Land of the Rising Son

Part 3

My beloved, oh my sweet

All the gifts you have given me

The patience and the peace

The cherry blossoms and the candy

I am yours, I am yours

For as long, for as long as you will have me

-•-

Land of the Rising Son

Part 3

Suzaku wakes up in his room.

He slowly shifts in bed under a cold sheet of sweat with churning nerves that twist in his body like rusted cog wheels.

"Suzaku?" Tohdoh is with him. "Don't move. Do you remember what happened?"

Suzaku sits up despite Tohdoh's caution, rubbing at the thunder in his head.

"...No... Not after..." He remembers... his father and then—"Something happened?" Something else?

Tohdoh appears to be the only other person in the room, other than Kaguya who is asleep in a nearby chair. No attendants or maids despite the look of alarm sharp around the older man's features and—

"You... had an episode."

"Episode?" Suzaku echoes with bewilderment, hand dropping from his face to the quilt stitched together by the careful fingers of his mother, grandmother and great grandmother before he was born.

That... wasn't a dream?

"You were very upset." Tohdoh offers Suzaku a glass of water, but Suzaku isn't concerned about his hydration.

"But, what does that mean? What are you saying!?"

"Please, just relax—"

"Did I do something!?"

"No." Tohdoh pauses, a vague weight seeming to settle on his shoulders. "You... I believe it was some sort of panic attack."

...Panic?

"You're alright now, so please." He insists the water towards Suzaku again. "Relax."

A panic attack...

Suzaku remembers running.

Trying to escape.

The palace suddenly became a maze...

He couldn't breathe.

And his chest was...

"...What time is it?" the prince tiredly asks as he takes the water, his dry lips tingling at the touch of the cool liquid flowing past them.

Suzaku doesn't bother to ask if his father has visited him.

He already knows the answer.

Tohdoh looks at his silver watch. "Just past midnight."

Suzaku flails and nearly sloshes water all over himself as he swings the glass down to his nightstand—

"I was supposed to meet Lelouch!" He didn't even notice how dark the room is, what with all the lanterns lit and closed curtains. "I need to—!"

"Suzaku." Tohdoh stills him and a long silence struggles in his muscles. "You aren't going."

"But I was supposed to be there hours ago..." Lelouch must be so worried!

Tohdoh shakes his head. "You've been sequestered to the palace."

"Se-Sequestered!?"

"Visiting or communicating with Lelouch won't be possible." He holds up Suzaku's mobile. "I've informed him you won't be available."