I have been roaming long roads through the wilderness

[likeawildbull]

Who: Saber and Gilgamesh 
Where: Goldenrod, in a tavern by the water 
When: August 21, 2012 - sunset 
Summary: Gilgamesh is not fond of prophecy, but he is even less fond of ignorance, and Saber has volunteered to tell him why everyone is so extraordinarily suspicious. 
Rating: PG? Most likely? What's the rating for amoral former-demigods. 
Log: 
 
The days of having a boundless treasury were, at least for the moment, behind Gilgamesh. He had accepted that fact. He had not been happy, but neither had he wailed like a widow for the loss. He only moved stepwise through becoming a part of this new world: learning the natural order, acquainting himself with the current law and its enforcers, and now arming himself thoroughly. 
 
Only a fool would imagine all armaments to be weapons, though. And that exact sentiment had brought him to Goldenrod, to sit at a table overlooking a sea ready to swallow the sun, clean of road dust and in fresh-laundered clothing for the first time in far too many days. He had taken care to be as immaculate as ever; this was anything but the last time he had wandered to a tavern on the ocean. This night, he would have what he had come for.]

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[ex_cashcow493]

The King of Knights surely had suffered from the pleasantries of this domain. With no immediate need for things to be performed in a timely manner, the vigilant woman found herself with little need to hurry herself. In all honesty, she found herself hesitating on purpose as she paused outside the designated meeting place. It took a good hour of conversation to convince Lancer that not only was she well enough to travel to this meeting alone, but that she could defend herself should a fight occur. Even here she accumulated knights who swore loyalty to her without even trying.

Funny how it worked out. She never viewed herself as charismatic, yet there are those here who would die in her name. A commanding presence could be overwhelming and perhaps that is what drove people toward her.

Drawing as little attention as she could to herself, Saber found herself having entered the tavern and out back to meet with the other Servant. A man she encountered twice already. She never thought there would be a third time, but here such a miracle occurred.

Thank God they were in a tavern. Saber thought herself truly blessed for that as the suspicion she would need it more than ever entered her mind.

"Archer."

[likeawildbull]

"Saber." Gilgamesh cocked his head, surveying her with no attempt to hide the fact. It was hardly their typical meeting, neither of them in armor or at arms, and also neither of them under the repulsive threat of compulsion. He enjoyed that, knowing she was at her freest, even if this place had no wars to temper her to a bright glow, to put her to heat until she snapped.

He made no motion to rise, only gesturing to the chair across the little table with a careless uncurling of his fingers. "I see you are on the way to health."

[ex_cashcow493]

Instead of wars to temper the steel that was Saber, there was only her guilt. Such thoughts were powerful enough to keep her bound to the belief of worthlessness, so it took her by surprised when he brought up that.

"Yes, of course." Crossing over to his table, she'd seat herself with a bit more flair to her actions than usual. Showing off? Perhaps, but it may as well have to do with the slight of concern he expressed towards her. "A minor ailment could not keep me from coming here."

In truth, her hesitation originated from the things she'd have to tell him. Responsibilities thrust upon her shoulders, yet who else would be the one to step forward? No one. Shirou would only complicated matters and Lancer much sooner shove a spear through his chest.

"You understand the cost one's future comes with, do you not?"

[likeawildbull]

"Not so high a price as remaining ignorant of the thing when others are not." That gravitas earned only a soft noise of derision, Gilgamesh leaning an arm upon the table between them. He knew already the King of Knights' penchant for regret and solemnity, and while those were her own garments to wander in, he had no need of such rags. "My own dearest friend has learned his own fate since arriving here, as he must. He does not deny it and neither shall I."

[ex_cashcow493]

"Then where will you have me begin?" Allowing him the opportunity to choose what knowledge he gains, Saber took caution to it just as she did with every event in her life.

"The Fourth War?" Painful memories to still hold onto, but they laid dormant within her mind. "The Fifth War? You will see that not many of us from the Fourth are here, so there would be little need to tell you of that."

But surely he would just ask how he managed to arrive in two events despite another Archer being summoned in the Fifth Holy Grail War. Just as he'd ask how she had been successfully summoned twice in a row. All secrets would have to be relinquished for the full story to come out. Her body shifted a bit in her seat, but her shoulders didn't move a single inch as a show to how tense the topic made her.

[likeawildbull]

"Why would I take only a portion of that knowledge, when all of it is yours to offer?" That Saber claimed to remember two consecutive Grail Wars was an interesting prospect, and Gilgamesh wouldn't have even considered learning of one and not the other. Anyway, the fact remained that a lack of entrants to the Fourth War now did not exclude their presence at some point in the future.

"Tell me all you know. My last recollection from that tiresome war is your victory over Caster's creature. How does the battle progress from there?"

[ex_cashcow493]

That far back, was it? When she closed her eyes, it felt so long ago and yet the memories were so horrific in her mind that she could never forget them. Just how the air felt when she used Excalibur in such an elegant manner with a powerful Master. She had grown admittedly in this place and even though it had been well over a year since her arrival, Saber felt there could be more to learn. Each step taken on the edge of water with her brilliant blade and how she only recently learned how to swim here both remind her of that.

"Please keep in mind that this is just what I know." Instead of telling him outright, she would say something obvious. "Ah, would this mean you would like to hear what has happened to me?"

Selfless as always, she would expose herself with that question, almost as though she had to seek out his permission to bare her history. The most notable event to take place after that had been the loss of one of the few honorable men she has ever had the blessing to meet in her lifetime. Should he take notice of the tears forming in the corner of her eyes, she'd deny their existence.

"Someone had used flares to call attention for a final battle." Instead, she'd force that out. No need to tell the man about her Master's dishonorable and shameful methods in eliminating Lancer. No need to weep over Irisviel. No need to even bring up Maiya. She had to stick to the facts. "All of the Servants had to have gather there, although we did not face each other until I had defeated Berserker. Since I did not see Rider, I could only conclude that you had faced him in combat and were successful."

[likeawildbull]

Silently, Gilgamesh arranged the pieces in his mind - Saber and Berserker, Archer and Rider. The second of each pair eliminated, as he would have imagined - Saber was too powerful a servant to be ripped apart by a mad dog, and Gilgamesh had known for certain the outcome of his battle against Rider since he had seen the king's resources arrayed before him. Caster had been destroyed, as well as Assassin - so someone must have cut down Lancer. The blankness that Saber left at his place in the narrative shone like a beacon, amplified by the gleam of wetness in her gaze.

She was not a statue, nor a sword. The little king was only as good as her armor, shining bright in places but dark in other. Gilgamesh wished, as dearly as he had in any battle, to aim for those shadowed places and sink his blade deep.

"There was no chance for him to succeed," he replied calmly, smiling. "But I do wish to hear everything that has happened to you. Why do you not proclaim your victory over Lancer as well? For Berserker to have ended him would have been impressive. Or perhaps I was deprived the opportunity to fight Rider at his full strength?"