Throne of Glass
Part Three: To Seek Tomorrow
Code ment getting updated after Eight years? Holy shit.
Chapter 43: The Toils of Lesser Men
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Temple Tower, Pendragon; 2018 ATB
Kallen stood frozen as a heavy silence suffocated the still air around her. She knew not what to say, now that she was finally here to see him. The young man before her had undergone a radical change in appearance. Gone was the facade of Allen Ashford, and beneath the shattered mask lay the broken remnants of the man who hid behind it. His brilliant royal eyes watched her, narrowed in an expression of smoldering fury. She hadn't said anything to him, not since that day. She now began to panic, thinking that he may believe she too had betrayed him.
"Hello, Lelouch." She forced out, shaking away those worries.
He did not respond to her, he only continued to examine her as his hands idly caressed the black queen piece between them.
"I'm not sure exactly what you were told happened, but…I…" What could she say that he would believe? When it looked like she'd sold him out to Britannia?
"You saved my life, didn't you?" He finally spoke, in a quiet whisper that carried with it the weight his words always did. "You brought me here to protect me, tp the only place that you could."
Kallen simply nodded in response.
"Thank you, Kallen. You've done more for me than I ever could have asked of you…far more than I deserve."
"I just…wanted to repay you, somehow." She told him.
"I don't know what I could have done to earn your loyalty. Not after I…" He trailed off, eyes cast down upon the ebony piece in his hands.
Kallen didn't speak again for a while, as he held his silence, before she decided to continue. "We…they won, in the end. Clovis was able to push Britannia out of the bay, and forced them to retreat."
"Is that right?" Lelouch replied with the faintest smile of self depreciation. "I'd expect nothing less."
"And from what I hear, Clovis exposed Todoh's treachery that same day. He executed him himself, and made sure everyone knew." She explained.
The barest resemblance of surprise crossed his face. "Clovis did? I wouldn't have imagined that."
She steeled herself to speak more, he had to know. "He also…announced that Kaguya…that she died as well."
Kallen merely watched as a whirlwind of emotions flickered in his eyes, even as his face remained placid. Minutes passed, before he finally uttered a simple "I see."
She shifted uncomfortably, hating to be the one to deliver such news. But she couldn't keep it from him.
"What of Suzaku?" He asked.
Kallen frowned. "I don't know, I haven't heard anything about him at all. Not from what Clovis has said, or any official reports I could find."
His hand clenched white against the black queen, and she could see a line of blood running down his fingers.
"They told me I could visit you every month, I can tell you all about what goes on outside." The redhead said. "And, if you'd like, I can bring you some books as well."
His face showed no emotion, she had to wonder if the face before her…the face below all his masks, was incapable of it.
"I'd like that."
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New Tokyo, Yoake; 2020 ATB
Clovis felt distinctly like he was facing his own execution. To some, he may very well have been, if they had their way. He marched forward, with all the grace he had cultivated in his years of public speaking. A hand was held up, bidding those before him be silenced. And to his relief, he was given their attention.
"People of Yoake, we have before us a truly daunting plight. One that, if we do not persevere, will break us entirely." As Clovis examined the faces in the gathered masses, he observed that above the anger, concern and fear reigned among them. How could he possibly alleviate their worries?
"There is a man who has stolen the legacy of our savior, and has turned it against us. If he were a nation, or any kind of entity I could face in earnest, I would not hesitate to challenge him for such a slanderous act. However, this imposter has chosen to instead threaten us with destruction in a manner most contemptible. So then, you must ask, what then do we do in response? How do we choose to react to such demands?"
Clovis slammed a closed fist upon the podium before him, demonstrating his own anger at the fixed choice before them. "I hold above all else, the safety and security of this land that was entrusted to me. But by the same token, should I choose to simply hand its future to a madman who would commit genocide without a second thought, I would fail as equally in that mission. Therefore, it shall be Yoake's decision to reject Zero's demands for submission."
In an instant the gathered crowd erupted in a roar of all manner. Some screamed in agreement, while many more in abject horror.
"I cannot say what would become of this nation if I relinquished hold of it, but I do know what future lies ahead if we fight for it, as we always have. This man who is no more than a terrorist will not change that." He spoke with conviction, whether or not he felt it in his heart, Clovis was well accustomed to displaying it in greater measure. "Rest assured, we will scour this world in search of the one responsible, behind the mask. And any willing to work with us to accomplish that, we welcome you."
He drew a steadying breath, and narrowed his eyes in defiance. "My own words to you Zero are thus: You shall pay dearly for defiling the legacy of the greatest man I have ever known. I swear upon it."
Clovis promptly turned, leaving the ever growing cries of dissent behind him.
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Temple Tower, Pendragon; 2020 ATB
Her life had always been one without worries, at least, until a certain chance encounter. It was the wish of her sister that she live without fear or danger. She had no talent like her siblings did, or daring ambition to enact grand designs. She was plain and simple in comparison, protected and tucked away to preserve her innocence.
And yet she'd lost that. And along with it the veil over her eyes had lifted, and she realized that a life without worries was also a life without purpose.
Euphemia li Britannia was a woman who stood for nothing.
Indeed, that she was. Frozen in time to maintain her perfect little self, unable to move forward. A pretty, quaint and meaningless existence. But she was the same useless Euphy no longer.
The man before her had changed as well. It was hard to say if he looked more like the brother she had known once before, or someone else entirely. But the boy called Allen Ashford was well and truly dead, she was certain of that.
"I could never bring myself to face you, all this time." Euphemia said, her voice steeled in the resolve she had tempered in three years of merciless self-reflection. "Knowing that I had promised you my support, and having failed to offer anything of value. I chose to put my faith in the future you showed me. Though I suppose in reality all I did was latch onto the idea of something to give my life meaning. It hurts to see that you've lost sight of that, even if it was only because it was taken away. Even still, I knew I couldn't face you without deciding for myself what purpose I had for living. What life my sister sacrificed so much to give me."
She stood a little taller, carrying herself with pride that she now felt she could stand before him. "When I first proposed what I had decided upon, Cornelia was a little upset, but she was whisked away again before she could put a stop to it. It was hard at first, impossibly so. I stepped foot into a hostile world I knew very little of, intent to force even a small part of it to conform to my vision." Euphy smiled at the memory, thinking back on her challenges she had faced. "It became a little easier, once I finally found others who sided with me. Funny enough, the ones who I wanted most were the rejects neither Schneizel nor Guinevere sought after. Though they were few and far between, I can proudly call them my own. With them I have created the beginnings of what I hope to be Britannia's future. I have called it the Union for Britannian Reformation, an association that strives for affecting lasting change."
"I know you believed our empire was irredeemable, that you wished to tear down Britannia piece by piece, but I believe that we can change, if shown the right way." She fervently spoke. Though the man she offered words to did not react to them, she could see a glint in those royal purple eyes of his. "Though I can't presume to see results any time soon, not in our father's lifetime anyway; I am looking to the future. To a day when my resolve cannot be ignored. And I hope that you can see it when that day comes."
After a moment of silence, Lelouch gracefully stood, stepping to the edge of his cell. He examined her, and Euphy remained as dignified as ever under the scrutiny. "You're a far better person than I ever was." He told her. "Had I chosen the path you've taken I wouldn't be here now. You'll do just fine."
She nodded in appreciation. "I'm sorry that I was not able to help you before. But I swear that I will do everything I can to make up for it."
"I never doubted you. Not then, and not now." Lelouch offered her a faint smile. "I am proud of you, Euphemia."
She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear those words from someone. She had long resigned to accepting she would never be acknowledged by her family. But from him…it meant everything.
The smile she showed him was a radiant one.
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Imperial Palace, Pendragon; 2020 ATB
The throne room, in all its splendor and glory, was a dreary place when not a soul occupied its vast chamber. Sitting upon the great throne of Britannia, Charles zi Britannia idly tapped his finger against the immaculate chair. The seat, that was the symbol of all the empire's might, and all the authority it offered him.
Yet it could not give to him what he truly desired.
"Quite a predicament, wouldn't you say?"
The Emperor's gaze flicked to the voice beside him. There he found the childish form of his elder brother emerging from whatever shadow he stalked.
"To what are you referring to, brother?" He grumbled.
"This Zero character has made a rather audacious demand of you, you know. You aren't planning on ignoring this are you?" V.V., as he called himself, asked.
Charles leveled a glare at his brother. "Making demands? Of me?" He scoffed, head resting upon his fist. "A fool of that sort has no power to rival mine."
"Yet he could threaten you all the same, if you aren't careful. It would be unwise to slip up now, when we're so close." V.V. said, moving to stand in front of Charles on his throne.
"And what would you suggest then, dear brother; if you think it is so crucial?" He drawled. He had no desire to play his game, not when it was so obvious he had a personal agenda.
"This is that boy's fault, you know. The FLEIJAs were his creation."
And there it was. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His brother's petty vendetta was beyond tiresome. He still probably believed Charles unaware of his involvement in the boy's downfall. "And what, pray tell, about him?"
"Get rid of him. Charles." The immortal child hissed. "He must be responsible somehow, he's a nuisance either way. And your plan to acquire C.C. has gotten nowhere either, I might add."
"He is the only link we have to her, no matter what you feel on the matter. And he is too dangerous to let loose, especially since I cannot use my Geass on him." Now that had been a surprise. Whatever power the witch had gifted him rendered his own worthless. It was troublesome. But he had no better chance than his errant son to obtain the other key they so desperately needed. "I will not argue this point with you again, brother.
V.V. growled, but said nothing. Charles knew his brother, knew that while he would pester, he would not openly defy.
Openly, not being stressed enough.
"All we need now is to take the Thought Elevator in London, and reclaim the one on Kamine. C.C. will come in time." He said with finality. With a huff, the immortal stalked off, leaving Charles to again brood in the empty hall.
There was something his brother was not telling him. There always was, in these years. V.V. had taken to scheming behind his back more frequently each day. As if Charles was blind to his machinations simply because he said nothing of them. It would do nothing to confront him with his lies.
Oh but he would not forget them.
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New Tokyo, Yoake; 2020 ATB
"You're certain that kind of open stance was a good idea?" Jeremiah asked as Clovis sat at the head of a large conference table.
"I discussed it at great length with Ruben last night." Clovis explained. "We have a decent understanding of just what power the fake Zero possesses. More importantly, we know for a fact that there are no FLEIJAs in Yoake, at least, not anymore. The one that was once located within the Tokyo Settlement, was removed once it no longer went by that name.
"And why exactly can't we explain that to the public?" Naoto asked from across the table. The man had proven to be exceptionally skilled the last few years in mundane office work, becoming an invaluable asset to their fragile administration. "I don't think I need to tell you that they're pretty pissed out there. The news would do wonders for their concern.
"That would lead to questions as to how we know that. Without being able to prove it, claiming as much would seem foolish. I am not going to reveal that Lelouch himself was the one who constructed them. No matter what their intended purpose was."
"Still, I would have liked to analyze one of those devices." Lloyd commented. Rakshata had up and vanished some time in the past, leaving Asplund as the sole researcher that sustained their technological edge.
"I've tasked Sayoko with tracking down the young woman who designed them. A girl by the name of Nina Einstein, whom Lelouch met at the academy years prior." Clovis offered. "Whatever happened to her after the project's completion, Lelouch alone probably knew."
"It's as likely as it isn't that she was…dealt with." Ruben spoke up. "Lelouch was never of the right mind when it came to that project."
"But if we do find her, it may be possible to develop a countermeasure. That much at least we can present to the public to assuage their fears." Clovis concluded.
"The more pressing issue however, is the devastating blow we've already taken as a result of this." He continued. "Nearly half our airfleet was lost in India. Though the Mirai alone is of greater import, we've been severely affected by this. Zero might prove to be a distraction in the short term, but it won't take long for our enemies to realize this. The emperor being the highest concern, we must prepare our defenses accordingly. Jeremiah, I expect you to see to that immediately."
"Of course, sir." The man nodded. Jeremiah had since been elevated to the rank of general, out of necessity more than anything. Not to disregard his capability, but the initial candidate had proven…inadequate.
"In the meantime, I'd ask that Naoto run damage control…as effective as that may be." Clovis said, looking toward the redhead. "I understand I'm asking a lot."
"I'll do what I can. Haven't exactly made it easy though." Naoto grumbled.
He nodded. "Thank you. We will weather this, no matter what."
"Clovis, explain to me right now what is going on." Barging into the room was a young Japanese woman, her pristine features pulled into a tight expression of fury.
Clovis for his part gawked in astonishment. "Lady Sumeragi, what are you doing here? You shouldn't-"
"What is this about a false Zero?" Kaguya demanded, marching up to the man. She struck an imposing figure, despite her shorter stature. "What are you doing to find him?"
"I have Sayoko on it as we speak." He replied coolly, reigning in his surprise at her sudden appearance.
"I want his head, Clovis."
Three years the woman had remained a recluse in that manor, refusing to leave for anything. Clovis had publicly declared her dead to protect her from whoever attempted to have her killed. Suzaku served his penance by guarding her, ironic though it was. For his part, Clovis felt something that could not be explained did actually happen that night. And in the least, the boy felt an enormous weight of guilt over his actions, one he did nothing to hide. Even Clovis could see Suzaku had not picked up on Lelouch's ability to smoothly spin falsehoods in the slightest. So he believed it must be genuine. So he left her in his care, and there she remained ever since.
It seemed this however, was enough to finally spurn her out of isolation.
"As do I. We will not stand for this, I promise you that." He reassured her.
Though she did not seem satisfied, Kaguya nodded anyway. "See to it."
Just as abruptly, she left the room, not acknowledging any of the others present.
"Poor girl." Ruben sighed, breaking the uncomfortable silence she left.
"All I can do for her is keep my word." Clovis said. "For her, and Lelouch."
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Pendragon; 2020 ATB
"You are to begin preparing for invading Area Eleven immediately."
"M-majesty?" Schneizel balked, displaying a rare reaction to the emperor's demands. "What of Zero? Surely you've seen what occurred in New Delhi, the power he wields is no illusion."
The emperor leveled a glare on him. "Are you suggesting that a single man can make threats that dictate Britannia's actions?"
Schneizel's eye twitched ever so slightly. "No, Your Majesty."
"If anything, you should be thanking him. Cornelia reports not a single casualty, and that traitor brother of yours lost everything he deployed. Such a windfall is a gift I would be foolish to refuse. Area Eleven must be reclaimed, and now is the perfect time to do so."
He lowered his head in obeisance. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
The emperor ended communication without another word, and Schneizel openly snarled. The emperor…that man was going to bring Britannia to ruin.
Oh, he had known this for many years, it was hardly a startling revelation. He could not understand his father's single-minded obsession with conquering territory. Surely he didn't believe in his own asinine ideology that fervently? Not when the results of those beliefs were actively crumbling under their own weight.
So perhaps he turned a blind eye, refusing to acknowledge he was wrong.
Schneizel longed to finally defy that man for good, to wrest control from him and take this world for his own. Preferably while there was still a world left to take. He was so very close, years of subtle planning, scheming and waiting, he would not let it fall apart here.
Allen- no, Lelouch, had nearly thrown it all out the window. Speaking with him in Temple Tower had a very unexpected outcome however. He'd unintentionally given him the solution to the last problem he faced. And to think the key he was looking for was already in his possession! Now that was quite infuriating to learn, but nonetheless, a few words of coercion had gotten him what he was looking for. And now his project was truly in the final stage of completion, and he could finally put it into action.
Just a while longer now. If the world could withhold falling apart until then, that would be wonderful.
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"I've done as you asked."
"So I saw, I'm very pleased."
"Tell me what I want to know." She demanded, voice tinged with anger.
"Not so fast, you haven't quite fulfilled your end of the deal, haven't you?" The voice chided, every word filled with a grating arrogance. "You've only activated one. There's three, remember?"
"If you intend to cheat me, I will-"
"Of course not, I have every intention of giving you your reward. But not until you're done." She could hear the bastard's pretentious smirk.
"You'd best do so. Don't forget who has control." She warned the cocky voice.
"I'm well aware, I gave it to you after all. Since I couldn't do it myself."
Oh how she hated his voice. "If I ever find you, after that stunt you pulled…I will kill you."
He laughed mockingly. "Good luck with that."
The line went dead, and she gripped the phone tightly. She would make him tell her, right before she slit his throat herself. She relaxed a little however, as the thought of what she would gain eased her mind.
"Don't worry, I'll find you." She whispered. "I'll bring you home."
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He sat alone, as he often did. It had been livelier here than usual, more than he'd expected. But he enjoyed the solitude. It gave him time to reflect, to ponder on what had once been, what could have been. What had yet to be.
He ran his thumb over the finely crafted black queen he held. It was masterfully worked, flawless in design.
Almost enough to fool him.
He pressed against the neck of the piece, applying ever increasing pressure until it finally snapped.
The head broke off, flinging into the corner of the tiny cell.
His eyes narrowed dangerously at the now broken piece, the one that had replaced what was once his.
A near feral grin played across his face. He thought he was so clever, didn't he?
"I'm waiting."
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Have I made it complicated enough?
Counting this as March's update, not April's. Just a little late, I was struggling to work something out for later.