26 Chapter Twenty-Six: The Day the King Awakens

His wounds were healed over time and Lelouch's body had been placed in an ordinary bed. Visitors would come in whenever they had the time. Friends, allies, and family although the troubles of the world often took their time away from him.

But today Suzaku had finally found the time to spend at Lelouch's bedside.

"Hey, Lelouch," he said, placing a cup of coffee on the table next to Lelouch's bed where a game of chess was all lined up. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to see you for so long. But we all figured you wouldn't want us to give up the mission even on your account. It was tough for us, we had a lot of trouble not too long ago. It was hard without you but we managed to get it under control."

He sat down and opened up his newspaper, looking back down at Lelouch and giving a light smile. Every time he came, whenever he could find the time, he hoped his friend would wake up. A part of Suzaku always blamed himself for not arriving in time to help Lelouch before Shin could strike him down.

Then when Shin's escape had been reported Suzaku wanted nothing more than to go after him. But the only place Shin would have gone to was Britannia and Marianne forbade any of them going into Britannia until they were properly prepared.

For in Britannia was the full force of the Eden Elite, and just that struggle with Shin and the two Ancients had taken a lot out of their fledgling Atlas Fleet. They had to reorganize, recruit, and restructure. The Eden Elite had kept to Britannia but the Fleet still faced plenty of action.

But that was over, at least for now, and Suzaku could sit and wait by his friend to tell him all about it. But just as Suzaku was getting comfortable his communicator rang.

"I'm sorry Lelouch," said Suzaku.

Suzaku answered, even though he felt he knew exactly who it was that was calling him. Lloyd apparently wanted to do a few new tests on the...

"W...water," a voice croaked, interrupting Suzaku's train of thought.

Suzaku cut Lloyd's call and looked down at Lelouch, hoping he heard what he heard.

"S...Suzaku...please I need...water," croaked Lelouch, his voice dry.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku cried, tears forming at his eyes.

He went down to hug his friend but stopped, not wanting to hurt him and quickly ran to pour a glass of water. He brought it back to Lelouch's bedside, Lelouch's good eye opening slightly. Suzaku gently propped Lelouch up and placed the glass to his lips.

"Just sip it, don't try and take big gulps," said Suzaku.

Lelouch sipped, some water falling down his chin. For Lelouch it was almost as if he were a child suffering a cold. Eventually Lelouch had drunken all he could for now and lied back in the bed, his good eye widening.

He noticed his vision was impaired. Drawing his hand to his face Lelouch felt bandages over his left eye. He suddenly recalled the battle against Shin and how he had been struck down.

"Kallen?" Lelouch asked. "Suzaku is Kallen..."

"She's fine," said Suzaku. "Don't worry just keep calm. Jeremiah."

From outside the door Jeremiah Gottwald entered quickly upon Suzaku's call.

"Your majesty," cried Jeremiah. "Thank heaven you've awakened. I will inform Lady Marianne immediately."

Jeremiah activated his own communicator and quickly made the call. Lelouch took examination of the room and near his was a mat on the floor that looked slept in. Above it was an open window in which rays of a springtime sun were shining. This confused Lelouch as he recalled fighting shin on the doorstep of winter's arrival.

"Suzaku...how long?" Lelouch asked, still weak.

He could tell he had at least been out long enough for his muscles to atrophy considerably. He looked back at his friend whose face had fallen somewhat, no doubt due to the question posed to him.

"Lelouch...it's been over an entire year," said Suzaku.

"If it were not for the fact I were afraid it'd put you into another coma I would slap you Lelouch," said Marianne.

"It's good to see you too mother," said Lelouch.

Lelouch had been cleaned up to meet his mother, thanks to the ever reliable Sayoko. He was also still very weak and thus had been forced to use a wheelchair for the time being. Suzaku had pushed him to meet his mother, who had someone else Lelouch was desperate to see at her side. Kallen stood regally in a new uniform. A form fitting pilots suit in which the symbol of the fleet took up her torso. He had noticed the symbol was changed to where it held the mark of the Red Queen, which glowed in fire yet did not burn her uniform.

It was in many ways similar to how Suzaku's uniform had changed, where the golden emblem of the Fleet adorned the chest, only his featured the skull of the White Reaper. Lelouch had also noticed Suzaku's sword, as it appeared he had abandoned his scythe. Although the sword, appearing mostly to be a Britannian designed broadsword, held a scythe-like blade sticking out the side of the sword halfway up the blade.

He wondered what other changes had taken place while he was in his coma.

"Don't sass your mother Lelouch," said Kallen. "You were reckless with your power and arrogant in battle and we almost lost you for it."

'Dear god they've bonded,' thought Lelouch.

"I hope you're not thinking of more clever remarks young man," said Marianne.

"Of course not mother, I'm in no condition to be clever," said Lelouch.

"Well it sounds like you're on the road to recovery," said Marianne.

"And all without my own code of immortality too," said Lelouch with a clever smirk on his mouth.

Both Kallen and Marianne continued to stare down Lelouch, who merely smirked in his chair. This lasted for a minute before all three fell into a hug, mother and lover embracing Lelouch, glad to see his spirit was not broken despite his body being so.

Kallen took over Lelouch's care and took him back to his room while Marianne took care of 'something special'.

"Did you...sleep here?" asked Lelouch.

Kallen looked down at the mat and had a blush on her face which she tried to hide.

"I...I was...under orders to guard you," said Kallen. "It was easier if I...slept close to you."

Lelouch saw how Kallen fiddled with her hands and took them.

"Kallen...about what happened. I don't know if you remember it but...I meant what I said," said Lelouch. "Every word."

"Lelouch...I...I'm sorry," she said, hanging her head down.

"What...what do you mean?" asked Lelouch, hoping her feelings had not changed while he was in his coma.

"It's my fault you got hurt," said Kallen. "If had been stronger I would have given you Shin's head on a pike and you'd never have been hurt by him. But I was too weak and because of that I got captured and you were hurt trying to rescue me."

"Kallen..."

"You put so much faith and trust in me and I failed you," said Kallen. "I...I don't deserve to be..."

"Kallen, stop," said Lelouch, forcefully.

Kallen silenced herself but still looked down. Lelouch raised his arms and lifted up her head, seeing tears forming in her blue eyes. He drew her down and put his hand around her face, wiping away her tears.

"Kallen," said Lelouch. "My faith in you was never misplaced. You were right, I was arrogant. I underestimated Shin and sent away the Valhalla. With the power of the ship, even with Shin using suicide bomber tactics to disrupt my lines, the battle would have been ours. And you would never have been placed in danger. I saw it when you were captured and it frightened me. I wanted to jump Shin but as long as you were in the hands of his Knightmare, potentially injured I didn't want to risk your safety. I hoped to sneak in and take over the Order from the inside. But then all hell broke loose."

Kallen clenched when she was forced to recall how feral she had gotten. All because of that bastard Bludbierd.

"Kallen...what did they do to you?" asked Lelouch.

"There...there was this man," said Kallen. "He was an Eden Elite officer, said his name was Bludbierd. He...he said he was the one who turned my brother into...into the Questing Beast."

Lelouch gasped, recalling his vision from before the battle at Weisswolf began.

"I wasn't the only one who met him," said Kallen, her voice becoming angrier. "Lelouch he...he actually managed to capture your mother for a brief time."

"What?" yelled Lelouch.

Kallen flinched slightly, which Lelouch noticed and quickly he composed himself. Given his mother's presence and her attitude he believed the situation had resolved itself.

"She...she didn't go into too much detail about what happened but everything's alright now," said Kallen.

"Just what happened?" asked Lelouch.

"I...I think it's best if you ask your mother," said Kallen. "What happened with her is not my place to say."

Lelouch sighed but chose to listen to Kallen. He mostly wanted to know more about Bludbierd, whom he was already beginning to hate as much as his uncle.

Marianne had made all the appropriate calls and soon everything would be ready. She finally allowed herself to breath a sigh of relieve, her son was awake after so long. She feared he would never awaken but and that she would lose another son.

'That's another thing,' thought Marianne.

No doubt Lelouch would find out about Bludbierd, if Kallen didn't tell him already because of what happened to her. He'd ask his mother about her own encounter with Bludbierd. Then she'd have no choice but to tell her son about his brother.

It was something she hoped she would never have to do, having tried to bury the sad memory.

'How will Lelouch take it?' she wondered, fearful of what the news would do to Lelouch.

"Marianne," said Bismark, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Marianne turned to her knight, her lover, and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. She also wondered about how Lelouch would react to her relationship with Bismark. So many things had changed while he was recovering, she didn't want to hurt her child any further.

"He deserves to know the truth," said Bismark. "About everything."

"I know," said Marianne. "But that doesn't ease my fears any."

In the time he had been asleep Lelouch had grown a considerable amount of stubble which Sayoko shaved off of his face. His body was so weak he couldn't stand on his own and his arms had trouble at times.

He had fallen into his coma in the early Winter of 2017 and now had awoken in the early spring of 2019. He had missed over an entire calendar year. What had happened? Where were his other friends? What was the progress of the war against his uncle?

All these questions Lelouch hoped would be answered soon. It would be some time before dinner was ready and all his allies were gathered so after he was shaven Lelouch asked Suzaku and Kallen to help him around the place.

"This used to be headquarters of the Order of Michael but it belongs to the Atlas Fleet now," said Suzaku. "We've changed everything in case Shin were ever to decide to come back. Kanime Island is also undergoing development. We're almost finished with a proper base there to secure the Thought Elevator."

Kallen pushed Lelouch's wheelchair while Suzaku walked in front of them. They came up to the Knightmare hanger where Lelouch saw the Guren although it appeared considerably different. It held large cybernetic wings and a silver bird-like talon at the place of the Radiant Wave Surger and a long tail. The head featured a more avian-like design as well and large wings on its back

"The Guren Firebird," said Kallen. "It was made with parts from the Knightmare meant for...for the Questing Beast."

Lelouch noticed how Kallen didn't refer to Naoto as her brother and his heart broke slightly. Lelouch then looked next to the improved Guren and saw what he assumed was the Lancelot but in truth it looked like a mix of the Lancelot and Bismark's Galahad.

Like the Galahad it sported a large sword on its back and it sported a color scheme of blue white and red throughout its body.

"That's my new Knightmare the Roland," said Suzaku. "We combined the design of the old Lancelot with a bit of Bismark's own Galahad. Even the sword Durandal is modeled after Bismark's Excalibur."

"Did they just get finished?" asked Lelouch.

"Actually...they've already seen battle," said Kallen.

"What happened? Were we attacked?" asked Lelouch.

"We'll get you all caught up during dinner," said Kallen.

"It had better be a long dinner," said Lelouch. "Apparently I've got a lot to get caught up on. This would easily be resolved if you'd just give me a data tablet. At least give me the broad strokes."

"Lelouch, you've been in a coma for over a year and we've all been fairly scattered," said Suzaku. "Lady Marianne planned that for when you woke up we'd all get together to 's something meant to be good for all of us."

Lelouch decided not to push the issue and just wait until dinner and enjoy the ride. He looked down at the techs gathered around the various Knightmares and oddly enough saw Tamaki working with them.

He seemed to be wearing a strange kind of suit with various wires attached to a metal arm. He moved his own arm and the robot arm seemed to move stiffly as if following his gestures.

"What's Tamaki doing down there?" asked Lelouch.

"He works mostly with the science division," said Kallen. "He's their guinea pig."

As if Tamaki had some kind of super hearing he turned his attention to the catwalk the others were on and noticed Lelouch.

"Hey, Zero's up," yelled Tamaki, waving at Lelouch, and the mechanical arm following his motions.

"Careful, this is still a prototype," said Cecile.

"Okay sorry," said Tamaki.

Lelouch couldn't help but chuckle and waved back, at least as best as he could given his body. While he considered Tamaki a fairly useless idiot, he none the less enjoyed having him around. He'd have made a lovely court jester.

Sayoko, as well as a very dedicated serving staff, had prepared a vast spread by the time the others managed to arrive. It warmed Lelouch's heart to see that despite the time he had been out of commission everyone seemed alright.

"A toast to Lelouch vi Britannia," said Ohgi, rising to his feet and raising a glass. "Long live Zero, the Black King."

The others followed suit and raised their glasses to Lelouch.

"Long live Zero, the Black King," they all said.

Lelouch could only bow his head slightly, honored by the actions of his comrades. When they sat Lelouch looked over all gathered. Old faces such as the original Black Knights, taken from the Kozuki Resistance group. Although Lelouch couldn't help but notice how Viletta Nu wore a Black Knight uniform and seemed to cling quite well to Ohgi.

The White Samurai, former members of the JLF Kyoshiro Tohdoh and his Four Holy Swords. The Sapphire Crusaders, Cornelia and her knights serving with Rivalz, who too bore a similarly redesigned uniform. Milly sat next to Rivalz's as well, with an engagement ring on her finger.

New faces such as Leila Malcal and Akito Hyuga and the W-0 unit, including Ashley Ashura, all wearing grey uniforms. Hyuga himself wore a special designed uniform similar to Rivalz, Kallen, and Suzaku. Lelouch had concluded only the members of the Color Guard were the ones who got the redesigned uniforms as all the others wore uniforms designed int he way he had seen before he went into his coma.

He also noticed Nunnally wearing a Color Guard uniform of her own, sitting next to Rai, holding his hand. Lelouch couldn't help but feel incredibly annoyed by this.

There was also an orange haired young man called Oz whom Lelouch didn't know but given how friendly he appeared to be with Nunnally he didn't really mind him that much.

The rest of the Student Council was there as well. Nina seemed to be more comfortable around all the foreign people she was with. And Shirley seemed to be enjoying herself, although she would often look away when Ashley Ashura looked her way.

He also noticed the way his mother and Lord Bismark would look at each other from time to time. Indeed, there was plenty of conversation worthy material at the table.

"Thank you, everyone," said Lelouch. "I'm...sorry I haven't been here for so long. But...I'm glad despite my absence, everyone is alright. I heard that there was some trouble though."

"Yes," said Ohgi. "Truth be told it wasn't easy without you Lelouch."

"Not to say we didn't have some pretty damn good stand ins," said Tamaki. "This beautiful blue bastard is all the rage in Euro Britannia."

Rivalz looked down bashfully, Milly chuckling as she took his blue hand in hers. Lelouch looked at his friend's body. His exposed cybernetics now were much sleeker. They looked a little more human, albeit they looked like exposed muscle, except bright blue in color.

"It's not as he makes it sound," said Rivalz.

"Says the man referred to as the Lord Protector of the United Realm of Euro Britannia," said Dalton.

Lelouch couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise at this. He still thought of Rivalz as his goofy friend from Ashford Academy. But now apparently he was the Lord Protector of Euro Britannia, pretty much their version of Zero.

"Rivalz Cardemonde, how far you have come," said Lelouch, truly impressed.

"It's Rivalz Cardemonde-Shaing now Lelouch," said Milly.

"Shaing?" asked Lelouch.

"Yeah, Shin's adoptive family," said Rivalz. "Lady Maria she...she actually adopted me, it was made official last month. It was kinda crazy last month, at least for me."

"It couldn't have been worse than having to deal with the political nightmare Euro Britannia has been" said Viletta.

"You want to talk nightmares talk about what happened in Japan," said Cornelia.

"Why don't you all just get me caught up with the entire year from the beginning?" asked Lelouch.

"Of course Lelouch," said Nunnally. "It really started when spring came..."