[COMPLETE] In Absinthia

[unionjackoff]

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.

Comments

[unionjackoff]

It was unfortunate to think someone thought so poorly of themselves. England wanted to encourage Saber, but he remembered two things; one, Saber was human, and humans often beat themselves up over their past mistakes. And, two, England did the same thing. Many, many times. He was always thinking about the past, always longing to go back to a way of life he'd been familiar with.

However, for the most part, the decisions about way he was run were not up to him. His bosses made the choices, decided who to go to war with and who to align with, set up the government. So, in the end, England was able to move on more quickly and not blame himself for what happened whenever.

"And you intend to go back and fix your mistakes."

[everdistant_utopia]

Saber should have known the personification of her country -- a strange concept, but hardly impossible in her own reality -- would have seen though her mask. In the back of her mind, she wondered if there were other hidden things about herself that she would inadvertently reveal. However...

"Yes... I do," she replied with her usual resolve. "Whatever the cost, I will save Britain."

[unionjackoff]

Her response made England smirk a little bit. Such devotion. He loved that. "I'm certain you'll be able to," he said as he crossed his arms. "You seem dedicated. That is the number one quality I look for in a knight. As long as they are willing to die for their country, then they needn't be all-powerful. Loyalty is the key!"

[everdistant_utopia]

Saber was not completely certain she heard him right; the usual reaction to her wish varied from telling her she was wrong to outright mocking her. So far, the only one to back her up had been Irisviel. But now a variation of her own country? She was conflicted between the usual guilt and being almost relieved.

And then there was loyalty as a virtue. Without it, all her ideals meant nothing. "You maintain a commitment to chivalry, my lord," Saber replied almost reverently.

[unionjackoff]

"And what's wrong with that?" he asked, still smirking. "It seems to be lost nowadays. There have to be some people who keep it alive."