arcanarumlogs | [COMPLETE] In Absinthia

Who: England, Saber
When: Monday, September 19, early afternoon
Where: around Queen of Cups (the potions store)
What: A loyal servant meets her lord, and a lord meets his loyal boss.
Warnings: probably pg, nothing bad except for gratuitous angst

It had occurred to England that morning that, although he had been on the island for a long time, he had done very little exploring. Usually when he tried to go out, his legs would carry him to the edge of the forest, and he would frantically pace back and forth in front of it, watching it longingly, before Prussia or someone else had to forcefully drag him away. Today, England wanted to focus on going somewhere else. He wanted to know if there were places on Arcanarum that could actually help him in his quest to get back home.

He found the shopping district on his own, and he explored the fresh market first. That reminded him of his home, so he lingered there for at least forty-five minutes before deciding he should move on. It was getting cooler, anyway, and it looked as though a lot of the people were thinking about packing up. The wind blew against England and he searched for a shop where he could go inside and take shelter.

What caught his interest first was a potions shop. Brilliant! It had been a while since he'd been able to use his own magic, but at least he could still mess around with spells. He smirked to himself in victory before heading inside.

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Inwardly, Saber scolded herself; the term that magi used for the most powerful familiars summoned specifically for the Holy Grail War was hardly common knowledge even in her own world. She should have been more cautious... but on the other hand, there was something strangely familiar about the young man and she couldn't help but trust him.

"Servants are summoned to fight for the Holy Grail, seven in each class. We fight each other until only one Master and Servant pair remain, at which point they may claim the Holy Grail."

She paused briefly, fondly remembering the friend who accompanied her as a decoy Master, and she did nothing to hide the subtle, fond smile. "However, I was also tasked with acting as a bodyguard for my Master's wife, Irisviel."

"The Holy Grail?" England repeated in astonishment, turning from the counter back to the girl. "Are you from the past? A knight?" The thought excited him. She had his own colors. Blonde hair, green eyes. Perhaps she was one of his!

Edited 2012-03-24 01:45 (UTC)

The past? To speak of what was, for her, the present, surely the young man must be from an era similar to the one she had been summoned to.

"I am a knight, yes," she replied with a half-nod, half-bow. While one of her own knights would have bowed more deeply, the familiar protocol was that the King's own salute differentiated him... or her, in Saber's case.

"As to the time I am from, it would depend upon what you consider current. I was summoned for the Holy Grail War during what was for me the distant future, over a thousand years after my time."

Eee! This was exciting! England quickly paid for his poison and then rushed back to the girl's side. He had to contain himself from bombarding her with questions. After all, he must have been a sight to see; a young man buying a potion, with a star on his forehead and a long tail dangling behind him. And even if he didn't look this way, it would have been rude to assume the lady wanted to talk openly about her world.

He managed to speak without coming off as too anxious. "You make it difficult for me to decide what I should ask about first," he said sheepishly. England got the door for her. "Do you mind if we converse a little while... Miss, erm..."

That was perhaps one of the biggest surprises to date: being treated as a woman rather than a man. A side effect of living nearly her entire life hiding her gender made her believe that she was more man than woman, and that others saw this as well. For a moment, she was taken aback before an involuntary blush coloured her face, if only for a moment.

"Oh... I thank you. I am called Saber, and no, I do not mind."

Well, England might have mistaken Saber for a man at first glance. But once she spoke to him, he was able to figure her out. Perhaps this was because he had gone through a period of time where women suddenly were able to act. England had noticed the distinction between the bodies in costume.

"Saber," he repeated, with a nod of his head. "That's a strong-sounding name. You can call me Arthur."

To be fair, Saber's current attire gave her the intended boyish air of the simple squire who became the Once and Future King. It was, in some ways, similar to what had actually happened. The main difference, of course, was that the scrawny boy who pulled the sword from the stone had, in fact, been a girl.

Pale eyebrows lifted slightly at the name: the masculine variant of her own. How curious... but it was not an unusual name. "Well-met, Sir Arthur."

Sir Arthur! England hadn't been called sir in years. It pleased him. They departed from the apothecary and began a slow walk down the street. Since Saber had agreed to talk to him, he was trying to decide what to ask first. Perhaps if he found a little bit more about her, he could reveal his true identity. But there were a lot of people who did not believe him when he told them who he was, especially in Arcanarum.

"You must be quite strong to be a knight, since you are a woman." A pause, and then he quickly added. "Er, not that I mean that rudely! It's just that women are not usually allowed on the battlefield!"

If she was offended in any way, it didn't reflect in her demeanour. But he had spoken the truth, which was something she could not be offended by.

"No, you are quite correct," Saber replied with a slight shake of her head. "The roles of women were limited, and I was forced to disguise myself as a man to serve my people. There were few indeed who knew the truth of my sex, and I lived most of my life as a man."

At least she had been strong as a warrior, if not a king. If there was one area she had complete confidence in, it was her prowess at wielding a sword. "However, I am grateful when my skill is acknowledged; I would be a poor Saber indeed if my skills were lacking. I thank you."

England smiled nervously, relieved that she did not mind his outburst. He cleared his throat before speaking again. He didn't want to say anymore embarrassing things... Like pointing out the fact that she would make a good man.

"Who is your monarch?" Which was his way of asking where Saber was from, not just in area, but also in history.

[COMPLETE] In Absinthia

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