Committing to a weird upload schedule with this work, I'm back with chapter 11! As always, I apologize for any grammatical mistakes that pop up. English is my first langue and only language, but I write it with the educational level of a five-year-old… That being said if anybody wants to Beta read for this story just shoot me a private message and I'm sure we can work something out.
Special shout out to M.H. Pinter. Your reviews and messages were a constant help and inspiration during my time away from this story, and I'm glad you are still interested after all this time! To answer your comment this is an Arturia and OC story, but I won't spoil to much outside of that!
I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and never feel afraid to leave a review!
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Chapter 11
Ceinwyn's POV
A large portion of the day had passed, and by the time I woke again the moon was edging itself over the horizon. Sir Griffon himself was still unconscious, and thus my guilt came over me twice.
It was I who was the improper tutor that led to his circuit overload. Far more pathetic than even a new aged mage lineage, I should have known that my status prevented me from adopting the role of an educator. Worse yet I left the boys who has the same heartbeat as me, alone with that despicable excuse for a knight class. Once against my better judgement, and then a second time voluntarily.
Overcome with exhaustion, my eyes had been closed for approximately two hours. An unhealthy amount of time compared to a normal person , but such a thing was relative to me. Modify since childhood to regain perfect cognitive function in a fraction of a time compared to a more deserving human being.
Although… I wish it was I who could forsake my physical necessities all together, taking my eyes away from the young master sleeping form, I gazed towards the wooden barrier that I trusted to protect us from outside threats far more than the so-called heroic spirit summoned to do so.
The swordswoman hadn't reappeared since she left, never casting so much as even a shadow across the window throughout the remainder of the day. I got up and sighed, moving my gaze back over to the only worthy being in the vicinity. Stacked next to him were the clothes he had collected for myself to wear but had yet to change into.
… He had purchased her a similar outfit, anger never came easily to me. However, just as my thoughts and actions always seemed to be attracted back to Saber, the displeasure she caused me to feel emerged as well, such a selfless action, in a time of war no less, and she leaves him unguarded
Biting the bottom of my lips, I stretched out an arm and delicately touched the light red fabric Sir Drake had purchased. The material felt… foreign to me, and as I lifted up the shirt and noticed a strange square of stitching inside the collar it soon became apparent why.
Made in… Viet…nam?, I have never heard of such a town in Britain or Europe. Not even sounding of this land, I couldn't connect it to any word in the English or Welsh language, let alone the name of any mage household. Not that anybody of such standard would disgrace themselves with such an artistically unappealing sigil, Perhaps… It is a New World product? I wonder if Sir Drake would mind me asking for his knowledge on the subject, he is from there.
I brought the upper garment to my body and spread it out an inch to see how it would fit. The material of my own servant garment seemed to be of finer stitching and cloth… but unlike my black and white outfit, the warm color born of Sir Drake's gift was pink instead of crimson. Outside of plain sleep wear… I cannot remember the last time I was without my uniform, even if I knew it was problematic amongst regular civilians… it felt odd to know I would change out of it.
A far worse feeling and act would be to disgrace the gift of an Aelle. Pushing past my own cancerous want, I disrobe from my apparel. Ruined and ripped beyond belief, I treated it with care, as it had done to me throughout my young adult life. Folding it with such care that all its battle wounds were hidden… a proper send off from the old life I'll fight to regain.
Left in nothing but my black laced under cloth, I debated whether to take them off as well. Lifting up the course fitting trousers, I cocked my head to the side. Perhaps… this was this article of clothing undergarments. The fabric was cut off at just above the knee, but had a disconnected black layer atop that seemed to go an inch further down… and the shirt was much closer to the size of my bra then the all-encompassing uniform I had before.
Hmmm… it would be rude to refute this gift. Perhaps I shall try my best to-, gently laying the two pieces, a short grunt escaped from Sir Drake.
Leaning over towards him, and with a growing smile I took this as a moment of good fortune. Not only was the master turning around, and coming out of his dead sleep, once he had been given the appropriate time to wake up I could voice my confusion to him.
"... Jesus Christ", eyes fluttering open, the youngest Aelle placed a hand to his head. Rubbing it as if almost nursing a bruise there that didn't exist, "So much for waking up before hitting the ground… or fist in this case"
Much to my delight, Sir Drake didn't actually appear to be injured or feel any pain that didn't exist as a memory. Taking a moment to regain his bearing, he looked around before giving off another sigh as he traded one unwanted reality for another. Obtaining my duty, I forced upon myself jubilance to offer him a bright start to the evening. Hoping I could lift his spirit from the bout of depression Saber had inflicted upon him,
"Salutations Sir Griffin!", the grogginess he began to shake off making him slow in his analysis of their being another being at his side, "One's first true use of mage craft is always exhausting, but proving your remarkable, you seem well rested!"
"Oh… yeah… mage craft", the boy said to himself, rubbing his head once more due to a different memory of pain, "I forgot that's what knocked me… HOLY CRAP!"
Meeting my eyes, his pupils slowly go downward. For a moment they pause, as his face heats up becoming a lit fuse. Erupting, he shoots himself back. Immediate concern courses through my veins, made all the worse when he cranes his head skyward. Refusing to so much as send a glance my way,
"Sir Griffin, is everything all right", I rush forward and try to offer out a reassuring arm that he retracts from.
"... didn't see a-anything, I-I swear… s-sorry I did see a little… b-but I didn't mean too", Drake stuttered about like a child who was being scolded. As such, my confusion, and thus fear of his health grew.
"See what Master?", I drop the formality he wishes I used, as the worst-case scenario bright fourth by the Grail War entered my mind "Has Saber engaged in battle… has she threatened you herself!"
Going for a knife, I'm met with nothing but skin as my lips form a thin line… I would have to relocate my arsenal now that my old uniform was no longer available.
"NO!", shouting he seemed to have tracked my moment only for his neck to bend even further upward, "Ceinwyn… why don't you have clothes on!"
"Oh, that is actually a funny conversational coincidence Sir Drake", although perplexed why he was panicking about my apparel, the tide of worry that consumed me receded, "It is nothing to be alarmed over… although I do apologize if my stupidity in attempting to figure out how this clothing is worn caused discomfort"
"... I… Ceinwyn I don't think your stupid…", he was tripping over his words, and I felt myself grow slightly warm in the cheeks. Clearly, I was an idiot by all accounts, my inability to adhere to his expedition by comparison to the other household servants made that clear… but it was… heartwarming to see him attempt to lie, "Y-you just… I'm sorry, but I can't explain myself until you get dressed"
"Of course, Sir Griffin… however, and I do offer a thousand pardons for my improper behavior… but I do believe I require assistance. I lack the proper knowledge of how to adorn clothing from the Vietnam", although I could only see the corner of his eyes, Drake mumbled the word 'the Vietnam', as if confused if such a statement was grammatically correct, "I find this underclothing bigger than my current one, and do not know where the outer attire is"
"... Underclo-", he questioned what that meant at first, before realization made his mouth clamp shut and his face ripen even further, "... Sorry I didn't get… you know, underwear… I couldn't… I'm a guy, picking out a T-shirt and skirt you'd like and guessing the size of that h-had me nervous… I would have screwed up big time if I ha-"
"... I see" Ceinwyn said, pondering, putting the pieces of Sir Drake's word together as best she could. Clearly, eh was trying to dumb down the topic so she could understand it… another kind gesture for sure, but owe she should not put him through, "I accept full blame for the creation of such a problem. My anatomy sizes are as follows. Due to the articles you've obtain my height seems to be no issue, but to lift you from the burden of my faults in the future my chest is eighty-four centim-"
"Ceinwyn!", I hesitate as if I had screwed up, but Sir Drake's utterance of my name seems like a desperate plea for mercy. Scanning my brain, I tried to pinpoint what I did, only to furrow my brow when I realize the obviousness of it all,
"Oh of course forgive my mistake. For the customary system , I believe that would be thirty-three inches-"
The sound of hinges giving way provided my next interruption, but instead of self-disappointment birthed from failing Sir Drake, I harbored anger. As the cause for the shrapnel of wood now cascading into the room caused a shriek and jump from the master. Which, as the metallic boot the proved to be the entrances ways damnation retracted to the floor, was no surprised produced by Saber,
"Master I've sensed your panic. No enemy servant appea-", the pieces of debris became the only sound, as Saber's eyes seemed to glass over my own at a downward angle before slowly making their way to Sir Drake's. Reflecting his volcanic cheeks in her emerald eyes,
"Can't you see you've caused him enough terror", my disgust leaked out through my teeth against my usual respectful nature,
"... I…", for once the Servant seemed truly lost for words, and her sword grip loosen to the point it was almost caught in the hands of gravity, "... What's going on here?"
Her eyes eventually narrowing, but harboring a different frustration then the one born from this morning, Saber looked towards her master with judgmental anger. Perplexingly enough none of her words were directed towards me… having the audacity instead to view Sir Drake as someone in the wrong
"... C-Ceinwyn… I woke up", stating things out of order, the youngest Aelle was like an animal caught in a trap meant for a different prey. Regardless he eventually shook his head and running along the edges of the room, moved past the swordswomen and outside, "SABER!"
He said the name with a different kind of desperation, as if the sudden realization that she was the solution to his current predicament rather than the cause. Either way, as it caught me off guard, so to was the blonde knight,
"Y-you figured out how to get dressed… c-can you help Ceinwyn. She seems to be having trouble", not attempting to grab on and stop the now fleeing brunette, Saber opened her mouth to speak, but with no words escaping she was cut off, "Thanks, I'll be outside… scouting… the sky"
"Please don't feel the need to do your Servant's job for her", before I could finish, he was gone, and as I moved to retrieve him from potential danger, the knight who disgraced such a title got in my way,
"… perhaps you should cover yourself first", although there was clear tension between the two of us, the woman stated this looking to the floor with slight red cheeks, "the apparel of this time is strange… but I find it's not as complicated as one might think"
"...", I bite down on my tongue viewing her words as nothing more than an insult. But seeing Sir Drake not disappearing into the tree line… I reluctantly walked back to the foreign cloth, "I am perfectly capable of getting dressed"
"... then why aren't you?", no smirk was present on the swordswomen face, but my own embarrassment rising I felt it voiced, nonetheless. Clearly having gotten past the confusion of what the scene first told her eyes, she now had the audacity to find it slightly humorous.
Trying not to dignify her with a response, I simply gripped the pink fabric in my hand and turned around. My mind goes into overdrive trying to think of how to adorn properly but having far too much respect for my duty to ask that woman-... spirit for help.
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Drake's POV
Walking away from the safe house that almost killed me through high blood pressure I was thankful for the darkness nighttime brought. Ceinwyn leading the way, and the presence of a third person lost behind the illusion that was Saber's astral form, I was saved from the embarrassment of the strawberry haired young woman seeing my still pink face.
It had been an hour since I've woken up to… well a sight most healthy teenage boys would only see in their dreams before they woke up. Regardless of the time passed, I was doing my best to banish the sight of an alluring Ceinwyn in nothing but her underwear from my mind. Fighting for my life in War with people who viewed me as nothing but an insect… and I was struggling to focus my mind on it.
In my defense… The woman before me was mind numbingly attractive. Her figure had been covered up by her uniform before, but with the creepiness of the seventeenth century outfit screaming to me that she was a noble family pseudo slave out of the way, I couldn't help but be drawn towards her slender form. Made worse when she was empathize them by literally stating sizes I had to force my mind not to convert.
If you wish to lessen the embarrassment brought on by the accident… I do not believe getting aroused by its imagery will help, and then there was the other cause of my continued blush. Saber's non-stop teasing of the event once my memories conveyed to her the hilariously comedic awkward truth of it all. This morning she looked ready to kill me for reasons beyond my control… then when she barged in on the scene, she looked ready to flay me for reasons I knew but desperately wanted to explain weren't the case. Somehow both viewpoints of me seemed preferable to the one she harbored now, despite being a time of conflict however, you should not shame yourself for any growing feelings towards Ceinwyn
Growing what now?!, due to the last hour being filled with a snip from Saber every five minutes or so I was growing accustomed to unleashing my shouts of embarrassment to my mind, I-I still don't even really know her… besides… I don't really think now's the time or place to develop a crush on somebody
As if anybody ever has a choice, the giggle in Saber's mind made her feel far more from this era then sometime in Medieval Europe, besides, a dashing young maid. Bound to you by a sense of duty and quite literally being your knight in shining armor three time in the last two days alone… well nobody would think less of you for finding such things attractive
I would, a wave of confusion came from Saber at my words, and I gave a mental sigh. Looking forward as I continued to follow the one tracked near pinkish hair girl whose mind was solely focused on protecting me to the point I wouldn't even have to think, she's… this whole war thing is something I still don't understand. But I find the way Ceinwyn treats me… more so the fact that my biological family created a system to brainwash her into thinking there are some gods on pedestals and every action of her life comes second to even my most mundane wants… its really creepy.
The matter less knight remained quiet, and I decided to take it as a cue to continue,
I don't care if I knew her all my life, or just these past couple of days… if I ordered any action from her, she'd do it without question… including anything I'd want in a relationship, I shook my head, of course my mind was picturing awkward stuff any teenager would think… but my face actually played because of it.
You do not seem like the man to take advantage of another in such a cruel and beyond dishonorable way, Saber replies, the teaseingness in her tone having been replaced by… somebody who understood my fear of what I coulnd't say or think better then myself, although it should come as no surprise to me that somebody such as yourself would disdain slavery in any form
Of course, I have a disdain for it! Stuff like that is a bad stain from the past, wondering how that could even be a question, Ceinwyn herself made a sudden pause, stopping my train of thoughts about her. Stepping around a puddle no more than a half inch deep and making sure I didn't so much as wet the souls of my shoes, I couldn't help but my next thoughts returned naturally, And now knowing that my deadbeat father's family literally raised a personal one for me in the modern day… I feel sick!
From my knowledge, none of this information was made apparent to you until a mere forty-eight hours ago. You can hardly judge yourself on a system you didn't know existed, I shake my head. If nothing else, both Saber had successfully gotten my mind off the incident… in all the worst ways possible
That didn't stop Ceinwyn from having to live through it… I'm just… afraid that she'll always view herself as less than human, the strawberry blonde in question began to slow down. As well existed out into a clearing. One that sat atop a hill that gave a good overview of the city.
For a moment the imagery took me away from the thoughts and paused Saber's replies. Lights twinkling across a cobblestone infrastructure mixing the new and the old. Each artificial star no doubt represents an ordinary person, as unaware as I was when I first arrived. Vastly different, and yet the same, it reminded me of New York. However, unlike the city that never slept, London rested peacefully. Making it almost seemingly blend in with the landscape creating a dream-like atmosphere.
She won't, I felt my nerves warm up, not to the melting point like they had before. Just enough to sense that the magic, or prana I've been told I harbor was leaving my body. Saber materializing before a city she had long since left and fought for, but not with one last thought, The ones that have enforced this life of servitude on her have long since fled in cowardice, soon enough the lie they enforced on her will vanish as well
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Third POV
Soon enough wasn't coming soon at all. Not just for Ceinwyn's revelation of the newfound liberation she had yet to realize she obtained prior to even when Drake had arrived in Britain airspace, but as well as for… anything to happen tonight.
Having been perched upon the same hill for the last couple of hours, the lone foreigner was the only member board of sightseeing. To his credit, the elder Griffin child felt embarrassed for his sudden bout of indifference at this scouting mission. He had been thoroughly terrified earlier by both Ceinwyn's and Saber's explanation that the vast majority of combat between servants took place under the cowl of darkness.
Almost skewered by arrows and blown up by a horde of suicide bomb rats during his brief encounter with an enemy during the day, the mere suggestion that this was a tame version of the violence to come should have left him terrified. And it had for the first hour. With his stormy blue eyes scanning the foliage behind them like a crippled antelope waiting for a lion to pounce. Knowing full well that he couldn't do anything to fend off the beast, but gaining a sick form of comfort in the idea that seeing it coming would somehow make it less fatal,
"Anything to report?", the young man said, seated in the sheared grass, his hand supporting a face looking to the city with half opened eyes.
"Nothing, as of yet Sir Drake", Ceinwyn was the first to reply, and did so as quick as she could in order to beat out the swordswoman report, "No Servant activity to report, although the lights of the residential areas continue to extinguish themselves as the night progress"
Eyes glowing green through reinforcement, the maid was able to pick up such a miniscule detail. For Drake the city's lights were simply blurring together into one at such a distance… but he didn't doubt the pinkettes words.
"Most people are probably just heading to bed", he scratched at the dirt as he sighed. Envious of their normal sleep schedule, as the mere fact he was up at such an hour was proof of his being disrupted beyond belief.
"Which is for the best, given Archer's behavior", Saber's own eyes were locked on the city, although she seemed gentler in their scan then Ceinwyn… well that was until they narrowed in disdain at remembering the sight of the ranged Servant this morning, "To attack in daylight is foolish enough, but to do so in a crowded forum"
She shakes her head before turning her gaze to the general area we traversed earlier. If she wasn't so upset at the ordeal, and I wasn't begging myself to forget it ever happen I'd complement her sense of direction and memory,
"Saying he was dishonorable would be an insult to even that vulgar term"
"A risk he was more than willing to fullfill, and all of them part of my warning when I foolishly left Sir Drake in your care", Ceinwyn's eyes didn't even move towards Saber, simply showing her continued displeasure by remaining obsessively dutiful to the task at hand.
A wave of annoyance surged through Saber to Drake, who perked up at this being the most eventful thing to happen in two hours. He was not thrilled of that fact, and even if the swordswoman was quick to put her emotions back into check due to her knowing a bit more of Ceinwyn's history, she surely wouldn't stand idly if such a passive insult was thrown her way again,
"W-what do you think his deal was anyway?", the hazel eyed Griffin perked up trying to change the subject… or rather move it to the future to produce a different emotion.
"I… believe his 'deal' is with his current Master Sir Drake", pushing off the ground and staging his new shorts green as he slid upwards, Drake shook his head then turned towards Ceinwyn.
"Not literally… I mean more so", not sure if this was a dialogue mistake produced from region… or time period, the brunette took a second to reword his thoughts to a more literal manner, "his agenda"
Saber herself, jumping on the chance to have a conversation with somebody who wasn't assaulting her verbally at every opportunity chimed in,
"Cruel as it may be Drake", the lack of 'master' honorific finally got the maid to turn around and send a pout Saber's way. Although the actual reciprocator of the words produced a small smile at being addressed normally… quickly shifting into a timid frown as the sentence was finished, "he was aiming to kill you, and in an efficient way. All the arrows meant for you that I intercepted would have delivered an instantaneous death if left unimpeded"
The New Yorker gulped, as the two Britain's simply sighed. One at having already witnessed her and Ceinwyn state the behavior of each class and how many masters would find the practice of killing their counterpart a much more effective strategy then the two Servants behaving honorably. The ladder of course was simply upset that… she wasn't there to protect Drake herself.
"N-no, I get that… I mean n-not really, b-but I understand enough that killing me over Saber's an easier way for them to win", he says with both embarrassment and terror, "... it's just... s-shouldn't I be dead then"
"Sir Drake please do not say such things! Despite Saber's colossal failure to protect you, I can assure I will now allow harm to come to you", immediately the sudden reactions by both the pink and blonde hair woman let Drake know he misinterpreted his words… with Saber's handle and near venomous tone letting all know she perceived it as an insult,
"His arrows had no chance of piercing my defensive position", Ceinwyn opened her mouth to interrupt, but the servant sent her a chilling look, "that, although not all of us could witness in person, extended around you. Do not think for a moment I would leave you in such a vulnerable position"
"But that's the thing", the timid young man now said waving his arms and adopting an apologetic tone, "H-he attacked despite of that…w-why would somebody who's been summoned for b-being a legendary archer take a shot he knew would fail?"
"Perhaps he is simply wishing for death", The knight stowed her sword, but her frost blessed stare never left Ceinwyn or Drake.
"... I… y-you're probably righ-"
"You are the one who is correct Sir Drake!" the maid stated, but with a small smile. Subconsciously letting Saber know she was stating something to praise the eldest Griffon rather than insult her… at least not directly, "Heroes are masters of their art, and then for the action to take a failed shot in during the daylit hours says much about Archer himself"
"Which would greatly help deduce their true identity", with no immature defensiveness in between, Saber embrace the military apparel of her steel suit, "A very unorthodox, but effective analysis of their personality Drake"
"W-well, every once in a while, I'll accidentally stumble upon a good idea", the young man replied sheepishly, "Can't say I can guess who he is because of arrogance or sunlight… a lot of people with that much skill are full of themselves, and most people fight in the day to, you know, see"
"Perhaps, but Archer has revealed more about himself than simple narcissism", Drake raises an eyebrow confused, before Saber adopts a small smile, "His very apparel screeches his era in human history as much as my armor. Such drapes and sandals work were staples of the ancient Mediterranean region"
Drake blushed as his mind didn't even pick up on such a simple connection of using the way the man dressed to provide clues to who he was. Ceinwyn on the other hand seemed to pout at this,
"Greece or the Aegean region to be more accurate… steep in its mythological history that spans thousands of years"
"So… that narrows it down to anybody who used a bow in the bronze age", Drake signed and realized this wasn't going to be as simple as he once thought… although given his lack of knowledge on mythology he had been hoping the answer would come more easily to one of the others, "Man I wish I had my phone"
"...", despite their difference both Ceinwyn and Saber cocked their heads in confusion.
"... to access the internet", the same response was given, "to search for Archer's true identity"
"... a-and how would a cellular device accomplish this act?", the pink headed maid spoke up perplexed, and even the archaic use of the words she used made it clear such technology was something she only heard about.
Unironically Drake looked to Saber for support, but even if she said she was granted basic knowledge of the world around her… it truly was enough to only not be shocked by certain things. That or the internet was simply to vast and irrelevant a topic for a Servant to know or care about,
"I-it… doesn't matter", Drake said giving up on any explanation he would even potentially give, "Guess we still just barely s-scratched the service of who Archer could be-"
Ceinwyn seemed to want to disagree and had a parental instinct to make sure Drake didn't feel as if he failed at anything. Only this guardian instinct soon brought her to launch herself at the brunette.
Confused, and thinking the worst when his mind was in order, the hazel eye Griffon was about to give a yelp. One that didn't even reach the beginning of his throat as the maids didn't actually tackle him out of the way of an imminent threat, but more so adopting a guard position. Saber eyes glued back on the horizon; it was apparent why.
Sending no servants nearby, the war's activity was revealed through sight. As atop one of the largest buildings, a pure glass skyscraper that reflected the void filled sky like a mirror, a blue light erupted to the heavens. Such a volcanic analogy was inaccurate though as Drake's eyes became mesmerized by a display of transparent blue light spreading itself downward like an umbrella like a cosmic umbrella. The magic flowed like water and given the lack of noise erupting from the metropolis it seemed to be a product of peoples dreams rather than a force to disrupt them.
Although as Saber narrowed her pupils, she did not treat it a dazzling display of modern art, and as Ceinwyn face paled the true nature of it being more akin to a nightmare was filling the immediate area.
"Bounded Field"