Chapter 21- Death
(Short chapter guys but it'll be shocking!)
{Lancer}
His body felt light weight and he was seeing upside down. Saber's golden hair was lost between the rubble at some point and everything smashed down on the floor, including himself. The room was basked in the brilliant, soft glow of the moonlight. Lancer straightened up on shaky legs, still slightly unbalanced from the strange collapse.
"Saber! Saber!" He pushed aside what he could, worried that he would find her crushed and dead. If he did. He'd regret never telling her how he felt for the rest of his life.
Suddenly, he saw someone rise up from the massive blocks of debris, shouldering dust everywhere. Her hair shone gold in the light and she glanced up to meet his eyes. Lancer took off towards her on quick feet, leaping across bricks and columns as fast he could. He latched his fingers on to Saber before she could fall. When he looped his hand on to her side to help her stand, he could feel a cold, sticky substance leak on to it.
Blood. He wasn't sure if it was from the battle just moments before which strangely ended or because of the roof falling in. Nothing made sense but at the same time, he wasn't sure himself if what was happening was actually happening. Perhaps it was all just a dream again, maybe Saber was actually still on the stone slab and everyone was just dreaming of this moment. He glanced down at his hand but he had the appropriate amount of digits. Then he pinched himself but he felt a sharp stab. Not a dream, this was all very much real.
"Are you okay?" He asked the knight leaning more and more on to him.
Saber nodded but she faltered in her steps. She was clearly in pain. Although she had a good tolerance for pain, this must be hurting more than it should.
Her breath was ragged and her nails dug into his flesh.
"I'm okay. Let's keep moving." She sucked in a deep breath and urged him to continue. He hoped she hadn't noticed the way he slowed their pace. He was glad that he had kissed her just before, he was extremely glad she let him and the fact that it could be a final goodbye. Lancer wasn't sure what was going on but if it was bad enough for an elaborate plan like this then he expected as much.
Saber stopped as he pushed open the now unhinged double door where the rest of the servants had walked through before.
"Here," he offered his hand and she gratefully took it. He swirled her softly back into his arms and he righted her.
"Careful now." He teased. It wasn't the time to do it but he was always capable of teasing during a fight just like the first one they had.
Saber scoffed,"Let's just keep moving." Her lips tugged up in a smile and he found himself eerily calm. Something certainly wasn't right. Someone was definitely letting them go but at the moment, he was glad their plans had been halted. He wasn't sure what happened or why all of it was happening but it did and they were easily escaping. Whatever was supposed to be done to them today would be done another day. They'd have to be ready but he also stupidly thought about the time he could take with Saber who was now injured. He glanced behind his shoulder, maybe expecting someone else to be there, perhaps the other servants but either they had escaped too or been captured. They had abandoned Saber and chose to become separated, whatever had happened to them was a lost cause. He wouldn't bother trying to put the pieces together either.
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A week Later- Uneventful
{Lancer}
Sometimes he found himself still worried about what had happened just a week ago. Archer hadn't bothered meeting them and the same goes for them. They still weren't sure what the hell happened but he was somewhat glad for it. His theory was that maybe someone was testing something out and it backfired. It would only make sense or maybe make no sense at all. He ran a hand down his face as he stood at his kitchen counter, sipping his coffee. Across the room, sitting idly on the couch with a bandage wrapped around her stomach was Saber, per usual. She'd been visiting more often on a whim and smiled a lot more. To him, he was delighted but at the same time, frustrated. Plenty of days, they couldn't help it but kiss, of course, he took advantage of her being so unaware of his emotions and what the kisses meant but it didn't have to be that way. The truth was, he couldn't tell her. Some part of him needed to and the other part told him that things were fine this way, that if he told her, things wouldn't change. Unless...they would and she wouldn't embrace the idea of love, if she ever felt it romantically before.
He glanced up at her. Per usual, her hair was up and some framed her face. He'd touched her hair so many times already now from kissing her, he was accustomed to it. Sometimes they would kiss and she would push him away. Other times, they would be standing or laying down and he'd force her to straddle him and the kiss would be heated and rough with wanting. And sometimes, they would kiss slowly but passionately, roughly and passionately and these days, all of them were great. What he would never bring up however, was her time when Caster had tried to take her innocence. Of course, he'd decided to term it as more softy but it didn't help the hatred he now felt for Caster. Of course, he didn't like him before but now it had grown. Lancer didn't want to know someone wanted what he believed to be his, although, for now, it seemed one sided. Maybe Saber only kissed for the pleasure of it and wasn't even aware of such things. Simply because you kiss, doesn't mean you necessarily love a person. She was wearing yoga pants that went up to her knees and a tight t-shirt mostly for working out in. He could tell the bandage was still wrapped around her stomach because the way the thin layer stuck out.
Sometimes, he'd brush his hand against the fabric of it and Saber would close her eyes as if feeling the pain again. He'd be worried she really was but then he noticed she was simply leaning into his touch. He had realized that sometimes their relationship could grow problematic. As in such that he couldn't help imagining her in...certain ways that made him excited or boiling hot. He didn't want her to know why sometimes he'd have to douse his head in the sink with cold water. It shouldn't have to be embarrassing but until they both sorted out what they meant to each other, he wouldn't be telling her that just the day before, he had a dream of her legs up in the air and-
"Saber!" He called, abruptly ending his thoughts before they could resurface any more.
She looked over, startled from whatever she had been thinking about,"Yes?"
She stood up and crossed the room towards him with a hint of a smile. It had been nice and calming around the two despite how he was feeling. He liked having her here, knowing she was just in arms reach. He placed his mug down and grabbed her by her wrist. She seemed to know by the look on his face what was coming because she leaned upward on her toes and they shared a small, yet wonderfully slow and warm kiss. She'd grown better at that too. He didn't know if she realized it or not but she was a wonderful kisser.
She landed back on to her feet and opened her eyes gently. She seemed to shiver as he ran a hand down her back.
"Arturia," he cleared his throat and turned around, mentally frustrated that he had ended such a perfect moment to tell her of his feelings but he couldn't do it. This never happened before and he hated it. He wanted her so bad yet he didn't want to lose her,"Are you feeling better?" He motioned to her side and she nodded seriously.
"I am. Thank you."
"For?"
"You helped me when I was incapable of walking for a few days. I'm grateful." She cocked her head to the side,"Unless I shouldn't be."
"Well, you should." He stated with a smile back," And your welcome."
Her eyes seemed to grow stormy and she glanced outside his windows towards the dark, cold, snowy night. He wondered if she would accept a Christmas present if he bought her one. He wasn't even sure what she would want. A necklace? Or would that be too girly. Should he take her out and buy anything she wanted? That sounded nice, having her for a whole day...who knows what could happen.
"I," she began,"Think we should talk."
"About?"
"Us."
His head spun towards her and his heart began to pound erratically with anxiety. This was it. He should tell her.
Once again, his mouth grew stuck and he formed the words,"Well?"
"I'm still not sure what we really are or why you and I feel the need to kiss but," her expression grew soft,"I like to do it. I've come to terms with it and I think changing is best for me. Maybe this will make me stronger or maybe I will be more weak but I suppose I can do this with you. Can I?"
She didn't fully know how good he felt until he glanced down at his hands on the counter and couldn't push his smile off his face. When he looked up, she was watching him. He extended a hand towards her and she accepted the invitation, placing her own hand in his.
Maybe he couldn't quite tell her how he felt now but she had just given him enough to make him believe he had a chance. Perhaps she wasn't aware of how her words sounded, but to him, they sounded as if she were ready to love him or at least accept the idea. Now, it was just a matter of time. He didn't kiss her, maybe as she was expecting, but he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. She hesitantly did the same after some time.
"Saber,"
"You can call me by my name." She said before he could continue and she pulled back from him,"If you want to."
"Then, Arturia..." He whispered. Although he had said it before, it simply felt good now. He liked her name more than he gave off and although he would always call her Saber, it was nice to know Arturia was still there.
"And Diarmuid." She smiled up at him. His grip on her tightened and he found the need to never let her go.
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The next day, they were together still. They talked about random things, their past, the present and possibly the future of their new lives. They didn't bring up themselves when they talked about the future but he hoped that his had her in it. He didn't or wasn't ready at least to let her go. Not that there should ever be a time that he would have to but, you could never know.
The sidewalk was covered In thick layers of ice but they easily walked across it when others would slip. Every now and then, their hands would bump but he knew it meant nothing yet humored himself into thinking it was what she wanted, simply to have fun. Of course, he didn't hold her hand, Saber didn't enjoy it. He knew she felt small doing so and more like a little girl than an empowered adult and still, he couldn't mind.
At one point, the topic of their futures shifted to children and it was...slow and almost weird to think about.
"I'd like, maybe one child." Lancer said and Saber looked up at him.
"I'm not sure about having children. At least, not until the issue with Caster is solved. I wouldn't want to bring a child into this world with him in it. I'd be weak if I was pregnant and the father would have to be capable of protecting me if Caster was kept alive."
Lancer stopped himself from saying,"I'm capable." Only because love didn't always last so he'd grown accustomed to. He wasn't sure that in the future, Saber and him would be together but he hoped they would. She was the only woman who could love him for him and not his face. (If she did love him.)That would be boring if he ended up choosing a love based off a love spot. Saber on the other hand wasn't affected.
"And you, why one child."
"Three is a little much for me. I once wanted many but maybe a daughter will be nice."
"A daughter? Not a son?"
"No. I want a girl." His smile raised but It fell back down when Saber faltered a stop, stumbling forward. He caught her by the elbow and pulled her inside a cafe. He took a seat farthest from anyone and looked at her worriedly as she grimaced. Her breathing became strained as she seemed to hunch over. Lancer pushed aside the flap of her coat and shifted his hand under her shirt. Her eyes widened slightly but when he met her eyes, she calmed down. He felt the bandage and even pressed a little under it. Her skin was still healing and when he pulled his hand back, it was sticky with blood.
"Saber," he showed her his hand,"You're bleeding bad."
"What-Oh.." She cringed and he could see her press at her side. He needed to get her cleaned up.
"Wait here, I'll be back." He said harshly. He stood up and crossed towards the bathroom before his body disappeared. When he opened his eyes, he was standing in his living room. He hurried across towards his draw and pulled out some bandages. He hurried back, taking a step from his home then landing in the cafe. He whirled over to where Saber was and his eyes widened. She was gone. He shook his head and inspected the seat. She was heavily bleeding now. A trail led from where they had been sitting alone in a dark corner towards the bathroom. He didn't want to intrude but he burst in, glad that the cafe was pretty empty save for the person at the counter. Saber was by the sinks, her shirt strewn aside and only her bra the thing covering her. Lancer paused for a second until he noticed her pained face and her hand fumbling to unwrap the bleeding wound which had splattered her hand with red blood. She stumbled towards him and her knees buckled but he caught her before she could fall. Her bloodied hands stained his coat but he simply tossed it aside and laid her gently on the floor, on top of his coat. He didn't have time to regard that she was topless in front of him and only wearing a small garment for clothes, he looked down and peeled the bandage from her skin.
"This is bad." He mumbled under his breath. It wasn't right that she was bleeding so heavily. The wound had seemed to open again, maybe from the frigid cold but it looked horrible. Like he'd seen before, it was a huge gash in her side, bleeding heavily.
He started on his way to clean it and after a while of putting pressure against her side and be face cringing and crumbling from the pain, it stopped bleeding. He hadn't realized just seeing her weak and bleeding as of someone stabbed had made his heart stop. He re-wrapped around her stomach carefully this time and even had put a large patch under the bandages. Saber seemed sore but otherwise okay.
"Thank you." She whispered. His coat was stained with blood and hers as well. He had pulled his sweater off, leaving a dark green T-shirt and wrapped it around her. As she began to zip it up, his eyes forced themselves not to look at her chest. He'd gotten a glimpse while helping her but that was all he allowed himself. He didn't want to be perverted and look at something she would be embarrassed about. Or even angrier that he looked. Regardless, it wasn't his right to look.
"Thank you. And I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
"For taking this-" she gestured to the sweater and Lancer shook his head.
"It's nothing."
She smiled and patted her side softly, almost making sure it would begin bleeding again. She cocked her head to the side and he noticed a thin sheet of sweat that had formed on her forehead. He would have reached forward and swiped it away but she seemed uncomfortable.
"It was strange right? That it started bleeding?"
"It was but I'm sure you just moved it wrong."
"Maybe.." She mumbled but her eyes said otherwise. She seemed unsure and almost as if she weren't telling him something but then she glanced up and smiled kindly.
"Well. Regardless, I should be getting home."
He looked up alarmed and more worried that something else would happen but she seemed to be fine.
"Then, goodbye." He whispered, more soberly. She nodded then walked away. He turned to see her leave.
It was a while after that he decided to leave. When the door flipped open and a random woman walked in. Her eyes widened and he didn't bother but hold up his hands in a surrender. She screamed loudly and he backed away and out the door, mumbling apologies.
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{Lancer}
It was the middle of the night when he woke up. His phone was ringing intensely and it wouldn't stop. Lancer turned around, smacking his hand along his beside desk to search for the phone. His fingers latched onto a wire and be tugged for the home phone, the electronic clattering to the floor. Lancer grumbled in annoyance and sat up on bed, searching for where he had thrown off his shirt before he went to bed. He tugged up his sweat pants, not bothering anymore for the shirt and grabbed the phone. He pressed it to his ear, yawning with tears coming to his eyes.
"Hello?"
"Lancer? Is this you? Dog?"
The voice was familiar and not one he had expected to hear. He shook hi head and rubbed his eyes again.
"Archer?"
"Yes. That's clarified now correct?"
The spoiled king seemed aggravated right of the bat and Lancer was tempted to hang up the phone of he wasn't too tired to move across towards the desk.
"What is it? It's-" he squinted and looked across towards the digital clock, "2:00 in the morning."
"I know. You have to listen."
"Why's that?"
He found what seemed to be his shirt and slung it on. There was a pause on the other line and he realized that he had just tried to put pants on top of him like a shirt. He placed the phone I the ground and put it on speaker as he looked around for his t-shirt. The lights from outside his window coming from the city illuminated his way as he searched around, to bothered to turn on the lights. He was far into his closet, starting to pull on a shirt when Archer's voice came back. It was strained and unaccustomed to being weary.
"She's dead, Lancer. She's gone."
He twisted around, pulling his arm through his shirt,"Who?" He was starting to feel alarmed now and his heart started beating more slowly. His mind woke up from how tired he was and he was walking quickly towards the phone. Archer was silent and their was a rustling through the speaker. Lancer grabbed the phone,"Who? Who?!"
There was a sigh and then a him growling under his breath,"Saber."
Lancer's grip on the phone slipped and he had trouble comprehending what in the hell he had just said.
"Saber is dead."
No. Don't say that. Don't. That's impossible. Was it his carelessness? Was it because he let her go home alone? Was this all his fault? He ground his hands into the soft carpet of his room and felt a heart wrenching scream escape him. It was more of one of agony and loss then fear.
What happened? Why? Don't take her away? Is all he thought as he grabbed the phone and shook it in his hands. He was about to snap when he simply threw it across the room in rage and tossed everything neatly placed in his room across the floor.
"God dammit," he muttered and fell to his knees, clutching the bedsheets tightly with sadness,"I never told her."
He grabbed his coat and rushed from his house. Everything was a blur as he ran past strangers, starting up his car and practically swerving it around to drive towards Saber's home. He hoped it was simply a cruel, cruel joke and nothing else's but for some reason, he believed this was true. Archer's words kept ringing in his head.
"Saber's dead."
And again.
"Saber's dead."
Again.
"Dead." "Dead." "Dead."
Fucking dead.
He slammed his palm against the steering wheel as he pulled up to Saber's apartment complex.
He jumped from his car, not even bothering to lock it as he ascended the steps two at a time. He was at her front door in an instant, staring at Archer dressed in casual clothing, sitting with his hand against his forehead. If Lancer cared enough, he would have been shocked to see him like this but he merely stumbled past him and into her house. Inside, her home was like a war zone. Gashes in the wall, cracked silverware, objects tossed aside, furniture broken. But what scared him the most was the amount of blood streaked everywhere across the walls. His knees shook as he staggered towards Saber's room. The stench was foul with blood and Saber's sword was dull on the ground, splattered with red liquid. No. No. No. He forced his eyes to flicker upward and he collapsed to the ground, gripping hard into the crumpled bedsheets. Saber's body was laid flat on the bed, her hair a mess and stranded with blood and her pale skin drenched in it. Her lips were slack and her eyes were closed serenely. But the scene before him was far from it. Her shirt had been lifted halfway up to reveal her wound which had been unwrapped. It looked like a torn gash in her side, as if someone had taken their hands and ripped at her skin into she was nothing but tattered flesh. And through a slit in her chest was splattered blood. Stabbed with her own sword or maybe a replica of hers...he didn't know. He bowed his head and grabbed her limp hand, carefully moving to cradle her in his lap. It wasn't manly of him, but an ugly sob racked his body and he shook his head with distraught.
"Please no."
He didn't cry but he felt like it. Holding her lifeless body there and seeing her head fall limp in his arms as he brushed hair from face was horrible.
"How could this have happened?" He cried out, shoveling his head into her head. His shirt was bloodied and his hands were stained red as well. If anyone came in now, it would look as if he had killed her but that wouldn't be the truth. He loved her. Loved her so much that at the moment, his heart literally felt as if it were breaking.
"Arturia, I don't want this, please, come back."
There wasn't even any clues as to who the hell had done this. Nothing that could help him take his revenge. There was boiling anger under his sadness and what he wanted to do was murder who ever had killed Saber. And simply, why? Why her? Why? Why?
He carefully pecked her lips as a goodbye and laid her body back on the bed. He couldn't look at her anymore, he almost felt like throwing up he was so distraught. He stumbled out and fell to his knees just outside her door.
Saber was dead.
(Please Read the Authors note on the next chapter guys.)