L.K.: Chapter two….. Already??

The Cinderella Bride

It was official that at the end of the day, Lelouch and Kallen were to start practice for the play. Everyone was nervous, especially Kallen. Not only did Lelouch repulse her ever so slightly, but she didn't like how he looked at her sometimes.

After class hours were over, Kallen sought out Lelouch. She found him coming out of the men's locker room with Rivalz. After Rivalz left, Kallen gathered up her courage and went after Lelouch.

"Hey, Lelouch!" she yelled.

He turned around slowly, already knowing who it was and what she wanted.

"Kallen?" he said faking confusion.

"I wanna talk with you!" she bellowed half angry.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked tilting his head a little, this time he was truly confused.

"Yeah, abou-" Kallen stopped mid sentence, why did he look so….cute like that? Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she regained her senses and continued.

"About the play arrangements! Why us? Why were you and I paired together?" she fumed madly.

Tiling his head to the other side and scratching his forehead he replied, "I don't know, really."

Kallen grit her teeth and averted her gaze to the ground. She refused to admit that Lelouch was her Prince.

'Wait! Why am I letting this get to me so badly? What's wrong with me!?' she thought as she grabbed the sides of her head, still focusing on the grass beneath her feet.

"Kallen?" Lelouch advanced towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. Shaking her shoulder lightly he leaned his head down to try and see her face.

"Kallen are you oka-"

"You…will never be my Prince!!" she yelled loudly as she smacked his hand away.

Taken back by her sudden outrage, he held his hand and rubbed it with his other hand.

"Kallen…do you really hate me that much?" he asked, genuinely hurt.

Kallen shifted her eyes to meet his. She felt badly, she really didn't hate Lelouch. She justs didn't like the aspect of being his Cinderella.

"N-no…I'm sorry Lulu. I'm just not feeling well today. You see…it's my news meds, they make me have strange mood swings…" she said as she looked away from him, no longer able to make eye contact with him.

"Ohh, it's alright then. As long as the new medicine helps you." He said as smiled.

'She called me Lulu.' He thought happily. 'She's beginning to like me…I have my Student Council V.P. perks to thank for making her Cinderella. The sooner I make her love me…the better.'

Lelouch walked away with a grin between a cross of happiness and insanity. Kallen turned around and began walking away.

'I have yet to tell her…..'

His grin turned to a smirk as she passed out of sight.

'….that she is to be my bride….Zero's bride….the dark bride.'

XxXxX

Before heading to play rehearsals, Kallen stopped at her locker. Upon opening it, she saw a pink envelope with her name writing in red glitter. Curiously, she picked up thecolorful, letter and opened it.

"Dear Kallen, I've noticed you in class and I just wanted you to know…I've fallen in love with you! I can't help it, from the way you smile to the way you wear your hair, I've been enchanted by your beauty since the new school year. I'm always worried and sad when you miss classes because of your illnesses. I don't know your feelings for me since we rarely get to talk. But I hope you acknowledge my affections for you.

Sincerely, Anonymous"

Kallen nearly dropped her bag, someone was in love with her? Enough to make them write this obnoxious letter? Maybe it was a prank, maybe someone really did love her. She tossed the letter in bag, too afraid to throw it away in case someone saw it. She slammed her locker shut and ran down the hall to the Student Council room.

'Whoever you are, if you're even serious, I won't fall for you. I can't fall in love with you. Just give up!' she thought harshly as she quickened her pace.

In the Student Council's work room, Milly, Rivalz and Shirley were setting the place up for the rehearsal stage. Since the Black Knights didn't have anything to accomplish until the Emperor came back from vacation, Kallen and Lelouch had plenty of time for school and daily life. So Kallen and Lelouch were busy with rehearsals for Cinderella.

The roles were as followed; Kallen as Cinderella, Lelouch as the Prince, Shirley and Nina as the evil step sisters, Milly as the wicked step mother and other cast member were normal students.

Kallen had been stuffed into an incredibly tight corset dress, as Lelouch into a ridiculously over decorated Prince uniform. Kallen could swear that her chest was going to pop out of the revealing dress.

"Okay everyone! Take your places!!" Milly called through the microphone.

Everyone immediately took their places on stage for the beginning act. Kallen stat in a wobbly chair while Shirley and Nina, the two good hearted people, did their best to act 'wicked'. Failing less than everyone thought, Shirley let out some of her rage on Kallen for not getting to be Cinderella.

"Cinderella! Come do the dishes!" Shirley yelled.

"C-cinderella….Please wash my shirt.." Nina mumbled.

'No, no, no! Nina! Say it like you're mad!" Milly directed.

"S-sorry Prez." Nina stuttered as she went back to her position.

"Okay, scene change! Lulu get on stage!" Milly called out after an hour of Nina's bad acting skills.

Kallen gulped as Lelouch walked onto the stage and took his position on stage. Posing himself beside Kallen, he smiled at her and she wanted to cringe, but she held it in.

"Begin!" Milly shouted.

Lelouch bowed before the dolled up Kallen and offered her his hand. Unwillingly, Kallen took his offer and they fell into place in each other's arms as they glided across the hard wood stage.

After repeating scene after scene, over and over again, Milly finally called it quits for the day.

"Oh! I'm so glad to be out of those cloths!" Kallen exclaimed as she scratched her ribs.

"Yeah, I was sweating to death in these robes." Lelouch agreed.

As Kallen grabbed her bag and headed for the door, Lelouch stopped her.

"Hey Kallen, do you have some free time?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

"Uhh….yeah, maybe. Why?" she asked as she eyed him suspiciously.

"I kind of need to talk to you. It's important, I swear." He said in a more serious tone.

"Oh alright. As long as it won't take long." She sighed.

"Well, it might take a while, so I'll take you to get something to eat while we talk." He offered. She nodded her head and they made their way to the parking lot.

"Woah! Lulu drives a motorcycle!?" Kallen shouted in amazement. Lelouch couldn't help but laugh at the more than amusing look on Kallen's face.

"Yeah, Rivalz taught me how to drive." He said as he mounted the bike and strapped on his helmet.

"Hop on!" he offered as he held out a helmet to her. She smiled as she noticed that, for the first time, how pretty he actually was when he smiled like that. Taking the hard plastic helmet she put it on and sat behind him.

Wrapping her arms around his torso, she leaned into his back.

"HANG ON!!" Lelouch yelled as he started the engine and took off.

Kallen let out a loud giggle as he sped out of the school grounds and into traffic. They seemed to fly across the highway and Kallen had never felt freer in her life. Even piloting the Guren wasn't as amazing as the feeling of gliding across the ground at break neck speeds.

"Kallen! I'm gonna do a trick, hang on tight!" he called back to her.

"Okay!" she shouted back as she snuggled up to his back and intertwined her finger around his waist.

Lelouch pushed down on the back seat of the bike and lifted the handlebars, successfully performing a wheelie. Riding on just the back tire for about ten seconds, he landed back on the ground and swerved slightly but regained control of the machine.

"That was amazing Lulu!" Kallen said as he eyes lit up like stars.

"Yeah it's really fun if you know what you're doing!" he said as he pulled up to a café.

"This is where we're gonna eat, at the café?" Kallen said, wooing over the fancy, and very expensive, shop.

"Yeah, I figured you'd like it." He said offering her his hand to help her off the bike.

They walked inside and took their seats in the back of the diner where they could be alone. After ordering Lelouch decided it was best to talk after they'd eaten.

"Hey Lulu, is what you need to tell me…anything …bad?" she asked, becoming concerned now that Lelouch was so quiet.

"Th-that…depends." He said in a gloomy voice.

"Kallen, before I say anything, I just want you to know. This whole situation is completely out of my control. I didn't decide this and have no say so in it." He told her as he hid his eyes with his bangs.

Kallen bit her lip and swallowed hard.

"Am I…in trouble?" she said as she felt the fear spread in her chest.

"N-no! Not at all! It's just…you might not like the idea of it is all.." he said as he let out a deep sigh.

Just then the waitress delivered their food and they began to eat. Kallen didn't realize just how hungry she actually was. As promised, after the meal they ordered flavored coffees and began to talk.

"Sooo…..what's going on?' Kallen asked as she sipped on her hot drink. Lelouch let out another long, drawn out, sigh and leaned his head back.

"Do you want me to be blunt or dull it down for you?" he said half sarcastically.

"Just start from the beginning." She pleaded. Lelouch sat up right and set his cup down.

"Kallen, the Ashford academy is my home, I literally live inside the school." He began.

"R-really!? Why?" she suddenly felt sorry for him. She had no idea he was either poor or orphaned.

"Well.." he started again. Ducking his head lower as if it'd help to lower his voice so other wouldn't hear.

"I'm a Prince, the Prince of Brittania." He said as he closed his eyes, waiting for her laughter.

Instead of laughing, Kallen succeeded to drop her jaw and spill her coffee a bit.

"Are you serious!?" she gaped at him.

"Yeah, Shirley and the rest of the Student Council know, just ask them." He said relaxing some now that she hasn't laughed at him yet.

"G-go on…" she said, eager to hear the rest.

"I was exiled, hence why I don't rule like my siblings. My mother was killed in an assassin order by my father, the Emperor. Me and Nunnaly were supposed to be killed as well, but we survived. After that the Ashford Academy main house took us in as a 'favor'." He paused to take a drink of his mocha.

"That's..horrible…" Kallen said, putting real sympathy into her voice.

'Wait a sec! I Lulu is royalty, will Zero target him too!? ' she thought in horror.

"That's not all that bastard did to us! Nunnaly is blind and crippled because of him!" Lelouch tightened his grip on his mug and covered his eyes with his free hand.

"Oh my god..to his own children!?" Kallen was officially in the most shock she's ever been in. If what Lelouch was saying is the truth, then how does he smile every day?

"But that's not what I'm here to tell you exactly. That was just so you know who I am." He sighed, here came the punch line.

"Yes?" she waited.

"In order to keep living at the academy, and not on the streets, the main house Ashford family…." He looked her in the eyes.

"….want me to get married."

Kallen went silent, and Lelouch feared for the worse.

"So..that's what this is about? You finding a wife?" she asked half angry half saddened still.

"Yes, but…it's not why I'm being nice to you-"

"You're the one….you wrote that love letter!" she exclaimed loud enough to make people stare.

"Y-yeah…" he mumbled almost out of shame.

"So it's a lie…every damn word on this piece of paper is a lie!!" she yelled as she pulled the letter out of her bag and slammed it on the table.

"No! I swear that's how I really feel about you! I even wrote that before I found out I had to get married!" he yelled with equal volume.

The look on Lelouch's face was what made Kallen realize that he wasn't lying.

"Really..? You promise?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes! Kallen, I love you!" he said with the most sincerity in his voice as he grabbed her hands in his.

Kallen's eyes went wide, she was in a state of disbelief and confusion.

"But that's not the whole story." He said as he let go of her hands. She blinked.

"What else could there be to tell?" she said expectantly.

"I don't' get to chose who I marry." He replied in a depressing tone. Kallen gasped and her eyes widened.

"Oh god…so you're just confessing before you get married away to some girl then?" she said sadly. The prettiest and most popular guy in school loves her, but now he has to get married to some girl not of his choosing.

'Just great..' Kallen thought bitterly.

"Err…not quite…I have to marry you. They chose you just a few days ago. I didn't get to say anything or defend myself….But I swear I love you Kallen!" he pleaded as tears threatened to reach his eyes.

"I..I don't know what to say…." She sighed. "So…I have to marry you? I have no choice? Why hasn't my father told me this yet?" she asked.

"Because I asked them to let me tell you, you can go home right now and ask them yourself!" he bit his lip.

"So…when do they want us to get married…?" she averted her gaze to the people staring at them.

"I don't' know." He answered.

"I think I'm going to go home now." She said as the tears began to fall from her eyes. Standing up she made her way to the exit, but Lelouch stopped her at the door.

"Kallen! You live miles from here, you can't walk that far." He said as he blocked her from the door.

"Uh sir, you're making a lot of noise, and you can't leave until you pay." Said the waitress and she approached the two. Lelouch handed the woman more than enough money and followed Kallen out of the shop.

"Kallen I'm sorry…I didn't decide this.." he said as he closed the door behind himself.

"I know…but Lulu…you don't want to marry me…I'm a sickly girl. I could die if I'm not careful." She lied.

Lelouch sighed again for what seemed to be the infinite time. He knew it was because she was a Black Knight and her cover could be blown if she were married.

"Kallen, I promise I'll take care of you. I fell in love with you knowing just how fragile you are." He said pulling her into a tight hug. Kallen's tears kept falling as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I've never..been loved this much before…" she admitted as she buried her face in his chest. Lelouch stroked her hair as nuzzled her head with his nose.

"This feels familiar…" she mumbled. Inside Lelouch wanted to chuckle, but held it back.

"Really?" he asked, not even curious because he already knew why.

"Hey, let's take the ocean route on the way back to your house. It'll make you feel better!" he exclaimed as he wiped her tears away with his slender fingers.

"Okay." Was all she said as they both got back on the bike.

Riding down the highway and onto the back roads, Kallen leaned into Lelouch's back and rested her head on the base of his neck. Turning her head towards the sunset, she wanted to fall asleep right there. The smell of the sunshine and ocean breeze in the gentle warmth of the sun was enough to lull her into a calmer state where she could think clearly.

'I don't know if Zero would spare Lulu if I asked him to just because I'm going to marry him…I'm afraid that if I tell Zero about him he'll target him. What do I do? Once I marry Lulu it'll be hard as hell to balance normal life and being a Black Knight….OH SHIT!! Lulu will find out I'm not really sick!!' Kallen began to panic and flail about.

'This is not good!!' her heartbeat quickened as she bit her lip.

"Ah! Kallen! What're you doing back there?" Lelouch asked as he struggled to keep his balance.

"Oh sorry!" she apologized as she sat still again.

"Lulu…" she whispered in his ear.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Will you do another wheelie for me, please?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course, just remember to hang on." He said and she tightened her grip.

Popping the front of the bike again, Lelouch did another wheelie. Holding this position for around thirty seconds, he firmly planted the front tire back on the ground, this time without swerving.

"Wow! That's gotta be my best record!" he hollered.

"Really? That's so cool!' Kallen smiled, forgetting her fears from before.

"Look Lulu! Seagulls!" Kallen pointed out to the crashing waves.

Lelouch looking the direction in which she pointed, indeed seeing seagulls.

"Haha! Look at the kid trying to catch one." Lelouch laughed out. Kallen saw the kid as well and giggled.

Kallen lifted her hand up and reached out for the sun, letting the sunlight filter through her fingers. The sky was a mixture of blue, red, pink, purple and other magical colors that only existed in the sky. The puffy white clouds seemed to be in a lively mood, some were shaped like animals, others like people.

"Hey Kallen, the cloud up ahead looks like you!" Lelouch pointed straight ahead.

"Yeah, it does, and the one next to it looks like you!" she pointed to the right.

As they laughed together Kallen felt something pull at her heart. Immediately recognizing the feeling from when she was around Zero. It was love.

'I'm…falling in love…with Lulu.' She thought as she let her hand drop and tightened her grip on him.

For the first time in a long while, Kallen felt human. Human enough to laugh, cry and smile. Same as Lelouch, after many battles it was nice to feel like what you really are again.

After pulling out of the oceanic route, they were back on a main road that led back to Kallen's house.

"Oh wow, a rainbow Lelouch!" Kallen pointed out at the sky again.

"But rainbows only appear when it's raining." He said.

As if on cue, lightening struck on the other side of the highway, signaling that rain was to come. As the downpour began, Lelouch had an idea.

"Kallen, we have to get out of this rain! My house, the academy, is closer than your's." he explained.

"Alright!" she agreed.

XxXxX

As they pulled up to the academy, soaking wet, they dashed inside the building. Once inside Lelouch's room, he gave her a towel and a dry set of cloths.

"The bathroom is right down the hall and to the right." He instructed as she nodded and left the room.

After changing into dry cloths himself, he sat on his bed, thinking of what was to come next.

'What…now? I make her fall in love with me….and at some point we'll be forced to get married…I'll have to reveal myself as Zero to her sooner or later…but how will she take it? Will she be mad and feel betrayed that I didn't tell her sooner? Will she still love me? What am I supposed to do…?' Lelouch thought solemnly as he closed his eyes.

The door opened and Kallen appeared wearing his white button up shirt and tight fitting jeans. Smiling at the sloppy, yet attractive look, Kallen gave him a 'don't you dare!' look. Waving her finger 'no' she took a seat next to him as he lay on the bed.

"Can we go over this one more time?" she asked as she adjusted the towel on her head.

"I think we should." He said as he sat up and pushed his back against the wall.

"The Ashfords agreed to let me stay here until I was eighteen, but if I wanted to stay longer I'd have to be married. I knew about this deal since I was young. But I had nearly forgotten about it until they reminded me just a few days ago. But I was not aware at the beginning that I was not permitted to choose my bride.' He took in a deep breath t continue.

"They told me it had to be a girl from the school and at first I thought it'd be their daughter Milly. But it seems as though she begged them out of it." He let out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, I've heard how they like to set that poor girl up with all these random men." She giggled with him.

"But, I think they knew that I was in love with you…I think they might've found that letter before it got to you." He smirked. He really did wonder if that's how they picked her.

"I see. So…I don't have a choice." She whispered, half hoping he didn't hear her.

"No, and neither do I." he said grimly as he turned his head away from her.

He faced the closet door which held his Zero outfit and mask. Not knowing what to do made Lelouch feel trapped. As if he was no longer in control of anything he did anymore. It'd be a good while before he'd go back into his alter ego, Zero, and fight by Kallen's side again.

He breathed in deeply and slowly let it out then closed his eyes. Finally feeling just how tired he actually was, he wondered what Kallen would do now.

"I have to warn you now..I get ill randomly and have to go to my special doctor right away. I might even be gone over night sometimes because of how serious it can get." She informed him.

"I understand." He assured her.

He purposely avoided asking her just what kind of illness she had, knowing the truth made it easier.

Maybe he'll tell her soon…maybe…

L.K.: Oh my….I wrote some pretty cliché stuff in there! .
Forgive me for my crumby love letter writing skills..T.T
It's a hard skill to come by…