eagerly as there is little to do in Avalon. I fear I have been too good at delegating tasks and find myself with very little to do on my estate aside pretending to look for suitable matches. Not for myself, but to keep Bishop Calares from lecturing me.
On the same vein, I do look forward to your visit in the winter. There will be plenty of things for us to do if it snows as much as it did last year. But I'm afraid that I won't be as much fun, my legs have finally gotten as bad as predicted. I can no longer walk on my own, but I have been making the best of it. I have to be secured to the saddle, but I can still ride, my mare is patient enough to allow me that. Otherwise, I am confined to a litter or being carried by a servant. Being mobile, even if it is in sure a manner, makes it clear that I still am able to do my duties and the people deserve to have some kind of security, even if it is just the illusion of it. Still, I get along fine.
Your timing, as always, was impeccable. As I write this, preparations are being made for this year's grand gesture towards the magicians that still plague us. The last I saw, the scaffold was up. Thankfully, I don't have to watch the hangings; I just have to speak out against the use of magic. Bishop Calares has helpfully provided me with the points that he thinks that the emperor would want me to emphasize.
I know that you dislike the man, but he has been a strong supporter of me. He's also seen that everything runs smoothly when I can't get out to the farthest reaches of the estate. But I still do not agree with him that Lelouch was ever evil. No matter what he did, no matter how despicable his methods were, Lelouch was my brother and will always remain so.
Nunnally pushed herself away from her desk as her first tears started to fall. She hastily wiped them away, not wanting them to drip onto the paper and smear the letter that she was composing. It was hard enough to find the time to write to Euphemia and she didn't want to waste anything she managed to get done. Euphemia would understand a half written letter, but no letter would be too much like abandonment. While Bishop Calares had been her strength within the workings of Avalon, Euphemia was her constant in everything else.
She reached down to grab a hold of the armrests on her chair, taking a few deep breaths as she steadied herself. More than the fear of smearing the letter, she had to keep calm because someone was going to come for her to make her speech. Nunnally had learned quickly that the people didn't want to see a leader that seemed weak. She was the one person that was supposed to look out for them while they were on this earth and, if they didn't feel safe, they would desert her. Nunnally could only exist because they were in the town, working their jobs and keeping the castle alive. She was sure that her uncle wouldn't take her back. He had been the one to send his brother this far away; it didn't make sense that he would suddenly change his mind just for her.
Nunnally closed her eyes, letting out her next breath slowly as she gathered herself together. She would have to take her cue from what she remembered from Marianne. Her mother had always been collected and on point. Nunnally couldn't be anything less.
The door creaked as someone came into the room. Nunnally turned around, expecting it to be Mrs. Lohmeyer. She was surprised to find Captain Jeremiah standing in the door. He bowed to her, not holding the bow long. Of all the people in the castle, Jeremiah was the one who treated her like a person before her station. It was only probably because he had known her since she was a baby, but it was refreshing. Jeremiah was the one that she didn't have to keep up her mask around, especially since he had been her mother's confidant after Charles had died.
"They're ready for you, my lady."
Nunnally made a face in disgust, but she nodded. Jeremiah had come to carry her out to the balcony that she would deliver her address from. There he would also hold her up so the people could see her. It was a complicated process for her, appearing that she was not just being held up and useless, but worth it for the smiles of her people. It also endeared her to them, an effort that she would always take. It was far better to be loved than feared.
"Where will you be after your speech?"
"Back in my rooms. I just need some time on my own."
"To mourn your mother." She could guess that Jeremiah was nodding, the captain sounding pleased. "She was a brilliant woman."
"Yes, she was." Nunnally didn't bother to correct him on what her plans really were. She would mourn her mother, as was right and what she needed, but she would also mourn her brother. It was technically a day too early, but she wouldn't be able to mourn on the actual day of his death. She had to be like the rest of the people, happy that a great sorcerer had been killed before he could cause trouble. Nunnally was sure that no one else bothered to remember Lelouch or to pray for him in church. She was sure that, wherever he was, he appreciated her thoughts.
It was just too hard to believe that Lelouch had been completely evil in the end. Confused and changed by magic, but not evil, not if he had been arguing with Marianne about her.
She swallowed, unwinding one arm from Jeremiah's neck so she could wipe her cheeks to make sure that she was no longer crying. Nunnally raised her chin slightly as they approached the balcony, shifting in Jeremiah's arms as they stepped out. She was still being carried like the damsels in distress from the poet's songs, but she was slightly more upright, enough of a victory for her. Below her, the people erupted into cheers.
Carefully, Nunnally pulled one arm from around Jeremiah, waving to the people before returning to her position. She checked the crowd, easily picking out the guards that were waiting on the sides of the crowd. She found herself looking for Suzaku before she stopped herself.
Suzaku was dead. No one had bothered to mourn him because it was well known Suzaku had been under the spell of Lelouch. Calares had proved that enough when they had tried Lelouch after his death, just to be sure that they all agreed on the verdict. The official document was still on display in Avalon, although a copy had been sent to Pendragon. Nunnally was sure that the document had been the cause of the panic that had followed it, the spotting of more sorcerers and the frenzy to collect them all and kill them. After all, if there had been one, then there would be more.
She pulled her mind away from the trial of two years ago and focused on the crowd as they quieted down. Nunnally smiled down at the crowd, pitching her voice so that it would carry over them. Everyone deserved the chance to hear her speak. She had been given exact points to talk about, but Nunnally was sure she would have the better tempered speech. In the case of magic, Calares seemed to think that the people needed to be frightened into obeying but, if they had turned to magic, they were frightened enough.
"Thank you for coming here today and thank you for your prayers earlier." She gestured to the church. "I'm sure my mother appreciates them as well, because she loved all of you."
She had to pause to let the crowd cheer, still amazed by the support that her mother had. After being dead for two years the people still adored her. Nunnally raised her hand for silence, shocked that she was obeyed. "But, for my mother's sake, let's not make this day all about death and punishment. She wouldn't have wanted that. Instead, cherish your family today and set aside any ill will towards them, because there will be no telling how long you will remain together.
"But the sentences will be carried out are equally as important because the same thing that could tear your families apart is the same crime that these people committed. And, while they might not have been moved by jealousy and anger, that does not make this any less of a sin. In the end, they could become like my brother. Avalon does not need another demon."
More cheers followed, Nunnally barely acknowledging them. She had to talk about her brother now, and it pained her to speak about him like this. She had learned that it was better for her to plunge right into the topic and move on as soon as possible.
"While he did some good," Nunnally had to shout to be able to be heard over the jeers of the crowd, "like saving us from another war and the summer plague, these same actions condemned him. That's the way it begins, with small actions meant to help and then the power corrupts you. It would be easy to decide that you know the best people to put into positions or how the laws should work. It is there that you are caught and, while anger and jealousy might not have been the first reason for your action, they will be your reasons now and you won't be truly in control of yourself ever again. That is how good people are killed and how empires are toppled. That is how demons are born.
"So, if you have come here today out of a sense of duty alone or know something that struggles, send them to the church and tell them to pray. You won't be put in jail for this admission, because you are coming for help. And God will not desert you for this, you have merely started to stray and he will welcome you back. Please, seek out help for yourselves before your families are ripped apart. That's the important thing, your family." Nunnally paused to stare down at the people, quickly deciding to make an end to her speech. "All hail Britannia!"
The crowd took up her shout, Nunnally watching as they screamed the name of their country and their emperor. Briefly, she heard a smattering of her name in the mix, the sound enough to encourage her to smile and wave at the people. She reached back to Jeremiah, the captain shifting her into a more comfortable position in his arms. Nunnally closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she was carried back inside. Away from the pressure of the crowd, she could finally relax. She could sink back into herself again instead of a mixture of herself and her mother.
Jeremiah carried her back to her desk, lingering long enough to open the door before bowing to her. Nunnally gave him a thankful nod. As captain of the guards, Jeremiah had more important things to attend to. He was the one that would be watching the hangings as well as selecting the people that would be hanged that day. All of the magicians would be killed for their crimes eventually, but quietly and without much ceremony. Nunnally would have preferred that all of the magician sentences wouldn't be carried out publicly. But Calares insisted on the show because it would deter other magicians. Their idea seemed to have worked thus far, but Nunnally couldn't help but fear what would happen in the end.
She had seen the throngs of mages leaving Britannia for other countries who were more sympathetic to their causes. Nunnally could only imagine what would happen if the mages got mad enough. Britannia's army was stretched with a war with Sviariki and the new territories they had gained and Euphemia's letter had hinted with anther war brewing with Saksamaa. In the light of two border countries beginning to push against them, the nobles in Pendragon might not have been worried about a war with mages. But Avalon was on the border, close to the route that the mages had used to escape into Nippon and right in the attacking forces' lines. She was not going to risk her people on the whims of the emperor and his own fears.
She couldn't help but feel that, if they attempted to help those with magic, what had happened to her mother wouldn't have to happen to anyone else. But there was something about magic that frightened her. All of that power came easily and there was nothing that could stand against it. Nunnally couldn't imagine how she would fight against magic; there was only cohabitation, and idea that had already been tossed aside. Bishop Calares said that she was just desperate to get her brother back, something that Nunnally would admit to. She had grown up surrounded by family and now she had no one. Even with Euphemia, she was still alone. Everyone was still too far away.
A cheer from the crowd made her turn her head back towards the balcony. The hangings must have started with the first of the convicted being led out. Nunnally flinched and ducked her head. She couldn't stomach the sight of hangings; she left the act to Bishop Calares. God's hand on earth could handle the punishments. She had a letter to finish and to send off. Then she could try to busy herself with the running of the estate while Mrs. Lohmeyer was occupied.
She had been allowed to continue as the head of Avalon, but that didn't mean Mrs. Lohmeyer didn't glare at her the entire time. In her mind, Nunnally should have been concentrating on finding a suitable husband and working on the fragments of needlework that she had started before her mother had died. Mrs. Lohmeyer was never satisfied unless Nunnally turned her attention to the proper task of a woman. She was just getting used to ignoring the older woman; it was the only way she was able to get work done.
She sighed and picked up her pen, turning her attention back to Euphemia's letter.
It may be selfish of me, but I don't look forward to the day that you will be married. Then I'll just be left alone in my little castle. Milly Ashford has said that her parents have arranged another marriage for her.. And I'm inclined to believe her.
But I just find all this talk of needing to get married immediately silly. No man has ruled Avalon since my father died nine years ago. My mother managed competently and I have as well. Why do I have to be taken out of control because they think some stranger could run the estate better than I do? I guess there is too much of my mother and Lelouch in me to just step down. Don't tell me that it is a good trait, I know it is. But the others believe so. They think my insistence on being the head of Avalon in all things and the failure of my legs are seen as signs that God does not find me worthy and there is no way for me to fight back.
"My lady." Nunnally froze at the sound of Mrs. Lohmeyer's voice. She turned to look at the older woman, catching a look of disgust that briefly crossed her face. Nunnally pretended that she had no seen anything, just setting down her pen. Alicia Lohmeyer nodded, seemingly pleased by Nunnally's attention. "The bishop wishes to talk to you. Apparently, you must be present for the discussion of what to do for the winter."
Nunnally tensed. "I am the lady of Avalon."
Mrs. Lohmeyer seemed to realize her mistake. "I know that, my lady. I merely meant that you should be given this day to mourn without distraction."
Nunnally doubted Mrs. Lohmeyer was actually telling the truth, but it wasn't her problem. Instead, she just nodded and turned toward the door. As she expected there was a servant waiting for her. She would be carried down to the litter that was waiting for her. She would conduct her business from the litter, which would separate her further from the bishop, just the way they both preferred it.
She wrapped her arms around the servant's neck, allowing him to lift her from the chair. Nunnally glanced back over her shoulder at Mrs. Lohmeyer. When she realized that the woman wouldn't b following her, Nunnally tapped on the servant's shoulder. "We shouldn't keep the bishop waiting."
The servant nodded his head and turned to leave the room. Nunnally kept her arms securely around his neck. She tipped her chin up slightly, trying to look strong even as she was being carried to the entrance of the castle. She couldn't seem weak, even in this. There were too many enemies, the bishop being one of them. If she wanted to keep her place she had to appear strong. It was everything to her, the only thing she had.
Rivalz grunted as his fingers scraped across something that didn't give immediately. He bit his lip, trying to keep his breathing steady. He couldn't afford to panic, not when he had made it this far. Rivalz closed his eyes and dug his fingers into the mud again.
It gave under his fingers, a small rock tumbling to one side. Rival smiled and clawed at the mud, dragging himself forward as soon as there was space for him. He tried to ignore how stale the air was and the way that the earth pressed down on him. If he panicked, he would have used up what little air he had and then all of his efforts would be useless. It would have been less painful to die on the gallows. At least that would have been a quick death instead of being crushed or running out of air. No one would want to dig underneath the castle to find one criminal when there were plenty more to vent their ire on. If he had his way, he wouldn't be the one that they used as an example.
He couldn't help the sharp exhalation of relief when his right hand pushed through the mud and encountered nothing but open air. Rivalz bit his lip and drew his hand back, bringing both hands forward to claw at the mud, shoving everything that came loose forward. Under the pressure, the mud tumbled out, letting in little bits of light. Rivalz pushed around the hole to widen it, using his elbows when chunks of mud didn't give way immediately. When he was sure he could fit his shoulder through Rivalz dragged himself forward.
He got stuck for a moment, Rivalz grunting as he wiggled in place. The mud under him gave suddenly, Rivalz yelping as he fell into the waterway that ran under Avalon to feed the moat around the castle and town. Rivalz flailed to the surface, sputtering and wiping the water from his face. He paddled for the crumbling stone ledge that ran on either side of the vaulted tunnels. It had been a while since he had had the chance to swim. The last time had been before his father had gone off to war, back when his father had still been around.
The stones crumbled further under his fingers as he clambered up, struggling to find a safe spot to rest while he caught his breath and came up with the next step in his plan. He hadn't gone far beyond actually getting out of his cell, because he hadn't thought it would have been possible. All he had been told on his way to Avalon had been that he wouldn't escape, that he couldn't escape. No one had escaped from Avalon, not even Lelouch the demon. He and Suzaku had been killed as soon as the sun had risen the next day. Rivalz had heard about it when the news had been delivered to the Ashfords. He had even stuck around for the celebration that the Ashfords had held. Lelouch the demon was dead and they were free from all danger.
It had been a lie, of course, there was always some kind of threat, even it if was pulled out of nowhere. Lelouch had just fueled the fear, because everyone seemed to be crying out that there were magicians all around them. It had caused the cells of Ashingford and Avalon to be filled, and had kept them filled since then. Even the emperor himself had gotten in on the act, declaring the death of Marianne a national day of remembrance through a great killing of magicians, although Rivalz had his doubts that were all magicians. Enemies of the nobility disappeared around the same time and were never seen again. It had only been two years and the celebration had already turned into a way to get rid of the unwanted. That alone should have been a hint to him to be careful.
But then the north had suffered through two bad winters.
The first had been rough and blamed completely on Lelouch. His actions had brought the wrath of God down on Britannia. What Rivalz had managed to put by had been almost used up. The next year had looked better, until the merchant who had bought his mother's cloth had failed to appear on his usual schedule. They had learned that he had been accused of magic, and killed immediately rather than keeping him until the day of Marianne's death.
Rivalz would have been able to support them on his job and the funds they had put by, but the harsh winter had run them dry. Their landlord had been more than generous, allowing them to pay for their place through odd jobs that his mother was more than content to do. Anything to keep her boy happy. Rival didn't want that for his mother, never for his mother. So he had resorted to alternate methods. Maybe if he hadn't been so desperate he would have been more careful.
It had been so close to the day of Marianne's death and he had already become notorious. It had only been a matter of time before had had gotten caught, but he hadn't expected to be charged with the use of magic as well.
He had been transferred to Avalon for two reasons, the first one had been because Ashingford had been full up. The second was because the man he had stolen from had made a fuss, accusing him of working magic to rob people. There had been no hesitation about sending him to Avalon then, the guards of Ashingford hadn't wanted to deal with a magician. Rivalz might have been content to suffer punishment, for stealing, but not for magic. He wasn't going to be killed for something he hadn't done. So he had worked hard to escape, because he wasn't going to leave his mother all alone.
The rock he was crouched on began to crumble, Rivalz taking it as a sign that he had to move on. He had to keep moving if he wanted to escape. The guards and the people would be too distracted by the hangings to notice him sneaking out. And, as the cells were packed full, no one would realize that one was missing.
He slipped into the water again, awkwardly paddling towards a beam of light. He didn't know how to get out of the water-filled passages, all he knew was that he had to leave. From there he could run. Rivalz wouldn't be able to return home yet, but there would be a time when he could go back. He would be forgotten soon enough. There would always be another demon and no one would remember a thief.
Rivalz reached for the wall, grabbing at a stone that stuck out. Far above, he could hear the sound of singing, Rivalz frowning until he realized where he was. He was under the church where prayers were being said for the sake of those that were being hanged. He tilted his head up, the light he had seen coming through the grate that was on the floor of the church. There was no way out for him there, not while people were there.
He muttered a curse and turned around, looking at the tunnel. There had to be a way out that he could use immediately. Rivalz was not looking forward to sitting in the water until the church was deserted. He sighed and looked back down at the water, watching it flow. Rivalz frowned, resting a hand on the surface of the water and feeling the gentle tug of the current. If the water could get into moat, then there had to be a way out. If not, then he would have to play the waiting game.
Rivalz followed the current, often using the walls to hang onto to catch his breath. His steady progress was brought to a stop by a wall. Rivalz rested a hand on the wall, looking down and catching a glimpse of the grate there. He took a deep breath and dove, using the grate to hold himself under.
The water wasn't perfectly clear, but it was clear enough for Rivalz to see the grate. It was mostly intact, except for a ragged hole in the lower corner, just wide enough for a human to get through. Rivalz pushed up to the surface to take another deep breath before diving back down again.
Using the grate to guide him, Rivalz swam through the hole and out into what he hoped was the moat. Once free of the grate, Rivalz allowed himself to float to determine what way was up before striking for the surface. All the while, Rivalz kept close to the wall, not wanting to ruin his chance at escape so soon. He clawed his way to the surface, gasping for breath as he looked around. Hidden by the wall, he couldn't be seen. As it was, there were only two guards by the gate and a few of the peasantry still heading to the celebration. It wouldn't look too strange if he got out of the moat and walked away.
Rivalz smiled to himself and tried to swim quietly over to where the guards were sitting on a cart. He wouldn't be able to get anywhere without money, and he didn't feel bad about taking it from the same guards who would have seen him die. All it would take was a steady hand and a quiet get away, the guards looked too distracted to notice him.
He edged up to the guard, eyeing the knife in the guard's belt. He would be going out into a dangerous world and would need protection. Rivalz reached out to slide the knife free, hesitating a moment before cutting the man's purse strings. He slipped away quietly, the knife between his teeth and the purse clutched in his hand. Rivalz kept checking over his shoulder to see that he wasn't being followed.
Rivalz clambered ashore when he was a good distance away. He tucked the knife into his belt and tied the purse in place as well. Sure that his meager belongs were secure, Rivalz started towards the northwest. He would hide in the strips for forest and the scattered villages, all the while heading towards the mountains. No one would know him, and, perhaps, he would find a job to tide him over, but Rivalz was sure that he would have to keep moving. For now, Rivalz didn't want to consider the fact that he might never be able to return home.
He swallowed and shook his head. He would worry about the future later. There were other things that he had to focus on, the first being food, the second shelter and, if he was lucky, more clothes. The first was the most important and would probably be the hardest to get. It was well into fall and there were fewer villages towards the mountains. The most he could hope for were a few hovels slapped together. He might be able to buy food, but he was more likely to catch his own food.
But no problem seemed as pressing at the moment. He was free and would do his best to stay that way. Rivalz stretched his arms over his head, unable to keep the smile off of his face. He had managed to do the impossible and he would be content with that.
Calares looked up as Nunnally abruptly stopped talking. He turned to face the entryway to the small garden between the castle and the church. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Captain Jeremiah standing there, looking panicked. Calares beckoned for the man to come closer. His tedious discussion with Nunnally could wait. Jeremiah wouldn't have to come to him if he could avoid it. Neither he nor Jeremiah enjoyed each other's presence. Jeremiah had always been more of Marianne's man than anything else. Still, he was competent and a God fearing man, far better than the old captain.
He went to stand up, freezing when Jeremiah bypassed him for Nunnally. The captain bowed before turning to address the both of them. "You have my apologies for disturbing you, but there seems to be a problem with today's events." Jeremiah licked his lips but remained resolute. "One of the prisoners has escaped."
Calares froze, glancing towards where the gallows were by the front of the castle. He hadn't heard the screams of the people, which meant that it hadn't been one of the criminals who had been brought out. Still, it was something more pressing than the preparation for winter. He had gotten the preparations underway already, he just allowed Nunnally to believe that she was in control. The people loved her over him, but she was a more public figure, a figure easily loved and one he would have to deal with very soon. Nunnally was getting too smart for her own good, too much like Marianne.
Nunnally shifted forward in her litter. "Who was it?"
"A thief." Jeremiah shrugged. "He was brought in from Ashingford. There were accusations of magic use."
"And is he a magician?"
"We can't be sure, my lady. But the accusation came from a man of good repute, even if the evidence has not come from Ashingford yet."
Nunnally frowned, Calares watching her carefully. He knew that look well and he could guess that she was going to just let the man go. He couldn't allow Nunnally to make a mess of the situation as well. She was far too weak to be ruling, far too kind and forgiving. Avalon needed a full hand, which was why it had flourished under Charles and struggled under Marianne. Now it was his task to set the castle back into shape. God had given two warnings, the first the plague that had hit the north before Lelouch had turned away and then with Nunnally's failing legs. They would not get a third warning.
Calares raised a hand, calling Jeremiah's attention to him. "Magician or not, we should not let him escape. We have the reputation of the castle and your bloodline to consider."
Satisfied that she was chastised, Calares turned his attention back to Jeremiah. "Take a party of men and follow him. You orders are to kill him. Let all of the north know that we will not tolerate this."
"Bishop Calares, what right have you to order this?"
"Because you will not." Calares softened his statement with a bow of his head. "Let me and Captain Gottwald be the steel so that you will continue to be the heart of Avalon. Let us handle this business while you look to the people who are still alive."
That seemed to satisfy Nunnally enough for her to wave at her litter bearers. Calares stood up to join Jeremiah in bowing to her, seething internally. He had given over the winter preparations to Nunnally and, while it was a little thing, any greater gain to Nunnally would just make her harder to control. But this matter took precedence.
He turned to face Jeremiah as soon as Nunnally was out of sight. "Take what you need and go."
Jeremiah glared at him and turned to leave without all of the fanfare he would have given Nunnally. It wasn't quite a slight on his place, but it was close enough. Calares sneered at Jeremiah's back. He was very much like his mistress, sliding back into the godless way of before the empire. Marianne had been trouble enough we he had tried to control her, always ignoring his advice and fouling his plans. He should have expected the same from her children.
Calares huffed and turned back to the church. Jeremiah would have to be replaced, he knew that much already. The man was loyal to no one but Marianne and her children.
He rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. He hadn't become a man of the cloth to deal with complex political situations. He had gone into the church to gain the same standing he would through the military without the dangers of service. Instead, he had found himself stuck with an incompetent young woman who would not bow to his will. But there were plenty of ways to get around Nunnally's stubborn streak. There were a few nobles that were eager to marry into the imperial family, especially as most of the royal heirs had already been married off. Calares could negotiate a marriage and gain what he wanted, and Avalon would have the lord it desperately needed.
There were a few things that he would still have to arrange, but that would be easy enough. Many things could happen to a captain of the guards while he was out; Suzaku Kururugi's death had proved that point well enough. Jeremiah would be replaced with men that were loyal to him. Avalon would be functional again, just as it had been under Charles.
More importantly, he had to keep his secrets.
No one could know what he and Charles had planned to do; what he had planned to do with Lelouch once Charles had been killed in battle. Any favor he had once had with Emperor Vincent would be demolished if that news got out.
With a criminal running free and Jeremiah intending to search until the man was found, Calares would have to abandon any hopes he had of attempting to sway Lelouch to his side again. He would have to give up his plan and try to find a new one. If that was to be case, he would have to call his trapper.
Perhaps he would be able to come out of this affair with an excellent cloak.
The bells of Avalon rang out over the countryside, tolling out a different pattern than the one of celebration earlier. It might have been because he had been farther out, but the bells seemed louder. This was an alarm call. Something had gone wrong with the celebration. The thought alone made him smile. Now he regretted that he hadn't ridden further out the day before; he might have been close enough to catch the news. In any case, he could simply follow the trail of the guards.
Until then, he would try to make up the lost ground.
He raised his hand to toss his eagle into the air. It screeched in derision before soaring off. It would hunt before returning to him, he had no worry on that score. The eagle would always come back.
He waited until the eagle was a speck in the sky to move. Then he gathered his reins and kicked his horse. The stallion grunted but eagerly obeyed the order by breaking into a gallop, the horse's long strides eating up the distance between him and Avalon.