Chapter Twelve: It's Not Unusual

Hours had passed since the battle with Avenger and the group had slowly stopped back into the estate over that time in one form or another. They would be moving camp shortly, and Kiritsugu was off making the final preparations for that. Irisviel had been seeing what see could salvage while taking frequent breaks thanks to a drop in stamina from her undisclosed condition.

Marrok meanwhile, was walking the streets in his wolf form with Maiya and Sakura. Of course, Marrok had gotten an earful from Kiritsugu about Sakura infecting herself, and the wolf took it in stride. Even when they discovered both Maiya and Sakura could understand him in his wolf form now and translate, he made no defense for himself and admitted fault. Kiritsugu hadn't been pleased yet again when Maiya was neutral, defending aspects of both sides rather than taking his side without question like she normally would have.

At the moment though, the wolf was both helping his new, possibly temporary pack adjust to their heightened senses and budding wolf instincts by brining them back to the area near the ruined building and having them help him track Kariya. It was certain that he had somehow survived, because Marrok would notice if he lost the thing keeping him in the world. Even if he hadn't it had been hours. Marrok's mana reserves might still have been holding this long, but certainly not with the healing he had needed to do. He'd have faded away by now.

Sakura was not riding on Marrok's back this time, instead following on the opposite side from Maiya, "This is a very stinky alley."

"Direct your eyes to something and focus on that. Then try to sniff that specifically. Get closer if you have to. Keep your mind on that one thing."

Sakura sniffed Marrok. After a few moments, she replied, "Got it. So I keep doing it like that to shut smells out?"

"Yes, soon it will be second nature."

"Weird that I couldn't do it so well as a human."

"Not really. The stronger the sense the more precise the control has to be." Marrok turned to Maiya, "you aren't going to practice?"

She shook her head, "Strangely, I have no trouble with that."

"Hearing?"

"None. In general I seem to be taking to the enhancements well. Even the increase to my physical abilities I don't find clumsy."

Marrok continued on,"I'm not too shocked."

The pair followed, Maiya pressing that issue, "Why is that?"

"Oh, I forgot I haven't been able to talk with the group for a while. Do you remember when I sat next to you and stared at you?"

"Yes, for some reason you insisted I pet you."

"Well, the thing about that is I was actually confirming some information that I found interesting. You see, because my origin is awakened I can sense other origins and even awaken them. It's more detailed with touch, but I don't need the touch to sense them. Yours was the most surpressed one I have encountered, but was also very close to awakening. I found it odd."

Maiya stopped, "You saw my origin? And it interested you?"

Marrok turned and sat, "Yes. You know how origins have an effect on our actions right?"

"Yes. They are the aspect that split off from the Root to make us."

"Exactly. I overheard some aspects of your history. I apologize fr that, but they confirm what I sensed. You have always been squad based fighter but with a style of being a lone unit supporting that team. You've always been subservient to a male leader figure and slide naturally into that role. However, you are comfortable being the second in command for Kiri, and always regarded Iri as his main lover even though you sleep with him. You also deeply want children, though that's not inherently bizarre."

Sakura wasn't sure what some of that meant, but she kept quiet.

Maiya was starting to put some pieces together though. The familiarity with her new condition, the reaction to the sword, the way he was putting her past actions, how comfortable she had always been hunting others, "Wait a minute... you're saying my origin is 'wolf'?"

"Exactly. Though it's not unheard of for origins to be animals, it's rare and a huge coincidence. Perhaps your suppressed origin came knocking when you used the sword." Marrok stood and continued sniffing around, "Either way, you should make sure you note how to do all of these things. Your origin is mutating from the curse. I suspected it might, but it's slowly turning to mine. Right now you're almost a middle ground: noble wolf. More wolf though. Come the full moon I don't know what will happen to it. You may stick there."

"You said you can awaken origins?"

Marrok turned, surprised at what she was implying, "You want me to? That will lock it so that it won't continue changing; but we have no idea what that will do to you. I doubt you'll spontaneously become a wolf, but certainly you'll be stuck with lycanthropy even after the war."

"So you're saying that if I do this, Kiritsugu won't be hasty if we can't end the war before the full moon? Because I'll cursed forever either way?"

"Listen, Kiritsugu has doubts as to your loyalty because the curse might make you instinctively follow an alpha wolf, me. My influence on your origin is probably not helping."

"I'm-"

"Torn but not going to betray either?"

"Yes... I don't think I physically could."

"I get it. I have the same set of instincts and influences. I just want to make sure you aren't doing this to make peace. Do you feel any tugging at your very being at the thought?"

"None."

"Nothing like when Kiritsugu suggests I'm an enemy?"

"When that happens I feel instinctively uncomfortable."

"Okay. So it's not my origin intruding on yours that's making you want this, but are you sure?"

Maiya thought. The idea of being a werewolf even after Marrok disappeared after the war... seemed natural. The suggestion that 'wolf' was her nature just mde all the sense in the world at a primal level deep in her heart. With this... maybe she could stop her non-existance, be a person of her own, yet still be a help to Kiritsugu. It felt so very right. A fresh start, a renewal.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Marrok shrugged, "Fine. Keep in mind this might accelerate the change to werewolf so you'll have an intense increase in your senses and instincts. The noble part will help, but I want to establish one thing before your wolf instincts kick in."

"Go ahead."

"You will never be the alpha female of this pack. Alpha males have multiple mates, but I have no intention of having any. The alpha female of my pack will always be Saber. If you challenge her, even instictively, it is betraying me and I will answer accordingly."

"Understood. I have one question..."

"Shoot."

"While you are here... I am fine with being in your pack. What happens," she glanced at Sakura, not wanting to imply what was bound to happen to Marrok when the war ended, "if you go somewhere I can't?"

"You'll be free to do whatever you want, even start your own pack. If something happens to me though, and Sakura is still a werewolf too, I ask that you help protect her."

Sakura broke her silence, hugging her papa, "No, if you go away I'll come with you!"

"I might have to go back to Camelot."

"I'll go too!"

"You might not be able to."

"I'll find a way! I don't wanna be without you. You're my papa now!"

Marrok patted the little girl's head with his paw, "Now, now. We still have time to figure something out. If your Uncle Kariya and I win the war for the Grail I'll wish to stay! How's that?"

"Yay! Can you awaken my origin too?"

Marrok put his paw down, "No. That's a big choice you should be older before making. It's not just a cool power-up it changes your life. You have to follow it after that. It's like a spell being cast on you."

"But my origin will change to yours too right? Shouldn't I get mine locked in too? I don't mind be nobility, but what's my own origin?"

Marrok ruffled her hair with a paw, "Something as positive as you are little one: Embracing. Though it did shift a little more positive from nobility intruding on it."

"So what's the problem waking that up?"

"Do you want to have the compulsion to always be hugging someone?"

Sakura hugged her papa, "Yeah!"

Marrok chuckled, "You see, you'll hate it when you get older and your climb up the social ladder is impeded by your need to hug people."

"Aw..."

"Maybe if I stay." Marrok pulled away from his adopted daughter and over to Maiya, "Meanwhile, if you're sure, I'll awaken yours. Don't let Kiri find this out any other way than telling him. I don't want him thinking the wrong thing. Speaking of which, remind me to have you help me talk to him. It's slipping my mind with all that's going on, but his origin needs discussing."

"What do you mean? Is something wrong with his origin?"

"Well, to put it simply, he's using it how he doesn't want to, and that's twisting it into something he doesn't want it to be. Whoever told him his origin must have noticed the weapons applications of it and ignored the complexity of it. If he awakens fully to his origin the wrong way, it will ruin him and everything around him."

Meanwhile, back at the estate, Saber had been helping Irisviel salvage and spent a long time going through the upper floors. About a half hour after Marrok had left, Saber finished checking the upstairs and walked back through what remained of the lower floors towards the garden, noting the irony that the garden that Marrok and her had damaged so severely was now one of the most intact things in the place. Thankfully, Kiritsugu's half of that 'have fun' plan days before had been moving most of the stuff of value to another location in anticipation of an attack. They already had another headquarters it seemed, though Saber had not seen it. Though it spoke volumes of the strength of a good castle. This place was burned out, but the structure was fine. Some of the rooms were even untouched. After cleaning, it would be livable without even bothering with more than minor repairs.

She found Irisviel resting on a bench in the garden, looking quite tired, "Are you okay, Irisviel?"

The woman looked up and smiled, "I'm fine, Saber; but thank you. It's just the war and everything else getting to me."

"Indeed. The few days have been rather intense. Speaking of which, have you seen Marrok?"

"I think he was with Maiya and Sakura the last I saw him. He was helping them adjust to the new instincts and abilities from the lycanthropy. Apparently he's doing that by having them help him track down Kariya."

Saber seemed crestfallen at that.

"Something wrong?"

"No... it just seems like he has been avoiding me unless a task requires him to be around me. I'm glad he's found some kindred spirits. I fear for Maiya and Sakura's safety due to being monsters now, but Marrok has long been without people exactly like him."

"For a second there I thought you might be jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?" Saber genuinely didn't know, even though there were hints of the emotion in her heart they were so vague they were practically nothing.

"I don't know, maybe that your loyal knight as found someone else to treat like a queen."

Saber was still perplexed, "I do not believe he has ever treated me that way. As a king perhaps."

"Knights don't kiss the hands of their kings do they?"

"Do they not?"

"Did any other of your knights do it?"

"No... but that doesn't make any sense. He always did that and only a few people in my time knew my gender."

Irisviel looked the servant, still in her battle gear, up and down, "Did you wear that in life?"

"I-I was enchanted by Merlin to appear as a man so my clothing did not matter as much. It's easier to move my legs around in this."

Irisviel rubbed her chin, "Did Marrok seem at all shocked now that you don't have that enchantment?"

Come to think of it, he hadn't been.

"And in the briefing didn't he explain his origin makes him immune to anything that would manipulate his body or senses? Would that even have worked on him to begin with?"

"Come to think of it, while he was trapped as a wolf and was serving as my hound, he would always leave the room when I changed and would never share a bath with me."

"Not surprisingly, he is a gentleman."

"So, he always saw me as a woman and treated me as such?" Saber searched her memories, "It is hard to judge, he did dote a little bit more than the other knights, but always treated me as the king of Britain."

It was then that something small dawned on her.

"He did always ensure there were beautiful flower arrangements in my quarters, but I never gave it much thought other than appreciating their quality. They were so meticulous."

"How sweet." Irisviel smiled, "I know he doesn't look like the type, but Kiri also quietly made sure I had flowers when he could. Even in the cold land I come from where there usually aren't any."

"I-I don't think Marrok had the same sentiments as your husband."

Iri's smile became a smirk, "Why wouldn't he? You're beautiful, Saber."

"You flatter me."

"No, I'm being honest. You should talk more with Marrok when you get the chance, maybe you two could-"

"I don't have the luxury. We'll be opposing sides in the war soon and I have my responsibilities as King. Besides, I'm sure he would be far happier with his own kind. He seems to get along well with Maiya."

"You are jealous!"

"No. I am not jealous. I can note two people I know that go well together without having animosity behind it. I want what is best for my subjects. Especially my knights. Maiya can understand him even though he is stuck in that form and soon she'll be able to take on that form herself."

Iri promptly remembered something, "That reminds me, Saber. I think I figured out why he is stuck in the form of a wolf."

Saber brightened, "You have?"

"Yes. It's his origin. It forces him to be loyal to you because he chose you as his queen."

"King."

"Queen. Anyway, you were far more outgoing and happy when he started being in wolf form. Is there anything like that that happened in life that might have made him think, even subconsciously, that you prefer him in that form? Something he might have taken as an order?"

Saber thought, "I can't think of anything. I've always supported Marrok being in the form he chooses. Do you think he may have misunderstood something?"

"Maybe. You really can't think of anything? Did you ever argue?"

"Never. He would usually either take my side or provide reasonable council."

"Hm, he is required to follow you after all."

Suddenly, that tipped the chain of dialogue into reminding Saber of something. Of the only time since they met that Marrok didn't follow her in battle. The Roman front. Her face blanched, "Oh, no."

"You remembered something?"

Saber's face contorted slightly in pain, "Marrok... you idiot... I didn't mean that!"

"What?"

Saber shook her head to help control herself, "Shortly before I left for the Roman front, one of my knights named Tristan was suffering greatly and I wasn't as sympathetic as I should have been. He stormed out, never to return, claiming I didn't understand the hearts of men."

The servant bit her lip at the memory. It had hurt her deeply, even if she hadn't shown it to her knights at the time. She'd believed she couldn't. In truth...

"It pained me greatly; but rather than go after him as I should have I went to my own quarters in despair. I thought he would return and I could address it then. I was very upset with myself, nearly in tears. I could not show such a side of myself to my knights, but then Marrok walked in in his wolf form trying to be a comfort."

"He understood you were in pain."

"I knew that, but I couldn't show that side to my knights. I yelled at him to stop playing at being my dog, that he couldn't be that anymore. That I didn't want to see him."

Ir gasped, "Saber!"

"I know, in hindsight I realized I must have hurt him greatly saying that. I soon after left for the Roman front and he didn't come with me. I didn't see him again until the shipyard."

"You didn't?"

"When I came back from the front the rebellion was on. I had to fight my way back to the capitol, and he died shortly before I reached Camlann Hill."

"How could you say that to him, Saber?"

She looked greatly pained, "I must apologize to him. He was trying to help me and I cast him aside. I did not think he would take that literally, that I didn't want to see him. Now, that also has him thinking I prefer him as my dog and not my knight. I have not helped that with my actions either. You are right. His condition is a result of my callousness!"

"Worse than that. Didn't Kariya say that he saw Marrok's first mate leave him because he wasn't enough like a wolf? Then you throw him out because he stopped being a wolf? He's probably in knots inside."

"I'm not his mate."

"Saber, are you sure he isn't in love with you? Because I've seen the way he looks at you. He can't even hide it in the form of a wolf."

The discussion was cut short when the pack of werewolves (only one in the form of a wolf of course) came in with Kariya, who was no worse for wear, "Wow, this place looks like hell. Better than that hotel though I guess."

Irisviel stood up, overjoyed, "Kariya! You're okay!"

Karyia smiled back, but he seemed uncomfortable, "Yeah. Kayneth had traps on the floor below. When I started down the building I ran right into one that ejected me from the building. Dumb luck right? Thankfully I was out in plenty of time before that place went up."

He held up his hand, which had all its command seals again.

"Marrok made sure to take me to the church for his share of the bounty on Avenger."

Irisviel showed her hand, which had exactly one, "Kiri talked the priest into giving his to me. Since Kayneth had his wife share the burden of providing his servant mana, it gave us an argument to allow this."

"Wow." Kariya admired the idea, "Now Saber has a back-up master."

Saber stepped forward"Speaking of masters, Irisviel thinks I might have accidentally caused Marrok's condition thanks to something I said to him once and how I've been acting."

Marrok cocked his head to the side curiously.

Saber glanced back at Irisviel for a moment, and tried not to blush or studder, "Marrok... can we discuss this one on one? I would rather keep this private."

Kariya's face hardened a little, not trusting this, "It really has to be private?"

Marrok barked.

Sakura quickly jumped in to get a chance to help her father, "He said he trusts Saber and you should trust him. He won't betray us and neither will Saber."

"Right." Kariya paused a moment, "Can I have a minute first?"

"Certainly." Saber bowed slightly, "I will wait for him on the Eastern battlements of the castle."

Marrok nodded and Saber looked at him fleetingly before marching to the promised place. Iri was all smiles. After all, she shipped it.

When Kariya motioned for Marrok to follow him to a more remote part of the garden, he had to stop and hold a hand up to stop Maiya, "This is private too, and I won't need a translator."

Maiya looked to Marrok, who replied that it was of course fine and she would need to get used to the pack instinct to protect the alpha. Nobody else but Sakura caught the message though, and the little girl thought the hierarchy of their little club was cool.

When the servant and his master reached a quiet spot, Marrok couldn't help Kariya looked a little forlorn, so he whined a little.

Kariya didn't get the message, "Don't be like that. I'm not mad at you or going to tell you something you don't want to hear."

The man looked at his new command seal, "She's going to fix you right? So maybe things can go back to how they were before? No... I'm not sure I want that."

He sighed.

"You know. When I was at the church I called Aoi. Oh, I never told you about her did I? She's my childhood friend. I...," he sighed again, "If only I could have summoned you earlier."

Marrok placed a paw on this master's shoe.

"Thanks." Kariya continued, "I never said anything about my feelings when we were growing up because I'm a Matou. I thought she'd be happier with the Tohsakas"

Marrok looked surprised.

"Yeah, I was in love with Sakura's mother. I was like an uncle to her kids before I eventually couldn't take living around the Matous anymore and left the country. So I can relate to you never saying anything to Saber in life. Anyway, I called her, and she was furious at me. She called me a kidnapper and demanded her daughter back. I told her I'd bring her back because she'd be safe now. When I told her what Tokiomi had done to her daughter I screwed up by saying she was free from him now that he's dead. She thought I killed him in the war! What's with that? I save her daughter and she calls me a kidnapper, doesn't believe anything I say about the monster she loves or the place he sent her too. I screwed everything up."

Marrok whined.

"It's okay. It's for the best maybe. I don't think the Mage's Association will come after me because a berserker servant killed renowned assholes and Tokiomi died in a war. I messed up with Aoi a long time ago. I should have been brave enough to say something and protect her frm my family."

Kariya knelt down and showed Marrok his command seals with a sad smile on his face, "After you've done so much for me, I don't want you to miss this chance at your free wish. You deserve this much, and knowing you it'll take a command seal to make you do it."

Marrok looked worried, terrified.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to force you to confess, but by the power of my command seal I order you: If she fixes the issue keeping you in wolf form, do what you really want to do and don't leave any regrets."

The command seal vanished, and Marrok was briefly surrounded by a red glow. He huffed at the waste of a hard won resource, but appreciated the gesture. Marrok nuzzled his master's hand like a dog would and looked questioningly at him.

"Yes, you can go to her now, Champ. Go have a good talk."

the master watched his servant trot off to see his king, his love. His heart ws lighter, but still heavy. Heavy with his own regrets and the only certain thing about his future being that Marrok was not capable of winning this war.

When Marrok reached the battlements, he got a nice view of Saber set against the moon asshe sat gazing at the stars. He fell in love with her all over again. Then three more times when a gentle breeze began to blow on the scene. It took all of his will to fight his instinct t run at her and tackle her to the ground. The fact that the moon was so close to full didn't help. It pulled at him as the lunar cycle empowered the legendary werewolf curse he'd been shackled with.

Instead he strolled over, falling in love one more time when Saber noticed his approach and awkwarly smiled at him, "Marrok, that was faster than I thought."

"Arf."

Saber frowned a little, "Irisviel proposed that you are stuck in that form because of your origin forcing you to obey me. That you think I prefer you as a wolf."

Marrok looked at his king sideways.

"I'm not the best at reading emotions, so I apologize. I've been acting so fond of your wolf form and Irisviel helped me remember how I've wronged you. Back when Tristan left."

Marrok whined.

Saber gave her knight a pained expression, "Back then I yelled at you and told you to stop playing the role of my pet dog because you weren't that anymore. I accidentally implied that I would have preferred it if you had stayed my pet dog. I didn't mean that."

The wolf shifted awkwardly, trying to reassure his king without acting like a dog.

"I was hurting that night because Tristan threw in my face the very thing the people had started saying, and I couldn't show that to my knights. When I saw you come in, I got mad because I indeed missed you just being a smart pet of mine and not another knight I had to hide myself from."

Saber reached down and stroked around Marrok's ear, caressing the side of his chin.

"I'm sorry. I was foolish. I should have simply known I could still confide in you. I didn't really want you to be my pet again and I don't prefer your wolf form. I prefer you be in the form you prefer. I know how lonely you were among wolves, I would never trap you as one."

Marrok licked the caressing hand.

Saber smiled slightly despite herself, "So could you try again one more time for me?"

He hesitated.

"Even if you think it would hurt me to confirm I was to blame. Please. I want to see my knight in the form he truly wants to be in. I don't want my knight or my hound to suffer."

Marrok whined, but then tried again, and it worked. It worked jarringly well. There was no pain or transition as there had been with the problem in effect. He simply put the form on as easily as Artoria called on her armor. Marrok the King's Hound appeared kneeling in front of his king, her hand still caressing his head, a hand he placed his own onto because he wanted it to never leave.

Saber was heartbroken, her game falling, "It was my fault. I caused you so much pain and hindered you so."

"My ki... Artoria."

Artoria looked up again, a little surprised to hear her real name. Marrok had never called her that to her recollection.

He continued, "It isn't your fault. It's my own weakness. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I suspected. I could have defied it. I have to be noble, but it normally cannot do that much to control me. T's my origin after all, my true nature. It pulls me to do things I would do anyway."

"But still, you thought I wanted you in that form and you wanted to obey me."

Marrok pulled her hand from his face and kissed the palm then the back of it. It made Artoria blush a little given what Irisviel had suggested his feelings where and the expression of longing on his face.

"Marrok?"

"Forgive me my king, Artoria. I was stuck in that form because I thought you wanted me in it, and I desperately wanted to restore the closeness we lost that night. No, when I became a man. If I had simply had the will to return to this form and seek that closeness myself I would not have been stuck."

"No, please dont blame yourself for this."

"I blame myself rightly. Even back then... I knew you didn't want me out of your sight forever, but I gave into my sadness and stayed out of it. Your callousness did not force my origin to geas me. I simply wallowed in my own self-pity and watched you leave for the Roman front. I wasn't there to protect when you lost Avalon, I wasn't at your side when you returned, and I could not slay the one who would later kill you because you did not have Avalon."

"Marrok no, do not blame yourself for that. It was my own folly."

Tears fell from the knight's eyes, "My mistakes killed you.'

Artoria did something very shocking right then, the normally controlled king embraced her knight, crying with him, "No. It was my own folly that killed me, Marrok. More than just that night led up to my demise. I was not as good a king as I could have been."

"Don't be silly, you were a wonderful king!"

"I made no attempt to understand the hearts of my subjects. Tristan was right."

Marrok pulled away, looking Artoria in the eyes, "You were an example for everyone to live up to. Everyone idolized you as the ideal knight. Every single one of us. If you had any shortcomings it was our failings as your knights if we did not make up for them enough or inform you."

Artoria shook her hand, "You truly are hopelessly loyal to me."

"Of course." Marrok smiled as if praised, a little bit of the simple dog side of him showing itself in his personality.

"God, why did I ever think I couldn't still confide in you? I could have just let you see that side of me. You aren't capable of judging me or thinking less of me." she got up and returned to her seat, looking again at the stars, "Just one more mistake to correct."

Marrok stood, "Correct?"

Artoria smiled, "Yes, Marrok. My wish is to have another try at my reign. Think of how everything could work out now that I know all the mistakes I made. Maybe I could try being more open this time."

"Indeed... maybe you could take me with you? I could perhaps get that skinwalker as it was summoned, keeping the powers I gained but with none of the loss of life. Then I could rejoin you right away."

Something dawned on Artoria, "Is that your wish? To have save that farm and your former mater? You died before learning of what happened on the Roman front, so your regret from life could not be my death even if that is your bigger regret now."

"No." Marrok hesitated, but felt the tug of the command spell encouraging him to tell her, "My regret... is unimportant. When you win it will be fixed."

"I can't fix grievances I don't know about, Marrok. How am I to confide in you if you won't confide in me?"

Marrok bit his lip. He knew they were from medieval times. Times that only accepted Artoria because he posed as a man and was a good king. They would not support a woman or a king that had a male lover. Marrok's wish could only get in the way of Artoria's dream. He could not defy her unless he truly wished it though, so he took the best route he cold manage.

"It's nothing as grand as saving all of Britain and the Knights of the Round. I told Kariya it was for a love that wouldn't betray me."

Artoria fidgeted, "Given your background I can see why you would want that. I always thought you seemed lonely. I'm sorry I was so busy with my kingship to act of my worries."

"It's not your fault."

"That aside, would you want a love from a wish?"

Marrok chuckled, "That's exactly what Kariya said, but honestly I phrase it that way because it sounds poetic. My wish is not unlike yours, it's more for a second chance at it."

"Oh?" Artoria couldn't help but remember what Irisviel had said about Marrok being in love with her. If he was, Artoria had no idea how she would respond to a confession from someone that had been her pet dog once.

"Yeah, I already found a love that would never betray me, so I can't exactly get one of those from the Grail." he looked uncomfortable. "Forgive me, my king, for the things I am about to say but I have no choice. Kariya, trying to be helpful, hit me with a command seal before I came to you."

Artoria stood up abruptly, "Marrok, if you are about to confess your love for me, I... I don't have the luxury of answering them."

Marrok fell silent.

"I am King of Britain. I have responsibilities I can't abandon. You know our time. I am not permitted to be a woman."

"I know that, but every day I spent watching you force yourself to be a man, to isolate yourself. The lonely look you had on your face sometimes. Part of me wanted to save you from that."

"You don't need to save me from anything."

"My regret from life wass never telling you how I felt for fear of rejection. I regret not telling you, treating you like the goddess you are, and fighting so you could be queen in charge of Camelot, be yourself. I fought for King Arthur, when every moment I drew breath I wanted to fight for Queen Artoria."

"Marro-"

An aura of red mana pushed the rest out of him, "You're my king, a good king. You are my queen, and I should have fought to make that real, the world's opinion of women by damned. I would follow your leadership into the gates of hell and as we purged those lands of evil and claimed the throne for you I would take you to heights of ecstasy upon that throne that likes of which could only be called carnal worship befitting a goddess of war and beauty."

Artoria promptly blushed at the suggestion of being ravaged on the throne of conquered hell.

So did the one that said it, "S-sorry. Command seal. That was a bit grandiose."

"A bit?"

"More than a bit... What I'm trying to say is that I love you, Artoria. With everything that I am or ever will be, and I will fight for you, be it as my king or queen. For Artoria's reign, and so that you can be Artoria."

Artoria took a step back, "This is sudden..."

"I know. I didn't want to get in the way, or make your dream harder... but I don't want you to carry all of that responsibility alone. I want to fight for you."

Suddenly, the precense of another servant cut into the conversation. Looking to the skies, Rider's chariot was on the approach, making no effort to conceal itself or launch any sort of long ranged attack.

"Rider." Saber noted.

"I don't think he's attacking but we should be on guard regardless."

Saber nodded and looked back at her knight, blushing again, "We'll talk about this later... I need time to think."

"I understand. No pressure."

Saber pulled the ribbon from her hair, letting it fall, "Um... I heard noble ladies of the court would give knights tokens of favor before they headed into battle as a token of admiration. Don't read too much into this... but I will answer you this much, allow this much of a female's graces to slip. You have my favor, Sir Marrok."

The knight smiled, kneeling and offering his hand, so that Saber cold tie the ribbon around his wrist and hide it under the sleeve of his suit. When she was done, Marrok gallantly took her hand and kissed the back of it. The same hand he had always kissed, the same hand she always used to pet him and play their little game with.

Of course, Artoria blushed, which deepened slightly when Marrok pulled a scrap of cloth from his handkerchief and fashioned her a new ribbon, "Im not about t let you go face a guest at any less than how you prefer looking. Here. I will get you a better token later."

Saber took the new ribbon, "It's perfect,Marrok. Let's go."

The two headed off to the garden where Rider seemed to be headed, not noticing that Kariya had been listening to the entire conversation.

Next Chapter: Drinks and Assassins

Author's Note: Sorry if there are many typos. I don't have time to proof this time and really want this out. I have to go to work and will correct them later if needed. Regardless please read and review. Helps a lot.