Eventually, things reached a semblance of normality for Saber.

The King of Knights had found a measure of balance with her own body and she could go about her day without worries.

It wasn't a solution that came without a price. Her body required daily doses of attention, but with the help of conveniently shaped objects she managed to quell her own lust enough that she could function normally.

That is not to say that her nightmares had passed. In fact, ever since she had caught her employer in the act they had become more vivid. More... detailed.

She tried not to dwell on it, but every morning she had to take care of her arousal before going to work, otherwise she wouldn't be able to focus.

She also avoided being alone with him for any stretch of time, least she recalled those shameful moments in which she had lost control of her own body.

At least now she could finally manage and not make a fool of herself any longer.

She should have known better though.

Peace is but a time to prepare for the next war.

"Uhm... Miss Saber?" one of the youngest maids approached her. "Mas...Mister Odgenson asked for you. He's in his office."

Saber frowned. Ever since she had been employed, this was the first time she had been called by her employer. In fact, she wasn't sure he even knew her name. She hadn't been hired directly by him, but rather by the person in charge of Human Resources, as they called them in this day and age.

That is not to say they had never spoken, but their direct interaction had been limited and perfunctory.

What could he want from her specifically now?

Mentally shrugging, she made her way to his office with a firm step and her head held high.

She quickly reached the door to his office and knocked on the wooden frame.

"Come on in."

She stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Howard's study was surprisingly spartan. A stark contrast in comparison to the rest of his mansion. Then again, in her time she too used to prefer the opulence to be reserved to impress her guests.

That was pretty much where the similarities between him and her ended.

"You called for me, sir?"

"Yes. Please, do have a seat," he replied as he gestured to the chair on the opposite side of the desk at which he was sitting.

Saber approached warily, but did as he had asked. To refuse without a reason would have been insulting and while she had... issues with him, he had done nothing to wrong her.

"I have been told you do an impressive job, Miss Dulac," he said as he reclined into his chair.

"Please, sir. Call me Saber."

Dulac was the surname Rin had picked for her when her stay into this world had become a long term arrangement. She hadn't liked the choice, loaded as it was with grief and regrets, but it in the end an insignificant matter, as he didn't allow anyone to call her that more than a couple of times.

"Saber, then," Howard smiled. It made him look like a pig even more. "I called you here because the person in charge of the personnel spoke very highly of you. He told me you run a very tight ship and your subordinate appreciate you. As you probably realize, being able to order people around and make yourself be appreciated for it at the same time is not an easy feat."

Saber held back a snort. She knew that very well, though hearing it acknowledged gave her a small measure of satisfaction.

"Thank you, sir," she nodded briskly.

"You are very much welcome. That being said, there has been... cause for concern. Lately your behavior has been reported as... erratic."

Saber flinched. "Yes it's... there have been some difficulties. I apologize."

"Of course, of course," he waved his hands dismissively. "No one is at the top of their game all the time, are they, now? Still, the House of Odgenson pride itself into taking good care of its people all the more so when they talented and hardworking as yourself. So, as you can understand, when the reports of your abnormal behavior became recurring the security department was notified."

"Sir?" Saber asked, feeling her shoulders tense.

"Now, you probably understand that I take the security of my household very seriously. Wealth attracts any number of enemies and great wealth all the more so. People that would not hesitate to go after my subordinates to gain a foothold inside these wall. Therefore you were flagged as a potential security threat and we made a throughout check of your background. You will be pleased to say that nothing abnormal emerged."

Saber relaxed. Her identity in modern society was a facade crafted using the channels through which Magi hid their actions from ordinary humans. It was considered ironclad but the possibility that someone sufficiently determined would find an anomaly somewhere. While Saber wasn't afraid of losing her job, she didn't want to give Rin even more problems.

"Then, what is the reason for this summon?" she asked.

"Like I said we checked your background, but before the results came through we had to make sure you were not a threat, so your movements while on duty have been strictly monitored through our security system."

He opened a drawer and pulled out an envelope, sliding it toward her. Saber picked it up with a barely contained trembling of her hands. She opened it and let the contents spill on the mahogany desk.

There were dozens of pictures of her in compromising positions, as she mastrubated throughout the mansion. Some of them pictured her as she peeped on the man that sat in front of her while her traitorous hand was buried between her own legs.

If she hadn't been sitting, Saber might have collapsed. Her vision was swimming as blood rushed to her face turning it of a crimson shade of red.

Her throat was dry as the desert and she couldn't find the courage to look into Howard's eyes.

Never before in her life she had experienced such annihilating shame. Never before she had been subjected to such utter humiliation.

And to make things worse, there was no one to blame for it but herself.

She wanted to call forth her sword and stab her own heart, but she would dare not touch the sacred blade with the same hand that had caused her to lose her honor so badly.

Her mouth opened and closed, but no word came out. To begin with there were no words that could reverse time to that cursed day so that she could cut her own hand off before it could commit that heinous crime.

"Now, Saber, I understand what it's like to be young," Howard chuckled. "But... peeping on people isn't exactly acceptable behavior. I am fairly liberal minded as you might have surmised so I won't blame you for indulging in yourself a bit."

Saber still didn't dare to raise her head. She heard his every word and she could tell that while being somewhat humorous he wasn't mocking her, but she still could not look at him in the eye. She probably wouldn't be able to do it again for the rest of her days.

To make matter worse, she hated how his nonchalance and forgiveness had eased her spirit. She had expected and deserved to be despised for her immoral behavior, but his easy forgiveness made her feel both better and worse.

"Still, you are paid to do a certain job. You have duties to see to and I expect you to keep up with them if you wish to keep working here. I'd like to believe we can trust each other, both professionally and at a human level. I already revoked the surveillance and I had the originals of those pictures destroyed. Like I said, I don't expect you or anyone else to be functioning at a hundred percent all day long, but please do keep your... entertainment to your breaks."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," she replied meekly. To be scolded like an unruly child... how could have she fallen this low?

"Alternatively," he continued. "if you really can't deal with it, you can take on... additional duties."

Saber was many things, but an idiot was not one of them. She understood perfectly what he meant, yet the only thing that came out of her mouth was-

"Sir?"

"Come, now. You have seen enough to know that I'm quite familiar with many of my employees and while their involvement with me is absolutely voluntary I don't dock from their pay the time they spend entertaining me. In fact, if you were so inclined, you'd find that there are many benefits for taking on these extra duties."

In any other situation, Saber would have run this man through with her sword in a heartbeat. However, she had long since lost the higher moral ground and she couldn't blame him if he thought she was that kind of woman.

Therefore, she could muster none of the spite she would otherwise have used in answering him.

"No... sir. I won't happen again."

And that was it. She could not find the voice to apologize further and besides he had already forgiven her.

"That's a shame, but my offer stands. Feel free to, ah, come to me anytime. Well, that's all for now. You can go back to your work."

Saber nodded and stood, leaving the room on shaky legs without a single word.

She had still five hours of work ahead of her.

They would be some of the longest in her entire life.

In the following days, Saber did everything in her power to forget the humiliation she wrought upon herself.

She had expected to be mocked, to be laughed about, but it seemed no one had an inkling of what had happened. The few times she had come across her employer he had greeted her cordially and he had made no reference to their discussion.

She was relieved, but at the same time she could not forgive herself so easily. A part of her wished Howard had fired her. She could have taken it as her rightful punishment, but instead she was being left off the hook scot-free and it made her feel even worse.

She was aware it was a contradiction, but what she could do? She had wounded her own pride and she didn't know what she could do to heal it.

Perhaps this was her punishment after all. Living with herself as she was.

Still, with the passing of days and with the intense workload, she managed to put it behind her, at the very least when she was working on something.

However, restoring her ease of mind also brought back the dreams. Not in quite as vivid details as they used to be, but they were still there.

Saber now firmly intended to keep her shameful lust at bay and diligently took care of it every single morning, putting even more effort than strictly necessary. Whereas she initially did the bare minimum to be functional, she now made sure that her desire was truly quelled before going to work.

She would not be caught in the same situation twice.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"I'm not sure about anything Gerard. I know that it's wrong, intellectually. I know that I shouldn't be doing it."

"Then why do it at all?

"Because I also know how wet I get just thinking about it."

"So, you want me to do what, exactly?"

"Why, whatever you want, of course."

"I can't guarantee she won't break."

"Oh, Gerard. I want you to break her. Break her like you did with me."

"... you knew?"

"I suspected it, but the contract made it impossible for you to harm me. So, I realized that even if you really were behind it, the choice had to be my own."

"And you choose to betray everything and everyone. Even the person who would gladly lay down her life for you. All because it makes you horny."

"Yesss~❤"

"It looks like I created a monster. A beautiful, wonderful monster but a monster all the same. Very well. I'll do it, but you have to do something for me in return."

"What? I'm serving you my girlfriend on a silver platter and you expect compensation?"

"Rin, please. You know how it works. You came asking me for help and thus you must pay the price. Besides, don't worry. You'll have lots of fun doing this assignment."

"Hmph! I'll be the judge of that."

"Even though you're like this, your personality hasn't really changed at all. Whatever. That's why I like you so much anyway."

"... Idiot."

Saber came home one to an empty apartment.

It wasn't surprising anymore. In the past months she had only caught brief glimpses of Rin every now and then, the few times she did come home at all.

With their different schedule it was unlikely that they would be home at the same time, but now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall exactly when was the last time Saber saw or even heard her.

She wasn't really worried. Rin was a capable Magus able to handle herself in any circumstances. Still, it was strange.

Rin would at least leave her a note when she could, but it had been a while since that happened. Looking around, it was almost like no one lived there anymore.

Saber herself didn't spend too much time home. Most days she worked up to sixteen hours. About four hours less than during her tenure as king. Then she either trained or walked around the city as there was no point going back to an empty apartment.

Now, however, she was starting to get worried. There was no sign that Rin had come home in the past week. Saber knew, because not a single item had moved from where she had left them. Rin's own stuff was where she last saw them. There weren't even dirty clothes in the damper.

Rin would not skip on her own cleanliness.

Well, maybe it was too early to worry at all.

She picked up the phone and dialed Rin's number at the Clock Tower. Despite frowning on modern day tools, Magi still conceded that some things were useful enough to be overlooked. Landline phones were among such things.

The call, however, did not go through. It rang and rang, but no one ever picked up.

That wasn't really out of the ordinary. Rin didn't exactly sit at her desk all day long. Technically, Saber could contact Rin telepathically through their Master/Servant bond, but doing so without a strong reason could be a bad idea.

For instance, if Rin was in the middle of spell, Saber's mental intrusion could cause Rin's concentration to slip, potentially causing harm. For the same reason Saber was sure that Rin would have contacted her if she needed help.

Sighing, Saber opted to go to bed. The next day it would be her day off, so she could go to the Clock Tower and meet Rin there directly.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you inside," the person who guarded the gate to the underground complex said.

"Why not?"

"Familiars aren't allowed entrance without their Masters, not even Servants, I'm afraid."

It was a intelligent security measure. Familiars came in all shape and sizes. Some were better for espionage, some other to carry out battle. Demanding their Masters being present insured that they could be held accountable for whatever action they took.

"Not even if my Master is inside?" she asked.

"If your Master was on premises, I could easily have her summoned for you, but according to the register, she has checked out of the institute ten days ago and hasn't returned since."

"... what? Are you absolutely sure about that?"

"Of course. No one passes through this gate unchecked," the guard replied confidently. Saber knew he was right. If there was one thing the Magus Association but a lot of stock into, was security.

Due to her own power and Magic Resistance, Saber could cut through those protections like a hot knife through butter, but she certainly couldn't do so undetected.

So, it was certain that Rin wasn't down there and that she hadn't been in a long time.

Disregarding her earlier reservations, Saber reached out through their bond.

'Rin?' she called out. 'Rin, where are you?'

Thre was no response. Only a silent blackness met her voice. An ice cold hand seized her heart.

'Rin! Rin, answer me! RIN!'

Saber run out of the building trying to use their bond to determine her location, but whereas she usually felt a strong sense of direction, now it was only a very vague impression. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Someone was tampering with their connection, but such a thing could only be accomplished at one of the two ends of the line. By extension that meant someone had captured Rin.

She hadn't checked in the Clock Tower in ten days. Just about the same time since she last saw her.

A thousand questions fired through her mind.

Who? When? Why? Where?

Her Master - her lover - was in enemy hands. She had been for days and she only just noticed.

She ruthlessly crushed the sense of guilt that crept into her chest. Now it wasn't the time for self-recriminations.

She needed to find her immediately. However, she had not clue where to start. Any other Magus could be behind it. Even though they cooperated, they were still inherently hostile to each other and just in this city there were hundreds of them. She couldn't act rashly yet she had to move fast.

She immediately returned home. There was a chance that Rin could have left behind something that would clue her to her whereabouts.

Two hours later, Saber had turned their apartment upside down without finding anything that she could use to track her.

It had been a stretch to begin with. If Rin had any idea she would be ambushed she would have taken precautions. No, if Rin hadn't so much as expressed a suspicion with her then it meant she hadn't seen it coming at all.

At least she had used the time to ponder who could have a grudge against Rin specifically, and only two names came to mind.

Edelfelt and El-Melloi.

The heiress to the first had a rivalry with Rin from day one. It was friendly enough at first, but after Shirou had been forced to flee it had soured considerably. Luviagelita had an obvious crush on Shirou and she blamed Rin for his Sealing Designation.

The El-Melloi had a grudge with Shirou, or rather Kiritsugu for the destruction of their Crest dating back to the Fourth Grail War.

Rin and Saber suspected them to be one of the driving forces behind the investigation that led to Shirou's Sealing Designation.

The current Lord, Waver Velvet, was merely adopted into the family and unlikely to have supported their grudges. Saber herself had vouched for the character of the young man that had stood next to Rider against her during that conflict.

However, despite thinking he would have no part in Rin's disappearance she couldn't exclude it altogether.

It seemed that despite his name, Saber wouldn't be able to use the velvet glove with him at all.

It had been a long day for Waver Velvet, as they usually were for him. Being a professor at the Clock Tower and the acting Lord of the El-Melloi at the same time was not an easy task.

At the end of the day, all he wanted was to get home, have strong drink and smoke a cigar in peace before turning in for the night.

Today hadn't been any different than yesterday and the days before and those before still.

So, why had it changed? Why was he laying in the middle of the deserted country road that led to his house? Why was his car in flames?

Why was the holy sword Excalibur pointed at his throat?

"Good evening, Your Higness," he greeted in an even tone.

"Sir Velvet," she greeted back with a chill in her voice. "Forgive my manners, but my Master seems to have gone missing. Do you, by chance, know anything about it?"

Waver sighed. So that's what it was all about.

"Loathe as I am to admit it, no, I didn't know anything about it until this moment."

"Please, give me a reason to believe you." Despite her tone, there was no begging in her voice.

"I know who you are, King of Knights, and what you are capable of. Had I foolishly decided to take action against someone under your aegis I would have taken proper measures not to find myself in these very circumstances. I think that not having to turn every rock to find me is proof enough for my innocence in this matter."

Time seemed to stretch eternally while the Servant looked at him as if she was staring right into his soul. Then, finally, the cold pressure again the skin of his throat was lifted as the sword that caused it was lowered.

"I shall grant you the benefit of the doubt in this instance."

Had he been made of less stern stuff, Waver might have sighed in relief. He was, however, one of the few mortals who had held Gilgamesh's gaze without bowing his head and lived to tell the tale.

Therefore, he just picked himself up from the ground and patted his clothes to rid himself of the dust.

"Do you have any idea who might have abducted my Master?" she eventually asked.

"Anyone who might hold a grudge against the name of Emiya, certainly," he replied, "on top of anyone who might have taken offense to Miss Tohsaka's recent string of accomplishments:"

"The Edelfelt?" she suggested.

"Only if they were hired to carry out the task. They are mercenaries, first and foremost. Holding grudges is anathema to them and I have heard they had wanted Emiya - Kiritsugu that is - to marry into their family before he was poached by the Einzberns. For what is worth, I don't believe they have any part in this business either."

It was subtle, but Saber's shoulders fell at his words.

"I see," she nodded and turned to leave. "Then, I shall impose upon you no longer. Thank you for your time."

"Wait!" he called out, making her stop in her tracks. "I don't know if it's related to Miss Tohsaka's disappearance, but in the past few months she has been working closely with another Magus outside of the Clock Tower. She worked with him more than she did with anyone else by far."

"Who? Tell me, quickly."

"It's Dufall. Gerard Dufall."

"Raaah!" Saber shouted furiously as she sent the table in her living room flying against the wall. It shattered in a thousand splinters and cracked the wall as well.

Saber's rage was directed at herself, first and foremost. She knew that Rin had been working with that scum. Rin had insisted that he was trustworthy and Saber believed her. Yet now she was gone and the person who had last see her was probably him.

Problem is that no one knew where his Workshop was. He didn't have one inside the Association. Not even a small study. He came, rarely, to follow a lecture and then left. Whatever research Rin did with him, it was done in there.

She asked Waver if he had any knowledge about the location, but he had none. He offered to keep an ear to the ground and notify her if he ever showed up at the Clock Tower. It was way more than she could have asked for as he owed her nothing, especially not after she had ambushed him the way she did.

She suspected it was out of melancholy more than anything else. A gift out of respect to an old opponent. However Saber wasn't in any mood to appreciate it

She was angry. Angry in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. Her entire body shook and her breathing was ragged like she had run for countless leagues.

She blinked at that. Why was her breath labored at all? She could very well run to the end of the world and not feel the slightest strain, so why was she short on breath now?

Examining herself, she noticed that her Mana was low, very much so. The flow of energy coming from Rin was still there, but it was greatly diminished.

"...What?"

She dispelled her armor and weapon, reverting to her everyday clothes. She regained control of her emotions and allowed her heartbeat to slow down. Whatever interfered with her bond with Rin was also tampering on the energy Saber received from her Master.

Right now, she was still getting it, but it was definitely less than it used to be. Was it intentional, or was it a side effect of the interference? Could it be that the enemy's plan was to starve her out?

If that was the case, she was even more on a time limit. It was ten days since Rin had vanished but she was still alive. Chances were that Gerard didn't want to kill Rin. In fact, he had made quite clear that his intentions for her needed Rin to be very much alive.

She gritted her teeth in frustration and anger. She needed to find the rathole in which he was hiding. She would find it even if she had to turn the city upside down.

XXX

AN: Nope. See next chapter.