Intricate symbols burned through the grass at the magus's feet, scorching a red hot scar into the dainty flowerbed they all stood in. Wisps of power shot up from her feet and were channeled with practiced ease into her accusing finger, which aimed itself at her killer. A single word was the trigger, and all at once the concentrated magic hurtled towards its unsuspecting blonde target, expanding into menacing tendrils of burning vengeance.
Green eyes, distracted by the bright light, peeked behind the King of Heroes to find two intertwined dragons made of fire, both hurtling toward Gilgamesh at an alarming speed. Two emotions stirred within her, one was concern, and the other an infinitesimal ounce of regret. Before she knew it, her index finger had drawn one of her own familiar symbols.
A sudden gust of wind sliced through the Servants' little clearing, effectively ruining Medusa's Rapunzel-worthy hairstyle, and with a thankful word to Merlin in her mind, Saber tilted her head to meet her eyes with the female Caster's. The King shook her head lightly at the enraged woman, willing her to calm herself.
Such foolish actions will only bring you down. She tried to communicate with her eyes. She and Caster had not got off on the best terms, but she hoped her diversion would have at least snapped the magus back to her senses. Gilgamesh was the last person she wanted to anger if she didn't want a repeat of the defeat she suffered not long ago.
Saber watched the magus' eyes widen and sink in the span of a few seconds. When tears began to well up in her eyes, the magus broke her eye contact. Greek curses escaped Caster's colored lips, and the magic circle at her feet disappeared into the grass. The chalice of wine still floating in front of her was shoved into Assassin's hands as the Greek mage stomped away, no longer able to hold back.
Soichirou-sama…
Her eyes flooded over his memory, and she slumped against a tree, far enough away from the crowd for her to let loose.
The King of Knight's concerned eyes followed Medea, growing in worry every passing moment. Every step the magus took away from the crowd crushed her heart. Medea...a misunderstood mage who had succumbed to the will of Aphrodite, been used like a tool, been blamed for things she had no control over, and finally been cast aside when she was no longer needed. After the hell she went through, the man she loved, albeit only by the god's power, the only one who she could turn to, betrayed her for a woman he favored.
Kuzuki must have been the first one to show her kindness. Kuzuki must have been the first one she truly loved. During the war, Medea died believing she had at least saved the only thing important to her, but even that had to be taken away. Kuzuki was gone forever, and Medea couldn't even join him in death. That attack was just an attempt at revenge by a woman who gained it all and lost everything in such a short span of time, aimed at a dead man immortalized in this stupid Grail and she had stopped it.
Had she done the right thing?
Saber's eyes returned to the cruel rubies of the King of Heroes, no longer able to watch the Greek woman's sobbing.
We just take and take and never give back, don't we?
Distracted by her thoughts, she did not realize that Gilgamesh asked her a question and went silent. "Yes?" she asked, hoping he would repeat his interrogation.
Gilgamesh looked pleased and announced, "Hear that, mongrels? Saber said 'yes' to my proposa—"
Aaaaand now he has a bleeding nose.
Booming laughter filled the clearing as Iskandar watched the two other Kings.
How amusing. Iskandar thought as Gilgamesh nursed his kingly nostrils. It seems only Saber could somewhat hurt him without him going completely berserk. He'd lie, but in reality he missed their company. Sure, they were enemies back then, and there was no way in hell either of them would ever join his army, at least...not anymore. But he couldn't help but think they could be friends. There was just something about them that made him hope.
A smile as warm as sunlight crossed his features.
Some sort of bond must have formed between the other two Kings. Based on past experience, he knew that Gilgamesh was at least intrigued by the little King of Knights. Her way of ruling interested the King of Heroes, for what reason, Iskandar couldn't fathom, but it wasn't his place to question Gilgamesh's taste. The gold king was a collector of treasures. If he deemed Saber worthy enough of his attention, then there must be something unique in the King of Knights that his eyes missed.
If one would look at Saber as a lady, Iskandar thought, then he supposed the woman would classify as elegantly beautiful, but the strong kind of beauty. She was clearly no damsel in distress, especially if she managed to kill Archer, who crushed him completely in their last battle ten years ago. He looked more highly at Saber now, for if the Assassins were right, and Saber had a pathetic civilian for a Master, then that made her victory over the King of Heroes even more amazing. Perhaps it was that strength that attracted the king of Uruk.
Interesting.
Meanwhile, Cú Chulainn chuckled at the beautiful King's actions. That woman was definitely something. He'd known that the first time they'd clashed, right when her rather…talentless Master managed to summon her. How the hell he'd managed to summon Saber, he'd never know. It's not like he was complaining though, Saber was, to say the least, incredible. She was powerful enough with a useless Master, it was hard to imagine fighting her at full strength. Diarmuid had just been telling him about his battles with Saber before Medea had decided to shoot a ball of fire at the golden asshole.
The younger Lancer had been privileged to have fought her in the previous Grail War. Hell, and her Master back then wasn't even a proper magus. Jeez, how formidable was that woman? Cú noticed the sudden silence of his counterpart and followed his gaze, finding that the man too was focused on the same person that occupied his thoughts. A smirk made its way across his face. Saber again, huh? Cú shook his head. Tá an fear seo cinnte dÚsachtach. Hopeless.
"Diarmuid, if the alternative is you moping around here while your mind is clearly on someone else, you should go talk to…her," the Irishman trailed off.
Suddenly, an enormous mass of magic energy caught the Servants' attention, and they all turned towards the King of Knights, who was now facing a huge, grossly buff man who towered very nearly a meter over the tiny king and looked to be around seven times her weight. He was topless, so the crowd could see the proof of the great strength he possessed. Long, black tendrils of hair reached until his middle back. On his wrists and ankles were heavy steel bracelets. Berserker?
However, the similarities to the mad man Saber faced had ended there. The man's appearance took a significant turn. His skin was more natural, the grayish shade it had when he was a Servant was replaced by an even dark tan. Heterochromia eyes surveyed the small crowd, but focused on one familiar face.
"Greetings, pretty lady." Several eyebrows shot up.
His voice was low but melodic. "Have you been summoned for this gathering as well?" he asked. Saber had to forget the fact that this man could snap her in half like a toothpick, before slowly nodding up at him.
"I am Heracles," the man announced, revealing his identity to the gathered ones, "the Berserker of the last war," he announced to clear the static air and to clarify his position. He sat down on the ground (the Servants swore there was mini earthquake there) and the Grecian found himself near eye level with said pretty lady.
"You are quite the formidable creature, little king. Reminded me of a time I too had been a hero. Pray, tell how you managed to defeat me. I've certainly learnt not to underestimate an opponent by size," Berserker chuckled to himself, resting his chin on his humongous palm.
"It certainly was not easy, Berserker. You nearly destroyed me the first time ̶"
"She defeated you because clearly she is stronger than you. That is all there is to it, mongrel. If that miniscule excuse for a brain of yours can not comprehend that simple fact, you have no place thinking so highly of yourself for owning that ridiculous amount of muscle," the King of Heroes interjected, folding his arms and staring the man down. The mongrel had no right to comment on the King of Knights' stature, neither did he have any right to speak with her. This was true especially when he was currently engaged in a conversation with the lovely King.
It was mongrels like this that he despised most of all: self-important freaks of nature who think so highly of themselves just because they stand a head taller than the average man. Those who think that absurd mass of fibrous tissue is a display of power have a severely distorted viewpoint. Mad Enhancement? Nothing but pathetic wording to disguise the fact that he was reduced to a rabid dog. It is an insult to call this sorry beast a demigod.
Heracles's mismatched eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar lightweight that stood before him, his gaze cold and hard as steel.
"I was not belittling her for her size. I simply did not expect such a powerful force within such a petite body. Though…I hear she was the one who killed you." His words were like a prosecutor's: cunning and clever, baiting the guilty to reveal himself.
"So, do tell me, gold one, if this lady defeated me because she is stronger than me, then what does that say…of you?"
And Gilgamesh, fiery as his temper was, could easily fall into the trap.
But, to the muscly man's dismay, his words did not incur even the slightest bit of rage, even if he was sure the man would have toppled over the edge.
The lady knight who defeated him passed Heracles on his right, hoping to find the other Grecian. The heavy man's gaze followed her, still filled completely with awe.
"It says we are even." The words were spoken with faked indifference, for the emotions that came with were much too foreign to express.
When Heracles turned to ask for an explanation, the King was studying his wrist with crossed eyebrows and an otherwise unreadable face, like those words weren't meant for Heracles, but for himself.
Unaware of the Greek hero's watchful eyes, Gilgamesh looked up for a moment, staring at the retreating back of the sword wielder, and then shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away.
What Heracles missed however, Diarmuid did not. He'd watched the entire exchange, from when Heracles had first spoken to Saber, to when she'd squeezed the King of Heroes wrist to calm him.
Oddly, from the moment they made that bit of contact, his wrist had been itching like a rash. What that meant, he didn't dare dwell on.
"Ara, sorry for the wait!"
An innocent, childish voice, resonated all around them.
The King of Knights stopped in her tracks, all thoughts of Medea banished from her mind.
All at once images rushed to her, ones of sandy beaches and a bright, white moon, of love and innocence, of reckless driving and most of all...friendship.
That voice…
The girl shook her head. No. It was simply impossible. Hesitantly, she resumed her pace, refusing to look toward the voice. She stifled the feelings of hope when they peeked out from her heart. She could not bear the icy pain of rejection if she turned to find it was just her imagination after all.
It's not her. It cannot be her.
Her calm pace turned into one more frantic, but before she could get far, arms closed around her, pulling her into a tight hug.
Wide eyes watered slowly as strands of the woman's long light hair fell upon her shoulders. She'd recognize that anywhere.
"Irisviel."
Upon the mention of the name, the blonde was spun around to face its gentle owner, who with a gentle tug, pulled the unresisting Servant once again into her arms.
The king's hands hesitated before returning the hug. Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe she was still sleeping. Maybe the Grail was playing tricks on her.
"Did you miss me this much, Saber?" Irisviel laughed, still clinging to 'her' Servant, who had buried her face into her shoulder, uncaring of the watchful eyes of the others. Judging by how her life had been so far, she knew there was never any time for blissful moments like this.
Fate decided to bring Irisviel back to life; and wherever Irisviel was…
"Saber."
Kiritsugu was.
Behind the angelic woman stood her polar opposite. Clad in black and varying shades of grey as usual, the man was comparably a dark shadow to his wife's brilliant light. Nothing had changed since the last Saber had looked him in the eyes. Black and hollow, more alike to an endless abyss than to the lively dark tones of the night sky that hung above them.
"Kiritsugu," she said, with cold fury that expressed the pure hate for the man who stepped on her pride and ideals long ago. For all their years apart, the feeling had never died. His only redemption in her eyes was that he saved Shirou, and nothing else.
I have not forgiven you; nor will I ever.
The man's void eyes stared back, unintimidated, observing the adorable king's jaw clench. She was holding back for Iri's sake, of course, not his. He knew he was less than scum in Saber's eyes now: nothing but a lowly piece of trash that deserved not to be called a Hero of Justice…that deserved not to be so idolized by his adopted son.
Of course, he couldn't blame her. He followed the King of Knights eyes when they flickered to his side, landing on El-Melloi's servant. Why-? Ah, yes. The Servant he forced to kill himself, that's who it was. He received a vicious glare from the said Servant, which failed once more to even irk him. They had very important matters to discuss. He could not afford to debate with the knights and their goddamned ideals.
"Ano, Kiritsugu~" Irisviel cooed, clinging to his right arm. "Why not we start? It seems everyone is present."
The blue-clad man cocked an eyebrow, noticing his red rival was nowhere at the scene.
"Thank you all for coming, Epic Spirits of all eras," Irisviel bowed, her husband making no effort to do the same
"I am Irisviel von Einzbern, this is my husband," she said with a friendly tone, gesturing to her spouse.
"Emiya Kiritsugu." He stated simply to introduce himself.
But, as soon as the introductions were out of the way, the friendly air took a serious turn.
"Please, we need your help," she pleaded, bowing. When surprise had taken the audience, the King of Heroes' audible laughter filled the clearing.
Snapped out of her stupor by the blonde king's reaction, Saber thought it well to ask.
"What for?"
The Japanese magus answered her with a monotone voice, as if the weight of his seven words was nothing at all.
"Please help us destroy the Holy Grail."
Saber's eyes were wide, and the Servants around her exchanged glances, wondering what the hell this person meant.
"I destroyed the Grail with Excalibur. I saw it disappear," she reasoned, but the stoic man shook his head.
"Then why are you still here?"
Saber ground her teeth.
"You only destroyed the Lesser Grails. It will come back and another war will start. This cycle of madness will only begin again. So please, lend us your strength," Irisviel pleaded in the stead of her husband.
"Do you honestly think we would do this for free?" Cú interrogated, irritated by the fact he was called to serve once more. "Listen, lady, I am a warrior. I hunger for the fight, and I thought I saw that wish granted when I was summoned into the Fifth War. It turns out that goddamned cup has a lot of unjust shit going down at the other side and I do not want to be a part of it. Plus, I sure as hell am not going to be devoured by that unholy corrupted piece of tableware again!"
Gae Bolg was out in a second, aimed perfectly as Irisviel's homunculus heart.
"You think being impaled by your own weapon is fun? Wanna try it? " he growled, with words as menacing as his weapon's red barbed blade.
"This…This favor may be heavy, but so is our compensation," Irisviel continued, eyeing with fear the red weapon pointed at her chest, even with Saber by her side.
"I do not believe, Saber's Master, that there is anything of any worth you can offer the dead," the King of Conquerors interjected, letting out a hearty laugh after. "You of all people must know that everyone here has long since gone to the grave. This Throne of Heroes too, provides us with everything we want or need. Why give up this pseudo-heaven?" Despite the wide confident smile, he didn't sound too convinced at his own words.
As Irisviel was about to speak, Kiritsugu held up a hand to silence her, and then turned to the Servant he employed to ensure Caster's defeat. His black eyes met the taller man's red ones, but despite their outward appearance, it was clear Kiritsugu had the upper hand.
"True. But what else is more appealing to the dead than another chance at life?"
Dead silence settled on the heroes as they processed the magus's absurd statement. That was ridiculous. They all died on their own terms, and who's to say they regretted it?
"If you successfully destroy the Holy Grail, you will be free to live the rest of your lives as you please, however," the man continued, "If you choose to live, you choose to die. There will be no resurrection should any of you lose your life a second time."
Saber pursed her lips, knowing clearly her answer without having to think.
"I accept," Saber said simply, stepping up in front of the couple. The blonde put her hand Irisviel's shoulder. The woman straightened, smiling at her close friend. "Even without the others, you have me." Saber smiled at her friend. The red-eyed woman enveloped her in a hug.
"I knew I could count on you."
Kiritsugu watched the action take place blankly, recalling how close his Servant and his wife had been during the Fourth War. The way Iri held the servant reminded him of his abandoned daughter and his adopted son. For the past five years since he'd rather miraculously appeared here by Irisviel's side, he had been trying to open a window to the world to check on them, knowing he couldn't really return without purpose. When he'd returned his attention to Saber however, she had been joined by the powerful King of Heroes, just as he was hoping.
"Is it your wish to have your eyes carved out, Master of Saber?" asked Gilgamesh, who had felt the man's eyes on him. "This is no favor to you, mongrel. I only wish to accompany her," the King of Heroes explained, taking Saber's chin in his hand, which was promptly swatted away. Her rejection didn't seem to discourage him though, rather only strengthened his drive to do the ridiculous mission.
"As do I," Lancer stated, completing the Knight classes in front of the two magi. "I will not participate for your sake, but for the sake of the future."
I'll follow the light you show me, Arturia. Diarmuid walked over to Saber's left side, Gilgamesh already at her right. Alexander the Great chuckled. Your actions are very amusing, Lancer. Knight and Knight… how adorable, indeed.
"I shall follow my King, wherever she may lead me." That was Lancelot, with an odd expression on his face. The British knight eyed the two Servants at Saber's sides with suspicion and a little bit of shame, for he had delayed in joining his King's side.
Saber…You trust him. Right? Cú asked in his head, wondering whether to stay or to go.
"I'll go if you go, blue."
The Lancer looked up to see Alexander the Great looking at him with a serious expression. "If anything, we could make matches happen," the huge man said jokingly, gesturing at the three servants assembled in front of Emiya. Cú smiled at the double meaning and nodded, joining Saber in front.
"HOHO! Quite an army you're building, King of Knights!" Rider stepped forward too. "Besides," he continued, "I want to see how that wimp is doing." Rider remembered his unmanly master. Perhaps he has finally toughened up. The King of Conquerors would be proud if he did. Waver was a clumsy idiot, but he had a good heart, and an even better mind. During Rider's time in the world, he looked at Waver as his son, or maybe his younger brother. He was even able to go in peace, knowing his Master would live.
One by one, the Servants moved forward, hungry for the second chance they could only dream about. To live again…would give them a chance to be normal; to live a life unchained to the duties of a hero. They could be free. They could do whatever they wanted, as long as they destroy the Grail.
Kojiro Sasaki, or at least that's who he represented anyway, approached the group as well. It was frustrating to be a fictional character. Unlike the Servants around him, he had never lived. He was a mistake, an aberration. He never had a life, not until Caster summoned him to the world as Assassin. This was his chance to write his own story. He could take up a new name, a new face, and he could live.
He suddenly noticed the absence of his Master from his side as he walked forward. He stopped mid-way to look back. "Caster?" She seemed to be the only one left behind.
"I refuse!" she shrieked and pointed an accusing finger at Gilgamesh. "My wish had finally come true. I do not care for another life. I was fine with the one I was granted during the war, but you…you took my only happiness away from me!"
For a minute, the King of Heroes thought he recognized her face. Did he perhaps kill her husband? The King just waved it off, ignoring the woman's misery. It was nothing to him. He was probably just one of the many he killed. Gilgamesh couldn't care less about Caster, but Kiritsugu, however, was determined to let her join.
"We need your powers to destroy the Grail."
"I do not care!"
Irisviel seemed silent for a moment. Saber noticed her eyes go dark, before their usual brilliance returned.
"Is it because of Kuzuki Soichirou?" Irisviel asked, her voice more solemn than normal. Caster jerked, surprised. Irisviel had hit the mark.
"If that is the case, I'll bring him back with you."
Caster was stricken. Her knees failed her and she collapsed to the ground.
"Irisviel—" Saber started, trying to ask the questions that the Servants all had in their minds
"Then it is settled. You will all participate," Kiritsugu interrupted hurriedly, before Saber could say any more. "You will all be transported to the physical world, but ten years into the future."
"In the present, the Grail cannot summon enough mana to bring you there. As you might have noticed, time is of no importance here, in this realm. It is up to you to see if an hour has passed, or a week, a month, maybe a year, even a century. Bringing you into the future isn't any different from sending you into the present. The changes in the world aren't much. Fuyuki City still looks like Fuyuki City. To help, as though you were summoned again as Servants, just like the last time you made it to the world, you will receive information about the world around you to help with adaptation," Irisviel said kindly.
"You will have all the skills and magic power you had as a Spirit, however, you will have physical, human bodies. You will experience all that humans do. You cannot attain Spirit form anymore, but any form of transportation or teleportation magic you use is still possible. You will feel hunger and thirst, and you can be affected by illnesses. As I said before, this will be your last life. Any accidents may kill you, even if you are all stronger than the average person. Use any means necessary to keep yourselves alive, in combat or out of it." To stress his point, Kiritsugu's eyes roamed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of their new lives.
"The main objective is to destroy the seven seals that summon the Grail, and then destroy the Greater Holy Grail itself. These seals appear at random locations throughout the world. Once one of them surfaces, we will tell you of its location and you will have to destroy them. These seals are what tie the Grail to the world in Spirit form. These are the reasons why only a Servant can touch it. When all the seven seals are destroyed, they will release enough energy to summon the authentic, physical Greater Holy Grail. As this is the real Grail, though you would have physical bodies, you will be able to take possession of it," Kiritsugu continued. "Once you have it…" Kiritsugu paused for a moment. "Destroy it with your combined powers."
Kiritsugu's slight hesitation bothered Saber, but she thought she might have been imagining it. Kiritsugu was a secretive man. He wouldn't have revealed so much of the plan, not even to Maiya. He would never tell the whole truth; there was always something he would hide. So what is he hiding now?
"You will destroy the seals in teams. Until you are assigned to destroy a seal, live a life normally. Eat, drink, study, work, travel, whatever. You would be free to do as you wish, but do be cautious and take care of yourselves!" Irisviel sounded like a worried mother seeing her children off to college.
"You will all appear where the last Holy Grail War ended," Kiritsugu told them, eyeing the Servants who'd just come from the latest war. Saber could practically feel Gilgamesh's eyes on her but she chose to ignore him, knowing the man was smirking at her.
"HAHAHA! We're up for some adventure!" Alexander bellowed.
"Are there any questions?" Irisviel asked, like a schoolteacher would to her students.
"One," Saber said. She noticed it from when Kiritsugu and his wife arrived. The Servants gathered here were from the Holy Grail Wars she had participated in. There was two of every class except Saber and Archer.
"Where is Archer?" she inquired. She did not see that white-haired Servant anywhere.
The mage-killer and his wife exchanged glances. "You'll find out soon enough," Irisviel answered.
Kiritsugu nodded and gazed up at the dark sky. The sun had made its exit while the conversations took place. Only the light it left behind illuminated the sky with a waning glow. It would be pitch black soon
"All you have to do tonight is sleep. The next time you open your eyes, it will be on Earth," Kiritsugu said. With that he began to dissolve into the air, and clutched the hand of his wife. "We must be going," Irisviel said a little sadly as she waved goodbye to her friend, "See you soon!" The couple disappeared completely, leaving the Servants to contemplate their decision.
"Saber."
The girl turned to face Medea. The older woman looked broken, her face deprived of all energy.
"Yes?"
Caster kept her gaze firm. "To what degree do you give that man your trust?" she interrogated. Saber was taken aback. Trust him? I would never trust anything to that man! Saber regained her composure and sighed. Unlike her and the 4th Holy Grail War participants, some of the Servants didn't even recognize the pair that recruited them. The only clue they had was their last names. Emiya and Einzbern seemed to ring a bell, but the others remained in the dark. In the end, only Saber would be able to speak about them wholly, and even she was skeptic about the event.
"I am only sure of one thing: that man truly wants to save the world. Nothing is more precious to him than the lives of the human race, but if anyone poses a threat to the masses, he would do anything to save the majority. He would not attempt a stunt like this if it wasn't for the greater good," Saber replied calmly, though there was something nagging at her from the back of her mind. Few Servants were reassured, but Caster retained her stoic expression.
"I could not care less about that wretched world. I would not so much as flinch if it burned into a fiery hell. I asked you if you trusted him to see if the man keeps his promises. Soichirou-sama is the only thing I want!" She raged, her eyes flashing red with her wrath. Caster could grab Saber by the neck any time, but she feared the three men who surrounded the shorter woman. "If that man does not keep his word," Caster's eyes were glowing dangerously, "then I shall do everything, everything, to keep you from reaching your goal!"
The mage woman turned sharply, her cape whipping Saber's face, and she disappeared into the air. Her hand went to her cheek. There was no wound, not even a scratch, but it seemed Caster's words hurt like the cold metal of a knife. She was blind. She was too blind to see the way Caster loved her Master. She was there when Caster was defeated. She saw Kuzuki die. No, she let him die.
"Saber, are you—"
"I'm fine." She cut him off, letting her hand drop to her side. Unconvinced at her words, Lancer looked to Gilgamesh, but the blonde man avoided his eyes altogether. Crazy what ten years could do. He was completely out of the loop.
By the sudden emptiness of the clearing they stood in, Diarmuid could infer that the other servants were starting to retire. He observed a few Assassins jumping across trees, and just glimpsed the larger Berserker's hair slip into the forest. Cú Chulainn did not even choose to move. He simply dropped to the ground and wrote an 'F' in the air with his index finger. A flame appeared at his feet, and the red-eyed Lancer dozed, comforted by the warmth. Medusa left with a curt nod to Saber. It seemed Rider respected her now instead of holding a grudge for the one who defeated her. Maybe she and Rider…could be friends when they all appeared on Earth again. After all, they would have no reason really to fight each other, right?
The night grew quiet, with only nature's voices left whispering. It seemed there would be no more talking tonight.
"That entire ordeal was insufferably boring, but at the least it granted me one more chance with you, King of Knights." The King of Heroes lifted her chin to meet her gaze, but withdrew his hand right before she had the chance to shove him away. "You certainly are not planning to sleep on the same level as these mongrels, correct? I have only the finest sheets, and if you so wish, we can share an amazing night tangled beneath—"
"I do not think so." she voiced, before he could embarrass her more. She decided to ignore the heat that flooded her cheeks, and folded her arms over her chest. Even the flirtiest of men had the decency to—ugh! If she had any less self-control, the king would be on his knees begging for mercy!
But of course, her retorts would forever fall on deaf ears with the King of Heroes. The said man just shrugged, and as he began to dematerialize he stated, "The offer still stands. If you wish to change your mind, you need only say so." He ended it with his trademark smirk.
With one last threatening glance at the two dogs left beside his queen, the King of Heroes disappeared into the night. Lancelot most definitely felt like a rabid dog, and he would take great pleasure in mauling that bastard's stupid-ass face off his bloody head. Diarmuid was flexing and relaxing a hand clenched around his red spear while taking deep breaths to calm himself. With the way the King of Heroes had just spoken, he deserved an award for not hacking the amadán to death right then and there.
"My King, are you not going to retire for the night?" Lancelot asked after cooling his temper, looking around in the darkness that enveloped them.
"You go on ahead, Lancelot," she told him, smiling in the slightest way.
"Very well," he answered, though he eyed the man that remained.
If you do anything to her… He warned Diarmuid with his eyes, before turning his gaze back to the woman he so adored.
"That silver crown suits you, my King," he said before disappearing into the air. Arturia's hands went to the circlet on her head. She'd almost forgotten about it. A spark of realization hit her. It was actually possible that Lancelot was the one who chose the crown. Saber's green eyes searched the area, but the Knight of the Round Table was long gone.
"Arturia, may I have a moment?"
Diarmuid put his hand on her shoulder and they both dissolved into the air.
The couple materialized on a high cliff that towered over the Throne of Heroes' sea. The moonlight reflected on the waves, making the tide glitter and shimmer as it hit the rocks. A salty breeze blew at the girl's hair, tossing her blonde locks around her face and making Diarmuid want to sweep the golden strands behind her ear.
The man sat on the edge of the cliff without hesitation, as if knowing well that the ground would never break. Arturia mimicked him, sitting a tormenting distance from the knight. She was both near and far from him. Close enough that if he moved just a little, their shoulders would brush, but far enough that as it is, they weren't touching.
The salty air carried to him the scent of her hair, but he pushed the lovely distraction out of his mind, for the reason he brought her here could not wait a moment longer.
"I brought you here to ask for your forgiveness."
Saber's eyebrows went up. "For what?" she asked. She didn't recall Lancer doing anything wrong, not one.
"I apologize for ever blaming you for my forced suicide."
Saber's gaze softened. I would never blame you for that. I…I deserve it.
In her silence, Lancer said, "It was never your fault, but I took out the rage I held for both our masters on everyone and everything, even you; even if it was your pure spirit that gave me the will to fight." He hung his head in shame and stared down at the waves that struck the rocky shore. "I am truly sorry, Arturia." The man stared down at his palms solemnly, clenching and unclenching his fist.
The girl closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air, and played with the blonde strands that framed her face.
"Shouldn't I be the one apologizing?" she asked, as she stared out into the distance, not really expecting a reply.
She could feel his eyes on her, yet she avoided his gaze. Now it was his turn to wonder. "It was an honor to face you in battle, and even more so to fight on the same side, conversely, our last duel became shameful on my part. To think Kiritsugu would soil an honorable duel between knights and force you to…" Saber left her statement unfinished. Her gaze ran over the toned expanse of his chest as it rose and fell with every breath he took.
"I…I was unable to do anything. Forgive me for not being able to stop him; it is my deepest regret. Our battle was glorious and yet…" Arturia trailed off. The two Knights came to a silent understanding.
"Mm. It seems like we were both cursed with horrible Masters then," he declared, trying to lighten the mood.
"Just our luck," the King replied.
When their eyes met at last, the two broke into laughter, relieved of the guilt in their hearts. Arturia looked to the sky. Even in the Throne of Heroes, the sky was beautiful, dotted with unknown, unreal constellations.
That would be the second time I have heard you laugh, King of Knights. Lancer thought. I might even be the only one who has ever done so. But that would make it all the more special, will it not?
The pair spent a couple more moments in silence; the only sounds heard were the waves crashing to the shore below. The sound of the water was an effective lullaby. Lancer found an odd thought. If Saber was the King of Knights and he was a Knight, was she his King as well?
"Say, King, do you…?"
He felt a little weight on his right side. The King of Knights leaned on him, asleep, finally giving in to her exhaustion. Diarmuid ignored the heat in his cheeks and tried to remain still. Saber looked tired and he didn't want to wake her. He slowly brought his hand around her waist to support her and shifted himself to be able to pick her up. He swept his hands under her knees gently and carried her with ease, again astounded at her weight. He could almost disregard it.
He laid her down gently, and went to a position far enough from her that she would not feel his presence, but close enough to shield her from the sea breeze. He smiled as he closed his eyes, happy that she trusted him enough to leave herself in his care.
Heya!
I know it's been such a long time, but finals UGH
Anyway, here's the new chapter! I hope you like it J A little Diarturia bit there for you mehehehe
Hey, thanks so much for reading. Please leave a review, I'd love to hear from you J It helps me improve
Stay tuned for the next one. Love you guys :D
-akampana
Hey, I know I haven't been the most responsive person ever, but I hope it's not too late to start. J You guys motivate me to write after all.
Reihime: Hi! Thanks for reading! Yeah I love both pairings so much, and DiarmuidxArturiaxGil is my ultimate OT3! Aw thank you so much, though really, this and Sweet Nothings are the first fics I've written and the were conceived around the same time so yeah. I'm trying to make my chapters longer Jand Gil's here YAY! (I think I might have replied a long time ago, but you were my first review, and you made me really happy, so thanks. J I hope you're still interested in this little fic of mine.) The next fic will be up around next week J
rain: Heya! I know there's only such a small chance you'll get to read this, but thanks for reviewing! J Yeah! I'm desperately trying to make this a regular thing but it usually takes two weeks to make because studies, but I do try my best. J I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, Diarmuid has really got it tough. L It makes me sad when I think about it. He didn't do anything wrong.
Deviling: Heya! Thank you for dropping a review! I hope you're still reading. The plot hasn't even taken off just yet J. Thank you so much! I'm not really one for writing tragedy and sad stuff, but thanks! I'm gonna improve too! And theplot's building up yeaaahhh almost done with the intro parts now J
Skurdandiri: Hi! Thanks, I appreciate it! J And yeah, I think I should change it, but until I find a better summary, here's the chapter the line came from. J Sorry the plot was a little slow, but I finally reached a checkpoint of sorts where Cu said that line XD Anyway, thanks for the comment, I'll work on it soon. Aw, really? Thanks :D Well, I thought that too, but I read that Arturia's wedding day was actually happy for her and that she tried to be a good husband to Guinevere anyway, so despite the affair with Lancelot I'd say they were at least on good terms. Lancelot's here! :D
Guest: I don't know who you are, but I will find you and I will SAY THANK YOUUUUUUU! I try to improve each work and each chapter goes through a lot reviewing, so I hope you'll enjoy the rest of my works! Thanks for reading!
ShinigamiChick39: Heya! Thank you so much! :3 It makes me so happy to hear that :D Don't worry, I'll finish this fic, no matter how long it takes! XD
Nafa Nafalfa: Hey! Thanks for dropping a review! I don't have a regular updating schedule OTL and I should have one :P But it takes me usually two weeks and I do try to update when I can. J I hope you stay to the end! :D
Guest: Hi! I have a feeling it's just one person who wrote this series of reviews, and I'm sooo touched aww! :3 I wish you'd leave a name so I could properly thank you! (That goes for all the other Guests too :D) Don't you worry! I am not abandoning this plot any time soon. :D The next chapteris in the works, so I'll be back maybe next week! Do keep reading! Thank youuuu XD
Shaaniqua: Hello! Thank you, I'm so glad you think so! But do stay tuned, there's so much more where that came from ;)
ahtram: Thank you so much! I put my best into all the chapters, so I'm glad to know it paid off. I'm happy you like the plot, but there's really a whole lot more coming so I hope you keep reading! Thank you!
Guest: Hi! OMG DID YOU LOVETHESERIESLIKEIDIDOMG? I know how you feel about that post anime thing XD And actually, mine hasn't ended yet. I'm at the 'read all the characters' wikis stage'. Thanks! I like it too. It makes me feel like the story is more connected to the anime when I mesh lines like that. J Glad you liked it! I will! Thank you! (I wish I knew a username so I could properly thank you!)
Snow: Hello there! Thank you so much! I'm happy you think so! It's always challenging to bring out the drama, but I'm practicing my angst hehehehe. I hope you keep reading!
Mrs-Doitsu: Heya! Don't ya worry! I'm not dropping this story! The next chapter will be up really soon, I promise! Thank you so much for reviewing! XD I'm so happy you're so excited Anon-chan!
Guest: Hi! It's you again isn't it XD. Don't worry, I promise I'm getting to it XD
NyanCos: YEAAAAH REUNION! And Iskandar is boss and I love him! About the other Archer, he'llbe there real soon ;) I'm so glad you liked this chapter! I'm going to update a loooot more. I'm already working on the next chapter and things are finally moving YAY! Thank you so much for reading my story! XD
fanficlove2014: Hello! Thanks for reviewing! XD I have a lot planned. ;) ;) ;) Thank you! It's actually difficult writing a character you don't own, so I'm ridiculously happy you like it! Like I'm literally giggling like a…like a…hyena? I ! That's just how the OT3 acts. All hail the OT3!
Thank you soooo much! I love that paragraph too, even if it took ages to make. J I imagine Saber has that effect on people J AH I'm so glad you like my Gil! He's so challenging to write I swear! Thank you so much!
Yeah! Iskandar is the best! And I dunno, it's just I see Cu and him getting along. J Butseriously, the guy can get along with anyone.
TekoloKuautli: Heya! Can I just…wow thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked those parts. I really did want to make it seem like everyone was present at the scene. It was hard to transition from character to character, but it was fun too! It's my first time writing so many people at once. Archer will get here soon J Yeah, Medea's life was just completely depressing. L Yeah, Hercules is here too, but I refer to him as Heracles, if that's cool. Aw, thank you so much! 3
Guest: Hello! :3 Thank you for reading my work! Come back soon Anon! There'll be more cute scenes in the far future so please keep reading! Thanks for the review.
Guest: Yeah, me too! I'mglad somebody else thinks that way! I really do think Medea and Saber should be friends! They just seem compatible that way.
AquaticSilver: Wow thank you! I'm happy you read my story! Gil totally bought the entire store. He walked in and presented a slab of gold like it was nothing for payment, and ended up buying everything. HAHAHA Thank you for the review! :D
To all: Thank you for your continued support! The next chapter is under works: Old Ties and New Ties
