A Familiar Face

"𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏."

————

"Lancer, Elias Nouvelle, it is my mission to serve your ambitions. Now, whose blood shall I shed?"

Lancer watches as her expression turns from shock, then disbelief.

————

"What so bad about this servant, I mean, he's being a great help in Chaldea!", Da Vinci asked, staring as the girl walked to and fro in one place.

"It's not that.", she said, "It's about him being a Servant. I know this isn't the real Eli. My god, if a version of him has leaked through then something is definitely wrong!", she finally stops and bites her thumb.

How did his data leak, and how did the throne get it?

"I'm sure it's fine. Even if he isn't the true Elias,", Da Vinci said while doing air quotations, "since he's a Servant, it's possible he doesn't have memories of you."

"That's the least of my concern, honestly.", The Master said in a forlorn tone. "I don't know how both of us will react to this, especially if he starts having dreams about the other him…"

"I appreciate you have concerns for him, but I hope that doesn't stifle your bond progress with him."

With a deep sigh of defeat, the Master looked at the acting director with a nod, "It won't."

————

For the next three months she was assigned to either gather embers or ascension materials, she'd bring the Lancer with him. She'd act the same way as she always has with her first three, the confident Master that believes in her Alters.

And as the Bond grew, more memories unlocks that the other shares, the other is unaware of, and this puts a block in their progress. The new memories from the master also start to cause tension between the two. One tries to reach for a solution, and the other avoids the tension.

"Lady Rys.", Saber Alter said, making the Lancer and the Master turn to the King of Knight.

"Wait here, Lancer.", she said to the Lancer and walked towards the King, "Yes, Arthur?"

"I believe me and the others require your assistance on something, do you have time to help?", The Master's eyes widened. Usually Arthur would presume for his Master's choice, it seems he's being careful, and she's curious.

"Yes, of course.", she turns to the Lancer again, "I'm sorry, El—Lancer, you're free to do as you please until I come back."

The Lancer's stare didn't change, but he nodded, "Very well, Master."

With that, the Saber Alter took her arm and led her back to his quarters. There the Avenger and Berserker waits, when the doors open, they look up, and stand to approach.

"Master."

"My lady."

Her expression shifted into worry, eyes moving from one servant to another, "What's wrong, both of you?"

"We.. saw.", Arjuna said, "The Lancer. His origin."

"Ah.", The master sighs, "I'm sorry I never told you. I advised myself to treat him as a new ally, not as my… retainer."

"I doubt he is just your retainer, my lady. Not from what I've seen.", Diarnuid shook his head, "We are aware it is currently straining you. We wish to help."

At that moment the sense of worry became that of defeat. "The true Elias – my Eli – I had to leave him.", she starts as she begins to pace around, "He was someone without his own ambition, willing to serve the ambition of others, he was selfless, and would act on the benefit of others, even if it hurts him."

"Aren't you the same?"

She stops and looks at them, her thoughtful expression changed to that of sorrow, and shakes her head, "No; In fact, he was more of a Servant. He will enact on his master's demands - when ordered, cannot disobey - and that master will be whoever holds his heart, and the contract that binds him with it. Well, even then he would do his best to serve the people around him, no matter how many they are. He was a head staff in his home world.", She smiled a bit, but then she pursed her lips, thinking over her next words, "There were timelines, where I fell for his master, and I was betrayed by that same man, and died by Elias' hand by my lover's command. There were other timelines the omnipresent showed me, where I had stray from my path and became a destroyer. I… in a final effort to give the world its freedom, commanded him to destroy my vessel, and the memory he shares with it.", she exhales, "I ran away so he doesn't follow, but it seems me teaching him the ability to think for himself finally sunk to his head… and gave him the strength to have his own ambition. His loyalty is no longer with his master, the amount of times I hear him plead to give him a new contract so he can bind himself to me.", she shook her head. "I cannot do that. He has a home."

"So you run.", the Master slowly nods, "To avoid such selfishness, or…"

"His Master is someone who had it out for me, betrayed my trust and attempted to worm back to my life after what he had done. The result was… destructive. So one night I had a talk with the higher ups, and he agreed I should take a break. I didn't tell anyone. When will I be ready to step back into that world, I am unsure.", with that, she sits on the bed, and smiles up at her allies, "Thank you for humoring this one. I feel much better."

"It is our duty, Lady Rys."

"Or, you three are just protective.", she teased, lightheartedly.

"A Master that treasures her servants like true allies. I doubt we'll find anyone as good as you or Ritsuka."

"Flattery, men. Very unbecoming of you lot."

"My, you enjoy it either way, Master."

A man at the other side of the door listens in.

————

"Amazing work everyone!", the Master cheered, "We're getting better everyday, as we should!"

"Flattery, Lady Rys.", Arthur chides with a smirk.

"You love it either way.", she waves his criticism off with a grin, to which the Saber Alter huffs.

As the Master and her Servants talked on one side of the Command Room, Ritsuka entered with his sets of servants. Today was one of two days where their ember gathering is the same and they would partake in silly competitions on who would go first. But today, the Chaldea Master overslept and the Freelance Master took her opportunity.

"Great job, you guys.", Ritsuka greets as he walks by, his smile turns to a yawn he had to cover his mouth.

"Thanks! Good luck to you guys!"

"Are you sure you don't wanna borrow a Servant from Rys? It is Archer day after all.", Da Vinci inquired.

"My Arjuna and El—ias are free, I think.", Rys looks at her two servants. A short while later, Arjuna approaches.

"My apologies, I have prior arrangements.", the Lancer said curtly.

"If Master thinks I can help, then I will help."

Da Vinci grins, "Well, there you go!"

"Take care, Arjuna!", she waves as she exits the command room. The Berserker stares at her hand, looks down at his, then raises it up, imitating her wave with a small smile, albeit hesitantly, making the mage giggle.

"Master.", The lady tried to stop her body from stiffening, which only came as her body shuddered. "If you have time today, I wish to talk to you."

Rys turned to the Lancer, who stared at her with unmoving teal eyes, "S-Sure.. Uhm, what time?"

"As soon as possible. I believe this is urgent.", he watched as the Master turned to the Saber Alter and Avenger Alter, who nodded and walked away.

"I visited Miss Da Vinci last week," he says, "Our bond has not been progressing at a steady rate.", the master stopped, "It has halted for a week.. and started to decrease at a steady rate just two days ago.", he adds, "Have I upset you?"

Panic erupted on the Master's face, "No! You've been… kind to me… all things considered.", she muttered, almost like she's not sure of what to say. The master doesn't look at him, still, "I'm sorry, I may not have been fully honest with you."

"I am aware.", he responds, "I have attempted to approach you for the last three days, only to disappear just as I found you… exactly like how you elude your retainer."

The look on his master was that of guilt, but even then, she has yet to look at him. Was she afraid to look at him? "I'm.. really sorry.", she muttered, "I— I don't know how to approach this situation."

Lancer inches closer, reaching for his Master's shoulder, "Then tell me how I can—", "— that's the problem, you can't!", the Lancer stiffened, hand just inches closer to her shoulder, "None of these memories are yours! Who you identify as, is like a mountain looming over my existence, constantly reminding me of what I had to leave behind!", and with that, the Master's shoulders jump, alongside her hitched breathing. "Excuse me."

The Lancer could only watch as the Master's form dispersed, in her wake, were tears on the reflective floor of Chaldea hallways.

———

Another month has passed and Da Vinci has finally raised the issue of the deteriorating bond between her and the Lancer.

"If it sinks any lower—" "Let it, Da Vinci.", the Acting Director paused and looked up from her tablet. "Why?"

"I am unfit to be his master. I'm sorry, I tried.", the Master shakes her head, "The emotional burden I carry with his true self is too much to disregard."

"Don't you think it's unfair for Lancer?"

"I'm…", she quiets down, pursing her lips.

"You keep comparing him to his true self! It's unfair to compare him to that!"

"You don't know what I've seen, Da Vinci! This was the grueling process I had to go through! Watch him burn and suffer without so much as a movement in his face! It's like that all over again, and every time he makes a risky move that almost kills him—", she covers her mouth with both hands, curls up and sobs. "I can't lose him again… not like this.."

"… You love him.", Da Vinci states with wide eyes, watching the master curl into herself further and sob.

"I never wanted him to be tied down to me, he deserves his freedom, but this stupid system brought him to me, knowing that I'd never wish this upon him!", the master said between sobs. "He doesn't deserve this… he doesn't deserve me, as his master.."

The session ended there.

————

"You've heard everything."

"…"

"Please be gentle with your master. Your Spirit Origin carries memories with your master. One that brings pain. I believe the reason she doesn't look at you is to avoid attachment, a similar attachment with him."

"…"

"I don't know how you'll do it, but I can only wish you the best of luck. She's a good Master. She's just.. a bleeding heart for a specific man."

"… I understand."

————

Oddly enough, the Lancer decided to conduct his own research and began to approach anyone close to his Master; about what she likes, what she does.

"Oh? Lady Rys? She likes chrysanthemums!", Merlin said with this smile on his face, "I remember her having a nightmare, a really bad one, that it drew me to protect her in her dreams, and gave her something better to dream about. She definitely slept much better after that.", the Mage of Flowers giggled, "She must have loved the garden of Chrysanthemums~"

"She has a weird fixation on muffins.", Emiya said, scratching the back of his head, confusion evident on her face, "Although whenever she eats them, there's this wistful look on her face. I think her Servants got mad at who made her cry when they saw her crying while eating muffins with coffee.", the Archer then sighs and a smile blooms from his usually stoic face, "But she clarified food was scarce as an orphan, and it brought her great comfort."

"Coffee.", Edmond Dantes states without looking up, "While she makes my blend the way I like it, she makes hers like it's alchemy. Has a machine she brought to the common room that makes her 'expresso'.", the Avenger shrugs, "I wouldn't touch the thing unless you know how to operate it. She makes a good brew with that machine of hers, so I try to learn when she's not looking. Don't tell her I said this."

"Ah! Big sis Rys helps us make origami! It's even funny when big brother Diarmuid Alter, Arthur Alter and Arjuna Alter join us!", the child servants said with a smile, "She even helps us sleep sometimes. Her Celestial Magic is pretty!"

"You're after Diarmuid's Incarnate?" "—My king, please.", Fionn laughs, "I jest, my friend."

"Well, Lady Rys likes to knit.", Saber Diarmuid said with a soft smile, almost apologetic that another had to see his Lancer-self deal with the blonde spear wielder, "She made me a sweater in the same shade as my armor for last year's Christmas."

"Are you sure she's curse resistan—" "— My king."

"Mongrel!", the Lancer paused and turned to greet three versions of the King of Heroes, the one who called for him was the Archer King, "Your buzzing is annoying me. State your purpose, immediately."

"I am gathering information about Master.", the Lancer responds.

"What for? And you never even bothered to ask her other servants.", the Archer raised a brow.

"It is for a.. present I'm making."

"But the Starry Mage's date of birth isn't even a month away?", the Young King's words caught the Lancer's attention. The question on his face was enough to make the King of Kings answer, "Well, she told us she no longer remembers, nor bothered to celebrate it, so Ritsuka decided to make it the day the Starry Mage joined Chaldea.", the young king smiled, "Luckily for me, I already have a present ready for her."

"Presents?", the Archer huffs, "The Starry Mage has no better gift than the presence of Kings!"

"Hoh? Are we talking about gifts?", another asks, it is Ozymandias, King of Kings, approaching with Nitocris beside him. "She enjoyed the starry view the evening deserts offer, that I must say."

"The Mage likes soft things, like stuffed toys or plushies.", Nitocris smiled, "Whenever she is not on duty, she is seen embracing this one stuffed toy I gave her. It's almost endearing.", The Lancer nods at the information, and writes it down.

The King of Kings said nothing in response to Nitocris' words, but stared at the Lancer in thought. "Boy.", he calls as he approaches. The Lancer looks at him as the King puts a hand on his shoulder, "I see a great burden in you.", he states, "Know that kindness is key to the heart. Cherish it, and assure no one will ever hurt it."

The Lancer was unsure of what the King of King's words meant, but nodded either way.

"Heed our words, Mongrel.", The Lancer turns to the Wise King, the Caster version, "Should the Starry Mage cry in despair in your presence once more, it will be death for you."

"I believe in your skills, Blood Knight.", The Rider said, "But if harm comes, I am afraid I will have to agree on the King of Heroes' sentiments."

Elias just nods.

————

"I see.", Saber Alter nods, "We'll make sure the Lady hears none of this."

"Thank you.", the Lancer said.

"If you are concerned, she doesn't avoid you out of ill will, but to protect herself.", Lancer tilts his head and the Avenger sighs.

"We as Servants may be strong, but we are not immortal. A finishing blow will end us, and we will be sent back to the throne, once she does summon us again, none of our memories, nor bond is present, it is a clean slate once more.", The Saber Alter explains. "I am unsure of your situation, considering your other self is still alive."

"Whenever we're on the verge of death, she comes in and takes the blow, no matter how large, unlike us, she is immortal.", the Avenger hummed. "Even then, to see my Lady injured protecting us, I am once again reminded she is not like Ritsuka, but a Master who will not hesitate to take up arms and fight in the front lines alongside her allies."

"She blocked my Sword of Recursion.", the berserker muttered, "When the dust settled, it was no longer the Master that remained, but the Goddess of the Stars. The look in her eyes as she stood protecting the Shadow Border alongside Karma."

"No. Not this cycle.", the master, now in the form of a Goddess that hovered alongside Karna. "Your blade will have to wait for another world to reset."

That memory stayed with the Berserker, even after he was summoned.

"We only do what we must to protect our Master's heart. It is the one thing she is unable to protect alone."

"And the only reason we have yet to end you is per our master's request."

The Lancer hums, "I wish to understand our Master. I did not realize it until our bond started to crumble, the feeling of losing her. It was foreign and painful. I do not like this pain. If it is because of her slowly giving up, then I refuse to be anywhere but beside Master. I need to convince her that I am willing to make it work."

"Then you have this king's blessings.", the Lancer was about to nod, then stopped when Excalibur Morgan was pointed inches close to his face, "You have been warned."

"I have been warned thrice, Saber Alter."

"Good.", the Lancer nodded again and excused himself.

"And the Blood Knight learned to have his own ambition.", The Saber Alter would shift his footing as he put his sword down, put his free hand on his hip and shook his head. "You sure do attract troubled men, Chrysantha."

——————

The Mage can feel it. The feeling of celebration in the air, add the fact that her servants have refused to let her out of her room, and Lancer is nowhere to be seen. But he was always behind her for the four counts she tried to teleport out of her room only to be hoisted on his shoulder, handed back to either Avenger, Saber or Berserker, and gently place her back to her room.

The three servants would take turns just to entertain her, it didn't take that much anyways, their tales were something she would forward to.

By 3 in the afternoon, Diarmuid Alter, Elias and Althur entered the room as the master just opted to go through documents, not minding the Berserker that clung to her and hid his face on her neck.

"Master.", this made the master look up from a report in her hand.

"Our apologies for keeping you here, Lady Rys.", Diamuid attempted to bow, but before he could, small hands held his shoulders in place.

"No bowing, remember?", she teased, and the Avenger just chuckled.

"Another test has been placed upon you master..", the Saber Alter then hands a black cloth to the Master, "To leave this room, you must wear this, and put all your trust on us."

The Master sighed, "Help me put it?"

With the blindfold in place, Diarmuid Alter on one side and Arjuna Alter on the other, both of them guiding their Master, Lancer in the back, just in case she slips, Arthur Alter in front, his cold presence gave way for the five to pass.

"We're here.", Diarmuid Alter whispered in the Mage's ear and Arjuna removed the blindfold.

"Happy Anniversary! Miss Rys!!", The enthusiastic Servants and Staff of Chaldea cheered."

"You lot.", the Mage sighed, then turned to the other mage, "You planned this didn't you?"

"I know you didn't want a big one! It just happened to become a whole party!", The Chaldea Master said as he slowly backed up.

Rys just shook her head, "At least it wasn't a singularity.", she then looked around, "Don't wait for my approval, enjoy yourselves. Think of this day as a day where you can loosen up and worry not about the war. Now,", she takes a wine glass and raises it, "to another glorious year!"

"TO ANOTHER GLORIOUS YEAR!"

——————

"Are you not enjoying yourself master?", the Lancer asked as he approached the Master alone in a booth, wine bottle in hand.

"Oh no! I just told the other three to go visit their roots, and I made sure that Saber Diar stops Fionn from mentioning anything about Grainne. Although,", the Master looks at the group of Celtic and Ulster Servants, "it seems the King held his tongue for today.", she then looked at the Lancer who stared at her, "You don't have to wait for my command, put the wine down and sit with me, I can serve myself."

Elias nods and puts the win down on the table and sits across the booth "Why not interact with the Chaldea Master?"

"He's…", she looks at where Ritsuka is, being pestered by Kiyohime and Minamoto-no-Raikou, and him being the middleman of their affection, "busy.", she sighed. "Kiyohime takes her affections seriously, and doesn't believe the fact that this one is incapable of loving someone on a whim. Minamoto is lovely, just the overbearing big sis I think she is.", Rys takes the bottle and pours her glass.

"Master –"

"Eli—"

The two paused, and the Master put down the bottle and looked at the Lancer with wide eyes.

"You would almost call me that – Eli.", the Lancer states, "Is that what you call him?", he watched as her gold eyes softened.

"Yes.", she takes a sip, "I'm sorry I've been apprehensive. You just… remind me of many things."

"I am aware.", he nods, "The real Elias Nouvelle, your Elias Nouvelle, is still alive."

"Yes, most likely searching for me.", she answered as she tilted the glass to sip.

"I'm sorry if I've been uncom— " "— No. None of it is your fault.", she responded so.. calmly, "To see you still approach me, honestly I'd think you'd hate me with the last outburst."

"I understand your reasons, please hear mine as well.", The Master nods hesitantly, "I understand you wish to break our bond, for my sake, but please also understand that I would like to at least try.", he reaches for her hand, "You are my Master, I've heard feats of your glory from Servants not even your own. I would like to be a part of it – a part of your journey."

"Elias…"

"When Da Vinci reported of our slowly deteriorating bond, something ached in my chest, it felt horrible, the thought of losing you felt terrible. Something in me told me not to let you go, to never let you go."

"You may not be him, but you have a piece of his soul. The ambition – his ambitions - are also your ambitions."

Elias nods, "I beg of you. Allow me a chance to know you, not as the Knight in your dreams, but as me, your Lancer-class Servant."

————

"𝑰'𝒎 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝑰 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏."