It couldn't be overstated just how useful it was to have someone on the inside. Kallen continued to be an incredible windfall when it came to enacting his plans. Feeding him information on troop movements, equipment shipments, the entire debacle of Code R, a little insight into the Knight of Six. Lelouch couldn't be more grateful to have her on his side. Despite her own misgivings, she had proven herself a more steadfast ally than the mysterious woman who proclaimed herself his collaborator. Perhaps that wasn't fair. It had been less than a day, after all. But considering what that day had consisted of, he felt it wasn't an unfair assessment.

Time would tell whether it remained unfair.

In any case. It was thanks to Kallen and Lelouch's new uncanny ability he was able to even attend Clovis' summons at all. His elder brother had a very high opinion indeed of Lelouch's alter-ego if he believed the prince in disguise was able to completely bypass the security of the palace and attend him. Or perhaps Clovis had yet to consider such complications and expected instead for Eleven to contact him to make arrangements. Luckily however, there was no longer a need for such a thing, and Eleven was once again able to exceed the viceroy's expectations.

The man himself entered his personal chambers, his royal dignity shrugged off the moment the door closed. Or perhaps it was more like he allowed the weight of royal expectation to crush him. His shoulders slumped as he dragged himself toward a liquor cabinet, pulling from it a half-empty bottle of New Gloucester whiskey and a glass, before pausing. Staring at the glass as though wondering if he should even bother with it.

"Two of those, I should think."

The glass dropped from his hand to land heavily on the floor. It didn't shatter, more hard-wearing than most preferred by the Britannian elite. The prince whirled around, gripping the bottle tightly, possibly considering its efficacy as a weapon. "Who are you?!"

"A rude question, considering you invited me," Lelouch answered, stepping out from behind the corner of a wall. Wearing the very same mask he wore for his now discarded other alter-ego. "I would have prepared my own refreshments, but as a guest it seemed rude to rifle through your things without asking." As compared to letting himself in without asking, the undeclared irony of the statement.

Not all of Clovis' tension left him, but certainly most of it. "Eleven." He bent to pick up the dropped glass, deposited it on top of the cabinet and fetched two more glasses. "When I sent that request, I expected you would reply with arrangements, or simply contact me through the normal methods. Not steal into my chambers like an assassin."

"And yet you're almost completely at ease. Do you perhaps know something I don't?"

"That isn't the reason I'm calm," Clovis denied, incidentally answering the question with a yes. The security measures protecting the viceroy wouldn't end at simply cornering him in his private rooms, after all. "In my situation, I have very little left to fear." He brought the glasses over to a side table, gesturing for his guest to sit as he poured a drink for each of them. "Bit by bit, I've begun to see every facet of my power challenged, dismantled or stolen. My father is dead. The security of the realm is in shambles. My nobles are turning on me. The Elevens are getting bold. Others within the empire are already circling, ready to tear out my throat if presented the opportunity. With every new threat, my worries accumulated and grew until now... I've come through to the other side. So many of my half-siblings have already been slain for far less gain than would be had for removing me. My end could come at any moment."

He lowered himself into his chair with less elegance than Lelouch would have expected. "It's almost a relief, really. When you see the end coming, every moment feels like a blessing."

"You'll forgive me if I don't quite believe that coming from the man who only a moment ago was considering drinking straight from the bottle."

The blond prince let out a scoff that quickly turned to full-blown laughter. "What a refreshing change. Most anyone else would have showered me with praise for my enlightened perspective. I recall a time when I would have sought to punish you just to maintain face." He rose his glass to his lips, sipping, then slugging it back. "If you would like a more honest appraisal of the merits of my circumstances, it would be that. There are so many more pressing things to worry about than appearances and decorum."

The expressionless mask betrayed nothing of Eleven's feelings on that statement. "A shame. From what I could tell, such things were always your forte," he observed, pulling a chessboard across the table to sit between them.

Clovis sighed. "Really?"

"If you'll indulge me," Lelouch pretended to give him an out while he set up his side of the board. Black, naturally.

Clovis rolled his eyes at the false politeness, setting up the white pieces before carelessly making his first move. The Yorktown Opening. Very standard. Very Clovis. "I didn't request a meeting to indulge your interest in games."

"No," Lelouch answered making the standard responding play, the two moving in a slightly familiar pattern with one or two unexpected twists. After all, they had both grown and changed in the intervening years. "You requested a meeting because something has occurred that has left you in something of a panic. Would it perhaps have something to do with the road closures to the east of the settlement?"

Clovis' jaw slackened slightly at the question. "I shouldn't be surprised at the holes you've found in our security at this point, and yet I remain so."

"The standard Britannian peacekeeping excuses become tired and played out once you've heard them enough times," Eleven answered, casually opening a path in his own forces. "A rockslide? Plausible, but given the timing and circumstances..."

"... Something was stolen. Something valuable, and shrouded in the highest levels of secrecy and security clearance. Not only that, but by all appearances, it was stolen by Britannians. A well-trained and well-planned operation that knew exactly where it would be and when it would be moved."

"Very secret indeed. You expect an external rival rather than an internal schism?"

The viceroy hesitated even now despite his panic, despite calling Eleven for this specific purpose. "What was stolen was kept at a black site. The only person outside with clearance to know exactly what the facility contained was General Bartley. Those staffing the facility had already been moved to the new site before the cargo, kept in isolation. The only one who had the capability to leak the details would be Bartley. I would, and have, trusted my life to him on many occasions. He's my most trusted aide."

Which didn't make him above reproach, but Lelouch could hardly afford to throw stones within his glass house. "Even so, consider the nature of that security. A black site. Even knowing there was one operating within Area Eleven, that means there is something you desperately hope to keep secret. Anyone who would wish to challenge you would want to know what exactly it is and take it for themselves."

"You think I made it too tempting a target."

"There is something to be said for hiding in plain sight," 'Eleven' answered, moving his King piece forward.

The blond rolled his eyes, glancing down at the chess board to discern his next move. "Something easily said but much more difficult to.. To..." He stared down at the board, utterly perplexed. "Why would you... You've left your King entirely exposed."

"If a King does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

The viceroy of Area Eleven stared at the chessboard where the black King stood proud and solitary. But even to his less than stellar understanding of the game he could see the overlapping waves of defense that would crush anything that challenged the King. "I..." He had seen something like this before. Of course he had. He had seen it many times, even. Not quite as refined a strategy, but certainly along the same lines. "How could you know...?"

"In one of our chats I posed you a question, Clovis. And tangential to your answer, you professed a certain wish. To be beaten handily at chess and see your brother smirk at you as though you were a complete fool." Slowly, he reached up to his mask and equally slowly pulled it up and off, revealing his smirking face. Violet eyes danced with amusement. "I thought I might grant your wish."

"Lelouch?"

"In the flesh."

Clovis stared at the brother he thought dead, then looked at the half-empty bottle, then down at his glass.

"I sincerely doubt you're that far gone already, are you? Unless you've been day-drinking, but you know better than to let your image fall quite that far."

"It really is you?" Clovis asked. The half-formed haze of the alcohol dissipating before it could even settle in. "It really is you... Eleven. Oh youson of a bitch."

The smirk fell from Lelouch's face, replaced by a raised eyebrow. "Careful, Clovis. Mind who you insult so carelessly."

"Ah, of course, Marianne had little input into who you became. Eleventh Prince of the Britannian Empire, Lelouch vi Britannia. Eleven."

"As I said, the merits of hiding in plain sight."

"How much of it was you, hm?" the viceroy demanded. "A mysterious benefactor come to help solve all of my problems, asking nothing in return. I had assumed a price was coming, but... How much of it was you?" he continued, putting pieces together faster than Lelouch would have expected. "The rebellious nobles? The thefts? How many problems did you invent purely for the sake of saving me from them? And now I suppose you really are here to kill me. Of all of my siblings I never imagined... I never dreamed it would have been you."

"I underestimated your insight," Lelouch admitted with honest surprise, "But you have drastically misread the situation."

"Don't think you can fool me any longer–!"

"A forest is made of trees, Clovis. Don't neglect details for the sake of the big picture. Namely," the lost prince gestured at where they were. "I stole into your chambers with you none the wiser. If I wanted you dead, you'd have died before you even knew I had been here. Now sit down."

"... Hmph." The third prince sagged into his chair, barely even looking in the direction of his long lost brother. "You haven't changed in the slightest. Only a minute of knowing you're alive and you're already infuriating... How did you survive? How did you stay hidden?"

"Those hosting us, to begin with," Lelouch admitted without concern. "We were treated as a bargaining chip by Britannia. The Japanese continued to treat us as one until Britannia proved just how little value we truly had. Once that protection ended, I did what I had to for the sake of staying hidden. It would have been foolish to reveal ourselves to Britannia after the emperor openly discarded us. Either we would have been used as hostages again, used as political pawns, or simply disposed of as loose ends."

"You keep saying 'us'. Is Nunnally still alive?"

"After a time," Lelouch continued, choosing not to directly answer the question, "the Ashfords provided shelter. A place to live. A new identity."

"So you hid. And every effort to search for you was meaningless. You didn't want to be found because you assumed I would have, no... Because I would have shipped you back to Pendragon."

The dark-haired prince lifted his glass, pointing to acknowledge the correct summation before taking a sip. Fighting down a grimace at the burning liquid sliding down his throat.

"First drink?"

Not as subtle as he'd hoped then. "No. But not a regular enough occurrence for me to grow accustomed."

"Hm." There was amusement in the hum. If finding humour in his younger sibling set Clovis more at ease then it was a worthwhile trade. "So how much of it was you? The nobles? The knightmare thefts? The reason I invited you here in the first place?"

"Of those?" Lelouch asked, taking another sip. "Two out of three. The nobles' quiet rebellion was all them. Though... Perhaps I oversold the issue a touch. Or undersold it, depending on your perspective. Recalcitrant and rebellious nobles looking for a better deal are a fact of Britannian rule as you know, but especially now. All of them are looking for a better deal. Those I pointed you at were the most likely to cause problems, but... Well, their removal would only turn the rest further against you. The knightmares and Code R though? That was entirely me."

"Should I be grateful for your candour regarding your attempted coup?"

"Attempted?" Lelouch asked. "Brother of mine, look at that chess board again," he bid the third prince, gesturing at the board where his general strategy was plain to see. "Do you really believe I would be here, revealing myself and every plot of mine to you if I hadn't already won?"

"Then why?" Clovis demanded. "Why bother? Why keep me alive?"

"... Would you believe, sentimentality?" Lelouch asked in turn, accepting the skepticism of his elder brother in response. "I won't pretend there isn't practicality at the heart of it. I am still me, and I still put myself and Nunnally well above you in terms of priority."

"Heartwarming."

"Isn't it? Truth be told, you are a rival to my attempts to take power. Leaving you alive would be ill-advised. Yet at the same time your grip on the aristocracy could be beneficial, so long as we unravel the minor schism I caused. So long as I can ensure your loyalty, allowing you to live and support my efforts is in both of our interests."

Clovis barked a laugh. "Your diplomatic acuity hasn't seen much improvement, has it?"

"It has, as it happens," Lelouch countered. "But I'm choosing to give you the unvarnished truth. This meeting ends in one of two ways. We reach an accord and you work for me, or remain an obstacle to be swiftly removed." His features softened somewhat following his ultimatum. "As I said, the core of it might be practical, but what decided this course was not. In a moment of weakness as the world falls apart around us, you still held thoughts for Nunnally and I. And she wouldn't wish me to spill your blood if I could avoid it."

Not hiding his irritation, Clovis poured himself another drink and slugged it back almost in the same motion. "It seems I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Be honest, Clovis," Lelouch needled, "You've rightly feared far worse than this. The emperor had you take control of the most rebellious Area of the empire. You were never suited to govern Japan. Given a peaceful satellite Area you would have flourished, played to your strengths of gladhanding and cultural enrichment. You were never made for war. This way we both play to our strengths."

"I notice you don't call him Father anymore." For that comment, all Clovis earned was a flat look. "You wish to take control of Area Eleven. Then what?"

"Strengthen our borders and our forces in preparation for conflict with the Chinese Federation, same as we were doing before all this. Just with my own methods being a little more... Overt."

"And what methods are those?"

"Arming the Japanese and convincing them to fight for us."

For the second time within around ten minutes, Clovis stared at his glass as thought it betrayed him. Though this time for being empty. "Are you mad? You want to arm the Elevens?"

"Our potential allies consist of everyone currently residing on these islands. We don't exactly have the opportunity to be picky."

"Oh, I don't doubt we have a mutual vested interest in not dying in droves at the hands of the Chinese," Clovis agreed heatedly, "But do you have any idea how much work it took to even allow Elevens to serve in the military even unarmed?! The pureblood faction alone–!"

"That would be my problem to deal with, wouldn't it?" Lelouch asked. "You, or I suppose your General Bartley, will be organising the deployment of Britannian forces in anticipation of a Chinese offensive. I will be gathering further resources and military strength that you will facilitate under the table. By the time the Chinese arrive in force, we will be ready to destroy them."

"Optimistic."

"Confident," Lelouch corrected. "After all, if it all goes wrong we die anyway."

Clovis sighed in defeat. "Can't really argue with that. Fine. Fine!" he capitulated. "Victory or death, that's how it's supposed to be, isn't it?"

"So you agree."

"Yes, I agree to your terms, Lelouch."

"Excellent!" the younger brother said with a smile, flicking the hair away from his eye with a flourish of his hand. "In that case, first, never betray me or Nunnally."

"Of course not," the third prince answered woodenly. "First?"

Lelouch smiled. "What exactly was Code R?"

"Considering you stole it, I would have assumed you knew by now," Clovis sighed. "It was a woman with the ability to regenerate any injury. Even fatal ones."

The dark-haired prince blinked in complete surprise. "Pardon?"

"It was quite surprising and disconcerting to witness. No matter what was done, she was not only able to survive it, she recovered to perfect health in mere moments. Given her attitude to the tests, she had experienced such things many times. She barely seemed fazed by any of it, always with that bored look on her face."

Lelouch gaped at his brother's carelessly spoken words. "What are you even telling me? What did you do to her?"

"The methodology was determined by the research group. They were very thorough with their testing. Any injury, any method of death she survived unscathed."

"Are you telling me you had them torture her to death?"

Clovis raised an eyebrow. "You seem quite outraged for a man who only a moment ago was comfortably discussing fratricide."

That certainly didn't feel like a good counter-argument, despite how impossible Lelouch found it to protest. Or perhaps he wanted to move away from the subject entirely for how badly he might have misjudged Clovis. Suddenly the choice to let him live seemed so much worse. "Fine. Do you have any idea who was responsible for the attack on Aries Villa?"

Clovis' condescending expression slackened to wooden passivity. It was reassuring that the geass command was in fact working. The order to not betray him was one he had come up with in planning this meeting. An order not to do something was a valid choice, and seemed permanent based on limited experimentation. After ordering someone not to visit a certain street, they had tried multiple times, only for the geass to take hold and take them down a different route. The most telling test had been when someone's destination had been on that street and they had tried multiple times to go there, in the end having to find a back entrance to the building from an alleyway.

Not infallible, but reasonably secure. For example here, Clovis had been told not to betray him and so telling him a lie would be a betrayal. Feeling defeated, he had willingly spilled the secrets of Code R, assuming Lelouch would soon have them even if he didn't already. And yet this...

He was intending to lie about this.

"Cornelia or Schneizel would be the most likely to know. Cornelia was in charge of security and Schneizel knows more about the intrigue of Pendragon than anyone."

And suddenly the reason to lie was obvious. With this information, Clovis felt Lelouch would be more likely to antagonise the two most dangerous forces of this civil war. And he was correct. Not that such a thing wasn't his long-term plan regardless.

He watched the life come back into his brother before continuing. "We'll keep my continued survival a secret for the time being. You will continue to rule as normal while quietly supporting my efforts. Meanwhile I'll continue advising you as 'Eleven' to properly organise our military in preparation for the Chinese invasion."

"Wonderful. I feel so reassured," Clovis muttered.

"Sarcasm is beneath you," Lelouch chided him. "Remember, you should be glad. Your imminent demise is no longer imminent. If we play our cards right you'll have a whole life still ahead of you." With that, he left Clovis' chambers while re-donning his mask, leaving his brother behind and casually walking past the guards that hadn't even considered stopping him. A command to always let him pass. Seemed the sensible option if he needed to come and go into the palace.

"Hm?"

He stopped dead, seeing someone he hadn't expected to see. In fact, someone he had counted on not being anywhere near here. Kallen had said she was on the base observing maintenance on her knightmare.

But no, the Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim was stood in the hallway, some electronic device in her hands. The girl's eyes having only glanced at him in bored confusion before returning to typing on whatever was in her hands.

What... What should he do?! No, the answer to that was obvious! Whether for the sake of survival or just the incredible opportunity that had fallen into his lap. There was only one choice! His hand rose to his mask. 'Obey me.' That would be all it would take and the Knight of Six would be his pawn! She just had to look his way again!

"Hm." And then... She... Turned away? Began walking away? Instead of realising there was an intruder in the palace she just… Left? Casual as can be?

She turned a corner and was out of his sight. Should he chase her down? No, that would be foolish. Putting himself at risk like that, there would be no need. He would have other opportunities to bring her under his sway. Hell, he would be viceroy soon enough. He could do it then.

All that was left for him to do was leave. His relief and sense of accomplishment now marred by confusion and disconcertion.

What was that? Why would the Knight of Six completely ignore an intruder in the palace wearing a mask of all things? Was it because Clovis was fine? She would have been close enough to see as much from where she stood in the hallway. Did she just take it as him being in a private meeting?

And why had she been there in the first place?

-(-)-

A/N: So. Been a long time. That would be for two reasons. First, I'm not exactly encouraged to post on this site with reviewers being kind of jackholes (not so much for this story. Even the people who don't like this one whether for discomfort or dissatisfaction are polite enough about it. But on other stories). Second is that thing the site decided to do where they don't send e-mail alerts unless you opt in. A very stupid policy from my perspective but... Whatever. I don't run the site. I don't know the details Maybe it made sense to them.

There are another five chapters of this written.