Sayoko bowed before her new master. "Greetings, your highness. My name is Sayoko. Miss Ashford asked that I extend my services to you and your sister."
The young prince in front of her scowled. "You're not supposed to call us that," He grumbled adorably. "And Milly wasn't supposed to tell anyone."
"I assure you, your secret is safe with me," Sayoko promised. "Miss Ashford told me the details only because she thought it would be helpful if you had someone to help you settle in, as it were."
His scowl deepened. "I can take care of myself."
"Of course," The maid agreed. "But it might be useful to have someone who can take care of Nunnally when you aren't available? Like while you're in classes, for instance."
All of Lelouch's previous hostility vanished in an instant. Sayoko took note. His sister is the key to getting what you want from him. Not that she would, of course. Ruben had asked her to look after the two, and she intended to do so. Now that she knew though, she could watch for when others might try to manipulate him, and stop them before they could try.
Lelouch looked away, flushing red in embarrassment. "I apologize, Miss Sayoko. I was rude. Your help would of course be greatly appreciated."
"It is already forgotten," Sayoko said, walking behind Nunnally and grabbing the handles of her wheelchair. "Let's get you to your new rooms. Mr. Ashford had them prepared this morning."
Lelouch rubbed his neck, but voiced nothing of the complaints he was no doubt thinking. The two of them had arrived last night, in the middle of the rain, and as a consequence had slept on a couch in Ruben's office. Mr. Ashford couldn't be certain anywhere else was safe.
"Sayoko…" Nunnally said quietly, sounding out the name. "That's Japanese, isn't it?"
She shook her head. "Eleven, Mistress Nunnally. Just as I cannot allude to your status as royalty, you cannot call me Japanese. It would be dangerous for you, and for myself as well."
"That's not very fair," Nunnally said sadly.
"No, it isn't," She agreed. They seem surprisingly compassionate for Royalty. Lelouch was perhaps a little too paranoid, but from the little Mr. Ashford had told her, the two had trekked across Japan throughout the entirety of the invasion. A little healthy paranoia could certainly be excused. "But it's the way things must be, I'm afraid. Come on now, we should really get the two of you to your new room."
Sayoko wasn't entirely sure what to think of her new responsibility. She didn't know much about the two, outside of the fact that they had lived in Japan through the invasion, and were content to remain presumed dead. She believed their mother was dead, but she wasn't certain.
It wasn't her place to question. Ruben had asked her to take care of them, and she would. It was her duty, now.
Only later, when she was helping Nunnally into bed did she begin to understand how different these two would be.
"You need sleep as well, Master Lelouch," She told him. "Ashford Academy is the safest place you can be in the world right now. And you can't help your sister if you're exhausted."
He rolled his eyes, but he still climbed into bed. And she almost would have left, had she not noticed the glint of metal he slid under his pillow.
Sayoko frowned, not saying anything and instead opting to cross her arms, waiting for Lelouch to explain himself. He glared back in challenge, refusing to budge. They remained like that, staring at each other until Sayoko was sure Nunnally had fallen asleep.
"Master Lelouch," She began. "I assure you, whatever happened before you came here, it isn't necessary to carry a gun with you. Certainly not into your bed."
"You're not taking it away!" He hissed.
"I won't," She said quickly, in an effort to mollify him. "But I would very strongly suggest you allow me to get rid of it."
"I need it!" He insisted.
"For what?" She asked, and Lelouch fell silent. She bent down, taking his hand in hers in an effort to comfort the boy. "You're safe here, Lelouch. Nobody knows who you are except for the Ashfords and myself. No soldiers are going to march into the school and demand you go with them."
"But what if they do?" He asked fearfully. The stubborn, rude boy from before was gone entirely. In his place was a scared child who had just carried his sister through a war zone. "What if…what if my father…"
Sayoko smiled warmly before he could finish the thought and work himself up even more. "Then I'll protect the two of you. I promise, nothing will happen to the two of you while you're here. But holding onto that gun isn't going to bring you anything but trouble. It'll keep you tense, paranoid. And what if Nunnally finds out about it?"
Lelouch narrowed his eyes, but she could see how tired he was. He didn't want to keep arguing. With a sigh, he pulled the weapon out from under his pillow and handed it over to her.
"Thank you," Sakyo said. "I'll take care of it. Just make sure you get some rest, alright?"
"Al-" Lelouch yawned loudly, sinking back into his bed. "Alright," He finished, shutting his eyes.
She smiled one last time, before she turned to leave. "Goodnight, your highness," She whispered.
It was easy to forget who they were when they acted so much like normal children. But there were always reminders, when she took the time to look for them.
"Stupid piece of junk!" Lelouch howled from behind the door. Sayoko raised an eyebrow, deciding to stay outside until he calmed down. Lelouch despised when people saw him slip up. "What kind of neanderthal designed you? Idiotic, inefficient waste of space! I could lay out tin foil on the sidewalk and get better results!"
Sayoko had to try hard to stifle a laugh. I can't even begin to guess what this is about. Nunnally was with Milly, getting her new clothes. For two weeks, all she had was what she and her brother had arrived in.
So why was Lelouch yelling alone in their room?
After five minutes of silence, she assumed it was safe enough to see for herself. She knocked twice out of courtesy, before letting herself in. Lelouch was seated at the kitchen table, one hand propped under his chin. He was scowling, and quite clearly seething in anger. It'd be almost terrifying, if he were a little older. As it was, Sayoko found it adorable.
She pretended not to notice, going about her duties as normal. Folding blankets, cleaning the shelves, taking down the curtains to take them into the wash, all while keeping an eye on her charge.
Lelouch kept glancing over to her every few seconds, clearly wanting to ask her something. Sayoko didn't press him, allowing him to work up the courage himself. In two weeks, she had learned Lelouch valued two things above all. His sister, and his pride. He loathed asking anything, of anyone, no matter how trivial it might seem. If she was going to help him with whatever he needed, she would need to wait until he asked for it himself or he would refuse to admit there was a problem in the first place.
Finally, he sighed. "Sayoko," He said through gritted teeth, trying and failing to ask politely. "Do you…do you know how to work a microwave?"
Ah. That explains it, then. She nodded. "I do, Master Lelouch. Is there a problem with yours?"
He winced, visibly uncomfortable. "No…at least, I don't think so. Only…" He cleared his throat. "I…I never really had to use one before. Cooks always prepared our own food at the Aries Villa, and at the Kururugi Shrine there were people there as well to handle our food. During the invasion, we ate whatever we could, but I've just…never really needed to use a microwave before."
She nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, come with me and I'll show you how. It isn't too difficult." Lelouch scowled, and Sayoko regretted her choice of words. His pride is easily bruised. But still, at least he was asking her for help. That was progress, if nothing else.
"How were you doing it before?" She asked.
"I was just pressing the numbers I wanted it to cook for," He said in frustration.
"You need to press the time button first, Master Lelouch, then input how long you want it to cook for." She explained.
Lelouch scrunched his face up in confusion. "But that's stupid. Why not just make it so you only have to put in the numbers for the time you want?"
"There are some like that," She said. "Others, like this one, aren't. I don't know why."
Lelouch grumbled to himself quietly, but managed to get the microwave working. "There. I was trying to make lunch for Nunnally and Milly when they got back."
Sayoko tilted her head as she peered into the microwave. Her lips curled. "Are you sure you don't want me to make you something? I don't think that'll be enough for the three of you."
Lelouch stiffened immediately. "It's fine," He said, trying to keep his voice even. "I'm not too hungry anyways. You don't need to cook anything for me, I can take care of myself."
And there's the root of it. He didn't want to rely on her for anything. She frowned. No child should need to feel so independent. He should be comfortable letting someone else take care of him once in a while. She shook her head. "I'm not saying you can't," She said diplomatically. "But cooking is a valuable skill, Master Lelouch. Are you certain you don't want me to teach you a little?"
He immediately relaxed, and even a little excitement creeped into his eyes. "You…you'll show me how to cook?"
"Of course," Sayoko said. "If you want me to. Then you can make meals for you and Mistress Nunnally whenever you like."
Lelouch's shoulder sagged, and he nodded. "I think I'd like that," He said, and Sayoko swore the edge of his mouth tugged into a faint smile.
She gave him a smile of her own. "Then let's hurry up, shall we? I'm sure Miss Ashford and Mistress Nunnally will be back before long."
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong, and it was grating on her that she couldn't figure it out.
In the year since she met Lelouch and Nunnally, Sayoko had come to know them fairly well. And she had learned when to tell something was upsetting them. Nunnally would go quiet, or sometimes try and divert whatever conversation she was involved in away from her, so she could withdraw into herself. If it was especially bad, she would spend more time in her room with Lelouch, like she had been the last few days.
Lelouch was more complicated. It was harder to tell when he was upset, but the signs were still there. He would refuse to admit there was a problem, of course. He'd throw himself into anything he could, usually taking more time to run errands and watch over Nunnally, and even some of the chores she would normally do.
But never once had she heard him crying.
She had only meant to bring him a mug of hot chocolate. When Lelouch was upset he would sometimes stay up late, spending nights playing against himself in chess to calm his nerves. Only, he had been sleeping when she let herself in. And from the sounds of it, not pleasantly.
He was shaking in his bed, sweat soaking through his nightshirt. His lips were moving, mimicking words, but if he was trying to say anything she couldn't make it out.
Immediately she set the mug down, gently making her way over to the side of his bed. She grabbed one of his hands, and cupped his cheek with another. "It's alright," She whispered. "Only a dream, Lelouch. Only a dream."
He jolted at her touch, but didn't wake. "Nunna…"
She tried to reassure him, but he shot up, eyes wide in terror. "MOTHER!" He screeched at the top of his lungs, and she felt her heart break. She pulled him back gently.
He was panting heavily, shaking. "S…Sayoko?" He asked hesitantly, and she wasn't sure if he wanted her to leave so she didn't see him, or stay anyways.
"I'm here, Master Lelouch. It's alright." She was worried he'd push her away, but thankfully he didn't say anything, allowing her to pull him close, wrapping her arms around him.
Slowly, the shaking began to lessen. His breathing became easier, less heavy. "It was only a nightmare," She said, before curling her lip. "Would…would it help if you spoke about it?"
"I saw my mother," He whispered. "And…and Nunna. I-I ran ahead. I wanted to race them to the top of the stairs, but I heard a popping noise and I looked back, and Mother was on top of Nunnally. She wasn't moving. Not even a little. Nunnally was still twitching though, but she was trapped underneath mother. There…there was a puddle of blood, but there was so much. More than either one of them alone could have caused, and I didn't know if Mother was dead, or Nunnally, or both of them, and I couldn't move my legs. I couldn't do anything, I just stood there and screamed. I just-"
"You couldn't have done anything," Sayoko told him, holding him tighter. "It…It wasn't just a dream, was it? Is that…is that what happened?"
He nodded slowly. "I went to my father. Nunnally was still in the hospital, and he just called off the investigation. Like that. I demanded he do something, anything, and he sent us to Japan because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. And then he invaded, signing our death warrants."
Sayoko narrowed her eyes as she was seized by an irrational urge to snap his father's neck. His mother was murdered in front of him. His sister crippled and in the hospital. What kind of a monster…No. Lelouch didn't need someone to stoke his anger right now. He needed someone to make him forget his nightmare.
"What was your mother like?"
"She was the best," Lelouch said, almost awestruck with admiration in his voice. "She was kind, and brave, and one of the only decent people at court. The other empress's hated her, of course, but they were only jealous because they thought father loved her best." Lelouch scowled. "Shows what they knew," He muttered bitterly.
"She sounds like she was a wonderful woman," Sayoko said, hoping to take his mind away from his father.
"She was the greatest Knightmare pilot ever," Lelouch said with a bit more enthusiasm. "Everyone said so, even the Knight of One. Even the people who hated her. She could take on any Knightmare frame just in her Ganymede, and that was only a prototype!"
"Your mother certainly sounds impressive," She said, just before Lelouch's eyes widened in realization.
"The Ganymede! The Ashford's built it originally, and after Mother's death they took it with them." He frowned. "I wonder if it's here…"
Sayoko hesitated. He really should be asleep, it's getting late. But then, he had just had a horrible nightmare. And he was only now starting to forget…
She cleared her throat. "I believe I saw an older looking Knightmare frame in storage, Master Lelouch."
He was quiet for a few more minutes, before finally speaking. "Can I see?" He asked tentatively.
"Yes, you can," Sayoko said. "But please, you really shouldn't stay up too late."
"I won't," The young prince promised. "You have to come with me to show me anyways, you can take me back if I stay too long. I just…I just want to see it."
She pushed herself up, pulling Lelouch with her. "Come on then," She said. "Let's go take a look."
It wasn't hard to find. Her memory was impeccable, and it was rather hard to miss a giant Knightmare frame.
Lelouch lit up when he laid eyes on the Ganymede, running over and climbing over it. "It's exactly how she left it…" He mumbled, climbing into the cockpit. "Mother used to let me sit in here and pretend I was piloting. She wasn't really supposed to, but she was an empress. No one was going to tell her what to do."
Sayoko smiled warmly as he fiddled with the controls. This is what a child should be doing. Gushing over giant robots, having fun, enjoying himself. Not suffering from nightmares of his mother's murder. She stood there in silence, allowing him to wear himself out a little.
Eventually, he stopped messing with the controls, leaning back and sitting in the cockpit with a mournful expression. "It…It's mother's birthday tomorrow," He told her. "That's why it's been worse the last few days. Why Nunnaly's spent more time with me, why I…" He cleared his throat. "It's hard. Frustrating. Mother…we don't even have a grave we can visit. I'm sure there is one, back in Pendragon. But we're trapped here, and we don't even have somewhere we can go to say goodbye. To mourn."
Sayoko hummed in thought. "Then…then how about we come back tomorrow? We can return with you and Mistress Nunnally. We might not have a grave for you to visit, but if you ever miss your mother you can come down here, if it helps you feel a little closer to her."
Lelouch nodded glumly, climbing out of the cockpit. "That would be nice. I'm sure Nunnally would love it too. She never got a chance to sit in the Ganymede before."
She helped him down from the Knightmare frame carefully, holding his hand. "I doubt Miss Ashford would mind. The Ganymede would technically belong to you anyways wouldn't it?"
He shrugged. "Maybe? I don't really care. They can have it. I just…I'd like to come down here once in a while." He cleared his throat, reddening. "And…thank you, Sayoko. For taking me down here, and…for before. For staying with me."
Sayoko pulled him close as they left. "Of course, Lelouch."
That night was when she stopped watching over the two of them simply because Ruben asked it of her. That night, she began to take care of them because no one else would. Because for all that Lelouch wanted to stay independent, he and Nunnally were still children. They never should have been forced to endure everything they did. They still needed someone to watch out for them, raise them, give them a shoulder to cry on, even when he insisted he didn't need one.
Their mother was dead, taken from them as children.
But if nothing else, then she could be there for them.
Two men were following Lelouch.
She had noticed it yesterday, while shopping for groceries with him and Nunnally. She didn't say anything, of course. There was no need to worry Nunnally, and Lelouch would only fall back into his more aggressively paranoid tendencies. He might end up getting himself hurt, or even someone else hurt.
She could take care of it herself.
First she needed to figure out whether they were tailing both of the children, or just Lelouch. After dropping Nunnally off at Ashford, and asking Lelouch to run back out on the pretense of having dropped her keys, she confirmed they were only interested in Lelouch.
Which…well, it made things simpler at least. If they were following both of the children, the only possible reason they could be doing so was because their identities had been discovered. But if they were only after the elder of the two, at least there were a few other possibilities.
Well, one if she was being honest.
Lelouch had taken to a new hobby recently. Gambling. At first, she had considered taking him aside and trying to dissuade him, but she decided against it. Nunnally's medical bills were expensive, and he couldn't very well get a proper job even if he were old enough. Not if he didn't have any documentation proving he even existed from a legal standpoint.
She was sure Ruben would have helped him out, either with the bills or the documents, but that would never work out. Lelouch had too much pride, and he cared too much about the Ashfords. It was all they could do to convince Lelouch to stay at the Academy without trying to pay them back.
Sayoko was sure it had something to do with the boy's father. They never spoke much about what happened the day he confronted him, but whatever happened had affected Lelouch deeply.
But she could hardly change anything about that, no matter how many nights she spent wishing she could. Lelouch would never accept the Ashford's help with everything they were already doing, and that was that. At least gambling on chess was relatively harmless. And it was hardly even gambling anyway. Lelouch rarely lost, and when he did she had a sneaking suspicion it was on purpose, to make sure he would still have people to play against.
So she had let him be, following him once in a while to make sure he didn't get himself into anything too dangerous.
Sayoko frowned. I suppose I should have been paying more attention.
They were Britannians, and they didn't seem to know exactly what they were doing. Both were clearly nobles, probably uncomfortable doing their own work instead of hiring off someone else to do it for them.
A smile crossed her face. Of course, I doubt they'd want to hire someone to tail a fourteen-year old boy because they lost to him in a game of chess.
Her smile passed, and she narrowed her eyes. But they still followed him here. Which means they intend to try something. She was going to make them regret that. She was going to make them regret even thinking about laying one filthy hand on her chil…on her charges.
She fell in behind them, matching her footsteps to the one on the right. It was pathetically simple. What was I expecting? They're a couple nobles tailing a child because they're too vain to hire someone who knows what they're actually doing. Another mistake on their part.
"Cheating little shit," The one on the right muttered. "We should never have let him walk out without our money in the first place?"
"We?" His friend scoffed. "You're the idiot who let him. Just because it would look bad arguing with a kid who just beat you."
"He didn't beat me!" The first man shot back. "He cheated! He had to have! Cocky little bastard had that stupid smirk on his face the whole damn time, like he knew he was playing us for fools!"
"Doesn't matter now," The second one said with a shake of his head. "We know he lives at some school. All we need to do is send someone to scare him a little. The twerp will piss his pants and come running back, begging us to take our money back. Just watch."
Sayoko cleared her throat loudly, causing the two men to stop and turn back.
"Huh?" The first man scowled. "The hell do you want, eleven?"
"Excuse me, but it seems to be the two of you are planning something untoward regarding my master," She said. "Of course, I'm sure I'm simply mistaken. If you could only set my mind at ease, I would appreciate it."
"Your master…?" The second man grinned in realization. "What, are you supposed to be the kids' nanny?" He laughed. "Now that's rich. Tell you what, you run along now and tell the brat to give us our money, and we'll leave him alone."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Sayoko said with a shake of her head. "I assure you, whatever money my master brought home with him is his. He may have won it off of you, but then, you chose to play against him."
"He cheated!" The first man snarled. "That money isn't his!"
Sayoko tilted her head in confusion. "Forgive me, as I am only a maid, and an eleven at that…but how exactly would one cheat at a game of chess?"
The first man reddened, but Sayoko didn't bother letting him defend himself. "Besides, that doesn't sound like something…" She trailed off. "Hm. On second thought, I have no doubt he would cheat if it mattered to him enough. But I can promise the two of you, he didn't cheat against you. He would hardly need to. Gambling is only a passtime of his, after all."
"And what the hell would you know?" The first man spat.
"More than you, it would seem," She answered, taking a step toward the two of them. "You followed a fourteen year old boy to his home, because he trounced you in a game of chess. You did so yourselves, because you were too embarrassed to admit what happened to anyone you would have to hire. And when I gave you a way out you refused me."
The second man began to sweat. "Rich, perhaps we should-"
"Oh, shut the hell up!" The first man, Rich, shouted. "It's just some eleven bitch. No need to start wetting your pants." He stumbled forward, pulling his fist back to prepare for a punch.
Sayoko waited for him to swing, then stepped back so he hit air. He spun from the force he put behind his own blow, and Sayoko took the opportunity to sweep his legs out from underneath him. His face connected to the pavement with a satisfying smack, and a pained groan followed not long after.
The second man tried to run, but Sayoko grabbed his arm, twisting it back and forcing him to his knees. "Allow me to make myself clear. The two of you lost a game of chess. You. Lost. That is the beginning and the end of it." When the man she was holding tried to protest, she twisted further until she elicited a pained yelp. "You are going to go home, never think about my master or his home again, and perhaps in the future you will not be so quick to make foolish bets. Do you understand?"
"Yes, yes, we get it!" The man she held cried frantically. "Just let me go, you freak!" She obliged him, though not without kicking him to the ground first.
"You're free to go," She told them. "Although, I think you need a little something first. Consider it a warning for if you refuse to listen to me a second time. She brought her leg up, slamming down hard with the heel of her shoe onto the second man's hand. She twisted until she heard the cracking of bone, and he screamed in pain.
"Remember, leave him alone," She said sternly.
"Come on," Rich said, rising to his feet and clutching his friend's arm. "Get the fuck out of here!" They shot back one last look at her, before running down the street. She smiled as she watched the second man hold his injured hand close to his chest. I don't believe they'll be forgetting that anytime soon.
There was technically a chance they tried to retaliate, but she doubted it. They were petty enough to hunt down a child who beat them at chess, and too cowardly to hire someone else because they didn't want their reputation tarnished. They weren't the kind of men to try and get revenge, not if there was even the slightest bit of pushback.
And if they did, well, it wasn't like she didn't have the skills to fend them off.
Lelouch was in his dorm with Nunnally, just where she had left him, blissfully unaware of all that had just taken place. He beamed when she returned.
"Sayoko!" He greeted. "I was wondering where you went. I was going to ask Milly if she knew where you were, but I was in the middle of cooking."
"I spotted a pest on the grounds," She told him nonchalantly. "I took steps to remove the problem. It won't be an issue."
Lelouch nodded along, not really paying attention. He turned around, carrying a metal platter and sighed.
Her eyes widened as she realized what she was looking at. "That's-"
"I tried going for something more traditionally Japanese," Lelouch said, interrupting her. "But as you can imagine, those kinds of ingredients are harder to find. Sushi was simple enough, but that's hardly a proper meal on its own. I made the ham the way you showed me, and arranged the peppers so they looked nice. The cake was my own little touch." His face reddened in embarrassment. "I…Nunnally told me you mentioned your birthday to her. That was a few months ago, but I remembered, and I figured…well, you do plenty for us. I could do something for you for a change." He cleared his throat. "I-I wasn't sure what flavor you prefer. I tried to ask Milly, but I couldn't dig too much or she'd insist on throwing some huge party, and I know you'd hate that. I just went with chocolate for simplicity sake."
Sayoko smiled. "Lelouch…" She shook her head. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble. Really." She was touched that he remembered her birthday, and even more that he would prepare such a beautiful meal for her. "It's my job to look after you. I'm your maid."
Lelouch snorted. "You're one of three people in the world who know who Nunnally and I are. You've taken care of us since we first came here. You're hardly just our maid. Besides, you were the one who taught me to cook in the first place. Consider this my way of paying you back."
"When did you even have the time for this?" She asked in wonder.
"He made the cake yesterday," Nunnally added helpfully. "We went shopping today to pick up the stuff for everything else. We were a little worried you'd catch on, so I was supposed to ask you to take me on a walk to keep you out of the dorm, but you were busy anyways."
Lelouch winced. "I…I hope you like it," He mumbled, looking away.
Sayoko's smile widened, and she bent down to embrace him, hugging him tightly. "I love it," She told him. "Thank you very much. This was a very nice thing for you to do." Dimly, she was aware her eyes were beginning to water.
She felt the tension leave Lelouch in her arms, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm glad."
They had a pleasant meal, just the three of them, and for a little while Sayoko let herself pretend they were all normal. That she was just a simple maid, and these were two simple children. Not royalty. Not an heir to a clan of assassins. A maid and her charges.
A mother and her children, She thought briefly, despite how ridiculous the notion was. The two adored their mother, and from what they told her with good reason. She was only their maid. Still, for a little while at least, she allowed herself to pretend.
Later, when she was helping Nunnally into bed, the younger sibling surprised her with a hug. "Happy Birthday, Sayoko," She whispered. "I love you."
Sayoko felt her heart catch in her chest, and she swallowed dryly. "I love you too, Nunnally." She whispered back. Nunnally quickly snuggled into bed. She almost left then, before deciding to visit Lelouch's room first.
"Thank you for today," She told him. "I had honestly forgotten it was my birthday. Still, it managed to be the best one I've had in years." The best in her life, truthfully.
Lelouch may not have been quite as comfortable with his affection as his sister was, but he still gave her a hug. "I'm glad you liked it," He said. "Good night, Sayoko."
"Good night, Lelouch."
They weren't her children. They never would be, and she knew that.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't treat them like they were her own.
And every once in a while, she allowed herself to pretend.
Sayoko let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as the broadcast came to an end.
"They're…They're okay then, right?" Nunnally asked worriedly. "The news said they're okay?"
She nodded. "You're friends are alright. These…Black Knights rescued them. The building was destroyed, but they escaped on boats. I'm sure Milly and the others will be calling soon to speak with you."
Nunnally smiled, her shoulders sagging relief. "I was so worried," She said. "Thank goodness that man Zero was there to save him. He saved Suzaku too, you know."
"I remember," Sayoko said. "It's good he was there." And she meant it too.
Of course, she was glad Milly and the rest of the student council were safe. But she was more relieved by something else. By the Princess's rescue. Not because of the girl herself, but because of what it meant.
That Zero didn't have a vendetta.
Ever since his first appearance where he claimed credit for the murder of Viceroy Clovis, Sayoko had admittedly been more paranoid than usual. Zero was a capable man. An intelligent one. And while there were plenty of reasons why someone may want to kill Clovis, she had no way of knowing the truth. What if this Zero simply wanted to make his way down the long list of royals, starting with those in Japan?
What if he learned about Lelouch and Nunnally? It was unlikely, but possible. He had already demonstrated a capacity for the unexpected.
She wasn't too proud to admit it had affected her sleep. Ever since that first appearance, she had spent nights agonizing over the possibility that she might wake up to find the two missing. Or worse. And with Lelouch slipping out of the Academy more and more, it had done nothing to put her fears to rest.
Thankfully, she could now relax. If Zero had bothered to save one princess, he would have no reason to hunt down a prince and a princess long thought dead.
Later, when Lelouch returned, Sayoko frowned as his recent guest trailed in behind him.
She didn't like her. Lelouch had refused to divulge any details outside of the fact that her presence needed to be kept a secret. He said she was hiding from the military, like him and his sister.
Nunnally said the two of them were engaged.
Sayoko resisted the urge to scowl. Who does she think she is? She lounged around all day, spending Lelouch's money on pizza while putting herself, Lelouch and Nunnally all at risk. And Lelouch simply let her.
It didn't make any sense. Sayoko knew how cagey Lelouch was about their safety and secrecy. Did this C.C. already know the truth? If so, how? Was she trying to blackmail Lelouch into a marriage?
If she is…
"You keep staring at me." Sayoko blinked in surprise. C.C. had already taken a seat at the table, apparently choosing now to confront her.
Sayoko bowed. "I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable. That was my intention."
C.C. stared at her for a moment, before shrugging. "Yes it was. And you aren't sorry. Is it because of Lelouch?"
Her eye twitched at being seen through so completely. "I…only wish to make sure you have his best interests at heart. That's all. What do you want with him?"
"We have a contract with each other," She said cryptically. "He knew the terms when he accepted. He could have refused. Don't worry, I'll keep him safe."
That's my job, She wanted to say. "I am glad to hear it," Sayoko told her instead, proud of herself for managing not to grit her teeth. "Excuse me, but I believe Mistress Nunnally needs my help."
"C.C.," Lelouch chided. "Stop antagonizing Sayoko," He said.
The green haired woman rolled her eyes. "I'm being nice."
"You're never nice," Lelouch countered. "Just…wait in my room. You can order pizza, if you like."
C.C. snorted. "I was going to do that anyways," She told him, but ultimately left.
"I don't understand why you let her stay here," She blurted before she could stop herself. "She's rude, she steals your money, she puts you at risk…why put up with it?"
Lelouch smiled. "That's all true, yes, but trust me, there is a reason. C.C. is helpful in her own way, even if she insists on being obstinate. Thank you for your concern, though."
Ah. I see. He was infatuated with the girl.
Sayoko almost sighed. It was bound to happen eventually. For a while she was concerned. For years Lelouch had practically half of the female population of Ashford dancing around in the palm of his hands. It seems he finally found someone he was serious about. "I understand," She said, even as Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Just…be careful, Master Lelouch. I…I worry."
"I will," He promised. "And I know you do," He said, his expression softening. "But I'm perfectly safe."
"I know. These are dangerous times, though. You can never be too careful."
Lelouch frowned. "They won't be for long. You saw those Black Knights, didn't you? I think things are going to change, Sayoko. I think before long, Area 11 will be a distant memory, and Japan will come again."
Wouldn't that be nice? But no. Her duty was to Lelouch and Nunnally first. She would leave Japan behind in a heartbeat if it meant keeping them safe. "Perhaps," She said. "I wouldn't hold my breath, though. They're hardly the first group to claim they'll bring back Japan."
"Maybe not," Lelouch said, a strange glimmer reaching his eye. "But I have a feeling this one will be different."
She shook her head, walking up and embracing Lelouch. "Forget about that for now. I'm just glad you're safe. I was terrified when I heard what happened. It was only when I learned you didn't go with the rest of the student council that I allowed myself to breathe."
Lelouch stiffened at the sudden touch, but relaxed into the gesture, returning her hug. "I didn't…I didn't mean to scare you. If I had known you were so worried, I'd have said something sooner."
Sayoko smiled. "I will always worry about you, Lelouch. Always."
Sayoko didn't know what to say. "I…" She shuddered. "Please tell me it isn't true. Tell me you have something else in mind. Please."
Lelouch smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not, Sayoko. This is the only way."
"It isn't!" She insisted. "You're the emperor now! The world is practically in your control, you can change things. You don't…you don't need to die."
He shook his head. "There's still Schneizel. He possesses the Damocles. And then of course, the matter of the Black Knights. They'll hardly let me reign in peace."
"They would," She argued. "If…if you told them the truth. Stepped off the path you're taking."
"But If I refuse, nothing changes," Lelouch said. "Not really. Britannia might become a more peaceful place, for a while. I may change a little. But I'll die one day, and all I've worked for will be undone." He grinned. "Besides, Suzaku will hardly let me."
"What about Nunnally?" She asked desperately.
"She'll understand," He promised. "Most of them will, eventually. But not until it's too late."
"I…" Sayoko winced in pain. She still hadn't fully recovered. "Please, Master Lelouch. You don't need to do this to yourself. I don't…I don't want to lose you."
"Sayoko…" Lelouch sighed. "Thank you, for everything you've done. For Nunnally and for myself. You will never know just how deeply I appreciate it."
"I can't-" She choked back a sob. "How can you just expect me to stand by and watch the boy I raised kill himself?" Her eyes widened. "I didn't…I don't mean to say-"
"Yes you did," Lelouch said. "And you're right. You did raise me. More than anyone else. You kept me safe, taught me how to cook, taught me how to live like a normal person. You…you were more of a mother than I ever knew, and I only regret it took me so long to see it."
Her brow furrowed. "I…I thought you loved your mother."
He laughed bitterly. "So did I. It turns out she wasn't the person I believed." He shook his head. "But she doesn't matter anymore. You were the one who raised me, not her. And you did a far finer job than she could have ever hoped to do."
"Lelouch…" Her heart brimmed with pride and love at his words.
He embraced her. "I'm sorry," He apologized. "I shouldn't ask this of you. Not when I've already asked so much. It's cruel, I know. But I have to."
"I…" She swallowed, returning his hug. "I understand," She said solemnly. "I am yours, as always. I won't interfere."
"Thank you, Sayoko," Lelouch said gratefully.
She gripped him tighter. "I am…so, so proud of you, Lelouch," She told him. "Of what you're trying to do. I love you."
"I love you too," He told her, for the first time in his life. "And I'm sorry I never said it sooner."
Sayoko smiled, tears pouring freely down her face. "You never needed to," She told him. A mother knows.
Sayoko closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh air. It was nice. Calming. And on days like this, exactly what she needed.
"Where are we going?" Anya asked bluntly.
She opened her eyes, turning to the younger girl. "Somewhere private. Jeremiah was going to join us, but he needed to run into town on an errand. Here, it isn't far now."
And it wasn't. Technically, they hadn't even left the orange farm they had made their home. Only gone to a secluded patch beneath a tree. There was a small pond nearby, which was part of why she chose it. It reminded her of a similar spot back at Ashford, where Lelouch would hide away with a book whenever Milly would bother him a little too much.
She sat down in the shade of the tree, patting the grass beside her so Anya would join. "You didn't have to come," She said.
"No, but then I'd be stuck home alone," She said. "I…I didn't want to be. Besides, you looked sad."
"I am sad," Sayoko agreed. "But it's a strange kind of sad. I'm happy too."
Anya tilted her head in confusion. "Why?"
Sayoko pointed towards a small, rock slab embedded into the ground. It wasn't anything special. If somebody wasn't looking for it, they might have mistaken it for something natural. "He would visit his mother's Knightmare Frame, when he mourned her," She shared. "He didn't have a grave he could visit, or anything else. And he won't have a grave either. He can't. But I can give myself this, at least, and pretend. It always seems to help."
Anya paused. "Are you talking about Lelouch?"
"I am," She said. "That's why it's a strange kind of sad. He's…he's gone, and it broke my heart. But he achieved everything he wanted to, and here at least I can remember him. So I can be a little happy as well."
"What…what was he like?" Anya asked.
"You went to school with him."
"Yes, but that was also you at least half the time," Anya reminded her. "Besides, that was also…back when I had her in my head. I was different back then. It's hard to remember stuff from during that time."
She nodded in understanding. "I see. Well…Lelouch was a lot of things." She smiled, remembering the first time she had a similar conversation with him. "He was kind, in his own way, and very brave. Arrogant, honestly, though not without reason. Very sure of himself. He had a very strict sense of morals, though maybe not the same set of morals most people would share. He cared a lot about people, even if he only wanted to admit he cared about Nunnally."
Anya looked down at her shoes. "Are you…are you upset that I fought against him, then?"
Sayoko laughed. "No, not at all. To be honest it would make more sense to go against him, at least if you didn't know the full truth. It's what he would have wanted anyways."
They sat in silence for a while. Sayoko watched calmly as a bird made its home in the tree above them. "It nearly killed me, watching him die," She said. "I think he had me go with the Black Knights to deliver the hostages so I wouldn't see. To spare me the sight." She swallowed. "I watched it later anyway. I had to. He…" She blinked away a tear. "I never had children. But he and Nunnally were the closest I ever had. I raised the boy, and I helped him put a sword through his own heart."
"I'm sorry," Anya muttered, uncomfortable.
Sayoko wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Don't be," She said. "Like I said, it's what he wanted." Lelouch was gone. Nunnally was an adult now, and she had Suzaku to watch over her.
But Anya…Anya had no one else. Only her and Jeremiah.
Sayoko sighed. "We should leave," She said. "Jeremiah will be returning soon, and I'm sure he'll need help with the groceries." He wouldn't, but Anya enjoyed helping.
The former Knight of Six grinned, hopping to her feet. "I'll meet you there," She said. "If you want to…stay a little longer."
Sayoko shook her head. "Just a few moments. I'll catch up shortly." Anya nodded, and left back on the way they came.
Sayoko smiled as she rose to her feet, sparing one last look at the small gravestone she had made for the boy she might have called her son. "Good night, Lelouch," She said sadly. "Rest, now."
You've more than earned it.
You know, this was almost fluff until the end, huh? I guess I just like angst. Don't worry, I have MUCH worse planned for Lelouch. This is tame in comparison.
Small update, but A Shattered mind currently is written up to chapter six, and planned up to chapter sixteen. Hopefully I can start updating consistently soon. THIS however, is a one shot, and will REMAIN a one shot this time.
Thank you for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment. I read through them all, even if I don't reply to every one.