Fallen Grace

[Jeremy Hunter]

Battleship Eglantine, Dauphine. 3 Days before Fallen Grace
Lelouch stuck his cap back on. His messages over; Leon Chevalier...Le Chevalier Noir...had made his move.
"The Knight has leaped to defend the Queen. It is time for the Black King to begin his advance."
He stepped out of the bunker, men and women moving to the sides to let him pass. They all saluted him silently; he had asked them not to.
It was their way of respecting him. Of wishing him luck.
As he reached the end of the hallway, he turned, and gave the soldiers a two-fingered salute. They lowered their hands, and watched as he left.
Lelouch did that for every hallway, every elevator, every step he took. The Eglantine's crew was honoring him and his sacrifice.
Everything.
Everything in his life was being lost.
As he stepped into the hanger, the techs, the engineers, everyone stood and saluted as he walked towards the gunboat. The Gawain was ready to leave; he would have Captain Clerment of the Marines in command of the Eggy.
"Friends." He said, turning around. "Three days, and rectification will either happen, or begin. Stand fast; Acadia will return. I will return." He glanced over at Faerie. "If anything happens to Clerment, ensure this ship comes to pin the Chant."
He turns back and mounts the ramp, jogging up. He had a job to do. Upon arriving at the small bridge, he turned on a video link with the two Valors that had sworn loyalty to him - Eglantine and Oblique.
"The Day of Fallen Grace fast approaches. Chevalier has brought the limelight to him; we must finish preparations. This Fall from Grace...it will shake Gallia to it's core. Never has such an undertaking been done; I strike to Charles himself, with elements of his own fleet, of some of the most hated enemies of Gallia and their allies, these Nomads. Our time is at hand!" He flicked the Black King from his sleeve. "Le Chevalier Noir shall reach Alice DeFrance; the Black Queen and her Bishops shall bring a wave of fire upon the corrupt forces. But they cannot win alone; not only must Charles fall, but we must ignite the hearts of the people to embrace change! To embrace the return of Alice DeFrance and return to glory! This war with Sirus shall end, and we shall be the vanguard of the rectification!"
Lelouch, set the chess piece down. "The King is weak. He stays in Ile Due Palais, hiding. he thinks his forces will prevail. But if a king does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow? That is how we shall win. I lead this rebellion. I am at the forefront. What danger you are in, I shall face myself!"
He looks at the chess piece, one last time.
"One piece. It is the most important piece in chess; for if it is lost, you lose the game. I might stylize myself as the Black King of Fallen Grace, but in the end, compared to Alice DeFrance, I am merely a bishop. Remember; I am replaceable. But what is irreplaceable is the righteous fire the burns in you all, the fire that yearns for a free Gallia. Do not let that fire die; for as it is fire's nature, it spreads. Be the embers that rain on this decaying forest. Burn away the old, and make way for the new!"
Lelouch ended his speech with no flourish, with no theatrics.
No.
This speech ended with a metaphor.
And that was all it needed.
The Gawain pushed off from the floor; it moved to the side door, and soon was rocketing towards Orleanais.
For the Day of Fallen Grace approached fast, and the end was near.

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May you ever walk in the Light, Shizune.