Be My Knight
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Category:
+. to F › Code Geass
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
12
Views:
8,118
Reviews:
10
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Code Geass, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Gifts
Be My Knight
A Code Geass fan fiction story
Written by Archangel
Edited by Comixgal
Chapter 10 – Gifts
{Author’s Note: This chapter is, for lack of a better term, a Christmas special. It is dedicated to everyone who enjoys my stories. I strongly suspect that this particular story will continue for quite a while longer! I’m actually sketching out the beginnings of a long-term plot, which is about the last thing I had in mind when I wrote Ch01. Some tales just take on a life of their own.
The music suggestion for this chapter is “Let It Snow” by whoever you like. ^^ Further notes at the end. Enjoy, and please provide feedback! RATE and/or REVIEW, please!}
The scene was fit to turn a movie director green with envy. It was that perfect. A decorated, fifteen-foot pine tree stood in each corner of the ballroom. The chamber orchestra was playing carols. The cathedral windows were thickly frosted with snow. The resident nobility of Area 11 were turned out in their Christmas finery, hobnobbing amidst the crystal and china.
Aside from that last, this party has real possibilities, Suzaku mused as he walked down the entrance stairwell. To call the young knight nervous would have been a gross understatement. In fact, he was fighting down a full-blown panic attack. Every eye in the room was pointed his way, and not all of the attached expressions were friendly.
“Her Highness Princess Euphemia Li Britannia. Sir Suzaku Kururugi,” the head usher intoned through his speaker disc.
On the other hand, Suzaku thought, I have the loveliest woman in the world on my arm. How bad could this be? Sir Suzaku Kururugi cordially detested these high-society events that his unofficial—but quite real—social position forced him to attend. The same was true of the young woman beside him, but one would never have guessed from looking at her. Euphemia Li Britannia was glowing, her smile lighting up the enormous room.
Although the fact that the two were lovers was not exactly a secret anymore, many thought it unseemly for them to attend the annual Christmas Ball as a formal couple. The fact that Suzaku was not Britannian by birth made the disapproval even more widespread.
On the plus side, it was very hard to disapprove of a vision of beauty such as Euphie. Her red velvet dress was trimmed with white fur, cut closely above her waist and loosely below. The princess’ long fuchsia hair was held back with a simple white headband. The overall effect was stunning, and exquisitely seasonal. It also matched Suzaku’s white-and-gold dress uniform wonderfully.
Euphemia seemed completely oblivious to the disapproving looks, and Suzaku managed to maintain his composure as the couple reached the bottom of the stairs. Euphie immediately moved off to join her sister, Cornelia Li Britannia, exchanging friendly greetings with everybody along the way. Suzaku followed in her wake, smiling and nodding politely. As always at these functions, he felt completely out of his depth. Fighting for his life was one thing. High society was quite another.
How could Euphie be so… at ease? She always seemed so at home at these parties, flitting around like… like a little dragonfly, Suzaku thought with a smile, unconsciously fingering the jeweled dragonfly brooch pinned near his left shoulder. An amazingly beautiful little dragonfly. Euphie had given the brooch to Suzaku when he had become her knight, a symbol of her patronage and favor in the courtly tradition. It was the closest to anything gaudy that Suzaku would want to wear.
Viceroy Cornelia was wearing her usual military uniform. Suzaku had never seen her otherwise. It was also usual for her to ignore Suzaku completely, and this time was no exception. The young knight took the hint and went to find drinks for himself and his girlfriend while the two sisters chatted. As he selected Champagne for Euphemia and ice-water for himself, a friendly hand descended on Suzaku’s shoulder.
“How goes it, Kururugi?”
“General Darlton,” Suzaku replied, pleasantly surprised.
“We’re not on duty, kid,” the battle-scarred warrior replied with a grin. “It’s just Darlton. Besides, we’re peers in responsibility now, if not in rank.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Suzaku replied honestly, but it made sense. With the Dover Knights about to be formed, Suzaku was effectively equal to Darlton, commander of Princess Cornelia’s Glaston Knights.
“Yep. Don’t tell me you’re a teetotaler,” Darlton laughed, gesturing to Suzaku’s glass of ice-water. His own half-empty glass held what looked like a strong sipping whiskey.
Suzaku chuckled. “Tonight I am. Training for prospective Dover Knights starts at oh-nine-hundred sharp tomorrow.”
“I know they’ve been assembled into a unit, but I didn’t know that training would start so quickly.”
“Neither do they.”
Darlton’s eyes widened slightly. “The day after Christmas with no warning? They’ll all have five-alarm hangovers!”
“That’s the idea,” Suzaku replied with a wink. “If they can survive the first day of PT in that state, there’s hope for them.”
“Even if they survive, they won’t learn much in that state,” Darlton warned.
“Oh, the basic training isn’t really about teaching skills,” Suzaku explained. “I’m going to drive them day and night for two weeks, push them to their limits and beyond. They’ll be free to quit and RTU at any time.”
The general gave Suzaku an appraising look. “What will that accomplish?”
“Those who are still there after two weeks will be the ones I want.” Suzaku paused, thinking how to explain. “They have to want to join with all their hearts, and have the spirit to keep going no matter what. I’m basically applying the Amtal Rule.”
“Ahhh,” Darlton exhaled, nodding as he recalled the principle: ‘To know a thing well, know its limits. Only when pushed beyond its tolerances will true nature be seen.’ “You’re one smart kid,” he told Suzaku approvingly. “I just hope some of your recruits are still standing when it’s over.”
“Me too,” Suzaku murmured, looking down at the glasses in his hands.
Darlton’s gaze followed. “I’ll let you get back to Princess Euphemia, then.”
Suzaku smiled, nodded, and moved off.
*****
“I still can’t believe he’s accepting Eleven recruits along with Britannians,” the Viceroy of Area 11 told her Sub-Viceroy with a frown. “Why on earth did you approve it, Euphie?”
“I don’t second-guess Suzaku on military matters,” Euphemia replied blithely.
Cornelia sighed. “You know that Numbers can’t perform as well as Britannians.”
“Then explain Sir Suzaku Kururugi to me,” Euphie fired back, her jaw taking on a stubborn set.
“One competent Eleven doesn’t disprove the rule!”
“Competent? He’s the finest knightmare pilot in the world,” Euphie told her older sister flatly.
The Viceroy let out an indignant huff. “Well, come make the argument again when all the Eleven candidates wash out the first day.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Euphie asked brightly as Suzaku reappeared out of the crowd.
Cornelia’s eyes flashed as she turned her gaze on the young knight. “Unless, of course, the trainer goes easier on the Eleven recruits…”
Suzaku blinked twice, handing Euphie the glass of champagne. He looked directly into Cornelia’s cold eyes. “Princess Euphemia’s safety is my sole concern, Viceroy. If I’m going to trust anyone else to help me with that task, their characters and abilities must be beyond doubt. All other considerations are irrelevant.”
A giggle defused the tension of the moment. Euphie took a sip of champagne, then laid the glass aside on a table. “Come on, let’s dance!” Suzaku barely had time to set his own glass down before Euphie seized his hand. The orchestra was breaking from Christmas carols in favor of a dance or two, and the young couple joined a half-dozen others on the previously clear dance floor.
“He starts training them tomorrow, Viceroy,” commented Lord Gilbert G. P. Guilford, who’d been standing silently behind Cornelia the whole time.
“Really? Hmm, seeing how they do with hangovers…” Cornelia mused. “This will be interesting to observe.”
“You’re not taking an active hand?” Guilford asked in slight surprise. Princess Cornelia was very much the hands-on type.
The Viceroy looked at her most trusted knight, her mouth twisting into the closest approximation of a smirk it could make. “I’m not going to do anything for or against it,” she replied. “I owe my sister that much.” Cornelia took a contemplative sip of wine. “Those two will stand or fall on their own.”
*****
“Thanks for sticking up for me,” Suzaku said with a smile.
“That’s the deal, isn’t it?” Euphie asked with a twinkle in her eye. “You fight the physical battles and I fight the political ones.”
It was the second new thought of the evening for Suzaku. “Yes, I suppose it is,” he replied with a wink. “Between the two of us, we can make it all work.”
Euphemia nodded. “How did I ever find you?” she murmured wistfully. “You’re such a wonderful man.”
“You’re one to talk,” Suzaku replied with a chuckle.
The princess shook her head, gazing up into his dreamy green eyes as they danced. “Do you have any idea how proud I am of you, Sir Suzaku?”
“Proud?” Her knight was genuinely puzzled.
“You’ve done so much good, overcome so much adversity. In a few months, you’ve built a reputation as a knightmare pilot to rival any of the Knights of the Round.” Euphie giggled. “By rights you should be one of them. Yet here you are, still, with me.”
Suzaku blinked hard. “I swore an oath to protect you, I—”
Euphie took her hand off his shoulder to shush him. “You know most Britannians don’t take such things too seriously. You could be a Knight of the Round in two weeks if you wanted to. You know that, right? It is such an incredible honor to be able to say that you’re my knight,” she told Suzaku earnestly. Euphie’s stunning eyes shone with love and adoration.
Her knight frowned. He had heard such things from a few colleagues, but the truth was that he had no interest in serving the Emperor directly. “My place is with you,” he answered simply.
The pair continued to dance in a warm glow of love which shut off the rest of the party. There was only the music and each other. Life was perfect.
*****
The orchestra switched back to Christmas carols all too soon, which was the unspoken signal for the guests to take their seats. The food was excellent, but far too fancy for Suzaku’s tastes. He and Euphie were both growing to appreciate the idea of ‘simple and elegant.’
This mutual philosophy was fully expressed in Suzaku’s newly designed dress uniform. It was essentially a white working uniform, albeit cut more severely than it would be for daily use. Small golden dragonflies, the symbol of the Dover Knights, were embroidered on either side of his collar, and polished golden major’s insignia were pinned to his shoulder boards. In fact, the only concession to formality was some gold trim on his cuffs and collar. Compared to the average Britannian dress uniform it was simple to an extreme. Yet the many military personnel present were surprised to find that young Sir Suzaku’s appearance was meeting with widespread approval amongst the noblewomen present.
Regardless, the meal went smoothly for once. Suzaku didn’t count a single sniping match, which was most unusual among this crowd. Perhaps it’s the holiday spirit, he mused. The freely flowing drink certainly seemed to make everyone more amiable. Suzaku just sat and ate quietly across the table from Euphie.
As the meal wound down, a few people at one of the tables began singing along to the current carol the orchestra was playing, “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.” Instead of petering out to embarrassed silence, more and more nobles began to join in. Two songs later, nearly everyone in the ballroom was singing along—each in his or her own key, naturally, but it still sounded okay. As the diners began to rise and mingle once more, Suzaku was one of the few people not singing.
“Something wrong?” Euphie asked quietly as she came to Suzaku’s side.
Suzaku gave her a sheepish grin. “I, uh, don’t know the words.”
“You don’t know *any* Christmas carols?” the Princess asked in astonishment.
“We didn’t celebrate Christmas when I was growing up.”
Euphie looked puzzled for a second, then rolled her eyes. “Oh, of course not. Silly me!” She grabbed Suzaku’s arm and leaned against him. “Want to get some air?” she whispered.
Suzaku shrugged and smiled. “Whatever you wish, Your Highness.”
*****
The gardens surrounding Thames Palace were quite stunning in their blanket of fresh snow. The young lovers made a parallel set of footprints as they walked across the lawn. The night wasn’t especially cold, and so the two were without jackets—the high collar and long sleeves of Euphie’s dress were sufficient to keep her comfortable, and Suzaku’s uniform was made of an excellent insulator. (It was also highly wrinkle-resistant.) The Princess had, however, swapped her high heels for a pair of winter boots.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Not half as beautiful as you,” Suzaku replied, giving the small hand entwined with his a gentle squeeze.
Euphie blushed. “Oh, stop.” She gently disengaged her hand from his and ran across the lawn, twirling and prancing like a little kid.
Suzaku couldn’t help but chuckle at how cute she was. I really am in heaven, he thought idly, tilting his head to look up at the stars. A sudden impact on his solar plexus disrupted Suzaku’s pleasant thoughts. He looked down to see a glob of snow sticking to his uniform tunic. When Suzaku’s gaze lifted, he saw Euphie standing a few yards away, looking extremely innocent. “Did you just hit me with a snowball?” the young knight asked incredulously.
“Who? Moi?” Euphie asked with a playful grin.
Suzaku stared at her for a moment, then laughed heartily. “Not too bright, sweetie, challenging a soldier to a fight,” he told Euphie with a matching grin. With blinding speed, Suzaku formed a handful of snow into a ball and lofted it at his lovely little liege.
Euphie managed to dodge to the side and laughed with glee. “Missed me!” she called, looking back to where her boyfriend had been standing. He was gone! That white uniform, she thought. He’s got perfect camouflage! Wait, maybe I can track him by his foot—”
A high-velocity mass of snow smacked into Euphie’s buttocks. She yelped and whirled around to see Suzaku giving her a Cheshire-Cat smile. “What?” he asked with faux-innocence.
“Oh, that’s it,” Euphie said, an equally fake menace in her tone. “You’re going down, handsome.”
“Bring it on, gorgeous,” Suzaku replied, deliberately shaping another snowball.
The two stared each other down for a long moment. Then a furious barrage of projectiles began on both sides, with each combatant trying to dodge whilst packing and flinging their own missiles. Many minutes later, Euphie was nearly coated with white powder and Suzaku sported a few impacts. It was very clear who had won, but neither seemed to care as Suzaku walked over to Euphie.
“Look what I found,” the knight told his princess, producing a small sprig of—
“Is that… mistletoe?” Euphie asked with a giggle.
Suzaku gave her a charming smile. “It most certainly is.” Holding the bit of greenery up above their heads, he leaned close and caught Euphie’s lips with his own. The cold vanished for the lovers as they kissed each other breathless… then kissed some more.
*****
“Are you injured, Your Highness?” the soldier standing guard at the doors asked in some alarm.
Euphemia shook her head, trying and failing to control her chattering teeth. “We had a snowball fight,” she explained with a grin. “He won.” The Princess jerked her thumb at her loyal knight. His uniform jacket was currently wrapped around her shoulders, his arm around her waist.
“She just needs a hot shower,” Suzaku explained to the sentry, who nodded. The young man let them pass, and the couple promptly made for Euphie’s suite.
“Join me?” Euphie asked Suzaku as he closed the doors behind them.
“Not right now, love,” Suzaku answered, kissing her cheek tenderly. “I’ve got to take care of something real quick.”
Euphie gave him a curious look, but decided not to enquire. Instead, she pouted dramatically and walked off to the bathroom.
Suzaku followed her progress with admiring eyes, then left the sitting room and headed down the hall to his own quarters. It was really just a bedroom with an attached bath, since Suzaku spent most of his time here in Euphie’s rooms. Still, it was a place to keep his possessions, such as they were. Suzaku reached under his seldom-used bed and retrieved a neatly wrapped box. He then changed into a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Parcel in hand, he padded back down the hall to Euphie’s sitting room.
The room was large enough to accommodate a decent-sized Christmas tree. Euphie had opted against lighting it, so the numerous ornaments hung rather dully in the glare of the overhead lamps. After setting the box carefully under the tree where it was sure to be noticed, Suzaku set to work building a fire in the large fireplace. Although the idea had (apparently) never occurred to Euphie, Suzaku loved a good fire and had asked one of the staffers to bring up some wood and other supplies earlier in the day. He’d been planning this evening for a couple of weeks, and wanted it to be just so for Euphie. The fire was swiftly built and lit. As the flames spread from the old newspapers to the kindling, Suzaku stood up, flipping off the electric lights and locking the hallway door.
The growing firelight glittered off the ornaments and gave the room a wonderfully soft, intimate warmth. Sir Suzaku smiled happily and sat down on the thick rug in front of the hearth, watching the fire bloom to its full extent.
The gentle touch of Euphie’s hand on his shoulder made Suzaku start. I guess I zoned out, he thought as he smiled up at her. Wow.
Euphie had traded her Christmas gown for a set of white satin pajamas. She sat beside her lover, a strand of still-damp hair brushing against his cheek. “This is so much nicer,” she sighed.
“Mmm.” Suzaku lay back into the thick shag rug. Euphie lay down beside him, using his chest as a pillow. She smelled faintly of vanilla. How on earth can I possibly deserve this amazing girl? Suzaku asked himself for the millionth time. An hour evaporated as the two teenagers basked in each other’s warmth and presence.
Euphie eventually rolled onto her back, looking up at the Christmas tree. “It looks so pretty in the firelight,” she murmured. As Suzaku made an affirmative noise, the Princess’ eyes strayed downwards and finally noticed the green-and-red wrapped box. “What’s this?”
Suzaku was unable to suppress a grin. “I don’t know,” he told her with consummate innocence. “Why don’t you open it and find out?”
“Oh, you!” Euphie giggled. She took the box into her lap, slitting the wrapping paper with her fingernails. Within was a plain cardboard box. Euphemia opened it and squeaked in delight.
Sitting within the box was a plush snow leopard cub, seemingly looking up at Euphie with its big, adorable eyes. “Oh my, it’s too cute!” she cooed. Then she noticed that the little cat was holding a velvet-covered box between its front paws. With slightly trembling hands, the Sub-Viceroy plucked it loose and held it up in the firelight.
Suzaku’s hands would also have been trembling were he not pressing them against the floor. He hoped his love would like it, but he’d never bought anything for a girl before—let alone jewelry—and…
The Princess gasped as she opened the little box.
Nestled into more velvet within was a thin silver necklace, inlaid with three quarter-karat blue sapphires. Euphie’s jaw dropped as she held it up to the firelight and saw the gems shine like tiny stars. Their clarity and cut were utterly flawless, their hue and saturation absolutely perfect—purest blue. Even the Second Princess of the Holy Britannian Empire was speechless at the amount of light they reflected. Moreover, the intricacy and beauty of the wrought silver was absolutely stunning. What might look simple and modest at first glance was in fact anything but. Euphie looked over at Suzaku with tears in her violet eyes.
“Do you like it?” Suzaku whispered with obvious nervousness.
Euphie opened and closed her mouth a few times, then flung herself at Suzaku, nearly suffocating him with a series of ferocious kisses. Both were gasping for air when they finally parted.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Suzaku murmured.
Euphie held the necklace up again in wonderment. “It’s so beautiful,” she breathed, still in a bit of shock. Suzaku gently took it from her soft hands and slipped it around her neck. He had no trouble with the tiny closure. The small sapphires twinkled brightly against Euphie’s soft skin, and contrasted wonderfully with her eyes and hair. “Where did you *find* something like this?” the Princess asked her Knight, still in awe as she looked down at it.
“I know a little shop,” Suzaku replied with an enormous grin. “My family have been regular customers for over a dozen generations. I remember accompanying my father when he was shopping for my mother a couple times.” For once, Suzaku was able to recall a good memory of his father without guilt jumping up to ambush him.
Euphie giggled. “How on earth did you *afford* it?” she asked next, reaching out to run a hand through Suzaku’s brown hair.
“What do I ever spend money on, darling?” Suzaku asked with a wry smile.
“Good point.” Euphie looked down at the necklace again and sighed. “I love it. Thank you so much!”
“You’re very welcome,” Suzaku replied warmly as his lady reached back into the box and plucked out the little snow leopard, cuddling it to her chest.
“Oh God, I didn’t even get you anything!” Euphie exclaimed, horrified at the sudden realization.
Suzaku threw back his head and laughed. Euphie’s expression of dismay was simply too cute. “I got you to smile at Christmas, my love,” he replied when he calmed down. “That’s all the gift I need.” From most people it would have sounded completely false, but Euphie knew that he meant it with all his heart.
“How can I possibly deserve you?” she whispered, setting the stuffed animal aside and cuddling Suzaku instead. “You are the most wonderful man alive.”
Sir Suzaku Kururugi blushed and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “Merry Christmas, Euphie.”
“Merry Christmas, Suzaku.”
{More Author’s Note: Suzaku’s training philosophy is based on descriptions I’ve read of U.S. Navy SEAL basic training. I think it makes perfect sense: push people as hard as you possibly can and see who quits and who doesn’t. As far as I know, the SEALs don’t do the hangover thing, though. ^^ The Amtal Rule is from “Dune” by Frank Herbert.
I’m a great believer in simple and elegant style, especially when it comes to any sort of uniform. A simple, straightforward uniform tells people that you don’t need to wear all sorts of stuff, if that makes sense. I think it commands more respect than an intricate uniform splattered with insignia and medals and so forth. Looking at the Britannian dress uniforms in the show makes me roll my eyes. It reminds me of pictures of Kaiser Wilhelm and the German general staff on the eve of World War 1—comical. Anyway, that’s just my philosophy, which I’ve seen fit to incorporate into this story.
I also believe in simple and elegant when it comes to jewelry. It’s not the size of the stone that matters, it’s the purity and the cut. Give me a tiny perfect gem over a huge flawed gem any day. I chose sapphires for aesthetic, not symbolic reasons. Heck, I don’t know what symbolism, if any, attaches to sapphires. I simply think blue and silver would look wonderful on Euphie.
I have a stuffed snow leopard myself. He is most adorable. His name is Heinrich.
The building of proper fires is a skill (among others) handed down from father to son in my family. My dad taught me when I was little. It’s not quite as simple as it looks.
I had originally intended to include a sex scene as a thank-you to all my readers, but no matter how hard I’ve tried I just couldn’t make it work. It felt completely wrong each time I rewrote it, and I finally had to axe it. Rest assured, however, that Euphie and Suzaku *definitely* make love on this particular evening.
Alpha reader credits: AnimeFreak859, LK, and M.Plantz. Thank you both very much!
See you next chapter! MERRY CHRISTMAS!}
A Code Geass fan fiction story
Written by Archangel
Edited by Comixgal
Chapter 10 – Gifts
{Author’s Note: This chapter is, for lack of a better term, a Christmas special. It is dedicated to everyone who enjoys my stories. I strongly suspect that this particular story will continue for quite a while longer! I’m actually sketching out the beginnings of a long-term plot, which is about the last thing I had in mind when I wrote Ch01. Some tales just take on a life of their own.
The music suggestion for this chapter is “Let It Snow” by whoever you like. ^^ Further notes at the end. Enjoy, and please provide feedback! RATE and/or REVIEW, please!}
The scene was fit to turn a movie director green with envy. It was that perfect. A decorated, fifteen-foot pine tree stood in each corner of the ballroom. The chamber orchestra was playing carols. The cathedral windows were thickly frosted with snow. The resident nobility of Area 11 were turned out in their Christmas finery, hobnobbing amidst the crystal and china.
Aside from that last, this party has real possibilities, Suzaku mused as he walked down the entrance stairwell. To call the young knight nervous would have been a gross understatement. In fact, he was fighting down a full-blown panic attack. Every eye in the room was pointed his way, and not all of the attached expressions were friendly.
“Her Highness Princess Euphemia Li Britannia. Sir Suzaku Kururugi,” the head usher intoned through his speaker disc.
On the other hand, Suzaku thought, I have the loveliest woman in the world on my arm. How bad could this be? Sir Suzaku Kururugi cordially detested these high-society events that his unofficial—but quite real—social position forced him to attend. The same was true of the young woman beside him, but one would never have guessed from looking at her. Euphemia Li Britannia was glowing, her smile lighting up the enormous room.
Although the fact that the two were lovers was not exactly a secret anymore, many thought it unseemly for them to attend the annual Christmas Ball as a formal couple. The fact that Suzaku was not Britannian by birth made the disapproval even more widespread.
On the plus side, it was very hard to disapprove of a vision of beauty such as Euphie. Her red velvet dress was trimmed with white fur, cut closely above her waist and loosely below. The princess’ long fuchsia hair was held back with a simple white headband. The overall effect was stunning, and exquisitely seasonal. It also matched Suzaku’s white-and-gold dress uniform wonderfully.
Euphemia seemed completely oblivious to the disapproving looks, and Suzaku managed to maintain his composure as the couple reached the bottom of the stairs. Euphie immediately moved off to join her sister, Cornelia Li Britannia, exchanging friendly greetings with everybody along the way. Suzaku followed in her wake, smiling and nodding politely. As always at these functions, he felt completely out of his depth. Fighting for his life was one thing. High society was quite another.
How could Euphie be so… at ease? She always seemed so at home at these parties, flitting around like… like a little dragonfly, Suzaku thought with a smile, unconsciously fingering the jeweled dragonfly brooch pinned near his left shoulder. An amazingly beautiful little dragonfly. Euphie had given the brooch to Suzaku when he had become her knight, a symbol of her patronage and favor in the courtly tradition. It was the closest to anything gaudy that Suzaku would want to wear.
Viceroy Cornelia was wearing her usual military uniform. Suzaku had never seen her otherwise. It was also usual for her to ignore Suzaku completely, and this time was no exception. The young knight took the hint and went to find drinks for himself and his girlfriend while the two sisters chatted. As he selected Champagne for Euphemia and ice-water for himself, a friendly hand descended on Suzaku’s shoulder.
“How goes it, Kururugi?”
“General Darlton,” Suzaku replied, pleasantly surprised.
“We’re not on duty, kid,” the battle-scarred warrior replied with a grin. “It’s just Darlton. Besides, we’re peers in responsibility now, if not in rank.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Suzaku replied honestly, but it made sense. With the Dover Knights about to be formed, Suzaku was effectively equal to Darlton, commander of Princess Cornelia’s Glaston Knights.
“Yep. Don’t tell me you’re a teetotaler,” Darlton laughed, gesturing to Suzaku’s glass of ice-water. His own half-empty glass held what looked like a strong sipping whiskey.
Suzaku chuckled. “Tonight I am. Training for prospective Dover Knights starts at oh-nine-hundred sharp tomorrow.”
“I know they’ve been assembled into a unit, but I didn’t know that training would start so quickly.”
“Neither do they.”
Darlton’s eyes widened slightly. “The day after Christmas with no warning? They’ll all have five-alarm hangovers!”
“That’s the idea,” Suzaku replied with a wink. “If they can survive the first day of PT in that state, there’s hope for them.”
“Even if they survive, they won’t learn much in that state,” Darlton warned.
“Oh, the basic training isn’t really about teaching skills,” Suzaku explained. “I’m going to drive them day and night for two weeks, push them to their limits and beyond. They’ll be free to quit and RTU at any time.”
The general gave Suzaku an appraising look. “What will that accomplish?”
“Those who are still there after two weeks will be the ones I want.” Suzaku paused, thinking how to explain. “They have to want to join with all their hearts, and have the spirit to keep going no matter what. I’m basically applying the Amtal Rule.”
“Ahhh,” Darlton exhaled, nodding as he recalled the principle: ‘To know a thing well, know its limits. Only when pushed beyond its tolerances will true nature be seen.’ “You’re one smart kid,” he told Suzaku approvingly. “I just hope some of your recruits are still standing when it’s over.”
“Me too,” Suzaku murmured, looking down at the glasses in his hands.
Darlton’s gaze followed. “I’ll let you get back to Princess Euphemia, then.”
Suzaku smiled, nodded, and moved off.
*****
“I still can’t believe he’s accepting Eleven recruits along with Britannians,” the Viceroy of Area 11 told her Sub-Viceroy with a frown. “Why on earth did you approve it, Euphie?”
“I don’t second-guess Suzaku on military matters,” Euphemia replied blithely.
Cornelia sighed. “You know that Numbers can’t perform as well as Britannians.”
“Then explain Sir Suzaku Kururugi to me,” Euphie fired back, her jaw taking on a stubborn set.
“One competent Eleven doesn’t disprove the rule!”
“Competent? He’s the finest knightmare pilot in the world,” Euphie told her older sister flatly.
The Viceroy let out an indignant huff. “Well, come make the argument again when all the Eleven candidates wash out the first day.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Euphie asked brightly as Suzaku reappeared out of the crowd.
Cornelia’s eyes flashed as she turned her gaze on the young knight. “Unless, of course, the trainer goes easier on the Eleven recruits…”
Suzaku blinked twice, handing Euphie the glass of champagne. He looked directly into Cornelia’s cold eyes. “Princess Euphemia’s safety is my sole concern, Viceroy. If I’m going to trust anyone else to help me with that task, their characters and abilities must be beyond doubt. All other considerations are irrelevant.”
A giggle defused the tension of the moment. Euphie took a sip of champagne, then laid the glass aside on a table. “Come on, let’s dance!” Suzaku barely had time to set his own glass down before Euphie seized his hand. The orchestra was breaking from Christmas carols in favor of a dance or two, and the young couple joined a half-dozen others on the previously clear dance floor.
“He starts training them tomorrow, Viceroy,” commented Lord Gilbert G. P. Guilford, who’d been standing silently behind Cornelia the whole time.
“Really? Hmm, seeing how they do with hangovers…” Cornelia mused. “This will be interesting to observe.”
“You’re not taking an active hand?” Guilford asked in slight surprise. Princess Cornelia was very much the hands-on type.
The Viceroy looked at her most trusted knight, her mouth twisting into the closest approximation of a smirk it could make. “I’m not going to do anything for or against it,” she replied. “I owe my sister that much.” Cornelia took a contemplative sip of wine. “Those two will stand or fall on their own.”
*****
“Thanks for sticking up for me,” Suzaku said with a smile.
“That’s the deal, isn’t it?” Euphie asked with a twinkle in her eye. “You fight the physical battles and I fight the political ones.”
It was the second new thought of the evening for Suzaku. “Yes, I suppose it is,” he replied with a wink. “Between the two of us, we can make it all work.”
Euphemia nodded. “How did I ever find you?” she murmured wistfully. “You’re such a wonderful man.”
“You’re one to talk,” Suzaku replied with a chuckle.
The princess shook her head, gazing up into his dreamy green eyes as they danced. “Do you have any idea how proud I am of you, Sir Suzaku?”
“Proud?” Her knight was genuinely puzzled.
“You’ve done so much good, overcome so much adversity. In a few months, you’ve built a reputation as a knightmare pilot to rival any of the Knights of the Round.” Euphie giggled. “By rights you should be one of them. Yet here you are, still, with me.”
Suzaku blinked hard. “I swore an oath to protect you, I—”
Euphie took her hand off his shoulder to shush him. “You know most Britannians don’t take such things too seriously. You could be a Knight of the Round in two weeks if you wanted to. You know that, right? It is such an incredible honor to be able to say that you’re my knight,” she told Suzaku earnestly. Euphie’s stunning eyes shone with love and adoration.
Her knight frowned. He had heard such things from a few colleagues, but the truth was that he had no interest in serving the Emperor directly. “My place is with you,” he answered simply.
The pair continued to dance in a warm glow of love which shut off the rest of the party. There was only the music and each other. Life was perfect.
*****
The orchestra switched back to Christmas carols all too soon, which was the unspoken signal for the guests to take their seats. The food was excellent, but far too fancy for Suzaku’s tastes. He and Euphie were both growing to appreciate the idea of ‘simple and elegant.’
This mutual philosophy was fully expressed in Suzaku’s newly designed dress uniform. It was essentially a white working uniform, albeit cut more severely than it would be for daily use. Small golden dragonflies, the symbol of the Dover Knights, were embroidered on either side of his collar, and polished golden major’s insignia were pinned to his shoulder boards. In fact, the only concession to formality was some gold trim on his cuffs and collar. Compared to the average Britannian dress uniform it was simple to an extreme. Yet the many military personnel present were surprised to find that young Sir Suzaku’s appearance was meeting with widespread approval amongst the noblewomen present.
Regardless, the meal went smoothly for once. Suzaku didn’t count a single sniping match, which was most unusual among this crowd. Perhaps it’s the holiday spirit, he mused. The freely flowing drink certainly seemed to make everyone more amiable. Suzaku just sat and ate quietly across the table from Euphie.
As the meal wound down, a few people at one of the tables began singing along to the current carol the orchestra was playing, “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.” Instead of petering out to embarrassed silence, more and more nobles began to join in. Two songs later, nearly everyone in the ballroom was singing along—each in his or her own key, naturally, but it still sounded okay. As the diners began to rise and mingle once more, Suzaku was one of the few people not singing.
“Something wrong?” Euphie asked quietly as she came to Suzaku’s side.
Suzaku gave her a sheepish grin. “I, uh, don’t know the words.”
“You don’t know *any* Christmas carols?” the Princess asked in astonishment.
“We didn’t celebrate Christmas when I was growing up.”
Euphie looked puzzled for a second, then rolled her eyes. “Oh, of course not. Silly me!” She grabbed Suzaku’s arm and leaned against him. “Want to get some air?” she whispered.
Suzaku shrugged and smiled. “Whatever you wish, Your Highness.”
*****
The gardens surrounding Thames Palace were quite stunning in their blanket of fresh snow. The young lovers made a parallel set of footprints as they walked across the lawn. The night wasn’t especially cold, and so the two were without jackets—the high collar and long sleeves of Euphie’s dress were sufficient to keep her comfortable, and Suzaku’s uniform was made of an excellent insulator. (It was also highly wrinkle-resistant.) The Princess had, however, swapped her high heels for a pair of winter boots.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Not half as beautiful as you,” Suzaku replied, giving the small hand entwined with his a gentle squeeze.
Euphie blushed. “Oh, stop.” She gently disengaged her hand from his and ran across the lawn, twirling and prancing like a little kid.
Suzaku couldn’t help but chuckle at how cute she was. I really am in heaven, he thought idly, tilting his head to look up at the stars. A sudden impact on his solar plexus disrupted Suzaku’s pleasant thoughts. He looked down to see a glob of snow sticking to his uniform tunic. When Suzaku’s gaze lifted, he saw Euphie standing a few yards away, looking extremely innocent. “Did you just hit me with a snowball?” the young knight asked incredulously.
“Who? Moi?” Euphie asked with a playful grin.
Suzaku stared at her for a moment, then laughed heartily. “Not too bright, sweetie, challenging a soldier to a fight,” he told Euphie with a matching grin. With blinding speed, Suzaku formed a handful of snow into a ball and lofted it at his lovely little liege.
Euphie managed to dodge to the side and laughed with glee. “Missed me!” she called, looking back to where her boyfriend had been standing. He was gone! That white uniform, she thought. He’s got perfect camouflage! Wait, maybe I can track him by his foot—”
A high-velocity mass of snow smacked into Euphie’s buttocks. She yelped and whirled around to see Suzaku giving her a Cheshire-Cat smile. “What?” he asked with faux-innocence.
“Oh, that’s it,” Euphie said, an equally fake menace in her tone. “You’re going down, handsome.”
“Bring it on, gorgeous,” Suzaku replied, deliberately shaping another snowball.
The two stared each other down for a long moment. Then a furious barrage of projectiles began on both sides, with each combatant trying to dodge whilst packing and flinging their own missiles. Many minutes later, Euphie was nearly coated with white powder and Suzaku sported a few impacts. It was very clear who had won, but neither seemed to care as Suzaku walked over to Euphie.
“Look what I found,” the knight told his princess, producing a small sprig of—
“Is that… mistletoe?” Euphie asked with a giggle.
Suzaku gave her a charming smile. “It most certainly is.” Holding the bit of greenery up above their heads, he leaned close and caught Euphie’s lips with his own. The cold vanished for the lovers as they kissed each other breathless… then kissed some more.
*****
“Are you injured, Your Highness?” the soldier standing guard at the doors asked in some alarm.
Euphemia shook her head, trying and failing to control her chattering teeth. “We had a snowball fight,” she explained with a grin. “He won.” The Princess jerked her thumb at her loyal knight. His uniform jacket was currently wrapped around her shoulders, his arm around her waist.
“She just needs a hot shower,” Suzaku explained to the sentry, who nodded. The young man let them pass, and the couple promptly made for Euphie’s suite.
“Join me?” Euphie asked Suzaku as he closed the doors behind them.
“Not right now, love,” Suzaku answered, kissing her cheek tenderly. “I’ve got to take care of something real quick.”
Euphie gave him a curious look, but decided not to enquire. Instead, she pouted dramatically and walked off to the bathroom.
Suzaku followed her progress with admiring eyes, then left the sitting room and headed down the hall to his own quarters. It was really just a bedroom with an attached bath, since Suzaku spent most of his time here in Euphie’s rooms. Still, it was a place to keep his possessions, such as they were. Suzaku reached under his seldom-used bed and retrieved a neatly wrapped box. He then changed into a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Parcel in hand, he padded back down the hall to Euphie’s sitting room.
The room was large enough to accommodate a decent-sized Christmas tree. Euphie had opted against lighting it, so the numerous ornaments hung rather dully in the glare of the overhead lamps. After setting the box carefully under the tree where it was sure to be noticed, Suzaku set to work building a fire in the large fireplace. Although the idea had (apparently) never occurred to Euphie, Suzaku loved a good fire and had asked one of the staffers to bring up some wood and other supplies earlier in the day. He’d been planning this evening for a couple of weeks, and wanted it to be just so for Euphie. The fire was swiftly built and lit. As the flames spread from the old newspapers to the kindling, Suzaku stood up, flipping off the electric lights and locking the hallway door.
The growing firelight glittered off the ornaments and gave the room a wonderfully soft, intimate warmth. Sir Suzaku smiled happily and sat down on the thick rug in front of the hearth, watching the fire bloom to its full extent.
The gentle touch of Euphie’s hand on his shoulder made Suzaku start. I guess I zoned out, he thought as he smiled up at her. Wow.
Euphie had traded her Christmas gown for a set of white satin pajamas. She sat beside her lover, a strand of still-damp hair brushing against his cheek. “This is so much nicer,” she sighed.
“Mmm.” Suzaku lay back into the thick shag rug. Euphie lay down beside him, using his chest as a pillow. She smelled faintly of vanilla. How on earth can I possibly deserve this amazing girl? Suzaku asked himself for the millionth time. An hour evaporated as the two teenagers basked in each other’s warmth and presence.
Euphie eventually rolled onto her back, looking up at the Christmas tree. “It looks so pretty in the firelight,” she murmured. As Suzaku made an affirmative noise, the Princess’ eyes strayed downwards and finally noticed the green-and-red wrapped box. “What’s this?”
Suzaku was unable to suppress a grin. “I don’t know,” he told her with consummate innocence. “Why don’t you open it and find out?”
“Oh, you!” Euphie giggled. She took the box into her lap, slitting the wrapping paper with her fingernails. Within was a plain cardboard box. Euphemia opened it and squeaked in delight.
Sitting within the box was a plush snow leopard cub, seemingly looking up at Euphie with its big, adorable eyes. “Oh my, it’s too cute!” she cooed. Then she noticed that the little cat was holding a velvet-covered box between its front paws. With slightly trembling hands, the Sub-Viceroy plucked it loose and held it up in the firelight.
Suzaku’s hands would also have been trembling were he not pressing them against the floor. He hoped his love would like it, but he’d never bought anything for a girl before—let alone jewelry—and…
The Princess gasped as she opened the little box.
Nestled into more velvet within was a thin silver necklace, inlaid with three quarter-karat blue sapphires. Euphie’s jaw dropped as she held it up to the firelight and saw the gems shine like tiny stars. Their clarity and cut were utterly flawless, their hue and saturation absolutely perfect—purest blue. Even the Second Princess of the Holy Britannian Empire was speechless at the amount of light they reflected. Moreover, the intricacy and beauty of the wrought silver was absolutely stunning. What might look simple and modest at first glance was in fact anything but. Euphie looked over at Suzaku with tears in her violet eyes.
“Do you like it?” Suzaku whispered with obvious nervousness.
Euphie opened and closed her mouth a few times, then flung herself at Suzaku, nearly suffocating him with a series of ferocious kisses. Both were gasping for air when they finally parted.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Suzaku murmured.
Euphie held the necklace up again in wonderment. “It’s so beautiful,” she breathed, still in a bit of shock. Suzaku gently took it from her soft hands and slipped it around her neck. He had no trouble with the tiny closure. The small sapphires twinkled brightly against Euphie’s soft skin, and contrasted wonderfully with her eyes and hair. “Where did you *find* something like this?” the Princess asked her Knight, still in awe as she looked down at it.
“I know a little shop,” Suzaku replied with an enormous grin. “My family have been regular customers for over a dozen generations. I remember accompanying my father when he was shopping for my mother a couple times.” For once, Suzaku was able to recall a good memory of his father without guilt jumping up to ambush him.
Euphie giggled. “How on earth did you *afford* it?” she asked next, reaching out to run a hand through Suzaku’s brown hair.
“What do I ever spend money on, darling?” Suzaku asked with a wry smile.
“Good point.” Euphie looked down at the necklace again and sighed. “I love it. Thank you so much!”
“You’re very welcome,” Suzaku replied warmly as his lady reached back into the box and plucked out the little snow leopard, cuddling it to her chest.
“Oh God, I didn’t even get you anything!” Euphie exclaimed, horrified at the sudden realization.
Suzaku threw back his head and laughed. Euphie’s expression of dismay was simply too cute. “I got you to smile at Christmas, my love,” he replied when he calmed down. “That’s all the gift I need.” From most people it would have sounded completely false, but Euphie knew that he meant it with all his heart.
“How can I possibly deserve you?” she whispered, setting the stuffed animal aside and cuddling Suzaku instead. “You are the most wonderful man alive.”
Sir Suzaku Kururugi blushed and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “Merry Christmas, Euphie.”
“Merry Christmas, Suzaku.”
{More Author’s Note: Suzaku’s training philosophy is based on descriptions I’ve read of U.S. Navy SEAL basic training. I think it makes perfect sense: push people as hard as you possibly can and see who quits and who doesn’t. As far as I know, the SEALs don’t do the hangover thing, though. ^^ The Amtal Rule is from “Dune” by Frank Herbert.
I’m a great believer in simple and elegant style, especially when it comes to any sort of uniform. A simple, straightforward uniform tells people that you don’t need to wear all sorts of stuff, if that makes sense. I think it commands more respect than an intricate uniform splattered with insignia and medals and so forth. Looking at the Britannian dress uniforms in the show makes me roll my eyes. It reminds me of pictures of Kaiser Wilhelm and the German general staff on the eve of World War 1—comical. Anyway, that’s just my philosophy, which I’ve seen fit to incorporate into this story.
I also believe in simple and elegant when it comes to jewelry. It’s not the size of the stone that matters, it’s the purity and the cut. Give me a tiny perfect gem over a huge flawed gem any day. I chose sapphires for aesthetic, not symbolic reasons. Heck, I don’t know what symbolism, if any, attaches to sapphires. I simply think blue and silver would look wonderful on Euphie.
I have a stuffed snow leopard myself. He is most adorable. His name is Heinrich.
The building of proper fires is a skill (among others) handed down from father to son in my family. My dad taught me when I was little. It’s not quite as simple as it looks.
I had originally intended to include a sex scene as a thank-you to all my readers, but no matter how hard I’ve tried I just couldn’t make it work. It felt completely wrong each time I rewrote it, and I finally had to axe it. Rest assured, however, that Euphie and Suzaku *definitely* make love on this particular evening.
Alpha reader credits: AnimeFreak859, LK, and M.Plantz. Thank you both very much!
See you next chapter! MERRY CHRISTMAS!}