The Warlock's Queen

Chapter 22: Northern Island of Japan

"But when will you reveal it to the Black Knights? You can't hide it from them for a long time," says the witch. "Sooner or later, they'll want to know who their leader is."

"I will tell them if it's necessary," says Lelouch. "Anyway, we have to fight to get a territory we'll settle in. We couldn't just hide here forever."

"If that's what you want," C.C simply replies.

On the other hand, Kallen is in her quarters thinking of a lot of things which made her preoccupied for the moment.

"What could they be doing right now?" she asks herself. She walks here and there feeling uneasy. "Should I go and see them in Lelouch's quarters? No, I shouldn't. That woman might suspect something. She has a sharp sense so it's not a good move."

Kallen flops on her bed and stares at the ceiling.

"Would C.C replace me in piloting the Gawain now that she has returned?" Kallen wondered. "Why am I feeling pissed off and annoyed just by imagining it?"

"Kallen, we have an urgent meeting," says Neil who knocked on her door.

"Yes, I will be there soon," says she. She stands up and checks herself on the mirror to see if she looks presentable. She fixes herself for a while before leaving her room. When she's at the meeting room, everyone is already there except for C.C.

"Where's that woman?" Kallen asks.

"Miss me already?" says the witch who just arrived. She is now wearing her straitjacket instead of the yukata. "Anyway, I won't be able to participate in the fight for a while."

"And why is that?!" Kallen snapped.

"I'm still recovering," replies the witch and she showed her hands covered with bandages. "And I couldn't move my fingers at all."

Leo stares at the woman who stands up beside Zero. His eyes looks at her paralyzed fingers. C.C looks at him with her golden and captivating eyes. She gives him a smile as if telling she's all right. Travis notices their wordless communication which made him not to pay attention.

"Tomorrow, we will seize the Northern Island from the Britannians. We must succeed to expand our territory. When we successfully get it, we won't be worrying about how we're going to keep maintenance of the knightmare frames," says Zero. "Neil, you will take C.C at the island first since she knows how to get around here. Kallen and I will be the one leading on the attack so we could easily take down the army guarding the island."

"Yes," the Black Knights replied but then, Leo raises his hand for a suggestion.

"I volunteer to take C.C at the island. Neil is needed in the fight and my knightmare frame is quite damaged so it won't last long when I fight," he says. "Is that okay?"

"Okay,then," Zero agrees. "You and her will go before dawn. We will be coming after 20 minutes."

"Got it," replies Leo. After that, the group went to their respective rooms. Travis, who is near Leo's room, speaks to him.

"You volunteered to take C.C at the island because you're worried about her, right?" he asks.

"Yeah, she seems okay but I think there's something wrong as to why she couldn't pilot a knightmare," Leo replies. "I won't just watch her suffer from afar. She's an important person to me so I won't just leave her alone."

"I see," Travis says. "That's just like you."

The two enter their rooms without knowing that Kallen has overheard their conversation.

"Does Leo like C.C?" asks Kallen to herself. "Well, he did say that she's an important person to him. What would be Lelouch's reaction if he knows this?"