Chapter 17 - Black Haired Cinderella

Elenaria's concert was held in the center of London and packed to the brim. On stage she was singing and dancing her heart out, and she was captivating. Her movements were fluid and her lyrics reached out to the hearts of those listening, yet her crowd had enemies within. And instinctively, that enemy knew better than to strike now. Truly, with the secrecy that covered the Grail, the strongest position to be in was the spotlight, with all of the public viewing you. And Elenaria wouldn't let them move their gazes for a moment.

"Incredible. She is definitely something, our Master." Gawain spoke to a dark haired knight.

"Indeed. Keep your eyes about you though, you can sense them right?" His response was not devoid of emotion, yet his presence was well concealed.

"There is a servant in the crowd. We told the Miss before she took the stage but she said not to worry. Does she know something we don't?"

"I feel she knows a lot more than she lets on. I scouted them out to be safe, it seems they really are just here to watch though." Who was the dark haired knight referring to?

"Amazing!! You never showed me this type of scene during my last visit! You were holding out on me, my Master." A brutishly tall red haired man stood out amongst the crowd next to Waver and his hooded apprentice, who seemed less part of the rowdy crowd.

"So noisy…" Was his only response.

"What?!" Iskandar shouted back, as though to drive home no one could hear anything. The only thing that could be heard was Elenaria's melody and the cacophony that was the cheering of the crowd.

So he could be heard, he spoke in telepathy. "Where is her servant? She is no fool, as much as she tries to play the part."

"I sense multiple servants here. Should we strike first as before?" He was referring to his interruption of Saber and Lancer's duel in his previous summoning.

"Not yet, we don't know enough about them. We will greet her after the concert though, see if we can dissuade combat. Remember, the Church doesn't want this starting for a few more hours."

"Right, right. But that is the best time to make acquaintances is it not? I would love to have a drink with a worthy warrior before we come to blows once more." Iskandar was straightforward with his requests at least.

"Gray. Can you go backstage and investigate a bit? We will come at the first sign of danger." Waver gave his reclusive assistant an out from this crowd.

"Right, teacher." She weaved her way through the crowd, her small frame able to slip through without being noticed.

Gray would reach the backstage which was surprisingly well maintained. She was stopped rather quickly, however.

"You aren't part of the crew, what are you doing back here?" The dark haired knight appeared from seemingly nowhere. Gray quickly turned to face him. "You are…" The knight was seemingly flustered a moment.

"I feared Ellylen might be in danger but.." Gray too was flustered. She even jumped back instinctively from the knight, but she saw no weapon drawn and relaxed herself somewhat. Gray then froze, however. This dark haired knight had the same face as her. Thankfully she had her hood on, though she double checked to be sure, pulling it over more.

"Well familiar feeling aside. You are trespassing and rather shady, I will need to ask you to leave. I can escort you if you need." He offered in a gentlemanly fashion.

"What… is your name?" Gray could not stop herself from asking.

"My name? I suppose this job didn't come with a nametag." Normally staff would have a badge with their name and clearance yet he had nothing of the sort. Gray's guard was lifting again as a result. "I am in the employ of Miss Ellylen right now, my name is Arthur."

Gray's heart stopped for a moment hearing that name. "I… can escort myself, thank you." She didn't dare to repeat his name. Gray stepped past him quietly. Neither could shake the feeling they would meet again.

The concert ended after an encore, and Gray found her way back to her teacher's side. It was rather easy to spot him in the crowd with Rider there. "How did it go?"

"I met the servant and they shooed me away." She withheld the details she found out for now.

"So she really did have a plan here. Let's go. If she can visit me without warning she will not complain if I do the same." Waver began making his way to the back stage. This time, more vigilantly, the blonde haired Saber guarded the entrance.

"Halt, only authorized personnel beyond here." He said in a steadfast manner.

"I am here to see Elenaria. Tell her that her teacher is here."

"Her teacher? She said to expect you, actually. With me, then." He walked back first, holding the way open for the guests.

"How knightly. You remind me of someone I once met, Saber." Iskandar poked at him while following him to the backstage.

"You were informed of me in advance?" Saber seemed a bit surprised but realized quickly that the other Servant hazarded a guess based on the fact they were both servants.

"Just a hunch of mine. It doesn't do for only one to know the other's identity. I am Iskandar! King of Conquerors!" He shouted loudly, proclaiming his entrance, much to his Master's headache.

"Greetings Iskandar. I am Elenaria Zan, your Master's ex student and a songstress of sorts." Elenaria stepped forward, smiling. Her red eyes were unmistakable and piercing. "I saw you in the crowd earlier, boss man. I take it Iskandar isn't an Assassin, can't imagine him sneaking around." She chuckled a bit at her own joke.

"He is not. What kind of stunt were you trying to pull with this event, anyone else could have come for you as well." He admonished his student's reckless actions.

"Oh relax, the war hasn't started yet, and I had my trusty bodyguard here."

While Waver and Elenaria debated the value of caution in these events, Gray was… confused. The servant she met earlier called himself Arthur, yet now this blonde man of different temperament was calling himself her servant. Elenaria's eyes flicked to her seemingly in response.

"Don't we have a cute little assistant. You should let me spoil her one day, I can imagine dressing her up would be very fun."

Gray had flashbacks to an outing with Luviafelt and Reines, two mages her teacher was acquainted with, and shuffled behind Waver.

"Your assistant aside, what are you here for? I sincerely doubt you are here to tell me to withdraw."

"You aren't the type to hide information, I figured meeting with you would get me some information. And having allies in this event is something that I failed to do in my last participation." Waver admitted his intentions plainly. He knew how to deal with her, and beating around the bush was not the way.

"Sure. Information is a two way street, I will tell you what I know and you tell me what you know. The Clock Tower is probably going all out to keep this under wraps. I am honestly surprised you even need my help at that point. That said." Her eyes gazed over her teacher. "I am playing to win, boss man. This alliance can't last forever, and I can't just give away everything I have to you."

"Nor can I."

"Really, your servant gave away his True Name just now and you can say that with a straight face."

"If I fought him against everything he wanted to do he would just start walking through me to do what he wanted."

Rider laughed heartily in response, not denying it. "Well said! I can see this girl has tempered you, I look forward to seeing how your other students affected you."

Indeed, Waver had changed much based upon the people he had met. That was how humans were. Meanwhile Iskandar was a Heroic Spirit. Immutable and unchanged since their last meeting.

"Well, not to cut this short boss, but you have my phone number. Use it. I gotta see my brother before this all goes down." Elenaria began to skip out, Gawain accompanied by two other knights as they all left.

"Did you notice, Rider?"

"It didn't seem right to bring it up on the spot."

Gray looked between the two confused. Eventually, her question was answered. "All three of those Knights were Heroic Spirits. I am uncertain how she did it but she has multiple servants." Such a strain would be unbearable. Waver knew her student and figured that if she was in a favorable environment and relaxing at all times she could power two, maybe three servants. But she was far from the type to lay back and take such an approach, the crippling effect of anchoring several servants did not impair her at all though.

At the Church, Alfred noticed immediately when his sister entered. There were only three minutes to midnight. The woman to his right glared in her general direction, and Elenaria waved at them. "Welcome company you keep brother. Making me miss the maids in your employ."

"Technically they are under your care as well sis." Alfred never knew exactly how to deal with her.

"You." Lancer said. Her gaze was piercing, her aura threatening, and her size intimidating as she approached the raven haired girl.

"I." Elenaria responded in tone deaf fashion.

"Are not him." Lancer seemed almost disappointed with this realization.

"I am indeed her." Elenaria brushed it off. "Did you call me here to talk with your definitely not Berserker servant, brother?"

"She… is not… That's not…" There were too many things that Alfred wanted to ask now.

Saving him, Lana interjected. "I do believe he contacted you regarding a partnership, Miss Ellylen."

"Lana! I was hoping to see you at the concert, where were you?" Elenaria was hopping topics faster than a rabbit.

"Me not being caught dead at one of those is beside the point."

"Rude! Is what she says true brother?"

"I wouldn't be either. Oh the partnership. More or less, though I question how possible that will be now." Alfred found himself included in the conversation again as casually as she cut him out.

Only seconds until midnight and the three were alone in the church, idly bantering. When the fifth entered, there were suddenly three in the church. Lancer had disappeared with Elenaria's escort. "You sure she is not a Berserker?"

"I question that at this point."

The clock struck midnight, and Lance met Saber immediately in the courtyard. The shockwave would have repelled any mortals caught in the crossfire, as Lancer, Vortigern, grinned at Lancelot du Lac, Saber. "Do entertain me in place of the boy, Knight of the Lake!"

"Mad King Vortigern!" Lancelot gritted his teeth as his holy blade clashed with the dark lance in Vortigern's hand. The lance was massive, not something that should be wielded in a single hand, yet that was exactly what she was doing. The blow from the knight sent shockwaves out that threatened to ring out through the entire city. Both of these combatants had the physical strength to win out myth and legend. And their speed. After one blow met the knight quickly flurried his blows to attempt staggering the Lancer yet he found he could not break her defense. Each lance was twirled dexterously to avoid any damage, and each powerful blow was met with equally powerful defense.

"You are holding back, don't." Vortigern taunted the knight.

"Whoa whoa whoa hold on a second," Elenaria was watching the fight go down with little interest before, but the last thing she needed was her Saber revealing his identity to everyone with an eye on the sanctuary. She stepped out from the Church. And almost immediately stopped in her tracks. "Are we really doing this, Alfred? You can still just say your servant wasn't in their right mind and we can walk away." There was razor wire stopping her from moving too far from the entrance. And it was connected to Alfred's glove.

"You always struck me as the mad one, sis. The least I can do for my servant is hold you down for a bit." He flexed his fingers and the wires closed in on Elenaria.

She showed incredible acrobatic skill in avoiding the encirclement, a knife appearing in her hand as she tossed it downwards into the ground. This cut several wires in front of her. Her red eyes began fading into a gentle pink. "Now now, brother. I always held back on you when we were younger but now you must be thinking you have a chance in beating me?" She turned to face him, and her eyes glowed.

Alfred quickly, rapidly called wires out and lashed them towards his sister. That ability. He could not allow her to look at him. Yet through the wire attack Elenaria kept a gaze clearly focused on him. And then a voice rang out. Vortigern's. "Put your head down." It was a command. And Elenaria found herself unable to deny such a command, her head slamming down into the pavement in front of the church.

"Ow." She was hardheaded at least, in more ways than one.

But the fight between Saber and Lancer did not wrap up with the little sideshow. No, it was only just beginning. They paced around each other. Vortigern did not have the luxury of being able to continue supporting her master right now.

"So much for chivalry." She noted, as she now found herself surrounded. At her right she kept Lancelot, famed as the strongest knight to have ever lived. And at her left came a blonde newcomer in red and silver armor, with a matching red and silver sword. "That blade… Clarent. I recognize it. And that makes you…" Before Vortigern could speak their true name they were attacked from both sides. Blade met spear as she continued to dual wield her lances with frightening proficiency. Each blow made by the knights was a heavy, earth shattering blow. Yet each time they reached one of the Dragon King's lances, it was as though all the force was nullified, hitting a steel wall.

Now was when Vortigern couldn't play. After all… there was another. Her eyes flicked as she spun, and she noticed a red haired knight with a bow, taking aim upon her. Was that a bow or a harp..? It appeared to be some bastard of the two items. And there was no arrow notched. No… Vortigern knew that weapon. "Failnaught as well?" She let out a hearty, maddening laugh and swung at the heavy armored red and silver knight first, forcing them back a few feet. She then planted her lance in the ground and extended her arm towards Lancelot. The knight intended to claim the arm as it extended, bringing down his blade towards the extended arm. But then the strangest thing happened, yet something that seemed entirely expected by the knight, as he withdrew his attack into a guard. The arm extended further and further, shapeshifting into a claw and shoving the stalwart knight back far. The arm was massive. And then it reverted so she could pick up her lance.

The archer had a clear shot now. He fired rapidly, and several invisible supersonic attacks went towards the King of Dragons. "Foolishness!" Vortigern bellowed out and a tail sprouted from her back and curled around her body, repelling the attack. But the dance still did not end, the red and silver knight in that was repelled earlier closed back in, lightning dancing around their blade as they brought down a heavy blow. The tail released its coil and flicked the knight back.

Three against one. No… Vortigern sensed one more. The girl! She sharply turned and faced back towards the Church. No one was visible but she clearly sensed the power of a servant coming from Elenaria! Her command had long since worn off and she was standing there, smiling. "You wished for this combat, not me. Don't give me that look." Elenaria's eyes glowed. They were still pink, shy of her usual red eyes. And then, Vortigern began to turn stiff. Her joints turned to stone.

"Mystic Eyes of Petrification..? Such a mutation should be impossible." Yet it was true. Her gaze was turning the servant to stone. Such a thing… the King of Dragons to be defeated in such a way. "Unacceptable." She activated her skill, and Mana Burst forth from the coming stasis. She moved to charge upon the Master, ignoring the 3 servants targeting her. Their blows were no threat to her. These eyes were. Yet she found herself impeded once again. As out of her shadow came the fourth servant she sensed. A dark haired knight with soft facial features came striking with more agility than even Vortigern. To outspeed the Lancer was no easy feat, especially while she was using her Mana Burst skill.

"There you are..~!"

"Hello Aunt Vortigern, you seem to be doing well." Replied Arthur. The King of Knights. Yet in his hands was not the holy blade Excalibur, but a worn, ancient looking knife. Carnwennan.

"Sending your knights after me while you hide in the shadows, what has become of your precious honor boy?" Vortigern hammered a lance down with all her might, the tip of her spear threatening to bisect her nephew. Yet he blocked it. It was clear that there was great difficulty in him guarding the Lance with a dagger, but it was holding out.

At this point however, Vortigern had taken one step too far.

"By my Command Seal, return to your Master's domain at once." It was Lana. While every participant of the war was blessed with Three Command Seals. Three powerful tools that would allow them to command their servant against their will, or greatly empower an action with their will. It could even make the impossible a reality, such as teleportation, or if one wished it have their servants kill themselves. Yet Lana Displayed on her one exposed arm alone that she had 10. And one faded into nothingness as its order was carried out. Vortigern gritted her teeth, grabbed Alfred by his collar, and leapt with all her might to the exit.

"This isn't over. I will find you again. And kill all of you."

Elenaria cheekily waved goodbye to her brother. "See you tomorrow~" she called out as the servant left with all agility by the power of Lana's command seal. The knights all came close to their master to guard her, as much as she proved such a vigil was unnecessary.

"I will trust you to not fight in the Sanctuary from here on, Elenaria." Lana instructed, sternly.

"Yeah, yeah. You saw I didn't start that! I plead self-defense!"

"Next time you let me handle it and don't get involved yourself."

"Fiiiiine." Elenaria sighed and began to leave. What an eventful start to the war.