It was difficult to believe he was finally here, after so many years of envisioning this very moment.

His takeover had been swift, bloodless. Well, mostly bloodless. He didn't want to spend any more lives than necessary, particularly Europian lives. But the times called for drastic measures, and he had few options available to him.

His men had practically stormed the Parliament in Paris, quickly capturing and dissolving the Council of Forty. Those who accepted the change in the status quo were permitted to return home to their estates and sit out the fighting, and those who did not would remain imprisoned until Kingsley and the rest of Euro Britannia had been dealt with. A few had escaped him, but he had no doubt they would turn up in time.

The delicacy of his position was not lost him. He knew he and the rest of the EU were a hair's breadth away from disaster. It was only the fear of Kingsley that kept the populace terrified enough to permit his coup.

That was fine. He had counted on that. All it meant was that he needed to tread carefully. So long as Kingsley remained a present danger, his position was secure. And once he had nullified the threat of Euro Britannia, it would be made certain.

Smilas knew the others were wary of him. The other officials and generals within the military, that is. Amelia in particular had made her displeasure known repeatedly. He didn't care what they thought. His duty was to the people, and in order to serve them he needed to seize power. He did not need to justify himself to the same people who allowed the corruption to fester in the Council of Forty.

He did, however, need their cooperation.

So far, none of them had dared to actually move against him. They couldn't afford to. The moment the EU showed any signs of infighting, or disunity, Britannia would sweep in like sharks smelling blood in the water. Smilas's coup had forced them all to work together under him, or else find themselves under the heel of Britannian rule.

It was a risky gambit, but so far it had been one that paid off spectacularly. Everything, everything had turned out perfectly according to plan. The Council had been dissolved, rioting had been quelled and the civilian populace seemed to accept the new status quo, and the entire military force of the EU were united under his command. United, for the first time in decades. Perhaps for the first time since the beginning of the EU.

And yet…he couldn't shake the feeling he was making a mistake somewhere. He was a General, and he had risen to that position in no small part due to knowing when to trust his instincts. And right now, his instincts were warning him he was missing something.

But what? Kingsley and Leila? They would be dealt with by Euro Britannia before long. A few days at most. Even now, the forces of the EU were being gathered, preparing for his planned offensive. Britannia had historically stayed out of Euro Britannian affairs, and even if they chose to act, unless they somehow managed to move an entire army to the border of the EU and Euro Britannia in a few short days, there was little enough they could do. Victory was as close to assured as it could possibly be.

And he still couldn't shake the nagging feeling he had made a mistake.

It must be the matter of Leila and Kingsley, He decided. Leaving their fate to chance, even as likely a chance as it was they would be killed, sat poorly with him. He was trusting in Euro Britannia to be able to find a small group of capable soldiers, and while he was certain they could, he was not certain they could do so before Leila possibly got a message out. She was beloved by the people, both for what she had accomplished in fighting against Kingsley and because of her father. It was hard enough to convince the people she was a traitor as it was without inciting riots. If Leila gave them a reason to support her, if she had a chance to explain herself…

Smilas sighed. And here I thought condemning the girl a traitor would be the worst of it. But no, he still had to act. "Marco," He addressed suddenly. "How feasible would it be to get a squadron of Knightmares into Euro Britannia? Say a dozen or so."

"With or without the Apollo system, sir?"

He frowned. Apollo's Chariot was situated near Castle Weiswolf, and Weiswolf was loyal to Leila. They hadn't tried to speak out against Smilas so far, which he was glad of, but he didn't trust them. Something would need to be done about them eventually. "Assume without."

"Then it would be difficult, sir," Marco said. "It would take nearly a full day, instead of a few hours."

"Hm," Smilas frowned. "Time is of the essence. If we scrambled an airship to deploy them, could they enter Euro Britannia undetected?" It would be nowhere near as effective or as fast as the Apollo system, but they needed to act.

"Possibly," Marco said. "I imagine the matter of Kingsley and the princess's betrayal is proving rather distracting. But they may be spotted anyway."

"The risk is necessary, and worth it," Smilas said. "Marco, I want you to hand pick a small force to infiltrate Euro Britannia. They have a single, simple mission, and I want you to stress upon them the urgency of the matter. Find Leila Malcal. Find Julius Kingsley. I don't care what happens to the rest of her squad, or even the princess, but Leila must die, and Kingsley must live. Those are the only objectives of their mission. Do not engage with Britannia if it can be avoided. Do you understand?"

Marco nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll begin at once."

"Good," Smilas said. "You're dismissed. I'll arrange transport now."

There. The matter was settled. Marco was a capable soldier, and he knew whoever he picked would be among the best the EU had to offer, able to go up against practically anyone in a Knightmare who wasn't an ace. Leila was, for better or worse, as good as dead, and once Kingsley was in his hands he could keep him hidden, until the time arrived for Smilas to announce his victory.

So why did he still feel like he had made a mistake?

"Suzaku!"

He blinked in surprise at the blond man's greeting, caught off guard. He was even more puzzled when the knight threw an arm over his shoulder, cheerfully leading him down the hall. "How's it been? I'm Gino, by the way. I was there when you were appointed as the Knight of Seven. All of us were, but we didn't really get a chance to talk."

Suzaku tried to relax, and restore some semblance of professionalism to their meeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Weinberg. I have heard a lot about you."

Gino snorted. "You don't need to bother with the "Sir Weinberg" nonsense. We're both Knights of the Rounds. And trust me, however much you've heard, I can promise it's not as much as everyone's talking about you. The White Grim Reaper. The man who brought down Zero. The first number to become a Knight, first to a princess, now a Knight of the Rounds!" His face fell, his eyes widening in shock. "Jeez, I'm being rude, aren't I?" He stepped back, gesturing at the smaller woman beside him. "This is Anya, the Knight of Six."

She looked up at him with a blank face, and he found himself wondering how old she was. Fourteen? Fifteen? And already a Knight of the Rounds? No one that young should lead such a bloody life. But then, I'm only a few years older than her, aren't I? And Gino looks like he's of an age with me. This…this was what he fought for. So he could change the world, so people like he and Anya had a chance at a normal life.

The Knight of Six broke the silence. "You are Suzaku Kururugi?"

He frowned. "Er…yes?"

She raised her phone, snapping a picture of him. He winced at the sudden flash, and Gino laughed. "Yeah, sorry, I probably should have warned you. Don't worry, she isn't going to go showing that around or anything. She just takes pictures of everything she thinks is important."

"Why?" He asked, puzzled.

Something flashed across Gino's face, quickly masked with another smile. "It's just something she does," He said dismissively. "It's harmless. But she's cool though! A little quiet, but she's really nice once you get to know her!"

Anya blinked. "We're here to rescue Kingsley," She said, looking at Gino with something that may have been a glare. It was hard to tell with her.

Gino shrugged. "Yeah? We're still going to do that. But I figured we'd probably work better together if we knew each other a little. Just cause it's work doesn't mean we can't have a bit of fun!"

Anya stared a while longer, before suddenly switching her gaze to him. "The Emperor has instructed us to follow your lead," She said. "You have more experience with Kingsley, and have been in Euro Britannia longer. I'll wait for your orders with Mordred."

She left without another word, leaving him alone with Gino. "That's actually much better than I was expecting," He said with a grin. "It's good to see her letting loose a little."

That was her letting loose? "I'm…not sure what just happened, to be honest."

"You get used to it," Gino said. "But yeah, Anya was right. You're in charge while we're looking for Kingsley."

Good. "I'd like for us to move as soon as possible," Suzaku said. "I received a report not too long ago. Four Knightmares suddenly appeared in the middle of the forest, heading towards Westminster. They must have powered them off for a while. We need to cut them off before they reach whatever it is they're after."

Gino nodded. "No problem. Anya and I can keep up, don't worry. Just tell us when to go."

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Gino seemed nice enough, and Anya at the very least was to the point. He was worried the Knights the Emperor would send would wind up being more like Dorothy Ernst, or worse, Sir Bradley. The last thing he needed was another Vampire of Britannia when he was trying to take Lelouch alive.

Of course, it made sense the Emperor would send them. He would know how delicate the situation is. He would have to trust the Emperor's judgment, and hope Gino and Anya were up to the task. He knew nothing about them personally.

"Then let's not waste anymore time," Suzaku said. "I want to report our success to the Emperor as soon as possible."

Schneizel shivered, stepping off of the plane and onto the small landing strip. He was used to the cold, often traveling to more remote parts of the Empire whenever his duties demanded it of him, but he found St. Petersburg possessed an altogether different sort of cold, a harsher chill that cut into his bones. I ought to have brought a thicker coat.

It had been a long time since last he had visited Euro Britannia. Six years, and in those years it had changed considerably. Even from the constrained view of his window as they passed over the city, he could immediately recognize the Britannian footprint left on St Petersburg, written clearly in the architecture. It was almost a shame he didn't have the time to tour the city. Last time he had come, he had spent several weeks after his talks with General Smilas, admiring the beautiful city.

And now Smilas brought him to St. Petersburg once more, for similar reasons. He had to admire the man's ambition, and his will. Back then, he was drawing battle lines at the behest of the Council of Forty, even as he knew it would be pointless. All the council wanted to achieve was to remind Britannia they posed a threat, and exact a few concessions from them in return for backing off. It was a pointless show of force, and Smilas and Schneizel had both known it, but they had to keep up pretenses for the sake of politicking.

Even then he could tell Smilas was dissatisfied with the corruption plaguing his nation, but Schneizel had to admit his surprise. He hadn't actually expected the General to go and do something about it. There was something to be admired in that. He was frustrated by the decadent leadership in his country, and had taken steps to solve the issue. And while he was an enemy of Schneizel's, by merit of opposing Britannia, he couldn't help but sympathize with his motivations.

How often had he wished to do the very same thing?

Alas, it was not to be. Not yet, at least. He still lacked enough answers to move against his father. He would not be satisfied until he knew exactly what occupied the Emperor's time of late, and why it mattered more than the prosperity of Britannia. Besides, for all the power he held at court, his father still held a very tight grip on the nobility, even with his absences. No, the time had not come yet. But he was patient. He could wait.

For now, he had other matters to hold his attention. Namely, his sister's treachery, and the capture of the most mysterious and effective commander in recent memory.

Two men awaited for him, along with a small retinue of guards. Far from a royal welcome, but he supposed he could excuse their lapse in ceremony. They had only just got done hosting another of the emperor's children, and that had ended rather poorly. He never liked wasting time with ceremony anyways. Not when there was work to be done.

He smiled, nodding at the man closest to him. "Duke Highland," He greeted affably. "It's good to see you again, although I'm afraid I do not recognize your companion."

"Allow me to introduce Lord Andrea Farnese," The Duke said, gesturing towards his friend. "Grand Master of the Holy Order of Raphael. He was elevated in the time between your last visit. And it is an honor to host you once more, your highness, although I find myself wishing it were under more pleasant circumstances."
"As do I," Schneizel said. "As it is, we each have a duty expected of us." He gestured towards the palace. "Please, lead on! It has been some time since last I came to St. Petersburg, I fear I've quite forgotten how to navigate."

As they walked, Schneizel noticed the guards trailing behind them at a distance, well out of earshot. He frowned. "You have something to tell me," He remarked, both intrigued and irritated at the delay this conversation would surely cause. "Something you don't want overheard." It may prove interesting, though.

The Duke and Farnese shared a look. "We do, your highness. Perhaps we should wait until we have reached my office?"

He shrugged. "I don't see why. You've gone to the trouble of telling your guards to keep away. Brief me on the general scope of it, at least."

The Duke sighed. "You have heard of Lord Shaing, I take it?"

Schneizel nodded. "The Grand Master of the Order of Michael. An eleven as well, adopted into nobility. What's more, Julius Kingsley elected him as the next commander of the EU's military forces. There's no small amount of chatter about him, even back in Pendragon."

Highland frowned. "The man is capable, I am not too proud to admit as much. But I fear all is not as it seems, your highness. You recall Lord Manfredi? Shaing's predecessor? I believe the two of you met during your last visit."

"I do," He confirmed. "And I heard of his suicide. It was a tragic loss. He seemed like a good man, and one with a long life ahead of him."

"We do not believe it was suicide," Andrea cut in eagerly. "I knew Michele well. He was content with life, pleased with his service and looked forward to the day he could retire. His death came not long after he appointed Shaing as his successor."

Schneizel raised an eyebrow. "I have heard many who suffer from depression are skilled at masking the symptoms. Is it not possible he was troubled in ways he did not confide in you? If he was indeed looking forward to retirement, then why would Shaing have him killed if he were already named his heir? Because that is what you are implying."

"It is possible," Andrea admitted. "But I don't believe it is the case. As for why Shaing would kill him…that is what I mean to find out. Manfredi trusted him, the two were close as brothers…but he did not hesitate to solidify his power base when Manfredi passed."

Schneizel shrugged. "All that means is the man is practical. Everyone processes grief differently, Lord Farnese. Perhaps Shaing wished to throw himself into his work, and honor Manfredi by quickly gaining more prestige for the Order of Michael?"

Andrea frowned. "Again it is possible, your highness. But I don't think you understand. I suggest you seek out Lord Shaing for yourself, speak with the man. You'll know what I mean once you have. There's something about him, something false, something I can't trust."

He shook his head. "I certainly will be speaking with Lord Shaing soon enough, but I don't think I need to in order to form an opinion. I assume Duke Highland shares your beliefs, if he's willing to approach me about them?" The Duke nodded. "I remember you as a perceptive man, Augusta. You would not come to me unless you believed Lord Farnese, or were at least willing to acknowledge the possibility he is correct. And you would not believe him without careful consideration."

"Then…you believe us?" Andrea asked carefully.

"I believe there is merit in what you've told me," Schneizel said. "And if it is true, and evidence is provided, there will be a reckoning. Euro Britannia cannot afford infighting so far from the homeland, where you must rely on your own strength for the most part."

"There is evidence," Andrea said. "I am sure of it. He has some agenda, I know it. I need only uncover it."

"I agree he must be watched, but I will not interfere personally, nor will I attempt to subvert Sir Kururugi's authority," Schneizel warned. "My father has said in no uncertain terms that while Kingsley is captured, Kururugi remains the ultimate authority in Euro Britannia. And I cannot be seen to take sides in whatever dispute you may have with Shaing, not since Kururugi has confirmed him as commander of Euro Britannia's military. The only official capacity I am here to serve is as an ambassador to the EU, to hopefully bring a halt to the hostilities."

"Can you?" The Duke asked.

He snorted. "Of course not. Smilas has not waited all this time to give up because I asked nicely. Still, an attempt must be made, for posterity's sake. Besides, I have my own interests in coming here. But rest assured, no matter what, I will do everything in my power to restore stability to Euro Britannia."

The Duke breathed a sigh of relief. "It relieves me to hear you say that, your highness. It has been a difficult time for us. The Princess's betrayal, Kingsley's capture, this nasty business with Shaing…I am glad to know someone capable is here to assist us."

He frowned. Another problem he needed to look into while he was here. Cornelia's betrayal had come as a genuine surprise, and still he hadn't the faintest idea what would drive her to treachery. He hated this. Not having answers. It was bad enough trying to uncover the Emperor's plots, now his sister, one of the greatest generals in the Empire, a loyal Britannian who he knew never had ambitions for the throne, turns traitor?

I suspect I'm going to be very busy these next few days. "If you can, keep me apprised of anything you might hear," Schneizel told the Duke. "There's little enough I can do in terms of official support…but not all I can do is necessarily official."

The Duke nodded. "I understand, your highness. I'll be sure to keep you informed." He paused. "Actually…there's a matter regarding Kingsley."

That got his attention. "Oh?"

"Sir Kururugi reported four Knightmare had finally been picked up, heading towards Westminster," The Duke reported. "He is currently on his way, leading Gino Weinberg and Anya Alstreim of the Knights of the Rounds."

Three Knights of the Rounds? For a single man? Schneizel wished he could have been surprised by that, but he had long since stopped wondering how often his fathers actions would puzzle him. "There's more," Lord Farnese interjected. "Two of Lord Shaing's Knights were seen departing in unmarked Knightmares." He didn't ask how Farnese learned about their departure. "It seems likely Shaing has his own designs on Kingsley, possibly hoping to take the glory of rescuing him to further his own prestige.

Schneizel shook his head. "No. From all that you've told me, Shaing has a good head for politics. Publicly rescuing Kingsley wouldn't bring him prestige, it would bring down the ire of Kururugi for interfering. No, he wants something else to do with Kingsley, and he doesn't want anyone else finding out."

"But what?" The Duke asked.

"I don't know," Schneizel admitted. "But I, for one, don't particularly feel like letting him get it. Kururugi, Shaing, Miss Malcal's squad, The EU declaring them traitors…it seems everyone in the world is after Kingsley and his kidnappers. I almost feel left out." A grin spread across his face. "I do believe this is a mystery I want solved, gentlemen. Wouldn't you agree?"

Oh yes, Schneizel thought. This is going to be very interesting indeed.

"Careful," Cornelia whispered, keeping Ayano from leaving the alley and walking back out onto the streets. "There's a patrol over there, see it?" She pointed out the guards at the end of the street. "Wait for them to pass, then we'll move."

Ayano nodded silently, stepping back a little further into the shadows. Cornelia followed suit. They had arrived in Westminster without much trouble, and without any pursuers catching them. They were forced to leave their Knightmares behind on the outskirts of town, which was unfortunate, but it was for the best. They would have to wait through the night for Anna's train to arrive, which meant they would need stealth, not muscle. If they had any chance at all of getting out of Euro Britannia, it would be through subterfuge, not a fight.

"That's three," Ayano said. "Two closer to the edge of town, one of them by the trainyard, and this one patrolling near the heart of the city."

Cornelia nodded. She and Ayano had slipped out of the makeshift hideout they were using to try and chart a course to the trainyard, taking account of any patrols or guards they may have to deal with. "There wouldn't normally be so many, I think, but word must have gotten out from St. Petersburg. Still, we're lucky the streets aren't crawling with them."

"Lucky is not a word I would use to describe us," She grumbled.

"We aren't currently dead or rotting in prison, which considering what we've done is an extraordinary feat of luck," Cornelia said. "Perhaps if you kept that in mind, it might lift your spirits a little."

"My spirits will be lifted once I know for sure I'm not going to die for some Britannian princess," Ayano shot back.

"You agreed to it," She reminded her.

"Doesn't mean I like it," Ayano huffed.

"And I don't like leaving behind everything I've ever known, and signing my own death warrant if Britannia ever got a hold of me," She snarled, her anger finally slipping free. "But we can't always get what we want, and circumstances dictate we all must go out of our comfort zone for a little while."

Ayano's eyes widened in surprise at her outburst, and inwardly Cornelia groaned. Lovely. Give them even more reasons to hate Lelouch and I. By all means, it isn't as if they have enough already!

Leila and her squad were the only people in the world they could safely call their allies. Their safety depended on their assistance. She couldn't afford to lose her patience with them, not when they so desperately needed the help. She could put up with their glares and their insults, for Lelouch's sake. But every time she slipped up, every time she made a mistake, it would only further cement the idea that she was every bit the cruel princess they believed she was.

Which…in fairness, she couldn't exactly dispute. She was not deluded. She knew she led a privileged life, and she knew how many suffered to give her such a life. She knew how many she had personally made suffer, and she had never felt guilty about it. It was her duty, as a soldier, as a General, as a princess to fight in the interests of Britannia. She had never thought twice about the Area's they had subjugated, or the numbers who inhabited them.

Not until Area 11, that is. Until Euphemia flipped everything on its head.

Why? Why did her sister have to care so much about them? Why did she go to such ridiculous lengths, bending over backwards for the sake of numbers who had tried to kill her multiple times? Why did she have to damn herself with the creation of the SAZ?

Cornelia shut her eyes. I know why. Of course she did. She knew her sister, and what kind of person she was. Euphie…she simply cared. Too much, about everyone. She wished she could say it was something as simple as her infatuation with Suzaku that drove her to such lengths, but Cornelia knew she would have done so even if she never met the man.

That was always her problem. Euphie cared too much. She had only ever wanted to help, for people to be happy. It's why she would do something as drastic as giving up her claim to the throne just to be able to establish the SAZ.

"Princess?" Ayano asked hesitantly, snapping her out of her reminiscing. "Is…there a problem?"

Cornelia frowned, shaking her head. "Ignore me. I was distracted." She glanced back down the street. "The patrol has moved on, now. We're good to keep moving." She pushed onwards, Ayano trailing behind her.

As they walked in silence, her thoughts inevitably drifted back towards Euphemia. How had it all gone so wrong? What had driven Lelouch to killing their sister? She knew he adored her, and her him. The two were inseparable as children, moreso even than he and Nunnally, as he didn't like getting her in trouble in their little escapades. She refused to believe he had changed so much that he could murder Euphemia so casually, so cruelly.

She had told him she wasn't ready for that conversation yet, and in truth she still wasn't. But neither could she stand the agony of not knowing for much longer. For eight months she had searched for answers. For eight months she had sought a way to clear her sister's name. By chance, she had stumbled onto possibly the only person in the world who could give her both…and she couldn't bring herself to speak with him about their sister.

I have plenty of time, She told herself. Lelouch was safe now, and they would make it out of Euro Britannia. After that, then there would be time for answers. Her first priority was making sure they didn't wind up dead.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the two of them made it safely back to their refuge. After leaving their Knightmares behind, they had managed to find an unused shack at the edge of town. It was a hovel, but it was enough to keep them all out of sight, and it was far enough from most activity around the town that it was unlikely they'd be discovered before the train arrived, which was all that mattered.

When they entered, she immediately sought out Lelouch, making sure nothing had happened in their absence. He was sitting on the floor, leaning up against the wall in a corner apart from the others. He glanced up at her entrance, and she could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

He was tired. They were all tired, and they would need to get a bit of rest if they were going to make it through the night. They needed to be at their best for when their pursuers caught up to them.

"You found it then?" Leila asked.

She nodded. "The Trainyards on the other side of town, but the way there is simple. There are guards, but it's light. We should be able to avoid them easily enough."

"Good," Ryo sighed. "A bit of luck, finally."

Yukiya snorted. "Maybe, until you had to go and say something. Now we're definitely screwed."

"Did you find anything else?" Leila asked, ignoring the antics of her subordinates.

Ayano shook her head. "Nothing worth mentioning." The two of them had left to scout out a safe path to the trainyard, they hadn't spent much time exploring. If all went well, they wouldn't be in Westminster long enough to have a need to explore. "We passed the police station, and it seemed pretty busy, but we had to steer clear so we couldn't get a good look at what was going on."

Leila frowned. "They've probably received word by now about our escape," She said. "Most likely they've been notified to look out for any drifters matching our descriptions."

"All that means is we have to stay out of sight," Ryo said. "Which we were going to do anyway. The bigger problem is what we're going to do if we're discovered. I still think ditching the Knightmares was a bad idea."

"Four Knightmares against a Knight of the Rounds and every soldier he can bring in a Knightmare Frame is not a battle we could have won," Leila sighed. "You know that. This is the only way we might be able to escape."

"I get it!" Ryo snapped. "It's just frustrating. I hate sitting here. I hate not being able to do anything. I hate knowing that if we are found out, there's not a damn thing any of us can do."

"I hate it too," Leila said sympathetically. "But it's all we can do for now."

Ryo's shoulders slumped, and the room fell silent.

Lelouch suddenly stood with a groan. "I need a bit of air," He said, heading for the door.

Akito and Ayano both moved to block him without thinking. Ayano frowned, looking at Leila. "Commander…?"

Cornelia rolled her eyes. "For god's sake, I'll watch him if that's what you're concerned about," She huffed. "It's not like he could get very far even if he did run off."

"Just be careful," Leila warned. "Don't allow yourselves to be seen."

"We won't," Cornelia said, managing to avoid slipping into a growl as she all but shoved her brother out the door.

He scowled, brushing himself off. "I do not need you to accompany me."

"I disagree," She said.

"I'm not going to run."

"I didn't say you were," Cornelia said. "But I don't think you should be alone all the same." She paused. "You shouldn't even be out here."

"Would you rather I remain in there?" He scoffed. "Trust me, getting me away from them for a while will cool their temper. It's for the best."

"You should be asleep," She told him. "Get some rest."

Lelouch froze. "I'm not tired," He lied stiffly.

"You're exhausted," She observed. "I can see it in your eyes. We all are, and if we are to get out tomorrow, we best be well rested. I'll speak to Leila about taking shifts, but we all need to sleep."

"I don't need to sleep," He hissed. "I'll be fine. We only need to wait until tomorrow night, don't we? I can last until then."

Cornelia frowned. Something was wrong. Something he wasn't telling her. "Why don't you want to go to sleep?"

"It's irrelevant," Lelouch said stubbornly, refusing to look at her.

"Not if it puts your life at risk," She said, just as unflinching. If he thought she would simply let the matter drop, he must have truly forgotten the kind of person she was. I think it is time he was reminded. "Or mine. Or Leila and the others. Quit being ridiculous. Are you worried they'll try something while you sleep? I can watch over you if that's the case."

"That won't be necessary," He said through gritted teeth. He was seething now, she could tell.

"Then why?"

"Would you?" He finally snapped. He wasn't yelling, he didn't want their words to reach the others, but his anger passed over her in waves all the same. "You have no idea what it's like sister. None at all! Trapped inside my own skin, unable to distinguish between what's real and what isn't. You want to know why I don't want to sleep? Because I have no idea whether or not I'll even wake up as myself! I don't know if I'll ever wake up again! As far as I know, the next time Kingsley takes over will be the last." He gave a bitter laugh. "Or maybe he's already gone. I don't know, sister. And it terrifies me." His anger had left him. He only sounded desperate now.

Cornelia felt her words catch in her throat. What could she say to that? Her own anger began to simmer, reignited by the reminder of what Kururugi had put him through. Of what their father had done.

I will kill him, She swore. I will rip his bastard heart out and ram it back down his throat. The Emperor had allowed Euphemia's name to be slandered throughout the Empire. He had consorted freely with Geass. He had pitted his children against one another for years, or at least done little about it, and he had all but abandoned rule of his own Empire.

And he had made her brother terrified to simply go to sleep.

"Lelouch…" She sighed. "You're going to fall asleep sooner or later. Better to do so now, where we can control what happens if he does take over, than later when we might not."

"I'm quite aware of that," He growled.

Of course he was. Her brother wasn't an idiot. It didn't change the fact that he was still clearly uncomfortable with the idea of losing consciousness.

I need to do something. Distract him, take his mind off of the situation somehow. Her eyes lit up as an idea came to her, and she glanced behind them to ensure they were still alone. "Did you ever find out what happened to Nunnally after the Black Rebellion?" She asked.

He scowled. "No. Or if I did, I can't remember. It's difficult to keep track of all that's happened between then and now, but I imagine I would know if I had learned of it."

She nodded. "I suppose Kururugi would try rather hard to keep that little tidbit away from you." She grinned. "But I know."

The effect was immediate, all traces of weariness vanished in an instant. He was alert, focused, and she could tell she had his full attention. "What happened?" He demanded. "Where is she? Is she alright?"

"She is perfectly fine," Cornelia reassured him. "I didn't…I left soon after the battle, to begin my search. I cut myself off from everyone, but word still got back to me occasionally." She paused. "Nunnally is in Britannia. It seems someone found her during the Black Rebellion. I don't know if it was Kururugi or-"

"It wasn't," Lelouch cut in. "I…that's why I left the battle in the first place. Someone took Nunnally, and I had to find her."

That…would explain why he would abandon the battle moments away from their victory. That had always confused her, but now it all made sense. Of course he would drop everything in a heartbeat to go after his sister. That much hadn't changed.

And yet, he killed Euphemia.

She shook her head, willing herself to ignore those thoughts for now. Her brother needed reassurances, not an interrogation. "Last I heard, she was still in Pendragon. The current story is that you died in the invasion in order to get her to safety."

His eyes widened. "Pendragon? She's in Pendragon?" Oh dear. She had been trying to make him worry less. "We can't let her stay there. Not with him. She's alone! A blind, crippled princess trapped in a court that sees her as useless at best, and loathes her at worst with no one to protect her!" He was frantic, his eyes darting around. "No. No, this changes everything. Forget healing me. That can wait. We need to get to Pendragon as soon as possible."

"And do what?" She challenged. "Stumble in through the door just to let father use his Geass on you again?" Lelouch flinched reflexively at the mention of their father's Geass, and Cornelia pretended not to notice. "She is safe, Lelouch. She has been there for eight months, and nothing has happened. Perhaps Schneizel is looking out for her. Perhaps Kururugi is. But she is safe, at least for now. We can't do anything about her at the moment, but we can try and do something about you. And the sooner you are healed, the sooner we can go get Nunna back. Together."

Lelouch frowned, but the panic seemed to have faded. "Together?" He asked, clearly not believing her. "And what do you think we'll do after we've rescued our sister?"

This again. Cornelia sighed. "Lelouch…let's just focus on the present, alright? Let's get us all out of here, reach the Black Knights, and go from there. Can you at least do that?"

He didn't look pleased about it, but he nodded, turning away. "Fine. And…you had a point earlier. I'll get a little bit of sleep, I promise." He paused. "Just…don't let me forget myself, sister."

"I won't," She promised. With that, Lelouch went back inside, leaving her alone. It would be around midnight, now. The train was supposed to be arriving at nine, tomorrow. Nearly a full day until their exit arrived.

It infuriated that she couldn't do anything to help Lelouch. That no matter how hard she tried, he still didn't seem to realize she only wanted to help him. Hopefully he would be better once they reached the Black Knights.

If…if he couldn't trust her, then she hoped there was at least someone he could trust there. Even if it wasn't her, Lelouch needed somebody to keep him grounded. He needed it desperately.

She waited a while before heading back in, and when she finally did Lelouch was back where she first saw him, sitting down on the floor with his back to the corner. His eye, however, had fallen shut.

She breathed out a sigh of relief, and sought out Leila. "I think it's time we all try to get some sleep. I'll take the first shift if you want."

Leila glanced over at the others. "I would, but I think the others will sleep easier if one of them took the first shift."

Cornelia shrugged. "If you like." It was more sleep for her. "Just…" She stifled a yawn. "Just make sure to wake us all if you think there's a chance we've been discovered. Better to lose a little sleep over a false alarm than allow Britannia to catch us all unawares."

Leila nodded. "I will."

Cornelia picked out a spot between Lelouch and the others, laying her head on the wooden floor with a groan. It was hardly a royal suite, but then, she was used to sleeping in uncomfortable places, particularly of late. She would be fine. She shut her eyes, and soon felt sleep begin to pull her away.

And as she drifted off into unconsciousness, she couldn't shake the errant thought that she had forgotten to tell Leila something.

Leila yawned, glancing out the window as the first rays of sunlight crept over the rooftops of the buildings surrounding them. It was dawn, then. When had her shift ended? A few hours ago? She couldn't remember.

It didn't matter, really. She wasn't feeling tired, so she decided to stay up a little later. They would all need their strength tomorrow, and the others were far more exhausted than she was.

The time was up, though. She could feel her eyes beginning to lid over, and she couldn't afford to risk falling asleep on watch. Someone else would have to take over.

She almost woke Akito, before something stopped her. He…He looked so peaceful sleeping. Relaxed, in a way she almost never saw him. She couldn't disturb that. Not when she was already asking so much of him.

The others were no doubt tired as well…

She sighed. May as well do it fairly, then. Kingsley had been the first of them to fall asleep. If they were going in order, he would have the next shift, then the princess.

The others wouldn't trust him enough to wake him up…but the others were asleep, and still needed their rest. Besides, the princess had said he was going through some sort of brainwashing, wasn't he? And he certainly didn't seem pleased by the prospect of Kururugi hunting them. He seemed like a completely different person.

She had made her decision. She walked over to Kingsley, carefully stepping over the princess, and shook him awake. His eye shot open with a start, and she shushed him. "Hey, relax. It's fine. I'm waking you up for your turn taking a shift. It's nearly dawn, and I figured you'd probably enjoy the quiet."

He stared at her for a moment in confusion, before comprehension began to dawn on his face. "My shift…yes. Yes, that's fine, thank you." He still sounded a little out of it. I probably could have been a little gentler waking him up. She had likely nearly given him a heart attack.

Oh well. It was over with now, and Kingsley stood to take his seat by the window, allowing Leila to steal her own spot on the floor. She let out a contented sigh as she stopped fighting against her weariness, allowing sleep to take her.

By this time tomorrow, we should be on the train, well on our way out of Euro Britannia.

They just needed to make it through one more day.

Julius Kingsley watched the Europian bitch who kidnapped him fall slowly into sleep. He was careful not to act too quickly, waiting until he was beyond certain she was slumbering deeply, and none of the other vermin littered around her like rats huddling together for warmth were any close to waking.

Oh how he wished he had a knife. Or at least something pointy. As it was, he was unarmed, and even if he weren't, he didn't trust in his ability to kill them all before one of them woke. He had never killed someone in their sleep, but he assumed it was a bloody affair.

Unfortunate, but no matter. Of more importance was that he escaped captivity.

He…he couldn't remember what happened. He knew he was in the palace, they were about to leave, when something happened, something agonizing. After that, there was nothing. A few blurry memories of a cave, and Knightmare Frames, but nothing that made any sense.

Still, answers could wait until he was safe and in a position to take his revenge.

Kingsley wasted no time once he was certain the rest of them were asleep. He carefully slipped out the front door, and breathed in the fresh air as a wicked grin spread across his face.

I am free.

What, did you think it was going to be that easy?

I'm leaning towards probably going for a biweekly schedule, although the next chapter at least will be released next sunday. Maybe a few after that, until I start to catch up to myself, but maybe not. Remains to be seen.

Thank you for reading, and if you enjoyed this week's chapter, please leave a comment! I go through all of them, even if I don't respond to every one.

Next Chapter: Sunday, December 15th