AN: And here's Chapter 4. Please read and review :D
Chapter 4:
The Meeting
"Hmm~"
Humming a tune as she worked, Jeanne washed the plates and other kitchenware used that morning after volunteering to do so. After all, it wouldn't have been fair if Saber was the only one helping out and she would be doing nothing herself.
Doing such an activity also reminded her somewhat of her life as a farm girl. Doing chores for someone else, friendly people all around, it all gave off a nostalgic feeling.
During said task, she began thinking about her plans for the day.
'Now then... what should I be doing next? With the ceasefire I've asked for, I now have at least three days of peace. That should provide me enough time to investigate the strange occurrences that have happened since the beginning of the Grail War.'
The first order of business would be to go visit the Yggdmillennia Castle. She had yet to receive any formal response on whether or not the Masters of Black agree to the ceasefire or not. And there was also the fact that if her assumptions were right, then the Holy Grail was hidden somewhere in their castle. It was an assumption she based on Gordes' words towards the man known as Waver Velvet last night.
Although it was a long shot, perhaps she could convince their leader to allow her to have a look at it. Her investigation should flow smoothly if she could somehow make use of the Grail to possibly learn anything she missed when she was first summoned.
Such things included the existence of Servants outside of her connection to other fourteen, her special privilege being present yet inactive, and the reason as to why she was summoned into a physical body instead of a spiritual one...
Then again, that could fail. She wasn't exactly a mage, so the only thing she was betting on that would allow her to access it was her title as Ruler. She supposed she would just have to deal with it later on...
Finishing up, she dried her hands and went outside for some fresh air. It was the first time that day she stepped outside, and when she did, she was greeted to the sight of a lovely morning. The big blue sky with the sun shining brightly... truly somethings never change.
The church itself was located in a rural section of the city, close towards some of the forest areas that surrounded the city itself. In the distance, she saw the Yggdmillennia Castle settled on the side of a mountain. The design of the building looked to be quite intimidating, no doubt it was made that way intentionally by the magi who lived there in order to ward away trespassers of normal nature.
Jeanne then looked around her surroundings, and at that point she noticed Saber seating by himself reading a book, and going by the expression on his face, he was enjoying it too. She also concluded that Saber must've already finished the other chore the Sister had given him that day after his work in the kitchen, which was chopping firewood if the axe and large stacks of logs not too far from him were of any indication.
When she looked closely, she noted that the book he was reading was none other than the very same book she chose to preoccupy herself with during her journey to Glastonbury. "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White.
Basically, that meant Saber was reading a book about himself and his Knights, the thought of which brought an amused smile to her face for some reason. Jeanne then walked over to him, catching the young man's attention.
"Is there something you wish to speak about?" Saber asked as he greeted her with a smile of his own.
"Nothing really." She replied as she sat beside him. "What do you think about that book?"
"To be honest? Somewhat amusing." He chuckled briefly. "It feels rather strange to read a book about oneself, especially when that book already treats you and your comrades as people of legend."
Ruler couldn't help but giggle at this. "Saber, you and your knights are people of legend."
"Perhaps, but it's a strange feeling nonetheless." He replied, and it was that moment that Jeanne was reminded of something.
Come to think of it, she had yet to tell Saber the truth of the Rogue Berserker's identity. She had forgotten all about it after she and Saber introduced themselves to each other, coupled with their flight towards Romania, and later battle against Lancer and Archer. Events kept happening that it became buried in the back of her mind.
She didn't know how to break it to him. She just couldn't go on and say "Oh Saber, I forgot. The Berserker that attacked us in Glastonbury is Sir Lancelot." And there was another thing that was on her mind...
According to legend, Sir Lancelot was still someone whom King Arthur considered a friend in spite of his and the Queen's betrayal of him through their affair. And given what she already knew of Saber as a person, she knew this to be very much the case.
And if so, how would Saber react to the knowledge that his close friend had been summoned as Berserker-Class Servant?
At the moment, she didn't know what to do. Perhaps it would best to just keep it to herself for now, at least until Berserker showed up again. Maybe then she would find the courage to tell Saber who he was.
"Jeanne?"
"Eh?"
She failed to notice that she had been staring at Saber for a good while with the latter being aware of it himself if the somewhat confused look her was giving her was of any indication.
"Is something the matter?"
"A-Ahaha~" She quickly stood up. "N-Nothing is wrong!"
"Your stuttering says otherwise." Saber stated as the other blonde froze.
"Really, there's nothing wrong." Jeanne once more assured her Servant. "I'm just thinking we should now be heading to the Castle owned by the Masters of Black. After all, we have still yet to receive any notification of them agreeing to the ceasefire. And there's something I need to confirm at there as well."
"No, I'm afraid that at the moment you cannot." The Knight suddenly spoke up in a stern tone.
"Eh?"
"You know what I said." Saber began. "You should at least take more time for yourself to relax. I don't think Laeticia is going to take kindly to the fact that you'll be running her body ragged so soon especially after yesterday."
Jeanne wanted to refute this, but found logic in Saber's words.
"It's still early in the morning, so take some time for yourself. We can go the Black Faction later in the afternoon or perhaps tomorrow. Am I understood?"
"Saber," The young Saint began with a pout on her face. "Right now, it feels like you're the Master instead of me."
"Haha, is that right?" Saber merely smiled in response.
"Hmph!" Jeanne turned around in a huff, mildly annoyed with her Servant at that moment.
"My, my, it seems you two are getting along."
Both looked to see Alma Petresia standing there with an amused smile on her face.
"Sister, good morning." Jeanne greeted. "Do you need something of us?"
"Yes, I was hoping to ask Arthur if he can go into the city and buy a few things for me."
"I can do that. What is it that you need?" Saber asked as he stood up.
"It's nothing much, just simple grocery shopping." She gave him a list that detailed what to buy, the location of the market on where to buy said items, as well as giving him the money to do so. "At this hour, the store isn't open yet. But, if you get in line early, you can get the best produce for yourself if you're quick."
"Alright then, I suppose should get going now." The young man stated as he turned to leave.
"Wait, I'll come with you." Jeanne said.
"Hmm? I can do this myself." Saber replied while adding one last thing through telepathy. "Also, what have I just told you?"
"I'm not so feeble that I would strain myself doing a little shopping." Jeanne simply stated in response, giving a rather snippy look towards Saber. "Also, men can't be trusted to be by themselves without having someone to look after them. Most likely, you'll get yourself into trouble without me."
The Knight could only give off an amused smile at her words, deciding to relent to his Master's decision. With that, they both turned to leave.
"Ah, wait you two." The Sister called out as both stopped in their tracks. "You don't think of walking there are you? Come, I have something you both can use instead. You'll find it much more convenient than just walking back and forth."
"...?" The duo looked at her confused as they followed the nun.
"What the hell am I watching right now?"
That early morning, Kairi stood somewhat speechless as he watched Waver Velvet, known mostly by the name El-Melloi II, playing a videogame known as "Admirable War Tactics III" together with Rider of Red, who himself was Alexander the Great, the King of Conquerors. The former also happened to be wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and boxer shorts, looking nothing like the dignified magus he presented himself most of the time.
The surrealism of the moment was just too great for words.
"Ack! I've been playing this game for years, how do you keep beating me!?" Waver demanded.
"Hahaha! You forget that I've been on actual military conquests boy!" Rider laughed.
"Stop calling me boy! I'm about the same age as you already."
"Really?"
"Ahem." Kairi coughed, catching the attention of both. "Looks like the two of you are having fun."
"Oh, Saber's Master, wanna join in on the fun?" Rider asked.
"Not really." The necromancer replied. "You wanted to see me though?"
"Right, let's get down to business." Waver replied as he stood up.
"Before all that, please put on some pants first."
From out of nowhere, Gray suddenly appeared and spoke. She then handed the long-haired man his pants. From the way she acted, Kairi guessed that this was something she was already used to doing.
"So, I take it that the little miss and that Kotomine kid ain't joining us?"
Now wearing more appropriate attire, Waver sat at the desk inside his room with both Kairi and Gray sitting opposite of him. Rider decided to watch some TV for now as the discussion was something that he saw his Master could handle on his own.
"No, waking her up at this hour would only annoy her." Waver replied. "And Kotomine hasn't yet arrived in the city. God knows what he's up to."
"Like I said last night, I don't trust him."
"I know, but that's not what I want to talk about today." Waver began. "Our subject for the day is in regards to events of last night."
"I was wondering when you were gonna share that..."
"While on reconnaissance out in the city, myself and Rider stumbled upon Ruler and her Servant having a battle against two other Servants. One of them is of the Lancer-Class, and the other is of the Archer-Class."
That caught both Kairi and Gray's attention. Two Servants were attacking Ruler last night?
"That's not all. Ruler stated that these two Servants aren't a part of the Yggdmillennia group. I suppose you can take a guess at what that means."
"Seriously? Damn, things just got weird fast." Kairi rubbed his temple. That meant that there were two rogue Servants on the loose. Either they were strays left over from one of the Fake Grail Wars, or perhaps something or someone else was behind them.
"Is there anything else Master?" Gray asked.
"There is something." Waver began. "Ruler declared a three day ceasefire for the time being. She wants to do a little investigating into these strange events."
"So we've got at least three days to relax? Well ain't that something."
"It is, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down." The other man stated. "Ruler may have declared it, but we never know when the Masters of Black would have second thoughts. There's also the possibility of those two rogue Servants attacking us as well."
"Great, any other news?"
"Well there is one. We now know the identity of Ruler's Servant." Waver replied as he looked in Gray's direction. "This is also one of the reasons why I wanted you to be here Gray. I thought you might want to know."
The grey-haired girl looked somewhat confused at this, as did Kairi. What was he talking about?
"Ruler's Servant is of the Saber-Class, and he's none other than King Arthur Pendragon."
Silenced reigned for a good moment as both Kairi and Gray widened their eyes in shock at the information Waver had just stated to them, the latter most especially due to who she was.
"You're kidding me... You mean to actually tell me that Ruler's Servant is King Arthur himself?" Kairi questioned, with Gray listening in more intently.
Was it really true? She couldn't help but wonder this. If it was the case, then...
"Yes, this isn't something I'm guessing at. He actually declared it when Archer questioned his identity."
"The King of Knights seems like an interesting fellow. I'd like to have a chance to meet with him some more!" Rider commented from his place with a big smile. As a fellow King, he wanted to know more of what Saber was like. For Gray, she had similar thoughts going through her mind.
Kairi on the other hand had other thoughts. If what Waver said was true, that Ruler's Servant was King Arthur, he couldn't let-
*BAM*
"WHERE IS HE...!?"
The door of the room slammed open, breaking apart as it did so. At the doorway stood Saber of Red wearing her civilian guise, her leg raised, indicating she kicked the door open. Her current visage at the moment was the epitome of rage about to reach the boiling point.
'Shit, that's just my luck...'
"What's the meaning of this...!?" Waver demanded.
"Answer me mage, where is he!?" Saber of Red declared once more as she walked over and materialized her blade, pointing it towards Waver. The latter was not intimidated by the action the slightest. But he would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't taken by surprise by it though.
"That's enough, Saber!" Kairi stood up while looking directly at his Servant. "Don't go pointing your sword at our allies! This isn't a joke!"
"You stay out of this!" Saber roared, causing her Master and the others except Rider to flinch at the volume of her voice. It was tainted with anger, and it wasn't something that would be calmed down as easily like what happened between her and Archer of Red.
"Now then, for the last time mage. Tell me where he is." The blonde once more stated, this time she spoke in a more subdued tone.
"Rider, perhaps you want to join in now?"
Speaking of Rider, the large man was already wearing his full regalia as a Servant, his arms crossed as he stared at Saber with an unreadable expression.
"First of all Saber, perhaps you would care to enlighten us on something." Rider began. "Just why do wish to see the King of Knights?"
"Because he and I have business with each other."
"That's not much of answer." He scratched the back of his head. Women who knew how to fight and had tempers were never an easy to deal with, so Rider had to tread lightly. "Let me rephrase the question then: Who are you to the King of Knights?"
For several moments, nothing came out of Saber as she closed her eyes and lowered her head, clenching her freed tightly.
"He is my father..." Saber replied as she looked at Rider directly in the eye. "I am Mordred, the bastard child of King Arthur. I am the one who ended the so-called glorious legend of the King of Knights!"
Too say that Waver and Gray were taken by surprise by this was an understatement. Even Rider himself was mildly taken aback.
"Ah, I see. Now it all makes sense." Rider began. "However, that doesn't mean that I'll allow you to threaten my Master with your blade."
With that, the larger man stepped in front of his Master, kicking the latter's desk to the side in the process. Rider stared Saber down with crossed arms, unflinching as she continued to point her weapon at both.
"Do you plan on standing against me, King of Conquerors?!"
"What you want do with the King of Knights is up to you. However and like I said," Rider gestured to Waver. "I will not allow you to threaten him because of your desires. He is both my Master and my friend. For you to point a blade at him means to point a blade at me."
An amused smile found its way to Waver's face, though none could see it thanks to Rider standing in front him.
It took a few more moments before Saber decided to dissipate her weapon, the blonde haired warrior clicking her tongue as she turned around and left the room. This action caused the others, mostly Waver and Kairi, to sigh in relief.
"She's not going to be a problem is she?" The former inquired the latter. From what he had just seen, Saber of Red, or rather, Mordred, would perhaps cause problems in the future due her relation to Ruler's Servant.
"I don't think, wait, ah shit...!" Kairi quickly looked out of the window.
There, he saw Saber inside his car and driving away at full throttle, leaving behind a dust trail in the process.
"Why that little... she took my car!" He cried out in frustration. Things were just not going his way that day!
"Hehehe... how interesting." A familiar voice spoke out. "So that little girl is the child of the Holy Blade Wielder."
Leaning on the doorway was Archer of Red with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Beside him stood Reines still wearing her sleepwear.
"What happened?" She inquired, her tone indicating that she was in a sour mood that morning.
Back to Saber of Red...
The blonde-haired girl drove down to the city with an intense look in her eyes.
If the Master of Rider could not give her the information she sought, she supposed that it only other thing left to do was to go find her target herself. It may take a while, but it was better than sitting around doing nothing.
Even if it took her all day, she would find him.
'Father...'
Her hands clenched the steering wheel tighter, she didn't exactly know what how to describe the feeling she was having right now.
'Why do I have to go through this...?'
During the middle of that day, Caules walked through the streets of Trifas wearing casual clothes. He had a rather tired expression on his face, and there was a very good reason for that.
"Over here, Berserker~! They're selling crepes here, and they're simply delicious~!" Rider called out, wearing casual clothes befitting that of a teenage girl.
"Hey! That's not fair getting ahead of me!" Berserker cried out, she too was wearing casual clothes. Though her horns still made for a strange sight as well as her tail. When asked, Caules would reply she was a really good cosplayer, and thanks to a little hypnotic suggestion, it worked perfectly.
Ever since last night when Uncle Gordes came back to the castle with a message from Ruler declaring that there would be a ceasefire for the next three days, Berserker immediately hounded him to take her out into town as she couldn't stand being inside the castle all the time.
This continued on until this early morning, and during it Rider overheard their conversation and decided that he wanted to join in as well.
Although both he and Aunt Celenike, Rider's Master, were against it, both Darnic and Lancer were lenient enough to allow them their desires. The only condition was that they would have to be back before sunset. After all, just because there was a ceasefire going on, it didn't mean the war was over nor that anybody from the Red Faction would follow through with it.
And because Aunt Celenike didn't want to waste the day walking about, Caules became the default babysitter for both Rider and Berserker. He would have asked the others to accompany him, but Fiore decided to stay at the Castle since Archer was on lookout duty, and he didn't want to be a bother to her. Gordes and Roche were both out of the question since Caules disliked the former and the latter was still busy with Caster.
"Hey Master, wanna taste?" Berserker asked as she held out her crepe for the young man. The trio were now seated next to one another at a fountain in a nearby park.
"No thanks, I'm not really into tasty treats."
"Heh, your expression says otherwise you know~? Also, that aloof cool guy act doesn't really work that much with the ladies. Most women prefer men who are caring and honest with themselves. Of course, this is all according to my experience that is. I cannot say the same for the women of this era."
"I ain't acting aloof, and how the heck did women get caught up in this conversation!?" Caules replied in an annoyed tone.
"Hahaha! So you're self-conscious? Fear not! For I, Astolfo, shall teach you in the ways of courtship~!" Rider declared as he slung an arm around Caules' shoulder.
"How did you come to that conclusion!? And don't go saying your name out loud like that!"
Seriously, why did he have to be the one to play babysitter for these two?
"In the first place Rider, I-"
"Please be quiet for a moment."
"Huh?"
Caules looked up to see that said pinkette was now on alert. He looked to his other side to see that Berserker was in a similar state. There was only one thing in the world that could make them react like that.
There was a Servant near them, and the thought of that alone caused all three to stand up.
"Can you feel it?" Berserker stated.
"I do. It seems there are two of them." Rider replied. "And it feels like they're heading our way."
"Seriously!? But its the middle of the day!" Caules stated.
Were those two Servants going to attack them? In the middle of a populated area no less? Didn't the Red Faction agree to the ceasefire themselves in the first place!? He then realized that it could have also been the two Servants that Gordes mentioned.
'Damn it, what should we do? Maybe we should head back now? Rider's mount could allow us to-'
"I don't want to interrupt your thoughts, but they're here."
"Huh?"
Before Caules knew it, a black motorcycle pulled up on the sidewalk in front of them. In the front was a young man wearing a dark brown longcoat, a red shirt, and black pants and shoes. The other was a young woman, and she wore what looked like a school uniform. Both of them also wore helmets, though the latter's helmet didn't cover her very long blonde hair.
"Ah, I thought I sensed two Servants nearby." The female spoke as she stood up, removing her helmet. She was a rather beautiful person. Long blonde hair, amethyst eyes, a slender yet curvy body, any man could fall for her at first sight.
"You three... you're all part of the Black Faction correct?" She asked as she stood in front of the trio, her companion followed suit and removed his helmet, standing right next to her while looking at them.
"W-What about it? Wanna fight?" Caules questioned, nervous at her. Despite her looks, he knew that both she and her companion were dangerous due to the mere fact that both of them were Servants.
"Not at all. As Ruler, I am sworn to an oath of neutrality." She replied with a smile.
That caught the attention of all three by surprise. They hadn't expected to meet Ruler, otherwise known as Jeanne d'Arc, out in the streets today.
"Heh~" Rider smiled as he got a good look at both. "So you're Ruler~? Nice to meet you, I am Astolfo, otherwise you can call me Rider of Black."
"H-Hey!" Caules began.
"What is it?" The pinkette stated. "She is Ruler after all, so she probably knows our true names already."
"That may be, but still...!" The glasses wearing boy said but was ignored by Rider as he focused his attention towards Ruler's companion.
"If she's Ruler, then that makes you Saber right?" He asked. "Saber of Black's Master told us all about you last night."
"Indeed. It is an honor to meet you, Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne."
"No, no, it's an honor to meet you King of Knights." Rider replied as he and Saber shook hands. "Compared to you, I am but a mere speck."
"A mere speck?" The blonde knight began with a smile. "Do not belittle yourself. I, myself, am not that great. Right now, we are both Servants. That makes the both of us equals."
"Haha! A humble man you are, a fine trait if I may say." The pinkette nodded at this while Caules couldn't help but stare a little in awe of Saber. It couldn't be helped. After all, King Arthur was one of the most famous heroes to ever exist in the world. Suffice it to say, he was feeling a little bit of a fanboy at the moment.
Berserker on the other hand remained silent as she stared at Ruler with a somewhat intense look in her eyes, something that her Master noticed.
"Something the matter Berserker?"
"Nothing. It just that..." Berserker began. "That Ruler... was she born that beautiful? It makes me irritated..."
"Hmm... now then." Rider began. "Might I ask what brings the two of you out here? Are you perhaps on a date?"
That got a reaction out of Ruler as her face went slightly red, her mouth somewhat agape at Rider of Black's words.
"It's nothing of the sort." Saber replied as he held up a shopping bag. "We're merely running errands for the people who allowed the two of us to stay with them for the time being. It would be rude of us to just freeload after all."
It was at that point Saber noticed Jeanne staring at him, an annoyed look on her face for some reason. When she saw him turn his head in her direction, she quickly faced the other way as soon as he did much to his own confusion.
"Didn't you want to ask them something?"
The Knight asked telepathically, and that caused the young Saint to perk up.
"Ah, that's right." She began, looking directly at Caules. "Excuse me, but I would like to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Have the Masters of Black decided to agree to the ceasefire I've stated? I haven't actually found out if you all have yet."
"Is that all this is?" The young man sighed somewhat. "Grandfather Darnic agreed to the ceasefire. I think he already sent a message to the Red Faction."
"I see, that is good to hear." Ruler nodded. "Then here is my second question. I request to meet with this man Darnic if possible. He is your leader correct?"
"More or less. Why?"
"It's something that's somewhat confidential." Ruler stated. "In order to aid my investigation in regards to the strange events that have been plaguing the Holy Grail War, I must go to the source of it all in the first place."
Caules immediately knew what she was referring to. For a good few moments, the young man was deep in thought.
"I don't really see why not." The young man replied. "But I'm going to have to take this up with Grandfather first before anything else."
"I suppose it's better than nothing." Ruler sighed to herself. "But I thank you nonetheless for your cooperation. We shall visit your castle tomorrow morning for an answer. Let's go Saber, the Sister is waiting for us." The blonde turned around as and began walking
"Right." Saber nodded, and after one last look at the trio and thanking them for their time, the duo left on the motorcycle.
Soon after they left, Caules sat on the ground as he let out a relieved sigh.
"Man that was intense...!"
"How pathetic you are Master, collapsing from just a meeting like that~" Berserker teased.
"Shut up, I'm not a superhuman like you people. I may be a magus, but that means little compared to you Servants." The young man retorted.
"Did that go as well as you expected it too?"
"I think so."
Speeding down the streets heading back to the church with their purchases, both Jeanne and Saber decided to converse in order to pass the time.
"Hmm? Is something the matter Saber?" The young Saint asked as she looked closely to see her Servant in thought.
"It's nothing. It's just a small matter that's been bothering me."
"What is it?"
"Rider of Black... " Saber began, his tone full of uncertainty. "He's male correct?"
"Eh?"
Now that she thought about it, she herself didn't know. When she read Rider of Black's stats and information using her abilities as Ruler, the one piece of information regarding his gender was unavailable for some strange reason although everything was clear as day to her.
Technically speaking, Astolfo is regarded as male in most texts and stories that involve him. But the Rider of Black they met looked very much like a teenage girl, especially with the outfit said pinkette wore. His voice was also quite androgynous on its own, and that didn't help matters at all.
"I actually don't know..." She answered honestly.
"Hmm... such are the mysteries of our world."
Later during the afternoon, near sunset...
'Damn it all, where could he be...!?'
Standing on a rooftop surveying the city was Saber of Red, her face being that of annoyance and rage at having yet found her target.
'In a small city such as this, he can't hide forever!'
Hours had passed since she arrived at the city, she left behind the her Master's car and decided to search by foot. After all, she would have been limited by such a thing if she were to use it to traverse the streets.
Soon day turned into night, and that allowed her to move more freely.
"Saber!"
She quickly turned around and saw her Master and Gray being carried by none other than Lancer of Red, the green-haired man jumping from rooftop-to-rooftop before landing atop the one she stood on.
"Yo!" Lancer greeted as both people he had been carrying got off and stood on their own two feet. Her Master was looking at her with an unamused expression on his face, his arms crossed and one of his feet tapping the floor beneath him.
"Tch. What do you all want?" Saber of Red clicked her tongue as she looked at the trio.
"What do...? Why you little, you can't just run off on your own dammit!" Kairi began. "I get that you and your old man have your issues, but you can't just-"
"Don't talk like you know anything!" Saber exclaimed, causing her Master to step back somewhat. "Right now, I care no not for the Grail. My only desire is to seek out my father."
"And then what? The two of you fight to the death just like last time?" He asked. "Don't be stupid, Ruler wouldn't allow such a thing!"
"Should she interfere then I shall personally take care of her myself. I will not allow anything to stand in my way, not her, and certainly not you Master." Saber of Red declared as Kairi groaned at his Servant's stubbornness.
Then again, that was to be expected with her personality.
"Come on, why don't you just let her do what she wants to do?" Lancer inquired.
"Do I even need to explain it?"
"I get that Ruler might be a problem, but unless Saber deals with this thing of hers, she won't be able to focus on anything else later." The green-haired man simply stated, and Kairi found logic in his words. "Besides, women get cranky when they don't get what they want."
Hearing this, Saber of Red glared at Lancer rather viciously. When he noticed this, a confused look appeared on his face before realizing what his mistake was.
"Ahahaha, sorry about that. I forgot about what you said. It won't happen again, I swear!" He laughed. Seeing this, the blonde-haired knight merely crossed her arms in response as she directed her attention back towards her Master. She would deal with Lancer some other time.
"Ah geez... damn it all to hell." Kairi cursed as he massaged the back of his neck. "Fine, you get your wish. But, keep away from Ruler. Maybe we can just ask her to let you and your old man duke it out or something. But let's do that tomorrow. I ain't spending the night searching the city."
Saber of Red smiled at this, satisfied and happy that her Master decided to let her be. Even if she would have to continue her search tomorrow, she would still get her desire to confront her father.
"But first of all, before I help you search, where the hell did you park my car?"
"Ah..."
She had completely forgotten about that, being caught up in her search after all.
The following morning both Jeanne and Saber once more borrowed the Sister's motorcycle for themselves, making their way towards the Yggdmillennia Castle as promised by the former in order to meet with the Black Faction's leader.
"Sister Petresia is such a kind person to lend us her own personal vehicle." Jeanne stated as she sat behind Saber just like earlier that day.
"Indeed. She even stated that she was willing to give it to us since she doesn't actually use it all that much anymore." The male blonde added. "This should make travelling much more convenient wouldn't you say?"
His Master nodded in response, and it wasn't too long before they arrived at their destination.
Much like how it was from a distance, the castle where the Black Faction resided was quite impressive, especially up close.
"Miss Ruler, I take it?" A young woman asked as she came up to them. She had white hair and red eyes, and there was an unnatural beauty surrounding her. That indicated that the person in front of them was most likely a homunculus.
Hearing her title being called, Jeanne nodded in response as she got off the motorcycle. She then materialized her armor over her as she did so.
"On behalf of Lord Darnic, I welcome you to the Castle of Yggdmillennia. Our Lord has been expecting you as per your request to meet with him at this time." She said. "Come, I shall take you to him posthaste."
"Thank you." The young Saint nodded as both she and Saber followed the homunculus into the castle.
As the outside architecture implied, the insides of the Castle were quite large. Saber was reminded somewhat of the hallways he walked through back in his own Castle at Camelot. Though compared to the one owned by the Black Faction, his castle was more quaint and less decorative.
Climbing up the castle stairway, they eventually entered a throne room where two individuals stood before them. Both were men, one with blue hair and the other with pale blonde hair and a goatee. The latter was clearly a Servant.
The former was also staring at Saber with an unreadable expression, something the Knight caught but did not choose say anything.
Also, in the corner of the room stood two other Servants. One was none other than Saber of Black, who nodded in acknowledgement of their presence. The other was a green haired man with a tail, and Jeanne was able to identify him as Archer of Black, and his true identity was Chiron, the centaur of Greek Mythology who served as a mentor to a number of Greek Heroes.
"Ah, it's an honor to finally meet you Ruler, or should I say Lady Jeanne d'Arc?" The man with pale hair spoke.
Jeanne wasn't really surprised by the mention of her true name. Had she decided to keep it hidden, the Masters of Red and Black might have chosen to not trust her at all.
"And to you as well, Vlad III." She replied, identifying him on the spot.
The man who was nicknamed Vlad the Impaler by his enemies. He was particularly ruthless towards his foes, to the point that thanks to his reputation, he became the model for fictional character known as Dracula, a vampire whose own name was rather famous throughout the modern world.
"So are truly able to know my name at a glance, truly you are of the Ruler-Class." Vlad spoke with a regal air. "But please, simply refer to me as Lancer. I am but a Servant now after all. And might I say that it pleases me to know that the mediator of the Holy Grail War is someone who believes in the same God as I."
"Since I believe in God, I pray that I can convey to you that I aim to be fair and impartial." The young Saint said in response.
Lancer of Black responded to this with a smile, and Jeanne felt like she knew his thoughts of her to be that of a somewhat foolish and naive girl. It was also at that point the man beside Lancer step forward.
"It is an honor to meet you as well Lady Jeanne d'Arc, mediator of this Holy Grail War." He began as he took a bow. "I am Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, I am the head of my clan and I now serve as the Master of Lord Vlad."
Arthur stared at the man briefly in wonder. So he was the Master of Lancer?
"I see, you must be the one that young man spoke of yesterday." Jeanne replied. "I trust you can guess why I am here?"
"Indeed, you wish to see the Greater Grail correct?" Darnic said in response as he smiled at her. It was a smile that wasn't that of friendliness, but rather that of slight hostility, something both Jeanne and Saber picked up on.
"Yes, that is indeed why I am here." The young Saint replied once more. "I trust it won't be much of a problem? As Ruler, I only intend to use it to answer a few questions that I need answering in order to aid my investigation. I have no intention of using it for my own personal gain."
Hearing that, Lancer of Black frowned somewhat.
"Tell me something Ruler," He began. "Is it true that you have no wish you want granted? You were summoned by the Grail were you not? Surely you must have something you want granted."
At this, Saber became somewhat curious. During his time with his Master, he had yet to actually ask the same thing to her.
"No, I have none." She simply stated much to the surprise of most in the room. "After all, a requirement to be summoned as Ruler-Class Servant is to have no wishes one wants granted in the present age. Had your Master not told you this yet?"
At that, an angry expression appeared on Lancer's face as he looked at Ruler directly in the eye.
"Do not play games with me Jeanne d'Arc!" He exclaimed. "I know of your final moments in life. You, who was abandoned and betrayed by your country, and was burned at the stake cannot possibly have no wishes you want granted! Answer me honestly, less I have you-"
"Should you lay a finger on her Lancer, you shall answer to me." Saber declared while brandishing his armor on the spot while pointing Excalibur wrapped by Invisible Air directly at the pale haired man.
At this, both Saber of Black and Archer of Black responded by drawing their own weapons just in case. Darnic took a step back, worried at the possibility of a fight breaking out within the room. Lancer himself looked between both amused and somewhat taken aback by the action.
"Saber, please lower your sword." Jeanne commanded softly.
It took a few good moments, but Saber did as ordered as he stepped back away from Lancer, the pale haired man began laughing slightly to himself as he did.
"Hehehe... my apologies Ruler. I did not intend to react the way I did." He spoke while eyeing Saber. "It seems my killing intent caused your Servant to react badly as well."
"Your apology is unnecessary Lancer, it was only natural for you to react like that." She stated in response. "And to answer your earlier question, I truly have no wish. People say that I should regret my last moments, that it would be natural for me to want to take revenge for what had happened or wished to be saved."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"However, it is enough for me to know that the life I lived was my own, and that I have no regrets about it. If I were to have a wish as a Servant, then it would be only for the Holy Grail War to be conducted properly."
"And you would say this despite being someone who was abandoned by God? Whose prayers were never answered?"
"Who is to say he did abandon me? Or anyone else for that matter?" Jeanne countered. "To say such a thing is foolishness to begin with. The Lord has never forsaken anyone, not once. There was simply nothing he could do."
Saber noted with surprise on how strong his Master's belief in her God was, but perhaps that was to be expected of someone who was called a Saint.
"And I also believe you are mistaken somewhat Lancer. Praying, giving offerings, everything is an act not for oneself, but for the Lord. We pray in order to heal the Lord's laments and sorrow."
Even before she took up arms, this was something she believed in.
The Lord lamented in sorrow. His children kept on creating wars and conflicts, causing pointless bloodshed throughout the land. Causing it to become something akin to, no, perhaps the better description was that it was already hell itself.
She had heard his laments back then, something that everyone else around her failed to hear.
She presented herself with a choice. She knew that responding to the Lord's cries would mean throwing away her old life to the wind. She would no longer be the simple village girl she had lived as for most of her young life, and she would no longer be able to experience the joy of loving someone and being loved back, having a family of her own and whatnot. And she knew that in the end, there would be no compensation for her deeds if she followed that path. Both enemies and allies alike would scorn her in the end. It was a terrifying thing for someone like her to consider at the time.
However, she just couldn't turn away from the Lord's cries.
She would fight back against the hell that presented itself before her in order to soothe the Lord's tears. Everything in her being told her that despite it's end not being great, this path was surely the correct one to follow. Thus, the she clad herself in armor and hanged a sword on her waist, carrying her flag in his name.
"Hmm, I see." Lancer of Black responded with his arms crossed. "I thank you for answering my question. I could feel the sincerity in your words."
Despite saying that, a displeased look appeared on Lancer's face. He noted that despite believing in the same God, Jeanne d'Arc was someone he would not be able to get along with in the long run.
"Darnic," He spoke towards the blue-haired man. "Allow Ruler to access to the Grail, she is someone we can trust for now."
"My thanks for your cooperation." Jeanne bowed her head slightly. Darnic then motioned for her to follow him, and she did so with Saber right behind her.
"I do have one condition though." Lance spoke up as he turned away, walked, and then sat on the throne at the back of the room. "Saber of Black and Archer of Black, they are to accompany you while you do so. While I trust you, the King of Knights is someone I'm not entirely sure of yet. After all, just because you don't have any wishes doesn't mean the same will apply to him."
"You insult me Lancer." Saber replied as he turned around to face the pale-haired man. "I have already sworn fealty to her, as both her Servant and as a Knight. Any personal desire I have is of little value in comparison to that oath."
"Hmph, as expected of a Knight." Lancer commented with a smirk. "You have chosen well Ruler. To have summoned the King of Knights as your Servant, truly there could be no other choice for a loyal subordinate."
"No, I do not view him as my subordinate. Rather, he is my partner." Jeanne replied, directing a small smile towards Saber in the process, one which the White Knight returned once he noticed it.
With that, the trio left the room together with Saber of Black and Archer of Black right behind them.
"May I ask you something Ruler?" Darnic began as he lead the group throughout the Castle.
"Depending on your question, you may." Jeanne simply replied.
"Have you found anything in regards to those two stray Servants that you and your Servant, fought against?" He asked. "I have to admit, while fourteen Servants being summoned is something unexpected, I partially foresaw it as possibility due to the leylines in Trifas being powerful enough to allow for such an event. However, the same cannot be said for those two Servants you encountered."
"I'm afraid I still know very little in regards to both of them. I actually spent yesterday as a period of rest." The blonde stated. "What I do know is that those Servants aren't the only ones I've encountered. Two others attacked me back in England, just before I summoned Saber in order to help me deal with them."
"Yes, Gordes did mention them last night." The blue-haired man crossed his arms. "Do you perhaps know of their identities? As Ruler, you should be able to identify any Servant you lay your eyes upon."
For a few moments, Jeanne remained quiet as she began thinking. Should she perhaps inform the Master's of Black their identities? After all, she wouldn't really be breaking any rules in regards to her neutrality since she could sense that the four Servants lacked a connection to the Grail and to herself by extension. Her oath only really applied to the conflict that would occur between the Red and Black factions.
"I suppose I can tell you their names." She began. "First, is Lancer. His true identity is Karna. He happens to be quite powerful, so I urge you and your allies to keep your guard up."
The name alone piqued Darnic's interest as his eyes widened slightly. It seemed like he knew of Karna's legend.
"The second one is Archer. Her true name is Atalanta."
"Truly? The Chaste Huntress has been summoned?" Archer spoke up for the first time since the arrival of Ruler and Saber. "It would be an honor to do battle against her."
"I suppose that's natural of you to think so. The two of you do come from the same lands after all." Darnic commented. He also wondered if Caster knew about her old comrade as well. Given her observational abilities, it was very likely she knew.
"The third one is also an Archer-Class Servant. His name is Robin Hood, he is one of the two Servants who attacked me in England."
"Robin Hood?" Saber inquired.
If there was a Hero in England that was perhaps as well known as King Arthur, it was none other than Robin Hood. A dashing rogue who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He was something more akin to a folk hero compared to someone like Saber.
"Yes, however, apparently there are several people in history and legend who have taken the name of Robin Hood for themselves. Archer is just one of those many people." The young Saint added.
'Hmm... so he's a case similar to Hassan-I-Sabbah then? Interesting.' The blue-haired man thought.
"And finally, there's Berserker. He is..." She spoke but paused, glancing at Saber as she did so without the young man's notice.
"My apologies. Due to Berserker's abilities, I was unable to identify him properly." Jeanne stated instead. She was still unsure if she should reveal the identity of Berserker to Saber already or if she should do so later.
"I see. I suppose that can't be helped." Darnic said as he and the group came to a stop at a door. "We are here."
"So... this is the Greater Grail?"
Saber spoke as he laid his eyes upon the circular object that floated in the middle of the room the group stood in. It looked like nothing he had imagined it to be.
"Yes, as I was a Master from the Grail War sixty years ago, I was able to catch a glimpse of the original before it was destroyed. Though merely an imitation of the one from sixty years ago, I made some improvements of my own. I take it you are impressed, Saber?"
Once more, the blue-haired man stared at Saber with a smile on his face, though perhaps the proper description was that he was smirking. Jeanne noticed this, and noted there was something strange regarding Darnic's behavior when he spoke to Saber. She was also surprised by the revelation that he had participated in a previous Holy Grail War before, but said fact didn't actually bother her all that much.
Choosing to ignore Darnic, Saber turned to face his Master, the young Saint somewhat in trance at seeing the Grail herself.
"Master?" He asked.
"Eh?" She cried out in surprise. "Ah, I'm sorry. I was distracted for a moment."
"That's alright. Now then, what shall you be doing here?"
"If all goes well, I'll lay my hand on it and see if it gives me the information I seek."
"That's not exactly something that's assuring to me as your Servant." Saber countered.
There were too many unknowns with this imitation Grail. What if it was a trap, that the Black Masters were allied with the Rogue Servants? He had stated such an idea towards Jeanne yesterday after getting back to the church, but the young woman was insistent on going to them for answers since they had the Grail in their possession.
"I'll be alright Saber, have a little faith in me alright?"
Seeing her smiling at him while asking that, Saber sighed to himself as he relented to her request.
Stepping forward, Jeanne made her way towards the Greater Grail. Soon, she came to a stop as she stood right in front of it. A few moments later, the young Saint extended her hand and placed it upon the Grail.
"...!"
A bright light enveloped her vision in its entirety, and she could faintly hear Saber calling out to her for some reason.
"Eh...?"
Jeanne stood in the middle of a white void. She looked around herself and saw nothing. Everything was an empty space...
"Ah, it looks like you've arrived."
She quickly turned around as she heard a voice call out to her.
There, she saw a person with long white hair standing before her wearing similarly colored robes.
If there was one word to describe the person before her, it was that they were beautiful. There was an otherworldly feel to their appearance, one that basically confirmed for Jeanne that the person before her was of magical origin. The young saint also couldn't tell if the person before her was either a man or a woman.
And for some reason, she felt as though she had already seen him somewhere before... but she couldn't tell when or where.
"You are... the Grail?"
"Hahaha...! Me, the Grail? Not at all. But I am connected to you in a way."
The person before her laughed, speaking with such a tone that Jeanne still couldn't tell what the gender of the person before her was.
Then again, perhaps it didn't really matter.
"Then, if you're not the grail then who are you...?"
"Ah, that is the question now isn't it?" They spoke as a smile grew on their face. "However, to ask such things is not your purpose for today. So how about we get down to business already shall we? You can't keep Arthur waiting after all~"
"H-Huh?"
With that, the avatar suddenly appeared right in front of the young saint and then placed a finger over her forehead.
"For now, just call me an Avatar of sorts." The person spoke. "And my apologies, but this may cause some discomfort thanks to your human body."
...!
"A-Argh...!"
A stinging sensation surged from Jeanne's head as the avatar touched her.
"As much as I would like to help you, the aid I can give is limited due to circumstances. However, I can at least point you in the right direction..."
Something was flowing directly into her mind. It was information, about the history of Grail itself, about the current Servants taking part in the Great Holy Grail War, and about the Masters involved as well. So many images filled her mind...
...And one person among the fourteen stood out as unique to her.
"Also, here's a little present from you to me." The Avatar said, placing a hand over her shoulder. "Due to a mishap, you lost this privilege of yours did you not? I believe it's time to restore that less something unfortunate happen wouldn't you agree?"
A pulsing sensation came from each of her Command Spells, and Jeanne quickly realized what that meant.
"Ah, before you go. Please tell Arthur I said hello."
"W-Wait...!"
Jeanne tried reaching out to the Avatar, only for it to end in vain as the young saint's vision was swept up in darkness.
"Ugh..."
Slowly opening her eyes, Jeanne saw an unfamiliar ceiling above her and when she turned her head, she saw Saber looking at her quite relieved.
"Thank goodness, you've finally woke up." He said.
"Saber...?" Jeanne began slowly. "What happened...?"
"You suddenly collapsed the moment you laid your hand on the Grail. The Masters of Black were kind enough to offer us the use of this room while you slept." Saber replied with a concerned look on his face. "What happened exactly? Do you have any idea?"
"Ugh... please give me a moment. My head is spinning." She groaned as she placed both of her hands on her head. Whatever happened gave her a bad headache!
"Let's see, after I collapsed... I think I was able to do what we came here to do."
"Really?" Saber inquired.
"Yes. I came into contact with what I think was the grail itself or an avatar of it." She replied. "It placed a hand on my head, and information began flowing through it. With that, I was able to get a clue in regards to the strange events that have been occurring. There's someone responsible for it, but thanks to the information being not all that clear, I can only assume it at the moment."
"Really? Does this person have a name?"
"Yes. His name is-"
"Ruler~!" The door suddenly opened and their stood a familiar pinkette. "I heard you were recovering here, so I decided to visit~!"
Both looked at him with equally surprised faces, but smiled as they felt the sincerity behind Rider of Black's words. They also noticed a homunculus standing behind him, a female one at that. Her was styled in a unique twin-tailed fashion.
"Ah, let me introduce you! This is my friend Alzir. She didn't have a name before, so I decided to give her one she liked!"
"Greetings." The homunculus girl said as she bowed.
"I was going to bring along someone else too, but that person is busy with Caster unfortunately." He muttered in disappointment before a wide grin appeared. "At any rate, let's chat for a while shall we? I've been meaning to ask you and Saber a few things now and I can't help myself anymore~!"
With that, Astolfo began to chat casually with the duo. Their topic from earlier being temporarily forgotten as the young paladin began bombard them to questions that range from the trivial to the rather personal.
Later after exchanging a few words with Darnic and Lancer, both Jeanne and Saber left the Yggdmillennia Castle and rode back towards the Church they were currently lodging at. Rider waved them goodbye as they did so, and both noted Astolfo truly did live up to his name as someone who was eternally optimistic from the way he spoke to each of them earlier.
It was by that time Jeanne realized how much time had passed since she collapsed and fainted. They arrived at the Castle sometime in the morning, and now it was already sunset.
"Are you sure you're quite alright?" Saber asked once more.
"I am. thank you for asking."
"What did you see during your vision? Is there anything in particular worth mentioning?"
"Hmm... now that I think about it, there was someone in it." She began as memories that event came back to her. "This is the same person I told you about earlier about, the one who I thought was an avatar of the Grail."
"Did this avatar say something of note other than the information it gave you?"
"My privilege as Ruler was restored, so that's something." The young saint replied, causing her companion to look surprised.
If that was the case, then the two of them no longer had to worry too much about the Servants of Red and Black now that his Master's Command Spells were connected to each one of them once more. With it restored, they had a proper equalizer.
Still, Arthur wondered to himself as to why she lost the privilege in the first place. Was it due to the fact that she was possessing a human body or perhaps something else entirely? Such questions were driven away from his mind when his Master spoke out something that caught him off guard.
"Ah! Now I remember, you were also mentioned by name!"
"Me?" Saber asked.
"Yes. If I remember correctly, I was asked to greet you in their place." She added as he laid a hand on her head to try and remember. "Saber, do you think you know this person?"
"I'm not exactly a mind reader." The young man joked. "In the first place, what did this person look like?"
"My apologies, but I couldn't tell clearly if it was a man or woman." She stated. "The only thing I could remember clearly was that the person in my vision had long white hair and wore white robes... to be precise, I believe them to be a magus."
At this, Saber widened his eyes slightly as someone came to mind thanks to his Master's words.
'Could it be? No...'
The last time he had heard from that person they had been trapped within a certain place and unable to escape. Did the magus managed to do so then? If so, what were they doing now? It was a question that might have seemed strange to others given how much time had passed since then. But to Arthur, he wouldn't have really been surprised if his old friend managed to find a way to live to this day.
The question presented now was... just what was his old friend doing?
"Saber?" Jeanne asked, noticing the sudden silence her Servant had taken on.
"It's nothing." He replied without missing a beat. "I just believe I have an idea of who that person you were talking about is."
"Really? Who is it?"
"I'm not too sure at the moment. There are some things that I'm trying to figure out first." He replied. "Once I do however, I promise I will tell you of it."
"Alright then, I know you will."
With that, both remained silent as they continued their ride towards the Church.
Jeanne and Saber soon arrived at the old building. Both soon put up their guards as they sensed something amiss. Everything around them was silent, to the point that both could only hear the footsteps and breaths they took.
"Do you feel that?" The latter asked.
"I do. There's a Servant inside." Jeanne replied as someone came out of the entrance.
Said someone was a man of moderate height. He had wild brown hair, wore sunglasses, and a leather jacket. Overall, he looked like a criminal, but both Master and Servant could not feel any sense of hostility coming from him.
"Hmm... it's about time you arrived Ruler." He spoke out. "We've been waiting for hours now. My name is Kairi Shishigou."
"You're a Master of the Red Faction, aren't you?" She inquired. "Might I ask why did you come here? And where are the people of this Church?"
"Don't worry about them, I just put a sleeping spell on them. And as to why I'm here, well it's nothing really personal. My Servant just has some business she wants settling with your Servant." He replied as both looked at him in surprise.
"Are you asking to fight against us?" She asked.
"No, just your Servant." He stated. "If my guess is right, a fight to the death so to speak."
"What? What makes you think that I would allow such a thing?" Jeanne said with an incredulous look on her face. "To attack my Servant is to attack me as well. I will not allow any threats made to him to go unchallenged by myself."
"I know, I know, but she's been really itching to fight your Saber lately ever since she found out about his identity." He replied once more, glancing at Saber as he continued to speak. "She won't obey my orders until she gets to settle the score with you I think."
"Settle the score with me?" Saber questioned.
It was at that moment that someone came out from behind Shishigou. Said person was none other than the Servant they had sensed.
Said Servant was a young woman, looking to be around Jeanne's physical age but younger. She had blonde hair tied into a messy ponytail and emerald green eyes. She wore a red jacket over a rather revealing ensemble. A smirk was on her face as she stared directly at Saber.
"It's been a while, hasn't it Father?" She spoke, saying the last word in a tone akin to a snarl.
'F-Father!?'
Jeanne visibly recoiled at those words, looking back and forth between Saber and the girl. She realized that there was actually a passing resemblance between the two since both their hair and eye color were of the same shade.
The Knight himself was clearly taken aback by the girl's presence, it was like he had seen a ghost the moment he laid eyes on her. There was only one person in the world who could cause such a reaction in him and call him "Father" at the same time. And that person's name was spoken aloud by Saber.
"Mordred..."
It was a reunion between parent and child... the two whose lives were ended by one another.
END
Author's Notes:
And that wraps up Chapter 4, hope you guys all enjoyed it.
In case you guys are wondering, Alzir is a character in Fate/Apocrypha. She was featured in one of the illustrations for Volume 3, I think, where she, Jeanne, Astolfo are seen walking about in Trifas wearing casual clothes. And I never really planned on having Ruler's Command Spells being inert all the time. I just made it that way as part of the excuse to get her to the Trifas Grail early on as well as introducing the one who appeared in the grail vision, which I think some of you will be able to guess who it was.
The meeting with Vlad and the text about Jeanne in that part was more or less taken/inspired from the same events that happened in F/A Volume 2. The main difference is that my version happened earlier than the novel version and under different circumstances. I felt the need to include it since it somewhat sums up Jeanne as a person in my eyes. Next time the reunion between father and daughter continues! Look forward to it!
And as always, please read and review :D
