III.

As Louise slipped out into the silent streets of late night Paris she couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on her. She looked towards Grimaud's window, the utter blackness of the sleeping home doing nothing to assure her he was not suspiciously watching her steal away into the night. She set a quick pace down the Rue Servandoni, wanting to turn the corner and put herself outside of view of the already familiar building.

The Rue de Vaugirard, the main street that separated the Luxembourg gardens from the homes and business just north of it, was eerily silent as Louise strode down its length towards her destination. She had gotten used to its busy and bustling foot traffic that morning, and was now unnerved by how empty it had become. Unnerving or not, that same seclusion was exactly what she needed right now. The fewer possible prying eyes or passerby the better. She reached the gate barring entry to the courtyard of Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes before she realized it, having crossed the five blocks at such a pace, and in such a mental haze as she was. Louise took a moment to collect her thoughts and calm herself. This was absolutely not the time to be unfocused and jittery. She mumbled a quick incantation, keeping her voice low in the oppressive darkness, and magical energy flowed to the soles of her feet. The added magic allowed her to easily hop the high barriers without difficulty and land safely and softly on the other side in the open stone courtyard. Louise paused only a moment to assure herself that she was the only person present before she set to work laying out the summoning circle.

Once the circle was drawn out, its wide circumference dominating the center of the courtyard, Louise carefully traced along its outer edge the important sigils she had noted down in her spellbook. Runes like them were generally used in summoning spells, but these specific symbols were designed to heighten the capabilities of a heroic spirit during summoning. The chalk she used was made from the ground down bones of chimeras the Saint-Hermine family bred specifically for the purpose of cultivating materials from their bodies. Louise then emptied the vial that contained a blend of blood from herself and the chimera whose bones had provided the chalk onto the family crest at the circle's center.

Louise stood outside the circle's outer edges, held her left hand aloft, and with everything else ready, spoke the incantation, just as she had practiced numerous times.

"I call to thee.

Thy body, borne of my will.

My fate, resting on thy power.

If thou wilt bend to my will, my ambitions.

Heed the Grail's call, and speak your answer.

I swear before you.

I will lead the path to victory.

I will show the way to thou's wish.

Thou shalt fight by my word.

Though Master and Servant.

We shall stand side by side.

I call to the heavens.

Clad in the three holy souls.

Cast aside the shackles of fate.

And come forth to me.

Guardian of the Scales!"

Bright light exploded forth from the circle, every rune traced in ethereal blue energy. The blood covered crest in the center coruscated with white beams that shot towards the heavens. The different sources of light all coalesced into one blinding flash and then were gone. Louise, her hand still outstretched towards the circle blinked her vision back into focus after the radiant blast and looked upon her work.

The first thing she saw were the command seals now etched into the back of her hand. A sweeping symbol, like one long drifting brushstroke at the center was the largest of the red three-part seal. A soft wing-like icon swept out from the left of the serpentine seal, with a crescent half moon shape cutting through the lower parts of both designs. As she looked past her outstretched hand Louise saw a figure in a low crouch, as if bowing to her, sitting at the center of the circle. He rose slowly, his right hand pressed to his breast, a large wide-brimmed hat set off with a sort of feather concealed his features momentarily before he raised his head further.

He was a young man whose age could have been anywhere between twenty-two and thirty. His face was long and brown; high cheek bones, a sign of sagacity; the maxillary muscles enormously developed, an infallible sign by which a Gascon may always be detected. His eye open and intelligent, his nose was hooked, but finely chiseled. His black mustache stood out just enough against his dark complexion, and the ends of it were twisted into tight points from the owner constantly fussing with it and chewing on it when irritated.

His dress was of another, now long passed era. Besides the wide-brimmed hat, over a white shirt he wore a blue tabard, the color of which had faded into a nameless shade between lees of wine and a heavenly azure, adorned with a white cross on the center. A thick blue cloak, of a similar faded shade with a red interior was draped across his shoulders. He wore brown breaches tucked into thick black boots that came to just over his knees, boots which, though were given great care by their owner, would reveal many years of great distress when closely inspected. A long rapier dangled at his hip from a leather baldric, and was complemented by a brace of pistols strapped to the front of his belt.

The man raised the gloved hand from his heart and extended it, palm up towards Louise. "Am I correct in my assumption that you are the one who has summoned me, and therefore to be my master?"

For a moment Louise was completely speechless, faced by what was undoubtedly a hero of some legend standing here before her. She had witnessed many spells before, both great and modest, but the presence of a Heroic Spirit had an awe-inspiring aura all its own. The man cocked his brow in confusion which acted as a cue to bring Louise back to her senses. "Yes. I am the one who has summoned you. I am Louise Bernyce Saint-Hermine. Second daughter of the Saint-Hermine family and your master in this Holy Grail War. The command seals upon my hand prove my mastery."

"Then as I have a master, you have a servant. My class is Rider. And though it may not be the normal practice, as a true gentleman it would behoove me to offer a proper introduction. Though you will call me by class for the remainder of this War, know that I am the chevalier Monsieur d'Artagnan. I shall serve you with all my strength and loyalty Master Saint-Hermine."