Archer slowly stalked his prey, a white stag – the lead on a legendary beast with spoils too tempting for someone like him, a hunter and blacksmith, would love to get his hands on. Be it for the thrill of the hunt, the tracking, stalking and taking the shot or, the beasts' entire body to be harvested and sold to the higher class magicians and kings for a very good price.
As he crouched low on the sturdy tree branch, the sunlight shielded by the overhead canopy and the cacophony of the forest around him as if anticipating his next move, it was not suffocating.
Yet.
Archer materialized his black blow, it's light and durable frame notched with a nameless slim rapier he made himself, he reinforced his eyes, observing his preys' still figure – eating grass without a care in the world.
He stood up to take his stance, adjusting his large frame on the thick branch and pulled the bowstring, his arm straining with effort but the bow stayed true without shaking.
The forest went silent.
As if sensing his thoughts, the white stag looked his way.
He released.
The legendary beast moved.
Archer quickly reinforced his body, micro blue lines appearing throughout his skin as he leaped to the nearest branch. His sight trained towards the fleeing stag, his awareness and instincts guiding him as he chased after it in full speed.
The game of cat and mouse would end with Archer guiding it slowly towards a cliff he mapped in his mind, his heart racing a mile a minute and his circuits still just warming up.
A feral smile lit up his face, his Steel Silver eyes narrowing as the white stag fell for his trap.
Now.
He jumped up over the canopy as the thick forest cleared up to a steep cliff, his bow drawn and….
Something collided with the back of his head.
His momentum was broken and a really big bump could be felt even without touching it, he fell to the sea of green below.
"Ahh!" a feminine yelp was the last thing he heard before his vision rushed blurred and then darkness.
"Ahgrr." Archer groaned, his closed eyes, feeling heavy with dizziness. He registered the soft padding below him, the blanket thrown over his chest and the lack of clothes.
Definitely the lack of clothes.
Slowly, the hunter/blacksmith opened his eyes.
He was in a small room, books and vials neatly placed on the shelves, the open window letting the afternoon glow filter through. Archer sat up, using his broad bronze arms to prop himself up.
No one was in the room.
Until the door opened.
A girl, half pointy ears, dark purple robes and flowing lavender hair.
"Ah!, you've woken up!" she exclaimed, her face lit up and the bowl she was holding giving away the soft good smell of soup. "Here! Here! I've made soup!."
For the life of him, he couldn't help but smile at the sight before him, he felt his body relax.
Was it magecraft? wizardry?
"Thank you." Archer said, the young girl made her way to his bedside and pulled a chair, softly scrapping with the wooden floor and watched him with wide eyes – she was excited.
"Hi, my name is Medea!"
Did she have to be so upbeat? Not that Archer didn't like her personality, he just wondered why she seemed to be so happy. "My name is Archer."
He took the soup she offered and nodded his thanks before taking a sip.
"..."
"How is it?" Medea asked, she was nervously fidgeting on her seat as she watched her guest, her eyes couldn't seem to stay at one place.
He wanted to gobble very much right there and then.
He resisted.
"This is very good." His hands twitched to ruffle her hair after her expression lit up like a firework.
They got to know each other, Archer who was still bedridden answered the question his cute(he says that a lot of time to fluster her) host asked.
"What do you do?"
"I make weapons."
"Do you now magic?"
"I do, I can make almost anything pop out of thin air."
"Wahh! Show me! Show me!"
"Tada"
"Wahh! That's so cool!"
Later Medea told him that she didn't get many guests, being the daughter of the king and practicing her magic – the mountain provides her with the resources she needs to practice her magecraft, not a lot of people wanted to come there for fear for their lives and the king's wrath.
They got along quiet well, Archer already developing strong brotherly instincts for the cute little princess.
When days past and Archer was fully healed from his fall:
"Umm..Archer?"
"Yes Medea(chan!)?"
"W-would you like to stay?" she played with the hems of her sleeve, her eyes resolutely looking down and her blush pronounced like a tomato.
What could a man do against this level of cuteness?
"Of course, Medea(chan!)"
Archer promised that he would come back, he travelled home and gathered his things.
His small house was made of soft earth, somewhere near the Kingdom of Crete.
It was a long journey, practically like a quest. Only this time, his prize would be his cute little half elf waiting for him.
His heart lightened up at the thought of her cheerfulness.
When he arrived at the wooden cottage she lived in, Medea threw herself at him, hugging him exuberantly and spouting all the things they could do together.
And he wondered why she was so happy all the time, it was contagious.
Years went by, Archer found himself going out on hunts, looking for rare materials for her and his magecraft, when he went home – on the mountain on Colchis, he would always be welcomed by a hearty meal and an infinitely happy Medea.
Even as years passed by, she always seemed to be happy, as she matured into a young woman, her exuberance faded(just a bit, she still tackles him on a daily basis) but her smile always remained.
She helped him further his magecraft, now able to manipulate his swords during the blueprint step and tracing with runes already imbedded in the designs, courtesy of his cute partner who made him forge and reforge the swords he materialized and adding runes to add to the blueprint
It was genius.
He told her so - that night, she made a very hearty dinner for the two of them and they celebrated his advance in his studies.
Those were the best years of his life.
He felt content.
Until Jason came.
The hero came out of nowhere, suddenly approaching the dwelling and demanded to see Medea.
She fell for love at first sight.
He asked for her help to get the Golden Fleece, she agreed immediately and Archer sees the hero eyeing her like a slab of delicious meat.
He didn't like it, he knew the right that second something was very wrong.
"No, you shouldn't do this Medea." Archer crossed his arms, blocking the doorway where Jason was waiting behind him. The hunter scowled at the man behind him.
"He's an asshole."
"Don't stop me Archer." Her voice was steely, she met his gaze head on with steel in her eyes. "I love him."
"You don't."
"Medea! What are you waiting for!" the douche called out behind him, managing to catch his attention again, he turned around.
Archer felt his vision slowly turn red, the sight of the smug man standing right there, his eyes seemed to gloat his weakness to protect her.
The asshole was right, somehow, he failed.
"You, get lost and never come back." Archer warned, his entire body stiff with tension, he leveled a fierce glare. "Before I make you." He knew that a battle would commence shortly.
His hands spread open, a habit before tracing, he advanced. The idea of dicing the man in front of him very appealing.
Only to stop half-way.
"Don't you dare threaten my love." Medea materialized between the two men. "Leave." She leveled a ball of cackling energy at him. Her eyes narrowed.
That seemed to be the breaking point. In his eyes, Medea – the cute little girl who clung to his neck when they had fun, whose smiled lit up the skies, her amethyst eyes sparkling whenever he brought back his spoils.
She would never lift a finger against him.
Something inside his mind snapped.
His rage peaked.
It was the bastards' fault she became like this.
"If you take one step. If you take a step against me and my love, I will hate you for the rest of my life."
His eyes narrowed. He ignored her threat, somehow, somewhere inside him, he couldn't believe she would do this to him.
"So be it."
She fired.
He moved.
The fight lasted seconds, as he materialized his dual blades, he dodged the spell, inadvertently destroying their home for the last decade. He threw his blade – Kanshou, immediately moving around to avoid her spells.
"Medea, protect me!" Jason demanded, he never took a step back, confident in his lovers' ability to protect him.
The witch teleported in front of him and raised a shield.
His eyes widened.
Archer dissipated his thrown blade, knowing her shield would not block it with the anti-magic runes he instinctively inscribed.
Then, his gut was pierced.
He realized that his hesitation to hit her was the chance she was waiting to strike him down.
He skidded on his arm mid-movement, colliding with a tree that stopped his momentum and his sword still on grip.
He looked at her.
Her face was blank, he swore he saw hatred inside them.
It was the last thing he saw before the blood lost got too much.
"Goodbye, Archer." she left.
It was because of the necklace on his neck that he survived. The red jewel contained vast amounts of prana he stored inside everyday. He reabsorbed his energy when his body tried to repair itself.
He body is made of blades afterall.
When he regained consciousness, the silver moon shined down towards him, alerting him to his still injured state.
He didn't give a damn about that.
With wobbly steps, he walked.
He was determined to save his princess.
He searched for her far and wide, travelling by land and sea with any lead he could find.
He heard about the rumors.
Of how she murdered her own brother.
Of how she murdered her own children.
Of how she made a kingdom burn.
He still searched for her.
He will save her, no matter what.
Years passed by in a blur, kingdoms scoured on every nook and cranny, he never gave up.
Eventually, he found her.
She was starring lifelessly at their destroyed home.
A broken woman, near insane and empty.
He broke down when she noticed him and came crying into his arms with her blank eyes.
Her sparkling clear amethyst eyes, now a pale purple.
He vowed he would save her no matter what it took. He would keep his word.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-" she could never stop repeating the now single most hated sentence in his life, her lifeless voice haunting his ears.
"I forgive you. Medea, I forgive you." he would always reply.
He rebuilt the house, taking care to build it according to memory and made everything he could on hand.
He cooked and fed her, washed her clothes and cleaned her when he noticed the problem.
She was unresponsive.
Archer never gave up – his heart yearning for the smile that graced his earlier years to come back.
She tried to kill herself one day, taking her dagger and plunging it straight towards her heart.
He could never let her leave his sight ever since.
He took her hunting with him, travelling to various places and meeting numerous people.
They even slept on the same bed, Archer feared her suicidal attempts would succeed if he ever left her alone.
By time, she started to regain herself.
It started when she tried to cook again.
Read her books, pet the occasional animal wandering close by.
She tried her magecraft one day, whatever the results - she seemed to succeed.
From then on, she slowly regained her confidence.
As weeks past by, his hopes slowly seemed to become reality.
Her eyes lit up when she saw him.
She smiled more often.
Her nightmare was never truly gone but when she slept with his arms around her – she always felt safe and protected.
"Archer."
"Hmm?" he was chopping some meat to be added to the soup, "What is it, Medea?"
When he was met with silence, he turned around and saw her standing there, tears glistening on her eyes, her body trembled.
He immediately became concerned.
"Medea? What's the matter? Why are you crying?"
She shook her head, "HmmMmm, nothing's wrong."
He stepped closer and raised her chin to check for anything wrong, "Then why?"
"I just realized something." She moved to hug him and pressed her forehead against his chest, Archer automatically wrapping his arms around her and rubbed her back softly.
"What is it?" he asked gently.
She looked up, her tears freely flowing, she was smiling.
" I love you, Archer."
His gaze turned soft, his feelings light, he mirrored her smile.
"Love you too."
And he meant it.
Up on her throne, the goddess Aphrodite laughed, her plan worked.
All her efforts, her schemes and favors gone.
All for the scene shown on her mirror.
Her choice of hero to send to the innocent and naive princess of Colchis.
Emiya Shirou.
Counter Guardian.
His memories and the ultimate trap she set up with it.
She could feel the twist coming.
"Uhhh, I can't wait!"
Years later, their first baby was born. They named her Rin (he wanted that name for some reason he couldn't fathom)
And their lives up that point was perfect.
One day, when Rin was playing outside with her pet dragon, Archer was in the kitchen accompanied by his wife. They were making soup – Medea wanted to remake the first soup she gave him.
As she was happily humming…
Archer collapsed, his head suddenly assaulted by vivid visio - no, it was his memories.
Of the fire.
Of the Holy Grail War.
Of his biggest mistake.
And now, he could see his salvation in front of him.
Medea, mother of their cute little daughter Rin.
He wondered what the original would say.
"Archer!" she was immediately at his side, placing his head on her thighs and checking his body with a glyph hovered above his heart.
She gasped.
"NO! You're fading!"
Sadly, he could feel that too, breathing heavily, his mind a terrible blur, he could make out his cute wife above him, no words could leave his mouth, all those cliches with the final last words of a dying man.
How sad it was, but, he was never one to give up so easily.
Color was leaving his body at a fast pace, it was like his body turned gaseous and bits of it managed to float upwards.
His body rapidly started to lose form, turning almost translucent.
Archer didn't know what was happening but, the sight of his cute Medea (even after years passed by) crying made him feel in pain.
He managed to shakily stroked her cheek with his thumb before he faded. His eyes seemed to try to convey his final message.
'Take care. Be happy.'
"…."
Medea was frozen, her husband's body burst into shards that flowed upwards.
'NO!'
She tried to catch it, her hands flailing, her mouth wide but soundless.
She desperately tried to keep the particles in her hands.
It passed right through her fingers.
Finally, she was alone.
"..."
She lost her husband.
"….."
Archer.
"…."
"Mommy?"
She looked at their daughter standing in front of her.
She looks just like him.
Archer.
She lost him.
"Mom-"
"SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- " her shrill scream resounded towards the heavens.
Somewhere up there, a goddess was laughing in delight.