Chapter Thirteen: Day Without Night
"Finally he is in my power,
This mortal enemy, this superb conqueror."
– Armide, Jean-Baptiste Lully
Rivalz shrugged the empty bag further up his shoulder, pretending to stumble under its weight. His act got a few looks, but most of them pity. Most of the people that were heading for the Avalon gate now had some kind of errand, most of them from the castle. There were a few others, traders who had finished their business late the day before had hadn't left, that were crowded towards the middle of the group. He grunted as he was elbowed in the side, Rivalz turning sideways so he was less of a target. Everyone wanted to leave at the same time, a precaution in case they were attacked by the demon. It was enough to make him want to laugh.
For one, they were all safe because they were heading away from where the demon of the north was, although no one knew that. But, even if Lelouch had been dangerous and still outside the walls, he would have had to be an idiot to attack the people on the roads. There were too many of them and too many guards. While in the sight of Avalon, there were only the guards that had stayed in the city. But a good five miles down the road started the great block that Rivalz had heard muttered about through the group. Apparently, Lady Nunnally was trying to capture the demon by herding him closer. From the replies that he had heard, most people didn't like the idea. They just wanted the demon dead.
He stumbled forward with the crowd as the gates open, straightening his stance so he was facing forward again. Unlike the night before, the guards at the front didn't bother to check who was coming in and out, they just ushered people away. Rivalz narrowed his eyes at the sight of the strange red uniforms, the archbishop's guards if he remembered correctly. Avalon was understaffed because of the guards out on the roads. The archbishop's guards didn't care who left with what, because their employer wasn't outside of the city yet. Besides, they would have had to deal with the clamor of the people who wanted to get out of Avalon before the archbishop's mass started later in the day.
Rival ducked his head, easing he way through the crowd. He kept toward the middle as he went through the gate, barely listening to the shouts that the guards gave as they shoved people back in line. He kept his eyes on the ground, watching as the dirty became stone and then quickly wood. The bridge echoed with the steps of people and horses, all of them rushing to get out on the road. He dared to look up once at the sky, noticing that it was clear above him, but clouds were gathering in the north. It was going to snow again soon, which explained the rush. No one wanted to get stuck in Avalon.
As soon as he stepped off the bridge, Rivalz began to edge close to the far end of the line. Muttering apologies, he pushed through to the outside, walking along the grass before slipping close to the moat. Carts and horses of the people who had been denied entrance to the city last night lined the bank, the people wanting to be as close to safety as possible. Rivalz listened to the laughter and shouting of the camp, sometimes waving to people who noticed him. He had to be seen as someone ordinary, someone setting off to the west instead of on the north road. He was young enough for people to think that he was just sure of himself.
He rounded one of the corners, heading back up to the unoccupied side of the wall. Rivalz frowned as he stared at the wall, trying to figure out where he had come out before. It seemed like years ago that he had escaped from his cell, but it had been far less. His memory of the place was fuzzy, probably because he had run away without looking back. Rivalz slowed further, standing right on the edge of the moat and staring at the wall.
The water was clear and flowing, not quite frozen over, but it would be cold going in. If the moat had been frozen, then he would have been in trouble. There would have been no way to sneak into the church without being noticed.
He dropped the bag and waded into the water, casting a quick glance in both directions before diving under.
Rivalz kept his eyes closed at first, feeling his way along the wall before he realized that it would be no help. He pushed up for the surface, taking a deep breath and shaking his hair out of his eyes. He shivered there for a moment before slipping under again. Opening his eyes underwater made them sting, but it also gave him a better view of what was close to the wall than feeling along it with his hands.
It took him two dives to find the grate, the shadows by the wall hiding it. Rivalz came up for air one more time before diving under again, swimming strongly for the hole in the grate. Carefully, he threaded himself through before kicking to the surface.
As he expected, the tunnels under Avalon were just as dark and damp as before. Worse still, they were colder. Rivalz rubbed his hands along his arms before swimming up to the juncture where he had first hesitated. Without the sounds of a mass being said, he would just have to rely on what he could hear and what light got through.
Rivalz swam slowly, checking each turn for a light. He found it quickly, glad of his luck. Staying in the tunnels was worse than having to go after Lelouch. He rubbed his chest at the reminder, feeling his wet shirt catch on the scabs. C.C. looked after them, but they still itched. Rivalz let his arm fall back into the water, easing forward into the light.
He craned his neck up, smiling as he heard the soft sound of prayers being said. He wasn't sure if it was a mass or if some of the clergymen who were visiting were spending some time alone in prayer. From what he had heard from the others, the high mass was something to be seen.
Rivalz swam closer to the wall, bracing his arm on the weak rock ledge that ran along the bottom. He used the moment to catch his breath and look around. The walls were uniform, a semi-circle up to the top where a grate that he could just squeeze through let in light from the church. Rivalz guessed that he could climb up the wall, there seemed to be enough hand and foot holds, but he wasn't willing to trust his wet fingers to hold on. He edged along the wall, still clinging to it.
There was something embedded in the wall, Rivalz feeling around the edge of the metal clamp that was in the wall. It was buried in the loose rubble of the ledge. He craned his neck so he could follow the line of clamps up, the metal making a ladder out of the wall. Rivalz smiled to himself, reaching down into his belt to touch the knife he was carrying, just to make sure it was still there. Sure that everything he had brought in was secured; Rivalz pulled himself up onto the rubble.
The ledge wobbled for a moment under his weight, Rivalz half expecting to be thrown back into the water. He reached for the nearest clamps, tugging on them to make sure that they held before hauling himself up.
For a moment, he thought that he would go tumbling back into the water, the clamps shifting a bit in the wall. But they held, Rivalz smiling to himself as he hauled himself up a little further. It was then that the ledge gave out under one foot.
Rivalz clamped his mouth shut on a shout, pressing himself as close as he could to the wall as he waited for the stones to stop falling. He glanced down at the water, watching it rock for a while before settling again. Only then did he look up at the grate, half expecting there to be faces peering down at him. But the space above the grate was empty, meaning that he was in the clear. Rivalz breathed a sigh of relief and started hauling himself up the clamps.
For the most part, it was easy going. The clamps were spaced out well enough that it took little effort to transfer the hold from hand to foot. There were only two spots where a clamp had been twisted or torn out of the wall and he had to really stretch to make the next hold. In those instances, Rivalz could feel the other clamps shifting, the feeling of his hold giving out on him making him shiver. The fall wouldn't kill him, but it would throw him back into the water, which is something that he didn't want.
Rivalz hauled himself up the last of the clamps, staring at the grate right above him. He had to shift his weight so he was braced against the wall, holding himself there as he reached out to try the grate. As he had thought, it was unlocked. No one would think to check the tunnels for anyone, especially since Rivalz guessed that there wouldn't be many who knew of their existence. He smiled to himself and pushed the grate out of place, having to lean out to set it gently to the floor.
As soon as the grate was gone, he froze in place, listening for any sound that would show that someone had noticed that the grate had moved. There was nothing, Rivalz ducking his head and taking a deep breath. That was the easy part done.
He reached out for the edge of the hole, hauling himself through it with a grunt of effort. For a moment, he was stuck sprawled half in and half out of the tunnel, Rivalz glancing around to see if there was anyone that was watching him. He could see people moving around just outside his line of vision, but they were all rushing. No attention was paid to him as he slid the rest of the way out, crouching in place. When he was sure that no one was watching, he replaced the grate and stood up.
Rivalz had never been in the church at Avalon, but most churches were built the same way, in a vague cross shape with two aisles separated from the main section by columns. He edged forward, ducking behind a column as an alter boy ran past. Only when the boy had passed did Rivalz peer out, breathing a sigh of relief.
He was in one of the transepts, and out of the way of the main activity in the church. The nave was filled with people praying, all clergymen kneeling on the stone floor or up against the single pew near the front, where the lords and ladies of Avalon would sit. None of the alter boys that were hurrying around had their full attention on their tasks, meaning that Rivalz was safe to move around; although he was bound to be recognized quickly. Rivalz could feel his clothes sticking to his skin, and he was shivering in the cold. Any move that he attempted to make outside of the transept would be noticed immediately.
There was nothing for him to do but retreat further into the transept. Rivalz hummed under his breath, looking around. It would be his job to open the doors of the church so Lelouch could get it, and then bar them so that Calares couldn't get out and Lelouch would have his captive audience. As it was, there was already a small door that he could bar in the transept he was in, Rivalz scurrying to lay the bar over the door. With that one task accomplished, he turned, looking for something that he could use as a disguise.
A cluster of robes hanging on wooden pegs caught his attention, Rivalz recognizing the pattern from the alter boys that were scurrying about. With so many strangers in Avalon, surely no one would notice another.
He grinned to himself and reached for one, pulling it over his wet clothes. Rivalz sighed at the source of warmth, holding the robe tight to his body before shaking his head. There was no time for him to be lingering over the clothing, the mass would be starting soon, and he had no idea when the eclipse would happen. He had to be ready for Lelouch to charge in as soon as Calares was inside of the church.
Rivalz pulled the hood over his head and rolled his shoulders forward. Partially bent, he shuffled out into one of the aisle, making his way around the back of the church and behind the alter. A quick check showed that there were no doors there, which mean that his last task would be to secure the other transept.
A burst of activity from the nave made him stop and look, Rivalz eyes widening as he watched people flow into the church, Lady Nunnally at the front. He swallowed, glancing from the lady that was carried in the arms of a servant to the transept.
Lelouch had told him to be ready to get Nunnally out, which would also mean that he had to make sure the servant was there as well. He hissed under his breath at the complication, going over to the last transept and opening the door. A quick look showed that it led back towards the buildings that housed the bishop and the priests of the church, which probably meant that there was a way into the castle from there. Rivalz eased the door shut, carefully sliding the bar into place.
He leaned on the door for a moment, making it look like he was occupied with other things before he turned around. Rivalz meant to go and take his place by the door, blending in with the others who were welcoming people in and reminding them to keep a path clear. Instead, he focused on the young woman that was sliding into the pew beside Nunnally, feeling his heart speed up.
Milly Ashford was in Avalon.
For a moment, Rivalz wanted to shout with joy. Milly had come to seek him out, she had heard of his plight and cared for him. Knowing Milly, she would have the connections to pardon him, if the time came for it. If not, she would be able to help his mother get across the border without being bothered. Then, as quickly as it had come, the joy drained away.
There were plenty of other reasons for Milly to be in Avalon, the presence of the archbishop was one of them. There were probably a few priests from the church at Ashingford that wanted to have their confessions heard by the archbishop. She was probably there for the same reason herself. There was nothing important about a man who wasn't from her town originally. There was no reason to save him, because the truth had become warped by the rumors.
He ducked his head, blocking his view of Milly with his hood. Rivalz ignored the way he was able to pick out her voice above the others, it wasn't his problem anymore. He wouldn't be going back to Ashingford and he certainly wouldn't be seeing Milly again. The best he could hope for was the news that C.C. would bring back with her when she retrieved his mother. Rivalz reached up to pull the hood further over his face, joining the others at the door. He didn't speak, but motioned with the rest of them. All the while he kept glancing up at the sky, wishing that he could see the sun. There were nothing but clouds, and that made his stomach twist. How would they know when the time was right if they couldn't see the sun?
Calares pulled at the sleeve of his robe, absently noting that he would need to get it replaced. Most of his robes were starting to show signs of wear, which was something he would have to change quickly. He must have started to let them go when he had first started to doubt, back when he didn't care. Now, he just found the neglect appalling. It was the one thing that he would allow himself to be lectured on.
He let the sleeve go, watching a few threads fall to the ground. He winced at the sight, wanting to change his robes, but there was no time. From the reports he had been getting from the priests that were helping the alter boys, the church was already full. To make things worse, Lady Nunnally was already in attendance, which meant that he couldn't delay much longer. Nunnally would not appreciate it.
Neither would the archbishop. The man had already commented on the state of the sky twice that morning. Calares had seen the clouds looming from the north, but the sight hadn't been enough to cause a panic. It would take time for the clouds to reach them. The archbishop was in no threat from snow keeping him in Avalon; it was probably bound to be light for the first day. It was only if the storm lasted more than a day that the archbishop would be in trouble. Calares could only hope the storm chose to stay away from the castle until the archbishop was gone, the man was obnoxious enough about the oncoming snow when it was a distant threat that Calares didn't want to see the man when the snow had arrived.
As if the thought had summoned him, the archbishop breezed past. Calares stepped to the side, allowing the man to take his place in their procession. The archbishop spared no glance for any of them, the man looking up at the sky with a fixed gaze. Calares noticed that the man was also fiddling with his sleeves, but it was nervousness for the oncoming snow instead of being stuck with the man for the winter, or at least until the snows melted enough for travel.
The archbishop stood at the head of their line for a few moments before lowering his eyes. That seemed to be enough to snap him out of whatever funk that he was in. He turned to look at all of them, gesturing to the church. "Let's get this affair over with. And, Calares," the archbishop lowered his voice, "I will be keeping the confessions to the minimum, only those with no other recourse. Everyone else will have to be dismissed."
"Even the ladies?"
The archbishop stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "No. Those I will take care of myself."
Calares wasn't sure if the archbishop counted his correction as chastisement. It was hard to tell with the man, especially with him so distracted by other matters.
The man waved his hand, the motion calling their attention to him before they processed into the church. Calares rolled his eyes but followed in step, his mind already drifting as they walked through the covered walkway.
As much of the town of Avalon that could fit would be in the church and Calares could already see those who hadn't been able to secure standing space drifting away. There would be other opportunities for them to gawk at the archbishop, like when the man rode out of the city. The people were sure to gather to watch as they processed out of the church, the archbishop making one appearance to the masses before retreating to hear confessions. Calares was sure that would be enough to satisfy the people, since most of them still clung to the superstitions that the clans had held.
He nodded as Jeremiah as they passed the man, not surprised that the captain didn't respond. Jeremiah just continued to stare out into the crowd. Calares let him hold his guard, they would all appreciate the fact that more people weren't trying to force their way into the church.
All thoughts of the guard were swept from his head as they walked into the church. Calares schooled his face into an acceptable mask of indifference as he kept his gaze on the alter. The people on either side of them whispered softly to each other, the sound made louder by the stone walls of the church. Calares saw the archbishop shoot a knot of speakers a fierce glare and winced. Whatever the sermon was about, the proper respect to show in church had just been added. He swallowed and kept his attention forward. If the people wanted to visit the wrath of the archbishop on them, then they could do so; he preferred to keep his head down.
There was a dull thud as the doors were swung shut, a precaution against more people trying to sneak in. Calares didn't need their way out of the church blocked at the end of the mass.
The procession wound its way up to the alter, Calares slipping into his place. Almost immediately, the archbishop stepped up into his proper place and began to recite the mass. Lulled by the familiarity of the rite, Calares allowed his thoughts to wander. It didn't take much of his thoughts to respond at the proper times, Calares' full attention on scanning the crowd in front of him.
As he expected, a large portion of the people standing were from Avalon and those who lived close to the town and the castle. There were a few rows of clergymen who had come to the mass, all of them standing behind where the lady of the castle was sitting with her guests. As always, there was a low murmur as the congregation responded at the appropriate times and whispered amongst themselves. Calares ignored the background noise for the most part, glancing between the paintings on the wall and the statues that he would have to take care of. There were a few things that he could replace up by the alter as well, but they could all wait.
He busied himself with his ever growing list of things to do; only coming out of his reverie as the archbishop paused. Calares frowned and took a step forward. He peered over the crowd, noticing the way the back rows shifted. The front rows weren't affected, but he could tell by the frowns on the people's faces that they were trying to concentrate on the mass. Calares glanced over to where a few alter boys were waiting near the front of the church, pointing briefly toward the door.
The boys nodded and slipped back through the crowd, toward where the disturbance was growing. The back rows were shifting now, the people turning around to look at the doors instead of paying attention to the mass. Calares slipped back into his position, wanting to mutter under his breath, but he had to show that everything was under control. The illusion of control was more important, especially since he could hear shouts coming from outside of the door. He heard Jeremiah's voice shouting out orders, the sound drowned out by a great thud on the doors.
A second thud followed, cutting the archbishop off completely. The man stopped the mass completely, striding down from the alter to stand at the cross of the church. "What is going on out there?"
There was no answer from the people, all of them looking nervous. They looked like they were about to run, which would be dangerous. There was only so much room in the church, and a mass panic would end badly for everyone.
Calares put on his best calming smile, holding his arms out as he stepped down from the alter. "Please, calm yourself. It is probably just a panicked horse still hitched to its cart. Captain Gottwald will take care of the matter. Now, if you would turn your attention back to the mass-"
His mouth dropped open at the sound of a third thud, this one louder and coming from inside the church. He knew that sound, the locking bar on the door of the church being pushed out of place. Calares could tell that the people realized what the sound was too, all of them turning away from him and looking at the door.
Calares didn't get a chance to see who had opened the door, just seeing the robed forms of the alter boys scurrying away as the door bulged in. It held for a moment, just long enough for Calares to gather his wits. Whatever was coming would be dangerous, so it was his duty to make sure that the archbishop made it out of the church safely. When he was sure of that, he would return for Lady Nunnally. Everyone else would have to wait for Jeremiah to deal with whatever was happening. Calares couldn't begin to imagine what was happening. There were no clans that were strong enough to dare attack Avalon and no thieves would want to break into the church, not when there was obviously a mass going on.
He reached out to touch the archbishop's shoulder, about to lead him out of the south transept when the door gave into the pounding. Calares thought he saw one of the alter boys helping by pulling the door open, but his attention was quickly distracted by the horse that came back down onto all fours. The black horse snorted before walking cautiously into the church, the people parting on either side of it. The sound of its hooves echoed loudly off the stones, silence falling quickly through the church. There wasn't even a sound from the people; they were too busy pressing as far back toward the walls as they could.
The archbishop pulled away from Calares, standing right in the middle of the nave with his hand up. "How dare you sully the house of God?! Turn your beast around and leave."
The archbishop turned back to look at them, probably to try and get support in forcing the horse and rider out, but none of the priests were moving. Calares was sure that he wouldn't be able to move either, his gaze fixed on the rider that was glaring down at him.
No one would try to push the man out of the church, not when he had his hand resting on his sword and a crossbow hanging within reach. Beyond his weapons, there was the reputation of the man to consider, especially in the minds of the common people. Even now, Calares could see a few people rushing toward the exit, even as the guards tried to get in.
Only Jeremiah managed to get in before the doors were swung closed, Calares now able to see the alter boy that was clinging to the doors. The alter boy looked back at the rest of the church before kicking the lock bar back into place, the sound finally inciting the screams that Calares had been waiting for.
"Someone get that idiot off that door!" Jeremiah's voice rose over the crowd, but not the sound of a crossbow being drawn and. The appearance of the weapon was enough to cause silence, the man pivoting his horse so the arrow was aimed at a variety of people as he completed the turn.
"No one move! You'll regret it if you do!"
The people quieted, the man smiling and dropping the crossbow back to his side. He nodded at Jeremiah before turning to face Calares, a smirk on his face.
Calares sucked in a quick breath, taking a step back despite himself. He was held captive in his own church with a large group of witnesses and forced to look at his greatest failure.
The demon of the north had come to Avalon.
Lelouch listened to the sound of the bells tolling, counting them off just to keep his mind occupied. If he had nothing to do, he would just continue to stare at the sky and wait for the eclipse to start. But he knew that there were too many clouds to properly see the sun, the first of the snow that was moving in. He cursed under his breath, turning Gawain around and letting the horse pace off some of his excitement.
Gawain knew something was going to happen, they were back in Avalon. Lelouch had made sure that Gawain was tacked up and had everything that he would need, his sword and crossbow within easy reach. Suzaku's sword had been taken off and attached to Lancelot's saddle, the grey standing off to one side and waiting patiently. Gawain tossed his head, pivoting quickly on his hind legs. On their way up to the cart, Gawain tried to sidle through the spaces between the storage sheds.
Lelouch pulled hard on the reins, Gawain snorting protest at the harsh treatment. But the horse settled, which was more that Lelouch could say about himself.
The mass would have started by now. It had to have because the bells had stopped being rung. Lelouch could hear people moving away from the church, the ones that had been unable to get in. He hoped the crowd would disperse before he charged the church, he didn't want to have to wade through a group of people and give Jeremiah more time to get to him.
As he passed the cart, C.C. chuckled. "There's no point in getting your horse worked up."
"Then tell me when it will start."
"I can tell what day it will happen, but nothing else. I'm a magician, not a miracle worker." She scowled at him, patting Suzaku. The eagle ruffled his feathers, C.C. shaking his head. "But it can't be that much longer."
"Then I'll go."
To his surprise, C.C. just nodded. By the way she glanced up at the sky; she was just as nervous that they were going to miss the eclipse. As if she guessed his thoughts, C.C. shook her head. "The clouds shouldn't matter."
"And if they do?"
"We run." C.C. narrowed her eyes. "And I will drag you away from his place myself if I have to. There will be another eclipse and we'll try again."
Lelouch didn't bother to argue with her. After being so close to breaking the curse, Lelouch was sure that he would not be patient enough to wait for another eclipse. Once he showed that he was able to get into Avalon, it would be harder to slip in again. And then there was Nunnally to think of. Lelouch couldn't leave his sister to suffer under Calares for any longer, he had no idea what the bishop would do to her in the name of revenge against him or in an attempt to find him. If he failed, the safest thing to do would be to kill Calares outright and, barring that, run as far away as he could.
He tightened his hand on the reins, ignoring Gawain's protest as he looked at C.C. "I hope your spell works."
"As do I." She gave him a small wave before settling back in the seat of the cart, her eyes fixed on the overcast sky.
Lelouch nodded at her, not caring that she didn't pay attention. They had their own tasks now, and he couldn't afford to linger by the cart any longer. He glanced over at Suzaku, staring at the eagle for a moment longer before turning Gawain around. It was the closest he would get to a last look at Suzaku and it was enough to make Lelouch wish that Suzaku had been around when he had transformed that morning. Even though it would have hurt, he would have liked to have a hazy memory of Suzaku rather than nothing.
He nudged Gawain's sides, surprised when the horse all but charged out of the alley. Lelouch was thrown forward, scrambling for a hold on the mane so he didn't fall off of the stallion. When he was sure of himself, he pushed himself back into the saddle. He brushed his fingers over the pommel of his sword, a small reassurance for himself before he turned Gawain toward the church.
It didn't take long for the people to recognize him. Once one turned, they all spun around to get a look at him. For a moment, there was nothing but blessed silence. Lelouch swallowed and drew his sword. The shock wouldn't hold the guards for long, he had to get through them as fast as he could and hope that Rivalz was in position to open the door.
As soon as he pulled his sword out, the people began to scream, drawing that attention of the guards faster. Lelouch winced, but held his sword steady, letting Gawain run at the guards.
To his surprise, there were only five. Three of them immediately dodged to the side, Lelouch catching a glimpse of their red uniforms. The ones that held their ground wore the blue and gold of Avalon, Lelouch smiling. At least his own guards knew well enough to stand their ground, Nunnally was in good hands.
One of the Avalon guards lasted long enough for Lelouch to be in striking distance before running, leaving Jeremiah Gottwald to guard the entrance to the church on foot. Lelouch pulled Gawain up, the horse partially rearing before settling. He reached out to rest his free hand against Gawain's neck, feeling it shake with excitement. Lelouch tried to keep the shaking out of his voice. "Stand aside."
"You're not welcome here."
"I, Lelouch vi Britannia, order you to stand aside."
"Demon!"
Lelouch just smiled, kicking Gawain forward. The horse jumped forward, already on edge from the shouting. As he expected, Jeremiah dodged to the side, the man reaching for his sword. Lelouch ignored him, there was nothing more that Jeremiah could do, and the man knew it. Gawain was trained to deal with soldiers on foot and, as soon as Jeremiah got within striking distance, Gawain would lash out. Lelouch was safe until he dismounted, an end he would avoid at all costs.
He rode up to the door, kicking Gawain forward until the horse reared. His hooves knocked against the door, Lelouch sure that he saw it give a little. He gave the command again, cursing as the door didn't open. Lelouch looked over his shoulder as Gawain came down again, sheathing his sword. He could see other guards rushing down from the walls at the sound of the shouts. If Jeremiah managed to gather them together and keep them together, then he would be in trouble. Without Suzaku for back up, and perhaps even with his friend, he would be overwhelmed. He grabbed a handful of mane and urged Gawain toward the door again, closing his eyes as the horse's hooves clattered against the door.
To his relief, the door swung open. Gawain snorted as he came down, but walked right through the doors, his head up and interested. Lelouch straightened up as soon as he inside, watching as the people inside the church pressed as close to the walls as they could. But his attention wasn't on them, he was looking toward the pew at the front of the church. Lelouch was sure that Calares was in attendance, but he wanted to know exactly where Nunnally was.
He spotted her up in the pew, twisted around to stare at him with wide eyes. For a moment, Lelouch was tempted to just give up on the plan and run to her, because she looked frightened. There was no way he was just going to allow his sister to be scared in her own home. He kept himself back, because she was staring at him like he was a monster, something that made his stomach twist. Her expression was enough to make him drag his gaze away, Lelouch preferring to look somewhere else.
His gaze passed over Calares, noting how shocked the man looked. He was sure that the man had already spotted the weapons that he was carrying and the way that people were starting to run. For everything that he had done, Calares was an intelligent man, he would figure out what was going on. It would be up to Rivalz to make sure that Calares and the people in the church didn't get out.
"How dare you sully the house of God?! Turn your beast around and leave." Lelouch turned his gaze away from the bishop, staring at the man in the middle of the nave. He sniffed at the sight of the archbishop trying to chase him out of the church, like a prayer would keep him at bay.
Lelouch ignored the man, letting Gawain continue walking. He kept looking around, expecting an attack at any moment. The people were frightened up of him, but that was only because they thought he was a monster. Once they discovered that he was nothing more than a man, he would be mobbed and pulled off Gawain, which meant that he had to work fast.
He cast a look up at the window above the alter, getting a glimpse of the sun between the clouds. There was no sign of an eclipse happening, which meant that Lelouch had to stall as long as he could.
He reached for a weapon, pausing when he heard the door slam shut and the dull thud of the bar being lowered back into place. Lelouch turned, nodding as he saw Rivalz clinging to the door. He was sure that Rivalz would stay at his post until Suzaku came, especially with his perch clinging to door. And Lelouch was enough of a distraction that no one would think about Rivalz, other than a well meaning alter boy who had wanted to keep anything that had followed Lelouch out. But Rivalz hadn't been fast enough to keep Jeremiah out.
The captain of the guard turned to stare at the door, Lelouch dropped his hand down to where his crossbow was, pulling it up as Jeremiah gestured at the crowd. "Someone get that idiot off that door!"
Lelouch slipped an arrow into place, drawing the crossbow and holding it by his side. He would have to defend Rivalz until Suzaku came, because Lelouch wasn't sure he would be able to fight off Jeremiah and attempt to get to Calares. He would have to go for intimidation instead, easy enough when he was the only one in possession of a horse and more than one weapon.
He cleared his throat before shouting. "No one move! You'll regret it if you do!"
The people in the church went silent, Lelouch smirking as he turned Gawain around slowly, giving them all the chance to see that he was armed. The only reaction was that they pressed further against the walls. When Gawain had come to face the alter again, Lelouch nudged him forward, letting the crossbow drop back to his side.
He didn't have much time to enjoy the way that Calares was scurrying backwards from him before Jeremiah darted between him and the bishop. Lelouch raised his crossbow again, glaring at the captain. "Step aside."
"I won't let you harm him. He is a man of God."
"Is he now?" Lelouch leaned forward. "Then why did he kill my mother?"
There was a gasp from the people assembled, Lelouch looking around before settling back. He hadn't meant to let that slip, he hadn't meant to explain himself at all. He didn't need Jeremiah on his side and he was sure that Jeremiah would have never agreed to help him, even if the man had known the truth. Being cursed and being a magician might be too much alike for Jeremiah's sensibilities. Lelouch was sure that explaining wouldn't help break the curse either, C.C. had just said witnesses and for Calares to see the both of them, but it was a delay and it had made Jeremiah stop in his tracks.
He nudged Gawain over, sending the stallion circling around the clergymen and Jeremiah. Lelouch kept his crossbow trained on Jeremiah as he circled. "Now, a question for you, since I never had the chance to defend myself. Why would I kill my mother? Was there one argument that you heard between us?" He didn't wait for Jeremiah to answer, his attention was elsewhere anyway. "Why did you think I was a magician?"
"Suzaku."
Lelouch paused for a moment before laughing. "You couldn't stomach that he had been raised above you and all it took were the right lies? You're pathetic, Jeremiah."
For a moment, Lelouch thought that Jeremiah would believe him. Marianne had been almost worshiped by the man. And certainly the facts made more sense than whatever explanation that Calares had come up with.
He was forced to back Gawain up quickly the next minute as Jeremiah pulled out his sword, the captain advancing towards him. "Why should I believe you, demon?"
Lelouch stared at the captain, disgusted by how easily he had been convinced. And this was the man he was prepared to leave Nunnally with. Lelouch shook his head and aimed his crossbow at Jeremiah. He couldn't just talk any longer; Jeremiah was not going to be swayed. To dismount would be death, Jeremiah was far better with a sword than Lelouch was. His only recourse was to make sure that Jeremiah would be slowed down.
He took aim and fired at Jeremiah's shoulder, the captain stumbling backwards as the bolt hit.
As he expected, the attack brought a scream from the congregation. Lelouch turned to look over his shoulder, watching as the people panicked and raced for any door. He heard louder cries of dismay when they discovered that the other doors were locked. Rivalz had done his job then. He turned Gawain so he could see the main doors, Rivalz no longer in his post.
He could see alter boys dressed in the same robe that Rivalz had been trying to get to the doors, Lelouch gritting his teeth. He had to keep the people in at all costs.
With one glance toward the window above the alter, Lelouch sent Gawain forward. The horse plowed through the crowd, people rushing out from under the horse. As they pulled up by the doors, Lelouch fumbled for another arrow. He slid it into place, lowering the crossbow again. "Back away."
The people gave way willingly, Lelouch herding them all the way up to the other side of the church to keep them away from the door. He couldn't keep rushing back and forth, not when it would be easier to keep himself between them and the door. Thankfully, they all believed that he was a magician, which meant that they wouldn't try to pass him, afraid of what he might do.
Lelouch glared at them, taking note of where Calares was cowering near the back, near where some of the people had taken Jeremiah. He aimed his crossbow at Calares, glancing up at the window. Once again there was nothing but clouds, and no sign that the curse had been lifted. Lelouch bit his lip, about to try and pull Calares out of the group when he felt a hand grab his leg. He looked down, his eyes widening as he saw Nunnally clutching at him.
His sister was shaking, but her grip was firm. She used her hold to drag herself closer, not able to get up on her knees. Despite himself, Lelouch leaned to the side, torn between watching Calares and his sister but, as always, Nunnally won. He dropped the bow a fraction, his full attention on his sister. "Nunnally…"
"Lelouch I…" She swallowed and looked away.
"Nunnally, you have to believe that I didn't-"
"You need to leave." He shook his head, Nunnally cutting him off with a tug to his pants. "I don't know if you killed mother or not, but I don't think I can trust you. If you didn't kill her, then why did you leave?"
"It wasn't that simple."
"It was. And now I can never know the whole truth, because there have been too many lies. So it would be better for you to leave. If I see you here again Lelouch, I'll have to kill you." He went still at her words, staring at his sister with his mouth open.
He had always thought that Nunnally would shy away from him, or refuse to speak to him. Sometimes, he believed that she would welcome him back with open arms, but that was when he was thinking of the unlikely endings to his curse. But he had never thought that she would threaten him or turn him away of her own will. Lelouch had known that she was lost to him, but it wasn't because he was a magician, it was because he had never bothered to explain, because he had assumed that she wouldn't understand. Lelouch swallowed and ducked his head, trying to come up with something that would convince her to let him stay, or at least let him speak.
Nunnally was faster, his sister taking a deep breath before plowing on in a low voice that couldn't be heard over the talk coming from the rest of the trapped people. "I will let you go Lelouch if you let us all go and if you let Rivalz go. He is an innocent in all of this."
For a moment, Lelouch wondered how Nunnally knew Rivalz, but then he pushed the thought away. That little matter wasn't important. But she had given him an opening to repay his debt. Nunnally could get Rivalz back to his mother, back to his home instead of stuck in the foreign country for the rest of his life. "Fine, but Calares dies."
She shook her head, Lelouch wanting to yell at her for her loyalty to the bishop. The man would do nothing to help her, but she would never believe him. Instead, he tugged his leg out of her grip, sneering down at her. It hurt when she flinched back, but Lelouch forced himself to keep going. His sister was not going to stop him from breaking the curse, no matter how much she begged. Still, he couldn't just leave her cowering. "Rivalz will get you out. When he comes for you go with him."
All he got in return was a glare from her. Lelouch ducked his head, wanting to apologize, but there was nothing to apologize for. They would have to go their separate ways now and Lelouch regretted that greatly, but there was no other way to proceed, not after Nunnally's ultimatum.
He nudged Gawain forward, raising his crossbow. Lelouch ignored Nunnally's shouts and stared at Jeremiah as he forced his way through the crowd. The captain had his sword out, although the point kept dropping as he held it. Jeremiah cursed and switched hands, Lelouch staring at the bloody spot on his shoulder. Someone had pulled out the bolt, so of course Jeremiah would fight, especially since he thought his lady was in danger. His loyalty made Lelouch feel slightly better about leaving Nunnally alone with him. But he would still have to get through the man to get to where Calares was cowering, and he was sure that he wouldn't be able to hold the rest of the people for long before the braver of them attempted to pull him from the saddle.
Lelouch weighed the feel of the crossbow in his hands, sighing and hanging his head. He had wasted all the time he thought he could afford. It hurt, but he would have to abandon their plan. There would always be another eclipse, but Lelouch was sure that he wouldn't be around for it. C.C. could run for wherever she felt safe and there was a possibility that Rivalz could go home, but he and Suzaku were not going to suffer through another year. He was not going to let his mother's murderer live a day longer. Lelouch raised his eyes to the sky, about to beg that Suzaku would forgive him when he found that he was wreathed in shadow.
Gawain snorted and backed up, Lelouch giving up his aim on Calares to bring the stallion to stop. His gaze was fixed on the window, on the gap in the clouds where he could clearly see a shadow inching across the sun. Lelouch lowered his gaze when his eyes began to ache, surprised to see the people reacting by cowering.
Calares was the only one to speak up, pointing to the eclipse and shouting. "See, he calls on magic to save him! He's going to disappear in the shadows. Catch him before he does."
Lelouch watched as the people began to gather their courage, a few of them coming to join Jeremiah. He wanted to shout that he wasn't the one doing this when the sun was covered completely.
The church was filled with shadows; the lights from the candles welcome sources of light in the dark building. Lelouch swallowed, feeling Gawain shift nervously under him. He had his day without a night, so Suzaku should be hurrying this way. But, from the looks of the people, they weren't going to give him the chance.
They were all frightened and ready to tear him apart. He was the thing they were lead to believe was the cause for all of their problems. He had killed the lady of the castle, his own mother, and then run into the night. There were probably thousands of other rumors that he didn't know about. Lelouch had never paid attention to them because they were all false. Perhaps he should have paid more attention, just so he could deny them all, but Lelouch had a feeling that denying the rumors wouldn't help him. The people didn't care what he had actually done, they just wanted something to blame for all of their problems, and Calares had provided them with the perfect person.
He backed Gawain up, watching as the people advanced on him. All of them stayed behind Jeremiah, but they were progressing towards him at a steady pace. He couldn't even look to Nunnally for help, she had turned away from him. By the way she was trembling, she was aware of what was going on, but she wasn't going to do anything about it. Lelouch swallowed and looked back up at Calares, catching the smile on the man's face.
Somehow, he had played right into the man's trap.
Gawain whinnied and stepped away as one woman got bold and lunged for his leg. Lelouch stopped the stallion from lashing out with a sharp tug on the reins. Nunnally wouldn't want any of her people harmed, but Lelouch didn't know how long he could keep Gawain from acting as he was trained. Lelouch knew that he wouldn't allow himself to be herded back forever, not when he was so close to breaking the curse.
He narrowed his eyes and looked up at Calares, hating the smile on the man's face. Everyone already thought he was a monster, including Nunnally. There was no reason for him to try to be anything other than the demon they wanted him to be, he already knew that he wasn't going to be able to come back to Avalon. There was no going home for him.
Lelouch took the bolt from his crossbow, settling them both back in place one handed. He didn't want to let go of the reins and have one of the people make a grab for them. Then, he drew his sword, his arm shaking a bit under the strain of drawing it with one hand. He would fight his way up to Calares if he had to, and then the rest of the people would have to deal with Suzaku. Lelouch was sure that his friend would not hold himself back if something happened to him, and that was a relief in itself.
But that was in the future, when Suzaku got to the chapel. His focus was on the crowd of people that were gathering around Gawain and the fact that Nunnally was still in the church. Mobs were never good; Lelouch had never seen one that had accomplished what it had wanted to do without collateral damage. He turned his head, spotting Rivalz moving alone one of the aisles in the dark. He was about to order Rivalz to get Nunnally and the others and leave when he heard the knocking on the door.
The crowd stopped its advance, everyone staring at the door. Lelouch took his chance and edged Gawain away from a corner, trying to keep Rivalz in his line of sight. He lost his friend briefly but spotted him again when Rivalz reached up to pull the bar away.
The first immediate reaction came from the mob, the people forgetting about him when presented with a chance to leave. They began to steam to the door, ignoring Jeremiah's shouts to come back. Even the archbishop was shouting for them to finish off the demon, commanding them by God and any other authority that he could think of. It was Calares' reaction that caught Lelouch's attention, the bishop pushing through the crowd and screaming, "Don't open that door!"
No one listened to Calares, they were all too desperate to get out and Rivalz was already pulling the door back. He hadn't even gotten the door most of the way open before people were trying to push past him.
The first ranks got to the opening, a few stepping outside only to come stumbling back. Lelouch urged Gawain forward as the people retreated from the door, all of them forgetting about their anger in the presence of the person coming in.
"That's not possible."
"I heard he was summoned from the dead."
"The demon did this! He called him back!"
"Who else will be coming?" The last speaker nearly sobbed his question out, nearly screaming when Suzaku shoved the door open the rest of the way. The man darted to the other side of the room, the rest of the mob losing their courage as well.
The people pressed themselves against the wall as Suzaku walked into the church. He didn't spare a glance at Lelouch, just walking up the center of the nave. The people let him pass, all staring at him in shock. Even Jeremiah didn't make a move towards him, the captain's hand on his own sword, but it was shaking.
From behind the alter, Lelouch could hear the archbishop demanding answers, but no one was giving them. It was common knowledge among the people that Suzaku Kururugi was dead, killed by Calares. There had been rumors of course, but Lelouch had never caught up with them. He was sure that most people were hoping that Suzaku would disappear when the eclipse ended and they would run when it turned out that he wasn't dead. Lelouch couldn't see them turning on Calares until they were sure that the bishop had worked magic and Lelouch doubted the thought would ever occur to them.
He followed Suzaku up the center of the church, stopping in the middle as Suzaku continued on. His friend walked right up to the base of the alter before holding up his hand. Lelouch caught sight of the leather jesses dangling in them, his eyes widening.
Suzaku held the jesses up for a moment before throwing them toward Calares, both of them hitting the bishop in the face. Lelouch expected Suzaku to make a statement, but his friend just stepped back, resting his hand on the sword. The threat was obvious though, obvious enough that Suzaku could easily just step back until he was standing beside Gawain.
With Suzaku by his side, Lelouch felt safe enough to let go of the reins. As expected, Suzaku caught them and stood by his side, just like he had in the old days. Lelouch resisted the urge to reach down and rest his hand on Suzaku's head. Suzaku being present as more than an eagle was very distracting, because there were things that he had forgotten. His hand twitched, but he stopped himself, looking over at Calares.
The bishop looked equally as shocked as everyone else, but for a different reason. Lelouch didn't have to hide his smile on seeing that the bishop looked like he wanted to run. Calares wouldn't get to the exits; he would have to push through a crowd of people that was depending on him to keep him safe. And Lelouch didn't want to get through the people just to get to Calares, it would slow them down.
He settled for leaning forward in the saddle, glaring directly as Calares. "Do you see us?"
It took a moment, but he got a nod, a barely there jerk of Calares' head. Lelouch grinned, pressing on. "Do you know who we are?"
"Yes, but that's impossible."
"Why? Because you killed us, cursed us? And yet here we are, flesh and blood." Lelouch gave into the urge to touch Suzaku, pushing his fingers into Suzaku's hair. He felt Suzaku relax into the touch, his friend even going as far as to stretch up into it. Lelouch pulled away before he could get lost in it. "I tell you, we are very real."
For a moment, Lelouch thought he would have his victory. But Calares glanced around the church at the people in attendance before pointing at Suzaku. "You may be real, but that is a mere spirit. Don't let his illusions fool you! He's dragged the spirit of his servant back from hell to serve him. He can be touched only because of the shadows!"
Lelouch growled under his breath, about to spur Gawain forward when the first bit of sunlight fell into the room. Automatically, Lelouch flinched back, trying to keep Suzaku out of the sunlight. If he stayed in the dark, then Suzaku would remain human and he wouldn't have to witness the moment when Suzaku completely forgot who he was, other than the human who watched over him. He went to reach down and pull Suzaku back, his fingers brushing over the top of Suzaku's head just as the sun came out in force again.
It was a brief moment of sunlight, and Suzaku standing in the beam with his face tipped toward the light before a cloud drifted lazily past; but it was enough to make Lelouch nearly choke on the breath he had been holding. Suzaku had been in full sunlight and there was no change, there would never be a change again. It was almost enough to make Lelouch want to slip off of Gawain and crowd up against Suzaku's back, but he was not about to give up the advantage that his position offered. Instead, he just rested his hand on Suzaku's head, pressing down firmly to prove to himself that Suzaku was still there.
The touch acted like a catalyst. The people that had crowded around the alter and the walls because to scream and run around the church. Lelouch could hear some of the pounding on the doors, shouting for help before they realized that they could get out. There were thuds as the bars across the doors were thrown to one side. More sunlight flooded in as doors were shoved open and people rushed out, Lelouch laughing at the sight. It didn't matter that they were fleeing in fear from him, he could see sunbeams on Suzaku and he was still human.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rivalz rushing up the church, the robe already discarded. He was heading up to where Nunnally and the others were trying to keep from being pushed over, fulfilling the one request that Lelouch had for him. It was the one last gift that Lelouch could give to Nunnally, knowledge that she was going to be safe; not only in this situation but in the future as well. He turned away from Nunnally, scanning the crowd for Calares.
The archbishop was joining the rush through the front doors, his own shouts lost to the panic of the people. Lelouch shook his head, ignoring the man again in favor of finding the one he was after. A sharp tug to his leg brought his attention to Suzaku, his friend pointing toward the south transept. Lelouch barely had the time to realize that Calares was darting toward the door there before Suzaku was running off.
Suzaku disappeared easily into the crowd, Lelouch only able to see him from his position on Gawain's back. The people were too focused on running from the church to bother to avoid Suzaku, taking him along with them as they fled.
Lelouch gathered up the reins again, kicking Gawain forward. Eager to get out of the panic in the church, the stallion lurched into the gallop. Lelouch leaned over his neck, pressing as close to the horse as he could as Gawain raced toward the exit in the south transept. He heard people shouting at him as he charged through, waiting for the tell-tale bump that would signal that he had run someone into the ground, but there was nothing; just snort and odd lurches to one side or the other as Gawain did his best to avoid people. Lelouch only looked up when Gawain slid, the stallion regaining his footing on the stone and charging out of the doors.
The horse leapt down the steps, Lelouch sitting up as soon as they were on solid ground again, turning his head. He only got a glimpse of Calares running with Suzaku right behind him before he sent Gawain after them, the stallion snorting but obeying the order.
Lelouch smiled and dropped his hand to the sword on his saddle, fingers twitching as they settled over the grip. After the pandemonium in the church, everything was deliciously clear now. The pounding of Gawain's hooves matched his heart beat as they ran down the man that had caused them two years of suffering.