Review, Explanations, and Fun Things (Can Be Skipped)
Finally getting back to Sword and Vanadis. Honestly been wanting to get back to this for awhile, but my other two stories have taken the majority because of inspiration and such. I want to upload on this more regularly in the future, so don't worry, more chapters will come soon. I guess to clear some stuff up, Shirou will be Tigre in this. He'll use his real name as an alias, but he usually introduces himself as Tigre. His fighting style last chapter was because he was fighting multiple opponents and he didn't want to waste energy when he could use that style to kill other's easily. He has a more set style that I haven't shown yet.
For why he didn't do more at the end, he was low on mana and was exhausted. Plus, he wasn't in a good position anyway, being surrounded and all. I will be diverging from Canon, but this is mainly to get the story up and running. I saw people ask about his tracing, yes, he can trace. I put in a few bits in the last chapter, but they must not have been clear enough.
Compared to Tigre, Shirou's province is actually a lot more prosperous because of his knowledge of the modern world and he is skilled with things other than his bow. He is also a bit more laid back than his canon counterpart, adopting a bit of a Muramasa mindset. Not a lot, but a bit. Now, before I talk about more stuff, on to the story.
Chapter 2
Shirou let out another sigh. He was currently thinking of ways in which he could escape with the least amount of destruction and death. It had nothing to do with being held as a prisoner, it was actually because he didn't want to worry Titta. Plus, he had some people he tended to visit and take care of. Hopefully Titta would be able to keep things running while he was on his 'vacation.'
He laid his head back against the stone wall, holding his bow close to his body. They took his sword, but he figured that was fair. At least they left his bow. They didn't leave any arrows with him, obviously, but he could always trace some if he really wanted to. It wasn't worth it at the time. He closed his eyes, deciding to rest them for awhile.
His mind wandered, seeing all the people of his home and province. He envisioned seeing Ayako's face, smiling at him as the two cooked in their home for their children. He remembered Nobu, standing atop the bridge of Fuyuki with him, looking out across the city. He then saw Titta, waking him from his slumber in the forge or underneath trees. Remembering their faces always gave him strength.
He began to think about a few different ideas he had that may help his home, but his thoughts were quickly cut short when the door opened. He opened one of his eyes and saw a blonde haired woman with blue eyes enter the room. Shirou liked to think of himself as cool headed and resistant to the charms of women. He had met and fought many beautiful women in his past life. However, the woman in front of him was beautiful and, he had to admit, had impressive proportions. He was actually glad for his interactions with Rider, they allowed him to keep an impassive face against the woman.
Then again, he was probably able to hold it together because, despite the differences, he still found Ayako to be more beautiful. Though, the woman's choice of clothing was a bit much. "Why are you sleeping on the floor?" She asked him. He raised a brow.
"The bed was a bit too soft." He half lied. It really had more to do with the fact that it wasn't his own bed. Though, the bed was a bit too soft. He wondered if it was a foreign thing. Then there was the fact he had only slept for about an hour or two.
"You seem awfully calm and laid back for someone who just fought and lost a battle." She said with her somewhat low voice.
"Considering I'm alive, I don't see a whole lot to be worried about. Unless you plan on beheading me right now. In which case, I can offer up a few protests and screams if it'd make you feel better." He said with a small smirk on his face. The woman's eyes widened before they narrowed. Shirou let out a laugh, "Can I ask why you came to visit my humble abode?"
The woman let out a huff, before looking at him in the eyes. "Lady Eleonora wishes to speak with you. So, please, follow me." She said, turning around and heading out of the door. Shirou let out a sigh, before laying his bow on the bed. He stretched out and removed the small cricks in his body. He figured he might as well follow along. Not like he had much else to do, plus he could get a feel for the layout.
The two walked through, what Shirou assumed, was a castle. He carefully took note of every area that he may be able to exploit. He had a few swords ready to call on, Boudica's sword, Joyeuse, La Pucelle, and even Merodach, though the last one would take up a good chunk of his reserves if he fired it off. Those four were the best swords he had that he could use proficiently for an extended amount of time, besides his katanas. Next would be two handers, then spears.
Honestly, he didn't want to have to call on them, but if it came down to it, he would have to call on his more dangerous weapons. The two finally arrived to their destination. The woman opening the door and leading him inside. The moment he entered, his eyes laid upon the sword on the desk of the war maiden. Heshikiri Hasebe, his sword, was laying there, the cloth strip had been broken, telling him that it was drawn. The thought that someone drew the blade of his servant, a blade he poured everything into forging, frustrated him.
Apparently, his irritation must have been showing, as the next words spoken addressed him. "Something the matter, Count Vorn?" Shirou took a deep breath and looked towards the voice, seeing the war maiden he had been captured by. She had long white hair and seemed to be dressed more casual than before. Though, the clothes still seemed well made.
"It's nothing, just had something on my mind. I was told you wished to speak with me." He said in a calm and collected tone. It wouldn't do to allow his emotions to get the better of him. He didn't take pride in a lot of things, nor was he overly attached, however, when it came to reminders of his home and those he loved, that was a different story altogether.
"Ah, yes, I wished to inform you about the current affairs that surround you." The war maiden, Eleonora Viltaria, sat behind her desk with her arms crossed. Shirou raised a brow at the war maiden's words.
"I see. Quite generous of my captors to keep me in the loop. What exactly are the current affairs surrounding me?" Shirou asked, a bit interested in what she would say next. Admittedly, anything she said would be better than being executed, so he wouldn't complain. The war maiden looked at him and had a sweet smile on her face.
"Currently, we have sent word of your capture to your country. In return for freeing you, we demand 70,000 Denier as payment." Shirou's eyebrow twitched slightly, before tilting his head to one side. The war maiden and her, what Shirou assumed, bodyguard, were watching him closely. He surprised them both when he began to laugh.
Admittedly, Shirou didn't know what else to do other than laugh. He had expected a lot of things, but to try and ransom him off to Brune was actually kind of funny. Shirou already knew that the aristocrats of Brune would more likely cut off their own arms than try and buy him back. "Well, I hope you aren't counting on getting that money from Brune." He then stopped and began to think, muttering quietly to himself. "Alsace might be able to pull it off though, if Titta is careful enough and has a few others to help."
The two woman seemed shocked at his words, especially when hearing that his little province may be able to come up with it. "Well, Brune has fifty days to comply, so there isn't much time to waste on their side." The bodyguard said to him, though Shirou was only half listening at this point. He would prefer to not have to lose all of Alsace's money, it took him awhile to get his province to where it is now. He began wondering if he really should just break out.
"If the ransom is not paid, well..." The war maiden added, however, Shirou interrupted her.
"I'll more than likely become a slave or something as according to the treaty of our countries. I know." Shirou let out a sigh. "Honestly, I didn't realize you war maidens were that hard up for money. That amount is a bit insane, especially for someone like me." He said with a wry smile. Honestly, he didn't understand why they asked for that much. He was just a Count, or Earl if they preferred, though Shirou didn't think it really mattered.
Though, something he said must have bothered the bodyguard, since she seemed slightly offended by something he said. "Actually, the money is secondary to the real reason for why you are here. You see, there is something that only you can do, and I wish to see it with my own eyes." She said with a smile. Shirou raised a brow, obviously not understanding what exactly a prisoner like him could do for her.
Needless to say, Shirou wasn't expecting to be led out to an archery range. He also wasn't expecting a crowd to be watching him. Mostly jeers and such, he figured that was fair, he knew he killed at least seventy five people. He lost count after that, so the number may be a bit off. He hated being a spectacle though. Even in his old world, he disliked participating in tournaments, no matter how much Ayako insisted on him competing.
He let out a sigh, he supposed he might as well just hit the bullseye a few times. Maybe that will appease whatever the war maiden wanted. He picked up the bow that was chosen for him, though he would have much preferred to use his own. The moment he picked up the bow, Shirou felt like breaking it over his knee.
The bow was, to put it lightly, a piece of trash. The string was poor quality and had some slack to it. Not to mention the wood was low quality and horribly balanced, not to mention there was warping. The grip was terrible and could cause slippage. The thing looked like it would fall apart. Everything about the bow felt like a disgrace to bowyers everywhere, well, in his world at least. He had yet to meet one in this world, he doubted if there even was such a profession here.
He supposed he could just trace his bow, but he didn't feel like revealing that card just yet. The hammer of a flintlock fired in his mind. "Trace on." he whispered quietly, analyzing the bow in his hands. "I see, I suppose I can work with this." He said to himself, though it seemed that the bodyguard had heard him.
"Is there a problem?" She asked with her usual emotionless voice. Shirou didn't expect her to actually hear him, so he was a bit caught off guard.
"No, just talking to myself I suppose." He answered, before making his way to the archer's platform. He was given four arrows of average quality. 'At least these aren't as shoddy as the bow.' he thought to himself.
He looked at the target in the distance, not understanding what would be impressive about hitting a target so close. It was about 300 meters away, or Alsin's which was this world's measuring distance. He could hit that in his sleep, even with the junk bow and average arrows. He then noticed the war maiden, sitting off to the side with her sword beside her.
She seemed somewhat excited, though Shirou himself didn't understand why. Even before he fought a future version of himself, he could still hit a bullseye at a far greater distance than 300 alsin's. She noticed him looking, so Shirou simply offered a somewhat awkward smile, before focusing again on the target.
He knocked an arrow and took aim. At the distance he was at, the wind wouldn't play a factor with his shots. Maybe when he was first starting out it would, but he was fairly confident in his shooting strength. He pulled the string back, taking in a breath as he did so. He then loosed the arrow.
The arrow cut through the air in a straight line, a whistle being heard just before a thunk. Shirou had blocked out all sounds, only seeing his target. Like a well oiled machine, Shirou grabbed another arrow, before following his previous movements precisely, letting loose another arrow, splitting his previous arrow in two.
Shirou stopped for a moment. He smelled something, it wasn't magic he was smelling. No, it was poison of some kind. In his peripheral vision, he saw a shadow running on the ramparts, before it stopped and pointed what appeared to be a crossbow, or arbalest, at the war maiden. 'I see, an assassin.' He thought to himself.
He let out a sigh, he was a prisoner and an enemy, but he was still Shirou Emiya at his core. The bolt was fired from the arbalest, at the same time, Shirou had already deduced the trajectory and quickly loosed his own arrow to intercept. It was obvious that no one had noticed the shadow until he changed his trajectory, but he could hear people moving to intercept the assassin.
Most notably, the bodyguard of the war maiden. His arrow had been subtly reinforced, knowing that he needed it to be able to stand up to the bolt. The arrow then collided with the bolt, rendering the attempt a failure. He looked up at the assassin, who was now panicking. He was stunned for a moment, before running. He heard the bodyguard yelling out, "Capture him alive!"
"He's pretty quick on his feet. Allow me to offer some assistance." He said to her, before nocking his last arrow. He narrowed his eyes, before letting loose his arrow. The arrow arced up through the air and fell directly down into the enemy's kneecap. He heard cries of pain and knew that his shot had hit directly where he wanted.
He then heard the soldiers all muttering to themselves and speaking out in awe of his shot. Sure he hit a moving target at over 300 alsin's, but it really wasn't anything to call home about. He looked down at the bow in his hands, before dropping it to the ground. The bow couldn't withstand another shot from him, so it was practically broken anyways. He noticed the bodyguard raise an eyebrow at the action, but said nothing.
He looked over towards the war maiden, who was now standing and smiling at him. "I'm all out of arrows, if there's anything else, I'll need some more." He said to her, rubbing the back of his head. The war maiden only smiled at him with glee.
"No, I think you did more than enough." She spoke, though Shirou could feel some wind emanate from the sword now on her hip. If he was anyone else, he would probably think it was random, but he knew that it was the sword. He could feel that the sword was also pleased with his showing. He gave a small smile towards the sword. It was a sentient blade, something rare even in his own world.
The bodyguard then led him back to his room after the debacle. The murmurs he overheard from the people watching were hard to miss. Each was talking about his skill with a bow. He raised a brow, not understanding the big deal. If he was using reinforcement and his sword arrows, he could probably hit something at two kilometers. He wasn't a servant, so he couldn't hit four kilometers like his future self. But, he figured two was good enough for a human.
Once inside of his room, he sat on the bed and held his bow once again. The moment it was in his hands, he could feel how perfect the bow was. This bow would not be beaten by any other, save for one. The Black Bow inside of his family's ancestral home. For some reason, that bow had a feel to it that was perfectly suited to him.
He had once tried to analyze it, but was quickly rejected. It was strange, it was as if the bow simply shook its head at him and told him that it didn't like him doing that. Rather than stab his brain and try to give him a stroke like Ea did. He had never used the bow, but he knew that it was perfect in every way. He even knew that he could fire his noble phantasms from it, in fact, he knew that the bow may even empower them to their original glory.
However, his father told him to only use when he truly needed it. Such a need had never arose. He laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. He sorted through the blades of in his reality marble, mentally altering them, trying to find the best way to do so. Some were a bit trickier than others. So far, the only arrows he had, were Caladbolg, Hrunting, Durindana, Merodach, and La Pucelle.
He wondered if he should start trying to alter them into bullets, but he doubted he'd be able to do so without a lot of practice. As he was sorting through the noble phantasms, his mind began to drift into sleep. For the first time in awhile. He had a peaceful dream. A dream that he longed to have since he arrived in this world. A dream of his old world.
A smile appeared on his face. The dream was of one of the more happy times he spent with his family. It was the time that he had been showing his daughter archery. Ayako was cooking inside and his other daughter was helping her. They were peaceful times, ones that Shirou remembered fondly. It wasn't a stretch to say, that those times are what he had given his life for.
Seeing the smile on his daughter's face when she had hit the center of the target for the first time. The smile on his wife's face after each of their children were born. Or the smile on his other daughter's face when she had managed to recreate one of the swords in his workshop. Even his own happiness was something he remembered fondly, as he knew how amazing each of his children were.
He never imagined having a family before he was dragged into the grail war. However, he never regretted it. It was something that had given him meaning and happiness. His dream of being a hero was still there, and he even made good on that dream, but he always made sure to be with his family.
His dream then showed him one of the girls he met in his new life. He had never got her name, but the two hunted together for a few days. He was a lot farther south of Alsace than he normally was, but he had heard a small earth dragon was in the area. That was where he met a girl with short, blue hair. He called her blue, not very imaginative, but it worked for the hunt. She was quite good with a bow, he had to say.
It was an enjoyable experience. The hunt for the dragon ended up being a waste, as they found no sight of it. However, the two managed to hunt a few other creatures and get some good hides and meat. His dream even replicated the smell of the tea she had made for him. He idly wondered if he would ever meet her again. He hoped so, but he knew the odds weren't in his favor.
As the dream continued, it shifted into showing him with Titta in his new world. After one of the times he had inadvertently almost blown himself up. She had apparently began spending time at the manor because of a maid she visited. Because of that, she was always there, ever since he could remember his time in this new world. If he had to put it a certain way. She made his time in the new world a lot easier. He did wish she wouldn't be so caught up on the proper etiquette and such.
He remembered the time that he returned from a hunt and gave her some gloves that he had made as a gift for the half cooked cake she made for him. He may have cheated with a bit of magecraft, but at least he knew the gloves were sturdy. He remembered how happy she was when she received them. It was a happy memory he had of her.
Sadly, he couldn't bring himself to enjoy the dream any longer, as the longer he saw Titta, the more he was reminded that he needed to get back home to her. She was more than likely worried sick and had more than likely received the ransom. She was smart and knew everything about him, including his finances and his secret stash of money. With a little help, he knew she would manage to pay his ransom.
The thing was, that he didn't want her to pay his ransom. It was far too much money and would damage what he had managed to build up. Alsace wasn't nearly profitable enough to withstand that. Plus, that money was put aside for the future, well, for the future he thought was most likely at the moment. He knew that if he was going to do something, it'd have to be soon. His senses were beginning to flare up.
He opened his eyes and sat up on his bed just as the door to his room was opened. It was the bodyguard again, telling him he was called by the war maiden once again. As the two began to make their way to the war maiden, Shirou noticed that more people looking at him than before. It was more uncomfortable than he imagined it would. How Ayako enjoyed tournaments was beyond him.
Finally, the pair made it to the war maiden's room. After knocking and telling her that she had brought him as instructed, the two were allowed in. Honestly, the office was rather well decorated when compared to his. Then again, he didn't live in a castle, or fortress. He took note of the flags held up, one was the flag of Zhcted, the other was more than likely the war maiden's personal banner. He remembered seeing it on the battlefield as he cut down their soldiers.
The war maiden seemed to be finishing up paperwork, or something. She looked up and smiled, "So, did you have to wake him up this time?" She asked her bodyguard, however, she merely shook her head.
"No, he was awake when I arrived, just like before." She answered the war maiden, who furrowed her brows. It seemed something was bothering her.
"You must be an early riser if you were already awake." She said to him. Though Shirou was a bit thrown off by her casual attitude.
"I can go a few days without sleep, so it isn't a big deal." He answered with a shrug. Though it seemed like his answer somewhat bothered the two. Even the emotionless bodyguard seemed a bit caught off guard. "Something wrong with what I said?" He asked.
Eleonora shook her head, "No, not at all, just a bit surprising is all. I called you here to apologize actually." She said as she bowed her head. The action surprised Shirou, as he didn't quite understand what the war maiden was apologizing for.
He rubbed the back of his head and quirked a brow. "Eh, what exactly are you apologizing for? I don't remember you doing anything that would offend me." He said to her, a bit uncomfortable.
"The bow that had been selected for you, it was not my intention to give you a bow so shoddily constructed." Shirou then understood.
"I see. Well, horrible craftsmanship aside, the bow still functioned as intended so, it really isn't a big deal. I mean, a tool is only as good as its wielder." He answered, warning the war maiden to quit bowing her head. Thankfully she did, but she seemed confused by his words. "Besides, I don't care if someone wanted to try and make me look bad, I care little about the opinions of others."
"Do you really have such little pride?" Said the bodyguard, obviously a little miffed if Shirou heard her tone right. He didn't understand why she would be upset about his lack of pride.
"I take pride in things that matter, like my family, the smiles of my people, and Alsace. Personal pride means very little to me." He answered in complete seriousness. "Pride is what gets people killed." He said, remembering many instances where such pride was the cause of numerous casualties in war and the like, both in this world and his old one. Magus families were one such example.
Both women looked at him with strange looks. As if he was some sort of rare animal. "Those aren't words I expected to hear from a nobleman." Eleonora said to him.
"Well, if you were from Brune, then you'd know that I am only a noble in name only. Alsace is so far removed from the kingdom that many consider me a lord of a backwater province that is filled with hunters and farmers. But, a lord is lord, and I am begrudgingly accepted. As long as Alsace wishes for me to be their leader, then I will do so to my dying breath." He answered.
He wanted to sigh, but held it in. The room was quiet, as the two women seemed to be at a loss for words. Shirou coughed into his fist. "So, can I ask why you asked for me to put on that show yesterday?" He wished to know why he subjected himself to be a spectacle. The war maiden looked at him with wide eyes, before she began to laugh.
"I think that Lim should answer that question." She said, nodding towards her bodyguard, who Shirou now knew was called Lim. It was nice to put a name to the face now. Though, she seemed to have an unfriendly expression as she thought about her next words.
"Well, many of the soldiers, which include me as well, expressed frustration and anger at the fact that our leader, the war maiden Eleonora, had taken you as a prisoner when she had not done so before." She answered. Shirou tilted his head, still not understanding what the bid deal was.
"Alright? I think I'm missing something here."
"There may have been a rumor that was spread throughout the soldiers." Eleonora answer, Though Shirou only quirked a brow. "A rumor that I fell in love you the moment I laid eyes on you." She said with a smile. Shirou looked at her for a moment. He brought a hand to his face and let out a sigh.
"I see, so that's what all this has been about." He said simply, though internally he was beating himself up. He really did have the worst luck when it came to these kinds of things. It was always after he killed someone that these things happened. First Shinji after he put an arrow through his head for kidnapping Ayako, now after he killed at least 70 people at the Dinant Plains. Why couldn't romance be simple, like with Titta. At least that made some sense.
"Yes, that was why. Those kinds of things are always proper, the drama of love blooming on a battlefield. Though, I wouldn't say that I fell in love with you at first sight, though I certainly did like what I saw." Eleonora said with her usual radiant smile.
"What you saw? I don't think I showed you anything that great." He answered her, getting her to let out a laugh in response. He raised a brow.
"You don't find your skill with a bow worthy of admiration?" He thought about it for a moment, before realizing that Ayako was similar. He let out another sigh. He conceded defeat. "I thought so, though I will say that the soldiers did overreact. So, I simply had you prove your worth with a little show." She said to him.
"Another reason why I did that was because you entertain me." Shirou once again raised a brow, preferring to speak when necessary. He didn't want to say something that could be turned around on him. "Yes, considering everything that happened with the battle, it was still terrible and disappointing." Shirou realized that she sounded like a little girl who found out she couldn't have dessert, or that it wasn't as good as she assumed it would be. It irked him somewhat.
"I had expected a brutal and valiant battle, with my side numbering five thousand and your side having five times that. I spent a good deal of time planning out many different strategies and only ended up winning with the first plan in one night." Okay, she was starting to sound a bit like Nobu. "Winning like that was incredibly dull and boring."
"Yes, the ambush in the middle of the night. If I'm not mistaken, a pincer attack happened as well. Everything fell apart for Brune, the morale was low and without the prince to lead, no one had any real conviction to fight hard. With the prince missing or dead, well, there was no real reason to continue." He said, remembering the time he met the prince when he was younger. It was sad, but war was hell.
"You don't seem terribly upset about your loss." He heard the one named Lim say, with obvious discontent present in her voice. He didn't exactly understand why she seemed so upset with him. Prisoner or no, he hadn't been overly hostile and has actually been quite obedient so far.
"It was the Brune's loss, not mine personally. I was only a soldier in the prince's army doing my duty, as were my banner men, who I'm pretty sure made it home safely. Honestly, I find nothing to be disappointed about, considering I'm alive, and Alsace is safe. Besides, war is war, I know I killed a good number of your people too. In war, people die on both sides. To hold the death's of people I don't know against you would be the height of stupidity." He said with straight and even voice.
Shirou hated war. Though he understood the need for it. But, that didn't mean he had to like it. His words seemed to shock the women, but Eleonora recovered and decided to continue. "Yes, well, with the prince gone, word quickly spread and the vanguard collapsed, we routed those that ran and that was that. As I said, it was disappointing."
"Then I was attacked by a certain red archer." She said with a smile. "Even in a situation as hopeless as yours, you still decided to attack me. I could see it in your eyes, your will to fight remained sturdy. It wasn't desperation. Honestly, your attack did surprise me. Seeing such a person made my heart race."
Shirou wondered what kind of world he was in. What kind of person's heart races when they have an attempt on their life. "I was surprised by your willingness to surrender though, that did catch me off guard. Though, it allowed me to capture you alive, so I do appreciate it."
"Well, I was fighting throughout the night and I ran out of arrows at the end. Exhaustion played a large part in that. Plus, I didn't feel like pitting my sword against yours." He said to her, leaving out the fact that he probably had enough energy to take her on, but it would have been heavily in her favor. His mana was low and his physical body didn't feel like going on any longer. A double knock out wouldn't have done him any good.
"Still, those arrows of yours were something. You even shot down Lim's horse with one of them. From that range, it was incredible." Once again, Shirou didn't find that too impressive. Then he realized what she said. He turned to the woman, who only looked at him. Now he understood why she was like that.
"My full name is Limlisha, a pleasure Count Tigrevurmud Vorn." She said to him. Limlisha, Lim, so it was a nickname. Well, it was nice to know. He smiled and nodded his head, before Eleonora stepped up closely to him, somewhat catching him off guard.
"Your name, its quite long for someone in your country. Any particular reason?" She asked him. Shirou thought about it for a moment, as he really only went by Tigre these days. Some people called him Shirou, though it was more of an alias he liked to use at this point.
"It's ancestral, I believe someone from my family was named that a long time ago. Why that was chosen for my name, I have no idea. You can call me Tigre, since my name's long and I actually prefer Tigre anyway." He answered her. He debated telling her to call him Shirou, but figured he shouldn't go down that road. It may be of use one day and he didn't feel like sharing it at this point. Maybe if his hair went white, he'd go back to it.
Eleonora hummed for a moment, before replying, "Very well, Tigre. I ask that you refer to me as Ellen then, since I myself prefer that as well." She gave him another of her usual sweet smiles. Before looking at him seriously. "Tigre, will you serve under me?"
Shirou blinked, he didn't expect to hear that. An offer to serve under a war maiden? "You will be treated as you are now, with an appropriate title and salary, everything you have now in Brune, and unlike Brune, you will not be discriminated against here." She said to him, sweetening the deal. "I really want you."
Honestly, the deal was actually really good. He decided to ignore that last bit, he didn't need to be thinking of that right now. If he was someone who cared about individual merits and the like, he would probably accept. But, he had a responsibility to Alsace. He was their guardian. For that, he couldn't, abandon them. Though, he began to have an idea brew in his head. What if Alsace wasn't a part of Brune?
What if Alsace ceded to Zhcted? He'd be called a traitor and all that, but he didn't really care about all of that. On the flip side, if he did that, Brune would likely try and destroy them and take them back. Lives would be lost and that would be that. However, with the prince gone or dead, the power vacuum in the kingdom would likely drag them into war anyway. 'Tch, Nobu, what would you do? How would you play it?'
Shirou had gone against the odds before. The odds of this were unfavorable, but if it worked, then Alsace would be protected. What if he decided to reunite Brune with the war maiden at his side for Zhcted? 'Plan farther, Shirou. A plan so crazy Nobu would think twice.' Okay, how would this work? If he did that, then Brune would be in a unfavorable position later. If only the prince were alive, he could come up with something to reunite Brune, while maintaining a strong front against its enemies.
He was beginning to have a headache. Right now, his plan was nearly impossible. However, if he could manage it and a few things happened perfectly, he could save Alsace and keep it protected. The offer was good and he could probably come up with something but, he couldn't risk Alsace. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I appreciate it and I doubt I'd get another invitation like it."
"Is there a reason why you have refused?" She asked him, not showing any disappointment.
"I cannot risk Alsace, it is my home and I swore to protect her. It only has four villages and a small town, but they are mine to protect." Shirou decided to throw in a little bit of bait, just to plant a seed. "If the offer included Alsace, I may have accepted." He said with a smile.
Her face seemed somewhat surprised, almost as if she hadn't thought about that. He wanted to laugh, but held it in. "I see, I believe Alsace is separated from us by a mountain, correct?" Shirou wanted to smirk, but only nodded. That was something he wanted to hear. "Well, be that as it may, you are here for the moment. I will give you time to reconsider, but remember, if the ransom is not paid by the deadline. You will be sold to a merchant." She said calmly.
Shirou didn't react in any way, knowing that his seed would now spread. He could wait for awhile, see what happens, but he would be planning his escape. He needed to return home, plus, he had seen many areas in which he could escape. Magecraft was his trump card in that regard. "Understood, milady. I doubt it will come to that, but if it does, then so be it." He said with a strong voice.
Ellen looked at him with an appraising eye. "I'm somewhat surprised, I figured you would at least offer some kind of counteroffer, or negotiate, but it seems I was wrong." Shirou quickly answered.
"Oh, but I did provide one. Alsace." He said with a smile. Causing Ellen to flinch slightly. He looked to the sword, and felt a surge of approval from it. "Though, I can see that may be asking too much. Oh well, I'll just have to wait for the deadline."
"I see, that is quite bold of you. You would ask Alsace to come with you? Very well, I shall think on your offer, however, you should think on mine, as it is a more likely outcome. In any case, until your deadline, I will permit you to walk around in public areas. I don't want you to get sick from staying in that cramped room all day, every day. Just know, if you go near the ramparts, it will be considered an escape and I will respond appropriately."
Shirou was surprised by that, but it served his needs. She thought she was the one in control, but she was underestimating him. Under the right circumstances, he can slay a dragon. He had faced one on one of his hunts in the mountains. So, he would this. She didn't know it, but she had lost. Soon, either she would return with him to Alsace to take it, or he would return home alone and protect it from all who came against it. He nodded in response to her words.
"Very well, then you shall be returned to your room and tomorrow, you shall be allowed to walk freely." Shirou was then walked out and back to his room, though Lim was not the one who did it. It was obvious that they were more than likely talking about his offer.
In his room, he began to map out the layout he had seen so far. Over the next ten days, he would walk through and map out all other places he could see. That was all the time he would give, as he wished to return home to Titta. Besides, the food so far was subpar compared to what she made him. He reached into his shirt and took out the amulet he wore.
It was something that Titta had given to him a long time ago. The amulet had two faces, on one side was Eris, goddess of air and wind, while the other only had a depiction of a bow. It was one of the more precious items he kept. He held onto it as he laid down on the bed. Soon, he would be escaping and returning to her. However, he wouldn't be returning as he was when he left. It was time he stopped hiding what he could do. He would protect Alsace, he would protect Titta, and he would do it with all of his power. 'I am the bone of my sword.'
Unknown to Shirou, the forces of fate would be in his favor. Brune would be facing a civil war. Shirou's plan would soon be coming to fruition, however, it wouldn't be in the way he wanted. The one known as Shirou Emiya, now Tigrevurmud Vorn, would soon become a major player in the war for Brune.
That is the end of this chapter, a lot of dialogue and following the canon, however, the divergence will be coming soon. I have already changed a few things. Now, I want to say that, I will be mixing the anime and light novel events a bit. Hopefully, I'll manage to make an enjoyable story for everyone. For anyone that has read the light novel, you'll know a lot of talking takes place. I want to change it up and include a decent amount of action. As such, Shirou will be in the thick of things. He isn't Tigre, he can fight with swords, so you'll be seeing that. Also, we'll be seeing some of the flashbacks to his life before as it goes on. I may throw in a few things from the other books, like the fairies and round table. We'll see. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, until next time.
