Throne of Glass

This is an idea I've had for a very long time, and I'm very excited to get it started. This chapter is pretty long, at least for my standards, but its a necessary length for the introduction. I hope you like it.

Chapter one: My Oath to You

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"Nunnally vi Britannia. Time of death, 6:23 PM. Age: 7."

The words echoed through the room, carried by the heavy silence. Doctors and nurses began to file out of the room, their minds either relieved or uncaring. None truly saddened by the events they had just witnessed.

Not that it even mattered anyway. Lelouch himself couldn't care less what they thought. The small boy was crouched in a corner of the room, emptiness in his eyes that seemed an endless void. The once brilliant amethyst as dead as his sister's. He stared straight ahead as the words echoed in his mind, filling the void with utter despair.

Nunnally is dead.

She's gone.

They're both gone.

He desperately attempted to recall his memories of her. Her smile, her bright eyes. Images flashed through his mind of her in the gardens, with Euphy; and then he remembered seeing her there. Lying on the table so helplessly, perfectly still.

They had been cruel enough to take his mother from him, and still fate conspired to rob him of his beloved sister as well. He had nothing, there was nothing left.

A tear forced it's way from his eye as his face remained unmoved, hidden by his folded arms.

Why?

He was vaguely aware of the arms that found their way around him, and the small body that huddled next to his own. No words were said, nothing to comfort him other than her pink hair flowing over his arms and her gentle hands squeezing his shoulder. He knew she was just as heartbroken as he.

He could hear the foot steps pacing back and forth around him, a flustered and angered young woman leaving them.

"What do you mean it's over?!" He heard.

"That's ridiculous!" She continued to yell into the phone. Cornelia angrily threw her phone against the wall, not watching to see where it landed.

Lelouch slowly shifted his gaze to look at his older sister as she put a hand against her forehead, anguish filling her whole face.

"Father has ceased the investigation." She spoke bitterly.

It took a while for the words to reach his ears, for them to make sense in his mind. When he finally understood what Cornelia had said, something snapped.

The void was instantly consumed with an engulfing inferno. His thoughts alight with a newfound fury. The despair was gone. In its place, a hatred began to grow out of his remorse.

The word he spoke was not filled with the overwhelming anger his sister possessed, but a more terrifying and sinister calmness one would not expect from the small boy. He lifted his head up, his hair parting from his face. "What?"

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All traces of weakness gone from his eyes, an entirely different person marched into the throne room of the Holy Britannian Empire. It was as if a storm followed in his wake that left the nobles beside him in an uneasy silence.

When Lelouch approached the throne that his father sat upon, the emperor himself could feel the small boy's aura clash with his own. A war of wills had begun long before a single word was uttered.

"Your majesty." Lelouch's words cut through the silence like a knife. "My mother the empress, and my sister are dead."

The man upon the throne raised an eyebrow. He had not yet heard of Nunnally's departure, it was an unfortunate side affect. "Old news, what of it?"

Lelouch twitched, struggling against the unbridled fury within him that threatened to break out. But he held it in, he had more still to say. "I have been informed you have called off the investigation, might I inquire as to your reasons for this?"

The emperor huffed, so that was his reason for coming here? "You sought an audience with me to ask a mere question?" With his tone slowly rising, the emperor's will rose to push against his son's.

"For what reason would you refuse to punish those who have found weakness in your house father? Are you not the emperor of Britannia, the most powerful nation to have ever graced the earth?" He asked, almost mockingly. "Why would you let someone get away with this?!" Lelouch shouted, his voice losing to his emotion in the end.

Charles gave a small smirk no one could see. The boy was attempting to play this against him in quite a clever fashion. However, Lelouch simply could not know the true circumstances behind his mother's death, nor the reason he stopped investigating it.

"I have no time to waste with such grievances nor resources to expend on petty matters." He answered. "I have far more important things to deal with than your childish antics!"

"Childish?" Lelouch whispered. "My family is dead and I may as well be too! You did nothing to protect them and you didn't even bother to see your own daughter before she died!" He yelled, his emotions completely taking over his thoughts.

"She died because she was weak. There is no reason to bother with such fragile weaklings!" The emperor retorted with a powerful voice.

Lelouch's face contorted into a picture of rage. "That's it then?! The weak die off to make way for the strong. Your cruelty knows no bounds father." He spat.

The accused emperor twitched, enraged by his son's blatant disrespect. "You will soon find out just how cruel I am!" He yelled and stood from his throne, raising the line between father and son. "You will be sent to Japan as a bargaining chip. You will learn that you are nothing to me! Nothing but a tool that I shall use at my disposal as I see fit!"

Refusing to back down, an unafraid Lelouch took a step toward his father. He had nothing left to lose. "Let's call it what it is. You mean to sign my death warrant then say it like you mean it!" He shouted as loudly as he could. "Don't you dare pretend to offer me mercy. I know exactly what that means."

The emperor narrowed his eyes at his son. The boy was absolutely determined to stand against him. A small part of him-a very small part, was proud his flesh and blood was so bold and fearless. But the rest was simply annoyed. "Perhaps I may do just that then." He said with a snarl.

The emperor of Britannia sat back in his throne, a stone cold look on his bitter face. "Leave my sight boy."

Lelouch stood still, glaring at his father, refusing to back down. "Don't ever think for a moment that I am helpless." He relaxed his posture, standing straight forward against the emperor. "I will return father. The day you forget about me will be the day you fall from your throne." He vowed.

"Wrong." The emperor instantly boomed. "I have already forgotten you boy."

Lelouch glared at him, and whipped around to face the door. His back to his father. "I will have my revenge." He spoke. "That is my oath to you."

He began walking, the piercing gaze of the emperor burrowing into the back of his neck.

"Your majesty."

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The news of what occurred then spread quickly across the empire. Most believed it to be the temper tantrum of a spoiled young prince, as they had no insight as to the circumstances of the outburst. As the commoner empress, Marianne vi Britannia was well known among the common civilians, but her children were not. And unfortunately many failed to see a connection between the deceased empress and the young prince.

Yet at the same time there were more than a few others who would rather see the 'tainted' vi Britannia line forever removed: the budding purist faction's first leaders among the highest on the list of people who wanted to see Lelouch dead.

It was problematic enough that Lelouch decided to leave in complete secrecy. Both to avoid enthusiastic journalists as well as those with more ill intentions. No one outside those directly involved were privileged the knowledge of his final departure of the Britannian homeland. Not even Cornelia and Euphy, who only discovered his absence long after he had arrived in Japan.

When he stepped off the plane he was greeted by a single Japanese woman named Sayoko who guided him to a car. From there he was taken directly to his prison called the Kururugi house. Before he even made his way to the house he was met by his prison warden. Standing beside the gate to his home was prime minister Genbu Kururugi. To the side of the slightly larger man was a much older and bald man Lelouch believed to be Lord Taizou Kirihara. To the other side of the prime minister was a young boy with curly brown hair who held a deep scowl on his face, in which Lelouch immediately felt annoyed by.

He positioned himself in front of the prime minister and looked directly at his stern face. "Prime minister Kururugi, my thanks for housing me during my stay." He took a deep bow and watched as Genbu did the same. Between the bangs hanging in front of his eyes Lelouch suddenly noticed a little girl peering at him from behind Kirihara whom he hadn't noticed before. Her large, inquisitive eyes shone with a curiosity all too much like someone he once knew. And seeing them suddenly brought a sick feeling inside his stomach.

He rose from the bow and turned himself to the older man and the little girl quickly hid herself behind him. Kirihara looked straight at the young boy and the cold lifeless eyes of his. A cold shiver ran through him as the boy spoke. "Lord Taizou Kirihara correct?" He asked, lowing himself to bow before Kirihara.

"Y-yes." He stuttered, returning the bow. He couldn't help but stare at the young prince as he continued.

"My father sends his regards. He hopes the relationship between Britannia and Japan may improve when the next meeting is held." The boy gave a light snort at his own words. He was taken by the maid Sayoko to the house, along with Suzaku and Kaguya who tailed behind them.

A long silence was held between the two Japanese men, before Kirihara spoke. "There is something terribly wrong with that boy."

Genbu nodded silently. He too saw the look in his eyes.

"What was his name...vi Britannia?" Kirihara frowned. "I've heard that recently." He attempted to recall the name he was certain had shown up recently before.

"Empress Marianne." Genbu remembered.

"Ah." Kirihara realized. That made all to much sense. What a tragedy. "I see."

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The few months Lelouch spent at the Kururugi shrine could be described as nothing short of hell on earth. Every one of the maids and servants treated him with disrespect. Not sounding spoiled, he didn't mean a lack of 'royal' accommodations, that he held no taste for. No, the people here genuinely despised him. And they certainly didn't mind demonstrating it. Although the prime minister restrained himself, even he held no respect for Lelouch. The only one who ever spoke to him without malice was Sayoko, the maid he first met at Japan. Her and the little girl Kaguya. Her inquisitive nature reminded him so much of Nunnally he couldn't help but find a small attachment to her. And luckily the young Sumeragi heiress didn't seem to share the blatant disregard for him that her family and friends did.

No not of them however, was worse than Suzaku Kururugi. The son of the prime minister was by every one of Lelouch's definitions: absolutely annoying. When you coupled ridiculous Japanese honor with naive ignorance, you get Kururugi. The stupid fool never let up with his absurd reasons why Japan was better then Britannia. He took Lelouch's presence as a personal insult to his people and quite frankly, Lelouch wanted to strangle him. He would come right after his father.

He wouldn't even really care much except for the fact that he forced to spend time with Suzaku every single day he was here. Kyoshiro Tohdoh, or as Lelouch knew him; Sensei, was charged with training Suzaku in both martial arts and physical endurance. And much to his dismay, Lelouch was dragged kicking and screaming headlong into it. And if his disdain for exercise didn't kill him, Kururugi's constant damnable mocking would get him to do it himself. It would save his father the trouble. Every single day, he woke up at the crack of dawn to run himself into exhaustion only to be thrown to the ground a hundred times by Suzaku during their combat training. The difference between the two was them was more than apparent. And the only reason Lelouch even tried was to show that fucking bastard He was not to be messed with.

Unfortunately that had not happened yet.

Still, he found solace whenever Kaguya came to the Kururugi shrine. Much like him, her young appearance hid a much brighter mind then you would expect to find. His own level of intelligence was closely matched to hers, only separated by his access to much more knowledge. And that knowledge was more than eagerly devoured by the young Japanese girl.

At one point a couple months or so ago, Kaguya had asked Lelouch what the board adorned with black and white pieces he always had set up in his room was. Although it first surprised him, Lelouch realized it would make sense that she had no idea what chess was. But he was more than happy to show her what his absolute favorite past time was. At first, he found it a bit difficult to play against someone so inexperienced, his boredom longing for a better opponent. But it didn't take long for Kaguya to soon catch on to the game. And much to his chagrin, she found it easy to play against Lelouch's own strategy. He had to start putting quite an effort into his undefeated streak against her that he feared he would soon lose.

He watched as she moved her hand across the board, placing her white bishop much too close to his king. He stared down the board, stressing at the game as he discerned what a disadvantage his was currently in. He could see it on her face. She winning and she knew it.

His hand hovered over his knight, debating the the choice he had. Sacrifice the knight, or risk a boxed in king. She was slowly eating away his pieces and it frustrated him to no end.

He picked up his rook and slid it in front of the bishop. She thought he would move the knight, he wouldn't play her game.

A large grin found its way onto Kaguya's face as she snickered. A rook of her own was placed right where his should have been.

Damn it!

He didn't put everything into consideration before acting. It was a stupid move on his part, and he was paying the price. He could now take her bishop, but her rook was right in the wrong place.

"Okay I admit, you're getting better." He muttered. That earned an even wider grin from Kaguya.

"You're playing chess again?"

Lelouch turned to see Suzaku approaching the pavilion the two of them sat at. His tone a mocking one rather than an inquisitive one.

"Yup." Kaguya answered. "And I'm winning this time!" She gleefully told him.

Suzaku huffed, turning his head. "Chess is a stupid game anyway. It's just a copy of shogi.

Lelouch fumed, turning red. "Really?

Chess has been around for centuries. It's a far better game. Besides, the metaphor behind it is much more symbolic." He defended, very personally offended over his favorite game.

Suzaku scoffed. "Whatever, that doesn't mean anything."

"Of course it does. Chess is a metaphor for war." He retorted. He placed a finger atop a pawn, and twirled it in place.

"The pawns are great in number, and their separate value is very minimal. And yet a good leader knows they cannot win without them. Because a bad leader will soon find them their downfall."

He removed his finger and placed it upon the square rook. "The rook is a piece to be relied upon. Just as its appearance dictates it is a fortress to be reckoned with. It is straight forward both in attack and ideal. The bishop," he rested his hand on another piece. "Is cunning, lying in wait and striking when least expected. A crucial piece on an offensive."

He then came to the knight. "The knight is both honorable and powerful. He is able to penetrate even the strongest of defenses. Yet, his nearsightedness stemming from his own pride may come to be his down fall."

"Then there's the queen. Your indispensable ally whom you cannot rely more upon. The most powerful, and most useful. Many go to great lengths to keep their queen protected at all costs. You can tell a lot about a person from how they treat their queen."

"And lastly," he removed his black king from the board, and twirled it in his hand. "You have your king. Although he may not be the most powerful, he is by far the most important. Any piece on the board is willing sacrifice their lives to protect him. For without the king, the entire army is lost."

Suzaku stood there a moment before grumbling. "That doesn't mean anything."

"Chess and shogi are different games Kururugi. Don't compare the two of them." Lelouch stated.

Suzaku frowned in response. "Japanese culture is far more meaningful. It's a culture based on honor and respect."

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "That kind of thinking is so narrow minded."

"Besides," he added more quietly. "You'll have to get used to a different kind of thinking soon anyway."

Suzaku stalked off, leaving the two alone at their game. Kaguya looked up at Lelouch and saw his distressed face as he scanned the board. She was seriously enjoying this game. But something Lelouch had just said left a very strange question in her mind. After a moment of running it over she came to believe she knew what he was speaking of.

"Do you think Britannia will invade Japan?" She asked, moving a knight.

Lelouch winced at her move, but remained nonchalant at her question. "I don't think they will."

Kaguya visibly loosened a bit. That relieved her a bit.

"I know they will."

She stopped, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"My father has had his mind set on Japan a long time. The talks and negotiations were nothing more then a means to bide his time in preparation to strike."

"You...really think that?" She asked again."

"Yes." Came the immediate response.

"Oh." Kaguya whispered.

She looked at the board, suddenly finding it less interesting. She wasn't exactly confident in Japan's abilities should it go to war against the Britannian war machine.

"Lady Sumeragi!"

Kaguya turned from the game to see one of her servants waving to her.

"It seems its time for me to go now." She said with a sigh. She arose from her chair and looked at Lelouch. "Although I would like to hope you are wrong, I...I'm not so sure if you are or not."

She looked down, her heavily downcast eyes filled with sadness. "I really hope you're wrong."

After a moment Lelouch replied. "I'm not."

"I was afraid of that." Kaguya finished before turning to meet with her servant who took her to an awaiting car.

After she had left Lelouch looked down at the board and let out a loud sigh. He really wasn't going to win that one. It would seem he had the luck of God. He laughed to himself. More like the of the devil.

"Did Kaguya leave?" A returning Suzaku asked.

"Yes." Lelouch replied blankly.

"I see." Suzaku said, coming around to face the table. He sat there and looked at the board long and hard. Lelouch could see a look of frustration slowly build on his face before he turned to Lelouch.

"I..." He began. "I want to learn how to play chess." He admitted.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. Suzaku was expecting a more mocking response, but got a much different one. "Sure." Lelouch replied. Suzaku blinked, and Lelouch gestured to the seat across from him.

Suzaku took it and Lelouch began rearranging the pieces to their starting positions.

"Normally I don't play white, but this time I will. White goes first so I can demonstrate." Lelouch began. Suzaku nodded and watched as Lelouch quickly set the pieces to the ends of the board.

"Now." Lelouch said, putting a hand atop one of the short numerous pieces that lined the front row. "Pawns can only move one space, directly in front of them. Except on their first turn they move can move two ahead." He picked up the piece he was holding and placed it down a single space ahead. "They can move diagonally when the capture an opponents piece, that piece being one it would land on."

Lelouch then turned his hand toward Suzaku and watched him select a pawn and moved it two ahead.

Ah, an aggressive type. Lelouch discerned. Figures.

"The knight moves in an L shape. They are the only pieces that can move over other pieces, and capture an opponents piece they 'land on.'" He explained while moving his piece to where he wanted it.

Suzaku also did the same, moving his knight past the line of pawns.

"Now, the bishop-" Lelouch suddenly stopped.

Suzaku frowned, looking at Lelouch. "What wrong?" He asked.

"Ssh!" He hissed. He was listening to something.

After a moment Suzaku believed he could hear it too. A low rumbling thrum that seemed to vibrate the whole pavilion. "What is-" before he could finish Lelouch interrupted him with a panicked voice. "Suzaku get down!" He yelled not a second before a deafening explosion blinded his vision. He suddenly found his face against the ground and came around to discover he was flat on the ground.

Lelouch and Suzaku both sat up to see the upturned table and pieces scattered across the floor. Than looked further to see the huge flames engulfing the entire house beyond them.

"W-what?" Suzaku wondered, startled.

"No. This is bad." Lelouch said, whipping around to see smoke in the far distance, rising in several places.

"What's going on?!" Suzaku demanded.

"Isn't it obvious? Those are bombers. Britannia has declared was upon Japan."

Suzaku's eyes widened an he shook his head. "No, that's not possible, they-"

"Are going to kill us." Lelouch finished. "They specifically targeted the house. It isn't safe here." His fingers came to find themselves wrapping around the gun he kept hidden on him at all times. He stole it from a guard a while back, it was one of the numerous defensive measures he took to protect himself.

"Here." He said. Handing Suzaku a sheathed knife. "Worse comes to worst we will need to defend ourselves."

Suzaku nodded numbly. It was too much for him right now. But a sudden thought did keep him occupied. "We can go to Narita. There's a state of the art underground base there. My father might actually be there now."

"How far is that?" Lelouch asked. Thinking it over.

"About forty miles or so." Suzaku answered.

"Do you know the way though?" He pressed.

Suzaku nodded. He remembered well enough.

"Okay then, seems good enough." He narrowed his eyes. Both Japanese as well as Britannian soliders would present a problem to him. While one would shoot him on sight, the other would take him somewhere he really didn't want to go.

He took one last look at the burning home as it began to crumble into rubble. That was meant to kill me. He realized. It was his death sentence after all. But he had no intentions of going quietly.

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Prime minister Genbu Kururugi stood above a large computerized tactical map. He watched with stern eyes as a much more grim situation began to unfold before him.

"We just received confirmation that Britannians have taken Yokohama."

He continued his gaze as the map changed to show the Britannian forces closing in. So close to Tokyo. He suppressed a grimace. Hardly a day into their campaign and they conquered so much. All thanks to their damned knightmare frames. Those mechanical menaces glided straight through the most defended of cities.

"Move Shiro's battalion to the border. He can help." Genbu ordered.

"Yessir."

He frowned. Things were not looking good.

"Prime minister,"

He turned to face an officer with a look of concern. "What are we going to do about Osaka?"

He narrowed his eyes, there were too many Britannians to deal with. "Whatever may happen we must never surrender. This is a do or die resistance."

Each one of the men in the room knew what that meant, a fight to the death.

"If they want our lands it will be soaked in our own blood."

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Suzaku and Lelouch both crouched down behind the line of trees just outside the road. The two of them peered out across the open space, eyeing cautiously in search of any dangerous groups.

"Where are all the soldiers?" Suzaku asked in a whisper.

"I don't think we're near the front lines, so they won't be around here." But that didn't mean bombings and artillery strikes weren't littered across the many hollowed out homes and craters across the streets.

"Man I'm hungry."

Lelouch glared at his companion. "We've hardly made it five miles Suzaku. We have a ways to go.

The sun was beginning to set and already the devastating affects could be seen across the country from just a single day of fighting. Japan was in for much harder times, and Lelouch knew just what kind of future was in store.

Lelouch spotted movement out of the corner of his eye and flattened himself as fast as he could. Suzaku saw him and did the same, without knowing why.

Ever so slowly, Lelouch rose just beyond the tip of the bushes. His gaze stopping upon the small group of Japanese soldiers who had just appeared from the break in the trees further down the road.

"Japanese soldiers." Lelouch whispered to Suzaku.

Suzaku rose his head to see what Lelouch was talking about. "They can help us." Suzaku exclaimed, much too loudly.

Lelouch pushed his head back down. "Are you stupid?!" He hissed harshly. "Japan is at war with Britannia. I'm Britannian! They won't think twice before shooting me."

Suzaku shook his head. "Don't worry, I'll talk to them. They can take us to Narita."

"No! Don't go out there!" Lelouch insisted. But he was too late. He attempted to pull Suzaku back, but the much stronger boy simply shrugged him off.

"Idiot." Lelouch muttered as he watched Suzaku casually trot over to the two men. Lelouch began to creep around them, sticking to the growing shadows of the trees as the sun fell.

He watched Suzaku approach the men, and began explaining. Although Lelouch couldn't hear them, the men's faces told him most of what was being said.

One man spoke to suzaku and in response he pointed to where Lelouch was just hiding.

How stupid can one person be?! Lelouch mentally screamed.

One man rose his rifle and began spraying gunfire across the spot, emptying an entire clip. Lelouch watched Suzaku's eyes widen in horror, and heard him shouting in distress at the man who had 'killed' Lelouch. The man pushed him off and strode to the place Lelouch had been.

Lelouch swallowed a lump in his throat when the man realized he wasn't there.

He began shouting to his friend, and the two ran through the woods, looking for him. He began backing away, mindful Of the two searching the edges of the wood just nearby.

He suddenly bumped into something and to his surprise, felt arms close around him. He immediately began struggling as the third soldier yelled to his friends.

Lelouch desperately tried to break free as he was dragged into the road where he was met by the other two. He could see a Suzaku standing behind them and Lelouch gave him the most hateful glare he could muster. And in return Suzaku could only show a look of confused horror.

"Look it what we got here." One soldier jeered, getting up in Lelouch's face. "Really think he's a prince?"

"Looks more like trash to me." The other one who wasn't grappling Lelouch down responded. Lelouch did his best to look menacing as he continued to fight his captor.

"What's the matter? Aren't you gonna beg for your life?!" The bigger of the two drove his fist into Lelouch's stomach, expelling the air in his lungs. He dropped into a limp and began gasping as the man who punched him grinned. "How pathetic."

He landed a hook into the side of his head, and all Lelouch could see were stars.

"You bastards think you can have our country?!"

Lelouch looked up, his mouth was bleeding and he wasn't sure how much longer he could last. He had to act fast or he would be incapable of fighting back. Suzaku sure as hell wasn't going to do anything, so it was up to him. He focused as hard as he could before the man could hit him again, and smashed his foot against his captor's as hard as he could. The metal piece of shrapnel Lelouch dug into his shoe earlier cut straight through the bone. He released Lelouch and stumbled backward, likely missing a few toes. Lelouch than drove himself into the man in front of him, his gun jammed into the soldier's chest. The bullet went through his heart, killing him before he hit the ground. With two down, Lelouch whipped up to stare down the barrel of the third's rifle. But much to the Japanese man's shock, all he got was a clicking sound. Lelouch gave a demonic grin. Unlike the soldier, he hadn't forgotten the man never reloaded since emptying his gun into the bushes.

Without hesitation lelouch fired off two rounds into his chest. The soldier collapsed on the ground unmoving.

"Kid!"

Lelouch turned toward the voice to find the man whose foot he crushed still standing. Except this time he had Suzaku in his grasp, a gun to his head. How Suzaku even managed to get himself in that position Lelouch had no idea.

Lelouch lifted his gun up to the last soldier, his finger on the trigger.

At this point the man would be doing him a favor by putting a bullet through Suzaku's head. But, unfortunately, Lelouch did not know how to get to Narita. And he was quite certain the locals would not be willing to help him.

He grit his teeth as he continued to stare at the man. He was really wishing he had more practice with a gun, his chances of hitting Suzaku were honestly much higher. Well, then again, it didn't matter if it didn't kill Suzaku...

But before Lelouch was able to make that decision, he was surprised to see Suzaku jam his elbow into the soldier's stomach. It was surprising both because it was Suzaku. And because the man somehow failed to hold a ten year old boy two different times. To further add to his shock, Suzaku continued to plunge the knife Lelouch gave into the Japanese man's neck. He stumbled backwards before falling on his back, a large amour of blood spewing from the hole in his neck.

Suzaku stood frozen, staring down at his accomplishment in fear. Lelouch however, chose to grab his arm and shake him out of it. "Come on" he told him. "Others definitely would have heard those gun shots." Without a reaction, Suzaku just let Lelouch drag him away, and back into the trees and towards the growing darkness.

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After running as fast as they could for well over an hour, the two young boys finally collapsed inside an abandoned home. Lelouch came to believe he was going to die along the way, only continuing for fear of what may happen if he didn't. He filed through the kitchen before finding a bottle of water that he quickly drained in seconds.

He fell on the ground, his chest rising and falling quicker than his mind was racing. He gazed up at the stars through the hole in the roof likely made by a mortar shell. Suzaku eventually made his way to Lelouch's side, the tears in his eyes long since dried. His face showing a somber reality he had finally come to.

"I really killed someone." He whispered.

"It was either us or them Suzaku. You had no other choice." Lelouch responded.

"But that's not how it is supposed to be." He cried it dismay. "Japanese men would never do that."

"Is it their honor?" Lelouch asked, turning to look at his companion. "Chivalry is dead Suzaku. There is no such thing as honor. Only the real world, the world that took my mother and sister." He spat, his voice quavering as he began to remember. "No one cares about honor." He looked back up at the sky, at the faint glow of the fires that burned somewhere off in the distance.

Suzaku sniffed, the reality of what Lelouch said finally opening his eyes. A single tear fell down his face, a tear shed in memory of honor.

He closed his eyes before turning to face Lelouch.

"Lelouch?"

The exiled prince of Britannia turned back at Suzaku.

"How does the bishop move?"

Lelouch smiled, then began to explain.

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It had been two weeks since the war had begun. Two weeks and more than half of Japan had been seized by Britannia.

Prime minister Genbu Kururgi had issued a do or die resistance, and each man was fighting diligently to fulfill that order.

The man himself stood in the Narita mountains command center. For the duration of the war, Narita had served as their hidden base of operations. Since it was unknown to the Britannians, it would last much longer than Tokyo was going to. Unfortunately it was only a matter of time before the capital fell and the Britannians realized nothing was there. The amount of troops and supplies moving through Narita would ultimately give it away after that, there was no doubt to that.

Still, one thing that worried the prime minister the most was his son. Since the war began he had been missing along with the Britannian prince. Soliders had been sent to his home, only to find a burned out shell and no one to be found. However, no bodies meant he may very well still be out there. And although he couldn't spare the attention, he still hoped for his son's safety.

"Prime minister!"

Genbu looked up from the maps we was analyzing to see a low ranking soldier at the door to the command room. "What is it?" He asked the man.

"Your son! He's arrived in Narita!"

Genbu's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," the soldier replied. "Also...the Britannian wants to speak with you on an urgent matter."

Genbu frowned. "I don't have time for that boy's problems. See to my son that he is treated well. I have more important things to deal with now."

"Yes sir I-" the soldier never finished as he was shoved aside.

"You see sir, those things are precisely the reason I'm here."

Everyone in the room went silent as the prince entered the room. They could see the boy's tattered clothing, the cuts and bruises that signified the rough ordeal he had been the through the past two weeks.

"What is a Britannian doing here?" One officer whispered, starting a low thrum of exchange between the men in the room.

"This is the command center boy, you cannot be here." Genbu commanded Lelouch.

"What are you afraid I'll leak your plans to my father?" Lelouch let out a chilling laugh. "Prime minister I think you misunderstand my relationship with that man."

He strode forward until he came face to face with the prime minister, the rest of the officers gathering around them.

"You see the reason your home was bombed was simply because that is where I was."

Genbu frowned at the revelation. "What are you talking about?"

"My father wants me dead. The only reason I came to Japan was as a bloody flag the moment the war started. I would die, and my death pinned on you. The Britannian soldiers motivation than becomes vengeance. And we all know what that means."

Genbu Kururugi narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps. But I still need to know what it is you are doing here boy."

Lelouch smirked, and produced a small flash drive from his pocket.

He strode over to the computer map of Japan and plugged it in. In a few moments, small blue dots began to appear across the country.

"Those...those are Britannian units!" One officer realized, gawking over the map.

"Yup." Lelouch confirmed. "This is a Britannian tactical operations map. Only officers ranked at brigadier general or higher even have access to these. I pulled together what weight my late mother's name still held to get this. Believe me, it was difficult."

"We might be able to win with this." Another officer commented.

Lelouch laughed again, putting him to silence. "Please. Nothing you can do will help you win."

Genbu frowned. "Then why would you give this to us?"

"There's another option to still have. This base had yet to be detected by Britannia. With this map, you will be able to bring a large amount of resources here without being found. When the base is filled to the brim you will surrender to Britannia."

Before Lelouch could continue prime minister Kururugi interrupted. "How dare you even propose such an idea! We will never surrender!"

"You didn't let me finish." Lelouch said menacingly. "There is no hope to beating Britannia as it is now. However, there is hope in biding your time until a better opportunity arises. Britannia can only stretch itself so far. In time, Japan will be forgotten. Should you pool together what you have now, you will have no issue striking back when that time comes." Lelouch finished explaining. He saw many heads nod in understanding, but one would not have it. "Absolutely not." Genbu answered. "Such an act will disgrace the name of Japan. There is no honor in surrender."

"Honor." Lelouch whispered. "There's that word again."

He sighed. "Fine. If you think you can win, then be my guest." He yawned before he began walking out of the command center. "You can keep the flash drive. Just consider my health insurance. I'd much appreciative a decent night's sleep."

The whole congregation watched as the prince exited the room, leaving silence in his wake.

Never. Never would he ever consider surrender. How dare that Britannian brat even think of it.

Dishonor to anyone who thinks in such a way.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Kyoshiro Tohdoh was in distress. Each an every passing day brought Japan further to its knees. Even the map prince Lelouch offered them didn't help in the end. Everyone believed they could win after Itsukushima, and yet slowly, Tohdoh began to believe the boy may be right.

But even still, prime minister Kururgi had ordered a do or die resistance. Japan would fight to the death rather than give up and roll over dead. Yet, Lelouch's offer wasn't exactly giving up.

He shook his head as he continued down the hallway. His duty was to Japan. His honor demanded he fight. The prince wanted to have them sit around for possibly years watching their country now before the Britannian empire. Honesty, to some it may appear he was working with the emperor after all, but Tohdoh knew that wasn't true. Something told him the young boy wasn't lying. Besides, it had been three days since the prince came to Narita. By then Britannia would have been right on their door step.

All doubts aside, he came to the conclusion that he would do that which Prime minister Kururugi wanted. He was the leader of Japan, and as such he deserved Tohdoh's respect.

As he came to the door in front of him, he gave it a light rapping. "Prime minister."

He waited a moment for an answer, standing at attention before the door. He frowned. "Prime minister?" Still nothing.

He knocked harder before cracking open the door. His eyes widened in horror.

"Prime minister!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Lelouch stood outside the mountain, watching as a unit of tanks made their way inside the base. A light smirk began to creep on his face as he looked across the forests surrounding the mountain that may end up being his home for a long time.

Since the prime minister's suicide, the officers who had been willing to initially accept Lelouch idea were more readily eager to do so. In a few days, Britannia would discover the prime minister dead in Tokyo. Following the announcement Britannia would likely claim their killing of him, the remaining Japanese leaders would issue a formal surrender. It would all work out nicely.

"Lelouch."

He turned behind him to see Sensei Togdoh approaching his perch.

"Ah Sensei, I had been meaning to ask you something." Lelouch responded.

"What is that?" Tohdoh asked.

"I want to resume my training."

Tohdoh raised an eyebrow at the request.

"Yes I know, I wasn't very enthusiastic the first time around. But, I've come to realize something." He looked onward with a face of deep thought. "One cannot lead from behind. If I am to lead people, I won't do it from a room deep under a mountain."

He turned back to Tohdoh. "That's why I want to train, so I can be fit to lead."

Tohdoh nodded. "I understand that."

He came to stand beside the boy, he gaze locked on the cold eyes of the young prince. "There's just one thing I need to know first."

"What's that?" The prince asked.

"Why did you kill Genbu Kururgi?"

Lelouch chuckled. "Why you ask? Certainly seems your positive in your accusation."

"Don't play games with me. Nothing else makes sense." Tohdoh threatened.

"Alright then. Answer me this: what is honor?"

Tohdoh scowled, narrowing his eyes. "Honor is respect. Honor is what makes a person great."

Lelouch nodded. "Mm. Tell me, is it honorable to hide away and order every last one of the people you lead to die?"

Tohdoh froze, knowing exactly what he was inferring.

"Sensei, do you serve Japan, or its leaders?"

Tohdoh closed his eyes. "I will forever serve my country for as long as I live."

"Then how can you serve a nation of the dead. Is it not your duty to see it survives?"

Tohdoh remained silent, so Lelouch continued. "Genbu Kururugi was a coward. He ordered the death of his entire country knowing full well he would be the last to die."

He looked up at the sky, clearer since the bombings stopped. "I've thought of a more artful way to put it. 'If the king does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?' You can hate me all you want for what I did. Show it by working me to death; it will benefit us both in the end."

Lelouch turned to look Tohdoh in the eye. "But I will not be a coward, I will lead sword drawn. Because the momentI do otherwise my hypocrisy will warrant my death. And if I ever do, I want you to cut me down."

Tohdoh nodded, agreeing to his terms.

"It is for Japan Sensei. This way it will have a future to look forward to. One day I will bring Britannia to its knees."

Lelouch twisted his face into one of rage. His hands curled into white-knuckled fists.

"That, is my oath to you."

"Father."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The one word I would use to describe Lelouch would be terrifying.

When I first met him eight years ago it was as his Sensei. My first impression of the boy was that he was apathetic, as he was uncaring for the training I tried to give him. It wasn't until I discovered he murdered Genbu Kururugi that I began to see his true self. It was even much later that I learned the reasons behind the boy's disregard for life. At that time I could only feel pity for him. Even still, the tragedy that befell him became the fuel that would ignite a flame within him, that would eventually come to engulf the entire world.

That fire would be a beacon to all the people of Japan. And I certainly believe that Lelouch, although his motives may not ultimately fall with Japan, will be the savior of it's future.