Chapter Fourteen: Requiem
"What are you saying?" said Claudas. "Am I to fear you Pharian?"
"Yes, indeed," said Pharian, "as long as I can wield a sword! And you may well fear more than prison. And if you live longer than I do, you can still expect death from me or the undying soul means nothing."
– Lancelot from the Vulgate Cycle, trans. Samuel N. Rosenburg.
Rivalz shouldered his way through the rush of people, grunting as someone's elbow caught him in the stomach. He gritted his teeth and fought his way up to where the one pew was. He braced himself against the back of it, watching as people rushed around the wooden bench on their way to the doors. He shook his head at the panic, getting a better hold of the pew as he looked around.
He thought he was ready to laugh, watching as Suzaku ran from Lelouch and into the crowd, probably after Calares. But the bishop didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered was the fact that the curse was broken. C.C. had been right and he didn't have to watch his friends die horrible deaths as they went after revenge. It was enough to make him want to shout in victory, but that would be out of place and blow his cover.
Thus far, Jeremiah hadn't seen him, but Lelouch had been enough of a distraction for that. Even now, Jeremiah was fighting to get through the crowd to Lelouch. Rivalz saw the man go down as someone elbowed his injured shoulder, but Jeremiah popped back up. He staggered forward a few steps, just in time for Gawain to lunge forward.
Rivalz turned in place, watching as the black stallion plowed through the crowd and into the south transept. Lelouch and Gawain disappeared through the doors, Rivalz seeing a flash of black as the horse turned, and then there was nothing. Just the sound of people screaming and running.
He swallowed, about to reach for Milly's shoulder when he noticed that Jeremiah was pushed away from Lelouch and into the other transept by the crowd, and the captain didn't fight it. He clenched his hand into a fist. It was Jeremiah's job to watch out for the lady of the castle, and it was obvious that she needed him to help her. Panicked as they were, the people of Avalon were going to be running mad. Lady Nunnally and her visitors would need an escort to the safety of the castle, and he was only one person. But he had promised Lelouch that he would keep Nunnally safe, and he would do anything for Milly.
He dropped a hand to the knife tucked in his belt, wincing at how small it felt. It was completely inadequate for the job, but maybe people would keep away on principle alone. He would just have to try.
Rivalz scrambled around the end of the pew, grabbing onto the front of it so he wouldn't be carried away by the tide of people as he dropped into a bow. "My ladies."
He expected them to scream, not for someone to rest a hand on his shoulder. Rivalz looked up, surprised to find himself looking at Nunnally. She smiled at him before gesturing for him to rise. "I assume that you are Rivalz."
"Yes, my lady."
"Then I am to run." Nunnally smiled at the shocked look on his face. "My brother told me that you would be coming."
The wry tone of voice she used made him hesitate. Rivalz glanced over at Milly, hoping for some kind of sign of what to do. Milly was too busy standing up, helping Euphemia up as well. The two women clung to each other, nearly falling back when someone ran into them. Rivalz licked his lips and turned back to Nunnally. He didn't have time to hesitate, he had to act. "He told me to do this. Do you trust me?"
"I…Milly believes I can."
"That's all I need. Please, he still cares for you." She didn't acknowledge his second statement, nodding instead and holding out her arms.
Rivalz looked around, frowning when he realized that the servant that had helped Nunnally had run off with the rest of the crowd. The man was probably just as scared at the rest of them, but he had a duty to fulfill. Rivalz would have been shaking in place if he didn't have something else to focus his attention on. The young ladies came first, and then he could worry about being back in Avalon with Jeremiah Gottwald on the warpath. He was sure that Milly would protect him, but he didn't know how far that protection would extend. He wanted to trust her with his life but he was sure that, as soon as the panic disappeared, they would come after him again.
He crouched down, letting Nunnally settle her arms around his neck before standing up. The great rush of people had died down in the church, but Rivalz could still hear shouts from outside. He sighed and began to make his way down the nave. Nunnally would be the safest in the castle, with stone walls between her and the panicked people. Maybe, once she had recovered from the shock, she could address the people to calm them down. Rivalz didn't want to think about Lelouch and Suzaku trying to push their way through a mass of people that could turn dangerous at any moment.
Nunnally remained still as he stumbled out into the open, blinking rapidly in the suddenly light. He felt Milly stumble into him, about to apologize when he felt her hand close around the back of his collar. "Keep walking. We'll hang on."
Rivalz nodded, carefully shifting Nunnally's weight to a better position in his arms. "If we get separated, get to the castle."
He couldn't see her nod and Milly didn't give a verbal response, but the tension of her hold on him was enough. Rivalz eyed the milling crowd before beginning to make his way along the edge.
It wasn't easy going; the crowd wasn't staying still long enough for that. Rivalz turned sideways, putting himself between Nunnally and the people as he edged along. He felt Milly's grip on his collar shift until she was holding onto his shoulder, Rivalz allowing himself a brief moment of joy at the touch. There were more things to be worried about than Milly standing close to him after all, like the way the crowd was trying to push the guards back toward the chapel. It would only take one to spot him and believe that he was trying to kidnap three noblewomen. Rivalz winced at the thought and ducked his head.
From the shouts and curses that he could hear, attempts to get the guards moving weren't working. Rivalz vaguely remembered Suzaku commenting on the number of guards and how low it was, but Rivalz was skeptical. There were still far too many guards for him to feel comfortable, he was still outnumbered. While most of them wore the red uniform of the archbishop, there were enough Avalon guards that would recognize him. Jeremiah wasn't with his men, but they were probably desperate to do something to calm the people down.
Rivalz pushed onward, having to step out from the walkway and into the courtyard. To his relief, no huge panic started up. Everyone was too caught up in their own fears to realize that one of the people they had spoken about was making his way through them. All of their attention was on the demon.
Nunnally pulled his attention away from the milling crowd with a tap on his shoulder. She pointed to the front gates of the castle where two Avalon guards had positioned themselves. Rivalz nodded, shouldering he was through the crowd the best that he could.
It occurred to him that he could have Nunnally call for people to make room for them, but Rivalz wasn't sure what good it would do. She would just be another person screaming in the courtyard. And then people might rush to her, and Rivalz didn't want to be surrounded by a press of people that could do him harm. Instead, he curled further over Nunnally, cutting through the people as fast as he could.
He shouldered his way into fresh air, Rivalz taking a deep breath before walking up to the doors of the castle. Thankfully, the people hadn't turned to pounding on the doors, demanding to be let in. Maybe they weren't eager to get caught in a building where the demon would appear again, or maybe it was because they knew that Nunnally was already outside. Not that there was much that Nunnally could do for them, there was no way to stop Lelouch from what he was doing, not even if Nunnally herself turned on her brother.
From their places behind him, Milly and Euphemia rushed forward, the two of them speaking urgently with the guards. Rivalz followed at a more sedate pace, his sides aching from where he had been elbowed and his arms shaking from holding Nunnally. He wouldn't set her down until he was sure that she was safe, but Rivalz hoped that it would be soon.
He was gestured over to the door, Milly quickly dropping back to his side. Rivalz winced as Nunnally used him to steady herself, feeling the pull on his shoulders. He braced himself as best as he could, allowing Nunnally to do what she needed to. On her part, Nunnally didn't see to notice the effort, her whole focus on the guards in front of her. "Let us in."
One guard nodded, going to open the door when the second stopped him. Rivalz shrunk back as the second guard leaned in close, glaring at him. "I know you. You're that criminal that escaped from here." The guard reached out, for Nunnally. "My lady, you aren't safe."
"I trust him."
"But he's a magician, the demon's apprentice. He-"
"Risked his life to save mine." Rivalz stood his ground as Nunnally leaned forward. "He ignored the orders of his master to get the three of us out of the church when even my trusted servant deserted me. Through no fault of their own, the guards couldn't get in to stop the demon, so it was left to him to help us."
"But, my lady…"
"I will not be questioned! This man has saved my life and the life of two of my friends. The demon is still out there and of more importance than one man." Nunnally dropped her voice, Rivalz scooting closer so the guard would be able to hear when Nunnally spoke softly. "I have found grave errors in the imprisonment of this man and that is more of an embarrassment to my name than him escaping. Please, allow me to calm these people before they get themselves into trouble and attempt to save a man's life."
The guard stared at Rivalz suspiciously, but stepped to the side. Nunnally gave him a thankful nod before waving Rivalz on.
Encouraged by the surrender, Rivalz hurried through the open doors but he hesitated once he was in the hall. He had promised Lelouch that he would get Nunnally to safety; surely the inside of the castle was enough. But, if the mob outside rioted, he would have to be sure that Nunnally was in an easily defensible room. He bit his lip, turning slowly in place as he tried to think of somewhere safe for Nunnally.
He was interrupted from his musing as she tapped his shoulder, pointing imperiously to the stairs. "First, we settle the people."
"But-"
"I don't care what my brother has to say. The safety of these people is my responsibility and I will see to them first." The hard tone of her voice slipped away, replaced with softness. "And then we'll see about getting you a pardon. Your bravery will not go unrewarded."
Rivalz stared down at her. He should ignore her request and take her to safety, at least until the crowd had calmed some. And it would give Lelouch the time he needed to get out of Avalon. But the look on Nunnally's face just proved to him how determined she was. She would probably summon a servant to carry her up to the balcony to speak to the people, and Rivalz would be stuck in the entrance hall. Without Nunnally's protection, he would probably be carted down to a cell and hanged for his crime. He sighed, giving the rooms further back into the castle a longing glance before nodding. "Lead the way."
He followed Nunnally's carefully spoken instructions. On their way to the stairs, Rivalz couldn't see the servants and other members of the staff that would keep the castle running. It wasn't until the second level that they started to appear. Then, Nunnally's carefully instructions were often interrupted by reassurances and quick questions about their well being. Behind them, Rivalz could hear Milly and Euphemia repeating the assurances. It wasn't much, but it was enough to encourage the people to go back to their jobs and pretend like they didn't hear the mob outside. Eventually, the higher ranked servants began to herd everyone away, leaving their path clear for the first time since they had gotten to the second floor.
Rivalz could still feel some of their stares as he walked to the balcony, Milly rushing ahead to open the door. But the servants had stopped approaching them, apparently calmed by the news that was passed along. He took a deep breath, feeling some of the tension leave him. He had never doubted Nunnally's ability to calm her people. He had just wondered if she would be enough to talk them back from seeing one of the people they feared the most. If she could make the servants go back to their work like nothing was wrong with just a few words, then there was hope for the crowd outside.
Nunnally leaned further out of his arms as he walked up to the railing, Rivalz stopping far enough away that she couldn't touch the balustrade running around the edge of the balcony. He didn't want her pulling away from him and falling, Rivalz wouldn't be able to forgive himself if that happened. Nunnally didn't seem to mind his choice of position, instead shifting in his arms until she was braced against him. Under the change in weight distribution, Rivalz nearly stumbled backwards, tensing again when he felt Milly rest a hand on his back. It was all the warning he got before Milly was leaning into him from behind and Euphemia stepped around to take some of Nunnally's weight. Rivalz smiled his thanks at Euphemia before looking out at the crowd.
It didn't take them long to notice Nunnally. Rivalz was too far back to see what the crowd was doing, but he could hear them. They were all shouting for their lady, screaming for her help. On her part, Nunnally just nodded and lifted a hand. Silence fell within moments, leaving Rivalz staring at the back of Nunnally's head in shock.
Nunnally didn't seem to notice his stare, raising her voice to be heard in the courtyard below. "Stay calm, you'll only hurt yourselves if you continue to act this way. I know who is in the church and I know just what he can do. I was there with all of you when it happened." Rivalz felt Nunnally's hand clench on his shirt, the only warning he got of what she was about to say next. "And I spoke with him."
There was an outcry, one that Nunnally sat patiently through before speaking again. "I spoke with him to ask for your safety. The demon did not grant me my request; he only said that he was seeking out one person. As he is not here, I guess that none of you are the one he is after. That being said, I will not allow the demon to harm any person within Avalon. I will fight him until the end because my loyalty lies with you. He stopped being my brother the night he killed our mother. So now, I ask you to please return to your homes and keep a look out for the demon. If you see him, do no pursue, just shout to alert the guards to what is happening. They will take care of the demon while he is in the city and, when he leaves, we have guards on the road to catch him. I ask that you stay out of their way and remain safe while we deal with this manner. And I promise you that I will tell you everything once our task is accomplished."
Rivalz expected cheering and was heartily disappointed when there was nothing but murmurs from the crowd below. He gave into his curiosity, raising himself onto his tiptoes in an attempt to peer down into the courtyard. He only managed to raise himself before nearly falling backwards, Milly the one to catch him before he fell. Before he could ask what was going on, Nunnally pointed towards the castle again, reinforcing her order with a soft request. "To the solar, if you don't mind. It's just down the hall."
At a loss of what to do, he nodded and adjusted Nunnally in his arms again. With Euphemia and Milly leading the way, he carried Nunnally back inside the castle and through the hallway.
The solar doors were open when he arrived, Rivalz nearly running to the nearest chair and settling Nunnally down in it. He didn't bother to seek out a chair for himself, just collapsing to the floor and drawing in deep breaths. His hands were shaking, Rivalz staring down at them in shock. He had managed to sneak back into Avalon and had assisted in keeping an entire church full of people hostage for Lelouch, and it had done it by himself. It was a far cry from the boy who had been a nonentity in Ashingford and an even farther one from the boy who had just wanted to sneak through life unnoticed.
He ducked his head into his hands, trying to slow his breathing as he calmed down. He had done everything that Lelouch had asked; he had even managed to free Lelouch and Suzaku from their curse. Chasing down Calares was their job now, as was their own escape. All Rivalz could do was look for an opportunity for escape for himself, if it came.
A light touch to his shoulder made him look up, Rivalz staring at Milly in awe. Milly just patted his shoulder before sinking down to the floor, taking a hold of one of his hands almost as an afterthought. Rivalz blushed and looked away, staring at the plaster walls of the room rather than having to look at Milly. He was glad when Nunnally cleared her throat to gain his attention, willing to take any distraction that was offered.
"Thank you for getting us out of there safely. I don't think we could have done it before the people become a mob if we had been on our own." Nunnally wasn't looking at him, her gaze focused on her hands. "And I just want you to know that I grant you a full pardon here and now, and that Milly is working on a way to prove that the charge of magic against you was false. Somehow, we will get you back to Ashingford."
Rivalz swallowed, trying to speak, but he couldn't dredge up what he needed to say. He had come to terms with the fact that he would never be going home a long time ago. He had almost managed to be excited about the chance to see a foreign country. There had been plans in place to bring his mother with him if she was willing to follow, but it had never entered his mind that it would be as easy as Nunnally saying he was innocent. Surely the emperor would have a problem with the proclamation. Even the people of Ashingford wouldn't like him, there were bound to be rumors after all.
He licked his lips, finally managing to speak. "Thank you."
"I wanted you to know that first, to know that your freedom is unconditional." Nunnally shifted in her chair. "But I need to know what Lelouch meant about only having Calares. I need to know what he is planning and you are the only one that has been close to him."
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Nunnally stared at him in shock, Rivalz prepared to run out of the room when a small smile crossed her face. Then, she relaxed, losing the forced regal posture that she had kept. "Probably not. But I would like to hear the truth one day, because I want to know why my mother died and why I lost my brother."
"I'll tell you then."
"Thank you." Nunnally glanced down at where Milly was holding his hand, Rivalz blushing and trying to pull away. His struggles earned a giggle from Nunnally, Rivalz not expecting the noise after watching Nunnally behave like a woman twice her age. Suddenly, he realized that she wasn't that much younger than he was, maybe only three years younger. Three years younger and already living with a heavier burden than he would ever have. It was a wonder that she could still laugh.
Nunnally waved Euphemia over, the two of them whispering for a moment before Euphemia dashed out of the room. Rivalz leaned out to follow her, freezing when Nunnally looked back over at him. She smiled and shook her head. "I just asked her to set the guards up to search for Lelouch. Whatever he wants to do, he should do it quickly; I won't have him killing any of the townspeople. Until the report comes back that he has either escaped or been captured, we'll stay here."
Rivalz breathed a sigh of relief, swaying in place. He didn't think he could get to his horse, let alone ride out of Avalon now. There was a pardon in sight for him, one that might not stay if he decided to ride off with Lelouch. And there was Milly to consider. She was sitting by his side, closer than he had ever imagined that he would get to her. Running now would do him more harm than good. Besides, he owed Nunnally an explanation of Lelouch's attack on Avalon when she called for him. It would be hard to tell her the story from Nippon. He just hoped Lelouch would forgive him for deciding to stay, but it would be hypocritical of Lelouch to hate him for grasping at everything he wanted.
Calmed by his logic, Rivalz leaned slightly into Milly, resting against her as they waited for news.
Suzaku got a glimpse of Calares just before the man turned a corner. He cursed and followed, running as fast as he could to gain some ground on the bishop. He hadn't gotten a single moment to enjoy being completely human again, or process it. Suzaku was afraid that he would suddenly change back into an eagle at any moment, and the idea made him shiver.
He had been on guard from the moment he had walked into the church, ready for Jeremiah or one of the people to attack Lelouch. He had been ready for Calares to throw out another curse, something that they would have to work two more years to break. And then he had been worried that Calares would get away, especially with how quickly he had darted through the crowd of people. Even now the bishop was dodging through the narrow alleys behind the church, heading for the wall. From there, he would be able to run either to the gate to the lower town or the small alley between the castle and the wall. Suzaku wouldn't know until he saw Calares.
Behind him, he could hear Gawain galloping after him. The horse wouldn't catch up until he hit a straightaway and by then there would be no room for Gawain to pass him without being crushed. It was enough to make Suzaku hope that Calares would head towards the courtyard, so there would be room for Lelouch to maneuver Gawain to keep Calares in place. The only downside would be that the people who had fled from the church were bound to gather there. Suzaku was sure that the people of Avalon wouldn't just watch their bishop get killed without retaliating, and they only had Gawain to ride away on. Suzaku hadn't bothered to grab Lancelot, not wanting to waste a minute after he had changed to human. C.C. had already been holding the knife above him, ready to strike in case the eclipse hadn't happened, and that had encouraged him to hurry to the church.
He reached out to grab onto the corner of a building, using the hold to steady himself as he turned the corner. To his relief, Calares was hurrying down the alley that led behind the castle. There were sure to be no witnesses there, and no one would find Calares until he and Lelouch were long gone. It galled him somewhat that Calares would be seen as a martyr for what they were about to do, but Suzaku didn't care as long as he and Lelouch were free. He would have to put up with Lelouch complaining for a while, but that was better than Lelouch dead.
With a straight line between him and Calares, Suzaku quickly gained ground on the bishop. Even trapped as an eagle for two years, he was in better shape than the bishop. Calares had lived a practically sedentary life, and he was already flagging. Panic had gotten him this far, but Suzaku was sure that Calares wouldn't be able to outrun them long enough to get any sort of help. Even then Suzaku waited until they were far behind the castle to catch up to the bishop. Able to get help or not, Suzaku wanted to have as much time as they could get to escape.
Suzaku grabbed onto Calares' shoulder, about to pull him to a stop when the sound of Gawain's hooves got louder. He frowned and pivoted, putting Calares between him and the horse. Even with Gawain unable to be maneuvered, the horse could block one exit while Suzaku blocked the others.
He released the bishop with a hard push, drawing his sword. He wanted to kill Calares quickly. They had underestimated him once and Suzaku was not about to make that mistake again. He would let Lelouch talk and demand answers, but Suzaku was not going to just stand by again. Two years had been punishment enough for that failure.
He watched Lelouch dismount out of the corner of his eye, relieved when Lelouch retrieved his crossbow rather than his sword. Suzaku didn't want to have to dodge Lelouch as well as Calares. As it was, the bishop was running his fingers over something concealed in his belt, probably a knife. Suzaku pushed the point of his sword against Calares' back as a warning, annoyed when the bishop didn't pull his hand away from the weapon.
Calares probably thought that help was coming. After all, no one in Britannia would dare attack a bishop, no one had ever tried. There were guards in Avalon, and all of them had to have been alerted to the fact that he and Lelouch were in the town, but Suzaku was sure that there were too few. Why they had been sent out Suzaku would never know, but he was fully prepared to use their absence to their advantage. But he wanted to make sure that Calares wouldn't attack them first.
He pressed the tip of the blade harder into Calares' back. "Drop your hand."
"You can't order me around."
"You'll find that he can." Lelouch was inching forward slowly, an arrow already loaded. "He's the captain of the guard."
"Magicians and criminals can't hold positions of power." Suzaku could hear the sneer in Calares' voice. "Whatever power your friend held is void. Jeremiah holds his title now and he's eager to kill the two of you. You embarrassed him badly."
"Really?" Lelouch smiled. "I though his biggest embarrassment would have been you. He's been letting Marianne's killer live all of these years, because he believed a lie."
"The lie was clever and Marianne was a whore."
Suzaku reacted before Lelouch could, wrapping his free arm around Calares' neck and squeezing. "Quiet you."
Calares wheezed something out, Suzaku ignoring it in favor of giving Lelouch a steady glare. Lelouch couldn't lose his temper, not when they were so close to revenge. It was his duty to see Calares dead, and Suzaku wanted to fulfill that before he disappeared from Avalon. Neither of them had time for the drawn out revenge that Lelouch wanted. Jeremiah had been in the church and was probably searching for them. Any moment now guards could come to the bishop's rescue. Calares was just playing for time.
He released the pressure on Calares when Lelouch looked like he had control of himself, but he didn't take his arm away. He didn't want the bishop attempting to run again. Suzaku was sure that he would be able to catch him, but Calares would be too close to the courtyard. Killing the bishop out in the open would be a death sentence for them, because the people wouldn't understand and Suzaku wouldn't let Lelouch stay to explain. Any explanations would be coming two years too late. It was the word of two convicted criminals against the word of a man the entire community trusted.
Suzaku grunted as Calares elbowed him in the ribs, giving the man a shake to disorient him. He adjusted his hold and looked up at Lelouch, gesturing for Lelouch to hurry up. All they had to do was to slit the bishop's throat and run.
The crossbow shook in Lelouch's hands for a moment before he calmed himself, Suzaku expecting the signal to move. Instead, Lelouch walked closer and glared at Calares. "Tell me why you cursed us."
Suzaku stared at Lelouch, wanting to shout at Lelouch for wasting their time, but he held his tongue. He would be lying if he said that he didn't want to know, because the act had seemed so random. Lelouch had caught Calares in the act and had run. It would have been easier for the both of them to be killed when Calares had caught up to them than for them to be cursed. Suzaku stared at Lelouch for a moment before nodding; he needed to know as much as Lelouch did.
He felt Calares shift in his arms, like the bishop was trying to escape. Suzaku adjusted his hold, surprised when Calares jerked his head back and spat at Lelouch.
Suzaku didn't wait to see if Lelouch got hit. He let go of the bishop, backing away enough to punch Calares in the face. Suzaku winced at the sting in his own knuckles, but it was worth it to see Calares clutch at his nose and go reeling back into the wall. He followed closely, kneeling on the ground and drawing his arm back again. After the first punch, Suzaku didn't expect Calares to do anything again. The man was a member of the church and of the nobility; he was not used violence against his person. He tried not to smile, but it was a heady feeling to be crouching over the man who had made him suffer for so long.
He purposefully stood up, holding his sword out when Calares went to stand up. The bishop sat down again, pressing a hand to his nose and dabbing at the blood there. Suzaku narrowed his eyes, about to order Calares to answer the question when he felt Lelouch rest a hand on his shoulder. Suzaku turned to look at Lelouch, feeling Lelouch's fingers clench on his shoulder. He stood steady as Lelouch crouched, closing his eyes as the hand that Lelouch had rested on his shoulder dragged down his arm. Suzaku swayed in place, opening his eyes when Lelouch let go of him.
Lelouch glared at Calares, the crossbow resting against one leg. "That was your first warning. Now, tell me why."
Calares spat out a mouthful of blood, but it was directed at the ground this time. Suzaku inched forward just in case, nudging the tip of his sword closer to Calares' neck. The bishop eyed him warily before looking over at Lelouch. "In case I needed you again. It's the same reason that I killed Marianne, because she wouldn't help." Calares chuckled. "I made a gamble with your father and failed, but you're just like Charles."
"I'm nothing like him."
"You're ruthless and calculating, that's enough. And I might have needed you again. But you were far more trouble than you were worth."
Lelouch leaned forward, catching himself at the last minute. He glanced up at Suzaku before standing up. It wasn't the most satisfying answer, but it was something at least. Certainly, it was satisfying enough for Suzaku; but he was sure that Lelouch wouldn't be happy with it, because it meant that he had never been in control. Calares had used them and then tossed them aside like pawns, and Suzaku was sure that Lelouch wouldn't be able to stomach the idea. Revenge would be help Lelouch somewhat, it would put him back in control of the situation. And Suzaku was more than willing to let Lelouch do it.
Calares would have been one of the supporters of Charles' attempt to invade Nippon to gain an empire of his own. The bishop might have even been the one behind the plan in the first place. He was the reason that Genbu had betrayed his oath to Charles and tried to kill the man. He was the reason that Suzaku had killed his own father. And he would have used Lelouch in the same way.
Suzaku tightened his grip on his sword, tempted to end Calares himself. It wouldn't help him; it had been Suzaku's choice to kill Genbu instead of trying to talk to him. But it would help his frustration with not being able to see what had been happening. As captain of the guard he should have known, he should have been paying attention to what was going on. Instead he had been so caught up with Lelouch and how far he could go before he was out of line.
He swallowed and reached out for Lelouch, stopping himself. "Lelouch…"
"I know. We need to finish this." Lelouch looked down at his crossbow before taking a step back. "Together?"
"He's yours Lelouch. Go on." Suzaku backed away, putting his sword back in its scabbard before falling into the guard position that he had usually occupied. There was a simple pleasure in returning to his place, knowing that he would be able to do something if Lelouch was in trouble, and that Lelouch would actually be able to understand him. But he didn't turn away, he watched as Lelouch hefted the crossbow, taking aim at Calares.
Lelouch hesitated a moment before adjusting his aim, firing at Calares' head from a close range. Suzaku flinched at the sickening thud, surprised when Lelouch immediately loaded another bolt and fired again, this time at Calares' heart. Suzaku reached out to stop him before Lelouch fired again. For a moment, Suzaku thought that Lelouch was going to pull away from him, but Lelouch just relaxed.
Suzaku squeezed Lelouch's arm. "He's dead."
"Good." Lelouch turned away, not bothering to look at the corpse. He was probably satisfied by the fact that Calares was dead; there was no reason to gloat over the death.
Suzaku stepped aside, allowing Lelouch to walk back over to Gawain. He patted the horse, clipping the crossbow back into place. Suzaku watched him for a moment before going to join him.
He hesitated before rested a hand on Gawain, half afraid that he wouldn't be able to touch the horse. He was still convinced that he would suddenly be unable to touch anything, that he would go back to being an eagle at any minute. It would take a while for him to get over his fear, but Suzaku was sure that he would ever be able to just believe that everything was going to remain the same. He would always be expecting things to change. Suzaku took a deep breath, stepping forward to rest his forehead against Gawain's neck. He leaned against the horse for a while, enjoying the solid proof that he wasn't dreaming. Suzaku only looked up when Lelouch touched his shoulder again.
"We should go."
Suzaku glanced back at the castle, tempted to ask about any other business that Lelouch had. There was no way that they would be allowed to remain, the rumors were too thick. Reminding Lelouch about Nunnally would just slow them down, because Lelouch would want to stay. No matter how much he wanted to stay, they had to leave. There were far safer places to be than Avalon. He gave Gawain a last pat before tipping his head in the direction of the storage sheds. "Let me get Lancelot."
Lelouch rolled his eyes and swung up onto Gawain's back. Suzaku held onto the reins to keep Gawain steady, surprised when Lelouch lowered a hand for him. He stared at it for a moment before accepting the help onto Gawain's back. As expected, he was seated behind Lelouch, Suzaku rolling his eyes before wrapping his arms around Lelouch's waist. "I can go myself."
"Yes, but there are the people to worry about. They'll be in a panic until they are sure we are gone."
Suzaku sighed, dropping his head so that it rested against Lelouch's back. "Just make this quick."
Lelouch didn't answer, urging Gawain into a trot. Suzaku gritted his teeth against the bouncy gait, clinging to Lelouch as they made their way along the alley behind the castle. It wouldn't let out exactly where they had waited the night out, but it would be close enough. Suzaku would have to be quick, but he had the edge in that everything was already packed. The ride down to the main gate wouldn't be too hard. They had managed it once with more guards following them and at night. It would be easier during the day, especially since the guards were spread out searching for them.
They came out from the alley, Suzaku leaning forward as he scanned the courtyard. There were still a few people milling about, but none of them were in the uniform of the guards. He narrowed his eyes, craning his neck to look at the walls. Someone must have ordered them away to search, which meant they had more time than he had originally thought. But getting out through the main gate would be harder, especially if the guards were already in the lower town. He shifted his weight, preparing for a quick dismount as Gawain trotted out into the open.
As soon as they were out of cover, Suzaku slid off of the horse, striking out at a run for the storage sheds. Suzaku heard Gawain stop, not bothering to waste his breath on Lelouch. He would have preferred if his friend had continued for the front gates, it wouldn't take him long to catch up. But Lelouch was probably feeling the same worry that he was, that Suzaku would suddenly become an eagle again if he was gone from sight for too long. Suzaku swallowed and pushed the thought away. The curse was broken and no longer his problem.
He slid into the small space behind the sheds, Lancelot lifting his head as soon as Suzaku appeared. He slowed down when he realized that Lancelot was the only horse there. The only sign that there had been others was the cart. Suzaku darted over to the cart, jumping up into the seat to look inside.
Everything that C.C. had brought along with her was gone, leaving the cage and a few of the rattier blankets. Suzaku sighed and sat back, shaking his head. She must have ridden off as soon as the people had started to spill out of the church, using the crowd to make her escape. He sighed and picked up the blue and gold cloak from the bottom of the cart, slinging it around his shoulders out of habit.
Rivalz was gone as well, probably too far out of their reach at the moment. Suzaku didn't know what had happened to him, but he would make sure that Rivalz was in good hands as soon as he and Lelouch were safely in Nippon. They owed Rivalz more than that.
He jumped down from the cart as the screams started. Suzaku glanced over in the direction of the courtyard before running for Lancelot. He fumbled with the tie, finally getting it undone and throwing the reins over Lancelot's head. He swung up into the saddle, urging the grey into motion before he was fully seated. He could adjust on the run; all that mattered was getting out into the open.
Lancelot responded eagerly to the cue to gallop, skidding a bit on the cobblestones as Suzaku turned him out into the courtyard. He got a glimpse of Lelouch and Gawain, the black horse moving around the crowd of people from the other side. Suzaku raised his hand and waved, the signal getting Lelouch's attention. Lelouch responded with a nod, turning Gawain towards the gate that led to the lower town. There were no guards at the gate, but they were sure to come at the screams.
Suzaku wheeled Lancelot around, pausing when he saw movement in the castle. From where he was sitting, it could be anything, even an archer. He dropped his hand to his sword, not sure what good he could do. Maybe he could buy Lelouch a bit of time to get across the courtyard, but nothing else. Lelouch was the one with the crossbow. He was edging Lancelot over towards the gate when the person stepped out into the light.
Rivalz stared at him for a minute, Milly Ashford coming to stand beside him. So he had managed to get inside of the castle with Nunnally and the others, which meant that one part of their plan had gone off without a hitch. Not wanting to raise a hand or make an obvious sign of greeting, Suzaku just nodded. For a moment, it looked like Rivalz was going to wave back, but then he did the only logical thing for him to do. He pointed towards Suzaku and Lelouch and shouted for the guards.
Suzaku smiled as he kicked Lancelot onward, the grey snorting at the treatment. Rivalz would be fine with three powerful nobles protecting him. He would be able to go back home and resume something like the life he had led before. And, if that didn't work out, he would know where to find them. Suzaku was sure that Lelouch would stop roaming, if only to be closer to Nunnally if anything happened. With the shouts from the courtyard still ringing in his ears, Suzaku leaned forward, giving Lancelot his head.
They followed Lelouch through the streets, Suzaku hearing shouts from the houses as people leaned out of windows to watch. Their presence in their homes explained why the huge crowd hadn't still been gathered. Nunnally had sent them home for their safety and had cleared a way for him and Lelouch. Whether it was intentional or not, Nunnally was helping them. He glanced over his shoulder toward the castle, the closest to thanking her that he could get.
The ride out of Avalon felt shorter than their first escape, especially without the fear that guards would suddenly appear from the shadows. It was only when they reached the area around the gates that the guards started to peer out from between the houses. A few made a mad rush to the gate, but they were too slow for the two horses. The guards jumped out of the way as Gawain and Lancelot pounded past, scrambling for the gates as soon as the horses were clear. The thud of their hooves on the bridge was echoed by the thud of the gate, Suzaku turning back to laugh at the sight of the gates of Avalon shut. They had escaped again and, this time, there would be no one coming after them.
He turned around in time to see Lelouch turn off of the road, heading into the rolling hills that made up the land between Britannia and the border to Nippon. Suzaku wasn't sure if Lelouch was going to take the shortest path to Nippon, risking them without much over or the longer one that led through the forest. Either way, they would end up in Kasagi in a number of days. Either way they would be safe.
Trusting Lancelot to keep his footing, Suzaku turned his face up towards the sun, enjoying the warmth for the first time in two years. He took a deep breath, glancing forward to where Lelouch was ahead of him, smiling fondly as Lelouch looked back. The sunlight was great, but the fact that he would have company on his ride was far better.
No one ventured out of their homes to see the archbishop of Pendragon off. The archbishop himself barely complained of the lack of interest. He assembled his men from the safety of the castle, only venturing out when the party was completed. The most of a send off he got was Nunnally waving from the balcony, in Rivalz's arms again. The archbishop was so distracted that he didn't notice the addition of a strange face in the royal party or the addition of a stranger within his own party.
C.C. tugged the hood of her cloak further up, curling her shoulders in. It was a good enough disguise, because no one would be looking for her. No one would even bother to notice her until they were well on the road. The archbishop was still in too much of a panic, the man at the head of the party muttering prayers under his breath. The guards were equally as useless, in shock with how easily Lelouch and Suzaku had managed to escape.
She smacked the bay's neck as the horse threw up his head, sitting still as the horse calmed down. The bay didn't like the idea of leaving Avalon again, but it was going to have to deal with it. The horse didn't know how to pull a cart and Lancelot was probably halfway to Nippon by now if Lelouch and Suzaku had any sense. Her cart would have to remain behind, one more mystery of the day that the demon invaded Avalon. Everything important was already tucked away in her saddlebags or on Gawain and Lancelot. She trusted the boys to get the books that she had brought with her out of Britannia in a timely manner. Lelouch would just complain about her trick later and C.C. would tune him out, as she usually did. Even the blue roan mare had been delivered to the stables of Avalon, C.C. seeing to it personally that the mare would be put with Milly's horse. Rivalz still had a way to escape if he wanted it, but C.C. had a feeling that he would be remaining behind and she couldn't blame him.
A guard walked past, double checking that all of the bishop's party was in place. It was a weak check as the man spent most of his time looking around the courtyard, like he expected Lelouch and Suzaku to jump out of a shadow. The two were already long gone; having ridden out of the gates late in the morning and it was nearly evening. C.C. questioned the archbishop's choice in leaving so late, but he would be the one suffering in the end. She just needed a way to get out of the town without being noticed. By the time that the bishop was on his way south, she would be taking the road along the river back to Aries Villa. There was too much stuff there just to be left alone. And, maybe, the bay could be taught to pull a cart instead of making a nuisance of himself.
The horse shifted under her, obviously eager to do something other than stand out in the light snow. C.C. smiled and jerked the reins, the bay coming to a stop. They would have to play along until the signal was given to leave, and that wouldn't be too far in coming. No one was really doing their job properly, only making the barest of motions. They all probably thought that Avalon was cursed, and the idea made her laugh.
A shout made her turn her attention away from the guard; C.C. narrowing her eyes at the Avalon guards that were bringing something out from behind the castle. Jeremiah was at the head of the guards, but he didn't pause to speak to the party about to leave, instead walking briskly into the castle. The rest of the guards continued to carry their covered load, heading for the chapel.
Silence fell across the courtyard, as the procession passed them. Even the archbishop stopped his prayers to watch. People leaned out from their horses or dismounted entirely to walk to the edge of the group to get a better look. The guard that had been walking around the group was the only one brave enough to head towards the solemn procession, only getting halfway to them before one of the Avalon guards tripped on an uneven cobblestone.
The thing that they were carrying wobbled before tipping towards the ground, one side of Bishop Calares' corpse sliding out from under the shroud.
The guard yelped and rushed back to the party, C.C. hearing similar expression of surprise. The guards lowered the corpse to the ground, quickly shifting it back into place before throwing the shroud back over it. They worked quickly, but not fast enough to hide the two wounds in Calares' head and chest. C.C. was willing to bet that they had been made by a crossbow at close range, but she had an unfair advantage on everyone else, she knew how Lelouch's mind worked.
Calares' corpse was lifted again, the guards resuming their trek to the chapel to lay the late bishop out. C.C. was sure that the people of Avalon would mourn him properly and then bury him, proclaiming him a hero who had once saved them. And she would laugh at all of them, the ignorant sheep that they were. The irony of the situation was that the very thing that they had feared had been the one to save them, not that Lelouch's intentions had ever been as noble.
She turned around in her saddle, tipping her head up so she could look up at the balcony.
Nunnally had her hands over her mouth, probably shocked by the sight. But Nunnally was tough; she had to have been to rule Avalon this long without being lured into some marriage or arrangement that stripped power from her. For all C.C. knew, the shock could be an act. The idea made her smile. And she had thought that Lelouch was like Marianne, apparently Nunnally was more like her mother than C.C. had realized.
Rivalz noticed her in the next moment. His eyes widened for a moment before he nodded, the only sign that he had seen her. C.C. turned back around, her duty to her traveling companions done. Rivalz had powerful allies; he didn't need the likes of her anymore. And she didn't need the likes of him breathing down her neck. What she wanted to do was disappear for a while, to move through the world without being noticed until she decided that it was time for her to appear again.
At the front of the party, the archbishop was bellowing out a prayer to protect the people of Avalon and to rid the place of the harmful influence of the demon. C.C. chuckled at his efforts. If he had really cared, he would have been walking around and speaking, but the man was still eyeing the shadows. She rolled her eyes and sat back, waiting for the man to finish.
The rest of the party chimed in at the end, the archbishop looking at all of them and giving them a thankful nod. Then he turned his horse, looking up to the balcony where Nunnally was. "I will have a new bishop sent quickly. You will not be kept distant in the face of his tragedy."
C.C. didn't look back to see Nunnally's answer, the archbishop was moving the party forward. The bay didn't even need signaling, the horse walking in step with its neighbor. C.C. adjusted the cloak over her back, wanting to stay as warm as she could while they were moving.
The fact that the group was travelling must have been reassuring, because the people began to talk to each other. C.C. caught a snippet of the conversation going on next to her, listening to a woman complain about the lady of Avalon. She shook her head at the woman's vehemence. Apparently, she wasn't the only one sneaking out with the party and she was glad of her choice to leave the group early. The rest of the party would have to put up with the woman's complaining the entire way to the next house and possibly to the south.
She focused on the road ahead, watching as the people of Avalon peered out of their houses as they passed. A few of them looked like they were muttering prayers under their breath and others were just reaching out to the archbishop. The few conversations that had been started up decreased in volume, probably in deference to what they thought the archbishop would do. Anyone else would have been reassuring the people or repeating the prayer of cleansing all the way to the gate, but the archbishop just ignored them, his entire focus on getting out of Avalon.
Britannians hated magicians for being evil and twisted, but at least the magicians had cared enough for their tribes that they would reassure them that everything was alright. C.C. pitied the Britannians for their silent and distant leaders.
The gates were only opened when the party approached them, and even then only enough for them to file out one at a time. The party slowed, an unruly mess of people and animals as they tried to squeeze through the opening at the same time. C.C. waited at the back, slipping out as the last person in the party.
She turned to watch the gates slide closed, not able to completely as the bay tried to rush back up to where they had been. She checked the horse, shaking his head at him. "Behave Charles."
The horse snorted but settled, walking at an easy pace across the drawbridge.
C.C. smiled to herself, rocking with the motion of the horse. She was behind the party now, just far enough that people wouldn't think her suspicious when they looked back, but at a good distance to slip away when they reached the crossroads and slip apart. Even better, it meant that she wouldn't have to deal with whatever idiotic rumors that were being born. She was sure that there would be more elaborate stories about the demon of the north that would be spread around soon enough and Lelouch wouldn't be happy to hear any of them.
She would just have to be the one to break the news to him.
Pleased with her future plans, C.C. hummed an old song under her breath, matching the rhythm to the steady beat of the bay's hooves against the drawbridge.