-Lancer Arturia-

It was surreal, really. A kind of startling discovery that practically turned over her entire world view regarding her responsibilities, duties, and most importantly, the path she took in life.

From an early age, she'd been convinced both by prophecy and a tad bit of her own ego that she alone was the only one who could carry the current state of her country to prosperity. It never occurred to her that there could be another that Caliburn would deem worthy despite not possessing the heritage of Uther or being within Merlin's foresight.

Honestly, she'd never would have believed it had she not seen the image reflected in her child-self's experiences.

"In the time I haven't seen you, you've grown quite mature, haven't you?"

Lancer Arturia glanced up from where she'd been brooding in silence to see her dream's version of Merlin taking a seat across from her on the table.

There was food spread out across the top, braised meat garnished with herbs and spices her Shirou would collect. Off to the side were small loaves of flavoured bread, assorted fruits native to the area, and a mug of sheep's milk for the morning.

It spoke volumes that the food wasn't all consumed yet considering her generous appetite.

"Is that not a good thing?" She countered back.

Her mental age in her dream was far older than her current physical age. There was no way she could show the same naivety and passion for her goals as she'd once done in the past.

She knew of the things that would happen, both the good and the bad, and in this alternative timeline, she understood that the only way to change anything was through her own capability.

Therefore, she had to work hard. Harder than any time before.

Where child Arturia would grumble from time to time and even have the mood for leisure to accompany Shirou, Lancer Arturia forewent such activities.

There was just no benefit to them in regards to improving herself.

"Maturity has its benefits I suppose, but it also has its demerits," Merlin chided, reaching out for the braised meat only to have his hand smacked away by Lancer Arturia on instinct.

"Shirou made that for me," she made an excuse for her behaviour, a pinkish hue colouring her cheeks.

Merlin shrugged, nonchalant, but she knew that face he was making. He obviously wasn't too pleased. "Then perhaps he'd be saddened that you aren't eating it yet? He's still out cooking because he knows your appetite. At your current pace, wouldn't you waste his efforts?"

"Of course not," Lancer Arturia began loading her plate and hoarding the food to her side. "But, it's still mine."

Merlin gave her a look and pinched the bridge of his nose. "In all honestly, that statement is making you overflow with too much sweetness."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?" Merlin stared her right in the eyes as she glanced away, unable to maintain his gaze. "Alas, this is where your maturity has led you. Does being mature mean to keep everything pent up? Why if this were you the last time we first met, you were never this reserved. If you thought someone was wrong, you'd chastise them. When you felt something was unnecessary, you'd vocalize it. When you know exactly what emotion your feeling, at the very least, your younger self wouldn't pretend it didn't exist."

Lancer Arturia had no reply. She could lie or make excuses, but Merlin as a half-incubus likely knew her emotions best from the taste of their flavour wafting off of her.

"You know what I feel sitting across from you now?" Merlin patiently lectured despite fully knowing he was digging at her swore spots. "I feel doubt, hesitation, and wavering resolve, all of which are detrimental for this day of fate, and not once did you bother confiding in me. The sword in the stone is waiting, but perhaps you are not yet ready? Would tomorrow be better for you? But I must remind you that the Saxons will not wait, nor will this country's deterioration."

Lancer Arturia wet her lips and then pursed them shut as Merlin practically threw all her troubles at her face. Was Merlin being this petty just because she smacked his hand away from her food?

"Then there's the most serious emotion that's-"

"I know," she furrowed her brows at him. "You don't have to say it."

"So, you've learned to interrupt a teacher's lesson in your 'maturity?'"

Lancer Arturia's features flushed in shame. Not once had her younger self ever interjected to anything Merlin said during her years of tutorship. She was in the wrong in this case. As direct as Merlin was being, nothing he was saying was false.

"You love him, don't you?"

And there it was.

The pang of longing kept within her took a blow.

"It's not your concern," she immediately skirted around the topic, but Merlin was ruthless to her fragile maiden heart.

"Well, I suppose you wouldn't mind if I educate him in a brothel- oh well, isn't that just terrifying?"

"…"

Lancer Arturia rolled her eyes down to see that she'd broken the table with her bear hands.

She slumped her shoulders. "Leave me alone, Merlin. It's just, have you ever thought that maybe Shirou has more qualifications than myself to be King?"

Caliburn had chosen him too. Perhaps if he took up the duty of monarchy in this life, he could lead the country far better than she ever did.

He was talented, charitable, and charismatic in his own right. To top it off, he didn't have the advantage of her past-life's experiences.

No matter how she thought about it, compared to her child self, he was flawless in every way. The only reason she was still bent on taking up Caliburn was because of her mental state granting her wisdom over him.

She'd surely lead better than him because she'd done so before, whereas he was inexperienced and may make mistakes.

This wasn't something to be happy over.

She felt ashamed just thinking about it.

"Well, Merlin?" She blinked at her mentor of two lives.

There was no pause in Merlin's reply when their gazes met. "Ah, this evidently isn't a light case. You're too far gone, but I'm sure that you're 'mature' enough to handle it, yes?"

She glared as Merlin merely winked at her before growing somewhat serious. "In truth, Arturia, Shirou is someone that my own prophetic insight has failed to account for. Even if he was better or more qualified than you, letting him rule would be the same as taking a gamble. It's you who has to decide whether to take that risk or not, but how can your judgement be trusted if you can't be truthful with yourself?"

"Supposing you're correct, what would you do?" Lancer Arturia sought advice, something her younger counterparts would never do because they never realized how insightful Merlin could be after his disappearance to Avalon.

Merlin merely gave a look in reply before seeing her earnest expression and softening his stance. "If I want it, I'll only regret it if I don't try. Ordinarily, a path of a King must be trod alone, but hypothetically assuming that Caliburn deems another worthy, who says that the prior statement holds true? In this case, I'd recognize the feeling, and do everything possible to make it true."

Lancer Arturia took the information in, but couldn't come to terms with it like her child self could have done with blind faith.

Maturity truly did have its troubles.

"I'm not you," she reasoned stubbornly. "It's not that easy."

Merlin raised his hands and scoffed. "You act as if Caliburn would choose just anyone. Capable as Shirou may be, it doesn't mean Caliburn would acknowledge him."

You're wrong.

"Still, qualified or not, keeping these emotions to yourself will only hinder your future…how troubling of you."

Merlin continued to mutter to himself while Lancer Arturia chose not to pay too much attention anymore.

She underestimated Merlin's tactics in rearing a capable ruler.

"What sort of training is this?" Shirou was genuinely perplexed while Merlin instructed him to stand inside a cramped rectangular box on a training field. The box stood two meters tall, and less than a meter wide.

Lancer Arturia herself was just as befuddled at the scene, but held her reservations to herself after Merlin had called her out earlier in the morning.

"Something you shouldn't question," Merlin whispered to Shirou. "It's less for you, and more for our young King's sake. She has too many thoughts pent up you see, and nothing's better than a release."

Upon hearing Merlin's words, any doubts cleared from Shirou's expression entirely, a change Lancer Arturia noted quickly. Unfortunately, she was too far away to hear what exactly Merlin had said to gain so much of Shirou's focus.

Frowning, she walked closer within hearing distance in order to observe more carefully. She didn't ask, but she found it dubious that Merlin had instructed Shirou to wear nothing but his trousers.

His chest was entirely bare, revealing toned abs and firm pectoral muscles from his days swinging a hammer as a blacksmith in Bristol. The tan resembled the colour of bronze in the morning light.

To not be caught openly staring, Lancer glanced at him from the corner of her eyes instead and listened.

"What's the point in casting a spell that prevents me from closing my eyes or turning my head?" She heard Shirou ask.

"Focus. This spell will keep your gaze from wandering," Merlin replied offhandedly. "You'll thank me later, I'm sure. Now stay put for a moment while I get things ready."

What else did Merlin need to get ready?

The question popped into Lancer Arturia's mind for only a second until she realized that Merlin was standing directly behind her. His hands were already over her shoulder, guiding her forward until she was in front of the opened box.

She and her Shirou were staring right at each other less than two-feet away.

"Merlin?" She inquired pensively, self conscious of her Shirou's current state.

Until now, she still couldn't process Merlin's intentions. Considering the morning's earlier topic, she should have been more guarded with herself.

Merlin was known for his eccentricity.

"Let me ask you a question, Arturia," Merlin placed both hands on her back, a stunning amount of force building. "I made you that armour, so what do you believe it's made from?"

"Magic," she mumbled out before her eyes widened.

H-He wouldn't dare.

Merlin shoved her into the cramped box with Shirou and closed the seal behind her just after Shirou caught her out of concern. His arms wrapped around her, her short stature causing her face to press against his chest, and then she felt it.

"Have fun, and learn to be more honest with yourself."

Merlin snapped his fingers, and suddenly she felt a cold draft twisting around her thighs and utterly exposed skin. From the contact she was making with her Shirou, she ascertained that he too was practically frozen.

Merlin, you baaaastard!

There was no room in the cramped space, and the morning sun filtering in through the small slits in the box Merlin had formed with magic adequately illuminated the interior.

"I'll come back when it's time to draw Caliburn, but be sure to enjoy yourselves until then."

Lancer Arturia barely even registered Merlin's parting words in her mortification. The supple texture of her skin brushing up against Shirou's own was driving her crazy in ways that she never knew were possible.

"U-Up! Stare up!" She flushed red.

"I can't." Was the curt reply.

The meaning was obvious considering Merlin's preparatory spell cast on her Shirou. He couldn't move his gaze even if wanted to. As for doing anything else, was there even enough room?

No. She had to try.

Lancer Arturia tried to move, but instantly froze a second after as her Shirou tightened his hug around her and caused her to reconsider.

"Is that a good idea?" He asked.

The more she moved, the more her bosom rubbed up against him. It was the first time she'd seen her Shirou's composure utterly breaking into a fluster.

"Can't you just turn around?" She asked meekly.

Her Shirou didn't deign to give her a response and just stared silently at her face instead until he gave an ultimatum. "Do you really want me to try?" To turn around would mean to sperate, and in that instance, there was no way she wouldn't expose herself to him in this cramped box.

"T-Then don't let go," she pressed herself entirely against him.

It was all that she could do so he couldn't see anything improper until Merlin came back and she threatened him to bring her clothes back into existence.

"That's why I'm still holding you," her Shirou responded.

Lancer Arturia didn't dare to move an inch any longer.

This was humiliating.

What was worse was the passing silence between them where they could practically hear each other's heartbeats and the sound of their breaths shifting into an awkward panting.

They sort of just stood there for a good twenty minutes doing nothing at all and mumbling incoherently at each other. Or, it could have just been her mumbling incoherently as the embarrassment of the situation dulled her senses enough that she wasn't really paying attention to words anymore.

Still, she wasn't her younger self. With the situation as it was, she fought through the cloudiness of her mind, and focused.

Awkward as this was, wasn't this also a chance?

Merlin wouldn't lightly trouble her at her own expense. At least, not for something with relation to her future, so perhaps this was his way of a 'lesson.'

"Shirou," she called out to him, stifling her shame at how red her complexion currently was.

If she had doubts and uncertainties, then the mature thing to do was obviously to sort it out. Merlin surely noticed that she was getting cold feet, hence the drastic actions.

"If you could be King, then do you think you can lead this country in my stead?" She questioned. In doing so, her embarrassment about her modesty took a back seat to what mattered more.

Evidently, Shirou was just as mature to do the same, fighting back his flushed features and doing his best to remain serious. "What are you getting at, Arturia?"

She took in a breath, and just let it all out while pressing her forehead against her Shirou's chest. "You can draw Caliburn, can't you?" She mumbled, watching the way he tensed before relaxing.

"I didn't take you as the sort to sneak around like those 'cowardly assassins?'"

Lancer Arturia had no response to that, but she had no excuses for her younger self's cowardly actions.

"It doesn't really matter to me whether I can or can't draw Caliburn," he spoke with conviction. "I'd do my best for this country."

"You truly are as righteous as I believed."

Her Shirou was definitely like her.

A fond smile worked its way across Lancer Arturia's features at the thought, but her mind blanked a second later as her Shirou continued.

"No. I'm far from righteous," Shirou denied, squeezing her just a tad bit stronger in his embrace. "My reason to take up Caliburn will only ever be for the sake of one."

The way he was staring into her eyes;

The conviction;

The feelings brimming beneath the surface…

Lancer Arturia was no fool.

"Are you really implying what I think you're implying?" She found butterflies forming in her stomach, a knot in her heart unfastening.

There was one more thing that Merlin had been right about in the early morning, and Shirou's words only made her more certain.

Just like her Lancer Alter counterpart, she was old enough to understand herself all too well. She knew what she wanted, and she had the maturity to act on it.

Merlin just gave her that last push so as to not have any regrets in her path of kingship.

Got to marry him.

She slowly pushed herself away by a couple centimeters, not caring if her Shirou saw anything or not.

Whether he wielded Caliburn or she did, it was fine so long as they were together.

"If it's you…then it's fine," her complexion flushed bright pink. "A-Are you fine with someone like me?"

He didn't answer, but the kiss he planted on her lips was like a rush she could hardly begin to describe. She was floating, drifting, and dazed by the time Shirou pulled his mouth away.

Her hands shot up to wrap around his neck almost anxiously, not wanting the tender feeling to stop.

"C-Can you do that again, w-with the same feeling and look in your eyes?" She requested shyly.

He indulged her. Of course, he did.

It was a mistake.

"O-One more time?"

Oh dear.

"A-Another one? I-It didn't feel right."

Her body temperature was rising.

There was an inexplicable desire rising from within her crawling over her lack of a prior love life and lack of genuine experiences.

"J-Just one more?"

She could hear the blood roaring in her ears, a tingling sensation pooling near her naval. The skin-to-skin contact wasn't helping.

"…mmhm."

…This was getting dangerous.

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