So here it is, the Naruto/Fate crossover that had been stuck in my head for way too long.

A little note. A lot of my writing was inspired by Kur0Kishi. Basically, their writing mainly consists of exploring how Naruto would change if certain aspects of his ideals are challenged.

This particular story will consist of a Naruto who'd rejected his ideals and became something of a twisted version of Kaguya.

Let me make a few things clear, he'll act like Gilgamesh. It will be explained later on why. If you can't stomach that, I suggest you drop the story now. For those who intend to stay, I'll also warn you that character development is my favorite aspect of a story, so take it with a grain of salt if you will.

Small Edit: 02/05/2019

XXXX

"You say peace could be attained through forgiveness…? You give humanity too much credit, Asura."

Peace.

"Stop letting your emotions cloud your judgement. You cannot attain peace without me!"

Once, he had strived for it. Along with his friends. They fought with everything they had.

"Now!"

"Shannaro!"

"All right!"

"Six Paths Planetary Devastation!"

And they won… at a price.

"With everything I have I curse you! I curse you to walk the ends of the earth for eternity. Watch time claim the lives of your friends one after another! See humanity's own corruption consume this very 'peace' you fought so long and hard for. And finally, when you have fully realized what you have denied the world today, live the rest of your days knowing that you were the cause for its despair!"

A curse of immortality. Done out of spite than anything else. Kaguya was a sore loser.

Before being fully consumed, Kaguya had uttered a few words that would come to haunt them back later on.

"You think you've won, children? You call this a victory? You've done nothing but damn this world. Don't you understand…? This world… it cannot live without its mother."

At the time he had thought nothing of it.

Immortality?

Add it to the list of hurdles he had to face in his lifetime.

The world dying because of the lack of her presence?

Probably just her own hubris and delusions. They'd survived without her presence for so long, what difference does it make now?

"Without further ado I present to you the man who will succeed me. The Seventh Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto!"

He'd been ignorant then, too ignorant to the true nature of these… mongrels.

Nevertheless, he had fulfilled his dream to be a Hokage; not just that, he had also become the leader of the Shinobi Union. With Sakura and Sasuke as his advisors, the world reached a golden age not seen since the birth of the hidden villages.

And with it, the dream of world peace that was entrusted on him was finally achieved.

...for a while at least.

It started with the incline of the mortality rates for newborn infants. With all cases pointing to one thing.

Chakra depletion.

The Shinobi Union had mass-funded a coalition that sought for a cure for the disease. There was none. However, Karin discovered that continuous exposure to a source of chakra slowed down the effect. An amount that's only capably produced by a Bijuu… or a Jinchuriki.

The Bijuus were amiable to it. The battle against Madara had brought about a certain respect and understanding between Shinobis and the tailed beasts. And they voluntarily lived amongst them, one for each village.

The three of them continued to look for a cure, but no matter how far they went, no matter how long they looked, they came out with nothing. It would be the first mission they've failed as a team.

Eventually, Sakura and Sasuke had grown far too old; and he had been the only one left searching. Deep down he knew that it was futile. He had never told them, of course, but he knew the root cause. Perhaps they knew too, but none of them had the guts to say it.

After all, they were the ones to seal the Mother of All Chakra

As time took its course, surely enough, so did his friend's lives. Time whittled them down, one by one. Until it was only him and Sasuke left.

"You were always a stubborn one, idiot."

Sasuke had told him to take his eyes, but he had refused. The very next day, Sasuke had plucked his own eyes out and sealed it in a scroll. Soon enough, even Sasuke succumbed to the call of death.

Still he strived, it's his duty. It was all he could do, people relied on him to persevere, to be strong. He is the Hokage and the leader of the alliance. He had to endure, shinobis are those who endure.

Time continued on, and new generations came about, succeeding the previous; Eventually, the acts of the past had become buried in history and the age when man and bijuus coexisted ended. Like Kaguya said, human greed once again became their catalyst for destruction.

By this time, the generation's chakra reserves had dwindled down to only a trickle of what it once was. So, instead of perfecting the shinobi arts they had shifted their attention to another art, seals.

So came the discovery of the so called 'cure'. It was a proposal that made him truly question the qualities of humankind. Of the morality of humans, of his very own people.

"No! Hell no!" He said, clutching the scroll in his hands. "Are you mad?! They're our allies! They helped us win the war! You can't possibly think I'd approve this?!"

"With all due respect Lord Hokage, the people have started questioning where your true priorities lie. They say that you favor the Bijuus over your people. Generation after generation, our ability to use chakra dwindles. If we do nothing we will lose it. You have to think of your people, their needs should far outweigh that of those beasts. It is your duty."

"No, my duty is to protect everyone in the coalition, that includes them, councilor."

None of his words mattered. It was a generation that did not know the horrors of war. In their ignorance, greed took hold of their hearts. Their desire to preserve their chakra was well worth going to war in their eyes.

Armed with a vast knowledge in Fuuinjutsu, it didn't take them long to learn how to seal a tailed beast. They encountered a problem though, with their weaker bodies they couldn't seal them into themselves, so instead they devised a way to split them and seal them into weapons.

Shukaku fell first, being the weakest of the tailed beasts. Of course he had completely eradicated the fanatical group who had done him in, but the word had already gotten out.

There was a cure for their 'ailment', those who possess items with a part of a sealed Bijuu retained their chakra. And what's worse, he later found out that the process was irreversible. In essence the Bijuu is killed once they're split.

Humankind had done the unthinkable. They devised a way to permanently kill a Bijuu.

He had enacted rules to counteract it but it didn't matter. His actions had lost him the support of his people. Fearing that his true loyalty lied with the Bijuus, they branded him as an enemy and was soon evicted from his position as Hokage.

Still he tried, he begged his people to see reason. But they continued their hunt. It took the fall of over half the Bijuus and the death of Gyuuki for him to concede. For him to acknowledge that humankind is indeed beyond redemption. For his heart to grow completely cold, for him to understand what Kaguya meant.

And with it birthed his hate for humankind.

So, it happened...

The Fifth Shinobi War.

Unlike the previous wars, this one didn't last long.

He made sure of it.

If they wouldn't listen to reason then perhaps they'll be cowed down with fear.

Millions had come, and millions fell. It was almost ironic, it reminded him of his own struggle against Madara and Kaguya.

But unlike him, they didn't stood a chance. With him adding an immunity seal that nullified every seal in the general vicinity, the Bijuus were allowed to reign their uninhibited vengeance for their fallen kin. Add in his own combat prowess and destructive capabilities. The battles were more of a massacre than anything else.

For every battle won, he'd reclaim the weapons that had once been the tailed beasts. Out of respect he had sealed them in a dimension he'd dubbed as his treasury, his divine gate — The Gate of Babylon.

In a week's time all the major villages had fallen and in a month the whole world had been subjugated under his rule. But this time there was no democracy, everyone answered to him, and him alone. It was too late to enact the Moon's Eye Plan but humanity couldn't be trusted with their freedom.

So, he established his absolute rule as a king, using fear as his catalyst. To quell any future rebellions he had split the villages apart and scattered their people. Every single country was renamed, all the history books and scrolls detailing anything related to ninja techniques were burned. To make sure that nothing of the old world was left, he even changed his own name.

And another era of peace reigned in the lands.

As time went by, true enough, people stopped producing chakra all together. He'd reckon that it was for the best, Kaguya was right. People were too feeble minded to handle the responsibility.

This left him as the only remaining person who could manipulate chakra, and because of this the new generation had mistaken him for a demi-god of some kind. At the time he'd thought it'd be beneficial so he enacted the part. Portraying himself as a demigod, born to rule as their king. The idea was that people would be more amiable to his rule if they thought he was a divine being.

And he was correct. He had quickly come to realize why Kaguya had called herself the Rabbit Goddess. Humans were made to serve higher beings. It was their deepest desire, to be with something eternal. As for him, it didn't matter. Time had took its toll on him, the time he'd spent alive had skewed his perspective. Perhaps it was the curse of immortality, at some point in life, you become desensitized to the human ways.

Much to his amusement, a few of his followers had become fanatics. Even writing an entertaining but highly inaccurate account of his life.

The Epic of Gilgamesh.

It brought much amusement for him that he allowed them to make a city that'd later become the capital of his domain. The Great City of Uruk. For their effort he had surrounded it with walls using Sasuke's Rinnegan, also placing a throne right at the very top of their temple where he resided. With his presence as a deterrent all crimes within the city ceased, so the people prospered. Every single one.

But eventually, their corruption brought about again their catalyst for destruction.

Rumors of how he'd favored his people in Uruk had spread to those of the far-off lands. Word had come that he'd gifted all his citizens with riches of all kind. It wasn't long before those of the far off-lands rallied together under one banner and launched an attack on the Great City. Perhaps it was greed, or fear, or envy; whatever it was that drove them didn't matter.

In the end, they'd chosen to break the peace he had created.

And of course, he had completely eviscerated their forces, this time he didn't bother to appear in person, instead he drowned the world with a suiton jutsu that took over half of his chakra reserves.

Later accounts would call it The Great Flood.

But it did its job. It reminded them exactly why he'd been dubbed a demi-god. The flood lasted for a month and at the end of it, like last time, a sea of corpses was left in his wake.

It quickly became apparent to him that even fear couldn't quell the corruption of humanity. They were a hopeless case. Beings bound to destroy themselves over and over again. So he gave up. He banished the citizens of his city and covered the walls with seals that cloaked it for nearby passersby. Essentially, he'd isolated himself from the rest of the world.

And like always the world continued; eventually the Legend of Gilgamesh and his Great City had become but a myth.

...

So here he sat, overlooking the great city by his lonesome, awaiting as always.

For what? He didn't know.

In the end, Kaguya was right. Peace is a fool man's dream.

XXXX

Arturia paused in her steps, her gaze seemingly focused on the vast sand dunes extending past as far as the eye can see.

"My king…?

She turned around, her usual emotionless mask in place as she addressed the last remaining knight loyal to her.

"We have arrived, Bedivere."

The knight gave a scrutinizing gaze ahead of him, trying to see what she meant. "Apologies, my liege but I — "

He was interrupted as her sword shimmied into view, the radiant weapon leaving trails of yellow sparks from the sudden movement. He watched her brandish the blade in front of her, and with precise movements swung it in arc.

For a moment, he wondered what she was trying to achieve, but then he saw the endless desert in front of him distort and shimmer, before like the sound of breaking glass, the illusion broke.

With a gasp, he beheld the sight before him.

A city made out of pure gold. With precious gemstones lining the surrounding walls. Every structure was marvelous in their own way, but there was one that stood out above the rest. In the very center, is a towering ziggurat, reaching up to the clouds.

It was the tower that withstood the flood, The Great Tower of Babel. In his lifetime, he had never seen anything like it.

"By the gods! the legend is true…"

Arturia resheathed her blade on her makeshift scabbard, withholding a soft wince. The critical wound she had accrued from Mordred bleeding slightly through the bandages wrapped on her side. With Avalon lost, it was only a matter of time before her end came about.

With her fists clenched, she shouldered through the pain. Now wasn't the time to think about that. She had to remain vigilant. It had been a long arduous journey, but it seems like the legend wasn't merely a legend after all.

"Make haste, Bedivere. There's hope yet for Camelot."

XXXX

Arturia examined the colossal door ahead of her. Like everything in the city, it was crafted out of pure gold, and so, by that account, that meant it was impossible to open without a contraption of some-sort.

"Have you found anything yet, Bedivere?"

"None so far," her knight replied from the other side of the room. With a torch in hand, he vigilantly sought every nook and cranny of the dark halls.

Arturia frowned, turning her gaze again at the huge blockade on her way. There was a great presence beyond those doors, the aura it exuded was greater than anything she had ever felt before and that included Merlin. Merlin's presence alone was enormous, but it has a soothing effect to it, probably from his Incubus blood. But this one felt like a massive wave of power crashing into her, like somehow she'd sunk deep into the bottom of the ocean.

There was no doubt about it now. Beyond these doors lies the King of Heroes, the one who possessed all things of this world… and the only one who could help her.

A small creak resounded, the cranking of a wheel followed by the cogs turning. Arturia turned to Bedivere who shook his head. The doors slowly creaked open, showing the vast treasury that lay inside.

"Approach."

The voice held the noble and regal tone every self-respecting king had. One she, herself took long to perfect before her inauguration as king.

High up amidst his throne, in the center of the pile of gold, trinkets and assorted magical items, he sat. A superior smirk on his lips as he looked down on them. Like the legends say, the man is donned in full golden armor and red eyes that flashed within the dark room.

"How long do you plan to bask upon my presence mongrel? Speak quickly, why shouldn't I smite you for your trespass?"

'The legends about his ego seems truth too.' Though she didn't dare speak it aloud.

"— I ask of you… you are Gilgamesh, are you not?"

At this point, it was almost purely rhetoric.

He raised a brow at her, yet the cocky smirk remained, "So, you know of my name, most commendable. But my question remains unanswered, answer in haste woman, my patience is wearing thin."

By her side, she saw Bedivere barely withhold himself from drawing his sword at the show of blatant disrespect for her. With a quick subtle look, she steadied him. For all Bedivere's greatness, this was his worst flaw as a knight. He had admired her too much.

Arturia frowned, addressing the imposing man who looked amusedly at their actions.

"Legends say you can grant any wish…"

The blonde scoffed, setting a knee up and angling his head up to look down on her,

"You speak as if you doubt. Do you wish to test me?"

The pressure upon her doubled, his ki crashing over her in waves, as she struggled to maintain posture. Out of reflex, she thumbed over the hilt of her sword, making it thrum in power, and repelling the ki away.

For a moment, the self-assured smirk in his lips contorted to that of a mild surprise, before it was replaced by intrigue, "Hoh? So, you're in possession of that blade. Are you looking for a fight perhaps?"

The man snapped his finger, and a golden vortex swirled into existence around them. Then swords, spears, axes, and weapons of all kind emerged, poised to strike.

Acting quickly, she bowed, though her poise remained.

"My apologies. It was not my intention to offend you, nor do I want to face you in combat. I merely wished to confirm the rumors."

The man snortled before snapping his fingers and willed the weapons to disappear, "Be thankful then, it's been long since I've had guests. So, I'll humor you and confirm that the rumors you heard indeed is truth."

At this she released a breath. From her position, she took a knee, mindful of her bleeding side. She drew her blade and stabbed the ground in front of her. Despite her posture of surrender, she looked every bit like the noble king she is.

"Then I implore you…" The blade flashed a radiant golden light that illuminated the great halls with its luminescent brilliance, "...grant my request. I wish to save my country."

For a moment, all was silent. Though the man kept his gaze on her like he was scrutinizing her. Then with a snap of a finger, the man summoned a golden orb of some kind. It hovered toward her, ending just an inch away shy of touching her forehead.

She heard the shuffling of a sword and spared a quick look at her companion. Bedivere looked to be on edge, with his hand already clasped on the hilt of his blade. She gave a shake of her head to stop him, before once again focusing on the floating orb.

It seemed harmless enough, but deep within she could feel it. Its intricate designs belied the power it hid inside.

Whatever remaining thoughts she had dissipated as the linings of the contraptions suddenly glowed blue, and it opened. A blinding light emerged from within, blanketing the whole area in a ray of white.

"Damn it, Arturia! You know it'll be trouble for me if you were to die now. Look, I'll fulfill any request so long as you get better."

Kay had never been good at showing his true feelings, she understood his worries, she also understood that he absolutely abhorred feeling powerless, and so, she decided to humor him.

"I wish to dream of a lion running across the plains."

...

"Look what I have here, Arturia!"

"What is this? Is this a cat? No. A dog?"

"It's a lion you clotpole! Just like you requested."

She didn't tell him then, but she appreciated his effort. After all, she did dream about the lion that day.

…

"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone is rightwise king born of all England."

She watched the hope in the people's eyes wither as knight after knight failed to pull the sword,

"To hell with this prophecy! To hell with Merlin! The Saxons will be upon us soon, all we want is a king to lead us, am I right? Then let's decide for ourselves with a jousting tournament!"

And she was left alone. Her and the sword. The sword of selection. It'd all come to this after all. She'd lived her whole life pretending to be a man. Learning swordsmanship, politics, reason; all the while suppressing her own desires. All her training led up to this day, to take the sword and become England's prophesied heir.

For a brief moment, she imagined just how life would be life if she were an ordinary girl in the city. But it was a desire she also had to set aside, she needed to remain vigilant after all. With everything she had, she embraced the opportunity before her.

And with that she grasped the hilt of Caliburn. The blade thrumming wildly in her hands, it'd already recognized her as the rightful king, all she needed to do was pull.

"Well, are you not gonna do it?" And there he was again, Merlin. Materializing out of nowhere.

"You should consider it thoroughly before you pick it up, if you pick up that sword, you will stop being human, you know?"

Her lips formed slight frown as she carefully considered his words. Then without looking back she replied,

"No, if I can make people happy with it, I'm sure it's not a wrong decision."

…

"You won't recognize me as your son…? That is your answer, King of Knights?" Mordred's voice broke as she gazed at her in unbelief.

Arturia turned away, with neither a glance back.

"I was just happy being in your shadow… yet you never turned around to face me..." The rage in her voice was palpable now, "Father, then I will… I will destroy everything you represent!"

She didn't know then the effects it'd have in the future. Perhaps if she knew, perhaps if she understood human emotions, perhaps if she understood that Mordred's only desire was to be acknowledged by her father. Maybe things would have been different.

"Arthur!"

...

"This is the end of your kingdom, Arthur!"

Their clash ended with Rhongomyniad lodged deep within her child's gut.

"W-Why? Why didn't you hand me the throne?!"

Mordred's mask cracked, showing features so similar to hers, it was impossible not to tell they were related.

"The answer is simple, it is because you do not have the capacity of a king."

"F-Father."

Mordred's body moved on its own, swinging her blade and dealing a fatal wound at her side.

...

Arturia grunted, using Excalibur as a clutch. The sun was well on its way out, leaving an orange haze in the field surrounded by the corpses of the people she'd sworn to protect.

It's her fault

She shouldn't have- She shouldn't have ever become king!

It's not- it wasn't supposed to be like this! She alone was meant to die tragically. Just her. But so many else suffered the same fate. This ending, is not the one she sought.

Her mask broke. Bitter tears running down her cheeks. The girl who had sacrificed her own dreams to be king. Only to be rejected by her own people. She didn't understand, she couldn't understand.

She'd given it her all. Sacrificed everything, her dreams, her wishes, her humanity. But she failed. She failed as a king. She failed her people.

On this bloodsoaked battlefield. On this hill of regret. She wept alone.

XXXX

As the light of the golden orb faded, Naruto observed the blonde woman gasping for breath.

The King of Brittania, who'd sacrificed everything for the sake of her country, even her own desires as a woman. The same country that'd rejected her and rebelled against her. Who'd spat on her ideals and her name even after everything she'd done for them.

She wanted to save that very same country? After everything that happened to her, she still hasn't learned? Shouldering the blame all to herself rather than acknowledge humanity's own flaw.

Interesting.

"Raise your head, King of Knights."

And she did, her brilliant green eyes had a certain ire in them. No doubt unappreciative that he had probed her memories without warning.

"If say, I choose to grant your request, how then will it benefit me? I am not a charity case."

He wondered how much more she'd be willing to give. How far she's willing to go for the country that forsook her. Her jaw clenched slightly, before she forced it back to return to the same impassive line.

"I offer you everything I have, be it the future Brittania's eternal allegiance… all the treasuries I have amassed."

She reminded him of himself so long ago. When he'd fought valiantly for his dream. That will of hers, that struggled and continues to struggle against all odds taunted him. A woman who'd experienced the same thing as him, who'd given it her all and failed. Yet she continues on, pursuing an endless dream.

It was almost insulting. It made a mockery of his own will, accusing him of his lack of resolve.

"You chase a foolish dream. King of Britannia. You wish to save a country that chose to forsake you even when you have sacrificed everything for it."

She remained unmoved, not a falter in her stance. He narrowed his eyes.

"Your request weighs heavily in your favor. I have no need for allies, nor any of the treasuries you offer. I have no interest in your offer."

At that she remained still. It looks like she didn't expect his response and he took great pleasure in seeing the seemingly indomitable woman falter for once. He watched her clutch the hilt of her blade tighter, before she addressed him.

"I beseech you, great king. Whatever it is you want that's within my power, I give you. I only ask for a chance."

Hmph. What a valiant woman. If there were more people like her in this world then maybe he'd given it a chance. But truth is, one's like her came about around one in a billion. She's an outlier, one that didn't befit the human race.

"Raise your head."

And she did.

Truly, this one didn't belong to the human race, her natural beauty attested to that. She looked more like a benevolent goddess who'd graced these mongrels with her mere presence. He marvelled upon her beauty, indeed she's blessed in that regard. Her noble features were prominent, befitting that of her stature as king. She gazed upon him with her great green eyes, hardened by pain yet full of resolve. Eyes that had witnessed the failings of her dream yet continues to fight.

It'd be waste when she realizes that foolish dream that would amount to nothing. But he'll make sure to pick up the pieces, she was far too great to be wasted by this world. He couldn't have that, especially if his hunch about her was correct.

Naruto arose from his throne and made his way down the great steps, stopping just a shy away from her. He spared a glance at the tense knight by her side before with a snap of his finger, he'd bound him down on the ground with his Chains of Heaven.

"Bow before your king, mongrel."

The man protested before he was gagged forcefully by the chains. Then he turned his focus again on the saintly woman, who'd frowned at the way he had handled her knight.

Kneeling on one knee, he cupped her chin between his fingers, and moved her head side to side as he appraised her features.

He was proven correct.

'Not a blemish on her skin. Nor any signs of the harshness of time.'

Eternal. Immortal. Like him.

Truly one in a billion. She was exactly like him. The path she'd taken was different but she is what he could've been, and he what she could've. He desired her. This selfless woman, who had denied herself. A rare thing for humanity, perhaps a once in a lifetime jewel.

She squinted her brow slightly confused by his actions, but he paid it no heed.

First he must see. It'll all come down to whether her resolve would persevere.

"Anything I ask…? Would you truly sacrifice even more for the country that forsook you, King of Britannia?"

Like the vision he saw from the day she drew the sword, her eyes burned with resolve for the future of her people.

"Anything you ask, if it is within my power," she replied.

Excellent. Most Excellent! What a fascinating woman.

"Then hear my proposal," Naruto held his arms out wide, the same arrogant smirk plastered in his lips, "In exchange for granting your request," he caressed her cheek, and cupped her chin again, leaning closer to her till they were only a hair's breathe apart, "you shall give yourself over to me in matrimony, as my wife."

The silence that followed was palpable.

His heavenly chains rattled, her knight somehow managing to wrench himself free,

"Unforgivable! You ask my King to whore herself?! You fiend!"

Naruto's brow twitched.

This mutt dared to speak to him in such way? With a snap of his finger, he'd once again summoned his artillery of weapons from within his seal. All poised to strike against the foolish wretch.

"Did I say you could speak, dog? If that muzzle isn't enough to silence you then perhaps death will. Know your place!"

"Stop!" The projectile stopped just a short way away from skewering the bumbling fool. The King of Knights sent a harsh glare to her subject and spoke, "Bedivere, I command you stand down."

The knight ceased his struggling, his eyes falling down low as he clutched he balled his hands into fists.

"...My king. You have sacrificed everything for us. And even still you continue. How could I stand by, and watch you lose even more." He slumped down, fists clenched hard, "I only wish I could have made it easier for you."

Arturia's eyes softened before she once again addressed her last remaining loyal knight, "And you have, sir Bedivere. you stayed by my side, loyal till the end. Have no regrets, you are everything I could ask for from a knight."

Then she gave a sharp look at him, sending him a piercing stare, "You say if I wed you, you'll fulfill my wish. But if you were to be my husband, that'd make you the King of Britannia."

"Correct, and you shall be my queen. Don't worry, I have no interest in ruling over your subjects. All decisions regarding the country will be all entirely up to you. I'll merely be king by name."

This was his offer. His final test of her character if you will. If she could sacrifice even her own kingship, her own right by blood to claim the throne as its heir for the sake of her people. Then that'd prove that she indeed is worthy to claim. He would concede, allow her the chance to fail and pick up the remaining pieces of her for his own. But if not, that meant the flaw of humanity is in her.

"So, what say you, King of Knights? Will your surrender your claim to the throne and become my lawfully bewedded wife, to have and to hold, till the end of time?"

Naruto couldn't resist the chuckle at seeing the sharp look in her eyes. Then she closed it, accepting of the helpless circumstance presented to her. He expected as much, she was his only option after all.

"If it's for the sake of my people, then do as you please."

Naruto clapped his hands once, the sound reverberating throughout the vast empty hall of his throne. The smirk in his face showed just how much her answer had pleased him.

"Most wondrous! Most wondrous indeed! Then since you have agreed to my proposal, from now on, you will address me as Naruto."

Arturia turned to him a bit confused about the sudden request, "Naruto...? ...is there a reason for this?"

"As my wife, it is only fair that you address me by my real name…" he paused for a bit, trying to remember the name they'd addressed her before her eventual ascent to the throne, "...am I not correct, Arturia?"

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise at his usage of her real name. Perhaps, she hadn't fully quite grasped that he had rummaged through her memories.

"Arturia," he tested it a few times, "A strong name, befitting of my wife… yes, that'll do."

Naruto took another quick glance at her, seeing her skin a tad few shades lighter, almost sickly.

'Oh,' He frowned.

There on her side he saw it, a grave injury. Copious amounts of blood bleeding through the bandages.

"First and foremost, let's take care of your wound."

With a snap of his fingers, a portal connected to his treasuries manifested and out came a familiar scabbard. Arturia couldn't believe her eyes, for it was the holy sheath she had lost so long ago.

Excalibur's scabbard. The unreachable utopia. The embodiment of her dream.

Avalon.

"H-How?" she said, feeling Avalon's holy energies begin to knit the grave wound Mordred had inflicted on her.

"So, you didn't know?" He formed another smirk at her, before summoning another portal, "this here is the Divine Gate of Babylon, where all the treasuries of the world lies. Did you think I spoke falsely when I said I had no need for your treasuries?"

He crossed his arms in front of him, waiting for the scabbard to restore her fully.

"Listen well, Arturia. I am many things, but a liar I am not…"

Once she was fully healed, he willed the scabbard back to his seal and addressed his wife-to-be "Now that you are fully healed, we shall commence the ceremony."

Arturia furrowed her brows, "Now?"

The blonde merely nodded with a knowing smirk.

'But we have no one available to officiate,' Then her eyes widened as she turned her gaze to her heartbroken knight, 'surely he doesn't mean to…'

Arturia sent him a scathing glare, "No. Absolutely not." She spat.

Naruto sent her a challenging look, the two of them locked in a heated gaze as neither one of them refused to back down.

'You'll risk your dream for your subordinate?' Was his unspoken question.

But as he barred down against her unyielding eyes, he just couldn't quite hold back the satisfaction he felt from showing.

Beautiful, valiant and benevolent to her subjects to the very end. Her virtues spoke of her purity. Yet again, he couldn't help be fascinated with the woman. This woman who had shunned her own desires, for the sake of everyone. And soon she'd be all his. It almost made him feel giddy, he'd not experienced such excitement in a millennia.

So he conceded, "Very well. We shall formalize it a different way then."

Arturia watch pensively as he summoned what looked to be a golden chain…

No, he wouldn't!

She gave him a baffled look, he sent her a fiendish grin.

He would.

For at very end of chain is a golden strap, with a buckle. A leash.

The wretched man unbuckled the strap, and held it out for her to take, all the while smirking with that damnable annoying smirk she was starting to hate; but nevertheless, she accepted it. With eyes of defeat, the corners of her mouth turned upwards, she traced the intricate designs of the leash.

"Well, are you going to do it? You should consider it thoroughly, from the very moment you wear it you'll be bound to me for eternity."

She frowned at his imitation of Merlin's words. Must he make a mockery of her? Does he find all the sacrifices she'd made in life amusing? Does he take enjoyment in belittling every choice she'd made?

A stab of anger wormed its way inside of her… but, the thoughts of her people who'd met such a tragic end spoke to her heart. Her anger giving way to the compassion she felt for her countrymen.

Releasing a breath, her lips settled down to a thin line. If this is the sacrifice she must make for her dream, then so be it.

And with that she clasped it.

Arturia held a gasp as she felt a foreign presence traversing her whole body, going through every nook and corner until it found what it was searching for. Her core. Her very being. She couldn't quite explain it but she could tell that it had melded with her soul.

For a moment, the object glowed a golden hue and bursted into stardust. The remains glittered around the surrounding area, shimmering in the dark halls. Arturia would have even called it beautiful if not for what it entailed.

Her fate sealed in an eternal marriage with a fiendish man.

Suddenly, Arturia felt herself hoisted off her feet. Naruto's arms holding her legs and back securely in a bridal carry. She turned to him in protest, yet he leaned, so very close to her, she could feel his warm breath against her skin.

"And this concludes our ceremony. With this, I am now your husband, and you are my wife. Arturia." He gave her a very self-satisfied smirk as he continued to gaze at his prize.

"As agreed, I shall grant you your wish." One of his red eyes, grew tomoe-like pinpricks on them, "Kamui," a vortex formed ahead, distorting and pulling in everything in its grasp. He summoned one of his father's tri-pronged kunais and chucked it in.

Naruto took another quick glance at the woman in his arms, once again appreciating her beauty. Her eyes seemed unfocused, probably still coming to terms about everything that had happened.

"King Arthur!" Bedivere's voice shook Arturia out of her dazed state. Her eyes caught that of her vulnerable subordinate and she sent Naruto a pleading gaze.

'It's not like I'm heartless, woman.' He thought, rolling his eyes, "Do what you will," he said, setting her back down, and allowing her to approach her subordinate.

At his king's approach, Bedivere fell to one knee, his head lowered as he shook, "Th-This knight offers a thousand apologies, for his inadequacy. For the inadequacy of his fellow Knights of the Round."

He balled his fists, gritting his teeth as he spoke, "We've always thought you infallible, and so, we had entrusted everything to you. Even then you ruled righteously, you led us out of the dark ages, and won the war with the Saxons. You brought a new age to Britannia, all the while sacrificing everything you have."

His voice withered, growing somber, "in the end, we your very own trusted knights were the ones to forsake you and cause the very ruin of the country you fought so hard to protect,"

Bitter tears trailed down his eyes, "but even now, you still continue to sacrifice even more for our sake… My king, with everything I have. I ask you, forgive our incompetence. We have no right to be called your knights."

"Sir Bedivere," she spoke with the authority of a king. The king he'd vowed to serve, the king he'd committed his life to, "raise thine head."

And he did, and his eyes widened. For on her lips lay a smile, the first one she'd ever shown since taking the mantle as king.

"You have remained loyal to my side when others have not. You have stayed vigilant in your vows and stayed by me even when our country fell. My friend, you have done your duty well. A king could ask for nothing less of his knight. So, with this I dismiss you from your service. Live life well sir Bedivere... Farewell."

Her words struck him, and his heart ached. For the lonely king who took the burden of her people all upon her shoulders. For the king who'd sacrificed so much and continues to sacrifice even more of herself. For the king, who'd been misunderstood all her life.

Naruto observed his wife with his arms crossed and a nocked brow as she approached with an impassive look, "That's all you have to say?"

"Sir Bedivere is strong, he'll manage." she said.

He snorted, "Very well," he sparred glance at Excalibur strapped securely at her side, "Leave that behind."

"Is there a reason for this?" She asked, though she went ahead and unstrapped her scabbard.

Cryptically, he answered, "Two magical items should never exist on the same plain. There are… repercussions to it."

As the sword clattered to the ground, he gave a resounding clap and another one of those annoying smirk, "Now then, let us begin."

And with that they went in, the portal closing leaving sir Bedivere all by his lonesome.

XXXX

Till next time.