Chapter Text
"Your Majesty, it's almost time."
Nunnally shifted at the uncomfortable title as Sayoko placed her brush back onto the vanity. She inclined her head towards the servant at the door and smiled patiently. "Thank you. I'll be there shortly."
As the servant quietly departed, Nunnally returned her focus to the mirror before her. She'd only opened her eyes two months prior, but this week was the first time she'd been able to observe her own reflection, as strange as it was. At Ashford Academy and in the Viceroy's palace, she'd asked to wear pink because she remembered liking it when she was younger. Now that she'd regained her eyesight, the color appeared almost washed-out. Was this what she thought she'd adored this whole time?
Nunnally studied her face more intensely, allowing the rhythm of Sayoko's preening to assuage her worries for the day. She still felt as though she were staring at a ghost, at some stranger that didn't match what she thought of herself. The girl that stared back was so much older than she felt, her skin so much fairer, her lavender eyes so much brighter. The only thing that matched was her fear… and her sorrow.
She let out a barely audible sigh. It was just another entry in a long series of disappointments.
Crisp footsteps approached from behind. "Your Majesty."
Nunnally flinched at the voice modulator that sounded so much like her brother; she was upset she never noticed it sooner. She resisted the urge to glare at Zero through the mirror as he loomed in the doorway. It was time.
Sayoko rolled the wheelchair from the vanity so she could circle to the front. She bent down and squeezed her charge's hand tightly, a motion she'd always performed for reassurance during their time at Ashford. "Good luck, Nunnally-sama. You'll be wonderful."
Why was it that Sayoko had ultimately returned to her side? Was it a favor to her? A favor to her brother? When asked before, she responded only that it was "her duty". Sayoko had been the first to embrace her on that fateful day, the one to patiently wipe her tears from her eyes, and Nunnally simply did not have the strength to dismiss her from whatever responsibility she still felt.
The woman stood and gently rolled the wheelchair back to where Zero waited so patiently, so silently. She handed the grip to the man then retreated back to the vanity with an encouraging smile. Nunnally forced herself to smile in return and tried her best to push away her fear.
They turned into the hall and Nunnally allowed Zero to guide her wheelchair down the long corridor. A few passing servants paused to bow, and Nunnally found herself wishing for a time when such frivolities wouldn't be necessary in her presence. She focused distinctly on each and every object they passed, hoping to distract herself from her upcoming trial.
Cornelia and Schneizel met them at the entrance, dressed in regal attire to match her own. She nodded and acknowledged them each in turn. "Sister." Then, biting back her newfound distaste as she recalled details she'd been told about Cornelia's recovery and the true fate of the residents of Pendragon, "Brother."
The princess stepped forward, thankfully obscuring her view of Schneizel. "Are you sure you're prepared, Nunnally? There's no turning back from this."
Nunnally nodded firmly, conveying more confidence than she felt inside. "Yes, I know." What was there even to return to now? "I'm ready."
Her older siblings exchanged a quick glance before retreating to the sides of the hallway, allowing her and Zero to pass. Nunnally refused to acknowledge Schneizel as they did so.
They passed a doorway. Then, she was bathed in light.
As her eyes adjusted to the sun, Nunnally took in just how many people had gathered in the central park of the recently-christened New Pendragon. Was it thousands? Tens of thousands? She just couldn't tell. She scanned the reporters, trying to see if she could spot Milly among their faces, but the effort was futile. Even after studying so many pictures, she doubted she was trained enough to be able to discern her face from a distance.
The crowd's noise softened to a simmer, and she suddenly noticed just how many people were staring back at her as well. She was always aware of their presence when she was blind, but being able to quantify the masses was still a completely new – and terrifying – experience.
Nunnally was settled into her spot at the rear of the stage, and she watched as Cornelia and Schneizel followed her in. The applause was delayed as people realized they should probably clap for the four of them, the heroes of the war, the ones who freed them from the tyranny of the Demon Emperor. If only they knew the truth, and how close they'd been to subjugation by their hands instead, or rather that of the Damocles and the F.L.E.I.J.A. warheads.
Schneizel stepped forwards to the taller of two podiums, Cornelia at his side. He adjusted the microphone, probably calculating the exact amount of time necessary for the crowd to come to attention. He spoke, his smooth voice washing over the crowd he would have sacrificed two months prior in the name of peace. "Citizens of Britannia and citizens of the world: we welcome you to the beautiful city of New Pendragon."
A small applause sounded.
He continued. "My siblings and I would like to thank you for your unrelenting support during this transitionary period. We are working together to ensure the enduring prosperity of the empire…" Nunnally could sense the shift in attention to Britannia's nemesis standing behind her. "…and to respect and support the sovereignty of the United Federation of Nations."
Although some people were nodding in agreement, Nunnally could sense the hesitation in some more patriotic members of the crowd.
"To that end, Britannia requires a strong and capable leader, but also a compassionate one, who understands the needs of the people. Our rebuilding efforts will be arduous, and it is your support we will require to persevere."
He paused only slightly, and Nunnally listened as the crowd hung on his words. She found herself relieved for not the first time that the prince's power and resources remained so limited. She wondered if she imagined Zero gripping the handles of her wheelchair tighter.
"It is for that reason, as the remaining members of the Britannian Imperial Family, we have made the joint decision to pass the throne to our younger sister." He motioned to her wheelchair. "May I introduce Her Imperial Majesty, the 100th Empress of the Holy Britannian Empire, Nunnally vi Britannia."
Nunnally tried to ignore the hesitant applause for her, the crippled closest relative of the Demon Emperor. She allowed Zero to wheel her to the shorter podium, already adjusted to her height. Resting on top was her speech written in Braille. She carefully placed her right hand on the raised dots as she adjusted the microphone with her left.
She'd practiced her speech at least a hundred times since she'd written it, after it had been meticulously edited by Cornelia, Schneizel, and possibly Zero. She'd stopped crying after the tenth attempt, she'd stopped shaking after the twenty-seventh, and she'd started sounding confident in her lies after the sixty-eighth. A short speech, that's all this was. She could do it.
She breathed in, nodding to her siblings beside her.
"Thank you, brother. Hello everyone. I am Nunnally vi Britannia, former Viceroy of Area 11, and formerly 87th in line to the imperial throne." She made a point of glancing left and right at the rather demure staging. "I know this is not the fanfare you would come to expect from a new ruler, but I do not believe now is the time for celebration."
"First and foremost, I would like the take the time to mourn the fallen, those in the Tokyo Settlement, those in Pendragon, and those in the Battle of Mt. Fuji. Please, a moment of silence for the millions who lost their lives in these past few months of struggle. My words will never be enough to bring them back, but together, we can ensure that their memories are preserved in our hearts."
She paused and bowed her head, hoping others were following her motions as well. She thought of her siblings in Pendragon: Odysseus, Guinevere, and even Carine, who she was sure never liked her. She thought of Euphy, of Clovis, and of Shirley, people who were killed even before the latest campaign. Finally, she of course found her thoughts wandering to him, and his blood-stained robes she'd clutched so tightly as she mourned the peaceful lives they'd collectively lost.
She discreetly wiped away some forming tears before raising her head to continue.
"My first order as empress will be the complete destruction of the F.L.E.I.J.A. warheads. These were the experimental weapons used to devastating effect during the war. It is with heavy hearts that we confirm these weapons were of Britannian make, developed originally as a deterrent and not meant to be utilized. The first F.L.E.I.J.A. was fired irresponsibly by Suzaku Kururugi in the Tokyo Settlement, at the threat of his own life."
She swallowed as she prepared the lie she hated most, meant to absolve those on stage and further sully the reputation of the Demon Emperor. "The second was fired at Pendragon with an intended evacuation notice of its citizens. This notice was intercepted by the Demon Emperor and never received, resulting in mass casualties. While we remain grateful for the miraculous feats of engineering that have brought us to New Pendragon today, we will forever remember our city and our people."
She gripped the podium a little tighter in her left hand to ensure she wasn't shaking. The first challenge was over, only a few more were remaining.
"The final F.L.E.I.J.A.s were fired at the Demon Emperor himself, in one final effort to subdue his forces. As you know, this assault ultimately proved unsuccessful. The F.L.E.I.J.A.s will be destroyed and further efforts to build similar weapons of mass destruction will be outlawed from this moment onward. The F.L.E.I.J.A. project was a failure, one we will not repeat. We ask that other nations join us in outlawing the same destructive technology."
She absently tucked a loose piece of her hair behind her ear. On to the next point.
"In the pursuit of collective prosperity and cooperation, Britannia shall join the United Federation of Nations – this time peacefully and under legitimate terms."
She heard a loud whoop from the audience as a cheer rippled through the crowd. Nunnally smiled, this time earnestly, as she turned towards her masked companion. At last, it seemed people were finally ready for collaboration.
"There will be no tricks or grabs for power, and we will reduce our voting power as deemed necessary. I want to thank Zero, the Black Knights, and all the member nations for conceiving and putting the UFN into practice. It is because of you that we are able to gather around one table and discuss global policy. Hopefully, wars will become a product of the past."
Now, for likely a much less popular measure, but one that Nunnally was glad to finally make a reality. She'd been hoping for this moment to pass all her life and only wished Euphy were still around to see it realized as well.
She breathed. "Article 10 of the UFN charter clearly forbids the subjugation and discrimination of individuals on the basis of ethnicity. In accordance with the charter, Britannia is abolishing the Number system, effective immediately."
The crowd was much quieter then. A few cheers sounded, but overall people seemed much less sure about what this meant for the future.
Nunnally continued. "All Areas of Britannia will be able to determine their own fate, whether to remain united in our nation or to regain their independence. Everyone who remains within Britannian borders will be treated equally and without prejudice, regardless of their birth. We welcome you finally as full citizens of Britannia."
As hesitant as the crowd seemed, at least there was no jeering or boos. Nunnally was certain some people would still continue to hate others as they had before, but she hoped that by codifying protections into law, that behavior would at least be severely discouraged. The second hard part was over.
Now, for some semantics. "In addition, we have been granted emergency authorization by the UFN to retain use of our military to assist with our restructuring efforts. Our military will be reduced in size, redirecting its efforts towards defense, peacekeeping, and humanitarian aid. They will cooperate and file reports with the UFN and the Black Knights, as is the expectation of all member nations. Eventually, we hope for the complete absorption of our military into the structure of the Black Knights, but that process will be a gradual one taking place over several years. We shall remain strong in our rebuilding regardless, a process I'm grateful to have been entrusted to lead."
Nunally shifted in her wheelchair, slightly disappointed with the power she was about to provide. "I know some of you will think less of me because of my wheelchair, or my age, or my relative inexperience compared to my siblings on this stage. My brother Schneizel and sister Cornelia shall remain in service of the empire as Prime Minister and Commander General of the military respectively. Although I am empress, I plan to be working closely with them to rebuild this nation into one we can once again be proud of – that the world can be proud of."
She straightened. "I am not my father. And I am not my brother." She tried not to think about how much better of a ruler he would have been than her had he actually followed his own ideals during his reign. "It is not my intention to rule absolutely, nor will my administration be one of conquest. We will work together to help rebuild this nation, one stone at a time. Please be kind to those around you, and remember that we are all striving for the common goals of peace and prosperity. One day, Britannia will stand respected as a bastion of hope instead of feared. All I ask is that you give us a chance and believe in a better future."
She swallowed the written All Hail Britannia, and instead ended with a simple, "Thank you."
A courteous applause spread through the audience as the four backed away from the podiums. Anyone who wanted to hear a resounding speech from their masked hero would forever be left disappointed. No, Nunnally couldn't imagine him ever wanting to stand in the spotlight. She knew he'd never been one for speeches.
Then, the reporters began to stand and surge towards the stage. Nunnally could immediately distinguish the more reserved Britannian reporters from those of the rest of the world: they hung back awaiting their signal for additional quotation. Being too forward in the previous regimes would have lost them their jobs at best. Meanwhile, the foreign reporters held no such restraint, barking variations of "Your Majesty!" and "Zero!" to attract either of their attentions.
Nunnally simply smiled and waved before allowing Zero to wheel her offstage. The expression vanished as soon as her back was turned. They eventually re-entered the hallway they'd arrived from, and Nunnally was relieved to find that she wasn't even shaking.
Cornelia spoke first, once the four of them were alone, "Nunnally, that was…"
"A job well done," Schneizel finished.
Cornelia crossed her arms. "We'll see how well it's received by the public. Britannia's economy will certainly be destroyed with all of these… liberations. I don't know how we'll be expected to rebuild without cheap labor."
Schneizel placed an arm on her shoulder. "The economy would suffer with sanctions placed by the UFN as well. Right, Zero?"
The knight nodded. "Of course."
Her brother stared at the masked man in silence, and Nunnally briefly recalled them having a meeting earlier without her. She remembered a conversation she'd had with Cornelia, shortly after her "rescue". Her sister had mentioned something strange was occurring between the two men, that Schniezel seemed more deferent than usual. Cornelia of course suspected the work of Geass, although Nunnally wasn't convinced. Why would Zero suddenly have a Geass power? If not his, then what would her brother have done to still be affecting Schniezel in this way?
She shook her head. No, it didn't matter. Why should she care about what happened to Schneizel after he'd betrayed them. She had other matters to settle.
Nunnally turned her head just enough so she could see the masked man in her periphery. She'd already been brave coming this far. What was a little farther still? "Zero, may I please speak with you… alone?"
Two sets of eyes regarded her with confusion, probably because she had tried her best to ignore Zero since her "rescue" from her supposed execution two weeks prior. He'd followed her like a shadow since then, with rarely a word between them. He was apparently "facilitating the peace" or "monitoring Britannia" or whatever other lie he'd come up with. She knew better, though.
Cornelia was the one to question the change. "Nunnally, is something wrong?"
"No." A lie. "I just need to… clarify a few things with Zero. In private."
Nunnally thought she observed Zero give a slight nod.
It was ultimately Schneizel who relented. "Come now, Cornelia, let's allow them some peace."
Cornelia looked between Schneizel and Zero for something Nunnally couldn't see. She scowled. "Make it quick. We need to return to the palace by noon for lunch."
Nunnally smiled. "Thank you. We shouldn't be long." She hoped.
She allowed Zero to guide her wheelchair back to her dressing room at the end of the hall. Sayoko had already exited, probably planning to meet them at the transport. She wished she knew that the room was relatively soundproof, or that her siblings had at least retreated down the hall to respect her privacy. Somehow, she doubted that either was the case, but it wouldn't hurt to hope.
Nunnally felt her heart flutter as Zero stood patiently before her. This was what she wanted, wasn't it?
She stretched out her arm. "Give me your hand."
He hesitated. He'd avoided the gesture before as well, back when she was Viceroy. This time, however, she knew he wouldn't risk slighting her.
He eventually complied, and she squeezed his hand firmly, noting the familiarity even through his costume. "I know who you are."
He shifted uncomfortably, something she doubted the original Zero would have ever done. "Your Majesty, I am – "
"No, you'll say you're Zero, but I, the Black Knights, my siblings: we know better." She gripped his hand tighter as he tried to pull back. "Some of them probably suspect you, some of them may be very confident, but I know. And as much as I'd like to see your face again after so many years, I don't need you to confirm it."
She pulled him closer. "I already know your plan, the one my brother devised. It was so similar to the one my siblings and I were striving for as well. A common enemy. Unification. Peace."
She loosened her grasp slightly, her gaze wandering to a spot behind his head. She spoke softer, "It should have been our burden to share."
Nunnally refocused and tried to find where she believed her friend's eyes would be. The shape of the mask loomed tall, so incredibly deceiving.
"So, why did – why did he have to leave me?"
She'd considered the scenario so many times since that day, hoping beyond all reason that her brother would magically appear, having faked his death and decided to stay by her side like he'd promised so long ago. But the days went by and he never appeared. Only one apparition returned, one with likely more answers than he cared to admit.
The empress and knight for justice stared at each other in all-encompassing silence.
Nunnally rubbed her eyes absently as she sighed. She hadn't wanted to cry. She'd held it in so well until now, but she found herself sniffling regardless. "No, you don't have to answer that. I'm not even sure you could."
What use would it be to blame him for her brother's decision? They were both stubborn fools.
"Can you do me a favor instead? Can you remember him fondly, even after all the evils he committed? After twisting the minds of so many? Even after killing Euphy?"
At that, she felt him stiffen. Her shoulders dropped. No, maybe that was too much to ask.
She shook her head. "I once thought I couldn't either, but now the happy times are the only ones I can remember. Our time in the Aires gardens, our time at your family's shrine, our time at Ashford… please don't let the history books be the only record of who he was. I just know they won't be true."
She thought of the F.L.E.I.J.A.s that Schneizel developed and she chose to fire. She knew her brother would shoulder the blame in death. She could imagine the headlines forming now, lies about the Demon Emperor's secret research. She'd already contributed to it with the lie about his interception of Pendragon's evacuation notice. She knew now there had never been an evacuation notice, not because of him, but because of Schneizel. It was her secret to bear, but at least that burden was shared with the Black Knights and her siblings as well.
Even then, everyone else only saw the mask he wore, the one he'd fooled her with for a time aboard the Damocles. Nunnally felt she could count on one hand the amount of people who truly knew him, could see past the mask, even for just a little while. Who was to say their outlook was as empathetic as hers?
"I'm afraid I'll be the only one with those pleasant memories," she confessed, "that he's left me alone in more ways than one."
She remembered long nights at Ashford a year prior, when she would hear her brother leave when he thought she slept. At the time, she assumed he and C.C. had some secret excursions, something teenagers did when they grew older. The first time was the most challenging, but after he returned and kissed her good morning, she reassured herself that he would always come back for her. At least, until he didn't.
"So, please, Suzaku," she whispered, still holding back her tears, "don't leave me too."
She wasn't sure he'd respond, wasn't sure he'd even acknowledge what she'd requested of him. But, even after all of his previous denials, he bent down and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Despite herself, she melted in his grasp.
"I won't, Nunnally. I'm right here."
He hadn't switched off the vocal synthesizer, and Nunnally could still discern the voice of a ghost with his words. She buried her head, gripped his cape tightly, and finally cried out in anguish.