Code Geass Fan Fiction ❯ Royalty In Rebellion ❯ The Japanese Princess ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: The Japanese Princess

 

Gawain rose into the sky, and Euphie buried her head in Suzaku's chest, tears spilling from her eyes, “Suzaku…” She trembled as he wrapped his arms around her, her eyes flashing red, every bit of her body struggling to stop herself, her muscles working against her, her mind struggling to force her hands around his neck, “please…”

“Euphie…” Suzaku looked away from Gawain's cockpit, “You have to trust me, no matter what happens, I will protect you.”

Euphemia shivered, “Please… Suzaku…”

“To the terrorist: surrender Princess Euphemia to us.”

Euphemia looked away, her eyes drawn to the Britannian airships, her teeth grinding together, as she pulled herself away from Suzaku, “Britannia must be destroyed!” She howled as the hadron cannon ripped through them, vaporizing the crafts and their crews.

“Euphemia!” Suzaku grabbed her and pulled her back, “You must stop this! None of this—”

His voice was lost in a gargle, Euphemia's hand clasped over his throat; “Britannia must—” Her eyes watered, and she tore her eyes from him, grabbing her hand and wrenching it away, “No! I can't!” She sobbed, throwing herself against his body, her fists slamming into his shoulders, “I can't!”

Suzaku grabbed her hands, holding her as she tried to free her feet from Gawain's grasp to kick him, “Euphemia, what's happening to you?”

“I don't want this!” She sobbed, butting her head against his chest, “It hurts too much! It—” She stopped, her eyes rolling into the back of her head, her body going limp in his arms.

“Euphie?” The color drained from his face, “Euphie!” His hand slipped from her hand, searching for a pulse. Her body slumped limply forward, and he pushed her back against Gawain's palm and ripping a glove off as he struggled to find a pulse. Tears spilled from his eyes and he felt his entire body drain of energy, a weak smile on his face as he ran his fingers through her hair, “It'll be ok Euphie, I promise, you'll be ok.” Euphie's head lolled to the side and he drew her against him, her breath warm against his chest.

He ran his hand over her back, trying to sooth her, “It'll be ok…” He whispered to her silently, “It'll be ok.”

 

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“Lloyd, I can't reach anyone. Darlton, Suzaku, the royal guard…” Cecile looked up from her console, “I can't reach any of them.”

Lloyd watched Gawain flying away through the view screen, the image turning to show Suzaku and Euphemia in hand. Cecile looked to him, finding an unfamiliar look of unease on his face, “Lloyd…”

He looked away from the screen, “Send word to Princess Cornelia that Euphemia and her knight have been captured.” He looked at the panels on the bridge, “Tell the captain to withdraw before Zero targets us…” He paused, looking back to the view screen, “It's going to be very hard to replace that component…”

 

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Lelouch was still staring at Gawain's hand. Suzaku was holding onto Euphemia, her body limp in his arms. A sick feeling spread through his stomach and he turned away, but the image of her trying to claw out Suzaku's throat remained, even when he closed his eyes. `Eupehmia… this is the price of having Geass…' He opened his eyes, focusing on CC, “How long before we get back?”

“Not long.”

Gawain's cockpit felt smaller, the entire world felt smaller around Lelouch, and he closed his eyes again, watching Euphemia struggling against his Geass. “CC, how can—”

The static hiss of the intercom interrupted him and he looked to his console, “Who is it?”

“It's Ogi.” The intercom crackled, “We've been trying to reach you. What happened? The news reports were cut off, we've been hearing fire, is everyone all right? Are either of you injured?”

“No.” Lelouch looked to Gawain's hand again, “I was not injured.”

The relief in Ogi's sigh was palpable, “What happened? Was it a trap? What should we do?”

“As soon as I return, we're withdrawing to prearranged positions, order unit four to act as rearguard to intercept any pursuing Britannians. I want you and all the other members of the executive committee to meet me in the hanger.”

“Yes Zero.”

Lelouch looked away from Gawain's hand, “Bring a medical team with you.”

“What? I thought you said you were uninjured. Zero, is everything all right? What happened?”

“Have them ready for when I arrive.” Zero murmured, “I will explain what happened when we get there.”

 

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“What happened?” Ogi turned, watching Kallen running towards him, eyes wide, “Why is there a medical squad here? Where is Zero?”

“He's not back yet—”

Kallen slowed to a stop, “It was a trap…” She stood there, a distant look in her eyes, “This… the entire zone… they—”

Ogi placed a hand on her shoulder, “We don't know that.”

“Then why—”

“Zero told me to have them ready.” He said with all the confidence he could muster, “He said he's fine. I don't think they're for him.”

Kallen swallowed, “Then CC?”

“He didn't say.”

“But—”

Ogi looked at her, “He didn't say.” He repeated as calmly as he could.

Kallen pulled away from Ogi's grasp, looking away, “Ogi…” She shook her head, “I—”

Above them, the mechanical whir of the hanger system started. Both of them looked up, watching as the massive doors began to open, Gawain's form coming into view. Kallen watched it descend, its hand outstretched before it, as if it were offering a gift to the sky. Gawain touched down quietly, and all noise from the room stopped as the cockpit opened.

Lelouch replaced his mask, rising out of the knightmare to look down at the Black Knights. “Today, a great victory has been won!” He swept out his arm, “The Nippon district, the special administration zone carved from Britannian conquests, has ceased to be.”

The silence was palpable, all eyes rested on Zero. The knights looked between each other, and slowly, murmurs began to sweep through the crowd. Ogi's eyes fell Zero, “Chigusa…” He bit down on his lip, dreams shattered, “Why?” He looked to Zero, “Why?” He took a step forward, his stomach sinking, “The Nippon district—” Ogi found Zero's mask facing him directly, cutting off his speech.

“Was a trap.” Zero looked away from Ogi, watching the murmurs die in the air, “The Nippon district was a plot by the Britannian government to destroy us, to kill the dream of a free and independent Japan.”

“That's a lie!”

All eyes fell on Gawain's hand, Kallen's mouth fell open, “S-Suzaku?” Gawain's hand lowered, revealing the princess and her knight to the order. Kallen backpedaled, bumping into Tamaki, “Suzaku…”

“That's Princess Euphemia…” Was all Tamaki could mumble, unable to look away.

Ogi swallowed the hard knot in his throat, “She's not moving…” He looked to the medical squad, “Is she?”

“Suzaku Kururugi, personal knight to princess Euphemia Vi Britannia.” Zero's voice boomed through the air, “You have told me that you seek to change the system from within. Do you truly think that Britannia will change?”

“Yes!” Suzaku held Euphie against his chest, “It has!”

Zero bowed his head and Gawain's hand rose, its fingers unfurling, “Then I am sorry for you.”

Suzaku rested Euphemia on Gawain's hand, turning to face Zero, “You have no right to be!” Suzaku shouted, tears in his eyes. “You destroyed Euphie's dream!”

“Euphemia's dream was doomed before it began.”

“You liar!” Suzaku pointed at Zero, his arm swept to the Order, “You've deluded these people, you've betrayed them! They have struggled for an independent Japan and you have snatched it from their hands!”

Zero's head rose slowly, and he looked at the faces of those before him. Beneath his mask, Lelouch closed his eyes, “The dream of a free Japan…”

“You've stolen it from them! You've taken it from me!” Suzaku trembled, “Why?”

“Because it was a lie.”

“It was not a lie!” Suzaku clenched his hand in rage, “Princess Euphemia—”

“Princess Euphemia was the one who destroyed the Nippon District!”

“No! You're lying!” Suzaku shook, “You did it! You and no one else!”
Zero shook his head slowly, “Do you remember what happened on that stage? Do you know what was said? What was done?” Suzaku stared, his mouth agape, “When I found you, you were lying unconscious, you saw nothing of what happened.” Suzaku began to shake his head, “You didn't see Euphemia shoot Darlton. You didn't see her call on the Britannians to destroy themselves.”

All color drained from Suzaku's face, “No.” He shook his head, “She—she wouldn't have…”

“Euphemia Vi Britannia saw what was becoming of her dream,” Zero turned to the order, “she knew that Britannia was using this as a ploy, to drain us of our will.” His arm swept forward, “She knew they were using the District to divide the Japanese people, so they could destroy those who fight for a truly free Japan!”

“No!” Suzaku howled, desperately looking to the order, “Euphemia has nothing but hope for Japan! She wants the fighting to stop! That's why she did this! She wants the Japanese people to be free!”

“In that, Suzaku, you are right.” Zero swept out his arms, “Euphemia Vi Britannia does want a free Japan. That is why she has sacrificed everything, her claim to the throne, her ties to Britannia, to her family, and the only life she has ever known, all for the good of Japan.” His arms swept out from under his cape, “If it were not for her sacrifice, Japan would be celebrating its doom as we speak!”

Gawain knelt; its hand coming to rest against the floor, the knight and his unconscious princess resting mere feet away from the order of the black knights. “Today we welcome the newest member of our order!” Zero's voice boomed, “Someone who believes in the justice of a free Japan! Princess Euphemia Vi Britannia!”

 

Author's Notes: This was fun. This is an example of what I (dis)like to call a 10 page edit story. What that means is that, in the course of writing this chapter, I wrote and edited out 10 pages, actually 11, of scenes since they did not meet my own, personal standards. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take me nearly as long, or frustrate me nearly as much…

I do hope you enjoyed.