The Draining Hourglass

Lelouch laid down on his bed, tired from the day's festivities. It was just like Milly to turn his birthday into a big party. Yes. It was his birthday. He was officially seventeen. His little sister had given him a wooden chess set. He had spent his entire day with his friends. He should have been happy. Ecstatic even. But he wasn't. The entire day, there had been a lingering feeling of dread in the back of his head. He had retired to bed early, unable to dredge up a smile much longer. And he was just staring at the ceiling. Seventeen. Yes, he was seventeen. One year older. And in a year, he would graduate from Ashford Academy. If he went to university, he would be separated from Nunnally. And that absolutely couldn't happen. Time was running out. What to do? They couldn't use a plane to escape from Area Eleven, which would require passports, and their faces had to remain hidden. And where would they flee if they were to leave Area Eleven and Britannia as a whole? The Chinese Federation? Lelouch dismissed the thought as quickly as it entered his mind. No, it was too risky. He doubted Nunnally could live happily under the corrupt rule of Eunuchs. And the EU had to store up on infrastructure before they could even consider hiding there. Lelouch couldn't think of anywhere else to hide. The Ashfords couldn't shelter them much longer, and he refused to let that man find them. Dammit! He hated feeling so powerless, relying on the kindness of others, which would inevitably dry up. He felt just as powerless as the day he confronted that man in the throne room. If only he had power! Power to protect his sister! Power to crush Britannia! Power to kill that man! But those were all ambitions that would never bear fruit. He was just an ordinary high school student now and had the power of one, which was to say almost none at all.