Title: legacy
Prompt: like father, like daughter
Character/Pairing: Saber, Shirou, Illya
A/N: I find it interesting how neither Illya nor Shirou take after their parents
Summary: There was nothing of Irisviel in Illya, despite their appearances.
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"She's just a little girl," Shirou said, incredulous. He looked nervously behind them, down the dark street as though Illya was lurking behind every corner.
Which she could be. Saber didn't count it out. Her servant, though a behemoth, was oddly graceful on his feet and made far less noise than his size would suggest. She could very easily be following them now, preparing to strike. Scanning the surroundings, Saber let out a breath of relief when she noticed no servants.
Now, they just had to make it back to Kiritsugu's land and they would be safe.
Shirou glanced at her now, still in disbelief. "She can't be more than ten—how can she do that so casually?"
Easily. Her master had somehow been shielded from the underhanded tricks of magicians, from the underhanded tricks of his adoptive father. If Saber were to reply, the only word she could use was easily. Simply. Without a second thought.
She thought of Illya's expression, of the childlike smile on her face, and her words failed her. This was the same child she had seen before, years ago in this world's time. The same child who had smiled as her father took her out for a walk in the forest, who had held back tears as her parents said goodbye.
Saber had expected things to change over time, but not like this. There was none of her mother's kindness or strength in Illya's smile. Instead, there was cruelty and malice, and she could not claim to know the child anymore.
"Saber?" Shirou pressed and she shook her head.
"We can discuss this later." She pushed him to keep moving. "We will strategize with Rin in the morning and figure out how to handle her."
Then again, there was none of Kiritsugu's coldness in Shirou. None his dishonourable methods or calculating personality and perhaps it was a good thing that not all children took after their parents.