Of Knights & Royals

Cornelia stared.

It was really all she could do, especially given what exactly she was staring at.  Three months ago, when she had come to Area 11 at her brother, Clovis’ request after subduing Area 18, she had seen the terrorist conflict on the island as just that: a terrorist conflict.  After several weeks, she had finally understood that, despite the fact that the rabble and ragtag group of militants was outgunned, outclassed, and outnumbered, they were utterly convinced that it was their duty to oppose Britainnian rule with every ounce of strength in their body.  The Elevens, or Japanese, as the terrorists insisted had a drive and persistence that, under any other circumstance, she might have found admirable.

Now, she’d found it merely frustrating.

Well, it had been merely frustrating until Euphemia had been taken hostage by a faction of the Japanese Liberation Front.  The fact that no one had known it wasthe third Princess of the Empire had only made the situation more complicated and delicate.  Under normal circumstances, Cornelia would have stormed the compound and damned the consequences.  With Euphemia in their midst…

Five hours, two dead hostages, and a blitzkrieg by an unknown third party later, Cornelia was left staring at her little sister, the light of her life, and the inspiration for her life up to this point…who was doing something she’d never done before.  Even though the pink-haired princess was quivering from the stress of her ordeal or from standing up to her older sister, she was displaying a look of determination that the Witch of Britainnia had only glimpsed in passing before.

“I know he saved your life, but whoever he is, he’s broken a dozen Britannian military and civilian codes.  While I’m grateful for what he did, he also needs to answer for several counts of grand theft, property damage, reckless endangerment, numerous counts of outright murder if he’s not part of the army, insubordination if he is, and a host of other charges that I can’t even name right now!”

Cornelia’s impressive spiel left her Knight shifting uncomfortably in the background as he contemplated just how lucky they were that someone had decided to break those laws and rescue Euphie.  Had they not…there was a very real chance the girl would be dead by now.  Still, there would be some consideration given the circumstances.  He, himself, would do everything in his power to get the person or people involved a reduced sentence since he didn’t have to deal with the depressed, possibly suicidal Princess that Euphemia’s death would have created.

“But he’s…”  Euphemia started, then stopped herself.  She bit her lip and, deciding whether or not she could stop her sister from following through with her threat.  In the end, she meant Cornelia’s gaze unflinchingly and stated, with a boldness completely uncommon to her, “You can’t.”

“I…can’t?”  Cornelia asked slowly, attempting to comprehend the fact that her little sister had just committed a serious political and familial faux paw in outright refusing an order from her elder.  “Sub-Viceroy Euphemia li Britainnia you will explain yourself immediately.  On what grounds can I not, if I so wished, have this pair of rabble flogged?”

Euphemia flinched and replied in a quiet voice.  “Under Imperial Law, any individual taking action in a field of battle not ordered by his superior is to suffer a court martial or, should he be not of any military branch be-“

“-Put under the judgment of the commander of said field, as he has forcibly enrolled himself in the military by taking such actions,” Cornelia finished the quote, raising an eyebrow at the recitation.  “Which is exactly my point.  Now unless you plan to continue this farce-“

“-Unless said individual is a Knight of the Round or a Prince or Princess of the Empire or acting under direct orders from such an individual…in which case only the Emperor may pass judgment if conduct is found questionable.”  Euphemia interrupted, her heart loud in her ears as Cornelia stared disbelievingly at her.

“What?”

It was what was called in legal circles, at least, the ‘Royal Corollary.’  The addendum was present almost universally across all legal codes in the Areas and the homeland and usually went unmentioned unless someone was trying to make a point.

“You can’t honestly expect me to believe that a Knight of the Rounds or a member of the Royal Family would jerry-rig a jet engine to an ancient third generation Knightmare Frame, jump out of a plane, crash into the fortieth floor Grand Hall, and single-handedly kill the terrorist’s group of armed leaders?  Or do you expect me to believe that it’s the little redheaded nutcase in the M-1 construction Frame that managed to make it down a several hundred-yards long shooting gallery without a scratch, lockdown the building, and cut the power?”  Cornelia’s questions were heavy with disdain as she wondered exactly what Euphemia was doing.  Was it possible she’d had a nervous breakdown?

“Lulu always was a little unconventional, wasn’t he?”

In that moment you could have, literally, heard a pin drop in the silence that Euphemia’s seemingly offhand comment caused.  Unbidden, an old wound ruptured in the Witch of Britannia’s heart as flashes of memory…a little boy, far too serious for his age, sitting in his mother’s lap in a Knightmare Frame, the mother herself as she practically flewthrough a battle, and a little girl with Euphemia’s hair and bright smile laying in a hospital bed…

“You can’t honestly expect me to believe-“

Cornelia shook her head, pushed past her little sister and into the hospital room beyond.  The two guards outside snapped to attention at her appearance as she crossed the threshold, determined to get to the bottom of this ridiculous story-

Her legs almost gave out when she saw him.

Sitting up in the hospital bed, the ‘redheaded nutcase’ in a bed right beside him (which was a clear breach of protocol: keeping two possible terrorists in the same hospital room, let alone a man and woman).  He was the spitting image of his mother, the Empress Marianne, but bore such an intensity in his eyes that it almost echoed their father.  Unlike the last time she’d glimpsed him, returning from that ill-fated audience with the Emperor, he had a…lightness to his eyes, it wasn’t quite what she’d call joy, but at least happiness.

A slight smile, so slight that she almost missed it, hung on his lips; it was the smile she’d seen on many a soldier’s faces after a hard day’s work that indicated satisfaction in their accomplishments and a desire to do nothing but relax.  It wasn’t an expression common among much of her family, for various and sundry reasons and she was very nearly jealous that little Lulu, that serious boy from so long ago, had somehow earned the right to smile so simply and honestly.

“I call.”

The redhead’s voice broke her revere and, just as fast as she’d seen it come, that smile morphed into a positively wolfish smirk as his hand flipped and revealed four aces.  An answering smirk turned Lelouch’s sour as he beheld-

“Four Twos and a Joker,” Kallen grinned.  “I win again.”

Lelouch rolled his eyes and slapped the cards down, the action not inhibited by the handcuff chaining him to the bed.  “This is why I like chess.”

“Please,” Kallen snorted.  “You’re good at Poker, but me?”  The redhead smirked, “I’m magic.”

Even as the two seemed to just notice Cornelia’s presence, the Witch’s mind was able to read a startling amount from the interaction.  The two were obviously very familiar with each other, to the point where she would almost say they were lovers save for the fact that there was none of the awkwardness normally associated with teenagers and…extracurricular activities.

Not to draw too many similarities to her soldiers, but she’d seen much the same camaraderie in them, too.  It was noticeable but, just barely, in each movement they were depending on the other to be there, to be in arm’s reach and ready to pull their ass out of the fire.  It was the kind of bond that took years to form and near-constant life-or-death situations to maintain.  Words, to people who had this kind of bond, were just that: words.  There wouldn’t be any hesitation if one of their lives were in danger, one would throw themselves in front of a bullet, a car, or a Knightmare to save the other.

There was no end of questions as to how two, supposedly normal Britainnian teens had developed such a bond.  Of course, if these two really had done a lot of the things her recon said they did…

It might not be much of a mystery at all.

“Well, it’s good to see some things haven’t changed,” Lelouch stated dryly, “Although I really had hoped Euphie would be able to keep a secret from you by now.  This is Kallen Stadfield, the daughter of the Earl of Stadfield.”

“Your Highness,” The redhead addressed, lowering her eyes respectfully since she couldn’t bow chained to the hospital bedrail.  “I want to apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused following His Highness Prince Lelouch’s orders.”

Cornelia felt her lips twitch at the fairly well-delivered statement which translated to: It was all his idea, he’s the one you want, not me.  “Well said, Lady Stadfield, though I would be remiss in not offering you some credit for nearly destroying a multi-billion dollar hotel, endangering the lives of a score of civilians, infringing on a military operation, and the theft of industrial and military equipment.”

Kallen paled impressively, but Lelouch just rolled his eyes and Cornelia felt compelled to give into the belief that this might, might, just be her little brother come back from the dead.  “Of course,” The Witch of Britainnia smiled slyly, “I’d also need to give you credit for saving the lives of that same score of civilians, eliminating one of the most infamous branches of terrorists in Japan, and saving the lives of two members of the royal family.”

“Three,” Lelouch corrected and Cornelia blinked.

“Three?”

“Nunnally was in with Euphemia and the rest of the hostages and, technically, she saved the civilians,” The Black Prince stated as he skillfully shuffled the deck of cards with the air of an experienced dealer.

“Nana?”  Cornelia breathed, the word both disbelieving and filled with a longing sadness for the girl that had always been a second little sister to her.  “Wait, the blind girl with the-the cane sword?!  That was-“

“Things change, Nelia,” Lelouch said, cutting her off ruthlessly and not meeting her eyes.  “Not always for the better.  I suppose we’re to be shipped back to the homeland now?”

“I…see.”

No, she didn’t and they both knew it.  Regardless she nodded, “I’ll have Nana brought up from holding and you’ll both be moved to the Tokyo Settlement Hospital.  Lady Stadfield, I’ll have your mother contacted as soon as we can reach her.”