Author's Note
This chapter contains heavy yuri material. There are sexual images and light BDSM themes. If this is not your cup of tea, my advice is seek alternative stories It is NOT SAFE FOR WORK.
You have been warned
On the other hand, if this is the sort of thing you enjoy, please read on!
As always, The State thanks Comrades Draco38, jm1681, Rassilon001 and UnkeptSecret for their everlasting patience and several artful suggestions for this chapter.
And my thanks to all you who have read and favorited and left reviews. Keep them coming. I want this to be for you as much as it is for me

And now, without further ado-

"Sorry, but I am not putting to sea in the middle of a blow," the owner of the Lagoon Company said. Saber regarded the large African-American with impassive eyes.

"But my, er, employer – "

The man, Dutch, held up his hand. "It's not that I can't or won't take your money, sister," he said. "It's just that I am not risking my boat or you and your employer in open waters during a tropical storm. What do you think would happen to my reputation if we went down?"

Saber hung her head. She had met this type before. He struck her as the type unwilling to relent to external pressures. She faced him one last time and smiled slightly. "I thank you for your time, Mr. Dutch. It is unfortunate that you will not take us to Singapore, but I respect your reasons and will not press the matter further."

She turned and made her way to the door. As she reached for the door knob, the door flew inward. Saber leapt backward narrowly avoiding a collision and settling into Roberta's arms. "I thank you for catching me."

Before Roberta could return the compliment, she was interrupted by a very loud, plum-haired woman in scandalously short shorts and tank-top. Saber felt more than saw as this woman instantly leveled two silver pistols, one at her, one at Roberta.

"The fuck are you doing here, fucking maid!" she roared.

Roberta gently nudged Saber to relative safety behind her. Roberta simply regarded the brash gun-woman in silence.

"Revy!" the booming voice called from a corner behind the duo. "They're just leaving, so don't start any shit in my office!"

Saber looked over her shoulder to see Dutch approaching, glaring at the gunwoman, Revy, behind his dark glasses.

"Shit, Dutch!" Revy barked. "I don't trust this fucking maid any further than I can throw Benny's GTO."

Roberta nodded slightly to Revy. "You are wise to maintain your suspicions, Lagoon gunwoman," she said calmly. "But, as your employer said, my associate and I were just leaving. Were it my intent to finish our duel, this conversation would not be happening."

Revy narrowed her gaze, but de-cocked her pistols keeping them leveled on Roberta. Roberta opened the door and held it for Saber. Saber took her cue and exited into the howling storm, Roberta close to heel.

"That was…interesting," Saber huffed as she slipped beside Roberta under the protection of the maid's umbrella. "Violence seems an inherent part of the make-up of this city."

"I have found it to be just so," Roberta agreed. "When I entered the employ of the Lovelace family, it was with the sincere hope that I could leave that life behind. Sadly, I seem unable to escape my past…or my sins, and find myself drawn to this cesspit a third time."

Saber looked up into the cold, black eyes of the Lovelace family maid. What kind of life did this woman lead? She thought. Her thought interrupted as Roberta's eyes met hers, Saber blushed deeply, casting her eyes to the pavement. "Forgive me. I -"

Saber's apology was abruptly, and not unpleasantly, interrupted by Roberta again claiming her lips. Saber attempted no resistance this time and simply let Roberta do as she pleased. The heat of this show of affection coursed through her limbs and brought a peace of mind and freedom she had not felt since before she drew Caliburn from the Stone.

Roberta withdrew, leaving Saber to search in vain for the tenderness she had so long denied herself as King. Saber opened her eyes, seeing Roberta staring at her, arms wrapped protectively around her shoulders. "The hour grows late, O King," she whispered. "Our Masters will be wondering as to our whereabouts."

Their return to the hotel carried on without further shows of affection or words spoken. Saber tried to initiate a conversation, but felt the words die in her throat before she could articulate the confusion in her heart. Before she became Arthur, King of the Britons, she was just Arturia, a simple farm girl, young and inexperienced in the ways of the heart. When she drew the Sword from the Stone, she locked away her feelings. It would be to her that her people would turn and she needed to be strong for them. Now, in this time and in this place, another lost soul had reached out to her and restored all that which she had locked away.

They reached the hotel in silence. Roberta reached for the door handle, but Saber beat her to it. She opened the door and offered to let Roberta pass before her. Roberta froze.

"I cannot allow you to hold the door for a mere maid," she said. She reached out and took hold of the door handle. Her hand covered Saber's for a brief moment. "It is against protocol."

Saber felt, instinctually, that Roberta would refuse this gesture and so allowed Roberta to hold the door as she passed through. Once inside, Saber scanned the lobby.

"They may have retired," Roberta said, glancing at the clock over the concierge desk. "The lateness of the hour suggests it is supper time. I must return to the young Master's side."

Saber nodded and took a step toward the stairs, intent on seeing to Rin's continued safety. As she mounted the first step, she felt her hand gently seized. She turned her head to find Roberta, red faced and trembling slightly. Saber immediately went to Roberta's side. "Are you ill? Shall I send for a healer?"

Roberta shook her head. "Please forgive me…"

Saber decided to take a chance and wrapped an arm around the maid's waist. "I am uncertain why, but I feel I would forgive you anything," she said.

Roberta stopped shaking and held the blonde's eyes with her own. "If I am being too forward, please tell me and I will trouble you no further."

Saber nodded.

"I…I would…" Roberta stuttered. "That is, if you will permit me…"

Saber smiled and took Roberta's hand in hers.

"If the young Master will grant me the time," Roberta continued. "May…may I call upon you later this evening?"

Saber's eyes shot open. Roberta flinched at the reaction. She cast her gaze to the floor. "Forgive me," she said. "It was not my place…"

The thought drifted off before Saber brought Roberta's hand to her lips, gently brushing her knuckles. "It would be an honor, my lady."

"A date, huh?" Rin eyed Saber over the edge of her book, one her many arcane tomes Saber had no head for. "Well I must say this is certainly an unexpected twist. And so sudden."

Saber sat on the bed next to Rin, "Please tell me what I should do. I have no experience in these matters."

Rin laughed heartily, "You are asking the wrong girl, my dear Saber. The only one I ever considered was Shirou…" She clapped her hand to her mouth as soon as the name was said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag up painful memories."

Saber hung her head, a single tear leaking from her eye. It seemed an eternity and yet like it was only yesterday that the boy had confessed his love to the Heroic Spirit. So young and still so full of hope. She knew from his memories of his adoptive father, her Master from the Fourth Grail War, a man so beaten down by the world and the weight of his convictions, a man she barely interacted with, yet laid claim upon her as her Master. How so unalike they seemed and yet, they both yearned to protect the world from the very darkness they fought to the death over.

Saber looked up to see Rin settling beside her. "Does she make you happy?"

"I…I do not know for certain," Saber confessed. "It's like we are kindred souls. We set aside our humanity for the ideals we held close. Caused so much death, pain and destruction. Can the likes of us really be happy, even with each other?"

Rin shook her head, "I wish I knew, Arturia. Magic is a very powerful thing, but even it can only do so much."

Saber smiled inwardly at the use of the familiar name. Rin used it so infrequently that to hear it from her lips secretly brought much joy to Saber.

"I will tell you this much," Rin continued. "That no matter what, the 'what if' will consume you, tear at you, leave you with nothing if you let it."

Saber knew exactly what Rin meant by "what if". What if I was never King? What if someone better for my people had pulled the Sword from the Stone? What if…What if…What if…

"You are suggesting I should, as you say, 'give it a go'?"

Rin smirked. "I am."

"And if it should not work out…?"

"The pain of emptiness is far worse than the pain of loss," Rin said, turning her head.

Saber took her leave to place her hand on Rin's thigh, "You miss him very much? Your father?"

Rin threw her arms around Saber. Saber returned the gesture. It seemed so natural of late, the giving and receiving of such affections.

The hour had grown late. Saber stalked like a cat, impatience written on her face. She had adjusted, removed and re-tied her tie so many times; she wondered it simply did not disintegrate from the abuse. When the appointed time came at last, it seemed as though she had worn a path in the carpet. A knock at the door drew both their attentions. Being the closer of the two, Rin answered.

"Good evening," Roberta curtseyed in a polite manner. "I am here…"

Rin held the door open and bade Roberta enter. Saber let her eyes grow wide at the sight. The maid had chosen a deep plum dress in some tastefully clingy material. It hugged her body, clinging to every curve, accentuating every subtle shape, falling to just past her knees. Saber had only suspected the woman was in peak physical form, but could not have guessed at her near flawless physique. Suddenly, her own suit, chosen as it was for comfort and practicality, seemed wholly inadequate for the evening's events. She blushed a deep crimson in embarrassment.

"I must apologize, Miss Cisneros, for my disgraceful appearance. Had I known…"

Roberta quickly seized the blonde in her arms, silencing all protest. "You look just fine."

"All the same, I feel surprisingly underdressed at the moment."

Roberta smiled. "We have the evening. Fabiola has graciously consented to see to the Young Master until tomorrow."

Saber barely caught the wink. She blushed again at the insinuation. Collecting her thoughts, she looked at Roberta, "Please, at least offer this poor fool a modicum of vanity."

Roberta snickered slightly and Rin held her hand to her mouth. In a flash of light, Saber gathered the ambient prana of the room and concentrated it into her battle costume. While designed for her use on the field, it was certainly elaborate and fancy enough to be seen in the company of the beautiful woman currently poised on the edge of her bed.

Roberta stood and gathered Saber's hands in hers, "This is the dress you wore yesterday, at our first meeting."

"It is," Saber nodded. "This is the only other clothing I can manifest. If it does not please you, I can change back."

Roberta answered with a tender kiss on the lips, "It suits you very well."

"You may want to consider alternate shoes, however," Rin's voice floated in on the breeze. "While your dress is perfectly fine, I doubt armored boots will pass without notice."

All three women looked down to see that, yes, Saber's armored footwear had manifested along with her dress. Rin walked to the closet and retrieved a pair of black leather flats. "These should fit, since we are about the same size."

Saber took the proffered shoes and slipped out of her boots. As predicted, the flats fit with only minor difficulties. Rin held her chin between thumb and forefinger, "Much better. Now, off you scoot. Mind you stay dry out there. That storm is still blowing something fierce."

"Oh, I would not dream of leaving the hotel at this hour and in this weather," Roberta said. "I have taken the liberty of securing reservations at the eating establishment in the lobby." She offered her arm and Saber slipped her hand around Roberta's elbow. "Shall we?"

Rin opened the door and held it for the couple. "Have a nice evening. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Ah, yes. Cisneros. Party of two," the Maître D led the way into the back of the restaurant. He offered two menus before lighting the small candelabra and excusing himself.

"The legends speak of you as a mighty king," Roberta said, her voice low to preclude any other ears being privy to their conversation. "He who brought peace and justice to a war-torn land."

Saber blushed slightly. "The legends also speak of me as a man," she admitted. "Sadly, it was necessary to maintain the fiction of my gender as male; else the people would never have accepted me as King."

"How would that have worked?"

"My court wizard, the mighty Merlin," Saber said. "He was said to be half fae, wise in many things and greatly skilled in the old magicks. It was he who 'convinced' the people I was King and not some mere woman pretending to the throne."

"But surely they would have seen you wielding the Sword from the Stone?"

"Surely they would have and burned me for a witch," Saber muttered. "Those were dark times for my people and not as enlightened as the times of today. But, please enough of my time as King. Those days are ancient history and the memories are not pleasant."

"Forgive me," Roberta said, offering her hand across the table. "I did not mean to cause you any discomfort."

Saber accepted the hand and the apology. "Perhaps one day I will be able to move past my failures as King and the pain of that time. In the present, however, let us speak of happier things to come."

"And may those happy things bring great pleasure."

"They are just eating dinner, Kapitan," the man spoke over his cell phone to Balalaika. "And appear to be quite friendly with each other."

"Friendly how?" Balalaika asked. She stood and walked to her panorama window overlooking the city. Ugly black clouds still pouring their hearts out in vain attempts to wash this stain of corruption off the land. "Tell me everything you see, efreitor."

The man coughed once. "They are…are…"

"Are what, efreitor?"

"Kissing, Kapitan."

"… did you say, 'kissing'?"

"Da, Kapitan," the man replied. "Quite intimately, from where I sit."

"Well, well. This is something to consider," Balalaika said. She gave up the window as hopeless and sat in a chair facing her fireplace. "Remain on station and report every ten minutes."

"Da, Kapitan." The line went dead and Balalaika sat in silence for a moment. She then dialed a private number and waited.

"Mmyello," the chipper voice sounded on the other end.

"Is there ever a time when you do not sound so insufferably happy, Chang?"

"Once in a while, but I can make an exception in this case if you want me to," Chang replied.

Balalaika rolled her eyes, "I just received a report on our out of town visitors."

"Dinner and smooching?" Chang said.

"How did you…"

"Their waiter is on my payroll," Chang replied, a hint of nonchalance in his tone.

"I smell a plot, Chang. I need to know what is being said and what they are planning."

"By what my man is telling me, sounds like the maid is planning on taking the English woman to her room to ravish her stupid."

Balalaika nearly let the phone slip from her hand. She stared at it as if it were going to spring to life at any moment. She barely registered the noise that emanated from the speaker.

"Balalaika? Sofiya? You there? Hello?"

Saber stared dumbfounded at Roberta. "Did you just propose…"

Roberta flushed deeply, "Nothing so momentous as that, my dear Saber. I merely suggested that we adjourn to my suite where upon I will pleasure your body."

Saber turned a bright beet red. She was not prepared for this turn of events. Not even Shirou, good lad that he was, had suggested bedding down together. How long had it been since I had the pleasure of human companionship on such an intimate level? There was the time Rin had to infuse me with mana…not an uncomfortable or unpleasant experience. Is this what Roberta plans to do? Infuse me with her mana? She is no mage, but still…

Roberta cleared her throat. Saber stared intently at the raven haired woman across the table. "Was I too forward? Please tell me if – "

Saber reached across and held her finger to Roberta's lips. With a smile, she then slipped out of their private booth and offered her hand. "Tell me more of what you plan for the rest of the evening."

Saber sat on the bed and stared skeptically at the leather contraption in Roberta's hands. If she didn't know any better, it looked the collar one slipped around the neck of a hunting hound.

"And what do you propose to do with that?" she asked as Roberta gently twirled it around her index finger.

"I propose to show you true freedom," she said in an even, matter of fact tone. "Once you put this on, I will control everything you do, feel and say, within a set of established safe parameters, of course."

"You suggest that my allowing you to yoke me as one would a hound will set me free?" Saber questioned. "I fail to see the humor in your jest, my lady."

Roberta sat on the bed next to Saber and gently placed her hand on Saber's. "There is no jest in what I propose. You will surrender complete control of yourself to me and in return, you will have to do absolutely nothing for yourself. I will do all the work; you will derive all the pleasure."

Saber quirked and eyebrow, "Should I even consent to such a thing, that hardly seems fair, my lady. That you should do all the work and receive no discernible benefit from it seems rather like you are the slave."

Roberta smiled, "I thought you would think that way. The pleasure I will derive lies in seeing you completely and utterly satisfied. That is the other face of this game. And rest assured a game it is. At no time will I ever push you into something you do not want. All I ask is that you consent to play with me."

Saber again cast her eyes to the collar, "And should I desire to end this game, as you call it? Once I have surrendered my control to you, what is to stop you simply carrying on despite my protestations?"

"Sunstone," Roberta said with a bright smile.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Simply say the word, 'Sunstone' and I will immediately stop and release you."

Saber sat in deep thought for some time. At last she stood, slipping her feet out of her shoes and willing her dress away. She stood completely exposed before Roberta. "Very well. I have only to say the word 'Sunstone' and everything stops?"

"I swear it," Roberta said as she stood and approached Saber, collar in hand.

Saber lifted her chin slightly as Roberta slipped the collar around her neck and fastened the buckle.

"Tonight, as you are quite inexperienced, I will go very slowly," Roberta assured Saber. "There are so many things I desire to show you, have you experience, but alas, as your Domme, I must respect that you are so new to this."

Saber could feel her body heat as Roberta gently caressed every inch of her flesh. Even in this spirit body, her nerves were alive with each sensation as Roberta explored her. She felt Roberta hook a finger into the steel loop of the collar and gently guide her to the bed. Ever so gently, she was pushed onto the soft mattress.

"Talk to me," Roberta purred in Saber's ear. "Tell me everything about how you feel. Guide me to make this a pleasurable experience."

Saber gasped as she felt her left nipple pinched between thumb and forefinger. "How does this feel, my dearest Saber?"

"I – I… cannot describe it…"

"Is that a good thing?"

"Oh..." Saber moaned, the sensations racking her body. Even in life, she had never been touched in this rough, yet pleasurable way. "Yes, it's very good."

"Shall I continue?"

"Please…" Saber gasped.

She writhed under the exquisite torture applied now to both painfully hard buds. As she seemed near to bursting, the pressure ceased. In a daze, she searched for the source of disruption. She saw, vaguely, Roberta return to the bed, another contraption in her hands, this one resembling leather manacles, of a sort used to restrain prisoners in the dungeon.

"Will you consent to losing the freedom of your arms?" Roberta cooed softly into Saber's ear, her breath sending delicious shivers up Saber's spine.

The haze in her head clearing, Saber saw the gentle look on Roberta's face, a faint sparkle in her eyes. Saber smiled and nodded. Roberta fastened each manacle to her wrists and gently pulled them over her head. Saber tested the strength of the leather and found, though soft and pliant, her arms were now quite securely fastened and held in place by a length of chain running to the head board. She returned her gaze to Roberta, now seated at her hip, her hands gently massaging the triangle of soft, dark hair at the juncture of her thighs.

Saber again moaned in pleasure as Roberta slipped a finger between her legs, teasing the swelling nub under its protective hood. This is entirely too much. If she continues…her thoughts interrupted as a small wave of pleasure erupted from that tiny spot to wash over her entire body.

"That was fast, my pretty one," Roberta purred, running her tongue over Saber's taught torso. "Shall I continue?"

Saber took a few moments to come off her post orgasm high to regard Roberta as she trailed her tongue up to her right breast. She watched Roberta clamp down and suckle, gently, but with a hint of malice. This caused Saber to snap her head back onto the mattress. A low gurgle manifested in her throat before escaping as a cry of pleasure, "More…"

Roberta detached her lips and smiled at Saber. "Beg me as your mistress."

Saber could barely think straight, let alone comprehend the nature of what Roberta was saying. Her only thoughts now were to continue experiencing this pleasure. "Please…Mistress…" she huffed." I beg you…"

Roberta chuckled as a hand made its way to the sensitive triangle, "Once more, O King."

"Oh, gods, Mistress!" Saber practically screamed. "Make me feel alive again! I beg you!"

Saber felt a finger glide into her, feeling her, exploring her. This brought forth another small explosion. She was rewarded as one finger became two, stretching the opening just a bit further, fingers probing just a bit deeper. She struggled against the restraints to no avail. She cried out in exquisitely pleasurable agony.

Two fingers became three and Saber lost all coherent thought. All she knew now was that her body was completely at the mercy of this extremely skilled and masterful woman above her. Another wave, this one building deep within her, welled over her and engulfed her so completely that she felt spent, unable to move.

Saber lie on the bed, unmoving, a soft hand on her torso massaging her. She turned her head to see Roberta, lying on her side, smiling so tenderly at Saber. Quite to her surprise, her arms had been released from the manacles. She looked at them as though they belonged to some other person.

"I took them off while you were asleep, my sweet Saber," Roberta said in answer to the question unasked. "The collar too. Wouldn't do to injure yourself while you were unconscious."

"You were here, watching me the whole time, weren't you?"

Roberta nodded serenely, shifting her hand upward slightly, just under Saber's pert breasts. "I always take care of those in my charge."

"How...why..."

Roberta cocked her head slightly. "Why, what?"

"How did you come to know such...intimate techniques?"

"Everyone needs a hobby, O King," Roberta chuckled.

"I am almost afraid to ask," Saber started. "What is the time?"

Roberta looked over Saber's shoulder. "It is nearly morning."

Saber's head cleared instantly. "I left Rin alone all night?!" She jumped to her feet, only to lose her balance and tumble back into bed.

"Your Master is quite alright," Roberta chuckled softly. "I heard from Fabiola while you were asleep. It would seem your Master took rather a liking to the Young Master and spent most of the night playing chess, acquitting herself quite well by besting the Young Master."

Saber let her head fall back into the blessed softness of the mattress. She lay there, staring at the ceiling, images of the previous night playing in her mind's eye. She smiled at the thought.

"I will ask one last thing before we part company for the day, my sweet Saber," Roberta purred into Saber's ear.

Saber turned to look directly into the maid's eyes, "What would you ask of me, my lovely Roberta."

Roberta blushed, "May I kiss you?"

"It has never been protocol with you before," Saber jerked her head back, cocking an eyebrow. "It was a simple thing to simply claim my lips at your whim. Why ask now?"

"Because now, we shared in something special, something intimate," Roberta explained. "Now, it would be presumptuous of me to simply take. You are special to me, even though we may never have each other of our own will."

Saber cast her eyes to Roberta's neck, a slow smile spreading across her lips. She then returned her attention to Roberta's searching eyes, "You may kiss me."

At this, Roberta gently took Saber's face in her hands and placed a chaste and tender kiss upon her lips. "Thank you for last night."

Saber fought to keep from laughing, instead allowing her smile to spread wider, "It should be I thanking you for last night. Had I known the simple pleasures of intimate contact, I would have left Caliburn in that cursed rock for all time."

Roberta chuckled at the thought, eliciting the same from Saber. She released Saber and helped her stand. "Dawn approaches and we must attend to our duties, my King. Perhaps fate will be kind and allow us another night together before we part ways."

Saber gathered the ambient prana into her day suit. She helped Roberta slither into her dress and zipped her up. She stood at the mirror, adjusting her tie when the full force of Roberta's words hit her. She said 'My King' not 'O King'…Saber glanced over at Roberta standing at the door, hand on the knob. Saber smirked, but said nothing. She nodded and Roberta lead the way out of the room.

And thus wraps up chapter two. I hope it was as enjoyable to read as it was to write.
Please leave comments and reviews.