I thought that you should know before the fall

[cherrygrail]

Characters: Sakura Matou cherrygrail and Alter Saber scorchedchivalry
Setting: Floor 25 | The Meadow
Format: Action
Summary: Sakura has some things to discuss with her servant... things about Rin and Archer, in particular.
Warnings: None, will be added if needed.

Sakura, for better or worse, calls her servant to the meadow for a discussion in the early hours of the morning, as to not be disturbed. She does expect to be scolded a bit for talking to Archer privately, but the information was too important to not be shared. She didn't plan on hiding anything from Saber, and in this case, she may even be able to help her and Rin.

Sakura waits among the field full of flowers. She considers taking a seat, but she's much too anxious. It's probably just better to stay standing until Saber shows up.

Comments

[scorchedchivalry]

Saber was already up, so there was no problem with meeting her master that early. She liked the quietness of the meadow when there were less people around; it seemed to have become a popular place as of late.

Coming to a stop behind Sakura, Saber folded her hands before her and stood straight.

"You wished for me?"

[cherrygrail]

Sakura jumps slightly, and spins around, to see Saber's face. Who else would it have been?

"Oh, good morning, Saber! Yes, um, I actually have quite a bit to discuss with you. It's... about Rin. And Archer."

She tries to look relaxed and confident, like the topic doesn't phase her in the slightest. Sakura isn't doing so good of a job at this.

[scorchedchivalry]

Her apprehension is clear upon Sakura's face, so Saber assumes an incorrect assumption.

"What did they do to you this time?" She stepped closer to her Master. Saber's already proven once she will die to keep Sakura safe and she did tell Rin that she would kill the magus if she tried to harm Sakura.

[cherrygrail]

"Oh! No no, Saber, it's nothing like that."

She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Sakura has to be stronger that this.

"Archer... is no longer Rin's servant. So he asked me to watch over Rin in his stead."

[scorchedchivalry]

That made her pause and furrow her brow a moment.

"That idiot. He is avoiding her." Saber knew Rin would renew the contract. "Why is he doing that?"

[cherrygrail]

"I'm honestly not sure, though I'm not surprised."

It's no secret that Sakura thought Archer to be unreliable. This only confirmed her suspicions.

"I have a lot to arrange. I need to make sure she is kept safe and that she doesn't progress further than she already has." It was a daunting task, but by Sakura's words, it seems like she's ready for the responsibility.

[scorchedchivalry]

"Perhaps he has finally realized that he is incapable of saving her. I have told him such before, but something must have happened to confirm it finally in his mind," Saber replied. She was a little surprised he did reach that conclusion.

"I will aid as much as I can. Rin and I have a rapport."

[cherrygrail]

Sakura remembers a flashback of her conversation with Archer. It wasn't an appropriate question to ask, but it needed to be asked anyway.

"What sort of relationship do you have with Nee-san?"

[scorchedchivalry]

Saber was silent for a moment, trying to decide how she wanted to phrase it. Had it been someone else asking her, she would've just used some misdirection to avoid answering the question. But this was her master.

"Until your arrival, I was the only one what understood her and what she was dealing with. Because of the taint I bear, she considers me hers though I have never specifically pledged myself to her," Saber began with. "I... have always felt drawn to her. To the Angra Mainyu inside her. This place makes it hard to balance myself with as much as it tries to remind me of the silver knight I was and who I am now. To maintain my control and sanity, I have found I need to occasionally... indulge my darker emotions and urges lest they overrun me. Rin has been a good source for that, and I believe my presence and connection with her has helped her maintain what little stability she has."

The knight is silent again for a moment. "Her and I... have moments. Of being intimate. They are rare... but they do happen. When she needs the release... and I need the distraction."

[cherrygrail]

Sakura can't hide her relief. She gives a deep sigh, and her face brightens a little bit. It seems like something that Saber said lightened the load off of Sakura's shoulders quite a bit.

"Oh good... Um, I mean, Archer expressed concern in a lack of release. I told him I would take care of finding someone."

She would be the first person to understand how bad the urge could be sometimes. Not that she suffered it anymore, but Sakura still remembered everything about bearing the crest worms clearly.

"I really hope it isn't too much of a burden to ask you to watch over Nee-san." She folds her arms inwards in a defensive position, looking down towards the ground. "I'm sorry. I want to save her all on my own, but I'm not as strong as Senpai or Saber."

[scorchedchivalry]

"I would prefer Archer to never know about the moments Rin and I share," Saber stated firmly. "We have managed to hide it from him - Rin because she believed he would interfere, me because it is none of his business - and I do not want that to change."

The last thing she wanted was Archer asking her any questions regarding her intimacy with Rin. She was pretty sure there wasn't any way she could be nice about it either.

"I already do. But as your Servant, you have my word that I shall. I would just like to remind you that unless Rin wants to be saved, no one will be able to save her. You should know that fact well, Master."

[cherrygrail]

"Oh no! Of course not, Archer doesn't need to know." Sakura shakes her head intently, "I'll just tell him that it's been taken care of and that's then end of that."

She doubted that the identity of this person was important to Archer, just that it was being taken care of.

"I know that... You don't need to remind me." Her lip quivers a bit at that last sentence, but at least she's looking Saber in the eyes instead of looking down at the floor.

[scorchedchivalry]

"Reiterating some things seemed prudent, Master," Saber replied.

She hoped Archer wouldn't pursue the knowledge of who was helping with Rin's specific needs, but she wouldn't hold her breath. He was nosy and stupidly unable to let something go.

[cherrygrail]

She gives a sad nod.

"I understand, but I just can't stand to see Nee-san suffer. I want to do everything in my power to help her."

[scorchedchivalry]

"I know you will." A pause. "Is there anything else you wish to speak upon as my Master?"