Welcome back, guys. I'm hoping from now on I can make any future chapters' word count to at least be 5k minimum so wish me luck on that.
I'm not sure if anyone knows this as well, but I guess Google cracked down on the in-game purchasing on the JP FGO for us Americans so there's that. I'm sure there's an easy loophole around it, but I haven't got the energy nor the motivation to do it.
I don't go willy nilly on spending thankfully, I make sure to put aside a couple bucks from each paycheck to go to the game, mostly due to the fact that I don't play enough to gather a hell of a lot of SQ. Sue me, I don't play as much due to work.
An interesting bit of information passed her way from one of the Queen's shadows, detailing some of the misdeeds of the Church of the Three Heroes. Choosing to follow three of the four, while vilifying the Shield Hero, regardless of who it is.
A pitiful way to look at it, no matter how you try to justify the circumstances. The mere fact that they have a reason to hate one of the heroes is exactly why the waves are such a threat. No unity. No cooperation.
The one good thing that has happened is that each respective kingdom has summoned only one of the four to allow for most of the countries to be protected by their hero. Arturia is no different in that aspect, even if she's lacking said sword. Whether the sword is within her soul or not, she has been proclaimed by the people and the King himself to be as such.
She closed her eyes and sighed, "There will no doubt be those watching from the shadows, keeping an eye on our every move." Her eyes were looking around the small village, spying anything out of the ordinary. Cultural differences had made it somewhat problematic as the people here act slightly different from the norm. That alone would be enough cause to remain vigilant even in times of relaxation.
"It's a good thing the shadows know what they're doing to remain hidden. They couldn't have picked a better spot to contact us." Éclair spoked quietly, enough that only Arturia's ears could pick it up. A fact that she let the knight know, giving her the opportunity to speak as quietly as she wished and Arturia would still hear her.
Arturia nodded, "Indeed."
Aultcray explained of the fragile peace between most of the kingdoms, how even a minor incident would be enough to spark conflict. Siltvelt is the most affected one of them all, willing to go to lengths deemed too far just for the sake of having the chance to fight humans again.
She's read up on the war that happened decades ago between humans and demi-humans, and she couldn't have been more disappointed in all of it. The waves have always been known of, even centuries before her arrival. Written in most historical texts in most cities. More specifically the Church and any branch connected to them.
Their hand is in many things, and no doubt are enforced to a degree of absolute silence on the oppressed. The Queen had issued a warning to Arturia to tread carefully when conducting any sort of business with the Church. Mirellia is well informed, and the knight respected that immensely. If Melromarc had existed in her time, an alliance would have been assured.
The main point in all of this, is that something has happened to some of the residents in Castle Town. Particularly nobles of higher standing. Such a thing is normally handled by the guards and any investigation would be under their jurisdiction. However, it seems that the Church is behind it, if only partially. The Queen's shadow had found evidence of their part in some sort of conspiracy.
They're preparing for something, and what little is known is that it involves one of the Vassal Heroes. It isn't known which one due to unspecified wording in the documents, but it is definitely a cause for concern for the kingdom. The King is apparently one of them, the Vassal of the Staff. That bit of information would have been useful in the beginning, but at the same time, it would have been pointless due to her ignorance of how politics differed here.
"What are we going to do?"
Arturia looked to her partner, leaned next to her ear and spoke softly, "We bide our time. It would be foolish to charge headfirst when we know so little. War is a test of attrition, if we attack unprepared, we will tire easily and much sooner. In time, we will be ready."
Éclair held a constant feeling of respect for Arturia. Her time as a knight has truly bore fruit that she has yet to grow, much less ripen. Her strength may never reach her partner's, but she will do what she must to stay by her side.
"I understand."
"Good. Now, let's return to Castle Town. Your armor will no doubt be done by now. We've been gone long enough. Much longer than we anticipated, but that is to be expected when handling the enemies of the kingdom."
Thankfully, where they were, it wasn't far. If anything, their goal was to make for Castle Town anyway. Arturia just decided to reiterate on the subject. Éclair followed behind her, humming a small tune. Her sword swung side to side in her hand. Possibly due to her armor being ready, there wasn't anything else coming to mind to be excited about.
Arturia smiled lightly at the image that presented itself in her mind. Éclair reminded her too much of some of her knights. Despite her cold disposition, she still bore witness to the antics of the Round Table. Once upon a time, even she longed to be a part of the camaraderie.
Like Percival, Éclair held a caring attitude to everyone, always smiling and, when there was time, playing with children. Times like those were far in-between, but the red-haired knight was never bothered by it. Like Gawain, she stood tall in times of battle and kept to that stature when in the presence of others. Most of their travels this past week or so were never uneventful, the occasional monster or bandit made it so.
To Arturia, Éclair bore similarities closest to Gareth. Brother to Gawain and Geharis, the knight never failed in finding a friend with anyone of the Table. Aside from Agravain, of course. The man never held an ill-temper with any of them but kept to himself more often than not.
Lancelot… even still her heart hurt at his fate. Even now, she wasn't sure what led him down that path. There were times where she wished she knew, what felt like a lifetime ago was in reality no more than two or so months. Her time in the Fourth Grail War and what time she spent in the Fifth equaled to a similar amount of time.
Her own misdeeds as king, she couldn't help but wonder if it was the cause.
No, it wouldn't do well to sit on these thoughts and memories, even if some were unable to be put past her mind.
"As intractable as ever…"
His last words were filled without a hint of surprise. As if expecting her to say those words of promise to a long dead friend. Her regrets are fresh still, but with the help of Shirou, she accepted her past and rejected the Grail in favor of destroying it. No one has to suffer under its promises of power any longer.
"You've gone quiet." Arturia turned her head slightly, indicating that she had heard her.
"Memories of my time before coming here. I've come to accept them, but the wounds of the heart and soul are still fresh. Pay it no worry, please."
"I understand."
The majority of the path was traversed in silence before the walls of Castle Town came into view. The sun now at its highest point in the sky. They left the village earlier that morning, more than four hours ago. They chose to canter their steeds instead of having them tire. There was no hurry to return, not when the Church could be watching. Haste is a good indicator that one is up to something, or something caught their attention and must be dealt with quick.
This way is smarter, to deceive the shadows of the Church. Mirellia's own shadows are in constant action against the church's own. Though it was strange for such a thing to happen as it would cause issues between the Crown and the Church.
Ah, that's something to not overthink. If such a thing has been happening long before her arrival, there is no doubt that the Church is already at odds with the Queen. They're biding their time, or something along the lines of waiting for something to happen.
It would have worked better had all the heroes be summoned here, but an international incident is the last thing any ruler would want in times like this. Aultcray said it himself that he does not want war when war is already upon them in the form of the waves.
She gripped Excalibur's pommel, content in knowing that it's still in its rightful place at her hip. It will always be a welcoming feeling. Another feeling that is welcomed is herself. She's not a manifestation now, she's alive again. Once she dies, she will go to Avalon. Originally, it was supposed to happen because she had sent Bedivere off to toss it in the lake, cementing her end.
After all of that, her beloved blade is still by her side, tasked with protecting another world. Constant work prevented her from truly thinking of her future here. A second chance to live as she wanted. But she couldn't truly live as she wanted though, not with him.
Her aging still feels stopped by the presence of the blade. A feeling of worry overcame her. She is alive again, and immortal still. If she is here now, she will never die. She will never go to Avalon, if it's even possible here.
Arturia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, she opened her eyes to look upon the approaching gate. She cannot afford to fall in despair, not when there is still much to do. Too many people rely on the heroes of this world to protect them. A lofty title that she didn't accept, but the task was straight forward. It didn't matter if she was the hero or not, her pride as a ruler and protector took precedence.
The arrival at the gate came soon enough, the guards already aware and opened the gates with little issue. No request for identification or anything akin to it, her image has already swept across the people's minds. Most knew what she looked like, how many of them gazed at her in awe. A knight was summoned here, even if past wielders were not warriors, they quickly became so. History always told of those with no skill, but vast knowledge of how the world worked here.
Quite the opposite happened this time.
The heavy gate closed with a thud against the cobblestone street, her armor's plates brushing against each other as her body shifted with the horse's pace. The clopping of hoofs against the ground was welcoming to her ears. It made going down the streets easier in her opinion. The sounds calmed her, reminding her of her time going up the streets of Camelot, her knights were never far behind.
The townsfolk have spotted her, with a fair amount stopping hat they were doing and stared. The staring didn't last long before the majority began to wave at her. The children, ones that were present, ran alongside her horse, careful not to hinder the beast.
Her gaze washed over the people, reminding herself that they were not her own, but it didn't stop her from waving at them.
Éclair stayed by her side as they moved, Erhard's shop should be close by now.
"I hear a new restaurant opened nearby. Do you think we can go there?" Arturia snorted, looking to Éclair in amusement. The knight only looked at her with confusion.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Éclair pouted, "Doesn't sound like nothing."
Arturia shook her head, "Just a thought, and yes, I believe that we can go there afterwards."
Strange as it was, after coming here, her hunger hasn't gone out of control. She's been able to eat smaller portions without issue. She couldn't help but wonder if it was Shirou's cooking that let the beast out.
Éclair seemed satisfied at the answer, "Wonderful, I hope my armor is done all the more." The woman brought her horse to a trot to reach her destination quicker, but there was no need as the smithy's forge smoke became easily seen from where they are. No more than a hundred feet. But she let the knight go anyway.
Alone with her thoughts, Arturia drifted back to recent events. The Church is behind many of the situations in the kingdom, even if most are covered up and made to look like an accident but the evidence is there when one knows where to look. She herself hasn't seen these situations in person, but the Queen's shadows were very giving in details, though it was more along the lines of Arturia demanding more information.
There's no point in having someone join you in espionage and not give all of the details.
She sighed before directing her horse to the hitching post by Éclair's own mount. Getting off, her boots clanked against the stone road before she tied the reins onto the post.
Turning around, she looked at the sign that hung above the door before entering the shop.
Inside, she spied only Erhard. Understandably so, since it would be considered inappropriate for the woman to change into armor in the open. Not that she was ever bothered by such a thing. Shirou may have changed her views of herself, but the changes were still minor compared to a whole life of living as a man.
But that was as a Heroic Spirit. With a living body still, she couldn't help but shift a little at the feeling. Perhaps the changes were a little more than minor…
The changing room to her right were filled with the sounds of clinking armor against armor and the wood of the floor. A particularly loud thus was heard along with the ensuing cursing, much to Erhard's displeasure.
"Would you quit that? This is the third time you've dropped something." His eyes closed and he shook his head. He opened his eyes and looked to Arturia. His gaze went to her armor before nodding.
"That armor suits you. Though the dress is a bit strange." Her expression turned flat at that.
"Noted."
"Try not to be offended by that, yeah? I don't care what you wear, as long as it protects you. I can't help but feel magic coming from the armor. It's been enchanted, yeah?" His arms were crossed, waiting for an answer.
She nodded, "Yes. A dear friend enchanted it to be much more durable. If I were to wager a guess, it'd be capable of taking a higher tier spell to even scratch it." His eyes widened, "Now that's some high- quality armor. You're quite small too, isn't it a bit heavy for someone of your size?"
She raised an eyebrow, "I'm stronger than I look. What are you implying?"
He raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture, "Nothing. Just most women wearing armor have a good foot or so on you."
"I'll take that as an insult."
"Hey!"
Éclair finally came out with her armor on and quite frankly, it's impressive. Protection in the right places while maintaining movement to a high degree. Plated enough to take hits and light enough to evade some as well. Her style is focused more on speed as far as she's seen of it.
Arturia looked her up and down before giving a nod of approval, "It fits you well, Éclair."
The woman beamed at the compliment, "Thanks. I feel better already."
"As you should. Your armor is your life."
Arturia looked to the blacksmith, "Has anything happened while we were gone?"
He put his hand to his chin, "Now that you mention it, a red-haired woman came here yesterday. Said she was looking for you."
Red hair? Clearly it wasn't Éclair, who could it be? Another matter for another time.
"Hmm… Anything else?"
He nodded, "Word is going around, saying that the Shield Hero is somewhere in Faubrey. Seems like their practices didn't agree with them. I don't blame them on that regard. It isn't a secret on what they do." Erhard shook his head while Arturia looked at him, wondering what exactly he was talking about until it dawned on her.
"I assume their practices involve copulating with the local population?"
"A nice way to put it but yeah. Messed up part is that they drug the hero if they're not cooperative in what they want. Whoever they summoned must not have been into the idea."
She snorted lightly, "Not many would be."
Erhard chuckled a bit, "You'd be surprised."
"Enlighten me."
He sighed a bit before speaking, "Younger kids tend to think with their lower head more often than not. Since heroes are summoned to this world, they're more likely to agree to the proposition."
Couldn't have been more straightforward with it. Yes, she understands that the world is no longer like her own. Marriage, more often than not, were used for political reasons. Love wasn't on the minds of nobles, only power and standing. The lower class were quite the opposite in the regard, and for good reason.
"Teenagers…" She mumbled, shaking her head. Shirou was thankfully not like that; he chose to care for her instead of using her as a tool. She'd forever cherish how he treated her, the good and the bad.
"You say that like you're not one." Her eyes drifted back to the smiling blacksmith. Clearly, he was amused at her comment. Her flat stare was all he was seeing after that.
"I am much older than you think. I may even be as old as you."
"Oh?"
"I am 34 years old."
His eyes bugged out at the claim, caught off guard by it. He regained his footing before setting both hands on the counter. His eyes narrowed slightly. She knew he wouldn't believe her, anyone with enough common sense wouldn't.
"I don't believe you."
"I didn't expect you to. I have no reason to lie, and you have no reason to believe me. The point is moot, I have said my piece."
He raised a brow, "Just like that?"
She crossed her arms, "Yes."
"No trying to convince me?"
"I have no reason to, nor will I look or one."
Speaking of it at all is pointless, but the conversation went there anyway before anyone could steer it.
"Fine."
"Fine."
They left it at that, Éclair was off to the side watching the interaction. Her eyes darted back and forth, anticipating any other spoken word. It was silent for a good minute before Arturia turned around, prompting Éclair to follow.
They exited through the door before Erhard spoke up, "This isn't over, Sword Lass."
Arturia turned her head to look at him, "Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't." Erhard looked at her with a bemused expression before sighing and shaking his head.
"It's never easy with you, is it?"
"If I were easy, I wouldn't be a knight."
"Truer word can't be spoken." It was the last thing he said before the two left his shop. His eyes lingered on the two knights before smiling.
"This world will be alright."
Progress is slow at the moment, so to pass the time, Arturia had Éclair lead her to the restaurant that she's been meaning to visit. Of course, it was on today's do-list and wit the Church being nosy, it's best to remain unseeming. To them, she may just be a typical knight that's able to handle a band of highwaymen on her own.
Nothing's been found out yet. Excalibur is dispelled at the moment, preventing anyone's eyes on it. Not that they'd be able to see it anyway. Invisible Air is active almost all of the times she brought her sword out.
Overall, there isn't anything to be concerned by in terms of her origin. Aside from what's publicly known by the people.
Tavern on the Queenland
A quaint name for a small in a hole in the wall restaurant. It's rather fitting, considering who truly rules here. The owners must hold the Queen in much higher regard. Possibly old friends, or they idolize their ruler that much.
Perhaps there were inns or shops named after her, but her time as king prevented many outings through the city of Camelot. Her court and throne room were the only places she frequented while not away to battle.
All that time spent making sure of her rule and right to it and she never had the chance to really see things. Shirou, bless his soul, had helped in that immensely. Even here, she feels elated in seeing everything that's to be seen. Even if she still hides most of her amazement behind her eyes.
"This is it." Éclair seemed so much more enthusiastic now. Understandable because of the nice scent wafting out the door and windows. People calmly chatting inside, with a small outer area for those that want the breeze.
A few eyes landed on them as they approached the doors, murmurs of wonder and awe at the near instant recognition of who she is to them. Other than that, the people remained quiet. Knowing this is a restaurant, they choose a calm atmosphere and seeing the very personification of their religion coming for food, even that doesn't seem enough to outright burst out in excitement.
Good, she was hoping for a smooth start to this. The sun was in a position above them and to the side a bit. It's been nearly an hour since they've arrived at the city with little to no interaction with anyone of importance. Then again, their travels aren't exactly advertised to the general public.
"Good afternoon, ladies. Do you have a reservation?" The greeter spoke to them, his words were practiced with every day he spends here. The topic of reservations put Éclair's plan into a halt. She didn't realize that they needed one.
"I'm afraid we do not. We've only heard of your recent opening and decided to experience the outing." Arturia said, crossing her arms. Éclair looked to her with a sheepish expression.
"Sorry, Arturia. I didn't realize we needed one." Éclair looked to the greeter, "I'm sorry to have bothered you, sir." Slightly disappointed, but it was to be expected. Such a thing didn't exist in her time, but it did in Shirou's. The Grail didn't include everything but for some reason it provided the definition of "restaurant reservation".
"Wait! Hold it! Hector, let them through. Find a table for them for God's sake." A tall, broad man speed walked out of the door, berating the greeter. His hair is brown and flowed to his shoulders, his bright blue eyes stood out easily. To any woman, he would be considered devilishly handsome.
Hector looked confused before taking another look at the two ladies who he now realized were wearing armor. His eyes lit up in recognition before gaining an almost horrified look.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't recognize you, please forgive me!" Arturia retained a flat stare for a few seconds before nodding and smiling.
"I understand your worries, but please, do not fret. We did not come here expecting free service." She didn't take kindly to charities based on her current status with the people.
The one who barged in the conversation, in which she believed to be the manager of the establishment spoke up, "It's not that. When word got out of the Sword Hero, I told my employees to accept whoever they were regardless of reservation."
The knight tilted her head, "Recognition isn't what I aim for, wherever I may go. I accept it, but I do not lean on it. What is your reason for going around your own rules?"
"First, my name is Fredric, and as for my reason? I do not have one other than just wanting an audience with our kingdom's hero." He seemed quite proud of himself on why he wanted to forgo all of the necessary steps to gain a table. Arturia looked to Éclair, "What do you think?"
She nodded enthusiastically, "I'd like to still be here, if that's alright with you."
Arturia nodded, "I decided I would already, but I wanted to confirm our choice."
She looked to Fredric before speaking, "We accept your offer, Fredric. Do know that I intend of making a reservation for any future visits. This is non-negotiable." He deflated slightly at that but hid it almost immediately. He bowed lightly, putting his arm out in guidance inside.
"Let me show you to your table." With that, he turned around and walked inside with them in tow. The interior reminded her a lot of Camelot's dining hall, in terms of décor, of course. The banners of Melromarc hung proudly on the walls while maintaining a constant atmosphere of calmness.
It's definitely larger than she anticipated due to the building being in between others with small alleyways. The back reached far to accommodate multiple tables while leaving room for the kitchens to make the food in relative comfort. Can't have a cramped kitchen in a restaurant such as this.
"This is simply wonderful, Arturia. I'm glad I got you to come with, you're going to really enjoy this here." Éclair held enough energy for the both of them in regards to excitement for this place. Even if the woman never visited this place, she treated it like any other establishment. With gusto. Whether it was appetite or the constant need to see the sights, it was nice to have someone generating such enthusiasm.
The manager pulled the chairs out in response to their approach, obviously keeping to common decency. Her time as king excluded this, though. She always sat herself down, whether it was in the dining hall, the Round Table or her very own throne. But, to keep up appearances for those that frequent here, she allowed it.
"Despite my want in having you in my restaurant, I will say that I wasn't expecting you to wear your armor for such an occasion." Fredric spoke, eyeing the plated greaves that brushed against the chair as Arturia sat down. The sound of metal on wood could be heard easily enough.
"This jaunt through the town was due to an impulse on my friend's part. I simply followed along."
Éclair pouted, "Really pushing me under the cart, aren't you?"
The king smiled, "I am answering his question with honesty. I assume you'd prefer that over lying to the man." Éclair huffed lightly before crossing her arms, turning her head away.
"I didn't think to come here before Erhard, okay?"
"I'm sure he doesn't mind too much. This was a spur of the moment, after all." Er eyes drifted to Fredric who only nodded.
"I don't mind it. But one of these days, I would like to see who you are without your armor." He smirked, giving her a wink… With any other woman, his looks and charm will have won them over. Her smile is fake, "If there is ever a time to come back here, I'll be sure to do that."
He smiled brightly at that, seeming like he had succeeded in something. It succeeded at nothing and will continue to do so. Her heart went out to one person only, and he was a world away… She didn't let her emotions rule her here, instead she picked up the menu to try and make him leave.
"Is there anything you two want to drink?" He asked, waiting patiently for a response. Éclair was the first to give her choice, "I'll have a small glass of red wine. There's no ale here, so it will do."
Arturia looked at her, "There isn't any? Pity." She turned to Fredric, "I suppose I will have a second glass of your red wine, if you please." He bowed lightly before turning around. Arturia sighed in relief before clasping her hands together on the table.
"Something tells me you aren't very interested in him." Éclair received a shake of the head.
"No. My heart has already been taken by another."
Éclair perked up at that, "Is it someone I know?"
She shook her head, "No. The man isn't in this world. But in my own. I fear I may never see him again due to the circumstances that brought me here."
"I'm sorry to hear that. But you said you had died before coming here."
"Death isn't the end, Éclair. I saw but a glimpse of it before your king summoned me."
Avalon, the ever-distant utopia seemed so close in reach. It felt like a dream when she passed on, being brought across the water on a riverboat of the Fae. Somewhere in between… it happened. She came here. Whether it was on purpose or not, her afterlife had been taken from her.
Not that it was a bad thing, but at least there she could hope to see him again. Waiting for him for over a thousand years. Nearly two.
"Really? What did it look like?"
"Grass as far as the eye could see. Never changing skies of clear blue… a utopia for those that passed on with valor and honor."
"It sounds… wonderful." Éclair sounded unsure, but she heard of a description of the afterlife. When one is alive, not many would want to know about it, her curiosity has made her wonder about it.
"Do not dwell on the afterlife. Your life is only just starting so there's no need to think about it."
Éclair shook her head, "It's not that. It truly sounds wonderful, but I don't intend on seeing it anytime soon."
Arturia nodded lightly, "Good."
The manager returned with the wine before leaving again to handle somethings in the back. The servers would take over for the rest of their time here. The two sat in silence for a while, taking short sips of the wine glass in their hands.
A pleasant taste, to be sure. She casually wondered how long this had been aged. No doubt for a few years more than typical aging of wine. Judging from the bottle that was used, it was clearly of higher end, meant for nobles with money to throw around. There was enough silver with them to pay for the meal and wine, with what the menu displayed.
"Many of these dishes are unrecognizable but I feel that this steak will provide nourishment."
Éclair looked at the menu, "That one? It looks rather large, are you sure you can handle that?"
Arturia raised an eyebrow at her, "I may be small, but my appetite may just out-size your own."
Éclair waved over a server to finish their order.
Hours later, the two sat in an inn. The place was chosen due to its position being in a shadier part of down. They procured cloaks to remain anonymous to prying eyes, mainly to remain hidden from the Church's shadows. Her senses weren't lying when she felt the presence of one of them, silently tailing the two knights. With a flick of Excalibur, a sliver of Strike Air directed itself to the shadow, throwing them off balance and provided time to slip into an alleyway.
"It's not surprising one was able to keep up with us, they specialize in espionage, tracking, spying, even killing those that the Church wants silenced. The incident at my village was one such operation, using the local mercenaries and a few of the kingdom's knights to subjugate what demi-humans were left…"
Éclair sighed forcefully, glaring at the small cup in her hands, "Even with the laws in place, there are always those willing to go to such lengths for money."
Arturia leaned forward on the table, "You can't be everywhere at once. Nor can you take on an army. As it stands, we have multiple options."
She held three fingers up, "One, and this would put us in the Church's eyes too much, we could start by destroying the slavery rings in the city." Éclair seemed interested in the option, but Arturia wasn't finished.
"Two, wait for an opportunity to present itself, and take action. Three is the simple fact that we will need a third companion for our travels. While this isn't an option in regard to the problems of this kingdom, there will be a time where a third could prove to be immensely useful in the future. The more we have banded together to handle the catastrophe that is the Waves, the less effort we will need to exert to protect even one village."
"But why a third party member? You alone could take on an entire army with little effort."
"You're observable to such a degree that I find it wonderful. It is true that the disparity in our… levels is massive but do take note that the more we have banded together in preparation to the catastrophe that is the Waves, the better our chances will be in surviving. Even I am not infallible to a greater opponent."
Heracles would be a prime example of such a thing. It was only due to Shirou's ideals and his near suicidal tendency to protect her from any form of harm that ensured their survival on multiple occasions. Even now, she has the urge to smack him upside the head.
"I have a hard time believing that, Arturia. I've seen you wrestle a wyvern of all beings."
"The wyvern was young and had no true power in its bones. It wasn't difficult, but I have a feeling the shifter it spoke of would be a worthy opponent." While she had no want of constant battle, strong foes were sometimes welcoming.
"Were there any humans you've fought that were strong?"
"My uncle was one such."
"You fought your uncle?"
"In blood, he was. But couldn't have been farther from the definition of family. He was a tyrannical ruler that wanted to encompass the world in darkness, allowing beings of myth to run free while humans were trampled underfoot." Arturia will never forget that man… he was more monster than human. His words echoed back to her, saying how the Age of Mystery will never truly end until she died.
Such true words, as bitter as they were in what little talks they shared before she struck him down.
"I… I have no words for that."
"It would be for the best that we do not speak of him."
"Right…"
The two sat at the table, contemplating recent events and what's to come. In truth, there weren't many ways to get around the Church if what her senses were telling her. They're still searching, and her bounded field could only cover so much. They weren't far, but not close either. The blinds were shut to prevent looking in even more so.
Éclair looked up at her, "Where do we go from here?" Arturia remained in thought before speaking, "I would suggest that we continue our search for a companion, and we will go from there."
Éclair nodded, "That sounds fair. It was what I had in mind but I felt it best to discuss it with you."
"You're more than welcome speak your mind with me, even if it's a plan of any sort. I will not brush aside what you have to say. No matter what." This is a partnership; she isn't above Éclair. Not here. They were equals and the feeling has not proven to be detrimental.
"I understand, but you've led men into battle while I have not. Your experience is much more than my own. I only do this because of that."
"Then see to it that you do it more. I'm not your commanding officer, nor am I a king. I hold no authority over you, and I never will. Do we have an understanding?" Éclair nodded in agreement.
Arturia held out her hand for Éclair to take it and shook.
"Good. The shadow's have made their retreat, while I do not favor running from them, I do not want the Church hounding us for attacking them unprovoked. Let us find a third before making any more moves."
"I understand."
Honestly, I've been antsy when writing this. I can't help but wonder if I need a beta for this. Or someone who could help write this. I friend suggested a collaboration, but I have no experience with other writers.
The idea isn't bad to me, if anything it might just help me with keeping this story alive and interesting. Hell, as I roll through this chapter, it seems… jumbled again. I gotta get out of my head on this stuff.
Anyway, I hope you guys have a good day. I'm taking more time in writing this, so I don't mess up. Either I have already, or I'm doing just fine. The reviews will speak for it.