.
.
"We cannot do this," Diarmuid said.
It was dark in the room of the tavern, and though they had managed to disguise themselves, Diarmuid was still worried the two of them would be seen. But Grainne was stubborn. Silently she cast off her long shawl and shook off the bed's coverlet, the orange light from the candle outlining her body beneath her nightgown. "Why?" Grainne said. Diarmuid shook his head.
"My lady, you had me under a geas. It was only by threat of death that I came with you."
"You face death now, my knight. I do not see how that is different."
She stepped toward him, her small hands lightly pressing against the armor of his chest. He gently took her by the wrists and pulled them away.
"I love you," Grainne said. "I look upon your face and see a sweetness that I yearn to hold. My body aches to touch you. I give myself willingly to you, tonight."
"We cannot," Diarmuid said again. "I will protect you from the Fianna, from your family and from the king. But I will not stain your honor," Diarmuid said, but she stepped up and kissed him. They broke apart and he drew a shaky breath. "Grainne," he said.
"I know you that you do love me." Her lips brushed the side of his jaw. "I know the way you look at me. Love me now and take me as your wife."
"You know not of which you speak." Their bodies were close. He pressed his forehead against hers. "My lady, it is the curse of the spot that compels you. It would be better for you to take Fionn as a lover than myself."
"Better though the man I want is you?"
"Aye, it is. For the curse is what makes it so."
"Does it matter?" Grainne said. Diarmuid looked at her with tortured eyes.
"My lady..."
"Does it matter?" Grainne said, again. "It matters not if the curse compels my love. All I know is that you have it. Do you love me?" Grainne said. And Diarmuid nodded, holding her.
"It pains me, lady, but I do."
xXx
.
Waver woke, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the bedroom.
Waver lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't shake the dream from his head. He thought of how Grainne stepped close to Lancer and took his left hand between both of hers, two slender white hands cupping his, before gently bringing his hand up to her lips. She kissed the scars that crossed his knuckles, her dry woman's thumbs gently stroking the skin of his palm, before bringing his hand up to touch her cheek. Waver watched as Lancer's breath seemed to hitch, his eyes wide and unsure as he hesitantly touched the side of her face.
The rest of it was like the most awkward sort of wet dream, Waver's mind forcibly turning away from the movement of their bodies beneath the candlelight, his brain reeling with the memory of Grainne's quiet sighs and the slick wet noises that came between them. Stupid Lancer and his stupid moron memories. He turned and shifted, trying to ignore the awkward boner that was tenting his pajamas and wondering just how many people went ahead and put their mouths on places considered verboten by the Catholic Church.
"My lord?"
"Aggh!" Waver shoved a pillow into his lap and yanked his blanket over his shoulders. "Didn't anyone teach you how to knock?!"
"Er, my apologies, my lord. But you told me to wake you if I saw anything of significance on my lookout."
"Okay, okay, just give me a minute!" Waver said, but Lancer just kept standing hesitantly at the edge of the bed.
"I mean, give me a minute outside," Waver said. Lancer's eyes widened.
"Oh!"
Waver managed to straighten himself, giving his pajama top a hard yank and combing his fingers through his hair. "Okay, you can come back in now," Waver said, and Lancer materialized in front of him, a blue dustcloud swirling even before Waver finished his sentence.
"My lord, there seems to be an increase in mana along the Mion river." Lancer was kneeling this time, his eyes fixed on the floor. "I believe this to be Caster's doing. Would you like to intercept him?"
"Now?" Waver said.
"It is as good a time as any," Lancer said. Waver frowned.
"Are there any other Servants in the area?" Waver said. Lancer shook his head.
"I do not know, my lord. But I am certain the others have sensed his presence. They will likely intercede, and soon."
Waver looked out the window. In the darkness, he could see the faint glow of mana rising out from beyond the horizon.
"I don't know how much you can do with your injury. It might be better to wait and let the others deal with him," Waver said.
"Understood." Lancer bowed again and shifted back into spirit form.
Waver felt a twinge of guilt keeping Lancer from fighting. Ever since Lancer injured his arm, Waver did his best to keep out of the main conflict. His plan was just to let the strong ones battle it out and pick each other off, thinning the crowd for him and Lancer. Though Lancer insisted he could still fight - even moreso with the sword Waver got him - Waver was still worried that his Servant was at a considerable disadvantage. "If you get killed, then they'll kill me," Waver said, and Lancer nodded with grave understanding. If that was what his Master wanted, Lancer would not let his pride get in the way.
"Ne, Lancer?"
Yes, my lord?
"It doesn't bother you, right? Me keeping you from fighting?"
If you believe that to be the best course of action, then I shall certainly abide.
"It isn't because I think you're weak," Waver said, because suddenly it seemed really important that he spell it out for him. "I just don't want anything unnecessary to happen."
I understand, my lord. Please do not trouble yourself over it.
"Well as long as we're both on the same page," Waver said, and he climbed back into bed and closed his eyes.
xXx
.
The bookstore Waver frequented was located in a large arcade in the center of the city. It was the same arcade where Waver had found the coffeemaker, right across the street from a manga bookstore and an electronics depot. "I'm going to go to the bookstore for a little while," Waver said, as Lancer looked around. "You can do anything you want, just don't leave the arcade."
"Understood." Lancer looked back at him and smiled.
Well he seems to be in a better mood, Waver thought. Ever since Waver cast him with another curse - this time a mundane love spell, not strong enough to overpower the second curse, but good enough to nullify it and allow his original love spot to take over - Lancer seemed to be in better spirits, even smiling a little at the ladies who trailed after him, wondering to each other if he was some sort of idol or actor.
Now Waver watched as Lancer readjusted the black padded sling to his arm - Waver had got it for him from one of the local pharmacies, finding that Lancer's pain was much better having his injured arm immobilized and protected - before turning and waving, walking into the electronics store.
"You poor man. What happened to your arm?"
Waver looked up. A woman had spotted Lancer and was making her way toward where he was standing. "Did you get in an accident?" she said.
Waver stared at Lancer, hoping he wasn't stupid enough to tell her how he got injured: "I received this wound whilst engaging in honorable combat," Lancer said. Waver facepalmed.
"Does it hurt?" she said.
"Not particularly," Lancer said.
"Would you like me to help you feel better?" she said. She pressed her breasts up against his sling.
"O-oi!" Waver grabbed Lancer by his good arm. "That's enough for today, okay?"
"Oh," the woman blinked. "I'm sorry. Are you two together?"
"Wait, what? No we're not together!" Waver said, just as Lancer said, "Yes, indeed we are."
"Huh?!" Waver said. Lancer smiled.
"Oooh," the woman said. "How nice for you. You must be very lucky," she said.
"I am indeed quite fortunate," Lancer said, smiling. "I could not have asked for a better partner."
Waver reddened. "Moron, stop talking like that! People are gonna get the wrong idea!"
"But being with you pleases me." Lancer was the perfect picture of innocence. "Is telling her that so wrong?"
"Ugh, just...nevermind!" Waver said, and he grabbed Lancer by the arm.
xXx
.
Waver walked around the bookstore, looking up at the shelves until he found the book he was looking for.
Waver knew about the legend: that Grianne was betrothed to Fionn, the leader of the Fianna, but on the day of their engagement she saw Lancer's love spot and fell in love with him. Apparently she used a geas to force him to help her escape.
Waver flipped through the book, finding the section about Lancer's legend. Waver's eyes moved quickly as he scanned the page.
It was a passage detailing what happened after Lancer's death. Waver stopped and stared.
And Fionn went secretly and unknown to the Fianna to the place where Grania was, and he spoke gently to her. He went on giving her gentle talk and loving words, till in the end he brought her to his own will.
And there is no news told of them, until such time as they came to where the seven battalions of the Fianna were waiting for Fionn. And they saw him coming, and Grania with him, like any new wife with her husband...
Wait, what? Waver's brow furrowed. Fionn was the man Grianne was supposed to marry in the first place - the man Lancer took her away from. And she married him after Lancer died!
Waver's eyes widened.
Was she supposed to love Fionn instead of Lancer, all that time?
"My lord?"
Waver tensed, then shoved the book back into the shelf. "Ah, there you are," Lancer said. "Did you know they make vessels that keeps liquid warm? It is truly astonishing," Lancer said, and he showed Waver the thermos. "Perhaps we can gift this to the Mackenzies, as thanks for letting us stay in their house?"
"Maybe later," Waver said. Lancer peered over his shoulder.
"What is this?" Lancer said, and Waver saw him looking at the book. "'Gods and Fighting Men'? Oh I see, a book about legends!"
"Give me that," Waver said, and he snatched it from him, shoving it back into the shelf.
xXx
.
The sun was starting to set when they finally started to head back, and Waver decided to take a detour and walk along the river. He had been meaning to collect samples of water for awhile now, but dealing with Lancer's injuries had taken precedence. "Tomorrow I'll have you take samples of the river so we can look for spellcasting residue," Waver said. "If what you saw the other night is true, then Caster must be lurking around the river."
"I thought you said to allow the other Servants to deal with him first?" Lancer seemed genuinely surprised. Waver shrugged.
"Face-to-face, we may be at a disadvantage. But maybe not with the element of surprise."
They walked in silence. Waver stared at the ground, and at the yellow slants of sunlight that was backlighting the grass along the riverbank. For some reason, the thing with Grainne was bothering him. He couldn't get it out of his mind.
"Ne, Lancer?"
"Yes, my lord?"
"You said you and Grainne were happy, right?"
Lancer smiled. "Indeed we were," Lancer said. He looked up at the sky, remembering. "I had never been so smitten. Even as we traveled together, I was still shy, and she used to tease me that a splash of water on her leg was more adventurous than I was. She still teased me even after we were married." He smiled a little at the memory.
"My lord?" Lancer said, looking at Waver's face. "Is something wrong?"
"No, Lancer, it's just..." Waver frowned and crossed his arms.
"I read that she married Fionn after you died," Waver said. Lancer stopped.
"Lancer?"
Lancer was standing against the backdrop of a yellow sky. The wind moved, and that curly lock of hair stirred. A patch of yellow sunlight caught the side of his face, and he looked at Waver with terrible eyes.
"Oh, Lancer," Waver said. "I'm sorry. You didn't know."
"That is quite alright," Lancer said. His eyes were unfocused, looking at the ground. "I am glad she was happy, at the very least. I would hate to think that all she did was grieve."
"I mean, you don't know if she was happy," Waver said. "I mean, women of that time didn't really have much choice in what they did, right? It might have been a political marriage, or she might have been under duress, or-"
"My lord Fionn was a kind man, whom I once served loyally," Lancer said. "If he had love for her, then I'm sure he did his utmost to make her happy. In truth, I am glad of it," Lancer said.
And it seemed to Waver that he looked a little sad.