Chapter Nine: Separate Ways
"Do you know that hawks and wolves mate for life? The Bishop didn't even leave us that... not even that."
– Ladyhawke
Nunnally sat in her liter, listening to the snap of the banners. The breeze was cold, meaning that winter was well on its way. With the way the weather was looking, the party might be stuck in Avalon for the winter. Nunnally winced at that thought. She didn't want to have to deal with the archbishop of Pendragon as well as Calares. Hopefully he would be able to conduct his business quickly and then leave quickly. All of that had to happen before Lelouch was brought back or else Nunnally didn't know what would happen to their plan.
She straightened her shoulders, tempted to call for her wax tablet to compose her letter to one of the four families that she wanted to invite. That too would have to wait until the archbishop of Pendragon was gone. The man had certain ideas about how the way the courtship was played out. The man should always make the first move. For the female to make that first move was too forward, that they were possessed by lust. But she didn't have the time to compose any letter. Euphemia and the others would be arriving soon.
Nunnally looked up to the wall, looking at the few members of the guard who had remained behind. It was a large enough decrease to make her nervous. Captain Gottwald was one of the main reasons that she wasn't waiting inside. The captain was standing off to the left with Milly, the two parts of her council. The one remaining member of her former council was still in the church, finishing off a mass.
The guard on the wall paused in his pacing. Nunnally turned to watch him, letting out a sigh of relief when the man pointed at something. The party was probably coming close to Avalon. It would take them a few minutes to reach the keep and then they would have to go through the lower town. If the archbishop was doing to follow his usual pattern, he would slow down to give an overall blessing to the people of the town.
It would delay the arrival of the part just enough to frustrate Nunnally. The archbishop of Pendragon was the highest ranked religious authority in Britannia and he made sure that everyone knew it.
Nunnally sighed, looking back at Milly. The two of them exchanged a long look. Nunnally just wanted to work on her letters to get the alliances working. When Euphemia arrived, Nunnally wanted to give her cousin the basic summary of the events that had transpired before moving forward. There were other things that Nunnally had to do, she was busy.
The guards began to file down from the wall, arranging themselves in the courtyard in two lines. It was a display on Jeremiah's orders, one that Nunnally agreed with. She wanted the archbishop to be presented with something that would make him back off. It was all about the show of power and Nunnally was almost thrilling in it. Her mother would have done the same thing and never wavered. Nunnally had to present the same face.
The party passed through the gates, Nunnally sitting up and looking herself over. It wasn't the perfect presentation, but it was the best that Nunnally could do. Besides, her full attention was on Euphemia. Her cousin was riding beside the archbishop on a grey palfrey.
Euphemia was looking around for her, smiling when she saw Nunnally. She took one hand from the reins to wave, eventually pulling her horse out of party. Euphemia dismounted and handed the reins to one of the guards before running up to Nunnally. They wrapped their arms around each other, Nunnally laughing as she was hugged close.
It had felt like forever since her mother and brother had died. Milly was a good friend, but she wasn't quite family. It was about the same, but not enough for her to feel truly safe.
Euphemia crouched by her side as the rest of the party rode up. She kept one hand on Nunnally's shoulder, squeezing quietly as the archbishop looked down at her.
"Lady Nunnally."
"Your grace." Nunnally nodded her head. "Welcome to Avalon. I hope you find your stay comfortable."
Nunnally noted the way that the archbishop's eyes strayed toward some of the young maids. She resisted the urge to glare at him, making a mental note to warn the stewards about the archbishop. She would make sure that none of her people were harassed. Nunnally had to put up with the archbishop, but he was not going to let him run over her orders. Nunnally managed a tense smile, waiting for the archbishop to respond.
On his part, the archbishop looked bored. He looked around at the group, staring at the church. Nunnally supposed that he was looking for Calares. Before she could give him an explanation, the archbishop looked back at her. "I should apologize in advance for the short stay, but I don't have the time to remain in Avalon for the winter. The emperor has requested my presence in the south as soon as I am finished with the confessions. He wants my help with the uprising."
Nunnally felt Euphemia's hand tighten on her shoulder. She shook her head and shifted nervously in her liter. "I thought that Schneizel had the situation under control."
"Not to his majesty's satisfaction." The archbishop smiled. "His majesty does not want to waste time making deals with them."
There was nothing Nunnally could do but nod, taking care to not sure to show her emotions on her face. Doing so would just lead to a lengthy argument later about how the politics of the empire was not the business of a woman. Nunnally would prefer to find another source of information.
The archbishop took her nod and silence as his answer and nudged his horse forward, Nunnally eyeing them as they passed. She looked back at Jeremiah, the two of them sharing a nod. She could trust him to watch the archbishop's guards. They couldn't be allowed to interfere with the current operation.
Nunnally lifted her chin and turned her head to look at the archbishop. "Bishop Calares will be out after he finishes with mass."
She got no answer, just like she expected. Nunnally turned her head to look at Euphemia, nodding at her cousin. Nunnally waved for her bearers to lift her up. "To the war room, please."
Nunnally sat back and allowed himself to be carried into the castle. The rest of the greeting party was breaking up behind her, heading back to their jobs. The arrival of the archbishop was just a brief disruption in their lives. But Nunnally would have to deal with him for a long while yet. She sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying the one moment of calm she could get.
She was switched into the arms of a servant in the hallway. Her liter was too big to carry her into the library. Nunnally looked over the man's shoulder, watching as the group followed her. Her own little military formation. The only one that she was supposed to have. Nunnally snorted and looked back to the front. Her mother hadn't allowed herself to be restricted no matter what and neither would Nunnally. She would just have to grow her mother's thick skin. Nunnally would need that before she could make any big moves.
Nunnally directed the servant to set her down in Marianne's chair. The servant left the room, allowing Euphemia and Milly to sit in their chairs. She smiled at them, holding her hands in her lap to hide their shaking. "Thank God you're here, Euphy."
"I thought as much. You've gotten a lot of attention in your little part of the world." Euphemia leaned forward with a smile. "You've been busy, cousin."
"It's been constant." Nunnally groaned, shaking her head. She glanced at the carved map, her eyes trailing over to the spot that they had chosen for their ambush. Nunnally licked her lips. Euphemia wouldn't be told because she would try to urge Nunnally towards an end that would comfort her. She didn't want comfort, she just wanted an end. Nunnally sighed and looked up again. "I need to talk to you two about other alliances, ones I can make before anyone else can choose for me."
Milly was nodding along with her while Euphemia almost looked confused. Nunnally reached out for her cousin's hand. Euphemia was in a more secure position than she and Milly were. Euphemia had the support of her family and time before she had to marry or find alliances that would help her. She and Milly had no time. "Euphy, it's for my own safety." She bit her lip, trying to hold back a smile. "That I'm talking to them does not mean that I am going to give myself away that easily."
That brought a smile to Euphemia's face. Her cousin pulled her hands away, the shock leaving her face. Euphemia leaned on the table, looking over at them both. "So, what's the plan?"
"Waldstein, Haliburton, Dalton and Weinberg."
Euphemia stared at her for a long moment before shaking her head. "You won't need a marriage to three of those families, they are already loyal to you. And count Guildford in your group as well. My sister's husband, along with Waldstein, Dalton and Weinberg will follow you because they trusted your mother. Haliburton is such a small and new noble family that they will do anything for recognition. After the success that the Maldini family has with their attachment to Schneizel, many others are trying to court favor with the nobles in the same way. But you need them for what you are doing now?"
"Far after." Nunnally gave Euphemia a sad smile. "Honor and glory don't last forever for us, they belong to men."
Euphemia nodded and stretched. "I will put in my word as well. After all, I could use the help for later."
"As I thought." Nunnally rested her hands on the table. "Are matters in Pendragon that complicated?"
Her cousin rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."
Nunnally laughed, watching as Milly shifted in her seat with excitement. Her friend was more into the court news than she was, but they all deserved the treat that would come with talking of nothing of major importance. It would provide vital news about the political climate in any case. Nunnally settled back in her chair, watching as Euphemia started gesturing wildly as she retold a story from the capital.
Calares knew that it was cowardly of him to keep away from the archbishop, but he couldn't think of anything else to do. He was playing a dangerous game, Nunnally too.
He was sure that Nunnally wouldn't have told the archbishop about what they were doing to catch Lelouch. The archbishop didn't need to know, not when they had finally settled on a plan. Calares didn't know the plan, but the archbishop of Pendragon would just mess the plan up. The only man that the archbishop listened to was the emperor.
He rubbed his hands over the alter cloth, making sure that it was folded over the later correctly. If he had to deal with the archbishop, everything had to be perfect. The man was exacting in how things should be. There was plenty of extra time for that in Pendragon. Calares sighed and hung his head. He could spend his day working to get the church in perfect order or face the archbishop now. Dinner would be soon enough to speak to the man, and it would prove enough of a buffer before Calares would have to speak one on one with him.
The confession of the clergy in and around Avalon would mean keeping close to the archbishop. Calares would have to watch himself them, and hope that he would be able to get away when the guards moved to catch Lelouch. He was not about to give up his chance to appoint a new captain of the guards, there were his informants to think about. He couldn't have them turning on him, not when Nunnally was starting to strike out on her own.
He gave the cloth one last check before walking away from the later. He couldn't just hide out in the church forever. There were a few things that he had to go over with the archbishop before the man celebrated mass. Calares wanted to be sure that he knew what the sermon would be about. If the archbishop was going to stir up magicians, Calares wanted to have the remaining guards ready to go after anyone who came up. By the time that Lelouch was caught, Calares wanted the cells full. No one would think to look at him when they were kept busy. And Calares expected everyone to be kept busy.
Calares stepped out into the walkway. He gave the courtyard a glance, picking out the archbishop's guard. It looked like Jeremiah had them well in hand, which meant that none of them would bother him. The one thing that caught his attention was the rider coming into the courtyard in a rush. Calares frowned and stopped, watching as the rider pulled the horse to a stop. The messenger was probably from Ashingford with an invitation for the archbishop and Euphemia to visit. It was the normal routine for visiting nobles. He was taken aback when the messenger rushed up to him.
The boy bowed, Calares noticing the patched clothes that he wore. He knew that the Ashford family was struggling with money, but they would never risk losing their image, and the horse was more of a cart horse than the sleek breeds that the nobles preferred. Calares raised an eyebrow and motioned for the boy to rise. A quick glance around the courtyard showed that he was being watched. Calares looked over the people there before, tipping his head towards the church. "Find someone to hold your horse and come with me."
Then boy hurriedly turned, Calares already walking away. He could hear the messenger rushing after him, not bothering to turn around until he held the door to the church open. The messenger darted past and hovered near the back of the church. Calares rolled his eyes and shut the door. "What is the matter?"
"There…" The messenger swallowed and looked at the floor. Calares could see the boy shaking. It was almost enough to make him nervous. Calares tried to hide his own fears; the messenger didn't need to be frightened any more. He gestured for the messenger to go on, the boy taking a deep breath.
"I saw the demon." Calares stared at the boy, watching at he paced. "He was leaving Stowden earlier today. Not a lot of people saw, but enough did to get worried."
"And you came for help?" Calares breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing exactly where Lelouch was meant that they would get the operation over with quickly. The archbishop would never know that he wasn't weeding out all of the magicians in Avalon. Everyone would be too busy calculating the reaction of the people and how to contain Lelouch until they could kill him. Calares cleared his throat and gestured back out. "This news should go to Captain Gottwald as well. There are guards in place to catch the demon."
"Well, no one saw where he was going. We just saw him leaving and ran. That may not be helpful." The boy looked around before shaking his head. "By then, there was a death. The demon killed."
"Who?"
"The trapper, Luciano Bradley." Calares tensed, the boy not seeming to notice. "We went out to check the people in Stowden as soon as the demon was gone. Someone went out to the woods and found all of Luciano's traps snapped shut, some of them from his own bow and arrows. And then…we found Luciano with his head stuck in one of his own traps. Luciano knew those woods better than any of us and he wouldn't have forgotten where his traps were, and certainly not to trip into one. Luciano was too good to make a mistake like that. The demon must have done something to him."
The boy was really shaking now, but Calares was still reeling over the news.
He knew that Luciano was prone to acting too fast when he got excited, but not to the point where he would be careless. Luciano would want to take his time with the job, because it would be a challenge, some kind of fun for him. But it couldn't have been Lelouch had had killed Luciano, because Lelouch was always a wolf at night. If anyone had killed Luciano, it would have been Suzaku, but the mistake was easily made. No one knew that Suzaku was still alive; all of the rumors all said that it was his ghost that was following the demon. The action was still more of Jeremiah's problem than his, but the common people believed fiercely that the church would protect them against magic and its evil influence.
Calares sighed and tucked his hands into his sleeves. "Share the information about the demon with Captain Gottwald. The captain will go after the demon and I will be there to make sure that the demon does not get away again." He reached out to pat the boy's shoulder. "Thank you for bringing me the news."
The boy bowed and went to the door. He paused before opening the door, looking back at Calares. "Will you come to Stowden to lift any curses that the demon left?"
"Of course. As soon as I can."
That was enough to make the boy relax and smile. Calares raised one hand in a wave, holding his calm face until the boy was gone. The message would be passed to the right place and Calares would send the archbishop out to Stowden to stay the necessary prayers. It would get one job taken take of and keep the archbishop occupied for the day. And, knowing Jeremiah, the captain wouldn't try to catch Lelouch so close to a town for fear of magic being used. The archbishop would be well out of the way when Lelouch was captured.
Everything was falling into place for him. Everything but Luciano's death.
With Luciano death he didn't have any more outside resources to kill Lelouch and Suzaku. He would have to kill Lelouch himself because allowing Jeremiah to catch Lelouch would be dangerous. While Calares was sure that no one would believe Lelouch, he didn't need the seed of doubt planted. He might have to kill Lelouch and Jeremiah on the same day. It wouldn't be too hard to make sure two people died in the attempt. Some people would be disappointed, they would want a larger affair and to show the entire empire that no one escaped its laws. But Calares didn't want to risk anything by waiting. Grand displays would get him nowhere. Calares knew that now.
He drummed his fingers against his arm, staring at the door. As reluctant as he was to trust Jeremiah, Calares was willing to let Jeremiah take control for now. At least until Calares came up with a plan for the two of them.
Calares sighed and walked out of the church. Plans would have to wait until he had carried out his official duties. He straightened his robes. The archbishop couldn't have anything to complain about or he would never shut up. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly while rubbing his forehead. Calares could do without a night of reminders of how a man of the church should look when he would have to deal with them while escorting the archbishop around the villages. They all had enough of a headache with the demon without the bishop complicating matters further.
Lelouch ran his hands over Gawain's legs, checking for injuries. He was sure that he horse was alright, but he needed something to distract himself. Rivalz had already taken care of catching fish and setting them up to cook before curling up and going to sleep.
From what little he had heard from Rivalz, it sounded like he and Suzaku had had a full night. He just knew that Rivalz had been ready to go as soon as Lelouch and stumbled back in the early hours of the morning. He had even waiting with Suzaku on hand.
He flexed his hand, missing the weight of the eagle. Rivalz hadn't given Suzaku up the entire ride, just urging his blue roan along as fast as the horse could go. Fast and far, way off their planned track. Rivalz had only stopped when he had nearly fallen out of the saddle. Even then, he had kept Suzaku close to him.
Lelouch looked over to where Suzaku was perched, a bit bemused by the way that the eagle was staying close to Rivalz. Maybe Suzaku recognized that Rivalz had helped him before or it was because Rivalz had been around long enough for Suzaku to recognize him, even when Suzaku was a bird. It should have made Lelouch happy, because it meant that Rivalz would be able to handle Suzaku when he was gone. Instead, he was jealous.
It wasn't a logical response, and that frustrated Lelouch as much as the jealousy did. He knew that Rivalz would have the most time with Suzaku as a human and, from the comfortable way that Rivalz acted around the bird, they were good friends. The jealousy hadn't come with C.C, possibly because she had never shown interest or she was too busy annoying him. Whatever it was, Lelouch hated it.
Rivalz was just doing him a favor and taking on a job that Lelouch could never pay him for. There was no cause to be angry at Rivalz. He wouldn't be around too much longer to protest anything.
He sighed and patted Gawain's leg. The horse snorted and walked to the end of his tie. Lelouch stood up; staring at the river they were camped by. Lelouch wanted to keep moving, especially since there was a dead man back in Stowden. It would be reported and the guards would come from Avalon to search them out. But Rivalz needed to sleep and they were close enough to the border that Lelouch felt safe enough where he was. Safe, but worried.
What he wanted to do the most was to spend every moment he could with Suzaku, but he wasn't sure the bird would come if he called. And he hated it. He was used to being sure about Suzaku. His friend had been a fixture in his life, a predictable fixture. At ten, he had known that Suzaku would act against any order that he gave, because it was Lelouch and because they hated each other. When they had matured, Lelouch could depend on Suzaku for anything. There was nothing that the two of them couldn't do together and Lelouch had gotten used to the idea. Suzaku's new loyalty to Rivalz made him nervous. Divided loyalty had never been a good sign.
He huffed and sat down by the fire, poking at the fish to see if they were done. He would have to wake Rivalz up. They would eat and move out to settle his nervousness. Maybe they could even edge close to the border. Anything to keep them away from the guards that were sure to follow.
A soft noise made Lelouch look up. Suzaku had hopped over and perched on the wood pile. The eagle tipped his head to the side, Suzaku's version of begging.
Lelouch rolled his eyes and pulled on a glove, offering his hand to Suzaku. To his relief, Suzaku hopped onto his arm, leaning toward the fish. Lelouch sighed and pulled his arm back, keeping Suzaku away from their breakfast. "Don't be greedy."
Suzaku clacked his beak and turned away. For a moment, it looked like Suzaku was going to leave. Lelouch quickly tightened his hold on Suzaku, not wanting the eagle to go back to Rivalz. Suzaku was his, at least for a few more days. Suzaku gave an abortive squawk, Lelouch flinching at the sound and loosening his hold. To his relief, Suzaku stayed where he was. Lelouch was tempted to smooth the eagle's feathers down, but Suzaku didn't look like he was in the mood.
Lelouch let his other hand drop. He would try to get on Suzaku's good side with the fish, but that was all he could do, placate the bird. Any apology that he made Suzaku wouldn't understand or wouldn't remember. Rivalz would have to deliver a formal apology but Lelouch didn't want Rivalz to be the one to deliver his messages.
He reached up to poke at the fish, ignoring the way that his hand shook. Lelouch closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had already made his choice and had come to terms with all the possible end results. His mother would be avenged as well as what Calares had done to the two of them. The curse wouldn't be broken, but he was sure that C.C. would be able to come up with something else to help Suzaku. With only one person, it wouldn't be as complicated as it would have been if it had been him and Suzaku. Rivalz would be kept safe and there would be a place for him wherever he went. Everything was settled to be best of his abilities, so he shouldn't have felt torn.
It was the perfect plan, but there was something to be said about the waste of the effort, if he wanted to think of it in simpler terms. It had taken years of courting and careful convincing to get Suzaku to kiss him. Suzaku had been so focused on his job and then Shirley that Lelouch had struggled. It wasn't fair to Shirley and it hadn't been fair to him, but the past didn't matter anymore.
He closed his eyes, shivering in the cold breeze. There was nothing else he could do but to save the ones that he could.
"They done?" He opened his eyes as Rivalz spoke. Lelouch sat up, watching as Rivalz rolled onto his side, staring blearily into the fire. "'Cause I'm starving."
"I think so." Lelouch went to pick up one of the fish, freezing when he realized that he would have to put down Suzaku. He hesitated long enough to have Rivalz scooting forward, probably trying to help him. Lelouch held out his free hand to get Rivalz to stop, twisting so he could let Suzaku go.
He didn't get to set the bird on the ground, Suzaku leaping into the air as soon as Lelouch released his jesses. Lelouch swallowed, watching at Rivalz flailed for something to cover his arm with before Suzaku landed. Rivalz finally settled on the cloak that he had been using as a blanket, wrapping it around his arm just in time for Suzaku to land. From the way that Rivalz winced, he hadn't gotten enough of the cloak between him and the eagle's talons before Suzaku had grabbed onto him.
Rivalz looked just as surprised as Lelouch did, looking between the bird and Lelouch. "Hey, I just offered to help with the fish. It was hard enough carry him all the way out here with the way that he was fretting."
"It's fine." Lelouch wasn't sure that he meant to snap, but he didn't bother apologizing. He busied himself with pulling the fish out from over the fire and arranging them so that everyone had an equal share. For a moment, he was tempted to not set one aside from Suzaku, but that wouldn't be fair. The eagle was still recovering, still couldn't fly over long distances and certainly not gain the height he needed to kill food. Until he got better, Lelouch would have to look after him. For the next few days, Lelouch would have to continue to look out for him. Everything after was up to Rivalz. "He likes you better anyway."
"Likes me?" Rivalz looked down at Suzaku. He chuckled and sat back. "No, he probably barely remembers me. I'm just…the other arm."
If that was true, that Rivalz would have handed Suzaku over while they were riding out. Rivalz had slowed the horses a few times to keep them fresh enough to continue through the whole day. There had been plenty of time to switch the eagle over, but Rivalz had kept Suzaku close. Even now he was holding the eagle close and Lelouch ached to reach out and snatch the bird back.
He just cleared his throat, sitting back. "Well, he's mad at me for something; because that was the first time he had come over to me all morning."
"It can't have carried over from last night. He wouldn't remember something like that."
Suzaku wouldn't, but it was the only thing that made sense. And C.C. wasn't around to tell him how stupid he was behaving. The curse had not changed for two years, and it wouldn't as far as he knew. Lelouch might not have been able to work magic, but he knew enough about it to know that curses and spells did not change once cast, it was part of what made them difficult to break. The only thing curses and spells would do was settle, and that made them difficult to deal with. But the basic nature of the curse wouldn't change, they would always become animals at the appointed time and they would never remember what happened when they were in the other form.
And Rivalz would remember that, he wasn't in a position where he could forget anything Lelouch told him because he depended on them.
Lelouch clenched his hands into fists and took a deep breath. "What he thinks doesn't matter. He likes you, which is good."
Rivalz stared at him, his mouth open in shock. Lelouch turned away, staring at the fire. Unlike Suzaku and C.C, Rivalz wouldn't demand an answer and Lelouch didn't feel like giving one. It was an answer that felt stupid to him, the reasons making no sense even to his mind.
The bottom line was that he was jealous of Rivalz just because he spent time with Suzaku. It was something that he would have to get over fast, and anger that he could channel in the end. It was Calares' fault that he had to do this, to make this decision for everyone's sake. It would feel good when he finally killed the bishop.
Lelouch leaned back, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Until that point, he had to stay in control. He couldn't risk making any stupid mistakes, not when they were so close. Under the circumstances, he could deal with a little unfounded jealousy.
He picked up one of the sticks, blowing on the fish before picking out a bit with his fingers. Not quite sure if it would be taken, he offered the bite out to Suzaku. The eagle didn't even hesitate before beginning his awkward flight over. Suzaku didn't even wait to land properly before he was snatching the bite of fish out of Lelouch's fingers. Lelouch chuckled, relaxing now that the bird was back in hand. "Slow down."
All he got in response was a sharp trill and Suzaku leaning forward to try and get at the fish. Lelouch huffed and dropped the fish on the ground, letting go of Suzaku so the eagle could hop onto the ground and eat his fill. Keeping one eye on Suzaku, Lelouch pulled out one off the other fish and started eating.
It wasn't until he was halfway done with his that he noticed that Rivalz was just picking at his own fish. Lelouch swallowed, about to ask if Rivalz was alright when the other man spoke up. "Suzaku and I just talk, when we're not trying to stay alive. That's all we do, I swear."
Lelouch sighed and tossed the stick into the fire. "I believe you."
Rivalz went to throw his hands up, only stopping when he looked down at Suzaku, the bird eyeing the fish that Rivalz was holding. He curled over the fish, using his other hand to wave the eagle away. When Rivalz turned to look at Lelouch, his eyes widened and he stared. Lelouch met his gaze for a long moment before looking away, but Rivalz kept staring. When it became too much, he cleared his throat.
Thankfully, Rivalz startled out of whatever reverie he had gone into. He flailed with one arm, a smile crossing his face. "You're jealous."
"Now is not the time to be insightful, Rivalz."
Rivalz didn't seem to hear him. He was too busy laughing to hear the order in Lelouch's voice. Rivalz didn't even notice Suzaku hopping over and claiming the fish as his own. Even when Rivalz sat up again, he didn't bother to reach back for the fish.
Lelouch crossed his arms, glaring at Rivalz.
Rivalz recovered quickly, wiping the tears away from his cheeks. "You have to admit that it's hilarious."
"Not to me."
Rivalz shook his head. "Lelouch, you don't have to worry about me. I'm probably as hopelessly in love as you and Suzaku."
Lelouch flinched at the idea that he was hopeless, but didn't comment. He just glared at Rivalz, waiting for the man to back down. But Rivalz couldn't take a hint. Lelouch seriously doubted that Rivalz had ever been able to take a hint. It was no wonder that Rivalz had gotten accused of magic, he didn't know when to keep quiet. Lelouch was surprised that Rivalz hadn't gotten accused of magic earlier.
He pushed off of the ground, brushing off his pants. They had wasted enough time sitting around, and he was out of sympathy to spare. "Put out the fire and pack up your gear."
"No." Lelouch turned to face Rivalz, close to threatening the man when he realized that Rivalz was glaring back. That was enough to encourage him to take a step back.
He had never seen Rivalz enraged or even close to angry, just panicked. Now was the closest he had ever seen to real anger on Rivalz's face. Still, Lelouch doubted that Rivalz would be able to do anything to him. There was probably still a part of Rivalz that thought he was a magician or knew that he had enough power to make Rivalz miserable for the rest of his life. Of course, that was only if he hadn't already. He was sending Rivalz away from his mother and, by the man's own admission, a girl that he liked. Lelouch rolled his eyes but stayed in place, waiting for what Rivalz had to say.
Rivalz took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Lelouch, I-"
"You're doing it all wrong boy." The two of them turned to see C.C. leaning against the side of her cart. Lelouch narrowed his eyes, his hands shaking. He had expected her to catch up, but not for him to miss her approach completely. He was slipping. C.C, on the other hand, looked distinctly annoyed at the both of them. "If you want to convince Lelouch of something, you can't make him mad. He'll never listen that way."
Lelouch shook his head, not sure if he was agreeing with C.C. or not. His mind was only following one track. C.C. had followed after them to try and undo the spell her way, and that was something that he was not going to allow. He was not going to allow himself to be swayed, not after everything he had done. He had already come to terms with what would happen to him, what would happen to Suzaku. Lelouch was not willing to give that all up.
He ignored Rivalz as the man walked forward to talk to C.C, his focus on Suzaku.
Lelouch crouched on the ground, offering Suzaku his hand. He breathed a sigh of relief when Suzaku stepped eagerly in place. At least he still had Suzaku on his side. Rivalz's actions weren't quite betrayal, but they stung like one. He had made his decision, finished his plans and Rivalz had agreed to his own part in them while plotting to change everything. Lelouch was not about to let him. He closed his fingers around Suzaku's jesses and stood up, striding over to where Gawain was tied.
It was difficult to untie the stallion with one hand, but Lelouch managed the task. He swung himself onto the black stallion's back, holding his right arm awkwardly to prevent himself from jostling Suzaku. Thankfully, the bird didn't make a sound, not that it mattered. Rivalz and C.C. would notice that he was leaving eventually.
He dug his heels into Gawain's sides, the stallion snorting before running off. Behind him, he heard Lancelot whinny. He risked a glance back, seeing Rivalz staring at him in shock. Lelouch just raised the hand that was holding Suzaku in farewell.
Knowing Rivalz, he would try to come after them, try to convince them that what they were doing was wrong. Lelouch didn't care. He would be able to make it to Avalon long before Rivalz could, especially slowed by C.C's cart. Avoiding guards didn't matter anymore, speed did. The faster he made it to Avalon, the faster he could kill Calares. Suzaku would be easy enough to send back to Rivalz, the eagle knew him well enough by now.
Lelouch ducked his head, pulling Suzaku back into the protective curve of his body. He had a long way to ride and a good few days of friendship to put completely out of his mind.
He would miss Rivalz; the man had been a good friend. If the situation had been any different, Lelouch wouldn't have thought twice about including Rivalz in his retinue, commoner or not. One of the few things that he had learned from what had happened to his father was that it was better to have loyal men than noble men.
Suzaku beat his wings against Lelouch's chest, probably protesting the speed or the way that Lelouch was carrying him. Usually, Lelouch would have acceded to the silent request. With the way that Suzaku's wing had been healing, Lelouch would have given him a light toss into the air and let the eagle fly for a while. Instead, he eased his position slightly, looking ahead to plot the fastest route to Avalon. He would stay along the river for the moment, just long enough for him to travel a day or so. Then he would have to turn westward and head for Avalon across the plains. The problem of where he would stash Gawain while he attempted his kill would come later, when he was closer to Avalon.
He felt Suzaku flapping again, laughing a little at the effort. "Save your strength, Suzaku. You'll need to fly far and fast soon enough."
"You sure, boy?"
"That's what I saw."
Jeremiah stared at the boy, wanting to shake his head. But doing that would just make the boy think that Jeremiah was ignoring his news, which was worrying enough.
The demon had been in Stowden, so close to Avalon. It was barely a day's ride to the village, which meant their careful plans might be destroyed completely. And Jeremiah had been looking forward to snatching victory out of the bishop's hands. Seeing Calares struggle to keep the archbishop from Pendragon entertained wasn't enough, he wanted to see the man suffer.
Jeremiah waved the boy out, sure that he would run to the kitchens as soon as he could. After the ride that the boy had taken, he deserved what the cook could give him. Jeremiah sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
If only the boy had seen more or had actually seen the direction that the demon had ridden off in they would finally have something solid to work with. If the news had come sooner, Jeremiah could have recalled their guards and sent them on a new course. Instead, they had briefly seen the demon before he was lost to them again. If he hadn't seen the demon himself, he would be convinced that they were just chasing after a ghost. But he had seen what was left of Marianne's son, and it had hurt that the demon still looked so much like Lelouch. It would have been easier if the demon had been a contorted facsimile of Lelouch.
What was worse were the rumors of Suzaku Kururugi, which had frightened the common folk even more. All of the north knew Suzaku as a strong fighter, he had to have been one to keep order in the guard. Jeremiah knew that Suzaku had only gotten the position on the guard because of his friendship with Lelouch, but he had kept it under his own power. He wasn't quite sure if he respected Suzaku for that, or just hated him for having the gall to keep the position that had wrongly been given to him. What annoyed Jeremiah the worst was the fact that Suzaku didn't know how to stay dead. There were enough whispers that Suzaku's ghost had been seen that Jeremiah suspected that the demon had raised the ghost of his best friend to continue his reign of terror.
The reappearance of Suzaku confirmed that the demon still possessed great powers; enough to call the dead back from Hell. But he also proved what some of Bishop Calares had said, that Lelouch and Suzaku had been too close. Jeremiah had been willing to ignore their closeness for the sake of Lelouch being a noble. Their vices were to be discouraged but nothing more. As captain of the guard and a minor noble, he couldn't do anything to scold the son of the emperor's brother. He just wished that he had been able to get rid of Suzaku sooner, maybe it would have saved Lady Marianne. It would have at least eased Lady Nunnally's pain when he delivered the news.
When compared to the wild goose chase that Suzaku and the demon were putting them through, Rivalz Cardemonde was too small of a problem to be bothered with. Handing the criminal over to Milly Ashford suddenly didn't sting as much as it had when the order had first come through. They would need all the space they had for the demon and it would be hard enough to guard him. Jeremiah could only hope for a short imprisonment and a quick hanging, although he was sure that a quick death was too good for the demon. Matricide had to have a worse punishment.
He got up from his desk, stretching out his lower back. No matter what happened with the demon and Suzaku, he had to be ready. Jeremiah could trust the guards that he had sent out to move the demon into place the best that they could, or a message would be sent back. Jeremiah was sure that Nunnally would respond just as quickly. The lady of Avalon was becoming more like her mother with every day, and Jeremiah could see the effect that it had on the people. They were still afraid, but they hadn't halted their business or tried to leave. They believed in her, which was the best that Jeremiah could ask for.
Until the message came, whether it was for a move of the final location or because Lelouch had been pushed into the trap, he had other problems to deal with.
The guards that the archbishop had brought along were spoiled rotten by life in a city. To make matters worse, they were the personal guards of the archbishop, stocked full of boys belonging to families who were seeking favor. None of them were proper soldiers, and it annoyed the guards that had remained behind in Avalon. While Jeremiah doubted abilities of the northern born guards, he knew for sure that they would stand and fight, if not for Lady Nunnally then for their homes. He fully expected the archbishop's guards to run as soon as the demon strode into Avalon. Until they ran, he would have to use them.
Jeremiah walked out of the small room that he used as his office. Hopefully, when they expanded the barracks, he would get a larger office, not just one crammed into the left over space from the rooms. He took a deep breath and looked around the courtyard, watching the last remaining members of Avalon's guard patrolling the walls. If they wanted to be prepared for the demon, they would have to double the guard, filling in their ranks with the archbishop's guard. For that, he would need the man's permission.
He flinched. To do that would mean actually talking to the man, and probably getting a lecture at how lax he had become in the seeking out of magicians. Calares, while suffering just as much as the rest of the people in Avalon under the archbishop, was sure to poison the archbishop's mind towards him. Jeremiah had no intention of being ousted by a mere bishop. Calares had been given his role according to his noble status alone, but Jeremiah had earned his, a fact that he was proud of.
If the problem of the guards was taken care of, he would have to change the wall rotation entirely. He wanted the men he trusted down on the ground and the archbishop's men up where they would do little harm. It was a sound strategy, and would make sense when he talked to Lady Nunnally about the change. After all, the demon couldn't have helped but notice that they were moving against him. Maybe then he could break the news about the body in Stowden to her, and she would understand his need for action instead of discussion.
With two other young women on her council, Jeremiah was sure that nothing but gossip was getting done. Even Milly and Euphemia would understand the need for more guards, especially since it would make them feel safe. Hopefully, Lady Nunnally would be able to convince her friends that safety was needed faster than the latest court gossip.
Jeremiah sighed, watching as the boy scurried back across the courtyard with a hunk of bread stuffed in his mouth. The boy hurried to where his horse was still being held, hauling himself up onto the creature's back awkwardly. Between the time that the boy hopped and when he finally managed to sit on the horse's back, the hunk of breath disappeared, the boy wiping the crumbs away from his face. Jeremiah continued to watch until the boy rode through the gates and out of sight. He shook his head, glancing up at the sky.
It was early in the afternoon, but the boy would have to hurry if he wanted to get home before dark. It was probably the reason that the boy had rushed off so quickly instead of lingering. No rational person would want to be out in the open when the demon was around. There was no telling what the demon would do to the common folk, and Jeremiah shivered to imagine it. The priests had done a good job of describing just what magicians did to innocents when they needed power and Jeremiah didn't want to waste time imagining it. More than that, he didn't want to have to come across it. If there was ever a report, Jeremiah knew a few choice people in the guard to send.
He was not incompetent, he knew which guard was reporting to Calares and could guess at what they were offered. Until the guard slipped up, he would have to wait, which put him in a vulnerable position. The Purebloods were all but completely gone after Jeremiah had chased Lelouch into the mountains, a misfortune that he rued now. If they had still been alive, he could have sent them out with the guards to watch for the demon instead of the men he had been forced to choose. The demon had crippled their defense early, and Jeremiah had not even noticed it until now.
He tuned with a curse, storming toward the castle. Lady Nunnally needed to hear the news above all else, so they could get a plan in place. He would worry about what would happen the next day as it came up. Jeremiah didn't like the idea of going forward without a real plan, especially against the demon, but he would suffer through. After all, he had the spirit of Marianne guiding them through Nunnally, and that would have to be enough.
Rivalz cursed under his breath as he rode beside the cart, having to keep urging his mare up to where C.C. was sitting on the bench. The bay tied to the back of the cart pinned his ears whenever Rivalz and the mare dropped back to ride by him. Rivalz didn't want to risk his horse getting kicked; he was growing to like the blue roan mare. Instead, he rode up by Lancelot, the grey horse seeming not to care about the mare's presence, leaving Rivalz free to study the woman in the seat of the cart.
Rivalz couldn't tell what C.C. thought of him and he doubted that Lelouch would want to talk to him when they caught up. If they caught up.
He shivered despite the warmth of the sun on his back. Lelouch had taken off without a word, leaving them to follow the trail that Gawain had left behind. Rivalz had tried his best to follow the horse's hoof prints in the mud of the river bank, but had lost track as soon as they moved away from the river. Rivalz gritted his teeth and leaned over the saddle, hoping to catch something.
"If you keep doing that, you're going to fall off." He nearly fell off when C.C. spoke. Rivalz scrambled for a handful of mane, holding his balance with it while he recovered. As soon as he had pulled himself back upright, he glared at her. C.C. just smiled and leaned back on the bench. "You've managed to stay on this far, but I think that's more luck than anything else. You are not ready to be balancing halfway off that horse."
Rivalz rolled his eyes, but didn't meet her gaze. "I rode all the way out to the river holding Suzaku. That has to count for something."
"Yes, a strong grip and a hard head. You could have just passed the eagle off to Lelouch."
He was aware that it would have been easier to ride if Suzaku had just been passed off to Lelouch, but he hadn't been thinking straight when Lelouch had come stumbling back in from the forest. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't been thinking straight since he had seen the pelts of the wolves on the back of the trapper's mule. He had spent the evening worrying about Lelouch and then worrying about Suzaku. If the trapper had known that they were in the barn, there was a good chance that the rest of the village had known. Although, Rivalz was sure that secrecy didn't matter now. As soon as the villagers had woken up, they would have discovered that the trapper was missing and found his body soon enough. Avalon was sure to have a messenger telling them that the demon and his apprentice had passed through Stowden.
The thought of a messenger had been the reason Rivalz had taken them off their planed route and towards the border. There was some foolish part of him that had thought that, if he got Lelouch across the border, then Lelouch would be easier to convince. Maybe distance had been the key to finally getting Lelouch to see what Rivalz saw so obviously.
He knew Lelouch was tired from struggling under the curse, and Rivalz could see that same exhaustion in Suzaku. But they still owed C.C, they had made a deal with her and Lelouch was backing out of it. Now that Rivalz was outside of the society looking in, he saw how impossible it would be for C.C. slip back in unnoticed, but Lelouch could have at least amended the deal to help her. Instead, he was just going to abandon her. And there was still hope, hope that Lady Nunnally would be willing to see her brother instead of the demon and that the curse could be broken. Besides, Lelouch had plenty to live for; he was just too stubborn to see it.
Rivalz played with the excess reins in his hands, listening to the steady creak of the cart beside him. He licked his lips, looking back at C.C. "I really thought I could convince them."
"So did I. That makes us both fools." She shrugged off the insult to herself like it was nothing, Rivalz watching her face.
He suddenly realized that he knew next to nothing about her, just what she had told him herself. The barest of information had slipped through, that she owed Lelouch and Suzaku for something, but she had always managed to push the conversation away from herself. Rivalz had gotten Suzaku and Lelouch's history instead. Even now, working with her against his friends, he knew nothing about her. She could hate Lelouch for breaking his deal and try to kill him for all Rivalz knew, and he wouldn't be able to stop her until it was too late.
He swallowed, wishing that he had thought ahead to take a weapon from the trapper before he had left the forest the night before. Rivalz might not have known how to use a weapon, but it was better than nothing, especially when travelling with a stranger.
"Your plan is written all over your face, boy. Stop it, you'll only hurt yourself."
"How can you be sure?"
C.C. glanced over him, the corner of her mouth twitching up into something almost like a smile. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone. She slapped the reins over Lancelot's back, the horse snorted and walking a little faster. When she got the grey to the speed that she wanted, she leaned back in the seat again. "I'm older than you think."
"How old?"
"As old as Marianne would have been if she had lived, and that's all you're getting." She tsked and shook her head. "I hope that you learn a little tact before you attempt to court that girl of yours."
Rivalz didn't bother to ask how she knew; C.C. would probably avoid his question neatly. She was a witch after all. She had powers beyond what he could imagine. Instead, he tried to relax. "You obviously don't mind, or you wouldn't have told me."
"Age means nothing to me, an accumulation of years." She shrugged. "After living for a while, you can choose to just let the years build up or enjoy the experience. I had the choice made for me, so I've gotten nothing but years behind me and nothing to show for them. The other side is that I have nothing to be ashamed of either. Then again, I've never been one of those blushing girls you men seem to go for."
"Not all of us!" He snapped his mouth shut before he could embarrass himself further. But, to his relief, C.C. didn't laugh. Her whole focus was on the road. Rivalz breathed out a sigh of relief, looking ahead of them as well. "How are we going to convince Lelouch to do this?"
"You will remain silent and let me talk."
"You must know him well." Rivalz saw her nod out of the corner of his eye. "How?"
To his surprise, she turned her head to consider him. Rivalz looked back at her, tempted to keep his thoughts to himself. But she could decide that he didn't need to know her full history either. He took a deep breath, trying not to let his words run together as he spoke quickly. "Lelouch told me to look after Suzaku and to take him over the border. I guess that you'll do the same, so we might be stuck together for a while."
"You want to know if you can trust me?"
"I want to understand."
C.C. laughed, the sound sadder than before. "To understand would take a scholar or someone who had lived through all of it. I've seen bits of it myself and I still don't understand."
"So?"
"Live with being disappointed."
Rivalz clenched the reins in his fist, ignoring the way his mare tossed her head. "Just tell me. What's so bad about your past that you've got to hide it?"
"Nothing. I just don't want to share."
"Then what did Lelouch and Suzaku have to free you from?"
"A cell, in some castle down south by the border. I don't bother to remember its name because it's gone now."
Rivalz didn't bother to linger over the reason that the castle was gone. The right question would get him what he wanted. The wrong ones would give C.C. room to dodge. "Why were you in there?"
"Sometimes, existing is enough of a reason for some people. I'm a witch if you haven't noticed."
"But you haven't done anything!"
"Can you be sure of that?" C.C. shifted so she was facing him. "You don't know me. I could have killed hundreds, slaughtered whole towns. I could have been worse than every rumor about Lelouch."
Rivalz stared at her for a moment, at the blank stare that she was giving him. He shook his head. "But you didn't."
"No. But I was a witch, and that was enough. Lelouch and Suzaku helped me escape from that jail and brought me up here, simple as that. Our deal came in the place of me paying for supplies and them staying around to protect me. Being tucked away in the mountains has its uses." The smile nearly crossed her face again before she suppressed it. "That was back before Lelouch convinced himself that there was no way out. And now, I have to convince him otherwise."
"Why?"
"Because I am a woman of my word and because there's nothing better for me to do. My clan is gone; dead or scattered to the wind and I have no intention of going back. I spent years of my life running and hiding, accumulating years and I'm done. If you have to die, you might as well die smiling." Rivalz shivered but nodded, his response enough for C.C. because she turned to face forward again. "You were the only thing that none of us expected."
"Because I can get you into Avalon?"
"Lelouch could get into Avalon on his own, but it would be messy and very noticeable. You can sneak in and set up the stage so Lelouch will have the advantage. So, if our plan fails, you make sure that you give him all the advantage that he can get. I may be stuck with you while we are running, but I'm not going to stick around in the end. I have better things to do than to look after a pining bird." She urged Lancelot into a trot, the grey obeying the order promptly.
Rivalz kept his mare to a walk, watching as the cart jounced past him. The bay tied to the back of the cart pinned his ears and tried to kick at the mare, but Rivalz pulled her up long before the kick could make contact. He stared at the back of the cart, wanting to shout back that he had better things to do, but it wouldn't be true.
If he could return to Ashingford, then he would continue with what he had always done. He would go to the castle, help with what jobs he was assigned. At night, he would return to his mother and eat with her. Rivalz wanted to believe that he would stop stealing, because stealing had gotten him caught in the first place, but he knew better. As soon as a bad winter rolled through, he would begin looking for ways to make sure that his mother would not be left wanting. It was childish to believe that he wouldn't get caught again, because there would always be people watching him.
If he managed to avoid getting caught or the winters stayed mild, he would spend his nights in the taverns or at the castle, waiting for Milly Ashford to come out and give him that one chance to talk to her. In the end, nothing would come of that and he would marry one of the Ashingford girls that always talked to him and living out the same life that his mother and father had. And their parents before them. And so on as far as Rivalz could imagine.
It was the life that everyone wanted growing up, once they realized that dreams of armor and horses would get them nowhere. It was the life that was talked about by the priests during their sermons. It was the life that his mother had extolled to him at night while tucking him in before going to deal with her reprobate husband. It was a good life, a safe life. Certainly safer than rushing around the countryside and hoping that he wasn't caught by Jeremiah or the guards from Ashingford. And it was better than riding off into Nippon because he knew what life was like in Britannia. Nippon was a land of mystery and strangers, what he knew came from the bedtime stories his mother had told him, and none of those could be completely true.
It would be a completely boring life after everything that he had been through.
Rivalz wanted safety, a time when he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder in the hopes that Jeremiah wouldn't be riding after him. He wanted to become unknown again instead of rumored to be Lelouch's apprentice. But he couldn't see himself going back to life in Ashingford exactly the way it was before. Like before he would continue to trudge along in his life, but he wouldn't be content like before. Rivalz hadn't seen the wonders of the world, but he had seen enough for him to want to push for more.
He nodded to himself, kicking his mare. She squealed and leapt forward, Rivalz almost falling off her back. He grabbed for a good hold of her mane, hanging on as she galloped to catch up with C.C's cart. And, as quickly as he headlong rush had started, the mare stopped, the motion throwing Rivalz's up onto her neck.
Rivalz blushed and carefully eased himself back into the saddle, not wanting to look at C.C. She wouldn't be worried for him, but he didn't want to look over in case she was laughing at him. Her cold indifference Rivalz was sure that he could stomach, but not her laughter. He wasn't even sure he knew what C.C. laughing actually sounded like. Instead, he looked at the cart, staring at it for a long while before clearing his throat. "Will you do me a favor?"
"No. But I will do something for you in exchange for something else. I've never gotten anything out of favors."
He hesitated for a minute, trying to determine if her answer was a no before plowing forward. "I'll watch over Suzaku, I'll get him across the border like Lelouch asked me. I'll even get something set up there for the three of us, so you'll have a place to rest until you figure out where you are going."
Rivalz looked up at C.C, waiting for her to nod. When she didn't he slumped forward, talking to the pommel of his saddle instead of her. "I just need someone to go to my mother. I'll give you something of mine to prove that you're not just trying to con her, but I need someone to talk to her. If she wants to stay, that's her decision, but if she wants to follow me to Nippon I need someone that will help her get there. You know this place better than the both of us."
"You're asking for a lot."
"Just get her to Nippon if she wants to." Rivalz shook his head. "It doesn't mean that we'll trade as soon as I you get to Nippon. Just bring me my mother if she will come, and then you can go on your way."
"You cling too much to your mother."
Rivalz shrugged. "She's all that I have."
"I doubt that." He turned his head to glare at her, disappointed that C.C. wasn't looking at him. She had her chin resting in one cupped hand, the reins in the other. "You have Lelouch and Suzaku, for all that's worth. And, when this is over, you have a story. Rivalz Cardemonde, the man who survived for a week with the demon of the north. People will pay to hear that story. Then, you'll have Suzaku, who's useful however he is. Human, he can work for you around the house and the eagle can hunt for you. You'll also have that horse of yours, who would bring quite a bit of money if you decided to sell her. I'm tempted to throw in the ornery bastard tied to the back of the cart as well, just as long as you call him Charles or Vincent."
"After the emperor or his brother?"
That finally got C.C. to look at him, the witch smiling. "Both of them were ornery bastards when I met them."
Rivalz stared at her for a moment before laughing. "Fine. It is a deal then."
"Deal." C.C. switched the reins over, holding out her hand to Rivalz. He had to lean over his mare's neck to shake it and managed not to fall off. He pulled away grinning, his small moment of happiness broken when C.C. shifting to face the road again. "If you want to catch Lelouch and Suzaku before they make it to Avalon keep up the pace. I don't want to have to wait while you attempt to climb back up onto your horse and chasing after me would just tire her out."
Rivalz huffed and rolled his eyes. "And you know everything about horses."
"I nearly grew up on the back of a horse." She glanced over at him, reaching out to slap his back. "Sit up straight or else you're going to go sprawling onto the ground."
Rivalz was about to retort when C.C. yanked on his foot, setting it into a position she liked. For a moment, Rivalz wanted to spite her by moving his foot again, but he wanted to stay on the back of the horse more. He sighed and tipped his head back, trying to make it known that he was annoyed by her poking and prodding. C.C. just took his annoyance as confirmation of a job done right; reaching out to correct him whenever he moved from the position C.C. had put him into. Rivalz tightened his hands on the reins, but let her do as she wanted.
By evening, they would catch up to Lelouch and Suzaku and then all of the prodding would be finished. Rivalz would take care of the horses and stay well away from C.C. while she worked on Suzaku. Besides, saving his two friends was more important than slapping C.C's hand away as she pulled his foot back into position. Eventually C.C. would get bored and Rivalz would go back to scanning the countryside nervously for any sign of guards coming their way. And they would pretend that they meant nothing to each other, just like C.C. seemed to like it.