Chapter 10-Lost

Saber squirmed in Archer's grip, cheeks giving a soft glow from the way he laughed and held her still. She had attacked him just before, desperately trying to get the bracelet off after remembering last night. He took advantage of her, no one would do that again. She was bound in chains, gritting her teeth as she struggled to get out but there was no use, every time she struggled, the tighter the chains would get.

Archer chuckled,"Now now Arturia, after what happened last night, you shouldn't be trying to run away."

"You ass! I despise you! You've tricked me! This cursed bracelet is making me that way! Take it off!" She screamed as his lips played with her ear again. Saber cringed as he bit down hard, making her wriggle around on his lap. She could feel the ooze of blood and Archer laugh, drawing his tongue over to her ear,"So my queen does bleed easily."

Saber growled under her breath,"Please Archer, tell me of Lancer!"

Archer released her, letting Saber stumble and fall to her knees, the chains still tightly bound to her. He glared in anger,"You bore me, leave my sight."

Saber cringed from the flesh wound he had given her,"No. Not until I have my answers."

"Leave before I permanently leave Lancer in the past to rot!" He roared and Saber hesitate before sliding out the door, the chain slipping away from her skin. She could still feel the burn of them chafing her skin. The bracelet itched at her wrist, begging to take it off but with no such luck, it was as if Saber were bound to Archer. She rushed towards the secret basement like room, tumbling down the stairs and looking over the book Archer had used.

"Lancer...come back." She bent her head down against the alter he had laid done on and felt tears burn her eyes. It was so frustrating, unable to fight Archer when he was in danger. If he died, it would only be her fault for not having the willpower to stick to Archer but...did she have to go through such lengths of suddenly hating him then wanting him and so on. With Lancer...it seemed easier. She wasn't forced into anything and she were sure that she valued him as a friend, despite having him kiss her multiple times already. Such things as kisses seemed to be given away so easily, it barely meant a thing. But when it conflicted her so much...

She grit her teeth in irritation and flung the book across the room, giving a yell of anger and slamming her hands on the alter before slapping at the tears. She would not cry. She didn't cry in the first place. She sat on top of the alter and looked about the room, smelling the familiar, almost gone scent of Lancer. His familiar self felt warm and his soft hands grazed the back of her neck. Remembered her neck made her recall the way Archer had held her the night before. He had held her from the neck in such a soft way, kissed her passionately that she was even ore confused then ever. If he was so gentle to her last night an kind, why not let her go? Why not be like that all the time. Conflicted, Saber jumped from the alter and knelt down, laying her forehead down on it before whispering,"Please come back safely, please let my friend be okay. I don't think I could live without him..."

She stood and brushed herself off before swiping her hand across the air. She pulled her sword into her grip and slammed it into the ground beside the alter. When Lancer returned, he'd see her sword and know she was waiting for him, know she worried for him. She bowed her head in one last final prayer before talking back upstairs, stealing a look back. There was nothing there yet it felt like there was.

"Archer! Answer me! I know you are here!"

Lancer stalked the hillside in which he had come into the past from. Archer's 'treasure' lay softly down in the patch of grass as he paced, shaking his head in confusion. There was no way for him to get back, he wasn't even entirely sure how he even got here in the first place. What was strange was that Archer sent him on such an easy task. If it were so easy, then Archer could have gone himself, almost as if he needed Lancer to be out the way. Lancer looked up, blinking at a soft voice that sounded much like Saber. At first, he spun around, believing the past Saber had followed him but there was no one. He was completely alone and yet her voice traveled to his ears.

"Please come back safely, please let my friend be okay. I don't think I could live without him..."

"Saber..." He mumbled and tried to look for the source of her voice but it was like he was there, hearing her but not there at the same time. Perhaps it was only a thin curtain cutting them off from each other, small and yet restricting. Lancer reached out to touch her, but he only felt empty space. Once Saber had finished talking, he could hear her footsteps clatter away, the gleam of her sword dancing across his eyes. If he could get through, he would have but it was impossible, it simply wouldn't open. He grit his teeth in anger,"Saber! Saber! I'm here, right before you!"

But her footsteps slowly receded until there was nothing but darkness and her glowing sword. Had she left it there for him to see, why was she still there with Archer and why in the world was she wearing her blue dress again!? Worriedly, Lancer spun his lance's in his hands, expertly shifting them between fingers and attacking the space not letting him pass through, but his weapons merely danced off of it.

"Archer...what is he planning?"

Lancer reached forward again, trying to touch what was blocking path, but unlike his lance's, he could not feel it, nor understand it. Had Archer done this just to make him irritated?

He looked away and stalked back down the hill, growling under his breath.

Archer was no where to be found, maybe somewhere deep in his mansion, but as long as he stayed that way, the more time Saber had to explore herself down in the basement. She kept hearing muffled sounds but there was nothing there. In the adjoining rooms as well, there was nothing, merely empty space. Today she was looking at the last room, the room which made her feel weird and distraught. She pushed the door open, aware that her sword was still where Lancer had disappeared. She noticed a soft, eerie glow of a purple gem in the back while everything else was pitch black. She pulled forward and slipped her fingers over the gem's surface, the glow tingling the pads of her finger tips. It almost made her feel like she needed this gem. Saber glanced behind her shoulder and swiped the gem from its stand, ready to run if anything happened but the room stayed it's unusual way. The gem still glowed prettily and Saber felt that weird feeling to crush it now. She stuffed it into her pocket, pulling the door closed behind her and trailing back towards the alter. She traced her hand along the designs and pressed her fingers into a little hole right in the middle.

"Wait..."

She pulled the gem out of her pocket and looked into the indent, slowly pressing it down into the spot. The gem started to glow brighter and Saber gasped as the ground rumbled under her feet. The air above the alter started spin and rip open. Saber had her first glimpse into the past, and also Lancer trailing back, unaware of her presence.

"Lancer! He-" she was muffled as a hand caught her over the mouth just as Lancer spun around, eyes widening. Saber squirmed and reached for him, their finger tips brushing just as Archer pushed him back, the portal closing. Saber screamed a muffled yell, shaking her body to get out of Archer's surprisingly strong grip. He swiped the gem from its spot and took it into his hand, dropping into his pocket. Saber glared in anger and lashed out as he released her. The gem, she needed that gem.

Archer was a bottle of fury as he pulled her by the wrist, the chains cooling around him and wrapping around her body again. He licked his lips delicately, brushing her face gently,"I can't have him back. You are already mine and he will not have you."

Saber raised her eyebrows just as Archer heaved her over his shoulder, shutting the basement closed and pushing her down on the table, sitting her on it kindly. His frown was heavy and weighed on his face as the chains squeezed her, back and muscles aching from it. Saber gasped out,"Why are you keeping Lancer in the past?"

Archer shrugged,"He's petty and you are my treasure, mine."

"I am no ones!"

"You were his!" Archer exclaimed, anger brimming in his pretty ruby red eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

Saber watched him in spite of her confusion. She was not something to be owned, nor did she show that she wanted to be. Lancer did not own her, he was her friend...who kissed and fought with her. They believed in honor and loyalty, one in the same. Archer snapped his fingers and the chains slipped away from her, clattering back to him as he mumbled,"Go to the room, before I do something I regret."

Saber noticed how annoying he was but she couldn't help but want to stay and see him struggle. But she knew better. Before she past him, she muttered,"I will bring Lancer back."

Archer pulled the gem from his pocket, twirling it in his hands,"We'll see."