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[everdistant_utopia]

[When she made her contract with the world to offer her service as a Servant in exchange for a chance to grant her wish, Saber had been prepared to be summoned across time for the purpose of fighting in a war. But his 'summoning' wasn't even a summoning at all, but some terrible accident. Moreover, she was no longer a warrior, but a student? She had stared hard at the letter as she walked through her new surroundings, her expressionless face giving away nothing of her complete confusion. It all made sense... yet it didn't make any sense at all.

Dismissing her battle-armour and Excalibur, she remained in her blue dress, not willing to chance finding out whether or not her more modern attire had somehow come with her. She might have stood out, but at the very least she had no special need to hide that her presence was unnatural.

She paused occasionally to scrutinise her new surroundings through an experienced knight's eyes. It seemed peaceful enough... at least, on the surface. But for all she knew of this alien place, that could change.]

Comments

[nevergetscredit]

[Merlin is looking at you rather dubiously now] A war between masters and servants?

Seems rather ridiculous, don't you think? I mean Arthur might be a prat but I'm not really going to go to war against him. Not to mention that I don't think many servants would have a chance against their masters.

And now the cycle of brain-breaking is complete

[everdistant_utopia]

[Now she's the one staring in disbelief at him. The explanation about the War will have to wait for the moment.]

... Arthur?

it's like the circle of life. except not.

[nevergetscredit]

[Merlin pauses. Considering how suspicious this woman is, he's not sure how much to say about Arthur. Not to mention the fact that Arthur doesn't people to know about him being a King]

He's my master.

1/2

[everdistant_utopia]

But.... that is impossible... I...

[everdistant_utopia]

[It took a bit longer for her to recover this time, but then it occurred to her: it would hardly be the first time he played a prank on her. At least now she remained... female]

If you are indeed the Merlin I knew, this had best not be another one of your tricks. The previous time you did something for your amusement, it had unfortunate repercussions for all... the people especially.

[She folded her arms, frowning in kingly disapproval.]

[nevergetscredit]

What tricks? I don't even know you!

[And in a weird and somewhat eerie way, that kingly disapproval almost reminded him of Arthur. Almost. Because obviously, this woman had nothing to do with Arthur at all]

And I don't see how me being Arthur's servant could be any kind of trick.

[everdistant_utopia]

[Her haughtier side managed to make it past her mask]

Do you remember what trouble it had caused the kingdom when you enchanted me and turned me into a man?

[But even then, her face turned serious]

It is I who am a Servant now. It would not be possible for me to summon you as my Servant.

[nevergetscredit]

I never turned anyone into a man! [That's it, this woman must be mad]

And what does you being a servant have to do with anything? I don't work for you! You can't summon me! [and sometimes not even Arthur can summon Merlin]

[everdistant_utopia]

[She can't help but glare a little. The old fox didn't follow the path of chivalry, so he didn't always tell the truth. But if was going to keep playing this game, she might was well indulge him. Besides, he might be 'testing' her, as annoying as the prospect was. She suppressed a sigh and rattled off the 'lessons'.]

Naturally, I am incapable of summoning you... you are still human. Had you been a Servant, I would have been able to sense your approach, with the exception of the Assassin class, which is capable of concealing his presence. A Servant is a Heroic Spirit summoned by a magus chosen by the Holy Grail as a Master, who then orders his Servant to fight on his behalf with the other six Servants until only one Master and Servant remain.

[She held up her right hand, the back facing out]

Masters are recognised by the three seals they bear on the backs of their right hands, used to issue an order which a Servant cannot disobey. When all three are depleted, the Master loses his connection to his Servant and that Servant disappears and returns to the Throne of Heroes.

[Her expression is expectant, as if to say, "Well, did I pass"?]

[nevergetscredit]

What? I'm not...I am not a heroic spirit! I'm a servant, a norma human servant! You know, I clean things and wash Arthur's socks, and have to carry his things or whatever menial task it is that he demands I do. There is no fighting, or summoning, or anything else of...whatever it is that you apparently think I do.

[If the question was 'did you pass the exam to be a crazy person', then the answer is yes]

[everdistant_utopia]

[It took more effort to suppress her aggravated sigh this time around, but she did close her eyes and fold her arms.]

It is as I have said. You are not a Heroic Spirit; otherwise,I would have been able to sense your presence. I cannot sense the presence of Masters in the same way, even though Servants, as beings of pure magical energy, are capable of sensing the flow of it. And when a Servant is depleted entirely of magical energy, that Servant disappears.

[That talk of the chores was just bizarre, though. What was he going on about? And why was he still referring to her as a 'he'?]

I never did such things, and you would have cast a sneezing cantrip on me for a fortnight had I ever ordered you to do such things.

[She planted her hand on her hip, slightly annoyed that he was still playing games with her. Really, this was going too far.]

[nevergetscredit]

...You're just completely mad, aren't you? That has to be it, because no sane person would think that servants were beings of 'pure magical energy'.

[everdistant_utopia]

[There were few people who could be said to truly try her patience, and her tutor and advisor was one of them. Usually by this time the situation would have broken down to chasing him around the castle with a sword -- so long there was no one to see it -- with the old fox laughing and taunting her.

But she couldn't exactly do that here. Instead, Saber simply closed her eyes and summoned her armour once more in a sudden, bright flash of prana. At least she could make her displeasure known in her own way if he continued to toy with her. Her face was placid enough, but there was a tranquil fury underneath.]

Now then... as you were saying, Merlin?

[nevergetscredit]

[Merlin's eyes widened, and he stared at her]

You used magic!

[everdistant_utopia]

[That was... definitely not the reaction she was expecting: laughing, taunting, disappearing, and daring her to find him. Was he still playing with her, or did he truly not know? Now she was a little more uncertain.]

Yes... is it truly so unusual?

[nevergetscredit]

When Uther hates magic so much, it's not something you see often.

[everdistant_utopia]

[Saber makes no effort to conceal her confused expression, though still subtle by normal standards. Most of her concentration is trying to make sense of all this.]

My father hated magic? That does not make any sense... he relied on magic to keep my birth a secret, among other things.

[nevergetscredit]

It's not like Uther's above using magic for himself and then condemning everyone else for using it, is it? [he could say more, about Ygraine and why she died, but Merlin isn't ever going to reveal that to anyone] And I don't see how you could have missed how much he hates magic after the Purge.

[everdistant_utopia]

[Shaking her head slightly, she didn't completely disagree that such hypocrisy was possible, but there would have been some evidence.]

No, I am certain that had he outlawed magic, there would have been some record of such a law. Yet, I do not recall such in any of the scrolls within the archives.

[And again, there was a look of mixed surprise and confusion]

... Purge?

[nevergetscredit]

Or, maybe you're just completely mad and somehow managed to miss all of the people who were killed in the Purge. And all the other magic user's who have been executed since then.

[Why yes, Merlin is just a little bit snippy]

[everdistant_utopia]

[Her eyes narrow, though not at him.]

I am certain there was neither a Purge nor a law. Moreover, if there had been any such law, I would have decreed it removed upon ascending the throne and the families of the victims recompensed.

[Admittedly, any compensation wouldn't have truly helped -- as she had already had to for other issues... but what was done could not be undone. A twinge of the familiar regret flickered across her features, but only for a fleeting moment. It couldn't be undone... not without the Grail.]

[nevergetscredit]

Ascended the...what?!

/is horrible. HORRIBLE

[everdistant_utopia]

[Oh wait, he's playing games again, isn't he? Either that, or yet another trying to convince her that undoing one's past was a fool's errand.]

The Throne of Britain. You came to me after Uther had died and revealed the truth of my birth, and that the people would recognise me as the rightful heir if I kept my sex a secret and drew Caliburn from the ceremonial stone. That only I could quell the chaos following the death of the king.

[Fixes him with a hard stare, emotions roiling underneath.]

But you were wrong. It should have been another who became king in my stead. I failed to even save the people and the only way to undo that mistake is through the Grail. You cannot convince me that it is blasphemous, it is the only duty to Britain that I can fulfil.

/JOINS YOU IN BEING HORRIBLE

[nevergetscredit]

The throne of...what? Do you mean Albion? [Merlin is raising his eyebrows at you, Saber[

You are mad. The only person who could unite Albion is Arthur.

LEAVE NO BRAIN LEFT UNBORKEN!!!

[everdistant_utopia]

[She frowned even more deeply now.]

Merlin, enough with these games, and cease calling me by that name.