Nunnally stopped at an open window and leaned outside, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

The quiet whirring of servos and assorted noises of machinery were new, but she was too hyped up to feel anything beside joy. She would get used to them in time, not to mention that they were infinitely preferable to the alternative.

"I missed this so much," she murmured, mostly to herself; Sayoko must have heard her anyway, but she did not answer. Nunnally's faithful maid gave her space even while shadowing her.

Her birthday party was fun, but part of her rejoiced that it was over. The quiet suited Nunnally a little more, especially when she had to navigate keeping various secrets. Kaguya and Suzaku agreed to stay for dinner, but that was basically it.

"Do you think they're still mobbing Kaguya?" Nunnally asked this time.

"Perhaps," Sayoko offered, a smile hidden behind her hand. "Her gift to you certainly impressed them all."

Nunnally hummed in agreement. Where her schoolmates were concerned, Kaguya shot up from a potential threat to a saint. "Even Kallen wasn't glaring anymore," she mused. "I wonder what made her so mad to begin with? She's Japanese herself after all."

The question bothered her for a time now. It just made so little sense, especially when those two never met before.

Sayoko's response carried to Nunnally easily, voice thoughtfully lowered as to not be overheard: "I imagine it's exactly that. Many Japanese scorn those of us who become Honourary Britannians, regardless of our reasons."

Of course.

"I guess that makes sense," Nunnally mused, frowning. "But I don't like it at all."

No response came this time, they both knew the conversation ran its course. They agreed that it was a stupid thing to get worked up about, especially from Kallen who enjoyed a cushy life at the moment. But alas, hypocrisy was not solely reserved for the other side.

Pushing back off the windowsill, Nunnally overshot and swayed dangerously. Sayoko steadied her with a firm grip, earning a grateful smile in the process. It still felt odd to find herself taller than her maid, but she played over it well enough.

Once steady, Nunnally continued her walk. She relished the feeling of moving her legs, even if it was the machine moving them in truth. The feeling was just about the same, if stuffier still. Leagues better than the full suit, though.

They silently passed through a few corridors, the thumping of iron feet on the floor the only noise between them.

"Perhaps we should consider shortening your hair, mistress."

Sayoko's idle comment prompted Nunnally to stop. On turning back to her maid, the older woman motioned softly. "That length is fine when you're seated, but it almost drags along the floor when you walk."

Nunnally ran a hand through her long, pale blonde curls, absently playing with a few strands. They were freshly washed this morning, wavy and supple. She grew fond of her mane over the years, but Sayoko had a point.

"Do you think I could braid it instead?" she tried.

Sayoko studied her for a moment, a thoughtful hum on her lips. "We could," she agreed, "but that makes only for a stopgap solution. And if I may, I think shortening it will help emphasize your figure."

It was a bit of an odd argument to make. Nunnally was not exactly keen on showing herself off, though the thought was not unappealing.

"How short are you thinking?"

Sayoko stepped closer in response. She sized up her charge once more, peering closely and measuring in her head. Then she held out one hand at the height of Nunnally's waist, just above her butt. Considering that her blonde mane currently reached all the way down to her calves, that was almost half of its total length.

Nunnally frowned at that. It still felt odd to consider slicing off so much hair, but Sayoko also had a point.

"I will think about it," she finally allowed. "Can you remind me to ask Lelouch's opinion if I forget?"

"Of course."

Sayoko sketched a faint bow in response. She would be fine with any decision Nunnally made, but her opinion was heard nonetheless.

Then Nunnally heard the faint sound of footsteps. They were approaching, softer than anyone beside Lelouch and Sayoko. Her brow furrowed at that, uncertain if she ever heard those before. A teacher would not be in this building so late, she felt. Turning her head this way and that to figure out the direction, she shushed her maid before a single word could be uttered. But Sayoko's breathing threw her off.

Seconds later, someone rounded the corner to the left. A tall man with black hair that she never saw before; he wore casual blue jeans and a button-down shirt, but there was something sharp to his features. Something about him made Nunnally's senses tingle; especially when he stopped in place for a moment, as if taken aback by the sight of her.

She engaged her Geass at once, wary of the stranger approaching her. Sayoko stood frozen in indecision, instincts warring between fading into the background, as a maid would, and interposing herself. In the end, she stepped aside with one hand in her pocket. Not that she could act out any violence at the moment.

The stranger's face went through a number of expressions before settling in a sort of calm. Only then did he keep walking, right toward her. Nunnally had half a mind to retreat, but he already spotted her; in the best case this was just a parent who got lost and would not even remember her being out. Or notice the metal peeking out beneath her dress's hem, at that.

Seeing that he had yet to say anything, Nunnally piped up instead: "This building is off-limits to anyone but students and the faculty, sir."

Her voice was calm but firm, somehow hiding the way her heart hammered against her chest. He could not hurt her, but she still worried.

The man slowed down in response, offering a nod. "I am aware," he said, almost solemnly. "Nunnally Lamperouge, I presume?"

"I am."

She was panicking now. All Nunnally could do was stand in place acting calm, pretending she was just an ordinary schoolgirl. He looked at her for a long moment, expression twitching faintly. She could not get a read on him.

"Younger sister of Lelouch Lamperouge," he mused, not so much talking to her but at her.

Nunnally's eyes narrowed a fraction, then blew wide when he took a knee.

"Daughter of Lady Marianne."

Her heart skipped a beat at hearing her mother's name. Sayoko tensed up behind the man, just as aware of what this meant.

He knew.

Nunnally swallowed the lump in her throat. She had to shut him up, she must. But she was also intrigued why he would kneel before her.

"Who are you and who sent you?" she asked, voice almost cracking from wariness.

The stranger only bowed his head deeper. "If I may, your highness?"

"...Okay?" she agreed belatedly. The level of deference he awarded her started to get confusing.

Nunnally watched with a racing heart how he reached up to his head, only to pull off the wig. Vivid, blue hair appeared underneath, carefully contained by a net. She recognised him now, and with great surprise at that.

"Jeremiah Gottwald," he introduced himself, one hand clasping his chest. "Erstwhile retainer of her majesty, Empress Marianne. Your humble servant."

There were no words to describe her feelings at that moment, somewhere between utter befuddlement and nostalgia, yet both and more. It came completely unexpected, not to mention in a manner she was unused to. In fact, she felt a little faint with all her expectations continuously being subverted and reassembled.

Gottwald patiently waited for her to speak. As if he had all the time in the world. Was this some trick? A con to get into her good graces? She never met this man before in her life.

But there was a way to figure out the truth.

"Give me your hand," Nunnally demanded.

"Yes, your highness."

His right hand was offered without hesitation, palm up. The subservience was as confusing as it was aggravating, but she did not let any of that show. Nunnally grasped the hand carefully, her fingertips on his pulse. As calm as he may act, she could tell his heart beat as heavily as her own. But did this mean he was afraid, or simply happy?

She willed her Geass off. It could not stop lies anyway, only hurtful words.

"Why are you here?"

"To pledge my allegiance, your highness. I beg your forgiveness for taking so long to find my way to you. For all these years, I believed you deceased."

He could not know that she tried to catch him in a lie, yet there was none. Nunnally stared down at him in wonder, unable to believe something good would happen to her out of nowhere. Not like this. It never did.

"What's your goal here?" she asked next.

He did not even hesitate. "To see my prince and princess's will be done, regardless of what it may be. I am ready for whatever your highness asks of me."

Once again it was the truth. Nunnally responded instantaneously, much like he did so far: "Even if I asked that you slit your own throat to keep the secret?"

This time he paused for just a moment. She felt the miniscule jump in his pulse before it went back to its previous pace.

Then, his voice a growl of grim determination, he spoke truth once more.

"Yes, your highness."

Nunnally wished she could just faint to escape this nonsense. At the same time, she refused to let her body take the easy way out. His dedication was genuine, even she could slowly start to believe that. But now she had additional questions.

"You said that you thought us dead until recently. What changed?"

Gottwald's face scrunched up somewhat, but he answered dutifully: "I was detained after the fiasco with Zero and Kururugi. Her highness, Princess Cornelia reinstated me into my positions recently. While doing so however, she left me a hint as to your survival."

This, too, was true. It certainly confused Nunnally, though. The relief of knowing Cornelia did not act on the knowledge directly aside, why would she do this? She would not send this man their way for no reason whatsoever. Nunnally was hesitant to believe it was a gesture of kindness. Perhaps a message that she knew and would play along?

Her silence dragged on as she mulled it over. Gottwald took it as a cue to elaborate instead, quickly distracting Nunnally: "Your highness may not remember, but I used to be a part of Empress Marianne's royal guard. It was my first assignment out of Colchester."

This explained a bit and created more questions. Something felt fishy about this, but Nunnally could not put her finger on what. Gottwald all but pleaded his case to her, having spoken not a single lie ever since his arrival. His intentions were clear. But what had Nunnally done to earn his loyalty? And more importantly, how did he track her down?

"How did you find me? Did Cornelia tell you?"

He shook his head minutely.

"Her highness merely implied your highness's survival. I imagine she did not deem a retainer unable to find you worthy of entering your service. No, I recalled your highness's particular injuries and investigated local hospitals or doctors for invalid patient records. Though I must admit I should have known all those years ago, when Lord Ashford denied any knowledge of you. I will have to apologise to him as well."

Even though she tried her best to maintain composure, disbelief shone through her expression. She slowly let go of his hand, which was placed back on his knee without breaking posture. He was without a doubt a Britannian nobleman. And yet he knelt before her without hesitation or malice.

Nunnally just wanted this to end, accept her good luck. Yet the other question still burned in her mind.

The words tasted like ash even as she spoke them: "Why is your loyalty my brother's and mine to command?"

And for the first time since he arrived, Jeremiah Gottwald appeared confused.

"Because you are Lady Marianne's beloved children," he explained after a moment. "With her passing, my service is now yours."

It sounded like a matter of course, making Nunnally's brows knit together in annoyance. Of course she would once again be handed something she did not earn.

Just as she opened her mouth to berate Gottwald, Sayoko cleared her throat. The noise was enough to derail Nunnally's train of thought; her attention, as well as Gottwald's, were drawn toward the maid. Sayoko stood with both hands clasped in front of her, bearing her customary, serene smile.

"You ought to remember that I, too, merely entered service on the word of Mr. Ashford," she cautioned. Nunnally could tell the wisdom, especially in the part left unsaid: that they would soon convince this man to follow them for them.

Said man's eyes had narrowed, a quiet growl escpaping him: "And why is it that a mere maid dares address royalty so brazenly?"

"Sayoko is my maid and speaks to me however she wishes," Nunnally snapped back, causing Gottwald to flinch as if struck. He quickly returned to kneeling before her properly, head bowed.

"Of course. I beg your forgiveness, your highness."

Nunnally frowned down at him. She did not like what just happened, even if Sayoko was unperturbed by his words. She would not stand this sort of racism if she could help it, not from anyone.

Then an idea present itself.

"It is not I you just insulted, Mr. Gottwald."

He stiffened. Nunnally barely managed not to smirk, a vindictive pleasure now smothering her annoyance. Would a Britannian nobleman lower himself to beg forgiveness from a Japanese maid?

Much to her surprise however, there was no resistance. Gottwald did not try to argue or refuse, he simply bowed his head deeper. "I understand. By your leave, your highness?"

"Very well," Nunnally agreed, though inwardly confused what exactly he was asking for. She immediately felt like kicking herself when Gottwald rose to his feet only after permission was given. How did she not realise that?

The man himself hesitantly turned toward Sayoko, bowing his head once more. "Please accept my apologies, miss. I made presumptions based on my experiences and acted rashly."

Sayoko's smile grew a fraction in turn, though it remained politely serene. "There is nothing to forgive," she assured him. "Just like myself, your lordship simply desires to serve the young mistress as best as you can."

Gottwald said nothing to that, a complicated expression on his face. Sayoko returned into the background while he faced Nunnally once more; an answer was expected now.

There were only two options: agreement, or a bullet through the head.

But after everything he just told her, Nunnally could not bear the thought of killing him. Even if he was not loyal to her but the memory of her mother, he was still not after them. He was not their enemy. Moreover, he had information. He was talented and resourceful enough to find them, and covertly at that.

"Very well," she decided. It was not a hard choice to make. "I accept you into my service, Jeremiah Gottwald."

He immediately took a knee again, though not fast enough to hide the wet gleam in his eyes.

"Please stand," Nunnally ordered, suppressing a sigh. She was getting exasperated with the constant kneeling; she did not feel like someone people should act subservient to.

"Yes, your highness."

Once he was upright once more, Nunnally had one more question to ask of him: "You mentioned being part of our guard. Do you know anything about what happened the night Mother died?"

It was easier to bring up than she thought. The memory of her mother still ached, but time dulled the edge. Outside of Cornelia herself, Gottwald might just be her best possible lead. The man himself made a face as if he bit into a lemon, though it took only a moment for it to smooth out.

"I am afraid I know nothing of what transpired, your highness," he admitted with audible shame. "What I know is that our captain, her highness Princess Cornelia, ordered the royal guard off the premises in its entirety. The order came directly from the empress, else many of us would have refused to leave our posts."

Nunnally's brows rose higher and higher as he went on. By the end they had vanished into her hairline. She could not help it, this sounded like madness.

"Why would she do that?"

It was a reflexive question, even though she knew he had no real answer. Despite her own confusion however, she noticed the way Gottwald hesitated.

"Do you have a suspicion?" Nunnally tried, suspicious now. He kept hesitating, which already told her the answer; his gaze left her face before snapping back.

After another moment, he brought himself to explain.

"I asked myself that question many times over the years. Us guardsmen and -women had our own suspicions at the time, a clandestine meeting of some sort. Something that no other could be allowed to see, someone we were not allowed to see. Some suspected a dalliance of some sort, though I never considered it a serious possibility."

He made a face at the thought, though she was not bothered by the idea of her mother being promiscuous. Considering that Nunnally had several dozen half-siblings, that was par for the course in this family.

"Whoever her majesty met must have been someone she trusted, or whom she trusted she could overcome no matter what," Gottwald added next.

Nunnally nodded. "Which is when the assassins struck," she finished.

"Yes, your highness."

She could hear the pain in his voice, a pang of sympathy in her chest. But then her mind wandered to what she knew of the aftermath. Nunnally's hands clenched unconciously.

"And his majesty did nothing," she said. It was not even a question. Gottwald did not correct her either. She wanted to heave a sigh, but bit down on it.

"Do you know why there was no investigation?"

Her question prompted a slow shake of the head. Gottwald squinted as he tried to recall as many details as he could from all those years ago.

"I know that her and his highness, Princess Cornelia and Prince Schneizel both made the attempt, but were rebuffed. His majesty ordered the investigation closed before any results were found."

The words felt like a heavy blanket, smothering Nunnally. This fit what Lelouch got out of Clovis, but it did not explain anything. Now she was at a loss for what to say, too.

Once it became clear she would not speak, Gottwald did it in her stead. His musings were almost idle: "It never made sense to me, your highness. Her majesty was the emperor's favourite among his wives. Her death occurred in the safest area of the Empire. This was a great scandal on many levels, yet he never sought justice done."

Nunnally just huffed bitterly in response. "Is this not a clear indicator of his true feelings?"

Much to her surprise, her new retainer shook his head. "I thought so at first," he admitted, "but with time and distance I realised it does not add up. At this point, I assume his majesty may know who her majesty met that night. If that were the case and their identity is such a significant secret, then everything being hushed up makes a far greater amount of sense."

He was correct. This did make a lot more sense than a sudden bout of apathy.

All the same, Nunnally had to force her hands to unclench before her nails actually cut into her palms. She took a deep breath, fury dancing right beneath the surface. All she could do not to tear into Gottwald was to remind herself not to shoot the messenger. It was hard to keep her cool, but she managed somehow.

"And yet one of his first actions following that night was to throw the both of us away," she growled instead. When Gottwald merely inclined his head, Nunnally allowed herself a sigh and moved on: "No matter. It's not like his majesty will answer, even if we asked for the culprit."

She had a headache now. She wanted to break something and scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to do a great many things and could do none of them.

"If I may make an inquiry, your highness?"

Gottwald's tentative question dragged her back out into reality. Nodding reflexively, Nunnally watched the man make a faint motion toward where Sayoko stood at attention.

"What is your stance on the... native people of this land?"

The pause he left made the word 'Elevens' stand clear in the room. Nunnally's eyes narrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. "The Japanese don't deserve any of this," she spat. "No one does, really. Britannia being a global superpower does not equate to superiority, and the way they cheerfully stomp on everyone else makes me sick."

There was more bite to her words than she wanted there to be, but Nunnally was past caring for appearances.

Gottwald bore her short tirade stoically, inclining his head further. "I understand, your highness. Please forgive me if I offend in this matter."

That was an empty platitude if she ever heard one. Nunnally snorted in response, pleased to see a flicker of surprise at the noise.

"You don't actually care about them either, do you?"

Her blunt question seemed to make him uncomfortable, but he did not shy away from it. "I have hated them ever since it was deemed you passed away in this country," Gottwald explained. "Perhaps I can put these feelings to rest, now that I know you are alive."

Once again he left unsaid that he would try his best for her sake. Nunnally heard it anyway, the almost demure response taking some wind out of her sails. She tried for a little smile, even though it was fake.

"That's really all I can ask."

She just wanted this to end so she could go home to lie down. This was a lot for one meeting. Gottwald probably expected an assignment, though; not to mention that not making him do something would be a waste.

After wracking her brain for a few moments, she followed up: "Keep a low profile for the time being. I want you to be our eyes inside of the government apparatus. Do you have a phone on you?"

He nodded immediately. "I made sure the one I carry today is not connected to me. How am I meant to contact your highness?"

Nunnally pulled out her own phone in response. She began to use it with familiarity by this point, quickly browsing through the menus to what she was looking for. "Stay with text messages outside of important or lengthy matters," she ordered at the same time. "I would prefer them in the evenings. We can schedule a proper meeting sometime in September."

"Yes, your highness."

There was resignation to his acknowledgement, but no argument. Chances were he wanted to see Lelouch, too. Too bad.

They exchanged numbers then, with Gottwald's being saved under 'Orange' for safety purposes. He spotted the name and winced, which made Nunnally feel a little bad about what Lelouch did to him. There was little they could do about it now, though.

Once that was done, Nunnally offered a faint but honest smile. "Meeting you was a pleasant surprise, Mr. Gottwald. But it's getting late and I wish to retire for the evening," she lied. A white lie, really. She still had dinner with Lelouch and her friends to get through.

Gottwald did not know that, though. He simply nodded. "Yes, your highness. With your permission, I shall take my leave now and return to duty."

Nunnally nodded back, impulsively offering her hand. She expected to shake, only to be blindsided when he grasped it with reverence. A faint kiss was pressed against her knuckles, making Nunnally blush from how tender the gesture was.

He said nothing of it, merely bowing a final time. Then he strode away, already in the process of reapplying his wig. His posture seemed more relaxed now, but that may just be her imagination.

Nunnally stood rooted in place until he was long gone.

"He seems to be a right gentleman," Sayoko broke her reverie with a badly hidden smile. "Could my lady have a weakness for older men?"

This time she flushed out of embarassment.

"It was unexpected, that's all," she denied, then went on the offensive to distract her maid: "What about yourself, you did talk me into accepting him there."

Sayoko's expression remained unchanged. If anything, it turned more gentle as she came to Nunnally's side. "I know you can be an impulsive girl. It does not do to waste talent and loyalty when they come all the way to see you in person."

The way she said it drew a little laugh from Nunnally. She finally began walking again, only to stumble immediately. Sayoko caught her without hesitation, one arm slung around her shoulder now.

"Now let's get you back. This little walk has gone on longer than intended."

"I stood in place for most of it," Nunnally argued, to no avail.

"And yet the fact remains. Will you be fine walking on your own?"

"I don't need you to carry me."

While it was true that she began to feel worn out, what little pride Nunnally allowed herself reared its head. She did not even consider asking for help. Sayoko said nothing of it, she simply kept a hand on Nunnally's shoulder for safety.

That was how they made their way back to the little flat she called home.

Lelouch was busy beating Suzaku and Kaguya in a card game of some sort when they entered. They all took a break to greet her when she came in, though. Nunnally just heaved a sigh and plopped down onto the couch. The fact she could do that at all lifted her mood a little, but it could not ward off the exhaustion.

"Sayoko?" she asked, trying to wiggle her toes for emphasis. It did not work, but her maid understood anyway and started unlatching her.

Lelouch's attention was solely on them now. "Was it that tiring to use them?" he almost demanded to know. Kaguya listened as well, a notepad having appeared from her pocket.

Nunnally rolled her eyes in response, but answered dutifully: "A little. My feet feel clammy after being in those steel boots for an hour. Do I have any marks from the latches?"

"Some, but nothing egregious," Sayoko told her absently. "They are cushioned well."

So reassured, Nunnally pushed herself over to lie on her back. This way she could see the other three at the table nearby, too.

"I see you were having fun on your own."

That got her two sheepish smiles from their guests, but Lelouch was not fooled.

"Did something happen?"

"I'll tell you later. Can I play, too?"

She would probably lose, but going to bed when Kaguya came all the way here for her felt just wrong. Nobody refused her, either; Sayoko soon carried Nunnally to the free chair, then busied herself clearing the exoskeleton away.

Lelouch would probably have another conniption once he heard about Gottwald, but that could wait for later.

And somehow, Nunnally still played better than Suzaku. That guy could not produce a pokerface to save his life.