Chapter 56
In Keeping of Protocol
As part of the security protocols protecting her, Euphemia was not permitted to leave the girls' dormitory without Marika or another guard accompanying her. The practical consequence of this was obliging the knight, or other guard, to be up and freshened up before the princess herself. For soldiers, this was hardly some great undertaking, what with the early start that was their regular routine anyway. It was an undertaking also greatly helped by the fact that Ashford Academy actually started fairly late relative to certain other schools, the place being a boarding school affording them the luxury of not needing to synchronize the student body's schedule with that of their parents' work schedules. Even for those students that commuted from home, they tended to be from families rich enough that they enjoyed a similar such privilege.
Weekends followed their own particular tempo, with some students taking the opportunity to sleep in even later while others somehow managed to drag themselves out of bed at an earlier time to have more hours for whatever their break plans might be. For Euphemia, this particular weekend she fell into the latter category, as she went through her morning routine at a hurried pace such that she was actually left waiting a few minutes before Marika arrived. The knight, seeing her princess seated and clearly ready for some time, grimaced slightly.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Your Highness."
"That's alright," Euphemia excused her, though tellingly the younger girl did not deny being made to wait. "I suppose I was a bit too eager to get the day started. Shall we?"
"At your leisure."
The princess departed from her room with Marika right behind. Their destination was once more the prefect clubhouse, and its empty halls indicated they were the first to arrive. As enthused as Euphemia might be for the coming day's festivities, there was something to be said about too much haste. With little to do except now wait, Euphemia sank into a couch and sighed. Throughout all this, a distinct look of unease had remained on Marika's expression. Looking about and after ascertaining that they were indeed alone, the knight cleared her throat.
"Your Highness, a word if I may?"
"Hmm? Certainly, Dame Marika."
"Your Highness has paid great consideration to Mr. Kururugi," the knight said politely but formally, "but are you actually prepared for the consequences therein?"
Euphemia's lips thinned. "And what consequences so worry you, Dame Marika?"
Though the form of address was still the same, there was also a touch more formality to the princess' own tone.
"Your Highness," Marika began again, "as you yourself pointed out, there are many aspects to my duty as your knight beyond merely ensuring your personal safety or," the knight cast a level gaze at her liege, "preserving your honor by ensuring the success of your ambitions."
Euphemia returned that gaze to her knight.
"An equally important duty is to, if necessary, protect you from your own ambition."
That saw a slight widening of her eyes as Euphemia continued staring at Marika. To that the knight offered a slight smile.
"When I first signed on with the Princess Cornelia, she made clear that she had certain priorities that might see me endangered in their pursuit." Marika shook her head at the now inquisitive look the princess shot her. "No, I will not reveal what those priorities are, Your Highness. Much as I will keep in confidence anything you tell me, I will not reveal anything told me in confidence by my prior lady."
Noticeable though the disappointment was, Euphemia also looked a bit relieved.
"In light of those priorities however, Her Highness offered me a chance to withdraw myself for induction into her guard. I obviously did not take her up on that option, but it wasn't until much later that I began to understand just how serious the matter was. When you reminded me of my duty to your ambition in addition to your person."
That only made Euphemia even more curious as to what those priorities were, but she restrained her curiosity and instead continued listening attentively.
"Sir Gilbert was the one that explained things more clearly to me," Marika said, referring to the second-in-command of Cornelia's own royal guard. Marika may no longer be sworn to the older princess, but that did not mean she was bereft of their guidance. "About both how it was our duty to help our liege carry forth their ambition, but also to act as a restraining force to make sure they did not go too far in the process." The intensity of the young woman's gaze seemed to flare. "We may swear fealty to the same liege as armsmen and knights, Your Highness, but we are set apart because we, as you said, defend not only our liege's person, but also their honor. That means we defend not only attempts by others to besmirch that honor, but also to prevent our liege from doing so themselves."
Euphemia tilted her head. "And you think I might do something to besmirch mine?"
"You could, if you are not prepared," Marika responded frankly.
"Alright then," Euphemia said, placing her hands upon her knees in an attentive pose. "What do you believe I need to prepare for, Dame Marika?"
"Do I have your leave to speak frankly, Your Highness?"
"I thought you already were," Euphemia said with a slight smile. "But by all means, do so."
"You are clearly smitten with Mr. Kururugi," the knight began immediately. "That however does not mean others will view him through similarly rose-tinted a view. If someone were to ask you what qualities makes him fit to stand by your side, what would be your answer?"
Euphemia took a brief moment to consider. "Suzaku is kind and smart, hardworking almost to a fault. And above all, he is very loyal."
"All qualities that could be attributed to countless others," Marika however was clearly not impressed. "For someone to become a royal consort however requires a greater demonstration of merit."
"Royal consort?" Euphemia almost croaked at that.
Marika raised an eyebrow. "Is that not what you envision your dalliance with Mr. Kururugi to eventually result in? If not, then you should seriously consider whether it is right to be stringing him along like this."
"I am not stringing him along," Euphemia protested, rather vehemently at that.
"Then you must pay heed to not only the personal capacity he would fulfill, but also the official capacity."
The princess regarded her knight with a beady look. "You sound almost like Lelouch there."
Marika gave a wry smile to that. "I have been finding that His Eminence, for all his seeming lack of social grace, is not without some insight at times."
Lelouch was unlikely to ever become one of Marika's favored persons, but after having watched the cardinal work, even if indirectly, the knight was prepared to admit the youth's competency and rigor. The cardinal might have ultimately pulled the trigger, metaphorically, that killed her brother, but Marika could not deny that Kewell had been the one to give Lelouch cause. And truth be told, as blunt as Lelouch could be, Marika had also borne witness to several displays of genuine sentimentality, so perhaps his sociability was not quite hopeless either. That or Millicent Ashford really was a miracle worker.
"Whatever sentiment you hold for Mr. Kururugi now," Marika continued, "is your prerogative. But it is not solely your prerogative to judge his fitness as a royal consort. That is shared by your family and, well, the Empire as a whole."
The first Euphemia knew well enough. The second caused her to blink rapidly. To bear scrutiny from the Empire as a whole was no small thing to ask of someone just because he was together with her. But as Euphemia reflected on it further, that scrutiny was something she herself was already under.
"You say Mr. Kururugi is brave. That he is smart, hardworking, and loyal. All are certainly desirable qualities for a royal consort. But if you were asked for proof of these qualities beyond your own personal judgment, could you provide them?"
That was not an unfair question to ask and Euphemia spent a moment mulling over an answer.
"Suzaku was awarded the Royal Elizabethan Medal for his actions during the Lake Kawaguchi incident," the princess said, "where he nearly sacrificed his life to prevent the JLF from bombarding the conference center. He was further given a promotion as a," the girl frowned slightly as she tried to recall the details, "warrant officer or something as a reward for his service."
The medal alone certainly constituted ample proof of bravery.
"His grades here at Ashford are also above average," the princess continued, "despite the gaps in his formal education after Britannia invaded Japan." A statement of fact that, not a condemnation. "This on top of him taking the same accelerated civics class that I am outside of normal school hours, something that he has diligently persevered in even on top of his duties in the military."
So even if Suzaku's natural intelligence might not allow him to effortlessly grasp all the material presented to him at school, he still doggedly did his best to learn and understand it over time.
"As for loyalty," Euphemia regarded Marika with a rueful look, "well, just like you, there are things that he refuses to tell me, even if they pertain to my family, because he himself was told them in confidence."
Marika's own expression twitched at being so compared to the Japanese youth, though she felt a slightly lesser aversion than the prior comparison with Lelouch. If she were completely honest as well, the comparison was not necessarily a bad one. Being able to keep a secret was a very important quality for anyone that aspired to be a proper knight, after all. Though Marika still possessed enough pride, or even arrogance, to believe that she could do better than Suzaku. But that was not to say she could not admit Suzaku's possession of those qualities that did matter.
"I have observed firsthand Mr. Kururugi's diligence," Marika said, "having watched the two of you study together. And though secondhand, I have heard accounts of his bravery at Lake Kawaguchi from the other knights that were deployed. In such short time he has certainly achieved a great many things, and I don't doubt he will go on to achieve many more."
Considering the bias Marika's older brother held, the younger knight's open-mindedness might have come as a surprise. Related though they were however, Marika was still her own person, capable of reaching her own conclusions. Even then, her time in the service of the Princess Cornelia might still have colored her attitude to be a more suspicious, leery perception of non-Britannians. But Marika had signed on with Euphemia because the willful young woman felt doing so would help her grow as a knight, as a retainer, and ultimately as a person. And after having spent so much time around the Japanese youth, even if the actual words they exchanged remained few and far in between, that was still enough for Marika to make a reasoned, and fair, judgment of Suzaku's person.
"As such, I have no reason to rule out the possibility that he might have what it takes to be a royal consort," the knight continued. "Nothing about Mr. Kururugi intrinsically rules out that prospect, but that is not the same as him being capable of shouldering that responsibility. Whether he can however is not solely down to his own efforts, but also in yours, Your Highness."
"In what way?" Euphemia asked seriously.
"First and foremost, does Mr. Kururugi himself have any awareness of what it means to court an imperial scion? His ability to look beyond your lineage may offer you some personal comfort, but it does not preclude him from the inherent expectations." Despite giving what amounted to a lecture to her charge, Marika still attentively swept the surroundings from time to time to make sure no one snuck up on them. "At the very least, you should ask if he understands those expectations exist, as well as what he thinks them to be."
The princess nodded slowly, seeing the sense in Marika's words.
"You should also conduct some preparatory work on your end," the knight said. "Not least of which is making your family aware there is someone that has caught your interest." Marika gave a cough. "We would not want a repeat of what happened with His Eminence."
Euphemia actually winced slightly at that. While Lelouch had not openly objected upon learning of her growing closeness with Suzaku, her brother had looked very put upon at having that revelation dropped on him during what was arguably a very inconvenient time when Suzaku was being confined to protect both the youth and others around him. Euphemia doubted her brother actually disapproved of any potential match between her and Suzaku, though there was a slight, fierce glint in his eye when he questioned her about how serious the prospect was. That had actually warmed Euphemia's heart a little, hinting as it did at her brother's protectiveness. If anything, Lelouch's irritation with the whole thing likely had more to do with him not wanting to deal with the inevitable reaction of Victoria and Cornelia when they found out about Euphemia's affection for Suzaku. Her mother, Euphemia was reasonably sure would accept her choice once she had a chance to judge Suzaku's merits for herself. Her sister, Euphemia was honest enough to admit would take much more effort to bring around. And truth be told, avoiding that effort was one of the reasons Euphemia herself had not breathed a word of things to them either. It was an avoidance that Marika was entirely right to call her out on.
"I must admit, Dame Marika," Euphemia said, "at being impressed with the foresight you're showing bringing all this up."
Marika gave a wry smile. "I arguably had things easy while serving your sister, Your Highness. It wasn't until I swore myself to you that I was forced to start making decisions on my own. Well, not all on my own, Sir Gilbert and the others have still been giving me lots of advice."
The princess gave a slight giggle before adopting a more serious demeanor. "May I presume you also have an ulterior motive for pressing the point now?"
That saw Marika herself raise an eyebrow, but the knight nodded after a beat. "The upcoming ball. You have been contemplating inviting Mr. Kururugi as your escort."
To that Euphemia returned a slow nod of her own. Her thoughts on doing so were no great secret, indeed Kaguya and Milly were both even encouraging her to make the leap. Kallen had been, not as enthusiastic, but the other redhead was at least supportive.
"I take it I should treat that as something of a point of no return?" Euphemia said.
"It would be the first semi-public event in which the two of you would be accompanying each other to," Marika said.
It said something about how seriously Ashford Academy took the privacy of its students that little had leaked to the tabloids about Euphemia's school life, at least not from any of the staff. That most of Euphemia and Suzaku's interactions were in the perfect clubhouse also likely helped, as Milly had been very selective about who she trusted to serve as a prefect under her. Every single one knew when to keep their mouths shut, and regardless of whether they watched the budding relationship with curious interest or dubious concern, none succumbed to the temptation of gossiping about it to outsiders.
Of course that was not to say some hints were not picked up by the wider student body. Those students that actually interacted with either Euphemia or Suzaku might have noticed something if the other was brought up in conversation, though again the only ones that either youth would have let their own guard down enough to so openly express such sentiment would have been those that had earned at least a modicum of trust. Suzaku especially was the beneficiary of a sizeable clique centered around Kaguya that took it upon themselves to watch her and Suzaku's backs at school. As Milly once pointed out to Kallen, even if Suzaku's affection for Euphemia was becoming more and more of an open secret, rare was the student brave enough, or brazen enough, to make a big enough fuss about it to draw outside attention. Social ostracization was very much a thing at Ashford, and teeing off those at the top of the school's social hierarchy came with severe costs, a lesson the newspaper club for one had multiple opportunities to relearn.
The princess let out a long sigh. "There are a lot of things that I need to do, isn't there?"
"It may feel that way, but you only need to take them on one at a time," Marika said comfortingly.
"Then I suppose I shouldn't let today go to waste," Euphemia said.
As if on cue, the doors to the clubhouse opened, revealing Milly followed by several servants from the Ashford household.
"Well, aren't you here bright and early," the older girl said with a playful smirk.
The princess returned a slightly gentler one. "I suppose I could not quite contain my enthusiasm."
Milly chuckled. "Suppose I can't blame you, what with how I showed up an hour early when Lelouch came back from Lake Kawaguchi."
Euphemia herself had also wanted to go meet her brother upon his return from that battle, but with the nominal obscurity protecting her still in place back then, had not been able to act upon that desire. This time though, there were no circumstances that precluded her from giving Suzaku the welcome back he deserved.
"Shall we get started with the decorations then?" Euphemia asked.
As the princess alluded to, the reason for their congregation at the clubhouse today, on a weekend, was to celebrate Suzaku's return to Ashford. The youth's absence for the last few weeks had been excused on medical grounds, with the official rationale being him needing additional treatment to deal with the aftereffects of the Sarin poisoning. It was actually Kaguya's idea to throw him a welcome back party, and Milly, ever the enthusiastic reveler, needed little convincing to go along with it. By now a few other students were also making their arrival, all here early to help with the setup. The Ashford household servants would certainly be lending a hand, but there was something to be said about doing some of the preparations themselves. It felt more, earnest. And princess though she may be, Euphemia felt the same way, as she rose to do just that.
"You really didn't have to personally see me back to Ashford, Captain," Suzaku said as Cécile helped him out of the car and into his wheelchair. "Especially seeing as it's the weekend. Are you sure you want to spend your R&R like this?"
"It's fine, Suzaku," Cécile assured him. "Besides, I've never actually had a chance to visit Ashford Academy. It's supposed to be the most prestigious royally accredited academy in Japan, so I wanted to see how it compared to my own alma mater. And it's Cécile when we're off-duty, Suzaku."
"Where did you study, Cécile?" the youth corrected himself.
"Oh, I didn't attend a private preparatory school like Ashford," the woman answered. "My family's middle class, so I would have needed a scholarship to get into one of those. My old man served in the military though, so that got me a slot at one of the military's secondary academies."
"Military secondary academies?"
Cécile allowed a slight smile as she pushed Suzaku along. "Sometimes I forget how little you know about how things work back in the homelands. You're at least familiar with the civics courses and what they're for, right?"
Suzaku nodded. "Everyone that wants to inherit a noble title needs to pass them."
"And quite a few jobs in the civil service also requires passing them," Cécile said. "Not all schools offer the entire series, though, and even those that do, not all of them are fully accredited. Accreditation isn't cheap, since you need specially certified teachers for those courses, and keeping that certification requires the teachers to requalify every couple of years. It takes a lot of time, and therefore money, to produce a fully qualified civics instructor. So, very few public schools in the Empire are able to get royal accreditation, even if they still offer at least a one-year introductory course. It's mostly the more expensive private academies, like Jenis or Pendleton, that offer the fully accredited civics course."
"I see," Suzaku said. "I think I heard a little about it, but hadn't realized it was that exclusive. Almost seems a shame, what we learn in the course feels like it would benefit a lot of people."
Cécile looked down at the youth. "I think that's the first time I've ever heard that from someone actively taking the course."
Suzaku returned the look with a wry smile. "I'll admit that it's a lot of work, but I still think it's worthwhile."
The woman chuckled. "How diligent. Anyway, the one exception to this lack of accreditation amongst the public schools are the secondary schools that the armed forces operate. They're intended to help produce a cadre that can go on to serve as junior and non-commissioned officers, as well as technical specialists, after graduation. Not all of them do, of course, but a significant percentage do pursue a career in the military, either immediately or after going to one of the more specialized service academies like West Point or Annapolis."
Funny how the army captain declined to list the air force academy in her examples but deigned to at least pay lip service to the navy.
"A lot of noble families that can't afford to put their children, or at least not all of their children, through one of the accredited private academies also make use of the military academies to get them to meet their civics requirement," Cécile continued her explanation. "That's why you actually see so many nobles serving as officers in the armed forces."
"Oh, okay, that makes sense," Suzaku nodded.
"As for myself, as I said, my family is decidedly non-noble, but thanks to my father's service, I qualified for a spot in one of the academies assuming my primary grades were up to snuff. Which of course they were."
It was Suzaku's turn to chuckle. "Of course they were."
Cécile reciprocated in kind. "Anyway, as you can imagine, the routine at a military academy would be quite different from that of a private academy like Ashford. So, I'm a bit curious."
"Well, I like to think that Ashford is a bit in a category of its own," Suzaku said somewhat falteringly.
"Don't worry," Cécile assured him. "Pretty much all of the schools at Ashford's tier have a reputation for something or another. Hard for them not to when so many of them have had imperial scions pass through their classrooms, each with their own idiosyncrasies."
"I'm not sure whether that's comforting or worrying," Suzaku said as the two arrived at the prefect clubhouse.
Kaguya had requested that he drop by here first so that she could accompany him back to the dorms, though Suzaku was not so naïve as to miss the likely ulterior motive. Thus the youth was certainly expecting some sort of welcome, but even he was taken aback by the sheer scale when the doors opened.
"Welcome back!" the gathered students cheered.
Confetti was showered upon Suzaku and incidentally Cécile, with pops sounding as various party favors went off. A large banner was strewn across the ceiling, with words in both English and Japanese congratulating Suzaku on his return. And instead of just Kaguya and maybe Euphemia there to greet him, a gaggle of students, both Britannian and Japanese, augmented the welcoming party. Thus even with his suspicions roused, it was a face of genuine surprise that crossed Suzaku's face as he was met with such a sight.
If Suzaku was surprised, Cécile was certainly no better prepared. Truth be told, her curiosity about Ashford was less to do with the school proper and more on how her charge was getting on at the school. Suzaku had assured her that he was treated well by his fellow students, and with the presence of his cousin acting as a backstop it was unlikely the youth's school life was too arduous. Still, the prospect of Suzaku being so openly appreciated was more of a hope on Cécile's part than an assumption. To see that her hope was met and then some, the captain could not help but smile widely.
"Glad to have you back with us, man," Rivalz was the first to come up and personally greet the youth, clapping the other boy on the shoulder, though he was certainly not the last.
"Hopefully this will be the last time you worry all your friends," Shirley said next with a bright smile of her own.
The other students one by one offered Suzaku their welcomes, until only two young ladies remained. Three, if one counted the knight standing at attention. Marika deigned to offer a polite nod, which considering her duty was about as much leeway as the knight had. Suzaku returned the motion, heartened at least a little by the knight's courtesy. They had all come a long way since that fateful day in Shinjuku.
"Suzaku," Kaguya said with a beaming smile. "I already said it before, but I'll say it again. Thank goodness you're back with us again, as yourself."
Suzaku cracked a wry smile. Kaguya had been euphoric upon the successful confirmation of his procedure and insisted on staying at his side long enough for him to wake and be so informed himself. Since then, she had gone on to talk about formally making him the head of the House of Kururugi, to restore to him all of the things her family and the others had held in trust while the uncertainty of what happened that day still lingered. With the truth now finally revealed, and with Suzaku himself deemed innocent of any actual malice, the families of Kyoto were keen to see one of their own restored.
"Thanks, Kaguya," Suzaku said. "And thank you for always believing in me."
In a rather un-Japanese display of public affection, Kaguya reached out and gave Suzaku a tight hug.
"I should have done more than just believe," she said. "I should have made sure you knew others did believe in you."
"Well, I do now, and that's more than good enough," Suzaku assured her.
The look on Kaguya's face as she pulled back made clear the girl did not entirely agree, but she still gave Suzaku a hearty smile instead of trying to further self-recriminate. Today was after all a day of celebration, of looking forward to the future instead of the past. If she still felt a need to make things up to him, there would be plenty of opportunity to do so later. For now though, there was still one more person looking to greet Suzaku.
"Welcome back, Suzaku," Euphemia said, an angelic smile gracing the young man. "And thank you, for keeping your promise."
Suzaku returned a warm one of his own. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Euphie. And, I would love to keep my other promise to you as well, if you would still have me."
A look of surprise flashed across Euphemia's face. This was arguably a rather public venue by which to basically ask the girl if she still wanted to attend the ball with him, but in retrospect, was there any reason to hide things? Euphemia had already signaled to a few other interested boys that she had someone else in mind when declining their offers. What better time and place to make clear just who this someone else was? The Ashford uniform that Euphemia was presently wearing did not have a skirt quite long enough to properly curtsey. Still, the princess displayed a fine degree of class in the motion she made.
"I would hold you to that promise, Suzaku, and may more, if you find it within your measure."
Archaic though the language might sound, at least a few of the Britannian students, Milly included, understood immediately what Euphemia was alluding to. The few gasps that sounded were pretty good hints to those not as well versed in such formalities, Britannian and Japanese alike. Not that the two were not already the center of attention, but there was certainly a growing intensity in the focus upon them. If Suzaku felt any pressure from it however, his gentle smile did not show it.
"It would be my honor," he simply answered, "and my pleasure."
Standing behind her lady, Marika gave a resigned sigh. Count on one sentence of sweettalking to undo the lengthy lecture she had delivered to Euphemia to convince the princess to have a more detailed discussion with Suzaku about whether the youth really was ready and able to assume the expectations that would be placed upon him. Then again, with how smitten Suzaku clearly was, the young man looked ready to promise Euphemia the world. Hopefully in the end cooler heads would prevail, whatever end that may be. And hopefully the two would come out better for it, as for themselves as much for each other.
It was a complete disaster. There was no other way to describe the situation one Kanoe Sumeragi found herself in. Bad enough that the Britannians managed to discover the meeting with the Sakurazukamori, but apparently the Empire had also discovered the location of her main hideout, launching a simultaneous strike that resulted in Yuto's capture and the deaths of most of her other confidantes. The only one to escape was Satsuki, and the younger woman was also the only reason Kanoe herself was still a free woman. Bereft of the more powerful computer systems back at the hideout, Satsuki was still a digital prodigy, able to run enough local interference to keep the Empire's increasingly pervasive surveillance regime from tracking the two down. Her ability to obfuscate the few sources of money still available to the pair was just as important. It mattered little if the Britannians could not find them if the two simply ended up starving to death in some ditch.
Keeping their heads low however was not a viable long-term stratagem. The Britannians had already demonstrated the ability to pierce through Satsuki's prior concealment, and without her computer cluster the woman's current level of digital camouflage was likely many levels lower. It was only a matter of time before the Empire tracked them down, if they were not able to find refuge with a power capable of protecting them from the Britannians. Such powers did exist, and one was even currently operating surreptitiously in Japan. The problem was the cost of protecting oneself from Britannia was not cheap, and no one offering such protection would be doing it out of charity. A high price would be exacted, something that Kanoe had in the past hoped to avoid. Now however, bereft of any other options, she needed to act before the demanded price became greater than her means.
The shop she entered was fairly nondescript, countless others like it dotted the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Plenty of such shops existed even before the invasion, serving as a sort of one-stop convenience store that provided the surrounding neighborhood with the basic essentials. Such stores had become ever more vital to those neighborhoods due to the postwar deprivation, with many plugging into the gray and black markets to keep their customers supplied. That naturally resulted in them establishing connections with the various resistance groups that also utilized, or even ran, the markets. As such, the shopkeeper gave the two women only a quick lookover before jerking his head towards the back. Bracing herself a bit, Kanoe stepped through the threshold into what passed for the combined storage and office for the little shop.
Sitting inside waiting for them was a petite girl, one whose dainty form made her look completely harmless. That is, until one met her eyes. There was a cold, calculating glean in those eyes that reminded Kanoe a little of herself. That familiarity did not bring any reassurances however, it only raised Kanoe's guard.
"High Priestess Sumeragi," the girl said, a hint of a smirk just touching her lips.
"I presume you are Mao?" Kanoe said, giving the girl another look over. "You're shorter than I expected."
"Then you were arguably expecting my brother," Mao said without missing a bit, "of which you would have found other reasons to be disappointed."
A certainly biting edge to the girl's words, with her backhanded remark at both her brother and Kanoe. The older woman could live with that, better to deal with guile and subtlety than petulance.
"Then let us hope my disappointment will be so limited," Kanoe said. "You know why I've sought you out."
Mao nodded. "Eden Vital managed to find your previous hidey hole and stomped it flat."
"The Britannians did, yes."
An eyebrow quirked upward, but Mao refrained from voicing whatever thought accompanied it.
"We can certainly shelter you," the girl said instead, "but that shelter'll only be good for a few weeks more at best. We have our own plans in motion, and once they get rolling, our resources and attention will be needed elsewhere."
"But if your plans succeed," Kanoe pressed, "the resources available would increase proportionally."
"Probably," Mao said, "but it's not as if your own need for protection wouldn't also jump accordingly. If you were to publicly assert your right as high priestess of Ise, well, we all know there are plenty that would object, vehemently at that."
Young though she may be, Mao was clearly no fool. But that could also be used to Kanoe's benefit.
"But the prize that accompanies my public assumption of the post of high priestess is equally if not of greater value," Kanoe said. "Especially with the previous attempt to suborn the Kamine thought elevator's administrative privileges having failed."
Mao tilted her head. "Perhaps. Assuming your access has not been thoroughly purged in the interim."
The two women spent a few moments staring at each other before both cracked wry smirks. The mutual understanding they had achieved would allow for a more efficient exchange in their negotiations, though that did not preclude further wisecracks. It was still important to keep the other side on their toes, after all.
"For all that we intend to succeed," Mao continued, "we cannot guarantee it. For that reason, if you are seeking genuine sanctuary, it can only be provided if you are willing to depart for the mainland."
To that Kanoe narrowed her eyes. Certainly, leaving Japan and setting up in China would move her significantly further from Britannia's reach. Such distance would be protection in and of itself, considering the animosity between the two nations and their respective ecclesiastical orders. But alongside that greater protection from Britannia was also a greater exposure to China. The Chinese, and the Jokhang, had not sponsored her attempt to assume the office of high priestess without motives of their own, after all. And the more reliant she was on them from henceforth, the greater the concessions she would be forced to make in the future if, when, she did take her rightful place. But in truth, was she not already past that point? With her Japan base destroyed, the only bargaining chip she had left was her own person. And Satsuki, though whether the other woman would attract a high enough price to meaningfully offset their mutual weakness Kanoe somehow doubted. If she were to retain any leverage to counterbalance future demands, she needed to win the right concessions in the now.
"While China would be a sanctuary, let it not be forgotten that it would still only be a momentary waypoint," Kanoe said. "All effort must be made in expectation of my inevitable return to Japan, my time spent in China should not be wasted simply hiding away."
Again Mao tilted her head. "Do you have a proposal as to how that might be arranged?"
Kanoe's lips thinned. "I am aware of a contingent of officials that escaped Japan's fall, that maintain a government-in-exile under Chinese patronage. With Britannia's propping up of their puppet Ise, it goes without saying that the true government of Japan can hardly allow such a cultural icon be exploited unchallenged."
Mao met Kanoe's eyes with remarkable steadiness. Did the girl already have preset orders that allowed her no leeway? Or was she considering on the fly how to respond to Kanoe's demands?
"Stashing you away with a bunch of foggy old men hardly seems the most fruitful application of your talents," Mao said, "especially in light of your experience with the thought elevators."
In other words, China, or at least the Jokhang, would rather see her ensconced at the Taklamakan thought elevator, helping utilize its computational resources. It was an expected counterpoint, and one which Kanoe was prepared for.
"While I certainly partook in compute administration in my early career, you'll find that Yatoji-san here has considerably more extensive experience with such duties," Kanoe nodded back at the woman standing behind. "She is arguably even better suited to such a role."
The way Satsuki's expression shifted suggested the woman had not been forewarned about the possibility of Kanoe trying to pawn her off like this. Granted both of them needed sanctuary and it was a given that the Jokhang would be interested in Satsuki's neuro-link compatibility, but the way Kanoe was directing these negotiations, it certainly felt like she was arranging for a more comfortable refuge for herself at Satsuki's potential expense. From the brief glance Mao gave Satsuki, the younger girl seemed to pick up on this as well.
"Well, something can probably be arranged," Mao finally said and rose. "Now then, shall we?"
To that Kanoe and Satsuki both blinked.
"What?"
"What what?" Mao repeated. "Surely you were prepared for the prospect of us needing to move quickly? Or is there something you would actually miss back at your current hiding place?"
The two women looked at each other and Satsuki gave a shrug. What computers they had managed to acquire were back there, but those would have been left behind regardless. The laptop in her backpack would have to suffice. As for Kanoe, paranoid as she was about the lack of security they were currently enduring, anything truly crucial she always carried on her person. Which meant in the end, there really was nothing holding them back. She looked back over at Mao.
"Very well then, lead the way."
With the weekend over, classes of course resumed, and despite everything else filling her head Euphemia did her best to listen attentively. Her impending conversation with her mother and sister was going to be difficult enough without them claiming she was getting distracted from her schoolwork. Or at least that would be the tack her mother would take, her sister tended to be a bit less fixated on Euphemia's grades out of mutual sympathy if nothing else. Fortunately the class she was now sitting in was one the girl had a personal interest in. As had been made clear to her on so many occasions now, an awareness of history and its ramifications was very important in trying to avoid repeating past mistakes and tragedies.
"Militarily, the colonial rebels were all but beaten by 1781," Mrs. Darling said, "a significant problem as yet remained in how to manage the colonies themselves after the fighting ended. The hands-off approach to colonial administration was determined to be a major cause of the colonies developing a detachment from the central government in London, so the decision to impose direct rule was a natural one. Concurrent to this however was also a recognition that, despite living overseas, the residents of the colonies were still Englishmen, many of whom had answered the obligations they owed to the crown, and thus were similarly owed their due by the crown. To that end, at the direction of Elizabeth III, seats were created within parliament, both the Commons and the Lords, to allow representatives from the Americas a voice in the kingdom's affairs."
Which naturally were filled with loyalists, it went without saying.
"Now, for new peers to sit in the Lords, new peerages must be granted. This the crown did, awarding titles to several prominent American Loyalists. Can anyone here name one such loyalist?"
Several hands went up, including Euphemia's own. The teacher nodded at the girl.
"William Franklin," the princess answered, "the first Marquess Pennsylvania."
"Indeed," Mrs. Darling nodded approvingly. "Despite his father serving as one of the rebellion's foremost diplomats, William Franklin remained steadfastly loyal to the crown throughout the conflict. While Benjamin Franklin enticed France to join in the war on the rebellion's side, William helped organize loyalist militias to supplement the British regulars and Hessian auxiliaries that formed the bulk of the crown's forces. Once the conflict was ended, Lord Franklin was appointed the provincial lord of the reorganized Pennsylvania, which remains in his family's hands to this day."
A remarkable achievement, considering provisions did exist to strip noble houses of their patents if they proved grossly unfit to manage their territories, provisions employed during the purges that Emperor Charles had to conduct to sweep aside the worst of the decrepit holdovers from his grandfather's reign.
"Alongside this reorganization, several of the small, northern colonies were also merged into larger administrative districts, a measure intended to both reduce the overhead of governance but also to eliminate local centers of political power that might fixate to heavily on solely local matters while ignoring the wider national context. The New England colonies of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island were merged into the singular New England province, of which the House of Ashford has retained stewardship over. Further south, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and portions of the colony of Pennsylvania, were folded into a crown territory that would eventually become the Archduchy of Pendragon."
Which from a pure area perspective, put Pendragon at a fairly respectable size relative to the other provinces of its time. Of course continued westward expansion would eventually see Pendragon become one of the smaller territories, but to this day it remained a wealthy, prosperous region, not least thanks to the presence of the imperial capital and the second residences of all the various peers that needed to attend parliament when it was in session.
"Perhaps the greatest cause for the rapprochement between the crown and the general American populace however was the revocation of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which previously forbade colonial settlers from staking claims past the Appalachian Mountains. This restriction was one of the first flashpoints between the American colonies and the British government, seeing as many colonists considered the opportunity to press westward as their just reward for their service in the prior war against France. While the crown did not wish to invite the expectation that those rebellious elements of the colonies were being granted a concession by being given this opportunity anew, one potential benefit that the crown could foresee was the filling of parliament, in both the Commons and the Lords, with representatives more sympathetic to the crown than those from the more established districts of the British Isles. Naturally, the existing parliamentarians were loathe to see their own political powers diluted by these additions, and indeed this desire to preserve their own prerogatives has been argued as one of the major reasons parliament was so intransigent towards the original American demands for representation."
A not particularly surprising development, that. An overriding priority for many in political office was the continuation of their own personal prerogatives, at whatever expense must be suffered by others. Having such obstinacy precipitate an outright war however was usually grounds to have those prerogatives revoked. Not that that meant those so irresponsible would be willing to admit their fault and accept such chastisement. Their usual response was to bury their heads even deeper in the sand, or up a certain anatomical part, and resort to ever more desperate measures to keep their privileges.
"As some of you undoubtedly are aware of, the lessening of their power was what motivated several British parliamentarians to treason when Napoleon invaded the British Isles," the teacher said, "forcing Elizabeth III to flee the old kingdom. Conversely, the effort the crown invested in mending ties with its American subjects and fostering loyalism after the war was also why Her Majesty received such a warm welcome after the old kingdom's fall. Indeed, relations between the Britannian Empire, Great Britain, and Ireland remained troubled for many decades after the respective nations were founded. The British especially resented the manner in which Britannia asserted control over those overseas possessions that weren't claimed by the European continental powers. As loathe as the British government was to actually invest in the governance of their overseas territories, they still felt entitled to the wealth those territories generated, a wealth that was denied with the loss of those territories."
It was certainly an interesting synergy, the combined loathing of the British parliament shared by the American colonists and the crown for the wrongs both felt had been inflicted upon them by the former. That was not to say those grievances were necessarily groundless, or that the fault lay solely with parliament, but when the Britannian Empire inaugurated its own legislative body, there was certainly a deliberate effort to fix the perceived faults. At least with the Second Founding that came with the Empress Claire's reign, that was.
Before the teacher could continue, the princess' hand rose once more.
"Yes, Euphemia?"
In class, the girl had requested that she be treated like any other student, hence the lack of formality, even though the utmost courtesy remained extended. Marika's presence certainly saw to that.
"Umm, I was wondering, but did William and his father ever reconcile?"
Mrs. Darling gave a slow shake of her head. "While Lord Franklin made multiple overtures to his father, and even obtained an offer of clemency that would have allowed Benjamin to return to the Americas, all indications are his father remained embittered over their political differences. In the end, Benjamin never set foot again in British territory and died in exile in France, shortly before that nation was itself turn asunder by its own anti-monarchial revolution."
A reminder, that blood was far from the sole arbiter of what side might be taken in a conflict. This was as true today as it was all those centuries ago.
After making sure there were no other questions, Mrs. Darling continued.
"Now, there was one additional long-term ramification that emerged as a consequence of the crown's renewed authorization to push westward. The Proclamation of 1763 had been issued originally to fulfill the British government's obligations in a settlement reached with the various Native American polities whose territories were beyond the demarcation line. The restriction on westward expansion was never intended to be permanent, the British government of the day wishing for it to be conducted in an orderly manner instead of a mad dash for claims. The impatience exhibited by the American colonists however, combined with the need to reward loyalists after Washington's Rebellion was put down, saw the government attempt to more quickly renegotiate the terms that previously recognized Native American borders.
"Needless to say, the Native American polities were not pleased with what they perceived as the British government going back on its word so soon after having previously agreed to recognize their sovereignty. Negotiations ultimately broke down, and after the reconstitution of the crown with the Britannian Empire, what restraint the politicians in London might have exerted was now gone. With a heavily Americanized government that was more in tune with the desire for westward expansion, the Britannian Empire proceeded to wrest territory from the Native American polities via marital force, setting the stage for the forcible integration of territories and peoples that, arguably, to this day the Empire exercises as policy."
End of Chapter 56
As should be evident, I decided to retcon Satsuki's death and I've adjusted the relevant scene in the previous chapter. I've worked out a use for her in the future that will be rather interesting if I can actually execute on it. Whether I'll be able to execute on it, well, we'll see.
Before anyone tries to suggest a correction, yes, I know Franklin was the "traitor" that sold out the American revolutionaries in the Code Geass canon. That's one of the first things I toss whenever I do any work in Code Geass on account of how completely nonsensical it is. To Americans it makes about as much sense as Yamamoto selling out his country during WWII would to the Japanese.
One more chapter. One more chapter before we enter the R1 endgame. I think. Maybe. Of course part of that next chapter is a pair of massively complex speeches, so, yeah…