1463/The Road of Passage

The Road of Passage
Date of Scene:	01 February 2015
Location:	Dun Realtai
Synopsis:	The mysterious Saber of Silver pays an overdue visit to Dun Realtai...and to the King of Knights.
Cast of Characters:	227, 346

---

Saber (346) has posed:
    As it has been in these winter months, the weather in Dun Realtai is crisp and cold, with intermittent days of sun among the almost constant snowfall. Days are spent in attempts to clear out the village square to at least permit some passage between the buildings and the warpgate so vital for incoming supplies. With the real winter following so closely upon the heels of the unnatural enchanted one, the villagers had needed to rely on supplies brought in via the Union. Yet, many of the alien saviours who had first driven off the corrupted ice creatures had actually remained to help them to get back on their proverbial feet. Fiercely independent and a little insular as these natives were, the more cynical among them had expected the do-gooders to retreat back into their strange gate and leave them to their fate. Only, their new guardians were unexpectedly cut from the same metaphorical cloth; not only staying to lead the rebuilding efforts and introducing such life-saving features as modern insulation, but they knew when to step back and allow the people to rebuild their homes and shops themselves. None took their unexpected stroke of good luck for granted.

    But then, the new lord and lady had more than a bit of healing to do themselves. Perhaps it was merely a strange quirk of fate that the multiverse had brought together ailing, yet proud people to heal one another. They had all lost much, the lord and lady able to empathise with their plight and their pride. And of course, it hardly hurt their image that the two weren't afraid to get their hands dirty...figuratively /and/ literally.

     Currently, the lady in question is out in the unusually light snow, the lone person outside with the townspeople secure inside. Dressed in plain -- if thick -- woollen commoner's attire and thigh-length leather boots with the hood of her cloak raised, she busied herself silent examining the recently-restored rooftops for any signs of stress under the unrelenting snows.

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
"It's colder here than I expected..." The silver-haired Saber murmurs under her breath, which is quite visible in the cold air, as she walks down the streets of the village. "This is the right place, I hope. I'd hate to have come here for nothing..."

In deference to the chillier weather, she's wearing a fur-lined kimono, but it still is not really suitable for the temperature here. She seems... mostly okay, at least. She's a bit tougher than just a bit of chill wind! "Now, I'm sure I should be able to feel the presence of another Saber nearby." Green eyes close, and she takes a deep breath. An image of Saber forms in her mind, perhaps shaded a bit into being even more dashing and handsome than reality, but one can't fault her for embellishing her memory, right?

"...ah!" Opening her eyes again, the silver-haired Saber looks up, allowing a faint smile to her lips. She's doing nothing to hide her own presence, and in fact is broadcasting it openly. It's much more dignified than just -yelling- to get Saber's attention.

Saber (346) has posed:
    The moment the other Saber extended her senses outward, the shorter one's head jerked up, sea-green eyes narrowing as she scanned the horizon beyond the stone walls of the village. The presence of another Servant didn't necessarily mean hostility by default, but better to be prepared. Yet, even as she remained vigilant, the King of Knights remained in her current attire, Excalibur unsummoned.

    But upon looking down from her current rooftop, she couldn't help but blink owlishly as jade eyes met emerald, recognising the other Servant. The hard demeanour eased somewhat; though still aloof, her stance relaxed somewhat. Saber straightened, balancing easily along the roof's edge before leaping down effortlessly down and landing with supernatural lightness not far from the other Saber.

     "Greetings, Saber," she hailed politely, her hood falling back to reveal flaxen hair pulled up into a high ponytail. "What brings you to Dun Realtai?"

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
There was no killing intent, so the silver-haired Saber has yet to summon either of her weapons, nor don her Mystic Robe. As her gaze meets the other Saber's, her expression softens. There's no large smile there, for such a thing was frowned on when she was raised, but her face shows she's quite pleased to see the blonde.

"Saber," she says softly in greeting, incining her head. "I... ah. I had hoped to come visit you, in all honesty. We've discussed meeting in the land you've come to oversee, and I've come across some free time today." The silver-haired Saber tilts her head slightly, glancing at her Servant counterpart. "It's not any trouble, is it?"

Saber (346) has posed:
    For her part, the Welsh Saber's face remained mostly neutral, though compared to the serious expression she typically donned for most other Servants who were not in her inner circle, it had softened considerably. If anything, she was slightly surprised that the other Saber seemed pleased to see her.

    "Ah, yes. I remember," she replied, but now a faint smile alighted her face before shaking her head. "It is no trouble. I welcome you to Dun Realtai."

     She bowed slightly -- European-style, as she recited the clause of protection. "Under Brehon Law you remain under our protection for as long as you are a guest within these walls."

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
For a moment, the silver-haired Saber worried if she was truly welcome... but the blonde's statement eases her mind. "Thank you. And I'm glad to hear my arrival isn't causing any trouble." She takes a moment to glance around. "Though I'm afraid my clothes do make me stand out from the locals quite a bit..." The villagers here probably have never worn a kimono in their lives.

"Brehon law?" A few curious blinks, though she understands the intent if not the specifics. "Ah.. but if we're going to discuss further, might we go inside? The winter here is harsher than it is at home."

Saber (346) has posed:
    For all its mediaeval European appearance, the village showed some signs of its recent modernisation; many of the lightposts featured LEDs rather than easily-extinguished flames, composites were incorporated into various buildings for strength and durability, and there were hints of indoor plumbing. Likewise, the people were accustomed to some rather strange visitors with peculiar ways of dress. It was hardly the first time they had seen a kimono...though certainly more modest than what one of their long-term guests preferred.

    "Actually, we have had quite a few visitors and guests dressed quite differently. That said..."

    The petite knight looked up at the sky before she continued, as if she expected the light snowfall to pick up. "It offers little in the way of protection from this climate."

    "Of course," Saber replied with a deferential nod of her head before turning to lead the other Servant up into the Inner Bailey and the Great Hall of the keep. "The snow is light for now, but it will not remain so for much longer. If it becomes so that you are unable to leave for whatever reason, there are private guest rooms on the second and forth floors, and a hostel on the third, each with shared baths."

    She turned back before they reached the heavy oak doors. "Also, a meal can be prepared, as well as tea, should you desire."

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
There's the barest hint of a shiver as the climate is mentioned, and the silver-haired Saber nods. "I'm afraid you're right. Especially my shoes..." Or sandals, as they happen to be. "Ah, I don't think I'd be trapped in by weather, but I do appreciate the offer." Private guests rooms on multiple floors does sound tempting, though.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose! Though... some tea would be nice, I admit." She keeps close by the other Saber, occasionally stealing glances over. "It seems you have a very organized kingdom here. Though... this isn't your original one, is it?" That last question is more of a musing aloud, mostly because she's fairly certain that Servants are from long enough ago that they'd have trouble ruling their own lands again.

Saber (346) has posed:
    Saber remained silent on the matter of the other's sandals, though she did glance at them thoughtfully. "It seems that, regretfully, the snows will likely not abate until perhaps the next month, or possibly the one following," she admitted. "And even then, what is on the ground will likely not melt away completely until April."

    So it would seem that the petite Servant had some experience with a similar climate, or at least weather...enough to make an educated guess at what they could expect.

    At the polite refusal -- or at least expectation that the white-haired swordswoman would not be snowed in, Arturia inclined her head slightly. "As you wish."

    The doors opened up into a pleasantly warm hall, the heat of the hearth-fire carrying throughout the cavernous chamber. A few servants busied themselves with the day-to-day tasks of upkeep, pausing only briefly to notice the lady and her guest. Saber made a gesture to one, who then retreated into the kitchens to prepare a proper tea. Saber stopped at a table near the fire, gesturing to the wooden chairs made more comfortable with cushions affixed to them and waiting of the other to seat herself first.

     "I would not say this is a kingdom," the jade-eyed knight admitted. "But no, it is not mine. We were tasked with watching over this place while its winter guardian regained her strength, in place of its previous lord, who had gone mad and all but destroyed it."

    The servant Saber had gestured to earlier set down a tray laden with green tea -- something the Japanese Servant would no doubt appreciate -- and, somewhat oddly, a few scones and butter, curtseying after Saber thanked her and returned to her other duties. Saber poured for the both of them before she continued. "However, we have been granted guardianship indefinitely for the work we have accomplished here. Now, it is our home."

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
"Ah.. no slight intended, of course! I just don't want to be away from my Master for too long. He'd worry, and so would I. We've yet to find a trace of the other Servants in our war, and it would be terrible if one showed up while I was spending several days here."

As she steps into the hall, the silver-haired Saber takes a deep breath. Ahhh... warmth. She visibly relaxes just from the change in temperature, stepping serenely over toward the indicated chairs. "I suppose if you're not acting as its king, then it can't be a kingdom, then..." The Servant sits down and takes a moment to smoothe her kimono, then offers a grateful nod toward the servant who returns with tea and... food she's never seen before. "Ah, so the people love and trust you? That's another mark of a good leader, though."

Saber (346) has posed:
    Saber shook her head, a slight fraction of movement. "There was none taken," she reassured the other Servant. "Many who visit find themselves unable to return to the warpgate, and we would be remiss in failing to shelter those who have need of it. It would violate Brehon Law and chivalry alike."

    Her eyes flicked to the stairs leading up into the residential areas. "It is most fortuitous that this castle has such capabilities. It was last to be repaired -- our efforts were entirely on restoring the homes and the essential areas of the village before the winter set in -- but it has been adequately restored to accommodate servants and guests."

    A slight frown marred her features, though it was not directed at her guest. "Still, I appreciate your consideration...I have no wish to embroil those people in the War. Though my own ended some time ago and there is no longer a Holy Grail to claim, that is not to say that there would be other Masters and Servants who would involve me, regardless of that."

    When the white-haired Servant seated herself, Saber slipped her cloak from her shoulders, folding it and laying it over the back of a nearby chair before seating herself. "Even if I were still a king, this is bit a humble village, with pastures and farmland but little else that we know of. And even those are barren for the moment."

    Arturia ducked her head slightly in what might seem like a strangely embarrassed gesture."To be fair...they are grateful for our help, and our respect of their independence. Much they wished to rebuild themselves, and we merely lent aid to restore the homes before the winter, so that none would be lost to cold or illness."

    Her previous faint smile them became warm, her features settling into an expression of fondness. "Further, the people owe their lives to the knight I appointed as lord of this land. I have absolte faith in his abilities as my marshal, and he has never disappointed me. This, as much as anything, has been a testament to his abilities and his dedication to the people. And they have responded in kind."

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
The silver-haired Saber brings her tea to her lips and takes a very delicate sip. She's not short on mana today, it seems, else she'd probably have gone for the food immediately. Sabers are still Sabers.

"What is it like?" Green eyes lift up, looking across at the blonde. "Still being around after the War is over, without needing to worry about it? I realize you're more of a warrior than I ever was, but I find the constant vigilance... draining, sometimes." She lets out a soft sigh. "Though I do enjoy being able to experience life here once more. There are a number of things in the modern world which I've come to appreciate." There's that faint smile again.

"Ah? The knight you were with when we first met, yes? He does seem the trustworthy type. I'm glad to hear you have a marshal you can put such faith in." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose... we are two different types, you and I, despite our similarities."

Saber (346) has posed:
    For her part, Saber had made a habit of forming her own separate stockpile apart from the rest of the village's vital supplies, taking her own meals strictly from that. True, she needed that much for the same reason any other Saber-class Servant did; their powers demanded incredible amounts of mana. When Sakura had been her Master, she had little need to eat so much but with Bedivere still training to improve his own capacity, she had been forced to make uo that difference in her meals. And sharing with the other Saber would have likely meant another trip out into the multiverse for restocking.

    A barely audible sigh escaped her lips. "I truly wish that I could be done with it, but I am nearly as involved as I was when I fought for the Grail. There are allies and friends who are either Servants or Masters, and their Wars are either halted -- as yours would appear to be -- or are already in progress. Another of my knights is also a Saber in a War currently being fought."

     Arturia took a small sip from her own cup, with the regal grace the other Saber would expect from someone of her rank. "I must maintain that constant vigilance, even now....though for somewhat different reasons. Servants not of the Union appear in this place much more often than I would like, and I must keep watch to protect my people." It seemed that, somehow, the King of Knights now regarded the people of Dun Realtai as hers.

    "Still," she admitted with a small smile, "To not be directly involved, to not be focused solely on winning Heaven's Feel...it is quite...liberating."

     Saber nodded in response too her question regarding the man the Saber of Silver was introduced to simply as 'Fionnlagh.' While normally reticent, she did not hold back her praise of the pale-haired knight. "Indeed, he is, in truth, one of my knights. A most capable, trustworthy man."

    In turn, Arturia frowned thoughtfully, with a bit of puzzlement. "You are a samurai, correct? If you indeed follow the code of Bushido, we are more alike than dissimilar. True, we have named virtues, but honour is honour, particularly in worlds and eras which do not value it as we do."

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
"Ah... that's a shame. Surviving the War should allow for some larger measure of peace than that." It's a sympathetic glance that the silver-haired Saber gives her host, though she looks down at her cup of tea soon after. "Not that I know how I should feel. For all I know, we may find the rest of the participants only to discover they've already eliminated each other while we were away. Wouldn't that be something?"

Green eyes blink in surprise. "You seem to have a number of knights involved in the Grail Wars. It must leave you feeling quite conflicted. I'm not sure what I'd do if I came across anyone I knew as a rival Servant... or even an allied one." She sips her tea lightly, mulling over that thought.

"Mmm?" Eyes widen slightly, and she gives a shake of her head. "I'm honored, but no, I am no samurai. I know of bushido, but..." At that, she trails off, gaze sliding away. She's silent for a moment, before continuing as if she'd never stopped, "...I've never seen that code personally enacted." That admission is, in itself, something big, though she calls no attention to it save for a very faint blush on her cheeks. "But I agree. Honor is honor, no matter what it is called."

Saber (346) has posed:
    Closing her eyes for a moment before sipping once more from her own cup, the flaxen-haired knight permitted herself a slight smile. "Hm. It would be different had my own world not Unified when it had. In truth, I would have disappeared, then...my Master had ordered me to destroy the Grail, using his remaining command seals to give me that order. I had no choice, and I destroyed it...or so I had thought. I would have disappeared then and returned to my own era had I not Unified right then."

    So she would not have returned to the Throne of Heroes, but her own time? That would mean that the Servant the emerald-eyed Servant now spoke with was not, in fact, dead. But how should such a thing be possible?

    TSaber, for her part, was funny aware of that implication, as well as the next part of her tale. "I later learned from former Masters involved in the Grail War following my own that the Grail is, in truth, tainted, and any wish it could grant would likewise be tainted. if indeed you are the winner of your Grail War, I would urge caution."

    Her expression became distant, as if hiding her true feelings behind her stoic mask. "Indeed," she admitted in spite of it. "Truthfully, I have been fortunate. I have made amends with some...I wish to make amends with all, though I have yet to encounter others of my order."

    She permitted a slight smile then, dissolving the stoic mask. "Truthfully, what worries I have regarding other Grail Wars are few compared to the miracles the multiverse has granted me. Though I must remain vigilant, I have been granted a peace that even the Grail could not grant me. Perhaps we sought the Grail when we should have sought Unification."

    Her eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise at the denial; Saber had been reasonably certain she could have been any number of heroines who acquired enough lore to become the highly-prized Saber class. She silently wondered; perhaps this heroine might have pre-dated even the samurai? It was entirely possible. To know of their codes was one thing, but to have never seen it practised...

     But she doubted the Saber of Silver was going to go into much detail. On the other hand, Saber was more than happy to speak on chivalry at length...and often did. "Our own code was intended to ensure knights act only with honour," she commented softly. "If we did not, we would be mere savages, and the ones who would suffer the most would be the people we were meant to protect."

    Here was one knight, it would seem, who took her duties with grave seriousness.

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
"He ordered you to destroy the Grail? That seems... strange." And it goes against everything she knows of what the Grail War is supposed to be about. She's still wondering about that enough to miss the subtleties of where Saber might end up afterward. "So the Grail was destroyed.. and then the Multiverse interfered with the rest."

The silver-haired Saber presses her lips together thoughtfully. "Your Grail was tainted? I haven't heard of that, though... it's not as if we can go ask anyone right now."

A faint smile comes to her face to match the other Saber's own. "It has been a wonderful place. I don't think I ever would have been able to meet you, n..nor your marshall or any of the other friends I have made. I haven't come across the other Servants in my own War yet, but it seems the likelihood of anyone I've met being a Servant is low." Especially since the Saber slot is already filled.

"Mmm..." The silver-haired Saber gives her blonde counterpart a somewhat coy look, though she dare not explain further. Not now, anyway. Little slips and hints can't hurt, but she'd feel she was betraying her Master if she let too much of her identity go. "A code to protect the people is a good one. Too often honor can cloud its own meaning and become more important than actually doing what is right."

Saber (346) has posed:
    "I learned later that he had somehow learned that the Grail was tainted, and that if his wish was granted through it, that wish would destroy much of the world," Saber explained. She remained somewhat ambivalent about Kiritsugu, but she did not doubt his intentions had been pure. It was his /methods/ she took great exception to. Perhaps if Irisviel and Ilyasviel could be saved...

     "Unfortunately, for whatever reason he chose not to inform me, and merely ordered it to be destroyed," she continued grimly. "Whether he did not trust me to act with honour or else did not feel he had the time necessary to explain, I do not know. What I do, however, is that even that action had its consequences, and the fire created by its destruction consumed a large part of that city, killing hundreds of people."

     The Welsh Servant took a long sip of her tea, as if to cleanse herself of the lingering bitterness of what she felt was her hand in that matter. Still, she continued. "My Master -- that is to say, in my own timeline -- passed away some time ago. Yet, almost perversely, a different version has Unified, at a point prior to my summoning. I suspect that version is tainted as well, and he has been warned...I do not agree with his methods, but...he is taking steps. That is heartening, at least."

     Saber remained oblivious to the other's particular slip, smiling faintly. "It is good that there are other Servants within the Union. Though the Holy Grail War must end with only one Master and Servant remaining, in the multiverse that end is not always assured. There are other ways. It is merely a question of discovering them."

     Straightening, the knight leaned back a fraction into the back of her chair. "Chivalry was founded to protect the people, first and foremost. The best way to ensure that was to create a code with eight virtues -- each as important as the next -- with the hope that those with honour would be bound by it to protect the people."

    Regretfully, it didn't always work out that way. But as far as Saber was concerned, it was the only way she could ever be. She could never /not/ be a knight, nor not live by her ideals.

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
"How can you tell if the Grail is tainted, though? It would be nice to know if ours is as well, though... I don't think it is." Still, the idea that the Grail is anything but what it's supposed to be is a difficult one for her to wrap her mind around.

One hand comes up to cover her mouth as she gasps. "That's... terrible." Though from what little she's heard, she can at least be sure that the collateral damage wasn't expected. "Mmm.. I can't say I understand how the multiverse works, but the chance to spare others that fate seems like something worth pursuing."

Slowly lowering her hand, the silver-haired Saber gives a brief nod. "This chivalry does sound like quite a good thing. I'm glad that you're able to continue to uphold it, even today." Another smile comes to her lips, and she glances away slightly. "I wonder if my life might have been different if I'd have known a knight such as yourself."

Saber (346) has posed:
     A sigh escaped her lips again, but this time it was quite audible, with an element of weariness to it. "I do not know. I remained unaware of its true condition even as I destroyed it. It would seem there is no way of knowing until it has successfully been integrated with a vessel..."

     She shook her head with a little more force than usual. "That, too, is unacceptable.The Einzbern family creates homunculi to serve as the vessel for the Grail. But it possesses them, erases their very identities..."

    At the time, she had accepted that it was Irisviel's sacrifice to make. But knowing what the Grail truly was and the entire farce of the War made that something she would no longer merely accept. "The Holy Grail ultimately consumes their bodies to manifest itself. I can no longer merely accept that, especially not for something potentially tainted."

    Her mind wandered to Shirou then, the young one who had Unified not too long ago...right in the middle of the village square, in fact. His past was already written, but there was another reality which had not been. If there was a chance to save the people in at least one reality, she would take it. "At the very least, we must try."

    Her smile was a faint, bittersweet one when the Saber of Silver complimented her on chivalry. "It was a necessary thing...I believe it continues to be necessary. Something to guide us, to keep up on the correct path...it is as much a part of me as my blood, my bones. It is the only way I can live. I know of no other way."

    The look on the other Saber's face was an all-too familiar one; though Saber concealed much of her own purpose and true feelings behind her rigid mask, regret was a constant in her existence. But after five years, there had been much she had learned. Therefore, it seemed strange to be giving the very advice that, five years ago, she would have disregarded in her dream to save Britain and to undo her entire rule. "Perhaps...but I was a...different person as the king. My regrets are many, and I will always mourn the fall of my kingdom. But it was never the utopia I wished it to be. And I was never the king I wished for my people."

    Her smile coloured with that slight note of fondness, thinking of Bedivere again, and his promise to serve her faithfully again...and then Lancelot, and Gawain. In spite of her regrets, she treasured what she had now. Even who she was now.

    "Who we are as Servants in the present would seem to be what is needed in the multiverse. We are no longer restrained by the Holy Grail War...we can simply serve as knights, or whatever honourable warriors we may be. We can accomplish with our own hands what we could only look to the Grail to grant us. We no longer have need of it."

    Though subdued, the silver-haired Saber might catch the faintest glimmers of true passion in the undercurrents of her voice. "The multiverse is the miracle the Grail itself could not grant us."

Saber of Silver (227) has posed:
"Is that how it works? The details were always less than forthcoming..." The silver-haired Saber tilts her head thoughtfully. "Has it been like that for every Grail War, or only the ones from your world?" While she doesn't say it, she's holding out for some hope that perhaps her own world's Holy Grail War was different. The more she finds that are different, the better chance hers has.

"There will always be regrets. I'm wondering if the Grail can only summon spirits who died with some regret in their heart. Else why would a Servant need a wish? Still..." As she looks up toward Saber, a soft smile comes to her face. "No one is without faults, and I'm sure you were a marvelous king. Your chivalry and goodness outweighed your mistakes." It might be those heart-lensed glasses of her mind speaking, but that's how Saber comes across to her, at least.

"It does allow for our fates to be more in our own hands and not tied so tightly to the Grail. That thought alone is rather refreshing."

Saber (346) has posed:
     Saber shook her head. As involved in it as she was then and in spite of all she had learned since, there was much that remained frustratingly unclear or unknown. "I am afraid I do not have the answer to that, as well," she admitted ruefully. "Even with all I have learned, there is much which remains unknown to me, and to many others. I have my suspicions regarding those who might know...however, I do not believe I will be welcome by them in the near future."

    Primarily because she had helped a version of her former Master rescue his wife and daughter from a life as Grail puppets. Well, no regrets on that front, at least.

    "I have, however, heard that there are other Grails which have escaped similar contamination. Perhaps yours is among them," she offered helpfully. Saber still thought its pursuit was a bad idea in general, but for the moment, she hadn't been able to dissuade the other Servant.

    But for the question of regrets, Saber took a small sip of tea before answering. And the telltale twitch of her eyebrow betrayed her true feelings regarding the person she was speaking of. "I do not believe that is the case. I know of at least one Servant who was summoned with no desire for the Grail at all. In fact, he claimed the Holy Grail was already his, but virtue of owning everything in the world."

    Of course, the King of Knights was the sort of person who could not see herself the way others might see her, be those opinions favourable or unfavourable. She did, however, keep such thoughts to herself, merely inclining her head. "I thank you," she replied, but not without gratitude. There were others, as well, who had insisted on her virtue and the goodness of her heart.

     And one such person needed to be checked on to make certain he wasn't overworking himself yet again. Setting her empty cup down on the table, the blonde knight stood with a faint smile. "Forgive me, but I have some matters I must attend to. You are welcome here for as long as you wish, and have the full protection of Dun Realtai and the Knights of the Round Table for as long as you remain under our roof."

    With that, Arturia bowed once more and departed up the stairs of the keep.