On getting Avalon back

[knight_king]

Hm. You are misunderstanding me, I do not object that the sheath was returned to me, because I am its rightful owner. [Why not Excalibur or the Grail? Of all things requested by her mundane.] I am bothered by being forced into a bargain against my consent and how easily you rushed into things. That was rash of you.

[A pause, just to continue scolding.]

I certainly hope something will come out of this and you are not just satisfied with the [discomfort that she still experiences and the repercussions for the future] that payment week. When will you cease to make me do trivial things and learn be more cautious in the outcomes you plan?

Comments

[ex_reliquaries365]

Have faith, Saber. I'm certain the bargain is part of your mun's grand design, in which case, some good should come of it! You need only to wait.

[knight_king]

Irisviel...

[She paused. She did not exactly make any petition, but it was something one of these Divine Spirits assumed she needed, in the end. It was the same.

She would not worry Irisviel unnecessarily with details.]

...I have reasons to be cautious about her "grand design."

[princessofwinterfell]

What sort of bargain?

[knight_king]

A "bargain" I was not informed until the payment was fulfilled and my "reward" was given, my lady.

[in other words, not a bargain at all.]

[princessofwinterfell]

I'm guessing the "reward" was insufficient in comparison to what was paid? (A common problem from what she has seen and experienced.) I'm sorry.

[knight_king]

No. Avalon is precious, though... I would have not petitioned anything willingly.

[It's a matter of pride. And, if she wanted something, it was the Holy Grail.] It is all right. It has passed.

[princessofwinterfell]

Avalon is...a place? Your home? (It's not a name she knows.) I'm glad you haven't suffered much.

[knight_king]

Avalon is the name of my sheath. Although, it is also the name of a place that I will visit in the future.

[She elaborates calmly. Her former displeasure is completely gone now she's behaving as courteous as ever.]

Of course not. I assure you that I am not so easily defeated by slight discomforts. [She does not need to worry a lady unnecessarily about how it affected her either.] I am appreciative for your concern. You are a very kind lady.

[toogreatforpants]

So you finally have back that which you desired only to show regret for your wish already.

Was this truly the work of the grail, Saber?

[knight_king]

I did not ask for my sheath, Rider. I made no such wish. [She sighs. Although she can't deny, somewhere deep inside of her did want her Noble Phantasm Back.]

No, it was the work of "Harmonia", a Divine Spirit of this island.

[toogreatforpants]

Harmonia...[He rubs his chin.]

I can't say I know of this Island you're speaking of, but if it's a place the King of Knights is then it is truly befitting of a great conqueror! Who knows? Perhaps I'll be able to win the hearts of the people their and claim this mysterious Island for myself.

[knight_king]

...

[She has to make a pause. What is he saying?]

What are you saying? This is not a place befitting for me or any Heroic Spirit, King of Conquerors. I would depart immediately if I was capable of that miracle, until then I remain trapped. You certainly should not have any foolish aspirations to come here.

[toogreatforpants]

Oh?

What makes you say that?

[How dare you insinuate that Iskandar, King of Conquerors wouldn't be able to handle himself! Explain yourself, Saber.]

[knight_king]

To start with, please read the description of this ghastly realm.

[toogreatforpants]

...!

[Prepare for the reaction to this, you didn't want. True, making an empire for himself which requires those things wasn't exactly what he has his heart set on but hey - It wouldn't hurt to at least dip his toes in to test the waters a little, so to speak.]

GHASTLY?! HAH!

DO YOU NOT KNOW TO WHOM YOU SPEAK, SABER?

I would gladly accept this challenge with open hands were my mundane were so inclined to, Where as I enjoy the act of sex, she however does not. Though I can't understand why.

[knight_king]

Would you accepted to be collared to the whims of another. Do not lecture me about not knowing you, Rider. Your pride will not permit it.

[She grimaces that he even brings up any aspect of this island.]

You will be stripped of your power as well, unless these Divine Spirits are so generous to decide which price we must pay to have some of it returned. In the end, none of us choose our destination.

[onlypath]

[knowing the nature of that island and what 'bargains' usually entailed... and the fact that he's not there to do something about it, of course he's gonna be a little bit worried. maybe miffed at your mundane]

What did she make you do, Saber?

1/2

[knight_king]

Shirou...

[She grimaces at the idea of her Master hearing her protests.]

[knight_king]

Everything that I wanted...

[onlypath]

Huh?

[at first her words confused him, and he was just about to barrel through with the most obvious question in the face of "how is that a bad thing"? but she didn't seem happy. no...something was wrong with that statement. he just didn't understand it yet]

Usually that's supposed to be a good thing. But... What happened?

[knight_king]

Shirou. It is not supposed to be a good thing.

[She reproaches him, flushed and glaring.]

It means I could not follow anything but desires unfit for a King. A King is not a person. I should not want anything.

[onlypath]

What's with that ridiculous response? You may be a Servant, but you're a person too, Saber. If you weren't a person, you wouldn't have been affected by this anyway.

[knight_king]

I should not have been affected this way. All the things I did were honestly trivial.

[onlypath]

Ah? They were trivial?

So what did you do?

[knight_king]

Amongst other things, I cut in line and threatened an innocent vendor of a bakery to make fresh bread for me.

[onlypath]

[he's not sure how to respond to that at first, trying to envision Saber being so demanding over something so...trivial. though he knew that she did enjoy his cooking]

Hmm...that's not good. But it could have been worse, right?

[knight_king]

"Could have been worse." I am not used to be so vocal. I might have upset a friend as well.

[onlypath]

I'm sorry, Saber. But... [he wonders] Do you think it got as bad as it did because you've been holding it in for so long?

1/2

[knight_king]

...That is...

[knight_king]

No, it is impossible. It was only a spell.

[onlypath]

I don't know. You said that this was supposed to make you do everything that you wanted.

You may be a King, but you're also a girl, Saber. [not to be taken in the literal sense. but...he could have said human. ANYWHO] It's natural to want things in the right amount.

[knight_king]

No, I cannot accept that. You do not understand, Shirou. Whatever I was before I became king, it is meaningless now.

[onlypath]

If it was meaningless, you wouldn't have felt anything!

[knight_king]

Stop this, Master. I do not wish to speak about it.

[onlypath]

Saber...

[knight_king]

I said enough.

1/2

[onlypath]

[he doesn't like this. he doesn't like the way that she is treating herself at all. he clearly looks displeased by this, but it's not so often that he's seen Saber be so adamant about something. he was stubborn and he knew that he couldn't just leave this be...but maybe for now it was best to stop. just because she was a King...didn't mean she had to sacrifice everything else. it was her decision, yes, but...]

...

2/2

[onlypath]

Alright. That's enough for now.

[knight_king]

No, Shirou. It is enough for good. Forgive me, Master, but we will not have this conversation in the future again.

[onlypath]

[he was going to let it go for the time being until she spoke out once more. now she was starting to make him mad]

No. I can't accept that. [no...it was more like,] I won't accept that.

Your actions were unbecoming of you, but I can't let you think those feelings were wrong either. If you were above wanting things, you wouldn't want the meals that I cook for you.

You wouldn't...



You wouldn't smile the way you do when you tell me it tastes good and want second helpings. You are a knight- you're a King, and there's nothing wrong with any of that. But don't try to tell me that you're above feeling for something that you want!

[knight_king]

[It's painful to face things she wants to avoid. It's painful to know he's right, but she can't argue with her Master's sound reasoning, however she knows her path has been right, because she protected her ideals.

If she accepted she's something else aside of that, won't that take away the peace she has gained?]

I did not enjoy meals until I tried your cooking, Shirou. Understand that this topic is futile. There is nothing you can do anymore.

1/2

[onlypath]

[he didn't want to see her in pain- even if she found peace with herself, being forced to face this other side of herself... didn't it provoke further thought? even if it meant questioning her ideals and her ways as King, wasn't it similar to how Shirou was forced to face reasoning to his own ideals? the two of them pursued it despite those conflicting feelings to the end because the end result was so beautiful to look forward to. he understood that, and while they all carried on, losing Saber still wasn't easy for him. it wasn't easy for Rin either.

hearing her say it so simply was enough to have his breath catch in his throat. it was futile. there was nothing that could be done. that was the whole point as to why she wanted this conversation to stop, wasn't it? even here, outside of amatomnes where they were free to converse more without the restraints of that world... this was their path, it was already decided for them until they were drawn into another game]

...that's right. It's all over now. I couldn't save you, but...you were still okay, weren't you? [it wasn't a question that needed answering, nor was it any recollection of his guilt either]

2/2

[onlypath]

[it was futile, but...]

Why don't you take the time do enjoy some of the things you want more? [alone that question would have proven fruitless, but it wasn't until Shirou reluctantly added the more somber yet equally truthful note to the end that he could feel the weight of it in kind] While you still can.

1/2

[knight_king]

[She feels ashamed those words might hurt her Master, but she has spoken them to seal the topic and leave it behind, so it will no longer haunt her with regrets. She does not need more regrets when she has felt her soul liberated from those chains a little. They weight too much and she knows there is nothing she should wish to change what she has chosen. She has already left him and Rin behind. She cannot take back her choice.

She will not regret it. The path they will walk together surely will be bright.

She shakes her head.]

No, that is wrong, Master. [She protests firmly against his mistake.] Archer and you already saved me. He probably knew it since the beginning. That's why-

[That's why he said what he said and why he asked her to stay and witness their fight. He knew the outcome in a way, he needed her to witness it too. Their wish had been very similar.]

[knight_king]

Because I am the King.

[She denies it again. It's easier to reaffirm this here than in the island where she's collared and human.]

Because to choose to live as king it meant you cease to be a person. Shirou, you saw that too, in his memories of his past. [Archer's. To be an ally of justice as he became, it certainly meant to leave his humanity behind too and become machine like.] That is the path of those who choose to defend their ideals. Make no mistake, Master, I do not regret my choice.

[onlypath]

Sa...ber...

[it was a strange combination. though his resolve didn't waver, he had faced the hypocrisy in his ideals and pursued them anyways. her way as a King, though he still believed it was the wrong way...wasn't wrong in her eyes. and she saw it through to the end. if she was truly happy, without regrets...]

...

[the way he said her name wasn't even out of anger of such a ridiculous statement either. it made him look inside himself and see what was to come. Shirou vowed that he would become a superhero who saved everyone. he wouldn't become like him, but like the dream that they shared. it was their choice, and it was filled without any regrets. but...]

I'm sorry, Saber. I don't like what you're saying. Even if I can't accept it...

[this was the big one here. and probably something that Saber had been waiting for Shirou to say for a while]

You're not wrong. [or rather, she didn't believe she was wrong. just as he didn't believe he was wrong either]

[knight_king]

[She can speak of this with him because she knows that he's the only one who can understand her. She has not been sincere with him in the war, she concealed her identity and her wish. She shakes her head and looks at him firmly.]

I know. Archer knew I had to see that battle, he knew...

[She pauses but she continues to be unyielding when she finds her words to admit this. How wrong and lost she has been, and how she has wished for the ruin of her kingship, thinking that will bring salvation.] My wish and how similar it was to his. That is why, Shirou, this is enough for Archer and for me.

You and Rin must continue the path you have decided to walk on. We have made peace with ours.