(A/N: I'd like to give a big thanks to my friend Tom, who helps me with some of Camilla's lines. As for the rest of you, enjoy these next fruits of my labor.
OH! Also, WARNING: The following chapter contains disturbing behavior with regards to drug use and addiction, as well as mental health problems-though that's been going on for a while now, just not this...unsettling. Reader discretion HEAVILY advised! You have been warned!)
After the incident at Lake Kawaguchi, Zero's popularity increased by storm among the common man and those among the Honorary Britannians, not just in Japan, but all across Britannia. Life was getting more complicated, especially for Britannia. His escapades increased, from small name corrupt politicians, to large scale business overlords running their workers into the ground. And, amidst it all…a counterplay was made within the pharmaceutical industry, one aimed directly at the heart of the people Zero worked so hard to protect. To that end…
"Pardon the intrusion," A calm Beruka uttered as she strolled into Camilla's office.
"Oh, well if it isn't my darling, sweet Beruka. How does this day find you?" Camilla asked her.
"Princess, I have a report for you," Beruka told her plainly.
"In person? You typically don't give me verbal reports," Camilla responded. She smiled. "Were you just looking for an excuse to spend time with me?"
"This needed to be spoken face to face. It is of the utmost importance," Beruka told her with a calm expression.
"Well don't keep me in suspense, dear. Go on," Camilla urged.
"There is a new drug out on the black market. It is called Refrain. It's a narcotic. It has the capability to induce hallucinatory flashbacks to pleasant past experiences. In other words, people who take Refrain can literally escape to a better time in their life." Beruka winced. "It is…actually illegal to take it, but given your…condition as of late…I thought…I could use some of my connections to…procure you some samples. I thought…maybe…if you heard Lelouch's voice again, even once, it…might help you cope. I…have seen the stress you've been under. I am…worried you might snap. Princess Corrin is worried much the same."
Beruka meant well. She and Corrin could both tell that Zero was eating away at Camilla's sanity, that the longer everything dragged on, the more and more their dear sister and friend teetered on the edge of mental oblivion.
Much to Beruka's surprise, Camilla responded harshly, rising to her feet, shouting. "Don't ever speak of such a drug to me! End of discussion! And if I find anyone with it within 500 meters of this building, they're to be killed on sight!"
"Understood, your highness," Beruka responded, continuing to wince. "My apologies, I was only trying to—"
"Listen Beruka and listen well. I don't need a drug to give me illusions of the past. I remember all of my dear Lulu's memories and I treasure them valuably." She clutched a hand by her chest. "If I stayed in the past forever…Lulu would hate me." Her body shook. In truth, the drug sounded like a miracle. She could hear Lulu's voice again…and again…and again…
And again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again!
And she would never stop! She would take it all day every day if she started. She'd end up making herself catatonic. Lulu…sweet little Lulu…to hear his voice once again…
Beruka sweat a little, recognizing the mistake she made. "Apologies…I shall speak with Princess Corrin about eradicating the trade route. Oh! And Princess Cornelia has departed for the EU battlefront, but she stated she would return here soon. She recommended giving Zero a continued stay of execution, as a thanks for rescuing Euphemia."
The only think Beruka was given in response was the clutching of Camilla's fist and the gnashing of her teeth.
"…I will see myself out." Beruka left posthaste.
Once she was gone, Camilla hugged herself, frightened of the temptation of such a drug. Lulu…I'm so sorry…
Beruka relayed the information to Corrin as soon as she could.
"I see, so we're to eliminate all traces of it. That will be tough," Corrin responded. "But, we'll get it done," she stated with a smile. "There are plenty of soldiers in my unit capable of helping." She stopped smiling. "I've actually heard that the Black Knights have been taking out shipments themselves."
"Yes, I've heard the same. How odd that they would aid against Japan's comfort," Beruka commented.
"No, I see it from a different angle. Refrain makes you long for the good old days. If you're at peace, you won't fight. Zero wants justice, not tranquility. So, he wants the people to keep fighting or his rebellion crumbles."
"I see. That makes sense," Beruka commented. Then, after a brief silence added, "About your nomination…" She was referring to Corrin's nomination to becoming a Knight of the Round, the Knight of Eleven, as it was presently open.
"Yes, I know, its under consideration for being withdrawn, despite the official story now being that I went undercover, something about it not being knightly. Even the people are starting to get suspicious of me. I'm wondering if perhaps someone might be leaking the truth about what I said to Cornelia and Camilla," Corrin admitted, sweating a little.
"Perhaps his majesty knows the actual truth and is worried you might betray Britannia," Beruka responded.
"Wouldn't that only give rise to the fact that I am, in fact, Japanese?" Corrin questioned.
"Speaking of, I hear you applied for a DNA test. Is this true?" Beruka asked.
"Yes, but don't speak a word of that to Camilla. I performed it on Cornelia's recommendation. She wanted to erase all doubt," Corrin responded.
"Then perhaps the lab technicians may be the reason for the unrest," Beruka responded. "I will investigate the matter."
"There's…also one other possibility," Corrin added.
"Oh?"
"Zero could be leaking the information, in his civilian identity," Corrin pointed out.
"Hmmm, that would be far more difficult to trace, given no one knows just exactly who he is."
"I've spoken with Jeremiah and Viletta. Both of them claim to have gaps in their memory, especially right at the most crucial moment," Corrin admitted. "And also…"
She reflected on what she saw, that Zero's eye had a purple iris and dark, seemingly black hair. It could have been blue. The flames were certainly burning brightly that day in the audience hall. But…the camera angle didn't pick it up. They only got the other side of his mask. And every day, Corrin wasn't even sure of exactly what she saw. She believed that Camilla's insistence that Lelouch was alive had her seeing things.
But if was him…why would he be Zero? It doesn't make any sense! Why go against us like this? Why not trust Camilla, or me?
"Princess? You look upset. Is something wrong?" Beruka asked.
Corrin shook her head. "No. Not at all. Let's get to work."
"Yes. Agreed."
Refrain production took a nose dive with both the Black Knights and Corrin's unit out on the offensive. The young princess was certainly redeeming herself and talks of withdrawing her nomination for Knight of the Round became quieter and quieter. Additionally, with Suzaku now as a Warrant Officer, and Corrin promoted to Major General, she had his engineering unit working directly under her, funding Lloyd's research as only a royal's budget could.
This actually worked against the Black Knight's favor. Corrin was beloved by the people, just as much as they were, even more so by Britannia. Many among the ranks of the common Britannian man, especially honorary Britannians, believed in Corrin, especially as she touted Suzaku around practically everywhere.
Sitting in their bunker together, the Black Knights watched Corrin waving and smiling at the public at a miniature parade, celebrating the most recent law, passed by Camilla, of a new healthcare package for all Britannians, even honorary Britannians. It was called Camilla Care as a joke at first, but once enacted, it was now used as a rallying cry. And while Camilla's name was on the paper, the populace knew that it was Corrin's efforts that allowed the act to pass bureaucracy.
Corrin was down to earth; she had a reputation of winning the hearts of others within days, sometimes hours. Suzaku's desire to enact change from within was also gaining traction due to Corrin's endorsement. Peaceful, meaningful changes were slowly on the rise with an uptick of 10% of Japanese to Honorary Britannian applications in just the past month.
"Look at them together, it makes me sick," Tamaki wretched. "He's like a dog waiting for his master to give him a treat."
"This is why we should have held her in captivity!" Hana argued.
"Holding Corrin here against her will would have only caused her and the people to resent us," Hinoka shot back.
"But at this rate, we run the risk of being seen as unfavorable. How are we supposed to compete with her?" Subaki asked, frowning.
"W-well…" Hinoka stuttered.
"Corrin's actions will hit a wall, and the people will realize exactly who they can rely on. Remember, even with the favor of Camilla and Corrin, Britannia can only do so much without upsetting the Emperor," Zero reminded them all. "That is when we strike. War is all about strategy and patience."
"He's got a point," Ohgi admitted.
"Grrrrr," Tamaki growled, scratching at his hair. "I just hate this! I want what we stand for to mean something dammit!"
"Even so, we can't fight against laws that are in favor of our cause," Inoue said, walking over to the table with some snacks.
"Speaking of fighting, word on the street is that Britannia is making a push for Narita to attack the headquarters of the Japan Liberation Front," Azama said, smiling for reasons only he seemed to know. "I wonder who tipped them off."
"Well it wasn't us!" Tamaki shouted.
"If they're going to Narita, then we have to as well soon. Ryoma will want us to link up finally and put the hurt on Britannia for good!"
"It will certainly be a struggle," Zero told her. "By the time Britannia is ready to attack, Cornelia will have returned from the EU. We will be faced with a strong enemy: Princess Corrin, Princess Cornelia and Princess Camilla, the holy trinity of Britannia's most elite warrior princesses. Even against Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh and Lord Ryoma, such a battle would prove difficult indeed."
"But what about Kyoto's support? They want to send us a bunch of stuff, right?" Hana asked.
"I guess Zero doesn't think it's enough?" Setsuna questioned.
"Oh for certain, come what may, we will triumph. However…" Zero said, rising to his feet from off the couch. "When controlling the tide of war, fighting for control of the center is often the most costly and bloody, when it is the attacks from the side that an army should be most concerned about."
"Oh my, what exactly are you plotting this time? Something nefarious we will only know until last minute?" Azama asked, chortling.
Zero responded with a vague, "Something like that."
The sound of running water could be heard in the Viceroy public baths as, for the first time in a while, Corrin and Camilla were bathing together. It was Corrin's idea too, to boot. Camilla had seemed…troubled as of late, so offering to wash with her seemed like a fantastic idea, to Corrin's mind, to help her older sister unwind. And also…it was the best way to speak with Camilla about…important matters.
"You take such good care of your looks, Camilla. I'm a bit jealous."
"Oh give yourself a few years, Corrin. You're still growing," Camilla told her with a smile as Corrin lathered her hair with shampoo.
"Yes, but even at my age, you were already far more…gifted than I was," Corrin admitted.
Camilla laughed, turning to face Corrin. "Oh, Corrin, never judge a woman by her looks." She pushed their chests together. "It's what's inside that counts the most."
Corrin blushed. "Y-Yes, w-well…that still doesn't help with how you make me feel…inadequate," she admitted nervously.
Camilla chortled. "You're so cute, Corrin." She pecked her sister on the forehead. "Come now. Sink down and I'll wash your back now."
"Mhm," Corrin replied with a nod of her head. "Okay."
As Camilla began to wash Corrin's back and hair, Corrin decided to discuss with her sister about…well…everything. "Say, Camilla, I know it's a touchy subject, but…don't you think Zero is a bit…strange for a terrorist?"
"Strange? However do you mean?" Camilla asked.
All right. She wasn't seething. So far so good. "I mean…even though he's fighting against Britannia, it feels like he wants what's best for Britannia, to eliminate its tyranny and its inequality, a richer Empire in spirit, not in finances or industry."
"Hmmmm," Camilla thought about it, gazing up towards the ceiling. Corrin wasn't wrong there. "Well, you're not wrong, but…" she trailed off. "Terrorism of any kind is still terrorism. That doesn't make their actions right, and it certainly doesn't make them just." She hugged Corrin from behind. "I think what you're doing for Britannia is far more impressive. You are winning the war unfought. Come this time next year, Zero may not even have a leg to stand on because my darling little sister is beating him at his own game."
Corrin laughed. "Perhaps…" her cheer waned. "Still…maybe we can fix everything. If Britannia could just ease off of Japan a little, perhaps we could have Zero off our backs within a week or two. Talks for my nomination for the Knights of the Round are coming up after all. Perhaps when I return home briefly to discuss it, I can talk to father and he can—"
"NO!" Camilla suddenly shouted, hugging Corrin tighter than ever.
Corrin gasped, not understanding what she'd done to trigger her sister.
"I don't want you to end up like Lulu. Lulu…he…it's because he spoke back to his majesty…that…Lulu…he…" Camilla was shaking in terror.
Corrin turned around and hugged her sister. "Okay, Camilla. Shshsh, don't fret. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I won't go back to Pendragon any time soon, okay?" She hugged Camilla a bit tighter. "I'll stay here, okay?"
Camilla's eyes, almost on the verge of tears, stopped shaking and she held Corrin tenderly. She just responded with a hushed, "Thank you."
While she was politically in charge, Camilla still, on occasion had to do her part with the military every so often. Sometimes those duties overlapped. As a result, she was called in to oversee the destruction and detainment of a very large shipment of Refrain into the country. However, when Camilla arrived, she found one ugly scene. While her men had secured the area, a few locals had already shot up on the stuff and were now spouting nonsense. Oh, they were coherent, speaking in full sentences even, but it was like they were reciting lines to a play that only they had read the script for and had no audience.
Camilla wandered around the disposal area in a haze, trying her best to ignore these people. She would not be like them. She was not this weak. She was better than this. She was strong! Strong!
She approached a shipment. Kewell Soresi was there to address her. "We just need you to confirm that each shipment is carrying refrain, Princess, and then we can book those responsible and have them persecuted."
Camilla didn't immediately respond as she looked down at a cart full of injectors and doses.
"Princess Camilla?" Kewell called out to her again.
Camilla swallowed. It was her first time seeing the drug up close, such a simple device with such complex effects. She sweat a little. Fortunately, for the moment, she resisted temptation. She stood up, the sun casting a shadow over her bangs so that Kewell could not see her eyes. "No," she told Kewell. "Kill them all."
"Huh?" Kewell wasn't bothered, but he was a bit surprised.
"Did you not hear me?! I said kill them all!" Camilla shouted. "This hateful, spiteful drug has no business in my Area. Eliminate all those responsible!"
"Understood, your highness!" Kewell exclaimed. He radioed to his men. "Orders in from Princess Camilla. Shoot to kill. Do not arrest. Do not detain."
As the bullets flew and Kewell walked away, Camilla stood over the shipment of refrain, staring at it and the red liquid contained within.
If I am strong…Zero will come after me, but if I am weak…if I am weak…what would happen if I was…weak? Lulu…I want to…hear your voice…I'm sorry.
Nobody noticed in all of the confusion that a single dose of Refrain went unaccounted for.
The day after next, Cornelia was reading off several pages of notes to Camilla, finishing with the last one. It was dusk. "That concludes my report," she told her younger sister.
"Understood. That will be all, Cornelia. Thank you for always staying on top of everything," Camilla told her with a smile.
"Everything I do, I do for Britannia," Cornelia stated with a salute. However, after lowering her arm, she said to Camilla, "By the way, sister, when all of this is over, Zero dead, Corrin nominated, and everything laid to rest, would you attend a celebration? I would host, of course. We could all gather together as siblings. You, me, Corrin, Euphemia, Schneizel, Clovis and anyone else that would attend."
Camilla beamed. "I would like that, Cornelia. Thank you."
Cornelia smiled, nodding, and then leaving.
Once the door was shut, Camilla opened her top desk drawer. There, tucked away in the back, under a roll of tape, sat the injector and the does of Refrain she'd confiscated. She hadn't used it since taking it for herself. Once again, however, she took out the injector and the drug and placed it on the table in front of her. She breathed heavily, the temptation all consuming.
Lulu's voice…she wanted to hear his voice just once. Just…once.
She bit her lip. It was a slippery slope she now found herself on, a backup plan if she next found herself in a moment of weakness. Yet at the same time, by defying the temptation, over and over, she would overcome this weakness and, one day, hurl the injector and dose out the window. She just had to reteach herself to be strong.
She envisioned it, of course, uncapping the injector, inserting the dose, and shooting up directly into her arm. She fantasized about what she would see, what she would hear. Those fantasies were often enough to keep her from needing to use the drug at all. And it was those same fantasies…that often found Camilla engaging in very naughty behavior.
People often saw her as a goddess with how radiant her beauty was, but she was neither that, nor an angel. She was only human, and she was presently feeding a demon. Her eyes watered as she felt great shame, biting her right index finger as the clothing below her waist had its defenses bypassed. Her shapely posterior sank into her official desk chair, as her cheeks flushed the more she used her left hand to mount an assault on a place no man had ever seen, a place only one man, she swore, would ever see. She whimpered as she envisioned it, crying as she knew these fantasies were her only escape. Would it be stronger…if she grabbed the syringe? Would it feel better…if she stopped using it as an excuse…and just gave in?
No one could know about this, not Corrin, not Beruka, not Cornelia, and especially not Euphemia. Camilla started to drool onto her finger, salivating as she licked the digit, her left hand digging deeper into the cavern it had discovered. Camilla whimpered, feeling ashamed of herself. This was not right…but this was where her behavior had led her. She was no saint. She was a sinner of the highest caliber…and nothing could stop her from completing her deal with the devil to completion.
"Hnnnnnnnnngh!" She released the tension she'd built up, panting, taking a moment to clean whatever needed to be decontaminated. And then she disrobed…and found her way to the shower.
This behavior would continue for weeks on end.
Although Corrin and Beruka did not know exactly what was going on with Camilla, Beruka knew her lady far too well to write off her behavior lately as "everything was okay." So, naturally, cooperating with Corrin, she stepped up her game, chasing any lead she could. If they could expose Zero, things would improve. That was what she and Corrin believed. To that end, she often found herself wandering the streets of Area 11's seedier districts in the hopes of picking up a lead through her contacts in the Black Market. Today, she'd received an anonymous tip she simply could not pass up. According to one of her most trusted contacts, there was a market in Kisarazu, a settlement in Chiba on the southeastern side of Kaneda Bay, that had information on Zero.
If the information hadn't come from such a reliable source, Beruka may have questioned it. So, she went alone, as she often did, in search of matters requiring her hand of expertise. Upon arriving in the Kisarazu settlement, she skulked around for any sign of the person looking to provide her with the intel she so desired. To draw them out, she took a knife and stabbed a parchment containing a secret code to the nearest telephone poll. She then hid herself in a concealed location.
She'd used a code very well known in the black market and she'd been quite overt with her actions. Many would write it off as the actions of a strange weirdo, but those in the know would stop by to read it and look for her. Eventually, she got what she wanted. While waiting in shade of Oodayama Park, someone finally approached her at dusk. They were wrapped in a cloak resembling a desert crossing Bedouin, but their cover went beyond that. Their entire body was covered aside from their fair-skinned hands, their lips, and their left eye, as purple as the finest amethyst.
"Halt, what's the password?" Beruka asked.
"One thousand mountains."
Beruka lowered her guard, but only to a professional standard. "So, you read my letter. You have information on Zero?"
"I do," the figure responded. "But before I disclose what I know, I have something I'd like you to do for me." The figure's left eye glowed brightly. "Listen carefully to my instructions!"
Beruka could not remember anything after that. She would later return to Tokyo after dark, believing that her lead had simply gone cold. The truth could not be further from that.
An entire calendar month had passed since Camilla had first begun resisting Refrain in the most obscene way possible. She was beginning to lose her nerve too. Proposals for her hand in marriage were on the rise, many men in her cabinet attempting to "shoulder her burden" for her, watching as the proud Camilla no Britannia was crumbling, and only she seemed oblivious to it.
She put up a strong front, though. As long as she did her job and did it effectively, neither Cornelia nor Corrin would attempt to take power away from her. She needed power. She needed to be in control, not just of Area 11, but herself. She would not go back to a padded room.
Lulu…
A hoarse moan escaped her lips as her fingers ran rampant over her most sensitive areas.
Lulu…
The dose and injector lay flat on her desk, as they always did when she felt the temptation grow too strong.
Lulu…
She gasped when a knock came to her door. "Camilla? Are you there? It's Corrin."
It was the middle of the day, in the early afternoon. Camilla, as of late, was finding it more and more difficult to hold out until the end of the day as life grew more and more complicated for her. This was the first time someone had knocked on her locked office door.
"C-Corrin!" Camilla gasped, standing up and fixing her underwear. "J-Just a second!"
She shoved the injector and dose into a drawer and used a desk mirror to make sure her makeup was perfect. She then answered the door. "Come in, come in, sweetie," she smiled at her sister. "Can I get you anything? Tea? Cookies?"
"No. I'm fine. I just had lunch," Corrin told her with a smile. She was carrying a stack of papers. "I um…I need you to sign these for me. They're for that museum on the history of chess you wanted to have commissioned. The land has been set aside. Work can begin shortly."
"R-right…that…" Lulu…
Camilla did her best not to squirm, given the moisture between her legs at the moment, caused by her unfinished business. She sat at her desk whilst Corrin walked over with her, putting the papers flat down on it.
"Oh! You know! I'm running short on pens. Do you think I could borrow one from your supply?" Corrin asked and without thinking, reached for Camilla's top drawer.
"No! Not that one!"
Too late.
There it sat, both the injector and the untouched dose.
"Corrin…I swear…it's not what it looks like."
Corrin still looked horrified. Refrain, not just in the building, but in Camilla's office. Her horror changed to utter disappointment as she stared at the floor in front of Camilla's desk chair.
"How long?" she asked. "How long have you been like this?"
Camilla didn't say anything she just covered her face with her hands and howled in sorrow. Corrin assumed the clear worst, that she was shooting up daily and that she only kept one dose at a time nearby, not knowing the truth. Despite this, she felt Corrin hug her as she cried.
"I'm sorry, Corrin. I'm weak! I'm weak!" she sobbed.
Corrin didn't say anything, she just pat Camilla's back.
Camilla gazed up from her hands to look at Corrin. "I miss Lulu, Corrin. I miss him so much. But I haven't used a single dose, I swear. I've been avoiding it, staring at it, resisting temptation. But I…oh god…I just want to hear Lulu one more time, Corrin, just one more time," Camilla blubbered.
"I understand," Corrin responded.
Camilla wasn't sure what she was doing when Corrin shut the door and came back to stand in front of her.
"Do you promise it will only be one time? I'll watch over you and I'll take care of you. Refrain…it's a nasty drug, but…if you think it will help you."
"NO!" Camilla shouted. "If I take it even once, I'll get addicted right away!" she wailed. "I snatched it from the shipment because I wanted to prove to myself that I would never need it." She collapsed into her hands again. "I can't go on like this, Corrin. I want my Lulu back. I want him back so badly."
Corrin glanced from the injector, to Camilla, to the dose, to Camilla, to the papers, to Camilla, and back to the injector. Her sister had been suffering in silence for so long and she and everyone else had been blind to it. She had to get rid of this Refrain dose. It was destroying Camilla the longer it stayed here. But, if she tried to hurl it out the window, she was afraid Camilla would attack her.
Steeling herself for the worst, Corrin simply smiled. "It'll be okay, Camilla. I'm right here. You have nothing to worry about."
"Corrin?" Camilla questioned, gazing up from her hands.
She was not prepared for what happened next. In one smooth motion, Corrin picked the injector, loaded the dose into it…and injected the Refrain into her own veins.
"CORRIN!"
In what could only be described as self-sacrificing, rather than let Camilla suffer under its presence anymore, Corrin decided to shoot herself up to protect her sister. Her mind felt bubbly as the scenery around her faded to white. She couldn't even see Camilla's face anymore. She couldn't even tell Camilla was talking to her.
"Corrin! Corrin stay with me!" Camilla shouted. "No…" she sobbed. "…Don't."
A peaceful smile crept upon Corrin's face. Wherever her brain was at, it was presently not in reality. "Look, Mom, Sakura is crawling," Corrin said in a very childlike voice. "I'm so proud of her."
Camilla was more horrified than ever now. Not just at Corrin being on a Refrain high, but at the results. Refrain brought its user back to the good old days and for Corrin, apparently it was to a time before she came to Britannia, a time when she was Corrin Sumeragi.
Whatever was holding Camilla together…snapped in that very moment. It was a lie. It was all a lie. Corrin was never her sister. She never loved her. "IT'S ALL FAKE!" she screamed. "IT WAS ALL A LIE!"
As the high as a kite Corrin began flitting about the room like she was a 5-year-old learning to ride a bike for the first time, Camilla began destroying everything of hers in the room that had Corrin's likeness in it. Photos, awards, news articles she'd printed out. One by one, item by item, she destroyed her memories with Corrin, screaming all the while.
"EVERYTHING I KNOW IS A LIE!" she screeched.
Her bedroom office became trashed like it was hit by a windstorm until…finally…the only thing left of Corrin…was Corrin herself, still talking nonsense, now acting like she was having a meal with her family, calling for big sis Hinoka.
Lip quivering, Camilla readied her axe. She had to end it. She had to end this misery. One swing. She only need to swing once and Corrin would be sliced in half. The false princess…would vanish into nothing but the pages of history.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"
SMASH!
Camilla's axe came down…and absolutely destroyed her desk, computer and all.
"Mom, do I have to go to bed early? …Oh, all right."
Camilla cried, gripping the end of her axe as Corrin lay down on the floor, miming pulling a blanket up over her, falling asleep while sucking her thumb.
She couldn't do it. No matter how much this upset her, no matter how much she was wounded to know that her Corrin wasn't actually her flesh and blood, she still couldn't hurt her. She couldn't hurt her Corrin.
Letting go of her axe, Camilla cradled the unconscious Corrin, sleeping like a baby.
"Hey, Corrin…Cammy still loves you," she said in a voice barely above a whisper as she sat on the floor. "You're still my Corrin…right? You have good memories of your big sis Cammy…right?"
Of course, asking was pointless. Corrin was asleep, or at least the drug was making her think she was.
Camilla just sat on the ground, crying, and holding her drugged sister. This was all her fault. Even without taking refrain, she'd hurt her family deeply with it, carved a wound into it that would never heal. The answer was obvious. She wasn't strong. She…was weak.
She was with Corrin alone a long while before Cornelia walked into the room, gob smacked at the scene before her. Camilla looked guilty as sin as Cornelia tried to piece together exactly what had occurred.
After tucking Corrin into Camilla's bed, Camilla told Cornelia everything as the two sat in a conference room elsewhere in the building. She told her what had transpired, from the moment she stole the dose, until Cornelia walked in on the scene.
Cornelia shook her head, palming her eye. "I can't believe you would do this."
"I'm sorry," Camilla muttered. "I regret…everything."
"You're lucky Corrin loves you so much, else she wouldn't have taken that dose for you." Cornelia exhaled deeply. "I'm going to pretend this never happened, as far as the books are concerned. If anyone asks, a thief got into the room and injected Corrin. You disposed of it."
"…Thank you, Cornelia."
Cornelia put a hand on Camilla's shoulder. "That's what sisters are for," she said with a smile, only to frown. "But…you can't stay like this. I can't force you to do anything, Camilla, but…why don't you take some time off? Do some shopping, go wander Area 11 and find something new to discover. Maybe visit that library you built in Lelouch's honor."
Camilla hugged her tightly. "Cornelia, right now I need my sister to just let me cry…" She gasped, almost sobbing. "I just lost another sibling…Corrin isn't our sibling." She choked on tears. "She…her paradise wasn'tt with us. She…she loves them more than us."
Cornelia stroked the back of Camilla's head. Corrin said she had no idea who Hinoka and Sakura were. Had she been lying? And if she truly loved them more than Britannia, why did she come back? Was she acting as a double agent? No. That wasn't like Corrin at all! Maybe she was acting as a sleeper agent? No! Impossible! Charles himself had said Corrin was now their sibling.
While Cornelia pondered the possibilities, Camilla cried for a long time. It hurt. Everything hurt. Her heart, her arms, her head. How much of her life was a lie? What was the point of living when everything just hurt?! But…her own big sister was here, able to make her feel better.
"Please never betray me, Nellie," Camilla pleaded, clutching her sister tightly. She hadn't called Cornelia that in decades. "I need…I need my big strong Nellie…please."
Cornelia smothered her younger half-sister. "It will be okay, Camilla. I'll protect you, just like I always have since you were small. Just relax. It's your turn to be comforted, like you comfort so many others." She stroked the side of Camilla's head. "Everything's going to be okay."
Camilla sobbed. "I don't believe you. Nothing is okay! Everything is broken! Everything is wrong! I don't know what to do anymore!"
"I…I know," Cornelia responded. "But…sometimes…not knowing what to do happens. And…when that happens…all you can do is live in the moment…and live as you have in the past. One day…it suddenly all makes sense."
"Does…" Camilla gulped, throat clogging with misery, "Does the world make sense to you, Nellie?"
Cornelia nodded. "It does. Maybe the world isn't always fair. Maybe the world isn't always just, but the world keeps spinning and we must, in turn, spin with it, or we will be left broken and unable to live."
Camilla was silent for a bit before finally responding. "What if I'm tired of living? What if I just want to end it all?"
"Don't talk like that!" Cornelia exclaimed, hugging her tighter.
"But it's true!" Camilla shouted in anguish. "It hurts! Every day! Every damn day since Lulu vanished, nothing's been the same! I haven't felt complete! I haven't felt myself! Ever since Charles exiled him, a piece of me has always been missing and now it always will!" Camilla shouted. "Please…please kill me. I want…I want to be with Lulu."
Cornelia did not let go of Camilla for a very long time.
For the next five days, Camilla remained under constant surveillance by the Glaston Knights. Cornelia would not see her sister commit suicide in a moment of weakness. Additionally, to help Camilla get back on her feet, Cornelia took over some of Camilla's Viceroy duties. In furtherance of Camilla's mental state, Clovis actually stepped in, trying to be a good brother to his darling sister, taking her out to lavish meals and fun shows at the opera and theater house.
But…Camilla and Corrin hadn't spoken in all that time, not because Corrin wasn't willing to apologize, but because Camilla couldn't even bring herself to look at Corrin at the moment. Cornelia had had a chance to speak with Corrin though, and Corrin's response…disturbed her.
"I…talked about Hinoka and Sakura?" Corrin asked when Cornelia told her what she did, surprised at herself more than anything.
"You did. You greatly upset Camilla. She's been under my careful watch so she doesn't kill herself out of sheer grief. I commend you for putting yourself in harms way to protect her, but those results…Corrin…what exactly happened?"
"I…don't actually know," Corrin responded, scratching her temple. "I…can't even remember being on Refrain."
Cornelia blinked. That wasn't normal. In all other cases, every Refrain user was so enamored with their escape to the past, they couldn't help but go back. However, Corrin couldn't recall a single detail of her experience.
In the middle of all of this, one of Corrin's subordinates walked into the discussion, a young woman with pink hair by the name of Felicia. "Ah! Princess Cornelia! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to walk in on a private chat with you and Princess Corrin!"
"It's quite all right, Felicia. We aren't talking about anything confidential. What's the trouble?" Corrin asked her.
"Your lab results, Princess," Felicia said, handing Corrin a folder.
"The DNA test I recommended?" Cornelia asked.
Corrin nodded. "Well, here goes. Although…I think we already know what's coming."
She opened the medical folder and looked at the results. Britannian DNA…negative. Not surprising. She didn't match Charles's DNA at all. Eleven DNA…
"N-Negative?" Corrin was at a loss for words.
"Of course it's negative. We shouldn't be surpri—"
Corrin cut Cornelia off. "No. Look!" She exclaimed, flipping the pages around. "She showed the results to Cornelia. Her Eleven DNA…came back not a match."
"I'm…not an Eleven," Corrin said, shocked.
"If you're not an Eleven and you're not Britannian, then what are you?" Cornelia asked.
"L-Let's not act like Corrin's an alien," Felicia said. "We only submitted a request for his majesty's and Eleven DNA."
"That's not what I was implying," Cornelia responded. "Corrin…those girls acted like you were their flesh and blood, and now you don't share their DNA, or ours. But how is that possible?"
Corrin looked further down the chart. Her DNA absolutely had a half-match to Mikoto Sumeragi, but it didn't match any of the other Sumeragi siblings, according to the DNA matched against Kaguya, Jugo, and Sakuya Sumeragi, given those were the samples the lab had on hand.
"Could Lady Mikoto be from the EU?" Felicia speculated.
"It could be like Princess Sherry," Corrin stated. "Marrying into the Sumeragis while hailing from somewhere else."
"And yet, everyone revered Mikoto like she'd always been there. I don't understand," Cornelia responded.
"This sounds like it warrants further investigation, doesn't it?" Felicia questioned.
"Indeed," Cornelia responded calmly. "I'll investigate the matter further and see what I can dig up."
"Should we…" Corrin swallowed. "Mention this to Camilla at all?"
"I'll ask Beruka to do it," Felicia said. "If anyone can get through to Camilla, it's going to be her."
"I agree," Cornelia answered. "If Beruka fails, I'll have Euphemia do it. Camilla would never harm Euphemia, or accuse her of being hurtful, not in a million years. Corrin, for now, these results are strictly confidential. And no matter what the truth is, no matter who your blood is tied to, you have lived in Britannia and been labeled my sibling for fourteen years. For all intents and purposes, you are my sister, blood be damned. Do you understand me?"
"Of course," Corrin replied with a smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
After a wonderful meal with Clovis and Euphemia at Babel Tower, Camilla returned to her office, finding Beruka waiting for her inside.
"Princess, you have returned."
"So, you're babysitting me tonight now?" Camilla asked, copping an attitude.
"I am hoping your mood will improve when you hear my report. Princess Corrin had a DNA test performed back when we first recovered her from the terrorists."
"I don't want to hear it!" Camilla snapped. "Not a word! I'm tired of feeling pain and I'm tired of being lied to! So go on, tell me how Corrin isn't my sister and never was!"
Beruka steeled herself for what came next. Even she didn't know how Camilla would respond to the truth. "It's true that Princess Corrin shares no blood with his majesty, but…she also doesn't share blood with any of the Sumeragis, except for the late Empress Mikoto. You may take this news…however you wish."
Camilla blinked. Corrin…belonged to neither family by blood. So then why did…how did…?
"As I had it explained to me, Princess Corrin did not even remember her time under the influence of Refrain, a case unlike any other when it comes to using the drug. Princess Cornelia is investigating the matter as we speak. The prevailing theory between your sisters is that Empress Mikoto married Emperor Sumeragi, coming from somewhere else entirely. Why then Corrin's Refrain behaved the way it did…we currently do not yet know."
"And instead of apologizing to my face, Corrin sent you instead, hmm?"
"She was under the impression you did not even want to see her face," Beruka responded, swallowing, a bead of sweat on her cheek.
"…I've been an awful big sister. Instead of caring for Corrin while she was drugged up, I made it all about myself. I've…hurt this family more times than I can count…because I'm nothing but a big failure."
"That's not true. You are a powerful asset to your family," Beruka responded.
"I know you're just saying that to make me feel better, Beruka, dear…but I appreciate it nonetheless," Camilla responded in a self-deprecating tone.
"They're not merely words. I truly believe that your kindness and your strength are a boon to those that love you," Beruka responded. "I would not be in your service if it was not for those two things. Not a day goes by when I am not grateful for how you stopped my assassination attempt on you…and then you took me in, gave me a warm bed, food. You wouldn't hear of my mission, you only wanted to help me. You opened an animal shelter when you were thirteen for every stray dog and cat in Pendragon. It's now a flourishing multi-thousand dollar business in the capital. You've improved the quality of life here in Area 11 more than any of your siblings may have even tried. Perhaps you curse your weakness, and your failures." Beruka smiled wholesomely in a way Camilla had never seen her do before. "But I will never stop praising your strengths, my Princess."
Camilla choked on a few sobs, tears forming. "Beruka…" she sniffed.
"My report has concluded. If you would wish to speak with Lady Corrin, I shall fetch her."
"Please…I should apologize," Camilla responded.
"Yes, your highness," Beruka stated plainly and left.
As soon as Corrin walked in, Camilla gave her a big hug. "Corrin…you are my reason not to die…so please…don't ever scare me again."
Corrin hugged Camilla back. "I'm sorry, Camilla. Please forgive me. I…I was just trying to protect you from the refrain. I didn't mean to—"
Camilla kissed her forehead and then brushed Corrin's bangs. "Corrin, I was never going to use it. But…I admit…I was in a very dark place, which was why I even took it. Still…after seeing what Refrain did to you…Corrin…please…promise me you'll never do that again."
"I promise. I hopefully shouldn't have reason to either," Corrin responded, sweating a little. "Are…you going to be all right? Do you…still want to die…to be with Lelouch?" She grimaced in concern. "I…honestly…if being Viceroy is too much for you, let it go. Go home to Pendragon. Cornelia, Clovis and I can handle it. Go home to Elise, to Schneizel, Guinevere, Odysseus, Carine, Xander, and Leo too. I just…you're important to me Camilla. Cornelia said it to me and now I'm saying it to you. Blood be damned, Britannia is my home. Nothing is going to change that."
Camilla took a deep breath and held her hands together down below her chest as though in prayer. "I…will live for Lulu…but…for you as well Corrin. I want to live for my beloved siblings that love me, just as much as I love them."
"Will you be all right by yourself tonight, then? Do you think you can handle it?"
"I've been sleeping alone for many years now, Corrin. I can do it again."
Corrin smiled. "Well, fair enough."
"Oh, but if you really do actually betray me, Corrin, I will actually kill you. I hope you know that."
Corrin sweat profusely. "Y-Yes, w-well…I would never do such a thing." Good, if she's back to making playful threats, she may just be back to being her old self yet. Camilla…please heal…for all our sakes.
Over the next few days, Camilla slowly got better. Her appetite, her mood and even her passion all improved. She was still masking her sorrow with a smile, but sometimes, for the briefest of moments, that smile was genuine. As a result, the time to launch an attack on Narita would soon be upon the forces stationed at Area 11. She would be unable to delay it any longer if she was fit to fight.
Now that she was mentally healthier, Cornelia felt her sister could be left to her own devices without the threat of offing herself. As a result, Camilla decided to spend one last time at the Tokyo mall on many little knickknacks and other cute accessories to make herself feel better before heading into a bloody battle with the Elevens. During her mall crawl, however, her phone rang. Normally, if she didn't recognize the number, she would simply send it to voicemail. Every day was a new scammer, new number after all. However, with the plans for the chess museum currently underway, it could be something related to that, so she answered it promptly.
"Hello?" She answered inquisitively.
"Hello, Princess."
Camilla gasped. The voice on the other line…was Zero.
"H-How did you get this number?" she demanded to know.
"I have my ways," Zero responded calmly. "Listen to me very carefully."
Camilla frowned. "And why should I?"
"It concerns the fate of your younger brother you claim to love so much. Lelouch, I believe, is his name."
Camilla froze. Zero had a lead on her Lulu? No, what was she doubting it for? Of course he did. This was what she always believed! The truth at last! Ah…she shouldn't get so excited. It could be a trap after all. But…she had to spring it, even if it was. Soon…soon this nightmare would be over.
"What would you have me do?" Camilla questioned.
"Get on the train station at Tokyo and ride it to Chiba. I'll be waiting at the old nature park, Izumi, to the southeast. Come alone. No Beruka. No Corrin. No Cornelia. No one. Make sure you aren't followed, or I will not tell you anything."
Camilla nodded. "Understood."
Shopping could wait. Wait for me Lulu, whether it's to lay you to rest or to rescue you, Cammy is on her way! I promise!
It was sunset by the time Camilla made it to the old nature park, left in disrepair since Britannia's occupation. Though the leaves on the trees came and went with the season, everything else from the roads to the park benches, to the trash made the park feel like a place where the dead haunted it. A lesser woman would have been terrified, but not Camilla no Britannia. She had nerves of steel as she stood at the entrance.
Her phone rang again, a different number this time. She answered it.
"Listen carefully to my instructions." It was still Zero. If he'd called using a different number, then clearly he was spoofing the phone line. It was something she learned during counterterrorism training she'd taken during the past seven years. Still, she didn't dare say anything out of turn. She waited carefully for Zero's instruction.
"Go to the old Izumi bridge and wait. I'll have further instructions for you there."
Cornelia went to the southwest end of the old, destroyed bridge, having collapsed into the water below. Upon arriving there, after a few moments, Zero appeared on the other side. Dusk would soon end and night would soon be upon them. Separated by a bridge, the princess and the revolutionary met out in the open.
"So you did show up," Zero commented. If he was surprised, he certainly didn't let it show.
Camilla looked at him crossly. "What do you know about my Lulu?"
"I'll meet you at the Yamanodai ruins. Wait for me there," Zero told her.
"Damn you, Zero! Don't toy with me! What happened to my Lulu?!" Camilla shouted, looking infuriated. "Answer me right now!" She dropped to her knees, hands pressing to the edge of the path leading up to the broken bridge. "Please…Lulu…Lelouch is everything to me. I would do anything to hear his voice one more time." She howled in sorrow. "I don't care if everyone else says he's gone! I want my Lulu back! I don't care if he's dead! I've lived with a hole in my heart for seven years! Lulu meant everything to me and the Emperor took him away from me! I haven't been the same since!" She sobbed.
Undignified and completely without any nobility whatsoever, Camilla stared at Zero from across the bridge. "Please…if you're just going to toy with me, just end me. I've had enough of being lied to." Her face was fueled by anguish and naught else. "I want my Lulu back. I don't want to feel pain anymore." She hyperventilated. "I just want my Lulu back. If…if he's alive…please give him back." She sobbed into the ground. "I want my Lulu back." She just started crying into the ground, loudly.
When she could take a moment to gaze up and forward, Zero was gone. If he had said anything to her, she had cried too loud to hear him. Yamanodai ruins, that was where he said to go. If she wanted to know more, no amount of pleading and begging, it seemed, was going to get her closer to the truth. She had to obey Zero's orders to the letter. All for her Lulu. She had to follow this lead until it was impossible to do so.
Despite this, Camilla's body was not well. After having cried her eyes out, with the prospect of the truth about her Lulu dangled in front of her, she didn't so much walk as she did shamble to the Yamanodai ruins. Ruins was a bit of a misnomer of course, it was more like a single stake in the ground with the name on it just off the gravel path that ran through the whole park. Tall trees and decayed bushes were scattered about on either side of the trail.
There was no sign of Zero here and it was getting darker by the minute. Losing her strength, nervous beyond all words, Camilla decided to lean her body up against the sturdiest nearby tree. She lost so much strength in her legs, she sat down.
Lulu… she thought as she gazed up at the darkening sky. Please forgive me…please forgive Cammy. I've looked everywhere for you. I'm tired…I'm hungry…I miss you so much. In her delirium, she raised her arms to the sky. Lulu…take me to your side. I don't want the truth…I just want you…I'm tired…so very tired…of waiting.
Camilla closed her eyes. If Lelouch did not appear, if Zero had tricked her, she would not mind sleeping forever under this tree, a fitting grave, for a fool of a woman. However, before she could get lost in this miserable fictional fate, she heard a tree branch snap. Awoke and full of adrenaline, she gazed ahead and slowly got to her feet. It was nearly dark out. Zero was approaching from the opposite side of the trail.
"It's rude to keep a lady waiting," Camilla told him, bitingly. "It's nearly dark."
"I was here the whole time, merely watching you," Zero stated. "You looked so peaceful just now."
Camilla scowled. "If you're going to make fun of me…" She bit back her anger. No…she wanted the truth, all of it. She took a deep breath. She stared at the ground. "I…I had thought…that if you had tricked me…that I wouldn't return to Britannia. What would be the point? I'm ill fit to be an older sister, let alone in charge of anything. For the past seven years, single-mindedly, the only thing that I've ever wanted…is to hear my Lulu's voice one more time." She started to sniff, eyes moistening. She hyperventilated, and then cried. "I just…I couldn't protect him. I failed him. Everything that happened to him…it's all my fault." She blinked out two tears. "If I could just apologize…that would be enough," she sobbed.
Zero was silent for quite a long time. For a solid few minutes, as Camilla composed herself, the only sound that could be heard was the wind and the surrounding insects.
Mustering her strength and her attitude, Camilla asked Zero sternly. "I will ask you one more time: Where? Is my? Lulu?"
Zero did not give any gestures. He merely spoke. "On the even of August 31st, 2010, Lelouch vi Britannia entered into an unmarked car with his little sister Nunnally. They ere never seen again, not by the Britannian census, not by the Japanese, and not by their own family. A boy of the tender age of ten, with no mother, father or any family to comfort him, cried and cried for a light, mercy, anything that bade him go on, but no one answered. His sorrow turned to bitterness. He lived out in the wilderness, alone, only his younger sister for company to keep him from derailing into the madness of isolation. And…at the tender age of 14, four years after living in the woods of Japan, Lelouch vi Britannia perished, cursing his own family with his last noble breath."
Thump.
Camilla's legs gave out. She fell to her knees. That was it. That was the truth. She had kept hoping, praying, that somehow, someway, her Lulu was still alive, but no. He was gone. Zero had too many details to be lying. Why would he? Just to hurt her? He could have watched her sleep her way into oblivion. She wanted the truth, and this was it, and it had brought her total despair, just as the sun went down, the light of day dying, along with her hope.
Camilla hunched over onto her hands. She thought she was going to throw up. Lelouch…her Lelouch…was gone, had been gone for quite some time it seemed. Everything felt pointless…everything felt worthless. And yet, rather than scream, all she could do was cry more. Lelouch's death may not have brought her joy, but at least it brought her peace. He was gone. …She would have to move on now. But first, she needed to give one last mournful cry for her little brother, lost forever with no one to love him.
"It's all my fault! Damn you Charles! Damn you to hell!" She shouted, swinging her head down in anguish. "Lulu must have hated me the most! I failed him! I was the only one who tried to rescue him, but I could never find him!" She shrieked. "When I was told Britannia was dropping bombs, I came as soon as I could! I rushed to Japan, despite whatever roadblocks anyone threw at me, dug up the Kururugi estate for days looking for signs of hope." She hyperventilated. "But I was too late…I couldn't save my Lulu. It's all my fault," she sobbed.
She continued to cry for a bit, tears splashing the grass, before Zero spoke again. "There is…more to the story."
Camilla gazed up from the ground to Zero. More? How could there be more? Ah, perhaps Zero was going to tell her how Lelouch lived on through him. Yes, sure, go ahead. As soon as those words left his lips, she'd strangle him.
Silently confirming that he had Camilla's attention, Zero continued. "Realizing that there was no one to comfort him, no chance of survival on his own, and an utter hatred for his country," Zero stated as he reached up for his helmet. "Lelouch vi Britannia died." He grasped his helmet, the back of it retracting as he slowly took it off. For the first time, Camilla could see Zero's face. Black hair…purple eyes…
She gasped.
Zero pulled down his mask that he wore up to his nose underneath his helmet. The rest of his face bore that of a young man, likely no older than 17.
With his face fully exposed, Zero finished with, "And Lelouch Lamperouge came to be."
Camilla gasped again. She began to whimper and cry. The tears…they wouldn't stop coming. All this time, the entire time…she wasn't wrong. She'd never been wrong! He'd been there in front of her the whole time! And she'd simply missed the signs.
"Lu…" Camilla got out before she rose to her feet. She was running before she had completely finished unbending her knees. "LULUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
TACKLE!
Thump.
She'd knocked him clear over onto his back and now was clutching him as he lay upon the grass.
He was real. This wasn't a trick. She leaned up off him to gaze down at him just to be sure. Black hair. Purple eyes. Thin build. No scars or moles or birthmarks. It was him. It was her Lulu. Camilla began crying and shaking.
"I…but…you…Uwah…Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Camilla sobbed into his chest.
He was alive. He was unhurt. Zero didn't matter. The things he did didn't matter. Lulu was alive. He was healthy. That was what mattered most of all.
Camilla's grip around her younger half-brother became tighter than a bear trap as she began kissing him wherever her lips could find a spot to peck him. She cried in between them. All of her fears laid to rest, all of her suffering at a clear end. Lelouch was alive. She was holding him. She'd been right all along. Her family had doubted her, but she knew better. Her faith had held and it had been rewarded. Her Lulu…was right here, warm between her fingers.
Lelouch reached up and stroked Camilla's cheek. "I'm sorry…that I lost faith in you," he apologized, gazing at her seriously. "I really didn't know how you felt. But…when I saw the look of devastation on your face, how you would rather follow me to the grave than go on…when I saw how devastated you looked with my own eyes…I knew…I knew…you never truly changed. I'm sorry…that I didn't have the same faith in you…that you did in me."
Camilla shook her head, kissing him on the forehead. "Shush! None of that!" she exclaimed, croaking on more tears. "You're safe with me now, that's all that matters. Oh Lulu…I'm so sorry." She sobbed more, body shaking.
Lelouch rubbed her back. "No…I'm the one who should apologize. I should have known how you always put me before anyone else. You were my most loyal protector, my most passionate supporter. I…I thought you forgot about me. All I could see was a witch whose words felt empty, stabbing a thorn in my back with a conniving smile. But…I should have known better. I should have known…that you wouldn't give up on me. And for that, and for putting you through everything the past seven years. I'm truly—mmm?"
Camilla cut Lelouch off by kissing him deeply…right on the lips. She'd pinned his wrists to the ground, clamped her hips around his waist and now had her tongue lapping wildly on the inside of his mouth. Lelouch didn't bother to stop her. After all, Camilla was the first woman he had ever truly loved.
When she was done, she sat up on his stomach, hands on his chest, looking guilty. "I'm so sorry that I didn't try harder, that I failed you. I should have been there for you when you needed me the most. I…I understand if you still hate me."
"I did hate you," Lelouch admitted. "But…not anymore." (he reached into his right hand pocket and pulled out something on a golden chain. It was…his old cape clasp. He'd fashioned it into what Camilla could only describe as a good luck charm. It spun as he held it up in front of Camilla. "I regretted leaving this behind. It was the last birthday gift you'd ever had the chance to give me. I was being shoved out of the door and into a car. By the time I realized I'd forgotten it, it was already too late." He clutched it in his whole palm, lowering his arm to the ground. He stroked Camilla's cheek with his other hand. "When Milly returned it to me…she gave me a real scolding."
"Your sister still loves you," Milly told Lelouch, glaring at him as she put the clasp into his palm and forcibly closed it. "Think about what that means."
I'm going to kill that woman if it's the last thing I do, Camilla thought. Lelouch attended Ashford. Milly Ashford lied to her. There was going to be hell to pay.
"When I saw what she gave me and processed what she said…I became lost. I thought I stood against Britannia alone, that I would have to dismantle the Empire piece by piece, with no assistance." He put the charm into his pocket and wrapped his arms around Camilla's back. He sat up. Her legs wrapped around his stomach as she sat firmly in his lap, arms wrapping around the backs of his shoulders.
"Camilla," Lelouch spoke to her with the utmost seriousness, "Will you follow me to the ends of the Earth? Will you destroy Britannia alongside me?"
Camilla responded by giving Lelouch another deep, passionate kiss. She loved him so much. She smiled with her usual, playful grin, "Consider his majesty's head our wedding present."
"In that case, you are welcome at Ashford at any time. I promise I won't hide from you anymore." He took out the charm and dangled it around Camilla's neck, like a necklace. "My dear, sweet Chamomile. You and I…will rebuild this world from the ground up."
Chamomile. Lelouch called her that once in a Valentine's Day card and she'd never forgotten it. If there was ever any doubt that this was some kind of imposter, he erased it with that statement. This was the real Lulu, her Lulu.
Camilla clutched her new necklace. "We won't ever be apart. Not ever again."
"In the coming months, there will be times where we won't be able to see each other, but…" Lelouch realized he was back to a prone position. "Sister, stop." He tried to sit up, only to be held down by Camilla's strength.
"I was without you for so long," she told him, snuggling him tighter. "I love you, Lulu." She started crying again. "I'm so happy. So, so happy to hold you again."
Lelouch couldn't help but smile, a relieved, warm smile. He ran his hands through Camilla's hair. "I think…somewhere in my heart…I always missed you too."
Camilla mewled as she spoke directly into Lelouch's ear. "Nine-hundred babies."
Lelouch blinked in astonishment. "Excuse me?"
"How many children we're going to have."
Lelouch palmed his face. Ah. The sentimental moment had passed and now he was reminded of Camilla's…less desirable traits. "Sister, I haven't the time to raise a family right now, even with you."
Camilla pouted. "Please Lulu."
Lelouch remained firm on this point, staring back at her with the utmost seriousness. "Not until Britannia is in ashes at my feet. On that, I will not budge."
Camilla smiled. "Deal."
She was over the moon. Finally, after seven years, finally after all this time, her persistence, insistence and stubbornness had been rewarded. Lelouch was alive. He still loved her. He wanted her by his side. And as she lowered her head down to his chest again, stroking it, purring as she listened to the beat of his heart, Camilla no Britannia was at peace. So much at peace that…
"Hmmmmmmmnunununununu…"
"Sister?"
A peaceful snore rose up from Camilla's throat and lips. She was fast asleep and far, far too heavy for Lelouch to lift off him.
"Camilla, please wake up. I can't stay here all night." He reached to the left for his helmet, but it was out of reach. What if someone saw them? It would all be over. "Sister, you need to wake up. We're in danger here."
But Camilla was too at peace to be woken. And so, while Lelouch would have all night, laying awake to think of an excuse of why the 3rd Princess was sleeping on top of someone in a Zero costume, and to Milly why he'd completely missed morning classes without an explanation, Camilla no Britannia, had the best night's sleep of her life for the past seven years.
She was reunited with the member of her family that mattered most of all. And she loved her family…more than anything.
(A/N: Reunited at last. Only took four chapters. I honestly thought it would take longer. If you leave a review, I want to know—since I was very good about it—if you at all thought that this might have been an AU where Lelouch was actually dead and it was, say, C.C. under the helmet or somebody else entirely? I really wanted to show off Zero's actions purely from the perspective of an outsider, to give the illusion that it was possible it might not actually be Lelouch this time. I doubt I had many of you fooled, but if any of you were, I command, without a Geass, that you own up to it, so I can feel better about my writer's ego XD.
But the fun doesn't stop just because Camilla and Lelouch are back on the same side. Trouble always exists in paradise. What does that mean for our two protagonists? Well, you'll just have to wait and see! And until then, as always, until next time, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)