Chapter 1: Return of the Crown Prince
The court had not been this silent in years.
Torchlight flickered against the gold-trimmed walls of the Imperial Palace, casting tall shadows across a sea of nobles and generals. The grand hall, lined with white marble and crimson carpet, was filled with whispers that dared not rise above a breath. None had been summoned to the throne room so urgently in years. And fewer still had seen the Emperor—Charles zi Britannia—in person since his abrupt disappearance into the Thought Elevator.
Then came the sound of boots.
Two sets. Marching in perfect rhythm.
Lelouch vi Britannia emerged from behind the towering doors, walking at his father's side. Gone was the cloak of Zero, the mask, the air of rebellion. In its place was a royal uniform bearing the insignia of a Crown Prince—tailored black with silver trim, and the winged crest of Britannia emblazoned on his chest.
Gasps rippled through the assembly.
Charles did not pause. His voice boomed across the hall, deep and imperious.
"Let it be known: Lelouch vi Britannia has been reinstated as Crown Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire."
Shock. Murmurs. Disbelief.
"He has cast aside his rebellion and returned to his rightful place. Any who speak against this decree speak against the will of their Emperor."
Lelouch stood a step forward, gaze sharp, posture tall. He scanned the crowd. Among the familiar faces were nobles who had cheered his exile, commanders who had fought his Black Knights, and eyes that now darted in fear or confusion.
"I will not apologize for the path I once took," Lelouch said clearly. "But I will forge a new one. The world built on conquest and lies ends now. With my father's alliance, we will usher in an era without falsehood."
The silence deepened.
Then came the sound of a single, deliberate clap.
From the side of the hall stepped Schneizel el Britannia, hands together, smile unreadable.
"How moving, Lelouch," he said. "But I wonder, will the world so easily forgive a mask it once feared?"
Lelouch didn't flinch. "Only those who hide behind smiles should fear being unmasked."
Later that evening, in the Emperor's private chambers, the conversation turned to Suzaku.
"He remains within UFN custody," Charles said, arms crossed behind his back.
"Then we retrieve him," Lelouch replied. "Alive."
"You still trust him?"
Lelouch turned to face the window, the lights of Pendragon glittering beyond. "No. But I believe in what he could become."
Somewhere in UFN Territory
Suzaku Kururugi sat in a cold interrogation cell, staring at nothing. His Zero uniform was gone, replaced with a plain jumpsuit. Time passed differently now—blurred, fragmented.
Then the door opened.
A Britannian envoy stepped inside. "You are being released."
Suzaku looked up, suspicion darkening his eyes. "Why?"
"The Crown Prince requests your presence."
One Week Later
Back at Pendragon, Suzaku stood in full Knight uniform once more. Lelouch faced him, hand extended.
"Become my Knight of Honor."
Suzaku hesitated. "After everything..."
"We can't change the past," Lelouch said. "But we can choose what the future becomes."
A long silence stretched between them. Then, slowly, Suzaku took his hand.
The court watched from behind silver-gilded pillars.
A new alliance had begun.
In the shadows
A coded message flashed across a hidden console in Schneizel's private airship.
Subject NUNNALLY: LOCATION UNKNOWN. ESCORT LOST IN TRANSIT.
He leaned forward, eyes narrowed.
"Checkmate already, Lelouch? Or just your opening move?"