Chapter 5: Fate# 1.0

Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova doesn't find herself interested in the event which is being hosted inside the ballroom for the moment as her attention is focused more on her escort for the evening, who had introduced himself as Hachiman Hikigaya. The boy had informed her presently that her master, Kadoc Zemlupus, had been held back on some urgent business and therefore his chances of attending this event with her were diminished significantly.

Anastasia was an imperial princess. She was the youngest daughter of Nikolay II, the last Tsar of the Russian Empire. Therefore, she did not pout when disappointed about something, even when it was something thoroughly displeasing.

"How do you know my Master? Are you related?"

The insignificant human boy leveled her with an impassioned look. "No, we are not related. What gave you that idea?"

"Your overall disposition and the look in your eyes. I bet you are also a masochist and hold certain self depreciating notion about yourself, not to mention you have the same body type. It also didn't escape my attention how you keep looking at the exit from time to time. You would rather be anywhere but here just like him." Anastasia scoffed. "Had it not been for the difference in your hair colour, I would have thought you were brothers who had been separated during birth."

"…I am getting the idea that you don't especially like me."

"Oh, you are not as dimwitted as I initially thought." Then as an afterthought she asked. "How do you two even know each other?"

"We don't really know each other that well." He rubbed the back of his neck, uncertainly. "We just bump into each other in the university library sometimes. He is there, getting books for his magus training. And I am there looking for books about popular literature. Sometimes we talk. Believe it or not, people look at you strangely when you don't talk in the library these days. It used to be that one place where loners could relax. But now we have to hold up conversations there also."

Anastasia now was a bit more interested in him. "What do you talk about?"

"The usual stuff. I ask him when the world is about to end. He glares at me and then tries to explain the whole fate-lore. Like I can understand that stuff. But I nod by head and listen to him. And sometimes he listens to my normal life problems. You know, like how the personal maid/valet of a rich heiress had been stalking me. Or the time I solved a supernatural ailment by taking a group photo. Stuff like that, nothing else."

Anastasia could now see some of the dissimilarities between the two. He was not as jaded and emotionally crippled as her master, even though he harboured a sense of darkness and gloom in his overall personality. But that is to be expected. He didn't belong to their world.

He was a normal human being, maybe not that normal because he had some knowledge about the workings of her world. But did he truly know what he was dealing with, who he was talking to at the moment. There was only one way to find out.

"Do you know who I am, Hachiman Hikigaya?"

He looked at her expressionlessly.

"You are Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova. I know full well who you are, your highness."

She gave a curt nod. "Then you may address me with my formal title."

"As you wish your ladyship."

"Careful, Hikigaya-san. I am old enough to know sarcasm."

"Very well. Though I have to say, when you speak like that, it makes you sound quite younger."

She blushed. "I am young. I was assassinated when I was a mere child."

Suddenly, he looked alarmed. "Please your highness, don't talk like that. Or at least don't refer to yourself as a child, even though at this age you still play with a doll."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, just," He scratched his chin and changed the topic of discussion altogether. "I was wondering how you became a heroic spirit."

Anastasia felt colour rise to her cheeks. "I thought you didn't know how this worked."

He gave a half hearted smile. "I do know a couple of things. As I said, I do listen to Kadoc sometimes."

While blushing she huffed and answered. "Didn't I tell you, that I was assassinated. That is enough to become a heroic spirit." She lied. Then to further prove her point she added. "I mean look at this from another point of view."

"Like what?"

"Jesus died for your sins. He's famous."

"You mean -"

"Using that same logic, I became a heroic spirit." She kept up the ruse.

He listened to her quietly, then after a moment of silence, he gave a dry chuckle.

"I guess that's what this world needs, a lady Jesus."

Anastasia dared him to crack a smile. "From now on you may address me as, your holyship."

"Is that even a word?"

"No excuses, Hachiman Hikigaya." Anastasia said his name with a huff.

The two of them walked into the ballroom which was located inside the welcome center of the university.

As her escort, he proffered her an elbow and she locked her arm with his and walked inside to meet the crowd which laid in wait for her arrival.

Or that was what she thought.

As expected, she was in for a disappointment.

A/N: This was a short chapter, but because Anastasia's character has many layers, I decided to work with the cold side of her for now. I think this dance and ballroom chapters will become a little arc where I will deal with the Fate characters which are suggested.

So keeping that in mind, here are the options for the next chapter:

Option 1: Anastasia.

Option 2: Mordred Pendragon.

Option 3: Rin Tohsaka

Please pick any of the above options.

Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter,

Leave lots and lots of reviews, follow and fave.

Won't betray your dreams.