Throne of Glass
Part Two: To Wage a War
Chapter 27: Consequences
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Ashford Tower; 2017 ATB
Lelouch was a man who prided himself on anticipating every scenario well before it had a chance to take place. Contingencies for every situation, plans for every outcome; scheming all the way to checkmate from the moment the first pawn advanced across the board.
He had not planned for this.
Of course he had known of Kusakabe's dissenting opinions, he was not ignorant to the malcontent whispers that he spread. But he never believed the old fool was actually capable of executing a plan that cut so close to his neck. Lelouch allowed himself a moment of weakness, and someone seized it in an instant. Kusakabe was nothing to him, an insignificant ant on his path of vengeance; yet here he was, cleaning up the mess of a narrowly evaded catastrophe.
Milly sat in front of him, her brow furrowed as she processed the information he divulged. Euphy for her part had refused to separate from him ever since, though she remained silent all through his explanation. He debated briefly if it was better to spin some half truth, or outright lie about what was going on; but these two didn't deserve that, not after everything that just happened. Trust was the issue here, and he hardly did a thing to earn theirs.
"So you're going to turn the entire settlement into a trap." The blonde before him finally spoke, weariness in her voice. "And that's why you want me out of the country then. So you can set this plan off without anyone in the way."
She glared at him, far too tired to be angry. She always knew she wasn't capable of taking part in any grand schemes he might have. In reality the great Milly Ashford was far from remarkable when compared to him. It still hurt however, being left out completely. "You realize how insane this plan of yours sounds right?" She asked, looking Lelouch in the eye; the fake blue orbs betraying nothing of his own thoughts. "I always figured you were a part of all this, what's been going on in Area Eleven these past years, but you're the one orchestrating it, aren't you?"
The exiled prince of Britannia let out a long breath, never breaking away his own gaze. "That's right, it's all been me. I am Zero, I created the Black Knights, and I intend to use them to tear apart the Britannian Empire."
He said it with such conviction that Milly damn near believed it to already be set in stone. That was the will of a boy who survived a living hell. "You executed a man on live television Lelouch."
"I did."
Her head fell into her hands. This...what was she supposed to do about this? Maybe it was better that she had been left in the dark.
"What about my sister?" Euphy finally spoke, in a quiet and subdued voice without releasing her newfound brother.
Many conflicting thoughts ran through Lelouch's head, and it was clear on his face. "Years ago, I would have spared her no quarter. But when I finally confronted Clovis I came to realize my anger was...misplaced. There's only one man I want to destroy, and I won't let anyone get in my way." He looked his half-sister in the eye, so that he could convey his determination. I will create a better world Euphy, one that won't stand for injustice, that protects the weak. Where all will be equal. And I want Cornelia to help me build it. Her, and you as well, Euphy."
Tears began to well in her eyes once again as he pulled her close. Milly watched the exchange with a tired smile. He might be in way too deep, but he wasn't alone. Not anymore.
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Investigators and other military personnel bustled about as they worked to clean up the mess that had taken place only recently at the Kawaguche Hotel. Emilia Strauss observed it all with a heavy frown upon her face. By some miracle there was not a single Britannian casualty as a result of the incident, but it still ate at her that this happened under her watch. Lord Ashford had Princess Euphemia led away from the onlookers, and was dealing with her at the moment. And Prince Clovis was currently handling the media. Thus she jumped at the chance to lead the clean up here.
"Lady Strauss." One man called to her as he approached with an object in hand. "We just found this on the body of their leader. We were able to get it unlocked."
The knight was handed a cellphone, which she flipped open and began to examine. After a few minutes, she allowed herself a small smile.
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"I am truly sorry for Kusakabe's actions. We had known he was spreading malcontent around the base for a long time now, we should have done something about it sooner." General Katase said from a video feed beside Todoh. Lelouch shook his head in response. "No, I was the one who let this happen. I knew too, and I ignored it."
"We're reasonably certain he recruited everyone who held his radical views. At least, we don't believe there is anyone else out there willing to repeat his attempts." Todoh added.
"There is a silver lining to all this as well." Clovis offered from beside Lelouch. "The whole empire witnessed you defend Euphemia with your life. Not only have you proven Ashford is capable of protecting Area Eleven, you yourself have become a national hero overnight."
"I suppose so. As long as I don't attract the attention of one particular man…"
The viceroy shook his head with a laugh. "You know full well he couldn't care less about any of this. Related to his own daughter or not. No, the only ones who will take notice are ones of benefit to you. I will work to exploit their inevitable advances for as long as we can. Ultimately all of Britannia will become alienated, so it's best we take whatever we can get from them now."
"Yes, of course. That sounds good." Lelouch nodded.
"As for us, we will launch a private investigation into the state of the Japanese soldiers' morale. We have remained inactive for quite some time now, it may be best to reassure them that we are still working hard to free Japan." Kusakabe included.
"And we are. We are so close, but the real battle is only just beginning. We must be ready, whatever it takes."
A knock in the door stopped him from continuing as a new voice was heard.
"Excuse me Lord Ashford, Lady Strauss has something urgent to share with you."
Sharing a glance with Clovis, he cut the video feed to his Japanese allies. "Come in."
The white haired knight entered shortly. "Lord Ashford-oh, and Prince Clovis, perfect." She gave the prince a quick bow before producing a small device.
"We found this on Josui Kusakabe just moments ago. It has on it messages between him and his subordinates detailing the plans of his attack. One message of note has something very interesting."
Emilia presented the two of them the phone, with said message displayed. Lelouch took it, and began to read.
Those fools in Narita haven't the faintest clue how far gone they are. That snake has them wrapped around his finger and they have no clue he will destroy our Japan in a heartbeat. We're running out of time, something must be done to remove him before it is too late. And Ashford is the first step to stopping him.
I've begun working on a plan to rid of him, and if the wind is in our favor, it may turn out better than expected. I'll give you details later, when things are more concrete. For now-
He stopped, closing his eyes in a desperate attempt to withhold a scream. Had that man mentioned his name…
"Unfortunately, none of the messages reveal Zero's identity, only the name Todoh, a member of the former JSDF like him, is mentioned. However, that one does have its own lead: Narita. I believe the Black Knights' base is located somewhere in those mountains. I would like to ask permission to lead a raid on the area, and root out whatever I find there."
"If this is true, it could be monumental for us." Clovis replied first, while Lelouch maintained his glare at the phone. "What do you think Allen?"
After a moment, he looked up at the knight who brought this to him. "Do you wish for the honor of bringing Zero to heel, Lady Strauss?"
"Oh, I um...didn't mean to try to usurp the victory from you, I just wanted to help since-"
"Don't misunderstand. I have no desire to bring him down myself for the glory of it." He continued. "But it would be quite the prestigious accomplishment don't you think?"
She eyed him, trying to understand what he was saying. "Yes, it would."
"Then consider it a gift, Lady Strauss. I see no reason not to."
Emilia held his gaze for a moment before Clovis spoke up. "Very well then. I, Clovis la Britannia do hereby authorize you to conduct military operations within my realm."
"Ah, thank you, your highness." She bowed low to the prince. "I will not let you down."
She turned once again to the young lord. "And...I'll remember your gift, lord Ashford."
With that, she departed. After a few agonizing minutes of silence, Lelouch's fist collided with the wall hard enough to crack it. "FUCK!"
Clovis observed his outburst without batting an eye. His younger brother had always been prone to temper tantrums when they were younger, the years and the toll they took on the exiled prince seemed to only make such a violent streak worse.
"Why was she the one who found that?! The only goddamn person on this fucking island who shouldn't have!" He snatched an unopened bottle of wine and hurled it against the wall, shattering the glass as the deep red liquid stained the carpet. Clovis wasn't about to mention the bottle itself was probably worth more than the flooring.
"Damn Kusakabe, damn that worthless piece of shit." He growled, seizing the offending piece of evidence the knight left behind. He had half a mind to smash the device as well, if his glare didn't burn it to a crisp.
"There is a way to make use of this." Clovis finally offered, after seeing Lelouch beginning to calm down. The exiled prince sent him a cold glare, daring him to continue. "Lady Strauss has uncovered the base at Narita, and there is nothing we can do to save it. So now we need to figure out how to profit from losing it. If the base is utterly destroyed, and all assets within wiped out, then the homeland may very well see the situation as resolved. In reality, our plan will continue unaffected, as all our essential equipment and weapons are already moved underneath the Ashford tower."
Lelouch didn't reply, but Clovis could see the gears turning in his head. He didn't doubt his younger brother had already begun to consider this, but talking through it aloud helped to get it through that this was the reality they had to deal with. "Moreso, we can ensure that any potential elements like Kusakabe are removed without any risk of internal conflict. Lady Strauss will handle them for us. As for the knight herself, it seems you're already pursuing the possibility of swaying her." Clovis continued, without any reply from Lelouch. "I can't say how successful you might be with that, but it appears as though she might have become a knight solely for the sake of her family's situation. As for her own ambitions or loyalties, it's hard to determine."
Lelouch finally sighed, shaking his head in response. "No, I'm fairly certain I won't get anywhere with her, that was simply to test how easily I could influence her." He answered. "Nothing in her past suggests she has any negative opinions of Britannian culture. She has no radical traits, but she might be willing to play my game if it means moving up, assuming that's what she wants. And that's something I can work with."
"So you'll allow her to raid the base in Narita." Clovis concluded. "But what will she find there once it's all over?"
"A scapegoat? No, they wouldn't believe that, and it would look far too suspicious if we set someone up alongside whatever scraps we sacrifice along with Narita. But if we set this up right we can send Strauss on a fool's errand until we're ready for Cornelia. That will keep her occupied and out of the way." Lelouch replied. "We won't have much time to set this up, so we need to hurry."
He reached for a console at the desk, and in a few seconds, the video of Todoh and Katase returned to life. "General Katase," Lelouch began. "We have another problem that needs to be addressed."
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Alone in a room given to her in the Ashford mansion, Euphemia finally had time to stop and think about the chaos that unfolded the night before. Shock saturation hardly described it, and she had yet to really come to understand what she had fallen into. Being held hostage with a gun to her head, watching Allen-no Lelouch, literally inches away from losing his life…
It had taken her some time to come to terms with the fact that her long lost brother...that Lelouch was alive.
A tumultuous cascade of emotions overwhelmed her just thinking about it. She was overjoyed, happier than ever; and yet it came with equal amounts of anxiety when coupled with the other revelation her estranged brother brought.
Lelouch was Zero: Britannia's greatest foe in decades.
When Euphy really stopped to think about it, the idea made perfect sense. More than anything of course her brother would grow bitter and jaded after what he went through. Ever since that day, when Nunnally died and Lelouch was cast aside, she had slowly come to understand that the world was a deeply flawed place. And her country, her father, was at the center of all that cruelty. And she accepted that, because she always believed she had no other choice. She was just plain old Euphy, not as strong as Cornelia, nor as genius as Schneizel. So she accepted that there was nothing she could ever do to right those wrongs. It wasn't her world to change.
But despite having already come to those terms, Euphy suddenly found she was presented with a choice. Lelouch wanted her help. He saw her value, something she herself didn't even know she had. The thought of it all terrified her, in all honesty. Looking back at all Lelouch had already done, and what he intended to do. Her brother was a vengeful spirit of the past, returning to reap what Britannia's decadence had sown. Her home was not without sin, far from it. And maybe the only way to repent for their transgressions was in blood. If that's what Lelouch believes it takes to create a better world, then it's more than she ever tried to find. The only question left for her was whether or not that was the answer she believed to be correct. A path of blood, leading to a future uncertain, but free of the evils wrought by her father. Was it worth all the sacrifices, and would they even see the world Lelouch envisioned?
She did however know for certain: they would get nothing otherwise.
Euphy heard a soft knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice. "May I come in?" It asked, and she wondered how she could have ever forgotten it.
"Y-yes." She replied, hastily making herself more presentable.
The door opened, and she looked upon Allen Ashford with the clarity she worked up to until now. She imagined the young man before him as she remembered him: jet black hair, and violet eyes. The only child of their father to have such a gift.
He sat in a chair across from her, his face troubled. She watched him, as he struggled with how to begin before she spoke. "Can I...can you show me your eyes?"
It was a strange question, but her brother understood it. He nodded, before plucking out the contacts that hid his condemning features. In a few seconds, he looked up at her, and she finally saw Lelouch.
"I'm sorry, that you had to find out about all of this like that. I wasn't sure how, but I never wanted it to be like this." He tried to explain.
She shook her head. "I know, I don't blame you for hiding from us all this time. I understand, I really do."
Lelouch frowned lightly. She wasn't sure if he was looking for some kind of punishment, but she wasn't going to hate him for it, she simply couldn't. He opened his mouth to protest, but she didn't let him.
"Back then, I witnessed the harsh truth of our family, our father and this whole world all at once. But I…just chose to turn my back. I made every justification I could, that nothing I could've done would have even mattered. They were all just excuses I told myself, and nothing more. You were cast aside, left to die surrounded by enemies on all sides; and yet a mere seven years later, you came back with a whole army."
She looked him right in the eyes, that brilliant amethyst telling her so much, but never enough. Could she see it? Even a glimpse of all the pain and suffering he'd endured all this time, while she mulled on day to day as if nothing was wrong? "I don't know if the path you've chosen is the best one, or even the right thing to do in the end, but I do know this world has to change. And I trust that the future you see at the end of all this bloodshed will be worth every second of it."
She took hold of his hands, delivering as serious an expression as she could. "I want to help you. However I can."
Euphy held her gaze, conveying her conviction that she finally came to decide what it was she wanted. After a moment, Lelouch relented, and a genuine smile formed upon his face. "Thank you, Euphy. That means more to me than you know. I don't deserve to have you."
The princess shook her head. "You deserve more than I could ever give you. But I'll try all the same."
He held that gentle smile for a while longer, and in it she could see so many conflicting feelings. She wondered if her beloved brother would ever give a carefree smile again. He was not the same boy she remembered back in those better days. This cruel world he fought to change took so much from him, yet he still pressed on will an indomitable will she could never hope to compare to. She swore to herself in that moment she would do whatever she needed to so that she could see that smile one day. For him, for Nunnally, and every soul their father condemned. That was her oath, seven years in the making. His was a beautiful smile worth the world to her.
"It's more than enough, Euphy."
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I struggled for a while trying to write Euphy's internal debate at the end there. I don't believe her thought process is really out of character, it just follows a line of thought influenced by her history with Lelouch. She believes in him enough to justify how he's acting. In particular, she never met an idealistic Suzaku, and so is entirely focusing on her brother who appeared from the dead right in front of her. She never got much of a chance in canon, despite being present for a good while. I always felt she only existed for Suzaku right up until the SAZ incident, which obviously ended poorly for her. I aim to give her more of a chance to actually make a difference here.