(no subject)

[scorchedchivalry]

Characters: Saber (Alter) and You!
Setting: Dorms (Room 1-09), Graveyard (floor 48) and Forest (Floor 32)
Format: Starting Action, but I'll match.
Summary: A 'gift' from home makes Saber think on the past maybe a bit too much.
Warnings: none expected, but remember no superpowers on 32nd floor

[Dorm]

[When Saber had seen the basket of food, she was quite happy. After having been ill and with the limited food, she'd barely eaten anything all month. Of course, being a Servant, she didn't require food, but she so did love to eat. And then she saw what kind of food it was in the basket - things she hadn't had since she walked the hills of her homeland.

It made her go to hide it in her trunk and that's when she saw it. Wrought of the finest gold, sparkling sapphires inlaid into the band... it was her crown. The royal crown of King Arthur. She picked it up and held it before her, pale eyes drinking in the treasure. She could tell it was hers and not a reproduction; a king knows his crown.

Walking away from the trunk, she hesitantly put it on her head. It fit as she remembered, the weight as it should be and it rest perfectly. And then her eyes widened and she snatched the crown off her head. No, no, no, she didn't want to be king anymore. She wanted to reset things, change her destiny... redo the selection. Save Britain from herself.

So it was laying on her back holding the crown above her, turning it slowly in her hands with a distant look in her eyes, Saber would be found in Room 1-09. The door was half-open, unnoticed by Saber, as she thought about the past.]


[Graveyard]

[Saber walked through the graveyard, past stones, until she came to one that was broken. In rubble at her feet - the letters S BE visible in a few pieces - she stared down at the stone. She now knew who this grave belonged to. It was her own, but not her own. And so, thinking she was alone, she spoke to it in a quiet voice.]

A battle has been fought and is now over. Place your sword upon the ground and rest in the temporal peace. After dozing in the warmth of a dream, a new day will begin. The days keep passing by...

And we still chase the same star we once saw.

[Saber folded her hands into her greatcloak and bowed her head.]


Forest Floor 32]

[To clear her mind, Saber chose the forest where she felt the most human. Here her prana was quiet and she had to rely on skills and knowledge learned from her childhood, her time as a squire, and not the might of a Heroic Spirit. It was calming.

Quietly, she moved through the forest, downwind, as she tried to sneak up on a grazing deer. She was close, waiting patiently behind cover, when something made the deer raise his head, antlers brushing the branches above. And then it took off, having noticed whoever came upon Saber in her game of skill.

Sighing, she stood up, revealing her concealed presence.]

...great.

Comments

[divinitysoiled]

[Comfort wasn't something she did. She didn't know how to do this, to connect in this level. She could distract, to pull Saber away from her thoughts and fulfill her own desires the same time. But she couldn't comfort her from herself.]

[So she did what she could. Catarina slid a hand across the opposite side of Saber's jaw to tilt her head up, and leaned down to seal her mouth on the knight's]

[scorchedchivalry]

[To be honest, Saber didn't want comfort. She wanted closeness, to feel who she is, not who she was. So much was making her think of the silver knight, to king of legend and majesty. So, Catarina's kiss was appreciated. An arm draped with the fur-lined greatcloak wrapped about the woman before she pulled back.]

Thank you.

[divinitysoiled]

I dislike this particular stone. We should retire to another location. [Catarina's thumb brushed across her cheek, gentle]

[scorchedchivalry]

[Her other arm comes up, fully engulfing Catarina in the greatcloak.]

That stone belongs to the King of Knights, the one that knew only the light before darkness touched her. This damned tower is insisting on making me recall what I once was.

[divinitysoiled]

Then I insist on exiting this place for another. You have no reason to remember the past, of what you used to be. You must look forward, to what you are and will be. [Her arms came down to Saber's waist, surrounding her]

[scorchedchivalry]

[She does have reasons to remember, because she knows the silver knight is still inside her. She feels it keenly when she is with Irisviel and when she saw her knights, her subjects, her wife...]

My crown has been returned to me.

[divinitysoiled]

[Catarina stopped, looking at her. Her crown. She raised a hand, stroking Saber's face]

Why?

[scorchedchivalry]

[Saber's fingertips dig a bit into Catarina's back as the king glowers.]

I do not know.

[divinitysoiled]

... [Her fingers touched Saber's face gently, stroking the line of her jaw before she leaned in to give her a kiss]

Do you want to be her again?

[scorchedchivalry]

No.

...she was a sad, pathetic little girl playing at king.

[Saber grit her teeth and closed her eyes, holding Catarina almost tight enough to hurt her.]

And yet, she will not leave me be.

[divinitysoiled]

Ah. [The noise she made at the pain was soft, filled with a gentle hint that she did rather enjoy this but it was not the time or place for this]

Perhaps, then, I suggest tit for tat. You are holding onto something of mine.

[scorchedchivalry]

[As tempting as it was to let Catarina hold onto the crown...]

I cannot. My lady, I am bound by a code and that is the holy crown of Britain. As much as I may wish to be rid of it and what it brings to mind, I cannot.

It has been anointed with holy water and blessed by God.

[divinitysoiled]

Oh. [She made a disgusted noise] I would not be able to touch that at all, then. How sad.

[scorchedchivalry]

[Leaning in, Saber rest her cheek against Catarina's.]

And I do not wish to cause you harm, my dear. I will endure as I always have. Kings bear great burdens, no matter what king they are.

Did I ever tell you what I was told by the one who guided me before I drew the sword from the stone that proved my claim as king?

[divinitysoiled]

I just... wish to relieve some of the burden as you have for me. [She nuzzled Saber's cheek slightly]

I don't believe you have, dear king.

[scorchedchivalry]

Your presence alone does give me some solace. [Because she doesn't feel so lonely when she's with the succubus.]

So that I would think honestly about where my fate would lie before I drew the sword, I was told A king is one who kills everyone to save everyone.

[divinitysoiled]

[Catarina smiled a little at that, looking a bit touched by the words]

Do you believe that, Saber?

[scorchedchivalry]

I know it to be true. Until my people turned on me, I led Britain to its most prosperous time. I kept my people safe from invading barbarians and Romans.

I never lost a battle until Camlann when I tried to retake my throne.

[divinitysoiled]

[Catarina stroked her face, looking at Saber with soft eyes. She was so devoted to that throne, to her ideals... and yet she was so corrupted, so dark. It was such a contrast to her, so intriguing.]

[Finally, she pulled Saber into a hug, hand cupping the back of the knight's head]

I know nothing of comfort, my king. I know no words to soothe the sting of being reminded of who you were, and what you had to do. But I can offer another; I can offer distraction. I can offer it of my body, as far as you wish to take it, or of other pursuits. Of sparring, or even drinking.

[scorchedchivalry]

[And there was much temptation there. Her arm tightened about Catarina, fingers digging in again, and Saber pressed her lips to the woman's neck. A few kisses, a nip, and then the king stopped herself.]

Let us find some monsters to slay.

[divinitysoiled]

[Catarina let out a soft breath at the kisses and the nip, her own hands digging into Saber's hair. Certainly, she was disappointed when Saber stopped, but she turned her face to her with a grin]

Let us, indeed.

end thread here?

[scorchedchivalry]

[One day... one day Saber might be able to put Catarina at risk to fulfill her own carnal desires (and the demon's), but she was uncertain when that would or could happen. She was finding herself becoming fonder and fonder of Catarina, meaning hurting her would actually manage to touch the knight's corrupted heart should it happen.

Saber leaned in to kiss Catarina once before taking her arms away. The knight's blackened armor shimmered into existence about her, visor over her eyes, and the shadowy sword obscured by swirling black and red prana came to her hand as she held it to the side. Gone, for now, was the greatcloak.]

Only monsters.

[That was her only condition before striding toward the staircase to where they would find dangerous ground.]

Sure thing!

[divinitysoiled]

[Catarina watched the armor come into existence with clouded eyes, her tongue darting out to lick her lips as she watched Saber go from being a woman of great power to a dark knight. She yearned to taste all of it, even if she was unsure about how dangerous it would be to her own being, but right now-]

Only monsters. I will agree to that.

[-it was time to hunt]