Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Alea Iacta Est

Chapter 9

Maids took away dirty plates and utensils, and served the next course: Shepherd's Pie with a side of mushy peas. For a time, the diners ate in silence, and then taking a drink of red wine to wash down a mouthful of potatoes and lamb, Reines spoke up.

"Tell me, Mister Emiya." She began. "Am I correct in understanding that your father had settled into peaceful retirement in the years prior to his death?"

Shirou blinked, and swallowed before answering. "Yes," he said, before taking a drink of red wine himself. "Dad was retired, more or less."

"Oh?"

"He went on a couple of business trips overseas a few years before he died." Shirou uncomfortably said. "I don't know the details, he didn't tell, probably because I was too young at the time…and when I was old enough he'd…passed on. So I couldn't really look into them."

"I see." Reines said with a slow nod. Waver glanced warily between his sister and Shirou, a heavy silence falling across the table for several moments, broken only by the clinking of silverware against china. "I truly apologize for having to bring up painful memories, but it seems to me that it is time to proceed to the matter I invited you to dinner for."

"…yes." Shirou said with a deep breath. "Let's get this over with."

Reines smiled reassuringly. "Rest assured, Mister Emiya," she said. "I would prefer a peaceful and nonviolent resolution to what issues lie between us. And even if that is not the case, I have welcomed you into my home and offered you my food and drink, which you have accepted. By rules of hospitality and indeed, of parley, you are safe until dawn tomorrow after you depart from my home."

Shirou nodded, but didn't say anything. Reines took another bite of her pie and a drink of wine before continuing. "From what I've been told, Mister Emiya," she said. "And from what I have seen of you tonight, you are a good and honorable man. Awfully deep-hearted, and seemingly ill-suited for our world…if not for your having survived a Heaven's Feel ritual."

"My…survival, owes much to Rin, as well." Shirou said, speaking in a formal tone.

"Indeed," Reines said with a nod. "As I said, good and honorable, to acknowledge your previous weakness and the contributions of others to your benefit. But, contributions are meaningless if there is no will to use them properly. And contributions would never have been given had you not the potential for them to have any meaning. My brother knows that all too well. Indeed, before he was Lord El-Melloi II, when he was merely Waver Velvet, he was living proof of that fact."

"I see."

"Let us get to the point." Waver said with a sigh. "Shirou…you already know your father was a Master during the Fourth Holy Grail War, correct?"

"Yes." Shirou said with a nod. "I found out during the Fifth Holy Grail War. He was one of three Masters who survived. The other was Kirei Kotomine, and the third is…well, you."

"Indeed I am." Waver said with a nod of his own at Shirou. "You know…in a way, you remind me of myself, nearly twenty years ago."

"In what way?" Shirou asked.

"A young man shaken free of youthful illusions and misconceptions," Waver answered while swirling the wine in his glass. "And then stepping onto the stage in his own right, finally is willing to do what needs to be done to make his name."

Falling silent, Waver set down his wineglass, and reaching forward took his glass of water and drank from it. "Don't tell me that your experiences in the war didn't change you." He said softly. "That is completely and utterly impossible."

"No…you're right." Shirou said just as softly, and looked down for a moment. "I…had to face a lot of facts back then. Gave me…perspective, you could say…but…"

Shirou trailed off, and briefly closing his eyes took a deep breath. And when he opened his eyes, they were full of resolve. "What dad passed on to me," he said. "They weren't wrong."

Waver and Reines silently regarded Shirou for a few moments, and then his eyes met Reines. "What do you need from me?" he asked.

Reines smiled. "Our…eldest brother," she began, referring to herself and Waver with a hand. "The late Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, also participated in the fourth Heaven's Feel ritual. He clashed with your father several times, a series of confrontations that ultimately resulted in my brother and his fiancée's deaths. I will not hold you responsible for that, as they knew and accepted the risks when they joined the ritual."

"But…?"

"Your father's method to defeat our brother," Reines continued. "A conceptual weapon, unfortunately destroyed our crest. I'm sure you understand what that means, do you not?"

Shirou sighed and nodded. "Yes, I understand." He said.

Of course…the crest, what else could it have been about? The most valuable possession of any magus lineage, the crystallization of generations of their research and passed on from one generation to the next and added onto by every generation which inherited it. Such was their value that even when their bearers were killed, so long as the crest could be recovered then their deaths could be considered mere inconveniences.

And their destruction or theft cause for vendettas.

"Within reason," Shirou delicately began. "I am willing to provide compensation."

Reines smiled again. "Mister Emiya," she began. "I am not an unreasonable woman. In a way, my brother here also contributed in part to our elder brother's downfall, and yet, here he is: Lord Waver El-Melloi II. I am of course willing to negotiate terms of compensation for your father's direct and immediate role in the destruction of my family's crest, and even to extend the courtesy of allowing your master to represent you and express her own opinions, in said negotiations."

At a gesture from their mistress, a maid brought forward an unsealed envelope on a silver tray, and presented it to Shirou. Shirou took it, and nodding at the maid, pulled out a letter from the envelope. Scanning its contents, he nodded at the formal invitation to Rin to discuss Shirou's compensation for the destruction of the El-Melloi crest.

"I'll be sure to give it to her once I return home for the night." He said, while folding the letter once more and returning it to the envelope.

Reines nodded as Shirou put the envelope into a coat pocket, and clapped her hands. "Now then," she said. "Now that our business for tonight is concluded, let us continue our meal. It would not do for it go cold and thus be wasted, and there is still dessert to follow."

Shirou smiled and nodded, and without another word, they returned to their meal.

Waver slid the record into place, and pressing a switch gently put the stylus to the record. Moments later, and the notes of Chopin's Nocturne in B major (Op. 32), No. 1 were drifting through the air.

"Trying to put me to sleep, brother?" Reines asked from where she was seated on an armchair.

Waver ignored her, and instead poured two glasses of Bourbon. Bringing them over, he handed one to Reines while keeping the other for himself. Reines nodded in thanks. "I think that went well, don't you?" she asked after taking a drink.

"As well as could be expected from Shirou Emiya." Waver said. "He's a good man."

"Good men rarely prosper." Reines said wistfully, swirling the whiskey in her glass.

"…maybe," Waver agreed eventually. "But he just might be among the rarity that do."

"What about you?" Reines asked.

"I'm no good, aren't I?" Waver asked back with a mocking smile. "I'm rather too invested with the fate of the El-Melloi. Put another way, I have a responsibility to the people whose name I share."

Reines laughed at that. "You're too modest." She said.

"Reines, you're drunk."

Reines laughed again. "Maybe," she admitted, and took another drink.

The siblings silently savored their alcohol to the sound of Chopin's composition for a few minutes, Reines seated on her armchair, and Waver standing next to her. "What is the least you will accept as compensation?" Waver asked.

"Future obligation will be sufficient." Reines answered. "It will have to be worded better, and I'm sure Rin Tohsaka will be presenting conditions of her own. Hopefully nothing too onerous, though if need be I could throw her a bone to get her to lighten up."

"A bone?"

Reines smiled and took a drink. "I have my sources too, brother." She said. "Let's just say while I was brushing up on Mister Emiya's background and his circumstances, I noticed that his master has been putting out feelers of her own."

"Oh?"

"You have not heard?" Reines said with mock surprise. "If so, then I will not spoil the surprise for you. I'm sure you will find out soon enough."

"…I suppose I will." Waver said, and took a drink.

Reines lips twitched with amusement, but said nothing.

"Crest…" Rin echoed. "Your father destroyed the El-Melloi Crest during the Fourth Holy Grail War?"

"Yeah, that's what they said."

Rin let her face fall into her hands. "This is a complete and utter disaster." She groaned. "Do you have any idea how much trouble that is going to cause?"

"I know how valuable a crest is." Shirou said. "I also know the El-Melloi are a very…powerful, family in the Mages Association."

"Understatement of the century, Shirou." Rin said with mixed frustration and anger. "The El-Melloi were among the few families on speaking terms with the Barthomeloi…but a while back their fortunes plummeted before making a miraculous recovery thanks to the current Lord El-Melloi II. And now I know why."

Shirou stayed silent as Rin rubbed her face. "Thankfully," she finally said with a sigh. "It seems Lady El-Melloi is a reasonable sort, if she's willing to negotiate. Though she could also only be using negotiation as a polite placeholder for dictation."

"She…didn't seem to be like that."

"You never know."

Shirou looked uncomfortable while Rin rubbed her face again. After a few moments, she glanced at the invitation from Reines, and read it through once more. "…thankful if you would join me to discuss terms…" she murmured. "…afternoon tea…she sure loves to invite people over, doesn't she?"

"Is that really a bad thing?"

"Well, it's a chance to show off just how rich and powerful she is." Rin said with a shrug. "And of course, it invokes parlay, so it also guarantees a peaceful meeting. Unless one party or another violates the truce of course…"

"Do you think she would?"

"Probably not," Rin admitted. "Which is also probably the whole point. If the invited party were to break parlay, then no matter their success they'd be pariahs for such despicable behavior."

"Sneaky,"

"Yes, it is." Rin agreed.

"Will you go?"

"Of course I will." Rin snapped. "As I've said before, you can't turn down invitations like this. Also, my failing to participate in negotiations will likely be seen as me washing my hands of your fate. Since you've already agreed to…compensate, El-Melloi for their crest, then if I don't negotiate in my capacity as your magecraft master, then they can dictate terms to you with no margin of choice for you at all."

"That's not…" Shirou fumbled. "That's not fair at all."

"That's how these things work." Rin said. "And that's why I'll go to this…tea party, or whatever, that Lady El-Melloi's inviting me to in a few days."

"I'll go with you." Shirou said at once.

"Of course you will." Rin said. "As the one whose future is at stake you have the right to be there. Keep in mind though, that in that situation you can't speak out of turn. In short, speak only when spoken to."

"…okay…"

Rin bit her thumb in frustration a few times. "Should I have not offered compensation, or something?" Shirou asked eventually, and Rin gave him a deadpan look.

"And potentially cause El-Melloi to declare vendetta on you?" she asked back. "Even if you had offered to compensate after the fact, then we wouldn't be able to negotiate at all, and terms would no doubt have been harsher because of your earlier refusal and the declared vendetta."

"Right, right."

Rin sighed and slumped backwards. "As if I don't already have so much on my plate." She moaned. "I tracked the package, by the way."

"Package?" Shirou echoed, and Rin gestured with her head. Shirou glanced in the indicated direction, to where Newton was sleeping next to his food bowl. "Oh…I see. What did you find out?"

"It was sent from San Francisco, California, in the United States." Rin said while slumping forwards.

"…that's rather strange, isn't it?" Shirou asked after a moment. "I mean…your sister was a runaway. She wouldn't have had anything or anyone to count on. And so…how did she manage to go to the USA?"

"…I don't know." Rin murmured.

"Are we sure it really is your sister?" Shirou asked. "Or could it be someone is using her name to get to you?"

"No…that was her voice on the recording…" Rin murmured. "There's no mistaking it. Though…it could also have been faked…but how? How could they know what she sounded like? How could they know about her? And what could they possibly be after to go after me like that?"

Shirou looked away, and Rin took a deep breath. "So many questions," she said, and sitting up. "So many answers to find. And so little time."

The days moved by quickly, and before Shirou realized it, he was once again at Reines El-Melloi Archisorte's suburban residence. Only this time, Rin was with him, and Waver El-Melloi II was absent.

The three of them sat in the gardens behind the mansion, their table placed under a large canopy to protect them from the afternoon Sun. Maids poured tea into teacups, and a platter of sweetmeats was placed before them.

"You're looking well today, Miss Tohsaka." Reines said as the maids stepped back. "It seems London suits you."

"I can say that it does." Rin agreed before taking a sip of her tea. "This tea is most delicious. Your chef is to be commended."

"I'll be sure to pass your compliments along." Reines said before taking a sip of her own tea. "Dear old Reginald would be most gratified to hear that."

"From the sound of things, he's been part of your household a long time." Rin observed.

"Oh yes." Reines agreed with a nod. "He's been part of the kitchen staff long before I was born. I believe my mother hired him, and after several years with the recommendation of our head chef at the time, sponsored him to culinary school. After gaining some experience, he returned to our household, back when I was still a child, and ultimately became head chef during my elder brother's tenure as Lord El-Melloi after old Willibald retired."

"I see." Rin said with a nod. "Such loyalty is…commendable."

Reines smiled. "Indeed it is." She said.

Shirou stayed silent, nursing his tea and nibbling on sweetmeats as Reines and Rin chatted on inane, unimportant matters, pausing every so often to take the smallest sip of their tea. "Wow," he eventually wondered, as he looked at his wristwatch and saw that forty minutes had already passed. "I never knew Rin could…well, just chat like this and for so long. I shouldn't be surprised but…"

Shirou let the thought trail off as he realized what exactly he'd been thinking, and just popped another sweetmeat into his mouth. The minutes trailed by, until a full hour had passed with Reines and Rin basically just gossiping and laughing at jokes between them.

"Now then," Reines said, as she replaced her empty teacup onto its saucer. "Shall we get down to business?"

Rin paused, and then drained her teacup. "Yes, we should." She said, also replacing her empty teacup onto its saucer.

At a gesture from Reines, two maids approached Rin, and presented with her open, leather-bound folders. Rin narrowed her eyes and read even as Reines said what had been written on the geis scrolls inside the folders.

"On pain of the lives of the signatories," she said while pouring tea for Rin and then herself. "In exchange for forgiveness for the destruction of the El-Melloi Crest by Kiritsugu Emiya, and a series of other concessions to be listed below, his son Shirou Emiya is bound to perform one unconditional act for the El-Melloi at any time in the future until his untimely demise."

Reines set down the teapot, and picking up her teacup took a sip. Rin turned away from the maids, and with a bow they stepped back and closed the folders.

Rin lowered her head in thought, gently and slowly tapping at her teacup with a finger. Her face was a veiled mask of grim thought, and Shirou couldn't blame her. He knew what was being asked of him.

'One unconditional act' might not sound like much…except without any specifics, it was exactly what it was. They could ask him to do anything, and he would have to do it.

They could ask him to commit suicide, and he would have to kill himself.

They could ask him to murder someone, and he would have to kill them.

They could ask him to rob a bank, a museum, or even the British Royal Family, and he would have to do it.

No, this was a serious matter, and Rin couldn't be blamed for thinking it over deeply. Finally, after several minutes of thought, Rin closed her eyes, and lifting her face, opened them and smiled at Reines. Well, she was smiling.

Internally, Shirou knew Rin was raging.

"Very well," she said. "I am very grateful for the opportunity to have my apprentice honorably atone for the destruction of your family's crest at his father's hand, and am struck with admiration for the generosity of the El-Melloi. For a single, future obligation, and certain other terms, all will be forgiven."

Reines smiled and nodded at Rin. "Well then," Reines said. "Is there anything you would want?"

"Just a few things," Rin said. "First, I would ask that Shirou be allowed to finish his apprenticeship with myself. This would also redound to your benefit, as it would allow his skills the chance to come to full flower, the better to fulfil his obligation to your family."

"That is not an unreasonable concession." Reines said with a nod, and gesturing at the maids who added it to the geis. "It would also allow him to leave a legacy behind, in the event the obligation would claim quite the cost."

"Quite,"

Shirou's face hardened slightly at the implication the El-Melloi requiring his obligation could cost him his life. He glanced at Rin, whose face remained polite and smiling, though he noticed that her fingers were ever so tighter on her teacup.

"Anything else?" Reines asked.

"Second," Rin continued. "I would ask that Shirou Emiya alone will be required to fulfil his obligation. It should not pass onto his children, in the event that he dies before he can fulfil his obligation."

"Oh?" Reines said with narrowed eyes, an impressed note entering her voice. "Very clever, Miss Tohsaka. You would require us to claim Mister Emiya's obligation to spare his children the task. I must say, I am impressed by your nerve…though I understand that as his master, it is indeed your responsibility to ensure his wellbeing within reason."

"As you say, Lady El-Melloi."

"But," Reines asked with a tilted head. "What if he should die prior to fulfilling his obligation?"

"Then the end of the Emiya lineage will be compensation for the destruction of the El-Melloi Crest."

Reines chuckled. "A fair trade, if I may so." She said. "So be it, I will grant that concession."

Rin nodded as the maids added it to the geis. "Will that be all?" Reines asked.

"Just one more." Rin said. "I would ask that in the event Shirou's mysteries are revealed in performance of his obligation, the El-Melloi would respect their secrecy. That is to say, the El-Melloi will not share what they have witnessed, and what they might further discover on further inquiry, with any others. That is all."

Reines nodded, her smile growing wider. "Again, a reasonable concession that I will grant you and Mister Emiya." She said, though her eyes narrowed immediately afterwards. "Though I must admit, my curiosity is piqued. May it be that Mister Emiya has some unique talent to himself?"

"Perhaps he might, perhaps he might not." Rin said, and Reines laughed.

"Indeed," she said with a nod. She gestured at the maids, who added the final concession to the geis. "If that is all, then let us conclude this arrangement, and bring this ghost of the past to a partial resolution."

Rin nodded, and looked on as the maids approached Reines and Shirou. They presented them with one folder and thus one copy of the geis each, while another maid approached, presenting them with a pair of gleaming silver knives.

Reines took one, and slitting her palm open, dabbed a fountain pen with her blood and used it to sign her copy of the geis. Glancing once at Rin at the sight, and receiving no response, Shirou briefly hesitated for a moment before taking the other knife, and likewise slitting his palm open.

Using his blood to fill the fountain pen, and putting it to his copy of the geis, Shirou signed it. The moment he finished signing it, his and Reines' magic circuits flickered once as they both bound themselves to the agreement they had signed in their own blood, and closing the folders, exchanged their copies. That which had been signed by Reines would be kept by Shirou, while that which Shirou had signed would be kept by Reines.

"I am glad this issue is resolved in a peaceful manner." Reines said, offering a hand to Shirou. After a moment, Shirou took the offered hand and shook it.

"As am I." he said, and Reines smiled.

"Now," she said. "While our business is concluded, I do hope you would enjoy my hospitality a bit longer."

"But of course," Rin said, picking up her teacup and taking a drink. "It is beyond reproach, much like the tea."

Reines smiled wider, and likewise took a drink of her tea. "Oh yes," she said almost as an afterthought. "There is one more thing."

"Oh?"

Reines gestured, and a maid approached to offer Rin a binder. "Consider this a gift in good faith." Reines said. "And a gesture that I would have friendly, or at least non-hostile relations between ourselves."

Rin narrowed her eyes, and taking the binder opened it. Her eyes widened at what met her.

First, there was a clutch of pictures, foremost a young woman of her age in khaki, dark hair curled in an anachronistic style, pulling a trolley at an airport somewhere. Then there was the same young woman, accompanying the notorious – and until recently, criminal – Grand Magus Touko Aozaki.

There were several pictures of them together, the older ones showing Aozaki's companion with her hair uncurled, and wearing clothes of a more modern design. And finally, there was a picture which had Rin's eyes narrowing and her teeth grinding in rage, so much so that the rest of the dossier would be set aside for later, when she had calmed down sufficiently to properly appreciate them.

The most recent picture was of the young woman – Sakura Tohsaka, Rin's long-lost sister – in the company of Luviagelita Edelfelt and her inner circle. And from the look of things, they were very close.

She knew.

How long had she known?

Did she deliberately keep her away from me?

She'll pay!

"I am grateful." Rin ground out. "And I will not forget this. But alas, and I apologize if I seem rude, I…we, must depart, as the weight of this matter is such that I cannot properly appreciate your hospitality."

"But of course," Reines said with a nod, and setting down her teacup rose to her feet. "I completely understand, and hold you no ill will for it."

Rin nodded, and likewise rose to her feet. "I thank you for your hospitality." She said. "The tea in particular was very delicious. And also, I would thank you again for providing my apprentice a fair and honorable chance to atone for his father's destruction of your family's crest. It speaks well of you, Lady El-Melloi."

Reines gave a small bow to Rin. "And you are welcome, Miss Tohsaka." She said. "Let it not be said that El-Melloi is ungenerous and inhospitable."

"Indeed," Rin said before taking a deep breath. "But now…we must take our leave."

"But of course," Reines said before gesturing at her maids. "I shall have my servants escort you out."

"Thank you."

A/N

Of course Reines would not hold Kiri responsible for Kayneth's death. Dying was expected, both as a magus, and as a participant in Heaven's Feel. The destruction of the El-Melloi Crest though…

…now that was something unforgivable.

I must admit, I took inspiration from the John Wick franchise to word out Shirou and Reines' geis. The whole 'one unconditional act…in the future' is pure John Wick.

Luvia is in trouble…or is she? Up next, Sakura returns to London…to find things going to hell.

…just like old times, right, Sakura?