A Shoulder to Lean On

Chaldea is a state of the art facility. The research and development that occurs here represents the absolute cutting edge of technology and magecraft. Just about every aspect of Chaldea implements these innovations in a purposeful way, although some more than others. The Rayshift chamber is one such marvel, as it is what allows Chaldea to perform its primary task, allowing travel to the temporal singularities manifested by the King of Mages. The massive device is the culmination of all the knowledge and progress of all of mankind up to this point.

In other areas of Chaldea, advanced technology had a more mundane use. This was especially evident in one of the facility's recreational areas: The Gymnasium.

To an outsider, this one room in no way looks like an average fitness centre. The machines all had a closed, fiberglass shell construction that resembled a CAT scanner, or some concept vehicle. The only things on each of them that merely suggested they were for fitness were the handles, pedals, and whatnot. There were no traditional weights or pulleys here on any of them; instead they had a digital display that can set resistance from what is normal for a human to levels that are absolutely absurd. That was because this gym wasn't made primarily for an ordinary human, but rather for something much, much stronger.

"Ninety Seven…"

"Ninety Eight…"

"Ninety Nine…"

"One Hundred."

Arturia Pendragon just finished doing bicep curls on one such machine. She was dressed in a form-hugging tank top and yoga pants, having done 100 reps on a 500+ pound setting. The Saber got up and started stretching, relieving what little fatigue built in her muscles. As a servant, she was much stronger and faster than ordinary humans, but one would never know it simply by looking at her delicate frame. Mana gives their bodies a form that could withstand huge amounts of physical stress put on them. Whether physical conditioning actually benefited servants as it did humans in any way, it did not really matter to the King of Knights. Arturia sort of enjoyed exercising, finding it deeply meditative and relaxing.

Especially after the events of today…

After stretching, Arturia made her way to the centerpiece of the gym; a large sparring-arena, enclosed with transparent, bullet-resistant glass. She grabbed a practice sword made of carbon-fiber, and made her way inside. A sliding door closed behind her as she stepped into a glowing circle in the center of the space. A holographic display appears in front of her, and she uses it to set the parameters of the exercise:

Opponents: 7

Difficulty: Maximum

Conditions: One hit, one kill

Time limit: 1 minute

She presses [SIMULATE]

Arturia stands in center with her sword as 7 robots appeared in the arena. They were all humanoid in design, having a red light lit on their chests, standing at least 6 tall and moved with surprising similarity to a human. These training robots were designed by Da Vinci to match the strength and speed of a servant, and also take a lot of punishment. They each held a projected holo-weapon that resembled a sword, and formed a circle around the Saber.

This was the preferred method of training the Saber gravitated to; fighting physical opponents rather than VR simulated ones. Arturia readies herself, holding her sword in front of her and closed her eyes.

Breathe In…

The conditions of the exercise were simple; knockout each opponent with a single hit. Get hit once, she loses. As if things weren't hard enough for her already, Arturia added a condition of her own: fight with the least amount of strength possible, and win with skill alone. She embedded these in her mind as she inhaled.

Breathe Out…

Arturia allowed everything else in her mind to slip away. Her joys, her woes, she cleared her head of all possible distraction. She snapped her eyes open with conviction.

"Begin."

It all happened so fast; one bot behind her shot instantly into motion, weapon raised. Arturia turns and deflects it away, just as another bot closes in to attack. She parries and slashes across the torso. The moment her sword connects, the red light on the robot's chest turns green, making it go limp and power down.

1…

Three more come after her, aiming to ensnare Arturia in a pincer attack. With a quick burst of mana, she jumps away before they could. As she does, she sees two more running to intercept her. Arturia changes direction towards one of those bots, forcefully sweep-kicking its leg out and sending it tumbling into the other. She barely pauses as the last bot comes up behind and swings its weapon down. Her instincts alert her of the threat and she raises her sword up behind to block. With a twist of her body befitting a skilled swordsman, Arturia deflects the weapon away and sidesteps, just as more robots close in. She slashes her attacker along the thigh, and watched its light turn green indicating a kill.

2…

Arturia slams the pommel of her sword on the limp robot's back with tremendous force, sending it flying into the incoming group of attackers, crashing into them as if they were bowling pins. Not bothering to see the carnage, she turns her attention to the remaining 2 robots she subdued a mere moment ago. They came up to her from both sides, but the Saber wasn't too concerned. She raises her blade to meet the assault, deflecting one attack away and parrying the other. She kicks one robot away and thrusts her sword to the other, only for it to get blocked. She quickly turns for another strike, but the robot blocks that as well. Arturia senses the other combatant trying to strike her from behind. She breaks away and bends backwards, letting the opponent's weapon sail right past her face. With a spinning swing, Arturia's sword contacts the robot's abdomen. Just as the second robot retaliates, Arturia sidesteps and knocks the weapon out of its hands, swiftly thrusting her sword against her opponent's side afterwards.

3, 4…

Both robots went limp and fell down in a heap. Her attention turns the last 3 robots, who have since recovered. The center one was now dual-wielding swords.

It reminded her of Shirou from their Grail War…

-"Saber, tell me the truth… what is your wish for the Grail?"-

Her heart wrenched when she remembered that evening on the bridge, after she told the boy...

-"I have a duty to my people Shirou. I was an inept king and it costed my people dearly. I thought you of all people would understand…"-

-"But for you to wish for your own existence to be erased… how could you even say that?!"-

Arturia pushed that memory to the back of her mind, only to be replaced with another; this one involving a banquet of kings.

-"A king rules without regret. To wish for things to be different is the ultimate insult to your subjects. You are NO king…"-

Arturia snapped back to reality as the robots charged at her. Regaining her focus, she deflected and parried one blade after another. She ducks under a strike swung across and kicked the leg in on her attacker, knocking the robot down. The Saber turns to engage the two bots still standing, as they both closed in to attack. Arturia engages the nearest one first, catching the opponent's weapon with her sword. She sensed an attack coming from behind, and proceeds to grab the arm of her combatant and forcibly pull it around her. She watched as a strike meant for her hit the robot she was tangled with, turning its light green.

5…

She pushes the downed bot off of her and into the other, making it collapse. She turns to the last robot she knocked down earlier-

(Gasp!)

It no longer resembled a training robot, but a helmed-knight in dark amour, emanating a black mist. The knight made a blood-curdling noise.

"ARTHUUUURRRRR!"

Arturia froze in shock at the sight. The knight charged at her with amazing speed, thirsty for blood. The Saber barely had time to raise her sword to block as the berserk knight swung its sword wildly at her. The force of each impact pushed her back with each strike. Her shock wearing off, Arturia counterattacks; she stands her ground and starts exchanging blows with her sword. She deflects the knight's sword away and swiftly strikes its helmet, knocking it off and revealing the face of an anguished man with long black hair. Arturia is stunned at the sight.

"Sir Lancelot?!"

She backed away as the tormented knight walks towards her.

"Why did you forgive me for taking Guinevere?! Did you even understand the guilt I felt for betraying you?! I wanted to atone!"

"My knight… I-"

"The people were right! The king does not understand the hearts of his own subjects! You're not human!"

"No!"

Lancelot reaches out to grab Arturia, who instinctively thrusts her sword to protect herself. She impales Lancelot as his now lifeless body collapses on her and knocks her to the ground. Arturia pushes the knight's corpse off of her, and soon discovers that she is not in Chaldea anymore, nor was she wearing her workout attire but rather her armor.

The sky was red, the ground was drenched in rivers of blood, and there were bodies of fallen knights and fire everywhere; a literal hell on Earth. The aroma was thick with the scent of death. Arturia was now terrified.

-This place is-!-

She was suddenly kicked in the face and sent flying to the edge of a hill. She rolled to a stop along the ground, her sword having fallen out of her hands. Arturia struggled to get up, and turned to see who struck her. Part of her already knows who did as she looks up at a familiar knight in red-accented armor, with a horned helm, and holding a familiar sword: Clarent.

"Do you see me now father?! I have taken everything from you! All who have followed you are dead and now there is nothing left of Camelot!"

Mordred: The Knight of Treachery. Her greatest failure…

"You should have given me the throne! Do you really despise a child of Morgan so much to risk this much bloodshed?! Is that why you hate me father?!"

Arturia felt something in her take over. She didn't know what it was as her heartbreak melted away, and was replaced with cold indifference. She even found herself saying words without her even willing to. It was as if she was on autopilot. Arturia turns to face the knight.

"I never once hated you. I rejected you because…"

She got up on her feet and held out her right hand. In a flash of light appeared a glowing, spiral-shaped lance. Her body moved on its own to wield it, but inside her mind knew what was coming, and she screamed at her body to stop.

It fell on deaf ears.

"You are not worthy to be king."

Mordred charged at her in a fit of rage and held up her sword, ready to strike the king down. Arturia runs forward in a burst of speed and strength and thrusts the tip of her lance into Mordred's abdomen, tearing through her armor as if it was paper.

-!

Arturia blinked and gasped in shock as she found herself staring at a training robot that she had just stabbed clean through with her practice sword. She quickly removed it, and the bot fell to the arena floor in a sparking mess. She looked around frantically at the state of the room. Thankfully, none of the walls were broken, and the only other casualty was the training bot she mistook for Lancelot; it was lying on the floor with its head ripped off from its body.

She overdid it…

The Saber put her hand on her chest, and felt her heart beating rapidly. She struggled to calm herself as the events of this exercise raced through her mind and weighed on her conscience. With relief failing to come to her, Arturia dropped her practice sword and hurried out of the arena with her head cast down, seeking sanctuary from her sorrows elsewhere.

---

Arturia made her back to her quarters and quickly hopped in to the shower. She set the temperature to hot before taking off her workout outfit and undid the bun of her hair, letting it fall past her bare shoulders. She stepped inside, letting the heated water soak her and relax her muscles. Arturia closes her eyes as she leans her head forward below the shower-head, reveling in the feeling of the soothing rain hitting her and drip through her hair. She lets a sigh slip through as the tension in her muscles melt away.

If only her mental stress melted away just as easily…

Arturia opens her eyes as her mind wanders about everything that has happened with her; an early life in Britain before she pulled the sword from the stone, concealing her identity and ruling as a righteous, distant king, and founding Camelot and the Knights of the Round. The Saber remembered when she ruled without emotion, believing wholeheartedly in the justice behind her actions, but ignorant of the hearts of those around her. The praise of her people turned to doubt and ire, her own knights fighting each other, and Mordred's rebellion making her entire kingdom collapse, ending her reign and life. In her dying breath, she reached out to the World to give her the chance to set things right.

Arturia had since found herself as a servant competing in the Holy Grail War. After a failed attempt to earn the wish-granting device in the Fourth War, she was unexpectedly summoned in the Fifth by an amateur magus named Shirou Emiya. Together, they have fought their way through enemy masters and servants, eventually discovering the dark nature of the Grail. With Shirou's help, Arturia was able to accept the past and destroy the Grail. The last thing she remembered was looking back at her master, telling him she loved him before fading away with the sunrise.

By her logic, she should've returned to her time, taking her dying breaths under the willow tree and pass into Avalon. But that wasn't what happened…

Instead, Arturia was summoned again; this time to Chaldea, fighting for the survival of humanity. Her time here was one of great struggle and great triumph, and it wasn't even close to done yet. Now with Mordred of all people their ally, Arturia is finding her past haunting her at an almost frequent basis.

It was as if fate itself was playing a cruel joke on her.

(Buzzer)

Arturia's eyes snapped open at the sound of somebody at the front door of her quarters. She turns off the shower and leaves the stall, quickly putting on a white bathrobe. Exiting the bathroom, Arturia walks across her living room to a holographic display. She presses the intercom.

"May I help you?"

"Saber, it's me."

Recognizing the voice, Arturia slides open the door, revealing a causally dressed Emiya. He notices the dampness of her hair and the rather short bathrobe she wore, and asks awkwardly:

"Is this a bad time?"

"Not at all. Come in," Arturia says with absolute honesty. She steps aside and gestures the Archer to walk inside. Emiya is not surprised at all at her courtesy, despite the Saber standing before him, barely preserving her modesty.

"Maybe she knows this and just trusts me that much," he thought. He accepts Arturia's invitation and enters, taking in the elaborate state of her quarters.

"I'm just going to get a towel," she says. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Oh I will…"

-Definitely.-

Emiya takes a seat on a blue couch as Arturia disappears into the bathroom. He looks around with interest. Upon summoning, every servant in Chaldea had their own personal quarters. At the bare minimum, each had a queen-sized bed, a personal bathroom, a window to outside, and a lounge-area that they could decorate anyway they liked by request.

And Arturia's room was nothing short of elegant.

The bed and couches were blue with a white or gold trim respectively. The shelves and drawers were oak and stacked neatly with various novels and a lion plushy. Beside that was a mini-fridge; a gift from Emiya to store her favourite snacks. The most eye catching features were a display stand for her armor as well as Excalibur; both lit brilliantly by a base light. On the wall behind them was an artist's rendition of Camelot. Her room was fittingly decorated, but in some places were some mementos as well.

The round glass coffee table in front of him had a two picture frames on it; one was of her and Emiya standing in front of the Colosseum during the Roman singularity. That moment was captured at their masters' insistence of how "awesome" the two of them looked. The Archer could tell by the subtle smile on Arturia's face that she savored this moment despite the urgency of the mission. Another showed her, Jeanne and Mashu on a pirate ship in Okeanos; the two servants beside the Saber even posed as pirates to add to the moment. Hilariously, Astolfo was leaning over a railing in the background, feeling too seasick to join in. Emiya could clearly see Arturia having fun with the friends she has made in Chaldea, enjoying herself even between battles. The Archer couldn't be any more proud of his former servant…

She was happy.

"Sorry for the wait…"

Emiya turns to see Arturia walk out of the bathroom with her hair wrapped in a towel, which she was rubbing about thoroughly. Emiya says to her as she takes a seat beside him.

"Da Vinci isn't happy that you made a mess in the gym, with her bots especially."

Arturia sighs in realization as she takes the towel off her head, her ahoge sticking up from her damp hair.

"I know Shirou, and I'll be sure to apologize to her about it."

"Well, care to tell me what made you unleash your wrath on her creations? She really put a lot of time into those…"

Arturia could tell from his sarcasm that he could have cared less about Da Vinci's robots. This was really about her. She casts her gaze away.

"It's nothing…"

Emiya chuckles lightly at her response.

"You're an awful liar. If it's about the training session from earlier, Saber, it's just an exercise. Hey…"

He gently puts his hand on hers and speaks affectionately, grabbing her attention.

"Stop shouldering everything yourself. I know you are not very good at it…"

Arturia meets his eyes and decides to humor him.

"I remember telling you that once. It seems the foolish boy I loved is still in you somewhere."

This briefly surprised Emiya, who lightheartedly denied that claim.

"Don't push your luck, Highness. I couldn't stand that brat, wanting to be Hero of Justice and all. That kid had no idea what he was in for. It's just a shame I got summoned with his memories as well."

"Of course…"

She trails off, rubbing her arms slowly as if she was feeling cold. Arturia would have steeled herself away from any emotion that could jeopardize logical thought; something she constantly did in her life as a king, but has since changed since meeting Shirou Emiya. He always had a way of bringing down the walls around her heart. This version of him however seemed like he was two people acting as one. She needed to take things slow, yet part of her wanted more.

"So… you really want to tell me what's bothering you?"

When he said that, Arturia did something the Archer didn't expect. The Saber scooted closer to him. On instinct, Emiya wrapped his arm around her as she leans against him, flustered by the intimate act. Arturia could feel his heart beating faster by the second.

"Wha- Saber?"

He watches carefully as she closes her eyes and whispers softly.

"Just hold me."

At her command, Emiya nervously increases his hold on Arturia, which makes her snuggle closer. He wasn't used to her being so open like this, as she was known to be more reserved and distant when they first met, always acting as a noble knight above all else. It was an affirmation of how far the Saber had come. They stay like this for a minute before she speaks again.

"Do you remember what you told me on that bridge, all those years ago?"

Emiya stares off into space as he recalls a memory that was his, and yet wasn't.

"Yes..."

She picked up a hint of conflict in his voice, but continued.

"You told me that I didn't have to always be a king. That I should move on and not be afraid to seek happiness."

"Well… I liked the way you smile."

Arturia giggles softly. But soon after, she lets out a sigh. The Saber opens her eyes letting her pain become apparent through her voice. Hearing her sorrow broke the Archer's heart.

"I've been trying so hard, Shirou. I still see my people jeering, my knights clashing, and my kingdom burning. Mordred's presence here made it worse. I thought I had put all of that behind me when I destroyed the Grail, but I am such a fool…"

"Stop right there," Emiya says firmly. "Seriously Saber, being a fool is reserved for me. You have done so much since coming here; I've seen you smile more times in Chaldea than I ever did in that Grail War. You have stared Hell straight in the face and came back as a better person each time. Believe me, you are NOT a fool."

Arturia turned her head to look at him, her heart now soaring from his words. Her gaze meets Emiya's eyes. He notices the subtle way that the Saber's emerald orbs sparkling at him.

"You really mean that?"

The Archer's face softens.

"Must you question everything? You know I'm telling the truth."

Arturia smiles in response.

"I do… I just like hearing that from you."

She shifts once again, resting her head against Emiya's chest as she continues.

"I could never be happier now that you are here with me. I love you…"

Emiya returns the affection, but inside his mind was at war. He found himself questioning the feelings that might not even be his, yet could not stop himself from saying what felt so right of him to say.

"I love you too…"

They sat in silence for a bit before Arturia continued, her uncertainty being made plain to the Archer.

"I'm just unsure of what to do. I can't face Mordred, and she won't even talk without turning it into a contest. She has made it clear that she doesn't want to make amends."

"Hmm… I wish I had an answer. I get that the collapse of an entire kingdom is not an easy thing to get over. Do you blame her or yourself?"

Arturia sighs.

"I don't know…"

"You'll figure it out. In the meantime, you could use something to lift your mood, and I know just the thing…"

Arturia perked up and raised an eyebrow.

"And what would that be?" She teased.

"Well, I will be needed in the kitchen tonight so maybe-"

Suddenly a low growl comes from Arturia's stomach. She blushes when he gives her a knowing smile.

"Sounds like it's exactly what the doctor ordered. How about you get dressed first, then we'll head to the café?"

Arturia composes herself and agrees with him.

"Of course, Shirou. Hunger is the enemy after all."

"An enemy needing to be vanquished by the King of Knights…"

The Saber giggles.

"Certainly."

She stands up and grabs a fresh set of clothes before rushing back to the bathroom. Arturia hurriedly gets dressed while Emiya waits for her at the front of her quarters; the anticipation of a delicious meal energizing her and casting away her woes…

Temporarily.