2024-03-08: Will of Nunnally
- Cutscene: Will of Nunnally
- Cast: Nunnally vi Britannia
- Where: Pendragon Estate
- Date: 2024-03-08 (ICly 25th October 0098)
- Summary: Nunnally settles back into royal life -- with a royal decree. She knows the tide she's swimming against, but she believes in Euphemia's desires, anyway.
Princess Nunnally vi Britannia was rescued by the efforts of brave Princess Cornelia li Britannia -- and now, a ball is held to celebrate her birthday. It is, in many ways, her reintroduction to polite society...
... but polite society can be terribly impolite.
"She's hysterical, isn't she?" "Even after all this time, she refuses to open her eyes..." "I wonder why they're bothering for someone who can't even be married off for political gain?" "The Second Princess is sentimental, I suppose." "Well -- you know what they say about weak constitutions."
They're the same whispers the court held years ago; ableism is rarely innovative. Back then, Nunnally was still being treated, and she was spared their logic. But... that doesn't mean she didn't know.
She misses her big brother Lelouch terribly, and the way he would shield her from their gaze. Lelouch was always fighting for her... but they lost him, in the chaos, and Nunnally is in no shape to search. Sir Guilford assures her they're searching tirelessly, and she trusts him. But... now she's here, she doesn't simply want to hide behind Cornelia, not while her big sister is in so much pain.
She holds a socialite's hand, and feels the emptiness in her heart. They think she cannot hear what they whisper, behind their hands. They think she is blind to their scornful pity, too.
She reaches to the table. She finds its edge, and her delicate fingertips trace until she finds the cutlery neatly set out. She searches for the deep dessert spoon, with its concave shape which translates so well to sound. She finds a crystal glass with those same delicate motions, brushing carefully across the setting.
And she taps one to the other, once, twice, three times. Nobles are well trained to respond to the sound.
"Excuse me," Nunnally raises her voice and her chin, turning her head as if to try to capture them all. "There's something I'd like to say."
"We've made time for some words after --" One noblewoman starts, with a patronising edge, only for Nunnally to frown.
"Don't interrupt me, please." She pauses, for a long moment; the room is silent. She may be the 87th Princess, but she is, still, a Princess. "... thank you. I want to say that I'm aware of what you think of me. I know you view me as a worthless Princess. There's truth to that. I can't walk like you, and I can't see. My health is fragile, and I need help with a lot of things. I won't marry well, and I won't expand the Empire. All those things are true..."
She puts the crystal glass down, delicately. She is deliberately delicate, knowing the violence in her heart. Part of her, childishly, wants to throw it with all her might. Would that temper have made her more acceptable, in the eyes of Britannia...? No, she thinks, a moment later -- she is a lady. A damaged lady.
"... even so," she says, with enough of a pause that the patrons start to fidget and glance aside, "even so, I have something I want to do!" Her voice raises, as her hands clench, instead, in her lap. She holds them together, and she knows she is truthful. "Princess Euphemia was innocent... and her vision was wonderful! That's why I'm going to be helping my big sister Cornelia with all my might! I'm going to stay here, and I'm going to fulfill Euphy's true will! Since I'm a worthless Princess, none of you should object to that... please accept me as a steward of Area 11, instead. Please help me to achieve my humble desire, so that someone like me can serve the people in our Empire, too."
She takes a breath, and lowers her head. "Thank you for hearing me out," she offers, politely. "And thank you all for celebrating my sixteenth birthday... I'm looking forward to the cake very much."
When the gossip starts up again, most voices agree on one thing: Nunnally certainly takes after her father.
What a shame she ended up like this, with determination like that.
Soon, that determination will lead to...