Chapter Fifteen: The Long Road Home
"For now is free that once was in bondage;
We may well sing alleluia."
– Alleluia: A newe work, Anonymous
Kaguya watched as the last of her trunks were carried into the mansion, sure that the servants would see it stored safely. Of all of them, she wanted to make sure that the last trunk was handled carefully. Empress Tianzi had been grateful for her company in the weeks before her wedding and had showered her with gifts. Kaguya had done her own shopping in the capital of Zhongguo, and her purchases were stored in the trunk as well. She wanted her trinkets safe so she could remember her time in Zhongguo and the new friend that she had made, despite the distance that was between them.
Sure that the servants had the trunk handled, she turned away, looking down the road through Kasagi. She had looked forward to returning home and to her duties at the shrine, but she regretting having to leave her friend. But there was hope that the empress herself would come down to Kasagi. She had said something about wanting to check over the treaties between Zhongguo and Nippon herself, and Kyoto wasn't more than a few days travel from Kasagi. Kaguya looked forward to having someone else in the mansion other than herself and the servants since her father had all but taken up residence in the capital.
The last she had heard from him, he was nearly buried under all the work he was doing as head of their province. All attempts to find her a husband had gone by the wayside, as she was needed in Kasagi to look after the people in his absence.
Kaguya had put in some effort in Zhongguo to find a husband, in case there needed to be some kind of treaty worked out through marriage when the empress came down, but she had been met with bad luck. Secretly, she was relieved by the thought. While she enjoyed the idea, Kaguya wanted to have a few more years of freedom before she sought out someone to share the load. Privately, Kaguya thought that the empress had managed to catch the one worthy man in the country. Li Xingke was a lucky man, if not a reluctant emperor.
She stretched her arms above her head, trying to work out the cramps in her muscles from being trapped inside of a coach for nearly two weeks. If she had been stuck on the road for a day more, she would have gone crazy. But, they had made good time, far better than their journey to Zhongguo. And, after days of celebration and lying about, she was more than ready to get back to work.
The people of Kasagi would have brought in all of their crops by now and have laid them by for the winter. There had even been snow while she was gone. Kaguya regretted missing the first snows of the season, even if they had barely been enough to cover the ground. But, if she was reading the gathering of clouds right, they were in for another snow storm, and Kaguya could only hope for a good amount of snow. She wanted to be able to play in the snow when it gathered in the gardens; she was still young enough to enjoy that. It also meant that her father would definitely remain in Kyoto, so she would have the house to herself.
The horses and carts were led away to the stables around the side of the house, Kaguya finding herself staring out into the courtyard and the wall around her mansion. What she should do was write a report to her father on how the wedding had gone and how the empress seemed to be leaning towards treating Nippon, but she didn't want to be stuck inside for much longer. There would be plenty of time to write her letter over the next few days if the snow fell. And the shrine was only a few minute's walk away. She hadn't been gone long enough for any damage to be done, nor had she sensed anything wrong with the threads of magic that ran all over the village, but she just wanted to make sure. After all, her constant vigilance was part of the reason that Kasagi was so prosperous.
She glanced back toward the mansion before stepping down into the courtyard. Kaguya took a deep breath of the chilly air, closing her eyes as she reached out for the magic in the area. She did a brief scan, getting a feel for the familiar magic of her home. Everyone in Kasagi showed up as a bright little knot of magic, connected to a thread that led back to the shrine.
Kaguya had talked to the others that had the same power that she did, one that was tied to the land and the care for everyone who lived on the land. They all said that they saw the connections differently, one woman saying they were just lines of color and another that they were individual smells. Kaguya could only guess that she saw her magic as string because she had learned at her mother's feet, and her mother had always been weaving. It had been far easier to imagine connections as the bright colored thread she had seen in her mother's hands than anything else.
It was a relief to have something of her mother, something more tangible than just a picture. Everything else had been stored away by her father or burned to keep the plague from infecting anyone else. Magic was all that Kaguya had left and it was far better than the empty spaces that she had to remember the rest of her family. The next closest thing was a feather that Suzaku had given her, but she couldn't stand to look at it, not after what had happened to her cousin.
Kaguya took another deep breath, letting it out quickly and pushing the thoughts from her mind. She didn't need to be distracted while she untangled the threads or checked on the town from the shrine. She needed to be calm and clear headed; anything else could muddle up her work.
She stepped outside of the gate, leaning against the cold stone and shutting her eyes. Finally calm, she skimmed over the village, checking in on the people.
Everything seemed to be as it had been when she had left. There were a few familiar threads that were completely gone, the elderly who had died while she was away, and a few that were completely new to her, the few babies that had been expected. It was the normal pattern, even with the minor adjustments. Kaguya made a mental note to find out who had died and who had been born so she could make her rounds in the village. As the one to look after them, it was her duty to go among them as well. It was something that her father had never quite understood. Then again, her magic was considered to be woman's magic. Very few men bothered to try and understand.
Kaguya stepped away from the wall, walking at a brisk pace to the shrine. She couldn't be gone long, not without the servants worrying for her. It was getting dark early now, and people might start to get desperate. No one could tell who would come over from Britannia and what they would do while in a foreign country. The winter wasn't quite far enough along or harsh enough that stealing would start, but the servants of the mansion always worried for her. They were almost family, but the divide between them meant that Kaguya could never quite relax.
She glanced up at the sky, calculating the amount of time before sunset. She could stay at the shrine for an hour before she would have to leave to return home. An hour would have her returning in time for dinner and far enough ahead of the sunset that the servants wouldn't worry. Besides, she had her trinkets to unpack and to make sure that her things were in their proper place.
As she got closer to the shrine, Kaguya did a quick sweep to check on the connections back to the shrine. The magic didn't really all lead back to the shrine, but it was an easy place to have a sink for all of the connections. Everyone in Kasagi visited the shrine, so it was easy to find traces of people there. The shrine was also on a bit of a hill, allowing her to see most of the village and her own mansion. If she edged around to the back of the shrine, she could even see the forests that surrounded Kasagi. When she had been little, she had been sure she could see all the way over into Britannia, but she had grown too old for that belief.
It didn't stop her from heading to the back of the shrine when she arrived. Kaguya pressed herself against the wooden building, staring out into the woods. After a moment, she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of her home surrounding her. She never felt safer than when she was tangled in the threads of magic that made up Kasagi.
Her eyes snapped open when she felt two more threads approaching, both of them coming up the old path that ran up to the back of the shrine.
No one in Kasagi used the path, not since the plague. The houses there had been burned as a precaution and no one passed through that section of the village anymore, even if they knew that the plague was gone. There were rumors that the place was haunted, even though Kaguya had been through the areas many times before and declared it fine. The only other people that used the path were travelers, but most people avoided crossing the border that ran through the forest, they preferred the open roads that made defending themselves from bandits much easier.
She stared down the path before beginning to back around to the front of the shrine. Kaguya reached out for something to defend herself with, her hand closing around a stick. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. The stick was thick enough to be a good defense against a sword twice, if she was lucky. By that time, Kaguya would have come up with something better, even if it was as simple as running into the shrine and locking herself in. The servants would come looking for her eventually, and she was sure that any bandits wouldn't want to waste time with prey that was too hard to catch.
Kaguya tightened her grip on the stick, stepping out in front of the shrine and pressing her back against the door. She could hear voices as the people came up the trail, relaxing a bit. Bandits wouldn't be advertising their presence so close to a village, so there was a good chance that these were just travelers who had taken the usual way across the border.
She took a deep breath and stepped out from her hiding place, leaning the stick up against the railing. Kaguya mentally rehearsed a quick welcome speech, waiting for the moment when they appeared out of the woods.
At the first sign of movement, she stepped forward to greet them, the smile sliding off her face as she stared at the two men. Kaguya was sure that her mouth dropped open, but she was too busy staring at her cousin who was sitting on the back of a horse in the light of day; which wasn't possible.
Suzaku had told her about his curse when he and Lelouch had first run across the border. He was an eagle during the day and a human at night, while Lelouch was a wolf at night and a human during the day. Suzaku himself said that there had been no way to break the curse, so the man in front of her was just an imposter. Or they had finally found someone who could help them.
Unsure of which idea to believe, Kaguya stepped forward, reaching for the reins of the grey. "Suzaku?"
"Kaguya!" Suzaku narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing out here?"
"Checking on the village." She reached up to slap his leg. "What are you doing?"
"Running." The answer came with a wince, Suzaku looking over his shoulder. Her cousin swallowed and looked back down at her. "We finally killed Calares."
"And that broke the curse?"
"Yes."
She could tell by the response that it wasn't the whole story, but they weren't in the right place to hear the whole story. Kaguya couldn't imagine that Suzaku would allow her to drag all of the details out while they stood by the shrine. In any case, it would be bad manners on her part. Suzaku was obviously exhausted, as was his companion. And their horses were in no better shape; both animals were muddy and nearly falling asleep where they stood. Obviously, the two had been running for a long time.
Kaguya bit her lip and let go of the reins of the horse, stepping back from the two. "Were you followed?"
Suzaku shook his head. "We went through the forest for that reason."
She nodded, glancing down at Kasagi. Her village was safe, which meant that she could invite them to her house without worrying about her home. Suzaku was family, even if he had been distant for most of her life. Of course, the curse was part of that reason, but now that wasn't a problem for him that she knew of. Kaguya rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them up. "Well, you and your friend will be welcome with me until you're ready to leave. I suggest you stay for the winter though, it looks like you need the rest."
"Thanks." Suzaku smiled at her, distracted briefly as the other man swayed in the saddle. He reached out to steady him, pushing the man back into place. Suzaku whispered something to him, too low for Kaguya to hear. The man just nodded and kicked his black horse. The horse snorted and walked down the path, Suzaku watching the two of them and shaking his head.
Kaguya glanced between Suzaku and the man, stepping to the side to allow Suzaku to follow. She fell into step by the grey horse's shoulder, leaning slightly against the horse as they walked. She paid close attention to Suzaku, expecting him to disappear any moment. She didn't know what method had been used or what Suzaku had done to break the curse, but she could see it was gone. The yellow threads that had been wrapped around him were completely gone, just leaving his reassuring presence. Kaguya smiled to herself, looking up at the man that was riding in front of them. "Is that Lelouch?"
"Yes."
"You know you'll have to tell me all about him, right?"
"Yes." His answer was accompanied by a long sigh, Kaguya nearly laughing. In retaliation, Suzaku leaned over and rested a hand on her head. When they were younger, the action would have immediately been followed by Suzaku ruffling her hair roughly until she screamed at him to stop. He didn't do it now, but the threat was still there.
Kaguya pushed his hand away, resisting the urge to hold it. She wasn't a little kid any longer, and Suzaku didn't need her comfort. She could see for herself that he was here, that he was solid, and that was good enough for her. She hadn't been the one to find a way to break his curse, but she could help him through the end by giving him a place to stay until the winter was over or he was ready to travel again. It was the least that she could do and it gave her the perfect chance to find out everything about what was going on over the border.
But, from the look of the two of them, they were about ready to fall out of their saddles. Kaguya pursed her lips, rethinking her plan. She would let the two of them sleep and eat first before pushing for information. It would give her the time she needed to make sure that everything had been unpacked and stored away properly as well as seeing to their rooms. She would figure out how she was going to tell her father that she would have guests for the winter later.
It was strange being home again.
Rivalz stared at the houses in Ashingford, half expecting to be pelted with stones. Instead, the people just stared at him, not that he could blame them. He was riding back into Ashingford at Milly's side, a position usually reserved for important people. He was just a criminal, formally accused of stealing. The charges of magic had been found false, and Milly had assured him that she would challenge the man who had put the charges forward, but the people of Ashingford would never forget.
He swallowed and ducked his head, not able to meet the stares of the people. It was all well and good for Milly to say that she was willing to forgive him for his crime and for Nunnally to pardon him, but it meant nothing if the people didn't accept it. Suddenly, he wished that he had ridden after Lelouch and Suzaku. Wherever they were, they wouldn't have to deal with the open stares that he was getting. Rivalz was sure that he wasn't going to be able to sleep at night; half expecting to be dragged out and killed for the false charge.
He was so distracted that he almost rode right past Milly, struggling to pull his mare up before he went past her. Rivalz turned to look at Milly, surprised to see her looking angry. She dismounted from her horse, Rivalz quick to snatch up the reins. He might have been riding next to her, but he was still below her, it was his job to hold the horses.
Milly didn't seem to notice, she just walked toward the crowd of people that gathered and pointed at one man. "You."
The man didn't flinch, he just glared at her. "My lady?"
"You were the one who accused Rivalz Cardemonde of stealing?"
"Yes." The man glanced up at Rivalz. "And I'm still waiting to see him punished for that crime."
"That will come. But you also accused him of magic."
The man shifted nervously. "Did I?"
"We have a record of your accusation. And why else would Rivalz have gone to Avalon in the first place, seeing as we don't hang witches here?" Milly gestured to the open square they were in. The people followed her motion, turning back to the man as soon as Milly did. She smiled and took a step forward, the man stepping back. "And you can't try to hide it, because Lady Nunnally knows of your accusation and the lack of evidence. For that, Rivalz was nearly hanged for a crime he did not commit and he spent his time running away from the guards of Avalon, who would have killed him on your lie."
"But," the man looked around, searching for help, "he was with the demon. People saw him."
"Was he? Or was he just in another kind of captivity?" Milly shook her head. "In any case, Lady Nunnally has pardoned him for his crimes, and that was before we knew that you had lied. But I have decided that he should still be punished. He will work for me directly and all of his wages will go to your family until he has paid back the amount he has stolen. It will make up for what they will lose. Arrest him."
Rivalz flinched as the guards that had accompanied them back, the few that they had picked up on the road, dismounted and surrounded the man. He ducked his head, not meeting the man's gaze as the guards hauled him away. Rivalz understood why Milly had made a spectacle of the event, now no one would try to accuse others of magic without the proper justification, but he was sure that the people would hate him for getting away so easily. Then again, he would essentially be paying the man's family to make up for what he had done. Maybe their hatred would be forgotten in time.
Milly walked back over, taking the reins from him and swinging up onto her horse. She glanced over at him, looking him over. "You'll report to the castle at the normal time, but come find me directly. Understand?"
"Yes my lady."
She turned away from him, leading the group toward the castle. Rivalz followed, dropping back into his place beside her. He kept his eyes on his mare's mane until he felt Milly reach over and tap his shoulder. Only then did he dare look up at her.
All of Milly's rage and anger was gone, the Milly he knew and loved back in place. She smiled at him, clearly expecting him to smile back. Rivalz tried, but couldn't manage it, looking at the people instead. "Thank you but…will it work?"
"It should. The official papers should be coming from Avalon within the next few days and they will be copied and put on the church doors. Those that can read will understand. Knowing that, what I did was fair." She looked him over. "But it would be better if they thought that you were taken by the demon against your will."
He wanted to protest that it wasn't true, but he knew that no one would accept his story otherwise. As it was, he didn't think that Nunnally would understand what had really happened to her brother, and she and Lelouch had been close. One little truth wouldn't do anything to help Lelouch and Suzaku; the people preferred to have their demon and Lelouch was too far away to be touched by their hatred. Lelouch would have probably encouraged him to lie in the situation as well, a little bit of repayment for dragging Rivalz around the countryside and having him infiltrate Avalon again. Rivalz would do it to get his life back, but he would set the record straight eventually, maybe before he died.
There might be some good to a little bit of truth floating out in the world. After all, what was the harm of one person knowing that Lelouch wasn't the evil creature that the rumors made him out to be?
He looked up, staring at the castle. Before he could guide his mare away, Milly reached out for him, holding onto his arm. "You can keep her here. I don't think my family will mind. You'll need a horse to ride if you want to keep up with me."
"I…I thought I would be a steward."
"I don't think there's an official name for your position." Milly shrugged. "You're my right hand man, and that's about it. If I could get the emperor to recognize you as a knight, I would. It would be helpful to have someone who understood the people helping me with them."
Rivalz stared at her, surprised that she would offer a knighthood so easily. Even if it never came about, the offer was astounding. She couldn't know him that well, and she was ready to offer him a title. If he failed, it would reflect badly on her, titled or not. Rivalz cleared his throat. "Why?"
She glanced over at him, obviously confused as she worked at the question. "Because I can? No. Because I owe you something. I was willing to just let you go, because it wasn't my business, but that's not the way I should think. So I owe you twice, once for our failure to realize that the charge of magic was false and again for making me act. Also, I think you could do great things if given the chance."
Before he got a chance to thank her, Milly slid off her horse. Rivalz followed suit, surprised when there were stable boys already there to take his mare. He glanced at the reins in his hand, remembering the days when it had been his job to take horses to the stables. Rivalz patted the mare on the neck before handing her over, standing in place so he could see Milly when the two horses were led away. "Milly-"
"Don't thank me now; you've been doing that enough. Show me how grateful you are." She winked at him as she stepped back. "I'll see you early in the morning and we'll discuss your duties. For now, I think there's someone you should see."
She turned and walked off, the guards that had arrested his accuser following quickly. Rivalz stepped out of their way, avoiding the man's gaze as he was hauled past. Even when the guards were gone, he remained in the courtyard, watching as the rest of the party dismounted and handed their horses over. He couldn't get past the feeling that he should be helping the stable boys or going after Milly. There were still too many things about their arrangement that he didn't understand, and Rivalz didn't think he would be able to just let them be for a night. He needed to know what he was getting himself into. But he couldn't do either, he just stood in the courtyard until the party was completely broken up and all the horses were being led away.
With nothing but an empty courtyard to stare at, Rivalz turned and walked away from the castle.
He trudged through the town, soaking in the sounds of Ashingford, trying to familiarize himself with them again. Once he would have ignored most of them completely, but now most of them had him jumping. It wasn't the quiet of the country or the mountains, or even the quiet of the road. Rivalz was more used to the sounds of a horse snorting, a wolf howling or an eagle screeching than the sounds of his own home. It was enough to make him almost regret his deal. But it was everything he ever wanted, and he was not going to back down on that. He was just scared and he wanted to run, which would solve nothing for him.
Rivalz took a deep breath and walked faster, taking the familiar route home. He would adjust to life in Ashingford again; it was what he had to do. What had happened with Lelouch and Suzaku had been amazing, but it wasn't meant to last. Rivalz didn't think that he could have survived living their life, even when he was the one who wasn't transforming. It was a life of jumping at every sound and moving constantly so that they would never be caught. That kind of life would wear anyone down, like it had Lelouch and Suzaku. While the idea of running seemed like a safe haven, Rivalz didn't think he could keep it up forever.
He turned a corner, counting the houses as he made his way down the street. At the fifth one, he stopped, staring at the door. While on the run, all he could think about was coming back home. Now, all he could think about was running. It was strange and confusing, something that Rivalz had never had to deal with before his life had become a mess. He took a deep breath, reaching forward and resting his hand on the door. All it would take was a little push. Or all it would take was for him to turn around and walk away.
Rivalz stared at the door for a long moment before muttering a curse and shoving the door open with more force than was needed. He had ridden with the demon of the north, evaded Jeremiah Gottwald, the Avalon guard, a trapper and death by ice. He had not only escaped from Avalon but had snuck back in without being noticed. The idea of being able to stay in one place was not about to defeat him.
From inside the house, he could hear a familiar clacking as his mother worked on her weaving. He stood in the doorway, just listening to a sound that he associated with home and relaxing. Rivalz closed his eyes and leaned against the doorframe, letting the sensation of home and safety sink into him.
This was nothing to be afraid of; this was something to be cherished. He had done the impossible and made it home; far better than anyone else in his position in the stories had done. Of all of the heroes, all of the innocents and warriors, he was the one who had made it home.
The clacking stopped, Rivalz abruptly opening his eyes as he heard footsteps. He pushed away from the doorframe as he mother walked out from the small divider that separated her work area from the rest of the home.
"Who's there?"
He waited until she turned to look at the open door to wave. "Hello Mom."
She stared at him for a moment, Rivalz not daring to look away. This was the moment when she rejected him or chased him out, and he wouldn't blame her for it. He had heard the original rumors about the demon, the ones with him added in were bound to be just as bad or worse. Whether or not it was true, he would have the stigma hanging over his head for the rest of his days and his mother would have to deal with that as well. It was her choice to let his back in or not.
He wasn't able to hide his flinch as she started toward him, his mother hesitating for a moment before rushing over to him. Rivalz grunted as she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. "Rivalz!"
"Yeah. It's me."
"I thought you would never come back." She pressed her face against his shoulder, Rivalz feeling her shake in his arms. "Lady Milly promised that she would get you back, but I didn't think it was possible. And then the rumors came and-"
"Lies," Rivalz had to force the word out. He swallowed and looked at the ceiling, letting out his breath in a long sigh. "It was a lie. I was just dragged along. I just wanted to get home, so I went along. But I promise, I didn't do anything bad."
She pulled away to look at him, patting his cheek. "I couldn't believe the rumors, not when they were talking about my boy. You couldn't do any of the things they said they did. You can't do magic."
"I still can't." Rivalz reached up to hold her hand. "I don't know the first thing about it."
"Good." She tried to smile at him, Rivalz watching the expression waver. She looked away, staring at the floor. "You will be staying, right?"
"Yes." He laughed. "Yes. Lady Milly has offered me a job and the only stipulation is that my wages will go first to the family of the man that I stole from. Then the rest will be ours."
His mother nodded. "Fair. Very fair. But there's nothing else that I'd expect from Milly Ashford."
She laughed, Rivalz loving the sound. He had thought he would never hear the sound again. His mother was happy and she wasn't going to kick him out. He was going to stay, get the chance to work for Milly, to get closer to her. Maybe there was a chance that she would love him back, although Rivalz wasn't sure if that miracle would happen. In any case, he would get what he wanted. And, maybe, the lie would get easier; he would be able to say that Lelouch had taken him prisoner without flinching.
Or maybe that was another miracle that would never happen.
He held his mother's hand, squeezing it gently. She returned the squeeze, leading him over to the table. Rivalz allowed himself to be led, glancing around the house. Nothing had changed, and that was soothing. He felt himself relax, sitting down in his old chair. His mother sat across from him, as she always had, leaning a bit on the table like she had always told not to do. She stared at him, like she was trying to memorize everything about him, like he was going to disappear again.
Rivalz shivered and reached out and took her hand, holding it gently between his own. He wanted to promise that he wouldn't just disappear again, but he could never be sure. Anything he promised would sound like a lie to him anyway. Instead, he just squeezed her hand again, trying to convey that he was happy to be home and that he would try his best to never leave again. And, from the way that his mother smiled, she understood.
Lady Nunnally vi Britannia,
I have received your letter and have heard of the events that occurred at Avalon. The archbishop has stopped close to my family's land and the news spread from there. It's true what they say about bad news spreading quickly. But, seeing as the danger of the demon is over, my family cannot offer you our support to capture the demon. That being said, I don't believe that simply having the demon leave Avalon is enough to be sure that he is dead. I will only believe it when I see the body.
My mother has always spoken well of Lady Marianne and, ever since your letter came, has been talking about how she missed Avalon. Apparently, your mother and mine were quite the explorers when they were younger. From one of the old storerooms, my mother unearthed a drawer filled with bits of stone that were from the old villas that are falling apart in the mountains. She's been pushing to visit Avalon now that it has been declared safe and I must say that I am interested in seeing the woman who managed to save an entire town from the demon of the north.
I hope this letter will get to you far before we do, for my mother plans to move immediately after the spring comes. She had hoped for a surprise visit, but I will have to ruin that for her. After the ruckus of the past few months, if the archbishop is truly to be believed, you deserve the time to prepare for our arrival. On my mother's part, she will probably want to visit her old haunts, but I will wait to discuss business until then. I promise that I will have talked to my father on what can and cannot be done, although I doubt he will refuse you much. After all, Lady Marianne was very supportive in our rise into this position, and it is only right that we help her daughter.
Even with the danger gone, I'm sure we can be a help to each other.
Graciously,
Rolo Haliburton
Nunnally stared at the letters splayed across the table, wanting to scream. Of course they would start arriving now, just when she was busy with other things. She was halfway through with her drafts to Nippon and Circassia, when the replies from the five families that she had asked for support were coming in. At least most of them didn't need replies, but she still had to read them carefully and then she felt obliged to send them her thanks. They were taking a gamble on her after all, a young girl who was tucked up in the north. She could decide to be content with her lot or to ignore what had happened to her father and try to start her own country. Her attempt to open trade further was the neighboring countries would look like that, unless Schneizel got back to her with his assessment of the situation; which would just mean more letters.
She scrubbed a hand over her face, looking across the table to the empty chair. She had sent Euphemia away earlier, urging her cousin to have fun. It was what Euphemia had come to Avalon for, a fun visit with her and Nunnally was spending most of it stuck either in her solar or the war room; the latter of which was rapidly becoming her work room. The season was still young, but there was so much to do looming ahead of her. She had letters to write, people to look after, reports from Jeremiah to look over and Calares' funeral to organize.
The bishop would be buried in the cemetery at the back of the church, close to the family mausoleum in recognition of the service that he had done while in Avalon. Nunnally hadn't wanted to argue the point, no matter what her own thoughts on the man were. The people saw him as a martyr, bravely defending Avalon against the attack of their worst nightmare, so Nunnally would give him a burial fit for a hero. It would please the people, and it was something that Lelouch would do. But Nunnally doubted that he would be able to swallow his pride on Calares' account. He was the one that had killed the bishop after all.
Nunnally shivered, remembering the two wounds in Calares' head and chest. He had to have done something truly horrible to Lelouch for her brother to attack like that. One would have been enough, but Lelouch had been enraged enough to fire twice. It called into question everything she had been told about Lelouch, but it gave her no answers. The only one that she could count on for that was Rivalz, and he was gone to Ashingford. Nunnally doubted that he would tell her anything at the moment; he needed time to adjust to the fact that he would be accepted back into his old life. And Nunnally doubted that she was ready to hear the story.
After years of thinking that her brother was a criminal, if not a murderer, she wasn't ready to just change her mind so suddenly. She would let the little clues accumulate until they couldn't be ignored. It would give her time to come to terms with the fact that she had been lied to and it would give her time to get through most of the work that was sitting in front of her.
She rested her chin in her hand, pushing the papers around on the table as she allowed her mind to go blank. It was the closest to a break she would allow herself. She would get a few minutes of rest before she started to put everything in order. The replies could wait for another day or so, Calares' funeral could not.
Nunnally jerked upright at a knock on the door, smiling when Jeremiah walked into the room. The captain hadn't waited to be called in, a hold over from when they had been working closely to capture the demon. She was sure that Jeremiah would fall back to the proper order of etiquette as soon as he considered Avalon safe. Nunnally was sure that it wouldn't take more than a few days, considering how weary Jeremiah looked. He must have been using his free time to ride out with the guard to search for Lelouch and Suzaku. Nunnally cleared her throat and stared at the captain. "Report."
"The last of the guard has come in from the mountains." Jeremiah looked longingly at one of the chairs, Nunnally vaguely motioning towards it. He sank down into the chair, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. Even with the short moment of repose, he didn't stop his report. "Apparently they searched the villas that they could find, but there was nothing. The demon didn't cut back north once he hit the border, so there's no telling where he went by now. The men did find some interesting things, old things that might be worth cleaning up and selling. It would give some life and business to Stowden and Beststone, if you and the Ashfords are interested."
Nunnally just hummed, turning the idea over in her head. If there was anything in the old villas worth selling, she would take it. It would be something to entice the new trade lines into motion, but it would also keep some of the villagers busy when the snows started to clear. She didn't want them sneaking off into the mountains or the forests in search for the demon. Now that he had escaped twice, Nunnally was sure that the price on her brother's head would go up, and she didn't need to be adding any more dead bodies to her brother's reputation. The foolish young men of the town could find something equally as dangerous to occupy their time.
She drummed her fingers on the table, leaning forward. "What about your own searches?"
Jeremiah sighed, staring down at the table. "I've ridden as far as the Wyre Forest myself, but we found nothing. Considering the current state of affairs in the south, I didn't cross the border, but I don't think the demon would have remained in Britannia."
"Neither do I. And you've done well."
He grumbled, probably angry that he didn't have the cause to charge into Nippon. Nunnally knew that Jeremiah would, given the chance, but the affairs in the south were holding him back. It would do them no good to be fighting on two fronts if it came to that. And they both know that Emperor Vincent would never help them if they instigated a war, it would just look like Nunnally was trying to pick up where her father had left off. It was better to retreat for now and hope that someone would tell them Lelouch's location out of the goodness of their heart, something Nunnally doubted.
Jeremiah sighed, rubbing at his eyes. "There's a small group still searching the border, but I don't think they'll turn anything up, but those are the last ones out. With the last I heard of them, they will probably return within the week."
"I think we will be safe enough to give them a few days off when they return." Nunnally smiled, knowing that Jeremiah would probably fight her over the idea in the morning. He believed that they could still be under attack, that the demon would appear again and try to kill her, something Nunnally doubted very much.
Lelouch was gone, and he would be staying that way. For whatever reason, he had just come to kill Calares, something that Nunnally was almost happy for. While she couldn't bring herself to celebrate the man's death, it was a good thing that he was gone. Now she didn't feel as threatened or as weak as she once had.
She shuffled her papers around, trying to get them into an order that she could deal with them later. "In the meantime, we will need an honor guard for Calares' funeral. I think everyone has had their time to say their prayers over the body and it's long past the time he should be buried. I don't want him staying around as a reminder of what happened here."
Jeremiah nodded, waking up a bit at the prospect of work. "I will have a few of the younger recruits ready by the church tomorrow."
"Good." Nunnally paused. "Just make sure that they're polished and look the part. I don't want Calares' family hearing that we gave him an improper send off. An angry family is the last thing that we need."
He stood and bowed, Nunnally keeping the smile on her face until he left the room. Then she reached up to smother a yawn. The funeral was already planned, the priests at the church helping on that account. Of course, only one of them would be remaining after the affair was finished. The other one was leaving as soon as possible, wanting to get away from what he considered a cursed town. To Nunnally's relief, most of Avalon felt surprised and shocked rather than agreeing with the priest. They had all heard that the archbishop had cleansed the place, which meant that they were safe from the demon. Nunnally was sure that she could get the remaining priest to say the rites over again with everyone present to calm any last fears. In fact, it could probably be added at the end of the funeral as Calares' last gift to the people he had watched over. Everyone would be pleased with that.
With the arrangements finally settled, Nunnally stretched her arms over her head. It was getting late and it would be better for her to go to bed instead of staying up all night to get work done. There was a good chance that she would be able to go out riding with Euphemia tomorrow, considering that she was waiting on a reply from Schneizel to continue her work. A day off for a funeral wouldn't hurt, nor would a day after for mourning. The most she could do at the moment was send off a round of replies to the families, thanking them for their support and interest; nothing that would be binding but a show of gratitude. And that would hardly take her an hour. Nunnally was getting very good and writing quick notes.
Nunnally dug through her pile of papers, taking out the letters and looking them over. She started with the one she had just received, the one that required the most attention since Lady Haliburton had decided to revisit her old friend's home. Nunnally reached for new paper, dipping her pen in ink before beginning to write.
Lord Rolo Haliburton,
It is good to know that the archbishop has made it away from Avalon safely and fast enough to beat the snow that he so dislikes. As for the news that he is spreading, I haven't heard a single word of it. I assume that it is the full truth, but I wouldn't be surprised if he is prone to exaggeration. I often have to stop myself from drawing out the events and simply sticking to the facts. It was a whirlwind of a happening and the truth may be stretched through no fault of the teller.
As for the demon, the captain of my guards has reported that there are no signs of him. He has disappeared as mysteriously as he reappeared. For that, I am grateful because it means that we won't have to suffer under a winter of fear.
In any case, with the threat being gone, I would be more than happy to welcome both you and your mother to Avalon, but you have the right of it. The snows will come soon and then I can't imagine that you and your mother would find Avalon anything other than dull. If you wait until mid spring, perhaps, I will be able to show you Avalon in her full glory as she is meant to be seen. And, while I know nothing of the old villas in the mountains, I am sure that there are plenty of people who would be willing to show us around. Maybe your mother will agree to be our guide in her old haunts.
I must inform you though, that I did not save anyone from the demon. It was all due to the brilliant handling of the situation by my guards and the late Bishop Calares. I merely stood as a figurehead and frequent listener. Still, I am gracious for your offer of help and find myself looking forward to your visit.
Nunnally vi Britannia.
Suzaku stared at the ceiling of his room, listening to the sounds of night settling in. He swallowed, pulling his arm out from under the covers and staring at it. This was something he was used to, the way he looked in the dark. Staying awake through the night was something he was also used to, although on their ride out of Britannia he and Lelouch had just slept when they were too tired to go on. Neither of them had been willing to fall back into their usual pattern, because it was a reminder of the curse. Still, it was a big adjustment to start sleeping at night again. And then there was the nagging feeling in the back of Suzaku's mind that something was wrong.
He kicked off the covers, glancing around the room before tiptoeing across the tatami mats toward the door. Suzaku froze in the middle of the room, listening to the soft sound of voices as the servants went about the last of their tasks. He hesitated, his eyes following the small light that one carried. No one could see him in the room, a fact that made some of the unease go away.
Even when he was sure that he was safe, Suzaku couldn't relax. Kasagi was still close to Britannia, just a few miles to the part of the border that was not covered in forest. It was the farthest Lelouch would go now that he was free of the curse, Suzaku was sure of it. Nunnally may have rejected Lelouch, but he was going to stay close to her in case of trouble.
But that was the problem.
Some villager might think that they were doing their duty by reporting them to the Britannians. After all, Kasagi was closer to Britannia than Kyoto. One of Kaguya's servants could turn them in, thinking that they were doing their mistress a favor. With that possibility looming, Suzaku couldn't bring himself to relax his guard and he couldn't just fall asleep without checking on Lelouch.
Thankfully, Kaguya had placed them in rooms with a door between them. Suzaku didn't want to be sneaking through the halls of an unfamiliar house. He didn't know the mansion at all, save for the way in and out of Kaguya's rooms from over the wall. Stuck on the other side, he was completely clueless. Suzaku was sure that the servants would talk, they always would, but he didn't want them whispering about him for a while yet. They were guests and Suzaku wanted to stay in the good graces of everyone in the house, not to be thought as a wild reprobate.
He waited for the light to disappear, the servants finally heading off to bed. Only then did he move, Suzaku glancing around the room for trouble, more out of habit than anything else. Then he walked over to the door, wincing at the loud creak that the boards gave under him.
Suzaku froze, staring at the room next door before rolling his eyes. There was no need to sneak around Lelouch; his friend was either awake or asleep. He was just ducking in to check if Lelouch was still there as he was meant to be or if everything that they had gone through was a dream. Suzaku was sure that, one day, they would adjust to the change well enough that they would stop having to check on each other, fully expecting to see an eagle or a wolf instead of a human. He just didn't know when.
The door opened without a sound, much to Suzaku's relief. He slipped through the small opening, closing the door behind him as he glanced around the room. It was exactly like his own; expect that Lelouch had tucked his own weapons out of sight along with his saddlebags while Suzaku had kept all of his things close to his bed, in case they needed to run again. Suzaku was sure that Lelouch had gone as far as unpacking, which meant that he intended to stay. It would take a few more weeks before Suzaku was comfortable enough for that.
Reassured that the room was clear, Suzaku stepped away from the door, making his way over to where Lelouch was curled up. The covers were nearly pulled up over his head, making Lelouch a bulky shadow in the darkness. Suzaku frowned, glancing back at his room before sneaking over.
He had hoped that he would be able to see Lelouch and then go back to sleep without ever waking Lelouch up. He didn't want to have to explain why he still felt the need to check, and Lelouch wouldn't take the excuse that Suzaku was just doing his job by guarding him. Suzaku was no long captain of the guards, beyond that they weren't connected to Avalon anymore. He wasn't even Lelouch's knight, just a boy from Nippon who had happened to get swept up in the games that nobles played. And Lelouch wouldn't hesitate to remind him of any of that. Lelouch would push until Suzaku was forced to give an answer that he thought Lelouch would like, because there was no real answer that he was aware of, just an underlying feeling that something was wrong that nagged at him until he had to check on Lelouch.
Suzaku crouched by Lelouch's head, hesitating for a moment before pulling back the covers just enough to see Lelouch's face. He sighed and sunk to his knees when he saw that Lelouch was still human. For another night, they were safe.
He went to pull the covers back up when Lelouch woke up, his friend panicking and grabbing onto his hand. Suzaku rocked slightly as he felt Lelouch try to push him backward, Lelouch fumbling through one of the defensive moves that Suzaku had taught him when they were younger. Lelouch was too tangled in the covers and not steady enough to knock Suzaku over. Then again, Lelouch had never been able to knock him over when they had practiced; Suzaku had just pretended to be pushed over so Lelouch wouldn't get angry at him.
He braced himself against the floor, letting Lelouch struggle against him. Lelouch would wake up properly soon enough, and Suzaku didn't want to make the situation worse by getting Lelouch's sense of dignity involved. Any quiet exit that Suzaku had hoped to make would be gone if that happened.
Lelouch flailed onto his side, stopping his attempts to push Suzaku over for another approach. He pushed himself up onto one elbow and stared at him, taking a while to realize who was kneeling by his side. Lelouch groaned and flopped back down, letting go of Suzaku's wrist. "Now? It's some ungodly hour in the morning."
"I know. I was trying not to wake you up, but you decided to ruin that." He got a huff in response, Lelouch burying back under the blankets. Suzaku sat back on his heels, staring at the floor. "I couldn't sleep."
"And you decided that I had to be up for it?"
"I thought you would be a wolf again."
That got Lelouch's attention, his friend peeking out from under the covers. Lelouch glanced around the room before throwing back the covers entirely and crossing his legs. "It's been days."
"I know. But nightmares seem to last for days on end."
"This isn't a nightmare, it worked." Lelouch gestured at himself, sighing when Suzaku didn't say anything. "We've gotten enough proof to see that the curse is broken, and it won't be coming back. Britannian magic doesn't work like that. We're free; we can do anything we want."
"But you'll still sneak into my room before sunrise and watch, just in case." Suzaku could tell he was right by the sharp intake of breath from Lelouch. He shook his head, letting his shoulders slump. "That isn't freedom, Lelouch. It's waiting for something to go wrong, and I don't want to have to do this for the rest of my life. I thought I would be able to sit through a sunset without worrying when the curse was broken, but I still can't. If this is the alternative that we were waiting for, why did we bother to break the curse in the first place?"
Suzaku was aware that his voice had risen above a whisper, managing to rein in his shout at the last minute. He didn't need Kaguya to come running to see him; they were imposing on her enough. He ducked his head, embarrassed that he had let his control slip so much. Lelouch didn't need to know about all his doubts, his friend had his own to deal with. And, knowing Lelouch, he would try to find a way around their problems without telling Suzaku.
He didn't realize he was shaking until he felt Lelouch rest a hand against his shoulder. It lingered there for a moment before shifting to rest against his cheek.
Suzaku jumped at the contact, his first instinct to move away, but Lelouch just followed. Lelouch settled on the floor, resuming his position and keeping his hand on Suzaku's cheek. For a moment, it looked like Lelouch was going to give Suzaku one of his speeches, but Lelouch just shook his head. "Because we'll get better."
"How can you be sure?"
Lelouch scooted closer, Suzaku allowing the movement this time. "What do you want from me Suzaku, a lie, the truth or a plan? I can lie to you, but you hate that. I've told you the truth and you don't want to accept it. There's no plan this time, Suzaku. I never thought that I would make it out of Avalon and you know it. So we're left with what we are, which isn't much anymore." Suzaku smiled at that, surprised when Lelouch moved his hand, trailing his fingertips against Suzaku's lips. "No titles, no ties to the past, just what we've always been."
"What have we always been?" Suzaku swallowed, trying to ignore the sensation of Lelouch's fingers against his lips as he spoke. "Because I don't remember a time when we weren't defined by all of that."
"Then we figure it out. There, you have your plan. We wait and we continue to check on each other at obnoxious times at night. One day, we'll figure it out. Maybe by then we'll have stopped checking on each other." Lelouch pulled his hand away, Suzaku reacting before he had properly thought his action through.
He held onto Lelouch's hand, staring down at it. There were many things that he wanted to do, that he was tempted to do. It had been two years since he had seen Lelouch, and Lelouch had said there was nothing tying them to their pasts anymore. But Suzaku knew that it was a lie. Lelouch wouldn't leave Kasagi without knowing that Nunnally would be safe for the rest of her life, and Suzaku would never be able to forgive himself for killing his father, he knew that much. There would always be something to keep them stuck to the past. Even faced with nothing but freedom from their old responsibilities, Suzaku couldn't do anything, not with the heavy knot of worry still hanging in his stomach. They were still trapped by the curse.
Suzaku closed his eyes, dipping his head and pressing a kiss to Lelouch's knuckles. It was the most he could do at the moment; the only thing he could do that explained what was running through his head.
When he opened his eyes, Lelouch was giving him a pained look. Suzaku swallowed and dropped Lelouch's hand, looking down at the floor so he wouldn't have to look at Lelouch. "I'll let you sleep."
"Suzaku." He didn't get a chance to get up before Lelouch was kneeling close to him, one hand pushing into his hair. Lelouch tipped their foreheads together, not making a move beyond that. Suzaku let out his breath in a rush, feeling his body shudder. Lelouch's only response was to curl his fingers, his nails scraping lightly over Suzaku's scalp. "We have time."
"Yeah." It wasn't the best response, but the only one that Suzaku could conceive of at the moment. He shivered and scooted closer to Lelouch so he could wrap his arms around Lelouch's shoulders, but he didn't pull his friend closer. He didn't want to break the contact that it had, anything more and he would be overwhelmed. For now, it was enough.
"If you want to be sure…stay." Suzaku met Lelouch's gaze surprised by the openness of the statement. Of course, Lelouch quickly went back to his usual expression. "It would make my life easier; I wouldn't have to go anywhere when the sun rose."
He wanted to laugh, but he was sure that the sound would come out as a sob more than anything else. Instead, he just nodded. "Sure, I'll stay."