Vol 2. Chapter 14. Open The Doors!

The car ride home to Einzbern Castle could only be described in one way, tense.

Irisviel could only send subtle glances at Artoria while sitting in the passenger seat.

The fact that she wasn't allowed to drive, spoke volumes of her friend's current mental state, as she would always offer her the opportunity to drive.

Saber being as silent as the dead did little to make Irisviel feel any better.

She had noticed that after Rosalind had mentioned who her husband's killer was, that Saber's demeanor became stiff.

She had gotten momentarily better after returning from her negotiations with her remaining family, but she had turned as expressionless as stone once we left for the castle.

As the car slowly drove into the driveway of her home, she felt increasingly nervous at what would happen.

Irisviel and Artoria could be called friends, pretty decent ones at that. But what was that in the face of the news that her friend's husband was responsible for killing a family member.

A distant one, but clearly the only one she had.

And the mere thought terrified her.

Would she retaliate? Would she confront him and demand retribution? Or would she threaten, and or kill him? Irisviel hated that she was thinking so negatively about her friend, but she was worried.

As the car came to a slow stop, Artoria killed the engine, undid her seatbelt and opened her car door, stepping out.

Irisviel waited for a moment, before undoing her seatbelt. But as she reached for the door, Artoria opened it for her, and reached out a hand.

Blinking in surprise, Irisviel met the somewhat stiff smile Artoria was giving her, before smiling in return, her own smile looking less strained, but more worried than her friends.

"Thank you," she remarked gratefully, before grasping the outstretched hand, allowing Saber to gently guide her out of the car.

She escorted her to the entrance, the door automatically opened, revealing a pair of homunculi maids welcoming them.

At the sight, Artoria let go of Irisviel as she no longer needed to be escorted.

"Irisviel," Saber intoned calmly, and Irisviel clamped up. All those thoughts that she had been conjuring up, flooded back into her mind like a hurricane.

"Yes?" she quickly replied back, causing her to sound nervous.

Saber didn't seem to pick up on it, or simply didn't care to address it, and continued. "I will be in my room," she stated matter of factly. "I will be there unless something comes up."

Those words seemed to alleviate some of the fear she felt, as at the very least Saber wasn't going to do anything yet. Which meant that this situation could still be salvaged.

Smiling, Irisviel gave her a nod. "Take some rest… you deserve it," she replied gently.

Taking Irisviel's agreement at face value, Artoria gave a curt nod, before turning on her heel and leaving for her room.

Seeing Saber's retreat, Irisviel quickly walked in the opposite direction, and headed straight for her husband's office.

This was one of those, now or never situations, she needed to salvage this situation no matter what, and that started with a talk with her husband.

As she made her way through the building, she had to walk through the west wing, which had taken on a lot of damage, thanks to Lancer's Master's sudden attack last night.

Chunks of the wall were strewn around, wall paper was flaking off the walls, windows were broken and the wall was riddled with bullet holes.

She hadn't seen the destruction herself, as she was in the woods with Saber, standing by her while she was fighting off Lancer.

But seeing as Lancer had to flee from the fight to help his master, Irisviel felt that the damage caused was acceptable.

The same could not be said for what Caster did to the forest, while cornering herself and Saber, but that was neither here nor there.

After a few minutes of walking through the ruined halls, Irisviel reached a door that barely stood on its hinges. Irisviel gave a few gentle knocks on the door.

"Kiritsugu, may I come in?" 

There was a beat of silence, before the one on the other end broke it. "Enter," came the muffled voice of Kiritsugu.

Calmly pushing open the door, Irisviel took in the view of the room. She saw her husband seated behind a desk littered with documents and electronics.

And he was smoking…

Walking inside, Irisviel made her opinion on his unhealthy habit known, as pinched her nose, while lightly waving her hand, as if dispersing the smoke.

"Kiri, you know I hate it when you smoke," she pouted, while slowly making her way over to his desk.

Kiritsugu, seemingly not catching onto what she had just said, gave his cigarette another puff, before moving it over to an ashtray, and grounding the butt into it.

"Sorry," he calmly apologized, before locking his eyes onto her. "But given the conversation I just had with Saber, I'd say it's warranted."

Irisviel almost tripped at his words, before regaining her stride. "You spoke with Artoria?" She asked nervously.

Kiritsugu's brows furrowed at the question. "Barely… it was closer to an accusation on her end, and her saying that she'd keep quiet about me, but that she expected answers soon," he explained with an undertone of irritation.

Irisviel smoothly walked up behind her husband, and gently leaned onto the seat, while draping her arms around his neck.

"I'm worried…" Irisviel revealed gently. "I fear for your, and Artoria's partnership…"

Irisviel pursed her lips. "It was already off to a rocky start, but with your unsuccessful attempt on Kayneth's life, and now the news about Rosalind's husband…" her words trailed off, as she gave a sigh.

Closing her eyes, she leaned even more heavily onto the back of her husband's chair. "I'm afraid that your strained relationship is bound to break at the next small hurdle."

There was a pregnant pause, before Kiritsugu gave a long sigh.

"The assassination happened nearly two decades ago… I don't have the documentation on hand, but my information indicated that Andrew Pendragon was a danger to others with his Apostle research," he explained in an almost ditched way.

His words made Irisviel tighten her grip on Kiritsugu. "Impossible…" she murmured, causing her husband to slightly inclined his head to the side to look up at her.

Irisviel looked her husband in the eye, with a slight frown marring her face. "Rosalind hates, and I mean HATES, anything to do with spiritual evocation… She likens it to Apostle research… and with how much she outwardly despises the subject, I'm certain that she'd not marry someone who would even touch anything close to that branch of magecraft."

"She'd have killed her husband herself, if she caught wind of such a thing, so I don't think this… Andrew, would not even dare to read a book on spiritual evocation, let alone do proper Apostle research," she explained seriously.

Kriritsugu's frown only deepened at his wife's words.

After all, he had seen the evidence. Foggy as the memory was, he knew what he saw, and it was damning.

The problem was that even if he told Saber the truth, she'd likely take it as a lie, or at least he would, given what his wife had just told him. After all, the truth suddenly sounded like a poorly made up excuse to wash him of any responsibility.

Sucking in a deep breath, Kiritsugu reflexively reached for his jacket's inner pocket, and his hand plucked out a packet of cigarettes.

Before he could pull out another cigarette, Irisviel snatched the box, and scowled at him. "What would Illya think if she saw her father smoking?" She remarked with clear disapproval.

Her husband gave a tired sigh, agreeing with her sentiment, but still feeling the need for something to take off the edge.

Irisviel's expression seemed to soften, as if noticing how tired he was.

Suddenly, a mischievous expression found its way onto Irisviel's face, and she leaned in closer to his ear.

"You seem to be under a lot of pressure, and you need to release some stress…" she whispered into his ear. "How about I help you with that?"

~~Fate/False Order~~

"Rider… this is stupid…" Waver grumbled, while idly glancing up at his Servant, who was preparing his chariot, by lugging a barrel of wine on it.

"Boy," Rider remarked, while turning his head to look down at his Master.

"Do you not wish to learn of my fellow king's wishes for the Grail? We could learn much from such a gathering, as well as learning who we could work with in the future," he explained, before giving a wide smile.

"And of course, it will be a great source of entertainment!" He bellowed while clutching his hand.

Waver met his Servant's excitement with a flat look. "You have been playing video games for a day straight… isn't that enough 'entertainment'?" He questioned in an unimpressed tone.

Rider's smile faltered at the comment, and he quickly brought his fist in front of his mouth, giving a fake cough.

"I was merely researching this age's take on conquest," he explained hurriedly, quickly regaining his smile. "It was time well spent, as I now know to keep an eye out for these… atomic bombs the US keeps throwing my way," Iskandar proclaimed with supreme confidence.

Waver proceeded to face palm, not wanting to look at the face of his Servant, who looked far too smug, despite being blown up twice by the Allies in his playthrough of 'Admirable Great Tactics'.

It certainly didn't help that he was wearing the game's promotional shirt.

Before he could remove the hand from his face, Waver felt the familiar feeling of Rider grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt.

"Wait—Rider!" Waver protested as he was hoisted off the ground, his legs dangling helplessly.

"Time waits for no man, boy!" Rider declared, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He carried Waver effortlessly toward the chariot, where the massive barrel of wine sat securely. 

The night air was crisp, and the moon cast a silvery glow over the landscape.

"Barging into Saber's territory unannounced is practically an act of war!" Waver argued, his voice tinged with panic.

"An act of camaraderie," Rider corrected with a grin. "We are fellow kings seeking to share in the joys of wine and discourse."

"She might not see it that way," Waver muttered as Rider deposited him onto the chariot beside the barrel.

Rider climbed aboard, taking hold of the reins. The two divine bulls snorted, their fiery eyes reflecting their master's eagerness. "Hold on tight," he advised.

Waver looked around nervously. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe we should send a message ahead or something."

"Where's the adventure in that?" Rider laughed heartily. "A true king faces challenges head-on, without hesitation."

"But this isn't a challenge; it's a potential diplomatic disaster!" Waver exclaimed.

"Then it's settled," Rider said, ignoring his Master's concerns. "We proceed!"

With a swift snap of the reins, the bulls roared to life, and the chariot surged forward. Sparks flew from the wheels as they lifted off the ground, ascending rapidly into the night sky.

"Wait! I'm not ready!" Waver cried out, gripping the edge of the chariot with white-knuckled hands.

"You'll never be ready if you keep waiting," Rider shouted over the rushing wind. His cape billowed behind him, and a wide smile spread across his face. "Feel the wind, boy! This is what it means to be alive!"

Waver's heart pounded in his chest as they soared higher. The city lights below flickered like a sea of stars. Despite his terror, he couldn't help but feel a sliver of exhilaration. "This is insane," he mumbled.

"Embrace the thrill!" Rider exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "The world is vast, and we're here to conquer it!"

As they flew over the dense forest surrounding Einzbern Castle, the serenity of the night was broken by a stark sight below.

"Rider, look down there," Waver pointed. "The forest... it's been destroyed."

Rider glanced downward. Large swathes of trees were flattened, the ground scarred and blackened. Parts of the castle's outer walls were damaged, rubble strewn about like scattered toys.

"Seems there was quite the battle," Rider mused thoughtfully.

"Do you think it was Berserker? Or maybe Caster?" Waver asked.

"Possibly both," Rider replied. "It appears we've missed an interesting skirmish."

"Maybe this isn't a good idea," Waver suggested hesitantly. "If they're already on edge, us showing up like this might provoke them."

"All the more reason to proceed," Rider said with a grin. "A little excitement never hurt anyone."

"It hurts plenty of people!" Waver snapped. "Usually the ones caught in the crossfire."

Rider chuckled. "You're too cautious, boy. A king must seize opportunities, not shy away from them."

As they began their descent toward the castle, Waver noticed the guards stationed along the battlements, their figures tense and alert.

"Rider, they're going to see us as a threat if we don't announce ourselves," he warned.

"Then we shall announce ourselves with grandeur!" Rider exclaimed.

He urged the bulls to accelerate, the chariot picking up alarming speed as they hurtled toward the castle.

"Slow down! We need to land carefully!" Waver shouted, panic rising once more.

"Patience, boy! This is the moment we've been waiting for."

The chariot sped toward the massive double doors of the castle's main entrance. Waver's eyes widened in sheer terror. "We're going to crash!"

"Exactly!" Rider's laughter echoed against the night sky.

Before Waver could react, the chariot smashed through the doors with a resounding crash. Splinters of wood and shards of metal flew in all directions as they burst into the grand hall. The sound of their dramatic entrance reverberated throughout the castle.

For a moment, silence hung in the air like a held breath.

Then, from various doorways and corridors, homunculi maids and guards poured into the hall, weapons drawn. Halberds and spears were pointed directly at the intruders, their faces a mixture of shock and determination.

Waver slumped forward, burying his face in his hands. "We're dead. We're so dead," he whispered.

Rider threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Now that's how you make an entrance!"

The homunculi closed in, their expressions stern and unyielding.

"Identify yourselves!" one of the guards demanded, his voice steady despite the chaos.

Rider ignored the pointed weapons, stepping off the chariot with an air of supreme confidence. "Ah, such a warm welcome!" he proclaimed, his voice booming.

Waver peeked through his fingers, his anxiety mounting. "Rider, maybe we should apologize—"

Before he could finish, Rider spread his arms wide. "Saber! I know you're here! Come forth, for I, Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, come bearing gifts!"

He reached back and effortlessly lifted the massive barrel of wine from the chariot, hoisting it onto his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.

The guards exchanged uncertain glances, momentarily thrown off by the audacity of the intruder.

A soft but firm voice cut through the tension. "What is the meaning of this, Rider?"

From the grand staircase at the far end of the hall, Saber appeared, adorned in a black suit. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation.

"Ah, there you are!" Rider exclaimed, his face lighting up. "We've come to share in a night of philosophy and drinks."

Saber descended the stairs gracefully, her gaze never leaving Rider. "You could have chosen a less destructive method to announce your arrival," she said coolly.

"True, but where's the impact in that?" Rider chuckled. "A grand entrance befits a grand occasion."

Waver stepped forward hesitantly. "I apologize for the intrusion, Saber. I tried to tell him—"

Saber held up a hand to silence him. "Think nothing of it, Waver Velvet. Though unexpected, your arrival is... timely."

Rider's eyes twinkled. "You see? Even the lady approves!"

Saber sighed softly. "I have had a tiring day, and it is clear that you do not have hostile intent... coincidentally, I am amenable to a drink, given the circumstances..."

She closed her eyes, as if mulling something over, before nodding to herself. "Very well. Since you are here, let us proceed to a more appropriate setting for this... gathering."

She signaled to the guards, who reluctantly lowered their weapons. The homunculi maids began to clear the debris without a word, their movements efficient and precise.

"See, boy?" Rider nudged Waver with his elbow. "All is well."

"For now," Waver muttered under his breath, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Rider set the barrel down with a thud, patting it affectionately. "I assure you, Saber, this is the best vintage available in this city! Perfect for a gathering of kings!"

Saber's expression softened just a fraction. "Your generosity is noted, Rider. Shall we proceed?"

Rider grinned widely. "Lead the way!"

As they followed Saber deeper into the castle, Waver couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. "I hope you know what you're doing," he whispered to Rider.

"Trust me, boy," Rider replied, his voice low but confident. "Tonight will be a night to remember."

Waver sighed, resigning himself to whatever fate awaited them. "That's what I'm afraid of."

They soon left the building, and entered a lavish garden that had clearly been cleaned recently.

In the middle of it, was a long table with chairs and some small amenities.

The atmosphere it gave off was different from the castle—calmer, warmer, almost inviting.

Rider placed the barrel beside the table, rubbing his hands together. "Now, let us begin!"

Saber took a seat, her posture poised and regal. "I am curious to hear what you have to say."

Rider smiled, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "All in due time. First, we drink!"

He slammed the barrel's top, caving in the lid, revealing a red liquid. He silently pulled out two bamboo sake ladles.

Silently, he dipped one of them into the brew, before offering it to Saber, who had sat across from him.

Sabers eyes scrutinized it, before extending her hand, and grasping the ladle.

Rider took the other one, and filled it with the same red liquid, and gave a smile.

"To the gathering of kings!" Rider declared, raising his ladle high.

Saber lifted her own ladle. "May our discourse be enlightening."

They clinked their ladles together, before the two brought it to their mouths.

Saber took a polite sip, closing her eyes to savor the taste, while Rider on the other hand treated it like a shot, and downed its entire contents.

Rider leaned back in his chair, a satisfied look on his face. "Now, the holy grail is said to be fated for the hands of the one most worthy of it," Rider explained while refilling his ladle from the barrel.

"And the battle of Fuyuki will determine who that person is. If it's simply a means to decide, then there is hardly cause for bloodshed," he paused, while taking another sip.

"If all Heroic Spirits can be satisfied with our ranking, then the matter will settle itself," he explained.

Saber brought the ladle up to her lips, knocking it backwards, and raised a brow in challenge at the comment.

Moving the ladle away from her mouth, she handed it over to Rider, who looked minutely impressed at her action.

"Then first, you wish to compare your rank against my own, Rider?" She remarked with a hint of challenge.

Rider's brows went further up his forehead, before they lowered, and his face morphed into an eager smile. "Indeed."

Without looking, he refilled her ladle, while talking. "As one who also lays claim to the title of king, you might consider this a Grail Dialogue, rather than a Grail War."

Accepting the ladle, Saber continued to hold his gaze. "The matter of which among us is most suited to claim the Grail…" his smile widened, before he finished. "Will become clear as we drink." 

The two held one another's gaze for a few short seconds, until someone broke them out of their staring competition.

It was a cold, proud and outright disdainful tone that broke their concentration.

"That's quite enough nonsense."

The two Servants turned their heads to look in the direction of the disturbance.

Slowly, golden particles formed into a man wearing equally golden armor, blood red eyes and golden hair, who slowly made his way towards them.

"Mongrels."

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103 Hours, 6 Minutes And 5 Seconds Until Zero 

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A/N

Welcome back, my reader Overlords, please add this to your library and give me some comments, stones and Reviews, as it would be much appreciated.

Banquet of kings has officially started! What do you wish to see? Give me some info, as I'd love to know!

Now, give me your thoughts on the chapter, and tell me what you'd like to see!

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https://discord.gg/8UkprnrG

Now I'm tired and have a fuck tone of Uni stuff to do, so have a nice day, and send me some stones or some shit, I need motivation, or some shit like that.