July 2017 A.T.B.
The time needed to rearm Lucius's personal guard, which currently numbered approximately 30 machines, pilots, reserve pilots and the commander of the guard, Captain Sir Ciaran de Revil himself. The man the Purple Prince would trust with his life in any situation.
The Scarlet Crusaders were also rearmed and became a special formation operating within the Knights of the Purple Rose, operating within the old structure, according to which the battalion consisted of 45 machines in total, divided into 5 companies, 4 with 10 machines and command companies, having a total of 5 machines. Nevertheless, to all this there was the newest and quite interesting addition, which was undoubtedly Lieutenant Sir Ashley Ashra in a specially improved and non-standard Unitrooper for his needs, covered mostly with aggressive and metallic red and gold patterns. Additionally, instead of having one sword-shaped vibroblade, it had two machine guns.
As for the political situation on the Britannian political scene, after the recent shocks and Lucius and the Prime Minister gaining the ability to unilaterally decide on the internal policy of the empire. Additionally, the transition of many politicians, military and industrialists pushed their former rivals, or rather enemies in this case, in an extremely specific direction, straight to the edge of the abyss and political non-existence.
Lucius could not feel more satisfied and he was so grateful to his father, the emperor, that he could immediately praise him, and all the decisions made during his rule, to the heavens in front of the cameras and the whole world. Enemies who once hated the Purple Prince, sought to destroy him, or mocked him now found themselves at his mercy. Certainly, some of them would end their lives in tragic circumstances, but the most useful and untouchable ones, Lucius planned to use in his plans as much as possible. Theirs and the resources they have at their disposal.
So Prince went aboard the VTOL transport with full satisfaction and certainty that things could only get better now, that the dark times for him and his surviving loved ones were gone, and a new era had dawned in their place. While desperate measures were still possible on the part of the enemies of the Coalition of El and Vi Britannia, it would be foolish on their part, and Lucius had not the slightest doubt that the empresses and imperial princes would simply not decide to do so. Each of them had to know the very high price of risk associated with such steps.
Nevertheless, it did not change the fact that Lucius and a small part of his knights set off on a journey to ancient Japan at the express invitation of the viceroy of the area. Clovis had only been given three days' notice of the exact arrival date, more than enough for him to prepare something special for the occasion and Lucius had a good idea of what he might encounter when he arrived in Area 11.
Overall, the entire flight, although it lasted several hours, was undoubtedly faster than the same trip using a standard civilian airliner, considering the great capabilities and performance of the Britannia VTOL military transports. In fact, the only thing that could have been a much faster means of transportation was Lucius' personal jet with custom upgrades, but this machine had not been used by the Purple Prince for almost a year and had previously had technical problems. Suffice it to say that there were two occasions when a plane crash was a hair's breadth away, but it was never possible to say whether it was a technical failure or perhaps sabotage on request. Lucius himself was not sure about this, but due to his inability to find out the truth, he decided not to pursue this topic any further.
As for the trip itself, he spent it in pleasant social conversations with Garma, Char and Ciaran, everyone had a little story to tell. First of all, Char, who met the last young noblewoman from one of the smaller but old families. All during the famous party at Aries Villa. Lucius didn't ask if something had happened, but from the satisfied expression on the Major's face he could have some, quite specific, guesses.
Meanwhile, Garma talked about his family gatherings and the constant, nervously rowdy atmosphere at them, which, despite the tension, never turned into the worst, which always surprised Lucius himself. Nevertheless, once again the Purple Prince received confirmation of a certain thesis that family only looks good in photos, and even that was an exaggerated statement in some situations, to put it mildly.
The least talkative was Ciaran, who focused more on responding and advising than contributing. Nobody inquired about the reason for this state of affairs. Lucius himself, although curious, also decided to remain silent on this matter. He had no intention of irritating him.
Finally, the pleasant conversations about romance ended and politics began, and Char once again had the most to say on the matter. Lucius honestly had to admit that he had quite specific reasons for this. First of all, his social advancement to the rank of nobleman, baron, and considering his other achievements, Lucius would even be willing to seek to grant him a higher rank, perhaps count or maybe even marquis, if he was able to achieve enough.
Garma once again turned out to be talkative, because his father managed to gain several new supporters for the vi Britannia cause, and he was also on the way to acquiring two industrial concerns in the automotive and high-tech industries, in the latter case, it was the production of electronic parts for machines or vehicles. Considering what highly developed countries like Britannia were going into, it was an extremely lucrative business that would certainly only flourish if there were no major crisis. Moreover, he mentioned that he himself managed to convince several owners of sakuradite mines from Australia to supply this raw material exclusively to companies, intermediaries and even refineries associated with the vi Britannia party.
Ciaran was once again very casual when talking about himself, but this time no one paid any attention to it at all.
The last thing they talked about before arriving was the first steps they should take in ancient Japan. On this occasion, Lucius did not spare them his thoughts that this was in fact some kind of trap on Clovis's part, at least in case the Knights of the Purple Rose faced significant defeats. He also mentioned that he had a plan to use this stay to his own advantage. First of all, he planned, immediately after his arrival and with the help of Mariemai's spies, to start looking for compromising materials against his brother and his supporters, and then send it to the press or other interested people through intermediaries.
The best situation that Lucius would like in this situation is to harass and mentally torment his brother so much that he would eventually either start making more and more mistakes or would eventually commit suicide. He also considered making an attempt on his elder brother's life at the right moment, if necessary.
Ciaran and Garma in particular were clearly uncomfortable with him talking about his plans to finish off his own siblings, which is hardly surprising considering that Lucius spoke about it with an almost stoic calm and that he didn't seem to feel bad about the prospect of bringing about death of a family member. That said, he himself - although he did not show it in his attitude - began to enjoy to some extent the power that recent events had given him, and which he undoubtedly had over a large part of his so-called relatives, their allies, and their fate.
Someone else would describe it as a process in which an individual who was once weak and helpless in the face of those more powerful than him, finally receives what he deserves and can take revenge on his former tormentor. Lucius himself, however, did not see it that way. Simply put, thanks to his persistence, determination and, undoubtedly, his father's kindness, he managed to become one of the most important and powerful people in the entire empire. Now, for him, it all comes down to using all these advantages as rationally as possible. All with the intention of consolidating the current power to be more permanent and not fleeting, Schneizel was of a similar opinion, who also strived for the same.
As for Lucius, he had his own plan, prepared long ago. In most cases, those who were his greatest enemies he would either take advantage of and kill later, or kill them outright in circumstances that could not be linked to him. The disloyal and cowardly, after they have outlived their usefulness, will also face death or the loss of literally everything. However, those who are most useful and willing to cooperate will be given a place at his side. The perfect example of people in this last category was the Black family, who had already committed themselves to being part of his party and answering to him. Not before a coalition of two princes, but before Prince Lucius vi Britannia.
However, they did not have the opportunity to develop this topic much more, because at the same moment the officer piloting the plane informed them via intercom that they were approaching landing at the Lord Admiral Macmillan military airport. The airport, named after the hero of the invasion of Japan, who created the invasion plan and personally supervised the landing, but on land, was shot by a lonely Japanese left behind by his comrades, who was hidden in the treetop, waiting for his target, and although the soldier paid life, but he achieved his goal.
Apart from other consequences of this story, after several hours of flight, the transport finally landed and Lucius was the first - right after six armed monk soldiers - to go outside and what his eyes saw first was - apart from the mass of concrete and buildings, the entire welcome guard. Several dozen Suthelrands with cockpits extended, pilots standing at attention, officers, soldiers. Additionally, wherever possible, imperial banners were hanging and flapping proudly in the wind, which was strengthened by the landing of military transports.
Meanwhile, in front of the platform that made it easier to get out of the transport, a long carpet was spread out, and on it the most important people from the welcome committee were already waiting for Lucius. First of all, his older brother, Viceroy Prince Clovis vi Britannia, was first and looked as proud as a peacock. And at his side stood the two most important representatives of the army and civil authorities. Commander of the Area 11 Forces, General Bartley Asprius, and Area Civil Authority Chairman. The latter was important because he was at the top of the structure, right behind the viceroy, and he was responsible for coordinating and managing lower-ranking officials.
In addition to all this, there was a military band located at the back, which, playing the national anthem, gave the whole event a much more solemn tone. Lucius himself, meanwhile, couldn't help but roll his eyes subtly and imperceptibly - especially since there were no cameras anywhere in sight - before he took a few steps forward and met Clovis in the middle of the road.
"Lucius!" He seemed extremely pleased with this visit, the Purple Prince had no intention or reason to deprive him of this joy. "It's been way too long, how long has it been?"
Meanwhile, the prince and war hero of the empire had no intention of dwelling on this topic for too long and commented briefly on everything with a knowing smile. "Way too long and there's no point in dwelling on it."
One, or rather 6th, special people were left on board the transport and they were to join Lucius later to guard him.
The two gave each other a long and expressive brotherly hug, undoubtedly evoking a feeling of joy among the soldiers, for whom it seemed like a tangible symbol of the internal unity of the empire, completely false.
"The past is the past, brother." Lucius continued calmly as his friends and the other officers in the transport began to slowly disembark. "But I do intend to discuss the future, both far and not too distant, in great breadth and depth. There is no doubt that there is a lot to discuss on this issue."
"Then let us not waste any more time, Grand Master." Clovis easily understood his allusion, which related directly to the purpose for which Lucius came to the colony. "I have no doubt whatsoever that you will like Area 11. With funds flowing from the Sakuradite market into the colonial treasury, I was able to not only rebuild Tokyo, but essentially turn it into the Tokyo Settlement. When I look at it, to me it almost symbolizes our liberation of Japan from its old and ossified traditions, structure, only to put in its place Britannian ingenuity, free art, science and civilization."
"What can I say." Lucius shrugged, and although he wasn't and didn't consider himself a racist, he couldn't help but make a mocking comment about the alleged murderers of his brother and sister. "This is what happens when a higher civilization confronts savages who are stuck in outdated forms of social organization because they have not been able to adapt them to new realities. What's more, these creatures should be grateful to us that we didn't completely exterminate them, as was the case with the Indians and many other natives in South America."
Clovis chuckled at this comment, coming from someone who was considered by many political circles to be one of the more progressive and liberal in the empire. In fact, however, Lucius had never and had no intention of abandoning his contempt for this land, these islands, the natives, the Elevens and everything they represent. In fact, Clovis was more than aware of the fact that Lucius - if he could - would burn to ashes literally everything that was left of Japanese culture, of what these people represented. The population after this cultural genocide would either be subjected to physical extermination or, by a long-term plan, transformed into perfect and completely obedient slaves whose only meaning in life would be to work for their Britannian masters.
In all, Lucius and his entourage spent a few more minutes at the airport, while the Purple Prince greeted the high-ranking officials and military personnel who were gathered here and were important enough to require his attention. Despite everything, it didn't last long and soon, Clovis, Lucius, Garma and General Asprius went to a specially prepared armored limousine.
The remaining and important officers went to the remaining few limousines, which, together with the transporters and knightmare frames escorting them, formed quite a large column which, a few minutes after setting off from the airport, entered the main road.
Lucius, looking out the window at the city from this particular perspective, a viewer observing everything from a fast-moving car, had to admit one thing to his brother, he had indeed rebuilt and rebuilt the old Tokyo, into the Tokyo Settlement. Creations in terms of architecture that could in no way be compared to what existed in pre-war Japan. Towers and skyscrapers, which focused largely on functionality, in a modernist style, contrasted very clearly with the pre-war buildings, which, although also in a more modern style, still retained the patterns of Japanese culture and traditional architecture.
All this looked beautiful to the Purple Prince, not only because of his attitude towards the Japanese and their culture, but also because of the approaching evening and the setting sun, which seemed to be hiding behind the horizon. It was a deliberate decision by Lucius and his entourage to set out at such a time that it would be almost night when they reached the islands, so that he and his men could rest and recuperate upon arrival.
Apart from this, Lucius also had the thought that not only the Tokyo Settlement had to change radically compared to its pre-war state, but also the entire Area 11 on this occasion. This ultimately appeared as proof of the empire's unquestionable domination over the natives. Their state, culture and architecture - literally and figuratively - lay in ruins, trampled under Britannian boots and steel, and like every defeated civilization, the Japanese one, in the face of a more powerful aggressor, was consigned to the dustbin of history.
"This is the fate of the defeated." He whispered at one point during the ride, which caught the attention of everyone present, but Lucius smiled very quickly. "With how the Tokyo Settlement area has been redefined in its essence, I couldn't help but wonder about the general nature of our world and what has taken place in different historical periods. As well as the terrible fate that almost always befalls the defeated."
The other three accepted his explanation and discussed it for a while, Garma being particularly talkative. Although he was Lucius' age and also graduated from New Colchester, his specialization included logistics, but not only that. One of his passions were the processes and decisions of people or institutions that directed the fate of the world to the place where they all found themselves today. For this reason, he was able to say the most about it, while Clovis and General Asprius were clearly interested in it.
Both Clovis and Bartley seemed to have something of a Renaissance man in them, i.e. well-educated people who tried to acquire extensive knowledge in a variety of topics, even if many of them seemed to have little in common.
Lucius remained reservedly silent, only occasionally joining in the conversation. Steadily, the atmosphere between the four men began to relax until they arrived at the Viceroy's Palace. Although each structure with the same name was located in the capital of each area, this particular one was unique, not necessarily in a good sense.
Lucius himself, looking at this construction, had strangely mixed feelings. On the one hand, the structure seemed to tower supreme over the Tokyo Settlement, as if to symbolize the Holy Britannian Empire's domination of the natives. The Purple Prince was more than happy, at least internally, that the Elevens were getting exactly what they deserved for the death of his siblings.
On the other hand, the Viceroy's Palace seemed to him a strange and not entirely successful attempt to combine the old with the new. As if the architect wanted the structure to look like a medieval castle, only with a modern twist. The result, in Lucius's opinion, was mixed, but at least not disastrous.
However, pushing away these thoughts, he focused on the conversation in the limousine. However, no important point was mentioned, and Lucius soon found himself in a state of semi-consciousness. He seemed to be present, but in fact he was locked in his own mind.
It took some time, but eventually they reached their destination. Another spectacular welcome committee was waiting for them at the Viceroy's Palace. In any case, no less spectacular than what happened to them at the airport.
"Purists?" Lucius asked, clearly surprised at the sight of dozens of Sutherlands with red pauldrons and Factsphere sensors painted in the same color.
Clovis hesitated for a moment before answering after a short while. "I thought only our best troops should be sent to welcome someone like you. Purists are an elite formation."
"I'm rather surprised that they would agree to welcome someone who doesn't shy away from using Numbers in their formation if they prove to be worthy of being drafted into the Knights of the Purple Rose." The Purple Prince replied slightly mockingly, but in such a way that only Garma felt this subtle note. "Regardless, I am happy to be welcomed by the best sons and daughters of the Britannia."
This topic was no longer discussed, instead the limousines stopped in front of the palace and the soldiers greeted both princes of the empire. The first to approach Lucius was the designated commander of the honor guard, Lieutenant Colonel Kewell Soresi, with a distinctive red wing over his left breast, a symbol of his affiliation with the Purists.
Before arriving here, Lucius did some research on this faction and its units and came to some clear conclusions. In terms of eliteness and quality of staff, they could even compete with the Knights of the Purple Rose. They were therefore a force that absolutely had to be reckoned with and taken into account in calculations. As for the symbol of belonging to the Purists, it was the so-called Wing of the Morrigan, the Celtic goddess of magic, the underworld, war and destruction. Considering they were a Holy Britannian Empire dominated by the Imperial Church, this was interesting to say the least, even peculiar. At least that's how it looked from Lucius' perspective.
"Your Highness!" Lieutenant Colonel Soresi bowed, even more than required, but his expression made it clear he was not happy about it. "I welcome you to Area 11, on behalf of all the Britannian Military and soldiers of our glorious empire!"
"Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel." Lucius saluted loudly in response, but he was in no hurry to go anywhere. "You can order the soldiers and pilots to rest."
Lieutenant Colonel Soresi followed his order, and later Char and Ciaran joined Lucius, Garm, Clovis and Bartley. Together, they went inside, where a specially prepared room was waiting for them, on the highest floors of the palace.
Very quickly it became clear that Clovis had invited all the most important nobility in Area 11 in terms of rank, wealth and titles, as well as the highest-ranking officials and garrison commanders. In short, the people who had actual control over this colony of the empire.
The party began with a speech by Clovis, but Lucius paid no attention to it and, apart from saying a few words to the crowd, remained quiet and aloof. If he had discussions and conversations with anyone, it was with people he believed were really important and worth his time. This category included commanders of garrisons of individual settlements, as well as factory owners.
Lucius tried to subtly find out whose support he could count on and who would be a burden to him. As it turned out, he quickly found a group of fierce enemies here, due to his half-peasant origins on his mother's side. On the other hand, the world is so big that a single person can find as many supporters as opponents. It was similar in this case.
Lucius very quickly managed to find a group of officials, military commanders and even two quite important industrialists. All of them united by one rather influential man. This man was Earl Torin Calares, although closely associated with the supporters of Empress Gabrielle, he saw which way the wind was blowing and had no intention of being a loser in the great political game.
The Purple Prince accepted their help, although he did not trust them in the slightest. After all, how could anyone ever trust opportunists? No one in their right mind would ever do that. Certainly not someone as intelligent and cunning as the Purple Prince.
After this short and unexciting adventure, the party was still going on. Lucius paced the hall until he was approached by the commander of the Purists in Area 11, with turquoise hair.
"Your Highness, I don't think we've had a chance to talk yet?" He saluted and spoke quietly enough not to arouse much attention from the guests. "I am…"
"Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, I think it was 7 years ago that we had the opportunity to talk." Lucius replied coldly, as he clearly remembered what he believed to be an incompetent guardsman who pathetically asked for a chance to atone for his guilt. "I thought he would be happy because I let you go with your life intact. Not every guardsman in the history of our empire who let down his liege could count on so much. A handful, to be precise."
Colonel Gottwald flinched visibly at his cold words, which might as well have been about something insignificant. Meanwhile, it was actually a hidden threat and a demand to leave the Prince of Britannia's sight. "Please forgive me if I offended you with my presence, Your Highness, but I wanted to ask for the chance to serve you while you are in Area 11."
"The Purist Leader of Area 11 would like to serve me, or at best aid my campaigns against local terrorists?" Lucius glared at him as if there was some trick behind his words, although he knew there wasn't necessarily that. "Considering your demonstration of competence 7 years ago, you must have a very good reason if you think he will accept this offer."
"Your Highness, I may not have been able to save Empress Marianne from her fate at the hands of her assassins, but perhaps I will be able to help you." Seeing that Prince Lucius was slowly losing patience, he decided to get to the point. "I will say it straight and now, the Purists have been the best formation in the entire Area 11 so far. We are tight, we constantly practice and the discipline among our members is very high. This distinguishes us from garrison formations or local police, which, despite the constant threat of terrorist attacks, have clearly become complacent and indolent."
"At least you're telling me the truth about the soldiers here and their commanders, Margrave." Lucius decided at this point that it might be worth his time. "How much military power can the Purists hypothetically provide me with?"
"It would depend on the situation and the need for our involvement, Your Highness." Colonel Gottwald took a moment to think carefully before answering. "At most, we can put at your disposal 50 machines divided into three battalions of 50 Knightmare Frames and an entire regiment of mechanized infantry."
"Good, then…" Lucius didn't have time to finish.
"Prince Lucius." Colonel Gottwald interrupted him desperately. "Your Highness, I know I let your mother, your siblings and you down 7 years ago. Nevertheless, please give me a chance to make amends for my disastrous failure…"
"Be silent, Margrave." Lucius growled softly, lowering his voice even further so that Colonel Gottwald flinched. "I have no idea how brazen you can be to think you can ask for anything. Not to mention another chance. Besides, the unit you command is in an interesting position, to say the least, considering some moral scandals that have occurred recently."
Colonel Gottwald grimaced as he recalled several serious sexual scandals, most notably with his previous deputy, who turned out to have an unhealthy predilection for young girls and boys. "Your Highness, I assure you that…
"That your request to participate in my operations is a matter of gaining glory and washing away responsibility for that farce?" Lucius almost raised his voice, but luckily for both of them, he still maintained a calm façade, even though he was starting to boil under his skin. "I advise you to remember, Margrave, that if you again try to ingratiate yourself so obviously, your future will not look very bright. I will take care of it and you have my word on it."
"Your Highness, I…"
"I will personally make your life hell if you try something like that again, Margrave." Lucius added with a sharp and dangerous glint in his eyes.
With these words, he moved forward rapidly and Colonel Gottwald struggled to keep up with his movement, giving way to the teenager, now immersed in cold fury.
"Is something wrong, Luc?" Garma, seeing his friend, approached him and tried to find out what the problem was. "Did Colonel Gottwald get on your nerves?"
"He's absolutely cheeky, Garma." Lucius responded with a quiet growl, although by now he had managed to relatively control his emotions. "He thought he could beg me for anything out of false remorse for failure, when what he really wanted was glory, and I have no doubt his goal was to use me to gain it."
Garma just sighed, especially since he knew the reason for his friend's behavior. "Luc, I know Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald and the rest of your mother's guard abandoned their duties, but this was their mistake."
"Mistake." Lucius snorted mockingly at him, as if he found this choice of words amusing. "A mistake can happen if and only if the party that made it admitted it. Otherwise - at least I think - it is nothing more than an error.
"Still, I hope to convince you that Margrave Gottwald really wants to correct this mistake." Garma and Lucius continued walking slowly among all the gathered guests. "Besides, turning away someone who, in my brother's opinion, showed absolute loyalty to your family and admired your mother could be a waste of a valuable human resource."
Knowing that this particular issue might blow up in his face, Garma decided to appeal to his friend's logic. However, this attempt also failed, at least not completely.
"I'll be the judge of that, Garma." Lucius replied briefly and that was the end of the conversation, after which they both went near the Viceroy, who was happy to talk to the guests and drink champagne in quite large quantities.
The margrave, meanwhile, remained alone, trying to hide his disappointment mixed with sadness that he had failed to convince the son of his deceased idol to accept him back into service.
Meanwhile, Lucius took a closer look at his half-brother, and his particular attention was drawn to the glass of champagne held by the Viceroy in his left hand. It looked quite strange, the color seemed to be slightly weaker than what Lucius had noticed earlier. Additionally, the number of bubbles was relatively small and rare.
All this put together begged the question in the mind of the Purple Prince: Is this some other type of champagne that Clovis likes, or is it carbonated water mixed with some dye to imitate champagne?
It even had some logical basis. Clovis never had much authority, and even some members of the imperial court - although allied with Empress Gabrielle - had no mercy for him behind the scenes. He was quite widely considered a clown. At best, a real artist who should not get involved in politics because he is completely unsuitable for it.
Lucius was far from this type of opinion, because he had seen so much in his life and knew so much about the state of Area 11 that he could certainly consider it a false or, at best, too hasty opinion. But now he had proof that Clovis also had a hint of cunning in him. What else can you call the trick in which he replaces the champagne with colored carbonated water and then pretends to be drunk, most likely to check people out?
If he was cunning and intelligent enough, he could also…
After a short moment, Lucius shook his head, clearing all thoughts on the subject from his mind. It could just as easily have been a different brand of champagne that Clovis likes than the brand commonly served here.
Meanwhile, giving too much attention to trivial issues or looking for a deeper meaning may lead to conspiracy theories if it goes too far. He, as a person in a powerful position, could not afford to believe in this type of thing. Mainly due to the fact that sooner or later people in his immediate environment might stop taking him seriously.
"Lucius!" Clovis staggered over to his younger brother, then placed his free hand on his left shoulder. "It's good to know you're having fun."
"I haven't said anything yet." Lucius remarked wryly, then smiled warmly at him. "Nevertheless, you're right, I'm having a lot of fun and I've met some very interesting people. I have to thank you for this opportunity, brother."
"It's just a minor detail, and we haven't even gotten to the point yet." Clovis snapped his fingers after removing his hand from his stepbrother's shoulder.
This gesture was easily perceived as a signal, as a result of which the film crew present at the party began to prepare a small dais. While the cameras and exposure began to be adjusted accordingly to the imperial banner present on the wall. Overall, preparation didn't take more than a few moments, which just showed the staff's ability to work quickly.
"It's time for us to announce your arrival to all of Area 11!" Clovis announced happily and clapped his hands. "Come on, Lucius, let's make a good impression in front of our father's subjects!"
The Viceroy placed his champagne glass on a nearby table, then grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him to the prepared stage. Lucius was surprised and gave his brother an annoyed look, but he quickly adapted to the new circumstances and calmly entered the stage with him.
"Your Highnesses, we will start broadcasting soon." A portly man in an ornate cloak announced to them.
"You address the population without any prior preparation?" Lucius asked him in surprise, seconds before he started.
"In most cases, I don't need any preparation, the words just come to me as if I had always had them in my head." Clovis replied with a smile on his face. "Besides, it won't be me who has to speak to these people, it will be you."
Lucius smiled back, but it wasn't as warm as his brother's, instead it was icy and chilling. "I suppose I shouldn't forget that I'm also speaking to terrorists?"
"Indeed." Was Clovis' short response. "Now get ready, Luc."
In response, Lucius only adjusted his sandy blonde hair, which he had started growing out in recent weeks to add a bit more elegance to his image. Even though he once would have balked at the thought of having long hair. In addition, he also moved away a bit to step in front of the camera only when Clovis finished his introduction, which the older brother understood without any problems.
"Your Highnesses, you will be on TV in 4… 3… 2… 1… now!" One of the workers announced as most of the lights went out.
"Greetings, residents of Area 11 and citizens of the empire." Clovis started speaking almost immediately. "As well as you, dear Elevens. I am speaking to you today because of the announcement I have a great desire to make to you."
"Unfortunately, although I would like to give you the best news with all my heart, it is not possible and I would not be a good administrator of this area if I did not mention it." Any signs of good humor on Clovis's part disappeared, replaced by a mixture of sadness and anger. "245 dead as a result of recent terrorist attacks. Thousands of injured women and children. All in the name of a senseless fight that cannot succeed."
"Have you no conscience?" Clovis asked, but from Lucius' point of view it sounded hollow in the slightest. "Is all this shed blood still not enough for you?"
"The question must therefore be asked: is all this necessary and can we, Britannians, leave unanswered such brazen disregard for the lives of others and the authority of our Emperor?" Clovis placed his hand firmly and violently over his heart and clenched it tightly into a fist. "Know that you Elevens terrorists are so eager to take up arms and bring death wherever you go that you no longer even care if one of your brothers and sisters is wounded or killed. sisters. You who wield minds, the gift of great evolution, like mindless monkeys. May I leave your wildness and thoughtlessness unanswered?"
Lucius even smiled a little at Elevens' choice of words, but stood quietly out of view of the camera.
"Definitely not, and undoubtedly, as some have accused me in the past, I have treated terrorists far too softly!" Clovis opened his eyes and his fist over his heart began to twitch, then he began to simulate calming down. "But it's all in the past. My leniency towards terrorists ends today."
"However, it is not solely due to me. Today has come the moment when the fight for peace in our empire enters a completely new gear, definitely faster and stronger than ever before."
His words were met with a powerful and theatrical gesture that left no doubt that Lucius was being asked to come in front of the camera at that moment to fully announce his arrival. He briefly considered refusing his brother and simply bringing this theater to an end, but that thought was ultimately put on the back burner. Only to disappear after a while and halfway into the camera.
Lucius stood next to his older half-brother, his face stern, but mentally relishing the prospect of the great stir his unexpected appearance must cause. He could almost imagine all of the Elevens terrorists, their leaders, or even ordinary civilians involved in nothing more than a desperate desire to survive their predicament. He could also imagine their panic, for here had arrived one of the best Britannia had to offer.
At the same time, too, Lucius imagined the soldiers, officials and civilians, the Britannians, who, after a brief shock, must have felt a mixture of relief and happiness at the sight and awareness of the presence in Area 11 of one of the empire's greatest heroes.
"The Purple Dragon of our empire needs no introduction." Clovis gave the camera a warm smile. "However, he has a few words to say to all of us."
Then, he retreated a few steps to the side while Lucius stood in front of the cameras at the central and prime point, as the staff in charge wordlessly signaled to him. After that, he stopped dead in his tracks, only to achieve the theatrical effect of silence. He was familiar with attention-seeking techniques or some methods of psychologically influencing crowds or individuals.
"Welcome people of Area 11, whether you are subjects of my father, the Emperor, or simply Elevens." Lucius started coldly, but spoke both smoothly and quickly. "I am glad that Viceroy Prince Clovis la Britannia has decided to ask me for help in bringing peace as quickly as possible to this, I might add, extremely important corner of the Holy Britannian Empire."
XXX
It was supposed to be a quiet evening for the winning Prince of Britannia and his crippled sister, spent with their friends and members of the student council. All in the Ashford Academy building, which has been a refuge for them and the possibility of a relatively normal life in recent years. All thanks to the kindness of a family that was ruined by the combined rivals of the vi Britannia line.
Although Prince Lucius vi Britannia quickly entered into a coalition with the el Britannia party, he was unable to save the powerful and very old Ashford family, which became the target of a massive attack campaign by all supporters of Empress Gabrielle la Britannia. For them, the Ashford family - as one of the oldest noble families of the Holy Britannian Empire - became a symbol of betrayal by supporting a lower-class Empress.
Regardless of the story, Lelouch Lamperouge - as he called himself after his fake death 7 years ago - hoped that this evening would end peacefully. The student council was to have a communal and quiet dinner in the main hall. Nevertheless, the president of the local government, Milly Ashford, always eager for new experiences and provoking situations, demanded that the TV be turned on to make the evening more interesting.
Personally, Lelouch - although bored and wanting to just end another unproductive day in his life - wouldn't mind it. However, and to their surprise, the device was turned on to a news channel that was broadcasting Viceroy Clovis la Britannia's speech to the entire population of Area 11. None of the other student council members did anything, so it continued undisturbed until an unexpected guest began to speak. at a reception hosted by the Viceroy.
Leluch could confidently say that he almost felt his blood boil at the sight of his younger twin brother, who basically inherited everything from their mother. Authorities, allies, connections, technologies and assets. And the only sign of gratitude on his part was - in Lelouch's opinion - throwing him and their sister into the dustbin of the past. It was as if they meant nothing to him, despite sharing a mother.
However, Lelouch could not afford to show emotion in the company of people without knowledge of his and Nunnally's past. Very quickly he controlled the anger raging within him and the flash of planning directed against only one man in the entire Area 11.
"I came here today, a few hours ago." Lucius continued his public appearance with a hint of drawl before his tone of voice rose menacingly. "Just to see, hear and not be able to trust my own senses. Know that my disappointment cannot be overstated, especially from the bloodthirsty and unreasonable natives, my brother Britannians."
Leluch didn't fully understand what game his younger brother was playing or what the goal was. Why would he address the Japanese like that and antagonize them all? However, the answer to this question appeared a few moments later.
"245 deaths in recent terrorist attacks, worthy at best of wild beasts, chimpanzees or other apes, but not of the honorable men that the Japanese claim to be." Lucius didn't change the tone of his voice, but although he didn't raise or lower it, it still expressed something between contempt and anger. "And all this for what? Freedom for a country that no longer exists and will never return? Protecting your brothers and sisters, whose lives you no longer pay the slightest attention to at this point? No, to my disappointment as a civilized human being, your only goal has become the savage desire to kill, rape and rob!"
Lelouch couldn't hold back some praise for his younger twin brother and his acting skills, for manipulating the emotions emanating from him and his tone of voice. Emotions that seemed to be perfectly balanced and at the beck and call of their master, who managed to tame them like a wild beast.
"Know that this madness will not remain unanswered, because from today, the Knights of the Purple Rose will take the brunt of the fight against the savages who mistakenly consider themselves human." Lucius continued, in the same angry-contemptuous tone. "For you terrorists who consider themselves freedom fighters, I have only one message."
There was then a dramatic pause lasting over 10 seconds. "You are already dead right now, you just don't realize it yet. Know that your savagery and attacks unworthy of men of honor will not result in the fall of our empire, as the naive part of you probably thinks."
Lucius's eyes grew so intense that Lelouch, who was watching him, couldn't help but flinch. The exiled Prince didn't know if it was just an act on his twin brother's part or a genuine expression of emotion.
"No, for people like you, murderers and terrorists, we in the empire have only three words to offer. Blood, fire and steel, just like in a real war. However, you will not have the honor of fighting in a real war like true warriors, but on my part it will be something comparable to eliminating annoying insects."
"Remember this, Elevens!" Lucius raised his voice and seemed to make it clear that it was almost over. "Do not expect mercy because you have never offered it from your side, you savages!"
The last words were dripping with venom, as if he resented having to speak to beings he didn't consider to be human. To be honest, Lelouch had some doubts about this himself, having observed some of the effects of some particularly brutal terrorist attacks. Seeing such things was undoubtedly one of those moments where an individual's faith in the humanity of other people diminished.
"In a month, perhaps even sooner, the Knights of the Purple Rose and the local forces supporting us will conduct a joint campaign." Lucius continued, threateningly and with slightly narrowed eyes. "Know that this will be the beginning of the war on terrorism that will bring peace and order here once and for all. Citizens of the empire and subjects of my father, the Emperor, from this place I swear to you that I will not rest until we can fully recognize Area 11 as our territory and our children can freely roam the streets without fear of falling prey to terrorists and wild beasts, which only resembling the humans!"
After a short silence, the last word came from the Purple Dragon of Britannia. "Month."
After these words, Lucius's hand moved in a rather specific gesture, and a moment later the transmission ended. There was silence in the room where the student council ate dinner together until the host of this news edition summarized the event and moved on to another issue.
Milly decided to turn off the TV and there was consternation in the room, interrupted by Lelouch's blue-haired gambling companion.
"It was powerful." Rivalz Cardemonde remarked in his distinctive and slightly irritating tone of voice. "However, does it mean what I think it means?"
No one answered his question, as everyone - except Nunnally, who was here - gave him a blank look. Before the blonde beauty gave him a rather clear look and thanks to her extroverted personality - coupled with some ability to control the situation - she managed to neatly change the subject.
Overall, the rest of the dinner was fairly uneventful, but some people just couldn't help but talk about it. Honestly, Lelouch wasn't even the slightest bit surprised by them. One of the best commanders Britannia has ever fielded here in Area 11? It was not difficult to imagine the subsequent improvement in mood and morale among the army, administration, and the population of Britannian settlers.
Lelouch and Nunnally said goodbye to their friends from school before returning to their private dormitory, where their maid was already waiting for them, but her help was not needed. The exiled Prince personally decided to put his sister to bed, knowing that there would be a few uncomfortable questions.
"Big brother?" The blind girl asked as her brother changed her into her night gown. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Lelouch tried to keep his voice warm, but in the end it came out as extremely tense with restraint from the emotions raging within them. "You can ask me anything you want."
"Can we really not reunite with Lucius?" She asked him, in a very low and almost pathetic tone of voice that would have been more appropriate for a kicked puppy. "Can't we go back to the way things used to be?"
Lelouch took a deep breath, not very pleased with the direction this conversation was heading. Nevertheless, he was already prepared to answer this question. "Nunnally, I've told you many times and I'll say it again that I don't have the strength to talk about this… man, due to his betrayal."
Nunnally became even more sad, fully aware that her brother's decision on this matter was final and had not changed for 7 years. "Can you really not forgive him, considering how much time has passed?"
His sister's words took him a bit to heart and he even considered what she said for a moment before deciding to give a final answer on the matter. "Nunnally, none of this would have happened between us if this man had remained loyal to us, to his own family, at the crucial moment. Instead, he chose power and the opportunity to replace our father as Emperor of the empire."
"I see." Was all that came out of the crippled girl's mouth.
Before going to sleep, Lelouch tried to comfort his sister and improve her mood. It didn't work out the way he would have imagined. Even though Nunnally seemed content, Lelouch constantly noticed these thoughts about their brother on her lips and in the way she spoke.
Perhaps so much time had passed and Lelouch's hatred for Lucius had become almost the foundation of his personality, but he was still hampered by certain doubts. First of all, the fact that Lucius was still his brother, a full-blooded one. He was not a half-brother, one of the imperial half-siblings. Apart from his sister and deceased mother, Lucius was all that was left of their family.
Yes, the man commonly known as the Purple Prince was not the only one closely associated with them, there were also other members of the Imperial Family. Nevertheless, Lucius spent the vast majority of his early and later childhood with them. The prospect of fighting him for this very reason was not a pleasant one for the exiled prince.
When Lelouch returned to his room, he thought about this issue for a long time, unable to come to terms with his inner voice. In a voice that seemed to tell him that brothers shouldn't fight each other. Especially if they shared the same womb at the same time.
"It does not matter." Lelouch did a lot to calm down any remorse before he uttered these words in complete solitude, without any third party. "No matter what happens, I must exact my revenge on the empire, and Lucius is one of the first to undoubtedly stand in my way."
The iron resolve resounded once again, this time, definitely more strongly and lasting than it might seem at first glance. But what will come of it? Only the future and time will answer this question.
AN: Here's another chapter coming to an end, and I sincerely hope you had fun reading this.
I hope you will leave reviews with your opinions on this topic, and in the meantime I wish you all the best.
See you in the future. -King's Snake