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End of and Era Chapter 26
🕑 Added 2023-06-30 12:52:27 +0000 UTCI only just realized that part 3 of this story had gone on far longer than the first two, so this will serve as its end. Don’t worry though, there will be 4 chapters worth of epilogue that follows as I wanted this to be 30 chapters long and I’m sticking to it. Once it's done, it will be a while before book 2 comes out and now that I have a patreon up and running, I’m going to follow a new formula, that being that new chapters will be up on my patreon a week early so once I’m finished working through the last of the planning for it, and you all get the notification for the new story, you can head on over there to read the second chapter as well. One last thing, which is not connected to this story, I just gotta know, was I the only one that saw the mini coup in Russia as a version of the setting for the events of the first CoD MW game? You know, the one where there’s a civil war in Russia between government loyalists and ultranationalist insurgents?
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Chapter 26: False God
15 Hours after Lelouch had made his escape, the forest looked nothing as it once did. Where it had once stood as this large, mysterious and peaceful patch of forest standing alone in the Welsh plains, it was no a burnt-out ruin. Suzaku had sought to smoke out Lelouch, his knights and those refugees after their sensors proved incapable of penetrating the thick mist-covered canopy of the trees. Deciding on more direct means, he ordered his troops to fire on it, to burn them out or burn them to ash but much to his frustration, what should have been only a few minutes before the forest caught alight from the incendiary rockets they fired into it, only for the place to deflect those missiles as if there was a barrier.
It took a concentrated effort on a single spot to finally pierce through and start the fires they wanted, and then they had to repeat that process. All leading to the present, 8 am sharp with dozens of white clocks moving about, examining, picturing and otherwise helping to put out the fires now that they had managed to deal with the problem.
‘Move that debris to the side.’
‘Some fires are still burning over here; it’ll take a minute to extinguish them.’
‘I’m seeing a lot of dead birds, but nothing else.’
Overseeing this was Chief Inspector De la Garza, she had been involved in the prior battle and had a chance to kill the rebels if not for that Mordred variant taking her out. despite this loss injuring her, she was out and about, not letting her arm being in a cast stop her from carrying out her duty to the regime. ‘Keep up the search, meter by meter if you must! Now way they just vanished and I want to know when, where and how, move it!’ She ordered her troops, perfectly masking her frustration with how things had gone for them. They had approached the situation with overwhelming firepower and had plans to extract as much information as they could from the captured anti-regime agents but all that went out the window when those damned mutant horse riders appeared.
30 Knigtmares, all 8th gen Vincents and yet they didn’t mean a damn thing as 14 were destroyed and another 8 damaged. Even their air support hadn’t been saved from the string of events that led to their failure. If she could just get her hands on those damned intruders…
‘Chief Inspector.’ She was knocked out of her angry musings by the voice of her direct superior, shocking her as she quickly turned around and bowed to him, wishing to smack herself over the head for not noticing the man walking up to her, she had already seen what he did to some poor no-name that had approached him after the failed capture operation, she wasn’t in any rush to see what it was like to have his sword impale her.
‘Grand Inquisitor.’ She greeted him with utmost respect from her bow, but if he cared for it, or was still upset about their present situation, he did a good job at covering it as his breathing was calm and steady.
‘Report.’ She rose from her bow and snapped her fingers, in response, someone quickly approached hand opened up a map of the area, though that would be generous as it was merely an image captured from a bird's eye view overlayed with a grid with some areas already crossed out as "cleared" or "Need further search". With this visual aid in hand, she began to explain things.
‘I already gave the order to organize the entire forest into a grid search pattern, and have brought in scent dogs.’ She nodded to the side where some of the dogs were leading white cloaks into the parts of the forest that hadn’t been burned to the ground. ‘These portions have already been looked over, twice but we haven’t gotten anything from there.’ She directed his attention back to the map, pointing at the spots already crossed out as the man nodded, saying nothing in response.
Taking his silence as permission to continue, she directed his gaze towards the structure at the center of the clearing, the one thing that had survived hours of missiles and fire. The strange doorway didn't seem like it was built for anything else other than perhaps an old religious structure or a piece of oddly placed art. 'This area is promising, but the scent all dies around here. We've found the remains of wooden buildings, we don't know what they were before the bombardment began but we should have answers in a few days, but we can conclude that there were no occupants when they burned down as there hasn’t been a single scarp or hair of human remains to be found.’
That was a bit of an irritation if she was honest, as after all the trouble they put her through, she was expecting to take something from them but it would appear that managed to get off Scott-fee. In contrast to her irritated, dirty appearance, the Grand Inquisitor was a picture of clean, calm observance as he took one look towards the Thought elevator and made up his mind.
‘It’s pointless, call off the search.’ He told her, walking towards the structure the woman was left shocked by this, hurriedly dismissing the white cloak with the map to follow after the taller man.
‘Grand Inquisitor? Can you please repeat that?’ He didn’t so much as turn to her as he replied as he finally reached the thought elevator, looking at the structure with a barely concealed eye of malice which none of his subordinates saw. He had believed that this part of his life was done, that the madness that was geass was a non-factor in society, especially after these 5 years when he and Argus couldn’t find any trace or other geass users like the former Princess Marrybell, or the former E.U. soldier, Leila.
Both had been high-priority targets in the early days, as he knew for a fact that the former E.U. commander would stand against them and their methods of enforcing peace, but months went by without any word from her. They had thought they found her trial 20 months in, but that went cold as they could track her whereabouts to Northern Denmark, close to the town of Fjerritslev but their tracks stopped there…almost like she and those who left with her vanished.
Marrybell was even harder as she was in Area 14 when Schneizel had defeated the coalition forces, but vanished a week later, along with the Glynda Knight, she didn’t even leave a letter of resignation but instead, rigged her office to explode which killed several of his men sent to investigate. They had even left behind their equipment, floating ship and knightmares. There was a sighting of someone matching her description in the former Area 18, but that was months old by the time he could look into it.
However, with this new inclusion, this entire place and Lelouch deciding to rear his ugly head again, he was suspecting that it was all connected, he just didn’t know how yet.
Placing a hand on the marble, which despite everything had no cracks or scratches on its exterior, he replied. ‘You won’t find any of their remains, not when he was involved.’
‘Prince Lel-’ He rounded on her quickly, his eyes ablaze with a fury which he barely contained from being released as a roar but instead kept quiet, but icy cold and brutally harsh.
‘He is no prince.’ De la Garza swallowed her soul back into her chest at that, bowing even lower to the man in apology for her poor choice of words.
‘Of course, forgive my mistake.’ The man kept up his glare at her, his breathing taking a moment to ease out into a more acceptable level before he turned his gaze from her.
‘You won’t find anything of value here. He had plenty of time to plan his escape like the snake he is, though this.’ He told her, his eye returning to the Thought Elevator had he made a mental map of all the places they could have vanished to. Now that he knew where were involved, he would check in with Argus and see if there weren’t any suspicious activities close to the sights they had on record.
Gathering herself after staring death in the face, the woman wiped away some of her nervous sweat before she replied. ‘Yes, our teams are still trying to make heads or tails on it. It’s clearly made from what I’m told is fine imported marble, but we have no records either in the local or historical files that would explain it.’
‘Because it wouldn’t exist in such…mundane places.’ Of course, it wouldn’t, these woods themselves were also new things, only appearing in the record a few years ago. If there was a thought elevator here before, surely the geass order would have known about it. Did Lelouch summon the same way he summoned those metal puppets of his? Maybe, but it was still here whereas his other summons hadn’t lasted longer than a couple hours, as the reminds of the Zangetsu and Vincent he summoned had disintegrated whole in his flagship’s storage bay.
And it’s in far greater shape than the others, is it perhaps because it's…younger?' He mused to himself.
‘Grand Inquisitor?’ Giving the woman a glance over his shoulder, he turned and started to walk off, back towards his transport.
‘Make sure to document every inch of this place, details description, witness testimony and photos, anything you can get.’ He ordered her, being quickly shadowed by his personal guard as he left the site. ‘I have a call to make.’
‘As you command, you heard him, get to it!’ De la Garza turned to the rest of the man, yelling out the orders loud and clear.
‘Yes, mam!’
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Sometime later, Suzaku was disembarking from his transport, safely within the bay of his flagship, one that much to his annoyance was lacking some of its knightmares that had been lost in the field. Waiting for him was the captain of the vessel, one Chadwick Harthorne, a portly man in his 40s that was exceptional at his job, and even more so at being able to pick up when his presence wasn't appreciated. ‘Sir.’ The captain saluted him as he walked right past him, the man turning to follow after him along with his guard.
‘Get the Prime Minister on the line, and Schneizel.’ Chadwick didn’t let his master’s disregard for him, or the fact he was treating him like a mere servant get to him, having grown used to such behaviors' in his time under the man.
‘At once sir.’ He nodded as he branched off to get that done.
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20 minutes later, he knocked on the door to his lord's private quarters, and upon being let in by one of his guards, bowed to him. ‘It’s been done, sir.’ Suzaku was seated, his blade to the side along with his cape, revealing his suit of armour in all its glory, including the parts that were more as support for his irradiated body. He appraised the man for a moment, no sound other than his breathing as his guards stood as silent statues, statues that at any moment, could spring into action to protect their lord with brutal efficiency.
After what felt like an eternity, the man spoke. ‘Leave.’ Chadwick didn't waste his time as he left the room, leaving the man with his men as he turned his seat around to face the massive screen for his workstation, tapping a button to connect the call. It took only a few seconds for the call to connect, showcasing Nunnally, seated in her office looking prim and proper, the woman not amused by his early call. Schneizel was on the other half of the screen, the man has not changed a bit in the years he had served him, at least in appearance wise as his clothing swung closer to what a modern Greek god would wear more by the day it seemed, but he didn't much care for the man's ego as he smiled at him as if they were friends. What he was annoyed by was the fact that against his hopes, Schneizel wasn't alone.
'So, your hunt came to a disappointing end?' His ever-hated co-worker, and the head of the world intelligence agency, Argus spoke up. Suzaku couldn't tell you how much he yearned to take the suck-up's head and mount it over his castle walls. Even during their days as servants to Britannia, he felt there was something off with the man, in his fanatical devotion to Schneizel which he could mask behind that appearance of a calm, welcoming man. When he had agreed to the coup against Odysseus, Kanon had been extremely hostile to him, though not through violence but in subtle slights and words. He only ever backed off when his master told him to, at which point he acted like the two were the best of friends which made their interactions weird and tense, to put it mildly.
But then, with Schneizel’s attention on feeding his ego, Kanon become a serpent, smiling and acting friendly enough when they had to speak with one another, but undermining his authority and efforts as if his success meant that Schneizel would choose to favour him over the manservant, a notion that frankly, he would refuse to as he agreed to be a butcher-not a confidante.
‘I see that the rat is still on the top of his game.’ He replied, his words laced with venom as Kanon sneered back at him, an expression that did nothing to a man that had one 13 years surrounded by Britannian elitist pricks.
'Argus exists to gather any intelligence to serve this peace, your brutish actions are like fireworks in the intelligence community.'Kanon replied, already knowing about how things went because of course he had a few of his white cloaks in his pockets. A notion that he just dealt with as he had tried three times to purge them of any potential Argus agents, and three times hundreds had been arrested, and interrogated before being thrown into the ocean from half a kilometer up. Three times he had realized that he either catch all of them or that they were simply replaced with new ones.
'And yet, they managed to dig up more about this in the last 2 days than you did in 2 years, perhaps getting one’s hands dirty yields greater results than it would be sitting in some office.’ He shot back, getting a glare from the man for bringing up how those same agents which he loved to place anywhere and everywhere had somehow missed this.
‘You dare-’ His rebuttal was ceased when Schneizel rose a hand, the two falling silent at it as they waited for their master to speak.
‘Enough, both of you.’ Despite the argument between two of his highest-ranking servants, Schneizel was the image of calm control. ‘Are the reports accurate?’ He asked Suzaku directly, with the man nodding to it.
‘They are…he was here.’ He didn’t need to say who, all three knew there was only one person that could have pulled off something like this.
‘It has been quite some time since my brother graced the world stage. But there lays a question as to why now of all times, why in Wales?’ Nunnally asked, showing no emotions on the issue of her brother making a return to the stage and what complicated feelings he knew she must be going through right now involving it.
‘We’re still looking into it, sir. Our agents are combing through every lead we have.’ Kanon replied, getting some of his composure back as Suzaku rolled his eyes, reaching for another button.
‘The Lancelot captured the entire exchange; it might shed some light as to his reasons.’ He pressed the button, the screen splitting 3 ways with the center showcasing everything that the Lancelot saw and heard when he first entered the battlefield. This showed his view of the battle, Lelouch making his grand return to which Nunnally pursed her lips as Schneizel merely rose an eyebrow at what his brother wore. Those look all turned surprised in some form as the former prince turned terrorist unveiled his new power, summoning a knightmare that Schneizel and Kanon had believed destroyed, laying this on with more.
There was silence as they watched the battle between the two, with it ending with Lelouch making a narrow escape after he pelted the fleet with meteors that came from portals similar to the ones that he used to summon his creations and escape into. Suzaku paused the footage after the fact as he didn’t need to see the rest of the 2 hours, he spent active before he returned to the Grey.
‘It has been years since I last saw his face, he looks more like his mother with each passing encounter.’ Schneizel noted his looks of all things, but Suzaku had given up trying to understand the thought process behind the man and merely held his tongue, knowing that he had more to say on the issue. ‘However, this only piques my curiosity.’
Nunnally turned to the man, critical of what he was saying about the situation as this was a serious threat. Small he might appear to be, Lelouch had proven time and time again that underestimating could be the death call to any chances of victory against him. ‘Brother?’
‘Do you think it’s merely coincidence that while we’re experiencing a wave of unexplained events and monster sightings, Lelouch happens to have a brand no geass? One that summons machines to his side?’ He asked them a question, getting silent for a moment as Suzaku had considered that, but for as much as he despised the man, he couldn't think of a reason why he would be attacking random locations with creatures straight out of myth.
‘Is he the root of it?’ Kanon asked, to which their leader shook his head, most likely have come to the same conclusion that Suzaku did on the issue.
‘Doubtful, all the incidents have no set pattern, struck nothing of importance. But I believe he knows more than we do, making his capture all the more important.’ Nunnally crossed her fingers at Schneizel’s words.
‘It will be difficult to do that, as he’s made it an art form of escaping capture and disappearing into the woodwork.’ She noted as it was by chance that he was present, if she knew her brother, he was a man that hated the concept of chance, so he’ll make sure that this won’t repeat.
‘Not so, while we don’t know where he is, we do know what he’s doing. He’s the one behind these mass disappearances, and from how he spoke with the Grand Inquisitor, he views himself as their guardian.’ Schneizel reminded them as his little brother’s words rung similar to those he spoke as Zero, and if he’s holding himself to a similar standard, then he can’t just ignore people in need.
Catching on, Nunnally asked. ‘So where they might be in trouble, he’ll appear, just like he did at Saitama?’ The Chancellor nodded.
‘Or someone subordinate to him, perhaps Jeremiah. Regardless, we now know that he is involved with these situations, and can plan ways to force his hand.’ His brother had rejected the extremely generous plea deal, but he had expected that from him as he was someone who even as a child despised pity, and from their chess match in the Forbidden City, he saw that his brother hadn’t changed in that regard, refusing the easy win despite how much he would have benefited him to remove Suzaku from the board.
No, he would need to force his hand to gain any sort of cooperation from him. He doubted that someone like Jeremiah, despite being reported to be extremely close and loyal to him would know all that much, but if he acted as he did with Kozuki’s capture, he'll be liable to be willing to at least speak with them in exchange for his servant's life.
‘And what of the Thought Elevator?’ Suzaku asked them, bringing up the other major issue to discuss.
‘Charles's files have nothing about one in this area, outside the one in London which was destroyed, there shouldn't be any more in Western Europe, never mind the British Isles.’ Schneizel had taken the liberty to go through his father's notes the previous night once he received word of the suspected Thought Elevator. The man had been keen to document and map out every known site and this new one wasn't on that list.
Looking at the images they were getting of it, Nunnally’s eyes narrowed in contemplation. ‘The structure looks remarkable compared to the others, though I doubt it was merely just well preserved.’ The two men nodded with her as Suzaku had seen only one, but could tell its age from a glance while Schneizel had seen 3 of them and they were all the same, despite the massive japs of distance, geographic location and local materials.
Of course, there was another possible reason for a new Thought Elevator to just pop up in the middle of Wales which Schneizel could think of. ‘Considering he managed to summon a Vincent, and the Zangetsu to fight as his puppets, I wouldn’t put it past him to have figured out a means to create more of them.’ Suzaku’s gaze harden there as he remembered the fight, and how he was robbed of the chance to end that bastard.
'If that is the theory, then we can't dedicate too many resources to monitoring the elevators we knew about, as he wouldn't use those if he has alternatives.’ Nunnally reminded them.
'We'll double our efforts to track them down and have agents keep an eye on them. Also, if he's actively searching for dissidents to the regime, then odds are that they won't stop now.' Kanon cut the woman off, already thinking of ways they could force her brother’s hand in this new battle of wills and wits.
‘Be cautious with your efforts, Kanon. My brother is a crafty and cautious creature,’ Schneizel reminded his manservant, giving him a look to reprimand him for butting into Nunnally's words which cowed the man. ‘He won’t make the same mistake as he did in his youth against Cornelia.’
Bowing to the man, Kanon relented. ‘Of course.’
‘What am I to do with this one then?’ Suzaku asked, bringing the attention back to him as he refocused the footage to their latest images of the Thought Elevator. ‘It serves no purpose to us if he won’t use it again, shall I have it destroyed?’
‘I would advise against that, Grand Inquisitor.’ Nunnally ordered him, emphasising his title and how it was beneath her own.
‘Oh?’ He turned his ire towards her, daring her to command him like he was their pet.
Unmoved by his aggression, the wheelchair-bound woman continued. 'It took your damaged fleet over 12 hours to burn that forest to the ground, something that should have been impossible with the amount of firepower granted to it, those woods, though burnt down, may offer us clues as to who the fugitive, Prince Lelouch, managed to augment them to do such, and perhaps a means to figuring out how his new powers work.' His fist tightened as she threw the fact that her brother, with no knightmare or ship of his own, had managed to damage his forces. He wished to throw it in her face that Lelouch had used his damned black magic to curse that forest to make it incredibly hard to torch, but he held back as he =knew he would be playing into her hands.
Instead, he met her challenge with a counter of his own. ‘And what, Prime Minister, do you suppose we do with them? We have no one versed in the occult that could be of any use, or are you suggesting I bring in historians and archaeologists?'
Nunnally continued to glare at him as she replied, maintaining her cool. 'I'm merely pointing out that those remains, and that Thought Elevator, a new one if the images are accurate, are worth more to us in one piece than in 10,000.'
Speaking up once more to break up the tension, Schneizel took central stage. ‘I can perhaps handle that.’ Both looked towards with him some level of surprise, as he had been rather hand’s off with the day-to-day maintenance of the government, being content to watch over the world like a God.
‘Sir.’ Nunnally asked him
‘What?’ Suzaku questioned, his response lacking the same respect that Nunnally’s had, but he didn’t care to add it and Schneizel never seemed bothered by it to begin with. 'So you deem this enough to warrant your presence, your holiness?'
Of course, there was the other person in the call that seemed to think Schneizel was God and he, his Archbishop as Kanon took great offence to his mocking title towards the blonde man. ‘Hold your tongue, Grand Inquisitor, else you’ll lose it.’
‘It’s quite alright, Kanon. To answer your question, Suzaku.’ Suzaku didn’t know how, but Schneizel seemed to have mastered an uncanny ability to insult and belittle something with nothing more than a look as while he had his smile on lock, his eyes told Suzaku just how beneath him Schneizel believed the Japanese man to be. Perhaps it was his way of clapping back for his lack of respect? 'Such matters would warrant my attention. I may not be a geass user, but I've studied my father's notes on them extensively, and more than that, I know my brother, better than you ever could. So, I would have the best chance at figuring out his next move.'
Suzaku was silent for a moment, debating the notion in his mind but he ultimately settled on letting it go, it wasn't like he could convince the man otherwise when his role in this entire thing was the hammer, the butcher, the man that people thought was so scary that they didn't dare to go against the regime. ‘…Very well, I’ll have my men leave things as they are, but I’ll be leaving a portion of them to guard the place.’
‘Naturally.’ Schneizel replied before the meeting continued for another hour.
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Hours later, with the sun setting on the planet, Nunnally looked out towards the planet, not being able to experience that same thing as the people down below with Damocles being an orbital fortress, separate from them. Though sometimes she wondered just how much they had truly separated themselves from the people, how high they had built their ivory tower then the people didn't even appear as ants, but specks of dirt, unseen by their naked eye.
And somewhere down there, her brother, her caretaker, her parent…he was active, he was gathering people and most likely arms. He was preparing to fight them, to fight her. The thought made the 20-something sigh as the weight of her choices weighed heavily on her, though she didn't regret them. ‘So…he’s finally made his move, after all this time…’ She wondered what went through his mind when she announced that she sided with Schneizel when the first announcements of her approval of hundreds of mass executions across the board, of strict enforcement of the rule of the new law of the land. Did he cry, did he rage?
Did he feel anything at all? She didn't know, because, in her heart, she didn't truly know him. She had only ever seen the good, never the bad and now, she wondered which was closer to the true him. She would have liked to believe it was the side of him from Ashford, the kind older brother who helped out when he could and never got angry, but she would also like to believe she wasn't a tyrant greater than her forefathers. ‘Brother…’ Looking at her desk, to the only personal item on it, her eyes took in the framed picture she had kept with her throughout the years. one taken months before Shinjuku, when the world while cruel, made more sense. She couldn't appreciate it for a while, but now she could as she could take in how happy they all looked. Everyone from Nina and Rivalz, to herself and her brother.
Turning away from it, she directed her gaze not towards the earth but towards the vast, cold emptiness of space. ‘The Rubicon’s been crossed; all I can do now is maintain order and protect our peace. Even against you, Lelouch….especially against you.’ She knew one thing about her brother, he wouldn't stand for what she's done. He would call her out for it, demand she stopped, and fight her. And she knew that it was the moral thing to do, but she wouldn't allow him to do it. not when they finally brought peace to the world. So, what if it came through force and fear? Had humans managed anything close to peace and understanding? No, it was through Damocles that they achieved universal peace. It was through Schneizel that they achieved a new era for humanity and not even her love for her brother would stand in the way of her mission to maintain it.
She heard a soft knock on her door, bringing her back to reality as she turned to it. ‘Enter.’ The door was quietly opened and one of her brother’s attendants entered, keeping her head low.
‘Pardon the intrusion, Prime Minister, but I bear news from Chancellor Schneizel.’
‘Speak.’
'He cordially invites you to dinner in his private residence at 7 pm. He wishes to speak with you on recent matters, though I do not know what those matters might be.' She kept her surprise hidden, though it quickly faded as she realized that it would be just like him to check up on her, ensure that she wasn’t having second thoughts with Lelouch a factor to consider.
‘As you don’t need to. Inform him I accept the invitation. You may go.’ She dismissed them as the attendant left the room as quietly as they entered. Nunnally, with this new information in hand, pressed a button on the office phone on her desk. It quickly connected to her assistant.
‘Alexandria.’
‘Yes, madam Prime Minister?’
‘Have the staff prepare me something to wear tonight, I’ll be attending dinner with the Chancellor.’ She rubbed her brow as she said so, just knowing that it was going to be an exhausting night for her.
‘At once, madam Prime Minister.’ Alexandria replied as she waited for Nunnally to end the call so that she could get to it.
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Not even two hours later, Nunnally was being driven from her private residence to that of Schneizel’s. She had dressed for the occasion, wearing a form-fitting but conservative red and pink dress, her hair had gone through a little change as she didn't have the time for patience for anything more, she certainly didn't want to dress like the countless women that tried to get into her brother's pants. Still, despite the relatively short drive, she couldn't help but marvel at the scope of the palace coming up on them, her residence was nothing to scoff at to be sure, but it was only just a little bit larger than Ashford student council club-house had been.
In comparison to that, Schneizel grand palace was easily 10 times that in size and 20 times in scope and opulence. It was as if Schneizel had seen the grand majesties of St. Peter's Basilica and Hagia Sophia as well as the once great splendor of the Parthenon and Hanging Gardens of Babylon and been insulted by them before seeking to build something superior to them all. Even from this distance, she could make out the many elaborate, finely decorated gardens filled with all manner of exotic plants and animals which Schneizel loved to show off whenever he had guests. Behind that was a 9-storey palace, designed and built by some of the finest architects they could find.
Turning away from the symbol of pride, she looked towards the chief of her protection detail. ‘Bernard.’
The Japanese German man looked her way, keeping himself respectful in her presence. ‘Yes, madam Prime Minister?’
‘Do you ever get tired of this sight? Of this position in life?’ She asked him.
‘Not at all, Madam Prime Minister. Such a place is only fitting of people such as yourselves.’ Of course, she expected such a response. People who were more free-thinking didn't tend to last long in this orbit, but she appreciated the distraction either way as their destination grew close.
‘I suppose that is one way of seeing things.’ She replied. 'Remember that you'll be handing over your weapons at the gate. Only the Chancellor's Interior Guard may be armed anywhere close to him.' Schneizel claimed it was to prevent potential arguments from turning bloody but it was really to ensure that you couldn't defend yourself in his presence, as with a look, he could have your throat slit and your entourage shoot into space.
‘Yes, madam Prime Minister, I’ll be sure to remind the rest of the guards of this fact.’ He nodded back at her, reaching for the earpiece he wore to remind them of the fact. Soon enough, they were allowed through the main gate onto the palace grounds, where she was helped out of the car and placed into her wheelchair. Moving it forward with her controls, they moved towards the main door, pausing at the massive fountain in the front of the place, one that housed a well-crafted stature collection with the centerpiece being a tall man pouring water from a vase in his arms while around him, small angels flocked.
‘Never let it be said that my brothers are humble men. Royal pride runs deep in their veins.’ She muttered to herself, having a fair suspicion that the man in this context was Schneizel himself and that he was pouring ‘mercy’ on the world.
‘Madam Prime Minister?’ Bernard asked her, having not caught what she said.
‘Nothing, let’s continue. It wouldn’t do well to make the Chancellor wait for us.’ She told him as they continued forward, being allowed in and led to the dining hall by 4 of the servants and 8 guards, each armed. There was silence as they moved through the lavish halls, decked out with fine art and windows giving a view to the large and near-perfect gardens that surrounded the property.
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It soon came to a head when they finally arrived, stopping just outside the massive doors as one of the servants stepped forward to open them while another announced their presence. ‘Announcing the arrival of Prime Minister Nunnally vi Britannia!’ Inside the hall, she found that only one table had been set up, even if it was large enough for 30 people to be seated comfortably. At its head, sat her eldest brother and the ruler of the world, Schneizel. Upon seeing her, the man stood up, the toga suit he was wearing flowing freely with each step as he moved to greet them.
‘Welcome dear sister, I trust that you have been well since the last we spoke?’ He bowed to hug her, though he felt as welcoming as a snake being wrapped around her shoulders.
However, she still hugged the man back for no other reason than to return the courtesy. ‘As well as one can be in my position, the stresses of work are a constant battle.’
Schneizel released her from the hug with a chuckle. ‘As they are for the rest of us, come let us take our seats, the first course will be out shortly.’ He gestured for her to take a seat, one closer to his while the door was closed behind them, leaving her completely at his mercy as she didn’t need to see them to know that the room already had his agents, hidden from view but ready to act on a moment’s notice.
Taking his offer, she moved towards the sear, where one of her guards removed the chair to allow her wheelchair room to take its place. ‘Thank you.’ With her guard taking a step back, she jumped right into things. ‘So, Chancellor-’
‘None of that, dear sister. Come now, I never said that couldn’t use my name.’ Schneizel cut off her, attempting to try and ease the tensions between them.
‘It would only be proper manners to use your title.’ Nunnally replied, having felt no love for him in years. respect and awe, yes but never love. And she was sure that he didn’t truly love her either, seeing her as less of a person and more of a useful tool for his greater ambitions. A tool which, if need be, could be replaced.
'Perhaps in an official capacity but we're merely dining as a family. Family is an important thing is it not?' Nunnally’s eyes narrowed at his question, knowing that he of all people put little stock into the concept of family, not when he wiped out over 90% of it in his grab for power, much like their father had done before him.
Playing itself, she gave him a half-answer. ‘Yes…to an extent, Schneizel…’
Schneizel continue to smile her way, his expressions and body language giving away nothing on what he felt about her response if he felt it was good or not. ‘Good, good, now what are you're were going to ask?' He allowed her to ask what she wished to know, however, she knew that it wouldn't do well if she downright demanded to know why he asked her to this dinner, or if she just stated that she was still on his side, so she had to rethink her approach and attempt another way in.
‘I was hoping to inquire about your search for a bride. The realm will need a proper successor to your seat soon enough.' She played the curious sibling card, one that didn’t necessarily need her to care all that much about him as a person, or as a sibling but relayed on the common human trait to wonder. Being his sibling merely gave her a cover to ask such a question that would normally be taboo or considered rude.
Schneizel signed dramatically into his hand, though she could tell he was merely adding theatrics to it for humor's sake. ‘Even you as well, Kanon has mentioned such once or twice but I’m afraid that my efforts to find a bride have yet to yield any fruits.’
‘I find that to be quite odd, you are the most eligible bachelor with many positive qualities.’ She had been invited to a few of his parties, where he invited the families of his most trusted and competent servants from across the world. They served as melting pots where officials from anywhere and everything met, mingled and discussed events and their hobbies. And in all of those parties, there was always either an official seeking promotion or benefit, or their sister, cousin or daughters attempting to talk up the Chancellor, leading to him often spending the parties surrounded by members of the fairer sex.
Schneizel nodded with that assessment. ‘Yes, but most of the women that I find myself spending my time with are complete and utter bores. I wouldn’t say that they’re unintelligent, far from it but they lack a certain…spark as it were, I can tell they struggle to keep up with discussions with me.’ He explained as while pretty and smart, most were rather one-note in their attitudes and personalities. Sure, some tried to act differently but their acts never fooled him.
‘Of course, there was the one but…no, she’s very much not on the table.’ He thought of a green-haired girl, someone in who he had found talent and given a chance to rise in the world, a girl whose contributions were the reason he could call himself the God of this new world. She had been bookish and shy back then, but he could have entertained the idea but alas, things…didn't work out between them. She had certainly changed in the years since, but the idea that she would ever share his bed without attempting to strangle him in his sleep was low to put it lightly. Nunnally's gaze harden further at his implication, having an idea of who he was talking about, but holding her tongue as she knew that it wasn't going to happen, even if she spared the woman a silent prayer for mercy for what she's been forced to endure.
