"Good evening," A young woman spoke on the television. "This is Milly Ashford. Today, we had one of the most hellish nightmares Britannia had ever seen where an attempt on Her Majesty's life was made this night. The identities of these attackers are currently unknown but the Imperial experts have suspected that the Purist Rebels have a hand into it due to the numbers and weapons used by the assassins." An image of a smoking city with frequent patrols of Knightmares and other VTOL aircrafts appeared behind the blond reporter.
"Despite all odds, however, their attempt was foiled by Her Majesty's own Royal Guard led by our heroic Zero himself. Since then Britannia's elite Imperial Guard forces have been tirelessly searching for any suspects in the Imperial capital. During the battle, it is reported that the red Knightmare model Vincent which we believe to be the same Scarlet Saviour that saved so many lives in the Battle of New England as well as the Taking of Richmond had entered as well." A blurry video footage of a light crimson light flashed through the dark night in the mist of explosions and gunfire.
"The Red knight's personal forces are currently resting in the Palace alongside our own brave soldiers. Will we know the identity of our mysterious hero? Only time will tell.
"You heard it first from Milly Ashford."
The screen suddenly turned blank.
"Damn! Your assassins failed, Meadus!" The Duke of Oxbridge shouted, bellowing the tail of white coat. "I thought you and your shadow friends were the best assassins in the world. We invested a lot of money in the divisionary unit. Those Vipers cost us more than a fortune."
"On the contrary, my dear friend," The shadowy figure replied, calmly. "The Shadow Striders have dealt a significant damage to their standing forces. And the fact they had been attacked in the centre of their Empire means they know they are vulnerable. That's another blow. Now our spy in the capital will tell us more about this enemy we're facing."
Oxbridge drained the last of his wine to calm himself down. However, the anger has not entirely left. "But now they know! They will be more prepared now. It is now a perfect excuse for the UFN to send more Black Knights into Britannia."
"And so what if they do?" Meadus' tone was still calm, and arrogant. Oxbridge fought the urge to tear his smirk off his lips. "You have us. The Geass Directorate is at your service. So long as you keep funding us. The Imperial forces and their Black knight allies are nothing compared to the Power of Geass! You have the magic itself on your side."
Oxbridge knew that Meadus gotten him there. It was true. Not even the most powerful war-machines created by man were able to match the might of Geass. From what he has learnt, this mysterious power was the key figure in many religious and mystical movements in the past including the Celtic Druids and the Cathars as well as the Spanish Inquisition. "But I want results!" He protested. "It's been too long. You promised!"
"And promised we did. But we require another shipment. We can train more warriors without it."
"Fine!" The nobleman went to open a file and took out a pen and quickly wrote his signature on it. "Here." He held out the file. "Now, we need more troops and agents."
"Good." The cloaked figure took the paper. "I will now go report to the Primus of this news." With that Meadus had vanished into the shadows. And Oxbridge wondered if it was all worth it.
Meadus in the meantime arrived outside infront of a draw bridge where the Purist castle was based in Vancouver.
"My lord Meadus," A heavily cloaked figure called softly.
"Was your mission successful?" Meadus asked.
The shadowy figure grinned. "Oh yes, brother. No one could have suspected that the whole attack on the Empress was secondary. Here it is. The Jewelled Mace of Offering. The first relic is ours."
He held out a glittering red and gold mace. Meadus stared at it with widened eyes, as if completely in awe of the weapon. This weapon had been passed down from King to Emperor since the founding of Albion, the founding of England and the founding of Britannia. When the British Isles were invaded by Napoleon, the jewel was taken by the Britannians. The jewel of three mighty Kingdoms...
He touched it and held it high. The weapon glowed as Meadus' eyes glowed with the Geass symbol.
"You have done well, Cardinal." Meadus muttered. "It's a shame the Empress couldn't die then and there but it does not matter anymore. Now that we only have two more relics to find and it would soon be over."
"What of the Scion of Pendragon?" The Cardinal asked. "He possesses a significant threat."
"You will have the chance to deal with your little brother. Do not worry. The Primus has a plan in mind for him."
%%%
Back in the Palace
"Brother...could it really be you?" Nunnally wondered as she stared at the military documents presented on her desk.
"Your Majesty?" Zero turned to ask, and despite the mask his concern was obvious.
"Suzaku," She said sternly, disregarding the secret identity. "I want to know...the truth. Did my brother really died on that day? Is there something you're not telling us?"
Suzaku was glad that his mask shielded his expression. It was a question he was not too sure of himself. Lelouch had planned to kill himself in the end which was the reason why he agreed to help as payment for the sins he had caused. He knew Lelouch well enough.
And he was the one who stabbed him. Lelouch's blood was on his hands. But perhaps Geass still existed? Perhaps Lelouch was given the code, which may have caused him to become immortal. Maybe C.C. had given it to him, as he knew she desired to be mortal once again. And perhaps Lelouch, seeing the threat presented against the world he created decided to fight to protect his younger sister under a different alias? It made more sense especially seeing his battle-tactics however there were quite a number of differences between the two. He remembered the meeting with the leaders of the Black Knights.
A day ago
"Thank you all for coming." Kaguya Sumeragi announced, to the assembled men and women sitting around the conference table.
On the left, were the representatives from the United Federation of Nations and the Order of the Black Knights. First from the left was the Black Knight CEO, Li Xingke, former General of the Chinese Federation Armed Forces, a tall lean man with long black hair, clad in a brown duster with his Chinese longsword ever at his side.
Beside him was Kaname Ohgi, Prime Minister of the United States of Japan a man with the face that matches more of a school teacher rather than a politician. On his right was the Black Knight General Kyoshiro Todoh, a stern looking man dressed in black and green, clearly a veteran of many battles.
On his left was the well respected Ahmad Kayrallah, a bearded senior representative of the Middle East Union and Manfred Stemmer, a German minister representing the European Union. Finally on the side was Senator Saidani Ryoma, the Japanese representative in the UFN a studious looking man in his early thirties.
On the other side were senior leaders of the Empire with Prince Schenizel, Prime Minister of Britannia in the centre, Princess Cornelia, Commander in Chief of the Imperial Army dressed in the white and maroon uniform with Lord Gilbert Guilford, Commander of the Imperial Guard and the Princess's personal knight at her side beside him.
"What is the meeting for, Chairman?" Cornelia asked.
"It is on the discussion of a possible return of Emperor Lelouch." She pressed a button and revealed the face of a young man with white hair.
"What?" Ryoma shouted.
"By the Prophet." Kayrallah muttered.
"Impossible." Guilford murmured.
Similarly all around muttered the out their astonishment as a lean young man dressed in a blood red and black tailed coat with gold trims all around. On his shoulder and collar was a golden dragon. He wore long dark trousers with a yellow stripe along it ending with long riding boots. On one of his hips hung a well tooled black and gold pistol, a variant version of the standard army version, including the red-dot sight and a straight bladed sabre rested on the other. Over the uniform he wore a black cloak embalming the same golden dragon.
"His name is Captain Arthur Peregrine, a knight and commander of the Bedford Household." Kaguya explained as the red-coated knight strode gracefully across the path along the Imperial Gardens. His movements were fluid almost catlike and both the Palace and Royal Guards he passed stood straight in attention as soon as he passed treating him as if he was a prince.
"Ladies and gentleman, this man is also the very Red Knight who had saved the Empress of Britannia from an assassination attempt not a few days ago." The chairman of the UFN continued as all eyes were focused on the young knight.
"Do you know his background?" Stemmer asked. Kagyua shook her head.
"All we know is that he is of Britannian blood."
"Nothing else? This sounds too much of to be a coincidence." Xingke's eyes narrowed at the silver haired figure. "I don't buy it. The world is once again in danger of war and a mysterious figure appears out of nowhere seemingly to defeat the enemy."
"I agree." Todoh nodded. "Still we cannot just condemn him after what he has done. He did after all deal this pro-Darwinist movement a huge blow something which no other single man have been able to do."
"In the name of the heavens..." Ohgi muttered. "He looks completely like him. As if his very ghost was walking..." The knight suddenly stopped and turned to look around until he was directly looking at the camera. His eyes were sky blue and they suddenly narrowed dangerously.
"Heh...even the demonic glare completely identical." Cornelia muttered under her breath. Arthur Peregrine then slowly turned and walked on.
"Indeed." A hollow voice spoke up as from the shadows a masked and cloaked figure in black and violet appeared.
"Zero," Kagyua bowed. "We're grateful for you to join us."
Zero turned and nodded respectfully before turning to the rest of the council. "While we discuss the possibility of this man's being the demon emperor, I have recovered some interesting data which you will all find interesting."
The masked knight took out a USB flash drive and slotted in the computer.
An image of the white haired Lelouch appeared on a file which was listed as restricted under death penalty.
Subject: G2345195Y
Birth Name: Arthur Britannius Peregrine
Parents: Aaron and Ellenia Peregrine
(Status: Deceased)
Occupation: Britannian Military
Lieutenant of the Royal Panzer Infantry's 21st Regiment
Knight of the Empire
Supreme Commander of the Northern Skies Army
Captain of the Royal Guard
Imperial Agent
Biography:
Sir Arthur Britannius Peregrine, the only child of Lord Aaron and Lady Ellenia of the House of Peregrine, joined the Britannian military at a young age in order to serve his father's name. Arthur has served with the 3rd Britannian Army in North Africa and fought the Euro-Ultra Union on three separate occasions as part of the Imperial Black Ops unit: the Britannian Foreign Legion serving with distinctions.
After gaining the rank of knight, Arthur was given command of an elite unit of airbourne Gloucesters which became known as the Red Devils due to the Peregrine Household's colours. However, on the 17th of June 2017, both Lord Aaron and Ellenia were assassinated under mysterious circumstances. With their deaths, Arthur blaming the Empire turned rogue and led a rebellion in Area 2, the Land of the Northern Skies. The revolt was brutally crushed by the might of the Imperial Army and Arthur was capture and detained.
Later in 2018 where Emperor Lelouch took the Britannian throne, Arthur along with many others was released and pledged their loyalty to him. Arthur was granted the command of the Britannian forces stationed in the Imperial Colony of Canada and remained to be one of Lelouch's greatest supporters. Using his newfound powers, Arthur brutally crushed the rebellious nobles that stood against Lelouch.
Due to the similarity of their appearances, Arthur has also became an invaluable service in playing the role of a decoy for His Imperial Majesty.
During the UFN-Britannian War, Arthur led the armies of Britannia in defence of the Homelands against the European divisions of the Black knights resulting in the Battle of Alaska...
On the screen appeared a huge mass of ice and snow where a massive force of black and grey uniformed infantrymen with their tricone hats and long cloaks, rows of black-grey tanks and finally the skies littered with groups of aerial-cruisers and Knightmares. Forty thousand eyes stood attention before a landed Logres-class battleship. A single crimson and silver Vincent Commander Model with a black cloak zoomed pass and before them and in an astray of fanciful flying the blood-coloured Knightmare straightened and landed on the head of the Logres. The cockpit of the Knightmare opened up, revealing a pilot dressed in an elaborated white and red jumpsuit with a rounded helmet that ended with a visor which all the soldiers wore.
The commander drew out his sword and raised it high gaining cheers from the massed group.
"Soldiers of Britannia!"
"Brave knights of Albion!"
"Swords of the Empire!"
"Hear the call of our emperor! Arise now!" The sea of black-white clad soldiers with lines of violet and black of Knightmares and other armoured units cheered. Arthur waited for the noise to echo before raising his hand for silence.
"The enemy lay before us, on many battlegrounds scattered all over the world and it falls to us to defend this nation, this Empire. To defend the honour of our king! The traitorous Black knights and their allies seek the death of Lelouch, the one true ruler of the world! They seek to end everything we hold dear! But we will not permit it." The sea of men clad in white and grey, standing in perfect lines cheered madly with shouts of "Death to the traitors!" and "All hail Lelouch!"
Arthur waited for them to quiet. "At this moment, our glorious Emperor fights in the Imperial Colony of Japan against the bastard Schneizel and his dog shit allies. He has commanded us to hold the line here in Atlantic against the invasion of Britannia. This will not be permitted! This will not happen! The enemy may outnumber us at least five to one! But our Emperor watches over us, my brothers and sisters! You men wear the watchful eye of Lelouch Vi Britannia!"
He nodded down, allowing the sun to catch his visor presenting a winking sign. "These motherless dogs have dared to rise against Lelouch...and for that they will pay for it with their very souls! Forward to battle, Knights of Lelouch! Take no prisoner! Give no mercy! Britannia will PREVAIL!" The entire force assembled roared over and over, their cheers becoming more intensified at every shout.
"Bring to me the heads of their commanders...LITERALLY! They will be set as an example for anyone who dares threaten our beloved Emperor!"
With that Lord Arthur Peregrine raised his fist in the air and shouted with every inch of his being. "ALL HAIL LELOUCH!"
"ALL HAIL LELOUCH! ALL HAIL LELOUCH! ALL HAIL LELOUCH!" The warriors of Britannia roared fists of both Knightmare and human rising in the air over and over again like an angry ocean.
"I don't remember any record of this battle," Stemmer muttered, rubbing his moustache.
"And no surprise." Xingke muttered.
The battle had resulted in the destruction of about a quarter of the Britannian forces and the complete annihilation of the entire invasion force.
An image of a burning battleground flashed before them with broken Knightmares and blooded bodies along pools of water with many craters and pools of over-flooding waters. A crashed Logres lay in the snow surrounded by a cluster of broken Akatsuki. At one point about at least eight hundred Panzer Hummels, Bamides, Gun-Ru and tanks remained buried in the snow in the centre of the battlefield. At another, about a thousand Knightmares mixture of Akatsukis, Panzer Hummels and their commander models lay motionless surprisingly intact except for the massive holes in their cockpits which were literally coated red with blood.
"Horrible." Ohgi muttered in disgust as one Akatsuki was zoomed in to see what remained of the pilot.
The remaining battlefield showed more or less the same results.
The crimson Vincent itself stood victoriously in the centre of the battlefield surrounded by a group of Akatsuki Commander Models, all in pieces lying around. Pools of blood lay out of their cockpits which all seemed to have been stabbed or crushed.
The Red Knight himself stood out of his Knightmare walking down the parading soldiers chanting.
"All hail Lelouch! All hail Lelouch! All hail Lelouch!"
He did not smile nor open up his visor but continued his stride until he reached a line of men dressed in ragged uniforms held at sword point by a company of cloaked soldiers.
The foremost of the prisoners, a massive man built like a bear stood up.
"You have defeated my forces, commander," The officer declared in a heavy thick Russian accent. "And I..." He was cut off as Arthur threw a punch into the man's face. Despite the size difference, the Black knight staggered from the blow and his companions tried to rise to help only to be pinned back by their captors. As the Black Knight Commander staggered back, Arthur walked towards him and waited for the man to recover before punching the man in the gut.
"Ogf!" The Black Knight groaned as all the air was struck out of him. Arthur then coldly walked slowly around in a circle before grabbing the man's wrist with a gloved left hand. The Russian officer's hand was almost twice the size of the Britannian commanders but he screamed in pain as Arthur's hand slowly squeezed it before a crunching sound echoed to the entire battleground. With that, Arthur slammed a booted foot in the man's neck. The blow was not strong enough to barrel the larger man but it broke the man's neck and the Black knight coughed violently.
Arthur allowed his wheezing voice be heard by everyone present, walking around the man slowly.
"Let this be the example to those who would stand against the Emperor..." Arthur muttered. He went down on one knee to look at the officer's face closely and despite the weakness, the officer spat at him.
"Brit scum!" He managed. The soldiers around Arthur reacted by cocking their guns or drawing their swords but the red knight signal them down.
"Typical behaviour of the savage rebel." Arthur mused as he got back to his feet.
"Before anything else happens," He declared. "I would like to say that we have won a great victory for Britannia and our glorious Emperor!"
"Huzzah!" The men roared triumphantly.
"And that His Majesty's faith must never be shaken! For his word is the truth! And thus I will follow that example!"
Arthur turned and walked over to the prisoners and grinned at the maliciously.
"I've always keep my word. And what did I say?" He asked to no one in particular. "Oh right, your heads..."
Some of the Black Knight Officers suddenly startled.
Arthur ignored them and walked to the Russian commander of the invasion force.
"You know, I must admit, you really are a good tactician and a great leader, General Veyde. You have my respect." Arthur spoke the words in what seems to be sincerity.
Arthur allowed his words to echo and walked in front of the general. Then Arthur turned.
"But all enemies of the Emperor... MUST DIE!" And before anyone could blink an eye, Arthur's sword flashed before the sunlight and the general's head was flying over...
Then as one, the soldiers drew out their swords and plunged their blades into their prisoners...and were slain like lambs.
"He is as brutal as Lelouch himself!" Ryoma shouted. "He should stand for trial for all those lives!"
"But that was war back then. He may have been just following orders." Todoh reminded the Japanese senator. "Remember this is Lelouch we're talking about. He would twist the heart and soul of many to serve his bidding." Despite his words, the Japanese commander's eyes held a shadow of regret.
"I agree." Guilford nodded. "Regardless, we cannot put him in trial as yet. Besides, I have heard of the Peregrine line. They were close cousins to the Ashfords who swore loyalty to the Vi Britannia line. He likely served from brother to sister."
"Maybe," Kayrallah muttered. "But who is to say he will not turn his back on the UFN. And as you said it yourself General Todoh, this is Lelouch. Who is to say he tricked everyone and assumed a new identity to get his revenge?"
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Ohgi argued. "Lelouch had everything under his control back then. Why would he abandon everything just like that?"
"Because he was aiming for world peace?" Kagyua suddenly muttered, causing everyone to turn to her. "Oh, nothing. Forgive me. This is a very tense situation."
"Regardless of the reason," Cornelia spoke allowing her strong commanding voice to project. "What is important now is what are we going to do about it?"
"I agree," Schenizel muttered, speaking for the first time. "Whether he is Lelouch or not, his intent is clearly unknown. Right now, it would be best not to create an enemy out of him. He is on our side at the moment and we should put to use of it to the maximum. Lord Zero, with your permission, I would have one of our men attached to his unit."
"Very well." Zero nodded. "Thus as of this moment, no one is to touch or even threaten Arthur Peregrine."
Back to the present
"Suzaku?" Nunnally's voice returned the Japanese knight back to reality. The younger girl stared at the masked hero, her vivid purple eyes...so similar to Lelouch and Euphie never leaving his face.
"I don't know Your Majesty. Lelouch gave his life to bring peace. He has no regret. I don't know who this man is."
"I hope you're wrong though." Nunnally muttered softly. "Whether he's brother or not, I would like to talk to him."
"He could very well be an assassin," Zero reminded her.
"And you will protect me if he was." Nunnally replied, causing Suzaku to blush underneath his mask suddenly then replied.
"Of course."
Two days later in the Throne Room
Nunnally stood sitting on the Britannian throne flanked by Zero on the left and Schneizel on the right. The Knights of the Round stood on the sides, dressed in their full uniform with their swords sheathed at their sides and their pistols in their holsters.
The other senior generals and other commanders stood alongside the royal knights while the Palace Guard stood along the red carpet, their ceremonial pikes held high in salute. The red-coated royal guards stood on the walls, their weapons concealed but readied while the Secret Intelligence Service Agents mixed around the crowd.
"Presenting His Grace Lord Bernard Bedford and his Household commanders." The herald announced.
Kallen suddenly exhaled almost losing herself.
"Whoa, Kallen, are you alright?" Gino asked. The Knight of Three had just returned from the frontlines in Texas once he had heard the attack in New Pendragon along with Anya. In the mean time, Willard the Knight of Seven was left to take care of the battle.
"I'm fine." She assured him but Kallen knew it was a lie. How could she be alright? She was going to see Lelouch's ghost again. She's been seeing it far too many times already. Has she gone finally mad?
"Stop it Kallen!"She mentally snapped at herself. "You're stronger than this! If this is Lelouch then many questions could be answered...if it isn't you will now know more of Lelouch's plans anyway."
Kallen was explained by Norrentte about the theory of Arthur that he had served Lelouch as a royal guard as well as one of his frontline commanders.
"This is it." She muttered.
"Yeah, I've been looking forward to meet him." Gino whispered, cheerfully. "Heard he could fight as well as a Knight of the Round."
Then the door opened and a tall man of middle age entered, dressed in blue and gold with a bastard sword at his side. He had an aquiline face with a short beard and gray hair and stern but wise gray eyes. He looked every bit of a veteran commander and the lower ranking guardsmen had no trouble saluting to him.
Beside him two figures followed. Both were on the contrary dressed in crimson and black uniforms with straight-bladed sabres at their sides and a short black cape. The taller one on the flank was a young man of early twenty with blond hair and friendly looking face. His companion, a slightly older young man was a head shorter, bronze coloured skin with the look of a mix-heritage although his Britannian side was more dominant. Despite his height, his built was stronger than that of his blond friend.
"Where's the red knight?" Kallen heard some people muttering. "I thought he should be here?"
"Is he still wounded?"
Then all of a suddenly, a fourth figure entered and the entire assembled crowd gasped as one.
A young lean man gracefully entered the room as if he owned the floor. His jet-black cloak bearing the golden lion flowed behind him like a possessed lover. Inside the cloak was a similar uniform to the nobleman's flanking knights but the red was much more vivid and shinning.
His face was stern but otherwise showed no emotions at all, his white mane flowed down his handsome face. The face of Lelouch...
"Is it him?" Some whispered.
"Lelouch's back from the dead?"
"Is that his twin?"
The Empress herself was so shock that she stood unmoving. Kallen herself was no exception.
Then behind Arthur were two other knights dressed similarly to him wearing shorter capes and wielding straight bladed sabres. These warriors wore steel helmets with white plumes.
Arthur eyed the assembled nobles and leaders with not a little disgust and his dislike for them seem to be obvious. His eyes particularly narrowed at Schneizel and Zero. But as they turned to the Empress sitting on the throne, they changed at once and looked at her with high respect if not adoringly which surprised Kallen.
"Lelouch..." Kallen whispered not for the hundredth time already.
They approached the throne slowly and as one knelt before the Empress.
"It is truly an honour to be at your presence, your Majesty." Lord Benard spoke, his voice held high respect and deep loyalty.
Recovering from her shock, Nunnally nodded. "Please rise." The Empress answered and to her credit steadied herself. She was particularly staring at the ghost of her brother who had lowered his head so that no one could see his face. As he rose, 'Lelouch' smiled at the young Empress, a smile so familiar that Nunnally could feel tears crawling in her eyes.
"Brother..." She whispered silently. Zero looked at her worryingly then decided that he needed to be the one to speak in her stead.
"Lord Bernard, the Crown of Britannia owes you and your knights a great debt for what had happened last night." Suzaku spoke, spreading his arms out in a Zero fashion like how Lelouch would have done.
Kallen noticed that 'Lelouch' as soon as Zero had spoken fallen back to his cold harden demeanour which he held when entering, glaring daggers at the masked knight.
"You flatter us, Lord Zero." The veteran knight returned. "We have done nothing but served the crown."
Then Zero turned to the black cloaked knight. "Lelouch...is that really you?"
"And this must be the famed Scarlet Saviour we have heard much about. Many lives were saved thanks to you."
Arthur smirked half-way then just inclined his head otherwise showing no sign of emotion at all but Kallen thought she saw him rolling his eyes in annoyance.
His disrespect for Zero caused many Black Knight senior officers as well as many Imperial nobles to grimace at the knight.
Suzaku decided to ignore them and continued. "You have done a valuable service and I would ask for your support in the future not just for the sake of Britannia but for the peace of the world. You understand that victory here is not just for the power of the crown but for the good of the people."
Bedford nodded. "Aye. And we shall pledge our full support to the Britannian Crown." The cobalt clad knight bowed followed by the other knights.
All except for Arthur. Murmurs of disapproval spread amongst the crowd.
The knight instead stood still and walked nearer to the throne. The Knights of the Round at once surrounded the Empress, their swords and pistols ready to draw out. Kallen stood right in front of his path, her hand on her Britannian styled katana ready to draw out...that is until Arthur glared at her with those icy blue eyes and Lelouch's face appeared in front of her. At once she faltered, her grip on her sword loosen at once.
"Damn, I had a feeling it was too good to be true." Gino muttered at the knight as he spread a protective arm around Nunnally. But Arthur ignored him as well as the other knights.
"Arthur what the hell...?" One of Bernard's knights muttered.
"Your highness," The Red Knight started his voice so similar to Lelouch that it shocked the royal knights. "I will announce it here and now that my bloodline has served your family since Lady Marianne had become one of the Rounds and that I'm the last of my line. My father said his greatest failure was to unable to protect yourself and your mother. As his pledge remains untaken, it would be my greatest honour to take it. Whether in my life and even if death, I would protect you until I have drawn my last breath."
Arthur fluttered his cloak with a graceful hand and fell down to one knee with one hand on his heart. "For by Blood and Honour I serve."
His proclamation startled everyone around and the tension had disappeared in the mist. Nunnally was lost for words. Arthur looked up and stared into the young Empress' eyes. Despite her shock, Nunnally saw that he wanted to talk to her in private.
"Thank you for your support." She finally replied, changing her demeanour. "With your help, there is no doubt we can bring peace back to this land. And now, please everyone return to your work. I would like to talk to Sir Arthur in private."
As the other knights and senior officers left the room although not without glancing at Arthur for more than once, Kallen stood still unmoving as the Knights of the Round took their turn to leave to leave Nunnally and Zero alone with the red knight.
"Kallen?" Gino asked, nudging the crimson stressed woman. "Come on."
"It's alright, Sir Weinburg," Nunnally said. "She can remain here."
Arthur turned and grimaced at the Knight of Two but otherwise said nothing.
Once it was made sure that no one was in the room, Arthur approached the throne room and knelt lowly before her.
"Sir Arthur, I know it is rude of me to say this but I must know what your true attention." Nunnally suddenly spoke sternly surprising both Zero and Kallen.
Arthur however remained unfazed and his face softened. "My real reason here is to protect you, Your Majesty. I served your brother, Lelouch Vi Britannia and I swore to him before his death that I would protect you till the end."
Nunnally's eyes widened. "You knew my brother?"
"I know everything including the Zero Requiem." He turned and glared at the dark figure standing. "And I had asked him for me to take his place on the sword so that he would live but he told me that he wanted me to live and protect you. I could not deny the duty."
The Empress of Britannia was now confused. She wanted to think he was Lelouch but now he had declared that he had served her brother rather than being Lelouch himself. But he bore the same face...
"Yes, I know. My face..." Arthur nodded. "I am not worthy of it but Lelouch needed a double. I took the honour to take up the role."
That explained much but there was a lot of unanswered questions. Suzaku did not buy it. He had to talk to CC about this later. But now Zero was needed here.
"Without a doubt, by your aid, this war would be over."
Arthur's face at once changed, no longer soft and caring. "I did not say I was going to help you, dark knight. I swore to protect the Empress not fight this war for you."
"It is the Empress' wish for this war to end." Kallen spoke out, to defend Nunnally managing to muster enough strength to protect the sister of her lover.
The knight turned and smirked at her...the same annoying smirk that often pissed the hell out of Kallen.
"I do not deny that our goals are similar, Black Knight." He said coldly. "But I give myself to only the Empress' word. Not the Empire. Not the UFN. Never forget that."
Nunnally suddenly felt the tension between the three different knights and spoke out. "I believe it has been a long day. Sir Arthur, your loyalty brings warmth to my heart and the evidence that my brother was not the demon people were made believe. I would like to withdraw to my chambers."
"Sleep well, Your Majesty." Arthur returned softly, his voice and facial features changing once again. "Know that, your brother would always be with you..."
Nunnally beamed at the white haired knight and Zero stepped in to take the wheel-chair to out of the throne room.
Arthur bowed deeply to the Empress, and turned to Zero with a mocking nod and completely ignored Kallen.
Kallen followed the knight out of the room and shouted. "Wait!"
Arthur stopped and without looking back asked. "What do you want?"
"You really served Lelouch?" Kallen's voice was soft and uncertain.
"What of it?" He asked, coldly. "If you think I'm going to turn my back on Her Majesty then you're wrong. I always keep my word, Black Knight. But then again, I can't expect the likes of you to understand that."
Kallen flinched from the taunt, her temper rising despite herself. "What is that supposed to mean?"
But Arthur ignored her and walked off quickly muttering. "Bloody-traitor..."
It was more of a whisper but Kallen heard it and she felt a sharp needle piercing through her heart as Arthur's white hair turned black for a second as the words came out.
He just called her a traitor...?
"Lelouch...what are you trying to do..." She muttered, her voice filled with hurt and disbelief.
That's all for now, folks. I've got my promotional exams in the next 4 weeks so wish me luck. I'll update once it's over. Thanks for all your support guys. I didn't expect this fanfic to reach this stage. Thanks for everything. Oh and you can find some more info on this link for the storyline. I'm still updating though. .com/wiki/When_Fates_Converge
Take care! And please drop more reviews! :P